September 22-28, 2025 / Vol 44, No 38 / Hawai`i Island, USA
Lunar Broadcast Precursor: Terrestrial Edition
IMAP, SWFO-L1 and Carruthers Set to Probe Cosmic Boundaries
NASA Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), Space Weather Follow-On Lagrange-1 (SWFO-L1), and Carruthers Geocorona Observatory launch September 23. After arriving at Sun-Earth L1 Lagrange point, ~1.6 million km toward Sun from Earth, these spacecraft are expected to revolutionize understanding of Sun heliosphere and Earth exosphere, both protective of life on Earth. 900kg IMAP has instrument “Ultra” to map the heliosphere, envisioned as a protective bubble around the entire Solar System guarding against cosmic radiation, emanating from the Sun gravitational field. Others of its 10 instruments will study particles arriving from interstellar space that reveal galaxy composition, possibly life origins, and interact with heliosphere / solar wind. 377kg SWFO-L1 is expected to give ~30min warning to astronauts / spacecraft of harmful radiation. 240kg Carruthers Geocorona Observatory is named after George Carruthers PhD, inventor of first telescope on the Moon, used by John Young to image with UV the Earth exosphere, a critical shield against solar storms. International Lunar Observatory Association hopes to soon place 2nd lunar telescope. Meanwhile, these 1st satellites operating continuously at L1 will deliver unprecedented data to safeguard technology and astronauts and help us understand cosmic forces protecting Earth. (Image Credit: NASA)
NASA Unveils 2025 Astronaut Class and Previews Artemis II Moon Mission
From 8,000+ applicants, the new cohort—following the 2021 class of 10 diverse STEM experts—will train at Johnson Space Center for lunar landings and Mars missions. Expect physicians studying space biology, engineers mastering lunar tech, and pilots, all shaping the Artemis mission. The Astronauts debut September 22 at 12:30 EDT, live on NASA+, YouTube and X. On September 23, two news conferences highlight Artemis II. At 11:00 EDT, Mission Manager Matt Ramsey previews the 10-day, 1,090,000 km lunar flyby, launching NET April 2026 via SLS rocket (79.7 metric tons to low lunar orbit) and Orion spacecraft. At 13:00 EDT, Orion Deputy Debbie Korth details science and tech, including 4 cabin monitors mapping 1.5 mGy/day radiation beyond Van Allen belts. Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen test a hybrid, free-return trajectory, looping Earth twice at 35,400 kph for lunar slingshot. They deploy 10 CubeSats, including Germany TACHELES, while USB-sized AVATAR organ-chips grow bone marrow to study cosmic ray impacts and saliva tests track immune shifts in 1/6th gravity. September 24 at 10:00 EDT, will be an Artemis II crew news conference, then the Johnson media day—hands-on with mission simulators, Orion mockups and exclusive interviews with astronauts, scientists, and flight directors like Jeff Radigan. (Image Credits: NASA)
HUMANS IN SPACE
International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: Expedition 73 seven-member crew continue to unload 8,000 kg of supplies from 2 docked spacecraft, beginning new science experiments to manufacture semiconductor crystals, disinfect spacecraft with UV light, produce pharmaceuticals and develop cryogenic fluid tanks; Cosmonaut Oleg Plantonov setting up physics research hardware to observe complex plasmas and photographing glaciers and mountains in South America and Africa; Harvard-trained MD Astronaut Jonny Kim studying how liver tissues ‘bioprinted’ on Earth react to weightlessness.
Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou 20 three-member crew — Chen Dong, Wang Jie and Chen Zhongrui — continue experiments across multiple science disciplines, including neuroscience, biology, physics and technology verification, such as studying cancer risks from space radiation and development of nucleic acid therapeutics, and keep up with routine maintenance such as servicing treadmills, testing smoke detectors and cleaning onboard systems to support ongoing operations.
Lunar News: Weekly lunar advisories [coming soon]
Near-Earth Objects Close Approaches – Tues Sep 23: Apollo Asteroid 2022 SW12 (0.038 AU); Thurs Sep 25: Apollo Asteroid 350523 2000 EA14 (0.070 AU); Sun Sep 28: Aten Asteroid 2019 SF6) (0.051 AU).
First Women Land on the Moon in…
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2025
Online Short Course: Spacecraft Design, Development and Operations
Reston VA, USA Organizer: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)12 sessions, 3 hours each, Mondays and Wednesdays
Fundamentals of Space Vehicle Mechanisms
Lausanne, Switzerland Organizer: Launchspace ServicesIn-person course ahead of ESMATS2025 Conference; Instructor: Bill Purdy, US$795-895.
11th International Conference on Space Technology Innovation: Exploring Lunar New Home
Shanghai, China Organizer: International Academy of Astronautics (IAA)Workshop on Tomography of Planetary Materials: X-Rays and Beyond
Austin TX, USA Organizer: Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI)NASA Selects 2025 Astronaut Candidates
Online / Washington DC, USA Organizer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)After evaluating more than 8,000 applications, NASA will debut its 2025 class of astronaut candidates. Live event for the 2025 Class of Astronaut Candidates and preview Artemis II Moon Mission, 12:30 EDT.
Firefly Aerospace to Announce 2nd Quarter 2025 Financial Results
Online Organizer: Firefly AerospaceConference Call via Webcast
September Equinox
Worldwide Organizer: Sun-EarthThe Sun rises exactly in east traveling through sky for 12 hours, sets exactly in west; every place on Earth experiences a ~12-hour day, 18:19 UTC (08:19 HST).
