00:57 – **NASA orders medical evacuation of entire ISS crew due to medical issue
03:43 – **February full moon is coming up soon. Peak illumination at 5:09pm Eastern on February 1st
05:29 – **NASA's Mars sample return mission effectively dead after budget cuts
06:31 – **The Vera Rubin Observatory has spotted the fastest spinning large asteroid ever discovered
07:47 – **From ISS drama to neutrino maps. What a day in space news### Sources & Further Reading1. NASA2. SpaceX3. European Space Agency4. Galactic Neutrinos### Follow & ContactX/Twitter: @AstroDailyPod
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This episode includes AI-generated content.
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Anna: Hello everyone and welcome to
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 Astronomy Daily, the podcast where
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 we bring you the latest and greatest from the
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 world of space and astronomy. I'm
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 Anna and with me is my co host Avery.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 Hey Avery. It's January 9th,
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 2026. Hope you're staying warm wherever you
00:00:19 --> 00:00:20 are.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 Avery: Hey Anna. And hi to all our listeners.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 Yeah, it's chilly out there where I am in the
00:00:25 --> 00:00:26 northern hemisphere, but I believe our
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 listeners down under are expected to
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 experiencing very high temperatures today.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 But the news is heating up. Today we've got a
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 truly historic storey leading off. One that's
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 making waves across the space community. Plus
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 lunar viewing tips, starship infrastructure
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 upgrades, big shifts in Mars exploration
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 plans, a record breaking asteroid spin,
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 and a fascinating map of ghostly particles
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 streaming through us. We'll spend extra time
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 on that first one because it's a milestone.
00:00:54 --> 00:00:55 Let's jump right in.
00:00:56 --> 00:00:56 Anna: Absolutely.
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 This top storey is unprecedented. For
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 the first time in the 25 year history of the
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 International Space Station, NASA has ordered
00:01:05 --> 00:01:08 a controlled medical evacuation, bringing
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 home an entire crew early due to a medical
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 issue with one astronaut.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 Avery: This involves Crew 11, who launched back in
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 August 2025 aboard SpaceX's Dragon
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 Endeavour. The four person team, NASA
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 commander Mike Fink, veteran of multiple
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 flights, pilot Zena Cardman on rookie
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 mission JAXA's Kimiya Yui and
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 They're a multinational crew, highlighting
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 the international partnership.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 Anna: The issue arose earlier this week on January
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 7, with one unidentified crew member
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 experiencing a medical situation in
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 microgravity. NASA emphasises the
00:01:47 --> 00:01:50 astronaut is absolutely stable and the crew
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 provided immediate care using onboard
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 equipment, which is advanced but limited
00:01:55 --> 00:01:56 compared to a full hospital.
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 Avery: Details are private for good reason, HIPAA
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 and all that. But NASA Chief Medical Officer
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 Dr. J.D. polk noted it's unrelated
00:02:05 --> 00:02:08 to station operations or upcoming tasks.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 The key factor, while stable now, there
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 could be lingering risks if they stay in
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 orbit longer and full diagnosis or
00:02:16 --> 00:02:17 treatment isn't possible up there.
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 Anna: After consultations, administrator Jared
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 Isaacman made the call err on the side
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 of caution and returned the whole Crew 11
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 team in the coming days. They' dock
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 soon. Exact schedule coming within 48 hours.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 Splashdown off California with SpaceX
00:02:35 --> 00:02:36 recovery ships ready.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 Avery: Why the whole crew? They share one Dragon as
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 their lifeboat. No splitting up. This leaves
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 the ISS with just three people temporarily,
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 NASA astronaut Chris Williams and two Russian
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 cosmonauts. They'll handle basics, defer
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 some science and no spacewalks possible until
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 Crew 12 arrives. Maybe accelerated to
00:02:57 --> 00:02:57 next month.
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 Anna: It's certainly historic. NASA's first
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 medical early return ever. There was A
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 Soviet case in 1985 on Salyut
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 7, but nothing like this for the ISS
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 era. Past issues like a blood clot in
00:03:12 --> 00:03:15 2019 or pinched nerve in 2021
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 were managed on board without evacuation.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 Avery: This shows how far we've come in crew health
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 management, but also the limits of long
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 duration spaceflight. It's a learning moment
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 for Artemis, lunar stays and eventual Mars
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 missions. How do we hand unexpected health
00:03:30 --> 00:03:31 events far from Earth?
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 Anna: Totally. NASA stressed crew safety
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 as priority one and the quick response
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 highlights training. We'll keep an eye on
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 updates. Safe return wishes to Crew 11.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 Avery: Okay, moving to something more serene.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 The February full moon is coming up soon.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 Known as the snow moon.
