Category Archives: Solar System Exploration

Wednesday / 8 October 2014

Posted on by

USC Graduate Students Present Innovative Lunar Exploration Concepts

USCMadhu1014

Students In USC Astronautical Engineering Course With Prof Madhu Thangavelu Present Concepts For Future Human Solar System Exploration; Projects Evaluated By Faculty, Industry & NASA Experts; Proposals Include Maglev-Operated Lunar Space Elevator Attached To A Station At L1 Lagrange Point, Lunar Lava Tube Explorations With Spiderbots Capable Of Inverted Climbing With Advanced Sensors, Self-Propelled Inflatable Lunar Rovers Which Could Deploy Swarms Of Small Exploration Rovers

Image Credit: USC

Thursday / 25 September 2014

Posted on by

India Next Steps Into Solar System:
Moon Lander, New Rocket, Crew Module

IndiaNextSteps0914

ISRO Looks To Advance Its Position As Global Space Power With Ambitious Slate Of Missions After Successful Mars Orbit Insertion; Chairman K Radhakrishnan Says Agency Has Completed Moon Rover, Developing Technologies For Soft Landing, Advancing Indigenous GLSV Launch Vehicle, Expects Chandrayaan-2 Mission 2016-2017; First Test Flight Of GSLV Mark-3 Rocket – With 4 Tonne Capacity To GTO – Expected Late 2014; Flight To Include Test Of Crew Module Re-Entry

Image Credit: ISRO

Tuesday / 23 September 2014

Posted on by

ASTEROIDS Act & The Outer Space Treaty: Stimulating Commercial Space Investment

ASTEROIDact0914

US House Committee On Science, Space & Technology Reviews ASTEROID Act To Analyze How It Can Legally Protect Investment In Commercial Asteroid / Moon / Solar System Enterprises; Space Law Expert Joanne Gabrynowicz Provides Insight On How New Act Can Adhere To Structures Of International Law / Outer Space Treaty By Limiting Space / Time Scope Of Extraterrestrial Commercial Enterprise Exclusive Zone To That Which Is Reasonably Necessary 

Image Credit: Space Democrats, io9

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 12-15 September 2014

Posted on by

Orion Spacecraft Taking First Steps To Lunar / Solar System Exploration

OrionTest0914

Test Version Of New NASA Flagship Crew Vehicle Moved To Fueling Depot In Preparation For 4 Dec Exploration Test Flight-1; 4.5-Hour, US$375M Mission Will Mimic Return From Moon As Delta 4 Rocket Will Launch Orion ~5,800km Above Earth, Craft Will Return At 32,000 Km/hr; Orion Will Launch Aboard New SLS For 2nd Test Flight In 2018; First Crewed Flight Expected In 2021, Taking 4 Astronauts On Circumlunar Cruise; NASA Expects To Spend US$15B On Orion Through 1st Crewed Flight; Increase In NASA Budget, Prioritization Of Human Lunar / Solar System Exploration Could Hasten Orion Flight Pace

Image Credit: NASA

Wednesday / 20 August 2014

Posted on by

Canada Space Agency Funding Moon Rover Development

CSAroverContracts0814

CSA Preparing To Fund 3 Rover Projects: ExCore Small Planetary Rover Platform – $600,000 CDN 1-Year Contract, Tender Closes 4 Sep; Lunar Polar Rover Night Survival Strategy To Develop Alternative Heat Sources To Protect Rover During Cold Night At Lunar Polar Region – $300,000 CDN 6-Month Contract, Tender Closes 18 Sep; Lunar Rover Drive-Train Prototype Platform, Develop Larger Prototype To Be Subjected To Rigorous Testing – $3.25M CDN 15-Month Contract, Tender Closes 29 Aug

Image Credit: CSA, NASA

Friday / 1 August 2014

Posted on by

Potential Landing Sites & Tests For
China Chang’e-4 Mission

Chang'e-4

China Lunar Exploration Program Chief Scientist Prof Ziyuan Ouyang Previews Possible Challenging & Pioneering Objectives For Chang’e-4 Moon Lander / Rover Mission: Could Land At Moon South Pole Region And / Or Mountain Top Peak Of Eternal Light Offering ~90% Illumination Year Round, Stable ~213K (-60°C) Temperatures, Plethora Of Science Benefits; Could Also Launch From Moon Surface To Different Moon Region – Or Directly To Mars, Reminiscent Of Chang’e-2 Orbiter Exploring L2, Asteroid 4179 Toutatis & Deep Space After Moon Mission

Image Credit: NASA, news.cn, CNSA

Wednesday / 23 July 2014

Posted on by

SSERVI Maintaining Strong Lunar Focus

SSERVIdudesnMoon714

Day 3 At SSERVI NASA Exploration Science Forum To Feature Presentations On Human Exploration & Destination Drivers; (Pictured: L-R) Anthony Colaprete Will Preview Resource Prospector Mission To Lunar Pole; Paul Spudis To Discuss The Moon As An Enabling Asset For Spaceflight; Mark Robinson Demonstrates How LRO Data Could Support Human Lunar Exploration; Ben Bussey Overviews Illumination Conditions On Moon North Pole; Clive Neal Explains Why Lunar Exploration Should Not Be Ignored

Image Credit: NASA

Tuesday / 22 July 2014

Posted on by

SSERVI Exploration Science Forum 2014 Kicks Off Space Week

SSERVIpendleton0714

Around 250 Experts In Planetary Science & Engineering Meeting At NASA Ames To Advance Scientific & Human Exploration Of Solar System; SSERVI Currently Composed Of 9 Teams From 7 States, Along With 7 International Partners, Totaling 243 Investigators / Collaborators Addressing Important Questions And Engineering Challenges For Upcoming Deep Space Missions; Day 1 Focus On Mission Updates, Day 2: Volatiles & Geology, Day 3: Human Exploration / Destination Drivers & Regolith / Dust; Pictured: SSERVI Director Yvonne Pendleton

Image Credit: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 18-21 July 2014

Posted on by

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

Wednesday / 9 July 2014

Posted on by

Buzz Aldrin Outlines Goals / Benefits Of Human Spaceflight

Buzz45th

Just Weeks Before World Observes 45th Anniversary Of First Human Moon Landing, 2nd Man On Moon Buzz Aldrin Steps Up Advocacy Of Human Space Travel; Proposes 4 Goals: Stronger USA-China Space Relations, Lunar Exploration, Asteroid / Mars Exploration, Settling Mars; Says 45th Observance Is Just 5-Year Lead Up To 50th Which Many Plan To Make Into A Big Event, Reflecting On All The Benefits That Come From Lunar Exploration & Human Space Travel

Image Credit: NASA