Wednesday / 28 Mar 2018

USRA And Space Policy Institute Hold “Return To The Moon” Symposium In DC Today

Universities Space Research Association & George Washington University SPI Host Annual Joint Symposium On 28 March, Focusing On “Partnership Of Government, Academia, And Industry” For Human Moon Exploration; Key Participants Include (L-R) NASA Acting Director Robert Lightfoot, ESA Director Jan Wörner (Via Video), SPI Director Henry Hertzfeld, Astronaut Jack Schmitt, Former NASA Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan; From Industry Will Be Christie Iacomini Of Blue Origin & Dan Hendrickson Of Astrobotic; Exploring Strategies To Align USA Space Initiatives With Those Of Other Nations; ~150 People Expected At Evening Reception

Credits: USRA, SPI, NASA, ESA, Blue Origin, Astrobotic

Friday / 19 Jan 2018

Blue Origin, Astrobotic and Moon Express Developing Lunar Landers

Blue Origin Near Seattle Designing “Blue Moon” Lander Capable Of Carrying 4,500 kg – Advanced Programs Manager A.C. Charania Says Aiming For 1st Mission In The Next Few Years; Astrobotic In Pittsburgh Developing “Peregrine” Lander Capable Of Delivering Up To 265 kg At US$1.2M/kg – 1st Moon Landing With 35-kg Payload Scheduled For 1st Half Of 2020; Moon Express At Cape Canaveral Planning To Launch “MX-1E” Landers With 10-20 kg Payloads, Including One With ILO-X Telescope & Possibly On Rocket Lab Electron From New Zealand For Google Lunar XPrize; Space.com Mike Wall Writes On Moon Rush

Pictured: Blue Origin Jeff Bezos & A.C. Charania, Astrobotic CEO John Thornton, ME CEO Bob Richards; Credits: Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos, A.C. Charania, Astrobotic, Moon Express, Bob Richards

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 20-23 Oct 2017

Human Return To Moon Advancing
With NSC And Commercial Ventures

USA National Space Council Declaring America Will Return To The Moon, Plans To Establish Users’ Advisory Group Composed Of Commercial Space Industry Leaders; Major Questions To FY19 Funding NASA Return To Moon: Where Will It Come From And Who Will It Involve – Commercial Or International Partners? At LEAG Return To The Moon Workshop, Moon Express, Astrobotic, Blue Origin & Masten Present Their Plans To Return To Moon, Opportunities For Government Collaboration; Bigelow & ULA Announce B330 Habitat For Low Lunar Orbit; As To ‘Why’ We Return To Moon – Expert Paul Spudis States “We Go To The Moon To Learn How To Live & Work Productively On Another World… Arrive, Survive, Thrive”

Credits: NASA, Bill Ingalls, Moon Express, SpaceX, Bigelow, Astrobotic

USA Independence Day Edition
Fri-Tue / 30 June – 4 July 2017

Human 2020 Return To Moon Also Supported By Stephen Hawking

First Women / Americans On Moon As Soon As 2020 Is Within Reach – Advances Made By SpaceX On Falcon Heavy, Dragon Crew & Interplanetary Transportation System, Blue Origin New Glenn, New Shepard & New Armstrong, Bigelow Lunar Inflatable Habitats, Moon Express And Astrobotic Lunar Landers, NASA SLS / Orion And New Astronaut Class With 5 Women & 7 Men; Returning “In Peace For All” To Reclaim Greatest American / Human Advance Is Vital For Long-Term Survival And First Step To Launching Into Solar System And Galaxy; Stephen Hawking States Countries Should Collaborate To Build Moon Settlement Within 30 Years; NASA, ESA, China, India, Russia, Canada And Others Support Moon Base Construct – Focusing On Moon South Pole New Frontier To Utilize Materials And Energy; The Time To Achieve Pioneering 21st Century Return To Moon To Solidify Multi World Species Status Is Now

Credits: NASA, N. Moeller, Space Age Publishing Company, Behrokh Khoshnevis

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 5-8 May 2017

Latest NASA RFI Seeks Commercial Lunar Surface Cargo Transportation Services

Requesting Proposals For Lunar Services Starting 2018 Through Next Decade, Thomas Zurbuchen States NASA ‘Remains Committed To High-Priority Lunar Science & Investigating Potential Resources For Exploration’; SLS / Orion Circumlunar Flight 2019 & Humans To Mars 2030s Goal May Solidify Plans To Return USA To Moon; Enterprises Advancing Landers Include Moon Express With MX-1, Blue Origin Blue Moon Lander / New Armstrong Rocket, Astrobotic Peregrine & Griffin Landers; Others Planning For Moon Operations Include Bigelow Lunar Habitats / Cislunar Depot, Shackleton Energy Co. Mining Pursuits, ILOA Instruments / Human Service Mission, SpaceX Crew Dragon Lunar Tourism, Liftport Group Lunar Elevator

