Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S03E190
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go-to source for the latest and most exciting space and Astronomy news. I'm your host, Anna, and I'm thrilled to bring you today's Cosmic Update. In this episode, we've got a packed lineup of fascinating stories from the world of space exploration and discovery.
Highlights :
- SpaceX Crew Dragon Medical Incident: An unnamed NASA astronaut faced an unspecified medical issue shortly after returning to Earth from a nearly eight-month mission aboard the ISS. The crew's return was delayed due to hurricanes, marking a record-breaking mission for SpaceX's Crew Dragon.
- Boeing's Space Division Changes : Boeing is reportedly considering selling parts of its space business, including the troubled Starliner program, as it grapples with cost overruns and challenges in the competitive space industry.
- SpaceX's Starship Near Miss : A near miss during SpaceX's Starship test flight highlighted the razor-thin margins of their operations. A misconfigured parameter almost triggered an abort sequence, showcasing the complexities of space technology development.
- AST SpaceMobile Milestone : AST SpaceMobile has successfully deployed its first five production satellites for direct-to-smartphone services. The company is conducting health checks and awaits regulatory approval for US operations.
- Apollo 14 Astronaut's Rolex Auction : A Rolex GMT Master worn by Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell sold for $2.2 million, setting a record as the most expensive astronaut timepiece ever sold. The watch's journey to the moon adds to its allure.
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Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 welcome to astronomy daily your go-to
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 source for the latest and most exciting
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 space in astronomy news I'm your host
00:00:06 --> 00:00:07 Anna and I'm thrilled to bring you
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 today's Cosmic update in this episode
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 we've got a packed lineup of fascinating
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 stories from the world of space
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 exploration and Discovery we'll dive
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 into the recent return of a SpaceX crew
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 dragon mission and an unexpected medical
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 situation that followed then we'll
00:00:22 --> 00:00:23 explore some intriguing developments in
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 the commercial space sector including
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 potential changes at Boeing space
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 division we'll also take a closer look
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 at spacex's Starship program and a nail
00:00:32 --> 00:00:33 biting moment during its latest test
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 flight plus we'll discuss the progress
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 of as space Mobile's ambitious direct to
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 smartphone satellite project and to wrap
00:00:40 --> 00:00:41 things up we have an incredible story
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 about a piece of space history that just
00:00:43 --> 00:00:45 made auction headlines so buckle up and
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 get ready for an exciting Journey
00:00:47 --> 00:00:48 Through the
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 cosmos let's kick things off today with
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 some not so good news for one of NASA's
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 astronauts who returned to Earth
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 yesterday an unnamed NASA astronaut
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 faced an unspecified medical issue
00:01:00 --> 00:01:01 shortly after returning to Earth from a
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 nearly 8-month Mission aboard the
00:01:03 --> 00:01:05 International Space Station the incident
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 occurred following the splash down of
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 spacex's crew Dragon capsule off the
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 coast of Florida the crew consisting of
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 us astronauts Matthew Dominic Michael
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 Barrett and Janette EPS along with
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 Russian cosmonaut Alexander greenin had
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 just completed a record-breaking 235 day
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 stay in orbit this Mission marked the
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 longest duration for spacex's reusable
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 crew Dragon spacecraft to date the
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 splash down took place at 32 29 a.m.
