Category Archives: South Pole Moon

Thursday / 12 February 2015

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April Workshop To Highlight Near-Term Lunar Surface Mission Opportunities

LSA5_0215

Abstract Deadlines Due Friday 13 February For 5th International Workshop On Lunar Surface Applications; Event – Scheduled For 14-17 April 2015 In Cocoa Beach FL – Will Provide Overview Of Moon Mission Development & Plans Of The 3 Commercial Enterprises Supported By NASA Lunar Catalyst Lander Program, & Opportunities For Science & Commercial Activities On Moon; To Include Additional Presentations About Lunar Polar ISRU & Upcoming NASA Resource Prospector Mission

Image Credit: lunarworkshops.com, NASA, Moon Express

Friday / 6 February 2015

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LRO Finds Most Lunar Hydrogen On Slopes Facing Moon South Pole

LRO Hydrogen

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Finds 23 Parts-Per-Million-By-Weight More Hydrogen On Crater Slopes In Southern Hemisphere (Starting Between 50-60° S Latitude) That Face Lunar South Pole Than On Equator-Facing Slopes Possibly Due To Lack Of Sunlight / Evaporation; LRO In 30 X 180-Km Altitude Orbit Passing Over Lunar South Pole With 21st Data Set Release Upcoming, Not Yet Funded For 2016 According To NASA Budget; Team Including Timothy McClanahan Of GSFC To Determine If N Hemisphere Has Same Pattern, & Effects Of Lunar Day / Night Cycle

Image Credit: NASA, Institute for Space Research, GSFC

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 30 Jan – 2 Feb 2015

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Russia & ESA Advancing Plans For Human Exploration / Development Of Moon

EnergiaAitkenESA0115

RSC Energia Deputy General Nikolai Bryukhanov Says Russia Aerospace Enterprise Is Working On Creating New Crewed Spacecraft For Missions To The Moon; European Space Agency Releases New Video Outlining Plans For Possible Human Mission To Far Side Moon; Agency Sees South Pole-Aitken Basin As Promising Location For Human Habitation & Development, Moon Place Where All Nations Can Come Together To Understand Common Origins, Build Common Future

Image Credit: RSC Energia, ESA

Friday / 30 January 2015

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India Confirms Plans For
Moon South Pole Landing

AnilSPMoonLanding

Chandrayaan-2 Moon Lander / Rover Will Land Near Moon South Pole According To Anil Bhardwaj, Director Of Vikram Sarabhai Space Center Space Physics Lab; Announcement Confirms India Will Be At Forefront Of The Push To The New Frontier Of Human Exploration And Development, After Confirming Presence Of Extensive Water Reserves In Polar Craters With Chandrayaan-1 Lunar Orbiter; Success Of Mangalyaan Mars Mission Confirms Country’s Ability To Achieve Cost-Effective Planetary Missions; GSLV-Mark 3 Rocket Success Adds 1000-kg Capacity To Chandrayaan-2

Image Credit: ISRO, quazoo.com

Wednesday / 21 January 2015

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Moon Landing Upcoming Priority
For New ISRO Chair

Kumar2MoonSP

Upon Assuming Leadership Of India Space Agency, New Chairman A S Kiran Kumar (R) Asserts That ISRO’s Current Primary Focus Is Readying Chandrayaan-2 Moon Lander / Rover Mission For 2016 Or 2017 Launch; ISRO Leaders Such As Prof UR Rao (BL) Have Long Indicated Moon South Pole As An Optimal Destination For Chandrayaan-2; Achieving 1st Landing At This Next Great Frontier May Be Even More Rewarding / Exciting Feat Than Becoming 1st Asia Nation To Orbit Mars

Image Credit: ISRO, missionchandrayaan2.blogspot.com, Pravin Indrekar dna

 

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 16-19 January 2015

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Moon South Pole
Drawing New Lunar Pioneers

