ispace Aims for Hakuto-R Moon Touchdown June 6; Third Company to Attempt a Lunar Landing in 2025
The anticipated landing of ispace Hakuto-R Resilience is set for 04:24 on June 6 (Japan Standard Time). There will be livestreamed events for the landing sequence. This second attempt by ispace comes just over 2 years after the first was made in April 2023. The dry mass of Resilience is 340 kg, fully fueled with its payloads it weighs nearly 1,000 kg. Helping to guide the landing at Mare Frigoris 60.5°N 4.6°W are the main landing thruster and six assist thrusters. Primary payloads aboard the lander are a water electrolyzer experiment provided by Takasago Thermal Engineering Co, an algae-based food production module by Euglena Co, a 14-ounce Deep Space Radiation Probe by Taiwan National Central University, and the 5-kg, 26-cm tall Tenacious rover that carries 3D printed “Moonhouse” by artist Mikael Genberg. There is also a UNESCO memory disk made of nickel and nano-engraved (holding the equivalent of 4GB of data) and a commemorative plaque created by Bandai Namco Research Institute based on the media franchise Gundam. The rover will shovel regolith and use an HD camera to photograph the collected sample, fulfilling the first part of the US$5,000 NASA Lunar Regolith Transfer Contract. Power is provided by body-mounted solar panels charging a lithium-ion battery (350 W peak). Uplink and downlink communications will occur via X-band. Other landers potentially launching this year are Intuitive Machines IM-3 mission, Astrobotic Griffin with Astrolab FLIP rover, and Blue Origin Blue Moon. (Image credits: ispace) |
MONDAY☆ Jun 2 — International Space Station, ~415-km LEO: Expedition 73 seven-member crew planning to welcome four members of Axiom 4 for ~2 week mission …
☆ Jun 2 — Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Shenzhou 20 three-member crew working with experiments involving regenerative biology research using flatworms, lettuce growth, cell tissue cultures; share inspiration from space in honor of Children’s Day, encouraging youth to explore STEM / aerospace. ● Jun 2-4 — Space Tech Expo, SmarterShows LLC, Peak Technology, Crystal Instruments, et al, Long Beach CA: SpaceTech Expo 2025; exhibitor & VIP networking reception followed by exhibits & conference. ● Jun 2-6 — Space Center Houston, Houston TX: Atmospheric Space U (Ages 11-14) and Space U (Ages 15-18); learning opportunities tied to NASA missions including space habitats, thermal protection systems, rocketry, robotics; US$720-$960. ● Jun 2 – Aug 10 — University of Hawai’i Institute for Astronomy, Islands of Hawai’i, O’ahu, Maui: Paid research internship for undergraduate students. ☾ Jun 2 — Moon: At first quarter, 17:14. ☆ Jun 2 — Apollo Asteroid 2021 VO7: Near-Earth Flyby (0.092 AU) |
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● = Terrestrial and o = International terrestrial events in local time; ☾ = Moon, ★ = Space and ☆ = International space events in Hawai’i time unless noted. |
Weekly Planet Watch – Morning Planets: Venus (E), Saturn (ESE), Neptune (ESE); Evening Planets: Mars (W), Jupiter (NW).
Science-Heavy Axiom 4 Mission to Bring ISS Visitors From 3 Countries for 1st Time
Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is collaboration among Axiom Space, SpaceX and NASA, and features 1st visits to International Space Station (ISS) for astronauts from India, Poland and Hungary. Launching NET June 8, research activities / technology demonstrations include ~60 projects representing 31 countries. Crew Commander NASA Astronaut Peggy Whitson oversees: ISS HAM Radio, connecting with the public; scrutinizing lightning; observing a pendulum (Nigerian student investigation); 10 winning projects from Saudi Space Agency request for student submissions that garnered 80,000+ responses; studies of human blood, stem cells, joints and brain. ISRO Vyomanaut Shubhanshu Shukla (Shoo-bhan-shoo Shook-laa) supervises projects on computer-screen design, muscle-building, microscopic animal Tardigrade, crop seeds, cyanobacteria and microalgae. Astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Swah-vosh Ooz-nine-ski Veesh-nee-uhf-ski) from Poland leads studies on bone health, sound / hearing, neurofeedback and radiation monitoring. Astronaut Tibor Kapu (Ti-bore Kahpoo) of Hungary spearheads 23 projects including 3D printing; fluid dynamics; human microbiomes, proprioception, cognition, health, motor function, clothing, blood circulation and voice; DNA of fruit flies / larvae; melted Indium metal; and plant germination. Kapu, a skydiver, was selected from 247 candidates, while Uznański-Wiśniewski was the top of 22,500 applicants, speaks 3 languages and is a mountaineer. Shukla was chosen last year for Gaganyaan. Whitson has most days in Space by an American, 665, has space-walked 60+ hours. (Image Credits: Axiom Space, SpaceX, NASA, Hungarians to Orbit, Polish Space Agency, ISRO, ESA) |
