January 15-21, 2024 / Vol 43, No 3 / Hawai`i Island, USA

Axiom 3 Launch to Bring Humans in Space to 11 Total Combined on ISS and TSS

International Space Station Expedition 70 crew is expecting an additional 4 person team this week with the scheduled launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon carrying Axiom 3 mission on January 17 from Cape Canaveral FL. Current ISS seven crew members Andreas Mogensen, Jasmin Moghbeli, Satoshi Furukawa, Loral O’Hara, Konstantin Borisov, Oleg Kononenko, and Nikolai Chub are planning to welcome Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Marcus Wandt, and the 1st private astronaut from Türkiye, Alper Gezeravci. Axiom 3 is expected to stay aboard about 14 days. The 4th mission for Axiom is planned for August 2024, while the company continues to develop its Axiom commercial habitats which will attach to ISS. The Exp 70 crew is also participating in in-flight events on Jan 16 (O’Hara and Moghbeli talk with Emblem Academy in Saugus CA) and Jan 17 (Commander Andreas Mogensen connects with ESA and World Nature Foundation in Denmark). Aboard Tiangong Space Station, Shenzou-17 crew Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin are expecting the arrival of the Tianzhou 7 cargo craft on Jan 15. It is launching aboard a Long March 7 rocket from Wenchang, Hainan Island with secondary payload Bayi-08 Kepu satellite. Tianzhou 7 carries up to 14,000 kg of various supplies, payloads and samples for science experiments. Shenzhou 17 crew will remain aboard TSS until May when Shenzhou 18 is set to launch. (Image Credits: ISS Partners, SpaceX, Axiom, CNSA, CMSE)

MONDAY 

☆ Jan 15 — International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: Expedition 70 seven-member crew working with Fiber Optic Production-2 and VR Mental Care experiments; deploying Private Astronaut Mission (PAM) Tablets for Axiom 3 crew.

☆ Jan 15 — Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou-17 three-member crew researching space protein molecular assembly with samples including proteins, polypeptides, nucleic acids, biomaterials and medicines.

☾ = Moon activity

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

Japan Space Agency Lunar Lander Readies Landing Approach as USA Commercial Moon Mission Faces Adversity

Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) in 600-km circular lunar orbit being readied by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for landing attempt set to commence Jan 20 00:00 JST (Jan 19 10:00 EST). The 200-kg, 2.4m x 1.7 m x 2.7 m, US$120M craft is to be maneuvered into elliptical pre-landing orbit with 15 km perilune / 600 km apolune Jan 20 JST (Jan 18 EST) ahead of 7 km, 20-minute powered vertical descent aiming within 100-m site near Mare Nectaris crater Shioli on Moon near side (13.3°S, 25.2°E). A vision-based navigation algorithm is to assess landing conditions and execute 2-step, horizontal landing on optimal location with up to 15° slope autonomously via appositionally mounted Meisei navigation cameras. Propulsion is provided by two Mitsubishi main engines rated at 500 newtons and an array of 12-unit, 20-newton attitude control thrusters built by IHI Aerospace. Both are fueled by hypergolic propellants. Astrobotic continues to operate Peregrine despite early challenge causing intermittent communication breaks and improper orientation for solar power, achieving 94% of lunar distance and receiving data from 9 payloads. A preliminary assessment of Peregrine Mission 1 anomaly conducted by the Astrobotic team indicates a failed valve led to helium pressurant tank rupture, however Astrobotic has committed to undergo a full review with independent experts to determine ultimate cause. The now flight-proven Vulcan Centaur is not thought to have affected the Peregrine anomaly, and ULA is gearing up to launch Dream Chaser Tenacity to ISS for SNC Demo-1 NET April. (Image Credits: JAXA)

☆ Jan 15 — CNSA, Launch Long March 7 / Tianzhou 7, Wenchang Space Launch Center, Hainan Island, China (19° N): Long March 7 to launch next cargo ship to Tiangong Space Station; rocket also carries secondary payload Bayi-08 Kepu satellite.

★ Jan 15 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink Group 7-11, Vandenberg SFB CA: Starlink v2-mini satellites to launch to LEO aboard Flacon 9, with booster attempting to land on ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ ocean platform.

☾ Jan 15 — Moon: 0.86° SE of Neptune, 12:00.

☆ Jan 15 — Apollo Asteroid 2023 XW14: Near-Earth Flyby (0.098 AU)

TUESDAY

☆ Jan 16 — International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: Expedition 70 In-Flight Event; NASA flight engineers Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli connect with Emblem Academy in Saugus, California, 11:30 EST.

☆ Jan 16 — Aten Asteroid 2021 CZ2: Near-Earth Flyby (0.002 AU)

WEDNESDAY 

★ Jan 17 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Crew Dragon (Axiom Mission 3), SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS FL: Private crew mission to ISS to include 4 Astronauts: Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Marcus Wandt, Alper Gezeravci (first Turkish Astronaut); 17:11 EST.

● Jan 17 — Wichita State University, Wichita KS and Online: 2024 Interstellar Seminar ‘LASI 150G / 750G’; 1-hour non-technical course is Free / open to the public, begins today; for everyone, accessible everywhere; Meeting ID 952-71409199, Pw 296620; led by Professor Mark.Schneegurt@wichita.edu.