March 8-14, 2021 / Vol 40, No 10 / Hawai`i Island, USA

Robust Schedule of International 2021 / 2022 Moon Landings Ahead

Legacy space powers Russia and USA are engaged in a Moon race redux: Luna-25, set to launch Oct 1 from Vostochny, may be first mission to land in Moon South Pole region (Boguslavsky crater, 69.55°S, 43.54°E) if adherent to given timetable. USA CLPS providers are to follow closely – Astrobotic Peregrine is ostensibly to launch to Lacus Mortis (44°N, 25°E) in July, pending ULA Vulcan Centaur flight readiness, while Intuitive Machines Nova-C planned touchdown in Vallis Schröteri (24.5°N, 50.5°W) is anticipated to occur in October, with nominal launch via SpaceX scheduled just 9 days after Luna-25. Peregrine manifest lists 14 NASA and 16 independent payloads, including rovers from Dymon of Japan (Yaoki) and Spacebit of UK (Asagumo). Nova-C is to carry 5 NASA payloads, including FARSIDE precursor ROLSES and 5 independent payloads, including International Lunar Observatory Association precursor ILO-X. JAXA is aiming for an early 2022 launch of Smart Lander for Investigating Moon to Mare Nectaris (13.3°S, 25.2°E) – the mission is to test precision landing technologies, and is riding in tandem with XRISM space observatory on an H-2A rocket. ISRO intends to repeat Moon landing attempt with Chandrayaan-3 (70.9°S, 22.8°E) with similar mission configuration sans orbiter. Commercial outfits iSpace (M1) and Masten (XL-1) also have 2022 landings in the works, and China Chang’e-6 in 2022 is not out of the question. (Image Credits: Roscosmos, JAXA, NASA, Masten Space Systems, Intuitive Machines, Astrobotic, ispace, ISRO)

MONDAY

Highlights…
Mar 8 — ISS, ~405-km LEO: Expedition 64 seven-member crew working to install new double membrane Paragon Brine Processing System with goal of 98% water recycling, configuring Spaceborne Computer-2 for in situ processing of space data.

Mar 8 — NewSpace: Rocket Lab to build medium-lift, possibly human-rated Neutron rocket; Elon Musk wants Boca Chica renamed ‘Starbase‘, plans to build Starlink factory in Austin TX; Astra to loft 6 NASA TROPICS satellites with US$7.95M contract; Orbital Assembly Corporation plans for von Braun-style space hotel by 2027.

Mar 8 — Solar System: NIAC $125K studies include FARSIDE lunar radio observatory, interstellar object intercept mission; new study from ETH Zurich and Naval Observatory shows Deimos and Phobos origins may be from one source; novel ‘Starshade’ craft proposed to fly in formation with Roman Space Telescope.

Mar 8 — Galaxy: University of Paris studying multiple active galactic nuclei jets; 3 gas exoplanets orbiting red giants being monitored by Nicolaus Copernicus University researchers; research suggests 2 types of primordial supernovae are origin of planetary substance; JWST undergoes 17-day, comprehensive systems test.

Mar 8 — Global: Roscosmos begins designs for 2029 Venera-D orbiter; Australian Space Agency preparing for 11th Space Forum, Deputy Head Anthony Murfett outlines for 2021; Indonesia SATRIA broadband satellite (150Gbps) development by Thales Alenia continues with $545M cash infusion.

Mar 8 — USA: Supportive comments, actions by New USA Admin may keep Artemis Program on course, with adjusted timeline; NASA HQ now officially Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters in honor of ‘Hidden Figures’ innovator; Scott McLaughlin to lead Spaceport America.

Mar 8 — Hawai’i: ATLAS on Mauna Kea / Haleakala detects Comet-esque centaur in vicinity of Trojans; NAOJ 4,000-universe simulation may reduce needed inflation theory verification data during SuMIRe Subaru Telescope survey by 90%; UH grad student Anna Payne receives Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Award for classification of flare-emanating galaxy ESO 253-3.

= All times

for terrestrial events in local time unless noted.

= All times for international terrestrial events in local time unless noted.

