Prague, Czech Republic Hosts 61st International Astronautical Congress
IAC 2010, the premier annual event in the field of astronautics, will take place at the Prague Congress Center on September 27- October 1. With the theme, “Space for Human benefit and exploration,” the Congress will provide an opportunity for representatives from government, industry and science sectors, together with members of the general public to help shape the future direction of space exploration. Representatives from each of the 53 IAF member countries will explore how collaboration with other nations can help develop a truly global space exploration strategy. The technical program features 1600 papers, selected from the 2200 abstracts received. There will also be 8 plenary sessions, 4 highlight lectures, a Parliamentarian meeting and the UN-IAF workshop on GNSS. The Czech Republic, which recently became the 18th member of ESA, will be presenting its space accomplishments and vision in a plenary session moderated by Jiři Grygar (CR) of the Czech Academy of Sciences. Another plenary session will feature the heads of the space agencies of USA, Europe, Japan, Canada, China, India and Russia. The highlight lectures include an overview of space activities in South Africa and a review of the still controversial India Chandrayaan-1 discovery of water on the Moon presented by JN Goswami (BR) of ISRO-DOS. (Credit: CSO, IISL, ISRO, IAF)
Mars Exploration Focus of 2 Events
Advancing Mars exploration will be the focus of 2 events held in Monrovia CA. On September 27-29, top scientists and researchers will participate in the 4th Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Landing Site Community Workshop to evaluate the best landing site for the NASA MSL aka ‘Curiosity’ Lander / Rover mission slated for NET 2011. Organized by the Mars Landing Site Steering Committee, the event will feature presentations related to the 4 landing sites under consideration: Gale crater (4.49S, 137.42E), Holden crater (26.37S, 325.10E), Eberswakde crater (23.86S, 326.73E) and Mawrth Vallis (24.01N, 341.03E). Presentations will emphasize pros and cons of each site and evaluate characteristics that could enhance MSL exploration objectives. In 2005, nearly 60 candidate sites were under consideration. However, valuable data from ESA Mars Express and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) revealed the 4 remaining sites to contain the highest levels of phyllosilicates- minerals that have formed in the presence of water. The final recommendation for a landing site will be decided next May or June. Also taking place in Monrovia will be the 23rd Meeting of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) Sep 30-Oct 1. MEPAG Chair David Des Marais (BR) will open the meeting followed by brief presentations given on MRO, Mars Rovers Spirit & Opportunity, ESA’s Mars programs, a decadal survey update and MSL landing site updates. Pictured: MLSSC Co-Chair John Grant (CL). (Credit: NASA, ESA)
= 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).
Sep 27 — International Space Station, LEO: Remaining E-24 crew members continue with scientific experiments and maintenance activities after the departure of Cmdr Alexander Skvortsov and Flight Engineers Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Mikhail Kornienko; Departure signals end of E-24 crew and start of E-25 crew under command of Dough Wheelock.
Sep 27 — Mars, Red Planet: Scientists continue to investigate why presence of methane on Mars lasts less than a year, suggesting source of the gas could be geological activity or biological.
Sep 30- Oct 1 — Mars Exploration Analysis Group (MEPAG), Monrovia CA: ‘23rd Meeting of MEPAG,’ community-based forum designed to provide science input for planning and prioritizing Mars exploration activities for the next several decades.
Sep 30 — Venus: 6.5° S of Mars; 23:00.
Sep 30 — Moon: At Last Quarter; 17:52.
Sep 30 — Asteroid 2009 SH2: Near-Earth Flyby (0.018 AU).
FRIDAY
Oct 1 — Deep Space, Exoplanets: Scientists evaluating new mathematical analysis based on discovery of 490 exoplanets predict the 1st truly habitable exoplanet will show itself by early May 2011.
NET Oct 1 — CNSA, Launch Long March 3C / Change’e 2, Xichang, China: Chinese Long March 3C rocket to launch China’s 2nd lunar orbiter.
