Gillis-Davis 12-2019

St. Louis Astronomical Society Meeting - The Travel Moon: Returning to the Moon, Our Destiny of Tomorrow

An illustrated presentation by Professor Jeffrey Gillis-Davis, Washington University in St. Louis

International Observe the Moon night (Oct 15th) and The Full Travel Moon (the Hunter's Moon, Oct 20th) both happen in October. Gazing up at the Moon unifies humankind and triggers our species' endless curiosity and innate desire to explore. This talk will explain how upcoming robotic missions through Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) will investigate the Moon. The science from these missions will reveal knowledge not only about the Moon but also our place in space. These missions will pave the way for the Artemis future crewed landings. The Artemis program will employ international cooperation to achieve a sustainable and robust presence on and around the Moon. 

Dr. Gillis-Davis is a Research Professor of Physics and Fellow of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences at Washington University. Prior to joining the Physics research faculty in 2018, for fifteen years, he worked at the University of Hawaii. His research there involved data from NASA’s MESSENGER mission, which orbited Mercury, and radar data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission. Dr. Gillis-Davis conducts experiments to understand how the surfaces of airless bodies change with exposure to the space environment. Such improved understanding makes it possible to interpret remote sensing data better. 

The St. Louis Astronomical Society is an organization for individuals interested in astronomy and telescopes. The public is invited to attend its meetings, telescope observing sessions, and special events. For more information about Astronomical Society events, please visit www.slasonline.org or call 314- 962-9231.  The event, cosponsored by NASA's Missouri Space Grant Consortium at Washington University, is open to the public free of charge.

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