- SpaceX's Lunar Lander Revamp: SpaceX is reshaping its plans for the lunar lander in NASA's Artemis program, opting for a simplified mission architecture that promises to expedite astronaut landings on the Moon. This shift comes as the original timeline faces significant delays, with new flight tests of the Starship V3 architecture targeted for 2026.
- Coronal Mass Ejection and Life: Astronomers have observed a coronal mass ejection from a young, active star for the first time. This powerful stellar outburst may provide the necessary energy to ignite the chemistry of life on orbiting planets, suggesting that such events could be pivotal in the origins of life across the universe.
- Vera Rubin Observatory's Stellar Stream: Even before its main survey begins, the Vera Rubin Observatory has discovered a massive stellar stream extending 163,000 light years from the galaxy Messier 61. This finding highlights the potential for uncovering hidden cosmic structures as the observatory gears up for its full operations.
- Hennin CubeSat Mission: The European Space Agency is set to launch Hennin, the first CubeSat designed for deep space missions. Positioned in a distant retrograde orbit, Hennin aims to provide early warnings of solar storms, potentially extending our reaction time from under an hour to six hours.
- Europe's Reusable Rocket Plans: The Ariane Group is pushing forward with the development of reusable rocket technology centered around the Prometheus engine. This initiative aims to enhance Europe’s autonomous access to space, aiming for a full stage recovery demonstration by 2027 or 2028.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna and Avery signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and exploring the wonders of our universe.
SpaceX Lunar Lander Update
[SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/)
Coronal Mass Ejection Research
[Nature Astronomy](https://www.nature.com/natastronomy/)
Vera Rubin Observatory Findings
[Vera Rubin Observatory](https://www.RubinObs.org/)
Hennin CubeSat Mission
[European Space Agency](https://www.esa.int/)
Ariane Group Reusable Rocket Plans
[Ariane Group](https://www.ariane.group/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Avery: Hello, and welcome to Astronomy Daily,
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 the podcast that brings you the universe one
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 story at a time. Give us 10 minutes and we'll
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 give you the universe. I'm Avery.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 Anna: And I'm Anna. It's great to be with you.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 Today we'll be talking about SpaceX's updated
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 plans for the starship Lunar Lander
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 and how a distant star's tantrum could
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 be the key to finding alien life.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 Avery: That's right, Anna. We'll also dive into a
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 massive predator previously unseen stellar
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 stream discovered by the Vera Rubin
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 Observatory, a tiny cubesat on a mission
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 to deep space, and Europe's ambitious new
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 plans for reusable rockets.
00:00:40 --> 00:00:41 Let's get started.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 Anna: Our first story takes us to the forefront
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 of lunar exploration. SpaceX has
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 been under immense pressure to deliver its
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 starship lander for NASA's Artemis program,
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 and it seems they're adjusting their
00:00:55 --> 00:00:56 strategy.
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 Avery: adjusting is one word for it. They've
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 announced they're developing a simplified
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 lunar landing mission architecture. In a
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 statement on October 30, the company claimed
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 this new approach could get astronauts to the
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 lunar surface faster than the current very
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 complex plan for Artemis 3.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 Anna: Faster is certainly what NASA wants to
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 hear. The original plan involves a whole
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 series of refueling launches in Earth
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 orbit before starship can even head to the
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 moon. The the complexity is a major reason
00:01:27 --> 00:01:28 for the delays.
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 Avery: Exactly. And NASA has been very public about
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 those delays. Back in July, Lori
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 Glaze, a top official at NASA, noted that key
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 milestones anticipated for this year were
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 clearly slipping. SpaceX seems to be
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 responding to that pressure, but they've been
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 cagey with the details on what this
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 simplified mission actually looks like.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 Anna: Right. They're defending their progress while
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 simultaneously changing the plan. They
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 the company did give a new timeline, stating
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 that the timing will be driven by upcoming
00:01:58 --> 00:02:01 flight tests of the new Starship V3
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 architecture. They're targeting both the
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 uncrewed and crewed demonstration landings to
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 take place in 2026.
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 Avery: 2026 is an aggressive target,
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 especially with the original Artemis 3
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 mission slated for late 2025, a
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 date that almost everyone now agrees is
00:02:19 --> 00:02:22 impossible. It seems SpaceX is trying to
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 reset expectations while still aiming high.
