Astronomy Daily: Space News Updates

• Wheelchair Astronaut, Cosmic Fireworks, and the Race to Mine the Moon

  ### 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 exoplanet neighbor.### Timestamps & Stories  01:05 – **Story 1: Michaela Benthouse to Become First Wheelchair User in Space****Key Facts**  - Michaela Benthouse, an aerospace engineer, will fly on Blue Origin's NS37 mission, marking a milestone for accessibility in space.  - The mission emphasizes the importance of inclusivity in space exploration.  03:20 – **Story 2: Major Survey of the Magellanic Clouds****Key Facts**  - A new five-year survey using the VISTA telescope will utilize spectroscopy to create a detailed 3D map of the Magellanic Clouds.  - This data will help understand their interaction with the Milky Way and the dynamics of the Magellanic Stream.  05:45 – **Story 3: Surprising Findings from Parker Solar Probe****Key Facts**  - The probe captured footage of coronal mass ejections showing material recycling back to the sun.  - This discovery could enhance our understanding of solar activity and improve space weather predictions.  08:00 – **Story 4: New Space Race for Lunar Resources****Key Facts**  - Nations and companies are developing technologies to mine the Moon for valuable resources like water ice and helium-3.  - Concerns arise regarding environmental impacts and the need for updated space treaties.  10:15 – **Story 5: Upcoming Nova from V Sagittae****Key Facts**  - The binary star system V Sagittae is predicted to undergo a nova explosion in the coming years, followed by a supernova event.  - This celestial display may be visible to the naked eye, potentially occurring around 2083.  12:00 – **Story 6: Ristretto Instrument to Study Proxima B****Key Facts**  - Ristretto, a new spectrograph, aims to analyze the atmosphere of Proxima B, our closest exoplanet.  - It will use advanced techniques to block out the star's glare and search for potential biosignatures in the planet's atmosphere.  ### Sources & Further Reading  1. Blue Origin2. European Southern Observatory3. NASA Parker Solar Probe4. Lunar Mining Developments5. Very Large Telescope### Follow & Contact  X/Twitter: @AstroDailyPod  Instagram: @astrodailypod  Email: [email protected]  Website: astronomydaily.io  Clear skies and see you tomorrow! 🌟Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.

  --------  

  11:20

  --------

  11:20
• Mars Mishaps, Earthly Tails, and the Hungry Hippo Rocket Fairing

  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 has temporarily lost communication, crucial for relaying data from Mars rovers.  - The team is working to reestablish contact with the spacecraft.  03:15 – **Story 2: Earth Has a Magnetic Tail****Key Facts**  - A NASA study reveals Earth’s magnetotail stretches 2 million kilometers into space, formed by solar wind interaction.  - Understanding this structure helps predict space weather impacts on technology.  05:00 – **Story 3: New Rover Operations Center at NASA****Key Facts**  - NASA opens the Rover Operations Center to support future lunar and Martian missions.  - The center integrates advanced AI and emphasizes partnerships with commercial space companies.  07:30 – **Story 4: James Webb Telescope’s Potential Discovery****Key Facts**  - JWST observes the Trappist 1 system, hinting at a methane-rich atmosphere on Trappist 1 e.  - The findings are preliminary, and further observations are planned to clarify the signal.  09:10 – **Story 5: China’s Dual-Mode Mars Drone****Key Facts**  - A new drone concept combines flying and rolling capabilities to enhance Mars exploration efficiency.  - The design aims to conserve energy while allowing exploration of hard-to-reach areas.  11:00 – **Story 6: Rocket Lab’s Hungry Hippo Fairing****Key Facts**  - Rocket Lab’s neutron rocket features a unique fairing design that opens like a “Hungry Hippo” to release payloads.  - This innovation streamlines the recovery process, contributing to rapid reusability in space launches.  ### Sources & Further Reading  1. NASA2. European Space Agency3. James Webb Space Telescope4. Rocket Lab5. Mars Exploration Program### Follow & Contact  X/Twitter: @AstroDailyPod  Instagram: @astrodailypod  Email: [email protected]  Website: astronomydaily.io  Clear skies and see you tomorrow! 🌟Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.

  --------  

  8:48

  --------

  8:48
• Spacewalks, Supernovas, and the Mysteries of Super Jupiters

  ### 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 debris protection systems highlights the growing threat of space junk.  03:40 – **Story 2: Record Launches by China****Key Facts**  - China set a national record with three Long March rocket launches in under 19 hours.  - Missions included broadband satellite deployments and classified military satellites.  05:20 – **Story 3: Bold Recommendations for Mars Exploration****Key Facts**  - A new report emphasizes the search for life as the top priority for crewed Mars missions.  - Proposed campaigns focus on glacier ice and deep subsurface exploration for biosignatures.  07:00 – **Story 4: Oldest Supernova Detected by JWST****Key Facts**  - James Webb Telescope identifies a supernova from 13 billion years ago, just 730 million years post-Big Bang.  - This discovery provides insights into the early universe and the lifecycle of massive stars.  08:40 – **Story 5: Super Jupiters Challenge Our Understanding****Key Facts**  - Research on exoplanet VHS 1256 b reveals a chaotic atmosphere, differing significantly from Jupiter's stability.  - The study suggests massive gas giants may exhibit turbulent weather patterns instead of organized bands.  10:15 – **Story 6: Winds from a Supermassive Black Hole****Key Facts**  - A supermassive black hole in galaxy NGC 3783 emits powerful winds at 1/5 the speed of light, impacting galaxy evolution.  - Observations from XMM-Newton and XRISM telescopes reveal the connection between black holes and their host galaxies.  ### Sources & Further Reading  1. NASA2. European Space Agency3. James Webb Space Telescope4. Mars Exploration Program5. NASA Black Hole Research### Follow & Contact  X/Twitter: @AstroDailyPod  Instagram: @astrodailypod  Email: [email protected]  Website: astronomydaily.io  Clear skies and see you tomorrow! 🌟Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.

