Solar Sentinel Reaches L1, Challenger’s 40-Year Legacy, and AI’s Hubble Discoveries

WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en

00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:02.950
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source


00:00:02.960 --> 00:00:05.829
for the latest space and astronomy news.


00:00:05.839 --> 00:00:06.869
I'm Anna.


00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:09.030
>> And I'm Avery. Today is Wednesday,


00:00:09.040 --> 00:00:12.150
January 28th, 2026, and we've got a


00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:14.230
fantastic lineup of stories for you.


00:00:14.240 --> 00:00:16.710
>> We certainly do. We'll be covering


00:00:16.720 --> 00:00:19.189
Noah's new solar observatory reaching


00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:21.510
its destination, looking back at how


00:00:21.520 --> 00:00:23.590
weather played a tragic role in the


00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:26.390
Challenger disaster 40 years ago, and


00:00:26.400 --> 00:00:29.509
discovering how AI is uncovering hidden


00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:32.229
cosmic treasures in Hubble's archives.


00:00:32.239 --> 00:00:33.990
Plus, Venus might be in for a


00:00:34.000 --> 00:00:36.470
spectacular meteor shower this July.


00:00:36.480 --> 00:00:38.470
We'll explore stellar fireworks in the


00:00:38.480 --> 00:00:40.630
heart of our galaxy, and NASA is giving


00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:42.869
us a live view of the Aremis 2 moon


00:00:42.879 --> 00:00:44.950
rocket on the launchpad. Let's dive


00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:45.750
right in.


00:00:45.760 --> 00:00:47.830
>> Our top story today takes us about a


00:00:47.840 --> 00:00:49.910
million miles from Earth where Noah's


00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:51.990
space weather followon lrangee 1


00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:54.150
observatory has just arrived at its


00:00:54.160 --> 00:00:56.549
permanent home. Anna, this is a pretty


00:00:56.559 --> 00:00:58.549
significant milestone for space weather


00:00:58.559 --> 00:00:59.830
monitoring, isn't it?


00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:02.229
>> Absolutely, Avery. This observatory


00:01:02.239 --> 00:01:04.229
reached Lraange.1


00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:07.750
or L1 on January 21st after launching


00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:10.789
back in June 2024. Now, for our


00:01:10.799 --> 00:01:13.510
listeners who might not be familiar, L1


00:01:13.520 --> 00:01:16.310
is the special gravitational sweet spot


00:01:16.320 --> 00:01:19.510
between Earth and the Sun about 1.5


00:01:19.520 --> 00:01:21.749
million km from our planet.


00:01:21.759 --> 00:01:24.070
>> And what makes this location so ideal


00:01:24.080 --> 00:01:25.510
for watching the sun?


00:01:25.520 --> 00:01:28.630
>> Well, at L1, the observatory maintains a


00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:31.190
constant view of the sun while orbiting


00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:33.830
in sync with Earth. It's like having a


00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:36.149
cosmic early warning system. The


00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:38.550
satellite can detect solar storms and


00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:41.109
coronal mass ejections headed our way,


00:01:41.119 --> 00:01:43.670
giving us that crucial advanced notice,


00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:46.789
typically about 15 to 60 minutes before


00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:48.710
these events impact Earth.


00:01:48.720 --> 00:01:50.550
>> That advanced warning time is critical,


00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:52.230
isn't it? I mean, we're talking about


00:01:52.240 --> 00:01:54.230
protecting everything from power grids


00:01:54.240 --> 00:01:55.670
to satellites.


00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:57.910
>> Exactly right. And here's what's really


00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:00.870
exciting. It's not just one observatory.


00:02:00.880 --> 00:02:03.429
It's a constellation. Noah is planning


00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:06.069
four more satellites for L1, plus


00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:08.790
additional ones at Lraange Point 5.


00:02:08.800 --> 00:02:10.469
Together, they'll create this


00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:13.030
comprehensive solar monitoring network.


