## Today's Headlines:
🛰️ **NOAA Solar Observatory Reaches L1**
NOAA's Space Weather Follow-On satellite successfully arrived at Lagrange point 1 on January 21st, establishing the first component of a future constellation designed to provide early warning of solar storms and coronal mass ejections. The satellite offers 15-60 minutes advance notice of space weather events that could impact Earth's infrastructure.
🚀 **Challenger Disaster: 40 Years Later**
Marking four decades since the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy, we examine how unseasonably cold weather and O-ring failures led to the loss of seven crew members. The disaster fundamentally changed NASA's safety culture and decision-making processes, lessons that continue to influence spaceflight today.
🤖 **AI Uncovers Cosmic Treasures in Hubble Archive**
Advanced artificial intelligence algorithms have identified hundreds of previously undetected gravitational lenses in Hubble Space Telescope data. These discoveries include rare Einstein rings and exotic lensing configurations that provide windows into the early universe and dark matter distribution.
☄️ **Venus's Potential Meteor Shower**
Astronomers predict Venus may experience a significant meteor shower in July 2026 from debris of asteroid 2002 VT37. The event offers a rare opportunity to study how meteor showers interact with Venus's dense carbon dioxide atmosphere.
🌌 **Stellar Fireworks at the Galactic Center**
New observations reveal intense stellar activity near Sagittarius A*, our galaxy's supermassive black hole, including star formation, supernovae, and tidal disruption events in one of the most extreme environments in the Milky Way.
📡 **Watch Artemis 2 Rocket Live**
NASA has launched a 24-hour livestream of the Artemis 2 Space Launch System rocket on Launch Pad 39B as crews prepare for the first crewed lunar mission since 1972, currently targeting April 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrVnsO_rdew (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrVnsO_rdew)
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This episode includes AI-generated content.
Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/31367939?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 for the latest space and astronomy news.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:06 I'm Anna.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 >> And I'm Avery. Today is Wednesday,
00:00:09 --> 00:00:12 January 28th, 2026, and we've got a
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 fantastic lineup of stories for you.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 >> We certainly do. We'll be covering
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 Noah's new solar observatory reaching
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 its destination, looking back at how
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 weather played a tragic role in the
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 Challenger disaster 40 years ago, and
00:00:26 --> 00:00:29 discovering how AI is uncovering hidden
00:00:29 --> 00:00:32 cosmic treasures in Hubble's archives.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:33 Plus, Venus might be in for a
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 spectacular meteor shower this July.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 We'll explore stellar fireworks in the
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 heart of our galaxy, and NASA is giving
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 us a live view of the Aremis 2 moon
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 rocket on the launchpad. Let's dive
00:00:44 --> 00:00:45 right in.
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 >> Our top story today takes us about a
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 million miles from Earth where Noah's
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 space weather followon lrangee 1
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 observatory has just arrived at its
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 permanent home. Anna, this is a pretty
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 significant milestone for space weather
00:00:58 --> 00:00:59 monitoring, isn't it?
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 >> Absolutely, Avery. This observatory
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 reached Lraange.1
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 or L1 on January 21st after launching
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 back in June 2024. Now, for our
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 listeners who might not be familiar, L1
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 is the special gravitational sweet spot
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 between Earth and the Sun about 1.5
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 million km from our planet.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 >> And what makes this location so ideal
00:01:24 --> 00:01:25 for watching the sun?
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 >> Well, at L1, the observatory maintains a
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 constant view of the sun while orbiting
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 in sync with Earth. It's like having a
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 cosmic early warning system. The
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 satellite can detect solar storms and
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 coronal mass ejections headed our way,
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 giving us that crucial advanced notice,
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 typically about 15 to 60 minutes before
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 these events impact Earth.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 >> That advanced warning time is critical,
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 isn't it? I mean, we're talking about
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 protecting everything from power grids
00:01:54 --> 00:01:55 to satellites.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 >> Exactly right. And here's what's really
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 exciting. It's not just one observatory.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 It's a constellation. Noah is planning
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 four more satellites for L1, plus
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 additional ones at Lraange Point 5.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 Together, they'll create this
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 comprehensive solar monitoring network.
00:02:13 --> 00:02:14 The second satellite is already
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 scheduled to launch in 2027.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 >> So, we're looking at a much more robust
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 space weather forecasting capability in
00:02:21 --> 00:02:22 the near future.
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 >> Precisely. And given how dependent our
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 modern infrastructure is on satellites
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 and power grids, this kind of monitoring
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 becomes more important every year, the
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 observatory is now beginning what Noah
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 calls an extended checkout period before
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 it becomes fully operational.
