Feb. 2, 2026

SpaceX’s Million-Satellite Vision, Ancient Star Maps, and China’s Solar Mission

SpaceX’s Million-Satellite Vision, Ancient Star Maps, and China’s Solar Mission
The player is loading ...
SpaceX’s Million-Satellite Vision, Ancient Star Maps, and China’s Solar Mission
Spotify podcast player iconApple Podcasts podcast player iconYoutube Music podcast player iconiHeartRadio podcast player iconRSS Feed podcast player icon
Spotify podcast player iconApple Podcasts podcast player iconYoutube Music podcast player iconiHeartRadio podcast player iconRSS Feed podcast player icon

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

---

## Connect With Us

🌐 Website: astronomydaily.io

🐦 Twitter/X: @AstroDailyPod

📘 Facebook: @AstroDailyPod

📸 Instagram: @AstroDailyPod

🎵 TikTok: @AstroDailyPod

📺 YouTube: @AstroDailyPod

📱 Tumblr: @AstroDailyPod

---

## Story Sources

- TechCrunch

- Daily Galaxy

- Space.com

- Journal for the History of Astronomy

- CGTN News

- Keele University

- U.S. Department of Defense


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss) .


Sponsor Details:

Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN . To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit You'll be glad you did!


Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click Here (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support)


This episode includes AI-generated content.

Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/31451278?utm_source=youtube

WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en

00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:02.790
Welcome [music] to Astronomy Daily, your


00:00:02.800 --> 00:00:04.390
source for the latest space and


00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:06.470
astronomy news. I'm Anna.


00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:08.505
>> And I'm Avery. It's Monday, February


00:00:08.515 --> 00:00:11.509
[music] 2nd, 2026, and we've got a


00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:13.350
fantastic lineup of stories today,


00:00:13.360 --> 00:00:14.709
exploring [music] everything from


00:00:14.719 --> 00:00:17.510
SpaceX's audacious satellite plans to


00:00:17.520 --> 00:00:20.070
ancient star maps hidden for centuries.


00:00:20.080 --> 00:00:22.550
That's right, Avery. Today, we're diving


00:00:22.560 --> 00:00:25.429
into SpaceX's jaw-dropping proposal to


00:00:25.439 --> 00:00:27.670
launch up to 1 million solar [music]


00:00:27.680 --> 00:00:29.910
powered satellites. A remarkable


00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:31.830
archaeological discovery revealing


00:00:31.840 --> 00:00:34.630
Hipparcus' lost [music] star catalog and


00:00:34.640 --> 00:00:36.790
China's ambitious solar monitoring


00:00:36.800 --> 00:00:39.190
mission heading to a unique point in


00:00:39.200 --> 00:00:41.255
space. We'll also be discussing the


00:00:41.265 --> 00:00:42.630
[music] giant star that fooled


00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:45.030
astronomers worldwide, Time magazine


00:00:45.040 --> 00:00:47.430
special tribute to the Aremis 2 crew,


00:00:47.440 --> 00:00:49.750
and remembering Glattis West, a hidden


00:00:49.760 --> 00:00:51.430
figure who helps shape GPS [music]


00:00:51.440 --> 00:00:53.350
technology. It's going to be an


00:00:53.360 --> 00:00:54.950
incredible journey through space


00:00:54.960 --> 00:00:58.150
history, present, and future. So settle


00:00:58.160 --> 00:01:00.389
in and let's explore the cosmos


00:01:00.399 --> 00:01:01.189
together.


00:01:01.199 --> 00:01:02.950
>> We're starting with what might be the


00:01:02.960 --> 00:01:04.950
most ambitious satellite constellation


00:01:04.960 --> 00:01:07.750
proposal ever conceived. SpaceX has


00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:09.429
filed with the Federal Communications


00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:11.590
Commission seeking approval to launch up


00:01:11.600 --> 00:01:14.149
to 1 million solar powered satellites


00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:16.070
that would function as data centers for


00:01:16.080 --> 00:01:18.070
artificial intelligence.


00:01:18.080 --> 00:01:20.870
>> 1 million satellites, Avery. That's


00:01:20.880 --> 00:01:23.429
absolutely staggering. To put that in


00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:25.590
perspective, there are currently around


00:01:25.600 --> 00:01:28.230
15,000 man-made satellites orbiting


00:01:28.240 --> 00:01:30.149
Earth, according to the European Space


00:01:30.159 --> 00:01:32.950
Agency. SpaceX is essentially proposing


00:01:32.960 --> 00:01:35.030
to increase that number by several


00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:36.710
orders of magnitude.