NET Sep 23 — Launch Falcon 9 / IMAP, Carruthers & Follow On L1
SLC-39A, Kennedy Space Center FL, USA Organizer: SpaceX2 satellites for NASA Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe to analyze solar wind, Carruthers Geocorona Observatory; NOAA Space Weather Follow On L1.
AstroEdu: Bridging Research and Practice, Astronomy Education 2025
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Organizer: Research for Educational Impact (REDI)9th International Conference on Space Science and Communication (IconSpace 2025)
Malacca, Malaysia Organizer: Space Science Centre (ANGKASA)42nd International Communications Satellite Systems Conference (ICSSC) and its Colloquium
Barcelona, Spain Organizer: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)This year’s conference will be held in beautiful Barcelona, Spain from September 23 – 25, 2025, at the magnificent UNESCO campus, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, UAB, (The Autonomous University of Barcelona). The conference will bring together researchers, engineers, and experts in academia, industry, space agencies, and regulatory organizations around the […]
NASA news conference on the Artemis II Moon mission
Online Organizer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)NASA to preview Artemis II Moon Mission 11:00 EDT . News conference on the science and technology of Artemis II mission starts at 13:00. Artemis II slated for no later than April 2026. The test flight, a launch of the SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and Orion spacecraft, will send NASA […]
21st European Space Mechanisms and Tribology Symposium (ESMATS2025)
Lausanne, Switzerland Organizer: European Space Agency (ESA)Design, development, testing, production and in-flight experience of spacecraft and payloads.
NASA news conference with the Artemis II astronauts
Online Organizer: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)News conference with the Artemis II astronauts 10:00 EDT.
Space Generation Congress 2025
Sydney, Australia Organizer: Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC)The Space Generation Congress (SGC) is the annual meeting of the Space Generation Advisory Council always held in conjunction with the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) at the same hosting country. Every year, the SGC event receives about 150 outstanding students and young professionals who share a passion for space. Through […]
Surface Power Workshop: Lunar Power Applications at Various Scales
Online Organizer: Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium (LSIC)Registration is due 19 Sep for this online event. LSIC Surface Power Capability Area will host their annual virtual workshop! This year's workshop is entitled "Lunar Power Applications at Varying Scales". Participants will examine applications on the lunar surface for power at low (~1 kW), medium (10s kW), and high […]
Live Chat with Veteran NASA Astronaut Leland Melvin
Online Organizer: Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF)Astronaut Scholarship Foundation presents a Live Chat with veteran NASA Astronaut Leland Melvin on Thursday, September 25th at 1:00 PM ET for students in 3rd-12th grades and their educators/parents/guardians. This Live Chat series is presented in the memory of Scott Carpenter, one of the original Mercury Seven Astronauts and a […]
AIAA SF Tech Talk: Performance Analysis and Data Processing for the Mars Sample Recovery Helicopter in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory 25-ft Space Simulator
Mountain View CA, USA Organizer: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)On April 19, 2021, Ingenuity became the first helicopter to fly on Mars at Jezero Crater, completing a total of 72 flights by the end of its mission. The success of Ingenuity resulted in various research efforts to further explore Mars via vertical flight, including two optimized Ingenuity-sized helicopters proposed […]
Abstracts Due: 2025 LSIC Fall Meeting (being held Nov 5-6)
Online Organizer: Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium (LSIC)Abstracts due for 2025 LSIC Fall Meeting to be held Nov 5-6 at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta GA, USA
UNOOSA Workshop: Resilient Coasts, Resilient Earth: Innovative Space Solutions for Coastal Resilience Emergency Management
Sydney, Australia Organizer: United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA)Fall Astronomy Day 2025
Worldwide Organizer: The Astronomical LeagueAstronomical societies, planetariums, museums and observatories sponsor public viewing sessions, presentations and workshops.
2nd Academic Symposium on Chang’E-8 Mission Scientific Exploration and Research
Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Organizer: Lunar Exploration and Space Engineering Center of the Chinese Academy of SciencesDuring this prototype R&D period, the Forum aims to verify the scientific objectives of the payload and ground testing operations for the Chang'E-8 lunar mission and to facilitate the exchange between the payload researchers and scientists. Co-organized by Institute of Optoelectronics and the Chinese Academy of Sciences and its National […]
IAA Academy Day 2025
Sydney, Australia Organizer: International Academy of Astronautics (IAA)The QUAD Industry Networking Series
Sydney, Australia Organizer: Indo-Pacific Space & Earth NetworkIAF Adjacent Event; for business discussions re space, technology, etc., followed by Five Nations Partner Forum and Welcome Reception.
Astrosat Marks Another Year in Space
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Organizer:Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory surpasses another full year in space today, launched 2015.
Robotic Telescopes in Education Conference
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia Organizer: Robotic Telescopes Student Research and Education Conference (RTSRE)Global Spaceport Alliance (GSA) International Spaceport Forum
Sydney, Australia Organizer: Global Spaceport Alliance (GSA)Advancing Spaceport Development and Operations through Global Collaboration Following the success of the inaugural International Spaceport Meeting in Milan, co-hosted by the Global Spaceport Alliance (GSA), we are proud to present the second GSA International Spaceport Forum—this time in Sydney, Australia, on the eve of the 2025 International Astronautical Congress. The first […]