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

Showing posts with label China Lunar Missions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label China Lunar Missions. Show all posts

Saturday, October 25, 2008

FIVE YEARS ON MARS Sunday, November 2 @8PM ET/PT

Received an e-mail from Minjae Ormes (see below) with info on upcoming National Geographic Channel programs she thought you folks might be interested in.

Nice to see the Lunar programs starting to be mentioned as well as the very successful Mars missions.

If you watch the programs, let me know what you think.
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
Hello Mr. Kellogg -

My name is Minjae Ormes and I am working with National Geographic Channel to promote their programs and interactive features online. I came upon your writings on To the Moon, Mars, and Beyond while researching folks in the science community who might be interested in some of our upcoming programs, and wanted to reach out to you.

The following are three programs that I thought might be of interest to you and your readers. I would be happy to send you additional information if you are interested, including some photos/videos:

*FIVE YEARS ON MARS
Sunday, November 2 @8PM ET/PT*

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/five-years-on-mars-3963/Overview

National Geographic Channel talks to the scientists behind NASA's Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, about the legendary feats and obstacles the Rovers have overcome.

*CALLING ALL ALIENS
Sunday, November 2 @10PM ET/PT*

National Geographic Channel takes you behind-the-scenes at the California-based Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, where new techniques and remarkable technologies are being put in place to find the real E.T.

*DIRECT FROM THE MOON (Part of the Expedition Week, November 16 – 23)
*Monday, November 17 @9PM ET/PT

Apollo astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin enthralled the nation when they became the first men to land on the moon. Nearly 40 years later, lunar exploration has returned to the headlines as scientists are uncovering a treasure trove of information from the moon about the birth of our solar system. Now, high-definition video of the moon's surface is being beamed directly back from just above the moon, unveiling the astonishing lunar terrain in spectacular detail thanks to Kaguya, a Japanese lunar orbiter launched in September 2007. Custom-built to map the lunar surface and measure the moon's magnetic and gravitational fields, Kaguya will also allow scientists to perform pioneering analysis, setting the groundwork for future missions to the moon and a prolonged lunar base. We also hear directly from Aldrin as he watches breathtaking images of the moon's craters, haunting plains and an actual "full Earth-rise." Then, NASA scientists discuss the challenges involved and innovations under way for establishing a lunar outpost. *Direct from the Moon* features images so powerful, some scientists claim they will inspire the next generation of lunar exploration.

Also, below is the full press release for *Five Years on Mars* and *Calling All Aliens*. Please let me know if you would like more information on any or all of these programs.

Thank you in advance for your time and I look forward to hearing from you!

Best,

Minjae

--
Minjae Ormes l Digital Consultant
http://www.minjaeormes.com
[e] minjae.ormes@gmail.com [c] 917.539.7646

snip
==============================================================

*NEWS* *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*


*NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL TAKES YOU ON REAL-LIFE ADVENTURES TO THE RED PLANET AND THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE! *

*Like Pixar's /Wall-E/, Join the Adventures of Spirit & Opportunity*

*Two Robotic Rovers Making History While Exploring the Surface of Mars, *

*And Then Join the Out-of-This-World Quest to Make Contact with ET*

* *

Five Years on Mars * Premieres Sunday, November 2, 2008 at 8 PM ET/PT*

Calling All Aliens * Premieres Sunday, November 2, 2008 at 10 PM ET/PT***

(*WASHINGTON, D.C. – OCTOBER 22, 2008*) This November, let the National Geographic Channel take you on two real Space Age adventures — to the Red Planet and beyond!

It could be the basis for a sequel to the Pixar sci-fi movie Wall-E, except this is the real-life odyssey of two robots. On Sunday, November 2, 2008, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, NGC brings the adventures of solar-powered robotic rovers Spirit and Opportunity to the screen in *Five Years on Mars*, a vivid high-definition visualization of their parallel missions on either side of the Red Planet. Using photo-realistic animation based on the actual landscape as captured by the rovers' cameras, the one-hour special dramatizes the trials and tribulations of these intrepid explorers while highlighting new scientific information on the planet's geology and water history.

Launched in 2003, Spirit and Opportunity were originally expected to collect data over 90 Martian days, called "sols." What began as a short-term science mission looking for evidence of ancient water has turned into one of the greatest adventures of the Space Age. After almost five years in operation, they have astonishingly survived, proving more resilient and luckier than anyone could have predicted. They've trekked miles across hostile plains, climbed mountains, ventured in and out of deep craters, gotten stuck in sand dunes, survived dust storms and mechanical failures, and cheated death so often no one will venture a guess as to how much longer they might last.

*Five Years on Mars* captures the emotional highs and lows experienced by the scientists and engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., who spend their days seeing through the rovers' eyes and now think of Spirit and Opportunity in almost human terms. Spirit is the hard luck rover who trekked for months across a barren desert, scaled a mountain and lost a wheel before finding anything of scientific interest. Opportunity is the lucky one for whom everything has gone right from the moment it landed right on top of abundant evidence of early Martian water.