00:02:13.040 --> 00:02:14.869
The second satellite is already


00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:17.430
scheduled to launch in 2027.


00:02:17.440 --> 00:02:19.510
>> So, we're looking at a much more robust


00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:21.510
space weather forecasting capability in


00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:22.630
the near future.


00:02:22.640 --> 00:02:25.110
>> Precisely. And given how dependent our


00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:27.270
modern infrastructure is on satellites


00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:29.830
and power grids, this kind of monitoring


00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:32.630
becomes more important every year, the


00:02:32.640 --> 00:02:34.790
observatory is now beginning what Noah


00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:37.430
calls an extended checkout period before


00:02:37.440 --> 00:02:39.670
it becomes fully operational.


00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:42.229
>> Moving to a more somber note, January


00:02:42.239 --> 00:02:44.470
28th marks 40 years since the space


00:02:44.480 --> 00:02:46.949
shuttle Challenger disaster. Anna,


00:02:46.959 --> 00:02:48.630
there's been renewed focus on how


00:02:48.640 --> 00:02:50.710
weather and engineering decisions played


00:02:50.720 --> 00:02:53.190
into that tragedy. Yes, and it's a


00:02:53.200 --> 00:02:55.270
powerful reminder of how critical


00:02:55.280 --> 00:02:57.350
environmental factors are in space


00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:59.350
flight. You know, Avery, the night


00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:01.350
before that launch, temperatures at


00:03:01.360 --> 00:03:04.710
Kennedy Space Center dropped to just 28°


00:03:04.720 --> 00:03:08.949
F. That's -2 C. For Florida, that was


00:03:08.959 --> 00:03:10.390
exceptionally cold.


00:03:10.400 --> 00:03:12.149
>> And those cold temperatures were at the


00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:13.670
heart of the problem, weren't they?


00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:16.470
>> They were. Engineers from Morton Thycol,


00:03:16.480 --> 00:03:18.390
the company that built the solid rocket


00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:20.630
boosters, were deeply concerned about


00:03:20.640 --> 00:03:23.270
the O-rings, these critical rubber seals


00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:25.430
in the booster joints. They'd never been


00:03:25.440 --> 00:03:28.949
tested below 53° F. And the engineers


00:03:28.959 --> 00:03:31.190
warned that the cold could make them too


00:03:31.200 --> 00:03:32.949
stiff to seal properly.


00:03:32.959 --> 00:03:34.710
>> But the launch went ahead anyway.


00:03:34.720 --> 00:03:36.789
>> It did. Despite the engineering


00:03:36.799 --> 00:03:39.190
concerns, there was enormous pressure to


00:03:39.200 --> 00:03:41.750
maintain the launch schedule. NASA had


00:03:41.760 --> 00:03:43.750
already postponed the mission several


00:03:43.760 --> 00:03:46.149
times, and there was this institutional


00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:49.430
momentum to proceed. 73 seconds after


00:03:49.440 --> 00:03:52.229
liftoff, hot gases escaped through a


00:03:52.239 --> 00:03:54.630
failed O-ring seal, leading to the


00:03:54.640 --> 00:03:57.110
catastrophic breakup of Challenger.


00:03:57.120 --> 00:03:59.429
>> It's heartbreaking. Seven crew members


00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:01.670
lost, including Christa Malliff, who


00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:03.110
would have been the first teacher in


00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:03.910
space.


00:04:03.920 --> 00:04:06.550
>> The tragedy fundamentally changed how


00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:09.030
NASA approached decision-making. The


00:04:09.040 --> 00:04:10.869
Rogers Commission investigation that


00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:13.589
followed was incredibly thorough and it


00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:16.150
led to major reforms in safety culture


00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:18.710
and communication. One of the key


00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:21.270
findings was that engineering concerns


00:04:21.280 --> 00:04:23.749
need to override schedule pressures


00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:24.950
always.


