X-37B's Secret Mission, ISS Crew Shuffle, and Lunar Eclipse Spectacle: S04E58

Episode Transcript

Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily source for space and astronomy news. We have another great lineup of stories for you today, packed with groundbreaking developments from across the cosmos. We'll be diving into the mysterious world of classified space missions as we explore the latest achievements of the X-37B space plane. Then we'll head to the International Space Station for updates on crew transitions and cutting-edge research happening right now in Earth's orbit. We'll also update and examine the dramatic conclusion of Intuitive Machines' lunar mission and get the details on NASA's search for a new mascot for their upcoming Artemis missions. For skygazers, we have essential information about an upcoming total lunar eclipse that you won't want to miss.

And to cap it all off, we have a truly mind-bending discovery: evidence of a monster black hole hiding in our cosmic backyard. So get ready for an exciting journey through the latest space and astronomy news. Let's get started.

The U.S. Space Force's secretive X-37B space plane has just completed another remarkable mission, touching down at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California after spending 434 days in orbit. While this wasn't its longest flight, this mission broke new ground in several exciting ways. For the first time, the robotic space plane launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, which placed it into a highly elliptical orbit. From this unique vantage point, the X-37B conducted what Space Force describes as space domain awareness experiments, helping to improve our understanding of the space environment.

Perhaps the most significant achievement of this mission was the successful demonstration of an innovative aerobraking maneuver. This technique used Earth's atmosphere as a natural brake, allowing the spacecraft to change its orbit more efficiently while conserving precious fuel. Space Force Chief of Operations Chance Saltzman called this a demonstration of the X-37B's ability to flexibly accomplish its test objectives across different orbital regimes. The Boeing-built spacecraft has now proven itself capable of operating in various orbital configurations, showcasing impressive maneuverability and adaptability. While much of its mission remains classified, this latest flight adds to an impressive track record that includes the previous record-holding flight of 908 days.

The Space Force currently operates two of these remarkable X-37B vehicles, which continue to push the boundaries of autonomous space operations. This latest mission, while shorter than some previous flights, represents a significant step forward in space plane technology and orbital operations capabilities, demonstrating new techniques that could prove valuable for future space missions.

The International Space Station is currently buzzing with activity as Expedition 72 prepares for an upcoming crew rotation. Four crew members - NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov - are getting ready to bid farewell to their orbital home in mid-March.

The departing crew has been busy practicing their return procedures using SpaceX Dragon computer tablets, reviewing every step from undocking to splashdown off the Florida coast. Nick Hague will command the Dragon spacecraft for their journey home, bringing to close a mission that began last September for him and Gorbunov, while Williams and Wilmore have been aboard since June. Their replacements are already preparing for launch. The SpaceX Crew-10 mission is targeted for March 12th, carrying Commander Anne McClain and Pilot Nichole Ayers from NASA, along with JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. This new quartet will initially join Expedition 72 before transitioning to Expedition 73 in mid-April.

Meanwhile, crucial research continues aboard the station. The crew has been conducting studies on how weightlessness affects the human body, with particular focus on exercise research. Using specialized equipment that mimics free weights in space, along with sensor-equipped vests and headbands, they're gathering valuable data on human adaptation to microgravity. The station's laboratories are also hosting research into how cells sense gravity, work that could lead to treatments for space-related muscle loss and bone deterioration. This combines with ongoing maintenance tasks, cargo operations, and the unloading of nearly three tons of supplies that recently arrived aboard the Progress 91 cargo spacecraft. All of this activity demonstrates how the International Space Station continues to serve as humanity's premier orbital laboratory, advancing our understanding of living and working in space while maintaining its role as a symbol of international cooperation in space exploration.

Next, an update to yesterdays disappointing news from the Moon. Intuitive Machines' recent Moon landing marked a significant milestone in commercial lunar exploration, though the mission ended earlier than planned. As we reported yesterday, after successfully touching down near the lunar South Pole on March 6th, the company's Nova-C lander Athena found itself in an unexpected position - resting on its side about 1,300 feet away from its intended landing site. Despite attempts to salvage the mission, the company has now declared the mission dead. The company confirmed that the mission was dead in an official statement. Despite the challenging situation, the mission wasn't without its achievements. Before its batteries were depleted, the lander managed to collect and transmit valuable data back to Earth. NASA's PRIME-1 experiment suite, including the TRIDENT lunar drill, successfully demonstrated its full range of motion in the harsh space environment. The mission's mass spectrometer also detected various elements, though these were likely from the lander's own propulsion system.

The landing site itself is particularly noteworthy, as it represents the closest any spacecraft has ever landed to the lunar South Pole. This region is of special interest to scientists and future explorers due to its potential resources and unique environmental conditions. While the lander's position prevented it from fully operating its drill and other instruments as intended, the mission still managed to transmit about 250 megabytes of data before operations concluded. This mission is part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, demonstrating both the progress and challenges in commercial lunar exploration. While not all objectives were met, the experience gained is already informing future missions. Intuitive Machines isn't done with lunar exploration either - they have two more deliveries planned for NASA, with missions scheduled for 2026 and 2027.

The early conclusion of the mission, while disappointing, represents the reality of lunar exploration - it's incredibly challenging, and even partial success can provide valuable lessons for future missions. As we continue to push the boundaries of lunar exploration, each attempt, whether fully successful or not, adds to our understanding and capabilities for future lunar operations.

