Category Archives: Japan

Wednesday / 7 Feb 2018

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JAXA To Hold Workshops On Lunar Polar Exploration & Global Exploration Roadmap

JAXA Announces 2nd Workshop On Exploration Of Moon Polar Region To Be Held Feb 19 To Deepen Discussion Toward International Collaboration On Instruments & Vehicles For Exploring Water Ice, In Conjunction With Workshop On International Space Exploration Coordination Group Global Exploration Roadmap Feb 18; Drawing On Results From 2-Day Workshop Dec 8-9, 2017; Both In Tokyo & Open To Public – Soliciting Participation From Private Sectors & Universities; Marks Rapid Growth Of Japan Interest In Moon, Including Human Exploration

Pictured: JAXA lunar scientist Makiko Ohtake (top left), JAXA workshop convener Hiroki Furihata; Credits: JAXA, Makoto Nakamura, SPC

Tuesday / 19 Dec 2017

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Japan Lunar Startup ispace Proceeds With Historic US$90M Investment From INCJ, Shimizu, JAL And Others

Lunar Resource Exploration Company ispace Raises 10 Billion JPY – Largest Ever Series A In Global Space Sector & Largest By Any Japanese Startup; Investors Include INCJ, DBJ, TBS, Shimizu, Suzuki, JAL & 6 Others; Planning Lunar Orbiter 2019 & Lander 2020; Lander Will Be Designed To Carry 30 kg Including 2 Rovers Each With Max 5-kg Payload; CEO Hakamada Hopes For 1000-Person Moon Base By 2040; ispace Runs GLXP Team Hakuto Aiming For 1st Japan Commercial Lunar Landing Q1 2018

Pictured: ispace CEO Takeshi Hakamada; Credits: ispace, INCJ, DBJ, TBS, Shimizu, Suzuki, JAL

Friday / 1 Dec 2017

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JAXA And ISRO To Collaborate On Lunar Sample Return Mission

JAXA President Naoki Okumura And ISRO Chairman Kiran Kumar Sign Memorandum Of Understanding To Collaborate On Future Lunar Missions: Lander With Rover To Study Water & Return Soil Sample; Agencies To Finalize Implementation Agreement In Next 2 Months After Recent 24th Session Of Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum in Bengaluru; Also To Collaborate On Climate Change Monitoring

Credits: ThePrint, APRSAF, ISRO, JAXA

Thanksgiving Weekend Edition
Thu-Mon / 23-27 Nov 2017

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Lunar Interests / Plans Accelerate Globally

Moon Village Association / ESA Records Progress At ISU In Strasbourg, France; US National Space Council Working Scenarios For 3-7 Year Human Moon Return; India Early 2018 Chandrayaan-2 Moon South Pole Touchdown Could Startle Global Space Communities; China Expanding Astronomy From The Moon Activities With Chang’e-4 VLF Payloads And Technology; India-Japan Announce Lunar Sample Return Collaboration; Canada Space Agency LEAD Project To Support International HERACLES Moon South Pole Mission Concept; Prospective Candidates For ‘First Woman On The Moon’ Rising

 Credits: ESA/ Foster + Partners, WH.gov, ISRO, CAST, JAXA, SPC / ILOA, CSA

Inauguration Month Edition
January 2017

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Human Moon Lander Imperative, 2020-2025:
To Enable 21st Century Solar System Complete

2018 SLS / Orion EM-1 First Mission Planned For Cislunar Capability Signals Opportunity For Human Lunar Lander Enterprise And Development; American Independents Such As Golden Spike, Astrobotic, Moon Express, Shackleton Energy, Canadensys, ILOA, As Well As Blue Origin, SpaceX, Bigelow Among Others, May Collaborate Through Public-Private Partnerships Bi-Nationally, Multi-Nationally With Canada, China, India, Southeast Asia, Europe, Japan, Russia, USA, And Other Nations Globally; American And International Space Community May Welcome Progressive, Constructive Initiatives From New U.S. President And Administration, While Remaining Vigilant Against Regression; New U.S. President Could Enable Humanity To Reestablish And Advance Itself As Multi World Species, With Women, Men On The Moon And 21st Century “Stretch Goal”

Credits: SPC, ILOA, NASA, Space Dev

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 November 2016

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Japan Epsilon Launch Set For 20 Dec, Intended To Carry SLIM Lander To Moon 2018-19