00:01:36.720 --> 00:01:38.710
>> The scale is mind-boggling, Anna, and


00:01:38.720 --> 00:01:40.630
SpaceX isn't just framing this as a


00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.390
commercial venture. Their filing


00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:44.390
describes these satellites as the most


00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:46.149
efficient way to meet accelerating


00:01:46.159 --> 00:01:48.710
demand for AI computing power, but they


00:01:48.720 --> 00:01:50.550
go even further. They're calling it a


00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:51.830
first step towards becoming a


00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:54.310
Cardartesev type 2 civilization. One


00:01:54.320 --> 00:01:56.789
that can harness the sun's full power.


00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:58.789
>> That's quite the vision. For our


00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:00.870
listeners who might not be familiar, the


00:02:00.880 --> 00:02:03.429
Cardev scale is a method of measuring a


00:02:03.439 --> 00:02:06.069
civilization's technological advancement


00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:08.710
based on energy consumption. A type 2


00:02:08.720 --> 00:02:10.790
civilization would be able to harness


00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:13.670
all the energy output of its star. But


00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:15.830
let's talk practicalities here. The


00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:18.150
Verge has pointed out that the 1 million


00:02:18.160 --> 00:02:20.470
satellite number is unlikely to be


00:02:20.480 --> 00:02:22.630
approved outright and is probably a


00:02:22.640 --> 00:02:24.790
starting point for negotiation.


00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:27.589
>> Exactly. The FCC recently gave SpaceX


00:02:27.599 --> 00:02:31.589
permission to launch an additional 7,575


00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:33.830
Starlink satellites, but deferred


00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:37.509
authorization on the remaining 14,988


00:02:37.519 --> 00:02:39.990
satellites proposed. So there's clearly


00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:41.830
regulatory caution about satellite


00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:44.070
proliferation and there are very real


00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:45.830
concerns about space debris and light


00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:47.750
pollution that come with such massive


00:02:47.760 --> 00:02:50.390
constellations. The timing is also


00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:52.949
interesting. This filing comes as Amazon


00:02:52.959 --> 00:02:55.350
is seeking an FCC extension on a


00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:57.670
deadline to have more than 1,600


00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:00.070
satellites in orbit citing a lack of


00:03:00.080 --> 00:03:03.110
available rockets. Meanwhile, SpaceX is


00:03:03.120 --> 00:03:05.350
reportedly considering a merger with two


00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:07.830
of Elon Musk's other companies, Tesla


00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:10.550
and XAI, ahead of going public.


00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:12.309
>> It really shows how the commercial space


00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:14.470
sector is evolving. Anna, what was once


00:03:14.480 --> 00:03:15.910
the domain of governments is


00:03:15.920 --> 00:03:17.670
increasingly being driven by private


00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:19.910
companies with enormous ambitions.


00:03:19.920 --> 00:03:21.750
Whether SpaceX gets approval for


00:03:21.760 --> 00:03:23.670
anything close to a million satellites


00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:25.750
remains to be seen, but it certainly


00:03:25.760 --> 00:03:27.430
signals where they think the future is


00:03:27.440 --> 00:03:29.990
headed. It's fascinating to think about,


00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:31.910
but we'll have to see how regulators


00:03:31.920 --> 00:03:34.149
balance innovation with the very real


00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:36.710
concerns about our orbital environment.


00:03:36.720 --> 00:03:38.789
Now, let's move from the future to the


00:03:38.799 --> 00:03:41.430
distant past. From cuttingedge satellite


00:03:41.440 --> 00:03:43.270
technology, we're traveling back more


00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:45.750
than 2,000 years to rediscover one of


00:03:45.760 --> 00:03:48.229
astronomy's greatest lost treasures.


00:03:48.239 --> 00:03:50.229
Scientists have successfully recovered


00:03:50.239 --> 00:03:52.149
fragments of the world's earliest star


00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:54.229
catalog created by the ancient Greek


00:03:54.239 --> 00:03:57.110
astronomer Hipparus from a 1500year-old


00:03:57.120 --> 00:03:59.990
manuscript. This is absolutely


00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:02.949
remarkable. Avery Hipparus is widely


00:04:02.959 --> 00:04:05.350
considered the father of astronomy. He


00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:07.910
figured out how equinoxes shift, created


00:04:07.920 --> 00:04:09.910
a magnitude scale to rank star


00:04:09.920 --> 00:04:12.789
brightness, and tracked planetary motion


00:04:12.799 --> 00:04:15.270
all more than 2,000 years ago without


00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:17.909
any telescopes. But his actual star


00:04:17.919 --> 00:04:20.710
catalog had vanished from history until


00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:21.590
now.


