Category Archives: Moon Exploration

Friday / 20 December 2019

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Chandrayaan-3 Planning Rush To Lunar Surface In 2020

Indian Space Research Organization Planning Chandrayaan-3 At Full Speed For November 2020 Launch; Mission Will Include Propulsion Module, Lander And Rover; 682-Kg Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter Is Successfully Operating In Lunar Polar Orbit; Orbiter High Resolution Camera And Onboard Terrain Mapping Camera-2 Will Be Part Of Chandrayaan-3 Mission, Which Will Likely Land In South Pole Region; India Partnering With Japan On Joint Lunar Polar Exploration Mission, Which Could Become Chandrayaan-4

Credits: ISRO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 Dec 2019

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China (Zhongguo) Long March 5 Flight To Support Moon, Mars, Human Spaceflight Ambitions

 Long March 5 Critical Return To Flight Counting Down To 27 December 2019 Launch From Wenchang Spaceport On Hainan Island; Long March 5 Planned To Launch Chang’e-5 Lunar Sample Return And 2020 Mars Mission; Moon Samples To Be Analyzed At Special Facility Headed By China Lunar Exploration Program Chief Scientist Ouyang Ziyuan; China Plans 30 Orbital Launches In 2020; Space Station Modules, CE-6, CE-7 And CE-8 Planned To Be Launched By Long March Variants Starting In 2021

Credits: CAST, Shanghai Institute of Technology

Thanksgiving Weekend Edition
Thu-Mon / 28 Nov – 2 Dec 2019

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 Moonworker Buzz Aldrin Advocates For USA-Led International Human Moon Landings With China Cooperation

Apollo 11 Buzz Aldrin Envisions Human Return To Moon, Multi-World Species Success Via Cooperation With Major Spacefaring Power China (Zhongguo) And Nominal Or No Gateway To Facilitate Surface Exploration / Lunar Base; Stresses Importance Of Advanced Cycling Transportation System “Buzzcraft” To Land On Moon, Get To Mars ASAP; Proposed Multi-National, Public-Private-Independent Organization ‘Space Exploration Alliance’ Including China, Others For Sustainable Space Exploration Plan For 2020s Decade

Credits: CNSA, NASA

Tuesday / 19 November 2019

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Peregrine Lander To Carry Lunar Rovers In 2021

Astrobotic, One Of Nine NASA Commercial Lunar Services Providers, Aims To Place Peregrine Lander On Moon In 2021; First USA Lunar Landing In 49 Years Will Be Launched On Upcoming United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur Booster; Astrobotic Receives US$2M Tipping Point Award To Develop Small CubeRover; UK-Based Spacebit, Founded By Pavlo Tanasyuk, Plans To Send 10-cm Tall 4-Legged Rover Capable Of Exploring Lunar Caves; NASA Announces Additional CLPS Providers Blue Origin, Ceres Robotics, Sierra Nevada Aerospace, SpaceX, And Tyvak In Monday Teleconference

Credits: Astrobotic, Spacebit, ULA

Friday / 15 November 2019

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Pence At NASA Ames Applauds Artemis Progress

USA Vice President Mike Pence Says “Artemis Is Here To Stay” At NASA Ames Research Center In California 14 November, Promises NASA Administrator Bridenstine The Resources Needed; Space Launch System And Orion Spacecraft Being Tested For Projected Late 2020 Artemis-1 Mission; Boeing, And Blue Origin Team (With Lockheed Martin And Northrop Grumman) Both Submit Proposals For Artemis Human Lunar Lander; Pence Practices On Vertical Motion Simulator Expected To Be Used For Lunar Landings

Credits: NASA

Friday / 8 November 2019

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Boeing Bids For Lunar Landing ASAP With Fewest Steps

Boeing Reveals Design For Artemis Lunar Lander, Using Technology From Starliner To Reach Moon In Fewest Steps; Two-Stage Spacecraft Would Require Development Of Boeing Space Launch System And Exploration Upper Stage; EUS Requires Funding At US$300M Per Year, Cost Of Lander Unknown; Moonwalker Buzz Aldrin Favors Going To Moon With Minimal Gateway But With Cooperation From China; Boeing Faces Competition From Blue Origin Team Including Lockheed Martin And Northrop Grumman, And Possible Bid From SpaceX

Credits: Boeing, NASA, Veterans in Blue

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

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 Oct 2019

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Artemis / USA International First Women On The Moon Requires Multi-Partisan Support, Funding

New Artemis / First Women On The Moon USA Program Likely Subject For VP Mike Pence Opening Address At International Astronautical Congress Monday 21 Oct In Washington DC; Apollo 11 Pledge Of Armstrong And Aldrin “In Peace For All”; Commercial, Independent Enterprise, and International Collaboration With Canada, China, India, SE Asia, Japan, Europe, Russia, Crescent Moon Countries, Africa, And S America All Imperative Considerations. NASA 1% US Govt Budget Possible With American Space Movement Advocacy From NSS / ISDC, AIAA, AAS, SFS; 1st Women On The Moon Essay Contest 2019 Accepting Submissions

Credits: IAC / IAF, NASA, LRO

Friday / 18 Oct 2019

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Zhongguo / China Moves Upward With Long March 5, Crewed Spacecraft And Space Station

During 16th Observation Of First Zhongguo Citizen In Space, Yang Liwei Looks Forward To Setting Foot On Moon; Long March 5 Transport Ships Leave Dock To Prepare For 2019 Launch, With Larger Booster Under Development; New Crewed Spacecraft Is 9 Meters Long With Mass Of 22 Tons, Will Carry Up To 4-6 People For Missions To Earth Orbit Or Lunar Orbit; 66-Ton Tiangong Space Station Planned For 350-450 Km Orbit By 2022

Credits: CNSA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 4-7 Oct 2019

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Intuitive Machines And Astrobotic Achieve Steps Toward Landing On Lunar Surface In 2021

Houston-based Commercial Lunar Payload Services Provider Intuitive Machines Signs Contract With SpaceX For Launch Of Nova-C Lander On Falcon 9 In July 2021; 3-meter Nova-C (L) Will Carry At Least 100 Kg In Payloads, Including 5 NASA Payloads And More From Other Customers; Fellow CLPS Provider Astrobotic, Which Has Won NASA ‘Tipping Point’ Award To Develop Small Rovers, Advances Agreement To Launch Peregrine Lander On First Flight Of United Launch Alliance Vulcan Booster In 2021

Credits: Intuitive Machines, Astrobotic