Space Calendar - The First Space Calendar on the Moon August 3, 2026

Jun 19-25, 2017 / Vol 36, No 25 / Hawai`i Island, USA

June 16, 2017

ISU Space Studies Program Hosted by CIT in Cork, Ireland

International Space University is hosting Space Studies Program SSP17 June 26 – August 25 at Cork Institute of Technology. SSP is a graduate level professional development program for future leaders of the emerging global space community with curriculum covering principal space related fields both non-technical and technical, such as policy and law, business and management, humanities, life sciences, engineering, physical sciences and space applications. ISU is celebrating the 30th anniversary of SSP as more than 4,000 people have completed the program to date. There are a variety of events open to the general public (upon registration) including lectures by John Logsdon on “John Kennedy, Richard Nixon and the American Space Program”, Jeffrey Hoffman on “The Hubble Space Telescope: What Went Wrong, How We Fixed It, and Its Great Discoveries” and David Levy on “Talk, Text, and Tunes: a Nightwatchman’s Journey”. Moon Explorer and Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, ISU Chancellor, will give the Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Lecture. The annual highlight session International Astronaut Panel featuring Dan Tani, Nicole Stott, Robert Thirsk and Yi So-yeon is scheduled for July 4. There is also an elaborate Robotics Competition utilizing LEGO Mindstorms platform. Cork is the second largest city in Ireland and is a hub for entrepreneurial activity located in the province of Munster in the South-West of the island. (Image Credit: ISU, Buzz Aldrin, University of Leicester, JAXA)

MONDAY

Ongoing…
Jun 19 — ISS, 330-435-km LEO: Expedition 52 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhi, Flight Engineers Peggy Whitson & Jack Fischer transferring cargo from Progress 67P & Dragon CRS 11, working on Seedling Growth-3 experiment, externally mounted Multiple User System for Earth Sensing & Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer payloads undergoing initial checks, roll-out solar array will collect data for 7 days & return to Dragon stowage.

Jun 19 — Solar System: Images of 2 recently discovered Jupiter moons which were discovered while scientists were surveying Kuiper Belt; China Chang’e-3 lander with RTG & solar panel power sources still operating on Moon surface, power “could last another 30 years”; Cassini heading toward 9th dive between Saturn and its rings, providing data on gravity and dust particles.

Jun 19 — Galaxy: New study of giant molecular cloud in constellation Perseus indicates all sun-like stars likely form as binaries within dense cores; Scientists at the University of Nottingham simulated conditions around black holes using a specially designed water bath; Two surveys suggest Milky Way Galaxy resides in Keenan, Barger and Cowie (KBC) void, 7 times larger than the average cosmic void.

Jun 19 — Global: ISRO planning to launch PSLV-C38 on Jun 28, GSLV Mk. 2 in Sep, PSLV for Team Indus Moonshot Dec 28, GSLV Mk 3 with Chandrayaan-2 Q1 2018, Launch GSLV Mk. 3 – D2 Jan 2018; China Chang’e-5 set for late Nov launch, CE-4 orbiter to Moon far side May 2018, CE-6 sample return far side 2019-20, planning CE-7 and CE-8 possibilities; NASA Acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot details Cislunar Deep-Space Gateway.

Jun 19 — NewSpace: B612 developing virtual B612 Asteroid Institute dedicated to protecting Earth from asteroid impacts; Asgardia confirms launch of 1st satellite Asgardia-1 to ISS in Sep on Orbital ATK flight; SpaceX plans to be fully operational at Cape Canaveral Complex 40 launch pad before end of summer for Falcon Heavy operations; Thin Red Line Aerospace and others review various Aerial Platforms to explore Titan.

Jun 19 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / BulgariaSat 1, Cape Canaveral AFS FL: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to launch launch BulgariaSat 1 communications satellite.

= 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;’ Greenwich, England).