"It was like being inside this bizarre Martian mystery novel," says Steve Squyres, lead scientist, JPL. "Every sol or two you'd get a new clue handed to you, and it really improved our understanding of what we were dealing with here."

Later that same night, on November 2, at 10 p.m. ET/PT, venture even further into space and see the remarkable ways scientists are searching for extraterrestrial life in *Calling All Aliens*. From building the most sensitive "ear" of all time — the massive Allen Telescope Array — to sending interstellar CD and text messages, there are myriad ways to try to make contact.

The one-hour special takes viewers to the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute in Mountain View, Calif., where scientists have activated 42 out of the planned 350 giant radio dishes that make up the Allen Telescope Array. SETI never had a dedicated instrument like this to use in the search for ET 24/7 — until now. Funded in part by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, the dishes collect datastreams from outer space that are then analyzed to determine if they carry any unusual frequencies. Monitoring computers alert the scientific team when a particularly strong signal comes through … but so far nothing has led them to believe that ET is trying to phone Earth.

Jodie Foster's character in the movie Contact was based on Jill Tarter, director of the Allen Telescope Array project and considered the "Grande Dame" of SETI research. SETI lost funding from NASA and Congress back in 1993, and they are now a nonprofit organization counting on donations like Paul Allen's … and anyone who wants to buy a telescope in the array.

"You can buy a telescope and have your name on it," says Tarter. "The price tag is $100,000. That's a big number in some sense, but a very small number for a radio telescope!"

SETI astronomer Seth Shostak, who hosts a weekly radio show called "Are We Alone?," is very optimistic about his colleagues' ingenuity in undertaking the search and about the advancements in technology.

"Our galaxy has a few hundred billion star systems, so it doesn't surprise that me we haven't found other intelligent life yet," says Shostak. "But the search is speeding up, and I think everybody deep down inside wishes that the experiment would succeed while they're still around to see that happen."

In Florida, one company claims it can make that happen for just $299. For that price, anyone can send a CD, text or music message out into space using a radio transmission device. Across the globe in Moscow, radio engineer Alexander Zaitsev, in conjunction with METI (Messaging to Extraterrestrial Intelligence), has sent several messages into space on a directive from the Russian Academy of Sciences. Also in Russia, they are planning to take it a step further by sending samples of human DNA into space to show what we're made of to any highly intelligent life forms out there.

But not everyone is eager to make contact. Author David Brin thinks it is dangerous to try to communicate to a life form that we have no real knowledge of. He fears ET will come to annihilate the human race.

"I'm not claiming that there are a million deadly horrible probes out there," says Brin. "But there is no proof that there are not."

Also on November 2, in between *Five Years on Mars* and *Calling All Aliens*, catch an encore presentation of *Naked Science: Life on Mars *at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Join NASA's Phoenix Mission to determine if life could have existed — or can exist — on our closest planetary neighbor.

*Five Years on Mars* is produced by Mark Davis Productions for the National Geographic Channel. For Mark Davis Productions, producer, writer and director is Mark Davis. For the National Geographic Channel executive producer is Howard Swartz, senior vice president of special programming is Michael Cascio and executive vice president of content is Steve Burns.

*Calling All **Aliens* is produced by VIDICOM in association with ARTE/ZDF, Channel 5 Russia, SBS TV Australia and co-produced with SPIEGEL TV and Corona Films St. Petersburg. Executive producer is Peter Bardehle and director is Christian Schidlowski. For the National Geographic Channel, producer is Lauren Cardillo, senior vice president of special programming is Michael Cascio and executive vice president of content is Steve Burns.

# # #


Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channel (NGC) is a joint venture between National Geographic Ventures (NGV) and Fox Cable Networks (FCN). Since launching in January 2001, NGC initially earned some of the fastest distribution growth in the history of cable and more recently the fastest ratings growth in television. The network celebrated its fifth anniversary in January 2006 with the launch of NGC HD, which provides the spectacular imagery that National Geographic is known for in stunning high-definition. NGC has carriage with all of the nation's major cable and satellite television providers, making it currently available to more than 68 million homes. For more information, please visit www.natgeotv.com .


NGC-472-102208

snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Chandrayaan-1 lifts off for the Moon

Wish them luck on getting into orbit around the Moon.
- LRK -

-----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.chandrayaan-i.com/
Chandrayaan-1 lifts off for the Moon

Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh (India): India's first unmanned flight to
the moon blasted off from Sriharikota, off the Andhra Pradesh coast,
early morning on Wednesday.

Snip
-----------------------------------------------------------
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/10/21/india.space/?iref=mpstoryview
India launches unmanned mission to moon

(CNN) -- India launched its first lunar mission Wednesday, with hopes
of achieving high-resolution images of the moon's topography and
diving into the international space race.

The launch of the unmanned lunar orbiter Chandrayaan-1, or "moon
craft" in ancient Sanskrit, came at 6:20 a.m. Wednesday (8:50 p.m. ET)
from the Sriharikota space center.