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 We'll be watching those V3 flight tests very
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 closely indeed.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 Anna: From landing on our moon to the potential
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 origins of life on other worlds, our next
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 story is truly fascinating. For the
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 first time, astronomers have witnessed a
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 coronal mass ejection on another star
00:02:43 --> 00:02:44 in its entirety.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 Avery: A, cme, like the solar storms our own sun
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50 produces. But this wasn't just any star. It
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 was a young active One. And the energy this
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 thing packed was immense. Scientists believe
00:02:55 --> 00:02:58 it's enough to potentially kickstart the
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 chemistry of life on any planets that might
00:03:00 --> 00:03:01 be orbiting it.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 Anna: It's a beautiful yet violent concept.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 We often think of these powerful stellar
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 outbursts as dangerous to life, capable
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 of stripping away atmospheres. But this
00:03:12 --> 00:03:15 research suggests that for a young lifeless
00:03:15 --> 00:03:18 planet, a, powerful CME could provide
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 the energetic spark needed to forge
00:03:21 --> 00:03:24 complex molecules, the building BL of life.
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 Avery: That makes sense. It's a, cosmic chemical
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 reaction. The article calls these
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 observations a rare insight into the role
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 stars can play in the origin of life. It's
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 possible our own sun did the very same thing
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 for Earth four and a half billion years ago.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 Anna: Precisely. So while we search for life on
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 other worlds, we might need to look for
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 planets around stars that are going through
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 these violent energetic phases.
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 It's a paradigm shift, seeing a stellar
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 storm not just as a threat, but as a
00:03:55 --> 00:03:56 potential creator.
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 Avery: Amazing stuff. It really makes you think
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 about how delicate yet how resilient the
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 process of life's beginning must be.
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 Anna: Let's move from the beginning of life to the
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 ghosts of galaxies. The Vera Rubin
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 Observatory hasn't even officially started
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 its main survey yet, but it's already making
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 incredible discoveries.
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 Avery: That's the most exciting part. This was
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 during its commissioning phase, basically
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 just testing the camera in June of
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 2025. It took what are called its Virgo
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 first look images, and astronomers found
00:04:28 --> 00:04:29 something huge.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 Anna: An enormous stellar stream. These are the
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 remnants of smaller dwarf galaxies or star
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 clusters that have been torn apart by the
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 gravity of a larger galaxy. This particular
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 stream was found emanating from a galaxy
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 called Messier 61 in the Virgo cluster.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 Avery: And when we say enormous, we mean it. The
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 newly discovered stream is about
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 163 light years long.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 That dwarfs most other streams we found. To
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 put that in perspective, our own Milky Way
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 galaxy is only about 100 light years
00:04:59 --> 00:04:59 across.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 Anna: It's just staggering. The authors of this
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 study even noted how remarkable it is that a
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 stream this massive went unnoticed for so
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 long, Especially around a well studied
00:05:09 --> 00:05:09 Messier galaxy.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 Avery: Totally. It just shows how much is still
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 hiding in plain sight. They conclude by
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 saying they expect a treasure trove of
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 substructures to be unveiled when the Rubin
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 Observatory's full survey begins. If this is
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 what they find just by turning the camera on,
00:05:25 --> 00:05:26 I can't wait to see what the full survey
00:05:26 --> 00:05:27 reveals.
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 Anna: It will be a new era for astronomy
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 now. From one of the world's largest
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 telescopes to one of the smallest spacecraft,
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 the European Space agency is preparing to
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 launch Hennin, the first CubeSat designed to
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 independently journey into deep.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 Avery: A tiny satellite with a huge mission.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 Hennon isn't just going into Earth orbit.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 It's heading out to a distant retrograde
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 orbit, or DRO around the Sun.
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 This is a special stable trajectory first
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 proposed way back in 1969 by a
00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 French astronomer named Michel Henon.
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 Anna: Right. And from this unique vantage point,
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 Henon will act as an early warning system.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 Its instruments are designed to detect solar
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 storms hours before they reach Earth. This
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 could be a game changer for protecting our
00:06:11 --> 00:06:12 satellites and power grids.
