ACEIZE Tracking the current state of Science and Technology

The lunar surface has been found to be a significant source of radiation. Cosmic radiation has been radiating the lunar soil for so long, that the soil itself has become radioactive. This information is based on measurements taken by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter which show that the amount of measured radiation does not decrease closer to the moon's surface. It is expected that measured radiation would decrease as the moon itself blocks a larger portion of the incoming cosmic rays.

This means that radiation dosages on the lunar surface will be 30-40 percent higher than previously expected.

NASA has been analyzing the data from the LCROSS impact. The reflected light and spectrometer analysis 'unequivocally confirm the presence of [water] on the lunar surface, but also reveal that the entire lunar surface is hydrated during at least some portions of the lunar day.' Quote from a research paper by the Deep Impact Team led by .

The spectrometer readings apparently also show 'hints' of other interesting substances. According to Anthony Colaprete, the deep cold of the crater acts like "cold traps, collecting and preserving material over billions of years."

A short animation from NASA showing the site of impact, immediately preceding impact. (Warning, very dull)

NASA announced this week that they are scaling back plans for the Orion shuttle. They are planning to drop the crew capacity from 6 to 4 in order to meet the March 15th, 2015 deadline. The current shuttle carries seven astronauts.

Also, acting administrator, Chris Scolese told members of Congress that NASA would not likely pursue a permanent moon base. Missions to Mars or a near Earth asteroid were mentioned as possible replacement goals for NASA. The moon base was originally scheduled for completion by 2020.

Brian O'Brien of Perth has published research which suggests that dust on the moon is likely to have a higher electrostatic charge during the lunar mid-day than during the lunar morning or dusk. O'Brien posits that the electrostatic charge of the dust decreases as the sunlight on the moon decreases.

When astronauts landed on the moon lunar dust electrostatically adhered to their suits and equipment, causing equipment failures and general problems. Notably, Apollo 11's Passive Seismic Experiment was victim to overheating caused by excessive dust. (Although it was placed merely 55 feet from the Eagle lander and therefore subject to the dust storm that was kicked off during take off).

MSNBC reports that NASA wants a 'beachhead' on the moon. Beachhead, like the marine term for amphibious landings -- although proper analysis of the term also requires me to point out that beachhead could be a euphemism for public displays of fellatio on a sandy coastline.

Here's the actual headline so you don't need to click the link:
NASA plans bigger moon base, sporty rovers
Space agency wants to land three large habitats to build moon beachhead

Beyond having fun with the term beachhead the article also mentions 3 habitats and 2 rovers capable of two week treks on the lunar surface.

A nice documentary that lays out NASA's plan to build a space colony and the technology involved in the venture. In the video they cover the development and testing of new space suits, lunar habitats, mining the surface of the moon, extracting water and oxygen from lunar soils, and how the O

NASA is being directed by the US congress to continue with a project to put a robot on the moon. I wonder if this decision has anything to do with plans from China, Japan, India, et al to re-visit the moon for mapping and data gathering missions. Probably, huh?

The Lunar Reconnaisance Orbiter was originally scheduled to land on the moon in 2011. It is part of the Lunar Precursor and Robotics Program that was originally planned to pre-date the installation of a moon colony.

The article contains a lot more information in ways that Congress is changing around the proposed NASA budget.

MIT has developed a piece of software called SpaceNet 1.3 which is designed to manage Earth-Moon supply logistics. The software will ensure a steady supply of equipment and consumables to settlements on the Moon and, in the future, Mars.

The inflatable structure is made of multilayer fabric and looks like an ungainly white robot with legs. The main unit is 12 feet in diameter and 18 feet tall. It has a volume of about 1,600 cubic feet and is connected to an airlock, also inflatable. The two spaces are essentially pressurized cylinders, connected by an airtight door. The concept design has been delivered to NASA Langley by ILC Dover for testing.

MSNBC has an article about possible and planned spin-offs for the moon colony. Evidently capital is currently being raised to fund a private telescope on the southern pole of the moon. Other possible private money making ventures for the moon include; medical isotopes, helium-3 mining, and television shows. My first thought when television was mentioned was a Real World spin off, or possibly some sort of weird Survivor. However they have in mind more of a camera controlled robotically from Earth.

In this article from the Guardian, Harrison Schmitt talks about mobility in low gravity environments. Schmitt used a bunny hop motion, borrowed from skiing, to traverse the moon's surface during the Apollo mission. Using this method he was able to move around the surface much quicker than his crew mates.

Schmitt goes on to discuss the possibility that skiing on the moon's surface may prove to be one of the primary forms of entertainment for early settlers on the moon. He even has a location picked out to catch some slope time, the Taurus-Littrow valley. Hopefully the ski-lodge located along the ridge of that valley will be named Schmitt - although 'Hagan' has a better ring for a ski lodge.

Keith Henson talks with RU Sirius in this interview for 10 Zen Monkeys. Keith Henson was recently in the news for being a 'Scientology Fugitive'. He evidently was in some trouble with the law caused by some tiff he was in with a Scientologist. More information on the arrest from 10 Zen Monkeys

Interestingly, Keith Henson was also the co-founder of the L5 society and involved with a group called the Extropy Institute. Both were ill fated groups, but they achieved a certain level of press during the 70's and 80's.

MSNBC published a neat article outlining what is being done to design habitats for the moon colony. NASA's Constellation Program Office seems to be coordinating the effort.

The main thrust of the lunar habitat projects are inflatable dwellings. The reason for this is that the planned payload of the Orion ships are only 13,000 pounds. Space Station modules, which are apparently the only other option for lunar habitats, weigh up to 30,000 pounds.

Beyond talks with Lockheed and Boeing, NASA is talking with several other private contractors to help design and possibly build these inflatable habitats. One company is Bigelow Aerospace, who has already launched one of their inflatable habitat designs into orbit, and has a second test launch planned for April, 2007. The second company is ILC Dover. They have built a prototype for a NASA funded test in Antarctica.

NASA will continue missions to the international space station through 2020 with the, as yet undeveloped and unbuilt, Orion space craft until 2020. The current plan for shuttle fleets from NASA is to run missions using the current fleet until 2010. Between 2010 and 2014, NASA will rely on international partners to resupply the space station. In 2014 the fleet will be replaced with the Orion shuttle. The Orion Shuttle will run missions to the space station and the moon between 2010 and 2020. NASA plans to run at least two missions per year to the space station using the Orion Shuttle as well as missions in support of the planned moon colony.