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

Spaceport America Cup and USA Spaceport Initiatives Advancing Nationwide

Spaceport America and Experimental Sounding Rocket Association are organizing the Spaceport America Cup on June 20-24 in Las Cruces NM. Dubbed the world’s largest university rocket engineering competition, this year will see 110 teams from colleges and universities in eleven countries. Students will launch solid, liquid, and hybrid rockets to altitudes of 3,000 – 9,000 meters. Spaceport America is one of 10 FAA Active Commercial Launch Site Operator Licenses which include Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, Pacific Spaceport Complex on Kodiak Island in Alaska, Mojave Air & Space Port in California, and Burns Flat in Oklahoma. SpaceX is building a commercial launch facility at Boca Chica site near Brownsville TX. It may be operational next year. Spaceport Colorado at Front Range Airport may be less than 1 year from FAA approval for horizontal launches; spaceport Director David Ruppel notes he expects FAA soon, but it could be much longer before a viable rocket is available. Georgia legislature passed a bill late March to support development of a commercial spaceport – proposed in Camden County; it awaits approval from GA Governor Nathan Deal. Hawaii Office of Aerospace, headed by Jim Crisafulli, is working through detailed FAA environmental assessments for potential Kona International Airport horizontal launches, and plans to hold public meetings with Native Hawaiian groups. Spaceport Sheboygan in Wisconsin is a non-profit, science education facility used for student rockets launch competitions. (Image Credit: Spaceport America, Spaceport CO, Mojave Air & Space Port, Spaceport Camden, Pacific Spaceport Complex AK, Spaceport Sheboygan)

Jun 19-22 — AIAA, IEEE, URSI, Herzarfen Aeronautics and Space Technolgies Institute, et al, Istanbul, Turkey: 8th International Conference on Recent Advances in Space Technologies – RAST.

Jun 19-23 — Ames Research Center, NASA, Moffett Field CA: Conference: Kepler & K2 Science Conference IV; at NASA Ames.

Jun 19-23 — Europlanet, European Union’s Horizon 2020 Programme, INAF, National Astronomical Observatory Rozhen, Sofia, Bulgaria: Comet Workshop 2017: Comet Formation Paradigm After Rosetta – What is the Hallmark of Cometary Nuclei Formation in Protoplanetary Discs Inherited from Rosetta?

Jun 19-24 — Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems, UH – Hilo, High Technology Development Corporation, CFHT, PUEO (Perpetuating Unique Educational Opportunities), Subaru Telescope, Hilo HI: Women’s STem Aerospace Research Scholars (STAR) Program.

Jun 19-25 — French Aerospace Industries Association (GIFAS), Paris Le Bourget, France: International Paris Air Show; ESA Director General Jan Woerner and all ESA directors to open the ‘Space 4.0ur future’ overarching vision talks held daily.

Jun 19 — Mercury: At perihelion, 03:00.

Continued from…

May 5 – Jun 19 — Johnson Space Center, NASA, Houston TX: Campaign 4: Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA 2017); 45 day analog spaceflight / Moon / Mars mission.

Jun 9-24 — British Interplanetary Society, Wells & Mendip Astronomers, Somerset, United Kingdom: WMA/BIS Space Art Show: Visions of Space 2.

Jun 10 – Sep 10 — EuroChem, TransTelekom, DHL, General Electric, Samsung, Siemens, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Astana, Kazakhstan: Expo 2017 Astana: Future Energy.

Jun 15 – Aug 15 — International Space Elevator Consortium, Online: ISEC 2017 Summer Internship Program; six interns to perform home-based / online intern studies with ISEC.

Jun 17 – Aug 19 — Singularity University, Moffett Field CA: SU 2017 Global Solutions Program; a 9-week immersive, residential experience for students to develop Moonshot innovations addressing humanity’s grand challenges by leveraging exponential technology and entrepreneurial tools; Climate Change is overarching theme for 2017

Jun 18-23 — Gordon Research Conference, NASA, South Hadley MA: Gordon Research Conference: Origins of Solar Systems: Making a Habitable Planet.

Jun 18-23 — Norwegian University of Science and Technology, the Research Council of Norway, Trondheim, Norway: 4th STARMUS Festival: Life And The Universe.

TUESDAY

Jun 20 — Founder Institute, Online: Founder Institute Star Fellow Program: How to Launch a Space Startup; featuring Bob Richards of Moon Express and Adeo Ressi, the founder of FI, 10:00.

Jun 20 — Silicon Valley Space Center, Online: Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s Ambassadors Program Webinar Series: Bigelow Aerospace, link to webinar program, starts 12:00.

Jun 20 — United States Postal Service, USA Nationwide: Total Eclipse of the Sun Forever Stamp to be issued today, commemorating Great American Solar Eclipse to occur Aug 21, features heat changing image of Full Moon.

