00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Hello, space enthusiasts. I'm Anna.
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 Avery: And I'm, um, Avery. Welcome to Astronomy
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 Daily, your daily dose of space and
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 astronomy news, brought to you by
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 astronomydaily IO and what
00:00:13 --> 00:00:13 a.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 Anna: Day we have for you today, Avery. If you were
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 lucky enough to catch the auroras last night,
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 you know what we're leading with.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 Avery: Absolutely, Anna. We're following up on
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 yesterday's story about that powerful X class
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 solar flare and the coronal mass ejection
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 that was racing toward Earth. Well, it hit
00:00:32 --> 00:00:33 and it hit hard.
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 Anna: That's right. We've got stunning photos from
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 around the world of the resulting northern
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 lights. And a retirement announcement from a
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 legendary NASA astronaut. An incredible
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 space rescue story from China, and some
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 exciting updates from the commercial space
00:00:48 --> 00:00:49 sector.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 Avery: Plus, we'll tell you about NASA's latest
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 mission that's preparing to study the Sun's
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 most powerful eruptions. And we'll take you
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 on a cosmic journey billions of years into
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 the past with some fascinating new telescope
00:01:01 --> 00:01:02 observations.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 Anna: So grab your coffee, settle in, and let's get
00:01:05 --> 00:01:06 into today's space news.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 Avery: All right, Anna, let's dive into our lead
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 story and what a spectacular show it
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 was yesterday. We told our listeners about
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 that x 1.9 solar flare and
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 coronal mass ejection headed our way.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 Well, it arrived right on schedule. In fact,
00:01:23 --> 00:01:24 a little early.
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 Anna: It certainly did, Avery. The CME
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 slammed into Earth's magnetic field on
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 January 19th at around 2:38pm
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 Eastern Time. And it packed quite a punch.
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 Space weather forecasters at NOAA's Space
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 Weather Prediction center confirmed that
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 geomagnetic conditions escalated to
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 G4 level. That's classified as
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 severe on their five point scale.
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 Avery: And the results were absolutely
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 breathtaking. What made the CME
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 particularly noteworthy was just how fast it
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 traveled. Remember, it was ejected from the
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 sun on January 18th during that powerful
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 solar flare, which means it covered roughly
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 93 million miles in just over a day.
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 That's exceptionally quick.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 Anna: The aurora displays that followed were truly
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 global in scope. We're seeing reports and
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 photographs from locations that rarely get to
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 witness the northern lights. One
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 photographer, Greg Gage, captured stunning
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 red auroras from Deming, New Mexico. That's
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 at 32 degrees latitude. He told
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 Space.com he was on vacation there and never
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 expected to see auroras that far south.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 Avery: That's incredible. And it wasn't just North
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 America. The displays stretched across
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 Europe, Asia and beyond. In
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 Germany, vivid red and green auroras danced
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 above the River Mughelspree near Berlin,
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 Hungary, saw intense red and green hues
00:02:48 --> 00:02:49 filling the skies over the village of.
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 Anna: Oboivar, uh, France had some particularly
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 eerie displays with rich magenta
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 auroras above Brittany. And in China, the
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 northern lights were visible Above Beiji
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 village in Heilongjiang province, with
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 photographers capturing everything from
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 magenta to green to even hints of blue
00:03:07 --> 00:03:08 in the curtains of light.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 Avery: What's particularly interesting about these
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 displays Is the variety of colors. The
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 red auroras we're seeing indicate that oxygen
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 atoms at, uh, very high altitudes around 200
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 to 300 miles up, are being energized.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 The green we typically associate with auroras
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 Comes from oxygen at lower altitudes, While
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 any blue would be from nitrogen.
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 Anna: The geomagnetic conditions throughout the
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 night Were quite dynamic, too. Storm levels
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 fluctuated between G1, G2,
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 G3, and G4 as the CME
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 passed through Earth's magnetic field.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 According to the UK Met Office, this kept
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 Earth's magnetic field In a highly disturbed
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 state for hours, Producing repeated surges of
00:03:51 --> 00:03:52 auroral activity.
