July 16-22, 2018 / Vol 37, No 29 / Hawai`i Island, USA

Will NASA Announce Plans to Land the 1st Woman on the Moon During July 20 Space Day Observances? Space Day, July 20, 2018 marks the 49th Observation of Apollo 11 and the start of the 50th observational year – a highly anticipated and pivotal era for USA to reclaim the greatest advance in human history, follow through on its commitment to return to the Moon, and pioneer a significant first — landing a Woman on the Moon. The December 11, 2017 signing of Space Policy Directive 1 shifted the national space program toward our nearest celestial neighbor, reestablishing support of its value for exploration, ISRU, science, astronomy, international and commercial collaboration, advanced technologies, deep space preparation, and lunar base build-out / sustainable long-term Multi World Species survival. No women and only 12 men have touched the Moon. No women have orbited the Moon. Only 61 women have been to space out of 558 international astronauts. Could USA be the 1st nation to commit to putting the 1st Women on the Moon as soon as reasonably possible? …and pursue its pledge to explore ‘In Peace For All’. There are 13 listed active NASA female astronauts, and 5 candidates from 2017 NASA selection. One of these lucky 18 women may be the 1st to land on the Moon, and launch a 21st Century transcending campaign to advance equal rights, inspire next generation ideas, and establish humans as a Multi World Civilization. As 2017 astronaut candidate Loral O’Hara says “Every time I look at the Moon, I think, ‘Holy cow, I might be walking around up there someday – that’s actually a real possibility.” (Image Credits: NASA, SPC, ILOA)

MONDAY Highlights… Jul 16 — ISS, 405-km LEO: Expedition 56 six-member crew, including 61st woman in space Serena Auñón-Chancellor, transferring cargo from Progress 70P, Progress 69P, Dragon CRS-15; working with blood & cell studies, preparing Light Microscopy Module for upcoming Biophysics science tests; Cygnus could be used to reboost ISS after considering data from 50-second engine burn test. Jul 16 — NewSpace: Rocket Lab investigating 4 sites on USA East and West coasts for planned 2nd launch site; Astroscale of Singapore developing space debris removal technologies, establishes first ground station in Japan; Interorbital Systems preparing Neptune rocket for high-altitude test launch in coming weeks; startup Apollo Fusion raises US$18M total. Jul 16 — Solar System: New Horizons 40.86 AU+ from Earth heading to KBO Ultima Thule, Pluto & Charon global maps now available; Kepler to transmit K2 Campaign 18 data after attempting to awaken early Aug; necessary improvements for NEO detection highlighted by meteorite recovery from Asteroid spotted 8 hours before impact. Jul 16 — Galaxy: Milky Way explored from various locations on Earth in Astrophotography collection, while ILOA plans Galaxy imaging from the Moon; China planning 2020 Gravitational Wave High-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor to search Universe for gamma rays; ESA Gaia spacecraft nears 4th full year of routine operations in mission to 3D-map 1B stars over 5 years. Jul 16 — Global: Israel planning Feb 13, 2019 Moon landing; Europe P120C motor test fire to validate booster for its use on future Vega-C and Ariane 6 rockets; Canada extends response deadline for Lunar Surface Mobility offer; Russia continues work on Vostochny Cosmodrome, remains only country launching humans to Space – editorial discusses space program ‘Dark Ages‘. Jul 16 — USA: James Morhard nominee for NASA Deputy Administrator may be confirmed by U.S. Senate, many support / advocate for Janet Kavandi; Commercial Crew Program analysis from US gov. concludes Boeing may reach operational flight readiness Dec 2019, and SpaceX Jan 2020; Alyssa Carson working to become 1st human on Mars for NASA 2033 mission. Jul 16 — Hawai’i: Astronomy student working on dark matter report after being awarded 2 observing runs at Keck Observatory via Maunakea Scholars program; National Science Foundation requests input for developing Key Science Programs for TMT and GMT; JCMT East Asian Observatory preparing for 2019 next-gen replacement for RxA3 heterodyne receiver.

= All times

for terrestrial events in local time unless noted.

= All times for international terrestrial events in local time unless noted.

= All times for space events, and…

= All times for international space / astro events in Hawaii Standard Time unless noted. Add 10 hours to obtain UT (‘Universal Time’).

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Weekly Planet Watch – Evening Planets: Mercury (WNW), Venus (W), Mars (S), Jupiter (SW), Saturn (SE); Morning Planets: Uranus (E), Neptune (SE).

