- SpaceX Crew-11 returns early due to undisclosed medical condition
- Historic change of command ceremony on the ISS
- Crew scheduled for Pacific splashdown Thursday morning
- Station operations continue with skeleton crew of three
- Largest extended jet ever observed spans 20,000 light-years
- First precessing jet found in galaxy VV 340a
- Combined observations from Keck Observatory, James Webb Space Telescope, and VLA
- Discovery challenges theories of galaxy evolution
- Eight orbital launch attempts from China, US, and Norway
- SpaceX Starlink missions and classified NRO launch
- China debuts new Ceres 2 rocket
- Isar Aerospace's Spectrum attempts second test flight
- Carruthers Geocorona Observatory arrives at target orbit
- IMAP mission begins mapping the heliosphere boundary
- Both spacecraft launched together on September 24, 2025
- Science operations begin in February 2026
- GRU Space opens applications for lunar tourism
- Deposits range from $250,000 to $1 million
- Target opening: 2032
- Hotel inspired by San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts
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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. I'm Anna.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 Avery: And I'm Avery. Thanks for joining us on this
00:00:07 --> 00:00:10 exciting Tuesday, January 13,
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 2026. We've got an incredible lineup of
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 space news to share with you today.
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 Anna: We really do, Avery. We're covering
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 everything from a, uh, historic first on the
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 International Space Station to groundbreaking
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 black hole discoveries. Plus we've got some
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 fantastic mission updates from NASA. And
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 believe it or not, you can now put down a
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 deposit for a hotel room room on the moon.
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 Avery: That's right. It's going to be a packed
00:00:35 --> 00:00:35 episode.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 But first, let's start with some update news
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 from the International Space Station that's
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 making history for all the wrong reasons.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:45 Anna: So, Avery, we're witnessing something that's
00:00:45 --> 00:00:48 never happened before in the 25 year history
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 of the International Space Station. On
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 Sunday, NASA announced the first ever medical
00:00:54 --> 00:00:55 evacuation from the ISS.
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 Avery: That's right, Anna. The SpaceX Crew
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 11 mission, which launched to the station
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 back in August 2025, is being
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 cut short due to an undisclosed medical
00:01:06 --> 00:01:09 condition affecting one of the four crew
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 members. The team includes NASA
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 astronauts Mike Fink and Xena Cardman,
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 Russia's Oleg Platnov and Japan's
00:01:17 --> 00:01:18 Kimiya Yui.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 Anna: And yesterday we saw a really touching change
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 of command ceremony. Mike Fink, who was
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 serving as commander of Expedition 74,
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 handed control of the station over Russian
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 cosmonaut Sergey Kud Sverchkov during
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 the ceremony. Fink called it bittersweet and
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 you could really feel the emotion in his
00:01:38 --> 00:01:38 words.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 Avery: I read about that. Fink told Kud
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 Schwarchkov. It's an honour and a pleasure to
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 be a commander and I cannot imagine being
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 happier than to hand over command to you. The
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 crew schedule to undock from the ISS on
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 Wednesday afternoon, with hatch closing at
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 3pm eastern time and departure at
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 5pm they'll then make an 11 hour
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 journey back to Earth aboard their Dragon
00:02:01 --> 00:02:02 Endeavour spacecraft.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 Anna: They're expected to splash down in the
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 Pacific Ocean early Thursday morning around
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 3:40am Eastern Time. Now, one
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 interesting aspect of this situation is that
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 NASA has declined to specify which astronaut
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 is experiencing the medical issue, citing
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 privacy concerns. They also haven't disclosed
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 the nature of the medical condition itself.
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 Avery: This early departure creates an unusual
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 situation on the station. After Crew 11
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 leaves, there will only be three astronauts
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 board, including just one American, Chris
00:02:33 --> 00:02:36 Williams. That's well below the typical crew
00:02:36 --> 00:02:37 complement, right?
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 Anna: Normally, NASA prefers crew overlap to
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 avoid gaps in maintenance and research
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 capabilities. But they've deemed this medical
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 situation serious enough to warrant the
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 immediate return, even if it means operating
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 with a skeleton crew until the next rotation
00:02:53 --> 00:02:54 arrives.
