Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES)
PISCES is an international research and education center dedicated to the development, verification and validation of new technologies needed for operations on the Moon, Mars and beyond.
It was created in March 2007 by the twenty-fourth Hawai`i State Legislature (SB 907) and funded in June 2007. PISCES was conceived by the Japan-U.S. Science, Technology & Space Applications Program (JUSTSAP) under the auspices of the Office of Aerospace Development, Hawai’i State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism (DBEDT). JUSTSAP has now been transformed into the Pacific International Space Alliance (PISA). It is currently situated on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Hilo,
PISCES is built on partnerships between industry, private entrepreneurs, academia and the governmental agencies of space-faring nations of the world. Hawai`i has a unique geographic position being the center of the Pacific Rim which contains most of the worlds major space faring nations ((US, Canada, Russia, Japan, China and, by a small stretch, India). Even Europe is not too far away (and has tested here twice). Most have announce plans for Lunar missions and eventual bases. Hawai`i possesses the highest fidelity terrain and geochemical analogs to lunar and martian surfaces of anywhere in the world.
When it is fully developed, PISCES will feature a simulated lunar outpost (robotic and human) on the Island of Hawai’i (Moku `o Keawe), where research will be conducted and new technologies will be developed in harmony with of the unique natural resources of Hawai`i. Opportunities for student participation, internships, classes as well as important outreach with K-12 students will be undertaken. Here the public will be invited to experience first-hand what it will be like to live and work on the Moon and, eventually, on Mars. The PISCES prototype will help to “keep the dream alive” of lunar colonization and serve as a reminder that one day (soon) humanity will go back to the Moon to stay, hopefully in a peaceful international endeavor.
PISCES is leading the effort in the International Lunar Research Park concept by laying the foundations for integration, testing, validation and verification of technologies and systems for this exciting global project. Please visit our ILRP website.
PISCES is continuing the voyaging tradition of Hawai`i into space! Imua!
Be part of the team!
Please consider DONATING to this exciting world changing effort.
(All donations are fully tax deductable)
If you would like to volunteer your time or other resources, please contact us.
MAHALO NUI LOA!
Ad Astra per Luna. I ka Mahina!
These pages describe the mission, accomplishments, design competitions and current projects of PISCES. We invite you to browse them and send us comments or questions to our email. Thank you for visiting us.
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| Scarab with Neptec Tridar on Tweels, PISCES staff and students |
News
2012 PISCES Conference announced!
November 11-15, 2012
Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawai`i
28th National Space Synposium - April 16-19, 2012
at the Broadmoor Hotel, Colorado Sprigs, Colorado.
PISCES supports the Space Foundation and its efforts.
Please consider attending this important national conference, "the premier gathering of the global space community".
PISCES Sponsors Family Science Night with Derrick Pitts
PISCES in collaboration with the Journey Through the Universe program and UHH Black History Month along with the UHH Minority Access and Achievement Program presents noted astronomer and celebrity Derrick Pitts of the Franklin Institute, Philadelphia. Derrick's talk will be "The New Space Race: Astronomy and Space Exploration on the Edge of Tomorrow"
Derrick will be joined by Brian Day of the NASA Lunar Science Institute who will speak on "The New Moon" featuring recent results from LCROSS, LRO and the upcoming LADEE mission.
Wed. March 7, 2012 on UHH campus, Science and Technology Bldg, Room 108, 6-9pm. Click here for flyer
PISCES Sponsors LSA 2
Flexure Engineering is hosting the second Lunar Superconductor Applications Conference (LSA 2) "Instruments, Observations, and Opportunities at the Lunar Poles" on March 15-16, 2012 in Houston, Texas
The single most important discovery in Lunar science is the confirmation of icy volatiles at the Lunar poles. This not only makes the Moon an exciting destination in its own right, but the Lunar poles are a Rosetta Stone for cryogenic chemistry and physics throughout the solar system and beyond.
Click here for more info.
PISCES Cooperating Org for ASCE Earth And Space 2012
The American Society of
Civil Engineers (ASCE) will hold the 13th ASCE Aerospace Division
Conference on Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Challenging
Environments "Engineering for Extreme Environments" on April 15-18,
2012.
The Earth & Space 2012 Conference will unite engineers from all
corners of the world to tackle the issues facing construction and
operations in challenging environments, space exploration, and
sustainable development on earth, in space, and other planetary bodies.
Click here for more info.
PTMSS 2012
3rd
Annual Joint SRR/PTMSS will be held in Golden, Colorado
Monday June 4 - Thursday June 7, 2012
The purpose of this conference is to promote a closer relationship between
the space and mining sectors. The intent is to allow
mining experts to network with space scientists and
engineers, to share knowledge, and to foster
collaboration.
The focus of the conference will be solid planet sciences. Topics will be limited to the science and technology of exploring and exploiting resources on Earth as well as on other planetary bodies, such as the moon, Mars, asteroids, comets, etc.
The Planetary and Terrestrial Mining Sciences Symposium will be held jointly with the Space Resources Roundtable (SRR) for 2012. For additional information on SRR click here.
PISCES hosts NASA Lunar Rovers.
During the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Conference
held Nov. 7-13, 2011, NASA collaborated with the PISCES to
share the excitement of exploration and robotics technology with
elementary school children and even some APEC delegates.
At the conference, PISCES set up a booth for APEC delegates to view
real-time educational demonstrations of NASA rovers at a Lunar/Mars
analog site on Hawaii's Big Island. The rovers, developed by the NASA
Lunar Science Institute’s Exploration Uplink Project at NASA Ames
Research Center Moffett Field, Calif., were driven remotely by children
in Hawaiian schools. Click here for details.