Astronomy Daily: Space News Updates

Episode Summary  
In today's episode, we explore a myriad of fascinating developments in space science, ranging from a groundbreaking new galactic map created by NASA's Nancy Chris Roman Space Telescope to innovative color-changing spacesuits designed to protect astronauts from radiation. We also discuss how Earth's magnetosphere may be enriching the Moon's soil with vital resources, a busy month for the International Space Station, and SpaceX's potential plans for an IPO. Finally, we take a closer look at Comet 3i ATLAS, which has been observed glowing in X-ray light, providing new insights into its composition and origins.
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### Episode Summary  
Today’s episode features groundbreaking developments in space exploration, including the historic journey of Michaela Benthouse, the first wheelchair user set to fly to space aboard Blue Origin's NS37 mission. We also delve into a major survey of the Magellanic Clouds, revealing insights into their interaction with our Milky Way. Additionally, we discuss surprising findings from NASA's Parker Solar Probe regarding solar recycling, the new race for lunar resources, and the upcoming celestial fireworks from the binary star system V Sagittae. Finally, we explore the innovative Ristretto instrument aimed at studying Proxima B, our nearest exop...

Episode Summary  
Today’s episode dives into a whirlwind of cosmic news, featuring a communications hiccup with NASA's MAVEN orbiter at Mars, the astonishing discovery of Earth's magnetic tail, and the unveiling of NASA's new Rover Operations Center. We also explore the intriguing hints of a methane-rich atmosphere on an exoplanet detected by the James Webb Space Telescope, a groundbreaking dual-mode drone from China, and Rocket Lab's innovative "Hungry Hippo" fairing design for their upcoming neutron rocket.
### Timestamps & Stories  
01:05 – **Story 1: MAVEN Orbiter Loses Contact with Earth**
**Key Facts**  
- NASA's MAVEN orbiter h...

### Episode Summary  
A thrilling spacewalk at the Tiangong Space Station, the discovery of the oldest supernova witnessed by the James Webb Telescope, and new insights into the chaotic nature of Super Jupiters highlight today's episode. We also explore the powerful winds generated by a supermassive black hole, showcasing the dynamic interactions in our universe.
### Timestamps & Stories  
01:05 – **Story 1: Marathon Spacewalk at Tiangong Space Station**
**Key Facts**  
- Two astronauts from the Shenshou 21 mission conducted an 8-hour spacewalk to inspect damage on the Shenshou 20 return capsule, struck by space debris.  
- Installation of new...

### Episode Summary  
Real-time images of exploding stars, a surprisingly “gentle” supermassive black hole, the return of a long-duration Soyuz crew, a packed week of launches, Subaru’s first new exoplanet and brown-dwarf finds, and a controversial plan to light up the night sky with orbital mirrors.
### Timestamps & Stories  
00:00 – Cold Open  
00:35 – Intro  
01:05 – **Story 1: Astronomers watch novae explode in real time**  
**Key Facts**  
- First-ever direct imaging of two novae as they erupted using the CHARA optical interferometer  
- V1674 Herculis: fastest nova on record; brightened & faded in days; showed two pe...

Mysterious Interstellar Object 3i Atlas: The interstellar object 3i Atlas is back in the spotlight, exhibiting strange behavior that has scientists puzzled. With non-gravitational acceleration and focused jets forming an anti-tail, its upcoming close approach to Earth on December 19th has prompted coordinated space defense drills among various nations, raising intriguing questions about its true nature.SOHO's 30th Anniversary: Celebrating 30 years of operation, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) has not only revolutionized solar science but has also discovered over 5000 comets, making it the most prolific comet hunter in history. Its resilience and contributions to understanding sp...

Discovery of a Cosmic Filament: Astronomers have uncovered a remarkable string of 14 galaxies spinning in unison within a colossal cosmic filament, a structure that is about 50 million light years long and rotates at an astounding 110 kilometers per second. This discovery reveals the profound influence of cosmic structures on galaxy formation.China's Earth 2.0 Initiative: The China National Space Agency has unveiled ambitious plans for their upcoming missions aimed at exploring Earth-like planets. These missions include a radio astronomy experiment on the Moon's far side, a solar observatory, a space telescope for studying black holes, and an exoplanet-hunting sa...