Alright, let's move on to a story that's a bit more fun and something you might like to contribute to. NASA is reaching out to the global creative community with an exciting opportunity - they're looking for designers to create a zero gravity indicator for the historic Artemis II mission. These small, plush items serve an important role in spaceflight, providing astronauts and viewers on Earth with a visual indication of when spacecraft reach the weightless environment of space.

The contest, which runs until May 27th, asks participants to submit original designs that capture the spirit of NASA's Artemis campaign, the mission itself, or the broader themes of exploration and discovery. The winning design will need to meet specific requirements for materials and size to ensure it's suitable for spaceflight. Artemis 2 Commander Reid Wiseman and his fellow crew members - Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen - will personally select the winning design from up to 25 finalists, including entries from a special K-12 student division. NASA's Thermal Blanket Lab will then bring the chosen design to life, creating a unique piece of space history that will float alongside the astronauts as they journey around the Moon.

This initiative continues NASA's long-standing tradition of carrying zero gravity indicators on human spaceflight missions. The International Space Station has hosted numerous plush companions over the years, and during the uncrewed Artemis I mission, a plush Snoopy made the journey around the Moon. These seemingly simple items help connect people on Earth to the wonder of space exploration while serving a practical purpose in demonstrating the onset of microgravity. The selected mascot will witness history as part of the first crewed flight under NASA's Artemis campaign, traveling aboard the Orion spacecraft as it carries humans around the Moon for the first time since the Apollo era. This mission represents a crucial step in NASA's broader goals of establishing a sustainable presence on the Moon and preparing for future human missions to Mars. If you'd like to find out more and take part in this unique competition, I'll include a link in the show notes.

After a long wait, sky watchers across the Americas are in for a spectacular treat on Friday, March 14th, as the first total lunar eclipse of 2025 graces our skies. This celestial event marks the end of what astronomers have called an 'eclipse drought,' with the last total lunar eclipse visible from the Americas occurring back in November 2022. The show begins in the early hours of Friday morning, with the first subtle changes becoming visible around 30 minutes after the initial penumbral phase starts at 3:57 Universal Time. The real drama kicks off at 5:09 UT, or 1:09 AM Eastern Daylight Time, when the Moon first encounters Earth's dark umbral shadow. From there, we'll witness a gradually unfolding spectacle as our natural satellite is slowly engulfed by Earth's shadow.

During totality, which lasts just over 65 minutes and reaches its peak at 6:59 UT, observers will have the chance to see the Moon take on its characteristic reddish hue - the famous 'Blood Moon' effect. This coloration varies from eclipse to eclipse, ranging from bright cherry red to a darker, more subdued tone, depending on the amount of dust and aerosols present in Earth's atmosphere at the time. The Americas are perfectly positioned to witness the entire eclipse from start to finish, while observers in Europe and western Africa will see the eclipse as the Moon sets at sunrise. For those in Australia, New Zealand, and northeastern Asia, the Moon will rise already eclipsed, creating unique photography opportunities with the darkened Moon against the sunset sky.

Unlike a solar eclipse, this lunar spectacle requires no special equipment to observe - just clear skies and an unobstructed view of the Moon. It's also a much more leisurely event, giving observers plenty of time to take in the changing appearance of our celestial companion as Earth's shadow gradually makes its way across the lunar surface. Interestingly, this eclipse is part of a larger series that includes an 'almost tetrad' of total lunar eclipses spanning 2025 and 2026. It also kicks off the first eclipse season of 2025, which will conclude with a deep partial solar eclipse visible from the North Atlantic on March 29th.

Finally today. In an astounding astronomical revelation, scientists have uncovered evidence suggesting the presence of a supermassive black hole in our cosmic backyard. The Large Magellanic Cloud, our galaxy's closest neighboring galaxy, appears to be harboring this cosmic giant, and the evidence comes from an unexpected source - stars that are literally running away from home. Using data from the European Space Agency's Gaia satellite, researchers investigated 21 hypervelocity stars - celestial bodies moving so rapidly they're actually escaping our galaxy's gravitational pull. What they found was fascinating: while about half of these stellar speedsters were launched by our own galaxy's central black hole, the other half seemed to have been catapulted by something else - something massive lurking in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

These hypervelocity stars are created through a cosmic dance of destruction. When a binary star system ventures too close to a supermassive black hole, one star gets captured while its partner is violently ejected at speeds of millions of miles per hour. It's like a cosmic slingshot effect, and by tracking these stellar projectiles backward along their paths, scientists could pinpoint their origin. The team's calculations suggest this hidden behemoth weighs about 600,000 times the mass of our Sun. While that might sound enormous, it's actually quite modest as supermassive black holes go - our own galaxy's central black hole, Sagittarius A star, is about seven times more massive. Still, the discovery is remarkable because it's been hiding in plain sight all this time, in a galaxy we can actually see with the naked eye from Earth's Southern Hemisphere.

This finding not only changes our understanding of our galactic neighborhood but also provides new insights into how smaller galaxies like the Large Magellanic Cloud evolve and interact with their larger neighbors. It's a powerful reminder that even in our cosmic backyard, there are still major discoveries waiting to be made.

And that's it for this episode.. Thanks for spending time with us today on Astronomy Daily. If you want to stay up to date with all the latest developments in space and astronomy, be sure to visit our website at astronomydaily.io. There you'll find our constantly updating newsfeed and access to all our previous episodes.

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