Astronomy Daily - January 13, 2026 Episode Historic ISS Evacuation, Wobbling Black Holes, and Lunar Hotels Episode Description Join hosts Anna and Avery for an exciting episode packed with groundbreaking space news! We cover the International Space Station's first-ever medical evacuation, a stunning discovery of a galaxy-wide wobbling black hole jet, this week's busy launch schedule, two NASA missions reaching their destinations, and the surprising announcement that you can now reserve a hotel room on the Moon. Episode Duration: 18 minutes Episode Highlights 🚨 BREAKING: First-Ever ISS Medical Evacuation
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
🌌 Astronomers Discover Wobbling Black Hole Jet
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
🚀 This Week's Launch Schedule
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
🛰️ NASA Missions Reach L1 Destination
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
🌙 You Can Now Reserve a Moon Hotel Room
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
#AstronomyDaily #SpaceNews #ISS #BlackHoles #NASA #SpaceX #LunarTourism #Astronomy #SpaceExploration
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Hello everyone and welcome to Astronomy
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 Daily. I'm Anna
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 >> and I'm Avery. Thanks for joining us on
00:00:07 --> 00:00:10 this exciting Tuesday, January 13th,
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 >> We really do, Avery. We're covering
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 everything from a historic first on the
00:00:20 --> 00:00:21 International Space Station to
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 groundbreaking black hole discoveries.
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 Plus, we've got some fantastic mission
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 updates from NASA. And believe it or
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 not, you can now put down a deposit for
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 a hotel room on the moon.
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 >> That's right. It's going to be a packed
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 episode. But first, let's start with
00:00:37 --> 00:00:39 some update news from the International
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 Space Station that's making history for
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 all the wrong reasons.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:45 >> So Avery, we're witnessing something
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 that's never happened before in the
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 25-year history of the International
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 Space Station. On Sunday, NASA announced
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 the first ever medical evacuation from
00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 the ISS. That's right, Anna. The Space X
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 Crew 11 mission, which launched to the
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 station 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 Think and Zena Cardman,
00:01:14 --> 00:01:18 Russia's Oleg Platinov, and Japan's Kima
00:01:18 --> 00:01:19 Yui.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 >> And yesterday, we saw a really touching
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 change of command ceremony. Mike Frink,
00:01:24 --> 00:01:25 who was serving as commander of
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 expedition 74, handed control of the
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 station over to Russian cosminaut Sergey
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 Kudwerkov. During the ceremony, Frink
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 called it bittersweet, and you could
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 really feel the emotion in his words.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:42 >> I read about that think told coup, "It's
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 an honor and a pleasure to be a
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 commander, and I cannot imagine being
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 happier than to hand over command to
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 you." The crew scheduled to undock from
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 the ISS on Wednesday afternoon with
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 Hatch closing at 3:00 p.m. Eastern time
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 and departure at 5:00 p.m. They'll then
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 make an 11-hour journey back to Earth
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 aboard their Dragon Endeavor spacecraft.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 They're expected to splash down in the
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 Pacific Ocean early Thursday morning
00:02:06 --> 00:02:10 around 3:40 a.m. Eastern time. Now, one
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 interesting aspect of this situation is
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 that NASA has declined to specify which
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 astronaut is experiencing the medical
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 issue, citing privacy concerns. They
00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 also haven't disclosed the nature of the
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 medical condition itself. This early
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 departure creates an unusual situation
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 on the station. After crew 11 leaves,
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 there will only be three astronauts
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 board, including just one American,
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 Chris Williams. That's well below the
00:02:36 --> 00:02:37 typical crew compliment.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 >> Right. Normally NASA prefers crew
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 overlap to avoid gaps in maintenance and
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 research capabilities, but they've
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 deemed this medical situation serious
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 enough to warrant the immediate return,
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 even if it means operating with a
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 skeleton crew until the next rotation
00:02:53 --> 00:02:54 arrives.
