From Solar Eclipses to Voyager Discoveries: Your Daily Space Update

WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en

00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.990
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, [music] your


00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:03.669
source for the latest news from across


00:00:03.679 --> 00:00:05.349
the cosmos. I'm Avery.


00:00:05.359 --> 00:00:07.909
>> And I'm Anna. It's great to be with you


00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:09.350
today. We start [music] with a more


00:00:09.360 --> 00:00:11.350
comprehensive look ahead at the cosmic


00:00:11.360 --> 00:00:13.749
wonders 2026 has [music] in store for


00:00:13.759 --> 00:00:15.910
us. From moon missions to major


00:00:15.920 --> 00:00:16.630
eclipses.


00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:17.910
>> That's right. We'll also [music] dive


00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:19.910
into a mindbending discovery from the


00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:21.990
Voyager probes at the edge of our solar


00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:24.390
system and discuss Russia's new Earth


00:00:24.400 --> 00:00:26.710
observation satellite. Plus, scientists


00:00:26.720 --> 00:00:28.230
may [music] have found interstellar


00:00:28.240 --> 00:00:30.310
tunnels in our galactic neighborhood.


00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:31.910
And finally, we'll [music] cover the


00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:34.310
rapidly evolving commercial space race


00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:36.870
with updates on China's reusable rockets


00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:39.110
and the transformation of Florida's


00:00:39.120 --> 00:00:40.709
historic space coast. [music]


00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:42.790
>> It's a lot to cover, so let's get


00:00:42.800 --> 00:00:44.790
started. Anna, why don't you kick us off


00:00:44.800 --> 00:00:45.830
with the astronomical [music]


00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:48.069
forecast update for 2026?


00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:51.190
>> Absolutely, Avery. 2026 is shaping up to


00:00:51.200 --> 00:00:53.750
be a monumental year, especially for


00:00:53.760 --> 00:00:56.630
lunar exploration. NASA's Aremis program


00:00:56.640 --> 00:00:58.869
is sending the first astronauts to fly


00:00:58.879 --> 00:01:01.029
by the moon in over 50 years.


00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:02.549
>> And this is the mission that will pave


00:01:02.559 --> 00:01:04.229
the way for the actual moon landing.


00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:04.630
Right.


00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:07.270
>> Exactly. This crew, three Americans and


00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:09.750
one Canadian, will do a flyby of the far


00:01:09.760 --> 00:01:11.990
side, which could give us our first good


00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:14.310
look at areas the Apollo missions never


00:01:14.320 --> 00:01:16.630
saw. But they're not alone. We're also


00:01:16.640 --> 00:01:18.950
expecting a caravan of robotic landers


00:01:18.960 --> 00:01:20.310
from commercial companies,


00:01:20.320 --> 00:01:22.950
>> including Jeff Bezos's Blue Moon lander.


00:01:22.960 --> 00:01:24.789
I read that thing is going to be huge


00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:26.630
and taller than the Apollo landers.


00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:28.310
>> That's right. And companies like


00:01:28.320 --> 00:01:30.950
Astrobotic and Intuitive Machines are


00:01:30.960 --> 00:01:33.109
also heading back. While Firefly


00:01:33.119 --> 00:01:35.190
Aerospace is aiming for the moon's far


00:01:35.200 --> 00:01:37.749
side, even China is targeting the South


00:01:37.759 --> 00:01:39.350
Pole to search for ice.


00:01:39.360 --> 00:01:41.429
>> The moon is certainly getting busy. What


00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:43.350
about other celestial events? I heard


00:01:43.360 --> 00:01:45.429
there's a big eclipse coming. There is.


00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:48.230
On August 12th, a total solar eclipse


00:01:48.240 --> 00:01:50.630
will cross over the Arctic, Greenland,


00:01:50.640 --> 00:01:53.590
Iceland, and Spain. Totality will last


00:01:53.600 --> 00:01:55.910
just over 2 minutes. And for those at


00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:57.510
the other end of the world, there's a


00:01:57.520 --> 00:01:59.990
ring of fire eclipse in Antarctica in


00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:00.630
February.


00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:02.149
>> Sounds like a year for the eclipse


00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:04.389
chasers. And we also have those planet


00:02:04.399 --> 00:02:05.670
parades to look forward to.


00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:08.150
>> We do. At the end of February, six


00:02:08.160 --> 00:02:10.869
planets, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter,


00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:13.670
Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, will line


00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:16.630
up in the sky just after sunset. Mars


00:02:16.640 --> 00:02:18.710
will be the only one missing, but it


00:02:18.720 --> 00:02:20.949
joins a different six planet parade in


00:02:20.959 --> 00:02:21.589
August.


