Thursday / 15 May 2014

Moon Poles Offer Lab To Study Origin Of Life

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Lunar Poles Differ Dramatically From Any Part Of Moon Already Visited Says UH Professor Paul Lucey Of HIGP; Missions To Moon Poles Could Allow Field Testing Of Models Of Inorganic Synthesis, Along With ISRU Of Extensive Water Deposits – Over 600M Metric Tons Of Water / Hydroxyl At North Pole Alone; University Of Hawaii Team Led By Sara Crites Demonstrates How Small Amounts Of Volatiles Irradiated With Galactic Cosmic Rays Over 1B Years Could Have Produced Organic Compounds Detected By LCROSS

Image Credit: UH, NASA, Facebook

Wednesday / 12 March 2014

5th Joint Meeting Of SRR / PTMSS In June

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Space Resources Roundtable And The Planetary & Terrestrial Mining Sciences Symposium Release 2nd Announcement Of Their 5th Joint Meeting At Colorado School Of Mines (CSM) On 9-12 June; Held In Collaboration With The Lunar & Planetary Institute The Event Will Provide A Forum To Discuss Near & Long-Term Strategies For Taking Advantage Of Emerging Opportunities For Space / Lunar Resource Utilization Activities On Planned National & Private Missions; Pictured: Angel Abbud-Madrid Of CSM

Image Credit: CSM, NASA

Wednesday / 12 February 2014

Scientists Investigate Origin Of Organic Compounds On Moon

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Cosmic Rays From Outside Galaxy May Turn Simple Molecules In Lunar Ice Into More Complex Organics; Sarah Crites Of University Of Hawaii At Manoa Models Ice Chemistry; Simulation Suggests Up To 6% Of Simpler Molecules In Moon Polar Ice Could Be Converted Into Organic Compounds Such As Methane After 1 Billion Years Of Cosmic Ray Bombardment; David Lawrence Of Johns Hopkins APL Says Data Provides Incentive For Moon Pole Prospecting Missions

Image Credit: NASA, jhuapl.edu, Facebook

Thursday / 23 January 2014

Clementine Mission Pivotal In Illuminating Importance Of Lunar Destination

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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

Wednesday / 22 January 2014

ESA Looking To Collaborate With Russia On Lunar Exploration

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European Space Agency Leaders Advancing Collaboration With Russia On Luna-27 / Luna- Resurs 1 Mission ~2019 To Research Frozen Volatiles Near Moon South Pole & ROSCOSMOS Lunar Polar Sample Return Mission Envisaged In Early 2020s; Meetings On 17-19 Feb 2014 At ESA ESTEC Will Explore Collaboration Possibilities, Evaluate Sample Return Science Proposals

Image Credit: ROSCOSMOS, ESA

Wednesday / 28 August 2013

Magmatic Water Detected On Moon

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Scientists Use Moon Mineralogy Mapper Data From Chandrayaan-1 Lunar Orbiter (R) To Make 1st Remote Detection Of Magmatic Water On Moon Surface; Significant Amounts Of Hydroxyl Discovered In 60-Km  Wide Lunar Impact Crater Bullialdus (L) Near Equator Indicates Presence Of Water Which Originated Deep Within Lunar Surface; Data Provides Clues About Volcanic Processes & Internal Composition Of Moon

Image Credit: NASA, ISRO

Friday / 23 August 2013

Lunar Water Talk At Lunar & Planetary Institute

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Michael Poston Georgia Tech Chemist Gives Update On Modern Lunar Water At LPI In Houston TX; IR Spectroscopy & Neutron Depletion Remote Sensing Data Support Idea Of Hydroxyl & Water Loss, Migration, Replenishment Cycle Each Lunar Day; Will Discuss Origins & Retention Mechanisms Of Volatiles, Discrepancy Of Water-Ice In Permanently Shadowed Regions, Apollo Sample Experiments, Solar Wind & Lunar Regolith Interactions

Image Credit: LPI, NASA, JHU/APL, CIW, NAIC, Arecibo Observatory

Friday / 9 August 2013

Moon Interior May Be Wetter Than Believed

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Amit Sarbadhikari Member Of PLANEX Group At Physical Research Laboratory In Ahmedabad, India Conducts New Study On Moon Rocks; Lunar Rock-15555 & Others Indicate Moon Interior May Be Wetter Than Previously Believed Due To Varying Levels Of Water In Volcanic Glass Beads, Olivine-Hosted Melt Inclusions, Accessory Phase Apatite; Concentration Of Volatiles Over Entire Moon Still Uncertain

Image Credit: Worth1000.com, NASA, PRL

Weekend Edition / Fri-Mon 19-22 July 2013

Golden Spike To Lunar South Pole?

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To Be True Leaders / Pioneers In 21st Century Lunar Exploration Golden Spike Company May Focus On Ideal Destination For Enabling 1st Permanent Off-World Settlement: Moon South Pole; Plentiful Ice Water / Resources For ISRU In Permanently Shadowed Craters / Aitken Basin, Relatively Stable Temperature, Access To Near-Continuous Sunlight To Power Long-Duration Missions & Permanent Settlements; GSC Working To Achieve Commercial Human Moon Missions By End Of Decade

Image Credit: Golden Spike Company, NASA

Wednesday / 17 July 2013

Pioneering A New Frontier: ILOA Teaming With Moon Express For South Pole Moon Mission

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Moon Express Agrees To Deliver The International Lunar Observatory To Malapert Mountain, Near Moon South Pole, NET 2016; ILO Will Consist Of A 2-Meter Dish To Conduct Radio Astronomy / Astrophysics, Galaxy 1st Light Imaging & Commercial Communications Including Broadcasting Space Calendar Weekly; Moon Express Intends To Conduct Prospecting Of Local Area To Identify Mineral Resources & Water For Future Mining Missions 

Image Credit: ILOA, Moon Express