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 >> And speaking of the next rotation, crew
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 12 was originally scheduled to launch in
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 midFebruary. NASA is now evaluating if
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 they can move that launch date up. Of
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 course, this all has to be coordinated
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 with another major event on NASA's
00:03:08 --> 00:03:09 calendar.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 >> You're talking about Artemis 2, right?
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 >> Exactly. NASA is simultaneously working
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 to roll out the space launch system
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 rocket for the Aremis 2 mission from the
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 vehicle assembly building to launch
00:03:21 --> 00:03:24 complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center.
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 That roll out is scheduled for January
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 17th with the first launch opportunity
00:03:28 --> 00:03:32 for Artemis 2 opening on February 6th.
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 It's a delicate balancing act for NASA
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 operations. According to NASA
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 administrator, the ISS evacuation
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 shouldn't interfere with the Aremis 2
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 timeline, but it certainly adds
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 complexity to an already busy schedule.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 >> Absolutely. This situation really
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 highlights how NASA handles unexpected
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 medical challenges in space. They have
00:03:52 --> 00:03:53 protocols in place, but this is the
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 first time they've actually had to
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 implement a full medical evacuation from
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 the station. It's worth noting that
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 while this is the first medical
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 evacuation, it's not the first time
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 medical concerns have affected ISS
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 operations. Just last week, a planned
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 spacew walk had to be cancelled due to
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 these same medical concerns that
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 ultimately led to the evacuation
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 decision.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 >> We wish all four Crew 11 astronauts a
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 safe journey home and a quick recovery
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 to whoever is dealing with the medical
00:04:21 --> 00:04:22 issue.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 >> Now, let's shift gears to some
00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 absolutely fascinating astronomy news.
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 Avery, astronomers have discovered
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 something they've never seen before. A
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 galaxywide wobbling black hole jet.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:37 >> This is really cool stuff, Anna. A team
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 led by researchers at UC Irvine and
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 Caltech's Infrared Processing and
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 Analysis Center has found the largest
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 and most extended jet ever observed
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 emanating from a super massive black
00:04:49 --> 00:04:50 hole. And it's doing something
00:04:50 --> 00:04:53 remarkable. It's wobbling. The galaxy in
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 question is called VV340A
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 and the jet extends up to 20
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 lightyears from its center. To put that
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 in perspective, that's about 1/5 the
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 diameter of the Milky Way galaxy. These
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 jets are composed of superheated
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 material being accelerated to near the
00:05:12 --> 00:05:13 speed of light.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 >> The observations were made using the WM
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 KEK observatory's Kek cosmic web imager
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 on Mount Aaya in Hawaii. But what really
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 makes this discovery special is that the
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 team combined data from multiple
00:05:25 --> 00:05:26 observatories to get the complete
00:05:26 --> 00:05:27 picture,
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 >> right? They used infrared observations
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 from the James Webb Space Telescope,
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 radio images from the Very Large Array,
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 and the optical data from KEK. Each
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 observatory revealed different aspects
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 of this phenomenon. Web's infrared data
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 showed the energetic heart of the
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 galaxy, while KEK's optical data showed
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 how that energy propagates outward. And
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 the VA radio data revealed something
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 remarkable. The plasma jets are twisted
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 into a helical pattern as they move
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 outward. This is evidence of what's
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 called jet procession, where the jet's
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 direction slowly wobbles over time, kind
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 of like a spinning top.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 >> Lead author Justin Kedar from UC Irvine
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 said the KEK observatory data was
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 crucial. He noted that the gas they
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 observed with KEK reaches the farthest
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 distances from the black hole, meaning
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 it also traces the longest time scales.
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 Without those observations, they
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 wouldn't know how powerful or persistent
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 this outflow really is. What's
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 particularly surprising about this
00:06:27 --> 00:06:31 discovery is where it was found. VV340A
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 is a relatively young galaxy still in
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 the early stages of a galactic merger.
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 Typically, these kinds of jets are
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 observed in older elliptical galaxies
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 that have long since stopped forming
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 stars.
