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Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go to podcast for the

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latest space and astronomy news. I'm your host, Anna, and

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boy do we have an exciting episode for you Today.

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We're covering a wide range of fascinating topics that are

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sure to peak your interest. From fashion forward space suits

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designed for NASA's upcoming Moon mission, to the solution of

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a decade's old mystery surrounding a puzzling ground dwarf, We've

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got it all. We'll also be talking about a rare

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comet visible in Australian skies, new insights into the origins

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of Earth's meteorites, and even a Martian's solar eclipse captured

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by one of our trusty rovers. But that's not all.

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We'll also dive into the latest updates on space exploration,

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including some uncertainty surrounding Boeing's next crude mission. So buckle

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up and get ready for a cosmic journey through the

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latest and greatest in space and astronomy news. First up today,

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just because you're going to the Moon doesn't mean you

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can't be fashionable. In an exciting collaboration, Italian luxury brand

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Prada has joined forces with Houston based startup Axiom Space

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to create a cutting edge space suit for NASA's upcoming

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Artemis three mission to the Moon. This mission, planned for

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twenty twenty six, will mark the first astronaut moon landing

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since Apollo seventeen in nineteen seventy two. The new spacesuit,

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known as the Axium Extra Vehicular Mobility Unit or AXEMU,

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was recently unveiled at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan.

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While it maintains the familiar bulky white appearance we've come

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to associate with space suits, it now features added red

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trim and gray patches on the knees and elbows, giving

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it a subtle yet stylish update. But don't let its

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sleek look fool you. This suit is all about function.

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It's been designed to withstand the extreme temperatures at the

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lunar South Pole, including the ability to endure the coldest

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temperatures in permanently shadowed regions for at least two hours.

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The suit will also allow astronauts to perform space walks

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for up to eight hours, showcasing its impressive endurance capabilities.

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The AXIMU has already undergone extensive testing, including underwater simulations

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to mimic the lunar environment as it nears its final

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development stage. Both Prada and Axiom Space express pride in

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their collaborative effort, highlighting how the combination of their diverse

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skills has led to this innovative design. Next up, some

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space news from Europe. In exciting news for space enthusiasts,

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Italy's Vagacy rocket is gearing up for a comeback after

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facing some setbacks. The rocket is now scheduled to return

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to active duty on December third. This launch will mark

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a significant milestone for the Italian space program as the

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Vegacy resumes its role in delivering payloads to orbit. The

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return to flight is eagerly anticipated by the scientific community

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and space industry alike, as it represents another step forward

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in Europe's space capabilities. Now one for the Ausies amongst

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our listeners, stargazers in Australia get ready for a truly

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spectacular site. Comet C twenty twenty three A three, also

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known as suchinshan Atlas, is gracing our skies for the

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first time in a staggering eighty thousand years. This celestial

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wanderer has already been turning heads in the Northern Hemisphere

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and now it's Australia's turn to witness this rare cosmic event.

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This comet is not just any ordinary space rock. It's

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a time capsule from the very formation of our Solar System,

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offering us a glimpse into the distant past. Measuring about

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three point two kilometers across C twenty twenty three, A

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three hails from the mysterious Ort Cloud, a vast shell

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of icy objects surrounding our Solar System. What makes this

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visitor so special is its rarity. The last time it

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passed by Earth, our planet was still in the grip

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of the ice age, with mammoths and saber toothed cats

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roaming the land. It's mind boggling to think about the

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changes our world has undergone since its last visit. For

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the best view, keep your eyes on the western horizon

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during early evening. The bright planet Venus can serve as

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a helpful reference point. While visible to the naked eye,

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Binoculars or a small telescope will give you an even

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better look at this cosmic traveler and its characteristic tales.

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Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity to see

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a piece of our Solar System's ancient history. Comment Ce

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twenty twenty three A three is a reminder of the

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wonders that await us when we look up at the

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night sky. Next, an ongoing mystery is solved in a

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fascinating breakthrough. Astronomers have finally cracked a nearly thirty year

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old mystery surrounding the brown dwarf Gleiza two hundred twenty

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nine B. It turns out what we thought was a

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single celestial object is actually a pair of brown dwarfs

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locked in a cosmic dance. Brown dwarfs, for those unfamiliar,

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are fascinating objects that straddle the line between planets and stars.

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They're more massive than planets, but not quite hefty enough

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to sustain the nuclear fusion that powers stars. Glisa two

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hundred twenty nine B, discovered back in nineteen ninety five,

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has long been considered the poster child for brown dwarfs

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and has been the subject of numerous studies. However, something

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always seemed off about Gliza two hundred twenty nine B.

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Given its apparent mass, it should have been much brighter

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than observed. This discrepancy has puzzled scientists for decades until now,

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Using advanced instruments at the very large telescope in Chile,

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researchers have revealed that Gliza two hundred twenty nine B

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is actually two separate brown dwarfs. These cosmic twins, now

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dubbed Giza two hundred twenty nine BA and Gliza two

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hundred twenty nine b B, are roughly thirty eight and

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thirty four times the mass of Jupiter, respectively. They orbit

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each other every twelve days, far too close for previous

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observations to distinguish them as separate objects. This discovery not

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only solves the long standing brightness puzzle, but also provides

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valuable insights into the nature of brown dwarfs and the

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fuzzy boundary between stars and planets. It's a reminder that

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in astronomy, as in life, things aren't always what they

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seem at first glance. Scientists have recently made a groundbreaking

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discovery about the origins of meteorites that have fallen to Earth.

