Image Credit: NASA, Planetary Resources Inc, Astrobotic Technology Inc
New Wave Of Interest In Lunar / Asteroid Mining Peaking With Announcement Of Billionaire-Backed Planetary Resources Inc., Developing Plans Of Moon Express & Astrobotic Technology; Craig Covault Notes Importance Of LRO High Resolution Mapping Capabilities To Prepare For Future Human-Tended Robotic Surface Mining Operations; LRO Orbiting At Altitude Of 24-29km
Image Credit: NASA, ILOA
Using Unprecedented High-Resolution Topography Data From LRO LOLA Instrument, NASA Animator Ernie Wright Reconstructs “Most Influential Environmental Photo Ever Taken” For Earth Day; New Video Includes Original Audio Recording Of Apollo 8 Astronauts; ILOA / Galaxy Forum Suggests Next Culturally-Transformative Image Will Also Be Taken From Moon, Looking Out At Our Expansive Milky Way Home
Image Credit: NASA, JHU APL, m.pinterest.com
Dana Hurley, Planetary Scientist & Co-I On LRO LAMP, Will Present Research On Distribution & Composition Of Volatiles In Lunar Polar Regions At JHU APL On 24 Apr; Combining Data From Neutron Spectroscopy, Far-Ultraviolet Spectroscopy, Radar & Impact Ejecta Analysis, Provides A Multi-Dimensional View Of Permanently-Shadowed Regions Of Moon; Surface Frost Becomes Homogenized Within 20 Myr
Image Credit: curtin.edu, NASA
International Team Of Planetary Scientists Led By Christian Hirt Of Curtin University Create Gravity Map Of Moon Using Topographical Data From LOLA; Map Shows How Pull Of Gravity Changes From Location To Location Over Rugged Surface, Pockmark Signatures Show Gravity Accelerations Higher At Bottom Of Craters Than At Rims; GRAIL Mission To Provide More Detailed Data For Lunar Gravity Mapping
Image Credit: NASA, LPI
Conflicting Data, Heated Debate Leave Lunar Science Community Befuddled At Recent 43rd LPI Conference; Data From LRO LEND Instrument Shows Locations Of High Hydrogen Do Not Correlate With Dark Polar Cold Traps; Data Contradicts Theory On Nature Of Hydrogen / Water At Lunar Poles From Previous LRO, Lunar Prospector Data; Hydrogen-Rich Areas Will Likely Be Targeted For Future Exploration, Utilization
Image Credit: NASA
2 4-Camera Color Video Systems Of GRAIL MoonKAM Begin Generating Video Views Of Moon Surface From Low Lunar Orbit; Thousands Of Students Have Opportunity To Capture Video / Images, Study Lunar Features & Learn About Past / Future Landing Sites; LRO Recently Provided Clearest View Yet Of Famous Apollo 11 Landing Site; Image (R) Snapped From 24-Km Altitude Displays Footprints, Lunar Module, Seismic Experiment, Lunar Ranging Reflector
Image Credit: NASA
Twin GRAIL Probes ‘Ebb & Flow’ Begin Science Mission, Will Spend Next 3 Months Orbiting 56km Above Lunar Surface While Scientists Monitor Slight Variations In Distance To Map Gravitational Field; US$496M Mission May Support Or Debunk Various Theories Of Moon Origin; New Goddard Visualization Studio Applet Uses LRO Images To Show Phase & Libration Of Moon For Every Hour Of 2012
Image Credit: UCLA.edu
Department Of Earth & Space Sciences At UCLA Inviting Applicants For Postdoctoral Position To Produce Improved Mapped Data Products Of Moon Surface Using Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment Observations; 1-Year Appointment Beginning April 2012; Qualified Applicants Send CV To Professor David Paige
Image Credit: NASA, moonviews.com
Dennis Wingo / Lunar Orbiter Image Recovery Project Seeking Private Donations Or NASA Funding To Finish ‘Techno-Archaeology’ Remastering Of 1960s Lunar Orbiter Data; Team Has Spent US$700K To Recover 1/3 Of The Data; Quality Is Comparable To Most Recent LROC Images, Useful In Demonstrating How Moon Changes Over Time