Over 4700 Copies Of 1976 Gerard K. O’Neill Book ‘The High Frontier’ Downloaded During 4-Day Free Promotion Indicating Large-Scale Human Space Settlement Is Still Of Interest To Many; Authoritative Book Details Exciting / Attainable Benefits Of Developing Cislunar Space: Space-Based Solar Power, Mass Drivers For Putting Lunar Resources To Good Use, Large Space & Lunar Habitats
Image Credit: SSI
Human Asteroid Landing Mission Proposed By USA President Obama May Take Place In Lunar Orbit; NASA Expected To Request US$100M In Next Budget To Begin Preparations For 10-Year (~2015-2025) US$2.65B-Robotic Mission To Capture 7-m Diameter, 500,000-kg Asteroid & Tow It To High Lunar Orbit; Spacecraft Would Employ Ion Thrusters, Deploy Massive Inflatable Bag To Envelop Asteroid
Image Credit: NASA
Joint Moon, Mars, Deep Space Missions & Increased Commercial Space Cooperation Agreement Reached By India Ambassador Nirupama Rao & NASA Administrator Bolden; NASA Joins ISRO For Oct 2013 Mangalyaan Mars Mission; Will Continue To Discuss Planetary Science, Policy Issues, New Opportunities For Collaboration; Annual Science & Tech Endowment Fund ~US$2-3M & National Defense Authorization Act Expected To Expedite Space Tech Trade, Promote Innovations
Image Credit: ISRO, NASA, theindiaexpert.com
Chris Hadfield, Since His Work On NEEMO & Statements Encouraging Human Exploration Of Moon / Mars / Beyond, Has Long Been An Advocate Of Pushing Boundaries Of Human Exploration; His Current Tenure On ISS Has Brought Him Icon Status In His Native Canada As Nation & World Delight In His Inspirational Conversations With Last Man On Moon Gene Cernan & William Shatner Of Star Trek, Plus His Debut Of An Earth-Space Duet
Image Credit: NASA, theplanetd.com, extratv.com
Leonardo da Vinci Masterpiece Used For First-Ever One-Way Laser Communication At Planetary Distance; Black & White 152 X 200 Pixel Image, Beamed From NASA Goddard SFC To LRO LOLA Instrument 386,000km Away At Slow Rate Of 300 Bits / Second; Experiment Allowed For Calibration Of Atmospheric Distortion In Preparation For LLCD Experiment On LADEE; Laser Communication Holds Promise Of Bringing Live, HD Video Feeds From Jupiter & Beyond
Image Credit: NASA
Europe ATV Propulsion Hardware And Solar Arrays Will Make Up Large Part Of NASA Orion Service Module For EM-1 (NET 2017) 7-Day, Uncrewed Circumlunar Cruise & EM-2 (~2021); Agreement May Also Entail Participation Of ESA Astronaut In EM-2; Current Plan For EM-2 Is To Send 4 Crew Members To Orbit Moon For 3-4 Days; Academics, Engineers, Industry Arguing For More Ambitious Mission, Possibly To L2, 65,000km Beyond Lunar Far Side
Image Credit: NASA, ESA
First Private Moon Rovers Could Spur Era Of Lunar Mining, Construction & Tourism; Lunar Lion Team Leader Michael Paul Says NASA Must Harness Strength Of Private Industry To Advance Solar System Exploration, Seeking To Establish Penn State As “Go-To University” For Growing Commercial Space Industry
Image Credit: Penn State, GLXP
Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute Will Succeed Current NLSI; NASA Soliciting Multi-Institutional Proposals For Research As Participating Members Of New Institute; Scope Of Research Is Fields Of Lunar, NEA, Martian Moon Sciences; Preference Given To Research Involving Both Planetary Science & Human Exploration Of Target Bodies; Approximately 7 New Teams Will Be Selected
Image Credit: NASA
Chris Hadfield Is Set To Arrive At The ISS On 21 Dec & Become First Canada Commander Of The Station In March; Hadfield Has Long Been Vocal Advocate Of Missions To Return Humans To Moon; He Is Optimistic About Future Of Human Space Flight, Recognizes ISS Work Critical To Help Prepare For Next Steps In Solar System Exploration; NASA Orion Craft On Track For 2014 Test Flight
Image Credit: CSA, astrofisicayfisica.com
Chang’e-2 Lunar Exploration Satellite Conducts Successful Rendezvous With Toutatis 4179 Asteroid On 13 Dec; While Passing Within 3.2 Km Of Toutatis At Relative Velocity Of 11km / Second, Probe Collected Data / Images Of Size, Shape, Constitution & Orbit Of Potentially Earth-Threatening Asteroid; Results Help China Prepare For Future Asteroid Exploration
Image Credit: CNSA