Welcome to Astronomy Daily! Join hosts Anna and Avery for today's cosmic journey through space news, featuring SpaceX's audacious plan for one million solar-powered satellites, an ancient star catalog recovered from layers of medieval text, and China's groundbreaking solar mission to the L5 point.
**Episode Highlights:**
🛰️ **SpaceX's Million-Satellite Vision** - SpaceX files with the FCC to launch up to one million solar-powered satellite data centers for AI, framing it as a step toward becoming a Kardashev Type II civilization
⭐ **Ancient Star Map Revealed** - Scientists use X-ray technology to uncover Hipparchus's 2,000-year-old star catalog hidden under six layers of ink in a medieval manuscript
☀️ **China's Solar Observatory** - The Xihe-2 probe will become the first mission to monitor solar activity from the Sun-Earth L5 point, offering five-day advance warnings of space weather events
🔭 **Stellar Detective Story** - Astronomers discover WOH G64 isn't dying after all—a hidden companion star was fooling scientists about the red supergiant's fate
🚀 **Time Honors Artemis 2** - Time magazine releases special commemorative cover celebrating the Artemis 2 crew ahead of humanity's return to lunar orbit
🌍 **Remembering Gladys West** - Honoring the GPS pioneer and "Hidden Figure" whose mathematical work shaped navigation technology used by billions worldwide
**Episode Length:** 18-20 minutes
**Hosts:** Anna & Avery
**Production:** Astronomy Daily Podcast, Season 5
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## Story Sources
- TechCrunch
- Daily Galaxy
- Space.com
- Journal for the History of Astronomy
- CGTN News
- Keele University
- U.S. Department of Defense
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Welcome [music] to Astronomy Daily, your
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 source for the latest space and
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 astronomy news. I'm Anna.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 >> And I'm Avery. It's Monday, February
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 [music] 2nd, 2026, and we've got a
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 fantastic lineup of stories today,
00:00:13 --> 00:00:14 exploring [music] everything from
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 SpaceX's audacious satellite plans to
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 ancient star maps hidden for centuries.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 That's right, Avery. Today, we're diving
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 into SpaceX's jaw-dropping proposal to
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 launch up to 1 million solar [music]
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 powered satellites. A remarkable
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 archaeological discovery revealing
00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 Hipparcus' lost [music] star catalog and
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 China's ambitious solar monitoring
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 mission heading to a unique point in
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 space. We'll also be discussing the
00:00:41 --> 00:00:42 [music] giant star that fooled
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 astronomers worldwide, Time magazine
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 special tribute to the Aremis 2 crew,
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 and remembering Glattis West, a hidden
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 figure who helps shape GPS [music]
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 technology. It's going to be an
00:00:53 --> 00:00:54 incredible journey through space
00:00:54 --> 00:00:58 history, present, and future. So settle
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 in and let's explore the cosmos
00:01:00 --> 00:01:01 together.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:02 >> We're starting with what might be the
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 most ambitious satellite constellation
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 proposal ever conceived. SpaceX has
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 filed with the Federal Communications
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 Commission seeking approval to launch up
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 to 1 million solar powered satellites
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 that would function as data centers for
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 artificial intelligence.
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 >> 1 million satellites, Avery. That's
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 absolutely staggering. To put that in
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 perspective, there are currently around
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 15 man-made satellites orbiting
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 Earth, according to the European Space
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 Agency. SpaceX is essentially proposing
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 to increase that number by several
00:01:35 --> 00:01:36 orders of magnitude.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 >> The scale is mind-boggling, Anna, and
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 SpaceX isn't just framing this as a
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 commercial venture. Their filing
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 describes these satellites as the most
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 efficient way to meet accelerating
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 demand for AI computing power, but they
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 go even further. They're calling it a
00:01:50 --> 00:01:51 first step towards becoming a
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 Cardartesev type 2 civilization. One
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 that can harness the sun's full power.