Nancy Chris Roman Space Telescope Assembly Complete: NASA has successfully assembled the Nancy Chris Roman Space Telescope, a major milestone that brings us closer to its anticipated launch in May 2027. This powerful telescope, equipped with a 288-megapixel camera, promises to gather data hundreds of times faster than Hubble, potentially unveiling over 100,000 new exoplanets and billions of galaxies.Russian Soyuz Rocket Launch Damage: Following a successful launch to the International Space Station, damage was discovered at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, attributed to vibrations and heat from the launch. Repairs are expected to take around three months, but there’s no...

China's Zhuqi 3 Rocket Launch: Landspace has successfully launched its Zhuqi 3 rocket, marking a significant milestone in the reusable rocket race. Although the first stage booster experienced a mishap during its landing attempt, the successful reach of orbit demonstrates the progress in China's commercial space industry.WASP 107B's Atmospheric Loss: The James Webb Space Telescope has captured stunning images of the gas giant WASP 107B, which is actively losing its atmosphere due to intense stellar radiation. This phenomenon provides valuable insights into planetary evolution and the life cycles of exoplanets.Asteroid Bennu's Life Ingredients: NASA's Osi...

Threat to the Atacama Desert: Scientists are raising alarms over a massive renewable energy project near Chile’s Atacama Desert, home to the Paranal Observatory. Concerns include potential light pollution, dust interference, and atmospheric heating that could compromise the region's exceptional astronomical conditions. The scientific community is advocating for solutions to minimize these impacts while balancing sustainable energy needs.Blue Origin's New Innovations: Blue Origin has unveiled exciting new hardware, including the Blue Moon Mark One robotic lander set to fly by 2026, a more powerful version of the New Glenn rocket, and Blue Ring, a space tug...

Emergency Return of Shenzhou 20: China's Shenzhou 20 spacecraft is making an uncrewed emergency return to Earth after sustaining damage from a micrometeoroid, which caused a crack in its window. The crew safely returned on a different vessel, marking a significant first for China's space program.Galactic Neighborhoods Matter: The Deep Extragalactic Visible Legacy Survey (DEVELS) reveals that a galaxy's local environment significantly influences its evolution. Galaxies in crowded clusters exhibit slower star formation rates compared to isolated ones, providing crucial insights into cosmic evolution.Launch Week Extravaganza: This week sees 10 scheduled orbital launches, including five Sta...

ESA's European Launcher Challenge: The European Space Agency is taking significant steps towards enhancing its commercial launch market, with member states committing over 900 million euros to the European Launcher Challenge. This initiative will see ESA acting as an anchor client, co-funding upgrades for private companies and stimulating competition and innovation in space launch services.Starquakes and Black Holes: Scientists are uncovering the mysteries of dormant black holes through the study of starquakes, or asteroseismology. Two systems, Gaia BH2 and Gaia BH3, reveal intriguing contradictions in the ages and compositions of their red giant stars, prompting a re...

Launch of the Mauve Telescope: A groundbreaking new space telescope named Mauve, about the size of a mini fridge, has successfully launched aboard a SpaceX transporter mission. Owned by Blue Skies Space, this private telescope will operate on a subscription model, offering unique ultraviolet data that could revolutionize astronomical research by providing dedicated access to space-based observations.Roscosmos Launch Pad Trouble: Following the successful launch of the Soyuz MS.28 crew to the ISS, Roscosmos has reported significant damage to its only active crewed launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome. A maintenance cabin collapsed during a post-launch inspection, po...

Lightning on Mars: NASA's Perseverance rover has potentially captured the first direct evidence of lightning on Mars. Using its super-sensitive microphone, the rover recorded distinct crackling sounds, suggesting that electrical discharges may be caused by the planet's notorious dust storms. This discovery indicates that Mars has a more dynamic atmosphere than previously thought, raising excitement for future crewed missions.Thanksgiving Crew Launch: A crew of three, including one NASA astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts, successfully launched to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz rocket. Their eight-month mission will involve overseeing a variety of scientific experiments an...

(00:00:00) Astronomy Daily podcast features the latest news from across the cosmos
(00:00:35) SpaceX scrubbed the launch of their Transporter 15 mission on Wednesday
(00:02:45) SpaceX scrubbed its B1062 booster due to unspecified issue
(00:04:26) Scientists used data from a spacecraft orbiting Mars to predict comet's path
(00:05:42) Improved trajectory means telescopes and other spacecraft can track comet with greater accuracy
(00:07:57) NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is scheduled for launch in 2027
(00:10:14) NASA astronaut Chris Williams and two cosmonauts set for Thanksgiving mission
(00:11:09) South Korea's homegrown Nuri rocket successfully launched on November 26th
(00:12:13) Astronomy Daily features the best...

