Articles by: SPC

September 17-23, 2018 / Vol 37, No 38 / Hawai`i Island, USA

2 USA EVAs Scheduled for ISS

Cause of the mysterious leak in a Soyuz module attached to ISS is still under investigation. On September 20 USA EVA #52 is scheduled for Expedition 56 crew members Drew Feustel and Alexander Gerst. The EVA will replace batteries on the P-4 truss. On Sep 26, EVA #53 will include Gerst and Ricky Arnold, also to change batteries on the P-4 truss. Russia EVA-46 is planned for October to prepare for arrival of the Nauka module. The Nauka (Russian for science) will be used for experiments, cargo and living space. The 7th launch of Japan H-2 Transfer Vehicle (HTV-7) Kounotori from Tanegashima Space Center, postponed due to a typhoon threatening the ground station on Guam, is now scheduled for Sep 13. The delayed launch will bring supplies and experiments to the Exp. 56 crew and ISS. HTV-7 also contains the first space elevator. A small container will travel along a cable 10 meters long between two cubesats in orbit. On it return HTV-7 will demonstrate a Small Recovery Capsule (HSRC) which can return laboratory samples safely to Earth. The planned HTV-X vehicle will have the ability to deliver cargo to the vicinity of the Moon. (Image Credits: NASA)

MONDAY

Highlights…
Sep 17 — ISS, 405-km LEO: Expedition 56 planning capture / installation of HTV-7, preparing gear and EMUs for upcoming EVAs, working with experiments including rodent research, food acceptability, plant habitat growth, and maintaining waste & hygiene compartment, CO2 filters, water systems.

Sep 17 — NewSpace: SpaceX – to announce its 1st customer for BFR circumlunar mission – may shelve plans to make the Crew Dragon reusable while Boeing Starliner is planned to touch down on land and be reused; 3 technology demonstration missions data being analyzed after successful UP Aerospace launch.

Sep 17 — Solar System: Deep-space network in 45-day active listening period focusing on potential signals from Mars Opportunity rover; many astronomers argue that Pluto should still be considered a planet, a distant 9th planet is thought to be orbiting at 20 times the distance of Neptune.

Sep 17 — Galaxy: The hypothesized “acceleration” of distant galaxies away from us may not exist, according to British researchers; new grant from National Science Foundation will allow scientists to study new class of galaxies violently expelling gas ~6B LY from Earth.

Sep 17 — Global: Canadian Space Agency names Dr. Sarah Gallagher as its first Science Advisor to shape Canada future direction in space science and research; long-delayed Russia Nauka module is now scheduled for launch to ISS Nov 2019; CNSA plans for Chang’e-4, -5, China Space Station, Lunar base and Mars missions discussed in detail.

Sep 17 — USA: NASA launching dynamic Moon exploration program starting with Power Propulsion Element (PPE) of LOPG in 2022; crewed EM-3 flight of Orion will rendezvous with PPE in 2023 bringing additional modules; KSC Launch Complex 20 to undergo development to attract small launch service companies.

Sep 17 — Hawai’i: The Keck Planet Finder Telescope, a spectrometer atop Mauna Kea, is being built for completion in 2019; ‘Astronomy Benefits Hawaii‘ themed article features local professors, CEOs, Directors, business owners.

= 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: Venus (WSW), Mars (S), Jupiter (SW), Saturn (S), Uranus (E), Neptune (SE).

UP Aerospace to Launch Celestis 15th Memorial Spaceflight and Experiments From Spaceport America

Celestis 8th Earthrise suborbital flight dubbed ‘Starseeker’ is set to launch from Spaceport America, New Mexico via UP Aerospace SpaceLoft XL sounding rocket on September 17. The mission will send 40 encapsulated cremated remains (1-7 grams each) beyond 100 km to experience ~4 minutes of weightlessness and return to Earth along with experiments for NASA Flight Opportunities (FO) Program testing space technologies and microgravity experiments. SpaceLoft XL is single stage, 6-meters tall, and capable of carrying 36 kg total payload to the Kármán line in 60 seconds. UP Aerospace of Colorado is one of 4 companies selected to participate in the FO program, which offers five-year contracts with a combined value of US$45M. Celestis of Texas is planning its second memorial Moon mission Luna 02 for late 2019, launching on a Moon Express lander aboard Rocket Lab Electron rocket from Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand. The next Earth Orbit flight “Heritage” is set for NET Nov 2018 from Kennedy Space Center, Florida aboard SpaceX Falcon Heavy. The Voyager mission will send capsules to Deep Space as a secondary payload aboard a mission TBD in 2019. Successful Luna Mission 1 launched one ounce of Eugene Shoemaker’s ashes to the Moon South Pole 20 years ago. Another company, Elysium Space is planning its first orbital memorial spaceflight on a SpaceX Falcon 9 NET Oct, and Moon space burial via Astrobotic lander NET 2019. (Image Credits: UP Aerospace, Celestis, Moon Express, Elysium Space)

 Sep 17 — UP Aerospace, SpaceLoft-XL / Starseeker Flight, Truth or Consequences NM: UP Aerospace SpaceLoft-XL rocket, sponsored by NASA Spaceflight Opportunities Program, to launch Celestis Memorial Spaceflight #15, microgravity experiments and technology demonstrations from Spaceport America; live coverage available.

