Seafloor plutonium traces neutron-star crash & Falcon 9 launches NROL-179 - Space News (Jun 19, 2026)

Strawberry Micromoon peaks tonight & SiriusXM SXM-11 launched to GEO - Space News (Jun 29, 2026)

Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - Invest Like the Pros with StockMVP - https://www.stock-mvp.com/?via=ron [https://www.stock-mvp.com/?via=ron] - Discover the Future of AI Audio with ElevenLabs - https://try.elevenlabs.io/tad [https://try.elevenlabs.io/tad] - KrispCall: Agentic Cloud Telephony - https://try.krispcall.com/tad [https://try.krispcall.com/tad] Support The Automated Daily directly: Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily [https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily] TODAY'S TOPICS: STRAWBERRY MICROMOON PEAKS TONIGHT - THE JUNE 29, 2026 STRAWBERRY FULL MOON PEAKS TONIGHT—AND IT’S ALSO A MICROMOON, OCCURRING NEAR LUNAR APOGEE. LEARN WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE MOON’S APPARENT SIZE AND THE BEST WAY TO ENJOY THE VIEW. SIRIUSXM SXM-11 LAUNCHED TO GEO - SPACEX LAUNCHED SIRIUSXM’S SXM-11 COMMUNICATIONS SATELLITE ON FALCON 9 FROM CAPE CANAVERAL, CONTINUING A MAJOR REFRESH OF SATELLITE RADIO INFRASTRUCTURE. THE MISSION SUPPORTS LONG-TERM RELIABILITY FOR SIRIUSXM’S GEOSTATIONARY BROADCAST SERVICE ACROSS NORTH AMERICA. STARLINK 17-40 ADDS 24 SATELLITES - A FALCON 9 FROM VANDENBERG DEPLOYED 24 NEW STARLINK SATELLITES, MARKING ANOTHER STEP IN THE RAPID EXPANSION OF LOW EARTH ORBIT BROADBAND. THE FLIGHT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS SPACEX’S HIGH-CADENCE OPERATIONS AND ROUTINE BOOSTER REUSE. APOD SPOTLIGHTS GALAXY M82 WIND - NASA’S ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY FOR JUNE 29 FEATURES THE STARBURST GALAXY M82 AND ITS DRAMATIC SUPERGALACTIC WIND. THE IMAGE OFFERS A VIVID WINDOW INTO HOW INTENSE STAR FORMATION CAN DRIVE GALAXY-SCALE OUTFLOWS THAT SHAPE EVOLUTION OVER TIME. NASA PARTNERS WITH SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION - NASA AND THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ARE SET TO SIGN A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT AIMED AT STRENGTHENING PATHWAYS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO WORK WITH NASA. THE MOVE SIGNALS CONTINUED EMPHASIS ON BROADENING PARTICIPATION ACROSS THE SPACE SUPPLY CHAIN. ESA CLEAN SPACE DAYS 2026 BEGINS - ESA’S CLEAN SPACE DAYS 2026 OPENS AT ESTEC IN THE NETHERLANDS, SPOTLIGHTING DEBRIS MITIGATION AND SUSTAINABLE MISSION DESIGN. THE CONFERENCE REFLECTS GROWING INTERNATIONAL FOCUS ON KEEPING EARTH ORBITS SAFE AND USABLE AS LAUNCH RATES RISE. Episode Transcript Strawberry Micromoon peaks tonight First up, a skywatching note you can actually use today. The June Strawberry Full Moon peaks shortly before 8 p.m. Eastern, and this one is also a micromoon—meaning the full Moon happens near apogee, when the Moon is farthest from Earth. The result is a Moon that’s subtly smaller and dimmer than average, though most people won’t notice without side-by-side comparisons. The takeaway is simple: it’s still a full Moon worth seeing, and it’s a nice reminder that the Moon’s orbit isn’t a perfect circle. SiriusXM SXM-11 launched to GEO Now to launches. Late Sunday night, SpaceX flew a Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40 carrying SiriusXM’s SXM-11 satellite. The payload is a high-capacity communications spacecraft headed for geostationary orbit, part of SiriusXM’s effort to refresh satellites that have been working since the late 2000s. In practical terms, this is the kind of infrastructure maintenance that keeps satellite radio service steady for millions of listeners across North America. Starlink 17-40 adds 24 satellites Earlier Sunday, SpaceX also launched a separate Falcon 9 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California: Starlink 17-40. The rocket deployed 24 Starlink broadband satellites to low Earth orbit, adding capacity and redundancy to an already huge constellation. The flight also underscored how normalized booster reuse has become, with the first stage flying again on a high flight count—one more indicator that rapid launch cadence is now a defining feature of today’s orbital economy. APOD spotlights galaxy M82 wind For a quick deep-space pivot, NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day for June 29 highlights M82—the Cigar Galaxy—caught in a powerful starburst phase. The featured view emphasizes reddish filaments streaming out above and below the galaxy’s disk, a galaxy-scale outflow often described as a supergalactic wind. It’s driven by the combined energy of intense star formation and supernovae, and it’s a striking example of how galaxies can actively reshape themselves by pushing gas—and future star-making material—out into surrounding space. NASA