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The 2nd JAXA Epsilon Rocket Launch Planned 20 Dec Lofting ERG Satellite Should Further Qualify Technology Enabling 1st JAXA Lunar Landing With Smart Lander For Investigating Moon (SLIM); Epsilon Launch Estimated At US$38M (Half Cost Of Predecessor M-5), Uses H-2A Solid Booster, M-5 Second & Third Stages; SLIM To Test Technologies For SELENE-2 (Lander & Rover) And Future Human Missions; JAXA, ISAS, Lunar & Planetary Laboratory ‘Workshop On Planetary Science Enabled By Epsilon Class Missions’ 15-16 Nov Establishing Potential International Collaborations & Inputs For SLIM, Penetrator Probe For Moon Or Airless Bodies, DESTINY+ For Meteor Shower Study

Pictured: ISAS Associate Professor Shinichiro Tokudome (responsible for developing Epsilon propulsion systems & integration)

Credits: JAXA, ISAS

Special Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 14-17 Oct 2016

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First Woman On The Moon:
Chinese? American? Other?

international-woman-on-the-moon

While 46 Of The 60 Women Astronauts Are American, NASA Has No Plans To Put 1st Woman On Moon, Reclaim Greatest Advance In Human History / Multi World Species, Reach New Frontier Of Moon South Pole; China May Be Well Positioned To Put 1st Woman On Moon As Chang’e, Tiangong, Long March Rocket Programs Prove Reliability, And Planning Shows Step-By-Step Logical Progression; Russia & ESA Hope For Eventual Human Lunar Bases, Japan Plans Human Lander After SELENE-3, Canada Participating In ISECG Road Map Which May Include Moon Missions & On NASA Robotic Resource Prospector Mission 2018, S Korea Focusing On 1st Moon Orbiter 2018, Robotic Lander / Rover 2020

Pictured: L-R, T-B: Wang Yaping, Liu Yang (China), Julie Payette (Canada), Naoko Yamazaki (Japan), Yelena Serova (Russia), Yi So-yeon (S Korea)

Credits: CNSA, NASA, CSA, KARI, RSA, JAXA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 23-26 Sep 2016

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The Moon, Mars And A Multi World Species

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The Moon, Earth Closest Celestial Neighbor / The ‘8th Continent’, And The New Frontier Moon South Pole May Be The 1st And Most Logical Step Toward Establishing & Sustaining Humans As A Multi World Species And Exploring Solar System Complete; Luna Is Almost 600 Times Closer To Earth Than Mars On Average; Projections Indicate Human Moon Missions Could Occur Within 5-7 Years For ~US$10B; Countries China, India, Japan, Russia, S. Korea, Europe & Commercial Entities ILOA, Moon Express, Astrobotic, Canadensys, Bigelow, Blue Origin And Others Are Making Moon Missions A Priority

Pictured: Multi World Explorers Remaining

Credits: NASA, ILOA, SPC, ESA

 

Friday / 26 August 2016

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Humans To Moon: Beyond National Efforts, International And Commercial Entity Could Accelerate 21st Century Advancements

International Moon Efforts

USA 2017 Administration Could Support New Effort To Reclaim Greatest Achievement In History With SLS 2021-23; China Long March 9 Expected Completion 2025, Proposes Human Moon Missions 2031-2036; India GSLV Mk. 3 Might Launch Crews To Space ~2021; Russia Hopes For Human Lunar Orbit 2027, Surface Mission 2029 If Funding Remains Consistent; Japan Working On Robotic SLIM Mission; ESA Proposes Moon Village; Independent Astrobotic, Moon Express, ILOA Missions And / Or Formation Of International Entity Could Increase Momentum Toward Ultimate Goal Of Lunar Exploration, Science, Resources For Earth

Credit: NASA, ESA, CNSA, ISRO, JAXA

Friday / 22 July 2016

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UAE Satellite Maneuver Pays Tribute To Humankind’s Greatest Achievement

Moon 47th International

UAE Dubai-Sat-2 Earth Observation Satellite Turns Face & Captures Images Of Moon To Mark Achievement Of 1st Human Moon Landing, Inspire Future Space Scientists; Salem Al Marri Of Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre Notes Apollo As “A Pinnacle Of Engineering Development & Exploration” And Hopes To “See People On Mars & Other Celestial Bodies”; Nations Including China, India, Japan, Russia, S. Korea & ESA Are Focusing On Moon Missions And Outposts; U.S. Has The Technologies & Could Catalyze Space Race With Prioritization

Credit: Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai Eye Radio, NASA