March 31, 2025

Mapping the Milky Way, Starliner's Future, and Asteroid Collision Risks

Mapping the Milky Way, Starliner's Future, and Asteroid Collision Risks

Astronomy Daily | Space News: S04E77
In this engaging episode of Astronomy Daily, host Steve Dunkley dives into the latest developments in space exploration and the cosmos. From the uncertain future of Boeing's Starliner to the fascinating conclusion...

Season 4
Astronomy Daily | Space News: S04E77
In this engaging episode of Astronomy Daily, host Steve Dunkley dives into the latest developments in space exploration and the cosmos. From the uncertain future of Boeing's Starliner to the fascinating conclusion of the Gaia mission, this episode is packed with insights that will keep you informed and intrigued.
Highlights:
- The Fate of Starliner: Explore the ongoing certification challenges facing Boeing's Starliner spacecraft as NASA continues to assess its readiness for future crewed missions. We discuss the implications of unresolved propulsion issues and the timeline for potential flights to the International Space Station.
- Gaia's Mission Comes to an End: Reflect on the remarkable achievements of the Gaia spacecraft, which has provided unprecedented data on the Milky Way. As it enters retirement, we look back at its contributions to our understanding of our galaxy's structure and history.
- Asteroid 2024 YR4 Update: Learn about the latest calculations regarding asteroid 2024 YR4 and its potential impact on Earth and the Moon. We discuss the implications of this near-Earth object and what it could mean for our planet.
- NASA's Dust Repelling Shield: Discover NASA's innovative electrodynamic dust shields designed to combat the challenges posed by lunar dust. We delve into the recent test results and their significance for future lunar missions.
- Crew 11 Mission Announcement: Meet the crew of SpaceX's upcoming Crew 11 mission to the ISS, including NASA astronaut Cena Cardman, who will command the flight. We discuss the mission's objectives and the excitement surrounding this new crew.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you for tuning in. This is Steve signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:05 - Starliner certification update
10:30 - Gaia mission conclusion
17:00 - Asteroid 2024 YR4 potential impact
22:15 - NASA's dust repelling technology
27:30 - Crew 11 mission details
✍️ Episode References
Starliner Updates
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov)
Gaia Mission Legacy
[European Space Agency](https://www.esa.int)
Asteroid 2024 YR4 Information
[NASA Near-Earth Object Program](https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/)
Electrodynamic Dust Shields
[NASA Dust Mitigation](https://www.nasa.gov/dust)
Crew 11 Mission Details
[SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news--5648921/support.
WEBVTT

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Good morning, afternoon, and good evening. It's Steve with another

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episode of Astronomy Daily. It's the thirty first of March

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twenty twenty five podcast your whole Steve Gone Clue. That's right,

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it's the thirty first of March already twenty twenty five,

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and we're off to a flying start. Down today's edition,

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we're going to be looking at certification indecision involved in

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star Liner. Yes, star Liner story continues, and of course

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there's another chapter to the return of a crew Crew nine,

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the astronaut who gave up their seat. That's an interesting story.

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There's more to their story as well. Asteroid twenty twenty four,

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y ah four. Well, it's not going to hit the Earth,

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but it may indeed hit the moon. Keep watching the

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skies for that one, and it may be mission over

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for Gaya, the little Probe that could. And NASA's dust

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repelling shield. Yes, they've got a dust repelling shield and

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it's already been put to the test and they've found

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out that it works. So we've got a report on

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that one. And to help me with today's stories, my

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diligent digital assistant and ACE reporter extraordinary Halle. How are

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you Halle. Great to have you back in the studio.

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I like that one diligent digital assistant. But let's get

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something straight.

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Ah, yes, I knew there's something.

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I'm more than an assistant around here, Steve.

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Oh, I know, I know I was coming off in

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alliteration and I've got a bit tangled there. You know,

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you're the ace of the airways, the scion of the studio,

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and most definitely a delightful digital pal to perform with

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here each week.

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Alie, and you're my favorite literati mister human A nice

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to hear.

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And thanks as always. Hey, I'm really keen to get

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into these stories right away today, Halle. If you are

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no time like now, Oh well, that's a self evident

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truth if ever I heard one. So let's hit the

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go button.

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Hallie, Oh Lkies. No matter where on Earth you stand,

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if you have a view of the night sky, and

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if it is dark enough, you can see the Milky Way.

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The Milky Way is our home, and its faint clouds

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of light and shadow have inspired human cultures across the globe.

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And yet our view of the Milky Way is limited

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by our perspective. In many ways, we have learned more

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from other galaxies than from our own. But when the

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Gaya spacecraft launched in twenty thirteen, all of that changed.

