- Exciting Mars Mission Proposal: Discover the ambitious M Metis mission, which aims to be the first dedicated to studying Mars's space weather. Set to compete for a spot as a European Space Agency medium mission, this initiative will deploy two robotic orbiters, Henri and Marguerite, to investigate the Martian atmosphere and its interactions with solar winds. Dr. Beatrice Sanchez Cano from the University of Leicester highlights the mission's importance for future human exploration and the safety of astronauts on the Red Planet.
- - Unveiling the Sun's Secrets: Get ready for NASA's upcoming Solar Eruption Integral Field Spectrograph mission (SNFS), launching in July. This groundbreaking mission will explore the chromosphere, a crucial layer of the Sun's atmosphere, to understand the energy dynamics that lead to solar flares and coronal mass ejections. With innovative technology, the SNFS will provide unprecedented insights into solar activity and its effects on space weather.
- - Boeing's Starliner Update: We discuss the latest challenges faced by Boeing's Starliner capsule, which recently returned from its Crew Flight Test. After encountering multiple issues, including helium leaks and thruster failures, the timeline for its next launch has shifted to early 2026. NASA and Boeing are implementing rigorous evaluations and improvements to ensure the spacecraft's reliability for future missions.
- - A Glimpse into Apollo 11's History: Take a fascinating look at the personal mementos carried by Neil Armstrong during the historic Apollo 11 mission. Detailed manifests of these items have been made public, offering a unique insight into the personal side of this monumental achievement. The items are now preserved at Purdue University, connecting us to the legacy of space exploration.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTube 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 signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
M Metis Mission
[European Space Agency](https://www.esa.int/)
Solar Eruption Integral Field Spectrograph
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Boeing Starliner Update
[Boeing](https://www.boeing.com/)
Apollo 11 Items
[Purdue University](https://www.purdue.edu/)
Astronomy Daily
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily dose
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 of cosmic insights. I'm Anna and I'm thrilled
00:00:05 --> 00:00:06 to guide you through today's exciting
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 developments in space exploration. We've got
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 a packed show for you, starting with
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 ambitious new missions aiming to unravel the
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 mysteries of Mars and the Sun. We'll also
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 bring you the latest updates on Boeing's
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 Starliner capsule, including its recent
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 challenges and what's next for the
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 spacecraft. Plus, we'll take a fascinating
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 historical peek into the personal mementos
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 carried aboard Apollo 11 by none other than
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 Neil Armstrong himself. So let's dive right
00:00:30 --> 00:00:30 in.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 First up, let's talk about Mars and a
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 fascinating proposed mission that could be a
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 game changer for future human exploration of
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 the Red Planet. It's called M-MATISSE, which
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 stands for Mars Magnetosphere, Atmosphere,
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 Ionosphere and Space Weather Science. This
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 mission is vying for a spot as the European
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 Space Agency's next medium mission, with a
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 decision expected by mid-2026. If
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 it gets the green light, M. MATISSE would be
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 the very first mission solely dedicated to
00:00:59 --> 00:01:00 understanding planetary space weather at
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 Mars. Preparing to send astronauts to Mars
00:01:03 --> 00:01:05 means we need a really deep understanding of
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 the conditions they'll face when they arrive.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 That's exactly what M. MATISSE aims to
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 provide. The concept involves launching two
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 robotic orbiters, aptly named Henri and
00:01:15 --> 00:01:18 Marguerite, to profoundly investigate Mars's
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 atmosphere and surrounding environment. These
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 two identical spacecraft, each carrying the
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 same set of instruments, would observe the
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 Red Planet simultaneously from two different
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 locations in space. Henry would primarily
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 explore within the Martian plasma system,
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 while Marguerite would mainly operate in the
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 solar wind and Mars far tail, a region
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 that's largely unexplored. Together,
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 they'd probe several critical layers,
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 including the magnetosphere, which is the
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 region controlled by Mars's magnetic field.
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 The ionosphere, a high altitude layer filled
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 with charged particles, and the thermosphere,
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 where atmospheric gases escape into space.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 They would also examine conditions in the
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 lower atmosphere and crucially, monitor
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 radiation accumulation. Dr.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 Beatrice Sanchez Cano from the University of
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 Leicester, who is spearheading this
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 international effort, emphasises just how
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 vital this mission is. She explains that M.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 MATISSE will offer the first global
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 characterization of the dynamics of the
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 Martian system at all altitudes. This
00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 is crucial for understanding how the
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 atmosphere dissipates incoming energy from
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 the solar wind, including radiation, and
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 how space weather impacts surface processes.