Ongoing… ☆ NET May 15 — Gilmour Space, Launch Eris-1 / Inaugural Test Flight, Bowen Orbital Spaceport, Queensland, Australia: First flight of 3-stage orbital Eris-1 rocket; will attempt to reach LEO; will also mark first flight from Bowen Spaceport. o May 17 – Jun 29 — The Royal Astronomical Society, Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire, United Kingdom: RAS Bicentennial Quilts Display “A Stitch in Space Time”; at UNESCO World Heritage Site. ● May 27 – Jul 25 — USRA Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston TX: Exploration Science summer intern program; activities will support Artemis missions. TUESDAY● Jun 3 — NASA, Exoplanets Program Analysis Group (ExPAG), Online: ExPAG 2025 Meeting; 10:00-18:00 EDT. ● Jun 3 — Beyond Earth Institute, Online / New York NY: Webinar: Simulating the Expansion of human Civilization via Large-Scale Space Migration; 12:00-13:30 EDT. o Jun 3-4 — SpaceBR, Brazilian Space Agency, et al, São Paulo, Brazil: 5th SpaceBR Show Forum – Opportunities and Benefits of Space Exploration. ● Jun 3-5 — NASA, Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG), Tucson AZ and Online: OPAG 2025 Meeting. ● Jun 3-6 — Colorado School of Mines, Lunar and Planetary Institute, et al, Golden CO: Space Resources Roundtable meeting XXV; at Colorado School of Mines. |
WEDNESDAY
● Jun 4 — Space and Technology Policy Group, AFA, Online / Arlington VA: NASA Astronaut Nick Hague from International Space Station Crew-9 mission; 10:00-11:00 EDT.
☆ Jun 4 — Amor Asteroid 2025 KG: Near-Earth Flyby (0.092 AU)
THURSDAY
☆ Jun 5 — Tiangong Space Station, ~390-km LEO: Today marks 3rd full year / starts 4th year of continuous Human occupation of TSS; Shenzhou 14 three-member crew launched on this day in 2022, beginning occupation.
☆ Jun 5 — 240th Galactic Tick Day, Milky Way Galaxy: Highlighting Galaxy awareness by celebrating the Solar System traveling around Milky Way Galaxy Center every ~225 million Earth years, one Galactic Tick happens every 633.7 days; first Tick Day was one Tick after October 2nd, 1608 when the first telescope patent was filed.
● Jun 5 — Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston TX and Online: Exploring Europa with Europa Clipper; LPI Director Walter Kiefer will discuss NASA Europa Clipper mission that launched in October 2024; 19:30 CDT.
● Jun 5 — Maunakea Visitor Information Station, International Lunar Observatory Association (ILOA), Hale Pohaku ~9,200 ft, Mauna Kea HI: Maunakea Moon Viewing with Lecture; ILOA presents Astronomy Moon Missions they are advancing, followed by Moon gazing; 16:30-20:30 HST, limited to 45 people.
● Jun 5-8 — NASA, American Astronautical Society, et al, Staunton & Monterey VA: 20th Annual Student CanSat Competition.
FRIDAY
☾ Jun 6 — Hakuto-R M2 Resilience, Lunar Landing Attempt: ispace Japan lander planned to land on Moon at Mare Frigoris, ~60.5°N, 4.6°W at 04:24am JST; carries ~5-kg micro-rover and other payloads; landing to be attempted 04:24 JST (09:24 HST on June 5); livestream events available.
☾ Jun 6 — Moon: 0.54° S of Spica, 05:00.
SATURDAY
o Jun 7 — British Interplanetary Society, Online / London, United Kingdom: BIS West Midlands Branch: Race2Space with Alistair John.
☆ Jun 7 — Daytime Arietid Meteor Shower: Potentially up to 30 per hour may be visible.
☾ Jun 7 — Moon: At apogee, 405,587 km distance, 01:00.
☆ Jun 7 — Apollo Asteroid 2018 LE4: Near-Earth Flyby (0.031 AU)
SUNDAY
★ Jun 8 — SpaceX, Launch Falcon 9 / Axiom Space Mission 4, SLC 4E, Vandenberg SFB CA: Crew Dragon to ISS for ~14 days: Commander Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Sławosz Uznański from Poland, Tibor Kapu from Hungary; Shukla is 1 of 4 ISRO Gaganyaan Yyomanauts; will conduct 7 science experiments.
● Jun 8-12 — American Astronomical Society, Anchorage AK: 246th Meeting of the AAS; at Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center.
☆ Jun 8 — Mercury: 1.97° N of Jupiter, 10:00.