Tuesday / 27 October 2015

USGS Lunar Maps Using LRO Reveal Data ‘Contrary To Conventional Wisdom’

10272015Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) Providing Mosiac Map With Data From Wide Angle Camera & Topographic Data With Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA); Dr. Mark Robinson, ASU Professor & LRO Camera PI States “Images From The LRO Camera Have Greatly Advanced Our Knowledge Of The Moon” & Images Reveal Volcanic Activity Younger Than Previously Thought; LOLA Gathering Topographic Data; Co-Investigator Dr. Erwan Mazarico Comments “The LOLA Data Are A Foundational Dataset To Be Used In Multiple Types Of Studies For Years To Come”; Maps Indicate Elevation Areas – Highest Point Near Engel’gradt Crater (200° E Longitude, +6° Latitude) & Lowest Area Within Moon South Pole-Aitken Basin Near 188° E Longitude, -70° Latitude

Credit: USGS/NASA/ASU

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 2-5 October 2015

Moon South & North Pole Craters Confirmed As ‘Traps’ For Water Ice Deposited By Asteroids

1032015Valery Shuvalov Of Moscow Institute Of Physics & Technology Study Shows Common Asteroids Are Up To 10% H2O & Crystal Lattice Of Minerals Keeps H2O Protected From Heat; 1/3 Of Asteroids Fall On Moon At 14/km/s, 30-40% Remain Intact After Oblique Impact, 60-70% From Vertical Impact; LRO, Chandrayaan & Cassini Missions Providing Data Of Water & Hydroxyl Buried Under Moon Soil; Russia LEND, Mounted On LRO Mapping Flux Of Neutrons To Search For Water Ice In Polar Regions In “Cold Traps”; Presence Of Water Ice Vital For Human Settlement

Credit: NASA, MIPT, LRO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 25-28 September 2015

Total Lunar Eclipse To Inspire Astronomy From, On, Of The Moon

9262015Chang’e-3 Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope On Moon Surface At Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium, 44.12°N 19.51°W Will Attempt Observations During 74-Minute Total Lunar Eclipse Beginning 27 September 16:10 HST; Through MoU With NAOC, ILOA Supporting Unique Milky Way / Other Galaxy Imaging Opportunities From Moon Surface; ILOA Working To Establish Observatory At Moon South Pole, Lunar Base Build-Out; LRO Diviner Instrument Will Collect Data From Orbit, Professional & Enthusiast Groups To Observe / Study Eclipse

Credit: NASA, CNSA, NAOC-CAS, CCTV, Higherlearning.com

Friday / 25 September 2015

Galaxy Forum Canada 2015:
Astronomy From The Moon

GF Canada 2015

 ILOA 2015 Galaxy Forum 26 Sep To Be Held At University Of British Columbia In Vancouver, Canada; Will Feature (L-R) Paul Hickson, Steve Durst, Howard Trottier, Mark Halpern, Alma Barranco-Mendoza, Eldon Yellowhorn; Topics Include The Future ILO-1 Moon South Pole Observatory For Milky Way Galaxy Imaging / 21st Century Astronomy Education, Large Optical Telescopes On The Moon Taking Advantage Of The Airless Environment & Slow Lunar Rotation, Canadian Space Society & Canadian Space Agency Perspectives On Human Exploration & Development Of The Solar System, Archeoastronomy & The Cultural Importance Of The Moon

Credit: ILOA, NASA, CSS, UBC, SFU

Thursday / 24 September 2015

Canada Space Sector Innovating Strategies For Lunar Exploration

9242015 Lunar Night Survival Technologies Being Advanced By Canadensys With Endorsement Of ILOA Evaluating Extreme Moon Surface Temperature Variations From ~50°C In Sunlight To -230°C In Permanently Shadow Areas; Goal Is To Develop Alternative Non-Radioactive Heat Source For Missions Such As ILO-1 Moon South Pole Obervatory; Canadian Space Agency Performing Training & Field Work, Analyzing Data Of Lunar Geology Simulations From Arctic Analog To Aid In Future Moon, Mars, Asteroid Missions

