ESA To Decide By End Of 2012 If 2.8 Metric Ton Herschel Telescope Will Crash Into Lunar Surface In Search Of Permafrost; $1.4B Infrared Astronomy Mission Ends March 2013 Due To Depletion Of Cryogenic Superfluid Helium; Spacecraft Currently At L2; Earliest Arrival At Moon Would Be June 2013; Alternate Plan To Place In Solar Orbit, Away From Earth For 100s Of Years
Image Credit: ESA, NASA
ESA Preliminary System Requirement Review Puts €500M Price On 6 Month Mission To Place Rover / Other Experiments At Moon’s South Pole; Astrium Lunar Lander Study Phase B1 Major Results Include Precision Autonomous Soft Landing Test Results From TRON (Testbed For Robotic Optical Navigation) & LAMA (Landing And Mobility Test Facility); Nov ESA Ministerial Conference Decides Whether To Proceed With Study Phase B2 Leading To Preliminary Design Review
Image Credit: Astrium, ESA
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin Says Russia Should Set ‘Super Goal’ Of Building Large Base On Moon To Refocus Space Industry; Base Could Facilitate Leaps Of Science & Future Deep Space Projects; Possible Collaboration With USA / ESA; Moon Is Seen As Logical Next Step For Russia Exploration As Mars Is “Too Far And Too Expensive”
Image Credit: Roscosmos, wn.com
Scientific Objectives / Payload Design For ESA Lunar Lander Mission (~2018) In Paper By James Carpenter, et al, Accepted For Publication In Planetary & Space Sciences; Mission To Emphasize Human Exploration Preparatory Science; Payloads To Study Effects Of Plasma / Dust / Radiation Environment On Systems & Humans, Distribution / Application Of In Situ Resources For Future Exploration; Moon South Pole Likely Landing Site
Image Credit: ESA
ESA / NASA Collaborating On Project To Confirm Effectiveness Of Laser Communication From Moon To Earth & Back; New Optical Terminal Flying On LADEE (NET 2013) Will Transmit Over 600MB / Second To 3 Ground Stations By Beam Of Infrared Light At 1550nm Wavelength; Optical Laser Communication Could Reduce Mass Of On-Board Receiving / Transmitting Equipment & Provide Significantly Faster Data Rates Than Traditional Radio Frequencies
Image Credit: NASA
Abstract Submission Deadline Is 23 May For European Planetary Science Congress 2012; Conference Organizers Seeking Submissions For Following Lunar Sessions: Lunar Volatiles, Lunar Science & Exploration – A Global Approach, Lunar Science & Google Lunar X Prize, Moon As Tool For Public Engagement; EPSC 2012 Will Be Held In Madrid, 23-28 September
Image Credit: epsc2012.eu
Image Credit: Uchusen Company, Naviblog
Uchusen Company, University Of Southampton & DeltaCAT Ltd., Present ‘Hopper Alpha’ Demonstrator; Team Went From Blank Paper To Core Physical & Electronics Framework Ready For Gimbal/Thruster, Firing & Hovering Phase, In Under 1 Calendar Year; Managing Director Mandali Khalesi: Project Is Initial Step Towards Agile Spacecraft Development Required In New Century; Could Be Utilized For Lunar Or NEO Missions
Image Credit: NASA, GLXP, Team Puli
4 GLXP Teams Present Their Plans To, Invite Science Payloads From, 170 Lunar Scientists At Recent European Lunar Symposium In Berlin; Puli, AMALIA, FREDNET, Synergy Moon Among 11 GLXP Teams With Significant European Involvement; Radio Antennae, X-Ray Spectroscopes Among Payload Concepts Proposed During Highly Successful Session
Image Credit: ESA, IAC
ESA Lunar Lander Mission ‘MoonNext’ Will Be Prominent Focus When Europe (Naples, Italy) Hosts IAC On 1-5 Oct 2012; Scheduled To Launch Aboard Ariane 5 Rocket From Kourou, French Guiana In 2018; Destined For Moon South Pole, Mission To Demonstrate Hazard Avoidance Technology, Characterize Location For Potential Human Outpost; Landing Mass Of Craft Between 650-800kg
Image Credit: ESA, NASA
ESA Working To Advance 3D Lidar Technology For Deep Space Exploration; Potential Applications Include Guidance / Navigation / Control Of Planetary Landers & Selection Of Safe Landing Site, Steering Rovers On Planetary Surface, Docking In Planetary Orbit; New Class Of Imaging Lidar Much Smaller, Needing Less Power; Landing Lidar Instrument Being Designed For ESA Lunar Lander, NET 2019