Spacecraft Setbacks, ISS Insights, and Axiom's Accelerated Space Station Plans: S04E52

0:00 Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily. I'm your host, Anna, and we've

0:03 Speaker 1: got a busy show today, exploring the latest developments in

0:06 Speaker 1: space exploration and astronomy. From technical challenges facing newly launched

0:10 Speaker 1: spacecraft to groundbreaking plans for the future of space stations,

0:14 Speaker 1: We're covering it all today. We'll dive into the recent

0:17 Speaker 1: troubles faced by NASA's lunar Trailblazer and the Odin spacecraft

0:21 Speaker 1: following their launch, and we'll get you up to speed

0:24 Speaker 1: on SpaceX's latest approval for their next Starship test flight.

0:27 Speaker 1: We've also got fascinating new research about life aboard the

0:30 Speaker 1: International Space Station that might surprise you, and some exciting

0:34 Speaker 1: updates about Axiom Space's ambitious plans to create their own

0:37 Speaker 1: commercial space station. But that's not all. We've got some

0:41 Speaker 1: truly cosmic news about our closest stellar neighbor, Alpha Centauri,

0:45 Speaker 1: and how it might be sending us some interstellar visitors.

0:48 Speaker 1: And for all you skywatchers out there, we'll wrap up

0:51 Speaker 1: with a guide to what you can spot in the

0:53 Speaker 1: March night sky, including some spectacular celestial events you won't

0:57 Speaker 1: want to miss, So stick around as we explore these

1:00 Speaker 1: stories and more. Right here on Astronomy Daily, let's get started.

1:05 Speaker 1: Two spacecraft launched as part of the recent IM two

1:07 Speaker 1: lunar mission are experiencing significant challenges. NASA's Lunar Trailblazer and

1:12 Speaker 1: the startup Astroforge's Odin spacecraft are both facing communication issues

1:17 Speaker 1: after their deployment from the Falcon nine rocket. The Lunar

1:20 Speaker 1: Trailblazer initially powered up and started transmitting as planned, but

1:24 Speaker 1: about twelve hours after launch, NASA lost all communication with

1:28 Speaker 1: the spacecraft. While contact was eventually restored, the team has

1:33 Speaker 1: detected concerning intermittent power system issues. Controllers are now working

1:38 Speaker 1: to fully restore commanding capabilities and develop solutions for these

1:42 Speaker 1: power problems. This is particularly crucial as the Lunar Trailblazer

1:46 Speaker 1: has some time sensitive maneuvers ahead. The spacecraft needs to

1:50 Speaker 1: perform two trajectory corrections before a lunarflyby scheduled for March third,

1:54 Speaker 1: followed by another fly by in May. If all goes

1:57 Speaker 1: according to plan, it should enter orbit in July, where

2:01 Speaker 1: it will begin its two year mission mapping water on

2:04 Speaker 1: the Moon's surface. Meanwhile, Astroforge's Odin spacecraft, designed to investigate

2:09 Speaker 1: metallic asteroids, is facing its own set of challenges. While

2:13 Speaker 1: the team is receiving carrier signals from the spacecraft, they

2:16 Speaker 1: haven't been able to get any telemetry data. This has

2:19 Speaker 1: left them in a difficult position. They know the spacecraft

2:22 Speaker 1: is alive, but they can't get detailed information about its status.

2:27 Speaker 1: The company is exploring several possible explanations, including ground network,

2:31 Speaker 1: hardware problems, and potential interference issues. There's also a possibility

2:36 Speaker 1: that ODIN might be in an uncontrolled tumble, though recent

2:39 Speaker 1: data suggests this is unlikely. Time is of the essence

2:43 Speaker 1: for ODIN as well, without intervention from the ground. The

2:47 Speaker 1: spacecraft is programmed to perform an automatic burn about six

2:50 Speaker 1: and a half days after launch to set it on

2:52 Speaker 1: course for its target asteroid. However, even slight position errors

2:57 Speaker 1: could make tracking the spacecraft extremely challenging. On a more

3:00 Speaker 1: positive note, the third ride share spacecraft from the launch,

3:04 Speaker 1: Epic Aerospace's Chimera orbital transfer vehicle, is reported to be

3:08 Speaker 1: healthy and operating normally. The primary mission vehicle, Intuitive Machines

3:13 Speaker 1: IM two Lunar Lander, is also an excellent condition as

3:17 Speaker 1: it continues its journey toward a planned March sixth moon landing.

