Weekend Edition / Fri-Tues 24-28 May 2013

Posted on May 24, 2013 by LED Editor

2013 Rising Lunar Tide

As USA / World Remembers 52nd Anniversary Of JFK Moon Declaration To Congress, New Generation Of Lunar Pioneers Proclaim Intentions / Outline Plans For Sustainable Return To Moon At Prestigious International Events; ISDC 2013 In San Diego CA, Lunar Track Focusing On Human Explorations Of Moon; Galaxy Forum Canada – Vancouver Featuring Alan Stern (CL) Of Golden Spike, Bob Richards (CR) Of Moon Express, Jim Keravala (R) Of Shackleton Energy Co, Steve Durst (L) Of ILOA, More

Image Credit: galaxyforum.org, isdc.nss.org

Thursday / 23 May 2013

Posted on May 22, 2013 by LED Editor

Space Act Agreement May Help Extend Commercial Activity To Cis-Lunar Space

‘Media Availability’ Event Today At 13:30 EDT, NASA Associate Administrator Bill Gerstenmaier & Robert Bigelow Discuss Recent Space Act Agreement; Unfunded Study Identifying Common Objectives Between NASA & Private Sector, Companies & Their Potential Contributions To Extend Commercial Activity To All Cis-Lunar Space; If Commercial Interests Demonstrate Capability To Reach / Operate On Moon May Help Cure NASA / Obama Selenophobia

Image Credit: Bigelow Aerospace, NASA

Friday / 17 May 2013

Posted on May 16, 2013 by LED Editor

Apollo / Gemini Astronaut Lovell Joins GSC

GSC Jim Lovell

Moon Astronaut Jim Lovell (R) Joins As Member Of Golden Spike Company Board Of Advisors; Having Flown To Moon Twice, Trained For Lunar Landing & Being 1 Of Only 24 People To Have Flown To Moon, ‘Unique Perspective & Advice Will Be Invaluable’ Says Gerry Griffin (L) Former Apollo Director & Chairman Of GSC BoD; Has Already Consulted On Designs For Crew Module, Other Issues

Image Credit: GSC, Perdue

Wednesday / 15 May 2013

Posted on May 14, 2013 by LED Editor

Revelations Of Cislunar Commercial Space Beyond GEO 15 Yrs Later

LED 51413

Space Entrepreneur Rex Ridenoure (R) Tells All In His Recent Account Of The Salvage Of AsiaSat 3 / HGS-1 Utilizing 2 Lunar Flybys; Ridenoure Brought Together Trajectory Theorist Ed Belbruno (L) With Hughes Space’s Cesar Ocampo & Jerry Salvatore; Team Nominated By Aviation Week For 1998 Best Achievement In Space Award; Ridenoure Points To Enterprise Opportunities In GEO Where About 2/3 Of US$300B Global Space Economy Resides

Image Credit: Space Review, Rex Ridenoure, Orbitalhub.com

Thursday / 9 May 2013

Posted on May 8, 2013 by LED Editor

Golden Spike Co. Lunar Lander Concepts Advancing

Golden Spike

Northrop Grumman Confirms GSC Human Moon Lander Concepts; Evaluated 180 Lander Cases, Established Propulsion Requirements For Lunar Orbit Loiter, Descent / Ascent, Rendezvous; Also Proposes New Concept Called ‘Pumpkin’ Consisting Of Low-Mass Ascent Stage, Minimalistic Pressurized Ascent Pod With Surface Habitat & Storable Propellants Packaged In 5-m Diameter Payload Launch Envelope

Image Credit: Northrop Grumman, GSC, NASA

Friday / 3 May 2013

Posted on May 2, 2013 by LED Editor

More Details On NASA-Bigelow Moon Base Study

NASA-Bigelow
David Weaver (L), NASA Associate Administrator, Says Agency To Conduct Unfunded ‘Initial Planning Phase’ Study With Bigelow Aerospace To Develop Moon Outpost Design, But Has No Human Moon Mission Plans; Bigelow (R) Says Company Has Been Developing Rudimentary Moon Base Plans For Years, Initial Study Will Take 100 Days, Already Planning For 2nd Phase 120-Day Study, Possibly With NASA Funding

Image Credit: NASA, Isaac Hernandez

Friday / 19 April 2013

Posted on April 18, 2013 by LED Editor

Google Lunar X PRIZE Update

GLXP Update

20 GLXP Teams At Recent Chile Summit Give Updates On Progress: White Label Space Now Solely Based In Japan Will Change Name; Part-Time Scientists Working On COMRAY Project To Provide Communications With In-Space Assets; Independence-X Scoping Out Potential Launch Sites In Malaysia; Barcelona Moon Announces Launch Contract Jun 2014; Astrobotic / SpaceX Has Launch Oct 2015; Omega Envoy & Moon Express Plan 2015 Launches; More Collaborations / Mergers, Publicity Expected

Image Credit: GLXP

Friday / 12 April 2013

Posted on April 11, 2013 by LED Editor

Bigelow-NASA Agreement To Build Moon Base

Bigelow-NASA

Bigelow Aerospace Lunar Base Project Expected To Receive NASA Contract / Funding To “Extend & Sustain Human Activities Across The Solar System;” 3 BA-330 Inflatable Habitats With Propulsion Tanks & Power Units Would Be Joined In Space & Piloted To Moon Surface, Offer 990m³ Of Room, House Up To 18 Astronauts; Robert Bigelow Confident Habitats Could Accommodate Uneven Surface, Says Moon Great Practice For Mars & Beyond

Image Credit: Bigelow, Samuel Coniglio

Wednesday / 3 April 2013

Posted on April 2, 2013 by LED Editor

Future Of Space Law

Iran Lawyer Babak Shakouri Examines Space Law Issues Likely To Arise With The Advent Of Lunar / Space Settlements; Legal Framework Of Free Market Economic System With Positive Economic Exchange Rate With Earth, Recognition Of Private Property Ideal; Proposes Specialized Space Code Of Conduct To Cover Legal Topics Within Multinational Habitats; Should Administrative Legal Regimes Be Independent Or Earth-Based?

Image Credit: unl.edu, en.memory-alpha.org

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 29 Mar-1 Apr 2013

Posted on March 29, 2013 by LED Editor

GLXP Team Summit In Chile

23 Teams Remaining In The Google Lunar X PRIZE Will Meet In Santiago, Chile For 4-Day Team Summit Beginning 2 April; Several Major Announcements Are Expected Involving Financing, Launch Agreements, Team Mergers, Etc.; Meeting Should Help Distinguish Contenders From Pretenders As Teams Need To Have Financing And Launch Agreements In Place To Complete Mission By End 2015 Deadline