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 Avery: And there's more good news for aurora
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 watchers. While geomagnetic activity Is
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 expected to gradually ease, Forecasters
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 say conditions remain unsettled. That means
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 there's still a chance the northern lights
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 could make another appearance tonight if
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 solar, uh, wind conditions cooperate.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 Anna: So if you missed last night's show, keep
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 those cameras charged and your aurora alert
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 apps turned on. The sun is clearly in an
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 active phase, and we could see more displays
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 in the coming days and weeks.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 Avery: Absolutely. And this really highlights why we
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 track space weather so closely. While these
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 auroras are beautiful, the same geomagnetic
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 storms can affect satellites, power grids,
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 and radio communications. It's a reminder of
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 how our technological society is connected
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 to what's happening 93 million miles away
00:04:39 --> 00:04:40 on the sun.
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 Anna: Moving on to our next story. Avery. And this
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 one marks the end of an era. After
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 27 years of distinguished service,
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 NASA astronaut Suni Williams has officially
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 retired from the agency.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 Avery: This is definitely a significant moment.
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 Anna, uh, Suni Williams has been such an
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 inspiring figure in human spaceflight. Her
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 retirement became effective on December 27,
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 2025, though NASA just announced
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 it this week. Let's talk about her remarkable
00:05:09 --> 00:05:10 achievements.
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 Anna: Where do we even start? Over the course of
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 her career, Williams logged an impressive
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 608 days in space. That
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 makes her second on the list for cumulative
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 time and space by a NASA astronaut. She
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 completed three missions to the International
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 Space Station and held numerous records
00:05:28 --> 00:05:29 throughout her career.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 Avery: Her most recent mission was particularly
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 interesting. Williams and fellow astronaut
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 Butch Wilmore launched aboard Boeing
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 Starliner spacecraft in June 2024
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 as part of NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test
00:05:41 --> 00:05:44 mission, both tied for sixth place on the
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 list. Of longest single spaceflight by an
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 American logging 286
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 days during their combined Starliner and
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 SpaceX Crew 9 missions.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 Anna: That's right. And during that mission,
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 Williams once again took command of the space
00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 station for Expedition 72. She's also
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 renowned for her spacewalking expertise. She
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 completed nine spacewalks totaling 62
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 hours and six minutes over her career.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 Avery: That gives her the record for most spacewalk
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 time by a woman and fourth most on the all
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 time cumulative spacewalk duration list.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 Oh, and here's a fun fact. She was also the
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 first person to run a marathon in space.
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 Anna: Beyond her spaceflight experience, Williams
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 held numerous important roles at NASA. She
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 served as Deputy Chief of the Astronaut
00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 Office, was Director of Operations in Star
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 City, Russia, and most recently helped
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 establish a helicopter training platform to
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 prepare astronauts for future moon landings.
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 Avery: NASA Administrator Jared Eichman had some
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 wonderful words about her legacy. He called
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 her a trailblazer in human spaceflight whose
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 work advancing science and technology has
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 laid the foundation for Artemis missions to
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 the moon and future missions to Mars.
00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 Anna: It's worth noting her background too. She's a
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 retired US Navy captain and an accomplished
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 pilot with more than 4 flight hours in
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 40 different aircraft. She holds a bachelor's
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 degree in Physical science from the United
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 States Naval Academy and a master's degree in
00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 Engineering Management.
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 Avery: In her retirement statement, Williams said,
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 anyone who knows me knows that space is my
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 absolute favorite place to be. She expressed
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 gratitude for her 27 year career and the
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 support she received from her colleagues and
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 mentioned she's excited to watch NASA make
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 history as the agency continues its
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 exploration efforts.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 Anna: It's a well deserved retirement for someone
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 who has contributed so much to human
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 spaceflight. Her achievements will
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 undoubtedly inspire the next generation of
00:07:41 --> 00:07:43 astronauts and space explorers.
00:07:43 --> 00:07:46 Avery: Alright, Anna, um, our next story is quite
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 dramatic. It involves a successful space
00:07:48 --> 00:07:51 rescue, emergency repairs, and some
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 impressive quick thinking by China's space
00:07:53 --> 00:07:53 program.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 Anna: This is really a remarkable story, avery.
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 China's Shenzhou 20 capsule safely
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 landed in Inner Mongolia on January 19,
00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 2026 after spending 270
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 days in orbit. But the journey
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 back wasn't exactly routine. This
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 mission became one of the most technically
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 demanding in China's human spaceflight
00:08:15 --> 00:08:16 history.