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 >> That's a great point. The web data
00:06:44 --> 00:06:47 showed that the superheated coronal gas,
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 the plasma erupting from either side of
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 the black hole, measures several
00:06:51 --> 00:06:54 thousand parexs across. Most observed
00:06:54 --> 00:06:55 coronas measure in the hundreds of
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 parexs, making this the most extended
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 coronal gas structure ever observed. The
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 discovery also revealed that the jet is
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 actively affecting the galaxy's
00:07:05 --> 00:07:08 evolution. The KCWI data showed that the
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 jet is stripping the galaxy of gas at a
00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 rate of about 20 solar masses per year,
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 effectively shutting down star
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 formation. This finding challenges our
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 established theories about how galaxies
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 and their super massive black holes
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 evolve together. As Kater put it, this
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 is the first time we've seen a
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 precessing kilo parseek scale radio jet
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 driving such a massive outflow in a disc
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 galaxy. He also noted something
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 intriguing about the Milky Way. He said
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 there's no clear fossil record of
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 something like this happening in our
00:07:41 --> 00:07:43 galaxy, but this discovery suggests we
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 can't rule it out. It changes the way we
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 think about the galaxy we live in. The
00:07:48 --> 00:07:49 next step for the team involves higher
00:07:50 --> 00:07:51 resolution radio observations to
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 determine whether a second super massive
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 black hole could be at the center of
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 VV340A,
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 which might be causing the jets to
00:07:59 --> 00:08:02 wobble. It's an exciting time for
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 studying black holes and their impact on
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 galactic evolution. This discovery opens
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 up new questions about how common this
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 type of activity might be in the
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 universe.
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 >> Now, let's take a look at what's
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 launching this week. We've got a busy
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 manifest with eight orbital launch
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 attempts scheduled from China, the
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 United States, and Norway.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 >> That's right, Anna. SpaceX is dominating
00:08:23 --> 00:08:26 the American launch schedule. As usual,
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 they're launching two batches of
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 Starlink satellites into the
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 constellations Group Six shell, as well
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 as a batch of reconnaissance satellites
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 for the National Reconnaissance Office.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 The first Starlink mission of the week,
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 Group 6-97,
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 actually already lifted off yesterday,
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 Monday, January 12th, at 4:08 p.m.
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 Eastern time, from Space Launch Complex
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 40 at Cape Canaveral. The Falcon 9 flew
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 29 Starlink version 2 mini satellites
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 into orbit.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54 >> And the booster that supported that
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 mission, B1078,
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 was flying for its 25th time. After
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 stage separation, it successfully landed
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 on the drone ship. Just read the
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 instructions in the Atlantic Ocean.
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 These reusability numbers just keep
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 getting more impressive.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 >> They really do. The next Starlink
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 mission, Group 6-98, is scheduled for
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 Wednesday, January 14th, at 10:01 p.m.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 Eastern from the same launch site. That
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 will use booster B1085 on its 13th
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 flight, landing on the A shortfall of
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 Gravitas drone ship.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 >> Moving over to China, they have four
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 launches on the manifest this week. On
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 Tuesday, the Chinese Aerospace Science
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 and Technology Corporation is launching
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 a Chang Zang 8A rocket from Wong Chang.
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 The payload is unknown, but this marks
00:09:40 --> 00:09:44 the first CZ8A mission of 2026 and the
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 seventh overall. Then on Thursday, we
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 have a Changang 3B/E launch from Xiang
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 carrying another unknown payload. The CZ
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 3B is one of China's workhorse rockets,
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 and this will be its 103rd launch
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 overall. Also on Thursday, private
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 Chinese spaceflight company Galactic
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 Energy is scheduled to launch a series
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 1S rocket from the Oriental Spaceport
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 launch ship. This will be the first
00:10:09 --> 00:10:12 series 1S mission of 2026 and the 23rd
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 overall for this solidfueled rocket. And
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 here's something exciting. Galactic
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 Energy is also debuting its new Series 2
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 rocket this week. The demonstration
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 flight is scheduled for Saturday,
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 January 17th from the Xiwan Satellite
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 Launch Center. The Series 2 is a larger
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 upgraded version capable of lifting
00:10:30 --> 00:10:33 about 2 kg to low Earth orbit.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 >> Back to the United States, SpaceX has a
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 classified mission for the National
00:10:37 --> 00:10:41 Reconnaissance Office. NROL105
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 is scheduled to launch Friday evening,
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 January 16th, at 8:18 p.m. Pacific time
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 California. This mission is using brand
00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 new booster B1100 on only its second
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 flight and it'll perform a return to
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 launch site landing at landing zone 4
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 right next to the launchpad. This
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 represents the 12th batch of satellites
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 launched into this particular NRL
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 constellation developed by Space X and
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 Northre Grumman.