Credit: CSA ACS, Canadensys, NASA, ILOA

Wednesday / 9 September 2015

Galaxy Forum China 2015 “Astronomy From The Moon” At NAOC

9092015ILOA Event On 9 Sep Features (L-R) NAOC Prof. Jianyan Wei And Dr. Jing Wang Discussing LUT Findings & Performance, Univ. Of Hawaii Dr. R. Pierre Martin On Galaxy Exploration From The Moon, ILOA Founding Director Steve Durst On 21st Century Education, Exploration & Enterprise; Moon-Based Observatory Missions To Complement Earth / Space-Based Astronomy; ILOA Collaborating With National Astronomical Observatories – Chinese Academy Of Science (NAOC) Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) On Chang’e-3 As Only Mission Operating On Lunar Surface

Credit: ILOA, NAOC

Friday / 4 September 2015

Astronomy From The Moon:
Further Establishing The New Frontier

MSPA ILOA 2015 SepILOA Collaborating With National Astronomical Observatories – Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope (LUT) Aboard Chang’e-3 Moon Lander At 44°N 20°W – Only Spacecraft Operating On Lunar Surface, 1st To Land On Moon In Almost 40 Years; ILOA Pursuing Moon-Based Observatory Missions, Seeks To Advance 21st Century Galaxy Imaging With ILO-1 2-Meter Radio Antenna To Malapert Mt. 86°S 2.7°E Near Moon South Pole, With ILO-X Precursor Mission Aboard GLXP Lander, With Human Service Mission To ILO-1 / Robotic Village New World Frontier

Credit: Copyright ILOA, Michael Carroll, NAOC/CAS, CNSA

Tuesday / 1 September 2015

Russia To Launch Luna-Glob To Moon South Pole 2016?

9012015 Despite Recent Budget Cuts & Technical Difficulties Lunar Mission Announced For 2016 Launch With Russia Space Research Institute (IKI) Luna-Glob; IKI Researcher Vladislav Tretyakov Comments Inaugural Moon South Pole Landing In Boguslawski Crater “Research Will Be Carried Out Directly On Board The Probe”; Temperature Variations Of -153° To 123° C Will Be Moderated With Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator; Studies Include Landing / Extreme Environment Operations / Thermal Properties Of Lunar Soil; Possibility To Further Astronomy From The Moon

Credit: IKI, Lavochkin, Roskosmos

Thursday / 27 August 2015

ASU CubeSat May Lead Moon South Pole Water / Ice Search

8272015 Lunar Polar Hydrogen Mapper (LunaH-Map) CubeSat Is A Candidate To Launch On NASA SLS Exploration Mission-1, Would Be ASU First Interplanetary Mission; Lunar Water Exploration Objective Vital To NASA Strategy For Future Human Space Missions; ASU NewSpace Initiative Led By Scott Smas, Jim Bell & Craig Hardgrove (L-R) With Bell As Deputy Principal Investigator; Principal Investigator Hardgrove Reaffirms ASU Achievements / Commitments To NASA & “Abundance Of Hydrogen At Lunar Poles”


Credit: ASU, NASA

Friday / 14 August 2015

LEAG Extends Abstract Due Date To 14 Aug, Team Preparing For 2015 Annual Meeting

LEAG 2015Lunar Exploration Analysis Group Annual Meeting 20-22 Oct In Columbia MD; Chaired By (L-R) Clive Neil, Supported By Sam Lawrence (ASU), Jeff Plescia (JHU/APL), Steve Mackwell (LPI) & Representatives For LRO, ESA, ARTEMIS, Commercial Space, Next-Gen Lunar Scientists & Engineers; Recent Findings / Recommendations Include Resource Prospecting At Lunar Poles & Interior, Advancing Lunar CubeSats, Maintaining Moon Missions / Pace Of Discovery To Support International Partnerships, Technologies, Future Crewed Missions To Moon & Mars

Credit: NASA, LEAG, C. Neil, JPL/Caltech, ASU, LPI