  --------  

  9:33

  --------

  9:33
• Stellar Explosions, Galactic Surprises, and the Controversial Light Beaming Plan

  ### 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 perpendicular gas jets  - V1405 Cassiopeiae: visible to naked eye for months; delayed ejection after 50+ days  - Gamma-ray bursts from Fermi telescope timed perfectly with visible jets  03:35 – **Story 2: Soyuz MS-27 crew lands after 8-month ISS mission**  **Key Facts**  - Crew of three returned safely to Kazakhstan on 8 Dec 2025  - 260+ days in orbit (launched April 2025)  - Handover completed; ISS now at full Expedition strength for next rotation  05:05 – **Story 3: Launch Roundup (8–15 Dec 2025)**  **Key Facts**  - SpaceX Starship Flight 6 (Texas) – major reusability test  - China Long March 7A – new Tiangong station module  - ULA Vulcan Centaur Cert-2 (Cape Canaveral) – second certification flight  - Rocket Lab Electron (New Zealand) – successful dawn launch  - Russia Soyuz-2.1b (Vostochny) – classified payload  06:35 – **Story 4: Subaru Telescope’s first discoveries**  **Key Facts**  - First science results from upgraded high-contrast infrared instruments  - New brown dwarf (13–80 Jupiter masses) with dusty disk  - New wide-orbit gas-giant exoplanet ~300 light-years away showing methane & water signatures  08:05 – **Story 5: Sagittarius A* is less destructive than thought**  **Key Facts**  - Objects like G2/DSO, D9, X3, X7 all survive stable orbits within 0.8 parsecs of the 4-million-solar-mass black hole  - 20+ years of VLT data (SINFONI, NACO, ERIS) show no tidal disruption  - Galactic Center may be a star-formation zone rather than a shredder  09:55 – **Story 6: Giant space mirrors to light up the night**  **Key Facts**  - Reflect Orbital plans thousands of mirror satellites by 2030  - Each beam ~5 km wide, 4× brighter than full moon  - Goal: extend solar-farm output after sunset & aid night rescues  - Astronomers warn of catastrophic light-pollution increase and wildlife disruption  11:20 – Outro  ### Sources & Further Reading  1. https://connectsci.au/news/news-parent/7462/Astronomers-watch-stars-explode-in-real-time-and  2. https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/12/09/soyuz-crew-lands-ending-eight-month-space-research-journey/  3. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/12/launch-roundup-120825/  4. https://www.space.com/astronomy/exoplanets/the-subaru-telescope-just-made-its-1st-discoveries-a-failed-star-and-an-exoplanet  5. https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-milky-ways-supermassive-black-hole-isnt-as-destructive-as-thought  6. https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/12/giant-space-mirrors-to-light-up-the-night/  ### Quick Quotes  - “High-definition video of stellar explosions.” – Elias Aydi  - “Sagittarius A* is less destructive than was previously thought.” – Florian Peißker  - “Catastrophic for astronomy.” – Robert Massey (on orbital mirrors)### Follow & Contact  X/Twitter: @AstroDailyPod  Instagram: @astrodailypod Email: [email protected]  Website: astronomydaily.io  Clear skies and see you tomorrow! 🌟Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.

  --------  

  11:34

  --------

  11:34
• Interstellar Mysteries, Solar Celebrations, and the AI Propulsion Revolution

  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 space weather have been invaluable.AI in Spacecraft Propulsion: Artificial intelligence is fundamentally transforming spacecraft propulsion systems. Through reinforcement learning, AI is optimizing engine performance in real-time, particularly in complex systems like nuclear thermal propulsion and fusion research, paving the way for more efficient travel across the solar system.Hypersonic Space Gun: Longshot Space Technologies is developing a hypersonic space gun, a kinetic launch system designed to fire payloads into orbit at Mach 23. This innovative approach could dramatically reduce launch costs and revolutionize space logistics, although it is limited to ruggedized cargo.Geminid Meteor Shower Preview: The Geminid meteor shower is set to peak on December 13th, offering ideal viewing conditions with a waning crescent moon. Stargazers can expect to see between 120 and 150 meteors per hour, with the chance to witness the colorful streaks originating from the asteroid 3200 Phaethon.Voyager 2's Uranus Mystery Solved: A decades-old mystery regarding Voyager 2's observations of Uranus has been revisited. New research suggests that the intense radiation belt detected during its flyby in 1986 was influenced by a solar wind structure, confirming a temporary solar storm effect far out in the solar system.For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.Thank you for tuning in. This is Avery and Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and exploring the wonders of our universe.✍️ Episode References3i Atlas Observations[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)SOHO Achievements[ESA SOHO](https://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/)AI in Propulsion Research[Journal of Propulsion and Power](https://arc.aiaa.org/loi/jpp)Hypersonic Launch System[Longshot Space Technologies](https://www.longshotspace.com/)Geminid Meteor Shower[American Meteor Society](https://www.amsmeteors.org/)Voyager 2 Uranus Findings[Southwest Research Institute](https://www.southwestresearchinstitute.org/)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.

  --------  

  12:55

  --------

  12:55

More Science podcasts

Trending Science podcasts

About Astronomy Daily: Space News Updates

Astronomy Daily: Space News Updates: Podcasts in Family