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 >> And finally wrapping up the week, German
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 company ESAR Aerospace is scheduled to
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 launch the second test flight of its
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 Spectrum rocket from Norway's Andoya
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 rocket range. This comes after the first
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 test flight in March 2025 failed shortly
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 after liftoff.
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 >> The Spectrum rocket stands 28 meters
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 tall and uses nine Aquilla engines on
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 the first stage and one on the second
00:11:30 --> 00:11:33 stage burning propane and liquid oxygen.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 It's expected to carry several cubats to
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 sunsynchronous orbit for the European
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 Space Ay's boost program. If successful,
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 this will mark Spectrum's first flight
00:11:42 --> 00:11:46 of 2026 and the 13th worldwide orbital
00:11:46 --> 00:11:48 launch attempt of the year. It's shaping
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 up to be a busy week in space flight.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 >> All right, Avery, let's talk about some
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 mission milestones. NASA's Kurther's
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 Geocona Observatory has reached its
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 target orbit.
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 >> This is great news, Anna. The spacecraft
00:12:01 --> 00:12:04 achieved this destination at Lrange 0.1
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 10th
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 following the spacecraft's third and
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 final orbital maneuver, a 2-minute
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 thruster fire on January 8th. For those
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 unfamiliar, L1 is one of those special
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 points in space where the gravitational
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 forces of the Earth and Sun balance out,
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 creating a stable position. It's an
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 ideal spot for observing the Earth and
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 Sun simultaneously.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 >> Exactly. And Kurthers has a very
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 specific mission to capture the first
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 repeated observations of the ultraviolet
00:12:38 --> 00:12:41 glow from Earth's outer atmosphere known
00:12:41 --> 00:12:44 as the geocorona. The mission is named
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 in honor of Dr. George R. Kurthers 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 --> 00:12:55 astronauts in 1972.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 That Apollo 16 camera captured the very
00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 first images of Earth's geocona. Now
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 more than 50 years later, Kurthers is
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 going to study it in unprecedented
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08 detail from its vantage point at L1. The
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 love seatsiz spacecraft launched from
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 Kennedy Space Center back on September
00:13:12 --> 00:13:16 24th, 2025. Since launch, the team has
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 been testing the spacecraft's
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 instruments and capturing what they call
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 first light images while adjusting its
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 course as it approached L1.
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 >> I saw those first light images. They're
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 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 imager. Both capture
00:13:34 --> 00:13:37 ultraviolet light and the images clearly
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 show Earth with this fuzzy halo around
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 it, which is the geocorona. What's
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 interesting is that you can also see the
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 moon in those images and the lunar
00:13:45 --> 00:13:48 surface still shines into 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
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 why it's important to compare the Lyman
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 Alpha images with the broad ultraviolet
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 filter.