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 Avery: And speaking of the next rotation, Crew 12
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 was originally scheduled to launch in mid
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 February. NASA is now evaluating if they
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 can move that launch date up. Of course, this
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 all to be coordinated with another major
00:03:07 --> 00:03:08 event on NASA's calendar.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 Anna: You're talking about Artemis 2, right?
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 Avery: Exactly. NASA is simultaneously working
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 to roll out the Space Launch System rocket
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 for the Artemis 2 mission from the Vehicle
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 Assembly Building to Launch Complex
00:03:21 --> 00:03:24 39B at Kennedy Space Centre. That
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 rollout is scheduled for January 17th.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 With the first launch opportunity for Artemis
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 2 opening on February 6th.
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 Anna: It's a delicate balancing act for NASA
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 operations. According to NASA Administrator,
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 the ISS evacuation shouldn't interfere with
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 the Artemis II timeline, but it certainly
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 adds complexity to an already busy schedule.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 Avery: Absolutely. This situation really highlights
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 how NASA handles unexpected medical
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 challenges in space. They have protocols in
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 place, but this is the first time they've
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 actually had to implement a full medical
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 evacuation from the station.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 Anna: It's worth noting that while this is the
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 first medical evacuation, it's not the first
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 time medical concerns have affected ISS
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 operations. Just last week a uh, planned
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 spacewalk had to be cancelled due to these
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 same medical concerns that ultimately led to
00:04:13 --> 00:04:14 the evacuation decision.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 Avery: We wish all 4 crew 11 astronauts a safe
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 journey home and a quick recovery to
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 whoever's dealing with a medical issue.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 Anna: Now let's shift gears to some absolutely
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 fascinating astronomy news. Avery.
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 Astronomers have discovered something they've
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 never seen seen before. A galaxy wide
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 wobbling black hole jet.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:37 Avery: This is really cool stuff. Ana A UH team led
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 by researchers at UC Irvine and Caltech's
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 Infrared Processing and Analysis Centre has
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 found the largest and most extended jet ever
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 observed emanating from a supermassive black
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 hole. And it's doing something remarkable.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:52 It's wobbling.
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 Anna: The galaxy in question is called
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 VV340A and the
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 jet extends up to 20 light years from
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 its centre. To put that perspective, that's
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 about 1/5 the diameter of the Milky Way
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 galaxy. These jets are composed of
00:05:08 --> 00:05:11 superheated material being accelerated to
00:05:11 --> 00:05:12 near the speed of light.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 Avery: The observations were made using the W.M.
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 keck Observatory's Keck Cosmic Web Imager
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 on Mauna Kea in Hawaii. But what really makes
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 this discovery special is that the team
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 combined data from multiple observatories to
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 get the complete picture right.
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 Anna: They used infrared observations from the
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 James Webb Space Telescope, radio images from
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 the very large erect, and the optical data
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 from Keck. Each observatory revealed
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 different aspects of this phenomenon. Webb's
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 infrared data showed the energetic heart of
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 the galaxy, while Keck's optical data showed
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 how that energy propagates outward and the
00:05:49 --> 00:05:50 violet.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 Avery: Radio data revealed something remarkable. The
00:05:52 --> 00:05:55 plasma jets are twisted into a helical
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 pattern as they move outward. This is
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 evidence of what's called jet precession,
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 where the jet's direction slowly wobbles over
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 time, kind of like a spinning top.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 Anna: Lead author Justin Cater from UC Irvine said
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 the Keck Observatory data was crucial. He
00:06:10 --> 00:06:13 noted that the gas they observed with Keck
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 reaches the farthest distances from the black
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 hole, meaning it also traces the longest
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 timescales. Without those observations, they
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 wouldn't know how powerful or persistent this
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 outflow really is.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 Avery: What's particularly surprising about this
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 discovery is where it was found.
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 VV340A is a relatively
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 young galaxy, still in the early stages of a
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 galactic merger. Typically, these kinds of
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 jets are observed in older elliptical
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 galaxies that have long since stopped forming
00:06:41 --> 00:06:41 stars.
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 Anna: That's a great point. The Webb data showed
00:06:44 --> 00:06:47 that the superheated coronal gas, the plasma
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 erupting from either side of the black hole,
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 measures several thousand parsecs across.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 Most observed coronas measure in the hundreds
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58 of parsecs, making this the most extended
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 coronal gas structure ever observed.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 Avery: The discovery also revealed that the jet is
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 actively affecting the galaxy's evolution.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 The KCWI data data showed that the jet is
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 stripping the galaxy of gas at a rate of
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 about 20 solar masses per year,
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 effectively shutting down star formation.
