INDIA ANNOUNCES JULY LAUNCH WINDOW FOR LUNAR MISSION

Hey Space Placers!

India's Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has announced the July launch window for its next mission to the Moon - Chandrayaan-2 - which will include an orbiter and India’s first soft lander and rover.

An artist’s rendition of the Vikram lander on the lunar surface. (Image credit: ISRO

The mission is scheduled to launch on July 15 at 2:51 a.m. India Standard Time which is July 14, 5:21 p.m. EDT. This is just two days before Apollo 11 launched.

Touchdown is scheduled for September 6 at -71 S latitude making this the farthest south lander ever.

If successful India will become the fourth country to soft land on the Moon - US, USSR, China have done so so far.

The landing area is also where Russia plans to land Luna 24 at some point in the future.

The Moon beckons.....

Sky Guy in VA

WATCH MARS 2020 ROVER BEING BUILT

Hey Space Placers!

Watch NASA's next rover destined for Mars - Mars 2020 Rover, complete with a helicopter drone -
being built.





Here is mission information.

Sky Guy in VA

TWO NEWSPAPER ARTICLES WORTH READING

Hey Space Placers!

Two interesting news articles about space.

AP-NORC Poll: Asteroid Watch More Urgent Than Mars Trip

Article Link

The good news here is that Americans are realizing the real threat from asteroids - Chelyabinsk and Tunguska anyone? The bad news is that human exploration, especially of the Moon, is not seen as its potential to benefit humanity....it is viewed as "we've been there and done that". Americans need to realize that we NEED to go back to the Moon and STAY this time. The Moon is THE stepping stone for the creation of a new economy and territory. 

If the US doesn't do it, China will. There is room for all Nations just like Antarctica.

How did NASA put men on the moon? 

One harrowing step at a time.

Article Link

This is a great article with glorious photographs. Details of Apollo 11.

Sky Guy in VA

HAPPY SOLSTICE 2019!

Hey Space Placers!

Summer in the Northern Hemisphere and Winter in the Southern Hemisphere is today at 15:54 UTC!

Enjoy the view from space of how the Earth's orbit around the Sun leads to the seasons.



Get all the details here.

Enjoy!

Sky Guy Greg

WHY DOES THE MOON SMELL LIKE GUNPOWDER?

Hey Space Placers!

Continuing with the Moon today here is a video about why the Moon "smells like gunpowder" as famously described by Apollo 17 Commander Gene Cernan.



Sky Guy in VA

LUNAR SURFACE OPERATIONS RESCUE

Hey Space Placers!

How will astronauts lend aid to an incapacitated colleague while on the lunar surface?

NEEMO 23 crew members ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti and NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins test the second version of an ESA's Lunar Evacuation System Assembly (LESA) rescue device during an underwater spacewalk
CREDIT: ESA/NASA

Read this fascinating story about how underwater testing of a design for the Moon produced potentially life saving results for lunar explorers.

Lunar mission design will have to provide medical  and rescue capabilities such as these. It is all part of going back to the Moon to stay, survive and thrive.

Sky Guy in VA

UPDATED HAPPY 10TH ANNIVERSARY LRO AND LCROSS!

Hey Space Placers!

https://wtop.com/the-space-place/2019/06/moon-musings-theres-more-than-1-lunar-landmark-anniversary-to-relive/slide/4/

But for now enjoy this great video.



Sky Guy in VA