October 20-26, 2025 / Hawai`i Island, USA
Vol 44, Week 42: Lunar Broadcast Precursor: Terrestrial Edition
Japan to Conduct First HTV-X flight to ISS and Host XRISM International Conference in Kyoto
JAXA plans to launch the first HTV-X cargo spacecraft on H3-24W rocket, inaugurating Japan’s next-generation resupply system for the ISS. HTV-X will succeed the H-II Transfer Vehicle, which flew nine missions from 2009 to 2020. Over 400 Japanese companies will contribute to development and manufacturing, led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for launch integration, IHI Aerospace for propulsion and structure, and NEC for avionics and communication systems, joined by Subaru (Fuji Heavy Industries) and Nippon Avionics on sensor and component work. The design will increase cargo capacity by 1,850 kg while reducing total mass to 15,500 kg, and new 24-hour late-load capability—down from 80 hours—will enable transport of fresh food and refrigerated biological samples. HTV-X1 will deliver cargo including Kibo module systems equipment, a CO₂ Removal System demo supporting Gateway ECLSS, and Asia Try Zero-G 2025 experiments from 11 Asian and Middle Eastern nations. NASA cargo will include Nitrogen/Oxygen and Water Resupply Tanks and experimental hardware. Exposed payloads will feature the Deployable Lightweight Planar Antenna and Next-Generation Space Solar Cell. Post-ISS, HTV-X1 will test autonomous orbit and rendezvous technologies for future lunar Gateway logistics. Also this week, the XRISM International Conference convenes October 20–24 in Kyoto, organized by JAXA and NASA with 70 institutions from Japan, USA, Canada and Europe, reviewing XRISM’s first two years of X-ray spectroscopy and imaging results. (Image Credits: JAXA)
Texas Spotlight: Bridging Earth and Other Worlds
The Lone Star State, Texas, bridges terrestrial geology and the cosmos. October 19–22, Geological Society of America Connects 2025 convenes 5,000+ geoscientists from 50+ nations in San Antonio. Theme From Earth to the Cosmos: Geoscience Beyond Our Planet draws planetary parallels between Earth and other worlds via impacts, volcanism and tectonism. Field trips to Sierra Madera impact crater or Odessa meteorite strewn-field offer hands-on analogs of extraterrestrial terrains. Cosmic torch passes to Austin AT&T Conference Center October 23–25 for New Worlds, a 3-day odyssey for 400 visionaries—astronauts, entrepreneurs, scientists and artists—to explore an off-planet leap for humans, one where industries and governments uplift all. NASA Astronaut Gregory Chamitoff and author Greg Autry (Red Moon Rising) inspire bold thoughts. “Space Tank” has 5 innovators compete for investment money by presenting ideas, and Space Cowboy Ball charity awards gala honors trailblazers like Buzz Aldrin and Gwynne Shotwell. National Space Society is one of the sponsors of this conference that draws architects of our Moon-to-multiplanetary future, not mere spectators, but all are invited to its new horizons. (Image Credits: GSA, Earthlight Foundation)
Humans in Space
International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: Expedition 73 seven-member crew welcoming HTV-X1 (see feature article this issue), Sergey Ryzhikov (Roscosmos) replacing Zarya module power supply components and taking treadmill fitness test, Zena Cardman (NASA) conducting life support maintenance via airflow measurements and ventilation system inspection, Mike Fincke (NASA) installing Heat Transfer Host 2 hardware in Columbus lab module, Kimiya Yui (JAXA) processing samples in the Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (heating with LASERs) in the Kibo Lab Module, and Jonny Kim (NASA) activating moisture-removal tech demo in the Harmony module.
Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou 20 three-member crew noting HKSRE Deputy Director and Chang’E-8 mission investigator Wu Bo predicting space tourism to TSS is “next on the horizon”, bringing extravehicular exposure experiment material back into the station for analysis, removing experimental plug-ins from inside a combustion chamber and then analyzing the results, taking inventory of medicines, and heating tungsten alloy suspended in midair to a world-record 3,100+ C, nearly half the Sun surface temperature.
Lunar News: Weekly lunar advisories [coming soon]
Near-Earth Objects Close Approaches – Tue Oct 21: Apollo Asteroid 2023 UK3 (0.017 AU); Thu Oct 23: Apollo Asteroid 2022 HM1 (0.038 AU); Fri Oct 24: Apollo Asteroid 2025 TX2 (0.016 AU); Sun Oct 26: Apollo Asteroid 2009 HC (0.021 AU)
First Women Land on the Moon in…
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Looks at planetary bodies in Solar System & beyond, including ISRU uses for future human habitation on other worlds.