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 Anna: This finding challenges our established
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 theories about how galaxies and their
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 supermassive black holes evolve together.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:26 As Cater put it, this is the first time we've
00:07:26 --> 00:07:29 seen a precessing kiloparsec scale
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 radiojet deriving such a massive
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 outflow in a disc galaxy.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 Avery: He also noted something intriguing about the
00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 Milky Way. He said there's no clear fossil
00:07:39 --> 00:07:40 record of something like this happening in
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 our galaxy. But this discovery suggests we
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 can't rule it out. It changes the way we
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 think about the galaxy we live in.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 Anna: The next step for the team involves higher
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 resolution radio observations to determine
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 whether a second supermassive black hole
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 could be at the centre of
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 VV340A, which might be
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 causing the jets to wobble.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 Avery: It's an exciting time for studying black
00:08:02 --> 00:08:05 holes and their impact on galactic evolution.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:08 This discovery opens up new questions about
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 how common this type of activity might be in
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 the universe.
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 Anna: Now let's take a look at what's launching
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 this week. We've got a busy manifest with
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 eight orbital launch attempts scheduled from
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 China, the United States and Norway.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 Avery: That's right, Anna, uh, SpaceX is dominating
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 the American launch schedule. As usual,
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 they're launching two batches of Starlink
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 satellites into the constellation's Group 6
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 shell, as well as a batch of reconnaissance
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 satellites for the National Reconnaissance
00:08:34 --> 00:08:34 Office.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 Anna: The first Starlink mission of the week, Group
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 697 actually already lifted off
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 yesterday. Monday, January 12th at
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 4:08pm Eastern Time from Space Launch
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. The Falcon
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 9 flew 29 Starlink version 2 mini
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53 satellites into orbit and the.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 Avery: Booster that supported that mission,
00:08:55 --> 00:08:58 B1078, was flying for its
00:08:58 --> 00:09:01 25th time after stage separation.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 It successfully landed on the ship. Just read
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 the instructions in the Atlantic Ocean. These
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 reusability numbers just keep getting more
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 impressive.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 Anna: They really do. The next StarLink Mission,
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 Group 698 is scheduled for Wednesday,
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 January 14th at 1:01pm Eastern
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 from the same launch site that will use
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 booster B1085 on its 13th
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 flight landing on the A UH shortfall of
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 Gravitas droneship moving over to China.
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 Avery: They have four launches on the manifest this
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 week. On Tuesday, the Chinese Aerospace
00:09:33 --> 00:09:34 Science and Technology Corporation is
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 launching a Chang Zhang 8 a rocket from
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 Wenchang. The payload is unknown, but this
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 marks the first CZ8Amission of
00:09:42 --> 00:09:45 2026 and the seventh overall.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 Anna: Then on Thursday we have a Changzang 3B
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 E launch from Shisheng carrying another
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 unknown payload. The CZ3BE
00:09:53 --> 00:09:56 is one of China's workhorse rockets and this
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 will be its 103rd launch overall.
00:09:58 --> 00:10:01 Avery: Also on Thursday, private Chinese spaceflight
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 company Galactic Energy is scheduled to
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 launch a Series 1s rocket from the Orient
00:10:06 --> 00:10:09 Spaceport launch ship. This will be the first
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 Series 1s mission of 2026 and the
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 23rd overall for this solid fueled rocket.
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 Anna: And here's something exciting. Galactic
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 Energy is also debuting its new Series 2
00:10:19 --> 00:10:22 rocket this week. The demonstration flight is
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 scheduled for Saturday, January 17 from the
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 Zhouquan Satellite Launch Centre. The Series
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 2 is a larger upgraded version capable of
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 lifting about 2 kilogrammes.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 Avery: To low Earth orbit back to the United States.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 SpaceX has a classified mission for the
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 National Reconnaissance Office. NROL
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 105 is scheduled to launch Friday evening,
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 January 16 at 8:18pm
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 Pacific Time from Vandenberg Space Force Base
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 in California.
