October 14-20, 2024 / Vol 43, No 42 / Hawai`i Island, USA

ISS Human Outpost Carries on with Science, International Collaboration, Continuous Occupation of Space

The ISS 72nd International Expedition is currently led by Sunita Williams as Commander, with Flight Engineers Barry Wilmore, Aleksey Ovchinin, Ivan Vagner, Donald Pettit, Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov. Return to Earth on October 13 after 220 days of SpaceX Crew-8 — Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, Alexander Grebenkin — leaves 7 astronauts focusing on experiments including STEMonstration Earth Science Demonstration with 3D Printing, Sleep in Orbit studies and CloudNet Testing, while also performing maintenance with tasks such as Overhead Crew Quarters (CQ) Airflow measurements, CST Hot Fire Thruster Test #2, and installing Veggie Light Meters. Both internal and external welds of a Russian section of the ISS are being investigated since there is a daily air loss of 1.7kg. Joining the already docked ships of SpaceX Crew-9, Northrop Grumman resupply, Soyuz MS-26 crew, and Progress 88 and 89 resupply will be the Dragon CRS-2 SpX-31 cargo ship, which is scheduled to launch NET Oct 30 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. FAA gave clearance for the Falcon 9s to launch again starting with the HERA mission after temporarily grounding them for investigation of partial failures in September and July. November 2 will mark 24 full years of continuous human occupation of the International Space Station, heading toward a quarter-century. (Image credits: NASA, ISS Partners) 

MONDAY 

☆ Oct 14 — International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: Expedition 72 seven-member crew continue human presence in Low Earth Orbit.

☆ Oct 14 — Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou-18 three-member crew preparing for return to Earth by end of month, spending last full week alone on TSS as Shenzhou-19 crew is now scheduled to launch / arrive around October 24.

☆ Oct 14 — Chinese H-alpha Solar Explorer (CHASE), 517-km SSO: First solar observatory for China known as CHASE or Xihe / 羲和 reaches 3rd full year / enters 4th year in space since launching on this day via Long March 2D in 2021.

★ Oct 14  — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink Group 10-10, SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS FL: Satellites for space-based Internet communication system, 01:48 EDT, launch cost ~US$52M.

o Oct 14 — International Astronautical Federation, Italian Space Agency (ASI), Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIDAA), Leonardo Space, et al, Milan, Italy: Meet Executive Director of World Space Week Association and World Space Week National Coordinators at 75th International Astronautical Congress (IAC24); 14:00-14:45, D-Orbit Booth.

o Oct 14-18 — International Astronautical Federation, Italian Space Agency (ASI), Italian Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIDAA), Leonardo Space, et al, Milan, Italy: IAF Global Networking Forum (GNF) held on same days as 75th IAC.

☾ Oct 14 — Moon: 0.24° NE of Saturn, 09:00.

☆ Oct  14 — Apollo Asteroid 2021 TK11: Near-Earth Flyby (0.020 AU)

☾ = Moon activity

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

International Astronautical Federation to Hold Record-Breaking 75th IAC, Associated Events in Milan

The 2024 IAC of the IAF expects more than 8,000 experts to gather / discuss / collaborate in Milan, Italy at Europe’s largest conference venue around the theme “Responsible Space for Sustainability.” Important focus will be the ~5,000 operational / ~8,000 total – and growing — Earth-orbit satellites and how our Space environment can be explored peacefully, securely and co-operatively; e.g., satellites are indispensable for communications / environmental monitoring yet affect radio astronomy: How to solve this? From opening 09:30 Monday Oct 14 to closing 16:30 Friday Oct 18, ~3,000 abstracts will be presented out of record ~7,000 submitted from 106 countries. Highest submissions were from Italy (985), USA (782), China (539), India (476) and Azerbaijan (345, host of IAC 2023). Running concurrently is the IAF Global Networking Forum, 3-7 events daily of 30-60 minutes each, for “the space community to connect, share and meet.” Subjects range from space food, to investing in space companies (multiple sessions), to lunar landers for sustainable exploration. Amazing Public Day Oct 18 offers admission to exhibition hall, meet-and-greet photo-op with astronauts, music, award ceremony, interactive / hands-on activities, round-table discussion / Q&A with experts on NewSpace Economy / Sustainability. Global Expert Group on Sustainable Lunar Activities “GEGSLA” meets later that day, an initiative of Moon Village Association for members from space agencies, government, industry, academia and NGOs. (Image credits: IAF)

TUESDAY

★ Oct 15 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink Group 9-7, SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB CA: Satellites for space-based Internet communication system, 02:03 PDT, launch cost ~US$52M.

☆ Oct 15 — CNSA, Launch Long March 6A / Unknown Payload, Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China: May continue launch of China G60 “Thousand Sails Constellation” of more than 12,000 satellites, aiming to provide global internet access and national data security; launch window 13:25-13:36 HST.

☆ Oct 15 — CNSA, Launch Long March 4C / Unknown Payload, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China: Launch window 13:45-13:59 HST.

● Oct 15 — NASA, Online: Town Hall for Planetary Science Research Programs regarding selection and subjects for Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science; provide input prior to webinar, then join Webex webinar; 15:00 EDT / 19:00 UT.

o Oct 15-18 — ESA, CNES, DLR, ESCC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands: Space Passive Component Days 5th International Symposium; Technical conference dedicated to EEE passive components for space applications with experts from industry, academia and agencies.

☾ Oct 15 — Moon: 0.57° N of Neptune, 08:00.

☆ Oct 15 — Apollo Asteroid 2024 TO4: Near-Earth Flyby (0.011 AU)