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 Avery: A big one. Currently, our best warning times
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 for a solar storm are under an hour. Henon
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 could potentially increase that warning time
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 to as much as six hours. That's a lot of
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 extra time to prepare critical
00:06:24 --> 00:06:25 infrastructure.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 Anna: It really is. This mission is a milestone for
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 small satellite technology. If Henin can
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 demonstrate this capability, it will pave the
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 way for a future constellation of small,
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 relatively inexpensive spacecraft that can
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 keep a constant watch on the sun, giving us a
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 much more robust defense against dangerous
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 space weather.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 Avery: That autonomy is absolutely key. It
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 demonstrates that small, relatively cost
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 effective platforms can now perform complex,
00:06:51 --> 00:06:54 high stakes deep space missions that were
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 once the exclusive domain of large billion
00:06:56 --> 00:06:57 dollar probes.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 Anna: This really opens up a new paradigm for solar
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 system exploration and especially for
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 building resilient constellations for space
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 weather monitoring. Giving us eyes on the sun
00:07:06 --> 00:07:07 from multiple angles.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 Avery: A tiny sentinel standing guard millions of
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 miles away. I love it.
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 Anna: Finally, for our last story, we turn our
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 attention back to Earth, specifically to the
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 launch pads of Europe. Ariane Group is making
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 a serious push to develop its own reusable
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 rocket technology.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 Avery: This is a big deal for them. For years,
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 Europe has relied on expendable rockets like
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 the Ariane 5. But with companies like
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 SpaceX dominating the launch market with
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 reusable boosters, they know they need to
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 catch up. This new effort is built around an
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 engine called Prometheus.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 Anna: Mm, that's right. Prometheus is a reusable,
00:07:42 --> 00:07:45 high thrust but low cost engine that burns
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 methane and liquid oxygen. It's the
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 powerhouse that will drive a series of
00:07:48 --> 00:07:51 demonstrator vehicles designed to test the
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 technologies needed for vertical landing and
00:07:53 --> 00:07:53 recovery.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 Avery: The roadmap is ambitious. They're aiming for
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 a full stage recovery demonstration around
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 2027 or 2028. If
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 that's successful, an operational reusable
00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 rocket could follow in their early 2000s,
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 assuming they continue to get funding from
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 the European Space Agency and other partners.
00:08:10 --> 00:08:13 Anna: And the goal here is clear. Ariane
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 Group states that the program aims to boost
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 European autonomous access to space.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 They don't want to be reliant on other
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 countries or, companies for launching their
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 critical satellites.
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 Avery: Sovereign capability. It's a race not just
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 for commercial advantage, but for strategic
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 independence in space. It will be exciting to
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 see if Prometheus can help Europe leapfrog
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 into the reusable era.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 Anna: Leapfrog is the perfect word for it. They
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 aren't just trying to copy existing reusable
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 designs. The Prometheus engine is being
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 designed from the ground up for extreme
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51 low cost and rapid production,
00:08:51 --> 00:08:54 using advanced manufacturing techniques like
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 3D printing for many of its core
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 components. If they succeed, they could
00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 create a rocket that's not only reusable,
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 but also significantly cheaper and faster
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 to build in the first place.
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 Avery: And that kind of robust competition is
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 fantastic for the entire global space
00:09:11 --> 00:09:14 industry. It drives down launch costs for
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 everyone. It fosters rapid innovation,
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 and ultimately, it gives humanity more
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 affordable and reliable access to space for
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 science, commerce, and exploration.
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 A strong competitive and independent European
00:09:27 --> 00:09:30 launch capability is a benefit to the entire
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 international space community.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 Anna: It really shows the incredible breadth of
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 what's happening in space exploration. Right
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 now. We have public private partnerships
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 pushing the boundaries of lunar travel, While
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 fundamental science is rewriting our
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 understanding of how life might begin.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 The scale of it all is just breathtaking.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 Avery: It is. And at the same time, we're developing
00:09:53 --> 00:09:56 new tools. From giant observatories to tiny
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 satellites that are giving us a clearer
00:09:58 --> 00:10:01 picture of both the distant cosmos and our
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 own solar neighborhood, Every story we cover
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 today is a piece of that larger puzzle of
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 discovery. It's a very exciting time.
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 Anna: And that brings us to the end of our episode.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 From revised moon missions and life giving
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 stellar storms to galactic ghosts,
00:10:17 --> 00:10:20 tiny sentinels and the race for reusable
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 rockets, it's been another busy week in the
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 cosmos.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 Avery: It certainly has. Thanks so much for joining
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 us on Astronomy Daily. We hope you'll tune in
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 next time for another journey through the
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 latest news from our universe. Until then,
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 I'm, Avery.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:36 Anna: And I'm Anna. Keep looking up.
00:10:43 --> 00:10:43 Love.