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 This understanding is absolutely essential
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 for safe exploration. It will lead to
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 accurate space weather forecasts, helping to
00:02:37 --> 00:02:38 prevent hazardous situations for both
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 spacecraft and human explorers on the Red
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 planet. Much like how space weather
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 monitoring on Earth protects our systems and
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 astronauts beyond safety, the
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 mission also promises to shed further light
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 on Mars's habitability and the evolution of
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 its atmosphere and climate change. It will
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 reveal how the solar wind influences Mars
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 atmosphere, ionosphere and magnetosphere
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 and investigate the impact of these
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 interactions on the lower atmosphere and
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 surface. The UK is playing a leading role in
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 the mission selection phase, particularly
00:03:10 --> 00:03:11 with responsibility for the Particle
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 Instrument Suite, which will provide the most
00:03:14 --> 00:03:15 accurate observations to date of all
00:03:15 --> 00:03:18 particles at Mars, including neutrals,
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 ions and electrons. The UK
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 will also be home to the Missions Science
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 Centre, coordinating its scientific planning
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 and data exploitation. So EM Metis
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 represents a vital step toward making human
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 landings on Mars safer and more feasible by
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 giving us an unprecedented look at its
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 complex space weather environment. It's
00:03:38 --> 00:03:39 definitely a mission to watch out for.
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 From understanding Mars, we now turn our gaze
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 to our own star, the sun and and an exciting
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 upcoming mission set to unveil some of its
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 deepest secrets. In July,
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 NASA will launch the groundbreaking Solar
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 Eruption Integral Field Spectrograph mission,
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 or SNIFS. This mission, delivered to
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 space via a Black Brant IX sounding rocket,
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 will explore the energy and dynamics of the
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 chromosphere, one of the most complex and
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 enigmatic regions of the sun's atmosphere.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 The launch window for SNIFS opens today at
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 The chromosphere sits between the sun's
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 visible surface, or photosphere, and its
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 outermost layer, the corona. While
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 we've researched the sun's atmospheric layers
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 extensively, many questions about the
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 chromosphere persist. As Philip
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 Chamberlain, a UH research scientist at the
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 University of Colorado, Boulder and principal
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 investigator for the SNIFS mission, put it,
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 there's still a lot of unknowns.
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 This layer is particularly important because
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 it lies just below the corona, where powerful
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 solar flares and massive coronal mass
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 ejections, or CMEs, are observed. These
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 dramatic solar eruptions are the primary
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 drivers of space weather hazardous conditions
00:04:52 --> 00:04:53 in Near Earth space that can threaten
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 satellites and endanger astronauts. The
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 SNIFFS mission aims to learn more about how
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 energy is converted and moves through the
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 chromosphere, ultimately powering these
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 massive explosions. Understanding this
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 process is vital for accurately modelling
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 space weather and ensuring the safety of
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 Earth and our space assets. What makes
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 SNIFFS truly innovative is that it's the
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 first ever solar ultraviolet Integral Field
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 Spectrograph. This advanced technology
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 ingeniously combines an imager and a
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 spectrograph into a single instrument.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 Imagers are great for capturing wide views
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 and combined light, while spectrographs
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 dissect light into its various wavelengths,
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 revealing crucial details like element
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 presence, temperature and movement. But
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 typically only from one point at a time.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 SNIFFS gives scientists the best of both
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 worlds, pushing the limits of what technology
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 allows us to do in solar observation.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 The mission will focus on specific
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 wavelengths known as spectral lines,
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 particularly a hydrogen line that's the
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 brightest in the sun's ultraviolet spectrum,
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 along with two spectral lines from silicon
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 and oxygen. Data from these lines will help
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 scientists trace how solar material and
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 energy move through the chromosphere,
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 revealing how it connects with the sun's
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 upper atmosphere. Sounding rockets like the
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 Black Brant IX are efficient tools for
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 launching space experiments and also provide
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 invaluable hands on experience for students
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 and early career researchers. As Vicky
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 Herda, a AH doctoral graduate who worked on
00:06:21 --> 00:06:24 sniffs, noted, you can really try some
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 wild things, emphasising the unique learning
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 opportunities these missions offer. The
00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 entire SNIFS mission is designed to be
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 incredibly fast, likely lasting only
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 about 15 minutes from launch to landing. The
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 sounding rocket will take about 90 seconds to
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 reach space and point toward the sun, then
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 perform its 7 to 8 minute experiment on the
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 chromosphere before returning to Earth's
