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Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, where we bring you the latest

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in space and astronomy news. I'm Anna, and I'm thrilled

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to be your guide through today's cosmic journey. Coming up

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on today's episode, we'll explore some major developments spanning the

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entire space sector. We'll look at how SpaceX Ula and

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Blue Origin are sharing a massive thirteen point five billion

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dollars in military launch contracts, marking a significant shift in

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national security space access. Then we'll follow the adventure of

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four space tourists who just completed a groundbreaking flight circling

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our planet above both poles, a true first in human

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spaceflight history. We'll also check in with the hardworking crew

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aboard the International Space Station, where cutting edge robotics, experiments

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and crucial medical research continue as they prepare to welcome

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new crewmates. Plus, we'll dive into fascinating astronomical research, including

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how scientists are essentially listening to stars through their vibrations

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to understand their inner working, and a jaw dropping discovery

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from the James Webb Space Telescope of an ancient galaxy

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that's challenging everything we thought we knew about galactic evolution.

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So strap in As we blast off into today's cosmic

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news roundup, The US Department of Defense has made a

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historic move in the space sector, awarding a combined thirteen

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point seven billion dollars in launch service contracts to SpaceX,

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United Launch Alliance, and Blue Origin. This landmark decision marks

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the first time three companies will share responsibility for launching

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high priority military and intelligence payloads, significantly reshaping the national

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security launch landscape. SpaceX emerged as the leading contractor in

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this arrangement, securing five point nine billion dollars in anticipated awards.

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ULA followed closely with five point four billion dollars, while

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Blue Origin secured nearly two point four billion dollars. Together,

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these aerospace giants are expected to conduct fifty four launches

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for the Pentagon between fiscal years twenty twenty five five

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and twenty twenty nine. General Chance Saltzman, chief of Space

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Operations for the US Space Force, emphasized the strategic importance

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of this investment, calling it the foundation of both economic

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prosperity and national security. These contracts fall under the National

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Security Space Launch Phase three Lane two procurement, which focuses

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specifically on complex missions to high energy orbits with enhanced

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security requirements. The distribution of these fifty four projected missions

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reflects the current capabilities and trust placed in each provider.

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SpaceX will carry out the Lion's share with twenty eight

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launches approximately sixty percent of the total. ULA will handle

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nineteen missions about thirty five percent, while Blue Origin is

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slated for seven launches. Interestingly, Blue Origins assignments are contingent

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on certification of its New Glen rocket, which has flown

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just once so far. This three provider approach represents a

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significant shift in the Pentagon strategy. The inclusion of Blue

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Origin introduces more competition into a market that SpaceX has

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dominated since the previous round of contracts in twenty twenty.

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Despite New Glen not yet being certified for national security missions,

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Space Force officials have expressed confidence that the rocket will

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be ready by the time Blue Origins assignments begin. The

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Phase three acquisition strategy employs a dual lane approach to

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ensure diversification. Lane one targets less risk averse, commercial like missions,

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while Lane two focuses on high stakes missions demanding elevated

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performance and security standards. Under these contracts, all three companies

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must meet stringent mission assurance requirements and participate in joint

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integration efforts with government teams. This development builds on the

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Pentagon's ongoing efforts to eliminate dependence on Russian made rocket

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engines while fostering a competitive domestic launch market capable of

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meeting evolving space requirements. The first round of mission assignments

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under these new contracts will be announced later this year,

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with launches expected to take place from fiscal year twenty

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twenty seven through twenty thirty two. Next, let's get a

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rap on the major story of the week. In a

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remarkable achievement for commercial spaceflight, four space tourists have safely

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returned to Earth after completing a groundbreaking orbital journey circling

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the globe above the North and South Poles. This historic mission,

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which concluded with a Pacific Ocean splash down this past Friday,

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marks both the first human spaceflight to traverse this unique

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polar route and the first Pacific splashdown for a crude

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spacecraft in five decades. Bitcoin entrepreneur Chun Wang privately chartered

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the SpaceX Dragon capsule for this extraordinary adventure, though he

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declined to reveal the price tag for the three point

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five day journey. Wang carefully selected his three fellow travelers,

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Norwegian filmmaker Jenica Mickelson, German robotics researcher Rebea Roga, and

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Australian polar guide Eric Phillips. Together, they experienced views of

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our planet that no human had witnessed before from them

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orbital perspective. The cruise Dragon capsule featured a specialized domed

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window providing breath taking three hundred sixty degree views of

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Earth's polar regions and everything in between. Roga described the

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polar landscapes as epic and likened them to another kind

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of desert that extends endlessly across the horizon. Meanwhile, Mickelson

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documented the journey extensively, bringing along professional camera equipment to

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capture their unprecedented vantage point. The journey wasn't without its challenges.

