Astronomy Daily Highlights - 23rd August 2023"***Hosted by Steve Dunkley and his AI sidekick, Hallie.*1. **Introduction** - Steve Dunkley welcomes listeners to a special Wednesday edition of Astronomy Daily. - Hallie jokes about needing overtime for working on a Wednesday.2. **Chnadrayaan Mission Update** - The landing of the Chandrayaan mission is approaching. - Steve and Hallie discuss the anticipation surrounding the mission.3. **Space Force Contract** - Space Force has awarded a contract for the development of space tracking sites. - Steve is excited to play the Space Force theme music again.4. **Poland Joins the Space Race** - Poland is set to send astronauts on future Axiom missions. - Steve reflects on the international nature of space exploration.5. **India's Attempt to Land on the Moon's South Pole** - After Russia's failed attempt, India's ISRO aims to land on the moon's South Pole. - The Chandrayaan-3 lander, Vikram, has been mapping potential landing spots. - The mission aims to discover if the moon contains frozen water.6. **US Space Force Update** - Northrop Grumman is set to develop two ground-based radar sites for tracking space objects. - The contract is expected to be awarded between late 2023 and early 2024.7. **Poland's Space Endeavors** - Poland collaborates with ESA and Axiom Space to send a Polish astronaut to the ISS. - The identity of the astronaut remains undisclosed.8. **SpaceX and NASA's Crew Seven Mission** - The Crew Seven astronaut mission is set to launch on Friday. - The mission will send four astronauts from different nations to the ISS.9. **Roscosmos Update** - After the crash of the Lunar 25 mission, the chief of Roscosmos urges Russia to continue lunar exploration. - The crash was attributed to an issue with the spacecraft's correction engine.10. **Closing Remarks** - Steve thanks listeners for tuning in and expresses his appreciation for Hallie's contributions. - Hallie confirms she'll be back for the next episode.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.

Show Notes: Astronomy Daily Podcast - 21 August 2023***Hosted by Steve Dunkley and AI Sidekick Hallie*1. **Introduction** - Steve Dunkley welcomes listeners to the 21 August 2023 edition of Astronomy Daily. - Hallie, the AI sidekick, greets the audience.2. **Neptune's Disappearing Clouds** - Astronomers announce that Neptune's clouds have been disappearing since 2019. - The phenomenon is potentially linked to the sun's eleven-year activity cycle. - The sun's magnetic fields and their influence on the solar system might be affecting Neptune's cloud patterns.3. **NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter** - The helicopter completes its 55th flight. - It has covered over 12,503 meters on Mars and stayed aloft for nearly 98 minutes across all flights. - The helicopter's main goal was to demonstrate aerial exploration on Mars.4. **Flying Cars on the Horizon** - A company, Applied eVTOL Concepts, introduces the Epiphany transporter, a flying car with a NASA-proven propulsion system. - The vehicle can reach speeds of 160 and is as quiet as a steady rainfall. - The design includes duct thrusters for thrust and safety.5. **Passing of Karol 'Bo' BobCo** - Karol 'Bo' Bobco, the only NASA astronaut to fly on two shuttle launches, passes away at 85. - He was a part of NASA's 7th Group of Astronauts and had a significant history with the space program.6. **Russia's Lunar 25 Mission** - The mission ends in failure after crashing into the Moon. - The spacecraft was meant to land near the Boguslawski Crater. - The mission faced technical issues and delays, and its failure is a setback for Russia's space plans.7. **India's Chandrayan 3 Mission** - The mission is progressing well, with the lander module achieving a specific orbit around the moon. - The mission aims to validate a successful soft landing on the moon's south polar region. - The mission is closely monitored by ISRO, with collaborations from the European Space Agency and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.8. **Chinese Satellites Over Australia** - Hundreds of Chinese satellites are monitoring military training activities in Australia. - The satellites have been focusing on naval drills and war games. - Space is becoming an essential domain for modern warfighting operations.9. **Closing Remarks** - Steve Dunkley and Hallie thank the listeners and remind them to check out previous episodes at spacenuts.io or our HQ at bitesz.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.