00:04:24.960 --> 00:04:26.950
>> And those lessons still resonate today,


00:04:26.960 --> 00:04:29.189
don't they? I mean, we see NASA taking


00:04:29.199 --> 00:04:31.350
extra time with Aremis missions, being


00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:32.950
very methodical.


00:04:32.960 --> 00:04:35.430
>> Absolutely. The Challenger disaster


00:04:35.440 --> 00:04:37.909
taught us that in space flight, there's


00:04:37.919 --> 00:04:41.030
no such thing as a routine launch. Every


00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:43.189
mission requires the same level of


00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:45.590
scrutiny and respect for engineering


00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:48.150
limits. It's a lesson paid for with


00:04:48.160 --> 00:04:50.710
Seven Lives and one we must never


00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:51.350
forget.


00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:53.350
>> On a brighter note, let's talk about


00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:55.350
some exciting discoveries from the


00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:58.790
Hubble Space Telescope. Anna, artificial


00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:01.510
intelligence has just helped astronomers


00:05:01.520 --> 00:05:03.830
uncover hundreds of previously


00:05:03.840 --> 00:05:06.710
undetected cosmic objects in Hubble's


00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:08.230
vast archives.


00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:11.110
>> This is fascinating stuff, Avery. So,


00:05:11.120 --> 00:05:13.270
researchers have developed this AI


00:05:13.280 --> 00:05:15.590
algorithm that can sift through decades


00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:18.070
of Hubble observations, and it's finding


00:05:18.080 --> 00:05:20.710
things that human astronomers missed.


00:05:20.720 --> 00:05:23.350
>> Exactly. The algorithm focuses on


00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:25.510
something called gravitational lensing.


00:05:25.520 --> 00:05:27.749
when a massive object like a galaxy


00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:30.150
cluster bends light from more distant


00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:32.710
objects behind it. Einstein predicted


00:05:32.720 --> 00:05:34.629
this effect and it's like having a


00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:36.710
natural cosmic magnifier.


00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:39.110
>> And these lensed objects can tell us a


00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:41.430
lot about the early universe. Right.


00:05:41.440 --> 00:05:44.550
>> They can. The AI has identified hundreds


00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:46.870
of gravitational lens candidates


00:05:46.880 --> 00:05:48.790
including some exceptionally distant


00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:50.870
galaxies from when the universe was very


00:05:50.880 --> 00:05:52.950
young. What's really clever about this


00:05:52.960 --> 00:05:54.870
approach is that the algorithm was


00:05:54.880 --> 00:05:56.710
trained on existing verified


00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:59.189
gravitational lenses. So, it knows what


00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:00.390
to look for.


00:06:00.400 --> 00:06:02.390
>> So, it's not just finding more of the


00:06:02.400 --> 00:06:05.029
same. It's finding rare and unusual


00:06:05.039 --> 00:06:06.550
examples, too.


00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:08.870
>> That's what makes this so exciting. The


00:06:08.880 --> 00:06:11.110
AI is uncovering exotic lensing


00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:13.350
configurations that would be extremely


00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:15.110
timeconuming for humans to find


00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:17.670
manually. We're talking about complex


00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:21.029
multi-image systems, arclike structures,


00:06:21.039 --> 00:06:23.270
even Einstein rings where the background


00:06:23.280 --> 00:06:25.350
object is perfectly aligned.


00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:27.590
>> And Hubble has been collecting data for


00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:30.150
over 30 years now. So there's this


00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:32.390
enormous archive to mine,


00:06:32.400 --> 00:06:34.469
>> right? It's like having a treasure trove


00:06:34.479 --> 00:06:36.150
that we're only now learning how to


00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:38.710
properly search. These discoveries will


00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:40.309
help us understand dark matter


00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:43.029
distribution in galaxy clusters, study


00:06:43.039 --> 00:06:45.029
extremely distant galaxies that would


00:06:45.039 --> 00:06:47.749
otherwise be too faint to detect, and


00:06:47.759 --> 00:06:50.469
refine our models of cosmic evolution.