= All times for space events, and…

= All times for international space / astro events in Hawaii Standard Time unless noted. Add 10 hours to obtain UT (‘Universal Time’).

Weekly Planet Watch – Evening Planets: Mars (W), Uranus (W); Morning Planets: Mercury (SE), Jupiter (SE), Saturn (SE).

LRA Institute Hosts Meeting on Increasing Space Debris and Solutions

Learn, Reach, Achieve (LRA) Institute of Greenwood Village CO is hosting The Space Disposal and Debris Mitigation Conference March 9-10 online from 09:00-16:00 CST each day. For nearly 35 years, LRA provides training and education to professionals in aerospace, communications and technology industries. This meeting will focus on space deorbit methods, FCC and FAA mission reentry policies, deorbit technologies design techniques, constellation launch complexities and deorbiting project costs. Some of the 16 listed speakers are (L-R) Ted Muelhaupt (Aerospace Corp. Center for Orbital and Reentry Debris), Holger Krag (ESA Space Safety Programme Office), Robert Hoyt (Tethers Unlimited), Andy Titterton (NG), David Goldstein (SpaceX), Alex da Silva Curiel (Surrey), Jer Chyi Liou (NASA), Jeff Foust (Space News), and Charity Weeden (Astroscale). It is estimated there are 1 million pieces of space junk larger than 1 cm and 6,000 satellites (60% of which are defunct) currently circling Earth. With proposals for thousands of new satellites to be added to LEO, some with relatively short lifetimes of 5 years – tracking, removal and collision avoidance technologies need to advance rapidly. Terminator Tape, Clearspace, Roll Out Composite FCC Approved Life Limit Deorbit Device (ROC-FALL), DeOrbitSail are deorbiting platforms, while the NG ‘Mission Extension Vehicles’ service could dock and provide propulsion and attitude control for existing satellites. Upcoming LRA Courses include April 29 ‘NewSpace Finance & Investment’ and June 22-23 ‘Fundamentals of Space Communications’. (Image Credits: LRA, Tethers Unlimited, ESA, Roccor, Surrey)

 Mar 8 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink V1.0-L20, LC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS FL: Falcon 9 to launch next batch of ~60 satellites for SpaceX Starlink broadband network; 22:20 EST.

Mar 8-12 — University of Leiden, Dutch Research Council, Online / Leiden, The Netherlands: Workshop: Clash of the Titans – The Enigmatic Role of Mergers in Galaxy Evolution; with Marc Huertas-Company (Paris Observatory), Sara Ellison (University of Victoria), Christopher Conselice (University of Manchester), Lingyu Wang (SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research).

Mar 8 — Amor Asteroid 2021 DL: Near-Earth Flyby (0.030 AU)

Continued From…

NET Early 2021 — ISRO, Launch SSLV / Demonstration Launch, Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India: New Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) to launch on first orbital test flight.

NET Mar — International Astronautical Federation, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), Online: IAC 2021 Press Conference; providing updates for 72nd IAC being held Oct 25-29.

Mar 6-13 — AIAA, Online / Big Sky MT: 42nd IEEE Aerospace Conference 2021.

TUESDAY

Mar 9 — Bournemouth Natural Science Society, Institute of Physics South Central Branch, Online / United Kingdom: Lecture: Meteors; with speaker Steve Bosley from Hampshire Astronomy Group.

Mar 9-10 — PSW, ASTech, Proximum Group, ESA, Lockheed Martin, et al, Online / Paris, France: Paris Space Week.

Mar 9-10 — LRA (Learn, Reach, Achieve) Institute, Online / Greenwood Village CO: The Space Disposal and Debris Mitigation Conference; with representatives from NASA, ESA, SpaceX, NG, FCC, Aerospace Corp, Space News, Tethers Unlimited, FAA, others.

Mar 9-12 — University College London, University of Leicester, University of Vienna, et al, Online: Virtual Meeting: Exoplanet Atmosphere Characterization – from HST and Spitzer to JWST.

Mar 9 — Moon: 3.6° SE of Saturn, 15:00.

