Chandrayaan-2, Slated For 2014-15 Launch Aboard GSLV Rocket, Will Include Seismometer To Study Causes Of Shallow Moonquakes & Regions Of Their Occurrence; Seismometer Sensors Currently Undergoing Calibration At The National Geophysical Research Institute In Hyderabad, India By Research Team Headed By H V S Satyanarayana; Chandrayaan-2 To Include Orbiter, Lander & Solar-Powered Rover
Image Credit: ISRO, NASA
Up To 25% Of Moon Impact Craters May Be Made Up Of Asteroid Remnants; Study Co-Authored By Jay Melosh Of Purdue University In Cooperation With Chinese Academy Of Sciences, Used Computer Models To Simulate Lunar Crater Formation; Quarter Of Moon Impacts Occur At Less Than 43,130km / hr, Not Fast Enough To Obliterate Asteroids; Findings Also Indicate Protobiological Earth Materials May Be Present On Lunar Surface
Image Credit: NASA, Purdue University
New Efforts To Protect Off-Earth Objects, Sites Of Significance Arise Out Of Society For American Archeology 78th Annual Meeting; Space Session Co-Chairs Beth O’Leary UNM Las Cruces / Lisa Westwood CSU, And Further Analysis At The Space Review, Suggest Evolving Legal Framework To Protect Without Claiming Sovereignty, Multilateral Transparency; Similar To Antarctica, Int’l Waters
Image Credit: NASA, NMSU
2013 Meeting Of The Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Will Be Held 14-16 Oct 2013 At The Johns Hopkins University / APL In Laurel, MD; The Scientific Questions, Measurement Techniques & Options For Exploring The Moon With Discovery-Class Missions Or With Payloads Flown On International Or Commercial Missions Will Be Discussed And Evaluated At The Meeting; Abstract Deadline 31 July
Image Credit: LEAG, LPI, usra.edu
3 Years Of Ground-Based Monitoring Show Potential Volcanic Activity On Moon; Arlin Crotts (Inset) Of Columbia University Says Lunar Monitors In New York City & Chile Observed Instances Of Brightening On Lunar Surface In Aristarchus Plateau (R) & Other Areas Where Previous Lunar Orbiters Recorded Radon Outgassing; Research Led By Brown University Grad Student Deepak Dhingra Shows Lunar Impact Melt Not Always As Homogeneous As Previously Assumed
Image Credit: NASA, Columbia University, Brown University
New NASA Goddard Video Shows How LRO Instruments Have Mapped Moon Polar Craters, Which Have Not Seen Sun For Over 2B Years Due To 1.6-Degree Lunar Tilt; LOLA Uses Lasers To Compose Topographic Maps; LAMP Measures Faint Light Of Other Stars; Diviner Measures Extreme Cold Temperatures; LEND Measures Speed Of Neutrons To Detect Elements Such As Hydrogen
Image Credit: NASA
GRAIL Impact Craters Imaged By LROC; Twin 200-kg Orbiters Crashed Near North Pole On 17 Dec 2012 At Speed Of 6,070 km/h; Coordination Between 2 Mission Teams Allowed LRO LAMP Instrument To Analyze Ejecta Plume From Crash; Instrument Detected Mercury, Surprising For Sunlit Area; Results Added To Growing Understanding Of Nature Of Volatiles At Lunar Poles & How They Are Transported Around Moon
Image Credit: NASA
Ben Bussey Of John Hopkins University APL Presenting Data – Acquired By Recent Fleet Of International Lunar Spacecraft – Characterizing Moon Poles, 27 Mar At NASA Lunar Science Institute In CA, USA; Results Useful For Planning Future Robotic & Human Missions; Geology Of Poles, Surface & Subsurface Properties, Possibilities For Surface Operations / Regolith Excavation / Drilling & Potential Instrumentation Needed For Science From / On Moon
Image Credit: NASA
China Chang’e-3 Lander Camera Reaches Completion, Being Tested With Lunar Satellite Payload Subsystem; Will Take 360° Color Images Of Moon Surface & Monitor Rover; Mission To Launch Late 2013; Chang’e-5 Prototype Will Consist Of Chang’e-2 Orbiter Base Structure & Chang’e-5 Return Capsule; Capsule To Begin Atmosphere Re-Entry Testing Before 2015; Spacecraft / Lunar Sample Of At Least 2 kg Estimated To Re-Enter At 11.2 km/s; Chang’e-5 Mission NET 2016
Image Credit: xinhuanet.com, dragoninspace.net
13th LROC Planetary Data System Release Now Available; Includes 150,548 Images Totaling 24.77 TB, 9 LROC Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) Digital Terrain Models, 6 NAC Region Of Interest Products; Release Composed Of Data Collected Between Sep-Dec 2012; To Date LROC Team Delivered 970,789 Images & Over 8,743 Data Products (RDR); US$583 Million Mission Was Launched In June 2009
Image Credit: NASA