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London, Canada (SPX) Jun 30, 2010 Western professor Gordon Osinski (Earth Sciences, Physics AND Astronomy) is leading a Canadian science team in developing a robotic arm that will potentially be used by NASA to obtain rock samples from the moon. The MoonRise project (Lunar South Pole-Aitken Basin Sample Return Mission), led by Washington University (St.Louis, MO) professor Bradley Jolliff, is one of three contracts awarded from The Canadian Space Agency to develop three different concept studies for Canada's participation in NASA's New Frontiers program - the next space mission to another celestial body in our solar system. Under these contracts (valued at $500 000 each), participants will work with international science teams to develop preliminary designs for three proposed missions, one of which will be selected by NASA for launch in the 2016-18 timeframe. "The selection process for missions like New Frontiers is highly competitive. It is a testament to Canadian talent that our industry and academic community are part of all three candidates for the mission," says Canadian Space Agency President Steve MacLean. "No matter which proposal wins, it is significant that Canada is in a position to play a highly visible and vital role in the final mission." Under Osinski and Jolliff's project, MDA (MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates Ltd.) will develop the conceptual design for the 2.4-metre robotic arm would probe the largest impact basin on the moon and return samples to Earth for study. This region of the moon's far side is believed to harbour rocks excavated from the moon's deep crust, and could provide new insights into the early bombardment history of the inner solar system and the formation of planetary crusts. NASA will select a winning proposal from the three candidates in mid-2011.
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The Earth From The MoonTempe AZ (SPX) Jun 25, 2010 All cameras are susceptible to scattered light. You may have seen scattered light in pictures you have taken looking towards the Sun. Sunlight reflects off the optics and sometimes off the structure of the lens, and often appears as a gradient of brightness across the image. Attaching a baffle to your camera, like we did with the LROC Wide and Narrow Angle Cameras, can minimize this effect. ... read more |
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