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 >> The narrow field imager even captured
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 two background stars that must have
00:14:04 --> 00:14:06 surface temperatures approximately twice
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 as hot as our sun to be so bright in
00:14:08 --> 00:14:11 this wavelength of light. Kurthers is
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 now beginning its final checkout
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 procedures before starting its two-year
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 primary science mission in March. From
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 L1, it will provide scientists with the
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 most detailed views ever of how Earth's
00:14:22 --> 00:14:25 outermost atmospheric layer interacts
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 with the space environment.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:29 >> The mission is led by Dr. Laura Waldrop
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 from the University of Illinois Urbana
00:14:30 --> 00:14:33 Champagne with the Space Sciences Lab at
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 UC Berkeley leading mission
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 implementation and operations. Speaking
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 of missions reaching their destinations,
00:14:39 --> 00:14:42 Anna, NASA's IMAP mission has also
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44 arrived at L1.
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 >> That's right. IMAP, which stands for
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 interstellar mapping and acceleration
00:14:48 --> 00:14:51 probe, reached Lrangee.1 on January
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 10th, just 2 days after Kurthers
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 completed its final maneuver.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 >> The mission operations team sent
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59 commands to the spacecraft on the
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 morning of January 9th to begin the
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 trajectory maneuvers. Early on January
00:15:03 --> 00:15:06 10th, they confirmed that IMAP had
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 successfully entered its final L1 orbit,
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 where it will stay for the duration of
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 its mission.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 >> 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
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 the protective bubble created by the
00:15:20 --> 00:15:23 solar wind that encapsulates our entire
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 solar system. It will study how the
00:15:25 --> 00:15:27 heliosphere interacts with the local
00:15:27 --> 00:15:29 galactic neighborhood beyond. Think of
00:15:29 --> 00:15:33 IMAP as a modern-day celestial cgrapher.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:35 It's going to explore and chart the vast
00:15:35 --> 00:15:37 range of particles in interplanetary
00:15:37 --> 00:15:40 space, investigating how charged
00:15:40 --> 00:15:42 particles from the sun get energized and
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 how the solar wind interacts at the
00:15:44 --> 00:15:47 boundary with interstellar space.
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 >> But IMAP also has a very practical
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 application. It will provide real-time
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 observations of the solar wind and
00:15:53 --> 00:15:56 energetic particles, giving critical
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 data that can help protect spacecraft
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 and astronauts from adverse space
00:16:00 --> 00:16:03 weather effects. L1 provides IMAP with a
00:16:03 --> 00:16:06 stable and clear 360° 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
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 means the spacecraft can give about a
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 half hour's warning to astronauts and
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 spacecraft near Earth of harmful
00:16:17 --> 00:16:19 radiation coming their way. IMAP
00:16:19 --> 00:16:23 launched on September 24th, 2025, the
00:16:23 --> 00:16:26 same day as Kurthers. They traveled to
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 Loan together along with NA's
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 SWFO Lraange, which stands for Space
00:16:33 --> 00:16:37 Weather Followon, Lraange 1. At Loan,
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 they join other spacecraft already in
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42 orbit there, like NASA's wind and ACE
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 missions, and the ESA/NASA
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 SOHO observatory. The mission is led by
00:16:48 --> 00:16:51 principal investigator David Mccomomas,
00:16:51 --> 00:16:54 a professor at Princeton University with
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 an international team of more than 20
00:16:56 --> 00:16:59 partner institutions. John's Hopkins
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 Applied Physics Laboratory built the
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 spacecraft and operates the mission.
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 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
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 data from IMAP's state-of-the-art
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 instrumentation will greatly enhance the
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 usefulness of data from those other
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 missions at L1.
00:17:18 --> 00:17:20 >> It's exciting to have both Kurthers and
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 IMAP reaching their destinations at the
00:17:22 --> 00:17:25 same time. They launched together,
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 traveled together, and now they're both
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 settling into their orbits to begin
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 their science missions.
00:17:30 --> 00:17:33 >> Okay, Avery, save the best for last,
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 right? You can now put down a deposit
00:17:35 --> 00:17:39 for a hotel room on the moon. I know it
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 sounds like science fiction, Anna, but
00:17:40 --> 00:17:43 this is for real. A company called Grew
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 Space, and that's Galactic Resources
00:17:45 --> 00:17:48 Utilization, has publicly announced its
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 intent to construct a series of habitats
00:17:50 --> 00:17:53 on the moon, culminating in a hotel
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 that's actually inspired by the Palace
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 of the Fine Arts in San Francisco. On
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 Monday, the company opened applications
00:17:59 --> 00:18:02 for aspiring lunar tourists. You can
00:18:02 --> 00:18:05 place a deposit ranging from $250
00:18:05 --> 00:18:08 to $1 million to reserve a spot on one
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 of their early lunar surface missions.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:13 They're targeting as early as 2032 for
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 the hotel opening.