3:23 Speaker 1: Next up, a Starship launch update. SpaceX has just received

3:26 Speaker 1: the green light from the Federal Aviation Administration for their

3:29 Speaker 1: eighth Starship test flight, scheduled for Monday evening, March third.

3:34 Speaker 1: The launch window opens at six thirty pm Eastern Time

3:37 Speaker 1: from their Starbase facility in South Texas. This approval comes

3:42 Speaker 1: as SpaceX is still investigating what went wrong during Flight

3:45 Speaker 1: seven back in January. While that mission achieved a significant

3:48 Speaker 1: milestone by successfully catching the super heavy booster using the

3:52 Speaker 1: launch tower's mechanical arms, it ended prematurely when the upper

3:56 Speaker 1: stage experienced a propellant leak and exploded over the La

4:00 Speaker 1: Atlantic Ocean. The FAA has determined that SpaceX can proceed

4:05 Speaker 1: with Flight eight while the investigation into January's mishap continues.

4:10 Speaker 1: They've confirmed that the company has met all the necessary safety, environmental,

4:16 Speaker 1: and licensing requirements for this suborbital test flight. For flight eight,

4:21 Speaker 1: SpaceX is aiming to replicate the successful booster catch while

4:25 Speaker 1: pushing the envelope further with the upper stage. The spacecraft

4:29 Speaker 1: will attempt a nearly complete orbit around Earth before splashing

4:32 Speaker 1: down in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Western Australia.

4:36 Speaker 1: One of the interesting aspects of this upcoming flight is

4:38 Speaker 1: the payload test. The upper stage will carry four mock

4:42 Speaker 1: Starlink satellites, which it will attempt to deploy during its

4:45 Speaker 1: suborbital journey. This is fewer than the ten dummy satellites

4:49 Speaker 1: carried during Flight seven, which never got the chance to

4:52 Speaker 1: be deployed due to the premature end of that mission.

4:56 Speaker 1: This test flight represents another crucial step in SpaceX's AMBITI

5:00 Speaker 1: development of the Starship system, which they envision as the

5:04 Speaker 1: future workhorse for both deep space exploration and point to

5:07 Speaker 1: point travel on Earth. Each flight provides valuable data and experience,

5:12 Speaker 1: helping to refine and improve the world's largest and most

5:15 Speaker 1: powerful rocket system. Here's some fascinating news about life aboard

5:20 Speaker 1: the International Space Station, and it turns out that being

5:24 Speaker 1: too clean might actually be a problem. A new study

5:28 Speaker 1: suggests that the ultrasterile environment of the ISS could be

5:31 Speaker 1: contributing to various health issues astronauts experience, from persistent skin

5:36 Speaker 1: rashes to allergies and immune system problems. Scientists from the

5:41 Speaker 1: University of California, San Diego have been analyzing over eight

5:45 Speaker 1: hundred surface samples from different areas of the space station.

5:49 Speaker 1: What they found was that the extensive use of cleaning

5:52 Speaker 1: products and disinfectants might be creating an environment that's actually

5:55 Speaker 1: too clean for optimal human health. The research revealed that

5:59 Speaker 1: most of the microbes present on the iss come from

6:02 Speaker 1: human skin, with different areas showing distinct microbial communities based

6:07 Speaker 1: on their function. The dining areas had more food related microbes,

6:11 Speaker 1: while the bathroom unsurprisingly had its own unique bacterial signature.

6:16 Speaker 1: What's notably missing are the kind of beneficial microbes we

6:19 Speaker 1: normally encounter on Earth from soil and water. This sterile

6:23 Speaker 1: environment more closely resembles what we see in highly industrialized

6:27 Speaker 1: spaces like hospitals, rather than the diverse microbial environment humans

6:31 Speaker 1: evolved alongside. The scientists suggest that future space habitats might

6:36 Speaker 1: benefit from intentionally cultivating a more diverse microbial ecosystem, essentially

6:41 Speaker 1: making them a bit dirtier in a controlled way. They're

6:44 Speaker 1: even proposing some interesting solutions, like using probiotic based cleaning

6:48 Speaker 1: methods instead of harsh chemical disinfectants. This could help create

6:53 Speaker 1: a healthier balance while still maintaining necessary cleanliness standards. It's

6:57 Speaker 1: a crucial consideration as we plan for longer duration space

7:00 Speaker 1: missions and eventual permanent settlements beyond Earth. The findings highlight

7:05 Speaker 1: an important point about human space exploration. We can't just

7:08 Speaker 1: take a small slice of Earth's ecosystem with us into space.