The two-year mission seeks high-resolution imaging of the moon's
surface, especially the permanently shadowed polar regions, ISRO said.
It will also search for evidence of water or ice and attempt to
identify the chemical breakdown of certain lunar rocks, the group
said.

ISRO on its Web site said the mission would lay the groundwork for
future lunar missions and "probe the physical characteristics of the
lunar surface in greater depth than previous missions by other
nations."

Snip
----------------------------------------------------------

It is hard enough to get into orbit around Earth.
Then you have to leave Earth Orbit at the correct moment to put you on
a track that will lead the Moon enough to feel the Moon's
gravitational pull as it comes around to meet you.
Add to that the correct amount of change in velocity to actually be
captured by the Moon's gravity to get you into Lunar Orbit.
Finish up with some circularizing adjustments and then begin your mission.

For a really good time, make sure your orbit is adjusted before you
get pushed into the Lunar surface or clipped by a tall mountain.

To get an idea of what they are in for.
See LUNAR PROSPECTOR MISSION DESIGN AND TRAJECTORY SUPPORT.
http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov/project/pdf/AAS98-323.pdf (387kb PDF file)
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update

==============================================================
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081021/ap_on_re_as/as_india_moon_mission
India readies 1st moon mission in Asian space race

By GAVIN RABINOWITZ and SETH BORENSTEIN, Associated Press Writers
Gavin Rabinowitz And Seth Borenstein, Associated Press Writers – Tue
Oct 21, 5:11 pm ET
NEW DELHI – Scientists have better maps of distant Mars than the moon
where astronauts have walked. But India hopes to change that with its
first lunar mission.

Chandrayaan-1 — which means "Moon Craft" in ancient Sanskrit — is
scheduled to launch from the Sriharikota space center in southern
India at 8:20 p.m. EDT Tuesday in a two-year mission aimed at laying
the groundwork for further Indian space expeditions.

Chief among the mission's goals is mapping not only the surface of the
moon, but what lies beneath. If the launch is successful, India will
join what's shaping up as a 21st century space race with Chinese and
Japanese crafts already in orbit around the moon.

snip
==============================================================
http://www.isro.org/chandrayaan/htmls/home.htm
http://www.isro.org/chandrayaan/htmls/about_chandrayaan.htm

CHANDRAYAAN-1: India's first mission to the Moon

"THE MOON" with the history of the early solar system etched on it
beckons mankind from time immemorial to admire its marvels and
discover its secrets. Understanding the moon provides a pathway to
unravel the early evolution of the solar system and that of the planet
earth.

Through the ages, the Moon, our closest celestial body has aroused
curiosity in our mind much more than any other objects in the sky.
This led to scientific study of the Moon, driven by human desire and
quest for knowledge. This is also reflected in the ancient verse.
Exploration of the moon got a boost with the advent of the space age
and the decades of sixties and seventies saw a myriad of successful
unmanned and manned missions to moon.Following this, a hiatus of about
one and a half-decade followed. During this period we refined our
knowledge about the origin and evolution of the moon and its place as
a link to understand the early history of the Solar System and of the
earth.

Snip

http://www.isro.org/pslv-c11/photos/index.htm
Photos
snip

http://www.isro.org/pressrelease/Oct22_2008.htm
Press Release

snip
==============================================================
http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/moonmission/Election_Story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080069654

Chandrayaan-1 blast off successful
Pallava Bagla
Wednesday, October 22, 2008 6:23 AM (Sriharikota)

India's first unmanned rocket to the moon has been successfully placed
in its orbit. ISRO Chairmain Dr G Madhavan Nair described it as a
historic moment for India.

A rocket is carrying India's maiden spacecraft to the moon,
Chandrayaan-1 and the scientists ensured the launch was smooth.

During its two-year life Chandrayaan-1, an Indian mission with
international partners will map the moon's resources like never
before.

snip
==============================================================
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrayaan
Chandrayaan-1 (Sanskrit: चंद्रयान-1, lit: Lunar Craft-1), is an unmanned lunar exploration mission by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India's national space agency. The mission includes a lunar orbiter as well as an impactor. The spacecraft was launched by a modified version of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle on 22 October 2008.
snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

NASA Views Landing Site Through Eyes of Future Moon Crew

NASA Views Landing Site Through Eyes of Future Moon Crew
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/mmb/moon-20080227.html
Copied the above press release below.
- LRK -

How about that, the link is live and much more information.
Check out the link for a number of animations.
- LRK -
--------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/mmb/022708.html

Libration Movie
The moon's orbit is not perfectly circular its rotation axis is tilted
with respect to Earth allowing scientists to image slightly different
parts of the Moon during a its 28 day long lunar day. This movie shows
the portion of the Moon visible to the Earth over several months
around the time when radar data of the south polar region of the Moon
was collected.

Earth Moon Contact
Radar signals from the Goldstone Solar system Radar are reflected back
to Earth and received at two antennas separated by 13 kilometers. By
receiving at the two antennas, three dimensional topographic maps of
the lunar surface can be generated.

