Galaxy Forum and IPSPACE Held on Hainan Island, Known as China’s Hawai’i
International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA) convenes Galaxy Forum China 2024 Hainan, Wenchang December 8-12 with 40+ presentations by people from 14 countries on themes International Human Moon Landings, Astronomy from the Moon and 21st Century Solar System Complete Exploration. One special session features “First Women on the Moon”. The Forum is endorsed by Chinese Society of Astronautics, International Astronautical Federation, Moon Village Association, Deep Space Exploration Lab and Hainan Association for Science and Technology, with thanks to National Astronomical Observatories of China. Discussions center around developments, resources, international cooperation to promote human presence on and Astronomy from the Moon, and exploration of the entire Solar System by 2100. Experts from research institutions, aerospace companies, media, cultural educators and young professionals will participate. Speakers include Astronaut Don Thomas (USA), Shawna Pandya (Canada), Wang Yiran (CSA), Boonrucksar Soonthornthum (Thailand), Christian Feichtinger (IAF France) and Jatan Mehta (India). Performances by Hainan students and Hawai’i cultural practitioners seek to bridge the islands of Hainan and Hawaii, which are the same latitude, the southernmost points of their countries and known to have great advantages for Pacific Space Access. Galaxy Forum will be in Wenchang on the northeast coast of Hainan. On the same island, about 98 km away, International Symposium on the Peaceful Use of Space Technology (IPSPACE 2024): One Space, OneHome will be held December 10-13 and emphasize conversion of innovations from space to Earth. Sessions include power, propulsion, health, IT, Moon protection / development / law / investment and space elevators. (Image credits: ILOA, IAA, NARIT, S. Pandya, D. Thomas, CSA)
MONDAY
☆Dec 9 — International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: This week the Expedition 72 seven-member crew has Don Pettit speaking at 06:45 on Dec 9, Suni Williams / Nick Hague at 07:25 on Dec 11, Nick Hague at 11:25 on Dec 11; all times HST on NASA+; Roscosmos Cosmonauts preparing for EVA #63 potentially in 1 week.
☆Dec 9 — Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: The Shenzhou 19 three-member crew mark one month in space, stay fit with treadmill time, conduct science and maintenance projects.
●Dec 9-13 — American Geophysical Union (AGU), Washington DC:AGU 2024 Annual Meeting; convenes 25,000+ attendees from 100+ countries.
☾ Dec 9 — Moon: At ascending node, 10:00.
☆ Dec 9 — Apollo Asteroid (2024 VE13): Near-Earth Flyby (0.046 AU)
★ NET Dec — Blue Origin, Launch New Glenn / Blue Ring, LC 36A, Cape Canaveral SFS FL: Maiden New Glenn flight, to carry Blue Origin Blue Ring payload tug; initial USSF National Security Space Launch certification flight.
☆ NET Dec — Isar Aerospace, Launch Spectrum / Maiden Flight Andøya Spaceport, Tromso, Norway: First test flight to SSO of Spectrum vehicle developed by Munich, Germany company founded in 2018; first launch from new spaceport.
● = Terrestrial and… o = International terrestrial events
☾ = Moon activity
★ = Space and… ☆ = International space / astro events; in Hawaii Standard Time unless noted. Add 10 hours to obtain UT (‘Universal Time’).
American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting Convenes 25,000+ for Earth and Space Sciences
The annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) is planned for December 9-13 in Washington DC with sponsors SETI Institute, Lockheed Martin, KBR, Environmental Systems Research Institute, Battelle, Maritz, Polar Science Alliance, Schmidt Ocean Institute and Wiley. AGU meetings foster learning and collaboration, and promote topics that enhance perspectives across Earth and space science. The AGU meetings are claimed to be “the largest gathering of Earth and space scientists,” educators, policymakers, journalists and communicators with 25,000+ attendees from 100+ countries. AGU also publishes the quarterly journal Space Weather and is committed to open data on Earth and space sciences as a world heritage. (Image credits: AGU, Lockheed Martin, SETI, NASA)
TUESDAY
☆ Dec 10 — XMM-Newton, VeryEccentric Elliptical LEO: ESA craft studying X-ray emissions, star-forming regions, galaxy clusters, environment of supermassive black holes, mapping dark matter, reaches 25 full years / begins 26th year in space today, launched 1999.
