United Nations Planetary Protection Focus May Evolve to Include Lunar Activities

United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs and the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space regularly address and oversee issues of planetary protection through their focus on space weather and space debris. Long-duration Earth observations and NEO surveys from the Moon utilizing instruments, such as those proposed by the International Lunar Observatory Association, could be invaluable in studying climate change and potential threats to humanity’s home planet. The International Lunar Observatory is currently considering a means to establish a connection with the UN on its series of Moon missions. Another focus of the UN COPUOS is to support peaceful exploration of space and to ensure that the benefits of space exploration are shared by all of humanity. With all of the major space powers and several independent enterprises focused on exploring and developing the resources of the Moon, United Nations may need to revisit its lunar policy and increase its involvement in lunar matters. Sustainable exploration of the Moon could help provide energy abundance while also providing another venue to ensure the safety of the Earth community. With China actively working to secure its lunar rights and with the USA’s Federal Aviation Administration recently asserting it will regulate private lunar activities to encourage independent Moon initiatives, it is now time for the UN to make the oversight of lunar exploration and development a priority. The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Legal Subcommittee will meet April 13-24, and the full committee will meet June 10-19 at the UN Office in Vienna, Austria. (Image Credit: ILOA, ME, NASA, UN)

MONDAY

Mar 9 — ISS, LEO: Expedition 42 preparing for 3-member crew return to Earth with science experiments & gear; nanosatellites being deployed from Japan Kibo module; autonomously running experiments include Wireless-Sensor Network (WiSe-Net), Space Communications and Navigations (SCaN) testbed, Multi-mission Consolidated Equipment (MCE), Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS).

Mar 9 — Chandra, HEO: In highly elliptical 65-hour orbit, studying Sagittarius A*, black holes, galaxies, stars, supernova remnants; recent data suggests growth of galaxies containing supermassive black holes can be slowed down by “cosmic precipitation” – hot gas producing showers of cool gas clouds that fall into a galaxy.

Mar 9 — Juno, Jupiter Trajectory: Traveling at ~38,800 kph, NASA craft is now 483 days from Jupiter orbit insertion (July 4, 2016); scheduled to exit Quiet Cruise phase & enter Jupiter Approach phase Jan 2016.

Mar 9 — Shackleton Energy Company, Austin TX: NewSpace company through MOU with CASIS, will develop aerobraking systems / Mini Space Brakes dubbed ‘Oryx’ to enable transport of water from Moon to future propellant depots in LEO.

Mar 9 — Bigelow Aerospace LLC, Las Vegas NV: Completed Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) to be made available for media coverage Mar 12; will be shipped to KSC for launch to ISS later this year.

Mar 9 — Cosmic Lifestyle Corporation, Mountain View CA: Crowd Funding campaign to test flagship project Zero Gravity Cocktail Glass in zero gravity; will host event at Hacker Dojo Mar 9 to celebrate progress.

Mar 9 — University of Arizona, Tucson AZ: Life in the Universe Lecture Series: Intelligent Life Beyond Earth; presented by Christopher Impey.

Mar 9-13 — University of Concepción Department of Astronomy, Puerto Varas, Chile: Conference: Unveiling the AGN/Galaxy Evolution Connection.

Mar 9 — Asteroid 2015 DS: Near-Earth flyby (0.044 AU).

AAS 53rd Goddard Symposium Focuses on Future of Space Exploration, Science, Technology and Astronomy

The 53rd Goddard Memorial Symposium, hosted by the American Astronautical Society (founded 1954), is being held March 10-12 in Greenbelt, Maryland. AAS President Lyn Wigbels (L) will deliver a welcome speech to ~400 attendees, followed by remarks from Harley Thronson of GSFC, Wanda Sigur of Lockheed Martin and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. The ‘Emerging Commercial Ventures’ panel features moderator Eric Stallmer (President of Commercial Spaceflight Federation) and panelists Richard DalBello (VP of Virgin Galactic), James Muncy (Founder of PoliSpace) and Peter Marquez (VP of Planetary Resources). This year the theme On the Cusp: What’s Next is highlighted in topics including NASA Headquarters Perspectives, Cutting Edge Technology, Generation Next, What’s up with the Global Exploration Roadmap, Destination Mars Spotlights, and the Next Golden Age of Astronomy. The 58th Annual Robert H. Goddard Memorial Dinner, with nearly 2,000 attendees, will be held on Mar 13 in Washington, D.C. by the National Space Club. Some of the 2015 awards are to be given to Dr. Harold Rosen, Sophia Porter, Christopher Singer and the NASA Lunar Laser Communications Demonstration team. (Image Credit: AAS, NASA, GSFC, NSC, STScI)

Continued from…

Dec 20, 2014 – Mar 15 — Cantor Arts Center, Stanford CA: Exhibition: Loose in Some Real Tropics: Robert Rauschenberg’s “Stoned Moon” Projects, 1969–70; 34 large-format lithographs with scenes of Apollo 11 astronauts, machinery, facilities.

Oct 16, 2014 – Jun 11 — NASA, University of Hawai`i, Mauna Loa HI: Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS) Mission 3.