S03E188: Dragon's Descent, Shenzhou's Scientific Shift, and Starliner's Setbacks

Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go-to podcast for the latest in space and astronomy news. I'm your host, Anna, and today we've got a packed episode covering everything from SpaceX missions to solar storms and satellite mishaps. Buckle up, space enthusiasts, because we're about to embark on a cosmic journey through today's most exciting developments in the world of space exploration and astronomical discoveries.

After weeks of weather-related delays, SpaceX's Crew-8 mission has finally begun its journey back to Earth. The Dragon spacecraft, aptly named Endeavour, undocked from the International Space Station yesterday at 5:05 p.m. Eastern Time. This marked the end of a prolonged stay for the four astronauts aboard, who had been eagerly awaiting their return trip. The undocking process went smoothly as Endeavour separated from the station while orbiting about 260 miles above the Pacific Ocean. Now, the spacecraft is on a trajectory that will bring it back to our planet, with a splashdown expected off the coast of Florida early tomorrow morning, around 3:30 a.m. Eastern Time. This return journey caps off the eighth long-duration NASA and Roscosmos astronaut mission that SpaceX has conducted to the ISS. The crew, consisting of NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, along with Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, launched on March 3rd and have spent over seven months in space.

Their return was significantly delayed due to poor weather conditions in the splashdown area, primarily caused by Hurricane Milton. The storm's impact was so severe that it even led to the temporary closure of NASA's Kennedy Space Center. For those interested in watching the splashdown live, NASA will be streaming the event on NASA+. Following the touchdown, a post-splashdown news conference is scheduled for later in the morning, where we'll likely get more details about the mission and the crew's experiences.

While on the subject of trips into space. China is gearing up for its 14th manned mission to the Tiangong Space Station, with the Shenzhou Nineteen spacecraft set to launch in the near future. The spacecraft and its Long March 2F rocket have already been moved to the service tower at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert, where they'll undergo final checks before liftoff. This mission marks another significant step in China's ambitious space program, as it will be the eighth crew to live aboard Tiangong. While the names of the astronauts haven't been released yet, they'll be taking over from the current crew who've been on board since April. What's particularly interesting about this mission is the evolving nature of the tasks assigned to the astronauts. According to Wang Yanan, chief editor of Aerospace Magazine, the Shenzhou Nineteen crew will be undertaking more advanced scientific and technological experiments than their predecessors. This shift in focus comes as the astronauts have become more familiar with life on the station and its systems are now fully operational.

The Tiangong Space Station, completed in 2022, is a testament to China's growing space capabilities. Orbiting about 400 kilometers above Earth, it's one of the most complex space structures ever built, consisting of a core module and two science capsules. As China continues to push the boundaries of its space exploration, we can expect to see even more ambitious missions and groundbreaking research coming from the Tiangong Space Station in the future.

And now, a look at Boeing's latest woes. Boeing's CST-100 Starliner program is facing yet another setback, as the aerospace giant has announced a new $250 million charge against earnings in the third quarter. This latest financial hit brings the total losses on the Starliner project to a staggering $1.85 billion. The charge is primarily due to schedule delays and higher testing and certification costs. It's a significant blow to Boeing's Defense, Space and Security business unit, which has been grappling with challenges across several fixed-price programs. Despite these mounting losses, Boeing's new CEO, Kelly Ortberg, has made it clear that the company won't be walking away from troubled programs like Starliner. In a recent earnings call, Ortberg emphasized that abandoning such contracts is not a viable option for Boeing. Instead, the company is focusing on improving its risk management and working more closely with customers to address potential issues before they escalate. Ortberg acknowledged that there's no quick fix for these challenging contracts, but stressed the importance of seeing them through.

This commitment to the Starliner program comes at a time when Boeing is also evaluating ways to streamline its business. While the core commercial aviation and defense sectors are safe, the company may consider divesting from some fringe areas to improve efficiency and focus. As Boeing continues to navigate these choppy waters, the space industry will be watching closely to see how the Starliner program evolves and whether the company can turn the tide on its substantial losses.

