Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Tuesday / 3 Nov 2020

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Small Craters May Offer Variety Of Landing Sites For Lunar Water Ice Exploration

LRO Data Indicates ~10-20% Of PSRs Sufficiently Cool (<110 K) To Allow Ice Formation Are Depressions Casting 1-cm – 1-km Shadows, Widely Dispersed Across Moon Polar Regions (>80° Latitude); Inclusion Of “Mini Cold Traps” In Study By UC Boulder / PSI Researchers Suggests Total Possible Lunar Ice Containing Area Is ~40,000 km2 (23,000 km2 Within <20° Moon South Pole, 17,000 km2 Within <20° Moon North Pole); Total PSRs Comprise Just 0.15% Of Total Surface Area; Relatively Small Cold Traps May Offer More Favorable Mission Parameters Than Large Craters

 Pictured: Paul Hayne, Oded Aharonson, Norbert Schorghofer; Credits: NASA, PSI, UC Boulder, Weizmann Institute of Science, SOEST

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 30 Oct – 2 Nov 2020

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NASA Lunar Delivery Challenge Seeks New Ideas On Moon Cargo Logistics

With Regular Moon Delivery Of Equipment, Experiments, Supplies Commencing With CLPS 1 And 2 Missions In 2021, NASA Considering Unique Load-Out Challenges On Lunar Surface; Utilizing HeroX Crowdsourcing Platform Founded By Peter Diamandis (T), Led By CEO Christian Cotichini (B), Competition To Award US$10K For 1st Place Solution, 2 $4500 Prizes For 2nd, 3 $2,000 Prizes For 3rd ($25k Total); Concepts To Be Judged On 6 Criteria: Lunar Surface Applicability, Design Flexibility, Proposal Quality, Autonomy, Mass / Volume Optimization, Reliability/ Feasibility; Contest Ends January 19, 2021 17:00 EST

Credits: HeroX, NASA, Xprize, Topcoder, CLC

Tuesday / 27 Oct 2020

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IAF Launches Live, Free Web Series On Global Space Advances And Developments

 First Session Of International Astronautical Federation Global Networking Forum Space Conversations Series 28 Oct Will Feature JAXA Space Exploration System Technology Unit Director / ISECG Chair Naoki Sato Presenting On Lunar Surface Exploration Scenario Update To Global Exploration Roadmap, Developed With 24 National Space Agencies; 12-Objective Plan To Be Achieved Via 3 Phase Plan: Boots On The Moon, Expanding And Building, Sustained Lunar Opportunities; Space Conversations To Be Held Wednesdays Bi-Weekly, Starting 1400 CEST

Credits: JAXA, IAF, ISECG

Tuesday / 29 Sep 2020

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United Arab Emirates Announces Lunar Mission And Other Space Goals

UAE Vice President / Ruler Of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid (L) Declares 10-Year (2021-2031) Plan Of National Space Program Just Over 1 Year After First UAE Citizen Reached Space / ISS; US$6B Plan Includes Emirates Moon Exploration Project – A 2024 Lunar Mission “With National Competencies”, Astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri (R) And Reserve Candidate Sultan Al Neyadi Are Currently Students At JSC NASA Astronaut Candidate Training Program, With Another Pair From UAE Also To Join 2021 Class – Indicating Possible Artemis Ambitions; Earth Observation And Mars Hope Probe Also Emphasized

Credits: Dubai Media Office, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Twitter, JAXA

Tuesday / 23 June 2020

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Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts – Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) Competition Advances Artemis Lunar Exploration / Commerce

University Teams From Across USA Compete In NASA National Institute Of Aerospace Administered RASC-AL; Space Ideas Judged By Professionals From SpaceX, NASA, Blue Origin, Aerojet Rocketdyne; University Of Puerto Rico Wins South Pole Multi-Purpose Rover Category / Overall First Place With EMPRESS: Exploration Multi-Purpose Rover For Expanding Surface Science – Continuing Winning Streak From 2019; Commercial Cislunar Space Development Is New Category For 2020, Won By University Of Texas For Lunar Engraver; Top 2 Teams Secure Place At AIAA Hosted ASCEND 2020 Nov 16-18

