April 30 – May 6, 2018 / Vol 37, No 18 / Hawai`i Island, USA

Mars InSight Lander to Launch During May Space Day Celebrations Mars Insight lander and Mars Cube One are set to launch May 5 from Vandenberg AFB, California between 04:05-06:05 via United Launch Alliance Atlas 5. It will be the first interplanetary launch attempted from Vandenberg. If successful, InSight will land November 26 and become the 5th NASA lander to operate on Mars. Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) is aiming for a >2-year mission near 4.5°N, 135.9°E at Elysium Planitia, the second largest volcanic region on Mars ~1,700 x 2,400 km, containing 3 large volcanoes: Hecates Tholus, Albor Tholus and Elysium Mons. Its data will contribute to the understanding of Solar System terrestrial planets and Luna. Major contributions for InSight have come from Germany, Switzerland, France, UK, Poland and Spain. Mars Cube One, two 6U CubeSats, will fly separately to Mars to provide a communications link to Earth during InSight’s entry, descent, and landing. The duo will be the 1st CubeSats to operate on an interplanetary mission. Also launched May 5 is ‘National Astronaut Day’ presented by Uniphi Space Agency honoring Astronaut Alan Shepard Jr. who became the 1st American in Space in 1961. All Astronauts and Space missions will be celebrated May 4 ‘International Space Day 2018’, held the first Friday in May each year, with STEM events, activities and online. To mark mid-way between the March equinox and the June solstice, May Day observations are held May 1. (Pictured: InSight PI William “Bruce” Banerdt; Image Credit: NASA, JPL, Caltech, USPS)

MONDAY Ongoing… Apr 30 — ISS, 405-km LEO: Expedition 55 six-member crew planning for Dragon CRS-14 departure this week, filling with botanical samples, radiation monitors, other return experiments & gear; updating various software systems, preparing for next EVA by testing tethers, cleaning suits, checking tools. Apr 30 — NewSpace: Blue Origin expects to fly New Shepard within a few weeks, complete BE-4 qualification tests by end of year; Copenhagen Suborbitals continues efforts to sending humans into space, plans to launch next Nexø II rocket this summer; Singapore-based Equatorial Space Industries working to build Volans rocket optimized for nanosats. Apr 30 — Solar System: Hayabusa-2 sample return mission is within 260,000 km of asteroid Ryugu; Juno latest science flyby sends back new detailed images of Jupiter; IAU approves names of features on Pluto moon Charon. Apr 30 — Galaxy: Gaia data release 2 includes 1.7B stars mapped within and beyond Milky Way, over 450 scientists and software engineers process and verify data for Gaia catalogue; update and discussion on Trappist-1 system and habitability. Apr 30 — Global: China solicits design ideas for Human Moon landers from citizens; India performing additional tests of Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator (RLV-TD) undergoing further tests, plans to develop scaled-up version for orbital reentry test; Canada Astronaut Chris Hadfield teaches MasterClass video series on Space exploration. Apr 30 — USA: Major focus on NASA incoming Administrator Jim Bridenstine; ‘Mercury 13’ film documents women pilots training for Astronaut program in 1960s, furthers recent advocacy for First Women on the Moon. Apr 30 — Hawai’i: Astronomers from Maunakea Observatories look forward to studying stars & exoplanets which will be discovered by TESS; state House of Representatives stop 3 proposed bills meant for adapting use / management of Maunakea. Apr 30 — Space Technologies at Cal (STAC), University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley CA: 2018 Space Tech Symposium; featuring top venture capitalists, startups, scientists, and engineers presenting their visions for the future of space tech.

= 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’).

---

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

Moon, Mars Space Technology Events Upcoming in California Space Technologies at Cal (STAC) plans to host the Space Tech Symposium at the University of California in Berkeley April 30 highlighting advancements in space technology, industry, and research. 9 presenters include Rocket Lab board observer Tess Hatch and former NASA researcher Zachary Manchester. The 15th annual CubeSat Developers Workshop is planned for April 30-May 2 at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. 80 speakers and panelists are scheduled with USAF space commander Stephen Whiting and Airbus director of commercial space Emmanuel Sauzay as keynote speakers. Immediately following on May 3-4 is the 7th annual LunarCubes Workshop focusing on effective data management, lunar transportation concepts, and multi-platform CubeSats. 30-40 participants are expected with Pamela Clark of NASA as technical program chair. May 5-13, The Mars Society and Friends of Amateur Rocketry will conduct a team competition at Edwards AFB. The FAR-MARS will award US$50,000 for a student-built bi-propellant liquid-fueled rocket and $50,000 for a liquid-methane and liquid-oxygen fueled rocket that reaches the closest to 13.716 km (45,000 feet). On May 7-9, California Institute of Technology in Pasadena plans to host the Interplanetary Small Satellite Conference to explore mission concepts, emerging technology, and critical thinking. Keynote speakers include Charles Norton of NASA and JPL senior research scientist Sergio Pellegrino. (Image Credit: STAC, NASA, Cal Poly, Friends of Amateur Rocketry, The Mars Society, CalTech, University of Cambridge)