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 eastern time on Friday with the crew
00:01:33 --> 00:01:34 safely touching down in the Gulf of
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 Mexico however shortly after their
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 return one of the NASA astronauts whose
00:01:39 --> 00:01:40 identity has not been disclosed for
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 privacy reasons required medical
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 attention NASA initially reported that
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 the entire crew was transported to a
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 medical center for evaluation as a
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 precautionary measure later it was
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 clarified that only one astronaut was
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 experiencing issues and had been flown
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 to Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 hospital near the Splashdown site the
00:02:00 --> 00:02:01 space agency has stated that the
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 astronaut in question is in stable
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 condition and under observation the
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 nature of the medical issue has not been
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 revealed and NASA has emphasized that it
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 will not share further details about the
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 astronaut's condition interestingly the
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 Russian space agency Russ Cosmos posted
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 a photo of Cosmonaut Alexander greenin
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 standing upright and smiling with a
00:02:21 --> 00:02:22 caption indicating that he was feeling
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 great after the mission and splash down
00:02:25 --> 00:02:26 it's worth noting that the crew's return
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 had been delayed for several weeks due
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 to two hurricanes that swept through the
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 US Southeast affecting the expected
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 splash down zones for the crew Dragon
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 capsule this Mission not only set a new
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 record for SpaceX but also highlighted
00:02:39 --> 00:02:40 the company's growing role in NASA's
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 space operations SpaceX has now
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 completed 44 flights to the ISS and
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 Remains the sole us option for NASA
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 astronaut transportation to and from the
00:02:49 --> 00:02:50 orbiting
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 laboratory next up today in a surprising
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 turn of events Aerospace giant Boeing is
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 reportedly considering selling off parts
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 of its space business this potential
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 move includes the troubled Starliner
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 spacecraft program which has faced
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 numerous setbacks and delays over the
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 years according to sources familiar with
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 the matter Boeing is exploring options
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 for its nasar related operations
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 including the Starliner and support for
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 the International Space Station however
00:03:17 --> 00:03:18 it's worth noting that the company's
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 work on NASA's space launch system
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 rocket is not part of the potential sale
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 this news comes as Boeing grapples with
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 ongoing challenges and significant cost
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 overruns in its space division the
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 carliner program alone has experienced
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 more than $1.8 billion in private cost
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 overruns largely due to development
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 delays and Technical problems the
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 Aerospace industry has been watching
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 Boeing space Endeavors closely
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 particularly as rival Space X has made
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 significant strides in both crude and
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 uncrewed space flight with two NASA
00:03:50 --> 00:03:51 astronauts still aboard the
00:03:51 --> 00:03:52 International Space Station awaiting
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 their return via a space xcraft the
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 contrast between the two companies
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 progress is Stark Boeing Potential
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 divestment from parts of its space
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 business signals a shift in strategy for
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 the company which has been a key player
00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 in space exploration for decades as the
00:04:10 --> 00:04:11 commercial space industry continues to
00:04:11 --> 00:04:14 evolve rapidly it seems Boeing may be
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 reassessing its role and focus in this
00:04:16 --> 00:04:17 competitive
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 landscape moving
00:04:19 --> 00:04:23 on in a surprising Revelation it turns
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 out spacex's super heavy booster came
00:04:25 --> 00:04:26 dangerously close to aborting its
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 groundbreaking catch Landing during the
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 recent Starship test flight this near
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 Miss highlights the razor thin margins
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 and intense pressure under which SpaceX
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 operates as it pushes the boundaries of
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 space technology according to audio
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 accidentally leaked by Elon Musk himself
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 the booster was just 1 second away from
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 triggering an abort sequence this would
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 have resulted in the rocket attempting
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 to crash land next to the launch Tower
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 instead of executing its planned catch
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 maneuver the issue stemmed from a
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 misconfigured parameter related to the
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 Raptor engine's spin pressure this
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 glitch almost tripped in abort Criterion
00:05:01 --> 00:05:02 which would have erroneously told an
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 otherwise healthy rocket to abandon its
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 Landing attempt what's particularly
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 concerning is that SpaceX had
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 implemented numerous new abort and
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 commit criteria for this flight while
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 the team had tried to double check these
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 thoroughly it seems their concerns were
00:05:16 --> 00:05:17 well founded as one of these new
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 parameters nearly caused a major problem
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 the incident underscores the immense
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 complexity involved in developing and
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 testing new space Technologies each
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 flight brings with it a multitude of
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 variables and potential failure points
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 that must be meticulously managed and
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 monitored it's a stark reminder of the
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 risks inherent in pushing the envelope