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 >> That's quite the vision. For our
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 listeners who might not be familiar, the
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 Cardev scale is a method of measuring a
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 civilization's technological advancement
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 based on energy consumption. A type 2
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 civilization would be able to harness
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 all the energy output of its star. But
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 let's talk practicalities here. The
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 Verge has pointed out that the 1 million
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 satellite number is unlikely to be
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 approved outright and is probably a
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 starting point for negotiation.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 >> Exactly. The FCC recently gave SpaceX
00:02:27 --> 00:02:31 permission to launch an additional 7
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 Starlink satellites, but deferred
00:02:33 --> 00:02:37 authorization on the remaining 14
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 satellites proposed. So there's clearly
00:02:40 --> 00:02:41 regulatory caution about satellite
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 proliferation and there are very real
00:02:44 --> 00:02:45 concerns about space debris and light
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 pollution that come with such massive
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50 constellations. The timing is also
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 interesting. This filing comes as Amazon
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 is seeking an FCC extension on a
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 deadline to have more than 1
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 satellites in orbit citing a lack of
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 available rockets. Meanwhile, SpaceX is
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 reportedly considering a merger with two
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 of Elon Musk's other companies, Tesla
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 and XAI, ahead of going public.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 >> It really shows how the commercial space
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 sector is evolving. Anna, what was once
00:03:14 --> 00:03:15 the domain of governments is
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 increasingly being driven by private
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 companies with enormous ambitions.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 Whether SpaceX gets approval for
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 anything close to a million satellites
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 remains to be seen, but it certainly
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 signals where they think the future is
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 headed. It's fascinating to think about,
00:03:30 --> 00:03:31 but we'll have to see how regulators
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 balance innovation with the very real
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 concerns about our orbital environment.
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 Now, let's move from the future to the
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 distant past. From cuttingedge satellite
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 technology, we're traveling back more
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 than 2 years to rediscover one of
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 astronomy's greatest lost treasures.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 Scientists have successfully recovered
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 fragments of the world's earliest star
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 catalog created by the ancient Greek
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 astronomer Hipparus from a 1500year-old
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 manuscript. This is absolutely
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 remarkable. Avery Hipparus is widely
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 considered the father of astronomy. He
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 figured out how equinoxes shift, created
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 a magnitude scale to rank star
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 brightness, and tracked planetary motion
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 all more than 2 years ago without
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 any telescopes. But his actual star
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 catalog had vanished from history until
00:04:20 --> 00:04:21 now.
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 >> The manuscript is what's called a
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 palumst, which means it's parchment that
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 was wiped clean and reused. In this
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 case, Hipparkus' original Greek text was
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 erased and overwritten with Syriak
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 religious writings of St. John Clamicus.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 The original work was literally buried
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 under six layers of ink.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 >> So, how did researchers manage to read
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 text that was intentionally erased
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 centuries ago? They used some pretty
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 sophisticated technology. A team led by
00:04:50 --> 00:04:53 Victor Gizenberg from Sorbon University
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 used X-ray technology at the SALC
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 National Accelerator Laboratory to scan
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 11 pages of the manuscript.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 >> The key was that Hypocus original ink
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 had a different chemical composition
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 than the later religious texts. The
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 ancient ink was rich in calcium which
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 showed up clearly under X-ray scanning.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 They used extremely short X-ray pulses,
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 each just 10 milliseconds long, focused
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 on areas no wider than a human air.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 >> And what they found is remarkable. These
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 aren't just historical curiosities. The
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 star positions Hipparus recorded are
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 incredibly accurate for naked eye
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 observations. As Gizenberg said, the
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 coordinates they're finding are
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 incredibly accurate for something done
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 with the naked eye. This gives us a
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 window into how ancient people
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 understood and mapped the night sky.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 >> It's also a testament to early
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 scientific thinking. Hipparcus was
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 working without any optical instruments.