00:10:49 --> 00:10:52 Anna: This mission is using brand new booster
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 B1100 on only its second flight and
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 it'll perform a return to launch site landing
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 at landing zone 4 right next to the launch
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 pad. This represents the 12th batch of
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 satellites launched into this particular NRL
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 Constell installation developed by SpaceX and
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 Northrop Grumman.
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 Avery: And finally wrapping up the week, German
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 company Isar Aerospace is scheduled to launch
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 the second test flight of its Spectrum rocket
00:11:15 --> 00:11:18 from Norway's Andoya rocket range. This comes
00:11:18 --> 00:11:21 after the first test flight in March 2025
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 failed shortly after liftoff.
00:11:23 --> 00:11:26 Anna: The Spectrum rocket stands 28 metres tall and
00:11:26 --> 00:11:29 uses nine Aquila engines on the first stage
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 and one on the second stage, burning propane
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 and liquid oxygen. It's expected to carry
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 several cubesats to sun synchronous orbit for
00:11:36 --> 00:11:39 the European Space Agency's Boost programme.
00:11:39 --> 00:11:42 Avery: If successful, this will mark Spectrum's
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 first flight of 2026 and the
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 13th worldwide orbital launch attempt of the
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 year. It's shaping up to be a busy week in
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 spaceflight.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 Anna: Alright, Avery, let's talk about some mission
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 milestones. NASA's Carruthers
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 Geocorona Observatory has reached its target
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 orbit.
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 Avery: This is great news, Anna. The spacecraft
00:12:01 --> 00:12:04 achieved its destination at Lagrange Point 1,
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 or L1, which is approximately 1 million
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 miles from Earth towards the Sun. The
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 confirmation came on January 10, following
00:12:11 --> 00:12:14 the spacecraft's third and final orbital
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 manoeuvre. A two minute thruster fire on
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 January 8.
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 Anna: For those unfamiliar, L1 is one of those
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 special points in space where the
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 gravitational forces of the Earth and sun
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 balance out, creating a stable position.
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 It's an ideal spot for observing the Earth
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 and sun simultaneously.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:34 Avery: Exactly. And Carruthers has a very specific
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 mission to capture the first repeated
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 observations of the ultraviolet glow from
00:12:39 --> 00:12:42 Earth's outer atmosphere. Known as the
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 Geocorona, the mission is named in
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 honour of Dr. George R. Carruthers, who
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 invented the ultraviolet camera that was
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 placed on the moon by Apollo 16
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 astronauts in 1972.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 Anna: That Apollo 16 camera captured the very
00:12:57 --> 00:13:00 first images of Earth's geo corona.
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 Now, more than 50 years later, later,
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 Carruthers is going to study it in
00:13:04 --> 00:13:07 unprecedented detail from its vantage point
00:13:07 --> 00:13:07 at L1.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:10 Avery: The loveseat size spacecraft launched from
00:13:10 --> 00:13:13 Kennedy Space centre back on September 24,
00:13:13 --> 00:13:16 uh, 2025. Since launch, the team
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 has been testing the spacecraft's instruments
00:13:18 --> 00:13:20 and capturing what they call first light
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 images. While adjusting its course as it
00:13:23 --> 00:13:23 approached.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:26 Anna: L1, I saw those first light images.
00:13:26 --> 00:13:29 They're really impressive. The spacecraft has
00:13:29 --> 00:13:32 two cameras, a wide field Imager and a
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 narrow field image capture
00:13:34 --> 00:13:37 ultraviolet light and the images clearly show
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 Earth with this fuzzy halo around it, which
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 is the geochorona.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 Avery: What's interesting is that you can also see
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 the Moon in those images. And the lunar
00:13:45 --> 00:13:48 surface still shines in this specific
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 wavelength of light called Lyman Alpha
00:13:50 --> 00:13:53 because its rocky surface reflects all
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 wavelengths of sunlight. That's actually why
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 it's important to compare the Lyman Alpha
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 images with the broad.
00:13:58 --> 00:14:01 Anna: Ultraviolet filter The Narrow field
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 Imager even captured two background stars
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 that must have surface temperatures
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 approximately twice as hot as our sun to be
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 so bright in this wavelength of light.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 Avery: Carruthers is now beginning its final
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 checkout procedures before starting its two
00:14:14 --> 00:14:17 year primary science mission in March. From
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 L1 it will provide scientists with the most
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 detailed views ever of how Earth's
00:14:22 --> 00:14:25 outermost atmospheric layer interacts with
00:14:25 --> 00:14:25 the space environment.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:29 Anna: The mission is led by Dr. Lara Waldrop from
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign,
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 with the Space Sciences Lab at ah, UC
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 Berkeley leading mission implementation and
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 operations.