Jun 20-22 — ESA, ESTEC, Leiden, The Netherlands: 14th Symposium on Advanced Space Technologies in Robotics and Automation (ASTRA 2017).

Jun 20-22 — Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing, Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Earth Observation Summit 2017.

Jun 20-22 — Chicago Society for Space Studies, Deerfield IL: Go For Launch! educational program; featuring NASA astronaut Don Thomas, at Deerfield High School.

Jun 20-22 — Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel MD: 3rd International Asteroid Impact Deflection Assessment (AIDA) Workshop

Jun 20-23 — Applied Technology Institute, Columbia MD: Communications Payload Design; taught by Bruce Elbert from College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin.

Jun 20-24 — Spaceport America, Experimental Sounding Rocket Association, Las Cruces NM: Spaceport America Cup; world’s largest University rocket engineering competition on the vertical and horizontal launch campuses at Spaceport America.

Jun 20 — Summer Solstice: Longest day of the year (opposite in Southern Hemisphere) as Sun, traveling along ecliptic, reaches a point farthest north of celestial equator, 18:25.

Jun 20 — Moon: 2.4° S of Venus, 11:13.

Jun 20 — Amor Asteroid 2017 LW: Near-Earth Flyby (0.040 AU).

Jun 20 — Apollo Asteroid 2015 YC1: Near-Earth Flyby (0.084 AU).

WEDNESDAY

Jun 21-23 — Challenger Center, Kapolei HI: Teacher Training for Return to the Moon; for teachers interested in bringing their class on a simulated space mission.

Jun 21-23 — IEEE, AESS, ESA, ASI, INAF, Padua, Italy: 4th IEEE International Workshop on Metrology for AeroSpace.

Jun 21 — Mercury: At superior conjunction, 04:00.

THURSDAY

Jun 22 — National Science Foundation, Arlington VA / Online: Teleconference: Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee (AAAC) Meeting.

Jun 22 — Moon: 0.5° N of Aldebaran, 04:23.

Jun 22 — Apollo Asteroid 2005 LW3 Near-Earth Flyby: Near-Earth Flyby (0.060 AU).

Jun 22 — Apollo Asteroid 2010 VZ11: Near-Earth Flyby (0.082 AU).

FRIDAY

Jun 23 — Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, Moon Orbit: NASA spacecraft in extended mission begins 9th year in Moon orbit today; launched Jun 18, 2009.

Jun 23 — ISRO, Launch PSLV-C38 / Cartosat 2E, Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle to launch on PSLV-C38 mission for Cartosat 2E high-resolution Earth observation satellite and international secondary payloads.

Jun 23 — Moon: At perigee (distance 357,938 km), 00:49; New Moon, 16:31.

SATURDAY

Jun 24 — Cassini, Saturn Orbit: Flyby of Titan scheduled at 338,000-km altitude.

Jun 24 — Astronomy in the Zenith, Natal, Brazil: Lecture: The OSIRIS-REX Mission.

Jun 24 — Space Center Houston, Houston TX: Lunch with an Astronaut, Brian Duffy, adult US$69.95.

Jun 24 – Jul 2 — The Meteoritical Society, Curtin University, The Institute for Geoscience Research (TIGeR), Perth, Australia: Workshop on Shock Metamorphism in Terrestrial and Extra-Terrestrial Rocks.

Jun 24 — Aten Asteroid 441987 (2010 NY65): Near-Earth Flyby (0.020 AU).

SUNDAY

Jun 25 — SpaceX, Iridium Communications, Launch Falcon 9 / Iridium Next 11-20, Vandenberg AFB CA: SpaceX to launch 10 Iridium Next satellites aboard Falcon 9, launch 13:24:59.

Jun 25 — RISpace, British Interplanetary Society, Online / Glasgow, United Kingdom: Abstracts Due: 15th Reinventing Space Conference; Oct 24-27, at Strathclyde University Technology & Innovation Centre.

Jun 25-27 — Space Frontier Foundation, Moffett Field CA: NASA Small Business Innovation Research / Small Business Technology Transfer Programs (SBIR/STTR).

Jun 25-28 — American Water Resources Association, Tysons VA: 2017 Summer Specialty Conference on Climate Change Solutions – Collaborative Science, Policy and Planning for Sustainable Water Management.