John Glenn Continues to Support Robust USA Space Program 50 Years after Historic Flight
On February 20, 5 decades after astronaut John Glenn (TR) became the 1st American to orbit Earth aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft, 2 events will commemorate his epic achievement. On Feb 20-21, space industry leaders will converge at ‘NASA Future Forum 2012’ to discuss the future role of NASA in further advancing innovation, technology, science, engineering, education and the economy. Key speakers will include former astronaut and Senator John Glenn, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (BL) and Ohio State President Gordon Gee. On Feb 20, Ohio State University will hold a celebration to honor John Glenn and his legacy of leadership, citizenship, and public service in Columbus. The celebration will also feature a keynote speech by NASA astronaut Mark Kelly (BL), Cmdr of the final Space Shuttle Endeavour mission. Since Glenn’s historic flight, USA has put astronauts on the Moon, built a working laboratory in space and advanced new industries that continue to provide the nation and world with life-enhancing innovations. As one of our Nation’s most notable and senior space advocates, Glenn believes that space exploration “is not just to send people out there…it’s also to do basic research out there to benefit the people right here on Earth.” (Image Credit: NASA, osu.edu, realclearscience.com)
16th ISU International Symposium on Space Sustainability in Strasbourg
This International Symposium on “Sustainability of Space Activities: International Issues and Potential Solutions” will be hosted by the International Space University on February 21-23 in Strasbourg, France. Six half-day plenary sessions will cover themes such as Cooperative Approaches to Improved Space Sustainability, Space Debris, Space Weather and Other Threats To Space Activities. The format is intended to conceive innovative solutions by addressing all aspects of the topic, creating ample time for discussion and fostering constructive dialogue across industry / community sectors. Program Committee Chair and ISU President, Walter Peeters (BC), will open the event and its first session on Tuesday morning. The past several symposia have attracted close to 200 participants from agencies, industry and academia in around 30 different counties. With a strong focus on international co-operation the scope of the program is in line with the main objective of the UN COPOUS Working Group: “To examine and propose measures to ensure the safe and sustainable use of outer space for peaceful purposes.” (Image Credit: ISU)
= 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;’ Greenwich, England).
Weekly Planet Watch – Morning Planets: Saturn (S) / Evening Planets: Venus (SW), Mars (E), Jupiter (SW).
MONDAY
Feb 20 — International Space Station, LEO: E-30 crew members continue with onboard maintenance and science activities as well as preparations for upcoming tests to check the onboard cameras of Robonaut 2.
Feb 20 — Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), Lunar Orbit: NASA LRO functioning nominally in its 50±15 km near-circular orbit as it makes digital elevation and surface maps that will be a fundamental reference for future human exploration.
Feb 20 — ESA Mars Express, Red Planet: Scientists continue to study 2 years worth of data from MARSIS radar aboard Mars Express spacecraft which indicate strong evidence that 2 oceans existed on the Red Planet.
Feb 20 — 50th Friendship 7 Observation, Nationwide USA / Global: Commemoration of John Glenn, 1st American in Space makes historic orbital flight aboard Friendship 7.
Feb 20 — Ohio State University, Columbus OH: ‘50th Anniversary of Friendship 7,’ event to feature NASA astronauts John Glenn and Mark Kelly.
Feb 20-21 — NASA, Columbus OH: ‘NASA 2012 Future Forum.’
Feb 20-24 — The Oceanography Society, American Geophysical Union, et al, Salt Lake City UT: ‘2012 Ocean Sciences Meeting.’
Feb 20 – Mar 3 — International Space University, Colorado Springs CO: ‘Executive MBA 2012 Program: Module D.’
Continued from…
Feb 12 — Max Planck Institute for Radioastronomy, Tegernsee, Germany: ‘Science with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment;’ through Feb 21.
Feb 12 — The GLOBE Program, The National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Global: ‘GLOBE at Night: Less of Our Light, More Star Light,’ event to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by inviting citizen-scientists to measure their night sky brightness and submit their observations to a website from a computer or smart phone; through Feb 21.
