Category Archives: Human Moon Missions

Tuesday / 25 June 2019

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Three Apollo Astronauts Say They Support Artemis Return To The Moon

At Cradle Of Aviation Museum In Long Island, 3 Apollo Astronauts Endorse Artemis Plan For Returning Humans To Moon; Rusty Schweickart Of Apollo 9 Supports Real And Resurgent Moon Program; Charlie Duke (R) Of Apollo 16 Is “All For It” And Excited For Artemis; Harrison Schmitt (L) Of Apollo 17 Expressed Concerns About Funding, Says That Engineering Lunar Hardware Is Full Of Surprises, Wants An “Apollo Management” Environment, Says Young People Are Essential, And Wishes NASA Good Luck

Credits: NASA, Cradle of Aviation Museum

Tuesday / 18 June 2019

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NASA Head Bridenstine At Paris Airshow To Discuss International Cooperation In Artemis Program

Following Public Comments Encouraging International Public And Independent / Commercial Lunar Efforts To ‘Plug Into Architecture’ Of Human Lunar Landing Program Artemis, Jim Bridenstine Has Indicated That He Will Be Speaking To Media; Meeting With Various Heads Of National Space Programs At 53rd International Paris Air Show To Discuss Partnerships To Further 2024 Moon Initiative

Credits: NASA, IPAS

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 14-17 June 2019

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Next Decade Of Space Weather Favorable For Exploration Of Moon And Beyond

Study Conducted By Irina Kitiashvili Of NASA Ames Research Center Indicates Upcoming 11 Year Solar Cycle Least Active In 2 Centuries, Solar Sunspots At 2025 Maximum Estimated 30-50% Less Frequent Than 2013 Solar Maximum, Reducing Risk Of Deleterious Solar Storm Radiation For Artemis Mission Instrumentation And Astronauts, Including First Women On The Moon

Credits: NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, ESA

Friday / 14 June 2019

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Moon Maps, Composition Analyses Advance With Future Artemis Payloads, Current LRO, Past Missions Data

In Support Of First Planned Human Moon Landings 2024 & Potential Lunar Base, Projected Late 2020 Uncrewed Artemis 1 First Flight Of SLS Will Carry 6 Secondary Payloads To Study Lunar Ice, Hydrogen, Radiation, Spectroscopy, Thermography, Test Cislunar Propulsion Methods; LRO Reaching 10 Full Years / Entering 11th Year At Moon Next Week, Remains In Polar Mapping Orbit Since 2015; LRO Combined Data With 2011-12 GRAIL Mission Shows Potential Metal Deposit 5x Size Of Hawai’i Island Beneath South Pole-Aitken Basin

Credits: NASA, LRO, GRAIL, JPL, SPC, ILOA

Friday / 7 June 2019

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Artemis Program Gains Bipartisan Supporters For First Woman On The Moon

Artemis Program For Human Lunar Landings Seeking Extra Investment Of US$1.6B; NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine (L) States That Campaign For Artemis Funding Only Beginning, Enlists Democrat Former Senator And Space Shuttle Traveler Bill Nelson (TR) To Join NASA Advisory Council; Nelson Emphasizes That NASA Is Not Only Bipartisan But A Nonpartisan Agency; Jerry Moran (LR), Chair Of Key Senate Subcommittee, Vows To “Make Certain NASA Has The Resources To Land The First Woman On The Moon”

Credits: NASA, US Senate

Friday / 24 May 2019

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Funding Moon, Mars & Beyond: 0.1% Annual Increase Of USA National Budget Through 2024

NASA Budget Remains <1% Since 1993; Agency Is Tasked With Landing The First Woman On The Moon In 2024 & Developing Sustainable Return To Moon Architecture; Request Of ‘Additional’ US$1.6B Dubbed As ‘Down Payment’ For Artemis Program By Administrator Bridenstine; Current Allotment Of ~0.5% Federal Budget Gaining 0.1% Per Year Would Give NASA 1% By 2024 – Which Would Align Visionary Ambitions With True Commitment, Real Support

Credits: Office of Management and Budget, Chart by Andrew Witherspoon / Axios with additions by SPC, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 May 2019

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Apollo 10: Fifty Years Downrange With Aquarius Age Rising — First Women Soon To South Pole Moon

USA Artemis Program, Named For Apollo’s Twin Sister, Works To Land First Women At Moon South Pole ASAP, By 2024; Commitment To Appropriate Federal Funding Of 1% Could Double NASA Budget With Little Effect On DoD – Advancing Celestial Aspirations Of Apollo Missions In The Spirit Of ‘In Peace For All’ And Aquarius Age Consciousness Of 1960s; NASA Announces 11 Companies Chosen For Human Lander Prototypes, Plans Scaled-Back Lunar Gateway & Sustainable International Moon Base

Credits: NASA, SPC, ILOA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 May 2019

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NASA Working On Increased Investment In Moon And Beyond

Following Jeff Bezos Announcement Of Blue Moon Lander, USA Administration Working On Plan And Budget For Human Lunar Return; NASA Facing Planetary Defense Challenge Of Asteroid Apophis Approaching Earth In 2029; Human Mars Landing Proposed For 2030s In Addition To Lunar Missions; Doubling NASA Investment To 1% Of Federal Budget Is Unimplemented Proposal From First Bush Administration; Increasing NASA Budget Would Fund Renaissance Of Moon, Mars And Asteroid Missions

Credits: NASA, Blue Origin

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 May 2019

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Apollo 10 ‘Snoopy’ Ascent Stage May Be Future Target Of Rendezvous

50th Observation Of Apollo 10 Launch Is 18 May; UK Astronomers Assisted By Former Apollo Flight Controllers Find Lunar Module ‘Snoopy’ In Space; Ascent Stage Named For ‘Peanuts’ Beagle Remains In Orbit After Descending To 14.4 km From Surface And Returning In 1969; Surviving Mission Commander Tom Stafford Recalls Having No Idea Where Module Went; Nick Howes Of Royal Astronomical Society Thinks The Unique Historic Crewed Spacecraft Is Future Target For Rendezvous Mission

Credits: NASA, Charles Schulz Museum

Tuesday / 30 Apr 2019

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NASA Plans South Pole Lunar Base In Parallel With Blue Origin 

USA National Space Council Leader Scott Pace (L) Says Lunar Base Is Part Of Sustainable Exploration Plan; Space Launch System May Undergo 4-Engine Static Test At Stennis Space Center, Potentially Delaying First Uncrewed EM-1 Flight To 2021; Exploration Chief Bill Gerstenmaier Calculates That SLS Crewed EM-2 May Still Occur In 2022 And Human Lunar Landing In 2024; Blue Origin Signs Contract For Unused Apollo-Era Test Stands, Hints At 9 May Announcement About ‘Endurance’ And Shackleton Crater At South Pole

Credits: NASA