Lunar Conferences Observe 1st Moon Landing, Work To Achieve Next Generation Of Moonworkers

Thirty-nine years after first stepping foot on the Moon and more than 35 years since its last visit, humanity is busy preparing to once again explore Earth's closest neighbor. Two conferences this week coincide with the 39th observance on Jul 20 of Apollo 11 – the start of humanity as a multi-world species. The first is 'NewSpace 2008,' the Space Frontier Foundation's annual meeting, on Jul 17-19 near Washington DC. Space enterprise will be the dominant theme of the event, encompassing commercial opportunities within the NASA Vision for Space Exploration (VSE), COTS, entrepreneurial start-ups, space policy, and in-situ resource utilization. Then, on Jul 20-23, the newly established Lunar Science Institute (NLSI) at NASA Ames Research Center will host the first 'NLSI Lunar Science Conference' in Moffett Field CA. The symposium will begin on the 20th with a public event celebrating the Apollo 11 Moon landing by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on Jul 20, 1969 – the first humans on another world. The workshop will closely examine the full spectrum of science opportunities of, on, and from the Moon, including NASA's upcoming LRO / LCROSS robotic lunar mission expected to launch in Nov. The conference will also feature a Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) community meeting on the 22nd. The goal of the meeting is to help NASA and its international partners maximize the scientific return during robotic and human surface exploration to support lunar base buildout. (Credit: NASA / SPC)

Four events this week in Brazil highlight the country's continued efforts to strengthen its space program, and emerge as a major spacefaring power. On Jul 17, Brazil will be commemorating 20 years of the CBERS (China-Brazil Earth Research Satellite) Program during the '60th Annual Reunion of the Brazilian Society for the Progress of Science' at the University of Campinas in Sao Paulo. The event will include expositions of images from the satellite (CR), one of its cameras, lectures and roundtables. Also taking place this week in Sao Paulo is the 'GEO Summit Latin America 2008.' It is being held to present the new principles and tendencies in the areas of agricultural monitoring, cartography, and remote sensing to professionals, users and producers of applied geoinformation. Two other events this week aim at helping to rebuild Brazil's space agency (AEB) and scientific community that was devastated in the 2003 Alcantara Launch Center (BR) explosion. The 'Seminar of Scientific Initiation of INPE 2008' will feature final research presentations of the winners of last year's scholarships of Scientific Initiation in the National Institute of Space Research (INPE), and the awarding of next years scholarships. INPE is also providing an introductory course in astronomy this week for University educators and students. The course aims to help professors rethink how they present the science to their students, and inspire graduate students to pursue careers in the field. Brazil launched its first rocket into space in 2004 and Marcos Pontes (TR) became the first Brazil astronaut after traveling to the ISS in 2006. (Credit: AEB, INPE)