In Today’s Deep Space Extra… Mexico joins the U.S.-led Artemis Accords. Roscosmos announces first cosmonaut that would fly on commercial crew flights to the ISS.
Human Space Exploration
Mexico joins Artemis Accords
SpaceNews.com (12/10): The government of Mexico announced December 9 that it is signing the U.S.-led Artemis Accords. In a statement, Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico’s secretary of foreign relations, said that country looked forward to participating in NASA’s Artemis program, stating that during the Apollo program “we were spectators, now we are going to be participants. It is a great step for Mexico.” However, he did not disclose details regarding the role he thought the country would play.
Roscosmos selects first cosmonaut for commercial crew flights
SpaceNews.com (12/9): Though NASA and Roscosmos are still finalizing negotiations over an astronaut/cosmonaut seat exchange aboard Commercial Crew and Soyuz missions to the International Space Station (ISS), Russia has designated cosmonaut Anna Kikina to launch on a fall 2022 Dragon mission to the orbital science lab. The efforts to finalize an agreement come during heightened geopolitical tensions between Russia and the United States as the former moves military forces to its borders with Ukraine.
Building a private space station: Q&A with Axiom Space CTO Matt Ondler
Coalition Member in the News – Axiom Space
Space.com (12/10): In 2020, Axiom Space received a NASA contract to deliver at least one habitable private module to the ISS. Axiom plans to launch its first element to the orbiting lab in late 2024, then send several more over the next few years. Eventually, the connected Axiom modules will detach from the ISS and form a station. Axiom’s CTO Matt Ondler discusses schedule, international cooperation, and markets in the private space station world.
A special sleeping bag could help astronauts with vision issues in space
CNN (12/9): Life in space and the absence of gravity can alter the vision in astronauts. The issue is now referred to as Spaceflight-associated Neuro-ocular Syndrome, which develops during months-long missions and persists after astronauts return to Earth. A University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center-led study suggests that special sleeping bags could provide a sealed vacuum environment during rest periods. Those forces within the sleeping bags might offer an effective countermeasure by creating a gravity-like force to prevent bodily fluids from rising to harm the eyeball. Findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal JAMA Ophthalmology.
Space Science
NASA’s eventual farewell to tiny Mars helicopter could be emotional
UPI (12/9): The Ingenuity drone helicopter on Mars as part of NASA’s Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission has opened new doors for future robotic exploration by greatly exceeding expectations. Ingenuity conducted its 17th flight over the past weekend and has supported not just test flights but actual reconnaissance for rover’s Mars sample gathering activities. The drone has operated for 7 1/2 months so far, much longer than the 30 days initially envisioned.
Comet Leonard, the brightest of the year, is fading and acting strange
Space.com (12/9): Comet Leonard was first spotted in January 2021. Leonard was forecast to grow brighter as it neared the Earth and the sun in December and January 2022. By November, however, observations suggested that any increase in brightness is due to the comet’s approach to Earth and not the sun. Now fading, perhaps Leonard is splitting up.
Other News
Long March 4B with Shijian-6 Group 5 satellites launches successfully from Jiuquan
NASAspaceflight.com (12/9): Using a Long March 4B rocket, China on Friday placed two Shijian-6 satellites in sun synchronous Earth orbits. They are believed to be either for evaluations of the space environment or for electronic surveillance.
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