2022 Moon Missions Set to Commence with CAPSTONE Lunar Orbiter

Launch window for NASA orbital pathfinder Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) runs May 3 – 15, opening a global flurry of lunar expeditions planned for the remainder of 2022. The 25-kg, 12U CAPSTONE craft will evaluate stability of a Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit intended to support future lunar exploration infrastructure while validating spacecraft-to-spacecraft Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System, enabling GPS-like navigation / communication. Following CAPSTONE into cislunar space, Artemis 1 (SLS rocket + Orion crew capsule) carrying 10 6U cubesat rideshares to be deployed from Orion Stage Adapter and an array of experiments on radiation measurement and mitigation carried within Orion itself, will likely launch in the July-August time frame. Artemis is planned to occupy a distant retrograde orbit around the Moon, similar to that of the CNSA Chang’e-5 service module, for 6-19 days out of projected 26–42-day total mission duration. Deeper into the year, ISRO is working on Chandrayaan-3 propulsion and avionics which may push declared August launch; KARI Korea Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter targets August 1; Roscosmos has reset launch of Luna-25 lander to August 22; Intuitive Machines and Astrobotic are expected to announce 2022 launch dates for their respective CLPS Moon lander missions shortly; ispace of Japan also striving to carry out its first HAKUTO-R landing mission late in the year. (Image Credits: Rocket Lab, NASA, Intuitive Machines)

MONDAY

☆ May 2 — ISS, ~405-km LEO: Expedition 67 crew of 11 planning to give farewells to 4-member Crew-3 on Tuesday, Artemyev of Roscosmos to take over Command; working with station wide radiation dosimeters, Astrobees, Actiwatch; in-flight event between CNN, CBS with Jessica Watkins & Samantha Cristoforetti scheduled Friday 11:00 EDT.

☆ May 2 — Tiangong Space Station, ~370-km LEO: Tianzhou-4 cargo ship with dry mass of 6,640 kg expected to launch Thursday and dock to TSS for 12-month mission carrying supplies and propellant for Shenzhou-14 crewed mission set to launch early June; 4 additional missions planning to launch this year are Wentian, Mengtian, Tianzhou-5, Shenzhou-15.

o = International terrestrial events in local time.

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

Meetings on Mars Science, Sample Return, and Analog Astronauts Preparing for Humans Off-Earth

The 39th Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group is meeting May 2-4 in Denver CO. Chaired by R. Aileen Yingst (TL), MEPAG will focus on priority science goals for the next decade. In conjunction is Science Objectives for Human Exploration of Mars Workshop May 4-6 which will identify realistic scenarios for surface stays, EVAs, specialized equipment and instruments for humans on Mars, taking into account lessons learned from Artemis lunar landings (NET 4 July 2026). Also this week, NASA is seeking input May 4-5 for Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Mars Sample Return mission addressing concerns such as ground disturbance from landing site preparation / recovery efforts with respect to natural, biological and cultural resources, as well as safety associated with extraterrestrial containment. While 8 orbiters, 2 landers and 3 rovers operate currently at Mars, NASA-ESA is hoping to launch a sample return ~2026 with China planning Tianwen-2 in 2028. The 2030s goal is in sight for humans to Mars, supported by people performing long-term space missions (Cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov / 437.7 days in space, Astronaut Mark Vande Hei / 355.2 days) and simulations on Earth. Advancing this goal, the 2nd Analog Astronaut Conference: Learning from Space to Improve Earth and Humanity is being held at Biosphere 2 on May 6-8 with speakers including Sian Proctor, Sara Sabry, Tim Ellis, Kai Staats, and Aidyl Gonzalez-Serricchio; while the next Humans to Mars Summit will take place May 17-19. (Image Credits: NASA, MEPAG, Analog Astronaut, Biosphere)

● May 2 — Celestis Inc, Online: Live Launch Updates: Countdown to Ascension; featuring Marc Lee of Celestis, 18:00 CDT.

● May 2-4 — Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group, NASA, Hybrid / Denver CO and Online: MEPAG Meeting.

☆ May 2 — Moon: 3.3° SE of Pleiades, 03:00; 7.0° NNW of Aldebaran, 20:00.

☆ May 2 — Apollo Asteroid 2022 HW: Near-Earth Flyby (0.041 AU)

☆ May 2 — Aten Asteroid 2019 JV1: Near-Earth Flyby (0.071 AU)

☆ May 2 — Apollo Asteroid 2022 GZ: Near-Earth Flyby (0.073 AU)

☆ May 2 — Apollo Asteroid 2000 HP40: Near-Earth Flyby (0.083 AU)

Continued From…
o Nov 4 – Jun 29 — Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Problems, NASA Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA), Moscow, Russia: Mixed gender, international crew of 6 participating in 8-month space / lunar simulation mission SIRIUS-21 (Scientific International Research In Unique Terrestrial Station).

● Mar 24 – May 26 — International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA Hawai’i), Online / Hawai’i Islands: ILO-X Moon Camera Naming Contest for HI Schools.

● Mar 26 – May 31 — AIAA LA-LV Section, Online: Women in Space Art Virtual Gallery.

★ NET May 1 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Nilesat 301, SLC-40, Kennedy Space Center FL: Falcon 9 to launch Nilesat 301 geostationary communications satellite, built by Thales Alenia Space; first stage booster to land on a drone ship in Atlantic.

TUESDAY

☆ NET May 3 — Rocket Lab, Launch Electron / NASA CAPSTONE, Launch Complex 1A, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand: Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment to pathfind near rectilinear halo orbit planned for Lunar Gateway; launch window open May 3-15.

● May 3 — NASA, Online / Washington DC: Teleconference discussing May 19 launch of Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2); starts 11:00 ET, live coverage available.