LCROSS Has New Crater in Crosshairs for Impact September 30, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : Cabeus, LCROSS, Lunar Reconaissance Orbiter, NASA, water , 1 comment so far
NASA announced on Monday that the LCROSS‘ hairs have picked a new target for its Oct. 9th impact: the larger Cabeus crater instead of Cabeus A.
As you can see in the Google Moon image above, Cabeus is both near the south pole and deeply shadowed—increasing the chance for hidden water ice that the LCROSS’ moon-bombing (using one of its spent rockets) hopes to stir up.
The impact is occurring at 4:30am PST Friday, Oct. 9th—with viewing events you can join, including one here in Portland, OR at OMSI. (I’d go, but I’ll actually be at work…full-time graveyard shift :) ).
Keep your crosshairs targeted here for coverage of the impact and its results :)
Team Selenokhod Joins Google Lunar X PRIZE! September 27, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : Google Lunar X Prize, Kosmotras, private sector, property rights, Russia, Selenokhod, Thomas Gangale , add a comment
This past week, a new Google Lunar X PRIZE team was announced—Team Selenokhod, the first Russian team to compete!
Their website has an interesting level of detail from the get-go. They sound seriously committed to post-GLXP commercial enterprises, and they mention their launch company— ISC Kosmotras, using Dnepr rockets.
It’s exciting to have such an advanced team joining the fray (and another nationality). I’ve been reading a book by Thomas Gangale on int’l space law and property rights, and so far I’ve gathered that while nations can’t claim sovereignty, if a private enterprise from their state does, then the parent state is considered somewhat responsible for the private entity and its actions/claims. So, having a serious Russian lunar effort confirmed could mean a lot for Russia’s lunar affairs as a state (and that goes for each team, and its parent nation[s]).
Keep an eye here for updates as Team Selenokhod develops and more teams enter the 20-strong field for the prize…
It's Official: NASA Reveals Water Discovered on the Moon! September 24, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : Chandrayaan-1, NASA, water , 1 comment so far
As rumored, NASA announced today that three different spacecraft have detected water molecules on the Moon (the first-ever confirmation!).
NASA’s Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument on board India’s Chandrayaan-1 made the discovery, assisted in confirmation by the Cassini and Epoxi spacecrafts. The water and hydroxyl-bearing materials were found in a relatively young polar crater that faces away from Earth. The results were analyzed by scientists working at Brown University (in Providence, Rhode Island—a state I hold dear to my heart :) ).
Check out the press release for all the initial background and details :)
Fun fact: NASA originally got a hint of this water evidence back in 1999, on Cassini’s first pass, but did not publish those results until confirmation now.
Rumors: NASA/ISRO Have Discovered Evidence of Lots of Water (!), Press Conference Thursday September 21, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : Chandrayaan-1, water , add a comment
NASA Watch reports rumors abound that NASA’s M3 Mineralogy Mapper on board India’s concluded Chandrayaan-1mission has turned up evidence that there is not just water ice on the Moon, but lots of it!
NASA has a press conference set for Thursday at 2pm. NASA also alluded to potential water ice results in their press release from the other day on the beginning of the LRO’s mapping, so stay tuned, NASA might be on to something, and on it fierce…
LRO Begins Mapping Lunar South Pole (Future Base Location) September 20, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : Lunar Reconaissance Orbiter, NASA, Shackleton , add a comment
As OnOrbit reports, NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has gotten all its equipment calibrated and begun mapping, specifically the lunar South Pole and Shackleton Crater. This is where the real fun begins, if you will :)
Due to near-constant sunlight, the south pole is the ideal location for solar power, and therefore for a base.
Check out the full mosiac and more nifty info at this mission blog post.
Armadillo Aerospace Wins Lunar Lander Challenge Prize (Level 2)! September 13, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : Armadillo Aerospace, Google Lunar X Prize, lander, Lunar Lander Challenge 2008, Lunar Lander Challenge 2009 , 2comments
They’ve done it again: after being the first team to win a prize in the annual Northrop Grumman Lunar Lander Challenge last year, Armadillo Aerospace had another successful attempt in their 2009 effort yesterday:
They claimed a Level 2 prize. Next week, Masten Space Systems will be doing their own Level One prize attempt, with several attempts at the Level 2 coming in October, followed by Unreasonable Rocket‘s shot at both prizes at the end of the month.
For a lot more great videos on yesterday, check out the official X PRIZE Launch Pad post on it :)
Chandrayaan-1′s Demise Due to ‘Heat Stroke’ September 7, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : Chandrayaan, Chandrayaan-1, Indian Space Research Organization , add a commentMore details have been revealed regarding the demise of the Chandrayaan-1, via The Times of India.
A move of the craft from 100k to 200km in its lunar orbit back in May, originally described as being for a better view of the lunar surface, was actually in response to overheating (as some suspected at the time). Built to anticipate a temperature of 75 degrees celsius at the 100km level, the temperature was actually higher than that, causing a long series of issues with equipment.
For the full account of the craft’s slow demise, check out the original Times article.
Chandrayaan-1 Restrospective September 3, 2009
Posted by Nick Azer in : Chandrayaan, Chandrayaan-1 , add a comment
With India having ended it’s Chandrayaan-1 mission this week (much earlier than its two years, due to losing contact with the craft), it’s time for a retrospective on its accomplishments:
- Made India the fourth country to land anything on the surface on the Moon, with its Moon Impact Probe
- Imaged the tracks and footprints of Apollo 15′s trek with its Terrain Mapping Camera, debunking conspiracy theories about Apollo being a hoax
- Confirmed theories about a lunar magma ocean beneath the surface
- Mapped minerals and other resources on the Moon, including the all-important helium-3
- Returned a wide range of other imagery
The key, lasting impacts of the mission I believe are intertwined: putting India on the lunar map, and the research into helium-3 quantities. With a bursting population, India is a natural candidate to have serious interest in fusion power as a solution to future energy stresses—and the Chandrayaan program is essentially a signal that India is in the lunar ‘helium rush’ for real.
Here’s a video on Chandrayaan-1 with some neat interviews with people from the ISRO itself; and for details on some of the craft’s instruments, check out my series of features on its payloads.