Japan IAU Astrophysics Conference, JAXA Gears up for SLIM Lunar Launch to Investigate Moon
August brings a focus on Astronomy in Japan with Asia-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting (APRIM) to be held for first time in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture August 7-11. With more than 300 speakers, 20 exhibitors, approximately 500 attendees, the event is sponsored by National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitsubishi Electric, Korean Astronomical Society, and more. Speakers and topics include Astronomers Jean-Gabriel Cuby on Scientific Capabilities of Canada-France-Hawaiʻi Telescope, Yuko Kakazu on Mauna Kea TMT (Thirty Meter Telescope) New Vision and Approach. Also presenting is Valentin Martinez Pille, USA National Solar Observatory, on first results from Daniel K Inouye Solar Telescope at Haleakala Observatory, Maui, and Valery I. Shematovich, Institute of Astronomy, Russian Academy of Sciences, on hot planetary coronas in Solar and extrasolar systems. Satellite meetings will be hosted at University of Aizu, Japan, and National Central University, Taiwan. Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) continues to progress, preparing for Aug 26 launch of SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) via H-2A rocket including secondary payload Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM) destined for GEO. A joint project between JAXA and NASA, landing target is Shioli Crater within Mare Nectaris, 13° S latitude, 25° E longitude on near side of Moon. SLIM to test pinpoint landing technology with light weight probe system and perform high-resolution X-ray spectroscopic observations of hot gas plasma wind. (Image Credits: APRIM, JAXA, NSO, Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, LinkedIn)
MONDAY
☆ Aug 7 — International Space Station,~415-km LEO: Expedition 69 Roscosmos Cosmonauts Dmitri Petelin and Sergey Prokopyev to perform ~4.5-hour spacewalk to install micrometeoroid protection screens on Rassvet module, use ERA robotic arm to physically transport Prokopyev to/from MLM, starts 10:15 EDT; live coverage available.
☆ Aug 7 — Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou 16 three-member crew continuing to set up 23 enclosed pressurized experiment racks for the 1,000+ planned experiments; CNSA shares TSS panoramic camera footage.
Highlights…
o NewSpace: OrienSpace of China may be on track for 1st launch Dec 2023 following successful Gravity-1 booster separation test; Voyager Space partnering with Airbus to build & operate Starlab space station financed via US$160M NASA Space Act Agreement; Astroscale to supply docking plate for Astro Digital end-of-life satellite bus servicing module.
☆ Solar System: Eu:CROPIS, LRO, Chang’E-4, ExoMars & Curiosity simultaneous measurements from coronal mass ejection informing Artemis radiation mitigation plans; ISRO Chandrayaan-3 to perform several maneuvers to achieve circular 100-km orbit around Moon following successful LOI; ORBITS Act to establish active orbital debris removal led by Office of Space Commerce with NASA progressing in USA Senate.
☆ Galaxy: NASA expects to reestablish full communication with Voyager 2 in interstellar space with Oct 15 preprogrammed reset after picking up signal; Euclid surpasses 1st month in space, undergoing image tests and instruments checkouts; Gaia mission may be extended beyond Q2 2025 as ESA prepares PLATO predicted to detect >500 Earth-sized exoplanets.
o Global: Roscosmos offers BRICS nations a module on Russian Orbital Station planned for launch NET 2027; ESA / JAXA researchers characterize X-ray-emitting plasma-surface interaction with increasing accuracy as BepiColombo approaches Mercury orbit insertion Dec 2025; Argentina is 28th signatory to Artemis Accords for lunar exploration as NGO participation could be considered.
●USA: NASA+ streaming service to offer live coverage of space / lunar missions and historic footage free to public without subscription; Planet of San Francisco to lay off 117 employees amid restructuring; US Space Command to remain located in Colorado Springs CO following executive order halting move to Huntsville AL.
● Hawai’i: IfA astronomer István Szapudi proposing Earth shade with asteroid-counterweight to mitigate global warming in coming decades; Gemini North is temporarily offline due to NSF NOIRLab cyberattack; Big Island Now hosting latest public opinion poll on TMT International Observatory building.
● = Terrestrial and… o = International terrestrial events
☾ = Moon activity
★ = Space and… ☆ = International space / astro events in Hawaii Standard Time unless noted. Add 10 hours to obtain UT (‘Universal Time’).