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New Moon South Pole Ventures Including UK-Based Lunar Mission One & Russia-Based Lin Industrial Join Established Declarations Of Interest In Moon South Pole Missions By USA (RPM), American Enterprises Such As Shackleton Energy Corporation, Japan (SELENE-2), India (Chandrayaan-2), Russia (Luna-Glob), ESA, ILOA; Moon South Pole – Replete With Valuable Resources & Providing A Relatively Stable Thermal Environment – Is Generally Considered Optimal Location For Human Lunar Exploration / Settlement

Image Credit: JAXA, Lunar Mission One, Lin Industrial

New Year / Holiday Edition
Thurs / 25 Dec 2014 – Mon / 5 Jan 2015

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50 Years After Humans Return To Moon,
50,000 Lunar Visitors Per Year?

SPoleAnalogNewYear2015

Antarctica, A Valuable Analog Site For Testing Lunar Base Systems, May Also Be A Prophetic Model Of What Is To Come On The 8th Continent- Luna; Race To Earth South Pole Won In 1912, No Human Returned Until UN IGY 1957, Now About 50 Years Later The Site Receives About 50,000 Visitors / Year (90% Tourists), With 30+ Countries Maintaining Permanent Research Stations; Human Return To Moon Similarly Delayed, Now Expected ~2020; 50 Years Of Development Could Manifest A Situation Similar To Today’s Antarctica; International Space Powers – India, China, USA, Japan, Russia & NewSpace Enterprises Should Take Note: Those Making 1st Pioneering Steps To Settle / Develop Energy & Resource-Rich South Pole Moon Will Reap The Benefits & Be Well Positioned For 21st Century Solar System Leadership

Image Credit: JAXA / Michael Carroll, Amundsen South Pole Station

Friday / 12 December 2014

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China Chang’e-4 Mission To
Moon South Pole?

Chang'e-4 MSP

Building Upon Success Of Chang’e-3 Mission, Backup Craft Chang’e-4 Could Be Launched 2015-2016 To Potentially Ignite The Race To New Frontier Of Exploration – Moon South Pole; With Other Nations / Private & Public Ventures Considering South Pole For Scientific Research, Resources Mapping & Mining, And Human Base Build Out, Chang’e-4 Could Provide Valuable Data As 1st Mission To Lunar Pole For Landing, Communications & Solar Power Technologies

Image Credit: CNSA, CCTV, NASA

Tuesday / 25 November 2014

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Commercial Moon Mission Plans Raise Issues Of Moon Litter

MoonUKMission1

UK Commercial Mission To Leave Time Capsule On Moon South Pole Has Space Environmentalists Questioning Ethics Of Littering Moon With Human ‘Artifacts’; Outer Space Treaty Says Nothing About Regulating Moon Trash & No Central Authority Enforces Laws On Moon; Currently Over 70 Spacecraft On Moon & ~180,000 Kg Of Human-Made Materials On Moon; UK Mission Currently Crowdfunding For Projected 2024 US$1B-Mission, Initial Campaign Already Raised Over Half Of US$941K-Goal With 23 Days Remaining

Image Credit: Lunar Missions Ltd, NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 21-24 November 2014

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ILOA Progressing With 4 Moon Missions,
International / Private / Public Collaboration

ILOA 4 Moon Missions 2015

ILOA Board of Directors Annual Meeting On Hawai`i Prepares For 2015 Advances With ILO-X Joint Venture Partner Moon Express Inc, ILO-1 Partner Canadensys Aerospace Corp, ILO Human Service Mission Partner Golden Spike Company, And ILOA / CNSA, NAOC Chang’e 3,4 / ISRO IIA Chandrayaan-2 Moon South Pole Collaboration: ILOA Principal Operating Partnerships (POP) Considered With Canada, China, Southeast Asia; Galaxy 21st Century Education Enabling New Solar System Vision

Image Credit: ILOA, ME, NAOC, GSC, ISRO