Posted on 07/19/2013 6:46:01 PM PDT by Windflier
There might not be a man on the moon right now—but there may soon be a gazing eye. A new private venture aims to build a long-range telescope on our planet's little satellite, and it could happen as soon 2016.
A partnership between Moon Express, Inc. and the International Lunar Observatory Association is all set to install the telescope on the humble lump of rock. The plan is to position the 2-meter dish antenna, known as the International Lunar Observatory, on the rim of a crater near the moon’s South pole.
The first step will be a proof-of-concept mission, which will see the partnership take a shoebox-sized device called ILO-X to the moon in 2015. If that's successful, the full-size telescope will follow early the next year.
The aim of the project is to provide new views of the universe—but the plan is to democratize star gazing, too. Data from the telescopes will be made freely available online for use by citizen scientists. But don't be entirely taken in by the good vibes—Moon Express admits that it's going to explore the area around the South pole for minerals and water while it's at it, too.
Well said, my friend.
I believe the dish is for radioing the data stream of digital images from the lander back to earth.
The image in the article prominently features the dish antenna on top of the lunar lander, but doesn't show the actual telescope. The specs for that are here: https://app.box.com/ilox-faq
Liberalism is truly a mental disorder. It's literally a suicidal mindset.
You bet, SC. My pleasure!
No, the Space Treaty is still in force for the signatories. Further - and why this will never be done by private enterprise located in one of those countries - is that any tech, and finding, and anything at all used in such a venture must be turned in its entirety over to the UN’s governing Space body.
In other words no one, no company can make a profit or use proprietary tech.
The exception is, of course, to have a company headquartered in a non-signatory country, or be a non-signatory country like China ...
There isn’t any room left there.
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What with all the Bilderberg bases launching crop circle operations with unlimited Taurus energy for the truly enlightened ?
Yes. And don’t forget their “People of Walmart” breeding and cloning facilities. Plus the vaults for all the gold from Fort Knox, etc. I hear the only thing they keep in Fort Knox now is the Loc-Nar.
Thanks, with all the schenes surfacing lately I’d wondered.
The most important thing for an enterprise on the Moon is, of course, weaponry.
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