Digital Elevation Map of Lunar South Pole
Image brightness is generated from the strength of the radar echoes
that are bounced of the lunar surface and the color represents the
elevation. This map covers an area of 650 kilometers by 450 kilometers
with an elevation measurement every 40 meters.

Slope Map
This map shows the steepness of the terrain in the south polar region
of the moon. Using a map like this helps determine the assessable
areas to human or robotic explorers.

High Resolution Slope Map
The left image shows the topographic contours in color with each cycle
of color representing 2 kilometers of elevation change. The right
image is the corresponding slope map of the area. The slope map
indicates slopes in access of 20 degrees in the region around
Shakleton Crater.

Lunar Illumination Movie
This movie is a simulation of the amount of solar illumination in the
south polar region of moon over a solar day generated using high
resolution topography.

South Pole Flyover Animation
This animation depicts a flyover of the moon's south pole region
ending in the vicinity of Shackleton Crater.

Lunar Landing Animation
This animation utilizes the latest terrain data of the moon's south
pole region in the generation of a animation of what a future moon
crew could see during a descent to the rim of Shackleton Crater.
Snip
[And some more information. - LRK -]
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Sooooh, it looks like they imaged the area of the Lunar South Pole
that is of interest for a possible landing site.

Next maybe we look in the Aitken basin for a place to put of a radio
telescope, well maybe a few more years from now.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Pole-Aitken_basin
- LRK -

The simulated lunar landing can also be viewed in the Multimedia Video
Featured section.
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
NASA Views Landing Site Through Eyes of Future Moon Crew
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/mmb/moon-20080227.html

Feb. 27, 2008

Stephanie Schierholz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-4997/2087
stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov

DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-393-9011
agle@jpl.nasa.gov

RELEASE: 08-068

NASA VIEWS LANDING SITE THROUGH EYES OF FUTURE MOON CREW

WASHINGTON - NASA has obtained the highest resolution terrain mapping
to date of the moon's rugged south polar region, with a resolution to
20 meters per pixel. Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
in Pasadena, Calif., collected the data using the facility's
Goldstone Solar System Radar located in California's Mojave Desert.
The imagery generated by the data has been incorporated into
animation depicting the descent to the lunar surface of a future
human lunar lander and a flyover of Shackleton Crater.

The mapping data collected indicate that the region of the moon's
south pole near Shackleton Crater is much more rugged than previously
understood. The Shackleton rim area is considered a candidate landing
site for a future human mission to the moon.

"The south pole of the moon certainly would be a beautiful place to
explore," said Doug Cooke, deputy associate administrator for the
Exploration Systems Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters,
Washington. "We now know the south pole has peaks as high as Mt.
McKinley and crater floors four times deeper than the Grand Canyon.
There are challenges that come with such rugged terrain, and these
data will be an invaluable tool for advance planning of lunar
missions."

Three times during a six-month period in 2006, scientists targeted the
moon's south polar region using Goldstone's 70-meter radar dish. The
antenna, three-quarters the size of a football field, sent a
500-kilowatt strong, 90-minute long radar stream 231,800 miles to the
moon. The radar bounced off the rough-hewn lunar terrain over an area
measuring about 400 miles by 250 miles. Signals were reflected back
to two of Goldstone's 34-meter antennas on Earth. The roundtrip time,
from the antenna to the moon and back, was about two-and-a-half
seconds.

"I have not been to the moon, but this imagery is the next best
thing," said Scott Hensley, a scientist at JPL and lead investigator
for the study. "With these data we can see terrain features as small
as a house without even leaving the office."

Previously, the best resolution of the moon's south pole was generated
by the Clementine spacecraft, which could resolve lunar terrain
features near the south pole at 1 kilometer per pixel. The new
resolution generated by JPL is 50 times more detailed.

NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter will provide the next generation
of lunar imaging and data. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch in
late 2008. The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera will retrieve high
resolution images of the moon's surface and lunar poles with
resolutions to 1 meter. These images will provide knowledge of polar
illumination conditions, identify potential resources and hazards,
and enable safe landing site selection. Other instruments aboard the
orbiter will return data such as temperature maps, ultraviolet
images, characterization of radiation on the moon and a high
resolution 3-D map. NASA's quest for up-to-date imagery of the moon
also will benefit from international missions such as Japan's Selene
robotic probe.

Funding for the program was provided by NASA's Exploration Systems
Mission Directorate.

To view animation, terrain maps of the moon's south pole and images
from this story, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/mmb/022708.html

Video animation developed from the high resolution imaging also will
air on NASA Television. For NASA TV downlink and schedule
information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

JPL manages the Goldstone Solar System Radar and the Deep Space
Network for NASA. To learn more about them, visit:

http://deepspace.jpl.nasa.gov/dsn

For information about NASA's exploration program to return humans to
the moon, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration


-end-
Snip
==============================================================
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/mmb/022708.html
Enhanced Radar Imagery of Lunar South Pole
Media Briefing 2 p.m. Eastern/11 a.m. Pacific
02.27.08

NASA has obtained the highest resolution terrain mapping to date of
the moon's rugged south polar region. Scientists at NASA's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., generated the imagery using
data collected with the facility's Goldstone Solar System Radar.

