Tuesday / 29 January 2013

Consistent, Achievable Lunar Exploration Plan Emerging In Russia?

RussiaMoonPlan0113

After Years Of Grandiose Announcements / Contradictions & Mission Failures / Delays, Russia Seeking To Improve Space Industry Organizations, Reestablish Leading Space Power Status; Recently Announced Lunar Exploration Strategy Appears Realistic / Rational: 2015 Luna-Glob Orbiter, 2016 Scaled-Down Luna-Glob South Pole Lunar Lander, Luna-Resurs Research Rover With India ~2017, Human Moon Missions With New Russia Spacecraft By 2030

Image Credit: ROSCOSMOS, NASA

Friday / 25 January 2013

India-Russia Moon Mission Tentative

India-Russia

ISRO Physical Research Laboratory Director JN Goswami (T) Says India Is Working Toward Nov 2013 Mangalyaan Mars Mission, Chandrayaan-2 Is Still India-Russia Project – Only Delayed; Russia Wants To Test Lunar Lander / Rover System In 2015 Before Offering It To India; India Needs To Successfully Test GSLV Rocket At Least 2 Times; ISRO Chief K Radhakrishnan (B) Says Tests To Begin May 2013, Moon Will Be Station For Moving To Mars By 2030-2040

Image Credit: ISRO, AP/Aijaz Rahi, NASA, Scoutek Ltd

Wednesday / 16 January 2013

Russia 2015 Moon Lander

PopovkinLunaGlob0113

Roscosmos Head Vladimir Popovkin Says Russia Planning Luna-Glob Moon Lander Mission In 2015; Mission Will Be 1st From New US$1B Vostochny Cosmodrome In Far East Amur Region Of Russia; 1400-kg Spacecraft Will Place 500-kg Landing Module On South Pole Of Moon; Craft Will Carry Up To 25kg Of Scientific Equipment To Search For Water / Take Soil Samples, Yet Main Objective Of Mission Is To Achieve Landing On Another World / Moon

Image Credit: Roscosmos

Friday / 11 January 2013

India Solar System Focus 2013

LED India 2013

ISRO Chief K. Radhakrishnan Announces Plans To Launch US$82M Mangalyaan Mars Orbiter Mission 26-27 Nov 2013 While Chandrayaan-2 Moon Mission May Be Further Delayed To 2016; India Strong Commitment To Lunar Program Should Remain In Focus As 2008 Chandrayaan-1 Proved Important Scientific & International Success; Chandrayaan-2 Progress Is Underway With GSLV Testing Scheduled April 2013 & Russia Working On Technical Issues

Image Credit: ISRO, DHNS

Tuesday / 11 December 2012

India Moving Forward On Launch Vehicle / Chandrayaan-2 Mission

India On Track To Launch GSLV Space Mission With Indigenously Built Cryogenic Engine In April 2013 Says Vikram Sarabhai Space Center Director PS Veeraraghavan (TL); Rocket Is Essential For Planned Chandrayaan-2 Lunar Mission, Which Will Include Lunar Orbiter & Rover Made By ISRO, & Russia-Built Lander; India-Russia Cooperation In Space Expected To Increase With Upcoming India Visit Of President Putin (BL)

Image Credit: ISRO, Reuters

Thursday / 29 November 2012

Russia Lunar Stirrings

Top Russia Space Officials Indicating Country Moving Focus From ISS To Moon Exploration; ISS Is ‘Closed Chapter In Russia Science‘; 3 Russia Moon Missions Planned For 2015-2017: Polar Lander, Circumlunar Mission, Mission To L2; Russia Scientists At CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Seeking Assistance From Ukraine & Kazakh Colleagues In Moon Research Program

Image Credit: Roscosmos, NASA, flags.com

Tuesday / 13 November 2012

From Hawai`i To The Moon: Pacific Space Access

Initiatives Ahead To Enable Hawaii Aloha Central Pacific Offshore Location To Rise As Portal To Space, Moon, Solar System, Galaxy, Stars, Beyond; Hawaii Enterprise And State Catalyzing New Pacific Space Access Constellation Of Independent Private Commercial Ventures Such As InterOrbital Systems, SpaceX, XCOR, Virgin Galactic, Space Age Publishing Co. And National Space Programs From Japan, Korea, Russia, Australia, Canada, USA, Mexico, Chile, Others; Honolulu, Oahu or Hilo, Hawaii May Emerge As Inviting Home Port For New Pacific Space Access Sea Launching Constellation

Image Credit: NASA, SpaceX

Thursday / 25 October 2012

Fobos-Grunt Based Luna-Globe Planning 2015 Launch

Russia Federal Space Agency Announces Two Missions To The Moon: Luna-Globe Slated For 2015 Launch To Orbit Moon And Lunar-Resource Slated For 2017-8 Launch To Land On Lunar Surface; Luna-Globe Design Based On 2011 Lost Mars Craft Fobos-Grunt; Lunar-Resource Lander Will Study Soil Of Moon’s Southern Hemisphere Says Developer NPO Lavochkin; Next Mars Probe Attempt Not Till 2025 States Space Agency Chief Vladimir Popovkin

Image Credit: Roscosmos, NPO Lavochkin

Wednesday / 12 September 2012

Russia Officials Talking MoonBase Plans

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

Thursday / 23 August 2012

Russia Seeking To Revitalize Moon Program

Energia Space Corporation Of Russia Proposing Joint Project With Kazakhstan & Ukraine To Launch Missions To Moon; Russia Would Supply Updated Version Of Super-Heavy Carrier Rocket Used In The Energia-Buran Project Of The 1980s, Ukraine To Contribute Side Boosters, Kazakhstan To Provide Launch Facilities; Proposed System Could Launch Up To 70 Tonnes, Sufficient To Orbit Moon

Image Credit: Energia, NASA, flags.com