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It turns out that a wopping seventy percent of the

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seventy thousand meteorites found on our planet can be traced

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back to just three massive collisions in the main asteroid

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belt between Mars and Jupiter. These cosmic smash ups occurred

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five point eight, seven point five and forty million years ago,

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creating three young asteroid families known as Karen, Coronis, and Massalia.

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Each of these families formed when asteroids at least thirty

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kilometers across were destroyed, sending countless fragments hurtling through space.

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What's particularly fascinating is that these findings have solved a

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long standing mystery about the two most common types of meteorites,

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H chondrites and L chondrites. The Messalia family alone accounts

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for thirty seven percent of meteorites, including many L chondrites

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from a collision forty million years ago. This research not

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only sheds light on the origins of the space rocks

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we find on Earth, but also helps us track potentially

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dangerous asteroids that could pose a threat to our planet.

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It's a reminder of how interconnected our Solar system is

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and how events millions of miles away and millions of

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years ago continue to impact us today. One's looking skywards

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at the moment, even on Mars. In an exciting development

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from the Red Planet, NASA's Perseverance Rover has captured a

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stunning series of photographs showcasing a solar eclipse on Mars.

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On September thirtieth, the rover's left Masskamzi camera turned skyward

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to capture the planet's moon, Phobos, as it partially blocked

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the Sun's disc. These images offer a unique glimpse of Phobos,

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revealing its distinctive potato like shape. Unlike our spherical moon,

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Phobos is an irregularly shaped celestial body, measuring roughly seventeen

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miles by fourteen miles by eleven miles. It's a swift mover,

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orbiting Mars at an incredibly close distance of just three thousand,

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seven hundred miles and completing three orbits in a single

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Martian day. This isn't the first time Perseverance has captured

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such an event. The rover also photographed Phobos transiting the

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Sun in April twenty twenty two and February twenty twenty four.

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In fact, Perseverance is carrying on a proud tradition started

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by its predecessors. NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers first observed

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phobos solar transits back into thousand and four, while Curiosity

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made history by recording the first video of one in

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twenty nineteen. These observations aren't just for show, they help

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scientists better understand Mars's moons and the planet's complex orbital dynamics.

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It's a reminder that our robotic explorers on Mars are

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not only searching for signs of ancient life, but also

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acting as interplanetary astronomers, giving us a new perspective on

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celestial events from another world. Now an update to an

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ongoing story, NASA is still grappling with uncertainty regarding the

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next crude mission of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. This comes in

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the wake of issues that arose during its first crude

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test flight earlier this year. The Space agency is currently

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in the process of reviewing the certification requirements for Starliner,

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a crucial step before giving the green light for future missions.

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The potential next crude mission to the International Space Station,

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initially slated for twenty twenty five, is now up in

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the air. NASA officials have stated that the timeline will

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be determined once they have a better grasp on Boeing's

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path to system certification. This thorough review is essential to

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ensure the safety and reliability of the spacecraft for future

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astronaut transport. The first crude test flight, known as crew

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Flight Test or CFT launched successfully on June fifth. However,

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problems arose during the docking procedure with the ISS. On

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June sixth, five out of twenty eight thrusters in the

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capsule's reaction control system experienced issues, causing a delay in

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the docking process. While the astronauts ultimately arrived safely at

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the space station, these unexpected hurdles have prompted NASA to

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take a closer look at starliners systems. As a result

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of these ongoing evaluations, NASA has had to make some

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adjustments to its crude flight schedule. The two CFT astronauts,

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Butch Wilmore and Sunny Williams, who are currently aboard the ISS,

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have been reassigned to return to Earth on a SpaceX

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Crew Dragon capsule in February twenty twenty five. NASA emphasizes

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that they're committed to providing more information as it becomes available.

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Agency is working diligently with Boeing to address these challenges

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and ensure that Starliner meets all necessary safety and performance

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standards before its next crude mission. For now, the space

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community watches and waits as NASA and Boeing continue their

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rigorous review process, and that brings us to the end

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of today's journey through the cosmos. From cutting edge space

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suits to ancient comets, we've covered quite a bit of ground,

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or should I say space. I hope you've enjoyed this

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interstellar adventure as much as I have. Before we sign off,

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I want to remind you that the universe is always

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changing and there's always more to discover. If you're hungry

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for more space news and want to stay up to

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date with the latest astronomical happenings, head over to our

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website at Astronomy Daily dot io. There you can sign

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up for our free daily newsletter, which will deliver a

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dose of cosmic wonder straight to your inbox every morning.

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While you're on our site, why not take a moment

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to browse our constantly updating news feed. It's packed with

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all the latest space and astronomy news, ensuring you never

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miss it beat in the world of celestial exploration. And

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if you're in the mood for more in depth discussions,

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you can listen to all our back episodes right there

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on the website. But wait, there's more. If you want

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to connect with fellow space enthusiasts and join the conversation.

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You can find us on social media. Just search for

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astro Daily Pod on Facebook, x YouTube, and TikTok. We'd

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love to hear your thoughts on today's stories or any

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burning space questions you might have. Remember, the sky is

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not the limit, it's just the beginning. Keep looking up,

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stay curious, and I'll catch you next time for another

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exciting episode of Astronomy Daily. This is Anna signing off

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and wishing you clear skies and bright stars. Sunday Star,

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Stall Star