Category Archives: South Pole Moon

Wednesday / 16 April 2014

Posted on by

Russia Leaders Use Cosmonautics Day To Catalyze Moon Exploration Plans

Rogozin2Moon0414

Russia Defense & Space Industry Deputy Minister Dmitry Rogozin Affirms Country’s Determination To Establish Permanent Operations On Moon; “Moon Is Not Intermediate Point In The [Space] Race, It Is A Separate, Even Self-Contained Goal;” Roscosmos Announces It Has Launched Project To Design Spacecraft Suitable For Human Moon Missions & Super-Heavy Carrier Rocket To Deliver It There; 3 Moon Missions Scheduled Later This Decade Beginning With Luna-25 To Moon South Pole In 2016

Image Credit: Phil Smith, Roscosmos

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 14-17 March 2014

Posted on by

45th LPSC This Week In Texas

LPSCled0314

Future Moon Missions & Exciting Results Of Current Missions Will Be Examined By Nearly 2000 Planetary Scientists At 45th Lunar Planetary Science Conference At The Woodlands TX On 17-21 Mar; Moon South Pole Will Be Featured As Ideal Site For Future Robotic / Human Missions In Presentations By Brad Jolliff, Debra Hurwitz (BL), Others; Importance Of This Annual Event Would Be Significantly Boosted With Clear Imminent Plan For USA Presence On Moon; Pictured (BR) Conference Co-Chairs: Steve Mackwell, Eileen Stansbery

Image Credit: NASA, LPI

Thursday / 6 March 2014

Posted on by

China Moon Program Might Benefit From
Mid-Course Correction To South Pole

ChinaMoonSouthPole0314Ideal Time For Leaders Of China Lunar Exploration Program To Reconsider Future Chang’e Missions To Moon South Pole; Future Problems Similar To Yutu Rover Control Circuit Malfunction Might Be Mitigated By More Thermally Stable Polar Environment; Chang’e Chief Scientist Ye Peijian Says Chang’e-4 Mission Should Be “More Innovative And Meaningful,” Achieving 1st-Ever Polar Landing Would Be Just That; Russia, India, USA, Private Enterprises All Advancing South Pole Missions

Image Credit: NASA, cnsphoto

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 7-10 February 2014

Posted on by

Chandrayaan-2 Rover Mission
Details Emerging

ISROlander214

India Moon Rover Preparing For 2016 / 2017 Launch Via 3-Stage GSLV Will Employ Semi-Autonomous Navigation & Hazard Avoidance On Lunar Surface; Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS) & Alpha Particle X-Ray Spectrometer (APXS) Payloads On Board 6-Wheeled Rover Will Perform Element Analysis Of Surface Near Landing Site; Rover Will Be Capable Of Using Both Lander & Orbiter Communications Relays; IIT-Kanpur Reports It Completed Rover Development In 2010, Still Awaiting ISRO Inspection / Payment

Image Credit: ISRO, IIT-Kanpur

Thursday / 30 January 2014

Posted on by

Moon Mining – A Rising Priority

MoonMining0114

Private Companies & Government Agencies See Moon Mining As Critical Step Towards Future Sustainability, Expansion Of Humans Through Solar System; China Eyeing Lunar Helium-3; Russia Planning Prospecting & Sample Return Missions By 2020; USA Likely To Collaborate With Japan, Korea, Canada, Private Companies To Achieve US$250M Resource Prospector Mission At Moon South Pole ~2018 To Advance ISRU Capabilities; Moon Mining Plans Lead Inevitably To Property Rights Considerations

Image Credit: NASA, Roscosmos

Friday / 24 January 2014

Posted on by

Golden Spike & Draper Lab Evaluate
Moon Landing Sites

GSC MSP

Draper To Examine GSC Lunar Lander Concepts / Enhancements, Landing Sites, And Recommend Guidance System Architecture; Study Lead John West Notes Draper Has Provided GNC & Flight Computers For All Crewed Lunar Landings; Moon South Pole Near-Eternal Peaks Of Illumination With Temperature Constant -50° ± 10°C Should Be Considered For Simplifying Thermal Design / Reducing Energy Required, Gathering Unique Science & Volatile Data; Ben Bussey Study Shows Peak Near Shackleton Crater Would Be Illuminated 86% Over Lunar Year In 2020

Image Size: GSC, NASA

Thursday / 23 January 2014

Posted on by

Clementine Mission Pivotal In Illuminating Importance Of Lunar Destination

OhClementine0114

Advocating For Strong USA Initiative To Realize Robotic & Human Missions To Lunar Poles ASAP, Paul Spudis Reviews Impact Of 1994 Clementine Moon Orbiter On America / World Space Policy; Over 71 Days Mission Collected >2M Images, 1st Global Topographic Map Of Moon, Revealed Aitken Basin / South Pole Features That Could Sustain Human Outpost: Peaks Of Near Permanent Sun Illumination, Evidence Of Water Ice / Hydrogen; Spudis On The Space Show Sunday 26 Jan

Image Size: NASA

Tuesday / 21 January 2014

Posted on by

Morpheus Advancing USA Lunar Lander Capabilities

Morpheus0114

Project Morpheus To Conduct Free Flight Test-6 Today At NASA KSC; Flight Test Last Week Performed Flawlessly Reaching 57m, Traversing 47m, Landing Within 28cm Of Target; New Autonomous Landing Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) Could Facilitate Lander Missions To More Challenging / Rewarding Sites Such As Moon South Pole; Current Lander Design Has Payload Capacity Of 500kg, Team Hopes To Scale Up To Accommodate Crew / Cargo

Image Credit: NASA

New Year / Holiday Edition
Wed 25 Dec 2013 – Fri 3 Jan 2014

Posted on by

2020 Vision: Humanity A Multi World Species

LED-12-12-13Multi Nation Science And Commerce Human Lunar Expeditions 2019-2020 Preceded By Moon South Pole International Traffic Jam 2015-2016 With Robotic Landings From USA, PRC, Japan, India, Russia, as well as Moon Express / ILOA, Golden Spike, Shackleton Energy, Astrobotic, Lunar Lions, Others; NEOs, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn Next

Ad Astra — Happy New Year / Holidays To All

 Image Credit: NASA, ILOA, ME, Penn State Lunar Lions, Astrobotic Technology

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon 20-23 December 2013

Posted on by

Russia Officials Foresee International Competition For Lunar Resources

RussiaMoonPriority1213

Russia Academy Of Sciences VP Lev Zelyony (B) Predicts International Rivalry Over Control Of Lunar Poles In Mid 21st Century Similar To That Of Arctic Shelf – Citing Increasing Value Of Extraterrestrial Water, Rare-Earth Metals; Vladislav Shevchenko (C) Of Moscow State University Says Cooperation Would Be Better Than A Race; Russia Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin (T) Feels Country Should Focus On Building Human Outpost On Moon

Image Credit: Komsomolskaya Pravda, Rianovosti, msu.ru