Category Archives: Moon Exploration

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

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 7-10 Feb 2020

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Aldrin Urges Timely Return To Moon While State Of Union Reaffirms Commitment To Artemis

Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin Urges America To “Dare Greatly” In Returning To Moon As Step Toward Mars, Emphasizes That “Time Does Matter” In Space; Following State Of Union Call To Fully Fund Artemis Program “To Ensure That The Next Man And First Woman On The Moon Will Be American” White House Will Request NASA Budget Boost, Perhaps US$3B; Administrator Bridenstine Will Focus On Moon To Mars Plans Monday 10 February At State Of NASA Events

Credits: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri – Mon / 31 Jan – 3 Feb 2020

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Multipartisan Support Needed To Keep Artemis 2024 Lunar Landing Date

US House Subcommittee On Space And Aeronautics, Chaired By Kendra Horn, Proposes Bill H.R. 5666 Calling For Lunar Landing By 2028 Instead Of 2024; Bill Directs Creation Of Moon-Mars Program Office To Plan For Mars Landing In 2033; Space Community Expresses Alarm That Mars ‘Fantasy’ Could Indefinitely Delay Moon And Cislunar Development; Draft Bill Must Pass Full House Of Representatives And Negotiations With Senate, Which Has Already Approved Of Artemis First Women On the Moon

Credits: NASA, Lockheed Martin

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 24-27 Jan 2020

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Marathon “Intrepid” Lunar Rover To Be Developed By First Mode And Arizona State University

Seattle-Based First Mode Engineering Company And Arizona State University Selected By NASA To Build Marathon Lunar Rover, Nicknamed Intrepid; Rover Will Travel 1,800 Km On Moon Surface Over Four Years Powered By Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator; 425-Kg Intrepid Will Carry 11 Instruments To Investigate Reiner Gamma Magnetic Anomaly, Marius Hills, Oceanus Procellarum And Aristarchus Crater; Principal Investigator Mark Robinson (L) Of ASU Is Also PI Of Successful Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera Team (R)

Credits: First Mode, Arizona State University

Monday-Tuesday / 20-21 January 2020

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Buzz Aldrin Begins 10th Decade

Buzz Aldrin (UL) Passes 90th Birthday Following 2019 50th-Year Observations Of Apollo 11; One Of First Two Men And Four Surviving Humans Who Have Walked On Lunar Surface Eagerly Awaits New Missions; Aldrin Is Joined On Earth By Dave Scott Of Apollo 15 (UR), Charles Duke Of Apollo 16 (LL)  and Harrison Schmitt Of Apollo 17 (LR); Eight Other Men Survive Who Have Piloted The Apollo Command Module Around Moon; All Look Forward To Seeing Future Moonwalkers In Lunar Decade Of 2020s

Credits: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 10-13 Jan 2020

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International Moon Landings 2020-2021 Begin Lunar Decade

Multiple Nations And Commercial Enterprises Prepare For Landings In First Years Of Lunar Decade; India Proceeding At Full Speed With Chandrayaan-3 (BR) For November 2020; China (Zhongguo) Plans Chang’e-5 (TR) NLT Dec 2020; NASA Commercial Lunar Services Providers Astrobotic And Intuitive Machines (L) Both Plan Landings NET July 2021; Chang’e-6 And Chang’e-7 Planned For Near Future; Chandrayaan-4 May Follow In Cooperation With JAXA, And Possibly Chandrayaan-5; SpaceX And Blue Origin (C) Also Plan To Land Payloads In Early 2020s

Credits: NASA, Blue Origin, CNSA, ISRO

New Year 2020 Edition
Fri-Tues / 20 Dec 2019 – 7 Jan 2020

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Artemis Moon Generation:
Multi-Partisan, International, Entrepreneurial

NASA Gains Funding In Bipartisan Budget For Space Launch System, Exploration Upper Stage, And Artemis Lunar Lander For First Women On The Moon In 2024; Private Companies Are Participating In Commercial Crew, Cargo, And Lunar Landers; Canada Supplying Robotic Arm For Lunar Orbit; JAXA Contributing Habitation Modules And Lunar Rover; ESA Partners Agree To Greatly Increased Budget And Providing Orion Service Modules For Artemis 1-4; Cooperation Possible From India, Russia, Crescent Moon Countries And Zhongguo (China)

Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA / CAS