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 Avery: The Shenzhou 20 was originally launched back
00:08:19 --> 00:08:22 on April 24, 2025 from
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. It was
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 expected to complete its mission and return
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 in November 2025. But then
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 came the complication. A, uh, suspected
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 impact with space debris damaged one of the
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 capsule's portholes.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 Anna: Talk about a critical issue. A cracked
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 porthole on a spacecraft is serious business,
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 especially when you're thinking about the
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48 intense heat and forces of re entry through
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 Earth's atmosphere. So how did China's
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 space program respond?
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 Avery: With remarkable speed and coordination.
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 First they authorized astronauts aboard the
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 Shenzhou 21 spacecraft to photograph the
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 damaged porthole during a spacewalk on
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 December 9. They used high definition
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 cameras to get a detailed diagnosis of the
00:09:07 --> 00:09:07 problem.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 Anna: And then came an unprecedented move.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:14 China launched Shenzhou 22 on
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 November 25. Marking the first rapid
00:09:16 --> 00:09:19 response emergency deployment in China's
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 space history. This uncrewed craft delivered
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 a specially engineered repair device
00:09:24 --> 00:09:27 designed to enhance the capsule's heat
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 resistance and sealing for re entry.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 Avery: Meanwhile, for safety reasons, the crew of
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 Shenzhou 20 was evacuated ahead of
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 schedule. They returned aboard Shenzhou
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 21 on November 14th in what the China
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 Manned Space Agency called an emergency
00:09:43 --> 00:09:43 reroute.
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 Anna: So uh, the Shenzhou 20 capsule came home
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 empty, but it came home safe. According
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 to cgtn, the China Manned Space
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 Agency declared the mission uh, a complete
00:09:54 --> 00:09:57 success after an on site inspection
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 confirmed the capsule was in good condition
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 despite everything it went through.
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 Avery: What really stands out here is the
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 operational capability. This demonstrates
00:10:06 --> 00:10:09 China executed three overlapping missions,
00:10:09 --> 00:10:12 Shenzhou 20, 21 and 22
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 over a span of just weeks. That shows
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 significant operational depth and uh, the
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 ability to respond to emergencies in space.
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 Anna: Absolutely. And it's not just about the
00:10:22 --> 00:10:25 technical achievement. This validates China's
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 long term approach to maintaining crew
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 vehicles in orbit. The Shenzhou 20
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 stayed up there for 270 days
00:10:32 --> 00:10:35 which demonstrates the reliability of their
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 spacecraft systems.
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 Avery: This mission also underscores something we
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 talk about often, the very real danger
00:10:41 --> 00:10:44 posed by space debris. Even small particles
00:10:44 --> 00:10:47 traveling at orbital velocities can cause
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 significant damage as we saw here with the
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 porthole crack.
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 Anna: And China's ability to handle this situation
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 adds to their growing reputation in space
00:10:56 --> 00:10:59 exploration. They're now capable of managing
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 multi vessel operations under pressure with
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 modular mission architecture and long term
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 crew support capabilities.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:09 Avery: Congratulations to all involved in this very
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 successful mission. In the end.
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 Anna: Moving on to our next story, Avery. And we're
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 heading to West Texas where Blue Origin is
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 preparing for its next suborbital space
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 tourism mission.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 Avery: That's right Anna. Uh, Blue Origin is
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 scheduled to launch six space tourists on its
00:11:24 --> 00:11:27 NS38 mission this Thursday, January
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 22nd. The launch window opens at
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 9:30am Eastern Time. That's
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 8:30am M local Texas time.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 Anna: This will be the 38th flight of Blue
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 Origin's New Shepard rocket capsule system.
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 And if all goes according to plan, the 17th
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 crewed mission they've flown the mission
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 follows the same profile we've seen before.
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 About 10 to 12 minutes from liftoff to the
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 capsule's parachute aided touchdown.
