2. Tuesday, March 3, 2020; 7-8:30 pm PDT (9-10:30 pm CDT, 10-11:30 pm EDT): We welcome back Sarah Scoles, journalist, regarding her new book and many of her current articles.
3. Wednesday, March 4, 2020: Pre-recorded Hotel Mars Program with John Batchelor. See Upcoming Show on The Space Show website for details.
4. Thursday, March 5, 2020; 7-8:30 pm PST (9-10:30 pm CST, 10-11:30 pm EST): No special show today.
5. Friday, March 6, 2020; 9:30-11 am PST (11:30 am-1 pm CST, 12:30-2 pm EST): We welcome back Frank White of The Overview Effect.
6. Sunday, March 8, 2020; 12-1:30 pm PST (3-4:30 pm EST, 2-3:30 pm CST): We welcome back our Open Lines program. First time callers welcome, all space, science, STEM and STEAM calls welcome too. Call in, we want to hear from you.
** Tue, 02/25/2020 – Dr. Namrata Goswami talked “about the new US Space Force, china, the Corona Virus and the Chinese space program, China space, India, Russia, US space visionary leadership, ESA, UAE, Luxembourg and more”.
In March, the stars of spring lie eastward: Look for the constellations Gemini and Cancer to spot interesting celestial features like star clusters M35 and the Beehive Cluster, and NGC 3923, an oblong elliptical galaxy with an interesting ripple pattern. Keep watching for space-based views of the galaxies.
an apparent meeting or passing of two or more celestial bodies. The Moon is in conjunction with the Sun at the phase of New Moon, when it moves between the Earth and Sun and the side turned toward the Earth is dark. Inferior planets—those with orbits smaller than the Earth’s (namely, Venus and Mercury)—have two kinds of conjunctions with the Sun. An inferior conjunction occurs when the planet passes approximately between Earth and Sun; if it passes exactly between them, moving across the Sun’s face as seen from Earth, it is said to be in transit. A superior conjunction occurs when Earth and the other planet are on opposite sides of the Sun, but all three bodies are again nearly in a straight line. Superior planets, those having orbits larger than the Earth’s, can have only superior conjunctions with the Sun.
** Superb Stargazing *** Let’s Take a Trip to the Brightest Stars *** March 1-5 2020 – nemesis maturity
Let’s take a trip to the stars, constellations, planets and Moon, and discover the amazing wonders of the night sky. Let the Moon guide you to the brightest stars of the night sky over the next several evenings. Happy New Month and Happy Skywatching!
** [ Update March.2.2020: What’s Up: March 2020 Skywatching Tips from NASA
Looking for astronomy highlights for March 2020? This month, early risers enjoy a planetary grouping of Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in the early morning sky. Plus a closer look at Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, and spot a lovely trio at sunset on March 28. Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What’s Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/whats-up… .
A sampling of links to recent space policy, politics, and government (US and international) related space news and resource items that I found of interest (find previous space policy roundups here):
** The Space Show – Tue, 02/25/2020 – Dr. Namrata Goswami talked “about the new US Space Force, china, the Corona Virus and the Chinese space program, China space, India, Russia, US space visionary leadership, ESA, UAE, Luxembourg and more”.
** Clinton Clark – Space Situational Awareness with ExoAnalytic – Cold Star Project S02E21
Clinton Clark is the Vice President of First Impressions at ExoAnalytic Solutions, and our topic is space situational awareness.
– Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST)
– Space Domain Awareness (SDA)
– Space Traffic Management (STM)
– Space Situational Awareness (SSA)
are all terms–some newer than others–applicable to what ExoAnalytic does. Clint Clark and Cold Star Project host Jason Kanigan dig into what these terms mean, how the company goes about providing such services, and their impact on space. ExoAnalytic Solutions website: https://exoanalytic.com/
Here is the latest episode in NASA’s Space to Groundweekly report on activities related to the International Space Station:
** “Down to Earth – A Work of Art
In this episode of “Down to Earth – A Work of Art,“ former NASA astronaut Nicole Stott recalls seeing home below during her time aboard the station. Stott explains how she experienced a shift in worldview known as “the Overview Effect,” a term coined by space philosopher Frank White.
** Jessica Meir speaks with students in Florida
In-flight event — Expedition 62 flight engineer Jessica Meir speaks with the Lee County School District in Florida.
** Space Station Crew Member Swears in Army Recruits
Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 62 Flight Engineer Drew Morgan of NASA, a colonel in the U.S. Army, swore in new Army recruits gathered at the Space Center Houston visitors center in a ceremony conducted from orbit Feb. 26. Morgan, who launched to the orbital complex last July, is slated to return to Earth April 17 to complete a 272-day mission.
A sampling of recent articles, press releases, etc. related to student and amateur CubeSat / SmallSat projects and programs (find previous smallsat roundups here):
** Univ. of Maine MESAT1 CubeSat project to involve high schools in environmental data analysis:
“We offered to kind of lead this effort,” said Ali Abedi, a professor of electrical and computer engineering at UMaine and director of UMaine’s Center for Undergraduate Research. “The University of Maine will build the satellite, will work with NASA to launch it, and we’ll provide the data to middle schools and high schools.”
Graduate students from UMaine and undergraduate students from the University of Southern Maine will be involved in designing, developing and testing the small satellite, which will be about the size of a loaf of bread.
Two nanosatellites which will be the first “Philippine university-built”, are slated for launch in the last quarter of the year, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) said.
The Maya 3 and Maya 4 cube satellites (CubeSat) are currently being developed by the first batch of scholars under the local nanosatellite engineering track in the Master of Science/Master of Electrical Engineering (MSEE/MSEE) graduate program at the University of the Philippines (UPD), through a scholarship grant from the DOST – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI).
** Nanoracks CubeSat Deployer – On Orbit Assembly – Drew Morgan
Check out this great time lapse of Astronaut Drew Morgan preparing the 17th Nanoracks CubeSat Deployment Mission on the International Space Station! Nanoracks deployed nine satellites in February 2020 as a part of this mission.
** Building CubeSats to test electrodynamic tethering in space with MiTEE
Electrodynamic tethering could enable coordinated fleets of tens to hundreds of miniature satellites, transforming the way we monitor natural disasters, space weather and the broader space environment by eliminating the need for propellant to maintain a proper orbit and formation: http://clasp-research.engin.umich.edu...
Mi-TEE (Miniature Tether Electrodynamics Experiment) is a University of Engineering project that aims to test the tethering technology in space. The project was selected by NASA in 2015 as part of its CubeSat Launch Initiative. The experiment is currently expected to launch in 2020.
The project is currently organized through U-M’s Multidisciplinary Design Program, and is advised by Brian Gilchrist, professor of electrical engineering and computer science and director of U-M’s Space Physics Research Laboratory (SPRL). http://www.sprl.umich.edu/
** Jeff Dillon – Cubesat to Mars – 22nd Annual International Mars Society Convention
