Tuesday / 13 January 2015

Helium-3 2015 Revisit: India, Europe, China

moonminingRaoCraw

Ever-Increasing Activities Towards Moon Exploration Indicate India, China & Other Space Powers Driven By Potential Economic Value Of Lunar Resources Including Helium-3; Former ISRO Chairman Prof UR Rao Says India Interested In Power-Generation Capacity Of Lunar He-3; UK-Based Researcher Ian Crawford Says Lunar Poles May Hold Higher Concentrates Of He-3, Polar Lander Required To Confirm; Orbiters Have Confirmed Presence Of Resources, ISRU Systems Already Tested On Earth, Time Has Come To Demonstrate Systems On Surface Of Moon

Image Credit: NASA, ISRO, Birkbeck College

Friday / 19 December 2014

GSLV Launch Opens Path To Moon & Solar System For India

ISROgslvChandrayaan

Successful Launch Of GSLV Mk-3 Will Change Destiny Of India Space Program According To ISRO Mission Director S Somnath; Heavy Payload Launch Capacity Will Allow Country To Continue Ambitious & Cost-Efficient Plans To Advance Solar System Robotic & Human Exploration, Beginning With Chandrayaan-2 Moon Orbiter / Lander / Rover Mission In 2016, Likely To Be Humanity’s 1st Mission To Next, Most Promising, New Frontier Of Human Expansion Into Cosmos –
Moon South Pole

Pictured (L-R): ISRO Chairman KS Radhakrishnan, Space Applications Center Director K Kumar

Image Credit: ISRO, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 12-15 December 2014

Successful Launch Of GSLV Mk-3 Will Advance India Moon Landing Plan

GSLVmk3Chandrayaan2

1st Flight Of 3-Stage GSLV Mk-3 Scheduled For 3rd Week Of December; Most Powerful To Date India Launch Vehicle Will Carry 3.65-Metric Ton Crew Module Atmospheric Re-Entry Experiment; Designed To Lift 4-Metric Ton Class Payload, The Rocket – With Lift Off Weight Of 630-Metric Tons – Is Needed To Complete 2016-2017 Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter / Lander / Rover Mission; Scientific Payloads Of Moon Mission Expected To Perform Mineralogical & Elemental Studies Of Lunar Surface; Moon South Pole Is Likely Destination Of Moon Lander

Image Credit: ISRO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 21-24 November 2014

ILOA Progressing With 4 Moon Missions,
International / Private / Public Collaboration

ILOA 4 Moon Missions 2015

ILOA Board of Directors Annual Meeting On Hawai`i Prepares For 2015 Advances With ILO-X Joint Venture Partner Moon Express Inc, ILO-1 Partner Canadensys Aerospace Corp, ILO Human Service Mission Partner Golden Spike Company, And ILOA / CNSA, NAOC Chang’e 3,4 / ISRO IIA Chandrayaan-2 Moon South Pole Collaboration: ILOA Principal Operating Partnerships (POP) Considered With Canada, China, Southeast Asia; Galaxy 21st Century Education Enabling New Solar System Vision

Image Credit: ILOA, ME, NAOC, GSC, ISRO

Thursday / 13 November 2014

ISRO Chief Affirms Lunar Exploration Plans

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Chairman Of India Space Research Organization KS Radhakrishnan Says “3 Years From Now, Indian Lander & Indian Rover Will Land On The Moon”; Successful Dec Launch Of GSLV Mark 3 Rocket Will Keep India On Track For Chandrayaan-2 2016/2017 Moon Landing; Rocket Will Also Help The Country Achieve Its Goal Of Obtaining Greater Slice Of US$300B Global Space Market; India Currently Ranks Among Top 6 Space-Faring Nations; Country Also Prides Itself On Financial Efficiency, With ISRO Budget Only 7.5% Of NASA

Image Credit: ISRO

Friday / 31 October 2014

India Public, Private Moon Missions 2015-2016

ISRO, Indus Moon Missions

India ISRO Satellite Centre Director S. Shiva Kumar Says Indigenous Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter / Lander / Rover Launching To Moon 2016 Will Enable Spacecraft Development For Proposed 2nd Mars Mission In 2018; GSLV Mk 3 Rocket, Expected To Launch Again First Half Of Dec, Vital For High-Mass Moon, Mars, Deep Space & Human Missions; Privately-Funded GLXP Team Indus Aiming For Moon 2015, Integrating Engineering Model Of Lander & Prototype Of Rover, Needs To Secure PSLV Launch & US$35M

Image Credit: ISRO, Team Indus

Wednesday / 1 October 2014

ISRO Chair Affirms Lunar Settlement Plans At IAC 2014

KRadIAC2014

While Speaking At International Astronautical Congress 2014 Heads Of Agencies Panel In Toronto, Canada, Top Space Official Of India K Radhakrishnan Affirms That ISRO Looks Forward To Explore & Settle The Habitable Worlds Of Solar System, Including Moon & Mars; Comments Come After India Became 1st Asia Nation To Reach Mars Orbit, & As Country Prepares For GSLV Mark 3 Launch In Coming Months Which Will Test Reentry Capsule For Future Crewed Missions

Image Credit: ISRO, IAC

Tuesday / 30 September 2014

India Mangalyaan Scientist Says Human Moon Mission On Horizon

Mangalaayaaaan

ISRO Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre Director K Sivan Discusses India Lunar Ambitions During Update Of Mangalyaan Mars Orbiter Mission Success / Possible Extended Lifespan; India “Developing Capability & Technology For [Crewed] Mission To Moon. We Have A Policy & We Will Do It When We Mature On It”; Capacity To Conduct Efficient, Cost-Effective Missions (First Country To Reach Mars Orbit On First Attempt, Mangalyaan Orbiter Cost Only US$74M) May Allow India To Advance Human Settlement Of Moon, Multi World Species Status

Image Credit: ISRO

Thursday / 25 September 2014

India Next Steps Into Solar System:
Moon Lander, New Rocket, Crew Module

IndiaNextSteps0914

ISRO Looks To Advance Its Position As Global Space Power With Ambitious Slate Of Missions After Successful Mars Orbit Insertion; Chairman K Radhakrishnan Says Agency Has Completed Moon Rover, Developing Technologies For Soft Landing, Advancing Indigenous GLSV Launch Vehicle, Expects Chandrayaan-2 Mission 2016-2017; First Test Flight Of GSLV Mark-3 Rocket – With 4 Tonne Capacity To GTO – Expected Late 2014; Flight To Include Test Of Crew Module Re-Entry

Image Credit: ISRO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 19-22 September 2014

India & China Initiate Space Cooperation,
Joint Moon Mission Next?

IndiaChinaMoon0914

Top CNSA Representatives Accompany China President Xi Jinping On First Official Visit To India; ISRO Chair K Radhakrishnan (RF) CNSA Deputy Director Zhang Jianhua (LF) Sign MoU For Cooperation In Peaceful Uses Of Outer Space; Initial Focus Expected To Be On Space Science / Exploration, Remote Sensing & Disaster Management; China Has Asserted That It Is Open In Its Lunar Program For Cooperation With Other Nations; An India / China Partnership Could Facilitate Rapid Advancement Of Robotic & Human Moon Exploration

Image Credit: CNSA, sarkaritel.com