Galaxy Forum - Space Calendar

China to Attempt 1st Commercial Orbital Launch, May Expand International Collaborations via ILOA Galaxy Forum Hainan 2020 Feb 11-14

The first-ever orbital launch attempted by a commercial company in China is planned by OneSpace on March 25, launching the OS-M1 rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 40° N. Its payload is ZeroG Lab Lingque 1B remote sensing CubeSat which is the 2nd of 3 demonstrators for the planned Magpie constellation of 132 6U CubeSats. OneSpace, founded 2015 with CEO Shu Chang, is in competition with other China solid rocket startups LandSpace, LinkSpace, and ExPace. In Washington DC on March 29, Secure World Foundation is hosting “US-China Engagement in Space” to discuss future possibilities for the 2 countries to engage further in Space while addressing commercial, civil and national security issues. Participants include Victoria Samson, Mike Gold, Brian Weeden and Audrey Shaffer. International Lunar Observatory Association, based in Hawai’i, is re-setting Galaxy Forum Hainan to February 11-14, 2020 at Hilton Wenchang, overlooking the newest Zhongguo spaceport at 19° N. The conference will aim to advance international Human Moon Landings 7 thru 11 and Astronomy from the Moon. While China operates the only working spacecraft on the Moon and plans to launch its advanced Space Station 1st module to LEO 2020, USA has been reconfiguring to return sustainably to the Moon and help develop an international cislunar habitat. (Image Credits: OneSpace, SWF, Google, ZeroG Lab, CMSA, SSL)

MONDAY

Highlights…
Mar 25 — ISS, 405-km LEO: Expedition 59 six-member crew participating in Vection (perception of self-motion) experiment, reviewing procedures for next EVAs; newest crew Hague, Koch and Ovchinin reviewing safety procedures and undergoing ISS orientations; Hague contributing to human Time Perception in Microgravity experiment.

Mar 25 — NewSpace: Astrobotic advancing AstroNav lava tube 3D mapping technology, intended for Moon, Mars; Virgin Galactic working toward operations at UAE Al Ain Airport; SpaceX planning 1st test of Raptor engine (for Starship) within weeks and imminent testing of “Starhopper” prototype.

Mar 25 — Solar System: KBO Ultima Thule formation theory points to slow, gentle collision of materials; Ryugu may have broken off a larger body in Polana or Eulalia family of asteroids; OSIRIS-REx sees plumes of particles erupting into space from Bennu, which is studded with boulders and has water bearing minerals.

Mar 25 — Galaxy: Atacama Large Millimeter Array detects large amount of dust in young galaxy MACS0416_Y1, challenging theories of galaxy formation; ALMA also observes formation of planets around star DM Tau; Chandra and Hubble observations indicate that Teacup Galaxy J1430+1339 is still actively emitting radiation.

Mar 25 — Global: Japan may develop 2 modules for proposed cislunar Gateway; Russia Nauka laboratory module is ready for preflight tests, will be fitted with Earth-sensing equipment; UK Reaction Engines moves into next 18-month testing phase toward demonstration of the first SABRE engine.

Mar 25 — USA: NASA studying commercial alternatives to Space Launch System for launching Orion into lunar orbit by 2020; Nanoracks Airlock Module, first commercial airlock built for ISS, ready to be shipped to Houston for integration; Mars2020 Rover undergoing tests at JPL.

Mar 25 — Hawai’i: Two additional HI-SEAS Moon-Mars mission simulations being planned for this year; Subaru Telescope finds 83 supermassive black holes ~13B LY from Earth, will aid Universe evolution studies; National Astronomical Observatory of Japan considering asking other nations for help in operating Subaru.

= 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’).

Weekly Planet Watch – Evening Planets: Mars (W), Uranus (W); Morning Planets: Venus (ESE), Jupiter (SE), Saturn (SE).