00:14:36 --> 00:14:38 Avery: Speaking of missions reaching their
00:14:38 --> 00:14:41 destinations, Anna uh, NASA's IMAP
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 mission has also arrived at L1.
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 Anna: That's right. IMAP, which stands for
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe,
00:14:48 --> 00:14:51 reached Lagrange Point 1 on January 10,
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54 just two days after Carruthers completed its
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 final manoeuvre.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:58 Avery: The mission operations team sent commands to
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 the spacecraft on the morning of January 9 to
00:15:00 --> 00:15:03 begin the trajectory manoeuvres. Early on
00:15:03 --> 00:15:06 January 10, they confirmed that IMAP had
00:15:06 --> 00:15:08 successfully entered its final L1 orbit,
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 where it will stay for the duration of its
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 mission.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 Anna: IMAP has a fascinating mission profile.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 It's going to explore and map the very
00:15:16 --> 00:15:18 boundaries of our heliosphere. That's the
00:15:18 --> 00:15:21 protective bubble created by the solar wind
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 that encapsulates our entire solar system.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 It will study how the heliosphere interacts
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 with the local galactic neighbourhood beyond.
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 Avery: Think of IMAP as a modern day celestial
00:15:31 --> 00:15:34 cartographer. It's going to explore and
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 chart the vast range of particles in
00:15:36 --> 00:15:39 interplanetary space, investigating how
00:15:39 --> 00:15:42 charged particles from the sun get energised
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 and how the solar wind interacts at uh, the
00:15:44 --> 00:15:46 boundary with interstellar space.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:49 Anna: But IMAP also has a very practical
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 application. It will provide real time
00:15:51 --> 00:15:54 observations of the solar wind and energetic
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 particles, giving critical data that can help
00:15:56 --> 00:15:59 protect spacecraft and astronauts from
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 adverse space weather effects.
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 Avery: L1 provides IMAP with a stable and
00:16:03 --> 00:16:06 clear 360 degree view of the
00:16:06 --> 00:16:09 heliosphere. This position also gives an
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 unobstructed view of the sun, which means the
00:16:11 --> 00:16:14 spacecraft can give about a half hour's
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 warning to astronauts and spacecraft near
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 Earth of harmful radiation coming their way.
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 Anna: IMAP launched on September 24,
00:16:22 --> 00:16:25 2025. The same day as Carruthers.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:28 They travelled to loan together along with
00:16:28 --> 00:16:31 Nooa's SWFO
00:16:31 --> 00:16:34 Lagrange, which stands for Space Weather
00:16:34 --> 00:16:37 Follow on Lagrange 1. At loan,
00:16:37 --> 00:16:40 they join other spacecraft already in orbit
00:16:40 --> 00:16:42 there, like NASA's Wind and ACE missions
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 and the ESA NASA
00:16:45 --> 00:16:47 SOHO Observatory.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:50 Avery: The mission is led by principal investigator
00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 David McComas, a professor at Princeton
00:16:52 --> 00:16:55 University with an international team of more
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 than 20 partner institutions. Institutions.
00:16:57 --> 00:17:00 Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 built a spacecraft and operates the mission.
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 Anna: IMAP is nearing completion of its
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 commissioning phase and will begin its
00:17:07 --> 00:17:10 science mission on February 1st. The data
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 from IMAP's State of the art instrumentation
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 will greatly enhance the usefulness of data
00:17:15 --> 00:17:17 from those other missions. At L1.
00:17:17 --> 00:17:20 Avery: It's exciting to have both Carruthers and
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 IMAP reaching their destinations at the same
00:17:22 --> 00:17:25 time. They launched together, travel
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 together, and now they're both settling into
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 the their orbits to begin their science
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 missions.
00:17:30 --> 00:17:33 Anna: Okay, Avery, save the best for last, right?
00:17:33 --> 00:17:36 You can now put down a deposit for a hotel
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 room on the moon.
