October 25-31, 2021 / Vol 40, No 43 / Hawai`i Island, USA

72nd International Astronautical Congress being held at Dubai World Trade Center October 25-29

The global space community is gathering for the first time in the United Arab Emirates, under organizational direction of International Astronautical Federation – the preeminent space society representing 35,000+ space professionals and academics across 407 organizations / 71 countries. IAC will officially kick off its mission of ‘Connecting @ll Space People’ with a Welcoming Ceremony in Sheikh Rashid Hall on Monday Oct 25, but space-related activities will have already begun with Space Generation Congress Oct 21-23, International Academy of Astronautics Academy Day and IAC Hosts Summit both set for Oct 24. Countries in contention to host IAC 2024 include Australia, Brazil, Hungary, Italy and Spain. Coincidently, Expo 2020 Dubai is running concurrently (due to postponement) at Dubai Exhibition Centre ~ 40 km from IAC venue, and will be wrapping up ‘Space Week’, which runs Oct 17-23. IAC 2021 itself will host 33 technical symposia on matters ranging from space exploration, communication / navigation, propulsion, materials, human spaceflight and SETI; 26 Global Networking Forums and 7 plenaries. Speakers include Astronauts Sergei Krikalev, Christina Koch, Jean-Francois Clervoy, Nick Hague, Jessica Meir, Alexey Ovchinin, Andrew Morgan, Hazzaa Al Mansoori, Oleg Skripochka; space leaders K. Sivan (ISRO), Hiroshi Yamakawa (JAXA), Valanathan Munsami (South African National Space Agency), Serdar Yildirim (Turkish Space Agency) and Pam Melroy (NASA). A Gala Dinner on October 29 will close out IAC 2021. (Image Credits: IAF, et al)

MONDAY

SpaceX Crew 3 Launch Caps Week of Multiple Launches

October 25 is being targeted by JAXA to launch its 43rd H-2A rocket, carrying a Quasi-Zenith Satellite (QZS, also known as Michibiki ‘Guidance’) from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan. QZS-1R is a replacement for the 1st QZS launched in 2010, continuing the 4-satellite system to provide regional navigation services, which will have 3 additional satellites added by 2024. Astra 5th Rocket 3 vehicle is scheduled to fly Oct 27 from Pad 3B Pacific Spaceport Complex, Alaska for a 2nd demonstration launch for USSF Space Test Program payload. Launching 06:00 on Oct 28 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan (20:00 EDT Oct 27) is the 56th Russia Soyuz 21.a rocket and 171st flight of a Progress (dubbed Progress 79P) arriving at ISS ~2 days later. With nearly 3,000 kg of supplies, Progress 79P is set to dock automatically to Zvezda and remain in orbit for 215 days. Slated to join 7 current members of ISS Expedition 66 are spaceflight newcomers Kayla Barron and Raja Chari (NASA astronaut Group 22 selected 2017), Matthias Maure (ESA astronaut selected 2015), and veteran Astronaut Tom Marshburn. Launching OCt 31, they will stay aboard until March 28 adding to the tally of 246 people from 19 countries which have visited ISS over the past 21 years. Dragon Crew 3 and Progress 79P will join 4 other docked vehicles: Crew 2, Soyuz MS-19, Progress 78P and Cygnus-16 S.S. Ellison Onizuka. (Image Credits: JAXA, GPS for Land Surveyors, Astra, Alaska Aerospace, Roscosmos, NASA, SpaceX)

Oct 25 — Contemplation by Design (CBD) Stanford Prevention Research Center, Department of Medicine, Online / Stanford CA: Event: An Astronaut’s Perspective: Earth views inspiring us to care for our planet; by Astronaut Steve Smith, 17:30-18:30.

Oct 25-28 — Lunar and Planetary Institute, Online / Houston TX: Brines Across the Solar System: Modern Brines Conference 2021.

Oct 25-29 — International Astronautical Federation, Dubai, UAE: 72nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC 2021): Inspire, Innovate & Discover for the Benefit of Humankind; multidisciplinary congress that covers all space sectors and topics.

Oct 25 — Apollo Asteroid 2021 TO15: Near-Earth Flyby (0.019 AU)

Oct 25 — Apollo Asteroid 2017 SJ20: Near-Earth Flyby (0.048 AU)

Oct 25 — Moon: 1.77° N of M35 cluster, 17:00.

Continued From…

Oct 4 – Nov 10 — AIAA, Online / Reston VA: AIAA Short Course: Spacecraft Design, Development and Operations.

Oct 19 – Nov 11 — AIAA, Online / Reston VA: AIAA Short Course: Space Architecture: Designing a Lunar Habitation System.

TUESDAY

Oct 26 — STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) A & B, Heliocentric Orbit: NASA craft imaging Sun and solar phenomena reach 15 full years / enter 16th year in space today, launched 2006.

Oct 26 — Apollo Asteroid 2019 UW6: Near-Earth Flyby (0.020 AU)