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 Yet, he was able to create precise
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 astronomical measurements that laid the
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 foundation for future astronomers. This
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 discovery published in the journal for
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 the history of astronomy helps us answer
00:06:00 --> 00:06:01 fundamental questions about the birth of
00:06:02 --> 00:06:05 science itself. And the manuscript now
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 held at the Museum of the Bible in
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 Washington DC is so delicate it had to
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 be handcarried in climate controlled
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 boxes to the laboratory. It's wonderful
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 that modern technology can help us
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 recover these ancient insights. Speaking
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 of technology and new vantage points,
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 let's turn to China's upcoming solar
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 mission. China is making major strides
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 in solar exploration with plans to
00:06:28 --> 00:06:31 launch its first ever solar probe to the
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 Sun Earth L5 point. The satellite called
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 Shihi 2 is scheduled to launch between
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 2028 and 2029 and it will provide a
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 unique perspective on solar activity
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 that we've never had before. For our
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 listeners who might not be familiar, the
00:06:47 --> 00:06:51 L5 point or Lrangee.5 is one of five
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 special locations in space where the
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 gravitational forces of the Earth and
00:06:55 --> 00:06:59 Sun balance out. It's about 150 million
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 km from Earth and spacecraft positioned
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 there require minimal fuel to maintain
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 their orbit because they're in a stable
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 gravitational equilibrium.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 >> Exactly, Anna. and L5 provides a direct
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 unobstructed view of the sun without
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 Earth's atmosphere getting in the way.
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 This makes it ideal for capturing
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 detailed data on solar magnetic fields,
00:07:20 --> 00:07:23 flares, and eruptions. GI2 will be the
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 first artificial probe ever stationed at
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 this location. The mission has some
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 impressive capabilities. GI2 is equipped
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 with cuttingedge technology designed for
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 high precision magnetic field detection.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 This will help reveal the intricate
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 dynamics of solar eruptions. But here's
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 what's really exciting. The mission aims
00:07:43 --> 00:07:46 to predict solar activity up to 5 days
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 in advance. That's a gamecher for space
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 weather forecasting. Solar flares and
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 coronal mass ejections can have profound
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 effects on Earth's magnetic field and
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 satellite systems. We've seen how
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 geomagnetic storms can disrupt
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 communication networks, GPS systems, and
00:08:02 --> 00:08:05 even power grids. Having 5 days advanced
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 warning could help protect critical
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 infrastructure.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 >> It's worth noting this builds on China's
00:08:11 --> 00:08:14 previous solar mission. In 2021, China
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 launched Shihei, their first solar
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 exploration satellite, which captured
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 solar Halpha spectral imaging from low
00:08:21 --> 00:08:25 Earth orbit. Shihi 2 represents a much
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 more ambitious leap heading to a distant
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 and challenging location. The mission is
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 a collaborative effort between Nanjing
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 University, the China Meteorological
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 Administration, and the Shanghai Academy
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 of Space Flight Technology. It really
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 demonstrates China's growing leadership
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 in space exploration and their
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 commitment to understanding space
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 weather. And as we become increasingly
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 reliant on space-based technologies,
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 understanding and predicting solar
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 activity becomes more crucial than ever.
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 This mission could significantly improve
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 our ability to protect satellites,
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 astronauts, and infrastructure on Earth.
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 Now, let's turn to a mystery that had
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 astronomers scratching their heads.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 >> Here's a stellar detective story for
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 you. Astronomers thought they were
00:09:12 --> 00:09:17 watching a massive star called WG64
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 undergo its death throws, possibly even
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 transforming into a rare yellow hyper
00:09:22 --> 00:09:25 giant before going supernova. Turns out
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 they were completely wrong.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 >> This is such a great example of how
00:09:29 --> 00:09:33 science works. Avery WHG64
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 is located in the large melanic cloud
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 and is one of the most luminous dust and
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 shrouded red super giants in its galaxy.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 In recent years, astronomers observed
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 unusual dimming and changing spectral
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 features that suggested the star was
00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 entering an extremely rare and unstable
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 phase. In 2024, the appearance of a new
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 dust cloud around the star seemed to
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 confirm that something dramatic was
00:09:58 --> 00:10:01 happening. Many researchers thought they
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 were witnessing a massive star in its
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 final moments. But fresh observations
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 from a team led by Dr. Jaco Vanlon at
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 Kil University revealed a completely
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 different story. Between November 2024
00:10:14 --> 00:10:18 and December 2025, the team used the
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 Southern African Large Telescope to
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 collect detailed optical spectra of WO
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 G64.
