International Lunar Network - ILN

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http://nasascience.nasa.gov/missions/iln
ILN
Full Name: International Lunar Network
Phase: Under study
Launch Date: 2013
Program(s): Robotic Lunar Exploration

NASA will undertake landed lunar missions and is architecting a conceptual “global lunar network” as a backbone of its envisioned robotic surface activities. This concept, called the International Lunar Net-work (ILN), aims to provide an organizing theme for all landed science missions in the 2010s by involving each landed station as a node in a geophysical network. Ultimately, this network could be comprised of 8-10 or more nodes. Because some are desired to be located on the lunar far side, NASA will study a lunar communications relay satellite capability as part of its contribution to this potential endeavor.

In the ILN concept, each node would include some number of “core” capabilities (e.g., seismic, heat flow, laser retro-reflectors) that would be extant on each station, reflecting prioritized lunar science goals articulated in the National Research Council’s study, “The Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon”. Individual nodes could and likely would carry additional, unique experiments to study local or global lunar science. Such experiments might include atmospheric and dust instruments, plasma physics investigations, astronomical instruments, electromagnetic profiling of lunar regolith and crust, local geochemistry, and in situ resource utilization demonstrations.
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Studies begin, studies end, and sometimes missions evolve, only time and money will tell.
Getting folks interested and invested in what is up there on and in the Moon should help us return.

Nice to know something about where you are going to park your Recreational Van and what resources you will have available.

If I dig in will the ground underneath get warmer or colder?
How easy to build an underground shelter and can I use the local materials?
Any geomagnetic disturbances and where did I leave that obelisk?
http://www.reelmoviecritic.com/2002/id1937.htm
http://cognitivelabs.com/clarke9.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darko666/3172222485/page2/
- 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
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International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) – Annual Report:2008

http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/isecg/ISECGAR08.pdf (45 pages, 448 KB)

The above link is for the 2008 Annual Report and contains a lot of information about who is doing what to develop space exploration.
- LRK -

Page 24 is the beginning of ANNEX I, which is the HIGHLIGHTS of SPACE AGENCIES’ EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES.
[Note - there are a number of pages left intentionally blank so less than 45 pages of reading. - LRK -]

More information on “Sustainable Space Exploration” below, with some of the players.
- 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
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ATWG - Aerospace Technology Working Group

Who they are.
- LRK -

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http://www.atwg.org/
Welcome
Welcome to the Aerospace Technology Working Group! We are a group of seasoned aerospace and other professionals who seek to further humanity’s exploration of space while simultaneously benefiting people on earth. We hold semi-annual and special forums to discuss and treat topics judged pertinent to developing a space-faring people. Using our substantial base of engineering and scientific expertise, we provide fee-based strategic and technical consulting, public speaking, and ATWG member teams to work specific targeted areas. Emphasis is on the use of systems engineering and system of systems engineering, while accounting for the broader effects on other industries, programs, the environment, and the day-to-day lives of this planet’s inhabitants. We collaborate actively with other space-related national and international organizations. We conduct our work using both conventional and advanced communication and computer methods.

We perform service work in the field of inspiring our youth to pursue science and technical education and work careers. Part of our mission is to mentor younger upcoming technical professionals. We provide opportunities for professionals retiring from the regular workforce to continue their interesting careers at their own pace and receive recompense for their efforts. Membership is open to professionals and professionals-to-be of any age.
snip
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I made mention of a paper that Buzz Aldrin participated in that was published by folks associated with the ATWG.

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http://www.spacerenaissance.org/papers/A_Unified_Space_Vision-Hsu-Buzz.pdf
Sustainable Space Exploration and Space Development - A Unified Strategic Vision
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I thought it might be interesting to see what these folks are doing.
- LRK -

They sponsored a book back in 2006, "Beyond Earth - The Future of Humans In Space".
http://www.atwg.org/book_info.htm

You might be interested in reading some of the reviews of the book on Amazon.com - LRK -.
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http://www.amazon.com/dp/1894959418
Product Description
Providing a foundation for space planners and anyone interested in human settlement in the solar system, this book theorizes about the near future, when the heretofore significant steps of humankind—traveling to the moon and building space stations—will be dwarved by new progress. Scholars and scientists raise and answer such questions as Why does space matter to us? What will ordinary life be like in space? and What will our homes be like on Mars or the Moon? This collection of findings by professionals documents important research, laying the bricks for space-faring civilizations and even consults future space-dwellers—kids—for their visions. Working from the assumption that humankind has a biological need to explore and improve the quality of life, the wide variety of contributors successfully argue that space as a future human habitat is not simply possible, but manifest.