Credits: NASA, NIA, UPR, UT, GIT, UM

Tuesday / 9 June 2020

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Moon Mark / Intuitive Machines: Moon Racing Program Aims To Inspire Youth & Create New Modes Of Exploration

STEAM Infotainment Enterprise Moon Mark Partners With Lunar Lander Provider Intuitive Machines On Lunar Race Car Design Challenge In Which 6 Student Teams Compete To See 2 Concepts Manufactured And Raced On The Surface Of Moon During IM-1 Mission Set For October 2021; Vehicles Are Limited To 5kg With Uniform Electric Propulsion Systems, Moon Mark Mission 1 Will “Provide Accessible Content For Students, Teachers And The Public” Says CEO Mary Hagy (T); Contest Judged By Astronautical Professionals On Space-Worthiness, Teamwork, Innovation, Creativity/Outreach And Entrepreneurship

 

Credits: Intuitive Machines, Moon Mark

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 5-8 June 2020

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First Black American On the Moon Could Be Artemis Program Next Significant Announcement

While USA Continues Celebration Of National Return To Human Spaceflight — NASA Artemis Program, Administrator Jim Bridenstine And USA Government Officials Should Consider The Apollo 11 Pledge For Posterity ‘In Peace For All’ And Select Candidates For First Black American On The Moon, Perhaps Along With First Woman On The Moon 2024; Human Moon Landings Can Serve As Transformative Focal Point Of 21st Century Call For Equality Rising

 

Credits: NASA, Houston Public Media

Tuesday / 2 June 2020

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Europe Takes Steps Toward Robotic Moon Landings, Solicits Input

ESA Director General Jan Wörner Asks For Ideas On How To Utilize European Large Logistics Lander (EL3) In Development By European Exploration Envelope Programme, Part Of International HERACLES System In Which JAXA Contributes Lunar Descent Element, CSA/ASC Contributes Rover; Concepts Currently Under Consideration Per Wörner Include Astrophysical Observation, Cave/PSR Exploration, Cargo Supply, Human Support; EL3 Is Planned To Be Used Frequently For Global Lunar Build-out In Coming Decade, With 1.5-ton Capacity Launched Via Ariane 64; Ideas Submitted By 3 July To Be Considered

Credits: ESA, NASA, Arianespace

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 Apr 2020

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USA Releases Path Toward Permanent Human Presence On Lunar Surface

NASA Plan For Sustained Lunar Exploration And Development Calls For Establishment Of Artemis Base Camp Via 3 Primary Mission Elements: Human Transport Lunar Terrain Vehicle, Mobile Habitat Platform Capable Of 45 Day Voyages, And Surface Habitat Suitable For 4-Member Crew; Administrator Bridenstine Says “Artemis Will Serve As Our North Star As We Continue To Work Toward Even Greater Exploration Of The Moon” And Commits To ‘Increasingly Longer’ Annual Human Missions Following Initial 7 Day Artemis III Landing Of First Woman And Next Man On Moon


Credits: ESA, NASA

 

Friday / 6 March 2020

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JAXA Joins ISRO For Joint Polar Exploration Mission And Seeks University Input On Lunar Resources 

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Creates Preliminary Project Team For Joint JAXA-India Space Research Organization Lunar Polar Exploration Mission In Early 2020s; JAXA-Developed Smart Lander For Investigation Of Moon (SLIM) Technology Will Enable Precision Landing On Lunar Pole; Mission Will Search For Water And Other Resources; JAXA Seeks Input From Universities And Institutes On In-situ Resource Utilization; Focus Will Be On Water Resources And Construction Of Lunar Propellant Plant

Credits: JAXA