Astronomy Daily: Space News Updates

Welcome to Astronomy Daily! In today's episode, we explore Blue Origin's ambitious new TeraWave satellite internet network offering speeds up to 6Tbps, discuss the first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station, and celebrate Buzz Aldrin's 96th birthday as the oldest living astronaut. We also dive into exciting science from Saturn's moon Enceladus, surprising plasma wave discoveries at Mercury, and groundbreaking Solar Orbiter observations revealing how magnetic avalanches power solar flares.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
• Blue Origin announces TeraWave: A new satellite network with 6Tbps speeds for enterprise and government customers
• Historic ISS evacuation: Crew-11 returns early in NASA's first medical evacuation from space
• Buzz Aldrin celebrates 96th birthday as Artemis II crew prepares for lunar journey
• Scientists develop new method to analyze Enceladus plumes for ocean habitability
• BepiColombo discovers Mercury shares plasma wave behavior with Earth
• Solar Orbiter reveals magnetic avalanches trigger solar flares
STORY TIMESTAMPS:
[00:00] Introduction
[01:15] Blue Origin's TeraWave Satellite Network
[05:42] ISS Medical Evacuation - Crew-11's Historic Return
[10:28] Buzz Aldrin's 96th Birthday & Artemis II Connections
[14:35] Enceladus Plumes May Hold Clues to Ocean Habitability
[18:20] Mercury and Earth Share Plasma Wave Behavior
[22:10] Solar Orbiter Discovers Magnetic Avalanches Power Flares
[26:45] Outro
LINKS & RESOURCES:
• Blue Origin TeraWave: https://www.blueorigin.com/terawave
• NASA Crew-11 Mission Information: https://www.nasa.gov/
• Artemis II Mission Details: https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-ii
• BepiColombo Mission: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/BepiColombo
• Solar Orbiter Mission: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Solar_Orbiter
• Astronomy Daily Website: https://astronomydaily.io
CREDITS:
Hosted by Anna and Avery
Produced by Astronomy Daily
Episode S05E19 - January 22, 2026
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#AstronomyDaily #SpaceNews #BlueOrigin #NASA #ISS #BuzzAldrin #ArtemisII #Enceladus #Mercury #SolarOrbiter #SpaceExploration

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Stunning northern lights dazzle the world after a severe G4 geomagnetic storm, legendary NASA astronaut Suni Williams retires after 27 years, and China executes a dramatic space rescue. Plus, Blue Origin's next tourist launch and groundbreaking telescope observations!
In today's episode of Astronomy Daily, hosts Anna and Avery bring you the latest space and astronomy news:
🌌 SEVERE GEOMAGNETIC STORM UPDATE - Follow-up to yesterday's prediction as the CME slams into Earth, triggering spectacular auroras visible from New Mexico to China. We've got photos and the science behind the G4-level storm.
👩‍🚀 SUNI WILLIAMS RETIRES - After 27 years and 608 days in space, NASA astronaut Suni Williams hangs up her spacesuit. We celebrate her incredible achievements including 9 spacewalks and command of the ISS.
🚀 CHINA'S SHENZHOU-20 RESCUE - An incredible story of emergency response in orbit as China safely returns a damaged capsule after a suspected space debris impact. Three overlapping missions showcase impressive operational capability.
🔵 BLUE ORIGIN NS-38 LAUNCH - Six space tourists prepare for Thursday's suborbital flight aboard New Shepard, including Blue Origin's own director of launch operations.
☀️ NASA'S SUNRISE MISSION - Six toaster-sized satellites pass crucial tests and move closer to launch. They'll work together as one giant radio telescope to track dangerous solar eruptions.
🪐 ALMA REVEALS TEENAGE PLANETS - The most detailed images ever of 24 debris disks show planetary systems in their awkward teenage years, revealing the violent phase our solar system once experienced.
Visit astronomydaily.io for more space news and follow us on social media @AstroDailyPod

