International Lunar Observatory Association News

Volume 2, Issue 5 – September-October 2007 – Hawai‘i Island

International Lunar Observatory Association Founders Meeting 4-8 November in Hawai‘i to Set Precedent, Direction and Inspiration for New Generation of Lunar Missions

"Two Worlds, Two Missions, Three Directorates" is the theme of the International Lunar Observatory Association Founders Meeting, set for 4-8 November at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott on Hawai‘i Island, USA. Confirmed leaders or their representatives in Government Space / Astronomy Agencies and Commercial Space Enterprise from Canada, India, China, Japan, Europe, Russia and the USA will meet to discuss actionable steps towards a 2010 ILO landing date and a follow-on human service mission. The ILOA Founders Meeting Announcement 2.1 and Preliminary Agenda 3.0 are now available at iloa.org offering updated information on the mission of ILOA and details of the Founders Meeting.

Hyderabad – India's hosting of the 58th IAC 24-28 September provided ILOA Acting Directors Steve Durst and Charles Bohannan many opportunities to explain and advance the ILO mission, as well as a full appreciation for India and its talented and enjoyable people. ILOA private scheduled meetings (including ILO prime contractor SpaceDev Inc's engineer) with top India ISRO space leaders saw substantive progress and future plans put in motion. China space agency CNSA's director was directly briefed on ILO potential for China-America cooperation to and on the Moon. From Canada, as well as Korea and the Czech Republic, old friends and new showed continuing interest and support for the ILO and ILOA, and the official, formal ILOA paper presentation to IAC Session B3.6A.09 was received enthusiastically by the session and its ESA leader coordinator.

The ILOA Founders Meeting Preliminary Session in Hyderabad also attracted the attention of the India media, which interviewed Durst and Bohannan about the ILOA "Put Your Name on the Moon" endorsement campaign. The broadcast was consequently picked up by other India TV stations and newspapers, which have to date generated over 1,600 endorsements from enthusiastic India nationals eager to support this universal mission. Endorse the ILOA now at iloa.org/endorse.

Since the recent announcement of the Google Lunar X Prize, the ILOA (already with a high- profile lunar mission in the developmental stage) has received several invitations to join the competition or to partner with other teams. The ILOA has no plans for developing a rover, yet is considering potential collaborations with Lunar X Prize teams.

The 5th International Lunar Observatory feasibility / developmental contract between ILOA and SpaceDev is progressing smoothly. In late August SpaceDev presented its phase 5 Design Review, and the ILO 1/6 scale model is now completed and ready for presentation at the November Founders Meeting.

The 9th ILEWG International Conference on Exploration and Utilization of the Moon in Sorrento, Italy 22-26 October will provide Europe's Scientific and Commercial Space community with an opportunity to participate in the ILOA's exciting mission. ILOA will give both Oral and Poster presentations, and is considering a Preliminary Founders Meeting during the Conference.

ILOA outreach and cooperation with Hawai‘i Island astronomy / space community is advancing as members of Canada France Hawai‘i Telescope, Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES) and University of Hawai‘i at Hilo have confirmed their participation at the ILOA Founders Meeting. ILOA Acting Director Steve Durst will also give a presentation on the ILOA at the First Annual PISCES conference to be held in Hilo Hawai‘i immediately after the ILOA Founders Meeting.

The new generation of lunar missions is underway with Japan's Kaguya now orbiting the Moon, and China's Chang'e 1 set to launch later this month, with orbiters from India and the USA to follow next year. ILOA intends to accelerate this lunar focused momentum by being one of the first in this new generation to successfully land and operate a scientific / commercial, robotic device on the surface of the Moon.

The highly anticipated Second Edition of The Moon: Resources, Future Development, and Settlement is due for release in 2008. The comprehensive book by David Schrunk, Burton Sharpe, Bonnie Cooper and Madhu Thangavelu includes an extensive report on the mission of ILOA.

Ad Astra, Aloha