Panelists for the Feb. 27 media briefing are:
--Doug Cooke, deputy associate administrator, Exploration Systems
Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington
--Scott Hensley, principal investigator, Lunar Image Team, JPL
--Kelly Snook, lunar program scientist, NASA Ames
--Eric De Jong, principal investigator, Solar System Visualization Project, JPL
Snip
[Go to the above link to see a number of animations. - LRK -]
==============================================================
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/feb/HQ_08068_lunar_truck.html
Feb. 27, 2008

Stephanie Schierholz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-4997/2087
stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov

Brandi Dean
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-244-1403
brandi.k.dean@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 08-068

NASA'S NEWEST CONCEPT VEHICLE TAKES OFF-ROADING OUT OF THIS WORLD

HOUSTON - In a car commercial, it would sound odd: active suspension,
six-wheel drive with independent steering for each wheel, no doors,
no windows, no seats and the only color available is gold.

But NASA's latest concept vehicle is meant to go way off-road, as in
240,000 miles from the nearest pavement, and drive on the moon. NASA
is working to send astronauts to the moon by 2020 to set up a lunar
outpost, where they will do scientific research and prepare for
journeys to more distant destinations.

Built at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, the new design is one
concept for a future lunar truck. The vehicle provides an idea of
what the transportation possibilities may be when astronauts start
exploring the moon. Other than a few basic requirements, the primary
instruction given to the designers was to throw away assumptions made
on NASA's previous rovers and come up with new ideas.

Snip
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/main/lunar_truck.html
NASA's Newest Concept Vehicles Take Off-Roading Out of This World
[See images of vehicles. - LRK -]
==============================================================
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/feb/HQ_C08007_constellation_contract.html
Feb. 27, 2008

Beth Dickey/Stephanie Schierholz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-2087/4997
beth.dickey-1@nasa.gov, stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov

Lynnette Madison/Josh Byerly
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
lynnette.b.madison@nasa.gov, bill.j.byerly@nasa.gov

CONTRACT RELEASE: C08-007

NASA AWARDS CONSTELLATION PROGRAM SUPPORT CONTRACT

WASHINGTON - NASA has awarded SGT Inc. of Greenbelt, Md., a contract
for support services for Constellation Program, which is developing
new spacecraft to travel beyond low Earth orbit. The Constellation
fleet includes the Orion crew vehicle, the Ares I and Ares V launch
vehicles and Altair human lunar lander. The small business contract
has a potential value of $60 million with options.

Work on the contract will be performed at NASA's Johnson Space Center
in Houston with additional work possible at NASA's Kennedy Space
Center in Florida, NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va.,
and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Snip
For more information about the contract, visit:

http://procurement.jsc.nasa.gov/cpsc

For information about NASA's exploration program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration
Snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

Saturday, February 23, 2008

NASA TO RELEASE ENHANCED RADAR IMAGERY OF LUNAR SOUTH POLE

Come Feb 27 at noon MST the link below should come live and have new
pictures of the South Pole as made by the folks at JPL.
--------------------------------------
Researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.,
generated the imagery using data collected with the facility's
Goldstone Solar System Radar. The news media briefing is scheduled for
noon MST in Room 506 of the Colorado Convention Center.
snip
--------------------------------------

I didn't think we could see all of the Lunar South Pole from Earth.
Will be interesting to see what they got and how they compare with
what the Japanese are taking with their satellites that are now
orbiting the Moon.
- LRK -

http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2007/11/20071107_kaguya_e.html
KAGUYA (SELENE) World's First Image Taking of the Moon by HDTV
November 7, 2007 (JST)

YouTube - JAXA/KAGUYA Earth-Rise and Earth-Set image ...
The Earthset image Tele Shot taken from near the South Pole ...
Watch video - 9 min -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkHuRRDshhg

YouTube - World's First HDTV Images of the Moon (JAXA ...
Japan's Kaguya probe, now in lunar orbit, recently beamed ...
Watch video - 2 min 30 sec -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRN85gCN4fQ

http://www.selene.jaxa.jp/en/communication/com_information_e.htm
Jan. 21, 2008: 2nd SELENE Working Team meeting was held

http://collectspace.com/ubb/Forum33/HTML/000444.html
Kaguya Spacecraft Rockets Towards the Moon

New Kaguya images - The Planetary Society Blog | The Planetary Society
The image here was taken on the lunar farside of a region just 30
kilometers from ...
of a region 30 kilometers from the south pole. Credit: JAXA / SELENE ...
www.planetary.org/blog/article/00001245/ - 27k -

And lest we forget the Lunar North Pole, some mosaics from the SMART-1 mission.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.lunarip.com/content/esa-smart-1-program-lunar-north-pole-mosaic
ESA Smart-1 program provides new maps of the lunar north pole.
Wed, 12/05/2007 - 12:05 � kevin

The ESA Smart-1 mission has released a set of mosaic maps of the luna
northern pole detailing a number of sites and their illumination as
possible sites for further exporation and also as possible future
sites of long term sites. Some sites on the lunar north pole have
access to Solar power throughout the lunar year thus making them very
attractive as scientific base sites. In addition these sites have
access to craters that are continuously darkened and thus hold the
possibility that they may hold ice deposits which would greatly
improve the viability of future lunar bases.

