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| Image credit: CALT |
Launch of Guowang Group 26
CALT, a subsidiary of China Aerospace (CASC), launched a Long March 8A (Chang Zheng 8A) from Wenchang in Hainan at 1332 UTC, or 2132 local time (CST). This was carrying SatNet LEO (Guowang) Group 26, the latest batch of nine satellites for the China Satellite Network Group's internet constellation. This was the 11th flight of the Long March 8A, and the 18th flight of the Long March 8 family. [Source: CALT]
International Space Station Activities
The crew of the International Space Station prepared for the upcoming crew swap while carrying out research and maintenance. Jessica Meir and Sophie Adenot practised using ultrasound to perform medical examinations. Jack Hathaway took samples from the water dispensers to test them for microbes. The crew of the SpaceX Crew-12 mission (Meir, Hathaway, Adenot, and Andrey Fedyaev) began packing their personal belongings and practised with emergency respirator masks. They are expected to depart for Earth in early October, once Crew-13 has arrived. Fedyaev also continued testing the negative pressure suit for reacclimatising to Earth's gravity. Meanwhile, the other half of the crew (Pyotr Dubrov, Anna Kikina, and Anil Menon), who arrived on Soyuz MS-29, practised evacuation procedures. Dubrov also continued unpacking the Progress MS-35 cargo spacecraft that arrived on Saturday, and Menon and Kikina both processed body fluid samples for immune system research. [Source: NASA]
NASA Select PRIMA Infrared Telescope Mission
NASA have selected a 1.8m far-infrared space telescope called PRIMA (a characteristically convoluted acronym for "PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics") for Phase B development. It is the first in a new class of "Probe Explorers" missions, which are smaller than the agency's flagship exploration missions but bigger than minor science missions. It was selected over a competing proposal for an x-ray telescope. Pending a confirmation review at the conclusion of Phase B development, PRIMA is aiming to launch in 2033. [Source: NASA]
Croatia Sign Artemis Accords
Croatia have become the 74th country to sign the Artemis Accords, a United States led set of agreements regarding mineral rights and other arrangements for international cooperation in space exploration. Croatia do not have much of a space programme, but they are actively pursuing European Space Agency membership and they operate a single small satellite. [Source: NASA]
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