Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Friday / 15 June 2018

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AAS Advancing Galaxy Science, Human Equality, Astronomy From The Moon

21st Century Directions Apparent At American Astronomical Society 232nd Meeting In Denver CO With 5 Of 10 Plenaries On Galaxies, 5 Of 10 Presented By Women Astrophysicists, Supported By (L-R) Incoming AAS President Megan Donahue And Outgoing President Christine Jones; Pioneering Sessions On Low Radio Frequency Observations From Space And Moon Included Presentations By Heino Falcke, Robert MacDowell, Jack Burns, Joseph Lazio, Which Could Enable AAS Symposium In 12-24 Months On “Astronomy On, For and From The Moon”

Credits: ILOA, SPC, Steve Durst, AAS, NLSI, IAU, NASA, JPL, Radboud Univ., ISIS, ASTRON, Netherlands Space Office, et al

Wednesday / 13 June 2018

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NASA Requests Information On Availability Of Potential Lunar Payloads

NASA Issues Request For Information For Availability Of Existing Hardware That Could Fly To Lunar Surface With Little Development Necessary As Early As 2019: Engineering Models, Flight Spares, Modified Off-The-Shelf Instruments, Etc – Under Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Program; Responses Sought From USA Industry, Universities, Non-profit Organizations, Others – Due Wednesday 27 June 2018; Astrobotic Encourages Lunar Community To Submit Payload Details To Inform Near-Term NASA Lunar Payload Solicitations

Pictured: NASA Program Scientist Sarah Noble, Astrobotic VP Business Development Dan Hendrickson; Credits: NASA, Astrobotic

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 1-4 Jun 2018

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AOGS Meeting To Focus On Lunar Science, Humans In Space

Asia Oceania Geosciences Society (AOGS) 15th Annual Meeting 3-8 June In Honolulu HI With 209 Sessions Will Include 4 June “Science Of Exploration As Enabled By The Moon, Near Earth Asteroids, And The Moons of Mars”; Speakers (L-R) Gregory Schmidt For International Cooperation In Exploration, Ben Bussey On Lunar Activities, Allison Zuniga On Lunar Infrastructure & Economy, With Clive Neal For Human Return To Moon, Bernard Foing On Lunar Technology

Credits: AOGS, NASA, NSS, ISDC, U. Notre Dame, IAF, SSERVI

Friday / 1 Jun 2018

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Blue Origin Planning Its Contributions Toward Permanent Lunar, Solar System Settlement

Jeff Bezos, Founder Of Blue Origin, Discusses During NSS ISDC The Necessity For Moon Base Before Mars, States “We Will Do Anything We Need To Do” To Support The Future Vision Of Trillions Of People Living In Space; Planning Blue Moon Lunar Lander Cargo System 2020s, New Armstrong Rocket, Seeking International And National Public-Private Partnerships; Returning To Moon Requires ‘Step By Step Advances, Lowering Cost Of Access To Space, Reusability, Building Landers & Rovers, Exploring Craters And Determining Resources’

Credits: Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos, LRO, NASA, JPL

Wednesday / 30 May 2018

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Moon Village Association And National Space Society Sign MoU For Mutual Support

John Mankins (TL) For MVA & Mark Hopkins (TR) For NSS Sign MoU At ISDC 2018 In Los Angeles On 26 May, During Moon Development Session: Policy Decisions & Future Directions For Lunar Development Discussed By (L-R) Clive Neal (University Of Notre Dame), Mankins, Henk Rogers (Moon Base Alliance), Marc Cohen (Space Cooperative), Hopkins, Allison Zuniga (NASA), & Bernard Foing (ESA); 2nd International Moon Village Workshop In Cooperation With NSS To Be Held 4-5 Nov In Los Angeles Immediately Following NSS Space Settlement Summit

Credits: Steve Durst ILOA, MVA, NSS

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 25-28 May 2018

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ISDC 2018 Holding 2 Full Sessions On Moon Development

National Space Society Hosts 37th International Space Development Conference (ISDC) And ~300 Speakers In Los Angeles 24-27 May With Theme “Space Travel: Putting People Into Space”; Thursday Session And Dedicated Entire Saturday Moon Exploration Symposium Co-chaired By (L-R) Madhu Thangavelu & John Mankins Will Feature Clive Neal, Bernard Foing, Henk Rogers, Steve Durst, Kate Arkless Gray And 20 Others On Topics Including International Moon Village, Lunar Economics & Markets, Astronomy From Moon, Lunar Settlement, Commercial Space, Landers, Habitats, Future Directions

Credits: NSS, NASA, ESA, Moon Village Association, University of Notre Dame, ILOA

Wednesday / 23 May 2018

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Japan Boosting Lunar Exploration Through New Space Exploration Organization To Be Established This Summer

JAXA Astronaut Takuya Onishi (L) Says Japan Will Establish New Institution For Space Exploration This Summer As Directed By Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (R), To Contribute To Lunar Exploration Logistics, Habitation, Lander & Rover, Including US$320M HTV-X Delivery Spacecraft For Supporting International Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway; JAXA Exploration Plan Based On Joint Lunar Studies With ISRO, NASA, & ESA

Credits: JAXA

Wednesday / 16 May 2018

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Astrobotic Readies For New Start On Moon Exploration With Proposed US House Appropriations Bill For NASA

US House Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee Proposes Full Funding Of Robotic & Human Exploration Of The Moon, Including $504M For Lunar Orbital Platform & $117M For Lunar & Surface Capabilities — To Be Marked Up By Full Committee On 17 May; Astrobotic, Moon Express, And Masten Partnering With NASA Through Lunar CATALYST Program To Conduct Science & Exploration Missions; Astrobotic 1st Lander On Moon For 2020 To Carry Lunar Library Microfiche

Pictured: Astrobotic CEO John Thornton; Credits: Astrobotic, Arch Mission Foundation, ME, Masten

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 11-14 May 2018

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LRO Mapping And Monitoring Lunar Surface Supports NASA Return To Moon Plans

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Surpasses 40,000 Orbits Around Moon, Gathering Information On Lunar Temperatures, Geologic Activity, Newly Formed Craters, Topographical Changes; On 23 June Spacecraft With 7 Operating Instruments Will Celebrate 9 Full Years In Orbit; Inertial Measurement Unit Indicates Low Functionality, Will Be Powered Down Except For Lunar Eclipses, Safe Mode Entries; 34th Data Set Release Upcoming, Invaluable Mission Supports International, National, Commercial, Academic Ventures & Research

Credits: NASA

Friday / 11 May 2018

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Moon Village Association (MVA) Building Global Network For Lunar Development Approach

MVA Advancing Various Aspects Of Moon Village Research With 10 Working Groups Including Architecture, Human Factors, Markets / Economy, Data Harmonization – Toward 2018 Annual International MV Workshop Set For 4-5 November In Los Angeles, Following The Inaugural Meeting In Strasbourg; Inclusive Platform, Comprised Of ~150 Members And Institutions In 34 Countries, Envisions Government Programs & Projects, Diverse Array Of Commercial Ventures, Science / Academic Organizations Implementing Sustainable Return To The Moon & Multi World Civilization; MVA President Giuseppe Reibaldi To Keynote At ILOA Galaxy Forum Hainan 4-7 December

Credits: MVA