Feb 19 — American Geophysical Union (AGU), Kailua-Kona HI: ‘AGU Chapman Conference on Remote Sensing of the Terrestrial Water Cycle;’ through Feb 22.
TUESDAY
Feb 21-23 — International Space University, Strasbourg, France: ‘16th ISU International Symposium: Sustainability of Space Activities – International Issues and Potential Solutions.’
Feb 21 — Moon: New Moon; 12:36.
WEDNESDAY
Feb 22 — The SETI Institute, Mountain View CA: Colloquium Series Lecture: ‘Planetesimal Migration in the Early Days or Taking the Solar System by Störmer,’ Kevin Grazier.
Feb 22 — Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena CA: NASA Administrator Charles Bolden to meet with Mars Science Laboratory team at 13:30-14:45 PST.
Feb 22 — Cornerstone Research Group Inc (CRG), NASA, Dayton OH: Chief Technologist Mason Peck to visit CRG at 14:00 EST to advance government initiatives with small business and help create jobs of the future through investment in science and technology.
Feb 22 — NASA, Sussex Regional School District, Newton; Andover NJ: E-30 Cmdr Dan Burbank and Flight Engineer Don Pettit currently onboard the ISS to speak with students and educators from Sussex County NJ at 10:00 EST.
Feb 22 — The British Interplanetary Society, London, United Kingdom: ‘Lecture: Space — As It Should Have Been…?,’ Matt Irvine.
Feb 22 — International Astronomical Federation, Paris, France: Deadline to submit application for the IAF ‘2012 Young Space Leaders Recognition Program;’ candidates to be inducted at the ‘63rd International Astronautical Congress‘ on Oct 1-5 in Naples, Italy.
Feb 22-23 — NASA Office of the Chief Engineer, Orlando FL: ‘NASA Project Management Challenge: Evolve and Excel.’
Feb 22-24 — Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan: ‘Workshop on Stratospheric Sudden Warming and its Role in Weather and Climate Variations.’
Feb 22 — Cassini OTM-311, Saturn Orbit: Spacecraft conducts Orbital Trim Maneuver #310 today.
Feb 22 — Moon: 5.6° NNW of Mercury; 15:00.
THURSDAY
Feb 23 — TechAmerica Space Enterprise Council, George Marshall Institute, Washington DC: ‘Space Situational Awareness Forum.’
Feb 23 — Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum – Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly VA: ‘The Spacesuits that Did Not Fly: The Museum’s Collection of Hard Spacesuits,’ Cathleen Lewis.
Feb 23 — Asteroid 2011 CP4: Near-Earth Flyby (0.023 AU).
FRIDAY
Feb 24 — The SETI Institute, Mountain View CA: Colloquium Series Lecture: ‘Space Buckyballs,’ Jan Cami.
Feb 24 — Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston TX: LPI Seminar Series: ‘Volcanism on Mercury – Insights from Orbit,’ Paul Byrne.
Feb 24 — Space Center Houston, Houston TX: ‘Lunch With an Astronaut,’ Tom Jones.
SATURDAY
Feb 25 — Zero Gravity Corporation, Las Vegas NV: ‘Zero-G Flight Experience,’ a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience weightlessness onboard a specially modified Boeing 727.
Feb 25 — SpaceUp Houston, Houston TX: ‘SpaceUp Houston 2012 Unconference.’
Feb 25 — American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics – San Francisco, Mountain View CA: ‘1st AIAA – SF Family Day.’
Feb 25 — Moon: 3.2° N of Venus; 11:00.
Feb 25 — Asteroid (Near-Earth Flyby): 2011 YU74 (0.031 AU); 2012 BH86 (0.063 AU).
SUNDAY
Feb 26-28 — National Space Society, Space Exploration Alliance, Washington DC: ‘Space Exploration Alliance 2012 Legislative Blitz.’
Feb 26 — Moon: 3.8° NNW of Jupiter; 17:00.
Feb 26 — Asteroid (Near-Earth Flyby): 2012 BM86 (0.061 AU); 2010 RF12 (0.096 AU).
Feb 26 — Asteroid 10958 Mont Blanc: Closest Approach to Earth (0.997 AU).