The second Vega Rocket, designated flight VV02, is scheduled to launch via Arianespace launch providers on May 3 at 23:06 from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. It will use the Vespa dual-payload adapter for the first time to hold ESA’s 160-kg Proba-V Earth observation satellite and Vietnam’s first Earth observation satellite VNREDSat-1A, a 120-kg spacecraft built by EADS Astrium for the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology. The 30-meter tall, single-body launcher with three solid rocket stages and a liquid rocket upper module will also carry Estonia’s first CubeSat, ESTCube-1 built by University of Tartu students to test electric solar wind sail technology. This launch is the first of five €400M (US$520M) ESA-sponsored Vega Research and Technology Accompaniment (VERTA) program flights. VERTA are planned to launch at least twice per year and deploy 3 additional ESA missions: ADM-Aeolus, LISA Pathfinder and Intermediate Experimental Vehicle (IXV). These five flights also serve to test the launcher’s capabilities and dependability before offering €320M (US$416M) commercial launches. Vega’s first commercial contracts are for ESA’s Global Monitoring for Environment and Security satellites Sentinel-2 and 3, scheduled for launches 2014–16. (Image Credit: ESA, EADS Astrium, University of Tartu)
Canada Events Advance Astronautics, Space Commerce, Mining Sciences
The Canadian Aeronautics & Space Institute holds the 60th Aeronautics Conference and Annual General Meeting, themed ‘Aerospace Clusters: Where Are We Headed,’ on April 30 – May 2 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The technical program features six Symposia, including Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies, Aerospace Structures and Materials, Human Factors and Propulsion. There will also be a special Women in Aerospace Reception with guest speaker Karen Deme, Test Pilot at Bombardier Aerospace. The next Canadian Space Commerce Association bimonthly meeting in Toronto on Thursday May 2 features keynote speaker Dr. Yaroslav Pustovyi, a former Ukraine astronaut candidate, speaking about his experiences in astronaut training and perspectives on the changing role of research astronauts in the new commercial spaceflight era. The 4th annual joint Planetary and Terrestrial Mining Sciences Symposium / Space Resources Roundtable will be held in conjunction with the Canadian Institute of Mining 2013 Convention at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on May 5-8. The purpose is to promote closer collaboration between space and mining sectors. Three major themes will drive the conference: Solid Planetology, Resource Extraction & Utilization, and Commercialization. (Image Credit: CASI, PTMSS, NASA)
= 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).
Apr 29 — ISS, LEO: Expedition 35 crew transferring 22 kg of oxygen, 26 kg of air, 420 kg of water, 800 kg of propellant, 1,580 kg of spare parts from Progress 51P resupply vehicle; continuing work with Robonaut 2.
Apr 29 — WISE, LEO: Viewing 6B-light-year distant Galaxy SDSSJ1506+54 rapidly converting fuel into stars with almost 100% efficiency, emitting infrared light equivalent to more than 100B times energy of Sun.
Apr 29 — Herschel, Earth-Sun L2 Lagrange Point: Spectral images providing evidence that Jupiter has 2-3 times more water in S. Hemisphere due to 1994 impact of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9.
Apr 29 — Garvey Spacecraft Corp., Long Beach CA: NewSpace company continuing to launch / test P-18D rocket; next goals include implementing thrust vector control and conducting flights above 100 km.
Apr 29 — LiftPort Group,Port Orchard WA: Working to develop Lunar Elevator, testing vectran string attached to atmospheric balloons and designing climbing robots.
Apr 29 — Kentucky Space LLC, Lexington KY: Assisting space entrepreneurs / innovations through newly-created Space Tango business accelerator; will begin by investing in up to 6 USA companies.
Apr 22 – Aug 31 — Mars One, Online: Accepting applications from those interested in one-way ticket to Mars to set up permanent Human settlement; US$38 to apply.
NET May — Herschel, Earth-Sun L2 Lagrange Point: Space observatory, now without liquid Helium to cool instruments, scheduled to propel itself into long-term stable orbit around Sun this month.
NET May — Boeing Company, Chicago IL: Developing CST-100 7-person spacecraft for NASA CCiCAP, Dual Engine Centaur Liquid Oxygen Duct Development Test to occur this month.
NET May — SpaceX, Cape Canaveral AFS FL: Upgrading Dragon spacecraft to carry humans to space for NASA CCiCAP, Human Certification Test Review to occur this month.
May 1 — Deep Space, Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko Trajectory: Rosetta spacecraft in deep-space hibernation is near Jupiter orbital path heading toward inner solar system; scheduled to wake up Jan 2014 and approach comet May 2014.
May 1 — Curiosity, Yellowknife Bay, Mars: Transmissions from Earth to rover resuming today, after being suspended due to solar conjunction.
May 1 — NASA, Houston TX:Human Health and Performance Contract with potential of US$1.76B goes to Wyle Laboratories Inc. to provide biomedical, medical, health services in support of Human spaceflight programs at Johnson Space Center.