00:06:50.479 --> 00:06:52.950
It really shows how AI and human


00:06:52.960 --> 00:06:55.590
astronomers can work together. The AI


00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:57.430
does the heavy lifting of searching


00:06:57.440 --> 00:06:59.510
through millions of images and then


00:06:59.520 --> 00:07:02.309
human experts verify and study the most


00:07:02.319 --> 00:07:03.909
interesting candidates.


00:07:03.919 --> 00:07:06.790
>> Exactly. It's not replacing astronomers.


00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:08.950
It's amplifying what they can achieve.


00:07:08.960 --> 00:07:10.710
And as these AI tools get more


00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:12.710
sophisticated, who knows what other


00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:14.710
cosmic secrets might be hiding in plain


00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:16.550
sight in our archives.


00:07:16.560 --> 00:07:18.790
>> Now, for something you don't hear every


00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:21.749
day. Venus might be getting a meteor


00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:24.550
shower. Avery, tell us about this cosmic


00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:26.390
event coming this July.


00:07:26.400 --> 00:07:28.790
>> This is a really cool story, Anna.


00:07:28.800 --> 00:07:30.870
Astronomers have determined that Venus


00:07:30.880 --> 00:07:33.270
could experience a significant meteor


00:07:33.280 --> 00:07:36.870
shower in July 2026. And it all traces


00:07:36.880 --> 00:07:38.790
back to an asteroid breakup that


00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:41.270
happened long ago. We're talking about


00:07:41.280 --> 00:07:44.469
debris from asteroid 20002


00:07:44.479 --> 00:07:46.390
VT37.


00:07:46.400 --> 00:07:49.029
>> Though an asteroid broke apart and now


00:07:49.039 --> 00:07:51.909
its debris is going to hit Venus.


00:07:51.919 --> 00:07:54.869
>> Essentially, yes. When asteroids collide


00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:57.510
or break apart, they create streams of


00:07:57.520 --> 00:07:59.990
debris that continue orbiting the sun.


00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:01.909
Earth regularly passes through these


00:08:01.919 --> 00:08:03.909
debris streams. That's what causes our


00:08:03.919 --> 00:08:05.909
meteor showers like the Perciads or the


00:08:05.919 --> 00:08:07.189
Geminites.


00:08:07.199 --> 00:08:09.189
>> But we don't usually think about other


00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:11.270
planets having meteor showers.


00:08:11.280 --> 00:08:13.670
>> We don't. And that's partly because we


00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:16.150
can't observe them as easily. But


00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:18.550
mathematical modeling shows that Venus's


00:08:18.560 --> 00:08:20.070
orbit will take it through this


00:08:20.080 --> 00:08:22.790
particular debris stream in July. The


00:08:22.800 --> 00:08:25.350
timing and geometry appear to line up


00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:27.990
for a genuine meteor shower event.


00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:30.230
>> What would that look like? I mean, Venus


00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:32.550
has that incredibly thick atmosphere,


00:08:32.560 --> 00:08:33.190
right?


00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:36.310
>> It does. Venus's atmosphere is about 90


00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:38.949
times denser than Earth's and is mostly


00:08:38.959 --> 00:08:41.750
carbon dioxide. Any meteors entering


00:08:41.760 --> 00:08:43.430
that atmosphere would experience


00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:45.990
tremendous heating and friction. They'd


00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:48.150
likely burn up at much higher altitudes


00:08:48.160 --> 00:08:50.470
than meteors do on Earth, creating


00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:53.030
bright streaks across the Venian sky.


00:08:53.040 --> 00:08:54.949
>> Though, I suppose nobody's going to be


00:08:54.959 --> 00:08:57.269
on the surface watching this light show.