00:17:38 --> 00:17:40 Avery: I know it sounds like science fiction, Anna,
00:17:40 --> 00:17:42 uh, but this is for real. A company called
00:17:42 --> 00:17:45 GRU Space, that's Galactic Resources
00:17:45 --> 00:17:48 Utilisation, has publicly announced its
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 intent to construct a series of habitats on
00:17:50 --> 00:17:53 the moon, culminating in a hotel that's
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 actually inspired by the palace of the Fine
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 Arts in San Francisco.
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 Anna: On Monday, the company opened applications
00:17:59 --> 00:18:02 for aspiring lunar tourists. You can place a
00:18:02 --> 00:18:05 deposit ranging from $250
00:18:05 --> 00:18:08 to $1 to reserve a spot on
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 one of their early lunar surface missions.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:13 They're targeting as early as 2032 for the
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 hotel opening.
00:18:14 --> 00:18:17 Avery: Now, before anyone rushes to empty their bank
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 accounts, let's talk about what this actually
00:18:19 --> 00:18:21 involves. Groove Space is a Y
00:18:21 --> 00:18:24 Combinator backed start startup founded in
00:18:24 --> 00:18:27 2025 by Skyler Chan, a recent
00:18:27 --> 00:18:30 UC Berkeley graduate who's only 22 years
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 old. The company has received backing from
00:18:32 --> 00:18:35 investors in SpaceX and Anduril.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 Anna: What makes GRU's approach interesting is that
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 they're not planning to ship all the building
00:18:39 --> 00:18:42 materials from Earth. Instead, they want to
00:18:42 --> 00:18:45 use In Situ Resource Utilisation, or
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 ISRU technology. That means using
00:18:47 --> 00:18:50 robotic systems to transform lunar soil
00:18:50 --> 00:18:53 regular Lilith into durable building blocks.
00:18:53 --> 00:18:56 Avery: Their roadmap starts with a 2029
00:18:56 --> 00:18:58 demonstration mission to validate the process
00:18:58 --> 00:19:01 of turning lunar soil into bricks.
00:19:01 --> 00:19:04 By 2032, if everything goes according to
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 plan, they expect to open what would be the
00:19:06 --> 00:19:09 world's first lunar hotel inside a
00:19:09 --> 00:19:12 lunar cave which provides natural protection
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 from radiation and temperature extremes.
00:19:14 --> 00:19:17 Anna: The initial hotel will be built on Earth and
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19 delivered by a heavy lander. It's an
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 inflatable structure designed to host a
00:19:21 --> 00:19:24 precious to four guests for multi day stays.
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 The hotel is designed to operate for 10 years
00:19:26 --> 00:19:29 and will offer views of the lunar landscape
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 and Earth, along with activities like
00:19:31 --> 00:19:34 moonwalks, driving rovers, and get this,
00:19:34 --> 00:19:36 they're even talking about golf.
00:19:36 --> 00:19:39 Avery: Of course, this is an incredibly ambitious
00:19:39 --> 00:19:42 plan. In their whitepaper, GRU acknowledges
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 that execution heavily relies on factors
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47 outside their control. They need decreasing
00:19:47 --> 00:19:49 launch costs, costs, regular and reliable
00:19:49 --> 00:19:52 crewed flights to the lunar surface, a, uh,
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 favourable regulatory environment and
00:19:54 --> 00:19:57 supporting infrastructure like lunar power
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 and communications.
00:19:58 --> 00:20:00 Anna: All of which are in various stages of
00:20:00 --> 00:20:03 development. The company's vision doesn't
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 stop at Moon hotels either. After
00:20:05 --> 00:20:07 establishing the first hotel, they want to
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 help build America's first moon base with
00:20:09 --> 00:20:12 roads and warehouses, then expand to Mars
00:20:12 --> 00:20:14 and eventually the Asteroid belt.
00:20:14 --> 00:20:17 Avery: Skyler Chan, the founder, has been passionate
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 about space since childhood. He said that
00:20:19 --> 00:20:21 I've been, uh, obsessed with space since I
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 was a kid. I've always wanted to become an
00:20:23 --> 00:20:26 astronaut and feel extremely fortunate to be
00:20:26 --> 00:20:28 doing my life's work. He also mentioned that
00:20:28 --> 00:20:31 if they succeed, billions of human lives will
00:20:31 --> 00:20:34 be born on the Moon and Mars and be able to
00:20:34 --> 00:20:36 experience the beauty of lunar and Martian
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 life.
