TO THE MOON, MARS, AND BEYOND

Many folks would like to see us back on the Moon and developing its resources.

Monday, December 31, 2012

To The Moon in 2013 - stopping off at Mare Crisium



On the last post I asked where would you like to go on the Moon and Kendall suggested Mare Crisium.
See what you think.  Maybe you have a favorite we should also visit.
- LRK -

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I'd like to land on Mare Crisium. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mare_Crisium)

That Lunar surface feature has fascinated me since my childhood.

-Kendall
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Sea of crisis at 2:00 o'clock
- LRK -

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Lunar nearside with major maria and craters labelled.

 
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Mare Crisium (the "Sea of Crises") is a lunar mare located in the Moon's Crisium basin, just northeast of Mare Tranquillitatis. The basin is of thePre-Imbrian period, 4.55 to 3.85 billion years ago.
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Mare Crisium is just visible from Earth with the naked eye as a small dark spot on the edge of the Moon's face.
It is the site of the crash-landing of Soviet Luna 15 probe in 1969. A soil sample from Mare Crisium was successfully brought to Earth on 22 August 1976 by the Soviet lunar mission Luna 24.
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Now I will have to read again "The Moon is a Harsh Mistess" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" and learn more about the Russian missions to the Moon.
- LRK -

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Luna 15 (Ye-8-5 series) was an unmanned space mission of the Soviet Luna program, also called Lunik 15.
On July 21, 1969, while Apollo 11 astronauts finished the first human moonwalk, Luna 15, an unmanned Soviet spacecraft in lunar orbit at the time, began its descent to the lunar surface. Launched three days before the Apollo 11 mission, it was the third Soviet attempt toreturn lunar soil back to Earth. The Russian craft crashed into Mons Noodle on the moon at 15:50 UT, hours before the scheduled American lift off from the moon.[1]
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Luna 24 (Ye-8-5M series) was an unmanned space mission of the Soviet Union's Luna programme, also called Lunik 24. The last of the Luna series of spacecraft, the mission of the Luna 24 probe was the third Soviet mission to retrieve lunar soil samples from the Earth's moon (the first two sample return missions were Luna 16 and Luna 20). The spacecraft orbital dry mass was 4,800 kg (11,000 lb).
The probe landed in the area known as Mare Crisium (Sea of Crisis). The mission returned 170.1 grams of lunar samples to the Earth on 22 August 1976.
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The list of the Russian Luna Program to the Moon.
- LRK -

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The Luna Program was one of two lunar exploration programs conducted by the Soviet Union. This was a very long-running program, with the first mission flying in 1959 and the last flying in 1976. The Luna missions were designed to collect information about the Moon and its environment, not only for scientific purposes but also to be used in the planning of future lunar missions including manned missions to the Moon. The series included flyby, lunar-orbiting, and soft-landing missions. Selected Luna missions are noted in the following list.
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The above links require more reading in the New Year.
Want to come along? What would you like to see?
Thanks for looking up with me.
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The colonization of the Moon is the proposed establishment of permanent human communities or robot industries[1] on the Moon.
Recent indication that water might be present in noteworthy quantities at the Lunar poles has increased interest in the Moon. Polar colonies could also avoid the problem of long Lunar nights - about 354 hours,[2] a little more than two weeks - and take advantage of the sun continuously, at least during the local summer (there is no data for the winter yet).[3]
Permanent human habitation on a planetary body other than the Earth is one of science fiction's most prevalent themes. As technology has advanced, and concerns about the future of humanity on Earth have increased, the argument that space colonizationis an achievable and worthwhile goal has gained momentum.[4][5] Because of its proximity to Earth, the Moon has been seen as the most obvious natural expansion after Earth.

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A moon landing is the arrival of a spacecraft on the surface of the Moon. This includes both manned and unmanned (robotic) missions. The first human-made object to reach the surface of the Moon was the Soviet Union's Luna 2 mission on 13 September 1959.[3]
The United States' Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon on 20 July 1969.[4] There have been six manned U.S. landings (between 1969 and 1972) and numerous unmanned landings, though no soft landings have occurred since 1976.
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -

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To The Moon in 2013



Looking forward to the New Year and in 2013 will see if we can learn more about our nearest neighbor, the Moon.
Looking at the last post about Chang'e 3 coming possible landing on the Moon reminds me I need to learn more about what has already landed there and what can be said for the various locations.