May 1 – Jul 1 — University of Colorado – Boulder, Online:Send Your Name & Message to Mars; contest to send name / message to Mars aboard MAVEN spacecraft launching between Nov 18 – Dec 7; winners announced Aug 8.
May 1 — Asteroid 2013 EU9: Near-Earth flyby (0.095 AU).
May 4 — Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute, Rosman NC:Space Day; open house featuring Galaxy Walk, meteorites, Space Shuttle artifacts; 10:00 – 16:00 EDT, free.
May 5 — NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD:Model Rocket Launches; up to 609-meter altitude; 13:00 – 14:00 EDT.
May 5-8 — The Planetary and Terrestrial Mining Sciences Symposium, Space Resources Roundtable, Canadian Institute of Mining, Toronto, Ontario, Canada:4th Annual PTMSS/SRR Symposium; in conjunction with CIM 2013 Convention.
Includes ~150 meetings covering the fields of COSPAR Scientific Commissions / Panels / Task Groups, such as SC B: The Earth-Moon System, Planets, and...
From 02 to 07 August 2026, a few thousand geoscientists across diverse disciplines will gather at the 23rd annual meeting of the Asia Oceania Geosciences...
This international lunar science meeting has two objectives: to provide a platform for leading experts to review recent advances across lunar research, from the...
At CSIR International Convention Centre. Key topics are Earth Observation, Developing Space Tourism, Space Supply Manufacturing. Cultural tours are offered.
(No earlier than 10 Aug) Japan to launch the MICHIBIKI No. 7 | Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZS-7) navigation satellite. Launch window remains open through...
Participants will receive theoretical and hands-on training in electron imaging and X-ray spectroscopy for application to planetary samples. This training opportunity is targeted at...
"Leading Australia’s Space Future for Our Strategic Advantage". Southern Space 2026 brings together decision-makers who set the direction for Australia’s space sector. It is...
The second test launch of LandSpace's ZQ-3 rocket with undisclosed test payloads. Zhuque-3 first stage booster will attempt to land on its downrange landing...
A total solar eclipse with a magnitude of 1.0386 (greatest eclipse 17:47:06 UTC) will be visible in parts of Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic...
Includes presentation of the Neil Armstrong Award of Excellence, activities for the new class of Astronaut Scholars, 2-day Technical Conference where Scholars present their...
During U.S. spacewalk 97, two astronauts will replace a Space-to-Ground antenna on the orbital complex. The antenna is a critical communication system NASA uses...
Key themes include: Characterizing exoplanet-host solar-like stars; Star-planet interactions; Planet populations around solar-like stars. At University of Liège.
The second Vega Rocket, designated flight VV02, is scheduled to launch via Arianespace launch providers on May 3 at 23:06 from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. It will use the Vespa dual-payload adapter for the first time to hold ESA’s 160-kg Proba-V Earth observation satellite and Vietnam’s first Earth observation satellite VNREDSat-1A, a 120-kg spacecraft built by EADS Astrium for the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology. The 30-meter tall, single-body launcher with three solid rocket stages and a liquid rocket upper module will also carry Estonia’s first CubeSat, ESTCube-1 built by University of Tartu students to test electric solar wind sail technology. This launch is the first of five €400M (US$520M) ESA-sponsored Vega Research and Technology Accompaniment (VERTA) program flights. VERTA are planned to launch at least twice per year and deploy 3 additional ESA missions: ADM-Aeolus, LISA Pathfinder and Intermediate Experimental Vehicle (IXV). These five flights also serve to test the launcher’s capabilities and dependability before offering €320M (US$416M) commercial launches. Vega’s first commercial contracts are for ESA’s Global Monitoring for Environment and Security satellites Sentinel-2 and 3, scheduled for launches 2014–16. (Image Credit: ESA, EADS Astrium, University of Tartu)
The Canadian Aeronautics & Space Institute holds the 60th Aeronautics Conference and Annual General Meeting, themed ‘Aerospace Clusters: Where Are We Headed,’ on April 30 – May 2 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The technical program features six Symposia, including Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies, Aerospace Structures and Materials, Human Factors and Propulsion. There will also be a special Women in Aerospace Reception with guest speaker Karen Deme, Test Pilot at Bombardier Aerospace. The next Canadian Space Commerce Association bimonthly meeting in Toronto on Thursday May 2 features keynote speaker Dr. Yaroslav Pustovyi, a former Ukraine astronaut candidate, speaking about his experiences in astronaut training and perspectives on the changing role of research astronauts in the new commercial spaceflight era. The 4th annual joint Planetary and Terrestrial Mining Sciences Symposium / Space Resources Roundtable will be held in conjunction with the Canadian Institute of Mining 2013 Convention at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on May 5-8. The purpose is to promote closer collaboration between space and mining sectors. Three major themes will drive the conference: Solid Planetology, Resource Extraction & Utilization, and Commercialization. (Image Credit: CASI, PTMSS, NASA)
= 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).
