ISS Lively with Soyuz-MS 25 Undocking, Dragon Crew 9 Launch, Cargo Transfers, Science, Public Engagement The ISS is a full house with NASA Astronauts Michael Barratt, Tracy Caldwell-Dyson, Matthew Dominick, Jeanette Epps, Don Pettit, Barry Wilmore & Suni Williams, and Roscosmos Cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, Oleg Kononenko, Alexey Ovchinin
Lunar Surface Science and LunarCubes 2024 Workshops Focus on Next-Gen Mission Concepts The 25th virtual session of the Lunar Surface Science Workshop (LSSW) is being held September 17-18 by LPI, USRA and NASA with theme ‘Plume-Surface Interactions.’ The LSSW series began in 2020 to determine what science could be done
Japan Sets H2A Launch This week, H3 in October, Prepares for Human and Robotic Moon Landings via USA and India Collaboration JAXA is set to launch its liquid-hydrogen and liquid-oxygen fueled H-2A rocket, operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, September 11 from LA-Y1 pad at Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture.
International & Commercial Exploration of the Moon and Deep Space: China Hosts 2nd IDSEC / Tiandu Forum The 2nd International Deep Space Exploration Conference (2nd IDSEC) also known as the Tiandu ‘Deep Space’ Forum is being held in Huangshan, China on September 4-6 and hosted by the newly formed Deep
SpaceX Polaris Dawn Trailblazing the Way for Humans in Space The Polaris missions will test and develop new spaceflight technology that will benefit Artemis and beyond. The planned first of three, Polaris Dawn aims to visit the inner Van Allen radiation belt, typically between 6K and 12K km above Earth’s
JUICE to Perform First-Ever Flyby of Earth-Moon on Path to Jupiter 2031 Jupiter has long piqued the interest of humans, visible with the naked eye from time immemorial. 95 moons are now recognized, 12 discovered by Scott Sheppard and team in 2021-22, 4 seen and named by Galileo in 1610.
Humans in Space: Space Station Activities Leading Toward Future Lunar / Deep-Space Missions As Tiangong Space Station heads into its 4th full year in space, the International Space Station will soon enter its 25th year of continuous human occupation in November. It is currently occupied by Expedition 71 and two
First Africa General Assembly Held by International Astronomical Union in its 106th Year The XXXII IAU General Assembly (GA2024) is taking place in Cape Town, South Africa, August 6-15. This historic first meeting on Africa soil will have 200 scientific sessions, posters, live 10-minute link to International Space Station Astronauts,
China NewSpace Launch Providers’ Success May Bolster Further Commercial Aerospace / Lunar Developments Expected mid-August is the launch of China Rocket Co. Jielong-3 (Smart Dragon-3) which has had 3 successful launches from East and South China Sea ocean platforms. i-Space (aka Interstellar Glory) has 3 successes and 4 failures of
NASA Moon to Mars Focus: International Conference on Mars and Lunar-Robust Exploration Science Forum Four members of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and representatives of California Institute of Technology and NASA Mars Exploration Program convene The Tenth International Conference on Mars in Pasadena, July 22-25. Goals are an overview of Mars
International Moon Day 2024 – Envisioning Moon South Pole Crewed Missions 2020s and Moon Station 2050 In its third year of official recognition by the United Nations, International Moon Day 2024 is being honored with thousands of global events marking the first human touchdown on the Moon in 1969. The
SpaceX to Launch Multitude of Satellites, Polaris Dawn Crew Mission in July SpaceMonth Launching from SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS FL on July 8 is $70M Falcon 9 carrying the first communication geostationary satellite built in Türkiye, Türksat 6A. This payload headed to GTO takes 4,250 kg of the available 8,300
July 2024 Space Month Challenges and Opportunities Monday start to July 2024 International Space Month begins with inspired visions of a human return to the lunar surface, possibly 2026. USA with its Artemis international and commercial partners could accelerate work for a human lunar landing near the Moon South Pole
Chang’E-6 Lunar Farside Samples Planned to Land in Inner Mongolia June 25 The first–ever Moon farside sample is targeted to return to Earth on June 25 for China National Space Administration under its highly successful Chang’E (CE) program. The samples, which may be ~2 kg from a depth of ~2
ISS Expedition 71 Planning Series of 3 EVAs; Starliner Astronauts Staying Longer The International Space Station (ISS) continues its shining example of humans exploring, working and living beyond Earth. NASA Astronauts Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore are staying longer after arriving on NASA Commercial Crew Program Boeing Starliner CST-100 to
International Space University Begins 36th Space Studies Program (SSP 2024) ISU’s nine-week summer Space Studies Program (SSP) is held at locations around the world and this year is at Rice University in Houston TX, USA June 8 to August 3. The program fosters international collaboration for space exploration and the
Starship Test Flight 4 Set for June 5 to Last >1 Hour, Test Re-Entry Survivability The next dramatic Starship flight launching from Starbase at Boca Chica, Texas is scheduled for NET June 5 at 07:00 CDT — and dependent on FAA approval. It will be the fourth flight of a
ISS Expedition 71 Plans to Welcome Progress 88P with 2,500 kg of Supplies, Experiments The seven-member crew of International Space Station Expedition 71 continue their mission of science and exploration this week while (still) awaiting the launch of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore in Boeing Starliner CST-100, which could fly
“Mountain on the Moon” Challenges ISDC / NewSpace America, Asia Commercial Landers Malapert Summit high ground, chosen as 1 of the 13 potential landing sites for the Artemis III Human Return to the Moon, at about 5,000-meters altitude is located within ~4 degrees latitude of the lunar South Pole. The
CAPS and AbSciCon24 Astrobiology Meetings Share Progress, Plans for Next-Gen Exploration Missions The 3rd open session of the National Academies of Sciences Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences (CAPS) will be held May 20 in Washington DC. CAPS connects the research community, federal government and public, and gathers information on
Boeing Starliner CST-100 Inaugural Crewed Flight to ISS Set for May 6 United Launch Alliance is set to launch its Atlas V rocket NET May 6 from SLC-41, Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida for the long-awaited Boeing CST-100 Starliner Crew Flight Test with a launch mass of 13,000 kg carrying Astronauts
Chang’E-6 to Launch May 3, Complete Phase 3 of Chang’E Lunar Program China’s Chang’E-6 orbiter, return capsule, lander, ascender and its international payloads are set to launch aboard a Long March 5 from Wenchang Space Launch Center, Hainan Island at 19° N as early as May 3. Launch mass is
Earth Day 2024: ESTEC Studies Planetary Protection, MVA Considers Earth-Moon Environmentalism, ESA Astronaut Class Graduates The 54th Earth Day on April 22 will be marked by protest marches, volunteer cleanups, petition drives, tree plantings and educational events around the world, with ~1B participants in 192 countries. The theme of Earth
ISS Exp 71 to Welcome 1st Crewed Starliner and Dream Chaser Demo Missions in Summer Newly commenced ISS Expedition 71 is underway with Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko continuing command from Exp 70, and crewmates Nikolai Chub, Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, Alexander Grebenkin, and Tracy Caldwell-Dyson. The 6-month Exp 71