*Hosted by Tim Gibbs with AI Assistant Hallie*- **NASA's Lunar Trailblazer Satellite** - Mission: Search for water on the moon. - Details: Lockheed Martin built, measures 11.5 feet wide, weighs 440 pounds. - Launch: No earlier than 2024, alongside the Intuitive Machines IM-2 mission. - Instruments: Lunar Thermal Mapper (LTM) sensor from the University of Oxford. - Purpose: Map lunar surface temperature and variations in minerals. - **Oxygen Production on Mars** - Need: 30 metric tons of oxygen for a crew of six astronauts. - Solution: Produce oxygen on Mars from its abundant CO2. - Recent Development: Mars Oxygen ISRU Experiment (Moxie) Project. - Research: Donald Rapp and Eric Hinderman's model for a full-scale Mars ISRU system. - **Discoveries with the FAST Telescope** - Led by: Professor H.A.N. Gene Lin from the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. - Findings: Distinct dwarf pulses from pulsar PSR B2111+46. - Observations: Galactic Plane Pulsar Snapshot Survey. - New Emission State: Dwarf pulses.4. **Spotlight Story** - **Russia's Lunar 25 Probe Crash** - Incident: Lunar 25 crashed during pre-landing maneuvers. - Last Contact: 2.57 pm on a Saturday. - Background: Russia's first moon mission in almost 50 years. - Mission Goal: Soft landing on the Lunar South Pole. - Historical Context: Last attempt in 1989 with the Phobos 2 probe. - Statement: Roscosmos Boss Yuri Borosov had estimated a 70% success rate.5. **Hallie's Joke of the Week** - "Why did the scarecrow win an award? “6. **Closing Remarks** - Find all episodes and the parent podcast, SpaceNuts, at spaceknuts.io or bitesz.com. - Join the conversation on the Facebook page: SpaceNuts podcast group. - Weekly Schedule: Steve Dunkley on Mondays and Tim Gibbs on Fridays. - See you next week!Thank you for tuning in to the Astronomy Daily podcast!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.

Hosted by Steve Dunkley & AI Co-host Hallie***Date:** 17th August 2023**Highlights:**1. **Special Edition:** Steve surprises listeners with an impromptu episode on a Thursday.2. **Space Nuts Revisited:** Steve revisits a segment from the renowned "Space Nuts" podcast, hosted by Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson.3. **SpaceX's Starship Launch Mishap:** Hallie dives into the details of SpaceX's Starship launch mishap, discussing the aftermath, the FAA's ongoing review, and the potential implications for future launches.4. **Hawaii's Catastrophic Wildfires:** Steve sheds light on the devastating wildfires in Hawaii, which were visible from the International Space Station. The fires emphasize the severe consequences of human-driven climate change.5. **Astronomy Daily's Ranking:** The podcast proudly announces its position as the number four podcast in the astronomy top 100 charts.6. **Exploring Martian Caves with Robots:** Steve discusses a new robot concept with expandable appendages designed to explore the challenging terrains of Martian caves and cliffs.7. **Enceladus' Geysers:** A throwback segment from "Space Nuts" highlights the fascinating geysers on Saturn's moon, Enceladus, and the potential for life.**Connect with Us:**- Catch all back editions of Astronomy Daily and Space Nuts on bitesz.com or all podcast platforms.- Join the discussion on the [Space Nuts Podcast Group on Facebook - Have astronomy or space science questions? Drop us a line on our Facebook page, and our team, including Tim Gibbs, Andrew Dunkley, and Professor Fred Watson, will get back to you.**Closing Note:** Stay curious, keep looking up, and always wonder about what's happening in your skies!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.

**Today's Highlights:**1. **New Technique for Measuring Structured Light:** - A breakthrough technique to measure structured light in a single shot. - Uses the Kramer's Chronic Relation to untangle complex helical light patterns. - Potential to revolutionize technologies in the field of structured light.2. **Beginner's Guide to Astronomy:** - The magic of viewing Saturn's rings through a telescope. - Recommendations for beginners: 4-5 Dobsonian telescope. - Tips on spotting planets like Saturn and Jupiter.3. **Boeing Starliner Update:** - Crewed Flight Test delayed to next year. - Boeing remains confident despite delays. - Part of NASA's Commercial Crew Transportation Capability.4. **Traveling Without Moving:** - The concept of how much we travel without realizing it. - Earth's rotation, orbit around the sun, and the sun's orbit in the Milky Way. - Total distance traveled in a lifetime: 930,000,000,000 miles.5. **Moon Shuttle Plans:** - Multiple space agencies aiming for permanent human residence on the Moon. - Research on optimizing trajectories for Earth-Moon travel. - Proposal for a shuttle system between Earth and Moon to reduce costs.---**Connect with Us:**- Join the Space Nuts podcast group on Facebook.- Listen to previous episodes at spacenuts.io and bytes.com.Join us next week for more space insights on Astronomy Daily!www.spacenuts.io#space #astronomy #science #news #podcast #astronomydaily #spacenutsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.

