ISS Changes Command, Soyuz Returns, Expedition 67 Begins, and Axiom Mission 1 Launches This Week

Cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov is to transfer ISS Command to USA Astronaut Thomas Marshburn March 29 in a televised ceremony starting 09:25 EDT. The following day Soyuz MS-19 is to undock from Rassvet module carrying Cosmonauts Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubro, who along with Astronaut Mark Vande Hei has occupied the station since April 9, 2021 – Vande Hei will set the USA record for spaceflight duration at 355 consecutive days (Cosmonaut Valeri Korshunov holds overall record at 437 days). Marshburn will oversee ISS operations until late April, when Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy will assume control – however, Cristoforetti will not command the entire station as previously stated, rather she will instead command the United States Orbital Segment (USOS), including ESA, JAXA and CSA / ASC modules and instruments. Ostensibly this change is prompted by “normal vehicle scheduling” per ESA statement, however international tensions may play role in separating ISS Command. The first ISS mission to be entirely funded, launched and crewed privately, Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), is to depart Earth April 3 at 14:46 EDT, transporting professional Astronaut Michael López-Alegría (working in a commercial capacity) and paying customers Eytan Stibb, Larry Connor and Mark Pathy. With science and education objectives, the Axiom crew will conduct biomedical experiments in coordination with Mayo and Cleveland Clinics over 8-day stay. (Image Credits: NASA)

MONDAY

☆ Mar 28 — ISS, ~405-km LEO: Expedition 66 crew of 10 to shift to Exp 67 crew of 7 mid-week with MS-19 departure, looking toward Axiom Mission 1 scheduled arrival with 4 people on Friday.

☆ Mar 28 — Tiangong Space Station, ~370-km LEO: TSS construction and education lectures continue by Shenzhou 13 Taikonauts, Tianzhou 4 cargo planned for May 5 launch, Shenzhou 14 on May 17, Wentian “Quest for the Heavens” in June.

● Mar 28 — Federal Aviation Administration, SpaceX, Washington DC: Programmatic Environmental Assessment; FAA decision on Starship Super Heavy Project at Boca Chica Launch Site (SN20 orbital launch to Kauai) to be released on this date.

o = International terrestrial events in local time.

★ = Space events, and… ☆ = International space / astro events in Hawaii Standard Time unless noted. Add 10 hours to obtain UT (‘Universal Time’).

IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky Formally Begins April 1

Addressing optical and radio interference caused by large constellations, a new coordination center established by IAU and operated by National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (National Science Foundation NOIRLab) and Square Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO) will work to protect the dark and quiet sky as it is ‘essential to advancing our understanding of the Universe… the cultural heritage of all humanity and for the protection of nocturnal wildlife.’ The new centre Director Piero Benvenuti, co-directors Connie Walker, Federico Di Vruno, and staff members in Tucson AZ and Jodrell Bank, United Kingdom will begin work on software tools / technologies for astronomers, international policies, outreach and fundraising efforts. According to UNOOSA, 12,554 satellites have been launched so far; in 2021 alone >1,400 satellites launched. While Amazon Project Kuiper plans a 3,200-satellite constellation, SpaceX Starlink has 2,112 in orbit with 12,000 approved by FCC, and OneWeb has 428 in orbit of 648 planned. A 4-day workshop in 2020 held by American Astronomical Society and NOIRLab with 250+ people resulted in recommendations for darkening satellites & controlling their attitude for reflectivity issues, and orbiting them lower than 600-km to reduce time visible in sky. Astronomy groups continue working with industry for solutions which will be valuable beyond Earth, as astrophysics, observations and communications from Lagrange Points, on the Moon, Mars and other locations become more frequent. (Image Credits: IAU, NOIRLab, SKAO, M. Lewinsky, DELVE Survey / CTIO / AURA / NSF, P. Marenfeld)

o Mar 28-30 — International Astronautical Federation, Paris, France: IAF Spring Meetings 2022.

o Mar 28 – Apr 8 — United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Vienna, Austria: 61st Session COPUOS Legal Subcommittee Meeting.

☆ Mar 28 — Moon: 6.3° SE of Venus and 4.2° SE of Saturn, 05:00.

☆ Mar 28 — Venus: 2.10° NNW of Saturn, 16:00.

Continued From…
o Nov 4 – Jun 29 — Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Problems, NASA Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA), Moscow, Russia: Mixed gender, international crew of 6 participating in 8-month space / lunar simulation mission SIRIUS-21 (Scientific International Research In Unique Terrestrial Station).

TUESDAY

☆ Mar 29 — ISS, Change of Command Ceremony, ~405-km LEO: International Space Station Change of Command from Shkaplerov to Marshburn, 09:45 EDT, live coverage available.

★ Mar 29 — Blue Origin, Launch New Shepard 20 / 4th Crewed Space Flight, Launch Site One, West TX: Next suborbital flight of New Shepard with Marty Allen, Sharon Hagle, Marc Hagle, Jim Kitchen, George Nield, and Gary Lai; 08:30 CDT.

o Mar 29 — International Astronautical Federation, Paris, France: Global Networking Forum (GNF) Programme 2022; discussing JWST, 1st International Moon Day, IAC 2023, GLEC 2022, European Astronaut Manifesto; 17:30 to 20:00.

● Mar 29-31 — LPI, USRA, NASA, JPL, Pasadena CA: Low-Cost Science Mission Concepts for Mars Exploration Workshop; at Westin Pasadena.

☆ Mar 29 — Aten Asteroid 2022 EL5: Near-Earth Flyby (0.018 AU)

☆ Mar 29 — Aten Asteroid 2010 GD35: Near-Earth Flyby (0.045 AU)

☆ Mar 29 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 SF3: Near-Earth Flyby (0.091 AU)

WEDNESDAY

☆ Mar 30 — ISS, Soyuz MS-19 Undocking / Return to Earth, ~405-km LEO: Scheduled start of Expedition 67 with departure of Soyuz MS-19 / Expedition 66 crew Anton Shkaplerov, Pyotr Dubrov, Mark Vande Hei, undocking 03:21 EDT, live coverage available; landing southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan at 07:29 EDT.