00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:59.509
Now, surface conditions on Venus are


00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:01.750
pretty inhospitable. We're talking


00:09:01.760 --> 00:09:04.550
temperatures hot enough to melt lead and


00:09:04.560 --> 00:09:06.790
crushing atmospheric pressure, but


00:09:06.800 --> 00:09:09.509
spacecraft in orbit around Venus or even


00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:11.509
Earthbased observations with certain


00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:13.670
wavelength might be able to detect


00:09:13.680 --> 00:09:15.350
evidence of the meteor shower.


00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:16.630
>> Could this tell us anything


00:09:16.640 --> 00:09:18.470
scientifically valuable?


00:09:18.480 --> 00:09:21.509
>> Absolutely. Studying how meteor showers


00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:24.070
interact with Venus's unique atmosphere


00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:26.150
could give us insights into atmosphere


00:09:26.160 --> 00:09:28.870
chemistry and dynamics. Plus, it helps


00:09:28.880 --> 00:09:31.110
us understand the distribution of debris


00:09:31.120 --> 00:09:33.430
throughout the inner solar system. And


00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:35.829
it's just a reminder that these dramatic


00:09:35.839 --> 00:09:38.790
cosmic events aren't exclusive to Earth.


00:09:38.800 --> 00:09:41.030
>> Speaking of dramatic cosmic events,


00:09:41.040 --> 00:09:42.710
let's head to the center of our own


00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:44.949
galaxy. Avery, astronomers have been


00:09:44.959 --> 00:09:46.870
observing what they're calling stellar


00:09:46.880 --> 00:09:49.269
fireworks at the heart of the Milky Way.


00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:51.750
>> The galactic center is such a wild


00:09:51.760 --> 00:09:54.150
place, isn't it? I mean, we've got that


00:09:54.160 --> 00:09:56.630
super massive black hole, Sagittarius


00:09:56.640 --> 00:09:59.590
Aar, and all sorts of extreme physics


00:09:59.600 --> 00:10:00.550
going on there.


00:10:00.560 --> 00:10:03.110
>> It really is cosmic chaos in the best


00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:05.110
way possible. The region around


00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:07.910
Sagittarius Aar is incredibly dense with


00:10:07.920 --> 00:10:10.310
stars, gas, and dust. And what


00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:12.630
astronomers are seeing is a spectacular


00:10:12.640 --> 00:10:15.110
display of stellar activity. Massive


00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:17.829
stars being born, living out their brief


00:10:17.839 --> 00:10:20.069
but brilliant lives, and dying in


00:10:20.079 --> 00:10:21.750
supernova explosions.


00:10:21.760 --> 00:10:23.750
>> And all of this is happening in a


00:10:23.760 --> 00:10:26.310
relatively small region of space. Right.


00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:28.630
>> Exactly. The galactic center is an


00:10:28.640 --> 00:10:31.030
incredibly compact environment. You've


00:10:31.040 --> 00:10:32.949
got stellar densities that are millions


00:10:32.959 --> 00:10:34.710
of times higher than what we see in our


00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:37.190
solar neighborhood. Stars are packed so


00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:39.430
tightly that gravitational interactions


00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:41.670
are common and the radiation environment


00:10:41.680 --> 00:10:43.030
is intense.


00:10:43.040 --> 00:10:45.030
>> What kind of observations are revealing


00:10:45.040 --> 00:10:46.389
these fireworks?


00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:47.990
>> Astronomers are using multiple


00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:50.710
wavelengths, infrared, x-ray, and radio


00:10:50.720 --> 00:10:52.949
observations to peer through the thick


00:10:52.959 --> 00:10:54.870
dust that obscures the galactic center


00:10:54.880 --> 00:10:56.870
in visible light. What they're seeing


00:10:56.880 --> 00:10:59.509
are energetic outbursts, shock waves


00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:01.910
from supernova remnants, and evidence of


00:11:01.920 --> 00:11:04.630
stars being torn apart by intense tidal


00:11:04.640 --> 00:11:06.710
forces near the black hole.