International Astronautical Federation Meeting Leads to Global Networking

International Astronautical Federation Spring Meeting convenes in Paris March 26-28 in partnership with International Academy of Astronautics and International Institute of Space Law. IAF, founded in 1951, has missions of promoting cooperation and advancing international development. IAF has been in contact with the World Air Sports Federation about a legal definition the Von Karman line and the beginning of space. IAF President Jean-Yves Le Gall and Director Christian Feichtinger have recently appeared at the Global Space Congress in Dubai. IAF will be preparing for the International Astronautical Congress in Washington DC Oct 21-25 and selecting from more than 4,300 submitted abstracts for IAC. The global IAF meeting will be at the new CAP Event Center in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. March 26 is “3G” Diversity Day breakfast focusing on generational, geographical and gender diversity. Global Networking Forum is March 27 with speakers including incoming IAC Director Pascale Ehrenfreund, ESA Director-General Jan Woerner, Li Ming from China Academy of Space Technology and Giuseppe Reibaldi from Moon Village Association. Woerner has advocated a Moon village since before his directorship of ESA. Chris Sallaberger of Canadensys will be representing International Lunar Observatory Association and its First Women on the Moon initiative. (Image Credits: DLR, ESA, Moon Village Association, Canadensys, IAF)

Mar 25 — OneSpace, Launch OS-M1 / Lingque 1B, Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China: Private space company OneSpace planning inaugural orbital launch of OS-M1 lofting Lingque 1B remote sensing CubeSat for ZeroG Lab.

Mar 25 — NASA, Online: Responses Due: NextSTEP E: Human Landing System Studies, Risk Reduction, Development, and Demonstration.

Mar 25 — Arizona State University, Tempe AZ: TEDxASU 2019 “Next Gen”; 9 speakers focus on life in the 22nd Century.

Mar 25 — Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ: Steward Public Evening Lectures: A Story of Ice, Water, and Fire Under the South Pole of Mars; by Ali Bramson and Michael Sori, 19:30.

Mar 25-26 — Chiba Institute of Technology, Narashino, Japan: Cosmic Lab Workshop; with participation from Japan, China, India, S Korea, Europe.

Mar 25-28 — International Academy of Astronautics, Paris, France: IAA Spring Meetings 2019.

Mar 25-28 — UNOOSA, Regional Center for Space Science and Technology Education for Western Asia, Amman, Jordan: United Nations/Jordan Workshop: Global Partnership in Space Exploration and Innovation.

Mar 25-29 — University of California, Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, Tokyo, Japan: Extremely Big Eyes on the Early Universe 2.

Mar 25 — Moon: 8.1° NNE of Antares, 16:00.

Continued from…

Jan 2019 – Sep 2020 — New Horizons, Kuiper Belt: Full data from spacecraft 7 instruments during KBO Ultima Thule flyby to be transmitted to Earth over this time period.

Mar 17-30 — Rocket Lab, Launch Electron / R3D2, Launch Complex 1, Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand: Rocket Lab launch window for Radio Frequency Risk Reduction Deployment Demonstration spacecraft for DARPA.

Mar 19 – Jul 19 — Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Biomedical Problems, Moscow, Russia: Mixed gender crew of 6 to participate in 4-month space / lunar simulation mission SIRIUS (Scientific International Research In Unique Terrestrial Station).

Mar 24-29 — Caltech, Lockheed Martin Corp., Keck Institute for Space Studies, JPL, at al, Pasadena CA: Caltech Space Challenge 2019; 5-day international 32-student space mission design competition to create a novel mission design to probe for evidence of life on Enceladus using a network of small landers.

TUESDAY

Mar 26 — National Space Council, Huntsville AL: VP Mike Pence and National Space Council Advisors meet at U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

Mar 26 — International Astronautical Federation, Paris, France: IAF IDEA “3G” (Geography, Generation, Gender) Diversity Day; focusing this year on Generational and Gender Diversity: Career Development in Space Industry, and Geographical Diversity: Engaging Emerging Space Countries in Global Space Activities.