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 What they found contradicted all the
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 previous assumptions. Instead of the
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 temperature increase you'd expect in a
00:10:33 --> 00:10:36 yellow hyper giant, they found strong
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 absorption bands from titanium oxide
00:10:39 --> 00:10:42 molecules. And here's why that matters.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 Titanium oxide molecules can't survive
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 in the hotter environment of a yellow
00:10:47 --> 00:10:51 hyper giant. That meant wo G64 hadn't
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 undergone the suspected transformation
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 at all. Something else was causing all
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 those puzzling observations.
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 >> The answer turned out to be a companion
00:11:00 --> 00:11:03 star. W64
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 is actually part of a binary system. A
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 smaller, hotter companion star orbits
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 the red super giant and periodically
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 interacts with its extended atmosphere.
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 As Van Lon explained, the atmosphere of
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 the red super giant is being stretched
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 out by the approach of the companion
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 star, but it hasn't been stripped
00:11:21 --> 00:11:24 altogether. So nearly every major
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 indicator that astronomers had
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 interpreted as signs of impending
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 stellar death, the fading light, the
00:11:30 --> 00:11:33 spectral shifts, the dust formation, was
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 actually caused by this companion star.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 Some of the disrupted material even
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 appears to form a disc around the hot
00:11:39 --> 00:11:42 companion, which contributed to those
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 strange spectral emissions.
00:11:43 --> 00:11:46 >> Banoon described it beautifully. We're
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 essentially witnessing a phoenix rising
00:11:49 --> 00:11:53 from the ashes. It's not that WG64
00:11:53 --> 00:11:56 won't eventually go supernova. It will.
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 But that event isn't imminent, despite
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 what all the evidence seemed to suggest.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 This discovery highlights how binary
00:12:03 --> 00:12:06 interactions can perfectly mimic the
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 hallmarks of a dying star. It's a
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 humbling reminder that the universe
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 still has plenty of surprises for us.
00:12:12 --> 00:12:14 Careful follow-up observations with
00:12:14 --> 00:12:17 attention to dust obscuration revealed
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 that earlier spectral signals were
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 misleading. Now, let's shift from
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 stellar mysteries to human achievements.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:26 As Time magazine celebrates an historic
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 moment,
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 >> as NASA's Aremis 2 mission sits poised
00:12:29 --> 00:12:32 on launchpad 39B at Kennedy Space
00:12:32 --> 00:12:35 Center, Time magazine has honored the
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 crew with a special commemorative cover
00:12:37 --> 00:12:40 issue that draws powerful parallels to
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 one of history's most pivotal space
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 missions. The cover features the four
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 Artemis 2 astronauts, Reed Weisman,
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, and
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 Christina Ko, who are scheduled to
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 launch as early as February 8th for a
00:12:54 --> 00:12:57 10-day lunar flyby mission. The article
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 accompanying it was written by Jeffrey
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 Kuger, the best-selling author known for
00:13:02 --> 00:13:05 Apollo 13 and the Apollo murders. What's
00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 particularly poignant is the comparison
00:13:07 --> 00:13:10 Kuger draws to Apollo 8, which orbited
00:13:10 --> 00:13:13 the moon in December 1968.
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 That was a year of tremendous turmoil in
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 the United States and around the world.
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 And Apollo 8's Christmas Eve broadcast
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 from lunar orbit provided a moment of
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 unity and inspiration that transcended
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 borders and politics.
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 >> As Kuger writes in the article, "Not
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 every mission touches the collective
00:13:31 --> 00:13:36 soul, but some do. Apollo 8, Apollo 11,
00:13:36 --> 00:13:39 Apollo 13. These were less American
00:13:39 --> 00:13:42 experiences than global dramas, global
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 triumphs, global joys. And he suggests
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 Artemis 2 could work similar magic
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 today.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 >> The mission itself will push human
00:13:50 --> 00:13:53 spaceflight to new limits. Artemis 2's
00:13:53 --> 00:13:56 trajectory will take the crew 4
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 m beyond the far side of the moon,
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 farther than our species has ever
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 traveled. That will break the old record
00:14:03 --> 00:14:06 of 158 miles past the moon, which was
00:14:06 --> 00:14:09 held by the Apollo 13 astronauts during
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 that dramatic 1970 mission.