Let me know where you would like to land. Ron would have liked to have seen the GRAIL twin orbiters land at the central mountain in Harpalus.
- LRK -

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Harpalus was the rocket landing site in the 1950s science fiction film Destination Moon. It was chosen by artist Chesley Bonestell as it had a relatively high latitude and the Earth could be realistically displayed at a low altitude during camera shots. However, the resulting clay model depicted crazing (net-like cracks) across the crater floor, an addition to which Bonestell objected.
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Looking at Chang'e 3 for some possible landing sites.
- LRK -

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Chang'e 3

Chang’e 3 is the third robotic lunar probe mission of the China Lunar Exploration Programme (CLEP). Scheduled to be launched in 2013~14, the probe will soft-land on the Moon surface and deploy an unmanned Lunar Rover to explore the areas surrounding the landing spot. The mission is heded by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND) and the primary contractor for the probe is the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) of the China Aerospace Science & Technology Corporation (SASC).
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The spacecraft will be firstly parked into a 100X100km lunar orbit. After separating from the Service Module, the Lunar Landing Vehicle will descend to a 100X15km, 45° inclined elliptic orbit. When reaching the 15km perigee, the vehicle will ignite its variable thrusters to reduce its velocity, so that it slowly descends to 100m above the Moon surface. The vehicle will hover at this altitude, moving horizontally under its own guidance to avoid obstacles, and then slowly descend to 4m above the ground, at which point its engine will shut down for a free-fall onto the lunar surface.
Five locations have been considered for the landing spot of Chang'e 3, including Sinus Iridum, Mare Nectaris, Mare Humorum, Kepler crater, and Aristillus crater. Among these Sinus Iridum is the first choice for the Chang'e 3 mission. High-definition images of the area has been captured by the Chang'e 2 lunar orbiter in 2010.
The Lunar Landing Vehicle is China’s first nuclear-powered spacecraft, equipped with a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) in order to support its operations during long Moon-nights. The vehicle has a total mass of 1,200kg, and a designed operational life of 12 lunar months. Once successfully landing on the Moon, the vehicle will deploy a six-wheeled Lunar Rover to explore the surrounding areas.
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Lunar nearside with major maria and craters labelled.

 Some Wikipedia links for Sinus Iridum, Mare Nectaris, Mare Humorum, Kepler crater, and Aristillus crater.
- LRK-

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Sinus Iridum (Latin for "Bay of Rainbows") is a plain of basaltic lava that forms a northwestern extension to the Mare Imbrium. It is surrounded from the northeast to the southwest by the Montes Jura range. The protruding part of the range at the southwest end is named Promontorium Heraclides, while that at the northeast end is called Promontorium Laplace. This bay and the surrounding mountains is considered one of the most beautiful features on the Moon, and is a favorite among lunar observers.
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The Sea of Nectar (Mare Nectaris) is a small lunar mare or sea (a volcanic lava plain noticeably darker than the rest of the Moon's surface) located between the Sea of Tranquility (Mare Tranquillatis) and the Sea of Fecundity (Mare Fecunditatis). Montes Pyrenaeus borders the mare to the west and the large crater near the south center of the mare is known as Rosse. It is 101,000 square kilometers in size and constitutes a gulf of the Sea of Tranquility.[2]
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It was not sampled by the Apollo program, so a precise age has not been determined. However, geological mapping indicates that it is intermediate in age between the Imbrium and Nectaris Basins, suggesting an age of about 3.9 billion years. Humorum Basin is filled with a thick layer of mare basalt, believed to exceed 3 kilometers in thickness at the center of the basin.
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Kepler (Latin Keplerus) is a lunar impact crater that lies between the Oceanus Procellarum to the west and Mare Insularum in the east. To the southeast is the crater Encke.
Kepler is most notable for the prominent ray system that covers the surrounding mare. The rays extend for well over 300 kilometers, overlapping the rays from other craters. Kepler has a small rampart of ejecta surrounding the exterior of its high rim. The outer wall is not quite circular, and possesses a slightly polygonal form. The interior walls of Kepler are slumped and slightly terraced, descending to an uneven floor and a minor central rise.
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Aristillus is a prominent lunar impact crater that lies in the eastern Mare Imbrium. Directly to the south is the smaller crater Autolycus, while to the southwest is the large Archimedes. The area of mare to the southwest is named the Sinus Lunicus. To the northeast are the craters Theaetetus andCassini.
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And a look at what has been to the Moon.
- LRK -

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http://www.lpi.usra.edu/lunar/missions/
Lunar Exploration Timeline

