India Astrophysics Advancing with Exoplanet Exploration Conference, Latest Observatories
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research is hosting Strange New Worlds: The Exploration of Exoplanets conference in Pune, India to address current developments on topics including exoplanet formation, evolution, interiors, surfaces, atmospheres, star-planet interaction, habitability and bio / techno signature detection. Pune, located in the state of Maharashtra, is home to the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) led by Director Yashwant Gupta and Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) composed of 30 antennas measuring 45 m in diameter spread over 25 km. (L-R) Liton Majumdar (NISER), Joe Ninan (TIFR) and Prabal Saxena (NASA Goddard) are conference co-chairs. Scientific Organizing Committee includes Vishal Gajjar (SETI Institute), Shyama Narendranath (ISRO) and Sivarani Thirupathi (IIA). Joy Monteiro and Sudha Rajamani of IISER Pune serve as Local Organizing Committee. India is home to Devasthal Observatory (3.5-m optical / 4-m liquid mirror), operated by Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), led by Director Dipankar Banerjee and Physical Research Laboratory with Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics lab advancing applied quantum physics in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Indian Astronomical Observatory, a complex of telescopes on Hanle Mountain including 2.01-m Himalayan Chandra Telescope, 4.4m2 High Altitude Gamma Ray Telescope. Also in Maharashtra ~450 km east of Pune is future site of Indian Initiative in Gravitational-wave Observations (IndIGO), the LIGO of India being built with support of USA NSF and LIGO partners in UK, Germany and Australia, to be completed NET 2030. (Image Credits: ISSER, NASA)
MONDAY
☆ Aug 14 — International Space Station,~415-km LEO: Expedition 69 seven-member crew with Commander Sergey Prokopyev preparing for Progress 85P cargo and SpaceX Crew 7 arrival next week, followed by Crew 6 departure at end of month.
☆ Aug 14 — Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou 16 three-member crew share footage of exercise in space, expect to welcome Shenzhou 17 crew in 2 months; IIA awaits interstellar gas experiment shipment during export license delay.
Highlights…
o NewSpace: Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck hails ‘strong performance’, announces 10 new Electron launches; 14-day Axiom Mission 4 to ISS booked with NASA for Aug 2024; Rocket engine builder Ursa Major of Colorado working through changes after letting go ~1/4 of employees.
☆ Solar System: ISRO Chandrayaan-3 circularizing lunar orbit ahead of Aug 23 landing attempt; NASA / JPL Mars helicopter Ingenuity continues surveying mission following unplanned flight abort; Insight lander measurements show Mars spin increasing by 4 milliarcseconds / yr.
o Global: Japan and India advancing cooperation on LUPEX lunar mission, Aditya L1 / Chandrayaan-3 data sharing; Mongolia-USA to cooperate on space technology and situational awareness under Strategic Third Neighbor Partnership; ESA Ariane 6 inaugural launch pushed to TBD 2024 pending firing tests of upper stage in Lampoldshausen, core stage in Kourou.
●USA: Artemis 3 mission may be altered pending outcome of Artemis 2, says NASA Associate Admin as Orion heat shield investigation continues; Boeing now targeting March 2024 for first crewed Starliner launch to ISS; New 1,858 m2Lockheed Martin factory in Denver to build 180+ smallsats per year.