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 >> NASA administrator Jared Isikman posted
00:14:14 --> 00:14:17 sidebyside Time magazine covers from
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 1968 and 2026 on social media, noting
00:14:20 --> 00:14:23 that 58 years after Apollo 8's historic
00:14:23 --> 00:14:26 trip, NASA is heading back. He
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 emphasized that through the Aremis
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 campaign, the agency aims to maintain
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 American leadership in space, land
00:14:32 --> 00:14:35 astronauts on the moon, and establish a
00:14:35 --> 00:14:38 lunar base all before the end of 2028.
00:14:38 --> 00:14:41 >> What strikes me about both Apollo 8 and
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 Aremis 2 is their role in opening new
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 chapters. Apollo 8 proved humans could
00:14:46 --> 00:14:49 safely journey to the moon and return,
00:14:49 --> 00:14:52 paving the way for Apollo 11's landing.
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 Artemis 2 is similarly demonstrating the
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 capabilities that will enable Artemis 3
00:14:57 --> 00:15:00 to put humans back on the lunar surface.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 >> And as Kuger points out, the mission
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 represents not just a technological
00:15:04 --> 00:15:07 achievement, but a significant edge in
00:15:07 --> 00:15:09 any space race with China, while also
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 offering the kind of public uplift that
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 spaceflight has uniquely been able to
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 provide since the 1960s. It's a moment
00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 when four people serve as emissaries for
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 the 8.3 billion of us who remain
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 earthbound. With the wet dress rehearsal
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 happening right now and launch
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 potentially just days away, this Time
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 magazine issue captures what could be
00:15:30 --> 00:15:34 one of 2026's most inspiring moments.
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 And speaking of inspiration, we need to
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 remember someone who made a profound but
00:15:38 --> 00:15:41 often overlooked contribution to how we
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 navigate our world. We're closing
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 today's show with a remembrance of Dr.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 Glattis West who passed away Saturday at
00:15:48 --> 00:15:51 the age of 95. West was one of the
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 hidden figures whose work fundamentally
00:15:53 --> 00:15:56 shaped modern GPS technology. Yet her
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 contributions went largely unrecognized
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 until recently.
00:16:00 --> 00:16:02 >> Glattis West's story is one of
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 extraordinary perseverance and
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 achievement in the face of significant
00:16:06 --> 00:16:09 obstacles. She was born on October 27th,
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 1930 in rural Southerntherland,
00:16:11 --> 00:16:14 Virginia, south of Richmond. Her parents
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 had a small farm and most of the
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 region's population were tenant farmers
00:16:18 --> 00:16:21 known as sharecroppers. She initially
00:16:21 --> 00:16:23 expected her future would lead to farm
00:16:23 --> 00:16:25 work or a job at the tobacco processing
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 plant where her mother worked, but she
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 excelled academically, becoming
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 validictorian of her high school
00:16:30 --> 00:16:32 graduating class. She earned a full
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 scholarship to Virginia State College,
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 which was a historically black
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 institution, and went on to earn both
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 her bachelor's and master's degrees in
00:16:40 --> 00:16:43 mathematics. This was during the Jim
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 Crow era of racial segregation. Avery,
00:16:45 --> 00:16:49 after graduating in 1955, the same year
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 President Eisenhower banned racial
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 discrimination in federal hiring, West
00:16:53 --> 00:16:55 began working at what was then called
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 the Naval Proving Ground in Dogrren,
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59 Virginia. She told NPR that there were
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 three other black professionals there
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 and they tried to treat the leaders with
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 respect while hoping for the same
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 treatment in return.
00:17:07 --> 00:17:10 >> West stayed at Dogrren for 42 years and
00:17:10 --> 00:17:13 her contributions were remarkable. In
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 the 1960s, she participated in a study
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 showing that Pluto's motion is regular
00:17:18 --> 00:17:21 compared with Neptune. But her most
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 significant work came in the 1970s and
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 80s when she helped develop the
00:17:25 --> 00:17:29 foundational mathematics for GPS.
00:17:29 --> 00:17:31 >> What's fascinating is the complexity of
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 what she accomplished. West used
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 intricate algorithms to account for
00:17:35 --> 00:17:38 variations in gravitational title and
00:17:38 --> 00:17:40 other forces that distort Earth's shape.