Apr 30 – May 2 — California Polytechnic State University, Advanced Technology Laboratories, JPL, NASA, San Luis Obispo CA: CubeSat Developers Workshop 2018; in conjunction with LunarCubes Workshop, and Interplanetary Smallsat Conference. Apr 30 — Moon: 3.7° NNE of Jupiter, 09:00. Continued from… Dec 21, 2017 – Jun 4 — New Horizons, KBO Ultima Thule (2014 MU69) Trajectory: Spacecraft in hibernation mode until Jun 4; will awaken and prepare for KBO flyby 1 Jan 2019; approach officially begins in August. NET Apr – May — Rocket Lab, Launch Electron / “It’s Business Time” Multi-Payload, Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand: Launch window opens for first fully commercial launch dubbed ‘It’s Business Time’ with two Spire Lemur 2 CubeSats and one GeoOptics CICERO satellite. TUESDAY NET May — ISRO, Launch PSLV CA / Cartosat 3, Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle to launch sixth satellite of ISRO Cartosat series, the current generation of Indian remote sensing satellites. NET May – Jun — CNSA, Launch Long March 4C / Chang’e-4 Orbiter, Xichang Satellite Launch Centre, Sichuan, China: Chang’e-4 communications relay “Queqiao” (bridge of magpies) to launch to Earth-Moon Lagrange Point L2 to support upcoming lander / rover mission launching NET Nov to Moon South Pole / Aitken Basin with reconfigured / advanced instruments; will carry Longjiang-1 and -2 microsatellites (50x50x40 cm3, mass of ~45 kg) intended for 200 x 9,000 km lunar orbit for low frequency radio astronomical observation. May 1 — Deep Space, Interstellar Space and Heliosheath: Voyagers 1 and 2, sending back measurements of effect from solar wind and local interstellar medium turbulence in surrounding environments.

May 1 — May Day, Northern Hemisphere, Earth: Spring festival commonly held on this day (or about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice) to celebrate fertility, fire, and abundance.

May 1 — Cornell Astronomical Society, Ithaca NY: Our Place in Space; @ the Arts Quad.

May 1 — Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA, Greenbelt MD: Colloquium: The Dark Matter in the Universe; Katherine Freese from University of Michigan, 15:45.

May 1 — Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizon, Tucson AZ: Colloquium: Robots Under the Ice, and One Day, In Space? by Britney Schmidt, Assistant Professor at Georgia Institute of Technology.

May 1-2 — Space Studies Board of the National Academies, Washington DC: Space Studies Board Meeting.

May 1-3 — NASA, Columbia MD: Meeting: Mercury – Current and Future Science of the Innermost Planet.

May 1 — Amor Asteroid 2018 DX3: Near-Earth Flyby (0.081 AU)

WEDNESDAY

May 2 — ISS, Dragon CRS-14 Departure / Return to Earth, 405-km LEO: SpaceX reusable Dragon capsule to be released from ISS 10:22 EDT and splashdown in Pacific ocean 16:02, live coverage available.

May 2 — Northwestern University, Evanston IL: Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg to Discuss the Future of Space Exploration at 37th Annual William A. Patterson Transportation Lecture.

May 2 — Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA, Greenbelt MD: Colloquium: Swimming in Martian Lakes; Scott David Guzewich from GSFC, 15:30.

May 2-3 — AIAA, SwRI, Space Operations and Support Technical Committee, SpaceOps, San Antonio TX: 22nd Annual Improving Space Operations Workshop; canceled.

May 2-4 — European Union Horizon 2020 Program, RadioNet, INAF, Italy Premiale Project iALMA, Florence, Italy: Workshop: Cosmic Rays – The Salt of the Star Formation Recipe.

May 2 — Moon: 8.9° N of Antares, 01:00.

May 2 — Venus: 6.4° N of Aldebaran, 08:00.