7:12 Speaker 1: We need to think carefully about recreating the complete environmental

7:15 Speaker 1: conditions that help humans thrive, right down to the microscopic level.

7:21 Speaker 1: Next up, in some exciting news about the future of

7:24 Speaker 1: commercial space stations, Axiom Space is revising its timeline to

7:28 Speaker 1: establish an independent space station, and it's happening sooner than

7:32 Speaker 1: initially planned. The company, working closely with NASA, has announced

7:36 Speaker 1: they could have their station break free from the International

7:39 Speaker 1: Space Station as early as twenty twenty eight. This accelerated

7:44 Speaker 1: timeline comes with a significant change to their assembly sequence.

7:48 Speaker 1: Instead of starting with their habitat one module as originally planned,

7:52 Speaker 1: Axiom will first launch what they're calling the payload, Power

7:55 Speaker 1: and Thermal module. This strategic shift will allow them to

7:59 Speaker 1: a stat lablish independent operations more quickly. Once the station

8:03 Speaker 1: achieves its free flying status, Axiom will continue building out

8:07 Speaker 1: the facility, adding their planned habitat modules, an airlock, and

8:12 Speaker 1: a dedicated research and manufacturing facility. This methodical approach ensures

8:16 Speaker 1: they can maintain continuous operations while expanding their capabilities. The

8:21 Speaker 1: revised plan has been carefully coordinated with NASA to ensure

8:25 Speaker 1: a smooth transition in low Earth orbit operations. It's particularly

8:29 Speaker 1: important as we approach the planned retirement of the International

8:33 Speaker 1: Space Station around twenty thirty. NASA sees this as a

8:37 Speaker 1: crucial step in maintaining their continuous presence in low Earth orbit.

8:41 Speaker 1: This development is part of a broader strategy by NASA

8:44 Speaker 1: to support multiple commercial space stations through various partnerships. The

8:48 Speaker 1: agency is essentially fostering a new economic ecosystem in low

8:51 Speaker 1: Earth orbit where commercial operators can provide services to both

8:55 Speaker 1: government and private customers. Looking at the bigger picture, accelerated

9:00 Speaker 1: timeline for Axiom Station represents a significant milestone in the

9:04 Speaker 1: commercialization of space. It's not just about replacing the ISS,

9:08 Speaker 1: It's about expanding human presence in space and creating new

9:12 Speaker 1: opportunities for scientific research, manufacturing, and commercial activities in microgravity.

9:19 Speaker 1: Don't you just hate it when your neighbors turn out

9:21 Speaker 1: to be well, not quite as they seemed. Our nearest

9:25 Speaker 1: stellar neighbor, Alpha Centauri, appears to be sharing more with

9:28 Speaker 1: us than just its distant twinkle. New research suggests this

9:32 Speaker 1: triple star system, located just four point three light years away,

9:36 Speaker 1: is likely sending a steady stream of comets and asteroids

9:39 Speaker 1: into our Solar System, and might even be responsible for

9:42 Speaker 1: some of the meteors we see in our night sky.

9:45 Speaker 1: According to calculations by astronomers Cole greg and Paul Wiegert

9:49 Speaker 1: from the University of Western Ontario, if Alpha Centauri has

9:53 Speaker 1: an ort cloud similar to our suns, approximately one million

9:57 Speaker 1: objects larger than a football field from that system could

10:00 Speaker 1: currently be traveling through our Solar System. Most of these

10:03 Speaker 1: objects would be lurking in the outer reaches, well beyond

10:06 Speaker 1: Pluto's orbit, mixing with our own ort cloud objects. The

10:10 Speaker 1: mechanism behind this cosmic exchange is similar to how Jupiter's

10:14 Speaker 1: gravity helped launch our Voyager spacecraft into interstellar space. The

10:18 Speaker 1: stars of Alpha Centauri and their planets act like cosmic slingshots,

10:22 Speaker 1: occasionally throwing their comets and asteroids onto trajectories that bring

10:26 Speaker 1: them into our neighborhood. While most of these visitors stay

10:29 Speaker 1: in the distant parts of our Solar System, some of

10:32 Speaker 1: the smaller particles make it all the way to Earth.

10:35 Speaker 1: The researchers estimate that up to ten meteors worldwide each

10:39 Speaker 1: year might originate from Alpha Centauri. This number could increase

10:43 Speaker 1: tenfold when Alpha Centauri makes its closest approach to our

10:46 Speaker 1: Solar System about twenty eight thousand years from now, when

10:50 Speaker 1: it will come within three point two light years of Earth.

