Chang’e-3 Now Scheduled For Launch Dec 2013; While Confirming Mission Shifting From Design To Launch Phase, CNSA / Lunar Program Chief Commander Ma Xingrui Acknowledges 1st China Attempt To Land On Planetary Body Is “An Extremely Difficult Mission That Carries Great Risk;” Crewed Lunar Missions Could Follow If China Decides To Combine Human Spaceflight & Lunar Exploration Programs
Image Credit: CNSA
China Set To Make 1st Soft Landing Moon Mission In December 2013 Says China Rocket Expert & CLEP Adviser Lehao Long (TR); RTG Will Power Rover & Keep It Operational For Up To 30 Years; Chief Lunar Scientist Ziyuan Ouyang S ays High-End Technology Has Solved Problem Of Large Temperature Variance; Mission Will Study Surface / Geological Structure Of Moon & Plasmasphere Electromagnetic Fields Above Earth
Image Credit: China Daily, CNSA
SHAO Director Xiaoyu Hong Says 65-M Radio Telescope In Shanghai Has Undergone 6 Months Of Calibration In Preparation For Chang’e-3 Moon Lander / Rover Mission; Team Will Use Kinematic Statistical Method Utilizing Both Ranging, VLBI Measurements & Ephemeral Data Of Motion Of Moon To Analyze Position Of Lunar Lander In Sinus Iridum During Upcoming Mission; 10 Minutes Of Data Acquisition Using This Strategy Can Reach 10-M Accuracy
Image Credit: SHAO, CNSA, NASA
US Space Agency Seeks Concepts For Industry-Developed Robotic Lander To Support Independent And / Or NASA Lunar Surface Missions As Early As 2018; NASA Not Offering Funds, Solely Technical Expertise, Use Of Test Facilities, Hardware / Software; Interested In Landers Capable Of Delivering Payloads Of 30-100kg & 250-450kg Range; Missions Of Interest Include Prospecting Volatiles At Lunar Poles, Sample Return; 2018 Mission Still Well After China Chang’e-3, 4, 5 (Inset) & Possibly Chang’e-6 Moon Landers.
Image Credit: NASA, CNSA
Preparations Accelerating For China Chang’e-3 Moon Lander (End 2013); LROC PI Mark Robinson Says It Is “Gratifying To Finally See An Exploration Vehicle Landing On The Moon”, Looks Forward To Imaging China Lander From 100km Above, Notes Moon Is 1st Step For Human Off-World Journey, Hopes NASA Will Also Have Lunar Surface Vehicles Soon; China To Begin Prototype Phase Of Chang’e-5 Sample Return Mission This Year
Image Credit: CNSA, NASA, CLEP
International Lunar Development Corp. Proposed By Buzz Aldrin To Facilitate Unified International, Commercial & Academic Partnerships To Advance Moon Exploration & Settlement; China, India, Russia, Japan, Europe, USA, NewSpace Companies Such As Bigelow, Shackleton Energy, Golden Spike Urged To Implement Step-By-Step Space Plan; Humans Need To Become Multi-World Species For Long-Term Survival, Will & Should Settle On Moon Long Before Mars, Europa, Etc
Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, PISCES, Shackleton Energy Co., GSC
Barcelona Moon Team Developing Baseline Plan For Mission Build, Integration, Launch Logistics; Lander Module Structure To Be Built In Spain, Sent To China For Propulsion System Integration, Back to Spain For Electronics Integration & AIT Campaign, Again To China For Assembly On Top Of Long March 2C-CTS2 For Launch NET June 2014; Penn State Lunar Lion Team Bid To Host 2014 Summit At University Park, Pennsylvania, USA Bolstered By Support From Senator Pat Toomey
Image Credit: BMT, Penn State Lunar Lion
ILO-X 180 X 70mm Telescope Built For ILOA Of Hawaii USA By Moon Express Launching To Moon 2015; Will Observe Galaxies, Stars, Planets, Moon, Earth; ILOA MoU With National Astronomical Observatories of China Enables Exchange Of ILO-X Observing Time With Lunar Telescope On Chang’e-3 Launching Late 2013; Also Collaborating With Golden Spike Co For Human Moon Missions (2018-2020); Learn More At Galaxy Forum China 22 Sep ‘Human Moon Missions: Giant Steps Into The Galaxy’
Image Credit: ILOA, NAOC
China Chang’e-3 Moon Lander / Rover Being Prepared For 40 Days Of Thermal Testing; Will Be Tested Together, Then Separately & Exposed To Moon-Like Temperatures Of About -200°C To 150°C In Vacuum Thermal Simulation Tester At China Aerospace Science & Technology Corp. In Beijing; CNSA States Launch To Moon Sinus Iridum “Bay of Rainbows” Still Set For Q3-4 2013
Image Credit: China Space News
US Congress Rep. Lamar Smith (R) States Human Moon Mission Has More Support Than Proposed NASA Asteroid Retrieval Mission; Can Learn More From Moon & Is Better Precursor For Deep Space Exploration; NASA Chief Bolden (L) Says Going To Moon Would Cost 3 Times More Than Asteroid & With US$17.7B 2014 Budget It Is All NASA Can Afford; Solidifying China, Russia, Commercial USA Moon Plans May Induce Another ‘Sputnik Effect’ On NASA In Near Future
Image Credit: house.gov, NASA