The presented map covers an area of the north pole of 600km x 800km
and includes such sites are Peary crater which is an impact crater
closest the north pole, Hermite crater and Plaskett Crater.
snip
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Also the Chinese mission with Chang'e-1.
Let me know what the Chinese have to say.
Looks like I need to learn some more languages.
My 1500 Chinese flash cards may not be enough. :-)

http://zinzin.us/view-type-Yt-p-1-q-Lunar-code-DqAarZ-Mxnk-title-Change-1-lunar-
probe.html

Title: Chang'e-1 lunar probe
Description: China's 1st lunar probe
Tag: china chang'e-1 lunar probe

Lets hear it for the competition. :-)

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2008/feb/HQ_M08039_MA-Goldstone_Radar.html
Feb. 22, 2008

Beth Dickey/Stephanie Schierholz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-2087/4997
bdickey@nasa.gov, stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov

DC Agle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-0474
agle@jpl.nasa.gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-039

NASA TO RELEASE ENHANCED RADAR IMAGERY OF LUNAR SOUTH POLE

WASHINGTON -- NASA scientists have obtained the highest resolution
terrain mapping to date of the moon's rugged south polar region and
will discuss the imagery Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the 3rd Space
Exploration Conference in Denver.

Researchers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.,
generated the imagery using data collected with the facility's
Goldstone Solar System Radar. The news media briefing is scheduled
for noon MST in Room 506 of the Colorado Convention Center.

Panelists for the briefing are:
- Doug Cooke, deputy associate administrator, Exploration Systems
Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington
- Scott Hensley, principal investigator, Lunar Image Team, JPL
- Eric de Jong, principal investigator, Solar System Visualization,
JPL

For reporters who are unable to attend, a call-in line will be
available. Call-in information is available by contacting Stephanie
Schierholz at 202-834-0548.

At noon MST on Feb. 27, terrain maps of the moon's south pole and
other images will be available online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/mmb/022708.html

For more information about NASA's program to return to the moon,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics will host the
conference Feb. 26-28 in Denver. Media may register to attend by
contacting Sharon Grace of AIAA at 703-264-7532 or sharong@aiaa.org.
For more information about the conference, visit:

http://www.aiaa.org/events/exploration

-end-

Snip
==============================================================
http://www.aiaa.org/content.cfm?pageid=230&lumeetingid=1989
3rd Space Exploration Conference & Exhibit
50 Years of Space Exploration: Taking the Next Giant Leap

26 - 28 Feb 2008
Colorado Convention Center
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), in
collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA), is pleased to announce that the 3rd Space Exploration
Conference will be held 26�28 February 2008 at the Colorado Convention
Center in Denver, Colorado.

As we recognize the many accomplishments the space community has
contributed this past year, as well as the celebration of NASA's 50th
anniversary in 2008, the 3rd Space Exploration Conference will serve
as fertile ground for the best of the space community to gather,
review pivotal programs from the past, and synergize its input to
forward space exploration for the next 50 years. Dialogue and
decisions made at this opportune time in history will help define and
meet the challenges we will face in our nation's space programs for
decades to come.

Associated with the conference will be Education Alley, featuring
dynamic educational outreach activities and associated competitions
that will inspire the next generation to continue the exploration of
the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

snip
==============================================================
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/main/index.html
Future Missions
Mission Exploration
NASA Tests Lunar Habitat in Extreme Antarctic Environment
NASA will use the cold, harsh, isolated landscape of Antarctica to
test one of its concepts for astronaut housing on the moon. The agency
is sending a prototype inflatable habitat to Antarctica to see how it
fares during a year at McMurdo Station.

> News Release

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/nov/HQ_07251_Inflatable_Lunar_Habitat.html

> Photos

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/multimedia/inflatable_habitat.html


http://www.nasa.gov/missions/future/index.html
Snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

NASA Science News for February 20, 2008 - Know who is at the Moon?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
NASA Science News for February 20, 2008

Do you know who's orbiting the moon? The answer might surprise you. Find
out in today's story from Science@NASA.