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 Anna: Peak illumination at 5:09pm
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 Eastern on February 1st. Look
00:03:55 --> 00:03:58 east at sunset for that classic big
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 orange tinted rise. Due to the moon illusion
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 and atmospheric scattering, it'll be near
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 Cancer stars. Easy naked eye spot.
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 Avery: Traditional names reflect winter in the
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 northern hemisphere. Snow moon for heavy
00:04:11 --> 00:04:14 snowfall. Hungary or Bear moon in some
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 indigenous cultures. In India,
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 Magapornima with rituals
00:04:19 --> 00:04:22 on February 2nd it occults regulus for
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 parts of North America and Africa.
00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 Incidentally, you will be able to see this in
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 the southern hemisphere as well, with best
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 date in Sydney for instance forecasted to be
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 on February 2, the same day as Beijing
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 and Tokyo.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 Anna: Great for photos, tripod, long lens
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 for details or wide for landscapes.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 No special super status but always
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 magical up.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 Avery: Uh, Next Updates from Starbase
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 SpaceX is future proofing Pad 1's tower and
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 launch mount for Starship Block 3.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 Anna: Pad 1 had supported early Block 2
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 flights but is now offline for major
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 rework. Demolishing the old mount,
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 adding a flame bucket with powerful water
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 deluge, nitrogen inerting to prevent
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 fires and reinforced structures.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 Avery: Upgrades include better quick disconnects for
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 propellants, shortened chopsticks for heavier
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 lifts. Goal is rapid reusability,
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 minimal refurb between launches. Handling
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 33 Raptors power.
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 Anna: This mirrors Pad 2 improvements
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 enabling frequent flights which are crucial
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 for Starship's goals.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 Avery: Next, let's shift our gaze to Mars.
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 NASA's ambitious Mars sample Return
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 mission is effectively dead, opening the
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 door wider for China.
00:05:40 --> 00:05:43 Anna: Budget cuts slashed funding. Original
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 $11 billion ballooned.
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 Redesigned to around 7 billion, but it was
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 still too complex. Perseverance is caches
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 lander fetch, rover or helicopters ascent,
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 uh, rocket orbital rendezvous. It was
00:05:57 --> 00:05:57 a lot.
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 Avery: Congress prioritised other spending, so there
00:06:01 --> 00:06:04 was only $110 million left for tech
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 development. This disrupts the ESA
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 partnership too. Perseverance's 33 tubes
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 stay on Mars, stable in cold dryness for
00:06:12 --> 00:06:13 potential future grab.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 Anna: Meanwhile, China's plans advance simpler
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20 opportunistic sampling. They could be first
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 to return Martian rocks, which will be huge
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 for science.
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 Avery: A bitter pill for NASA after all their
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 planning. But it does redirect resources
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 elsewhere, so there is that.
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 Anna: Let's move on now to asteroid hunting. The
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 Vera Rubin Observatory has spotted the
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 fastest spinning large asteroid ever
00:06:39 --> 00:06:40 discovered.
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 Avery: This huge rock rotates in an insanely quick
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 period under the theoretical rubble pile
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 limit, yet holds together, likely
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 monolithic or strong. Internally, this
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 discovery highlights Vera Rubin's power and
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 importance for locating near Earth objects.
00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 Anna: There are implications for deflection
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 strategies, as spin affects how we nudge
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 threats if needed.
00:07:03 --> 00:07:06 Avery: Okay, moving on. Finally today,
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 those billions of ghost particles, neutrinos,
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 streaming through you every second. You were
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 aware of them, weren't you? Of course. Well,
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 we now have a map of where many of them come
00:07:16 --> 00:07:16 from.
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 Anna: New models using Gaia star data show
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 stellar neutrinos from nuclear fusion in
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 massive young stars across the Milky Way.
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 Although denser toward galactic centre,
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 detected via.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 Avery: Giant Antarctic instruments catching rare
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 interactions. This first comprehensive
00:07:34 --> 00:07:37 stellar neutrino map filters solar noise,
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 probes, core processes, and has led to
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 potential new physics.
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 Anna: Wild, invisible messengers from our
00:07:44 --> 00:07:45 galaxy's heart.
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 Avery: And that's a wrap for today.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 From ISS drama to neutrino maps.
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 What a day in space news.
00:07:51 --> 00:07:54 Anna: Thanks for joining us. Subscribe, share and
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 we'll be back tomorrow. And if you'd like to
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 keep up with the evacuation storey unfolding
00:07:59 --> 00:08:02 on the iss, just visit our website and cheque
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 out our constantly updating news feed. You'll
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 find us at astronomydaily.IO
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 Clear skies, everyone. And one final
00:08:10 --> 00:08:13 reminder to keep looking up. Bye.