Category Archives: Moon Mining

Thursday / 9 June 2016

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Japan Kajima Corp. To Develop Machinery For Construction On Moon

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Fully Automated Construction Machinery On Moon, Mars For Building Long-Term Human Habitation Is Being Developed By Kajima Corporation, A Japan Industrial Services, Engineering and Construction Firm With Market Capitalization Of Almost US$8B; JAXA Selected The Project For The Space Exploration Innovation Hub; An Indoor Experiment Will Be Conducted NET April 2017 At JAXA Sagamihara Campus; Machinery Is Estimated To Be Ready To Build A Structure To Accommodate 4-6 People On The Moon By 2030

Credit: Kajima Corp., JAXA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 June 2016

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SSR / PTMSS In Golden CO To Advance In Situ Resource Utilization

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Space Resources Roundtable (SRR), Planetary & Terrestrial Mining Science Symposium (PTMSS) In Collaboration With Colorado School Of Mines (CSM) And Lunar & Planetary Institute (LPI) Will Convene The 7th Joint Meeting On June 7-9 In Golden, Colorado; There Is Renewed Interest Worldwide In ISRU Activities And The Program Will Cover Related Issues With Regards To Moon, Mars And Asteroids Over 9 Technical Sessions; SRR Is Led By Angel Abbud-Madrid (T) Of CSM And The Program Speakers Includes John Hamilton (B) Of PISCES (Hawaii), Byung Chul Chang Of ISERI, Hanyang University (South Korea), Numerous NASA Representatives, And Others

Credit: SRR / PTMSS, CSM, PISCES

Friday / 6 May 2016

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Two Conferences Supporting Moon, Mars, & Asteroids Investigate Opportunities

Two ConferencesStimulating Renewed Support In Moon / Space Activities Two Conferences Moving Into Year 8 Scheduled To Address: Lunar Exploration & Enterprise, Solar System, Near Earth Asteroids; 7-9 June Golden Colorado School Of Mines To Host  SRR, PTMSS & LPI With PISCES Rob Kelso Discussing ISRU Construction – Lunar Launch/Landing Pad; Ames Research Center Holding Annual Lunar & Small Bodies Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2016) In Mountain View California 19 July; NASA SSERVI Topics To Include Missions & Human Exploration

Credit: SRR, PTMSS, LPI, NASA, SSERVI, PISCES

Friday / 29 April 2016

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Value Of The Moon Considered by Paul Spudis in New Book

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Planetary Geologist Dr. Paul D. Spudis At Lunar And Planetary Institute (LPI) Continues Leading Advocacy For Moon Exploration, Development; The 272-Page Illustrated Hardcover Highlights Moon Enabling Science, Commerce, Security, Human Solar System Expansion; Plan Outlines Base At Lunar Pole, In Situ Water-Ice Utilization, Regions Of Near-Continuous Sunlight, Teleoperated-Robtic Infrastructure Development Prior To Crew Missions; US$88B Cost Estimate For Human Lunar Outpost Capability

Credit: LPI, Smithsonian Books.

Wednesday / 9 December 2015

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GLXP Confirms Moon Express, Rocket Lab 2017 Launch Contract; Possible ‘Test Flight’ In 2015

1292015Two 2017 Launches Scheduled For Moon Express (ME) Aboard The Electron Small Launch Vehicle (Still Under Development) By Rocket Lab; GLXP Senior Director Chanda Gonzalez Announced “We Are Extremely Proud To Officially Confirm Receipt And Verification Of Moon Express’ Launch Contract”; Rocket Lab Readying New Zealand Launch Complex After Which Test Flight Of Electron Vehicle Will Occur (Originally Planned For Dec 2015); ME CEO Bob Richards States “We Are Thrilled To Have Our Contract In Place With Rocket Lab” ME Chairman Naveen Jain Adds “Moon Express Is Building Disruptive Technologies…Like 3D Printing And Inexpensive Sensors To Collapse The Capital Needed To Access The Moon”

Pictured: Moon Express Inc Founders: Naveen Jain, Co-founder & Chairman, Bob Richards, Co-founder & CEO, Barney Pell, Co-founder & Vice Chairman

Credit: Moon Express, XPrize Foundation

Wednesday / 2 December 2015

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Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Delivering Four Billion Measurements And Counting

