Month of Mars Missions: 1st Attempt for Both UAE and China, 26th for USA

UAE Al-Amal “Hope” Probe is ready to launch via JAXA H2A from Tanegashima Launch Center July 14. Hope will travel 493M km in 7 months, arriving February 2021 in honor of 50th anniversary of 1971 emirates founding. The operational 2-year mission in a 55-hour elliptical orbit will take a holistic approach to study Mars climate and atmosphere with 3 sensors: high-res multiband camera, infrared spectrometer, ultraviolet spectrometer. UAE plans to build a human settlement on Mars by 2117. Zhongguo / China first Mars mission, Tianwen-1 “Heavenly Questions”, is on track for July 23 Long March 5 Y4 launch from Wenchang, Hainan Island 19° N. The mission carries 13 payloads on 3,175-kg orbiter, lander and 240-kg rover – and aims to arrive at Utopia Planitia between 20°-50°W, 20°-30°N. It will use radar, perform soil chemical analyses and look for biosignatures. Mars sample return mission, similar to the lunar Chang’e-5 launching later this year, would launch before 2030. NASA Perseverance Rover is set to join 5 operational USA missions at Mars, launching July 30 from Cape Canaveral AFS FL on ULA Atlas 5. It will carry 7 instruments, a core drill and helicopter Ingenuity – landing at Jezero Crater on Feb 18, 2021. The mission will search for habitable conditions, and act as a precursor mission for Mars sample returns, before any crewed missions take place. (Pictured: (T) Hope Lead Scientist: Sarah Al-Amiri and Engineers, (B) Perseverance Scientists & Engineers; Image Credits: UAE Space Agency, CNSA, NASA, JPL)

MONDAY

Space and Lunar Events to be Cast from USA Capitol Area in Recognition of Space Week

American Astronautical Society, National Space Society, and The Moon Society are hosting online forums in the lead-up to July 20, Global Space Exploration Day. All three virtual gatherings are being conducted from locations in and around Washington, DC. July 15-17 AAS holds 2nd annual John Glenn Memorial Symposium, with theme Powering Innovation from the Sky to the Stars. NASA Administrator (clockwise from TL) Jim Bridenstine is to give keynote address, representatives from Boeing and Lockheed Martin are to update on SLS and Orion, Dennis Nikitaev of UA-Huntsville is to receive the Molly K. Macauley Award for a feasibility study on novel thermonuclear propellant. Continuing Advocacy from their DC Headquarters, NSS presents A Day in Space 2020, July 16 with talks by Moonworker Buzz Aldrin, polymath Shawna Pandya, New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern and numerous other space luminaries on topical issues within space travel and settlement throughout the free, one-day affair. Additionally, The Moon Society is to host an online conference from Pasadena, Maryland on Lunar Development. Featuring Rick Tumlinson of Spacefund, Sean Mahoney of Masten and Michelle Hanlon of For All Moonkind, with support of Lunar Resources, Moon Society hopes to create a “vibrant lunar development community” with staying power. Another DC area event, AIAA 2020 Aerospace Spotlight Awards Gala originally set for July 17 will be celebrated May 19, 2021. (Image Credits: AAS, NSS, TMS, NASA, Space Congress)

Jul 13, 15, 16 — UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Wilton, U.S. Dept of State, Secure World Foundation, Online: Operating in Space: Current Multilateral Policy Issues and Challenges (Central Asia and Middle East).

Jul 13-31 – ‘Imiloa Astronomy Center, Hilo HI: ‘Imiloa to begin reopening with educational Halau Lamaku program.

Jul 13 — Jupiter: At opposition, magnitude -2.8, 22:00.

Jul 13 — Amor Asteroid 2020 KJ7: Near-Earth Flyby (0.030 AU)

Jul 13 — Amor Asteroid 2020 KJ7: Near-Earth Flyby (0.045 AU)

Continued From…

Jan 2019 – Sep 2020 — New Horizons, Kuiper Belt: Full data collected from 7 instruments during KBO Arrokoth flyby to be transmitted to Earth over this time period.

Nov 2019 – Nov 2020 — Hayabusa2, Earth Trajectory: JAXA Hayabusa2 with two samples collected from C-type asteroid 162173 Ryugu on trajectory for Earth return.

Jul 10-19 — Swiss Space Center, ESA, Online: IGLUNA 2020 Virtual Field Campaign; featuring more than 25 online events with students demonstrating space technology projects.

Jul 12-16 — Japan Geoscience Union, American Geophysical Union, Online: JpGU – AGU Joint Online Meeting 2020: For a Borderless World of Geoscience.

Jul 12-23 — Comet C/2020 F3 NEOWISE: Should be visible to the naked eye in Northern Hemisphere during evening, moving from constellation Lynx toward Big Dipper as it nears Earth closest approach 0.692 AU on July 23.