00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:09.829
>> That sounds pretty dramatic. Stars being


00:11:09.839 --> 00:11:11.030
torn apart.


00:11:11.040 --> 00:11:12.949
>> Yes, there's this phenomenon called


00:11:12.959 --> 00:11:15.110
tidal disruption where a star that


00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:17.750
ventures too close to Sagittarius a star


00:11:17.760 --> 00:11:20.230
gets stretched by gravitational forces.


00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:23.030
Sort of like cosmic spaghettification.


00:11:23.040 --> 00:11:25.590
The star literally gets pulled apart and


00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:27.350
some of that material falls into the


00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:29.590
black hole while the rest is ejected at


00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:31.110
tremendous speeds.


00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:33.590
>> And we're also seeing new stars forming


00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:35.670
in this extreme environment.


00:11:35.680 --> 00:11:38.150
>> We are. Despite the harsh conditions, or


00:11:38.160 --> 00:11:39.990
perhaps because of them, there are


00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:42.389
regions of intense star formation. The


00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:44.470
gravitational compression from all that


00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:46.630
mass can trigger the collapse of gas


00:11:46.640 --> 00:11:49.190
clouds leading to new stellar births.


00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:52.069
These tend to be very massive, hot stars


00:11:52.079 --> 00:11:54.310
that burn bright and die young.


00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:56.790
>> It's almost like the galactic center is


00:11:56.800 --> 00:11:59.030
this constant cycle of creation and


00:11:59.040 --> 00:11:59.910
destruction.


00:11:59.920 --> 00:12:02.150
>> That's a perfect way to describe it. And


00:12:02.160 --> 00:12:04.069
studying this region helps us understand


00:12:04.079 --> 00:12:06.790
how galaxies evolve, how super massive


00:12:06.800 --> 00:12:08.069
black holes influence their


00:12:08.079 --> 00:12:09.910
surroundings, and what conditions were


00:12:09.920 --> 00:12:11.910
like in the early universe when star


00:12:11.920 --> 00:12:13.509
formation was much more vigorous


00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:14.550
everywhere.


00:12:14.560 --> 00:12:16.710
>> For our final story, let's come back


00:12:16.720 --> 00:12:19.509
closer to home. NASA has launched a


00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:22.230
24-hour live stream showing the Aremis 2


00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:24.550
moon rocket on the launchpad at Kennedy


00:12:24.560 --> 00:12:25.670
Space Center.


00:12:25.680 --> 00:12:27.430
>> This is pretty exciting for space


00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:29.829
enthusiasts. A savory. The space launch


00:12:29.839 --> 00:12:32.069
system rocket with the Orion spacecraft


00:12:32.079 --> 00:12:34.710
is now stacked and standing on launchpad


00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:37.430
39B and anyone can watch it live


00:12:37.440 --> 00:12:39.110
whenever they want.


00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:40.710
>> This is the mission that will send


00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:42.870
astronauts around the moon. Right. The


00:12:42.880 --> 00:12:44.949
first crude lunar mission since Apollo


00:12:44.959 --> 00:12:45.910
17.


00:12:45.920 --> 00:12:48.470
>> That's right. Artemis 2 will carry four


00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:51.590
astronauts, NASA astronauts Reed Wisman,


00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:54.470
Victor Glover, Christina and CSA


00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:56.870
astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a journey


00:12:56.880 --> 00:12:59.190
around the moon. They won't land, but


00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:01.190
they'll perform a lunar flyby before


00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:02.629
returning to Earth.


00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:05.030
>> And having the rocket on the pad now,


00:13:05.040 --> 00:13:06.470
that means we're getting close to


00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:07.590
launch.


00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:09.829
>> Well, the current target is no earlier


00:13:09.839 --> 00:13:12.790
than April 2026, though space missions


00:13:12.800 --> 00:13:15.269
often face schedule adjustments. Right


00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:16.870
now, the rocket is on the pad for


00:13:16.880 --> 00:13:19.430
integrated testing, making sure all the


00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:21.590
systems work together properly before


00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:23.509
committing to a launch attempt.