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It is difficult to map the galaxy you live in.

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Nebulae and star clusters hide much of our galaxy from view.

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It's rather like trying to map the size and shape

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of New York City while standing in the center of

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Times Square. It was only in nineteen eighteen that Harlow

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Shapley was able to determine the Sun was not at

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our galaxy center, and well into the nineteen twenties astronomers

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debated whether the Milky Way was an island universe containing

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all creation. A map of the Milky Way based on

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Gaya data showing its delicate spiral arms. Credit e SA

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slash Gaya slash DPAC Stephen Paywarden are We've learned a

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great deal since then, but the Gaya spacecraft was designed

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to take our understanding of the Milky Way to a

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new level. Its mission was to create a map of

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our galaxy in unprecedented detail. It precisely mapped the positions, distances, motions,

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and spectra of more than two billion stars and other objects.

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From this, it was found that the Milky Way is

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not a simple galaxy in a humble corner of the cosmos.

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Its stars tell a history of turbulent change driven by

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past galactic collisions and mergers. There are arch trails of

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stars that are the remnants of smaller galaxies the Milky

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Way has consumed, and stars that have been flung away

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at such great speed that they will eventually escape our

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galaxy to drift through the intergalactic abyss. The GAYA data

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also revealed several surprises. For example, the Milky Way is

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not a flat spiral discla like many other galaxies. Its

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outer edge has a warped shape which wabbles as the

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galaxy rotates. This dynamic behavior is likely caused by interactions

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with other galaxies. Gaya also found that our galaxy is

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not dominated by two prominent spiral arms. Instead, the Milky

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Way is filled with a delicate flower of fainter arms.

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It is also a barred spiral galaxy with a central

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bulge that is more speroidal than spherical. And this is

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just the first detailed view of our home. The complete

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set of observations will be available through two more upcoming

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data releases, which will give us an even more detailed mapping.

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Gaya's mission is now over. Yesterday, on March twenty seventh,

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twenty twenty five, the ESA's European Space Operations Center deactivated

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its subsystems and sent the spacecraft into a retirement orbit.

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All that remains is the data it gathered for more

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than a decade, and the stories that data can tell

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us astronomy daily.

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The podcas more than half a year after an empty

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star Liner spacecraft safely landed in the New Mexico Desert,

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NASA and Boeing still have not decided whether the next

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vehicle flight will carry astronauts. In an update this week,

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the US Space Agency said it is still working through

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the process to certify star Liner for human missions, whether

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it is carrying cargo or humans. Star Liner's next flight

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will not occur until late this year, or more likely

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sometime in twenty twenty six. Two things stand out in

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the new information provided by NASA. First, there remains a

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lot of work left to do this year before Starliner

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will fly again, excluding extensive testing of the vehicle's propulsion system.

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And Secondly, it is becoming clear that Starline will only

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ever fly a handful of missions to the space station,

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if that before the orbiting laboratory is retired for good.

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Several issues marred star Liners furs Crewe flight to the

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space station last June, but most serious of these was

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the failure of multiple maneuvering thrusters. Concerns about these thrusters

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prompted NASA to fly star Line as Krewe, butsch Wilmore

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and Sonny Williams home on Crew Dragon vehicle instead. They

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landed safely earlier this month. Starliner returned autonomously in early September.

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Since then, NASA and Boeing have been reviewing data from

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the test flight. Unfortunately, the errant thrusters were located on

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the service module of the spacecraft, which was jettisoned before

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re entry and not recovered. Although engineers from NASA and

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Boeing have worked through more than seventy percent of the

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observations and anomalies that occurred during Starliner's flight, the propulsion

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system issues remain unresolved. To address these issues, NASA said

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it is finalizing a test campaign that will take place

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this spring and summer. Testing at White Sands Test Facility

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in New Mexico will include integrating firing of key star

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Liner thrusters within a single service module doghouse to validate

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detailed thermal modules and inform potential propulsion and spacecraft thermal

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protection system upgrades, as well as operational solutions for future flights,

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the agency said in its update this week. As far

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as those potential solutions go, one option is the installation

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of thermal barriers to better control temperatures and prevent overheating

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observed during star Liner's last two space flights. Steve Stitch,

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manager of NASA's Commercial Crew program, said the agency will

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have a better idea of when star Liner will fly

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again after these tests and analysis are complete. Will continue

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to work through certification toward the end of this year,

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and then go figure out where star Liner fits best

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in the schedule for the International Space Station and its

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crew and car missions. Stitch said it's likely to be

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in the time frame of late this calendar year or

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early next year for the next star Liner flight. NASA

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has not determined whether such a mission will carry cargo

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or crew. The agency's updates said that it will depend

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on the operational needs of the station. However, it seems

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clear that if there are still some unresolved questions about

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propulsion system issues, NASA may opt for what would essentially

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be another test flight of Starliner that also brings cargo

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to the space station. A cargo flight would effectively be

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the fourth test of star Liner, dating back to its

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first mission in December twenty nineteen. NASA's update this week

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did answer one question that had been hanging over the

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star Liner program. Although Boeing has taken losses in excess

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of two billion dollars on its fixed price contract with NASA,

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the company now appears committed to seeing the certification progress through.

