Interstellar Community Sees Resurgence of 100YSS, 1st International IRG Workshop in Montreal, New Interstellar Seminar at WSU
2023 is accelerating interstellar advancements with the 100 Year Starship reemerging for NEXUS 2023 themed When Space, Purpose, and Culture Collide in Nairobi, Kenya January 31 – February 4 after a 7-year meeting hiatus. Astronaut Mae Jemison will lead the event which includes workshops, challenges, classes, receptions, keynotes, plenaries, panels, networking, Thought Pools, celebrations, stargazing, and awards. Some of the 27 highlighted speakers are Rhonda Stevenson (Tao Zero Foundation), Alires Almon (Deep Space Predictive Research Group), Susan Murabana (The Travelling Telescope), Ariel Waldman (National Geographic), and Jennie Yeung (UN Education Science Cultural Health Advancement). Abstract submissions early deadline will pass January 15 for the first international Interstellar Symposium (8th of the series) themed In the Light of Other Suns. It is being held in Montreal, Canada July 10-13 by Interstellar Research Group, alongside pre-symposium seminars, in collaboration with International Academy of Astronautics and Breakthrough Initiatives at McGill University. The 3 Keynotes will be given by Kathryn Denning (York Univ.), Becky McCauley Rench (NASA, New Horizons), and Stephen Webb (Univ. of Portsmouth). On January 18, Wichita State University Interstellar Seminar ‘LASI 150G’ 1-credit hour course led by Prof. Mark Schneegurt will commence with an introductory talk on ‘Introduction to the Interstellar Community & An Interstellar University in the Ad Astra State’ by Ad Astra Kansas Foundation co-founder Steve Durst. (Image Credits: 100YSS, IRG, McGill Univ., NASA/JPL, WSU, ILOA Hawai’i, et al)
MONDAY
☆ Jan 16 — ISS,~415-km LEO: Expedition 68 seven-member configuring EVA equipment; externally-mounted Cold Atom Lab simultaneously produces 2 species of quantum gases for 1st time.
☆ Jan 16 — Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou 15 three-member crew 2 months into 6-month mission setting up additional science experiment cabins; Xuntian (space telescope) may launch to TSS in Q4.
Highlights…
o NewSpace: SpaceX Ship 24 / Booster 7 Starship prototype stacked ahead of WDR, orbital test may come in late February or March; Galactic Energy on track for 2023 8-10 mission launch schedule following 5th flight of Ceres-1.
☆ Solar System: ShadowCam, working from KPLO to explore all known Permanently Shadowed Regions on lunar surface, begins 1-year task with image Shackleton Crater interior; NASA NIAC funding 14 ventures US$175,000 including Lunar Resources (Oxygen infrastructure), Planet Enterprises (flying boat for Titan), University of Nebraska (bacterial / fungal structures for Mars).
☆ Galaxy: 3D Map of magnetic field of interstellar medium Local Bubble generated from Gaia and Planck datasets to aid superbubble investigations; Space and ground-based observatories working to further characterize exoplanet TOI 700 e, a 95% of Earth-sized world within its M dwarf star’s habitable zone discovered by TESS / announced at AAS 241.
o Global: Soyuz MS-23 to fly uncrewed to ISS, retrieving Cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin and Astronaut Frank Rubio following Soyuz MS-22 danger determination by Roscosmos official Sergei Krikalev; Sutherland, SaxaVord and Spaceport 1 race to secure first UK orbital launch following Virgin failure from Cornwall.
●USA:ULA Vulcan Centaur to be received at Cape Canaveral for inaugural test flight scheduled to carry Astrobotic Peregrine lunar lander NET March; House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chair Frank Lucas to prioritize Moon to Mars program amid new majority emphasis on budget reduction; SpaceX to mitigate Starlink effects on sky viewing under Astronomy Coordination Agreement with NSF.
● Hawai’i: Akamai Summer Internship program, a collaboration between UH IfA and UC Observatories, open to applicants on Hawaii and Maui islands until Feb 8; Green Bank Telescope and Very Long Baseline Array including station on Mauna Kea testing new gen Raytheon-developed transmitter, produce 5-m resolution images of Tycho crater.