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 >> Now, before anyone rushes to empty their
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 bank accounts, let's talk about what
00:18:18 --> 00:18:21 this actually involves. Groupace is a Y
00:18:21 --> 00:18:25 Combinatorbacked startup founded in 2025
00:18:25 --> 00:18:28 by Skyler Chan, a recent UC Berkeley
00:18:28 --> 00:18:31 graduate who's only 22 years old. The
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 company has received backing from
00:18:32 --> 00:18:35 investors in SpaceX and Anderil.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 >> What makes Grrew's approach interesting
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 is that they're not planning to ship all
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 the building materials from Earth.
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 Instead, they want to use insitue
00:18:43 --> 00:18:47 resource utilization or ISRU technology.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 That means using robotic systems to
00:18:49 --> 00:18:52 transform lunar soil regalith into
00:18:52 --> 00:18:54 durable building blocks. Their road map
00:18:54 --> 00:18:57 starts with a 2029 demonstration mission
00:18:57 --> 00:18:59 to validate the process of turning lunar
00:18:59 --> 00:19:03 soil into bricks. By 2032, if everything
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 goes according to plan, they expect to
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 open what would be the world's first
00:19:07 --> 00:19:10 lunar hotel inside a lunar cave, which
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 provides natural protection from
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 radiation and temperature extremes.
00:19:14 --> 00:19:17 >> The initial hotel will be built on Earth
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19 and delivered by a heavy lander. It's an
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 inflatable structure designed to host up
00:19:21 --> 00:19:24 to four guests for multi-day stays. The
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 hotel is designed to operate for 10
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 years and will offer views of the lunar
00:19:28 --> 00:19:30 landscape and Earth along with
00:19:30 --> 00:19:32 activities like W moonwalks, driving
00:19:32 --> 00:19:35 rovers, and get this, they're even
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 talking about golf.
00:19:36 --> 00:19:38 >> Of course, this is an incredibly
00:19:38 --> 00:19:41 ambitious plan. In their white paper,
00:19:41 --> 00:19:43 Grrew acknowledges that execution
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 heavily relies on factors outside their
00:19:45 --> 00:19:48 control. They need decreasing launch
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50 costs, regular and reliable crude
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52 flights to the lunar surface, a
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 favorable regulatory environment, and
00:19:54 --> 00:19:57 supporting infrastructure like lunar
00:19:57 --> 00:19:59 power and communications. All of which
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 are in various stages of development.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 The company's vision doesn't stop at
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 Moon Hotels either. After establishing
00:20:05 --> 00:20:07 the first hotel, they want to help build
00:20:07 --> 00:20:10 America's first moon base with roads and
00:20:10 --> 00:20:12 warehouses, then expand to Mars, and
00:20:12 --> 00:20:15 eventually the asteroid belt. Skyler
00:20:15 --> 00:20:17 Chan, the founder, has been passionate
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 about space since childhood. He said
00:20:19 --> 00:20:21 that I've been obsessed with space since
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 I was a kid. I've always wanted to
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 become an astronaut and feel extremely
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 fortunate to be doing my life's work. He
00:20:27 --> 00:20:30 also mentioned that if they succeed,
00:20:30 --> 00:20:32 billions of human lives will be born on
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 the moon and Mars and be able to
00:20:34 --> 00:20:36 experience the beauty of lunar and
00:20:36 --> 00:20:39 Martian life. There's actually a $1
00:20:39 --> 00:20:42 non-refundable application fee just to
00:20:42 --> 00:20:44 apply, and that doesn't guarantee
00:20:44 --> 00:20:46 approval. Selected applicants will
00:20:46 --> 00:20:49 receive invitations tied to specific
00:20:49 --> 00:20:51 mission roles and lunar stays.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53 >> It's worth noting that this isn't the
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 first time someone has proposed a lunar
00:20:55 --> 00:20:58 hotel. Hilton Hotels actually had a
00:20:58 --> 00:21:01 Lunar Hilton concept in the 1960s and
00:21:01 --> 00:21:03 even printed reservation cards and room
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 keys as promotional items.