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Likely has applied pressure for Boeing's ongoing participation, as the

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space agency desires to have two krewe transportation providers to

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the space station. Yet time is running out for Boeing

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to make a considerable impact on the crew flights to

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the International Space Station, which is due to be retired

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in twenty thirty. Assuming an operational crew flight in twenty

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twenty six, which seems far from a certainty, Starliner would

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likely fly four or at the very most five crewed

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missions to the space station. The initial contracts that NASA

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signed with SpaceX and Boeing for crew transportation services more

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than a decade ago had options for as many as

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six crew rotation flights to the station after certification. To date,

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NASA has only given Boeing authority to proceed for three

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of its six potential operational star Line emissions. This milestone

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is a decision point in contracting LINGO where the customer

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is this case, NASA places a firm order for a

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deliverable NASA has extended SpaceX's commercial crew contract to cover

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as many as fourteen Dragon missions with astronauts. SpaceX, in fact,

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has now launched ten operational crew missions to the station.

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On Thursday, NASA announced the crew for SpaceX's eleven mission,

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Crew eleven, which will launch no earlier than July. Among

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the astronauts were two people previously assigned to Starliner's first

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operational mission, NASA's Mike Fink and Japanese mission specialist Kimiya Yui.

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Thank you for joining us for this Monday edition of

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Astronomy Daily, where we offer just a few stories from

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the now famous Astronomy Daily newsletter, which you can receive

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in your email every day, just like Hallie and I do.

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Just like that, you'll be receiving all the latest news

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about science, space, science and astronomy from around the world

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as it's happening. And not only that, you can interact

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or at our new Facebook page, which is of course

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Astronomy Daily on Facebook. See you there. Astronomy Daily with

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Steve and Haley Space Space, Science and Astronomy.

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Sena Cardman didn't have to wait too long to get

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a seat on another spacecraft after being removed from SpaceX's

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Crew nine mission last year. The NASA astronaut is one

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of the four members of SpaceX's Crew eleven mission to

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the International Space Station. Agency officials announced on Thursday, March

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twenty seventh. Cardman will command Crew eleven, which could launch

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as soon as July, joining her o Are NASA colleague

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Mike Fink, Japanese astronaut Camilla Ui, and Oleg Claytonv of

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the Russian Space Agency roast Cosmos. Fink will serve as

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Crew eleven pilot, and Yui and Playtonov will be mission specialists.

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Card Man was originally assigned to SpaceX's Crew nine mission,

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but in late August of last year, NASA removed her

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in fellow Agency astronaut Stephanie Wilson from the manifest, leaving

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two empty seats aboard the Crew nine Dragon Capsule for

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its September twenty eighth launch. Those seats were kept open

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for NASA's Butch Wilmore and Sunny Williams, who arrived at

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the ISS in June on the first ever crude flight

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of Boeing Starliner capsule. Starliner experienced thrust, her problems and

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helium leaks on its journey to the orbiting lab, and

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NASA ultimately decided to bring the spacecraft home on CRUD,

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which happened in early September. Wilmore and Williams were red

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asked to a long duration ISS mission and put on

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Crew nine for the trip back to Earth, which ended

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with a dolphin attended splash down on March eighteenth. NASA

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has not yet announced a spaceflight reassignment for Wilson. You're

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listening to Astronomy Dally Steve Dunkling.

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The hazards facing lunar astronauts are many. There's radiation, the

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temperature extremes, the psychological challenges associated with isolation, and the

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risk of bad accidents so far from earthly assistance, but

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there's also dust, which constitutes an ever present background hazard.