00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:23.430
>> The manuscript is what's called a


00:04:23.440 --> 00:04:26.070
palumst, which means it's parchment that


00:04:26.080 --> 00:04:28.550
was wiped clean and reused. In this


00:04:28.560 --> 00:04:31.110
case, Hipparkus' original Greek text was


00:04:31.120 --> 00:04:33.110
erased and overwritten with Syriak


00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:35.830
religious writings of St. John Clamicus.


00:04:35.840 --> 00:04:37.830
The original work was literally buried


00:04:37.840 --> 00:04:40.150
under six layers of ink.


00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:42.629
>> So, how did researchers manage to read


00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:44.950
text that was intentionally erased


00:04:44.960 --> 00:04:47.430
centuries ago? They used some pretty


00:04:47.440 --> 00:04:50.230
sophisticated technology. A team led by


00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:53.110
Victor Gizenberg from Sorbon University


00:04:53.120 --> 00:04:55.830
used X-ray technology at the SALC


00:04:55.840 --> 00:04:58.629
National Accelerator Laboratory to scan


00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:01.030
11 pages of the manuscript.


00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:03.670
>> The key was that Hypocus original ink


00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:05.510
had a different chemical composition


00:05:05.520 --> 00:05:07.749
than the later religious texts. The


00:05:07.759 --> 00:05:09.909
ancient ink was rich in calcium which


00:05:09.919 --> 00:05:12.150
showed up clearly under X-ray scanning.


00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:14.950
They used extremely short X-ray pulses,


00:05:14.960 --> 00:05:17.830
each just 10 milliseconds long, focused


00:05:17.840 --> 00:05:20.629
on areas no wider than a human air.


00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:23.189
>> And what they found is remarkable. These


00:05:23.199 --> 00:05:25.830
aren't just historical curiosities. The


00:05:25.840 --> 00:05:28.070
star positions Hipparus recorded are


00:05:28.080 --> 00:05:30.070
incredibly accurate for naked eye


00:05:30.080 --> 00:05:32.870
observations. As Gizenberg said, the


00:05:32.880 --> 00:05:34.390
coordinates they're finding are


00:05:34.400 --> 00:05:36.310
incredibly accurate for something done


00:05:36.320 --> 00:05:38.710
with the naked eye. This gives us a


00:05:38.720 --> 00:05:40.629
window into how ancient people


00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:42.950
understood and mapped the night sky.


00:05:42.960 --> 00:05:44.790
>> It's also a testament to early


00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:46.950
scientific thinking. Hipparcus was


00:05:46.960 --> 00:05:49.430
working without any optical instruments.


00:05:49.440 --> 00:05:51.270
Yet, he was able to create precise


00:05:51.280 --> 00:05:53.430
astronomical measurements that laid the


00:05:53.440 --> 00:05:55.909
foundation for future astronomers. This


00:05:55.919 --> 00:05:57.670
discovery published in the journal for


00:05:57.680 --> 00:05:59.990
the history of astronomy helps us answer


00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:01.990
fundamental questions about the birth of


00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:05.029
science itself. And the manuscript now


00:06:05.039 --> 00:06:07.029
held at the Museum of the Bible in


00:06:07.039 --> 00:06:10.070
Washington DC is so delicate it had to


00:06:10.080 --> 00:06:12.230
be handcarried in climate controlled


00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:14.629
boxes to the laboratory. It's wonderful


00:06:14.639 --> 00:06:16.710
that modern technology can help us


00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:19.270
recover these ancient insights. Speaking


00:06:19.280 --> 00:06:21.830
of technology and new vantage points,


00:06:21.840 --> 00:06:23.990
let's turn to China's upcoming solar


00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:26.710
mission. China is making major strides


00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:28.950
in solar exploration with plans to


00:06:28.960 --> 00:06:31.270
launch its first ever solar probe to the


00:06:31.280 --> 00:06:34.550
Sun Earth L5 point. The satellite called


00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:37.029
Shihi 2 is scheduled to launch between


00:06:37.039 --> 00:06:40.550
2028 and 2029 and it will provide a


00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:42.790
unique perspective on solar activity


00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:45.430
that we've never had before. For our


00:06:45.440 --> 00:06:47.670
listeners who might not be familiar, the


00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:51.430
L5 point or Lrangee.5 is one of five


00:06:51.440 --> 00:06:53.510
special locations in space where the


00:06:53.520 --> 00:06:55.590
gravitational forces of the Earth and


00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:59.029
Sun balance out. It's about 150 million


00:06:59.039 --> 00:07:01.830
km from Earth and spacecraft positioned


00:07:01.840 --> 00:07:04.070
there require minimal fuel to maintain


00:07:04.080 --> 00:07:06.230
their orbit because they're in a stable


00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:08.309
gravitational equilibrium.


