Space Foundation Explores Moon Build-out Technology, Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium Addresses Dust Challenges
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MONDAY Highlights… Feb 1 — NewSpace: Private ISS mission, Axiom Space Ax-1, includes astronaut Michael López-Alegría + 3 investors paying US$55M/ea; Starlink argues for lower altitude clearance from FCC, aiming for ambitious 10Gbps d/l speed; Momentus CEO Mikhail Kokorich resigns, allowing space transport company to clear federal hurdles. Feb 1 — Solar System: 50% more light present from New Horizon Kuiper Belt vantage than anticipated; Pete Worden of Breakthrough Initiative indicates SETI mission to Venus via Rocket Lab possible; academics urge USA/China space diplomacy on Artemis and beyond. Feb 1 — Galaxy: 5/6 exoplanets in TOI-178 system display ‘harmonic’ orbital resonances; TRAPPIST-1 exoplanets have uniform density (8% less than Earth), researchers posit composition scenarios; signal from Proxima Centauri likely interference. Feb 1 — Global: Russia / China Moon base collaboration increasingly likely; CASC planning 3-4 sea launches for Long March 11 rockets this year; 5.2m diameter launch system H3 begins core stage testing at JAXA Tanegashima Space Center. Feb 1 — USA: RFI seeks launch provider capable of delivering 6,065-kg NASA Europa Clipper; Commerce-Justice-Science subcommittee now chaired by Matt Cartwright – Artemis supporter, friend of Jim Bridenstine; MSP crater officially designated ‘Tooley Crater’ henceforth in honor of LRO leader. Feb 1 — Hawai’i: ILOA Hawaii accepting applications for Astrophysicist associate to conduct astronomy from Moon surface; NSF considers additional $850M towards $2.4B cost of proposed Big Hawaii Telescope; Office of Maunakea Management plans 5.5m dome to house 0.7m teaching telescope in vicinity of Halepohaku. Feb 1 — Columbia STS-107 18th Observation, Nationwide USA: Annual international conferences and events take place to further space exploration efforts in remembrance of Columbia 7 loss in 2003: Commander Richard D. Husband, Mission Specialist Laurel Clark, Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon (‘1st Israeli astronaut’) and Astronauts: William C. McCool, Michael P. Anderson, David M. Brown and Kalpana Chawla (‘1st Indian American astronaut’ and ‘1st Indian woman in space’). |
= 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: Mercury (SSW), Mars (SW), Uranus (S), Neptune (WSW).
ISU Asia-Pacific Conference Highlights Regional Well-Established and Emerging Space Developments, Collaborations
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Feb 1 — Space Foundation, Online / Colorado Springs CO: Space Symposium 365 Webinar Panel: Construction on the Moon; with Mark McDonald, Jason Ballard, Christine Edwards, Alex Ignatiev; 13:00-14:00 EST.
Feb 1 — Conrad Foundation, AIAA, Online: Conrad Challenge – 2021 Virtual Innovation Summit. Feb 1 — USA-UAE Business Council, Planetary Society, Online: Update on UAE Hope Mission to Mars; with Sarah Al Amiri, U.A.E. Minister of State for Advanced Technologies and Chairwoman of UAE Space Agency; 09:00 EDT Feb 1-3 — American Astronautical Society, AIAA, Online / Charlotte NC: 31st AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting; at Sheraton Charlotte Hotel. Feb 1 — Aten Asteroid 2016 CL136: Near Earth Flyby (0.035 AU) Continued From… Nov 4, 2020 – Feb 28, 2021 — International Astronautical Federation, Online: Abstracts Submission Open: 72nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2021); being held Oct 25-29. Jan 20 – Feb 28 — CNSA Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center, Online / Beijing, China: Global Campaign soliciting nominations for the name of Tianwen-1 Mars rover. Jan 28 – Feb 4 — Committee on Space Research, Australian Academy of Science, Sydney, Australia and Online: 43rd Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research and Associated Events “COSPAR 2021”; with approximately 125 meetings covering COSPAR Scientific Commissions. TUESDAYFeb 2 — University of Arizona Press, Online: 600-page technical compendium titled ‘The Pluto System after New Horizons’ to be published / distributed today, created by S. Alan Stern. Feb 2 — Space Foundation, Online / Colorado Springs CO: Space Symposium 365 Webinar Panel: State of Space; with Tidiane Ouattara, Chris Quilty, Kathryn Sullivan; 10:00-11:30 EST. Feb 2 — Moon: 6.2° NNE of Spica, 20:00. |
WEDNESDAY
Feb 3 — British Interplanetary Society, Online: Live Evening Lecture & Q&A: Apollo 14 – A Walk in the Highlands; by Jerry Stone, 19:00 UT.