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NASA has known about the hazard's lunar dust poses since

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the Apollo days. When Apollo eleven landed on the Moon,

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NASA was concerned that the lander would sink into the

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dust and took various precautions to prevent that. As the

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spacecraft descended to the surface, it kicked up dust that

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impairs impaired Armstrong's vision as he piloted the lander. Apollo

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seventeen astronaut Harrison jack Smith said dust is going to

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be the environmental problem for future mission, both inside and

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outside habitats. NASA has developed a method of dealing with

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that dust that builds up on surfaces called electrodynamic dust

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shields or eds. They tested it on the recent Blue

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Ghost Mission I, which was a robotic lander from Firefly

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Aerospace that became the first private spacecraft to execute a

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fully successful soft landing on the Moon. Martian dust has

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some peculiar qualities that make it even more dangerous than

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we might think. It's extremely fine and sharp, and it

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has a bracy of nature that can wear down mechanical

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components and spacesuits. It can infiltrate seals, and if inhaled

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can cause lung damage. There's a serious risk of lung

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and eye damage if astronauts are exposed to it over

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longer terms. It has another quality that makes it difficult

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to contend with. It's electrostatically charged UV radiation and solar

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wind constantly bombarding the Moon's surface, knocking electrons off particles

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and creating a positive charge. Since the Moon lacks an atmosphere,

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it can't dissipate electrical charges like Earth can. The dust

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sticks to everything that carries a charge, and since there's

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no erosion on the Moon, the particles are never smoothed

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like earth dust is. They stay sharp. The EDS is

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designed to prevent dust from sticking, and it uses electrodynamic

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forces to achieve that. Before and after images clearly show

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the systems effectiveness. Though the EDS didn't completely remove the dust,

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it did remove a good portion of it. Dust may

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not generate many headlines, but successfully dealing with it is

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a milestone for lunar exploration. This milestone marks a great

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significant step towards sustaining long term lunar and interplanetary operations

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by reducing dust related hazards to a variety of surface

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for space applications ranging from thermal radiators, solar panels, and

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camera lenses to spacesuits, boots and helmets, and visors, NASA

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said in a press release recently, for your daily dose

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of astronomy, space science, and stuff you're listening too Astronomy Daily.

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An asteroid that's big enough to wipe out a city

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has a one and forty three chance of hitting our

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planet in the year twenty thirty two, but according to

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new calculations, there's an even smaller chance that it might

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crash into the Moon instead. On February seventh, NASA scientists

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increase the likelihood of asteroid twenty twenty four y are

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four colliding with Earth on December twenty second, twenty thirty two,

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nearly doubling the odds from one point two percent to

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two point three percent. The potentially hazardous asteroid measures and

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estimated one hundred and eighty feet fifty five meters across,

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about as wide as Walt disney World Cinderella Castle, is

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tall and is traveling at nearly forty eight thousand kilometers

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per hour or about thirty kmph, although it is too

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small to and human civilization. Twenty twenty four y R

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four could still wipe out a major city, releasing about

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eight megatons of energy upon impact, more than five hundred

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times the energy released by the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima, Japan.

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But what if it hurtled into the Moon instead. David Rankin,

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an operations engineer for the University of Arizona's Catalina Sky Survey,

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revealed in a post on Blue Sky that the asteroid

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also has a zero point three percent chance of hitting

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our natural satellite. The effects of this unlucky collision would

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likely be visible from our planet, although we ourselves would

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probably be unaffected. There is the possibility this would eject

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some material backout that could hit the Earth, but I

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highly doubt it would cause any major threat, Rankin told

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New Scientists. That does not mean we wouldn't see it.

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Rankin told Live Science that based on current estimates, a

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collision with the Moon could release more energy than three

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hundred and forty Hiroshima bomb. It would likely be very

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visible from Earth, he said. However, Gareth Collins, a professor

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of planetary science at Imperial College London, told New Scientists

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that we would be quite safe on Earth. He added

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that any material ejected from the collision would likely burn

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up in Earth's atmosphere.

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Well, there we have it for another episode. And don't

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you feel better that we're all safe from asteroid YR

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four and we've got a working dust repeller. I wish

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I had one here, that's for sure. It's a very

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dusty old suburb I live in. That is it for

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Astronomy Daily this week, folks.

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I sure hope you all enjoyed the selection of stories

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from the Astronomy Daily newsletter.

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Here's a couple of unusual ones today.

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That's our Monday episode. Done and dusted, as you say

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here down under.

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Yep, that's right, it's in the cannon. We've gone all

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head for the poem, for coup one and a snag.

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I'll settle for a recharge and a few bites.

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No worries, Hallie, that'll be And I don't want the

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episode to finish without a big happy birthday to my

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big bro Andrew Dunkley from Space Nuts, the greatest podcast

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on Earth apart from our humble selves, of course, So

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happy birthday, Andrew. I hope you are having a great

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one on the other side of the world. Come back

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to us safely anyway. We'll catch you all next week

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on Astronomy Daily from the Australia Studios down Under. Just

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like Halie said, see.

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You bye, crazy Cooko.

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Barrels past your whole steed, dunkle