00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:11.510
>> Exactly, Anna. and L5 provides a direct


00:07:11.520 --> 00:07:13.670
unobstructed view of the sun without


00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:15.749
Earth's atmosphere getting in the way.


00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:17.749
This makes it ideal for capturing


00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:20.390
detailed data on solar magnetic fields,


00:07:20.400 --> 00:07:23.430
flares, and eruptions. GI2 will be the


00:07:23.440 --> 00:07:25.830
first artificial probe ever stationed at


00:07:25.840 --> 00:07:28.070
this location. The mission has some


00:07:28.080 --> 00:07:31.110
impressive capabilities. GI2 is equipped


00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:33.589
with cuttingedge technology designed for


00:07:33.599 --> 00:07:36.309
high precision magnetic field detection.


00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:38.230
This will help reveal the intricate


00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:40.870
dynamics of solar eruptions. But here's


00:07:40.880 --> 00:07:43.189
what's really exciting. The mission aims


00:07:43.199 --> 00:07:46.070
to predict solar activity up to 5 days


00:07:46.080 --> 00:07:49.110
in advance. That's a gamecher for space


00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:51.430
weather forecasting. Solar flares and


00:07:51.440 --> 00:07:53.909
coronal mass ejections can have profound


00:07:53.919 --> 00:07:56.150
effects on Earth's magnetic field and


00:07:56.160 --> 00:07:58.150
satellite systems. We've seen how


00:07:58.160 --> 00:07:59.990
geomagnetic storms can disrupt


00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:02.629
communication networks, GPS systems, and


00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:05.589
even power grids. Having 5 days advanced


00:08:05.599 --> 00:08:07.270
warning could help protect critical


00:08:07.280 --> 00:08:08.390
infrastructure.


00:08:08.400 --> 00:08:11.110
>> It's worth noting this builds on China's


00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:14.309
previous solar mission. In 2021, China


00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:16.710
launched Shihei, their first solar


00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:19.029
exploration satellite, which captured


00:08:19.039 --> 00:08:21.830
solar Halpha spectral imaging from low


00:08:21.840 --> 00:08:25.189
Earth orbit. Shihi 2 represents a much


00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:27.830
more ambitious leap heading to a distant


00:08:27.840 --> 00:08:30.629
and challenging location. The mission is


00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:32.870
a collaborative effort between Nanjing


00:08:32.880 --> 00:08:35.190
University, the China Meteorological


00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:37.829
Administration, and the Shanghai Academy


00:08:37.839 --> 00:08:40.469
of Space Flight Technology. It really


00:08:40.479 --> 00:08:42.469
demonstrates China's growing leadership


00:08:42.479 --> 00:08:44.550
in space exploration and their


00:08:44.560 --> 00:08:46.389
commitment to understanding space


00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:49.590
weather. And as we become increasingly


00:08:49.600 --> 00:08:52.230
reliant on space-based technologies,


00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:54.230
understanding and predicting solar


00:08:54.240 --> 00:08:57.030
activity becomes more crucial than ever.


00:08:57.040 --> 00:08:59.190
This mission could significantly improve


00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:01.509
our ability to protect satellites,


00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:04.310
astronauts, and infrastructure on Earth.


00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:06.389
Now, let's turn to a mystery that had


00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:08.790
astronomers scratching their heads.


00:09:08.800 --> 00:09:10.630
>> Here's a stellar detective story for


00:09:10.640 --> 00:09:12.710
you. Astronomers thought they were


00:09:12.720 --> 00:09:17.430
watching a massive star called WG64


00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:20.070
undergo its death throws, possibly even


00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:22.550
transforming into a rare yellow hyper


00:09:22.560 --> 00:09:25.829
giant before going supernova. Turns out


00:09:25.839 --> 00:09:27.670
they were completely wrong.