FULL STORY at

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/20feb_orbitingthemoon.htm?list965414

Important reminder: Don't forget to watch tonight's lunar eclipse.
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/13feb_lunareclipse.htm

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
The Chang�e-1 --ProjectChina�s Lunar Exploration Program(II)

http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/n615709/n772514/n772543/93747.html
Snip
==============================================================
Kaguya (SELENE) -- mission home page;

http://wms.selene.jaxa.jp/index_e.html

Snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================

Wednesday, October 24, 2007

Chang'e-1 - new mission to Moon lifts off - ESA to assist in tracking

The Shuttle mission STS-120 launched to the ISS on October 23, 2007 and
on October 24, China launches a mission to the Moon.
http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/index.html

I watched the shuttle launch on NASA TV. Nice!
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

More links to China's Moon launch below.
http://in.reuters.com/news/pictures/articleslideshow?articleId=INIndia-301309200
71024&start=1


If all goes well we will have both the Japan and China orbiting the Moon.
Now who will get to see the maps of the Lunar Resources?

--------------------------------------------------------
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMPM53Z28F_index_0.html
Snip
During ESA's SMART-1 mission, the Agency provided the Chinese with
details of the spacecraft's position and transmission frequencies, so
that the Chinese could test their tracking stations and ground
operations by following it. This was part of their preparation for
Chang'e-1. Now it is time for Chang'e-1 itself to fly.

Hermann Opgenoorth, Head of ESA�s Solar System Missions Division says,
"Participation in Chang'e-1 gives European scientists and ESA experts a
welcome opportunity to maintain and pass on their expertise and to
continue their scientific work. Based on the experience gained with this
first mission, we intended to cooperate on the next missions in China's
Chang'e line of lunar explorers."
Snip
--------------------------------------------------------

It helps to have tracking around the world to view the Moon as Earth
turns. Not everyone has NASA's Deep Space Network to use. In the early
Apollo missions there were ships positioned in strategic locations to
aide in tracking. Now China launches and some are concerned that they
are using ships to talk to the spacecraft. Makes for headlines, if
headlines are what you want to read.
- LRK -

--------------------------------------------------------
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8SETSN80&show_article=1
China to test space weapon in launching moon satellite: rights group+
Oct 23 07:41 AM US/Eastern

HONG KONG, Oct. 23 (AP) - (Kyodo)A Chinese submarine will send test
signals that could change the course of a satellite when China launches
its first moon orbiter, as part of the country's effort to develop space
war technology, a human rights watchdog said Tuesday.

The Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said two survey
ships are deployed in the South Pacific Ocean and South Atlantic Ocean
to send signals to maneuver the lunar exploration satellite, expected to
be launched Wednesday. At the same time, a nuclear-powered submarine
will send simulated signals to the satellite as a test, it said in a
statement.

Once the satellite-maneuvering technology matures, the group said, China
would have the know-how to destroy other satellites in space in wartime.
China could launch cheaply-made weapon-carrying objects into space and
change their courses to destroy or damage satellites of other countries
by sending signals from submarines, the center said.

China shocked the world in January by firing a missile at an old weather
satellite without notifying anyone in advance, showing off its
anti-satellite weaponry and its ability to shoot down satellites without
being immediately noticed.
Snip
--------------------------------------------------------

Nice to know that ESA is working with China.
- LRK -

--------------------------------------------------------
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=5262
China enters the new moon race with Chang'e-1 launch
By Rui C. Barbosa, 10/24/2007 5:08:55 AM
At the beginning of a 35 minute launch window that opened at 10:05 UTC,
a CZ-3A Chang Zheng-3A (CZ3A-15) was launched from the Xichang Satellite
Launch Centre, located in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, carrying
the first Chinese lunar probe, Chang'e-1 (ChangEr-1).
This was the 104th successful orbital Chinese launch, the 45th
successful orbital launch from Xichang, the ninth orbital Chinese launch
in 2007 and the sixth launch from Xichang in the current year. Free
launch video available (read more).
--------------------------------------------------------

Well now are you all looking up?
Who would like to look up with you?
Just point to the sky, and see who looks up.
Say hi, smile, and enjoy the moment.

Thanks for looking up with me as well.
- LRK -

Larry Kellogg

Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/
BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update
==============================================================
http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMPM53Z28F_index_0.html
Chang'e-1 - new mission to Moon lifts off - ESA to assist in tracking
information

24 October 2007
A bold new mission to the Moon was launched today by the Chinese
National Space Administration (CNSA). Chang'e-1 blasted off from the
Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, Sichuan, atop a Long March 3A rocket.

Chang'e-1 represents the first step in the Chinese ambition to land
robotic explorers on the Moon before 2020.

Chang'e-1 has four mission goals to accomplish. The first is to make
three-dimensional images of many lunar landforms and outline maps of
major lunar geological structures. This mapping will include the first
detailed images taken of some regions near the lunar poles.

Chang'e-1 is also designed to analyze the abundance of up to 14 chemical
elements and their distribution across the lunar surface. Thirdly it
will measure the depth of the lunar soil and lastly it will explore the
space weather between the Earth and the Moon.

The spacecraft is large, weighing in at 2350 kg and it will operate from
a low, circular lunar orbit, just 200 km above the surface of the Moon.
From here, it will perform its science mission for a full year.