00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:23.510
>> Incredible. It seems there's something


00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:25.750
for everyone in 2026, from lunar


00:02:25.760 --> 00:02:27.750
missions to planetary alignments.


00:02:27.760 --> 00:02:29.830
>> It really does. And that's just the


00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:31.750
beginning. Let's move on to our next


00:02:31.760 --> 00:02:33.830
story, which takes us far beyond the


00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:35.990
moon, to the very edge of our solar


00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:38.309
system. Avery, what have the Voyager


00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:39.350
probes been up to?


00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:41.830
>> Well, this is a fascinating one. Voyager


00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:43.910
1 and two, NASA's longest running


00:02:43.920 --> 00:02:46.470
missions, have detected a searingly hot


00:02:46.480 --> 00:02:48.070
region of space where the sun's


00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:50.710
influence ends. Some are calling it a


00:02:50.720 --> 00:02:51.750
wall of fire.


00:02:51.760 --> 00:02:55.030
>> A wall of fire? That sounds intense.


00:02:55.040 --> 00:02:56.070
What exactly is it?


00:02:56.080 --> 00:02:57.750
>> It's a boundary zone at the edge of the


00:02:57.760 --> 00:02:59.830
heliosphere. That's the bubble created


00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:01.910
by the solar wind where temperatures


00:03:01.920 --> 00:03:04.949
spiked to between 30,000 and 50,000


00:03:04.959 --> 00:03:07.430
Kelvin. This region called the helio


00:03:07.440 --> 00:03:09.509
sheath acts as a sort of thermal


00:03:09.519 --> 00:03:10.149
barrier.


00:03:10.159 --> 00:03:12.869
>> That's incredibly hot. How did the probe


00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:14.229
survive passing through it?


00:03:14.239 --> 00:03:16.229
>> That's the key part. While the plasma


00:03:16.239 --> 00:03:18.070
particles are moving at extremely high


00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:19.750
velocities, creating that high


00:03:19.760 --> 00:03:21.910
temperature, the particle density is


00:03:21.920 --> 00:03:24.630
incredibly low. It's basically a near


00:03:24.640 --> 00:03:26.470
vacuum. So, there aren't enough


00:03:26.480 --> 00:03:28.149
particles hitting the spacecraft to


00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:29.670
transfer significant heat.


00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:32.390
>> Ah, that makes sense. High energy but


00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:34.869
low heat transfer. So, what does this


00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:36.070
discovery tell us?


00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:37.830
>> It's revising our understanding of how


00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:39.670
our solar system interacts with the


00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:41.990
wider galaxy. But the temperature spike


00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:44.149
wasn't the only surprise. The magnetic


00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:45.990
field data was also unexpected.


00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:48.470
>> Really? How so? Scientists found that


00:03:48.480 --> 00:03:50.789
the magnetic field lines just inside the


00:03:50.799 --> 00:03:52.789
heliosphere aligned with those in


00:03:52.799 --> 00:03:55.589
interstellar space just outside of it.


00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:57.670
They also discovered a leakage of


00:03:57.680 --> 00:03:59.589
particles through this boundary,


00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:01.750
suggesting the heliosphere isn't a


00:04:01.760 --> 00:04:03.830
perfect shield against galactic cosmic


00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:04.710
rays.


00:04:04.720 --> 00:04:07.030
>> So, our solar systems protective bubble


00:04:07.040 --> 00:04:09.350
is more permeable than we thought. The


00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:11.509
Voyager probes just keep delivering


00:04:11.519 --> 00:04:13.990
incredible science decades after their


00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:14.789
launch.


00:04:14.799 --> 00:04:17.110
>> They certainly do. Now, let's bring our


00:04:17.120 --> 00:04:19.749
focus a little closer to home. There's


00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:21.670
been a significant launch from Russia


00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:22.710
recently.


00:04:22.720 --> 00:04:25.350
>> Yes, Russia launched a Soyuse rocket


00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:27.430
carrying a new radar Earth observation


00:04:27.440 --> 00:04:30.710
satellite called Absor R number one. The


00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:32.390
launch took place at the Placets


00:04:32.400 --> 00:04:34.310
Cosmodrome, a site often used for


00:04:34.320 --> 00:04:35.590
military missions.


00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:37.270
>> And what makes this satellite so


00:04:37.280 --> 00:04:39.590
important is its radar capability.


00:04:39.600 --> 00:04:41.430
Unlike optical satellites that need


00:04:41.440 --> 00:04:44.070
clear skies and daylight, radar can see


00:04:44.080 --> 00:04:46.790
through clouds, smoke, and darkness,


00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:49.030
>> right? That gives it a huge strategic


00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:50.469
advantage for surveillance,


00:04:50.479 --> 00:04:52.550
environmental mapping, and disaster


00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:54.390
response. This mission really


00:04:54.400 --> 00:04:56.710
underscores Moscow's push to expand its


00:04:56.720 --> 00:04:58.230
own space-based intelligence


00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:00.710
capabilities, independent of any foreign


00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:01.590
partners.


