Cargo Dragon Provisions ISS as Crew Prepares for EVA, Tiangong Space Station Receiving New Module

The International Space Station is crowded with Dragon CRS-25 joining docked Crew Dragon 4, Progress 80 / 81 and Soyuz MS-21. In addition to resupply, CRS-25 carries tissue chip investigations on immunology and muscle physiology in space (both sponsored by NIH) and Project Maleth diabetes study – the second space mission from Malta. The 7-member Expedition 67 crew includes 3 Cosmonauts (Oleg Artemyev, Denis Matveev, and Sergey Korsakov), 3 USA Astronauts (Jessica Watkins, Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines) and ESA Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. While station longevity is in question due to both technical and geopolitical considerations, international teamwork will be on display July 21, as Artemyev and Cristoforetti enter space together for Russia EVA 54. They will work on European Robotic Arm integration with Nauka module and release 10 3U cubesats. Cristoforetti will don an Orlan spacesuit, becoming the 3rd woman to do so. Later in the week, TSS Shenzhou 14 crewmembers (Chen Dong, Liu Yang, and Cai Xuzhe) will oversee the autonomous docking of 22-ton laboratory cabin module Wentian – with Chinarm grappler providing redundancy. Wentian is to launch from Wenchang SLC on Hainan Island (19°N) on July 24 (local time), and will provide space for experiments / auxiliary quarters as well as backup propulsion and navigation components. Mengtian module is scheduled to launch in October, followed by 3-member Shenzhou 15 crew in December – TSS will accommodate 6 occupants for a 10-day mission overlap. (Image Credits: CNSA, NASA, ESA, Roscosmos)

MONDAY

☆ Jul 18 — ISS, ~415-km LEO: Russia 2-person EVA to be performed on Tuesday; Expedition 67 seven-member crew working with Dragon CRS-25 cargo, holding in-flight events with NPR Baltimore, Boston University and ESA for Farnborough Air Show.

☆ Jul 18 — Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou 14 three-person crew preparing to configure Tianhe core module (22,600 kg, 16.6-m long) with Wentian module (~20,000 kg, 17.9-m long) set to launch on 23 July.

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’).

July 20 First International Moon Day Commemorates Multi World Achievements, Looks Toward Next Steps

Now an official United Nations proclamation submitted by Moon Village Association, the 1st Annual International Moon Day / Apollo 11 human lunar landing on July 20 is being universally fostered for global awareness of sustainable Moon exploration and utilization as space agencies, academia and private enterprise are rapidly capitalizing on the rising lunar tide. “In peace and for all” should be central in planning and governing our 21st Century civilization and culture on the Moon. As the population grows to 8,000,000,000, there are still plenty of acres for each on our nearest celestial neighbor, and on Mars and the Galaxy Beyond. China Chang’e 3-5 craft reside on the Moon near and far side, as NASA veteran LRO continues polar mapping from above. Capstone orbiter is en route to test the planned international lunar gateway near rectilinear halo orbit. South Korea Danuri lunar orbiter to launch August 2. NASA SLS first Artemis 1 flight window opens Aug 23. Roscosmos Luna-25 lander may launch in Sep, followed by ispace Hakuto-R lander with UAE Rashid rover October-November, and CLPS providers Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines by end of year. India Chandrayaan-3 and JAXA SLIM landers may launch early-mid 2023. Highlighting these missions and more is the NASA Exploration Science Forum being held in Boulder CO from July 19-21 with 95 presentations and 73 posters. (Image Credits: International Lunar Observatory Association, M. Carroll, NASA, et al)

● Jul 18 — NASA SSERVI, University of Colorado – Boulder, Hybrid / Boulder CO and Online: LunGradCon 2022, Day Two.

● Jul 18 — Celestis, Online: Facebook Live: Countdown to the Aurora Flight; with Celestis CEO Charles Chafer, Celestis Ambassador Marc B. Lee, Celestis President Colby Youngblood; 18:00 CDT.

● Jul 18-20 — American Astronautical Society, Cleveland OH: 2022 John Glenn Memorial Symposium; at Case Western Reserve University.

o Jul 18-22 — Farnborough International, Farnborough, United Kingdom: 2022 Farnborough International Air Show (FIA2022).

☆ Jul 18 — Moon: 2.02° SE of Jupiter, 18:00.

☆ Jul 18 — Mars and Neptune: At heliocentric conjunction, 04:00.

☆ Jul 18 — Apollo Asteroid 2006 DP62: Near-Earth Flyby (0.062 AU)

☆ Jul 18 — Amor Asteroid 2016 NJ33: Near-Earth Flyby (0.057 AU)

Continued From…

★ Jun 28 – Nov 13 — CAPSTONE, Near-Rectilinear Halo Orbit Trajectory: Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment heading to operating position at NRHO / cislunar space.

o Jul 5 – Aug 2 — KARI, Incheon International Airport, S Korea: South Korea lunar orbiter ‘Danuri’ on its way to Cape Canaveral SFS for integration and testing prior to scheduled August 5 launch on Falcon 9.

● Jul 11-29 — National Space Society, Blue Origin Club for the Future, Brownsville TX: Expanding Frontiers’ Space Entrepreneur Summer Academy (SESA); education program for where students interact with scientists and astropreneurs.

o Jul 16-24 — United Nations Committee on Space Research and Associated Events, Athens, Greece: 44th Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research and Associated Events (COSPAR 2022).

TUESDAY

● Jul 19 — Maryland Space Business Roundtable (MSBR), Greenbelt MD: MSBR Luncheon; featuring Christopher Scolese, Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (and former Director of Goddard Space Flight Center).