The Luna Program was one of two lunar exploration programs conducted by the Soviet Union. This was a very long-running program, with the first mission flying in 1959 and the last flying in 1976. The Luna missions were designed to collect information about the Moon and its environment, not only for scientific purposes but also to be used in the planning of future lunar missions including manned missions to the Moon. The series included flyby, lunar-orbiting, and soft-landing missions. Selected Luna missions are noted in the following list.
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Well now it looks like we can spend much more time on the Moon.
Want to come along? What would you like to see?
Thanks for looking up with me.
=============================================================
The colonization of the Moon is the proposed establishment of permanent human communities or robot industries[1] on the Moon.
Recent indication that water might be present in noteworthy quantities at the Lunar poles has increased interest in the Moon. Polar colonies could also avoid the problem of long Lunar nights - about 354 hours,[2] a little more than two weeks - and take advantage of the sun continuously, at least during the local summer (there is no data for the winter yet).[3]
Permanent human habitation on a planetary body other than the Earth is one of science fiction's most prevalent themes. As technology has advanced, and concerns about the future of humanity on Earth have increased, the argument that space colonizationis an achievable and worthwhile goal has gained momentum.[4][5] Because of its proximity to Earth, the Moon has been seen as the most obvious natural expansion after Earth.

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A moon landing is the arrival of a spacecraft on the surface of the Moon. This includes both manned and unmanned (robotic) missions. The first human-made object to reach the surface of the Moon was the Soviet Union's Luna 2 mission on 13 September 1959.[3]
The United States' Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon on 20 July 1969.[4] There have been six manned U.S. landings (between 1969 and 1972) and numerous unmanned landings, though no soft landings have occurred since 1976.
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

China hopes to launch Chang'e 3 late in 2013



As the year draws to a screeching end and I grow weary of talk about a self inflicted fiscal cliff and possibly raising the price of milk to $7 a gallon I reflect on no Google Lunar X Prize launches to the Moon.

It may turn out that by this time next year, 2013, we may see a lunar lander on the Moon placed there by China and its Chang'e 3 spacecraft.  Too bad for the Lunar X Prize participants as the prize money will be reduced.
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The Google Lunar X Prize expires when all constituent purses have been claimed or at the end of the year 2015 (whichever comes first). To provide an added incentive for teams to complete their missions quickly and thereby create the first vehicles to operate on the surface of the Moon since 1976, the value of the Grand Prize will decrease from US$20 million to US$15 million whenever a government-led mission lands on and explores the lunar surface.[1] This timeframe is in possible competition with China's plans to land its Chang'e 3 lunar lander/rover on the lunar surface in 2013.[5]
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Looking forward to 2013.  Keep me posted if you hear of any updates.
- LRK -

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Chang'e 3

Chang’e 3 is the third robotic lunar probe mission of the China Lunar Exploration Programme (CLEP). Scheduled to be launched in 2013~14, the probe will soft-land on the Moon surface and deploy an unmanned Lunar Rover to explore the areas surrounding the landing spot. The mission is heded by the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND) and the primary contractor for the probe is the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) of the China Aerospace Science & Technology Corporation (SASC).

The Spacecraft

Chang’e 3 lunar probe consists of two modules: the Service Module and the Lunar Landing Vehicle (着陆器), with a total mass of 3,700~3,800kg. The spacecraft will be launched onboard the CZ-3B rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, and will be controlled by the ground via the X-band very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) system upgraded with 64m and 35m diameter antennas.
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And from Wikepedia.
- LRK-

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Chang'e 3 is a lunar exploration mission operated by China National Space Administration, incorporating a robotic lander and a rover. Chang'e 3 is scheduled for launch in late 2013 as part of the second phase of the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program.[1][5] It will be China's first lunar rover, and the first spacecraft to make a soft landing on the Moon since the Soviet Luna 24 mission in 1976.[6] It is named after Chang'e, the Chinese goddess of the Moon, and is a follow-up to the Chang'e 1 and Chang'e 2 lunar orbiters.

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Read NASA Watch clip
- LRK -

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If Chang'e-3 Lands, Google Lunar X Prize Drops by 25%

By Keith Cowing on November 14, 2012 2:40 PM.  20 Comments
Summary of Rules and Requirements, Google Lunar X Prize
"The competition's grand prize is worth $20 million. To provide an extra incentive for teams to work quickly, the grand prize value will change to $15 million whenever a government-funded mission successfully explores the lunar surface, currently projected to occur in 2013."
"Ma said the Chang'e-3 would probe and explore the lunar surface, and carry out various environmental and space technology related tests. It will spend 15 days on the moon to lay the foundations of what he called, further deep space exploration."
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To the new year.
Thanks for looking up with me.
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Tiny URL for Google search results for Chang'e 3 images
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Lunar Colonization -- Energy and Power


