Tuesday / 14 May 2019

European Lunar Symposium Draws NASA And International Scientists 

The 7th European Lunar Symposium Opens 21-23 May At Museum Of Science And Industry In Manchester UK; On Opening Day NASA Chief Scientist Jim Green (L) Will Talk About The Importance Of The Moon; Astronomer Tim O’Brien (R) Will Describe The 76-m Lovell Radio Telescope At Jodrell Bank And Its Historic Role Tracking Lunar Missions; On 23 May Emily Law Will Talk About Lunar Laser Retroreflectors; The Symposium Is Sponsored By ESA And The NASA-Created Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, A Worldwide Collaboration

Credits: NASA, Earth Science Information Partners, BBC

Thursday / 9 May 2019

Korea Space Agency And NASA To Cooperate On Lunar Payloads And Science

Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) And NASA Agree To Jointly Develop Lunar Payloads And Launch Exploration Science Working Group; Stephen Clarke Of NASA Signs Agreement In Gwacheon With Choi Won-Ho And Choi Young-Jun Of KASI; Korea Scientists Will Develop Three Types Of Payload For Nine Privately Developed NASA Lunar Landers Starting In 2020; Soyeon Yi (L) Is Only Korea National Astronaut So Far; Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter Planned For Dec 2020 Launch On SpaceX Falcon 9

Credits: NASA, Ministry of Science, Korea Aerospace Research Institute

Thursday / 25 Apr 2019

Space Day China Looks Forward To Lunar South Pole Within 10 Years

National Day Of Space Flight Meetings Are In Changsha 24 April, 49th Observation Of Dongfanghong-1, First Zhongguo Artificial Satellite; Theme Is “Pursue Space Dream For Win-Win Cooperation” With International Partners Contributing Science Experiments To Chang’e-4 And Queqiao Orbiter; Chang’e-4 Returns More Images Of Lunar Far Side While Chang’e-5 Is Planned For Late 2019; China National Space Administration Head Zhang Kejian (R), One Of Time Magazine’s 100 Influential People, Announces Plans To Build Research Station On Lunar South Pole Within 10 Years

Credits: CNSA, Space Day, Xinhua News, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Friday / 19 Apr 2019

Chang’e-4 Scientific Data Release Benefits International Partners

China National Space Administration Holds Ceremony 18 April To Pass Chang’e-4 Scientific Data To International Partners; Dutch Scientists Will Receive Data From Netherlands-China Low-Frequency Explorer (NCLE) Astronomy Experiment On Queqiao Orbiter; Lander Neutrons And Dosimetry (LND) Experiment Is Built By Germany To Understand Radiation Effects On Regolith; Yutu-2 Rover Carries Small Analyzer For Neutrals (ASAN) Contributed By Sweden To Study Solar Wind; Liu Jizhong (L) Head Of Lunar Exploration And Science Center Announces That China Will Be Seeking 20 Kg Of International Scientific Payloads For Chang’e-6 South Pole Lander And Orbiter

Credits: CNSA, China News

Tuesday / 16 Apr 2019

ILOA-NAOC Sign MoU For Chang’e-3 LUT Data Processing To Advance Astronomy From The Moon 

In Beijing, National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy Of Sciences, Sign Memorandum Of Understanding With International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA) For Co-Sponsorship Of 2-Year Research Fellow To Process & Publish Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope Data; 150-mm Aperture LUT Operational On Chang’e-3 At Mare Imbrium Can Image Galaxies, Quasars And Stars In Near-Ultraviolet 245-340 Nanometer Band; Accepting Post-Doctoral Fellowship Applications Beginning This Week; Latest Lunar Astronomy Instrument ‘Netherlands-China Low-Frequency Explorer (NCLE)’ Aboard Chang’e-4 Queqiao Orbiter At L2 Is Active

Credits: ILOA, NAOC-CAS, CNSA

Friday / 12 Apr 2019

SpaceIL Attempt Leaves Way Open For 1st Commercial Lunar Landing

SpaceIL Beresheet Makes Impact 11 Apr, Meaning That First Privately Developed Soft Landing Is Yet To Reach Goal; SpaceX Falcon Heavy, Which Is Scheduled To Launch Arabsat-6A From Kennedy Space Center On Same Day, Being Considered By NASA For Launching Orion Spacecraft To Moon; United Arab Emirates Space Agency, Which Has Formal Cooperation Agreement With NASA And Is Sending First UAE Astronaut To ISS In 2019, Forms Arab Space Coordination Group With 10 Crescent Moon Countries, Joining Israel In Reaching For Landings

Credits: SpaceIL, SpaceX, UAE National Press

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 29 Mar – 1 Apr 2019

Moon By 2024 Goal Will Call Upon Resources Including International Partners

Administrator Jim Bridenstine Hosts NASA Town Hall 1 April On USA Moon To Mars Plans, Including Human Return To Lunar Surface By 2024; VP Mike Pence Explicit Directive To Reach Moon “By Any Means Necessary” Invites Military Comparisons; Pence Challenges Government, Private Industry And Entire Space Enterprise To Reach Lunar South Pole; National Space Council Reiterates Space Policy Directive 1 To Involve Current And Future International And Commercial Partnerships; Orion Service Modules For Lunar Missions Will Be Built In Europe

Credits: NASA, Lockheed Martin

Friday / 15 Mar 2019

Moon Village Association Discussing Lunar Initiatives In London And Women On The Moon In Paris

Moon Village Association Opens Discussion On ‘Why Should Humans Settle The Moon’ At University College London 15 March; MVA Telecon From Paris On Cooperation Also On 15 Mar; Opening Event Of MVA France Network Is 25 Mar In Paris With Theme ‘The Future Of Moon Exploration And Settlement’ Before International Astronautical Federation Meeting 26-27 Mar; Speakers Include Giuseppe Reibaldi And John Mankins Of MVA Along With Chris Welch Of International Space University; MVA/IAF Open Meeting And Global Networking Forum 27 Mar Will Include Presentation Of Women On The Moon Initiative

Credits: Moon Village Association, International Astronautical Federation

Friday / 15 Feb 2019

GSTC 2019 In Singapore Gathers 200+ Satellite, Launcher, Lunar Enterprises

SSTA Global Space & Technology Convention With Almost 700 Delegates From 30 Nations Meet 14-15 February At St. Regis Singapore; Some Of The Attending Companies Advancing Lunar Missions Include ILOA Hosting SEA Benefactors’ Reception / Developing ILO-1 To Moon South Pole, Astroscale Planning Lunar Dream Capsule For Astrobotic Lander, SSTL Working On Lunar Communications Platform, Moon Express Offering Lunar Transportation Services, Canadensys Developing Lunar-Tolerant Tech, Spaceflight Broker Of 1st Private Lunar Rideshare Mission

Credits: SSTA, SSTL, Goonhilly, ESA, ILOA, Astroscale

Friday / 1 Feb 2019

Japan Looks To Lunar Landings, Sample Return, Gateway, International Collaborations

JAXA President Hiroshi Yamakawa Details Smart Lander For Investigating Moon Mission Launching 2021 To Achieve Precision Landing On Moon, Potential Life Support And / Or Rendezvous Tech Contributions To NASA For Lunar Human Gateway, Partnerships For Lunar Sample Return With Canada & Europe, And Lunar Landers With India; While Cooperation With China Has Yet To Happen, Yamakawa Notes That International Teamwork Is Essential For Space Development, And ISS Privatization Can Free Up Funding To Concentrate On Moon And Beyond Missions

Credits: JAXA, ISAS