Oct 1 — Asteroid (Near-Earth Flyby): 2010 SJ (0.050 AU); 2137032 1998 UO1 (0.082 AU).
SATURDAY
Oct 2— NASA, University of Texas-Pan American, Edinburg TX: ‘Hispanic Engineering, Science and Technology (HESTEC) Week,’ NASA Astronaut Lee Morin available for broadcast interviews Oct 1 and an educational presentation and autograph signing Oct 2.
Oct 2-9— Betchart Expeditions, Hawaii HI: ‘Discover Hawaii Expedition,’ tour of Galaxy Garden by John Lomberg, Onizuka Space Center, Imiloa Astronomy Center, Keck Observatory and stargazing on the summit of Mauna Kea.
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At CSIR International Convention Centre. Key topics are Earth Observation, Developing Space Tourism, Space Supply Manufacturing. Cultural tours are offered.
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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.
IAC 2010, the premier annual event in the field of astronautics, will take place at the Prague Congress Center on September 27- October 1. With the theme, “Space for Human benefit and exploration,” the Congress will provide an opportunity for representatives from government, industry and science sectors, together with members of the general public to help shape the future direction of space exploration. Representatives from each of the 53 IAF member countries will explore how collaboration with other nations can help develop a truly global space exploration strategy. The technical program features 1600 papers, selected from the 2200 abstracts received. There will also be 8 plenary sessions, 4 highlight lectures, a Parliamentarian meeting and the UN-IAF workshop on GNSS. The Czech Republic, which recently became the 18th member of ESA, will be presenting its space accomplishments and vision in a plenary session moderated by Jiři Grygar (CR) of the Czech Academy of Sciences. Another plenary session will feature the heads of the space agencies of USA, Europe, Japan, Canada, China, India and Russia. The highlight lectures include an overview of space activities in South Africa and a review of the still controversial India Chandrayaan-1 discovery of water on the Moon presented by JN Goswami (BR) of ISRO-DOS. (Credit: CSO, IISL, ISRO, IAF)
Advancing Mars exploration will be the focus of 2 events held in Monrovia CA. On September 27-29, top scientists and researchers will participate in the 4th Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Landing Site Community Workshop to evaluate the best landing site for the NASA MSL aka ‘Curiosity’ Lander / Rover mission slated for NET 2011. Organized by the Mars Landing Site Steering Committee, the event will feature presentations related to the 4 landing sites under consideration: Gale crater (4.49S, 137.42E), Holden crater (26.37S, 325.10E), Eberswakde crater (23.86S, 326.73E) and Mawrth Vallis (24.01N, 341.03E). Presentations will emphasize pros and cons of each site and evaluate characteristics that could enhance MSL exploration objectives. In 2005, nearly 60 candidate sites were under consideration. However, valuable data from ESA Mars Express and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) revealed the 4 remaining sites to contain the highest levels of phyllosilicates- minerals that have formed in the presence of water. The final recommendation for a landing site will be decided next May or June. Also taking place in Monrovia will be the 23rd Meeting of the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) Sep 30-Oct 1. MEPAG Chair David Des Marais (BR) will open the meeting followed by brief presentations given on MRO, Mars Rovers Spirit & Opportunity, ESA’s Mars programs, a decadal survey update and MSL landing site updates. Pictured: MLSSC Co-Chair John Grant (CL). (Credit: NASA, ESA)
= 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).
Sep 27 — International Space Station, LEO: Remaining E-24 crew members continue with scientific experiments and maintenance activities after the departure of Cmdr Alexander Skvortsov and Flight Engineers Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Mikhail Kornienko; Departure signals end of E-24 crew and start of E-25 crew under command of Dough Wheelock.
NET Oct 1 — CNSA, Launch Long March 3C / Change’e 2, Xichang, China: Chinese Long March 3C rocket to launch China’s 2nd lunar orbiter.
