Category Archives: ESA / Europe

Wednesday / 14 October 2015

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Space Agency Heads At IAC2015; Discussing “Moon First” Approach To Space Exploration

10142015International Participation & Cooperation, IAC2015 Plenary Session Includes Israel Space Agency Chairman Isaac Ben-Israel, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, CNSA Administrator Xu Dazhe, ISRO Scientific Secretary Krishna Murthy, Roscosmos Head Igor Komarov, JAXA President Naoki Okumura, ESA Director General Jan Woerner With Panel Moderated By German Journalist Uli Bobinger; 3 Goals Emerging: Need For Stronger International Cooperation, Moon As Next Destination, Need For Measurable Benefits To The Public; CNSA Xu Dazhe Discussing China CE5 Moon Sample Return Mission & CE4 Lander on Far Side Moon; HOA Panel Consensus Of Further Moon Exploration & Moon Before Mars As Logical Step

Credit: IAC2015, NASA, ESA

Tuesday / 21 July 2015

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Chang’e-4 Lunar Mission To Launch In 2018?

7212015 Chinese National Space Agency (CNSA) Announces Plan For Chang’e-4 Lunar Lander / Rover / Orbiter To Moon Far Side Late 2018; Launch From Xichang Satellite Launch Center (XSLC) Via Long March 3B Rocket; First Soft-Landing & Surface Examination Of Far Side; Discussions With European Space Agency (ESA) For Potential Cooperation Ongoing; Crewed Lunar Landing Is Ultimate Objective Of Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP)

Credit: NASA, CNSA, ESA, CLEP

Thursday / 16 July 2015

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ESA Envisions Lunar Village

7162015New Director General Of European Space Agency (ESA) Johann-Dietrich Woerner (TL) Proposes “Moon Village On The Far Side Of The Moon”; Collaborative Efforts Would Incorporate World Participation; Far Side Of Moon Long Supported By Dr. Jack Burns (TR) Of University Of Colorado Boulder; Motivation For Village Includes Telescopes For Deep Space Observation, Stepping Stone For Mars Missions / Training, 3D Printing Trials & Multi-Nation Astronaut Settlement / Expanded International Involvement

Credit: NASA, ESA, Foster + Partners

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 19-22 June 2015

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Moon Missions Discussed At 2015 International Paris Air Show

6192015Russia Luna-25 Performing “Earth Trials” For Projected 2019 Landing At Moon South Pole To Study Moon Structure, Cosmic Ray Impact, Electromagnetic Radiation; Incoming ESA Director General (1 July), Johann-Dietrich Wörner (TR) Discussing  International Partnerships & States “One Of My Ideas Is To Go To The Moon, To The Far Side Of The Moon. To Have Robots And Humans Really Be Present There, On A Permanent Station…”

Credit: NASA, Roscosmos Press Service, EuroNews, International Paris Air Show

Tuesday / 9 June 2015

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ESA To Collaborate On
China Chang’e-4 Mission

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China National Space Administration Officials Confirm That ESA Will Participate In Chang’e-4 Mission, Collaborating On Mission Science & Payload Development; Agreement Came Out Of Beijing Meetings With CNSA Administrator Wu Yanhua & ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain; Chang’e-4 May Launch 2020, Be 1st Craft To Land On Lunar Far Side, Likely In South Pole-Aitken Basin; Final Decisions Regarding Chang’e-4 Plan Expected Sep 2015

Image Credit: ESA, CNSA, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 April 2015

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ESA, China Consider Human Missions
To Moon Far Side

FarSideESAchina

Incoming ESA Director General Johann-Dietrich Wörner Wants To See Establishment Of Base On Far Side Of Moon To Enable Radio Astronomy; Current DLR Chairman Wörner Will Assume ESA Leadership On 1 Jul; China Lunar Exploration Program Chief Design Consultant Ye Peijian Says He Is Confident Country Will Accomplish Human Lunar Landings, Envisions Human Expedition To Far Side Of Moon 

Image Credit: ESA, china.org.cn, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 30 Jan – 2 Feb 2015

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Russia & ESA Advancing Plans For Human Exploration / Development Of Moon

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RSC Energia Deputy General Nikolai Bryukhanov Says Russia Aerospace Enterprise Is Working On Creating New Crewed Spacecraft For Missions To The Moon; European Space Agency Releases New Video Outlining Plans For Possible Human Mission To Far Side Moon; Agency Sees South Pole-Aitken Basin As Promising Location For Human Habitation & Development, Moon Place Where All Nations Can Come Together To Understand Common Origins, Build Common Future

Image Credit: RSC Energia, ESA

Thursday / 15 January 2015

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Science Lectures: Lunar Swirls For Space Exploration, Origin Of Moon

SwirlyTheia

Ruth Bamford At BIS London 21 Jan To Explain How Mini Magnetospheres (Lunar Swirls) On Moon May Provide Key For Interplanetary Travel / Radiation Protection; Using Technology Based On This Phenomenon, Radiation Protecting Hardware Mass Could Be Kept Below 3000kg Requiring Only 10-20kW Of Power, Well Within Practical Expectations; Sarah Stewart Of UC Davis To Give SETI Lecture On 27 Jan Detailing Models Of The Giant Impact Believed To Have Created The Moon, A Follow-Up From Recent Billy Quarles SETI Lecture On “Theia’s Date With Destiny“

Image Credit: Fahad Sulheria, RAL Space, UC Davis, NASA

 

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 5-8 December 2014

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International Space University LM1 Participation Inspires Students

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ISU Participation In Lunar Mission One (LM1) Exemplifies Potential Of Inspirational Education; 47 ISU MSc Students From Around World Carrying Out Preliminary Mission Design For Near-Term Lunar Orbiting Cubesat To Photograph Moon Surface – Specifically Including LM1 South Pole Landing Site; Satellite Will Send Pictures Back To Earth For Space Education / Outreach, & To Raise Global Awareness Of LM1 – Which Is Planned To Land & Drill To At Least 20m, Analyze 4.5B Year Old Rocks, & Analyze Viability Of Permanent Human Base At Moon South Pole

Image Credit: ISU, Lunar Mission One

Thursday / 4 December 2014

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ESA Affirms Moon Is A Key Exploration Destination

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In 1-Day Council Meeting At Ministerial Level In Luxembourg, Ministers Of 20 ESA Member States Adopted 3 Resolutions: Development Of Ariane 6 & Vega C Rockets, Confirmation Of Vision For ESA Through 2030, & Resolution On 3 Destinations For Exploration – LEO, Moon & Mars; All 3 Destinations Viewed As Part Of Single Process by Maximizing Technology / System Synergies & Maximizing Benefits Of Robotic & Human Exploration; ESA Also Looking To Participate In International Human-Tended Space Infrastructure Development Beyond 2020

Image Credit: ESA