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The Sun's latest outburst arrived ahead of schedule! A powerful X1.9 solar flare and massive CME triggered severe G4 geomagnetic storms on January 19th, bringing spectacular auroras as far south as Alabama. Hosts Anna and Avery break down what happened and what to expect.
Also in today's episode: China successfully tests the Long March 12B reusable rocket, giving us a preview of their next-gen launch capabilities. We get an exclusive look at the Xuntian space telescope set to launch in 2027, which could rival Hubble with 300x the field of view. Plus, stunning new Hubble images reveal how baby stars carve out cosmic homes in the Orion Molecular Cloud.
We'll run through this week's packed launch schedule featuring SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, and China, and explore groundbreaking research showing how hidden magma oceans might protect rocky exoplanets from deadly radiation.
**Episode Highlights:**
• BREAKING: Severe G4 solar storm strikes Earth early - aurora forecast through Jan 20
• China's Long March 12B reusable rocket passes critical static fire test
• Xuntian telescope preview: China's answer to Hubble launches 2027
• Hubble reveals protostar jets and cavities in Orion Molecular Cloud
• 7 launches from 6 sites this week: Your complete guide
• Basal magma oceans could generate protective magnetic fields on super-Earths
**Topics Covered:**
Space Weather, Solar Flares, CMEs, Geomagnetic Storms, Auroras, Reusable Rockets, Chinese Space Program, Space Telescopes, Star Formation, Orbital Launches, Exoplanets, Planetary Magnetism, Astrobiology

Visit us at astronomydaily.io for more space and astronomy news!
Follow us on social media: @AstroDailyPod on all major platforms
#SpaceWeather #SolarStorm #Aurora #NorthernLights #SpaceX #China #SpaceTelescope #Exoplanets #Astronomy #SpaceNews

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Join hosts Anna and Avery for today's essential space and astronomy news roundup! 🚀
NASA's Artemis II rocket completes its journey to Launch Pad 39B, bringing humanity one step closer to returning to the Moon. We bid farewell to Japan's remarkable Akatsuki Venus orbiter after a decade of groundbreaking discoveries. China's FAST telescope solves a ten-year mystery about fast radio bursts, revealing they come from binary star systems. 
Plus, we preview the incredible space science missions launching in 2026, discuss the devastating loss of Spain's brand-new military satellite to a tiny space particle, and explore new findings showing that dwarf galaxies host more active black holes than previously thought.
**Featured Stories:**
• NASA's Artemis II reaches the launch pad for wet dress rehearsal
• Japan's Akatsuki mission ends after 15 years and extraordinary Venus discoveries  
• China's Sky Eye telescope cracks the fast radio burst mystery
• 2026 space science preview: Moon, Mars, and telescope missions ahead
• Spanish military satellite suffers catastrophic damage from millimeter-sized debris
• New census reveals surprising black hole activity in dwarf galaxies
Visit astronomydaily.io for full articles, images, and more space news!
#Astronomy #Space #NASA #ArtemisII #Venus #Akatsuki #FastRadioBursts #FAST #Mars #SpaceScience #BlackHoles #SpaceDebris

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NASA attempts to contact the silent MAVEN Mars orbiter after 40 days—but prospects look grim. Plus: the first-ever ISS medical evacuation succeeds, Europe debuts its powerful Ariane 64, scientists crack asteroid defense secrets, China releases lunar timekeeping software, and Hubble reveals where planets are born. Your daily space news for January 15, 2026.
### Extended Episode Description (for podcast websites/apps)
After more than a month of silence, NASA is making what may be its final attempt to contact the MAVEN Mars orbiter. Mission leaders are pessimistic, but the veteran spacecraft has surprised them before. We break down what happened, what's at stake, and what MAVEN's potential loss means for Mars exploration.
On a brighter note, the SpaceX Crew-11 astronauts have safely returned to Houston following the first-ever medical evacuation from the International Space Station—a historic operation that went flawlessly. We explore how NASA executed this unprecedented mission.
Europe's taking a major step forward with the announcement that the first Ariane 64 rocket will launch February 12th. This four-booster beast can carry more than double the payload of its predecessor, and its debut mission will deploy 32 satellites for Amazon's Kuiper constellation.
Scientists using CERN's particle accelerators have discovered that iron-rich asteroids are tougher than we thought—and they actually get stronger under stress. This surprising finding could reshape how we approach planetary defense.
China has released the world's first practical software for keeping time on the Moon. It sounds like science fiction, but lunar timekeeping is becoming essential as multiple nations prepare for sustained lunar operations.
And after 35 years in orbit, the Hubble Space Telescope is still delivering stunning science, with a new gallery of images showing protoplanetary disks where planets are being born around young stars.

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