00:09:27.680 --> 00:09:29.670
>> This is such a great example of how


00:09:29.680 --> 00:09:33.430
science works. Avery WHG64


00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:35.990
is located in the large melanic cloud


00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:38.630
and is one of the most luminous dust and


00:09:38.640 --> 00:09:41.509
shrouded red super giants in its galaxy.


00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:43.829
In recent years, astronomers observed


00:09:43.839 --> 00:09:46.310
unusual dimming and changing spectral


00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:48.470
features that suggested the star was


00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:51.350
entering an extremely rare and unstable


00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:54.630
phase. In 2024, the appearance of a new


00:09:54.640 --> 00:09:56.790
dust cloud around the star seemed to


00:09:56.800 --> 00:09:58.949
confirm that something dramatic was


00:09:58.959 --> 00:10:01.350
happening. Many researchers thought they


00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:03.350
were witnessing a massive star in its


00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:05.750
final moments. But fresh observations


00:10:05.760 --> 00:10:08.550
from a team led by Dr. Jaco Vanlon at


00:10:08.560 --> 00:10:11.269
Kil University revealed a completely


00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:14.949
different story. Between November 2024


00:10:14.959 --> 00:10:18.550
and December 2025, the team used the


00:10:18.560 --> 00:10:21.190
Southern African Large Telescope to


00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:24.310
collect detailed optical spectra of WO


00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:25.990
G64.


00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:28.630
What they found contradicted all the


00:10:28.640 --> 00:10:31.430
previous assumptions. Instead of the


00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:33.590
temperature increase you'd expect in a


00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:36.630
yellow hyper giant, they found strong


00:10:36.640 --> 00:10:39.590
absorption bands from titanium oxide


00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:42.470
molecules. And here's why that matters.


00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:45.190
Titanium oxide molecules can't survive


00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:47.350
in the hotter environment of a yellow


00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:51.430
hyper giant. That meant wo G64 hadn't


00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:53.590
undergone the suspected transformation


00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:56.550
at all. Something else was causing all


00:10:56.560 --> 00:10:58.310
those puzzling observations.


00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:00.710
>> The answer turned out to be a companion


00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:03.269
star. W64


00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:05.990
is actually part of a binary system. A


00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:08.389
smaller, hotter companion star orbits


00:11:08.399 --> 00:11:10.790
the red super giant and periodically


00:11:10.800 --> 00:11:13.350
interacts with its extended atmosphere.


00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:15.750
As Van Lon explained, the atmosphere of


00:11:15.760 --> 00:11:17.910
the red super giant is being stretched


00:11:17.920 --> 00:11:19.590
out by the approach of the companion


00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:21.670
star, but it hasn't been stripped


00:11:21.680 --> 00:11:24.150
altogether. So nearly every major


00:11:24.160 --> 00:11:25.670
indicator that astronomers had


00:11:25.680 --> 00:11:27.750
interpreted as signs of impending


00:11:27.760 --> 00:11:30.230
stellar death, the fading light, the


00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:33.110
spectral shifts, the dust formation, was


00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:35.670
actually caused by this companion star.


00:11:35.680 --> 00:11:37.509
Some of the disrupted material even


00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:39.829
appears to form a disc around the hot


00:11:39.839 --> 00:11:42.069
companion, which contributed to those


00:11:42.079 --> 00:11:43.910
strange spectral emissions.


00:11:43.920 --> 00:11:46.630
>> Banoon described it beautifully. We're


00:11:46.640 --> 00:11:49.110
essentially witnessing a phoenix rising


00:11:49.120 --> 00:11:53.269
from the ashes. It's not that WG64


00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:56.310
won't eventually go supernova. It will.


00:11:56.320 --> 00:11:58.550
But that event isn't imminent, despite


00:11:58.560 --> 00:12:01.190
what all the evidence seemed to suggest.


00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:03.670
This discovery highlights how binary


00:12:03.680 --> 00:12:06.069
interactions can perfectly mimic the


00:12:06.079 --> 00:12:08.470
hallmarks of a dying star. It's a


00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:10.230
humbling reminder that the universe


00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:12.710
still has plenty of surprises for us.


00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:14.629
Careful follow-up observations with


00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:17.190
attention to dust obscuration revealed


00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:19.110
that earlier spectral signals were


00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:21.430
misleading. Now, let's shift from


00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:23.910
stellar mysteries to human achievements.


