Articles by SpaceAge

March 16-22, 2026 / Vol 45, Week 11 / Hawai`i Island, USA
Lunar Broadcast Precursor: Terrestrial Edition

March 16-22, 2026 / Hawai`i Island, USA

Vol 45, Week 11: Lunar Broadcast Precursor — Terrestrial Edition

Isar Spectrum "Onward and Upward" Mission to Launch Multiple Payloads

Set for March 19, the 2nd test launch of the 28-meter Isar Spectrum aims to carry 5 cubesats to SSO and 1 non-separable experiment, the latter made by Dcubed as part of the ESA program supporting commercial space, likely an in-orbit demonstration of deployment hardware. One of the payloads, the CyBEEsat, a 1U (10x10x10 cm, or 1 liter) cubesat made by Technische Universität Berlin, demonstrates a miniaturized SDM-band transceiver and features perovskite solar cells, high-efficiency, thin-film, radiation-tolerant, low-cost, and printed / coated onto surfaces. Other payloads are: the TriSat-S 3U cubesat by University of Maribor, Slovenia, which will test battery hibernation with exceptionally low self-discharge / rapid voltage recovery and to test an ultra-low-power optical system as a precursor for autonomous navigation. Platform 6 is a 6U modular satellite made by EnduroSat, Bulgaria, for diverse missions and sold at US$492,000. FramSat-1 measures the Sun position relative to the satellite; it is built by members of the student organization Orbit at Norwegian University of Science and Technology, assisted by several companies and the Norwegian Space Agency. A 1U cubesat developed by the TU Wien Space Team at University of Maribor allows students in Slovenia and Austria to run their own code and take pictures / measurements. Isar Aerospace, established 2018 in Munich, Germany, now has 400+ employees from 40+ nations. (Image Credits: Isar, TU Berlin, NTNU, U of Maribor)

The 57th Lunar and Planetary Conference Convenes Again in Woodlands TX

On March 16, 2,000+ international experts begin 5 days in a collaborative environment to discuss heavenly bodies “from Mercury to Ultima Thule”, while the 1st LPSC conference convened 140 investigators to report on lunar samples brought back by Apollo 11 Astronauts. Scientists and students are encouraged to provide new insights and understanding of the Solar System. Oral and poster presentations, topical symposia and problem-oriented sessions are based on peer-reviewed abstracts chosen on overall relevance to the conference and quality of science from the 2,000+ submissions. Charles “Chip” Shearer presents “A Long and Rocky Road from Apollo to Artemis” as the lecture named for astrogeologist Harold Masursky, of the Apollo, Viking, Voyager, Magellan and Pioneer Venus missions. NASA updates / town halls will be given / led by Amit Kshatriya, Louise Prockter, Brad Bailey, Kathleen Vander Kaaden, Aaron Burton and Lori Glaze. Online attendance is available, as is a Professional Development Center for students / early-career scientists. Presentations encompass Artemis mission planning, solar wind samples, volcanic activity on Venus, minerals on Mars, and the ocean of Enceladus. Attendees can also apply to be LPSC Ambassadors, providing extended social media coverage and engaging with the community online using #LPSC2026. (Image Credits: L-R: NASA-conference with Lander, LPI, NASA-Gene Cernan on Moon)

Humans in Space

⭐ International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: Expedition 74 crew preparing for US Spacewalk #94 on Wednesday by cleaning spacesuit cooling loops, configuring suits / various tools to install modification kit and route cables for a new solar array, and training on the Canadarm2 to support the spacewalkers. The seven-member crew are also performing vein scans, documenting sleep patterns, collecting saliva, taking cognition tests, using sensors to analyze blood flow, testing artificial intelligence tools that may enhance communications, cleaning / inspecting a ventilation system, servicing the oxygen generator, replacing plumbing components, inspecting video recording gear, downloading video and imagery for mission controllers, and installing automated Earth observation hardware to capture imagery of islands across the Asia-Pacific region.

⭐ Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou-21 three-member crew using experimental software on laptops to look at human-machine trust and intuitive physical behavior, testing for metabolic components in urine with spectrometer, monitoring with electroencephalography equipment for research on deep cognition and emotional analysis / regulation, replacing the sampling cover of the combustion science experiment cabinet, evacuating waste gases, and changing experimental samples in the fluid physics experiment cabinet; they continue regular inspections of the station, and do medical examinations for blood pressure, body composition and exercise-induced cardiopulmonary function with both modern and TCM diagnostic instruments.

🌔 Lunar Enterprise News: NASA targeting NET April 1 for Artemis II crewed lunar flyby mission; mid-2027 for a new demonstration mission (Artemis III) to launch crew in Orion on top of the SLS rocket to low Earth orbit and test one or both commercial landers from SpaceX and / or Blue Origin for rendezvous and docking capabilities needed to land Astronauts on the Moon; and the first Artemis lunar landing for early 2028 (Artemis IV). 

☄ Near-Earth Objects Close Approaches – Tue Mar 17: Apollo Asteroid 2015 VO142 (0.006 AU); Tue Mar 17: Apollo Asteroid 2026 DP10 (0.026 AU); Thu Mar 19: Apollo Asteroid 2026 DP15 (0.013 AU); Sun Mar 22: Apollo Asteroid 2010 RA91 (0.012 AU)

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