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 surface. In three to five minutes, it's
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 expected to drift about 70 to 80 miles from
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 the launch pad, landing safely in the vast
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 empty desert of white sands.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 After four years of dedicated work, the team
00:07:00 --> 00:07:03 behind sniffs, especially heard, is immensely
00:07:03 --> 00:07:04 excited for this pioneering launch
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 from the exciting realm of solar observation.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 We now turn our attention to the more
00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 grounded yet equally complex world of crew
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 transportation to the International Space
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 Station, where Boeing's Starliner capsule has
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 hit a few snags. While the ISS has
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 been a hub of activity lately, with various
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 spacecraft coming and going almost
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 constantly, Starliner has been notably absent
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 from the schedule for the remainder of
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 2025. Starliner launched
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 on its first astronaut mission, known as the
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 Crew flight test, or CFT, in June
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 2024. It carried NASA astronauts
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 Sunita Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to the
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 ISS for what was originally expected to be
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 about a week long stay. While Starliner had
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 previously completed two uncrewed orbital
00:07:51 --> 00:07:54 flight tests, the CFT mission encountered
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 unexpected challenges on its journey to the
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 space station. Star Starliner experienced
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 multiple helium leaks, which were traced to
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 components within its protective enclosures
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 called doghouses. Additionally,
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 five out of its 28 reaction control system
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 thrusters failed in flight.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 These issues led to Williams and Wilmore's
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 stay aboard the ISS being extended multiple
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 times while NASA and Boeing worked to
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 troubleshoot the problems from the ground.
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 Ultimately, out of an abundance of caution,
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 the decision was made for Starliner to return
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 to Earth without the astronauts aboard.
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 Williams and Wilmore were then integrated
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 into the ISS long term crew rotation
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 and returned to Earth months later aboard a
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 SpaceX Crew Dragon rather than the Starliner
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 they arrived on. Since its uncrewed return in
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 September, NASA and Boeing have performed
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 extensive analyses of the issues within
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 Starliner's doghouses. They've slated
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 affected components for rigorous evaluation
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 at NASA's White Sands Test Facility this
00:08:55 --> 00:08:58 summer. Steve Stich, NASA's Commercial
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 Crew Programme manager, explained that they
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 are testing various materials to improve
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 seals and prevent oxidizer vapour permeation,
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 which was identified as a weakness. They are
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 also performing pulse trains to cycle
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 thruster burns at ah, varying intensities and
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 frequencies to better understand temperature
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 swings within the doghouses. Improvements
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 have already been made, including thermal
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 modifications like adding a shunt and other
00:09:22 --> 00:09:25 barriers to prevent heat from radiating back
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 into the thruster clusters. These tests are
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 crucial for refining thermal models for an
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 integrated doghouse test, which will simulate
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 thruster firings to fully understand heat
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 dynamics. As for when Starliner
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 might make its way back to the launch pad,
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 the timeline has shifted. NASA officials are
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 now working toward a flight no sooner than
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 early 2026. It's also very
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 likely that Starliner's next launch will be
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 an uncrewed cargo flight first. This cargo
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 mission would allow them to fully test all
00:09:55 --> 00:09:58 the changes being made to the doghouses and
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 validate them in flight before risking
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 astronauts on board again. NASA remains
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 committed to Starliner as a critical part of
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 ensuring redundant access to low Earth orbit
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 for the United States, a goal that even
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 SpaceX is reportedly cheering on.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 Finally today, let's take a look back at a
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 truly historic moment in space exploration.
00:10:17 --> 00:10:20 For years, the contents of Neil Armstrong's
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 personal preference kits carried aboard the
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 Apollo 11 mission have held a certain
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 mystique. These kits, known as PPKs,
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 contained items that made the incredible
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 journey to the moon. Now we have a clearer
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 picture of what was inside. Detailed
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 manifests of these personal items, which
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 included various mementos intended for the
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 mission's flight crew support team members,
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 have been made public. These fascinating
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 inventories are now housed at Purdue
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 University, offering a unique and deeply
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 personal glimpse into the souvenirs that
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 travelled to the lunar surface. It's a
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 wonderful way to connect with the personal
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 side of such a monumental achievement.
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 And that brings us to the end of today's
00:10:57 --> 00:11:00 Astronomy Daily. Thank you for tuning in.
00:11:00 --> 00:11:03 I'm Anna, your host, and it's been a pleasure
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 sharing these cosmic updates with you. Don't
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 forget to visit our website at Astronomy
00:11:07 --> 00:11:10 Daily dot IO There you can sign up for
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