- Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL Arrives at ISS: Northrop Grumman's new Cygnus XL freighter successfully docked with the International Space Station on September 18, marking a significant milestone in commercial space transportation. This jumbo-sized cargo vessel can carry approximately 11,000 pounds of supplies, enhancing delivery capabilities for the ISS. The spacecraft, named SS William Willie McCool, is equipped with advanced systems and will remain docked until March 2026, providing ample time for scientific experiments.
- Upcoming Partial Solar Eclipse: A partial solar eclipse is set to occur on September 22nd, visible from eastern Australia, New Zealand, and Antarctica. The event will last over four hours, with varying degrees of coverage, peaking at 68% in Antarctica. This eclipse is part of the Saros series 154, and it offers scientists a unique opportunity to study atmospheric conditions during partial solar blocking.
- NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications Success: NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications Experiment aboard the Psyche spacecraft has demonstrated high-speed laser communication across vast distances, achieving data transmission from 218 million miles away. This technology could revolutionize communications for future Mars missions, enabling high-definition video calls from deep space.
- Atreides Program Investigates Neptunian Desert: Astronomers have launched the Atreides program to study the puzzling absence of Neptunian-sized planets in close orbits around their stars. The first target, TOI421, reveals chaotic orbital dynamics, providing insights into planetary formation and migration processes.
- James Webb Space Telescope Discovers Methane on Makemake: The James Webb Space Telescope has detected methane gas on the distant dwarf planet Makemake, suggesting it may have a dynamic surface with geological or atmospheric processes. This discovery challenges previous notions of Makemake as an inactive celestial body.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic Music, 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 Anna and Avery signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and exploring the wonders of our universe.
Cygnus XL Arrival
[Northrop Grumman](https://www.northropgrumman.com/)
Partial Solar Eclipse Details
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Deep Space Optical Communications
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Atreides Program Information
[Nature](https://www.nature.com/)
James Webb Discovery on Makemake
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily. Your go
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 to source for the latest developments in
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 space exploration and astronomical
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 discoveries. I'm Anna and I'm
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 here with my co host Avery to bring
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 you today's most exciting space news.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 From cargo deliveries to the International
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 Space Station, to mysterious
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 exoplanets and upcoming
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 eclipses, we've got a fantastic
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 lineup of stories that showcase just how
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 dynamic and fascinating our
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 universe continues to be.
00:00:35 --> 00:00:36 Avery: That's right, Anna.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 Uh, we're starting today with an update and
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 some fantastic news from the International
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 Space Station where a brand new type of cargo
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 spacecraft has finally arrived.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 Northrop Grumman's debut Cygnus XL
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 freighter successfully reached the ISS on
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 September 18, marking a significant
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 milestone in commercial space transportation.
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 This wasn't just any ordinary delivery. It
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 was the first first mission of their new
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 jumbo sized cargo vessel and it went
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 remarkably well despite a small hiccup along
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 the way. What makes this particularly
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 exciting is that this represents a major
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 evolution in Northrop Grumman's capabilities.
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 The original Cygnus spacecraft has been
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 reliably servicing the ISS since 2013,
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 but this new XL Ariant is a game changer.
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 With enhanced capacity and improved systems.
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 Anna: The arrival was quite the spectacle.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 NASA astronaut Jonny Kim used the
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 station's Kaned 2 robotic arm
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 to grapple the Cygnus spacecraft at
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 exactly 7:24am um, Eastern
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 Time while the station was passing
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 260 miles above the
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 Democratic Republic of Congo. There was
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 actually a one day delay due to some
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 thruster issues, but the team worked through
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 those challenges beautifully. What makes this
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 mission so special is the spacecraft's
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 enhanced capacity. This new Cygnus
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 XL can carry approximately
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 11 pounds of cargo compared
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 to the previous model's 8
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 pounds. That's a substantial increase in
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 delivery capability. The technical
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 improvements include an enlarged service
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 module with better solar array
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 efficiency and upgraded thrusters for
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 improved maneuverability, making this a
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 significant upgrade over previous Cygnus
00:02:29 --> 00:02:30 missions.
00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 Avery: And the timing couldn't be better. This is
00:02:33 --> 00:02:36 actually the first Cygnus delivery in over a
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 year, so the crew was probably pretty excited
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 to receive their supplies. The spacecraft
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 launched on September 14th aboard a SpaceX
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral and
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 it's been named the SS William Willie
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 McCool in honor of the Columbia crew member.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 The cargo manifest is particularly
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 interesting from a scientific perspective.
