December 29, 2025 - January 11, 2026 / Hawai`i Island, USA
Vol 44, Week 52 – Vol 45, Week 1: Lunar Broadcast Precursor — Terrestrial Edition
China Sustains Space Momentum Through 2026
China National Space Administration (CNSA) maintains a robust and frequent pace of activity in 2026, starting with first test flight of Long March 10A rocket early in the New Year from Wenchang Space Launch Center on Hainan Island (19° N). This precursor to Long March 10 enables future crewed and cargo lunar missions via separate launches of crew spacecraft Mengzhou and lander Lanyue for orbital rendezvous. Major efforts center on Tiangong space station operations and robotic lunar exploration under Chinese Lunar Exploration Program (CLEP), with launches mainly from Wenchang and Jiuquan. State-owned enterprise China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) directs operations from state-owned and commercial sites in Wenchang, leveraging low-latitude benefits. Upcoming missions feature Tianzhou-10 cargo resupply and uncrewed Mengzhou-1 test flight from Wenchang, plus Shenzhou-22 and 23 from Jiuquan. Deep-space focus includes Chang’E-7 launch from Wenchang: orbiter, lander, rover and mini-hopping probe survey lunar south pole for water ice and resources, supporting International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) as scientific outpost welcoming international collaboration for well-being and interests of humankind. Privately owned commercial launch providers grow including i-Space (Interstellar Glory), Galactic Energy, LandSpace, Space Pioneer advancing reusable rockets; LinkSpace offering suborbital package transport; Space Epoch developing reusable systems for e-commerce delivery; and Blue Space Aerospace progressing Nebula-2. Sea-based launches from platforms in eastern waters further expand commercial space initiatives. (Image Credits: CMSE)
Lunar Update: LEAG Annual Meeting, Artemis and Other Landers, Lunar Terrain Vehicle
Counting down to Artemis 2 launch NET February, Lunar Exploration Analysis Group (LEAG) holds its annual meeting January 6-8 at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland USA. For NASA, LEAG analyzes issues in support of lunar exploration, architecture planning and activity prioritization. January 6 has Artemis focus, including updates on Missions II, III, IV and V. January 7 has a FLIP Mission overview. Day 3 focuses on lunar science, includes an Artemis 3 landing analysis. Poster session features ~71 subjects including CLPS successes, Artemis crew health, VIPER, Lunar Outpost LTV, Helium-3, in five poster categories that range from Artemis and commercial activities to lunar instrument developments. LEAG Service Award recognizes leadership. Students and those in first 7 years after final degree are encouraged via mentor-mentee introductions, networking, awards, online participation, and partnership with NextGen Lunar Scientists and Engineers group. Blue Origin and SpaceX continue efforts to get Artemis 3 Moon lander primed with all systems go. Landers projected to launch in 2026 include CLPS: Astrobotic Griffin-1 with FLEX / FLIP rover to Nobile ~85°S, Intuitive Machines Nova-C IM-3 to Reiner Gamma ~7°N, Firefly Blue Ghost M2 to Moon Far Side; and China CNSA Chang’E-7 to Shackleton Rim. NASA LTV award still anticipated this year. (Image Credits: LEAG)
Humans in Space
International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: Expedition 74 seven-member crew [Cardman, Fincke, Kud-Sverchkov, Mikayev, Platonov, Williams, Yui] prioritizing system maintenance, spacesuit resizing for planned 2026 EVAs, cargo transfers from JAXA HTV-X1, Cygnus NG-23, Progress 92 & 93; as well as microgravity science — including stem cell research, materials science in extreme conditions and Astrobee robotics demonstrations; annually crews conduct over 200 experiments; Astronauts also enjoy a bit off time off for holiday + New Year 2026 celebrations with special meals (turkey, shrimp, beef steak, mochi), gifts from cargo ships, family video calls, festive decorations.
Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou-21 three-member crew [Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, Zhang Hongzhang] working with experiments in materials science, life sciences (protein crystallization, cell studies), aerospace medicine; will perform station maintenance, including follow-up from 8-hour EVA that inspected Shenzhou-20 damage; daily routines include ~2 hours of exercise to mitigate muscle and bone loss; ~7,000 kg of cargo from Tianzhou-9 supply craft sustains cargo operations; crew will celebrate holidays and Gregorian New Year – perhaps by imaging the “first light of dawn” as done at the start of 2025.
Lunar Enterprise News: Upcoming Artemis 2 Mission Reflects Apollo 8 Mission
Near-Earth Objects Close Approaches – Tue Dec 30: Aten Asteroid 2024 AV2 (0.045 AU); Sun Jan 4: Apollo Asteroid 2014 AF16 (0.022 AU); Tue Jan 6: Apollo Asteroid 2025 XS4 (0.020 AU); Wed Jan 7: Aten Asteroid 2023 XM15 (0.038 AU)
The First Woman FLYS to the Moon …
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First Women LAND on the Moon …
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