Category Archives: Lunar Science

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 21-24 Feb 2020

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USA, PRC Lunar Probes Break Records Operating From Orbit And On Surface

Chang’e-4 Yutu-2 Operates During 15th Lunar Day In South Pole-Aitken Basin, Longest Duration Of Any Rover In Moon History; Completes Over 367 Meters Travel And Discovers Younger Rocks In 3.6-Billion Year Old Von Karman Crater On Far Side; Netherlands-China Low Frequency Explorer Operates Aboard Queqiao Orbiter, Gathering Astronomy Data In 21 Cm Range; Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, In Orbit Since September 2009, Scouting Landing Sites For Artemis Human Lunar Landings

Credits: NASA, CLEP, CNSA

Tuesday / 11 February 2020

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Lunar Dust Grains Are Analyzed Atom-By-Atom To Find Water And Helium

Precious Lunar Samples May Be Analyzed From A Single Grain Of Dust; University Of Chicago Graduate Student Jennika Greer And Colleagues At Field Museum Use Atom Probe Tomography, Which Allows Grains To Be Measured Atom-By-Atom For 3-Dimensional Data From Sample; APT Is Used On Small Grain From Apollo 17 Sample 71501, Separated For Particles 150-200 μm In Diameter; Technique Sees Effects Of Space Weathering And Identifies Water And Helium, Valuable Resources For Future Lunar Settlements

Credits: NASA, University of Chicago

Friday / 24 January 2020

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Commercial Lunar Services Providers To Carry Payloads Aiding Astronomy And Lunar Science

NASA Finalizes 16 Experiments And Technology Demonstrations To Fly With Commercial Lunar Services Providers; Astrobotic Peregrine Lander (L) Will Carry 11 Payloads Using ULA Vulcan Launcher Including PROSPECT Ion-Trap Mass Spectrometer (C); Intuitive Machines Will Launch Nova-C Lander (R) With 5 Payloads On SpaceX Falcon 9; Radio Observations Lunar Surface (ROLSES) Low-Frequency Experiment On Nova-C Will Test Feasibility Of Large Radio Telescopes On Lunar Surface; Both Landers Will Carry Laser Retro-Reflector Arrays To Aid Navigation

Credits: NASA

Tuesday / 3 December 2019

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Korea Lunar Mission Modified Orbit Plan Raises Questions With NASA

South Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter, In Planning Since 2016, Adds Mission Weight And Changes Orbit; Ministry Of Science Plan For US$150M KPLO Changes Dec 2020 Launch To July 2022, From 100-Km Circular Orbit To 100 x 300-Km Ellipse; NASA, Which Plans To Contribute ShadowCam Instrument To Survey South Pole, Prefers Circular Orbit To Maximize Science Returns; Korea Aerospace Research Institute Will Hold Further Discussions At NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, To Continue Lunar Orbit Mission

Credits: KARI, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 Nov 2019

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Campaign Aims To Preserve Lunar Far Side Pristine Quality For Astronomy Enterprises

Claudio Maccone (L), Astrophysicist And Chair Of International Astronautical Association SETI Committee, Wants Regulations To Protect Lunar Far Side Stellar Advantages From Radio Interference; Joseph Silk Of Paris Institute Of Astrophysics Advocates Far Side Astronomy; Jack Burns (R) Of University Of Colorado Plans Dark Ages Polarimetry Pathfinder (DAPPER) Spacecraft For Lunar Orbit, Proposes Larger ‘Farside’ Radio Telescope To Be Emplaced By Robots

Credits: University of Colorado, NASA

Friday / 25 Oct 2019

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International Space Agencies And Private Enterprises Sign Agreements To Land On Moon

Heads Of Space Agencies Meet At 70th International Astronautical Congress In Washington DC; NASA Unveils New Woman-Focused Logo For Artemis; Scientists Report First Results From Netherlands-China Low-Frequency Explorer Aboard Queqiao Orbiter; Japan Formally Commits To Artemis And Partners With India For 2023 Moon Landing; Blue Origin Teams With Lockheed Martin And Northrop Grumman For Artemis Lunar Lander; Israel Renews Commitment To Land On Moon And Tours World With Moon-Themed Escape Room

Credits: NASA, SpaceIL

Tuesday / 15 October 2019

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Canada Institute For Earth And Space Exploration Works With Lunar Analog Mission

Canada Western University Opens Institute For Earth And Space Exploration; Opening Ceremony Includes Director Gordon Osinski (L) And Astronaut-Physician Dave Williams, Chair Of Western Space Advisory Council; Osinski And Ed Cloutis From University Of Winnipeg Will Participate In Future CanMoon Lunar Sample Return Analog Missions On Canary Islands With Mission Operations Manager Cassandra Marion; International Industry Days At CSA-ASC Headquarters In Quebec 17-18 Oct Will Include Representatives Of Brazil And Germany Space Industries

Credits: Western University, McGill University

Friday / 27 Sep 2019

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Zhongguo Scientists Measure Lunar Dust At Chang’e-3 Landing Site

Chang’e-3 Lander At Mare Imbrium Since December 2013 Contains Quartz Crystal Microbalance Used For Weighing Dust; Lanzhou Institute Of Physics Researchers Find That At Chang’e-3 Height Of 1.9 Meters Dust Accumulates At 0.0065 mg Per Square Centimeter Over 12 Lunar Days; Dust Is Considered Important For Human Return To Moon Both As A Challenge And Potential Resource; Now In Lunar Night 73, Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope Is Still Operational While Lander Is Powered Down To Allow For Chang’e-4 Communications

Credits: NAOC, CAS, NSA, ILOA

Friday / 13 Sep 2019

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Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter Resized And Rescheduled For 2022

Republic Of Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) Rescheduled To Launch July 2022; Size Of Spacecraft Increased From 500 Kg To 678 Kg To Allow More Science; US$166M Spacecraft Will Carry 4 Korea Payloads And Fly 9 Months Of 1-Year Mission In Elliptical Orbit To Maximize Science Return; Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) Will Use SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster; KPLO Will Carry NASA-Built ShadowCam Instrument To Search For Water In Permanently-Shadowed Lunar Craters

Credits: CNSA, NASA, KARI

Friday / 6 Sep 2019

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Zhongguo Chang’e-4 Makes Discoveries On Lunar Far Side While NCLE Tests Radio Astronomy Antennae

Chang’e-4 In 9th Lunar Day At Statio Tianhe In South Pole-Aitken Basin On Lunar Far Side; Lander Neutron Radiation Detector And Low-Frequency Radio Detector, Along With Yutu-2 Rover Infrared Imaging Spectrometer, Are Activated; Rover Discovers Mysterious ‘Gel-Like’ Substance On Surface; Netherlands-China Low-Frequency Explorer On Queqiao Orbiter Deploys And Tests Five 3-meter Antennae; NCLE Will Detect Frequencies Between 1 MHZ And 80 MHz; Radio Astronomical Observations Below 30 MHz Are Only Possible In Space

Credits: CNSA