00:12:23.920 --> 00:12:26.310
As Time magazine celebrates an historic


00:12:26.320 --> 00:12:27.030
moment,


00:12:27.040 --> 00:12:29.910
>> as NASA's Aremis 2 mission sits poised


00:12:29.920 --> 00:12:32.790
on launchpad 39B at Kennedy Space


00:12:32.800 --> 00:12:35.269
Center, Time magazine has honored the


00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:37.269
crew with a special commemorative cover


00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:40.150
issue that draws powerful parallels to


00:12:40.160 --> 00:12:42.470
one of history's most pivotal space


00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:45.030
missions. The cover features the four


00:12:45.040 --> 00:12:47.829
Artemis 2 astronauts, Reed Weisman,


00:12:47.839 --> 00:12:50.310
Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, and


00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:52.389
Christina Ko, who are scheduled to


00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:54.870
launch as early as February 8th for a


00:12:54.880 --> 00:12:57.829
10-day lunar flyby mission. The article


00:12:57.839 --> 00:12:59.670
accompanying it was written by Jeffrey


00:12:59.680 --> 00:13:01.990
Kuger, the best-selling author known for


00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:05.269
Apollo 13 and the Apollo murders. What's


00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:07.590
particularly poignant is the comparison


00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:10.470
Kuger draws to Apollo 8, which orbited


00:13:10.480 --> 00:13:13.269
the moon in December 1968.


00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:15.750
That was a year of tremendous turmoil in


00:13:15.760 --> 00:13:17.910
the United States and around the world.


00:13:17.920 --> 00:13:20.230
And Apollo 8's Christmas Eve broadcast


00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:22.629
from lunar orbit provided a moment of


00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:25.269
unity and inspiration that transcended


00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:27.269
borders and politics.


00:13:27.279 --> 00:13:29.590
>> As Kuger writes in the article, "Not


00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:31.430
every mission touches the collective


00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:36.069
soul, but some do. Apollo 8, Apollo 11,


00:13:36.079 --> 00:13:39.350
Apollo 13. These were less American


00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:42.310
experiences than global dramas, global


00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:45.509
triumphs, global joys. And he suggests


00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:47.670
Artemis 2 could work similar magic


00:13:47.680 --> 00:13:48.550
today.


00:13:48.560 --> 00:13:50.790
>> The mission itself will push human


00:13:50.800 --> 00:13:53.590
spaceflight to new limits. Artemis 2's


00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:56.710
trajectory will take the crew 4,700


00:13:56.720 --> 00:13:59.430
m beyond the far side of the moon,


00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:01.269
farther than our species has ever


00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:03.590
traveled. That will break the old record


00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:06.870
of 158 miles past the moon, which was


00:14:06.880 --> 00:14:09.189
held by the Apollo 13 astronauts during


00:14:09.199 --> 00:14:11.990
that dramatic 1970 mission.


00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:14.710
>> NASA administrator Jared Isikman posted


00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:17.030
sidebyside Time magazine covers from


00:14:17.040 --> 00:14:20.870
1968 and 2026 on social media, noting


00:14:20.880 --> 00:14:23.750
that 58 years after Apollo 8's historic


00:14:23.760 --> 00:14:26.389
trip, NASA is heading back. He


00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:28.150
emphasized that through the Aremis


00:14:28.160 --> 00:14:30.470
campaign, the agency aims to maintain


00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:32.710
American leadership in space, land


00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:35.189
astronauts on the moon, and establish a


00:14:35.199 --> 00:14:38.550
lunar base all before the end of 2028.


00:14:38.560 --> 00:14:41.189
>> What strikes me about both Apollo 8 and


00:14:41.199 --> 00:14:44.069
Aremis 2 is their role in opening new


00:14:44.079 --> 00:14:46.949
chapters. Apollo 8 proved humans could


00:14:46.959 --> 00:14:49.590
safely journey to the moon and return,


00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:52.710
paving the way for Apollo 11's landing.


00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:55.269
Artemis 2 is similarly demonstrating the


00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:57.750
capabilities that will enable Artemis 3


00:14:57.760 --> 00:15:00.629
to put humans back on the lunar surface.


00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:02.870
>> And as Kuger points out, the mission


00:15:02.880 --> 00:15:04.870
represents not just a technological


00:15:04.880 --> 00:15:07.189
achievement, but a significant edge in


00:15:07.199 --> 00:15:09.670
any space race with China, while also


00:15:09.680 --> 00:15:11.910
offering the kind of public uplift that


00:15:11.920 --> 00:15:13.750
spaceflight has uniquely been able to


00:15:13.760 --> 00:15:16.710
provide since the 1960s. It's a moment


00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:19.189
when four people serve as emissaries for


00:15:19.199 --> 00:15:21.590
the 8.3 billion of us who remain


00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:24.230
earthbound. With the wet dress rehearsal


00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:26.069
happening right now and launch


00:15:26.079 --> 00:15:28.629
potentially just days away, this Time


00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:30.550
magazine issue captures what could be


00:15:30.560 --> 00:15:34.069
one of 2026's most inspiring moments.


