21/7 2009
I am very happy about the event yesterday. Almost 200 persons turned up, despite competition from the artist Roger Pontare performing at the church simultaneously. I will put up links to media coverage, and some photos by the team during the day:

http://karlskoga-kuriren.se/nyheter/lanet/1.511920

20/7 2009 (Moonlanding 40 year anniversary)
Inauguration of the moon-mine project. See the preliminary program, which has just been updated. The installation of the water pump has been checked, rechecked and they are working, a temporary auditorium set up in the huge old beneficiation plant building, parking spaces have been marked, coffee, home made bread and hotdogs will be served, there's even a portable toilet being set up. In brief, all stations are go, houston, we do NOT have a problem. The exact location of the mine is (N 59° 30.30’, E ), and there will be signs showing the way from road 244 between Nora and Gyttorp,just north of Örebro. There will be an item about the inauguration and 40th anniversary of the moon landing in the local paper, NA, the local radio will do an interview at 11.00, and the program starts at 15.00. very welcome any last minute planner as well as those that are already set to go!

7/7 2009
Maria Aldrin, one of Buzz Aldrin's Swedish relatives, will attend the inauguration, making the first footprint in lunar regolith soil simulant for the new project. The soil that will be used for the footprint is FJS-1, donated for the purpose by the Japanese building company Shimizu Corporation.

7/7 2009
Moulinsart s.a. denied permission to create a Tintin-Centre: "For this kind of project, Moulinsart want to provide a work in the respect of the Work of Hergé. And yet, with the recent opening of The Hergé Museum, Moulinsart cannot be involved in other projects, even if these projects are very interesting."

 Thus, we are currently looking for an alternative theme that can be used to distinguish the Science centre, providing a focus point for science and space interested youth visitors. The domain www.moon-tintin.com will not be renewed.

17/6 2009
First version of the program for our celebration of the 40th anniversary of first moon landing and inauguration of the moon-mine project published.

18/5 2009
The application for permission to pump water out of the mine and into the creek where water exits the mine has been resubmitted to the environmental authorities at Länsstyrelsen.

11/5 2009
An description (in swedish) of the plans for emptying the mine has been sent for comments to the neighbours close to the tiny creek that will lead the water into the lake, and the five persons having wells for geothermal heating in the area.

4/5 2009
Moon-Mine will be going to Gothemburg! Well, not the mine, just me. I gave a short presentation for the science fair Vetenskapsfestivalen (Nordstan, vid Åhlens, bakom turistbyrån) at 16.00-16.15, and a longer, a bit more technical and detailed (poster, slides, in Swedish) at Chalmers Aerospace Club (Vasa A) at 18.00-19.00.

22/4 2009
I attended a meeting with the local Leader action group presenting the status of work within the "Tintin Centre". The idea is to have a visitor centre themed on Tintins travel to the moon, including "the lab of Professor Calculus", control centre and a "Moon surface" area for exploration and experiencing the moon from the point of view of Hergé, the creator of Tintin. Liaison with Studios Hergé-Moilinsart keeping the copyrights of the works of Hergé has been initiated.

2/4 2009
I was interviewed for Radio Örebro about the Moon-Mine. An extract of the interview can be listened to at SVT's webradio.

30/3 2009
The results from the water analysis has arrived (see photo1 & 2). The water is (as expected) fit to drink, but with a minor remark that it contains elevated amounts of iron (also as expected) and manganese (not expected, but not really surprising either). Both these metals may be detrimental to piping in the long term, by clogging, and may miscolour laundry. The water has enough flouride for good teeth protection.

17/3 2009
I climbed down the mine shaft today and secured a bottle of water (see photos). The water was distributed on smaller bottles sent for analysis before we start pumping.

11/3 2009
The facebook "cause" Moon-mine was created today: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/242474/12841564?m=8267094b

11/3 2009
Prestudy "Tintin Centre" approved for funding by Leader Bergslagen.

9/3 2009
Bottles and cooling clamps for water sampling arrived today. Will be going down the shaft to collect water during the week, I hope.

4/3 2009
We received a small grant for performing a feasibility study for a "Tintin-centre" in connection to the moon-mine. Focus will of course be on Tintin's travel to the Moon.  The study will include making 3D sketches of the mine buildings, suggest interior design and activities, coordinate with Tintin Centres otherwhere in the world and generally investigete associated costs and regional interest for such a centre.