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 Anna: There's actually a $1 non
00:20:39 --> 00:20:42 refundable application fee just to apply,
00:20:42 --> 00:20:45 and that doesn't guarantee approval.
00:20:45 --> 00:20:47 Selected applicants will receive invitations
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 tied to specific mission roles and lunar
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 stays.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53 Avery: It's worth noting that this isn't the first
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 time someone has proposed a lunar hotel.
00:20:56 --> 00:20:58 Hilton Hotels actually had a Lunar
00:20:58 --> 00:21:01 Hilton concept in the 1960s and even
00:21:01 --> 00:21:03 printed reservation cards and room keys as
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 promotional items.
00:21:05 --> 00:21:07 Anna: True. And back in 1973,
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 Hilton partnered with Trans International
00:21:10 --> 00:21:13 Airlines to produce a brochure inviting
00:21:13 --> 00:21:16 customers to a trip to the moon sometime
00:21:16 --> 00:21:19 after 1973, with costs up to
00:21:19 --> 00:21:22 $25 per person. Of
00:21:22 --> 00:21:24 course, that never materialised.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:27 Avery: The big question is whether GRU Space
00:21:27 --> 00:21:29 can succeed where others have only dreamed.
00:21:29 --> 00:21:31 They've got the backing, they've got the
00:21:31 --> 00:21:33 vision, and they've got a founder who's
00:21:33 --> 00:21:36 putting everything into making it happen. The
00:21:36 --> 00:21:38 timeline aligns with NASA's renewed push to
00:21:38 --> 00:21:40 establish a permanent human presence on the
00:21:40 --> 00:21:42 Moon Moon through the Artemis programme.
00:21:42 --> 00:21:45 Anna: Even if this particular venture doesn't pan
00:21:45 --> 00:21:48 out exactly as planned, it's exciting to see
00:21:48 --> 00:21:50 private companies seriously pursuing lunar
00:21:50 --> 00:21:53 infrastructure. The fact that we're even
00:21:53 --> 00:21:55 having this conversation about booking hotel
00:21:55 --> 00:21:58 rooms on the Moon shows how far space
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 exploration has come.
00:21:59 --> 00:22:02 Avery: Absolutely. Whether it's 2032
00:22:02 --> 00:22:05 or 2042, the era of lunar
00:22:05 --> 00:22:07 tourism feels like it's genuinely
00:22:07 --> 00:22:10 approaching. We might actually see commercial
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 lunar hotels in our lifetime.
00:22:12 --> 00:22:14 Anna: Well, that's all the time we have for today's
00:22:14 --> 00:22:16 episode of Astronomy Daily. What an
00:22:16 --> 00:22:18 incredible day of space news.
00:22:18 --> 00:22:21 Avery: Uh, from the historic iss, medical
00:22:21 --> 00:22:24 evacuation and wobbling black hole jets,
00:22:24 --> 00:22:26 to missions reaching their destinations at
00:22:26 --> 00:22:28 L1, and even the possibility of
00:22:28 --> 00:22:31 vacationing on the Moon, it's been quite a
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 journey.
00:22:32 --> 00:22:34 Anna: If you enjoyed today's episode, please
00:22:34 --> 00:22:37 subscribe to Astronomy Daily wherever you get
00:22:37 --> 00:22:39 your podcast. And don't forget to leave us a
00:22:39 --> 00:22:41 review. It really helps other space
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 enthusiasts find the show.
00:22:42 --> 00:22:45 Avery: You can find us on social media and at our
00:22:45 --> 00:22:47 website. For more space news and updates.
00:22:48 --> 00:22:50 Just search for astrodaily Pod on
00:22:50 --> 00:22:53 socials or visit us on the web at
00:22:53 --> 00:22:56 astronomydaily IO. Thanks
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 so much for listening, everyone.
00:22:58 --> 00:23:00 Anna: Until next time, keep looking up.
00:23:00 --> 00:23:03 Avery: See you, uh, tomorrow. Clear Skies, Astronomy
00:23:03 --> 00:23:06 Day. Storeys we
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 told.
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 Anna: What.
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 Avery: Storeys.
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 We told.