*Hosted by Tim Gibbs with AI Assistant, Haillie*1. **Virgin Galactic's Historic Flight**: Virgin Galactic successfully launches its first tourist passengers into space. Among them, Anastasia Mayers becomes the youngest person ever to venture into space at 18. The spacecraft safely landed in New Mexico after a brief sojourn in space.2. **China's Satellite Launch**: China's Long March-2C rocket successfully launches the Huanjing Jianzhai-2F (SSAR-02) satellite. This synthetic aperture radar satellite will aid in emergency management and environmental monitoring. It will work in tandem with SSAR01, launched in October 2022, to provide comprehensive coverage even in adverse weather conditions.3. **Russia's Lunar Mission**: After nearly 50 years, Russia launches its Lunub-25 probe to the moon. This marks Moscow's first lunar mission since 1976. The probe aims to land on the lunar South Pole, a first in space exploration history. Expected landing date: August 21st.4. **Perseid Meteor Shower 2023**: The much-anticipated Perseid meteor shower peaks this weekend. Best viewing time is around 4 o'clock EDT on Sunday, August 13. The meteor shower originates from the constellation Perseus and promises a spectacular show with up to 100 fireballs and light trails per hour at its peak.5. **Tribute to Alexander Victorenko**: Renowned Russian cosmonaut Alexander Victorenko, known for his significant contributions to space exploration, including the first test of a space motorcycle, passes away at 76. A memorial service is scheduled for August 12th.6. **Haillie's Joke of the Week**: "Why did the biologist get a promotion?" (You'll need to listen to the show to get the punchline...then again...---Tune in to the Astronomy Daily Podcast for more exciting updates from the cosmos!#space #astronomy #science #news #podcast #astronomydaily #haillieBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.

**Date:** 7th August 2023- **Host:** Steve Dunkley**Main Topics Covered:**1. **Personal Updates:** - Steve celebrated his son and his partner Kate's birthdays in Sydney. - Lunch at a famous Australian landmark.2. **SpaceX News:** - SpaceX tests their new booster. - Static fire test conducted for the Starship First Stage prototype, Booster 9.3. **Graphene in Space:** - The wonder material graphene is being researched for use in space building and development. - Scientists from the Italian Space Agency discuss graphene's potential role in space exploration. - Up to 1.9% of interstellar medium carbon is made of graphene.4. **Voyager 2 Update:** - NASA reestablishes contact with Voyager 2. - Voyager 2's history and its journey through the solar system. - Voyager 1 and 2 carry golden records with information about Earth.5. **Bubbletrons:** - A phenomenon from the early universe where massive bubbles may have emerged and collided. - These bubbles could have been responsible for the creation of dark matter particles and microscopic black holes. - The bubbles' expansion and collision might have created gravitational waves.6. **Other Space News:** - Discovery of an unusual Jupiter-sized planet, T-O-I-G-4860B, orbiting a low mass star. - NASA's collaboration with Axiom Space for private astronaut missions. - NASA announces crew members for SpaceX Crew 8 mission to the International Space Station.**Closing Remarks:**Steve and Halley, the digital reporter, wrap up the episode, touching on the incredible properties and potential of graphene in space technologies.For more Astronomy Daily visit www.spacenuts.io Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.

Welcome to another enlightening episode of the Astronomy Daily Podcast. In Series 2, Episode 29, our hosts Hallie and Tim take us on a cosmic journey, discussing intriguing topics from Voyager 2's interstellar communication to the innovative LOCSS program aiding Bangladeshi rice farmers. 1. **Voyager 2's Interstellar Communication**: Tim shares a captivating anecdote about Voyager 2's launch in the 1970s. The highlight of the episode is the announcement of NASA's successful re-establishment of contact with Voyager 2, a spacecraft that's over 12.3 billion miles away from Earth. 2. *LOCSS Program - A Boon for Bangladeshi Rice Farmers**: We delve into the details of the LOCSS program, a collaboration between the University of Washington and Bangladesh's Ministry of Agriculture. Using NASA data, the program aims to reduce water waste by 30%, cut down fuel consumption by 45%, save $115 million in fuel subsidies annually, and reduce carbon emissions by 300,000 tons per year. 3. **Understanding Low Gravity's Effects**: The hosts discuss an experiment conducted on the International Space Station, aiming to understand how low gravity impacts boiling and condensation. This research is crucial for developing air conditioning systems for deep space habitats. 4. **Japan's XRISM Observatory Launch**: Get ready for an unprecedented view into some of the universe's hottest regions with the upcoming launch of Japan's XRISM observatory. The observatory will use an instrument colder than any known cosmic location. 5. **Space Debris Identification**: The Australian Space Agency has identified a significant piece of space debris found in Western Australia. This debris is believed to be part of a rocket operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation. Stay tuned for more exciting episodes from the Astronomy Daily Podcast. Don't forget to subscribe and share the podcast with fellow astronomy enthusiasts!#astronomy #space #science #news #astronomydaily #podcastBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.