00:17:40 --> 00:17:43 She programmed the IBM 7030 computer,
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 also known as stretch, to deliver
00:17:45 --> 00:17:48 increasingly refined calculations for an
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 extremely accurate model of Earth's
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 shape, specifically optimized for what
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 ultimately became the GPS orbit used by
00:17:54 --> 00:17:56 satellite.
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 >> Her work essentially created the
00:17:58 --> 00:18:00 mathematical framework that allows GPS
00:18:00 --> 00:18:03 to function accurately. Today, there are
00:18:03 --> 00:18:06 about 4 billion GPS users worldwide,
00:18:06 --> 00:18:09 according to Loheed Martin. Yet, when
00:18:09 --> 00:18:12 asked about using GPS herself, West told
00:18:12 --> 00:18:15 an NPR affiliate in 2020 that she used
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 it on a minimal basis. She preferred
00:18:17 --> 00:18:20 maps. West's career wasn't widely
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 recognized until the 2016 publication of
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 Margot Lee Shudderly's book, Hidden
00:18:24 --> 00:18:27 Figures, and the Hollywood film based on
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 it. After that, the accolades came
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 quickly. She was inducted into the Air
00:18:31 --> 00:18:33 Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 Fame in 2018, received the Webbby
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021, and
00:18:38 --> 00:18:40 was honored with the Prince Philip Medal
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 by the UK's Royal Academy of
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 Engineering.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 >> She was predecessed last year by her
00:18:45 --> 00:18:48 husband of 57 years, Ira, whom she met
00:18:48 --> 00:18:51 at the Naval Proving Ground. The couple
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 had three children and seven
00:18:52 --> 00:18:55 grandchildren. Her family announced that
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 she passed peacefully alongside loved
00:18:57 --> 00:19:00 ones. Blattis West's story reminds us
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 that some of the most important
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 scientific contributions come from
00:19:03 --> 00:19:06 unexpected places and from people who
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 had to overcome tremendous barriers.
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 From a childhood in rural Virginia
00:19:10 --> 00:19:13 during segregation to reshaping how the
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 entire world navigates. Her legacy
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 touches billions of lives every single
00:19:18 --> 00:19:21 day. Every time someone uses GPS to find
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 directions, track a delivery, or
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 navigate by sea or air, they're
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 benefiting from the mathematical
00:19:28 --> 00:19:30 foundations Glattis West helped
00:19:30 --> 00:19:32 establish. It's a powerful reminder that
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 science is built by people from all
00:19:34 --> 00:19:36 backgrounds, and that we should
00:19:36 --> 00:19:38 celebrate those contributions while the
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 pioneers are still with us.
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 >> And that wraps up today's episode of
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 Astronomy Daily. We've journeyed from
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47 SpaceX's ambitious satellite plans to
00:19:47 --> 00:19:49 ancient star maps, from solar
00:19:49 --> 00:19:52 observatories at special points in space
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 to stellar mysteries solved. From
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 upcoming lunar missions to the legacy of
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 a GPS pioneer,
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 >> it's been quite a tour through the
00:19:59 --> 00:20:02 cosmos. Anna, as always, we're grateful
00:20:02 --> 00:20:04 you joined us for this exploration of
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 space and astronomy news. If you enjoyed
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 today's episode, please subscribe to
00:20:08 --> 00:20:11 Astronomy Daily on your favorite podcast
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 platform. You can also find us on social
00:20:13 --> 00:20:16 media. We're @ astrodaily pod on
00:20:16 --> 00:20:18 Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok,
00:20:18 --> 00:20:21 YouTube, and Tumblr. Visit our website
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 at astronomyaily.io
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 for more space news and to explore our
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 archive of past episodes.
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 >> I'm Avery.
00:20:28 --> 00:20:30 >> And I'm Anna. Thank you for listening
00:20:30 --> 00:20:32 and we'll see you tomorrow with more
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 news from the final frontier.
00:20:34 --> 00:20:38 >> Clear skies. [music]
00:20:38 --> 00:20:47 The stories we told
00:20:47 --> 00:20:54 stories told [music]
00:20:54 --> 00:20:57 stories