14 Humans in Space Represent 7 Countries Prioritizing Peace, International Collaboration and Science

International Space Station Expedition 73 seven members and four Axiom-4 mission Astronauts work together in Low Earth Orbit at least until the beginning of this week. At any given time at least 200 experiments are ongoing at ISS, and Axiom  is set to accomplish ~60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries (including USA, India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, and nations across Europe). These experiments will enhance global knowledge in human research, Earth observation, and life, biological and material sciences. Expedition 73 includes members from USA, Russia and Japan. The Ax-4 crew has members from India, Poland, and Hungary: Shubhanshu Shukla is the 1st national Vyomanaut for India since 1984, Sławosz Uznański of ESA is the 1st Polish Astronaut since 1978, and Tibor Kapu is the 1st national Hungarian Astronaut since 1980. In a slightly lower altitude orbit, the Tiangong Space Station currently hosts 3 Taikonauts from China. CMSA announced that perhaps as soon as Shenzhou 21, launching in October, there may be participation with Taikonauts from China’s Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau. Following this, China plans to welcome its first international guest to Tiangong, a Pakistan citizen. Eventual physical expansion of Tiangong will allow for further international visitors and experiments. (Image credits: ISS partners, Axiom, CMSA, CNSA, CCTV, NASA)

MONDAY

☆ Jul 7 — International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: Expedition 73 seven-member crew and four members of Axiom-4 mission work on dozens of new experiments for international organizations and interacting with students from around the globe; AX-4 crew may undock station later this week after 2-week mission complete; though NASA ISS tracking website is no longer, ISS is making visible passes this week and can be tracked via Heavens-Above.

☆ Jul 7 — Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou 20 three-member crew checking exterior shielding installations and modifications after performing second EVA last week; working with experiments involving a Raman spectrometer, streptomyces bacteria, exercise tests; expecting arrival of next cargo via Tianzhou-9 early next week; recently participated in ‘Tiangong Classroom Event’ involving 300 students from Hungary.

★ Jul 7 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink Group 10-28, SLC-40, Cape Canaveral SFS FL: Next batch of Starlink satellites to launch for LEO mega-constellation.

o Jul 7-11 — International Astronomical Union, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia: IAU Symposium 399: Indigenous Astronomy in the Space Age.

● Jul 7-11 — Space Foundation, Colorado Springs CO: Searching the Stars Summer Cosmic Adventures; with astronomy and telescopes for campers 7-12 years old, US$225.

☾ Jul 7 — Moon: 0.42°SE of Antares, 09:00.

☆ Jul 7 — Amor Asteroid 2025 MO: Near-Earth Flyby (0.017 AU)

Space Month July Sees Effort to Increase Understanding of the Pluto System

At 5,000,000,000 km from Earth, a trip to Pluto takes over 9 years with a slingshot boost from Jupiter and 12 years without. Sunlight takes 5.5 hours to get there. Pluto diameter is about half the width of USA in North America, ~2250 km. Discovered in 1930 by Clyde Tombaugh of Kansas, in 2006 it was declared Pluto might have objects cross its orbital path and thus was categorized a dwarf planet. Also in 2006, NASA interviewed Venetia Burney, who at age 11 in 1930 suggested the name Pluto. Her great uncle Henry Madan named Mars moons Phobos and Deimos. Charon, largest of 5 known Pluto moons, is about half  Pluto size, proportionally larger than any other Solar System moon. NASA New Horizons spacecraft was the first and so far only to approach the Pluto system, closest on July 14, 2015. This year July 14-18, researchers will share knowledge gained since then using data from New Horizons, James Webb and Hubble, on all aspects of the Pluto system and dwarf planets of the Kuiper Belt. Conveners are Lunar and Planetary Institute, Universities Space Research Association, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, NASA, and Southwest Research Institute. Includes July 14 evening reception with Pluto Flyby team members, July 16 public presentation with team members. Cost $110-440, students, professionals, in-person, online. (Image credits: NASA, JHUAPL, SwRI; CW from L: Burney, Pluto from 768,000 km and “heart” called Tombaugh Regio, Tombaugh with 9-in homemade telescope, Pluto eccentric orbit and Kuiper Belt)

TUESDAY

● Jul 8 — American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Greater Huntsville Section, Online / Huntsville AL: Appreciating NASA’s Roadmap Visualizations: Dr. Clive Kerr, University of Cambridge; on Zoom.

☆ Jul 8 — Aten Asteroid 2019 AE3: Near-Earth Flyby (0.097 AU)

WEDNESDAY

☆ NET Jul 9 — China Rocket Co, Launch Jielong-3  / Payload TBA, Floating Barge, Yellow Sea, China: Sixth launch of commercial Jielong-3 rocket, also known as Smart Dragon-3, with payload to be announced.

☆ Jul 9 — Apollo Asteroid 2019 NW5: Near-Earth Flyby (0.038 AU)