Roscosmos Making Final Preparations for Luna-25 Launch to Moon South Pole Region
Luna-25 Moon lander is awaiting launch atop the Fregat upper stage of a fueled Soyuz-2.1b rocket at Vostochny Cosmodrome, set to conduct the first lunar exploration by modern Russia. As inheritors of USSR space / Moon legacy including first satellite to orbit Earth (Sputnik 4, October 1957), first human in space (Yuri Gagarin, April 12 1961) and first robotic soft landing (Luna 9, February 1966), the 1-year nominal mission will clearly be of great significance and perhaps pivotal amid current strife. ~9 science instruments are aboard the NPO Lavochkin-built Luna-25 (1,750 kg wet / 800 kg dry): ADRON-LR neutron / GR regolith probe, ARIES-L exosphere plasma detector, LASMA-LR mass spectrometer, LIS-TV-RPM infrared spectrometer, PmL dust gauge, THERMO-L thermometer, a laser retroreflector, and STS-L panoramic imager. Lunar transfer is expected to take ~5 days followed by 3 or more days in 100-km circular polar orbit followed by 18 x 100 km elliptical landing orbit, depending on whether prime landing (69.545°S, 43.544°E) or alternate site (68.773°S, 21.210°E) is selected – both within 120 km of Chandrayaan-3 prime landing location due for arrival within hours or days of Luna-25. This mission, along with Luna-26 lunar polar orbiter (NET 2027) and Luna-27 South Pole–Aitken basin lander (NET 2028) comprise Russia contributions to the first ‘reconnaissance’ phase of the International Lunar Research Station. (Image Credits: Roscosmos, NPO Lavochkin, @Kaitlinegrey)
☆ Aug 7 — Roscosmos, Launch Soyuz 2.1b / Glonass-K2 No. 13, Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia: Soyuz rocket to launch next Glonass satellite for Russia GLONASS space-based navigation system.
★ Aug 7 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink 6-20,Vandenberg SFB CA: Falcon 9 to launch next batch of Starlink satellites; first stage to land on ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ drone ship.
●Aug 7-13 — KSC, Visitor Complex, Orlando FL: Meet an Astronaut; Charlie Walker will answer questions, photo opportunities.
☆ Aug 7 — Moon: 2.69° NNW of Jupiter, 22:00.
☆ Aug 7 — Venus: At aphelion, 0.7282 AU from Sun, 14:00.
Continued From…
●Jun 12 – Aug 12 — Institute for Scientist & Engineer Educators at University of California Observatories, University of Hawai’i,Hilo HI: Akamai Internship Program 2023.
o Jun 26 – Aug 25 — International Space University (ISU), National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA), et al,São José dos Campos, Brazil:35th ISU Space Studies Program (SSP 2023).
☾ Jul 14 – Aug 23 — Chandrayaan-3,Lunar Landing Trajectory: India Chandrayaan-3 lander and rover to attempt Moon South Pole region landing site near Manzinus U (69.368°S, 32.348°E) ~17:47 IST; second landing window in September.
● Aug 8 — Arkisys, Logan UT: Arkisys Info Session; to discuss “Port” aggregatable platform and technology ecosystem, at 37th Annual Small Satellite Conference, USU campus, room OM 225.
☆ Aug 8 — Moon: Last quarter, 00:29, 2.46° NNW of Uranus, 24:00.
WEDNESDAY
☆ Aug 9 — International Space Station, Russia EVA #60, 415-km LEO: Roscosmos Cosmonauts Dmitri Petelin and Sergey Prokopyev to perform ~4.5-hour spacewalk to install micrometeoroid protection screens on Rassvet module, use ERA robotic arm to physically transport Prokopyev to/from MLM, starts 10:15 EDT; live coverage available.
● Aug 9-11 — NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Hybrid / Pasadena CA and Online: Endurance Science Workshop 2023; public workshop discussing Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey recommended Endurance mission – lunar South Pole-Aitken basin traverse and sample return rover.
☆ Aug 9 — Moon: 1.38° SE of Pleiades, 05:00.
☆ Aug 9 — Mercury: At easternmost elongation, 16:00.
THURSDAY
★ Aug 10 — Virgin Galactic, Launch VMS Eve / SpaceShipTwo VSS Unity,Spaceport America NM: Launch planned for suborbital flight of Galactic 02 carrying Jon Goodwin, Keisha Schahaff and Anastatia Mayers, and 3 Virgin Galactic employees Beth Moses, C.J. Sturckow and Kelly Latimer.
☆ Aug 10 — Mercury: At aphelion, 0.4667 AU from Sun, 08:00.
FRIDAY
☆ NET Aug 11 — Roscosmos State Corporation, Launch Soyuz 2 / Luna-25, Vostochny Cosmodrome, Russia: Roscosmos Luna-25 (formerly Luna-Glob) lander to launch to Boguslavsky crater less than 500 km from Moon South Pole.
☆ Aug 11 — Apollo Asteroid 2022 BS2: Near-Earth Flyby (0.044 AU).
SATURDAY
★ Aug 12 — Parker Solar Probe,Heliocentric Orbit: NASA craft to come within 6.16M km of the Sun, well within the orbit of Mercury and ~7 times closer than any spacecraft has before – reaches 4th full year / enters 5th year in Space today; launched Aug 12, 2018.
☆ Aug 12 — Perseid Meteor Shower Peak: Appearing to radiate from constellation Perseus, shower can produce up to 100 meteors per hour, which are fast, bright and frequently leave persistent trains, 14:00.
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