Category Archives: Lunar Radiation Environment

Thursday / 15 January 2015

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Science Lectures: Lunar Swirls For Space Exploration, Origin Of Moon

SwirlyTheia

Ruth Bamford At BIS London 21 Jan To Explain How Mini Magnetospheres (Lunar Swirls) On Moon May Provide Key For Interplanetary Travel / Radiation Protection; Using Technology Based On This Phenomenon, Radiation Protecting Hardware Mass Could Be Kept Below 3000kg Requiring Only 10-20kW Of Power, Well Within Practical Expectations; Sarah Stewart Of UC Davis To Give SETI Lecture On 27 Jan Detailing Models Of The Giant Impact Believed To Have Created The Moon, A Follow-Up From Recent Billy Quarles SETI Lecture On “Theia’s Date With Destiny“

Image Credit: Fahad Sulheria, RAL Space, UC Davis, NASA

 

Tuesday / 28 October 2014

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LRO CRaTER Highlighting Dangers Of Space Environment

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Data From CRaTER Instrument Aboard LRO Orbiter Demonstrating Impact Of Abnormal & Extended Lack Of Solar Activity; Since 2006 – Longest Solar Minimum / Weakest Solar Activity Is Bringing About Highest Intensities Of Galactic Cosmic Rays Witnessed Since Beginning Of Space Age Says CRaTER PI Nathan Schwadron Of UNH; Trend Reducing Allowable Days For Human Deep Space Exploration By 20%; Lunar Exploration – Short Transit & Possibilities For Underground Habitation – More Feasible Than Deep Space / Mars Exploration With Current Technology

Image Credit: NASA, UNH

Thursday / 12 June 2014

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Lunar Swirls May Hold Key To Facilitate Human Deep Space Travel

LunarSwirlDeflector

Natural ‘Radiation Shelters’ On Moon Provide Clues About Surviving Solar Storms / Cosmic Radiation In Deep Space; Study Examined How Small Magnetic Fields On Lunar Surface Are Effective, Despite Their Low-Density, In Preventing High-Energy Particles From Striking Moon; Data Shows Previous Studies Have Overestimated Strength Of Magnetic Field Required To Keep Astronauts Safe, Suggests More Plausible Design For Spacecraft Mini-Magnetosphere Deflector Shields; Researchers Estimate 0.5kg Of Xenon Gas May Be Sufficient To Protect Crew For 6 Months In Deep Space

Image Credit: NASA

Thursday / 27 March 2014

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Meteorite Impact Risk On Moon Greater Than Formerly Known

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Future Moon Settlements / Human Operations Should Be Underground, Rely On Robots For Majority Of Surface Activity To Protect From Meteorite Impacts Says Russia Astronomer Vladimir Surdin (R); Over 300 Impacts Recorded On Moon Since 2005; At LPSC, LROC PI Mark Robinson Details Data Of Secondary Impacts From Recent Lunar Impact, 248 Small Debris Impacts Found Up To 30km From Fresh 18m-Wide Crater, These Secondaries Could Pose More Threat To Surface Assets Than Primary Craters

Image Credit: NASA, Moscow State University

Wednesday / 12 February 2014

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Scientists Investigate Origin Of Organic Compounds On Moon

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Cosmic Rays From Outside Galaxy May Turn Simple Molecules In Lunar Ice Into More Complex Organics; Sarah Crites Of University Of Hawaii At Manoa Models Ice Chemistry; Simulation Suggests Up To 6% Of Simpler Molecules In Moon Polar Ice Could Be Converted Into Organic Compounds Such As Methane After 1 Billion Years Of Cosmic Ray Bombardment; David Lawrence Of Johns Hopkins APL Says Data Provides Incentive For Moon Pole Prospecting Missions

Image Credit: NASA, jhuapl.edu, Facebook

Wednesday / 15 January 2014

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LRO CRaTER Instrument Making Music From Cosmic Rays

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CRaTER Instrument Aboard LRO Continuing To Characterize Global Lunar Radiation Environment & Its Biological Impact; CRaTER Website Converts Data From The 6 Instrument Detectors Into Music; Music Shifts From Major To Minor & Main Instrument Transitions Among 8 Options From Piano To Banjo As Cosmic Ray Count Increases; CRaTER Data Critical For Human Moon Mission / Lunar Base Construction Preparations

Image Credit: NASA, Business Insider