NASA considers American Student Moon Orbiter

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by William Atkins

Thursday, 03 July 2008

Page 1 of 2 ! The ASMO (American Student Moon Orbiter) concept would be a series of student-led projects geared to provide space exploration experience to students at universities. NASA is asking universities to let them know if their students are interested in helping the United States explore the Moon. Related stories Worms in space: NASA confirms International Space Station infected GLAST renamed Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope NASA announces Atlantis roll out to launch pad for Hubble mission NASA reports rocket explosion on Wallops Island August 20: First space pets come home and Voyager 2 launched NASA announced on July 2, 2008, that they are considering the development of the university-based, student-directed ASMO lunar exploration project. According to NASA’s ASMO website, “Initially championed by the NASA Office of Education and the NASA Ames Research Center, the American Student Moon Orbiter (ASMO) concept would offer, to next generation explorers, unique opportunities for hands-on involvement in U.S. space exploration.” [NASA: “ASMO”] The ASMO satellite would be a small, 400-pound (180-kilogram) satellite placed in a highly elliptic Frozen Lunar Orbit (FLO) about the Moon. (FLOs are various low-altitude orbits about the Moon where satellites can remain almost indefinitely.) The satellite would carry scientific instruments designed and developed by students. In addition, lunar exploration activities would be performed by the students based on these instruments. The website continues, “As such, there are numerous opportunities for ASMO to serve as a valuable data gathering mission and technology demonstration that could enhance understanding of the lunar environment and advance the small satellite field.” To respond to the ASMO project go to the NASA website: http://asmo.arc.nasa.gov . The “Request for Information” will be available later in July and will remain available for students, faculty, and industry leaders for at least ninety days, now set to end on September 30, 2008. Learn more about NASA's Requests for Information about this lunar student-based concept. Please read further. << First page <   1 2 Next page > Last page - Post your comment >>

 

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