Inspiration4 Heralds New Era of Commercial Human Spaceflight in LEO

World’s first all-civilian orbital mission is slated to launch from Kennedy Space Center NET Sep 15 on Crew Dragon Resilience capsule (previously flown by Crew-1 to ISS), powered by Falcon 9 booster B1062 (flown twice). The 4-member crew is to achieve speeds in excess of 29,000 kph (Mach 23+) while in 540-km apogee orbit over ~72 hours. Medical monitoring will be conducted by Translational Research Institute for Space Health as data is collected with science instruments which fill Crew Dragon’s 165-kg cargo hold and spectacular views are taken from a new Cupola-style plexiglass dome in lieu of docking adaptor. Funded and imagined by Jared Isaacman, founder / CEO of Shift4 Payments, and made reality by SpaceX, Inspiration4 seeks to raise $200M for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital while promoting ‘Mission Pillars’ of Leadership, Prosperity, Hope, and Generosity. Pilot Sian Proctor (Prosperity) also promotes educational outreach via Space2inspire program and Just, Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive (J.E.D.I.) space values system. Chief Medical Officer Hayley Arceneaux (Hope) is a pediatric cancer survivor; now a practicing Physician’s Assistant. Arceneaux is set to become the youngest American to reach space, and the first with a prosthesis. Mission Specialist Christopher Sembroski (Generosity) was given his seat by an Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University classmate who won a promotional drawing. Inspiration4 is to land via Atlantic splashdown after ~ 48 revolutions. (Image Credits: SpaceX)

MONDAY

Humans to Mars Summit 2021 Highlights Importance of Determination and Cooperation

Taking place September 13-15 is the free 2021 Humans to Mars Summit mostly online with some in-person events in Washington DC hosted by Explore Mars (EM). With the continued goal of Humans2Mars by 2033, main topics being covered include: Artemis to Mars – Utilizing the Moon to sending Humanity to Mars, How Space Exploration Improves Life on Earth, Nuclear Propulsion and Surface Power, EVA Suits and Surface Operations, Recent Milestones and Discoveries on Mars, and Inclusiveness and Diversity in Space Exploration. EM CEO Chris Carberry and President Janet Ivey will open each day. Some of the ~70 speakers are (T-B) Bill Nelson, Kathy Leuders, Hiroshi Sasaki, Pascale Ehrenfreund, Maria Antonietta Perino, Shawna Pandya, Artemis Westenberg, Naeem Altaf, Bhavya Lal and Clive Neal. Mars is currently being explored by 8 international orbiters, 3 rovers and 2 landers – collecting data from atmospheric composition / changes to surface mapping and mineral analyses, while also looking for biosignatures. 2020s human lunar return advances, including innovative technologies, space policies developments and collaborations, are making great strides to enable Mars missions soon after – and perhaps followed by human footprints on Jupiter and Saturn moons. SpaceX is now aiming for 2026 Mars crew landing. NASA and China plan early 2030 human missions, while Russia discusses 2040s. UAE successful Hope Orbiter first phase is to lead to Mars City by 2117. (Image Credits: Explore Mars Inc., Dubai Government Media Office, SpaceX)

Sep 13-15 — International Academy of Astronautics, Madrid, Spain: 3rd Conference Space Situational Awareness (ICSSA); reset to March 28-30, 2022.

Sep 13-17 — International Space Science Institute, Bern, Switzerland: Workshop: Venus – Evolution through Time.

Sep 13-24 — University of Oxford Department of Physics, UKRI Science and Technologies Facility Council, Online / Oxford, United Kingdom: Spatially Resolved Spectroscopy with Extremely Large Telescopes.

Sep 13 – Oct 4 — Confederation of Indian Industry, Indian Space Research Organisation, NewSpace India Limited, Antrix Corporation Ltd, Online / India: International Space Conference: Building New Space in India.

Sep 13 — Moon: At first quarter, 10:40.

Sep 13 — Apollo Asteroid 2008 CD6: Near-Earth Flyby (0.010 AU)

Continued From…

Aug 2 – Oct 31 — SpaceBase, Planet, Christchurch, New Zealand and Online: Space for Planet Earth Challenge; seeking innovative ideas from New Zealand, Australia, and Pacific Island residents at High School and University / Start-up level to address climate change through space technologies.

TUESDAY

Sep 14 — Roscosmos, Launch Soyuz / OneWeb 10, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan: Russia Soyuz rocket to launch 34 satellites to orbit for OneWeb.

Sep 14 — Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Online / Washington DC: Envisioning A World Of Space People; by Kathy Lueders, 20:00-21:00 EDT, free.