Category Archives: Moonbase

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 17-20 October 2014

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“Forget Mars, We Should Live On The MOON”

LED-10-17-14

Canada Hero, CSA Astronaut, Former ISS Commander, Chris Hadfield Advocates For Permanent Settlement Of Moon As Among Highest Priorities For Human Space Exploration; Mars About 500 Times More Distant On Average, Making Many Things Much More Difficult: Communications, Mission Timeline, Safety Parameters, Abort Procedures, Earth-Based Mission Control; Hadfield Suggests We’ll Be Living On The Moon Several Generations, Then Eventually Go On To Mars

Image Credit: CSA, NASA, ESA, L. Oleastri

Wednesday / 15 October 2014

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Space Horizons 2015:
McMurdo On The Moon?

LED101514Brown University Hosts Annual NASA Sponsored Event Space Horizons 2015, 18-19 Feb; Antarctic McMurdo Station Inspires Asking “What Can 50+ Years Of Science In The Toughest Setting On Earth Tell Us About Working On The Moon?”; Workshops Examine Analog For Breakthrough Technologies To Realize Lunar Settlement; Brown’s 250-Year Anniversary Celebration Highlighted By Contributions In Planetary Science; Cutting Edge Virtual Reality Exhibit Allows Viewer To Fly Over Moon And Antarctica; Online Registration Now Open

 Image Credit: USAP, NASA, Brown University

Wednesday / 1 October 2014

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ISRO Chair Affirms Lunar Settlement Plans At IAC 2014

KRadIAC2014

While Speaking At International Astronautical Congress 2014 Heads Of Agencies Panel In Toronto, Canada, Top Space Official Of India K Radhakrishnan Affirms That ISRO Looks Forward To Explore & Settle The Habitable Worlds Of Solar System, Including Moon & Mars; Comments Come After India Became 1st Asia Nation To Reach Mars Orbit, & As Country Prepares For GSLV Mark 3 Launch In Coming Months Which Will Test Reentry Capsule For Future Crewed Missions

Image Credit: ISRO, IAC

Thursday / 18 September 2014

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Commercial Crew Enterprises Advancing
Lunar Aspirations

SpacePeople Commercial Crew Selection Allows NASA To Focus On Deep Space Exploration; Commercial Space Enterprises Not Content With Taxi Service To LEO: Space Adventures (2017) & Excalibur Almaz (by 2025) Planning Circumlunar Tourism Missions, Golden Spike Company Advancing Human Surface Mission Architecture; While At ASE In Beijing Buzz Aldrin Says He Is Supportive Of China & International Human Moon Exploration, Thinks USA Should Advance Robotic Lunar Exploration, Build Permanent Station On Moon As Staging Post To Mars / Beyond

Image Credit: NASA, Golden Spike Company, Space Adventures

Wednesday / 17 September 2014

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Lunar Agriculture Study Indicates Potential Viability / Challenges

WiegerMoonPlants

1st Large-Scale Controlled Experiment Investigating Plant Growth In Moon & Mars Soil Simulant; Research Led By Wieger Wamelink At Wageningen University In The Netherlands Indicates Plants Able To Germinate & Grow In Both Moon & Mars Simulant For 50 Days With No Additional Nutrients Though Poor Water Retention, High pH & Toxic Metals Pose Challenge For Lunar Agriculture; Study Utilized 4,200 Seeds Of Agricultural Crops, Wild Plants & Nitrogen Fixers; Further Research Needed On Characteristics Of Extra-Terrestrial Soils, Means Of Irrigation & Importing Friendly Bacteria, Fungi & Pollinators

Image Credit: NASA, wageningenur.nl

Thursday / 11 September 2014

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Canada Industry Minister Confirms Lunar Aspirations / Capabilities

CanadaMoonIndustry0914

James Moore Says Canada Has Technological Capability & Political Will To  Send Humans To Moon & Mars; Industry Minister Comments Made In Televised Interview With Astronaut Chris Hadfield; Canada Is Participating With Other National Space Agencies In Global Exploration Roadmap Which Foresees Human Missions To Lunar Orbit & Surface In Mid-2020s; Banking On Its Expertise In Robotics & Mining, Canada Proposes To Send An Astronaut To Lunar Space To Control A Canadian Moon Rover, Assist In Developing Small Lunar Settlement To Learn To Live Away From Earth, Prepare For Further Solar System Exploration

Image Credit: cbc.ca, ESA

Wednesday / 27 August 2014

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Russia Lunar Ambitions Could Limit ISS Support

RussiaBeyondISS0814

Russia Actions / Statements Indicate A Growing Seriousness About Finally Fulfilling Long-Standing Plans To Put Humans On Moon; Roscosmos Recent Budgetary Request For US$770M To Advance Robotic Moon Program Includes US$55M To Complete Technical Specifications For Human Lunar Base; Development Of Prospective Piloted Transport System (PPTS) (TR), Next Generation Russia Crew Capsule With 4-Person Capacity To Moon Orbit; Angara Rocket (BR) Emerging As Contender For PPTS Launches; Projected Launch Schedule Sees Lunar PPTS Launching in ~2024 – Last Year Of Current ISS Program

Image Credit: Roscosmos

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 August 2014

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Bigelow Aerospace Advancing Towards Goal Of Lunar Base

BigelowAstronauts0814

Preparations Underway To Launch BEAM Module To ISS In 2015, First Step Towards Independent Space Stations & Lunar Bases; Robert Bigelow (L) Believes Company Will Be Ready To Land Functional Lunar Bases On Surface Of Moon In 10 Years; ‘Lunar Depot Ares’ Would Have 990 Cubic Meters Of Habitable Space, House 12-18 Astronauts; Plan Hinges On Success Of Its Space Habitats, Lunar Property Rights Recognition, Interest From Private Companies / Nations; Bigelow Aerospace Intends To Form Sizable Astronaut Corps, Already Hired 2 Former Shuttle Astronauts, Plans To Have 4 More On Team By End 2014

Pictured: Bigelow Astronauts Kenneth Ham (R) & George Zamka

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 July 2014

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Apollo 11 Moonworker Urges USA Space Program To Confront The Future

BuzzMoonMars0714

Upon 45th Commemoration Of Historic Mission, Buzz Aldrin – Member Of First Crew To Visit Lunar Surface – Says Space Enthusiasts Need To Look Forward Rather Than Simply Reveling In “Taking Rear-View Mirror Looks At Apollo 11”; Sees Permanent Human Settlement On Mars As Kennedyesque Goal To Pursue, Acknowledges Importance Of Advancing Human & Robotic Moon Missions Through International Partnerships With China & Other Space Powers, Along With Commercial Enterprise Lunar Development; South Pole Moon Promising New Frontier For Human Exploration & Settlement

Image Credit: NASA

Friday / 11 July 2014

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Benefits Of Moon First Strategy

Moon Resources

Space / Moon Experts Urge NASA To Refocus On Moon First Exploration Path: Astronaut Clayton Anderson (TL) Says Humans Should Learn To Live On Moon Before Greater Challenge Of Mars; Larry Kellogg (TR), With Input From Dr. David Schrunk (B), Writes About Apollo Inspiring Next Generation, ‘Infinite’ Resources (Lunar Regolith, Harvestable NEAs), Energy (Sunlight, H2O, Helium-3), Access To Asteroid Belt / Solar System, Potential To Create Earth-Like Environments In Moon Lava Tubes

Image Credit: NASA, Larry Kellogg, ISRO, JAXA /NHK, lifeboat.com