Thursday / 21 August 2014

Moon Mining Featured On Science Channel Premier

MEmanVuniverse

GLXP Teams Moon Express & Astrobotic Featured In Premier Of ‘Man vs The Universe’ On Science Channel; Episode Entitled ‘Mining The Moon’ Relates How Private Enterprises Are Utilizing Efficient Low-Cost Designs & Youthful Ingenuity To Reassert USA Leadership In Moon Exploration; GLXP Winner Will Be Well Positioned To Develop Moon Mining Technology, Leading Edge Of Potential $Trillion Industry; Moon Express Confirms South Pole Moon As Ideal Destination

Image Credit: Moon Express, Science Channel, NASA

Tuesday / 19 August 2014

Stimulating Lunar Enterprise With Earth-Orbital Launch Platform

ColubiaMoonLauncher0814

Revisiting 1996 Proposal To Utilize Space Shuttle Columbia, With Its Extended-Duration Orbiter Modifications, As A Joint NASA / Private Sector Launch Platform For Rocket Stages Bearing Small Lunar Landers Which Would Then Deliver Teleoperated Micro-Robots; Current / Future Orbiter Vehicles Could Potentially Be Used For Such Purposes Helping To “Ignite A Billion Dollar, Sustained Enterprise On Moon” As Proposal Author Carey McCleskey Of NASA JSC Vehicle Engineering Directorate Originally Suggested

Image Credit: NASA, Eberhard Marx

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 15-18 August 2014

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 / 25-28 July 2014

Entrepreneurs Look To Advance Commercial Lunar Development At NewSpace 2014

NewSpace2014_0714

NewSpace 2014 Ongoing In Silicon Valley As Space Week / Month Continues To Provide Inspiration & Direction; Property Rights Panel With James Muncy (L) & Berin Szoka To Examine Legal Steps In-Progress / On Horizon And How They Will Help Facilitate Space Enterprise; Andy Aldrin (R) Speaks On Using Existing Technologies To Make Order Of Magnitude Improvements For Space / Lunar Access; Moon Express – Of Which Aldrin Is President – To Sponsor Panel On Commercial Development As Catalyst For Lunar Exploration

Image Credit: NewSpace 2014, Space Frontier Foundation, Moon Express

Friday / 25 July 2014

ILOA July Meeting Marks Mid-Point For SpaceWeek 2014 In Silicon Valley

ILOA BoD 2014-2015 SV CA

The International Lunar Observatory Association, Based In Hawai`i, Held Its 3rd Board Of Directors Meeting Of 2014 In Mountain View CA, 23 July The Day Before The Space Frontier Foundation NewSpace 2014 Conference & Immediately Following The NASA Solar System Exploration Science Forum; Anticipating A New Lunar / Culture Renaissance In The N Cal / San Francisco Bay Area Similar To That Of The 1960s & ‘70s, ILOA Expects Its 2015 Silicon Valley Board Meeting Again To Overview & Advance Its 4 Moon Missions & Its Galaxy Forum Program For 21st Century Education & Fundraising

Image Credit: ILOA, Canadesys Aerospace Corp., Moon Express Inc., Charles O’Rear

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 July 2014

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

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 11-14 July 2014

Space Property Rights Bill In US Congress Could Facilitate Commercial Lunar Development

TrillionsAsteroid0714

US Representatives (L-R) Bill Posey (R-FL) & Derek Kilmer (D-WA) Introduce ‘American Space Technology For Exploring Resource Opportunities In Deep Space (ASTEROIDS)’ Act Of 2014; Bill Would Promote Private Exploration & Protect Commercial Rights Of Space Enterprises By Clarifying That Resources Mined From Asteroids Are Property Of Entity That Obtained Them, Ensuring US Companies Can Conduct Operations Without Harmful Interference; Act Specifically Addresses Asteroid Mining Yet Will Have Strong Influence On Moon Enterprise / Property Rights Issues

Image Credit: Planetary Resources, us.gov

 

Thursday / 10 July 2014

Golden Spike Company & Honeybee Robotics Complete Moon Rover Study

GoldenHoneybeeRobot0714

Golden Spike Company Continues To Advance Plans For Commercial Human Moon Missions With Honeybee Robotics Design Study; Builds On Mission Concept To Precede Human Mission With Robotic Lander Which Could Collect Several Kg Of Rock & Regolith From A 10-100km Range; Human Mission Would Retrieve Samples & Return Them To Earth, Enhancing Scientific Value Of Mission; Honeybee-Designed Rover Weighs 77kg, Includes Stereo Camera, Capacity To Accommodate Additional Payloads Such As Honeybee NanoDrill

Image Credit: Golden Spike Company, Honeybee Robotics

Tuesday / 1 July 2014

Astrobotic Demonstrates Autonomous Moon Landing System

AASlanding0714

Astrobotic Teams With Masten Space Systems To Successfully Demonstrate Astrobotic Autolanding System (AAS); Xombie Suborbital Rocket Was Boosted To 250m, Simulated Lunar Trajectory, Achieved Soft Landing Intuitively Avoiding Simulated Moon Debris On Mojave Desert Landing Field; AAS Uses Only Cameras & Inertial Measurement Unit, Necessary For Environments Like Moon Where GPS Not Available; Astrobotic Chief Tech Guru Kevin Peterson Says System Can Track Craft Location To Within 3m

Image Credit: Astrobotic Technology Inc.

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 27-30 June 2014

Moon Takes Center Stage At NewSpace 2014

NewSpace2014_0614

Space Frontier Foundation Returns Moon Exploration To High Level Of Prominence At NewSpace 2014 Conference, 24-26 July In Silicon Valley CA; Premier Commercial Space Event Of The Year Will Include Feature Presentations By Bob Richards & Andy Aldrin Of Moon Express, Art Dula of Excalibur Almaz, And Alan Stern Of Golden Spike Company; Agenda Includes Panels On Commercial Development As A Catalyst For Lunar Exploration, And Lunar / Space Property Rights

Image Credit: Space Frontier Foundation