Feb 3 — Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA, Online / Greenbelt MD: Lecture: What We’ve Learned about the Habitability of Mars from NASA’s Curiosity Rover Mission; by Ashwin Vasavada of JPL, 15:00 EST.
Feb 3-5 — NASA Mercury Exploration Assessment Group, Online / Washington DC: Mercury Exploration Assessment Group (MExAG).
Feb 3 — Moon: At perigee (distance 370,124 km), 08:48.
Feb 3 — Apollo Asteroid 2020 SO: Near Earth Flyby (0.001 AU)
THURSDAY
Feb 4 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink V1.0-L18, LC-39A, KSC FL: Falcon 9 to launch 19th batch of ~60 satellites for SpaceX Starlink broadband network.
Feb 4 — Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium of JHU/APL, Online: Dust Mitigation Workshop; featuring invited presentations from NASA representatives and the community, contributed lightning talks, and breakout discussion sessions; 11:00-17:00 EST.
Feb 4 — Space Court Foundation, Online / Sharon PA: Webinar: The Fate of the Outer Space Treaty: Finding its Place in a New Era of Space Security; with Paul Meyer, Andrei Belousov, Patricia Lewis; 11:00 EST.
Feb 4 — Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, Online / Washington DC: Lecture: Perseverance – What it Takes to Explore the Red Planet! 13:00 EST.
Feb 4 — NewSpace New Mexico, Online: Webinar: Innovation is a Critical Capability in Great Power Competition; 13:30-15:00 EST.
Feb 4 — JPL, Caltech, NASA, Online / Pasadena CA: von Kármán Lecture Series 2021: Planetary Protection; with Brian White, Nikki Wyrick and Dr. Moogega Cooper from NASA/JPL; 19:00 PST.
Feb 4-10 — American Astronautical Society Rocky Mountain Section, Breckenridge CO: 44th Annual AAS Guidance, Navigation and Control Conference; reset to TBD Feb 2022.
Feb 4 — Moon: At last quarter, 07:38.
FRIDAY
Feb 5 — STEAMSPACE, Online / Austin TX: 6th Annual Cities in Space Student Conference & Competition; 09:00-13:00 CST.
Feb 5-6 — International Space University, New Zealand Space Agency, Australian Space Agency, Philippine Space Agency, JAXA, ISRO, et al, Online / Adelaide, Australia: ISU Adelaide Conference 2021: International Collaboration in Asia-Pacific Space Activities.
Feb 5 — Venus: 0.38° SE of Saturn, 22:00; with Jupiter and Saturn within circle of diameter 5.43°, 23:00.
Feb 5 — Aten Asteroid 2018 PN22: Near Earth Flyby (0.033 AU)
Feb 5 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 CH2: Near Earth Flyby (0.037 AU)
SATURDAY
Feb 6 — Caltech, JPL, NASA, Online / Pasadena CA: Online Workshop: STEAM Resources for Your Mission to Mars; by education specialist Brandon Rodriguez, 10:00-11:30 PST.
Feb 6 — Moon: 5.3° NNE of Antares, 02:00.
SUNDAY
Feb 7 — Alpha Centaurids Meteor Shower Peak: Appearing to radiate from Alpha Centauri (α Cen), meteors are far south and below horizon for most in North, can produce ~6 meteors per hour, peak 08:00.
Feb 7 — Mars: Spring Equinox, 01:00.
Feb 7 — Apollo Asteroid 2021 BT: Near Earth Flyby (0.048 AU)