snip
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I haven't read the book as yet. Maybe I could add it to the pile on the coffee table that I haven't read either. Where does the time go?
If you have looked at the book, let me know what you think of it.
- 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
==============================================================

NASA Creating Online Multiplayer Video Game

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http://www.livescience.com/space/090219-nasa-mmo.html
NASA Creating Online Multiplayer Video Game
By Jeremy Hsu, Staff Writer
posted: 19 February 2009 02:36 pm ET

Space explorers, ready your virtual engines — three game developers have signed on to create NASA's massively multiplayer online video game (MMO), called "Astronaut: Moon, Mars & Beyond."

NASA plans to let Virtual Heroes, Project Whitecard and Information in Place take the lead in creating a game that emphasizes fun first and foremost. The game community sent in 800 pages worth of responses to NASA's initial outreach on developing an MMO.

"The single biggest point that was pushed forward by the game community was that you have to let game design lead the development," said Daniel Laughlin, project manager for NASA Learning Technologies at the agency's Goddard Earth Science and Technology Center in Maryland. "It's easy to build a game that's no fun. It's hard to build a game that's successful and fun."
snip
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Check out the many comments on the link above. -- LRK -

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http://ipp.gsfc.nasa.gov/mmo/
After extensive review by internal and external experts, Learning Technologies and the Innovative Partnership Program Office have selected Project Whitecard, Information in Place and Virtual Heroes to move forward with the NASA MMO effort. We are currently in negotiations and will update the MMO site as we move forward. Also, we would like to thank everyone who participated and responded to this initiative.
snip
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Virtual Heroes:
http://www.virtualheroes.com/

Project Whitecard:
http://www.projectwhitecard.com/

Information in Place:
http://www.informationinplace.com/

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'S SHUTTLE DISCOVERY LAUNCHES TO FULLY POWER SPACE STATION

http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2009/mar/HQ_09-060_Discovery_launches.html

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http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html
STS-119 Latest News
Discovery in Orbit
Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:19:13 PM PDT
Space shuttle Discovery launched on-time at 7:43 p.m. EDT and NASA flight managers confirmed main engine cutoff. The shuttle has reached orbit, flying at 17,500 miles per hour.
snip
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Watched the launch on NASA web TV and on MSNBC cable TV.
Cable TV was about 40 seconds ahead of my computer viewing.

You can read about the the STS-119 mission here.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts119/119_overview.html
STS-119: A Final Station Power Up

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

International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) - Follow Up

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Global_Space_Exploration/index.html

Hubert Davis mentioned to Buzz Aldrin the last post about ISECG and Buzz sent me an e-mail with the subject - CALL. I did!
http://www.nss.org/about/bios/aldrin.html

We had a conversation about the need for global cooperation and Buzz was interested in seeing more information about the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG).

I told him I would see what I could find and to that end here are some more links about the history of ISECG and earlier meetings pertaining to International Cooperation for Sustainable Space Exploration.

I need to spend some more time reading the material and I thought you folks might like to do the same. It is important to have government space agencies working to promote the use of space.

There needs to be a viable commercial reason for going to space and having established government space agencies working together should help in promoting and paving the way to make it happen.

Developing our use of space exploration should be built on reasons that will sustain the effort in the long term and not just be a one time shot that would prove to be too expensive and shut down for lack of return on investment.

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/

International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG) - 3rd Meeting

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*** JAXA MAIL SERVICE ***
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
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Report of the 3rd Meeting of International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG)

March 13, 2009 (JST)
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

Representatives of ten space agencies from around the world met under the banner of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG).

The meeting was held on March 10-12, 2009 in Yokohama Japan, and was chaired by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). They adopted for further study three scenarios for conducting internationally coordinated robotic and human exploration activities on the Moon.

Report of the 3rd Meeting of International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG)
http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2009/03/20090313_isecg_e.html#at

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Sounds like a plan or at least some good beginnings.
- LRK -

Thanks for looking up with me.

Larry Kellogg

BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/
Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/