Several Orbiters Near Readiness for Summer Launches Around the Moon

3 missions to lunar orbits will soon be underway: NASA CAPSTONE launch window is NET June 14-22, from Rocket Lab in Māhia NZ with 2-stage Electron rocket and Photon spacecraft bus, on which 12U / 25kg Capstone (built by Advanced Space with Tyvak design) is mounted. Photon will boost orbit to 59,546 km over 6 days, where Capstone will be released and powered for the remainder of its journey by 6 hydrazine thrusters made by Stellar Exploration. Main objectives are verification of navigational stability (for Lunar Gateway NET Nov 2024) and comms, including spacecraft-to-spacecraft Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System test with LRO. Meanwhile, NASA mega Moon rocket SLS is on Launch Complex 39B for 2nd attempt at Wet Dress Rehearsal. Once stacked with Orion and fueled, the 2-day simulated countdown is targeted to end June 19. Artemis 1, expected launch NET August, will occupy a Distant Retrograde Orbit for ≥6 days. Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) is launching KSLV-2 ‘Nuri’ carrying 180-kg test satellite and 4 CubeSats June 15 from Naro Space Center. KARI is aiming for the Moon with August 2 SpaceX launch of Danuri orbiter, loaded with 6 science / mapping instruments and Electronics and a Telecommunications Research Institute experiment to broadcast ‘K-Pop’ hit. KARI plans phase 2 of its Moon exploration program NLT 2030, utilizing an upgraded KSLV-2 to transport lander / rover. (Image Credits: NASA, KARI, Rocket Lab, SpaceX)

MONDAY

☆ Jun 13 — ISS, ~405-km LEO: Expedition 67 seven-member crew working with acoustic diagnostics, Cherry Belle Radish and Tokyo Cabbage seeds, and EMUs 3004 & 3015 maintenance; in-flight event this week with Italy President Sergio Mattarella and Samantha Cristoforetti.

☆ Jun 13 — Tiangong Space Station, ~370-km LEO: Shenzhou 14 crew Chen Dong, Liu Yang, Cai Xuzhe begin 6-month mission in space, planning EVAs, working with new cargo transfers, setting up station components and experiments.

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’).

1st Women in Space and on the Moon

In 3-4 years, the first women landing on the Moon accomplished by the Artemis program should be an incredible feat expanding the sphere of women’s influence and activity by many millions of times. Perhaps National Space Council chaired by first female Vice President Kamala Harris may orient this lunar landing goal NLT July 4, 2026 quarter-millennial / 250th anniversary of the USA Declaration of Independence. The first international women to cross the threshold of space are celebrated this week: June 16 the 59th Observation of the 1st Woman in Space – Valentina Tereshkova (Soviet Union) for her 1963 flight in Vostok 6; June 18 the 39th Observation of the 1st USA Woman in Space – Sally Ride for 1983 Space Shuttle Challenger STS-7; and June 16 the 10th Observation of the 1st Woman from China in Space – Liu Yang for the 2012 Shenzhou 9. Yang is now aboard Tiangong Space Station for Shenzhou 14 mission for ~6 months. Mae Jemison will be celebrated September 12 as the first Black woman in space having flown in 1992. Currently Samantha Cristoforetti (first woman in space from Italy) and Jessica Watkins (first Black woman aboard ISS crew) are working as part of Expedition 67. So far, 75 women have been to space, with Anna Kikina and Nicole Aunapu Mann next up, flying in September on SpaceX Crew 5. (Image Credits: NASA, ESA, P. Carril, CNSA, Roscosmos)

★ Jun 13 — Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR), LEO: NASA satellite reaches 10 full years / enters 11th year of operations in space today; launched 2012.

● Jun 13 — Federal Aviation Administration, SpaceX, Online / 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.

● Jun 13-24 — American Astronautical Society, Online / Springfield VA: OrbitCamp; featuring live events and seminars on trajectory design in cislunar space.

☆ Jun 13 — Moon: 2.98° NNE of Antares, 06:00.

☆ Jun 13 — Apollo Asteroid 2015 LK: Near-Earth Flyby (0.034 AU)

☆ Jun 13 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 XR: Near-Earth Flyby (0.059 AU)

☆ Jun 13 — Apollo Asteroid 2022 KW1: Near-Earth Flyby (0.082 AU)

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).

o Jun 1-10 — United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, Vienna, Austria: 65th Session Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).

● Jun 9-12 — American Astronomical Society, US Naval Research Laboratory, NASA, Virginia Tech, Siemens, Praxis, Kratos, Lockheed, MRV Rocketry, Blacksburg VA: 2022 Student CanSat Competition; at Virginia Tech.

● Jun 12-16 — American Astronomical Society, Pasadena CA: 240th Meeting of the AAS.