Category Archives: NASA

Friday / 2 Feb 2018

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Human Exploration Research Analog HERAnauts To Begin 45-Day Space Simulation Mission

Group Of 4 Compensated Volunteers Out Of ~400 Applicants To Perform >18 Investigations During HERA XVI Mission (Campaign 4 Mission 4) At Johnson Space Center, Houston TX 3 Feb – 19 Mar; Closed Habitat Of 148.1 m3 Volume Consists Of 3-Story Core, Airlock & Hygiene Facilities; Research Will Focus On Behavioral Performance, Team Performance, Crew Medical, And Enabling Technologies Including Low Latency Teleoperations Study, Lighting Protocols for Exploration, ISS Food Intake Tracker, STARWatch™ Sleep Measures For Spaceflight; Results Will Support Future Human Moon, Mars, Solar System, SLS / Orion, Potential Deep Space Gateway Missions

Credits: JSC, NASA, HERA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 26-29 Jan 2018

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Emerging USA Policies Could Support Human Moon Missions Early 2020s

Upcoming 2018 Presidential State Of Union Address 30 January May Give Indication Of Future Lunar / Space Exploration, National Space Council, Space Policy Directive 1, ISS; 2019 Fiscal Budget Expected Release Early February; Possibility Of Public-Private Lunar Exploration Catalyzed By US$200M Allocation; NASA Budget Could End ISS Funding By 2024, Currently About $4B Out Of Total $19.65B, To Develop International Deep Space Gateway; National Focus Would Shift To Cislunar Space, Mars And Beyond Utilizing Space Launch System And Orion Crew Vehicle

Credits: NASA, Boeing, CNN

Friday / 12 Jan 2018

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Lunar Science For Landed Missions NASA Ames Workshop To Evaluate Target Sites Today

3rd & Final Day Of Workshop At NASA Ames Organized By NASA Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI) & Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG); 1st Presentation Today By Jack Burns On Lunar Farside Science Including Radio Observations Of Redshifted 21-cm Hydrogen Line For Cosmology; Final Panel Discussion With Jim Green, Sarah Noble, Ben Bussey, Clive Neal, Greg Schmidt; Ends With Discussion On Top Recommended Sites — Within Context Of Newly Reactivated USA Moon Goals; Remote Participation Possible Through Live Coverage

Pictured: NASA Planetary Science Division Director Jim Green, Professor Jack Burns; Credits: NASA, University of Colorado

New Year 2018 Edition
Fri-Thur / 22 Dec 2017 – 4 Jan 2018

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2018 Could See Historic 1st Moon South Pole Landings, 1st Commercial Landings, While NASA LRO Continues FlagShip Mission

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter With 7 Instruments Providing Highest Resolution Data Ever At A Rate Of ~440 Gigabits Image Data Per Day – Is Now 8.5 Years Into Mission In Eccentric Polar Mapping Orbit (20-km Altitude South Pole, 165-km North Pole), Planned To Operate Through 2018 – Which May Be Most Favorable Year For Lunar Landings Since 1972; Chandrayaan 2 Moon South Pole Lander / Rover By India Set To Launch During Q1 2018; China Planning Chang’e-4 Far-Side Orbiter Launch May 2018, Followed By Far-Side South Pole Lander / Rover Oct 2018; Five Independent International Enterprises Look To Win Google Lunar XPrize, Aiming To Launch / Land On Moon Before 31 Mar 2018

Credits: NASA, LRO, ISRO, CNSA, SPC

Tuesday / 12 Dec 2017

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Space Policy Directive 1 Orders Human Return To Moon, Then Beyond

U.S. President Signs SPD-1, Redirecting National Space Policy For Human Expansion Across Solar System, Starting With Landing Humans On The Moon; Plans For Sustainable Program With Commercial & International Partners; National Space Council Scott Pace States “We Want To Expand & Include More Countries In That Effort”; USA To Launch Astronauts With Space Launch System & Orion Crew Vehicle For Moon Flyby ~2021; NASA 2019 Budget Request To Reflect New Directive; Guests Attended Signing Include Buzz Aldrin, Jack Schmitt, Peggy Whitson, Astronaut Candidate Christina Koch, Robert Lightfoot & Eric Stallmer

Credits: NASA, Aubrey Gemignani, CNN, Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum

Thanksgiving Weekend Edition
Thu-Mon / 23-27 Nov 2017

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Lunar Interests / Plans Accelerate Globally

Moon Village Association / ESA Records Progress At ISU In Strasbourg, France; US National Space Council Working Scenarios For 3-7 Year Human Moon Return; India Early 2018 Chandrayaan-2 Moon South Pole Touchdown Could Startle Global Space Communities; China Expanding Astronomy From The Moon Activities With Chang’e-4 VLF Payloads And Technology; India-Japan Announce Lunar Sample Return Collaboration; Canada Space Agency LEAD Project To Support International HERACLES Moon South Pole Mission Concept; Prospective Candidates For ‘First Woman On The Moon’ Rising

 Credits: ESA/ Foster + Partners, WH.gov, ISRO, CAST, JAXA, SPC / ILOA, CSA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 Nov 2017

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American Lunar Updates: CATALYST, Next NASA Admin, HERA, Moon Express New Hire

Lunar Cargo Transportation And Landing by Soft Touchdown (CATALYST) Program To Spur Moon Commercial Cargo Transportation & Enable New Science / Exploration Being Extended 2 Years For Astrobotic, Masten Space Systems, Moon Express – Jason Crusan Of NASA States ‘Its Optimistic These Companies Could Deliver Payloads In 2018’; Nominee For Next NASA Admin Jim Bridenstine Testifies In Front Of Senate Committee, Awaiting Confirmation; JSC In Houston 4-Person 45-Day Spaceflight / Moon / Mars Mission Analog Campaign 4: Mission 3 Of Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) Ongoing Until Dec 4; Dr. Alain Berinstain Of Canada Joins Moon Express As VP Of Global Development

Credits: NASA, Moon Express, A. Berinstain, Astrobotic

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 20-23 Oct 2017

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Human Return To Moon Advancing
With NSC And Commercial Ventures

USA National Space Council Declaring America Will Return To The Moon, Plans To Establish Users’ Advisory Group Composed Of Commercial Space Industry Leaders; Major Questions To FY19 Funding NASA Return To Moon: Where Will It Come From And Who Will It Involve – Commercial Or International Partners? At LEAG Return To The Moon Workshop, Moon Express, Astrobotic, Blue Origin & Masten Present Their Plans To Return To Moon, Opportunities For Government Collaboration; Bigelow & ULA Announce B330 Habitat For Low Lunar Orbit; As To ‘Why’ We Return To Moon – Expert Paul Spudis States “We Go To The Moon To Learn How To Live & Work Productively On Another World… Arrive, Survive, Thrive”

Credits: NASA, Bill Ingalls, Moon Express, SpaceX, Bigelow, Astrobotic

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 6-9 Oct 2017

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U.S. National Space Council Plans For Human Return To Moon

Vice President Pence Declares America Will Work To Lead In Space By Sending Humans To Moon, Setting Up Lunar Base, Investing In Innovative Technologies, Partnering With International Interests And Enabling Human Expansion Across Solar System; Strong Emphasis Placed On Launching From American, USA Soil And Commercial Space; Experts From NASA, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Orbital ATK, SpaceX, Blue Origin, Sierra Nevada Say Humans Could Return To Moon Within 5 Years With Committed Funding & Political Support; 2017 Astronaut Class May Be Part Of Inspiring, Historical Mission To Send First Woman To The Moon “In Peace For All”

Credits: NASA, NSC, R. Markowitz, ESA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 8-11 Sep 2017

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Moon Surface Supercomputer
RFI Being Sought By NASA

Radiation Tolerant Computer Which Could Be Used In Short Duration Moon Surface Mission, Operate In Vacuum Of Space Under -40°C To +70°C Temperatures, Provide 128MB Of Data Storage & 128MB Memory NASA RFI Due Sep 13; Vital Communications Infrastructure Will Be Needed For Multi-Payload & Human Missions To Moon Surface (Potentially Early 2020s), Far Side Moon, Deep Space, Mars, Beyond; Current 1-Year Testing Of HPE Linux Supercomputer At ISS; LADEE 2013 Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration Proved Record-Breaking Downlink Speed 622Mbps / Error-Free Uplink Speed 20Mbps, Revolutionary Technology Was 50% Weight Of Comparable Radio-Based Terminal & Used 25% Less Power

Credits: NASA, GNC, LADEE, CNN, HPE, LLCD, ESA