Credits: Moon Express, Blue Origin, SpaceX, Astrobotic, ILOA, Bigelow, Liftport Group, Golden Spike Company, Lunarcubes / Flexure Engineering

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 March 2017

Human Moon Mission Planning Advances In USA, China, Russia

US Gov Surveying Feasibility Of Human Moon Flyby Sep 2018 On Orion / SLS / EM-1, Private Venture SpaceX Plans 2018 Circumlunar Trip For 2 Tourists, Blue Origin Proposes 2020 Moon South Pole Cargo Deliveries To Start Permanent Human Settlement; China Chief Lunar Exploration Designer Hu Hao Announces Success Of CE-5 Sample Return Launching Nov 2017 Will Pave Way For Human Landing Mission Which ‘Should Be Carried Out ASAP’; Russia Begins Selection Of 6-8 Cosmonauts For Federatsiya Spacecraft Intended To Fly To Moon, First Uncrewed Test Flight Planned 2021 On New Angara Rocket

Credits: NASA, CNSA, Roscosmos, SpaceX, Blue Origin

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 March 2017

Blue Origin Proposes 2020 Plan To Start Permanent Moon South Pole, Human Settlement

Jeff Bezos Circulating 7-Page White Paper To NASA Leadership & U.S. Administration Transition Team Detailing Plan To Develop Blue Moon Lunar Lander / Cargo Craft, Amazon-Like Delivery Service Starting July 2020 To Enable Future Human Settlements Near Shackleton Crater Where Ice, Hydrogen & Constant Solar Power Are Available; Wants To ‘Partner With NASA To Achieve This Challenging, Worthy, Exciting Objective’; SpaceX, Moon Express, Astrobotic, Shackleton Energy, Golden Spike, Commercial Ventures Planning Moon Services; Robert Bigleow States “Mars Is Premature At This Time. The Moon Is Not”

Credits: Blue Origin, ESA, NASA, LRO, Bigelow Aerospace

Inauguration Month Edition
January 2017

Human Moon Lander Imperative, 2020-2025:
To Enable 21st Century Solar System Complete

2018 SLS / Orion EM-1 First Mission Planned For Cislunar Capability Signals Opportunity For Human Lunar Lander Enterprise And Development; American Independents Such As Golden Spike, Astrobotic, Moon Express, Shackleton Energy, Canadensys, ILOA, As Well As Blue Origin, SpaceX, Bigelow Among Others, May Collaborate Through Public-Private Partnerships Bi-Nationally, Multi-Nationally With Canada, China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe, Japan, Russia, USA, And Other Nations Globally; American And International Space Community May Welcome Progressive, Constructive Initiatives From New U.S. President And Administration, While Remaining Vigilant Against Regression; New U.S. President Could Enable Humanity To Reestablish And Advance Itself As Multi World Species, With Women, Men On The Moon And 21st Century “Stretch Goal”

Credits: SPC, ILOA, NASA, Space Dev

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 23-26 Sep 2016

The Moon, Mars And A Multi World Species

led-9-23-16

The Moon, Earth Closest Celestial Neighbor / The ‘8th Continent’, And The New Frontier Moon South Pole May Be The 1st And Most Logical Step Toward Establishing & Sustaining Humans As A Multi World Species And Exploring Solar System Complete; Luna Is Almost 600 Times Closer To Earth Than Mars On Average; Projections Indicate Human Moon Missions Could Occur Within 5-7 Years For ~US$10B; Countries China, India, Japan, Russia, S. Korea, Europe & Commercial Entities ILOA, Moon Express, Astrobotic, Canadensys, Bigelow, Blue Origin And Others Are Making Moon Missions A Priority

Pictured: Multi World Explorers Remaining

Credits: NASA, ILOA, SPC, ESA

 

Friday / 16 September 2016

Blue Origin Developing Huge Rockets,
May Launch Moon Missions

blue-origin-moon

Working Step By Step With Vision Of ‘Millions Of People Living & Working In Space’ Jeff Bezos Of Blue Origin Hints At Return To The Moon With New Armstrong; Could Fulfill Significant Need For USA Human Moon Missions, Catalyze Multi World Species Settlement; Reusable Orbital New Glenn Rocket In 2 & 3-Stage Configuration To Be 82-m & 95-m Tall, Provide 17.1M Newton (3.85M lbf) Thrust From Seven BE-4 Engines, Capable Of Launching Humans & Cargo Beyond LEO; Reusable Suborbital VTVL New Shepard & Capsule Being Prepared For Test Passenger Flights 2017, Full Operations 2018

Credit: Blue Origin LLC, Jeff Bezos, NASA