Florida Hosts Innovators Week, USA Women in Space Events and Culturally Inclusive Workshop
Apollo-Artemis launch state Florida will see 15 spacefarers joining the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) Innovators Week & Gala 2023 on August 16-19 in Orlando. Next year ASF will reach 40 years since its creation, and has provided >US$8M in awards to ~800 astronaut scholars to date. The 2023 program will include Keynote speaker Mike Griffin (former NASA Admin), Astronaut Scholar Technical Conference, an Innovators Reception and Gala, and Neil Armstrong Award of Excellence being given to Andrew Jones (CEO of Activated Research Company). The 40th Anniversary of American Women in Space Luncheon & Panel on August 18 features Jan Davis, Anna Fisher, Linda Godwin, Joan Higginbotham, Janet Kavandi, Barbara Morgan and Karen Nyberg; and celebrates the June 1983 spaceflight of Sally Ride. In Miami, NASA Science Mission Directorate, Pérez Art Museum, Lunar and Planetary Institute and USRA are sponsoring Culturally Inclusive Planetary Engagement Workshop from Aug 17-19. Under the NASA-awarded Planetary Resources and Content Heroes (ReaCH) program, this will be the 3rd of 5 workshops planned for this year, the next being held in September at American Museum of Natural History / New York, followed by November 2-4, 2023 / Puerto Rico. Planetary scientists, astrobiologists and educators will dialogue on Black and Latinx audiences in planetary science with a public and youth engagement event to follow. (Image Credits: ASF, NASA, LPI, USRA, KSC)
●Aug 14 — Intuitive Machines, Online / Houston TX: Q2 financial results to be discussed, 15:30 CDT.
●Aug 14 — Astra Space, Online / Alameda CA: Q2 financial results to be discussed, 13:30 PDT.
☆ Aug 14 — Moon: 3.7° NNE of Beehive Cluster, 17:00.
☆ Aug 14 — Apollo Asteroid 2023 OE5: Near-Earth Flyby (0.010 AU).
Continued From…
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 15 — Astromaterials Data System (Astromat), Hybrid / Los Angeles CA and Online: Astromat Town Hall & Lunch; during MetSoc2023.
☆ Aug 15 — Moon: New Moon, 23:38.
WEDNESDAY
★ Aug 16 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink 6-10,SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS FL: Falcon 9 to launch next batch of Starlink v2-mini satellites, 20:00 EDT.
★ Aug 16 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink 7-1,SLC-4E, Vandenberg SFB CA: Falcon 9 to launch next batch of Starlink v2-mini satellites; first stage to land on ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ drone ship.
☆ Aug 16 — Moon: At apogee (distance 406,607 km), 02:00; 3.8° NNE of Regulus, 15:00.
THURSDAY
☾ Aug 17 — Chandrayaan-3,Lunar Landing Trajectory: India Chandrayaan-3 lander and propulsion-module separation planned for today in preparation for August 23 landing (back up dates in September).
☆ Aug 17 — Apollo Asteroid 2022 CP1: Near-Earth Flyby (0.035 AU).
FRIDAY
● Aug 18 — Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, Orlando FL: 40th Anniversary of American Women in Space; special event during Innovators Week & Gala featuring Jan Davis, Anna Fisher, Joan Higginbotham, Barbara Morgan and more.
☆ Aug 18 — Moon: 6.2° NNE of Mercury, 09:00; 1.95° NE of Mars, 16:00.
☆ Aug 18 — Amor Asteroid 2019 UY3: Near-Earth Flyby (0.055 AU).
☆ Aug 18 — Apollo Asteroid 2015 QK9: Near-Earth Flyby (0.078 AU).
☆ Aug 19 — Apollo Asteroid 2011 QJ21: Near-Earth Flyby (0.033 AU).
SUNDAY
☾ NET Aug 20 — Luna-25, Lunar Landing: Earliest possible landing date for Roscosmos Luna-25 (formerly Luna-Glob) lander after 5-day transfer and (minimum) 4 days in lunar orbit – if launched Aug 11; to attempt landing near Boguslawsky and Boussingault craters (69.545°S, 43.544°E) or backup site near Mazinus and Simpelius craters (68.773°S, 21.210°E).
★ Aug 20 — Voyager 2, Interstellar Space: NASA spacecraft begins 47th year in space today, launched Aug 20, 1977 – seventeen days before Voyager 1; expected to send data to Earth until ~2025 when power may run out.
☆ Aug 20 — Apollo Asteroid 2010 LH14: Near-Earth Flyby (0.072 AU).
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