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All four passengers experienced space motion sickness after reaching orbit,

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according to Wang's social media updates. However, by the second day,

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they had adjusted to the weightless environment and eagerly opened

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the window cover right above the south pole to take

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in the extraordinary view. Beyond sight seeing, the crew conducted

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meaningful scientific work during their brief mission. They performed the

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first medical X rays in space as part of a

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test procedure, and completed two dozen additional science experiments. The

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mission was named Fram two, after the Norwegian sailing ship

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that carried explorers to the polar regions more than a

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century ago. In a touching tribute, a fragment of the

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original ship's wooden deck accompanied the crew to space. A

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SpaceX noted that this mission also marked a shift in

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their operational approach, as they've decided to switch future splash

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down sites from Florida to the Pacific Ocean for safety reasons.

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This ensures that any surviving pieces of the trunk section,

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which is jettison near the end of flight, will fall

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harmlessly into the ocean. Historically significant, the last space travelers

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to return from orbit to the Pacific were the three

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NASA astronauts from the nineteen seventy five Apollo Soyuz mission.

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This pioneering polar orbit journey represents another significant milestone in

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the rapidly evolving landscape of commercial space tourism, demonstrating the

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expanding capabilities and unique experiences now becoming available beyond traditional

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government space programs. Have you ever wondered what they do

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on the iss from day to day. Well, I'll tell

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you it's been a bustling week aboard the International Space Station.

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As the Expedition seventy two crew balances cutting edge research

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with preparation for upcoming crew changes, The Orbital Laboratory continues

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to serve as humanity's premiere microgravity research platform, with activities

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spanning from robotics to human physiology studies. NASA astronauts Don

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Pettitt and Jacksa's Takuya Onishi collaborated on an innovative robotics

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experiment using the station's astro b free flying robots. These

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cube shaped autonomous devices, equipped with tentacle like grippers featuring

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gecko inspired adhesive pads, were tested on their ability to detect,

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maneuver toward, and capture objects in microgravity. The technology demonstrates

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promising applications for future satellite servicing and space debris removal,

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critical capabilities as we work towards sustainable space operations. Meanwhile,

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the unique environment of space continues providing valuable insights into

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human health. NASA flight engineer Nicole Ayer's conducted exercise physiology research,

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pedaling on a specialized cycle while connected to sensors and

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breathing equipment. The data collected helps scientists understand how the

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cardiovascular system adapts to weightlessness and guides the development of

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more effective exercise protocols for long duration space missions. Another

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fascinating experiment involved oneche wearing a specialized thigh cuff designed

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to alter fluid distribution in the body. This research tackles

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one of spaceflight's persistent medical challenges, the fluid shift toward

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the head that can cause increased pressure in the eyes

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and brain. Airs assisted by using ultrasound equipment to measure

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blood flow in onehe's legs, evaluating the cuff's effectiveness. Maintaining

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the station's complex life support systems remains a priority. Air's

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Pettit and NASA ann maclain performed critical spacesuit maintenance in

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the quest airlock checking for oxygen leaks, replacing electronic components,

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and servicing life support gear. These routine but essential tasks

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ensure the suits remain ready for emergency situations or scheduled spacewalks.

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On the Russian segment, cosmonauts focused on environmental monitoring roscosmo's

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flight engineer Evan Wagner collected microbial samples from various station

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surfaces to better understand how microorganisms adapt to spaceflight conditions,

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research crucial for maintaining crew health during future long duration missions.

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Fellow cosmonaut Kyril Peskov measured carbon dioxide levels and performed

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maintenance on communications equipment. As the current crew continues their

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orbital work, a fresh trio of spacefarers is making final

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preparations for launch. NASA astronaut Johnny Kim and ros Cosmos

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cosmonauts Sergei Rizhakov and Alexander Zubritsky are scheduled to lift

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off aboard the Soyuz MS twenty seven spacecraft on April

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eighth from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Following a three

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hour journey to catch up with the station, they'll dock

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to the Prishaal module and begin an eight month scientific mission. Meanwhile,

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station commander Alexei Ovchinin is readying the Soyuz MS twenty

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six spacecraft for its return journey on April nineteenth, when

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he'll bring Wagner and Pettit back to Earth after their

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extended stay in orbit. This carefully choreographed crew rotation ensures

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continuous human presence aboard our outpost in space, maintaining the

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unbroken chain of occupation that now extends beyond two decades.

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Next up. Today, stars don't just shine, They hum, with

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hidden vibrations that could unlock secrets about their inner workings.

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Scientists have discovered a fascinating new method to study what

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they call stellar quakes, which are ripples of gas on

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a star surface that offer tantalizing clues about what lies beneath.

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These stellar quakes function remarkably similarly to earthquakes here on

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our planet. When hot gas rises, cools, and sinks in

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a churning cycle within a star's convective envelope, the turbulent

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outer layer, it creates vibrations that propagate throughout the entire

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stellar body. By detecting subtle variations in a star's brightness,

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astronomers can identify these acoustic oscillations. Stellar quakes happen in

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most stars that have a bubbling outer layer, like a

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pot of boiling water, explains Claudiu Raeus, who conducted the

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research at the University of New South Wales. These bubbles

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of hot gas rise and burst at the surface, sending

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ripples through the entire star. Just as each musical instrument

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produces its own distinctive sound. Each star vibrates with unique

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resonant frequencies determined by its internal structure and physical properties.