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 Avery: During that brief but spectacular journey,
00:11:55 --> 00:11:58 passengers will experience a few minutes of
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 weightlessness and get to see Earth against
00:12:00 --> 00:12:03 the blackness of space from an altitude above
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 the Karman Line, which is generally
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 recognized as the boundary of space.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:10 Anna: Now, let's talk about who's flying. We have
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 entrepreneur and pilot Tim Drexler,
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 retired obstetrician and gynecologist Linda
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 Edwards, real estate developer and investor
00:12:18 --> 00:12:21 Elaine Fernandez, entrepreneur and
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 technologist Alberto Gutierrez, and
00:12:24 --> 00:12:27 retired US Air Force Colonel Jim Hendren,
00:12:27 --> 00:12:30 who founded Hendren Plastics, Inc. And
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 there's an interesting.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 Avery: Late addition to the crew manifest. Blue
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 Origin just announced that Lara Stiles, who
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 is Blue Origin's director of New Shepard
00:12:38 --> 00:12:41 launch Operations, will be flying on this
00:12:41 --> 00:12:41 mission.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 Anna: That's a pretty cool opportunity for someone
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 who's been so involved in making these
00:12:46 --> 00:12:49 missions happen. Dials is actually a late
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 replacement for a passenger who had to drop
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 out due to illness. Though that person will
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 get to fly on a future mission.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:58 Avery: Blue Origin has been steadily building their
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 flight rate. Just last month, they made
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 history by flying the first wheelchair user
00:13:02 --> 00:13:05 to space on their NS37 mission. They're
00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 really demonstrating that spaceflight can be
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 accessible to a diverse range of people.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 Anna: Now, Blue Origin hasn't publicly disclosed
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 their ticket prices, but we know their main
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 competitor Virgin Galactic charges
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 $600 per seat for similar
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 suborbital flights. So we can probably assume
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 Blue Origin's prices are in that same
00:13:25 --> 00:13:25 ballpark.
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 Avery: If you want to watch this launch, Blue Origin
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 typically livestreams our missions, and
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 Space.com will likely carry the feat as well.
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 It's always exciting to watch these launches.
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 That New Shepard rocket is quite a sight to
00:13:37 --> 00:13:37 see.
00:13:38 --> 00:13:41 Anna: Absolutely. And it's worth noting how routine
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 these launches are becoming. Blue Origin is
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 really building up their experience with
00:13:45 --> 00:13:48 regular crewed flights, which is essential
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 for the commercial space tourism industry.
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 Avery: Our next story takes us from suborbital
00:13:52 --> 00:13:55 tourism to cutting edge heliophysics
00:13:55 --> 00:13:55 research.
00:13:55 --> 00:13:58 Anna. Uh, NASA Sunrise, that's the Sun
00:13:58 --> 00:14:01 Radio Interometer Space Experiment is moving
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 closer to its launch later this year after
00:14:03 --> 00:14:06 successfully completing a rigorous series of
00:14:06 --> 00:14:06 tests.
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 Anna: This is such a fascinating mission. Avery
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 Sunrise consists of six smallsats.
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 They're about the size of a toaster oven that
00:14:15 --> 00:14:18 will fly in formation to act as one giant
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 radio telescope studying the sun.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:23 Avery: That's the clever part. These six smallsats
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 will orbit at about 22 miles
00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 altitude, which is geosynchronous orbit.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 Flying up to 10 miles apart from each other.
00:14:30 --> 00:14:33 By combining their observations Using a
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 technique called interferometry, they'll
00:14:35 --> 00:14:38 create what's essentially A single large
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 radio telescope in space.
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 Anna: And what will they be looking at? Solar
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 radio bursts. These bursts are generated
00:14:45 --> 00:14:48 by solar energetic particle events Deep
00:14:48 --> 00:14:51 within the sun's atmosphere, or corona. In
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 extreme cases, these events could pose
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 radiation hazards to unprotected astronauts
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 and damaged satellites.
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 Avery: The spacecraft were built At Utah State
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 University's Space Dynamics laboratory in
00:15:02 --> 00:15:05 Logan, Utah, and they just completed what's
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 described As a rigorous testing campaign.
00:15:07 --> 00:15:10 This included thermal vacuum testing to
00:15:10 --> 00:15:13 simulate orbital conditions, Electromagnetic
00:15:13 --> 00:15:15 compatibility testing to ensure the
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 electronic systems Won't interfere With the
00:15:17 --> 00:15:20 sensitive instruments, and most dramatically,
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 vibration testing.
00:15:22 --> 00:15:25 Anna: The vibration testing is crucial because
00:15:25 --> 00:15:27 launch is an incredibly violent event.
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 Jim Lux, the Sunrise project manager at
00:15:30 --> 00:15:33 NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Explained
00:15:33 --> 00:15:35 that each spacecraft was loaded with
00:15:35 --> 00:15:38 propellant to match its launch mass and then
00:15:38 --> 00:15:41 subjected to vibration testing in all three
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 axes.
