May 1-7, 2023 / Vol 42, No 18 / Hawai`i Island, USA

Artemis Accords and ILRS Dual Membership: Considerations

23-nation Artemis coalition of Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, South Korea, Romania, Rwanda, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and United States advancing harmonious space exploration via activity norms building on Outer Space Treaty of 1967. Formally expressed in document Principles for Cooperation in the Civil Exploration and Use of the Moon, Mars, Comets, and Asteroids for Peaceful Purposes, the Artemis Accords also serve as organizational network for the Artemis program – currently progressing towards human Moon missions Artemis 2 (NASA Astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and CSA-ASC Astronaut Jeremy Hansen to flyby Moon NET Nov 2024) and Artemis 3 (4-member TBA crew orbit / 2-member landing party NET Dec 2025). With similar aims of peaceful development of the Moon for science, exploration, and eventual human habitation, International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) aims to first establish a permanent robotic presence in the South Pole region of the Moon. ILRS is “open to all interested countries and international partners,” and anchor nations China and Russia are making overtures to Venezuela, Brazil (already an Artemis signatory) and other BRICS nations to join in the effort. India, South Africa, South East Asia, Europe (including Ukraine), and independent ventures may consider joining both Artemis and ILRS, in the spirit of truly global human collaboration in space and on the Moon. (Image Credits: NASA, CNSA)

MONDAY

☆ May 1 — International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: Expedition 69 seven-member crew continuing spacewalks / equipment reconfigurations; next visitors planned to be 4 members of Axiom-2; 3 current ships docked are Crew-6 Dragon, Soyuz MS-23, Progress 83P.

☆ May 1 — Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou-15 three-member crew prepare for Tianzhou 6 cargo arrival next week; TSS systems stated to be producing 100% of its oxygen supply and recycling 95% of water.

☾ = Moon activity

★ = Space and… ☆ = International space / astro events in Hawaii Standard Time unless noted. Add 10 hours to obtain UT (‘Universal Time’).

Newly-Formed Maldives Space Research Organisation Hosts 1st Space for Island Nations Conference

The South Male Atoll of Maldives will see the 1st Space for Island Nations Conference (SINC) on May 2-5 sponsored by Maldives Space Research Organisation (MSRO), and Aerospacelab, Breakthrough Initiatives, Crossroads Maldives, GeoSat and TRL Space. Founded 2022 as an NGO in the ’sinking nation’ which is comprised of 1,192 coral islands, MSRO mission is to help Maldives ‘become more climate resilient, protect our maritime domain, diversify our economy and empower our locals using science and education of space.’ Maldives is 1 of 46 United Nations island member states. This first conference covers 8 themes: Blue Ocean Economy, Equatorial Opportunities, Resilient Communities, Robust Ecosystems, Space Education and Science, New Space Policy Making, Space Entrepreneurship, and Space Tourism. Welcome Address will be given by Madin Maseeh (President of MSRO), and some of the 31 featured speakers are Mariya Didi (Maldives Minister of Defence), Sabra Noordeen (Maldives Special Envoy for Climate Change), Ricardo Conde (Portugal Space Agency), Joan Chesoni (Kenya Space Agency), Pete Worden (Breakthrough Initiatives), Victoria Samson (Secure World Foundation) and Scott Madry (International Space University). The 9th and final Panel Discussion “In the Shadow of the Moon – What does the new space race for the moon mean for smaller players?” will have comments from Petr Bohacek (TRL Space), Veronica La Regina (Logic Sistemi Avionics SpA) and Raphael Roettgen (EM2C Ventures). (Image Credits: MSRO, Breakthrough Initiatives, et al)

☆ May 1 — Deep Space, Interstellar Space: Voyager 2 to continue full science operations with all 5 onboard instruments until 2026 following implementation by JPL of new power scheme, bypassing voltage regulator.

o May 1 — May Day, Northern Hemisphere, Earth: Spring festival commonly held on this day (or about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice) to celebrate fertility, fire and abundance.

● May 1 — Sidus Space, Online / Cape Canaveral FL: Carol Craig, CEO of Sidus Space, to participate in Taglich Brothers 19th Annual Investment Conference.

● May 1-2 — Caltech, MIT, Cornell, University of Michigan, JPL, California Polytechnic State University, NASA Small Spacecraft Systems Virtual Institute, Pasadena CA: 10th Interplanetary Small Satellite Conference.

☆ May 1 — Mercury: At inferior conjunction with Sun, 0.564 AU from Earth, 13:00.

☆ May 1 — Apollo Asteroid 2023 HV: Near-Earth Flyby (0.009 AU)

☆ May 1 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 VS6: Near-Earth Flyby (0.013 AU)

☆ May 1 — Amor Asteroid 2023 HY3: Near-Earth Flyby (0.042 AU)

Continued From…

● Oct 15 – Jun 15, 2023 — International Space Elevator Consortium, Online: Space Elevator Academic Challenge: Improving Humanity’s Future; for students 17-25.

● Jan 18 – May 11 — Wichita State University, Wichita KS and Online: 2023 Interstellar Seminar ‘LASI 150G’; 1-credit hour seminar begins today; every Wednesday 14:30-15:20, led by Prof. Mark Schneegurt.

o Feb 24 – May 24 — National Museum of China, Beijing, China: Exhibit Featuring China’s Human, Lunar and Space Program.

TUESDAY

★ May 2 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink 5-6, SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS FL: Falcon 9 to launch next batch of Starlink internet satellites for SpaceX of new Starlink V1.5 internet satellites; first stage to land on drone ship in Atlantic Ocean.

● May 2 — Aerospace Corporation, Hybrid / Chantilly VA and Online: Mission Success Summit: Space – Real Talk, Real Action.

● May 2-3 — NASA, OPAG, Hybrid / Laurel MD and Online: Outer Planets Assessment Group Meeting 2023.