Juno Providing Amazing Jupiter Data, Helpful for Upcoming Missions

NASA Juno spacecraft, 20m x 4.5m, orbits Jupiter on its extended mission, scheduled to conclude in September or when it can no longer function. Mission investment has been US$1.13B. Juno primary function is studying Jupiter gravitational and magnetic fields and atmosphere, which it did on arrival in polar orbit July 4, 2016 after 2011 launch. Juno extended mission is to investigate Jupiter rings and moons, in particular intensely volcanic Io. Juno data will assist other missions, including NASA Europa Clipper, reaching Jupiter in 2030 after launch in 2024, and ESA JUpiter ICy moons Explorer (JUICE), to begin flybys of Europa and Callisto in 2031 and orbit Ganymede for 18 months. Juno raw images come from a 2-megapixel camera as on the first iPhone. The Vera C. Rubin observatory has a 3,600 megapixel camera, although ~778,000,000km from Jupiter. Jupiter heavy radiation has caused Juno to go into safe mode 4 times, including April 4, 2025. Titanium shields 9 instruments on Juno from radiation. Originally to plunge into Jupiter in 2021, deorbit is now planned for September 2025. The Planetary Society hopes that will not happen, especially with citizen involvement. In Roman mythology, mighty Jupiter “Jove” would cloak himself in clouds to hide his mischievous deeds. Only his wife, Juno, could peer through the shroud and see him. (Image credit: NASA)

MONDAY

☆ Jun 30 — International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: Expedition 73 seven-member crew and four members of Axiom-4 mission making record as 6 countries are represented by the international Astronauts onboard ISS at the same time; will welcome Progress 92P carrying ~2,500 kg of cargo this week; are recording training videos for future crews, photographing / inventorying cargo, studying fluids to benefit 3D printing on Earth and in space.

☆ Jun 30 — Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou 20 three-member crew now have improved debris protection via device installed by Chen Dong and Chen Zhongrui during 6.5-hr spacewalk, assisted by TSS robotic arm; they also installed foot restraint adapters on the extravehicular platform that will help taikonauts and shorten EVA time.

★ Jun 30 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink Group 10-25, LC 39A, Kennedy Space Center FL: Starlink satellites for space-based Internet system.

o Jun 30 — Asteroid Foundation, Global: Asteroid Day 2025; education, events, films and entertainment hosted by organizations and individuals to increase awareness about asteroids.

● Jun 30 — Lowell Observatory, Meteor Crater, B612 Foundation, Northern Arizona: Speakers include Apollo Astronaut Rusty Schweickart; at Meteor Crater 09:00-16:00; at Lowell Observatory 17:00-21:00; MST.

● Jun 30 — Mars Technology Institute, Online: Preliminary report due: Mars Against Hunger prize; for improvement (whether yield, energy / financial cost, nutritional value, taste) in high-efficiency food production.

o Jun 30 — Space Science Centre (ANGKASA), Institute of Climate Change (IPI) of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Malacca, Malaysia: Papers due for IconSpace 2025 to be held Sep 23-25.

● Jun 30 – Jul 2 — Space Center Houston, Houston TX: Space U (Ages 11-14) and Space U (Ages 15-18); learning opportunities tied to NASA missions including space habitats, thermal protection systems, rocketry, robotics; US$720-$960.

ISU 2025 Space Studies Program Benefits from Korea’s Active Space Program

International Space University 37th Space Studies Program is taking place in Seoul, Korea from June 30 – August 22 with support from Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies and Hanyang University. This 8-week program for students includes lectures, workshops, group projects and hands-on activities covering space technology, science, policies and business. Some of the experts include Prof. Tai Sik Lee and professionals from Korea Aerospace Research Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Korean Space Science Society, and Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers. Student work will focus on climate change and space exploration for preserving humanity’s future. The ISU program alumni now number more than 5800. This is the first ISU being held in Korea, and the 4th in Asia (Japan 1992, Thailand 1999, China 2007). ISU Chairman of the Board, Dr. Christian Sallaberger shared some thoughts with Space Calendar: “We are especially excited to be holding the SSP 2025 program in Korea this year. After the very successful SSP 2024 program in the USA last year, having this year’s program in Asia underscores the international nature of space exploration activities. … Almost 200 ISU SSP participants, including students, faculty, and staff, are on their way there right now, from 39 countries, for the start of the program. International collaboration in space activities is a force for peace in the world today and is something that ISU works hard to foster at all our programs including this SSP in Korea.” (Image Credit: ISU)

● Jun 30 – Jul 4 — German Aerospace Center (DLR), European Space Agency Academy, et al, Delft, The Netherlands: 7th International Symposium on Space Sailing; solar, drag, magnetic, electric, etc. sails; at Delft University of Technology.

o Jun 30 – Aug 22 — International Space University, Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies (KOFST), Hanyang University ERICA Campus, Seoul, S Korea: 37th Space Studies Program (SSP).

☆ Jun 30 — Aten Asteroid 2014 LZ20: Near-Earth Flyby (0.081 AU)

TUESDAY

☆ NET Jul — Arianespace, Launch Ariane 62 / Copernicus Sentinel-1 D, ELA-4, Kourou, French Guiana: VV25 mission to place Earth observation satellite into SSO at altitude ~700 km, joining Sentinel-1 C, replacing Sentinel-1A.

☆ Jul 1 — Deep Space, Kuiper Belt: NASA New Horizons spacecraft, now ~9.14B km from Earth, is expected to exit Kuiper Belt in 2028-29 and collect data well into the 2040s from interstellar space; mission faces potential early termination if NASA budget cuts are enacted, greatly reducing USA leadership in space science and exploration.