o Dec 10 — Global Space Enablers Network (GSEN),Online; See recording and summary of Founding Meeting; 2nd meeting introduces the Global Space Innovation Ecosystem Maturity Rubric, updates governance, membership, initiatives; RSVP, 02:00 HST.
● Dec 10-11 — NewSpace Nexus,Online / Albuquerque NM: 2024 NewSpace Showspace Summit; for industry, government, academia; industry tours Dec 11.
☆ Dec 10 — Apollo Asteroid (2024 WS17): Near-Earth Flyby (0.012 AU)
WEDNESDAY
☆ Dec 11 — Galactic Energy, Launch Ceres-1 / Unknown Payload, Launch Area 95A, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China: Private company established 2018, solid propellant launch vehicle; launch window 21:20-23:57 HST.
o Dec 11 — Moon Village Association,Online; 8th GEGSLA Operational Meeting, to review, discuss insights from MVA workshop, collaboration on plans for 2025; via Zoom, 04:00-06:00 HST.
☆ Dec 11 — Apollo Asteroid (2007 XB23): Near-Earth Flyby (0.002 AU)
THURSDAY
★ Dec 12 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Starlink Group 11-2, Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB CA: Satellites for Starlink mega-constellation Internet communication system; launch cost ~US$52M, NET 09:30 HST (launch window open 4 hours).
★ Dec 12 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / O3b mPower 7 & 8, Space Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center FL: Boeing / SES communications satellites to MEO; launch cost ~US$52M, NET 22:55 HST, launch window open 150 minutes.
☾ Dec 12 — Moon: At perigee, distance 365,339 km, 03:24; 4.2° NNW of Uranus, 22:00.
☆ Dec 12 — Apollo Asteroid (2024 WP11): Near-Earth Flyby (0.040 AU)
FRIDAY
★ Dec 13 — Lucy, Inner Main Asteroid Belt: NASA spacecraft to make second Earth flyby today.
☆ Dec 13 — Space One, Launch KAIROS / Multipayload,Spaceport Kii, Kushimoto, Wakayama, Japan: Kii-based Advanced & Instant Rocket System to carry 4 CubeSats and 1 microsatellites, launch cost ~US$9M, 16:00 HST, launch window open 20 minutes.
☾ Dec 13 — Moon: 0.39° NE of Pleiades, 09:00.
☆ Dec 13 — Geminids Meteor Shower Peak: Appearing to radiate from constellation Gemini, shower can produce 80-150 meteors per hour; bright, medium-slow meteors (35 km/sec), few leave persistent trains, 1 day before Full Moon.
SATURDAY
★ Dec 14 — NEOWISE, LEO: NASA Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer spacecraft (redubbed Near-Earth Object WISE – NEOWISE) reaches 15 full years / begins 16th year in space; launched 2009.
☾ Dec 14 — Chang’E-3 Lander,Guang Han Gong, Sinus Iridum / Mare Imbrium, 44.12°N 19.51°W, Moon Surface: Spacecraft reaches 11 full years / enters 12th year on Moon surface, landed 2013.
☾ Dec 14 — Moon: 5.4° N of Jupiter, 09:00; Full Cold Moon, 23:02.
SUNDAY
● Dec 15 — The Space Show, Online / Las Vegas NV: Dr. David Livingston hosts Paul Jaffe, electrical engineer who works in the Spacecraft Engineering Department, United States Naval Research Laboratory.
☾ Dec 15 — Moon: Moon 4.1° N of M35 cluster, 14:00.
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