Russia, Not NASA, Planning Moon Outposts

Russia rekindles Moon exploration program, intends setting up first human outposts there
  by Staff Writers

Moscow (Voice of Russia) Apr 06, 2013

Illustration only

Having on hand an impressive record of successful moon missions performed when it was the Soviet Union, Russia has set to revive a robotic moon exploration program. The country's serious intentions were unveiled during a microsymposium that took place in Texas in March.

Speaking at the event, Igor Mitrofanov of the Institute for Space Research (IKI) in Moscow claimed that Russian space scientists were scripting a new plan to reconnect with the moon.

 According to Mitrofanov, the renewed program would allow setting up outposts for humans on the moon, which in the long run would make Mars journeys more attainable.

More - Link >>> http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Russia_rekindles_Moon_exploration_program_intends_setting_up_first_human_outposts_there_999.html

Sources: Space-Travel.com , SpaceDaily.com .

US Won't Lead New Manned Moon Landings, NASA Chief Says

by Miriam Kramer, SPACE.com Staff Writer

Date: 08 April 2013 Time: 01:41 PM ET

Carito James sends in a photo of the full moon over Katy, TX, submitted March 28, 2013. CREDIT: Carito James

NASA chief Charles Bolden says the space agency won't be sending astronauts to land on the moon any time soon, according to press reports.

The U.S. space agency won't lead the way back to the moon in the foreseeable future in order to maintain its focus on manned missions to an asteroid, and eventually Mars, Bolden said during a joint meeting of the Space Studies Board and the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board last Thursday (April 4), according to a SpacePolitics.com report by Jeff Foust.

"NASA will not take the lead on a human lunar mission," Foust quoted Bolden as saying. "NASA is not going to the moon with a human as a primary project probably in my lifetime. And the reason is, we can only do so many things."

Instead, he said the focus would remain on human missions to asteroids and to Mars. "We intend to do that, and we think it can be done," Bolden said.

Bolden's comments on new manned moon missions came in response to a suggestion that the scientific community, as a whole, is not enthusiastic about pushing ahead with a manned mission to an asteroid by 2025 — an idea endorsed by President Barack Obama in 2010.

More - Link >>> http://www.space.com/20557-nasa-moon-missions-bolden.html

Source: Space.com .

gaw

Glenn A. Walsh, Project Director,
Friends of the Zeiss < http://friendsofthezeiss.org >
Electronic Mail - < gawalsh@planetarium.cc >
About the Author: < http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#GAW >
SPACE & SCIENCE NEWS, ASTRONOMICAL CALENDAR:
< http://buhlplanetarium.tripod.com/#news >
Twitter: < https://twitter.com/spacewatchtower >
Facebook: < http://www.facebook.com/pages/SpaceWatchtower/238017839577841?sk=wall >
Blog: < http://spacewatchtower.blogspot.com/ >
Author of History Web Sites on the Internet --
* Buhl Planetarium, Pittsburgh:
  < http://www.planetariu p.m. m.cc >
* Adler Planetarium, Chicago:
  < http://adlerplanetarium.tripod.com >
* Astronomer, Educator, Optician John A. Brashear:
  < http://johnbrashear.tripod.com >
* Andrew Carnegie & Carnegie Libraries:
  < http://www.andrewcarnegie.cc >
* Civil War Museum of Andrew Carnegie Free Library:
  < http://garespypost.tripod.com >
* Duquesne Incline cable-car railway, Pittsburgh:
  < http://inclinedplane.tripod.com >
* Public Transit:
  < http://andrewcarnegie2.tripod.com/transit >