China to Attempt 1st Commercial Orbital Launch, May Expand International Collaborations via ILOA Galaxy Forum Hainan 2020 Feb 11-14

The first-ever orbital launch attempted by a commercial company in China is planned by OneSpace on March 25, launching the OS-M1 rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 40° N. Its payload is ZeroG Lab Lingque 1B remote sensing CubeSat which is the 2nd of 3 demonstrators for the planned Magpie constellation of 132 6U CubeSats. OneSpace, founded 2015 with CEO Shu Chang, is in competition with other China solid rocket startups LandSpace, LinkSpace, and ExPace. In Washington DC on March 29, Secure World Foundation is hosting “US-China Engagement in Space” to discuss future possibilities for the 2 countries to engage further in Space while addressing commercial, civil and national security issues. Participants include Victoria Samson, Mike Gold, Brian Weeden and Audrey Shaffer. International Lunar Observatory Association, based in Hawai’i, is re-setting Galaxy Forum Hainan to February 11-14, 2020 at Hilton Wenchang, overlooking the newest Zhongguo spaceport at 19° N. The conference will aim to advance international Human Moon Landings 7 thru 11 and Astronomy from the Moon. While China operates the only working spacecraft on the Moon and plans to launch its advanced Space Station 1st module to LEO 2020, USA has been reconfiguring to return sustainably to the Moon and help develop an international cislunar habitat. (Image Credits: OneSpace, SWF, Google, ZeroG Lab, CMSA, SSL)

MONDAY

International Astronautical Federation Meeting Leads to Global Networking

International Astronautical Federation Spring Meeting convenes in Paris March 26-28 in partnership with International Academy of Astronautics and International Institute of Space Law. IAF, founded in 1951, has missions of promoting cooperation and advancing international development. IAF has been in contact with the World Air Sports Federation about a legal definition the Von Karman line and the beginning of space. IAF President Jean-Yves Le Gall and Director Christian Feichtinger have recently appeared at the Global Space Congress in Dubai. IAF will be preparing for the International Astronautical Congress in Washington DC Oct 21-25 and selecting from more than 4,300 submitted abstracts for IAC. The global IAF meeting will be at the new CAP Event Center in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. March 26 is “3G” Diversity Day breakfast focusing on generational, geographical and gender diversity. Global Networking Forum is March 27 with speakers including incoming IAC Director Pascale Ehrenfreund, ESA Director-General Jan Woerner, Li Ming from China Academy of Space Technology and Giuseppe Reibaldi from Moon Village Association. Woerner has advocated a Moon village since before his directorship of ESA. Chris Sallaberger of Canadensys will be representing International Lunar Observatory Association and its First Women on the Moon initiative. (Image Credits: DLR, ESA, Moon Village Association, Canadensys, IAF)

Mar 25 — NASA, Online: Responses Due: NextSTEP E: Human Landing System Studies, Risk Reduction, Development, and Demonstration.

Mar 25 — Arizona State University, Tempe AZ: TEDxASU 2019 “Next Gen”; 9 speakers focus on life in the 22nd Century.

Mar 25 — Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ: Steward Public Evening Lectures: A Story of Ice, Water, and Fire Under the South Pole of Mars; by Ali Bramson and Michael Sori, 19:30.

Mar 25-26 — Chiba Institute of Technology, Narashino, Japan: Cosmic Lab Workshop; with participation from Japan, China, India, S Korea, Europe.

Mar 25-28 — International Academy of Astronautics, Paris, France: IAA Spring Meetings 2019.

Mar 25-28 — UNOOSA, Regional Center for Space Science and Technology Education for Western Asia, Amman, Jordan: United Nations/Jordan Workshop: Global Partnership in Space Exploration and Innovation.

Mar 25-29 — University of California, Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, Tokyo, Japan: Extremely Big Eyes on the Early Universe 2.

Mar 25 — Moon: 8.1° NNE of Antares, 16:00.

Continued from…

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

Mar 17-30 — Rocket Lab, Launch Electron / R3D2, Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand: Rocket Lab launch window for Radio Frequency Risk Reduction Deployment Demonstration spacecraft for DARPA.