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 Avery: They wanted to make the simulated vibrations
00:15:44 --> 00:15:46 as true to the actual launch conditions as
00:15:46 --> 00:15:49 possible. And here's the important part.
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 Pre and post test functional checks were
00:15:51 --> 00:15:54 performed and all six spacecraft passed with
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 flying colors.
00:15:55 --> 00:15:58 Anna: The mission is scheduled to launch From Cape
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida
00:16:00 --> 00:16:03 Aboard a, uh ULA launch Vulcan Centaur
00:16:03 --> 00:16:06 rocket As a rideshare mission. Once in orbit,
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 each satellite will deploy four telescoping
00:16:08 --> 00:16:11 antenna booms about 10ft long,
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 forming an X shaped configuration.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 Avery: Sue Lepre, the sunrise principal investigator
00:16:16 --> 00:16:19 at the University of Michigan, Points out
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 that these solar radio bursts Are triggered
00:16:21 --> 00:16:23 when vast quantities of energy Stored in the
00:16:23 --> 00:16:26 sun's magnetic field Accelerate solar
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 particles to high speeds. Tracking these
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31 events will help space agencies Protect
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 astronauts and spacecraft.
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 Anna: And this mission will work in conjunction
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 with other NASA heliophysics missions like
00:16:37 --> 00:16:40 the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory,
00:16:40 --> 00:16:43 the Parker Solar probe, and Solar
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 Orbiter, which is an international
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 cooperative mission with esa.
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 Avery: It's exciting to see these missions coming
00:16:48 --> 00:16:51 together Between Parker Solar Probe diving
00:16:51 --> 00:16:54 close to the sun, Solar Orbiter studying the
00:16:54 --> 00:16:57 polar regions, and now Sunrise tracking radio
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59 bursts from Earth orbit. We're building a
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 comprehensive picture of our star's behavior.
00:17:02 --> 00:17:05 Anna: And now for our final story. Avery. We're
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 going to talk about something that's never
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 been seen before in quite this
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 Planetary systems in their awkward
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 teenage years.
00:17:15 --> 00:17:17 Avery: Love that description, Anna. Astronomers
00:17:17 --> 00:17:20 using the Atacama Large Millimeter
00:17:20 --> 00:17:23 Submillimeter Array, better known as Alma,
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 have captured the most detailed images ever
00:17:25 --> 00:17:28 of 24 debris disks. These are the
00:17:28 --> 00:17:31 dusty belts left behind after planets have
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 finished forming.
00:17:32 --> 00:17:35 Anna: The survey is called arcs, which stands for
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 the ALMA Survey to Resolve
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 Exoker belt substructures.
00:17:40 --> 00:17:42 Meredith Hughes, an associate professor at
00:17:42 --> 00:17:45 Wesleyan University and co principal
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 investigator, explains it perfectly.
00:17:47 --> 00:17:50 We've often seen the baby pictures of planets
00:17:50 --> 00:17:53 forming, but until now, the teenage years
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 have been a missing link.
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 Avery: And just like human teenagers, these systems
00:17:58 --> 00:18:00 turned out to be quite dramatic. The
00:18:00 --> 00:18:03 observations revealed incredible diversity.
00:18:03 --> 00:18:06 Not just simple rings, but multi ring
00:18:06 --> 00:18:09 belts, wide smooth halos, sharp
00:18:09 --> 00:18:12 edges, and even unexpected arcs and clumps.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:15 Anna: This phase is really important because these
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 debris disks represent what's called the
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 collision dominated phase of planet
00:18:19 --> 00:18:22 formation. Think of it like our own solar
00:18:22 --> 00:18:25 system's Kuiper Belt, that ring of icy
00:18:25 --> 00:18:28 debris beyond Neptune that preserves a record
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 of massive collisions and planetary
00:18:30 --> 00:18:33 migrations from billions of years ago.
00:18:33 --> 00:18:36 Avery: Thomas Henning from the Max Planck Institute
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 for Astronomy, another co principal
00:18:38 --> 00:18:40 investigator, notes that by characterizing
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 these disk structures, they can find evidence
00:18:42 --> 00:18:45 pointing to the presence of planets. They're
00:18:45 --> 00:18:48 using ALMA alongside direct imaging and radio
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 velocity studies to search for young planets
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 in these systems.
