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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