2025 LSIC Fall Meeting to be held 5-6 Nov will focus on mission-driven technology guiding us to the Moon. Through the years, our community has planned and executed, and now it's time to thrive! This Fall will be valuable to learn directly from core infrastructure technology providers, technologies in the […]
BepiColombo (Mercury Planetary Orbiter and Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter) Begins Next Year in Space
European Space Agency / JAXA Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (dubbed Mio ‘waterway or fairway’) starts its next year in space today, launched 2018; expected to reach Mercury polar orbit in Nov 2026 to map planet, investigate magnetosphere.
One of 2 showers yearly from Halley’s Comet dust, one dust cloud from Halley's path toward the Sun, and one from its path away. Orionids appear to radiate from Constellation Orion, are swift (~67 km/sec), and can be bright and leave persistent trains. Between 10 and 75 meteors per hour […]
Event in its 22nd year, inviting STEAM professionals and Maunakea Observatories staff to participate in 80 Hawai'i classroom visits.
To discuss the scientific achievements from the first two years of observations from the JAXA/NASA X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission, XRISM. The X-Ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM), launched on September 7th, 2023, is a collaborative mission between JAXA and NASA, with contributions from over 70 institutions in Japan, the […]
RSVP is required by 26 Sep for innovative companies to collaborate on groundbreaking research and development, and for NASA Armstrong Research Center to provide expertise, resources and support. A unique opportunity to explore collaboration with NASA on cutting-edge R&D in areas such as aerospace, autonomy, sustainability and more, attendees will […]
28 Starlink satellites to LEO for space-based internet
Opt-in to call at <https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/j4epy8y8/>
Launch of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) first upgraded HTV cargo vehicle, HTV-X1, to the International Space Station. Hawai'i Time for launch is October 20 at 15:58. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) hereby announces the launch schedule of new unmanned cargo transfer spacecraft 1 (HTV-X1) aboard the 7th H3 Launch […]
Entertaining and hands-on educational activities; Galaxy package US$25,000 for 30 tickets.
At Conference Center Pierre Mendès or online.
2nd of 2 new-generation satellites to replace existing XTAR-EURs, for the country of Spain in collaboration with Hisdesat, ESA, Airbus, Thales Alenia Space, et al. 1st stage, called Booster B1076, will be expended during this, its 22nd launch. Its 21st successful launch was Feb 21, 2025.
Featuring the Space Cowboy Ball; space entrepreneurs, artists, engineers, dreamers, Orson Scott Card, Robert Zubrin, Dylan Taylor, Frank White, et al; at AT&T Conference Center.
Meet the teams currently competing for an XPrize and help choose a winner, learn about breakthrough technology and solutions.
Objectives and scope of the PSC 2025: Presentation of current achievements in planetary science Development of planetary and space science in Poland and beyond Integration of the Polish planetary scientist community Strengthening international cooperation in planetary science Topics of interest for submission include, but are not limited to: Planets (apart […]
Shusaku Kanaya of JAXA will present on the SLIM lander's solar panels, including how they helped the spacecraft operate during multiple lunar day-night cycles. Brian Schratz and Milena Graziano from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory will present their latest work, Hibernating and Surviving through the Lunar Night. Each will conduct […]
NASA spacecraft surpasses another full year in orbit around Mars today, holds record for longest-surviving continually active spacecraft in orbit around a planet other than Earth; launched 2001.
28 Starlink satellites to LEO for space-based internet. 1st stage B1081 will attempt to land on autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) named Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) after 18 previous successful launches. OCISLY saw the 1st landing of a Falcon 9 booster, after its launch of Dragon CRS-8 […]
With keynote speaker Astronaut and Former NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. Selected by NASA as an Astronaut in 1980, Bolden flew four space shuttle missions between 1986 and 1994, including two as mission commander. His missions supported satellite deployment, scientific experimentation and collaboration with international partners aboard Spacelab. Notably, he commanded […]
29 Starlink satellites to LEO for space-based internet 1st stage, called Booster B1077, is scheduled to land on autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) named A Shortfall of Gravitas (ASOG) and will be the 24th successful flight for B1077, which was first used for the Crew-5 mission.
NASA craft imaging Sun and solar phenomena surpasses another full year in space today; launched 2006.
28 Starlink satellites to LEO for space-based internet. 1st stage B1082 will attempt to land on autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) named Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) after 16 previous successful launches. OCISLY saw the 1st landing of a Falcon 9 booster, after its launch of Dragon CRS-8 […]