Sep 17 — Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles CA: Public Talk: The Infrared Universe; by Kimberly Ennico Smith, NASA SOFIA Project Scientist.

Sep 17 — The Space Show, Online / Tiburon CA: Dr. David Livingston talks with Dr. Chris Impey of Steward University.

Sep 17-19 — AIAA, Orlando FL: AIAA SPACE and Astronautics Forum and Exposition (AIAA SPACE 2018); at Hyatt Regency Orlando.

Sep 17-19 — U.S. Air Force Association, National Harbor MD: 2018 Air, Space & Cyber Conference.

Sep 17-19 — United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, Graz, Austria: United Nations / Austria Symposium on Space for the Sustainable Development Goals: Stronger Partnerships and Strengthened Cooperation for 2030 and Beyond.

Sep 17 — Moon: 2.1° N of Saturn, 07:00.

Continued from…

Jul 8 – Oct 9 — NAOC, National Aquatic Center “Water Cube”, Beijing, China: Lunar Exploration Technology Exhibition featuring 10-meter diameter Moon, lunar imagery, ‘moonlight’ and surround sound composition.

Sep 16-21 — ESA, Europlanet, EPSC Organizing Committee, Berlin, Germany: European Planetary Science Congress 2018.

TUESDAY

Sep 18-21 — Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan: Conference: Revealing Cosmology and Reionization History with the Intergalactic Medium (IGM2018).

Sep 18 — Moon: 1.4° N of Pluto, 15:00.

WEDNESDAY

Sep 20 — Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce (KKCC), Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, Kamuela HI: KKCC Afterhours event; featuring stargazing and the chance to win astronomy calendars, posters, bookmarks, books and a grand prize for a trip up to the summit of Maunakea for four persons.

Sep 19-20 — University of Northampton, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, Northampton, United Kingdom: Symposium on Lift (Elevator) and Escalator Technologies; to include discussion on Space Elevators by Bryan Laubscher of Odysseus Technologies.

Sep 19 — Moon: At apogee (distance 404,431 km), 15:00; 4.7° N of Mars, 19:00.

THURSDAY

Sep 20 — ISS, U.S. EVA #52, 405-km LEO: Expedition 56 members Alexander Gerst and Drew Feustel to perform 6.5-hour spacewalk to replace batteries on ISS Port 4 truss structure power channel 4A.

Sep 20 — Cornell University, Ithaca NY: Lecture: Imaging All the Sky All the Time in Search of Radio Exoplanets; by Gregg Hallinan of Caltech.

Sep 20-21 — National Science Foundation, Alexandria VA: Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (AAAC) Meeting.

Sep 20-23 — Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, NYC NY: 7th Annual Space & Science Festival.

Sep 20 — Mercury: At superior conjunction with Sun (1.387 AU from Earth), 16:00.

Sep 20 — Apollo Asteroid 2017 SL16: Near-Earth Flyby (0.022 AU)

Sep 20 — Apollo Asteroid 2012 TT5: Near-Earth Flyby (0.092 AU)

FRIDAY

Sep 21 — MAVEN, Mars Orbit: NASA Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) spacecraft enters 5th year of operations in Mars orbit, reached orbit Sep 2014; continuing to study upper atmosphere.

Sep 21 — `Imiloa Astronomy Center, University of Hawai’i at Hilo, Hilo HI: Maunakea Skies Talk; discussion on research, recent discoveries and science; this session features Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), 19:00-20:00.

SATURDAY

Sep 22 — NASA, Kennedy Space Center, KSC FL: NASA 60th Anniversary Celebration.

Sep 22 — Mauna Kea Astronomy Outreach Committee, Mauna Kea HI, 2,800-meter level: Malalo o ka Po Lani; presentation covering cultural components that surround Mauna O Wakea, 18:00 followed by stargazing program, at Mauna Kea Visitor Information Center.

Sep 22 — Fall / Autumn Equinox: Sun rises exactly in east traveling through sky for 12 hours, sets exactly in west; day and night are approximately equal duration every place on Earth; 15:54.

SUNDAY

Sep 23-28 — Les Houches Advanced School for Physics, Grenoble, France: Cloud Academy: Cloud Formation and Properties in Extrasolar Planets.

Sep 23 — Moon: 2.3° SSE of Neptune, 07:00.