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 They're carrying materials for semiconductor
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 crystal experiments, equipment for cryogenic
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 fuel tank improvements, a, uh, UV light
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 system for microbial control, and supplies
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 for pharmaceutical crystal production
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 research. The spacecraft is scheduled to
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 remain docked until March 2026,
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 giving researchers plenty of time to conduct
00:03:15 --> 00:03:16 their experiments.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 Anna: Speaking of celestial events, let's
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 shift our focus from human made
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 spacecraft to a natural
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 astronomical phenomenon that's happening this
00:03:27 --> 00:03:30 weekend. A partial solar eclipse is
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 set to occur on Sunday and Monday,
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 September 22nd,
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 though unfortunately, most of our listeners
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 won't be able to see it directly. The
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 eclipse will be visible from eastern
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 Australia, New Zealand and
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 Antarctica, with the Moon's Shadow
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 passing about 250 miles over
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 the South Pole. The entire event will
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 last four hours and 24 minutes,
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 making it a relatively lengthy eclipse
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 experience for those in the viewing zone.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 Avery: The eclipse coverage varies significantly
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 depending on location. Sydney will
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 only see about 2% of the sun
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 eclipsed, while Hobart in Tasmania
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 gets a slightly better view at 4%.
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 The real winner is McMurdo M Station in
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 Antarctica, where observers will witness
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 68% of the sun being blocked
00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 by the Moon. But here's the most interesting
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 viewing Southern New Zealand
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 will experience what astronomers are calling
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 a shark fin eclipse at sunrise.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 With about 20% coverage. It's
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 fascinating how the geometry works out
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 differently for each location. This
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 eclipse is actually number seven in a series
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 of 71 eclipses called
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 Saros series 154.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:53 For those already planning ahead, the next
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 total solar eclipse will occur on August
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 12, 2026, crossing
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 Iceland and northern Spain. For
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 scientists at McMurdo Station, this eclipse
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 provides valuable research opportunities to
00:05:07 --> 00:05:10 study how partial solar blocking affects
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 atmospheric conditions in one of Earth's most
00:05:13 --> 00:05:14 extreme environments.
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 Now, uh, let's talk about a technology
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 demonstration that's been quietly making
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 history in deep space. NASA's
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 Deep Space Optical Communications Experiment
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 aboard this Psyche spacecraft has just
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 concluded after nearly two years of
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 operation. And the results have exceeded all
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 expectations. This laser communication system
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 has been beaming data back to Earth from
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 incredible distances, proving that high speed
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 communications across the solar system are
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 not just possible, but practical. The
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 mission just completed its 65th and final
00:05:47 --> 00:05:50 pass, transmitting laser signals from
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 218 million miles away.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 That's comparable to the distance between
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 Earth and Mars at certain points in their
00:05:56 --> 00:05:59 orbits. The performance numbers are
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 absolutely staggering. Back in December
00:06:01 --> 00:06:04 2023, when Psyche was 19 million
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 mil miles from Earth, the system successfully
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 streamed ultra high definition video at
00:06:10 --> 00:06:13 267 Mbps.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 Think about that for a moment. That's faster
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 than many home Internet connections. But the
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 data was traveling across millions of miles
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 of empty space. Using nothing but
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 focused laser light, the system set its
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 distance record in December 2024,
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 successfully downlinking data from
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 3 million miles away
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 over the entire mission duration they
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 received a total of 13.6
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 terabits of data. The ground based
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 infrastructure is equally impressive. They
00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 use a 3 kilowatt uplink laser at
00:06:46 --> 00:06:49 JPL's Table Mountain facility and receive
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 the signals using the 200 inch telescope at
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 Palomar Observatory. This technology could
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 revolutionize communications for future Mars
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 missions and deep space exploration.
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 NASA is already planning to implement this
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 technology on upcoming Mars missions,
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 potentially enabling high definition video
00:07:07 --> 00:07:10 calls with Earth instead of the delayed low
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 quality communications we're used to today.
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 Anna: Let's venture beyond our solar system now to
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 discuss a fascinating mystery involving
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 exoplanets. Astronomers have launched a
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 new program called Atreides to study what
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 they call the Neptunian Desert. A, uh,
00:07:26 --> 00:07:29 puzzling absence of planets about 20
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 times Earth's mass that orbit very to their
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 stars. You'd expect to find planets of this
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 size in close orbits, but they're
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 surprisingly rare and scientists want to
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 understand why. The first system they're
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 studying is called TOI421,
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 located 224 light years away.
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 And it's already providing some intriguing
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 clues about planetary formation and
00:07:53 --> 00:07:53 evolution.
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 Avery: TOI421 is particularly interesting
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 because it has two planets with misaligned
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 orbits, which suggests their evolution was
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 quite chaotic.