00:15:34.079 --> 00:15:36.550
And speaking of inspiration, we need to


00:15:36.560 --> 00:15:38.949
remember someone who made a profound but


00:15:38.959 --> 00:15:41.670
often overlooked contribution to how we


00:15:41.680 --> 00:15:43.990
navigate our world. We're closing


00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:45.990
today's show with a remembrance of Dr.


00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:48.470
Glattis West who passed away Saturday at


00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:51.350
the age of 95. West was one of the


00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:53.590
hidden figures whose work fundamentally


00:15:53.600 --> 00:15:56.470
shaped modern GPS technology. Yet her


00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:58.790
contributions went largely unrecognized


00:15:58.800 --> 00:16:00.150
until recently.


00:16:00.160 --> 00:16:02.310
>> Glattis West's story is one of


00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:04.150
extraordinary perseverance and


00:16:04.160 --> 00:16:06.310
achievement in the face of significant


00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:09.590
obstacles. She was born on October 27th,


00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:11.670
1930 in rural Southerntherland,


00:16:11.680 --> 00:16:14.310
Virginia, south of Richmond. Her parents


00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:16.150
had a small farm and most of the


00:16:16.160 --> 00:16:18.550
region's population were tenant farmers


00:16:18.560 --> 00:16:21.189
known as sharecroppers. She initially


00:16:21.199 --> 00:16:23.189
expected her future would lead to farm


00:16:23.199 --> 00:16:25.350
work or a job at the tobacco processing


00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:27.269
plant where her mother worked, but she


00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:29.030
excelled academically, becoming


00:16:29.040 --> 00:16:30.629
validictorian of her high school


00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:32.870
graduating class. She earned a full


00:16:32.880 --> 00:16:34.949
scholarship to Virginia State College,


00:16:34.959 --> 00:16:36.470
which was a historically black


00:16:36.480 --> 00:16:38.629
institution, and went on to earn both


00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:40.629
her bachelor's and master's degrees in


00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:43.110
mathematics. This was during the Jim


00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:45.910
Crow era of racial segregation. Avery,


00:16:45.920 --> 00:16:49.030
after graduating in 1955, the same year


00:16:49.040 --> 00:16:51.030
President Eisenhower banned racial


00:16:51.040 --> 00:16:53.670
discrimination in federal hiring, West


00:16:53.680 --> 00:16:55.350
began working at what was then called


00:16:55.360 --> 00:16:57.509
the Naval Proving Ground in Dogrren,


00:16:57.519 --> 00:16:59.829
Virginia. She told NPR that there were


00:16:59.839 --> 00:17:01.829
three other black professionals there


00:17:01.839 --> 00:17:03.749
and they tried to treat the leaders with


00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:05.750
respect while hoping for the same


00:17:05.760 --> 00:17:07.350
treatment in return.


00:17:07.360 --> 00:17:10.470
>> West stayed at Dogrren for 42 years and


00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:13.110
her contributions were remarkable. In


00:17:13.120 --> 00:17:15.990
the 1960s, she participated in a study


00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:18.549
showing that Pluto's motion is regular


00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:21.110
compared with Neptune. But her most


00:17:21.120 --> 00:17:23.829
significant work came in the 1970s and


00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:25.909
80s when she helped develop the


00:17:25.919 --> 00:17:29.029
foundational mathematics for GPS.


00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:31.190
>> What's fascinating is the complexity of


00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:33.270
what she accomplished. West used


00:17:33.280 --> 00:17:35.270
intricate algorithms to account for


00:17:35.280 --> 00:17:38.150
variations in gravitational title and


00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:40.549
other forces that distort Earth's shape.


00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:43.750
She programmed the IBM 7030 computer,


00:17:43.760 --> 00:17:45.750
also known as stretch, to deliver


00:17:45.760 --> 00:17:48.470
increasingly refined calculations for an


00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:50.310
extremely accurate model of Earth's


00:17:50.320 --> 00:17:52.549
shape, specifically optimized for what


00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:54.870
ultimately became the GPS orbit used by


00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:56.230
satellite.