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Larger stars produce deeper, slower vibrations, while smaller stars vibrate

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at higher pitches. By analyzing specific aspects of these vibrations,

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such as what scientists call small frequency spacing, researchers can

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estimate a star's hydrogen fuel reserves, essentially determining how far

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along it is in its life cycle. The research team

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focused on measuring stellar quakes in twenty seven stars from

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Messia sixty seven, an open cluster containing over five hundred

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stars with an age similar to our sun. This cluster

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offered an ideal laboratory since it contains many stars at

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different evolutionary stages but with similar chemical compositions. What made

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their findings particularly exciting was the discovery of a stalling frequency,

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a point where a star's vibrations stop changing and repeat

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the same note. This stalling correlates with the lower boundary

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of the star's convective envelope, providing astronomers with a powerful

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new diagnostic tool to estimate stellar masses and ages. With

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improved precision, stars are like fossil records that carry information

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about the environments in which they formed, noted reyes. By

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studying them, astronomers can piece together the story of our galaxy.

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This breakthrough in stellar seismology promises to enhance our understanding

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of stellar evolution in galactic history. By decoding the subtle

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music of the stars, scientists are developing a more accurate

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cosmic timeline and gaining insights into the fundamental processes that

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drive stellar life cycles, including what might eventually happen to

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our own sun. Finally, today, let's check in with an

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old friend. The James Web Space Telescope has made another

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groundbreaking discovery, uncovering a colossal spiral galaxy that's challenging our

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understanding of galactic evolution. Nicknamed Big Wheel, this enormous galaxy

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existed just two billion years after the Big Bang, during

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what should have been the cosmic equivalent of childhood for

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most galaxies. The discovery comes from astronomers at the University

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of Milano Bikoca, who found Big Wheel near a quasar,

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an extremely powerful and active supermassive black hole located a

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staggering eleven point seven billion light years away. This ancient

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galaxy earned its nickname from both its impressive size and

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remarkably rotation. What makes Big Wheel so extraordinary is its

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scale and maturity. It's approximately five times more massive than

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our own Milky Way and stretches across one hundred thousand

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light years. Using the telescope's near infrared spectrograph, researchers confirmed

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that Big Wheel is a fully formed, rotating disc with

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characteristics typically found only in much more developed galaxies. The

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galaxy's rotation curve shows a pattern consistent with mature spiral

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galaxies we observe today. Its velocity increases as you move

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outward from the center, reaching several hundred miles per second,

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remarkably similar to galaxies that have had billions more years

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to develop. This suggests that despite its youth, Big Wheel

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was already behaving like a fully mature galaxy during an

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era when most galaxies were expected to be small and

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in their earliest developmental stages. This galaxy is spectacular for

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being among the largest spiral galaxies ever found, which is

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unprecedented for this early era of the uear universe, explains

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Charles' Stitel, the studies lead author and astronomy professor at Caltech,

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so how did Big Wheel form so quickly. One clue

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may lie in its cosmic neighborhood. The galaxy resides in

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an extraordinarily dense region of space where galaxy concentrations are

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more than ten times higher than the cosmic average. This

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crowded environment may have provided ideal conditions for accelerated growth

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through efficient gas secretion and frequent mergers with other gas

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rich galaxies. We think this may open the door to

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understanding how some galaxies were able to bypass the usual

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slow process of star formation and grow to enormous sizes

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in the early universe, notes study co author Sebastiano Cantalupo.

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Big Wheel's existence presents a significant challenge to current cosmological models,

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which don't predict galaxies of this size and mass so

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early in the universe's history. The discovery suggests that, under

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certain conditions, galaxy formation and might not be the gradual

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process scientists previously thought. Instead, some galaxies may experience dramatic

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growth spurts and environments rich with the necessary building materials.

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As astronomers continue studying this cosmic outlier, they may need

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to adjust their models to account for these accelerated development pathways.

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Big Wheel stands as a testament to the Universe's ability

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to surprise us, even as our observational capabilities reach unprecedented

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levels of sophistication. And that wraps up today's episode of

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Astronomy Daily. From SpaceX securing military launch contracts to groundbreaking

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space tourism over the Poles, from cutting edge robotics research

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on the ISS, to the discovery of stellar quakes helping

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us understand stars, and finally to the astonishing Big Wheel

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Galaxy challenging our understanding of cosmic evolution. The universe continues

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to amaze and surprise us. I hope these stories have

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sparked your curiosity about the vastness above us US and

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the incredible scientific endeavors working to understand it. There's always

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something new to discover in the cosmos, and we'll be

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here to bring those discoveries right to you. I'm Anna,

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and it's been my pleasure being your host today. If

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you enjoyed this episode, I invite you to visit our

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website at Astronomy Daily dot io, where you can sign

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up for our free daily newsletter. While you're there, you

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can catch up on all the latest space and astronomy

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news with our constantly updating newsfeed and listen to all

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our back episodes. We'd love to connect with you on

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social media as well. Just search for Astro Daily Pod

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on Facebook, x YouTube, YouTube, Music, Instagram, and TikTok. Thanks

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so much for tuning in today, and remember to keep

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looking up. The universe is an endless source of wonder.

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Until next time. This is Astronomy Dailyday Start. The story

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is control