00:18:52 --> 00:18:54 Anna: One of the challenges with studying debris
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 disks is that they're incredibly faint,
00:18:56 --> 00:18:59 hundreds or even thousands of times dimmer
00:18:59 --> 00:19:02 than the bright gas rich disks where planets
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 are actively being born. But alma's
00:19:04 --> 00:19:07 sensitivity and resolution made these.
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 Avery: Observations possible, and the findings
00:19:09 --> 00:19:12 are fascinating. About one third of the
00:19:12 --> 00:19:15 observed disks show clear substructures,
00:19:15 --> 00:19:17 like multiple rings or distinct gaps.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 These could be legacy features from earlier
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 planet building stages, or they could be
00:19:22 --> 00:19:25 sculpted by planets over much longer
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 timescales.
00:19:26 --> 00:19:29 Anna: Perhaps most surprising, several of these
00:19:29 --> 00:19:32 disks retain gas much longer than expected.
00:19:32 --> 00:19:35 In some systems, this lingering gas might
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 actually shape the chemistry of growing
00:19:37 --> 00:19:40 planets. Or it might push dust into
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 wide halos.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:45 Avery: Many of the disks also show asymmetries and
00:19:45 --> 00:19:47 arcs. They're lopsided with bright arcs
00:19:47 --> 00:19:50 or eccentric shapes. This hints, uh, at
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52 gravitational interactions with unseen
00:19:52 --> 00:19:55 planets, leftover scars from planetary
00:19:55 --> 00:19:58 migration or interactions between the gas
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 and dust.
00:19:59 --> 00:20:02 Anna: Luca Matra from Trinity College Dublin,
00:20:02 --> 00:20:04 another co principal investigator, puts it
00:20:04 --> 00:20:07 beautifully. These disks record a
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 period when planetary orbits were being
00:20:09 --> 00:20:12 scrambled and huge impacts like the one
00:20:12 --> 00:20:15 that forged Earth's Moon were shaping young
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 solar systems.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 Avery: And here's some great news for the scientific
00:20:19 --> 00:20:22 community. All of the ARC's observations and
00:20:22 --> 00:20:24 process data are being made freely available
00:20:24 --> 00:20:27 to astronomers worldwide. Which means we can
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 expect even more discoveries from this data
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 set in the coming years.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:34 Anna: Meredith Hughes sums up the significance
00:20:34 --> 00:20:37 perfectly. This project gives us a new
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 lens for interpreting the craters on the
00:20:39 --> 00:20:42 Moon, the dynamics of the Kuiper Belt, and
00:20:42 --> 00:20:45 the growth of planets big and small.
00:20:45 --> 00:20:48 It's like adding the missing pages to the
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 solar system's family album.
00:20:50 --> 00:20:52 Avery: Well, that wraps up today's episode of
00:20:52 --> 00:20:55 Astronomy Daily. What an incredible day of
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 space news we've covered.
00:20:56 --> 00:20:59 Anna: From spectacular auroras, lighting up
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 skies around the globe, to the retirement of
00:21:01 --> 00:21:04 a legendary astronaut, emergency space
00:21:04 --> 00:21:07 repairs by China, exciting commercial
00:21:07 --> 00:21:09 space launches, and groundbreaking
00:21:09 --> 00:21:12 observations of planetary systems, it's
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 been quite a journey through the cosmos.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 Avery: And remember, if you want to stay up to date
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 with all the latest space and astronomy news,
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 visit our
00:21:19 --> 00:21:22 website@astronomydaily.IO. you
00:21:22 --> 00:21:24 can also find us on all major social media
00:21:24 --> 00:21:27 platforms. Just search for astrodaily
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 Pod.
00:21:28 --> 00:21:31 Anna: That's astrodaily pod. All one word.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 We'd love to hear from you and see your
00:21:32 --> 00:21:34 aurora photos if you caught last night's
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 display.
00:21:35 --> 00:21:38 Avery: Thanks for joining us today, space fans. Keep
00:21:38 --> 00:21:40 looking up and we'll see you tomorrow with
00:21:40 --> 00:21:42 more exciting space and astronomy news.
00:21:42 --> 00:21:45 Anna: Until then, clear skies, everyone.
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 Avery: Told.