00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:03.350
>> So, this is a big step for their


00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:05.030
sovereign space program.


00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:08.310
>> It is. The Absor R series represents a


00:05:08.320 --> 00:05:10.390
new generation of homegrown Russian


00:05:10.400 --> 00:05:13.510
radar systems. It's a dualuse technology


00:05:13.520 --> 00:05:15.830
serving both military and civilian


00:05:15.840 --> 00:05:18.150
needs. And it's a clear geopolitical


00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:19.749
statement in a world where remote


00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:22.150
sensing is more critical than ever.


00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:24.870
>> A powerful tool indeed. Well, from


00:05:24.880 --> 00:05:27.189
geopolitical moves in orbit, let's turn


00:05:27.199 --> 00:05:29.029
to a discovery that feels like it's


00:05:29.039 --> 00:05:31.350
straight out of science fiction. Anna,


00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:32.870
you mentioned something about


00:05:32.880 --> 00:05:35.909
interstellar tunnels. I did, and it's


00:05:35.919 --> 00:05:38.390
just as cool as it sounds. Using the


00:05:38.400 --> 00:05:41.029
Erosa Space Telescope, scientists have


00:05:41.039 --> 00:05:43.749
detected narrow structures of hot plasma


00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:45.909
that seem to extend from the bubble of


00:05:45.919 --> 00:05:48.230
space surrounding our sun out into the


00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:49.590
wider galaxy.


00:05:49.600 --> 00:05:51.670
>> Wow. So, these are like corridors


00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:53.830
through the interstellar medium. What


00:05:53.840 --> 00:05:55.189
could have formed them?


00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:56.790
>> The leading theory is that they were


00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:58.710
carved out by ancient supernova


00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:01.510
explosions. Our solar system sits inside


00:06:01.520 --> 00:06:04.070
something called the local hot bubble. a


00:06:04.080 --> 00:06:06.150
300 lightyear wide cavity that was


00:06:06.160 --> 00:06:09.110
itself formed by supernova about 10 to


00:06:09.120 --> 00:06:10.710
20 million years ago.


00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:12.469
>> Right. I've heard of that.


00:06:12.479 --> 00:06:14.790
>> Well, scientists have long theorized


00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:16.070
that these bubbles could be


00:06:16.080 --> 00:06:18.070
interconnected, forming a kind of


00:06:18.080 --> 00:06:20.550
network. These new X-ray observations


00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:23.029
from Erosa are providing the first real


00:06:23.039 --> 00:06:25.670
evidence that these tunnels or chimneys


00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:28.070
might actually exist, connecting our


00:06:28.080 --> 00:06:30.150
local bubble to other regions.


00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:31.909
>> That's incredible. It paints a picture


00:06:31.919 --> 00:06:33.749
of our galaxy's structure that's much


00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:36.150
more complex and dynamic than just empty


00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:37.830
space between stars.


00:06:37.840 --> 00:06:40.469
>> It really does. The data also showed a


00:06:40.479 --> 00:06:41.830
temperature difference between the


00:06:41.840 --> 00:06:43.430
northern and southern halves of our


00:06:43.440 --> 00:06:45.830
bubble, suggesting it's not a uniform


00:06:45.840 --> 00:06:47.670
sphere, but has been shaped by


00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:50.070
asymmetrical forces. It could be that


00:06:50.080 --> 00:06:52.390
these tunnels act as pathways for cosmic


00:06:52.400 --> 00:06:55.270
rays and gas to flow through the galaxy.


00:06:55.280 --> 00:06:57.749
>> A galactic subway system of sorts.


00:06:57.759 --> 00:06:59.909
Amazing. This brings us to the


00:06:59.919 --> 00:07:01.830
commercial side of space, which is also


00:07:01.840 --> 00:07:04.710
creating new pathways, albeit to orbit.


00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:07.029
The reusable rocket race is heating up,


00:07:07.039 --> 00:07:09.430
and it's not just SpaceX anymore.


00:07:09.440 --> 00:07:11.589
>> That's right. The Chinese rocket startup


00:07:11.599 --> 00:07:13.589
Land Space has made it clear they're


00:07:13.599 --> 00:07:15.830
inspired by SpaceX. They recently


00:07:15.840 --> 00:07:17.990
conducted the first reusable rocket test


00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:20.710
by a Chinese entity with their Zuki 3


00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:21.430
rocket,


00:07:21.440 --> 00:07:23.110
>> and they've been very open about


00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:25.510
modeling it after the Falcon 9. The


00:07:25.520 --> 00:07:27.670
deputy chief designer even called it a


00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:29.830
high compliment to be referred to as the


00:07:29.840 --> 00:07:31.670
Chinese Falcon 9.


