February 21-27, 2022 / Vol 41, No 8 / Hawai`i Island, USA

Japan Hosting 3 Simultaneous Space Conferences: 14th Low-Cost Planetary Missions, 33rd Intl Space Tech and Science, 10th Nano-Satellite

14th IAA Low-Cost Planetary Missions Conference is being held February 28 to March 4 in Beppu, Japan supported by The Japan Society for Aeronautical and Space Sciences along with 33rd International Symposium on Space Technology & Science, and 10th Nano-Satellite Symposium. There will be an opening and closing ceremony, Spacecraft Control System Design Contest, 9 poster sessions and 9 Special Sessions – the first of which ‘World Space Highlight’ will feature Shoji Yoshikazu (JAXA), Garvey McIntosh (NASA), Niklas Reinke (DLR) and Mariez Julien (CNES). There are 21 themes that cover topics such as Chemical Propulsion and Air-breathing Engines, Science and Technology for Human and Robotic Space Exploration, Earth Observation, Space Power, Space Life Science, and Space Education & Outreach for the Benefit of All People. Of the 125 planned Oral sessions (each with numerous presentations) there are 34 Moon-related talks including: Ready for launch: CubeSat Moon Lander OMOTENASHI by Tatsuaki Hashimoto, Obstacles at Candidate Landing Sites with Long-Term Illuminated Areas of Lunar South Pole Region by Junichi Haruyama, and Lunar OASIS 2045 – the First Human Settlement on Earth’s Moon by John Mankins. Yimeng Li from University of Nottingham Ningbo China will speak on ‘Preliminary Results: A Compact and High Thrust-to-Power Micropropulsion System Using Ultrasonic Vibrating Mesh Technology’; Naqsh Zafar from Saint Cloud State Univ. on ‘Laser-Based Removal of Metals from Orbit’; and Filippo Maggi from Politecnico di Milano on ‘Current Environmental Concerns about Space and Suborbital Launch Activities’. (Image Credits: IAA, JSASS, NASA, GSFC)

MONDAY

☆ Feb 21 – ISS, ~405-km LEO: Expedition 66 seven-member crew to facilitate capture of Cygnus NG-17 today 04:35 EST, followed by installation and gradual ~3,700-kg cargo transfer; working with 3,500 kg of cargo from Progress 80P, Astrobees and COLBERT treadmill.

☆ Feb 21 – Tiangong Space Station, ~370-km LEO: Shenzhou 13 crew testing robotic arm for various functions in preparation for Wentian module launching NET June; continuing station configurations and experiments.

☆ Feb 21 – ISS, NG-17 Rendezvous and Capture, ~405-km LEO: NG-17 “SS Piers Sellers” the 18th Cygnus cargo freighter on 17th operational cargo flight to arrive at ISS, live coverage available, 04:35 EST.

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’).

Rocket Lab Steadily Builds Orbital Launch Capability and Customer Roster Ahead of Deep Space Missions to Moon, Mars, Venus

Rocket Lab claims mantle of 2nd most frequently USA launch provider <5 years after initial attempt “It’s a Test” (May 2017) with 109 satellites delivered to LEO to date. While mission cadence has been affected by the pandemic, Rocket Lab is readying a host of upcoming launches from Launch Complex 1 on Māhia Peninsula of New Zealand North Island. Launch window for ‘The Owl’s Night Continues’, the first of three dedicated Electron launch booked by Earth Observation company Synspective to loft Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites, opens Jan 15. ‘Without Mission A Beat’, coordinated by rideshare management company Spaceflight, is to continue deployment of BlackSky constellation NET March. Blacksky is also set to launch with ISRO on SSLV-D2, 2nd demonstration flight of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle NET April. Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck has ambitious goals of deep space exploration and science including “Lunar flyby, L1/L2 points, low-Lunar orbit” utilizing Photon kick stage: CAPSTONE may lead Artemis armada NET March 19, pathfinding Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit to be used by Lunar Gateway and testing a navigation system that works with LRO. First Private Mission to Venus is to follow up on signs of phosphine (detected by MIT in 2020) from 48.3-km altitude. Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers mission with partners at University of California Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory will characterize magnetosphere of Mars NET 2024. (Image Credits: Rocket Lab)

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 crew of 6 participating in 8-month space / lunar simulation mission SIRIUS-21 (Scientific International Research In Unique Terrestrial Station).

o Dec 20 – Mar 4 – JAXA, Online / Tokyo, Japan: Accepting applications for Japan Astronaut Candidates.

o Feb 10 – Mar 9 – JAXA, Online / Tokyo, Japan: Astronaut Hoshide ISS Mission Report Virtual Expo; sharing never-before released video of the interior of the ISS and activities.

o Feb 11 – Mar 8 – International Astronomical Union, Global: Women and Girls in Astronomy.

● Feb 19-26 – Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, Coca-Cola, Online / New York NY: 2022 Kids Week; family-friendly week of fun, educational programming.

TUESDAY

● Feb 22 – National Science Foundation, NASA, Department of Education, Online / Washington DC: Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (AAAC); 12:00-16:00 EST.

o Feb 22-24 – Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, Dubai: World Space Risk Forum 2022; forum for the global space community to better understand space risks, new technologies and innovations with the goal to find ways to best mitigate risks.

☆ Feb 22 — Apollo Asteroid 2022 CC2: Near-Earth Flyby (0.030 AU)

☆ Feb 22 — Apollo Asteroid 1999 VF22: Near-Earth Flyby (0.036 AU)

☆ Feb 22 — Aten Asteroid 2022 BA6: Near-Earth Flyby (0.020 AU)