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 >> Moving to a more somber note, January
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 28th marks 40 years since the space
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 shuttle Challenger disaster. Anna,
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 there's been renewed focus on how
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 weather and engineering decisions played
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 into that tragedy. Yes, and it's a
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 powerful reminder of how critical
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 environmental factors are in space
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 flight. You know, Avery, the night
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 before that launch, temperatures at
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 Kennedy Space Center dropped to just 28°
00:03:04 --> 00:03:08 F. That's -2 C. For Florida, that was
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 exceptionally cold.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 >> And those cold temperatures were at the
00:03:12 --> 00:03:13 heart of the problem, weren't they?
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 >> They were. Engineers from Morton Thycol,
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 the company that built the solid rocket
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 boosters, were deeply concerned about
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 the O-rings, these critical rubber seals
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 in the booster joints. They'd never been
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 tested below 53° F. And the engineers
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 warned that the cold could make them too
00:03:31 --> 00:03:32 stiff to seal properly.
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 >> But the launch went ahead anyway.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 >> It did. Despite the engineering
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 concerns, there was enormous pressure to
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 maintain the launch schedule. NASA had
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 already postponed the mission several
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 times, and there was this institutional
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 momentum to proceed. 73 seconds after
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 liftoff, hot gases escaped through a
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 failed O-ring seal, leading to the
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 catastrophic breakup of Challenger.
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 >> It's heartbreaking. Seven crew members
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 lost, including Christa Malliff, who
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 would have been the first teacher in
00:04:03 --> 00:04:03 space.
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 >> The tragedy fundamentally changed how
00:04:06 --> 00:04:09 NASA approached decision-making. The
00:04:09 --> 00:04:10 Rogers Commission investigation that
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 followed was incredibly thorough and it
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 led to major reforms in safety culture
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 and communication. One of the key
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 findings was that engineering concerns
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 need to override schedule pressures
00:04:23 --> 00:04:24 always.
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 >> And those lessons still resonate today,
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 don't they? I mean, we see NASA taking
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 extra time with Aremis missions, being
00:04:31 --> 00:04:32 very methodical.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 >> Absolutely. The Challenger disaster
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 taught us that in space flight, there's
00:04:37 --> 00:04:41 no such thing as a routine launch. Every
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 mission requires the same level of
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 scrutiny and respect for engineering
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 limits. It's a lesson paid for with
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 Seven Lives and one we must never
00:04:50 --> 00:04:51 forget.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 >> On a brighter note, let's talk about
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 some exciting discoveries from the
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 Hubble Space Telescope. Anna, artificial
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 intelligence has just helped astronomers
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 uncover hundreds of previously
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 undetected cosmic objects in Hubble's
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 vast archives.
00:05:08 --> 00:05:11 >> This is fascinating stuff, Avery. So,
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 researchers have developed this AI
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 algorithm that can sift through decades
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 of Hubble observations, and it's finding
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 things that human astronomers missed.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 >> Exactly. The algorithm focuses on
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 something called gravitational lensing.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 when a massive object like a galaxy
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 cluster bends light from more distant
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 objects behind it. Einstein predicted
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 this effect and it's like having a
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 natural cosmic magnifier.
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 >> And these lensed objects can tell us a
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 lot about the early universe. Right.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:44 >> They can. The AI has identified hundreds
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 of gravitational lens candidates
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 including some exceptionally distant
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 galaxies from when the universe was very
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 young. What's really clever about this
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 approach is that the algorithm was
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 trained on existing verified
00:05:56 --> 00:05:59 gravitational lenses. So, it knows what
00:05:59 --> 00:06:00 to look for.
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 >> So, it's not just finding more of the
00:06:02 --> 00:06:05 same. It's finding rare and unusual
00:06:05 --> 00:06:06 examples, too.
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 >> That's what makes this so exciting. The
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 AI is uncovering exotic lensing
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 configurations that would be extremely
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 timeconuming for humans to find
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 manually. We're talking about complex
00:06:17 --> 00:06:21 multi-image systems, arclike structures,
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 even Einstein rings where the background
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 object is perfectly aligned.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 >> And Hubble has been collecting data for
00:06:27 --> 00:06:30 over 30 years now. So there's this
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 enormous archive to mine,
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 >> right? It's like having a treasure trove
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 that we're only now learning how to
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 properly search. These discoveries will
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 help us understand dark matter
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 distribution in galaxy clusters, study
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 extremely distant galaxies that would
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 otherwise be too faint to detect, and
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 refine our models of cosmic evolution.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 It really shows how AI and human
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 astronomers can work together. The AI
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 does the heavy lifting of searching
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 through millions of images and then
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 human experts verify and study the most
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 interesting candidates.