1222015In Year 7, LRO Continues To Provide Information Useful For Decades Of Future Human Exploration; LRO Deputy PI Benjamin Greenhagen Comments “We Honor The Moon As A Global Scientific Legacy”; Data Reveals 5 Key Lessons According To B. Dorminey (Forbes Article): Recent Volcanic Activity Confirmed By Interior Temperature & Cooling Implies Moon Is Likely Still Tectonically Active; Lunar Surface Shows Extreme Temperature Variations Of –247 °C In Permanently Shadowed Regions To +123 °C In Areas Exposed To Up To 243 Consecutive Days Of Sunlight; Moon May Hold Water / Other Volatiles Useful For Life-Support As Well As Other Resource Utilization Potentials; Moon South Pole Aitken Basin Offers Potential Samples Of Lunar Rock Originating From Interior Mantle; LRO Radiation Measurements Could Help Minimize Future Human Moon & Deep Space Exploration Hazards

Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, LRO, LPI

Tuesday / 24 November 2015

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Lunar & Planetary Exploration Advance With Mining Potential Under U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (CSLCA)

11242015H.R. 2262 Bill To Allow American Enterprises To Own / Sell Materials Mined From Other Celestial Bodies May Spur New Off-Planet Economy; House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R) States “This Bill Will Unite Law With Innovation Allowing The Next Generation Of Pioneers To Experiment”; Honeybee Robotics Beginning Field Testing Of Drill For Hard Surfaces On Mars / Other Planetary Bodies & Has Several Lunar Technologies Addressing Lunar ISRU With Robotic Percussive Digger & Pneumatic Miner; Shackleton Energy Co. Working On Solutions To Mine Lunar Ice For Conversion Into Rocket Fuel; Moon Express CEO Bob Richards (L) Also Praises CSLCA Stating “Our Goal Is To Unlock The Resources Of The Moon For The Benefit Of Humanity”

Credit: Honeybee Robotics, Shackleton Energy Company, Moon Express, Congress.gov

Wednesday / 11 November 2015

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Lunar Power Utility Necessary For Commercial Lunar Enterprise

11112015Commercial & Sustainable Activity On Moon Surface Could Be Advanced By Lunar Power Utility (LPU) Construction According To Authors V. Beldavs, D. Dunlap, J. Crisafulli & B. Foing Of “The Lunar Electrical Power Utility”; Two Powersats (Developed For ~US$250M) In Lunar Orbit Could Beam Power To ISRU Rovers / Equipment, Providing 168 Kilowatts Of Generating Capacity; Anticipated Long-Term Demand For LPU May Reach Megawatt Levels Beyond 2030; International Lunar Decade To Kick Off 2017 Promoting Sustainable Space Economy, Commercial Space Development, Infrastructure & Financing

Credit: NASA/John Frassanito and Associates, Shimizu Corporation

Wednesday / 30 September 2015

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Helium-3 Has Tenuous Potential As Lunar Energy Resource

9302015Engineering Capabilities Of Unproven Helium-3 Fusion Reactor Technology May Be Decades Out; Apollo Astronaut Harrison Schmitt (T) Advocates For Lunar Mining Of Helium-3 (He-3); China, Russia, Europe, USA, India Also Showing He-3 Interest; Other Energy Solutions Including Lunar Water-Ice Extraction Proposed By Shackleton Energy Company (SEC); Strategic SEC Partnership With Penguin Automated Systems, Dr. Greg Baiden (B) Declares “There’s Also The Potential For Solar Power Stations”

Credit: NASA, Arizona Geological Society, SEC, ESA, Greg Baiden

Tuesday / 25 August 2015

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International Lunar Decade Initiative For Sustained Moon Operations

8252015Letter To President Obama By Vid Beldavs, Founding Member Of International Lunar Decade Working Group, Requests U.S. Support For International Lunar Decade (ILD) Advocacy & UN-Sanction Activity / To Address Moon Mining & Property Rights /  To Involve G20 Countries In International Collaboration; Operations In Space To Establish Permanent Infrastructure Vital For Long-Term Economic Growth Which Will Promote Commercial Business; Partnerships Will Reduce Cost To Each Organization, Key To Permanent & Sustainable Development


Credit:  NASA, Vid Beldavs, ILD