September 16-22, 2019 / Vol 38, No 37 / Hawai’i Island, USA

Europe Events Advance Astronomy, Astronautics, Space Industry, Education, Science – Toward Moon South Pole 2021 Mission?

More than a dozen meetings this week highlight the breadth of ongoing Europe space activity. The European Planetary Sciences Congress continues in Geneva, Switzerland from September 15-20 – as does 36th International Electric Propulsion Conference in Vienna, Austria with ~500 attendees from 25 countries. Launchspace ‘Space Mechanisms Course’ is being held Sep 16-17 in Munich, Germany before ‘European Space Mechanisms and Tribology Symposium’ Sep 18-20. The ESO-IAU ‘AstroEdu Conference’ Sep 16-18 in Garching, Germany aims to bridge research and practice in astronomy education. European Space Policy Institute holds 13th European Space Diplomacy on Sep 18-19 in Vienna. There is also an International Conference on Geomagnetic Storms and Space Weather in Paris, an Open House at Royal Astronomical Society in London, and a lecture on Dark Energy in Salisbury, United Kingdom. The 2019 European Rover Challenge in Poland, and ‘Extremely Big Eyes on the Early Universe 3’ in Rome just completed last week. With numerous impactful organizations, including ESA, International Astronautical Federation, Moon Village Association, ILEWG and International Lunar Decade – there is potential to realize Europe at Moon South Pole 2021. Planning to support USA Artemis program to land the first people at Moon South Pole by 2024 and contribute to a cislunar gateway, Europe could also declare its own regional / international accelerated program to reach Moon South Pole, perhaps specifically the desirable locations at Malapert Mountain or Shackleton Rim ‘Peaks of Eternal Light’. (Image Credits: (ESA / RegoLight / Liquifer Systems Group, JAXA, NASA, IAF, MVA, ILD, ILEWG)

MONDAY

Sep 16 — The Berkeley Forum, Pasadena CA: Short Course: Approaching the Event Horizon – Black Holes and Their Effect on the Universe; by Jill Tarter of SETI Institute.

Sep 16 — Keck Institute for Space Studies, Caltech, Berkeley CA: Lecture: Astronomer and Pioneer for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI).

Canadian Space Agency Gears Up for Fall Industry Days 2019, and 2020 Events

Canada wants the world to know that it is open to the business of space and Moon exploration: CSA hosts its second annual space industry trade show at its headquarters in Longueuil, Quebec, September 16-17. Day one will feature a Lunar Exploration Accelerator Program (LEAP) Community Session and presentations by Japan company ispace, that “intends to build … a rover and a lander, in order to enable the commercial exploration of the lunar surface” and has signed on with SpaceX for a 2021 launch to the Moon. On day two of the conference CSA will meet and greet with Astrobotic, which plans to launch its lunar lander, Peregrine, on ULA Vulcan rocket NET July 2021. Notably absent will be updates on Canada robotic contributions to the international Lunar Gateway – MDA recently won a US$7M award to construct Canadarm3, a 20-meter robotic arm to be used on the Gateway. Canada has a long history of international space cooperation, as the only non-European cooperating member in ESA and one of five space agencies that partnered to build and maintain ISS. CSA International Industry Days will be held October 17 – 18, where representatives of Brazil and Germany space agencies and enterprises will meet. Investment Space 2020 will be held in February, focusing on funding Canada space startups. (Also Pictured: Jenni Sidey (L), David Saint-Jacques (C), Julie Payette (R), Image Credits: CSA, ispace, Astrobotic)

Sep 16-18 — European Southern Observatory, International Astronomical Union, Garching, Germany: AstroEdu Conference; bridging research and practice in astronomy education.

Sep 16-20 — Canadian Space Agency, Saint-Hubert, Quebec, Canada: CSA 2019 Fall Industry Days; Japan ispace, Astrobotic and CSA Lunar Gateway Program will make presentations and discuss potential commercial partnerships.

Sep 16 — Apollo Asteroid 2019 RC: Near-Earth Flyby (0.045 AU)

Sep 16 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 FU1: Near-Earth Flyby (0.047 AU)

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.

NET Aug – Nov — Hayabusa2, Asteroid 162173 Ryugu: JAXA Hayabusa2 with 2 sample returns planned to remain at Asteroid for observations during this time period, then return to Earth.

Sep 15-20 — EPS, Europlanet Society, Geneva, Switzerland: European Planetary Sciences (EPS) Congress Division for Planetary Sciences Joint Meeting 2019.

Sep 15-20 — University of Vienna, Electric Rocket Propulsion Society, Vienna, Austria: 36th International Electric Propulsion Conference; expecting ~500 people representing 25 countries.