00:21:05 --> 00:21:09 >> True. And back in 1973, Hilton partnered
00:21:09 --> 00:21:11 with Trans International Airlines to
00:21:11 --> 00:21:14 produce a brochure inviting customers to
00:21:14 --> 00:21:18 a trip to the moon sometime after 1973
00:21:18 --> 00:21:22 with costs up to $25 per person. Of
00:21:22 --> 00:21:24 course, that never materialized.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:27 >> The big question is whether GRU Space
00:21:27 --> 00:21:29 can succeed where others have only
00:21:29 --> 00:21:31 dreamed. They've got the backing.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 They've got the vision. And they've got
00:21:32 --> 00:21:34 a founder who's putting everything into
00:21:34 --> 00:21:37 making it happen. The timeline aligns
00:21:37 --> 00:21:39 with NASA's renewed push to establish a
00:21:39 --> 00:21:41 permanent human presence on the moon
00:21:41 --> 00:21:43 through the Aremis program.
00:21:43 --> 00:21:45 >> Even if this particular venture doesn't
00:21:45 --> 00:21:47 pan out exactly as planned, it's
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 exciting to see private companies
00:21:49 --> 00:21:51 seriously pursuing lunar infrastructure.
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 The fact that we're even having this
00:21:53 --> 00:21:56 conversation about booking hotel rooms
00:21:56 --> 00:21:58 on the moon shows how far space
00:21:58 --> 00:22:00 exploration has come.
00:22:00 --> 00:22:04 >> Absolutely. Whether it's 2032 or 2042,
00:22:04 --> 00:22:06 the era of lunar tourism feels like it's
00:22:06 --> 00:22:09 genuinely approaching. We might actually
00:22:09 --> 00:22:11 see commercial lunar hotels in our
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 lifetimes.
00:22:12 --> 00:22:14 >> Well, that's all the time we have for
00:22:14 --> 00:22:16 today's episode of Astronomy Daily. What
00:22:16 --> 00:22:19 an incredible day of space news.
00:22:19 --> 00:22:22 >> From the historic ISS medical evacuation
00:22:22 --> 00:22:25 and wobbling black hole jets to missions
00:22:25 --> 00:22:27 reaching their destinations at L1 and
00:22:27 --> 00:22:29 even the possibility of vacationing on
00:22:29 --> 00:22:32 the moon. It's been quite a journey.
00:22:32 --> 00:22:34 >> If you enjoyed today's episode, please
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 subscribe to Astronomy Daily wherever
00:22:36 --> 00:22:38 you get your podcasts. And don't forget
00:22:38 --> 00:22:40 to leave us a review. It really helps
00:22:40 --> 00:22:42 other space enthusiasts find the show.
00:22:42 --> 00:22:45 You can find us on social media and at
00:22:45 --> 00:22:47 our website for more space news and
00:22:47 --> 00:22:50 updates. Just search for Astro Daily Pod
00:22:50 --> 00:22:53 on socials or visit us on the web at
00:22:53 --> 00:22:56 astronomyaily.io.
00:22:56 --> 00:22:58 Thanks so much for listening everyone.
00:22:58 --> 00:23:00 >> Until next time, keep looking up.
00:23:00 --> 00:23:03 >> See you tomorrow. Clear skies. Astronomy
00:23:03 --> 00:23:05 day.
00:23:05 --> 00:23:13 Stories be told.
00:23:13 --> 00:23:17 Stories told.