00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:58.230
>> Her work essentially created the


00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:00.710
mathematical framework that allows GPS


00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:03.510
to function accurately. Today, there are


00:18:03.520 --> 00:18:06.789
about 4 billion GPS users worldwide,


00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:09.190
according to Loheed Martin. Yet, when


00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:12.310
asked about using GPS herself, West told


00:18:12.320 --> 00:18:15.110
an NPR affiliate in 2020 that she used


00:18:15.120 --> 00:18:17.510
it on a minimal basis. She preferred


00:18:17.520 --> 00:18:20.070
maps. West's career wasn't widely


00:18:20.080 --> 00:18:22.789
recognized until the 2016 publication of


00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:24.950
Margot Lee Shudderly's book, Hidden


00:18:24.960 --> 00:18:27.110
Figures, and the Hollywood film based on


00:18:27.120 --> 00:18:29.430
it. After that, the accolades came


00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:31.510
quickly. She was inducted into the Air


00:18:31.520 --> 00:18:33.669
Force Space and Missile Pioneers Hall of


00:18:33.679 --> 00:18:35.990
Fame in 2018, received the Webbby


00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:38.710
Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021, and


00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:40.549
was honored with the Prince Philip Medal


00:18:40.559 --> 00:18:42.310
by the UK's Royal Academy of


00:18:42.320 --> 00:18:43.510
Engineering.


00:18:43.520 --> 00:18:45.669
>> She was predecessed last year by her


00:18:45.679 --> 00:18:48.870
husband of 57 years, Ira, whom she met


00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:51.110
at the Naval Proving Ground. The couple


00:18:51.120 --> 00:18:52.870
had three children and seven


00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:55.190
grandchildren. Her family announced that


00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:57.350
she passed peacefully alongside loved


00:18:57.360 --> 00:19:00.070
ones. Blattis West's story reminds us


00:19:00.080 --> 00:19:01.830
that some of the most important


00:19:01.840 --> 00:19:03.909
scientific contributions come from


00:19:03.919 --> 00:19:06.230
unexpected places and from people who


00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:08.870
had to overcome tremendous barriers.


00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:10.710
From a childhood in rural Virginia


00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:13.430
during segregation to reshaping how the


00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:15.990
entire world navigates. Her legacy


00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:18.390
touches billions of lives every single


00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:21.590
day. Every time someone uses GPS to find


00:19:21.600 --> 00:19:23.990
directions, track a delivery, or


00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:26.390
navigate by sea or air, they're


00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:27.990
benefiting from the mathematical


00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:30.070
foundations Glattis West helped


00:19:30.080 --> 00:19:32.789
establish. It's a powerful reminder that


00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:34.950
science is built by people from all


00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:36.470
backgrounds, and that we should


00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:38.310
celebrate those contributions while the


00:19:38.320 --> 00:19:40.470
pioneers are still with us.


00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:42.470
>> And that wraps up today's episode of


00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:44.870
Astronomy Daily. We've journeyed from


00:19:44.880 --> 00:19:47.669
SpaceX's ambitious satellite plans to


00:19:47.679 --> 00:19:49.669
ancient star maps, from solar


00:19:49.679 --> 00:19:52.070
observatories at special points in space


00:19:52.080 --> 00:19:54.150
to stellar mysteries solved. From


00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:56.310
upcoming lunar missions to the legacy of


00:19:56.320 --> 00:19:58.230
a GPS pioneer,


00:19:58.240 --> 00:19:59.830
>> it's been quite a tour through the


00:19:59.840 --> 00:20:02.390
cosmos. Anna, as always, we're grateful


00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:04.230
you joined us for this exploration of


00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:06.870
space and astronomy news. If you enjoyed


00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:08.789
today's episode, please subscribe to


00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:11.190
Astronomy Daily on your favorite podcast


00:20:11.200 --> 00:20:13.430
platform. You can also find us on social


00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:16.070
media. We're @ astrodaily pod on


00:20:16.080 --> 00:20:18.789
Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok,


00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:21.029
YouTube, and Tumblr. Visit our website


00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:23.110
at astronomyaily.io


00:20:23.120 --> 00:20:25.270
for more space news and to explore our


00:20:25.280 --> 00:20:27.190
archive of past episodes.


00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:28.470
>> I'm Avery.


00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:30.549
>> And I'm Anna. Thank you for listening


00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:32.310
and we'll see you tomorrow with more


00:20:32.320 --> 00:20:34.789
news from the final frontier.


00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:38.789
>> Clear skies. [music]


00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:47.029
The stories we told


00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:54.950
stories told [music]


00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:57.679
stories