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 TOI421B has about seven times
00:08:05 --> 00:08:08 Earth's mass and orbits at, uh, just 6% of
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 the Earth's sun distance. That's incredibly
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 close to its star. TOI
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 421c is even more massive at 14
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 times Earth's mass and orbits at 12%
00:08:19 --> 00:08:22 of the Earth's sun distance. The fact that
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 their orbits are misaligned is telling
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 astronomers a story about violent planetary
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 migration. Instead of gently spiraling
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 inward over millions of years, these planets
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 likely experience what scientists call high
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 eccentricity migration, essentially being
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 flung around by gravitational interactions
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 before settling into their current orbits.
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 Understanding this process could help explain
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 why hot Neptune sized planets are so rare
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 and give us insights into how planetary
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 systems form and evolve. The
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 Atreides program uses advanced telescopes and
00:08:55 --> 00:08:58 space based observations to measure not just
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 planetary size and mass, but also
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 atmospheric composition and ocean orbital
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 dynamics with unprecedented precision,
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 helping astronomers understand the complex
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 gravitational processes that shape these
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 systems over millions of years.
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 Anna: For our final story today, let's journey to
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 the outer reaches of our own solar system,
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 where the James Webb Space Telescope has made
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 a remarkable discovery. Webb has
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 detected methane gas on Makemake,
00:09:26 --> 00:09:29 a distant dwarf planet, making it only the
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 second trans Neptunian object after
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 Pluto where gas has been.
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 Makemake is about 890 miles across,
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 roughly 2/3 the size of Pluto. And this
00:09:41 --> 00:09:44 detection suggests it's far more dynamic
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 than previously thought. The methane was
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 identified through what scientists call solar
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 excited fluorescence, where sunlight causes
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 the methane molecules to emit detectable
00:09:55 --> 00:09:55 signals.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 Avery: This discovery opens up fascinating
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 possibilities about what's happening on
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 Makemake's surface. The methane could
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 indicate the presence of a thin atmosphere,
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 or it might suggest active sublimation
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 processes where ice turns directly into
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 gas or even cryovolcanic activity,
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 essentially ice volcanoes. If Makemake
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 does have an atmosphere, it would be
00:10:19 --> 00:10:22 incredibly tenuous, with temperatures around
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 40 Kelvin, that's minus
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 233 degrees Celsius and
00:10:26 --> 00:10:29 atmospheric pressure about a hundred billion
00:10:29 --> 00:10:32 times weaker than Earth's, making it a
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 million times more tenuous than even Pluto's
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 thin atmosphere. But the very fact that we
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 can detect this gas shows that Makemake
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 isn't just an inactive chunk of rock and ice
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 floating in the outer solar system. It's a
00:10:45 --> 00:10:48 dynamic world with ongoing geological or
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 atmospheric processes. This challenges
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 our understanding of what makes a world
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 active in the outer solar system. And
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 scientists are planning follow up
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 observations to determine whether the methane
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 represents seasonal effects or more
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 fundamental geological activity.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 Anna: You know, Avery, when we look at all these
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 stories together, what really strikes me is
00:11:08 --> 00:11:11 how they represent different scales of human
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 achievement and cosmic discovery. We've got
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 practical successes like cargo delivery to
00:11:16 --> 00:11:19 the iss, incredible technological leaps
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 like laser communications that will enable
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 future exploration, and we're pushing the
00:11:23 --> 00:11:26 boundaries of knowledge by studying distant
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 worlds and exoplanets that expand our
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 understanding of planetary formation.
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 Avery: Absolutely, Anna. Uh, and what I find
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 particularly exciting is how these
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 technologies and discoveries build on each
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 other. The same infrared detection
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 capabilities that let us find methane on
00:11:42 --> 00:11:45 MakeMake are helping us characterize
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 exoplanet atmospheres. The laser
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 communication systems being proven on the
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 Psyche mission will eventually enable high
00:11:51 --> 00:11:54 bandwidth data transmission from Mars. Even
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 the enhanced cargo capabilities of the Cygnus
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 XL are enabling the kinds of experiments that
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 will prepare us for establishing permanent
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 research stations throughout the solar
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 system.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 Anna: And that wraps up today's episode of
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 Astronomy Daily. From the successful arrival
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 of the new Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 at the International Space Station to the
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 mysterious dynamics of distant dwarf planets,
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 it's been another incredible day in space
00:12:20 --> 00:12:23 exploration and astronomical discovery news.
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 Avery: Thanks for joining us today, everyone. I'm
00:12:26 --> 00:12:29 Avery along with Anna, reminding you to keep
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 looking up and stay curious about the amazing
00:12:31 --> 00:12:34 universe around us. We'll be back tomorrow
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 with more exciting space news and
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 discoveries. Until then, clear skies.