Mar 26-28 — International Astronautical Federation (IAF), Paris, France: IAF Spring Meetings 2019.

Mar 26-28 — The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, Washington DC: Learn About Space Science Week 2019.

Mar 26-28 — ESA, Noordwijk, The Netherlands: Workshop on Simulation for European Space Programmes (SESP).

Mar 26 — Moon: 1.91° NNE of Jupiter, 18:00.

WEDNESDAY

Mar 27 — Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD: Colloquium: Voyager Observations of the Outer Heliosphere and Interstellar Medium; by John Richardson of MIT, 15:30.

Mar 27 — Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston TX: Seminar: Chronology of Planetesimal Differentiation Based on Timing of Achondrite Formation in the Early Solar System; by Daniel Dunlap of ASU.

Mar 27 — Manchester Students for Exploration and Development of Space (ManSEDS), Manchester, United Kingdom: Innovation in Space Festival.

Mar 27 — Moon: At last quarter, 18:10.

Mar 27 — Apollo Asteroid 2019 EN: Near-Earth Flyby (0.025 AU)

Mar 27 — Apollo Asteroid 2014 TL: Near-Earth Flyby (0.057 AU)

Mar 27 — Aten Asteroid 2004 BY1: Near-Earth Flyby (0.063 AU)

THURSDAY

Mar 28 — Cornell University, Ithaca NY: Lecture: Using Gravity to Probe the Martian Sedimentary Rock Record; by Kevin Lewis from Johns Hopkins University.

Mar 28 — International Academy of Astronautics, International Astronautical Federation, Paris, France: IAC 2019 Washington IPC meeting and abstract selection.

Mar 28-29 — Europlanet, Rosetta Plasma Consortium, Aalto University, Finnish Meteorological Institute, Helsinki, Finland: Europlanet Cometary Plasma Science Workshop.

Mar 28 — Moon: 0.25° E of Saturn, 20:00.

FRIDAY

Mar 29 — ISS, USA EVA #53, 405-km LEO: Expedition 59 Astronauts Anne McClain and Christina Koch to perform first ever all-female EVA lasting 6.5 – 7 hours to install new Batteries in the ISS P4 Truss 2A power channel; live coverage available.

Mar 29 — Secure World Foundation, Washington DC: US-China Engagement in Space.

Mar 29 — International Lunar Observatory Association, Space Age Publishing Company, Kailua-Kona HI: Galaxy Forum Hawaii 2019: Kona – Hawaii 21st Century Science, and Astronomy from the Moon; 15:30-17:30 at HCC Pālamanui, Free.

Mar 29 — Foothill Observatory, Peninsula Astronomical Society, Los Altos Hills CA: Foothill Observatory Public Viewing every clear Friday from 21:00-23:00; free.

SATURDAY

NET Mar 30 – Apr 30 — ISRO, Launch GSLV Mk. 2 / Chandrayaan-2, Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota, India: Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mk. 2, flying on the GSLV-F10 mission, to launch India 2nd Moon mission of orbiter, lander & rover weighing 3,290 kg; will attempt to land at 70° S latitude ~600 km from lunar South Pole between craters Manzinus C and Simpelius N after ~14-day journey; plans for Chandrayaan 3 and 4 are underway.

Mar 30 — Earth Hour, Worldwide: Celebrated 20:30-21:30 locally, millions around the world turn off the lights and speak up about our connection to Earth and nature.

Mar 30 — Mars: 3.1° SSE of Pleiades, 21:00.

SUNDAY

Mar 31 — Space Center Houston, Houston TX: Lunch with an Astronaut, Brian Duffy, adult US$69.95.

Mar 31 — Daylight Saving Time (Europe): Change clocks forward 1 hour, from Standard Time to Summer Time.

Mar 31 — Moon: at apogee (distance 405,587 km), 14:00.

Mar 31 — Apollo Asteroid 163081 (2002 AG29): Near-Earth Flyby (0.099 AU)