● = 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’).
First Woman on the Moon, Complete Solar System Exploration May Be Advanced at Upcoming USA State of the Union
As the Biden / Harris administration enters its 3rd year January 20 (recognized as Inauguration Day since 1937), the 2nd State of the Union (SOTU) address from USA President Joe Biden is expected soon. This constitutionally-mandated presidential update to congress is a focal point for executive priorities in the coming year and beyond. With many inspiring space missions and preparations slated for 2023 (CLPS commercial lunar landers, OSIRIS-REx sample return from Bennu, Starliner crewed flight to ISS, launch of Psyche, Artemis 2 crew selection / training, and Artemis 3 First Woman on the Moon NLT July 4, 2026 awareness) and the major USA space accomplishments of 2022 (JWST, DART, Artemis 1) still fresh in the public imagination, the moment is ripe for an ambitious declaration of continuity following NASA Moon to Mars program – out to the middle and far reaches of the Solar System as the 21st Century unfolds. Past the main Asteroid Belt, humans from the USA and other nations may explore the Jovian planetary systems – Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, all possessing planetary magnetospheres and a plethora of moon worlds (208 total) containing the variety of resources necessary to sustain civilization, and on to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt. Vice President Kamala Harris could amplify and sustain a call for long-term solar system exploration at the SOTU through her role as chair of Chair of the National Space Council. (Image Credits: NASA, The White House, OpenAI)
o Jan 16-18 — Malaysia National Planetarium (Planetarium Negara), Australian National University, Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, et al, Pusat Sains Negara &Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia:Global Malaysia Astronomers Convention 2023 (Part 2).
☆ Jan 16 — Aten Asteroid 2012 BV13: Near-Earth Flyby (0.031 AU)
☆ Jan 16 — Apollo Asteroid 2021 NO2: Near-Earth Flyby (0.064 AU)
☆ Jan 16 — Amor Asteroid 2022 YB5: Near-Earth Flyby (0.086 AU)
● Jan 17 — Maryland Space Business Roundtable (MSBR),Greenbelt MD:MSBR Luncheon; featuring Kevin Murphy, NASA Science Mission Directorate Chief Science Data Officer and Head of Earth Science Data Systems.
● Jan 17-18 — NASA Advisory Council (NAC),Washington DC:NAC Meeting; covering topics of Climate Change, Commercial and Industry Partnerships, International Collaboration, Program Management and Acquisition, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility.
☆ Jan 17 — Pluto: At conjunction with the Sun; 35.673 AU from Earth, 21:00.
WEDNESDAY
★ Jan 18 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / GPS 3 SV06, SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS FL: SpaceX Falcon 9 to launch USSF 6th third-generation navigation satellite for Global Positioning System; 07:00 EST.
● Jan 18 — Beyond Earth Institute,Online: Artificial Gravity: From Cinema to Reality; featuring speakers from Gravitics, Type One Ventures, Space Horizons Research Task Force, USRA, NASA Ames, KBR.
● Jan 18-20 — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Space Weather Advisory Group (SWAG),Hybrid / Washington DC and Online: SWAG Meeting; public participation online.
☆ Jan 19 — Jupiter: At perihelion; 4.9510 AU from Sun, 23:00.
☆ Jan 19 — Apollo Asteroid 2021 BA: Near-Earth Flyby (0.057 AU)
FRIDAY
● NET Jan 20 — 2023 USA State of the Union Address,Washington DC: President Biden to give speech to Congress; will address wide range of issues, perhaps USA Artemis Moon missions, Mars and Beyond.
● Jan 21 — ITC Cultural & Education Foundation, Southern News Group, Chinese New Year Festival Inc, STV Houston,Houston TX:27th Texas Lunar Festival 2023.
☆ Jan 21 — Moon: New Moon, 10:54; at perigee (distance 356,602 km), nearest in year, 10:55.
SUNDAY
o Jan 22 — Lunar New Year, China (Zhongguo) / Worldwide: Lunar New Year 2023 Spring Festival marks the Year of the Rabbit.
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