SpaceX Plans 2 Launches Within 3 Days; USA and China World Leaders in 2018 Launches SpaceX has 2 launches scheduled within a 3-day window, keeping on track of executing 2 missions a month thus far in 2018. Falcon 9 is set to loft Telstar 19 Vantage satellite for Telesat from Cape Canaveral AFS FL on SLC-40. Controllers will attempt a first stage booster landing aboard “Of Course I Still Love You” drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. From Vandenberg AFB CA on SLC-4E, Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch 10 satellites for Iridium Next 56-65 mobile communications fleet July 25 with a booster landing attempt in the Pacific Ocean aboard “Just Read the Instructions” drone ship. The 70-meter reusable rocket is comprised of 9 Merlin engines in its first stage providing ~8,000-kN thrust and a second stage single Merlin vacuum engine with 934-kN thrust. SpaceX has 3 missions scheduled for August, including August 2 launch from Cape Canaveral carrying Merah Putih satellites for Telkom Indonesia, and an uncrewed test flight to ISS under NASA Commercial Crew Program. While all previous ground booster recoveries have been at Cape Canaveral, SpaceX has requested permission to land Falcon 9 first stage at Vandenberg AFB. USA and China lead with 18 launches each in the 1st half of 2018 out of a total of 55 worldwide. The two countries could most likely continue the lead for the remainder of 2018. (Image Credits: SpaceX, Telesat, Iridium, Telcom Indonesia)

Jul 16 — Juno, Perijove 14 / 13th Science Flyby, Jupiter Orbit: NASA craft in 53-day orbit to come within ~3,500 km of Jupiter cloud tops during Perijove 14, its 14th close flyby of Jupiter and 13th science flyby with instruments turned on. Jul 16-20 — Spanish Astronomical Society, Salamanca, Spain: 13th Biannual Meeting of the Spanish Astronomical Society (SEA). Jul 16-20 — IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society (NPSS) Radiation Effects Committee, Boeing, SwRI, et al, Waikoloa HI: IEEE Nuclear and Space Radiation Effects Conference (NSREC 2018). Jul 16-21 — Center for Advanced Studies in Cosmology, Brazilian Center for Physical Research, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 17th Brazilian School of Cosmology and Gravitation (BSCG 2018). Jul 16-22 — Farnborough International Airshow, Ultra Electronics, Simex Aerospace, Diamond Aircraft, et al, Farnborough, United Kingdom: Farnborough International Airshow 2018. Continued from… Jul 8 – Oct 9 — NAOC, National Aquatic Center “Water Cube”, Beijing, China: Lunar Exploration Technology Exhibition; featuring 10-meter diameter Moon, lunar imagery, ‘moonlight’ and surround sound composition. Jul 14-22 — Committee on Space Research, Pasadena CA: 42nd COSPAR Scientific Assembly (60th Anniversary). Jul 14-22 — Caltech Astronomy, Giant Magellan Telescope, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, The Planetary Society, Thirty Meter Telescope, et al, Pasadena CA: AstroFest 2018. Jul 15 – Aug 23 — Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, NASA, Dubai, UAE: NASA Space and Rocketry Summer Camp. May 29 – Aug 3 — Lunar and Planetary Society, NASA SSERVI, Center for Lunar Science and Exploration, Houston TX: 2018 Exploration Science Summer Intern Program; students engage in activities to support Moon missions utilizing Orion, Lunar Orbital Platform-Gateway, robotic assets on lunar surface.

Jun 25 – Aug 17 — Frontier Development Lab (FDL), NASA, Online: FDL 2018 Challenges; an AI R&D accelerator that tackles knowledge gaps useful to NASA space program; 2018 topics are space resources, orbital debris, NEOs, Earth observation, space weather, astrobiology.

Jun 25 – Aug 24 — International Space University, ESA, Netherlands Space Office, Delft University of Technology, Leiden University, Noordwijk, The Netherlands: ISU 31st Space Studies Program (SSP 2018); intensive space course and student projects, plus public events, professional meetings, model rocket launch, robotics competition, space masquerade.

TUESDAY

Jul 17 — ARTEMIS P2, Moon Orbit: Spacecraft enters 8th year in Moon orbit today; originally launched with constellation of 5 satellites in 2007 to study Earth magnetosphere, NASA craft collecting data on Moon interaction with Sun; reached Moon 2011.

Jul 17 — British Interplanetary Society, London, United Kingdom: Moon, Mars and Beyond; Apollo Astronaut Al Worden and BIS Council Members Dr. Stuart Eves and Prof Chris Welch will argue their case for settling on the Moon, Mars or traveling beyond.