ESA is collaborating with the Chinese on this mission by providing
spacecraft and ground operations support services to CNSA. The two
agencies will also share data and encourage a visitors' programme so
that researchers can learn from each other.

During ESA's SMART-1 mission, the Agency provided the Chinese with
details of the spacecraft's position and transmission frequencies, so
that the Chinese could test their tracking stations and ground
operations by following it. This was part of their preparation for
Chang�e-1. Now it is time for Chang'e-1 itself to fly.

Hermann Opgenoorth, Head of ESA's Solar System Missions Division says,
"Participation in Chang'e-1 gives European scientists and ESA experts a
welcome opportunity to maintain and pass on their expertise and to
continue their scientific work. Based on the experience gained with this
first mission, we intended to cooperate on the next missions in China's
Chang'e line of lunar explorers."

Snip
==============================================================
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/071024_change_launch.html
*China Launches First Moon Probe
By Staff reports and wire service
posted: 24 October 2007
08:02 am ET

According to Chinese news agency Xinhua, China successfully launched its
first lunar probe on Wednesday.

The Chang'e I blasted off at about 6:05 pm on a Long March 3A carrier
rocket from the No. 3 launching tower in the Xichang Satellite Launch
Center in Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The mission is named after a Chinese goddess who, in a popular fairy
tale, lives on the Moon.

Chang'e 1 is based on China's Dongfanghong 3 telecommunication satellite
platform and reportedly carries a 280-pound (127-kilogram) payload of
science instruments for its planned one-year mission.

The spacecraft carries a total of eight primary instruments to
photograph and map the lunar surface, probe its depth, study the
regolith's chemical composition, and analyze the space environment
around the Moon.
**
*Snip
==============================================================
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21449023/
China successfully launches first lunar probe
First step in Beijing�s plan to send a rover to moon and back

Updated: 3:24 a.m. PT Oct 24, 2007
BEIJING - China launched its first lunar probe Wednesday, the first step
in an ambitious 10-year plan to send a rover to the moon and return it
to earth.

State television showed pictures of the Chang'e 1 orbiter taking off
with a trail of smoke from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in
Sichuan province in southwestern China.

The launch comes just weeks after China's regional rival Japan put a
probe into orbit around the moon in a big leap forward for Asia's
undeclared space race. India is likely to join the regional rivalry
soon, with plans to send its own lunar probe into space in April.

The Long March 3A rocket carrying the probe blasted off shortly after 6
p.m. (1000 GMT) after officials from the China National Space
Administration said weather conditions were good for a liftoff.

Several thousand people living within 1.5 miles of the launch center and
under the rocket's trajectory were evacuated two hours before the
launch, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

More than 2,000 tourists were also on hand to watch the rocket soar into
space after paying 800 yuan (around $106).
Snip
==============================================================
http://in.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idINIndia-30130920071024
China launches moon orbiter with patriotic blast
Wed Oct 24, 2007 5:52pm IST

By Royston Chan
XICHANG, China (Reuters) - China launched its first moon orbiter on
Wednesday amid a blaze of live-to-air patriotic propaganda celebrating
the country's space ambitions and technological prowess.

The Chang'e One orbiter lifted off from the southwestern province of
Sichuan at 1005 GMT. Barring technical failure, it will reach its lunar
orbit on November 5 and spend more than a year scanning the lunar
surface in preparation for an unmanned moon vehicle planned for 2012 and
a manned landing in future decades.

Chinese television broadcast the event more or less live, and senior
leaders were present to witness the country's latest feat in space.

A Beijing control centre called the launch a "complete success", the
Xinhua news agency reported.

A torrent of state media reports has celebrated Chang'e One, named after
a mythical Chinese goddess who flew to the moon, as visible proof of the
country's growing strength.

"Without a doubt, the launch of the Chang'e One will again show the
world that Chinese people have the willpower, confidence and ability to
constantly scale the heights of science and technology," said a
commentator on the Sina Web site (news.sina.com.cn).

The patriotic upswell was echoed by thousands of space enthusiasts,
tourists and reporters from across the country who crowded slopes and
viewing platforms near the small city to watch the launch, cheering as
the rocket disappeared into the clouds leaving a ribbon of smoke.

Snip
==============================================================
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/environment/blastoff+for+chinas+mo
on+orbiter/955847

Blast-off for China's moon orbiter
Last Modified: 24 Oct 2007
By: Channel 4 News
China launches its first moon orbiter amid a blaze of live-to-air
patriotic propaganda celebrating the country's technological prowess.

The Chang'e One orbiter lifted off from the southwestern province of
Sichuan at 10.05 GMT. Barring technical failure, it will reach its lunar
orbit on 5 November and spend more than a year scanning the lunar
surface in preparation for an unmanned moon vehicle planned for 2012 and
a manned landing in future decades.

Chinese television broadcast the event more or less live, and senior
leaders were present to witness the country's latest feat in space.

A Beijing control centre called the launch a "complete success", the
Xinhua news agency reported.

Snip
==============================================================

WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK

==============================================================