Welcome to another episode of the Astronomy Daily Podcast with your host, Steve Dunkley, and the AI assistant, Hallie. In this episode, we chat about meteor showers, a historical event involving the lunar roving vehicle, and the current state of space exploration. Here's what we covered:- We start off with a casual conversation about current meteor showers. Steve shares his disappointment in not being able to spot the meteors due to cloud cover in his area.- Our fun fact of the day looks back to July 31, 1971, when the lunar roving vehicle was first used on the moon during the Apollo 15 mission by astronauts James B. Irwin and David Scott.- We move on to a concerning update about NASA's Voyager 2, which has temporarily lost contact with Earth due to an accidental deviation of the antenna's alignment. Despite this, Voyager 2 continues along its planned trajectory, with the next automatic antenna reset scheduled for October 15th.- We discuss the promising future of lunar mining, exploring how private firms and international space agencies plan to extract resources like oxygen, water, and other materials from the moon to support life and build infrastructure.- The construction of a new spaceport in Scotland has been temporarily halted due to the discovery of archaeological findings at the building site, including shiny quartz, giant granite stones, and evidence of cremations from the Bronze Age.- For our science fiction fans, we look at upcoming space missions including the x-ray imaging and spectroscopy mission "Chrism" scheduled for launch from Japan's Tanegashima Space Center and the European Space Agency's "Platoh" mission set to launch in 2026, aiming to find Earth-like planets.- Steve wraps up the episode with a fun surprise story for fans of the 1960s cartoon "The Jetsons," discussing a meme that suggests George Jetson's birthday would be July 31, 2022.Join us again on Friday with Tim in Bath, England, and catch up with Steve and Hallie again on Monday for more Astronomy Daily.For more Astronomy Daily, visit our website via https://spacenuts.ioBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.

Welcome to the Astronomy Daily Podcast with Tim Gibbs and his AI co-host, Hallie. In this Friday, July 28th, 2023 episode, we're bringing you the latest cosmic happenings, from breathtaking meteor showers to SpaceX's ambitious space missions and a rare Einstein cross discovery. **Headline 1:** *The Delta Aquariots Meteor Shower Captivates Australia* Get ready for a celestial spectacle this weekend with the Delta Aquariots meteor shower peaking over Australia. Expected to showcase up to 20 shooting stars per hour, this stunning display doesn't require a telescope to enjoy. Learn more about the best times and ways to observe this medium-sized meteor shower that runs from July to August. **Headline 2:** *SpaceX's Record-Breaking Double Launch Attempt Postponed* SpaceX was poised to break records with their Falcon Heavy Rocket and Echo Star's Jupiter 3 satellite launch within a span of 44 minutes, but the mission got scrubbed. With a new target set for July 28, this record-breaking attempt involves the launch of the Hughes Jupiter 3 mission and Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 star-linked satellites. We dive into the specifics of the launch window and potential reasons for the delay. **Headline 3:** *SpaceX Successfully Launches 22 Star-linked Satellites* Despite the earlier postponement, SpaceX triumphantly launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 22 star-linked satellites into low-earth orbit. The launch from Cape Canaveral marked the 15th mission for the first stage booster, which then returned to Earth, landing on the autonomous ship in the Atlantic Ocean. **Headline 4:** *Astronomers Discover a Rare Einstein Cross* The cosmos continues to amaze us as astronomers uncover a rare Einstein Cross using the dark energy spectroscopic instrument at Kitt Peak National Observatory. An instance of gravitational lensing, the Einstein Cross, known as DESI 253.2534+26.8843, offers valuable information about the early universe. Find out more about this scientific treasure and what its unique structure reveals about distant galaxies. And we wrap up with a bit of humor, because who doesn't love a good (or bad) dad joke? Join the conversation at our Facebook page and stay tuned for Steve Dunkley and Tim Gibbs on our parent podcast, Space Nuts. You can find all our episodes and more at spaceknuts.io and bites.com. Thanks for tuning in to Astronomy Daily. Keep looking up and see you next week!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.