Jul 17 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 NM: Near-Earth Flyby (0.004 AU)

WEDNESDAY

Jul 18 — Cartersville Public Library, Cartersville GA: The Solar System Rocks! lecture on InSight mission to Mars and OSIRIS-REx mission to retrieve a sample of Asteroid Bennu, by Chris Thompson.

Jul 18 — Amor Asteroid 2018 MH: Near-Earth Flyby (0.072 AU)

THURSDAY

Jul 19 — SETI Institute, Menlo Park CA: Virtual and Augmented Reality in Space: The Next Space Revolution? featuring Timoni West, Amaresh Kollipara, Franck Marchis, J.R. Skok.

Jul 19-22 — Sky at Night Magazine, University of Manchester, From the Fields, Practical Action, et al, Jodrell Bank, United Kingdom: BlueDot Festival: Observe, Explore, Experiment; stellar line-up of music with a ground-breaking program of live science experiments, expert talks and immersive artworks set against the backdrop of the Lovell Telescope.

Jul 19 — Moon: 7.2° NNE of Spica, 04:00; At first quarter, 09:53.

Jul 19 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 NQ1: Near-Earth Flyby (0.042 AU)

FRIDAY

Jul 20 — Apollo 11 49th Observation, Nationwide USA / Global: First Human mission to land on Moon in 1969; 1st steps on another World taken by Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin.

Jul 20 — Viking 1 Mars Lander 42nd Observation, Nationwide USA / Global: First spacecraft to successfully land on another planet; originally scheduled for July 4, landing was delayed until this day in 1976 due to rough landing site.

Jul 20 — Space Exploration Day, Global: Widely observed as one the greatest achievements in Human History, proposed International Holiday to celebrate the first people walking on the Moon / another celestial body.

Jul 20 — `Imiloa Astronomy Center, University of Hawai’i at Hilo, Hilo HI: Maunakea Skies Talk; astronomers from Gemini Observatory discuss research, recent discoveries and science; 19:00-20:00.

Jul 20 — Moon: 4.2° NNE of Jupiter, 17:00.

Jul 20 — Mercury: At aphelion (0.4667 AU from Sun), 00:00.

SATURDAY

Jul 21 — Kennedy Space Center, NASA, Houston TX: Apollo Celebration Gala 2018; gala event featuring Apollo Astronauts Walt Cunningham, Harrison Schmitt, Rusty Schweickart, Tom Stafford, and many others; held under the Apollo Saturn V Rocket to kick-off a 12-month celebration of 50 years since the Apollo 11 Moon landing.

Jul 21 — Frontiers of Flight Museum, The Moon Society, National Space Society of North Texas, Dallas TX: Moon Day 2018.

Jul 21 — Cupertino Community Hall, Cupertino CA: History of the US Space Program: A Real-Life Adventure Story; by Tara Samuels, 14:00.

Jul 21 — Tellus Science Center, Cartersville GA: Build and Blast; hands-on rocket building and launch with expert assistance, and a discussion about the latest developments with rockets from Chris Thompson.

Jul 21-22 — iTalent Digital, Microsoft, Box, Arm Technologies, Sunnyvale CA: GLAM (Girls Leadership Academy Meetup); inspiring girls to consider a career in the tech industry.

Jul 21 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 NE1: Near-Earth Flyby (0.026 AU)

Jul 21 — Apollo Asteroid 2012 BV26: Near-Earth Flyby (0.053 AU)

Jul 21 — Amor Asteroid 2018 NB: Near-Earth Flyby (0.085 AU)

Jul 21 — Amor Asteroid 2018 LU15: Near-Earth Flyby (0.099 AU)

SUNDAY

Jul 22 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Telstar 19 Vantage, SLC-40 Cape Canaveral AFS FL: SpaceX Falcon 9 to launch communications satellite for Telesat; 01:50-5:50 EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 and attempt booster landing aboard ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ drone ship in Atlantic Ocean.

Jul 22-26 — Gemini Observatory, NSF, National Research Council Canada, San Francisco CA: Conference: Science & Evolution of Gemini Observatory.

Jul 22-27 — Meteoritical Society, V.I. Vernadsky Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, V. I. Vernadsky Geological State Museum, Ural Federal University, Kazan Federal University, Moscow, Russia: 81st Annual Meeting of The Meteoritical Society.

Jul 22 — Moon: 8.9° N of Antares, 21:00.