10:53 Speaker 1: This research reminds us that our Solar System isn't an

10:56 Speaker 1: isolated island in space. We're connected to our stelef neighbors

11:01 Speaker 1: through a constant exchange of material that's been ongoing for

11:03 Speaker 1: billions of years. Even though we've only officially detected two

11:08 Speaker 1: interstellar visitors so far, this study suggests there might be

11:11 Speaker 1: many more out there silently passing through our cosmic backyard. Now,

11:16 Speaker 1: for those of you who like to look up into

11:18 Speaker 1: the sky, March promises to be an exciting month for skywatchers,

11:22 Speaker 1: with several captivating celestial events on display. Early in the month,

11:26 Speaker 1: Venus will be visible low in the western sky after sunset,

11:30 Speaker 1: though it will gradually sink lower as the days progress,

11:33 Speaker 1: eventually becoming difficult to spot by mid month in the

11:36 Speaker 1: glow of twilight. Jupiter will command attention high in the

11:40 Speaker 1: western sky after dark, staying visible until about one am

11:44 Speaker 1: while Mars takes the eastern stage after sunset and remains

11:48 Speaker 1: visible until the early morning hours. For those eager to

11:52 Speaker 1: spot the elusive mercury, the first week and a half

11:55 Speaker 1: of March offers an excellent opportunity, particularly for observers in

11:59 Speaker 1: the northern hemisphere. Look for it beneath Venus for about

12:03 Speaker 1: thirty minutes each evening as sunset fades. The best viewing

12:07 Speaker 1: window will be from March seventh through ninth, approximately thirty

12:10 Speaker 1: minutes after sunset. You'll want to find a clear view

12:13 Speaker 1: of the western horizon away from buildings in trees. A

12:17 Speaker 1: large open field or shoreline can provide ideal viewing conditions

12:21 Speaker 1: for catching this fleet footed planet. The month's headline event

12:24 Speaker 1: is undoubtedly the total lunar eclipse, occurring overnight on March

12:28 Speaker 1: thirteenth into the fourteenth. During this spectacular show, we'll watch

12:32 Speaker 1: as our moon transforms into a deep crimson orb over

12:36 Speaker 1: several hours. This celestial phenomenon occurs as the Moon passes

12:40 Speaker 1: through Earth's shadow, first appearing to have a bite taken

12:43 Speaker 1: from one side before being completely enveloped in that characteristic

12:47 Speaker 1: red glow. This reddish color comes from all of Earth's

12:50 Speaker 1: sunrises and sunsets being projected onto the lunar surface at once.

12:55 Speaker 1: For those interested in lunar phases, March fourteenth brings us

12:58 Speaker 1: a full moon all the month concludes with a new

13:01 Speaker 1: moon on the twenty ninth. This new moon phase, when

13:04 Speaker 1: the moon is positioned between Earth and the Sun, offers

13:07 Speaker 1: excellent opportunities for observing faint celestial objects typically washed out

13:12 Speaker 1: by moonlight, making it an ideal time for stargazing and astrophotography.

13:18 Speaker 1: And that wraps up another fascinating day of space exploration

13:21 Speaker 1: and astronomical discoveries. I'm Anna, and I want to thank

13:24 Speaker 1: you for joining me here on Astronomy Daily. From spacecraft

13:27 Speaker 1: challenges to groundbreaking research about the ISS microbiome, and from

13:32 Speaker 1: Axiom's ambitious space station plans to the exciting skywatching opportunities ahead,

13:36 Speaker 1: we've covered quite a bit of cosmic territory today. If

13:40 Speaker 1: you've enjoyed today's episode, I encourage you to visit our

13:43 Speaker 1: website at Astronomy Daily dot io, where you can find

13:46 Speaker 1: all our past episodes and subscribe to the podcast on

13:49 Speaker 1: your preferred platform, whether that's Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube music.

13:56 Speaker 1: We've made it easy to never miss an episode and

13:58 Speaker 1: stay up to date with all the late developments in

14:00 Speaker 1: space exploration and astronomy, and don't forget to join our

14:04 Speaker 1: growing community on social media. You can find us as

14:07 Speaker 1: Astro Daily Pod on Facebook, x YouTube, YouTube, music, Tumblr,

14:12 Speaker 1: and TikTok, where we share additional content, breaking news, and

14:16 Speaker 1: engage with our wonderful community of space enthusiasts. Until next time,

14:21 Speaker 1: keep looking up and wondering about our magnificent universe. This

14:24 Speaker 1: has been Astronomy Daily and I'm anna signing off Star

14:38 Speaker 1: Star