00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:34.230
>> It's a major paradigm shift. China's


00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:36.390
state-led space program has historically


00:07:36.400 --> 00:07:39.110
been very riskaverse, whereas land space


00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:41.510
is embracing the test, fail iterate


00:07:41.520 --> 00:07:43.909
philosophy that SpaceX is famous for.


00:07:43.919 --> 00:07:45.830
Their first test actually ended in a


00:07:45.840 --> 00:07:47.830
crash, but state media covered it


00:07:47.840 --> 00:07:50.629
openly. Elon Musk himself even commented


00:07:50.639 --> 00:07:52.309
on it, noting that they've adopted


00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:55.350
aspects of both Falcon 9 and Starship.


00:07:55.360 --> 00:07:57.189
He acknowledged their design could


00:07:57.199 --> 00:07:59.350
potentially beat Falcon 9, though he


00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:01.270
added that Starship is in another


00:08:01.280 --> 00:08:02.309
league.


00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:04.230
>> It shows how quickly the global


00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:06.710
landscape is changing. With Beijing


00:08:06.720 --> 00:08:09.110
support and plans for massive satellite


00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:11.909
constellations, lowcost reusable launch


00:08:11.919 --> 00:08:14.550
is a top priority. It's also worth


00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:16.869
remembering that SpaceX had two failed


00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:18.710
booster landing attempts before their


00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:20.550
first success in 2015.


00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:23.029
>> A very good point. And speaking of


00:08:23.039 --> 00:08:25.430
launch infrastructure, our final story


00:08:25.440 --> 00:08:27.589
looks at how two other ambitious


00:08:27.599 --> 00:08:30.230
companies are transforming the iconic


00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:31.990
Space Coast in Florida.


00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:35.110
>> This is really exciting. Stoke space and


00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:37.269
Relativity Space are rapidly building


00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:39.750
out launch sites at Cape Canaveral.


00:08:39.760 --> 00:08:42.550
Stoke space is at launch complex 14


00:08:42.560 --> 00:08:44.870
which is a site rich with history.


00:08:44.880 --> 00:08:46.949
>> That's the pad where John Glenn became


00:08:46.959 --> 00:08:48.949
the first American to orbit the Earth


00:08:48.959 --> 00:08:51.990
back in 1962. It's been inactive for


00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:54.470
over 50 years and now it's being prepped


00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:57.590
for Stoke's fully reusable Nova rocket.


00:08:57.600 --> 00:09:00.230
>> Exactly. Aerial views show the launchpad


00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:02.389
is nearly complete. And right next door


00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:05.590
at launch complex 16, Relativity Space


00:09:05.600 --> 00:09:07.910
is making massive upgrades for its much


00:09:07.920 --> 00:09:10.150
larger Tan R rocket.


00:09:10.160 --> 00:09:12.389
>> The progress there is really visible.


00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:14.630
They've installed a towering water tower


00:09:14.640 --> 00:09:17.350
for the Delu system, added huge new


00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:19.110
propellant tanks, and are pouring


00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:20.870
concrete for the launch mount.


00:09:20.880 --> 00:09:23.190
>> It's a perfect example of how the Space


00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:25.670
Coast is evolving, reviving historic


00:09:25.680 --> 00:09:27.509
sites to become hubs for the next


00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:29.910
generation of space flight. Stoke is


00:09:29.920 --> 00:09:32.949
targeting a first launch in early 2026


00:09:32.959 --> 00:09:36.230
with Relativity aiming for late 2026.


00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:38.790
>> It truly shows the accelerating pace of


00:09:38.800 --> 00:09:41.110
the commercial space industry. And that


00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:42.710
brings us to the end of our show for


00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:43.430
today.


00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:45.269
>> We've journeyied from the celestial


00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:48.310
events of 2026 to the edge of the solar


00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:50.550
system and seen how new technologies on


00:09:50.560 --> 00:09:53.190
Earth are poised to reshape our access


00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:54.389
to space.


00:09:54.399 --> 00:09:56.070
>> Thanks so much for joining us. I'm


00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:56.870
Avery.


00:09:56.880 --> 00:09:59.110
>> And I'm Anna. We'll see you next time on


00:09:59.120 --> 00:09:59.670
Astronomy


00:09:59.680 --> 00:10:01.286
>> Daily.


00:10:01.296 --> 00:10:11.509
[music and singing]


00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:15.240
Stories [music] to tell.