Now, this is a pretty novel idea. In a fascinating development, researchers have uncovered a new way to study extreme space weather events - by examining tree rings. This discovery could revolutionize our understanding of solar storms and their potential impacts on Earth. Solar storms, while often providing us with beautiful auroral displays, can pose serious threats to our technology and infrastructure. These events can disrupt satellite communications, GPS systems, and even power grids. But now, thanks to the work of a team led by Amy Hessl from the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, we have a new tool to study these phenomena. When severe solar storms occur, they produce energetic particles that interact with our atmosphere, creating radiocarbon - an unstable, radioactive isotope of carbon. Trees absorb this carbon from the air as they grow, leaving a record of these events in their annual rings.

The team has identified evidence of several extreme solar storms, known as Miyake events, in tree ring records dating back thousands of years. These findings challenge previous assumptions about how trees absorb radiocarbon, suggesting a more complex process than initially thought. This research isn't just academic - it has real-world implications for our safety and preparedness. Understanding the frequency and intensity of past solar storms can help us better prepare for future events, potentially saving lives and protecting critical infrastructure. As we continue to rely more heavily on technology vulnerable to space weather, this new method of studying solar storms through tree rings could prove invaluable in our efforts to safeguard our modern world against the unpredictable moods of our Sun.

Next. In a fascinating blend of science fiction and reality, miniature monoliths inspired by the iconic film "2001: A Space Odyssey" have recently made their journey to space. These small black slabs, modeled after the mysterious monoliths from Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, hitched a ride on Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle. The mission, known as NS-27, launched from Blue Origin's facility in West Texas. The tiny monoliths, measuring just 0.4 by 1.6 by 3.5 inches, were part of a unique payload aboard the RSS Kármán Line capsule. This uncrewed flight marked the first mission for Blue Origin's second human-rated launch vehicle. The monoliths were flown for Spacemanic, a satellite mission integrator, in collaboration with Croatian publisher Amaranthine Books. Upon their return to Earth, these space-faring replicas will be paired with special editions of Clarke's novel, creating a truly out-of-this-world collectible for sci-fi enthusiasts.

But the monoliths weren't alone on their cosmic journey. The New Shepard vehicle carried 11 other payloads, including navigation sensors for Blue Origin's moon landing program and student-designed postcards. The mission successfully reached above the Kármán line, the boundary between Earth's atmosphere and space, before safely returning to terra firma. It's worth noting that this isn't the first time "2001: A Space Odyssey" has inspired real space missions. Back in 2001, NASA astronaut Thomas Jones carried a copy of the book and a miniature monolith aboard the space shuttle Atlantis, cementing the film's enduring influence on space exploration.

Finally today, the hits keep coming for Boeing. In a surprising turn of events, Intelsat has declared its Intelsat-33e communications satellite a "total loss" following an unexpected breakdown on October 19th. This satellite, which had been in operation for just seven years, was expected to have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years. The sudden failure has left Intelsat scrambling to move affected customers in Europe, Africa, and parts of the Asia-Pacific region to other platforms. What's particularly concerning is the debris field created by this incident. The U.S. Space Force has reported tracking around 20 pieces shortly after the breakdown, while other tracking companies have observed even more fragments. Swiss company s2a Systems noted 40 pieces, and U.S.-based ExoAnalytic Solutions spotted 57 fragments. This sudden increase in space debris poses a potential threat to other satellites in geostationary orbit.

Intelsat is currently working with the satellite's manufacturer, Boeing, and government agencies to analyze data and determine the cause of the failure. This isn't the first time Intelsat has faced satellite issues. The Intelsat-33e had already experienced propulsion system problems that had reduced its expected operational lifetime. Additionally, its predecessor, Intelsat-29e, failed after only three years in orbit. As the investigation continues, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges and unpredictability of satellite operations. It also highlights the growing concern over space debris and the need for improved satellite durability and debris mitigation strategies in our increasingly crowded orbital environment.

And that wraps up our cosmic journey for today. I hope you've enjoyed this episode of Astronomy Daily as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you. Before we sign off, I want to remind you that the universe is vast, but staying connected with the latest space news is easy. Head over to our website at astronomydaily.io where you can dive deeper into the stories we've covered today. While you're there, why not sign up for our free daily newsletter? It's the perfect way to start your day with a dose of space excitement. For those of you always on the hunt for great deals, check out our sponsor links on the website. You might just find something out of this world! And if you're craving more space content, all our previous episodes are available for your listening pleasure. It's like a time machine through the cosmos!

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