India Aiming For 2015 Human Spaceflight Program; Human Moon Mission Proposed By Indian Space Research Organisation For 2020; Chandrayaan-2 Lunar Orbiter, Lander, Rover Mission Delayed To At Least 2014; Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) Rocket Proven Success Of Chandrayaan-1 / Moon Impact Probe Will Be Used For India Mars Satellite Mission Planned Launch Nov 2013
Image Credit: ISRO, IITK
Japan Lunar Orbiter Kaguya / SELENE Data Reveals Low-Calcium Pyroxene Mineral In ‘Ocean Of Storms’ On Moon; Ryosuke Nakamura From National Institute Of Advanced Industrial Science And Technology Says This Suggests Giant Impact Caused 29,000-km Wide Magma Sea; Future Japan Missions Hope To Confirm With SELENE-2 Rover Launch In Mid 2010s / SELENE-X Advanced Lander / Human Lunar Outpost In 2020s
Image Credit: JAXA, NIAIST
Canadian Space Agency (CSA) Announces New Fleet Of Rovers Developed Under Exploration Science Mobility Project; Lunar Exploration Light Rover Mobile Lunar Lab With Sample Scoop Is Largest & Fastest / Upgradeable For Human Transport; Kapvik Micro-Rover Aids Humans By Doing Light Labor; 40 Academic / Industry Organizations Collaborating; Industry Minister Christian Paradis Notes Continuation of Canadarm / Dextre Legacy
Image Credit: CSA, Industry Canada, Carleton University
Romney / Ryan Space Plan Calls For Setting Clear Goals For NASA, International Cooperation, Support Of Commercial Space, Strengthening Security; Industry Leaders Fear Another Change Of Direction / Cancellation Of Programs, Critics Point To Similarities To Obama Administration Space Policy, Lack Of Bold Plan: Strong Focus On Human Moon Missions / Base Should Be Central Priority For NASA / USA Global Leadership In Space
Image Credit: NASA, floridatoday.com
Lunar Enterprise Daily Will Return NLT 6 November 2012
‘Gateway Spacecraft’ Would Hover 445,000km From Earth At Earth-Moon L2 Lagrange Point, Support Small Crew, Serve As Staging Area For Future Moon & Mars Missions; NASA To Use Orion MPCV / SLS Rocket For Transportation, Leftover Parts Of ISS For Construction; Funding & Radiation Risks Remain Issues; Some See More Value In Human-Tended Lunar Base
Image Credit: NASA
Ouliang Chang Of USC Viterbi School Of Engineering Outlines Plan For Deployment Of Supercomputer & Accompanying Radio Dishes On Moon To Ease Load On Terrestrial Mission Control, Provide Computational Power For 1st Phase Of Lunar Industrial / Settlement Development; Polar Location To Avoid Drastic Temperature Swings, Access To Water Ice For Cooling; Dishes Could Also Be Used For Very-Long-Baseline Interferometry
Image Credit: NASA
Lunar COTS Petition Founded By Doug Plata Gaining Momentum As NASA Commercial Crew & Cargo Program Manager Alan Lindenmoyer (L) Suggests Using Successful COTS Model Elsewhere In NASA; Lunar COTS Would Establish Programs To Support Commercial Cis-lunar Transportation Service, Lunar Surface Operations, Harvesting Lunar Polar Ice, Orbital Propellant & Servicing Depots, Initial Crewed Lunar Base
Image Credit: NASA
Lori Garver, NASA Deputy Administrator, Confirms Ambitious USA Plans To Return To Moon During Speech At AIAA Conference In Pasadena, CA; Uncrewed Mission Scheduled For 2017, Human Orbital Mission By 2021; NASA Report To US Congress Outlines Plan For “Nearly Self-Sustaining Surface Habitat” On Moon For Long-Duration Astronaut Missions, Capable Of Extracting Oxygen, Water, Silicon, Etc In Situ
Image Credit: NASA, Stephan Wlodarczyk
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin Says Russia Should Set ‘Super Goal’ Of Building Large Base On Moon To Refocus Space Industry; Base Could Facilitate Leaps Of Science & Future Deep Space Projects; Possible Collaboration With USA / ESA; Moon Is Seen As Logical Next Step For Russia Exploration As Mars Is “Too Far And Too Expensive”
Image Credit: Roscosmos, wn.com
UC Structural Engineer Yu Qiao Receives US$135,000 Award From NASA To Continue Research On ‘Lunar Cement’; Qiao & Team Developed Polymer Intercalation / Exfoliation (PIE) Cements That Mix Organic Nanointerphases (Prepared On & Transported From Earth) With Lunar Regolith; Processing Is Water Free, Straightforward, Great Potential In Building Large-Scale Structures On Moon
Image Credit: Contour Crafting, ucsd.edu