00:07:03 --> 00:07:06 >> Exactly. It's not replacing astronomers.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 It's amplifying what they can achieve.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 And as these AI tools get more
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 sophisticated, who knows what other
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 cosmic secrets might be hiding in plain
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 sight in our archives.
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 >> Now, for something you don't hear every
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 day. Venus might be getting a meteor
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 shower. Avery, tell us about this cosmic
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 event coming this July.
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 >> This is a really cool story, Anna.
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 Astronomers have determined that Venus
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 could experience a significant meteor
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 shower in July 2026. And it all traces
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 back to an asteroid breakup that
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 happened long ago. We're talking about
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 debris from asteroid 20002
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 VT37.
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 >> Though an asteroid broke apart and now
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 its debris is going to hit Venus.
00:07:51 --> 00:07:54 >> Essentially, yes. When asteroids collide
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 or break apart, they create streams of
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 debris that continue orbiting the sun.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 Earth regularly passes through these
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 debris streams. That's what causes our
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 meteor showers like the Perciads or the
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 Geminites.
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 >> But we don't usually think about other
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 planets having meteor showers.
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 >> We don't. And that's partly because we
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 can't observe them as easily. But
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 mathematical modeling shows that Venus's
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 orbit will take it through this
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 particular debris stream in July. The
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 timing and geometry appear to line up
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 for a genuine meteor shower event.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 >> What would that look like? I mean, Venus
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 has that incredibly thick atmosphere,
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 right?
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 >> It does. Venus's atmosphere is about 90
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 times denser than Earth's and is mostly
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 carbon dioxide. Any meteors entering
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 that atmosphere would experience
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 tremendous heating and friction. They'd
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 likely burn up at much higher altitudes
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 than meteors do on Earth, creating
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 bright streaks across the Venian sky.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54 >> Though, I suppose nobody's going to be
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 on the surface watching this light show.
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 Now, surface conditions on Venus are
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 pretty inhospitable. We're talking
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 temperatures hot enough to melt lead and
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 crushing atmospheric pressure, but
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 spacecraft in orbit around Venus or even
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 Earthbased observations with certain
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 wavelength might be able to detect
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 evidence of the meteor shower.
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 >> Could this tell us anything
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 scientifically valuable?
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21 >> Absolutely. Studying how meteor showers
00:09:21 --> 00:09:24 interact with Venus's unique atmosphere
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 could give us insights into atmosphere
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 chemistry and dynamics. Plus, it helps
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 us understand the distribution of debris
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 throughout the inner solar system. And
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 it's just a reminder that these dramatic
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 cosmic events aren't exclusive to Earth.
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 >> Speaking of dramatic cosmic events,
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 let's head to the center of our own
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 galaxy. Avery, astronomers have been
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 observing what they're calling stellar
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 fireworks at the heart of the Milky Way.
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 >> The galactic center is such a wild
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 place, isn't it? I mean, we've got that
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 super massive black hole, Sagittarius
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 Aar, and all sorts of extreme physics
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 going on there.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 >> It really is cosmic chaos in the best
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 way possible. The region around
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07 Sagittarius Aar is incredibly dense with
00:10:07 --> 00:10:10 stars, gas, and dust. And what
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 astronomers are seeing is a spectacular
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 display of stellar activity. Massive
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 stars being born, living out their brief
00:10:17 --> 00:10:20 but brilliant lives, and dying in
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 supernova explosions.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 >> And all of this is happening in a
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 relatively small region of space. Right.
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 >> Exactly. The galactic center is an
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 incredibly compact environment. You've
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 got stellar densities that are millions
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 of times higher than what we see in our
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 solar neighborhood. Stars are packed so
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 tightly that gravitational interactions
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 are common and the radiation environment
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 is intense.
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 >> What kind of observations are revealing
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 these fireworks?
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 >> Astronomers are using multiple
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 wavelengths, infrared, x-ray, and radio
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 observations to peer through the thick
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 dust that obscures the galactic center
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 in visible light. What they're seeing
00:10:56 --> 00:10:59 are energetic outbursts, shock waves
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 from supernova remnants, and evidence of
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 stars being torn apart by intense tidal
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 forces near the black hole.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:09 >> That sounds pretty dramatic. Stars being
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 torn apart.
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 >> Yes, there's this phenomenon called
00:11:12 --> 00:11:15 tidal disruption where a star that
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 ventures too close to Sagittarius a star
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 gets stretched by gravitational forces.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 Sort of like cosmic spaghettification.
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 The star literally gets pulled apart and
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 some of that material falls into the
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 black hole while the rest is ejected at
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 tremendous speeds.