WEDNESDAY

Mar 10 — Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, Mars Orbit: NASA spacecraft enters 15 full years / begins 16th year in Mars orbit today, continues to study seasonal changes on planet circling at 300-km near-polar orbit; launched Aug 12, 2005, entered orbit Mar 10, 2006.

Mar 10 — SETI Institute, Foothill College Science, Astronomical Society of the Pacific, University of California Observatories, Online / Mountain View CA: Lecture: Lick Observatory During Pandemics – 1918 and 2020; by Lick Observatory Astronomer Dr. Elinor Gates, 19:00 PST.

Mar 10 — International Astronautical Federation, Online / Paris, France: GNF Space Conversations Series Session: Moon Village Association, Latest Developments: 14:00-15:00 CET.

Mar 10 — National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Online / Washington DC: Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032 – Panel on Small Solar System Bodies Meeting #8; and Panel on Venus Meeting #12.

Mar 10 — Moon: 3.9° SE of Jupiter, 08:00; with Mercury and Jupiter within circle of diameter 5.33°, 12:00; 3.5° SE of Mercury, 18:00.

Mar 10 — Neptune: At conjunction with Sun, 14:00.

Mar 10 — Apollo Asteroid 2021 CF6: Near-Earth Flyby (0.011 AU)

Mar 10 — Apollo Asteroid 535844 (2015 BY310): Near-Earth Flyby (0.036 AU)

THURSDAY

Mar 11 — JPL, Caltech, NASA, Online / Pasadena CA: von Kármán Lecture Series 2021: Helicopters in Space; with Nikki Wyrick, Sarah Marcotte, Farah Alibay and Timothy Canham from NASA/JPL; 19:00 PST.

FRIDAY

Mar 12 — CNSA, Launch Long March 7A / XJY 6, Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Center, Hainan Island, China: Long March 7A rocket to launch classified satellite XJY 6 on second flight of Long March 7A variant.

Mar 12 — Royal Astronomical Society, Online / London, United Kingdom: Space weather and the solid Earth: the hazard to technology at the Earth’s surface.

Mar 12 — National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Online / Washington DC: Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032 – Panel on Mercury and the Moon Meeting #12 and Panel on Ocean Worlds and Dwarf Planets Meeting #19.

Mar 12 — Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences, University of Arkansas, Online / Fayetteville AR: The Search for Habitable Conditions in the Solar System: The case for Mars and Titan; seminar by assistant research professor Vincent Chevrier, free and open to public, 15:30-16:30.

Mar 12 — Moon: 3.6° SE of Venus, 18:00; with Venus and Neptune within circle of diameter 3.90°, 20:00; 3.9° SE of Neptune, 21:00.

SATURDAY

Mar 13 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink V1.0-L21, LC-39, KSC FL: Falcon 9 to launch 22nd batch of ~60 satellites for SpaceX Starlink broadband network.

Mar 13 — Moon: New Moon, 00:22.

Mar 13 — Mercury: At aphelion, 0.4667 AU from Sun, 16:00.

Mar 13 — Venus: 0.37° SE of Neptune, 19:00.

SUNDAY

Mar 14 — ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter, Mars Orbit: ESA and Roscosmos spacecraft reaches 5 full years / enters 6th year in space today, launched Mar 2016, entered Mars orbit Oct 2016; craft collecting data on atmosphere, deployed Schiaparelli demonstration lander 19 Oct 2016 (unsuccessful).

Mar 14 — dearMoon, SpaceX, Online: Pre-registration due date to apply for 1 of 8 crewmember spots for private 2023 lunar orbit mission.

Mar 14 — Pi Day: Worldwide science events celebrate Pi (Greek letter “π”), the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant – the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter (~3.14159).

Mar 14 — Daylight Saving Time (USA): Set clock ahead 1 hour; does not include Hawai’i, American Samoa or Arizona (except the Navajo Reservation).

Mar 14 — Gamma Normids Meteor Shower Peak: Meteors offer up to 6 per hour in deep-southern Milky Way appearing to radiate from star Gamma2 Normae in the constellation Norma.