Breakthrough in Dark Matter Research: A potential game-changing discovery has emerged in the search for dark matter. An astronomer from the University of Tokyo has detected high-energy gamma rays that align with theoretical predictions for dark matter particle collisions. This intriguing signal could provide the first direct evidence of dark matter, specifically linked to the hypothesized WIMPs (weakly interacting massive particles), marking a monumental step in understanding one of the universe's greatest mysteries.Busy Week for Rocket Launches: This week is set to be a thrilling one for space enthusiasts, with a total of seven launches fr...

Boeing's Starliner Mission Shift: A significant change has been announced for Boeing's Starliner 1 mission, now transitioning to a cargo-only mission to the ISS, scheduled for no earlier than April 2026. This decision follows a challenging crew flight test earlier this year, emphasizing safety and the need for further analysis and fixes related to thruster issues. The number of required flights for Boeing has also been reduced from six to four, reflecting the success of SpaceX's Crew Dragon.China's Shenzhou 22 Lifeboat Launch: In a remarkable display of operational maturity, China successfully launched the uncrewed Shenzhou 22 mission to its Ti...

Hawking and Einstein Confirmed: In a groundbreaking cosmic event, the collision of two black holes has validated predictions made by both Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein. Observations from gravitational wave observatories confirmed Hawking's area theorem, showing that the surface area of the resulting black hole increased, and matched Einstein's predictions regarding the black hole's ring down, revealing a new Kerr black hole.Moss Survives in Space: Astonishingly, moss spores exposed to the harsh conditions of space on the International Space Station for nine months were able to germinate upon their return to Earth. This remarkable resilience of...

SpaceX's Starship Booster Anomaly: SpaceX faces a significant setback as Booster 18 of its next-generation Starship program suffers a catastrophic rupture during a routine gas system pressure test. The failure of a composite overwrapped pressure vessel has left the company with no completed flight-ready boosters, prompting a shift in focus to Booster 19. Fortunately, this incident occurred during ground testing, allowing for necessary improvements before future flights.Stealth Solar Storm Strikes Earth: On November 20, a stealth solar storm arrived unexpectedly, creating stunning auroras at lower latitudes. Unlike typical coronal mass ejections, this event was difficult to predict, highlighting ch...

Historic Launch Milestone at Cape Canaveral: This week, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket is set to achieve a remarkable milestone as it becomes the 100th launch from the Cape Canaveral and Kennedy Space Center area in a single year. This achievement highlights the incredible advancements in reusable rocket technology, which has transformed the economics of spaceflight.China's Senzhou Spacecraft Drama: A replacement uncrewed Senzhou spacecraft is launching soon to replace the damaged module that caused the crew of Shenzhou 20 to return to Earth in a different spacecraft. This highlights the challenges of space travel while ensuring the safety of...

Interstellar Comet 3I Atlas: NASA has unveiled new images and data of the interstellar comet 3I Atlas, the third confirmed visitor from beyond our solar system. This comet, rich in carbon dioxide and water ice, offers a unique opportunity to study ancient material from a distant solar system, challenging previous assumptions about interstellar objects.Enceladus' Organic Compounds: Exciting findings from NASA's Cassini mission reveal previously undetected organic compounds in the plumes of Saturn's moon Enceladus. These complex molecules suggest potential for life, as they may serve as precursors to amino acids, highlighting Enceladus as a prime ca...

Euclid Space Telescope's Groundbreaking Findings: The European Space Agency's Euclid mission is revolutionizing our understanding of galaxy evolution just a year into its operations. With the capability to observe over 1.2 million galaxies, Euclid is addressing fundamental questions about galaxy shapes and their formation history, paving the way for a modern galactic tuning fork diagram.The Spectacular Geminid Meteor Shower: The Geminid meteor shower is set to peak on December 13th and 14th, promising a dazzling display of bright and colorful meteors. With a waning crescent moon providing optimal viewing conditions, it's the perfect opportunity to witness th...

NASA's Artemis 3 Mission Delays: A new report indicates that NASA's Artemis 3 mission, aimed at landing astronauts on the moon, is now projected to occur in 2028 instead of the previously planned 2026. This delay is primarily due to the ongoing development challenges faced by SpaceX's Starship, which is key to the mission's success.Launch Week Extravaganza: It's a busy week for space launches, with SpaceX planning five Falcon 9 missions, including four for their Starlink Internet Constellation and a rideshare mission. China is also active, with three launches, including the critical Shenzhou 22 spacecraft heading to the Tiangong Space Station....