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 >> And we're also seeing new stars forming
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 in this extreme environment.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 >> We are. Despite the harsh conditions, or
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 perhaps because of them, there are
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 regions of intense star formation. The
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 gravitational compression from all that
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 mass can trigger the collapse of gas
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 clouds leading to new stellar births.
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 These tend to be very massive, hot stars
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 that burn bright and die young.
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 >> It's almost like the galactic center is
00:11:56 --> 00:11:59 this constant cycle of creation and
00:11:59 --> 00:11:59 destruction.
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 >> That's a perfect way to describe it. And
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 studying this region helps us understand
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 how galaxies evolve, how super massive
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 black holes influence their
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 surroundings, and what conditions were
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 like in the early universe when star
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 formation was much more vigorous
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 everywhere.
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 >> For our final story, let's come back
00:12:16 --> 00:12:19 closer to home. NASA has launched a
00:12:19 --> 00:12:22 24-hour live stream showing the Aremis 2
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 moon rocket on the launchpad at Kennedy
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 Space Center.
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 >> This is pretty exciting for space
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 enthusiasts. A savory. The space launch
00:12:29 --> 00:12:32 system rocket with the Orion spacecraft
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34 is now stacked and standing on launchpad
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 39B and anyone can watch it live
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 whenever they want.
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 >> This is the mission that will send
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 astronauts around the moon. Right. The
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 first crude lunar mission since Apollo
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 17.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:48 >> That's right. Artemis 2 will carry four
00:12:48 --> 00:12:51 astronauts, NASA astronauts Reed Wisman,
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 Victor Glover, Christina and CSA
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a journey
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 around the moon. They won't land, but
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 they'll perform a lunar flyby before
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 returning to Earth.
00:13:02 --> 00:13:05 >> And having the rocket on the pad now,
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 that means we're getting close to
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 launch.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 >> Well, the current target is no earlier
00:13:09 --> 00:13:12 than April 2026, though space missions
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 often face schedule adjustments. Right
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 now, the rocket is on the pad for
00:13:16 --> 00:13:19 integrated testing, making sure all the
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 systems work together properly before
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 committing to a launch attempt.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 >> What kind of testing are they doing?
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 >> They're running through what's called a
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 wet dress rehearsal, which involves
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 loading the rocket with propellants and
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 going through the countdown sequence,
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 stopping just short of ignition. It's
00:13:35 --> 00:13:38 essentially a full launch simulation to
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 verify that all systems, ground
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 equipment, and procedures work as
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44 planned. And the live stream lets us
00:13:44 --> 00:13:47 watch all this happening in real time.
00:13:47 --> 00:13:50 >> Exactly. It's a continuous feed, so you
00:13:50 --> 00:13:53 can check in at any time, day or night,
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 and see the rocket standing there on the
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 pad. Sometimes you'll catch technicians
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 working. Other times, you might see
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 weather rolling through. It's a unique
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 behindthescenes look at the preparation
00:14:03 --> 00:14:07 for this historic mission. I have to say
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 there's something all inspiring about
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 seeing that massive rocket just standing
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 there ready to take humans beyond Earth
00:14:13 --> 00:14:16 orbit for the first time in over 50
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 years.
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 >> There really is. And it represents years
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 of work by thousands of people. After
00:14:22 --> 00:14:25 Artemis 2's lunar flyby, Artemis 3 will
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 attempt the first crude lunar landing
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 since 1972,
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 including landing the first woman and
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 first person of color on the moon. It's
00:14:34 --> 00:14:36 a new chapter in lunar exploration and
00:14:36 --> 00:14:39 we're watching it unfold in real time,
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 literally. We'll put a link in the show
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 notes if you'd like to check it out. And
00:14:43 --> 00:14:45 that wraps up today's episode of
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 Astronomy Daily. From solar
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 observatories reaching their cosmic
00:14:49 --> 00:14:51 outposts to remembering hard-learned
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 lessons from AI discoveries and
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 telescope archives to potential meteor
00:14:56 --> 00:14:58 showers on Venus, stellar fireworks at
00:14:58 --> 00:15:01 our galactic center and moon rockets on
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 the launchpad. It's been quite a journey
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 through the cosmos today. It certainly
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 has. If you want to stay uptodate with
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 all the latest space and astronomy news,
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 make sure you're subscribed to Astronomy
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 Daily. You can find us on your favorite
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 podcast platform
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 >> and don't forget to visit our website at
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 astronomyaily.io
00:15:19 --> 00:15:22 for additional content, show notes, and
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 links to all the stories we covered
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 today.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 >> You can also connect with us on social
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 media at Astro Daily Pod across all
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 major platforms.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 >> Until next time, keep looking up.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:38 >> Clear skies everyone.
00:15:38 --> 00:15:45 Oh,
00:15:45 --> 00:15:48 stories told.