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
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
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
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
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
Australia Scientists Led By Will Featherstone (R) Use GRAIL Data To Identify 280 Lunar Craters Never Before Mapped, Create Ultra-High Resolution Gravity Map Of Moon; Andrew Jordan (L) & University Of New Hampshire Team Utilize LRO Data To Explain How Galactic Cosmic Rays Penetrate Lunar Regolith & Transform Water Ice Into Molecular Hydrogen; Explanation Could Account For 10-100% Of Molecular Hydrogen Discovered By LAMP Instrument
Image Credit: NASA, University Of New Hampshire, Curtin University of Technology
LRO LEND Instrument Provides Definitive Map Of Water Ice Deposits Across Moon Surface, Including South Pole (L) – Likely Destination Of Future Missions / Human Lunar Build-Out; Data From GRAIL Probes Explain Cause Of Lunar Mascons: Ancient Asteroid Impacts Melted Mantle, Caused It To Collapse Inward Creating Denser More Concentrated Areas, Subsequently Causing Gravitational Anomalies
Image Credit: NASA, FIAAA
700+ Students From 50 Universities & 8 Countries Showcase Student-Built Lunar Excavator Robots (Lunabots) In LunArena At KSC Visitor Complex On May 20-24; Teams Must Mine 10kg Of Moon Regolith Simulant In 10 Mins, Consider Lunabot Weight, Dust Resistance, Use Of Bandwidth; Robert Mueller (B) Lead Senior Tech Of RASSOR Says Competition Is Significant Since It Can Help Get Humans Closer To Living Off Resources Which Already Exist In Space
Image Credit: NASA
Substantial Amount Of Water In Moon Interior Shown By Studies Of Hydrogen & Deuterium In Moon Rocks; Common Earth / Moon Water Source Indicates Earth Had Water When Impact Occurred & Formed Moon Or Water-Rich Meteorites Showered Both Soon After; Some Say Impact Heat Would Completely Boil Water Off, Others Say Moon Had Impenetrable Shell So Meteorite Water To Interior Not Possible; Separate Study Shows Moon Magnetic Field Present Until 3.56B Years Ago, 160M Years Longer Than Previously Believed
Image Credit: SRO/NASA/JPL-Caltech/Brown Univ./USGS
With US$250M Budget Cap 2017 RESOLVE Mission Needs To Achieve Ambitious Goals Within Challenging Timeline; Unable To Afford Nuclear Power, Solar-Powered RESOLVE Will Be Limited To 5 Active Days On Lunar Pole To Accomplish Mission Goals: Search For Hydrogen, Drill 1 Meter, Analyze Sample, Heat To Extract Liquid Water, Demonstrate How Oxygen Can Be Pulled From Regolith & Mixed With Hydrogen To Produce Water, Help Determine Origin Of Lunar Water
Image Credit: NASA