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 of what's possible in space exploration
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 SpaceX is aggressive development Pace
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 while impressive also means they're
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 often working on the knife's edge of
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 success and failure as SpaceX prepares
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 for its next Starship test flight
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 they're focusing on reducing risks
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 associated with the booster while still
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 maintaining a rapid development schedule
00:05:56 --> 00:05:57 it's a delicate Balancing Act between
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 speed and safety one that will continue
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 to define the company's approach to
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 innovation in the space industry by the
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 way we've posted a new look at the catch
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 on our Tik Tok page today this one
00:06:07 --> 00:06:08 showing the catch from the tower
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 perspective just search for Astro daily
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 pod to see it in an exciting development
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 for space-based communication as space
00:06:16 --> 00:06:17 mobile has reached a significant
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20 Milestone the company recently announced
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 the successful unfolding of its first
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 five production satellites a crucial
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 step in building their direct to
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 smartphone Broadband constellation these
00:06:29 --> 00:06:30 block one Bluebird satellites are
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 impressive in size each spanning about
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 64 sare M when fully deployed to put
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 that into perspective they boast the
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 largest solar array commercially
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 deployed in low earth orbit matching the
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 size of as space Mobile's earlier blue
00:06:44 --> 00:06:47 Walker 3 prototype the company is now
00:06:47 --> 00:06:48 conducting thorough inorbit health
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 checks to ensure the satellites are
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 ready for operations however before they
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 can begin service in the United States
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 as spacemobile needs to clear some
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 regulatory hurdles they're currently
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 awaiting approved to test services using
00:07:01 --> 00:07:02 Wireless frequencies from their Telco
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 Partners AT&T and
00:07:05 --> 00:07:08 Verizon it's worth noting that as space
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 Mobile isn't alone in this race to
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 provide direct to smartphone services
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 from space competitors like SpaceX and
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 Link Global are also vying for a piece
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 of this Emerging Market all these
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 companies are awaiting the green light
00:07:19 --> 00:07:20 from the Federal Communications
00:07:20 --> 00:07:23 Commission to offer Commercial Services
00:07:23 --> 00:07:26 in the US looking ahead as space mobile
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 has ambitious plans while these five
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 satellites can provide intermittent
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 connectivity in the US the company aims
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 to deploy between 45 to 60 satellites
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 for continuous text voice and data
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 services they're also working on more
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 advanced block 2 bluebirds set to launch
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 next year which will offer 10 times the
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 capacity of the current models this
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 development marks a significant step
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 forward in Bridging the global digital
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 divide potentially bringing reliable
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 communication to areas previously Out Of
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 Reach of traditional cellular
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 networks now let let's turn our
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 attention to a piece of space history
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 that's making waves in the auction World
00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 a Rolex GMT Master chronometer worn by
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 during the historic 1971 moon mission
00:08:11 --> 00:08:14 has just sold for an astronomical $2.2
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 million at auction this sale has set a
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 new record making it the most expensive
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 astronaut time piece ever sold the watch
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 which accompanied Mitchell on his
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 journey to the Moon attracted intense
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 interest from both space memorabilia
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 collectors and watch enthusiasts alike
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 it's not just a Time piece it's a
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 tangible connection to one of Humanity's
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 greatest achievements what makes this
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 Rolex so special well it's one of only
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 two known Moon flown Rolexes to have
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 been sold publicly the watch Bears the
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 marks of its extraordinary Journey with
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 light scratches and wear that tell the
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 story of its time and space
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51 interestingly NASA officially issued
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53 Omega Speedmaster watches to Apollo
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 Astronauts but some like Mitchell chose
00:08:55 --> 00:08:58 to bring personal time pieces as well
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 this Rolex was Mitchell's person Choice
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 a testament to the trust he placed in
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 its reliability for such a crucial
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 Mission the watch's caseback is engraved
00:09:06 --> 00:09:07 with a touching personal message from
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 Mitchell to his daughter adding a human
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 element to this piece of space
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 exploration history this record-breaking
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 sale underscores the enduring
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 fascination with space exploration and
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 the value placed on items that have made
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 the journey beyond our planet it's a
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 reminder of the risks taken and the
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 technological Marvels that made the
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 Apollo missions
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 possible and that brings us to the end
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 of today's episode of astronomy daily
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 I'm your host Anna and I hope you've
00:09:35 --> 00:09:36 enjoyed this Cosmic Journey Through the
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 latest space and astronomy news if
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 you're hungry for more Stellar content
00:09:41 --> 00:09:44 I've got great news for you head over to
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 our website at astronomy
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 daily. where you can dive deeper into
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