It is too bad that ideas once stated can be negated just by changes in administration. 
Still, I think this is worth looking at to inspire those that wish to be inspired.
6th graders sounds like a good place to start.  We still knew how to dream. :-)
- LRK - 

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 Inline image 1

Lunar Colonization -- Energy and Power
Audience: Educators
Grades: 6
Publication Number: EP-2009-03-49-MSFC

Description: In the future humans may live and work on the moon for weeks or even months. Energy and power will make it possible to travel to and live on the lunar surface. Humans must choose the appropriate energy source and technological means to produce that power. In this unit of 5E (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate/Extend, Evaluate) lessons, aligned to national education standards, students learn the differences between Earth and the moon; the limitations and constraints of living on the moon; and which type of energy sources would be suitable for a lunar habitat. At the conclusion of the unit, students design and build two- and three-dimensional models of a lunar colony and present their design to their classmates. Student sheets and rubrics are included.

- LRK -

And do take a look at http://www.outofthecradle.net/
- LRK -

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About Out of the Cradle

In your everyday life, you probably don’t give much thought to outer space. But the reality is that you’re surrounded by it on all sides. If your car could go straight up, you could drive to space in about an hour, and without risking a speeding fine. Down here on Earth, we’re a bit like well informed goldfish in a bowl – we might know on an intellectual level that there’s a lot more to the universe than our little habitat, but we can’t really imagine ever going there, or any use for it. It’s just an interesting curiosity for goldfish “astronomers.”

It’s not easy to get out into space, and there doesn’t seem to be much point – with our current technology it’s hard to imagine any Earthly problems that could be solved from up there. Well, apart from global communications, weather prediction, climate and ecological monitoring, spy satellites, and precision global navigation – but they’re the low-hanging fruit, right? Space is too expensive to do anything significant there, isn’t it?

The right answer to that question is “not for much longer.” There’s still a fair level of uncertainty about the value of “much” – but times are changing. One day, one of the many entrepreneurial space companies out there is going to climb to the top of the vast pile of failed predecessors, make it to space, and find a way to make money there. It could take a hundred years to happen – or it could be happening right now. When it happens, everything changes. The goldfish will no longer be confined to the bowl.

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25 Good Reasons to Go to the Moon

Posted on 14 June, 2008 by 

Librarian’s Note: This is a reprint of a blog post that I wrote for Selenian Boondocks, where I guest blog. I haven’t really needed to change the text, but I have updated it with some pictures and weblinks.

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Category Archives: Ken’s Lunar Library

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Enough here to keep me busy reading, and if you want to see more -  hang in there.
Maybe I should update the Wordpress account, the last post was way back in May 2011.
Let me know what you think. http://lrkellogg.wordpress.com/
Google+ has a new Communities service I will have to look into. https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities
Today it should be possible to raise the awareness level of the World through social networking.
Ideas accepted at my gmail account.

Thanks for looking with me.
- LRK -
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10 Pros (and Cons) of Colonizing the Moon

By Joanna Burgess

Moon colonization. The very idea whips up images of interconnected biodomes, hovercrafts cruising the pockmarked surface, and ships darting to Earth and back again. The moon is the only planetary object whose features can be seen without the aid of a telescope. It's also the closest object to our planet large enough for humans to inhabit. When considering long-termspace exploration and living, building a moon colony seems like the next logical step. We have the technology to get there and the innovative thinking to be successful. But what are the benefits of a moon colony? Do the risks outweigh the gains? How is such an expensive undertaking feasible in uncertain economic climates? Will we build on the moon in the next decade, or will the dream of a moon colony continue to hang on the horizon, just out of reach?

Let's take a look at some of the pros -- and cons -- of colonizing the moon.
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About Colonize the Moon


Colonize the Moon is about communicating the utility of resources from space. While this describes the topic generally, the implications are so vast that it makes climate change, and the global economy look like kids games. In economies of scale the ideas presented by space advocates are capable of diffusing systemic world problems.

In the grand tradition of misnomers, this website is not about sending colonies to the moon. If you do some research, you will find that human habitation of the moon’s surface is not possible in the long term. Colonize-the-Moon is about communicating the ideas of space advocates of all flavors.

If we are talking about the moon then this is about remotely accessing a small portion of the resources we know to exist on the moon. There are also vast stores of wealth in asteroids, and still more on Mars, and still more beyond that. To say it simply the bounty of space is greater than a million times the value of all nations on earth.
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WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK -

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