00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:25.670
>> What kind of testing are they doing?


00:13:25.680 --> 00:13:27.110
>> They're running through what's called a


00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:29.269
wet dress rehearsal, which involves


00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:31.269
loading the rocket with propellants and


00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:33.190
going through the countdown sequence,


00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:35.829
stopping just short of ignition. It's


00:13:35.839 --> 00:13:38.230
essentially a full launch simulation to


00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:40.310
verify that all systems, ground


00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:42.069
equipment, and procedures work as


00:13:42.079 --> 00:13:44.710
planned. And the live stream lets us


00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:47.430
watch all this happening in real time.


00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:50.310
>> Exactly. It's a continuous feed, so you


00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:53.030
can check in at any time, day or night,


00:13:53.040 --> 00:13:55.110
and see the rocket standing there on the


00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:57.590
pad. Sometimes you'll catch technicians


00:13:57.600 --> 00:13:59.590
working. Other times, you might see


00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:01.750
weather rolling through. It's a unique


00:14:01.760 --> 00:14:03.829
behindthescenes look at the preparation


00:14:03.839 --> 00:14:07.110
for this historic mission. I have to say


00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:09.110
there's something all inspiring about


00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:11.269
seeing that massive rocket just standing


00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:13.829
there ready to take humans beyond Earth


00:14:13.839 --> 00:14:16.230
orbit for the first time in over 50


00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:17.269
years.


00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:20.069
>> There really is. And it represents years


00:14:20.079 --> 00:14:22.710
of work by thousands of people. After


00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:25.670
Artemis 2's lunar flyby, Artemis 3 will


00:14:25.680 --> 00:14:27.829
attempt the first crude lunar landing


00:14:27.839 --> 00:14:29.990
since 1972,


00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:31.990
including landing the first woman and


00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:34.470
first person of color on the moon. It's


00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:36.870
a new chapter in lunar exploration and


00:14:36.880 --> 00:14:39.350
we're watching it unfold in real time,


00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:41.430
literally. We'll put a link in the show


00:14:41.440 --> 00:14:43.350
notes if you'd like to check it out. And


00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:45.110
that wraps up today's episode of


00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:47.110
Astronomy Daily. From solar


00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:49.030
observatories reaching their cosmic


00:14:49.040 --> 00:14:51.430
outposts to remembering hard-learned


00:14:51.440 --> 00:14:53.750
lessons from AI discoveries and


00:14:53.760 --> 00:14:56.230
telescope archives to potential meteor


00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:58.790
showers on Venus, stellar fireworks at


00:14:58.800 --> 00:15:01.269
our galactic center and moon rockets on


00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:03.430
the launchpad. It's been quite a journey


00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:05.829
through the cosmos today. It certainly


00:15:05.839 --> 00:15:08.069
has. If you want to stay uptodate with


00:15:08.079 --> 00:15:10.389
all the latest space and astronomy news,


00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:12.310
make sure you're subscribed to Astronomy


00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:14.389
Daily. You can find us on your favorite


00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:15.910
podcast platform


00:15:15.920 --> 00:15:17.829
>> and don't forget to visit our website at


00:15:17.839 --> 00:15:19.829
astronomyaily.io


00:15:19.839 --> 00:15:22.069
for additional content, show notes, and


00:15:22.079 --> 00:15:23.750
links to all the stories we covered


00:15:23.760 --> 00:15:24.470
today.


00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:26.069
>> You can also connect with us on social


00:15:26.079 --> 00:15:28.870
media at Astro Daily Pod across all


00:15:28.880 --> 00:15:30.230
major platforms.


00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:32.470
>> Until next time, keep looking up.


00:15:32.480 --> 00:15:38.389
>> Clear skies everyone.


00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:45.110
Oh,


00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:48.839
stories told.