May 2 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 HB1: Near-Earth Flyby (0.026 AU)

THURSDAY

May 3 — Cornell University, Ithaca NY: Lecture: Prospects for Unseen Planets beyond Neptune; Renu Malhotra from Lunar and Planetary Lab, University of Arizona.

May 3-4 — California Polytechnic State University, Advanced Technology Laboratories, JPL, NASA, San Luis Obispo CA: 7th Annual LunarCubes Workshop.

May 3 — Amor Asteroid 2015 JP: Near-Earth Flyby (0.097 AU)

FRIDAY

May 4 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Bangabandhu 1, Cape Canaveral AFS FL: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to launch Bangabandhu 1 communications satellite for Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission.

May 4 — International Space Day 2018, Worldwide: Held the first Friday in May, events and presentations to promote STEM education and inspire people to continue the work of Space explorers; originally began as ‘National Space Day’ in 1997 by Lockheed Martin Corp.

May 4 — Moon: 1.7° N of Saturn, 10:00.

May 4 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 HR1: Near-Earth Flyby (0.044 AU)

May 4 — Apollo Asteroid 2017 WY14: Near-Earth Flyby (0.052 AU)

May 4 — Apollo Asteroid 2012 SR56: Near-Earth Flyby (0.064 AU)

May 4 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 HC: Near-Earth Flyby (0.076 AU)

SATURDAY

May 5 — United Launch Alliance, Launch Atlas 5 / InSight & Mars Cube One, Vandenberg AFB CA: ULA Atlas 5 at SLC 3E to launch Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) Mars lander to Mars for its deep interior study; expected to land Nov 26; end of operations planned for Nov 2020.

May 5 — EXOS Aerospace Systems & Technologies Inc., Pathfinder Test Launch of Suborbital Autonomous Rocket with GuidancE (SARGE), Spaceport America / Truth or Consequences NM: Exos Aerospace planning Pathfinder test flight of SARGE reusable system to at least 80-km, date chosen to honor Astronaut Alan Shepard Jr. Suborbital Mercury Redstone 3 launch on May 5, 1961 @ 09:34.

May 5 — Uniphi Space Agency, Federation of Galaxy Explorers, Space Foundation, Challenger Center, et al, Nationwide USA: National Astronaut Day 2018; inspiring people to reach for the Stars and celebrate Astronauts; on this date in 1961 Astronaut Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. became the 1st American in Space (15 minute suborbital flight to 186-km altitude).

May 5 — Mauna Kea Astronomy Outreach Committee, CFHT, East Asian Observatories (JCMT), Keck Observatory, HI-SEAS, IfA, et al, Hilo HI: 17th Annual AstroDay 2018; with over over 30 science and community organizations sharing their expertise.

May 5 — Space Center Houston, Houston TX: Lunch with an Astronaut, Anna Fisher, adult US$69.95, child $35.95.

May 5-13 — Friends of Amateur Rocketry, Mars Society, Edwards Air Force Base CA: FAR-MARS Student Rocketry Teams Competition; team whose bi-propellant liquid-fueled rocket comes closest to reaching 13,716 meters (45,000 ft) will receive $50,000; team that comes closest to hitting same altitude with rocket-powered by liquid-methane and liquid-oxygen will receive $50,000.

May 5 — Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower Peak: The 1st of 2 annual showers that occur as a result of Earth passing through dust released by Halley’s Comet; Eta Aquarids meteors appear to radiate from Constellation Aquarius; observations unfavorable due to waning gibbous Moon, Northern Hemisphere observers could see 10+ meteors per hour, Southern Hemisphere 20-40 per hour; peak 14:00.

May 5 — Moon: 1.3° N of Pluto, 11:00; at apogee (distance 403,985 km), 14:00; 2.7° N of Mars, 21:00.

May 5 — Amor Asteroid 2018 GW: Near-Earth Flyby (0.056 AU)

SUNDAY

May 6 — CNSA, Launch Long March 3B / Apstar 6C, Xichang Satellite Launch Center, China: China Long March 3B rocket to launch Apstar 6C communications satellite for services over Asia-Pacific region for APT Satellite.

May 6-12 — International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), Turkish Chamber of Survey and Cadaster Engineers (CSCE), Istanbul, Turkey: FIG Congress 2018: Embracing our Smart World Where the Continents Connect – Enhancing the Geospatial Maturity of Societies.

May 6 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 HV1: Near-Earth Flyby (0.061 AU)