partners with Small Business Administration In U.S. space policy and industry news, NASA is scheduled to sign a memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration today at NASA Headquarters. While the ceremony itself is brief, the signal is important: NASA is continuing to formalize support structures that help small businesses connect to agency programs, compete for work, and contribute specialized technology and services. Over time, partnerships like this can widen who gets to participate in NASA’s mission pipeline—and where innovation comes from. ESA Clean Space Days 2026 begins And in Europe, ESA’s Clean Space Days 2026 opens today at ESTEC in the Netherlands, running through July 3. The focus is sustainability: reducing debris risk, improving end-of-life planning, and encouraging eco-design choices that limit long-term harm to the orbital environment and the broader footprint of space activity. With more satellites launching to both low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit, events like this are where engineers, operators, and policymakers compare approaches to keeping space usable and safe as traffic continues to rise. Subscribe to edition specific feeds: - Space news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/4cLLrdt] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/4jN8Dui] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_space] Spanish [https://theautomateddaily.com/space_es/feed.xml] French [https://theautomateddaily.com/space_fr/feed.xml] - Top news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/3PTvdUF] Spanish [https://apple.co/3ECCMgk] French [https://apple.co/4hmcxbB] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/3ZYXAW2] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/414h4JD] French [https://spoti.fi/3Di0jDe] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_news] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_news_es] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_news_fr] - Tech news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/3RYWbg4] Spanish [https://apple.co/4i0WqRM] French [https://apple.co/4bEAXMm] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/3S089pG] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/3EE2Fwv] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/3DlObRE] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_tech] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_tech_es] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_tech_fr] - Hacker news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/48QWyzj] Spanish [https://apple.co/4ke9jtE] French [https://apple.co/41E1qFd] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/45zD1kf] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/4hF8h81] French [https://spoti.fi/3QY26Ak] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hacker_news] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hacker_news_es] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hacker_news_fr] - AI news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/3M6Tg1o] Spanish [https://apple.co/4315L7Y] French [https://apple.co/3DkZbPb] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/3tzOfrz] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/416m40q] French [https://spoti.fi/41HuJGW] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hackernews_ai] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hackernews_es_ai] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hackernews_fr_ai] Visit our website at https://theautomateddaily.com/ [ https://theautomateddaily.com/] Send feedback to feedback@theautomateddaily.com Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAutomatedDaily] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-automated-daily/] X (Twitter) [https://x.com/automated_daily]

Gravitational waves probe event horizons & Young supernova remnant near Sgr A* - Space News (Jun 28, 2026)

Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - SurveyMonkey, Using AI to surface insights faster and reduce manual analysis time - https://get.surveymonkey.com/tad [https://get.surveymonkey.com/tad] - Invest Like the Pros with StockMVP - https://www.stock-mvp.com/?via=ron [https://www.stock-mvp.com/?via=ron] - Discover the Future of AI Audio with ElevenLabs - https://try.elevenlabs.io/tad [https://try.elevenlabs.io/tad] Support The Automated Daily directly: Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily [https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily] TODAY'S TOPICS: GRAVITATIONAL WAVES PROBE EVENT HORIZONS - A RECORD-STRONG LIGO EVENT, GW250114, IS BEING USED TO EXTRACT THE CLEAREST GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE EVIDENCE YET OF PHYSICS OCCURRING EXTREMELY CLOSE TO A BLACK HOLE’S EVENT HORIZON. THE RESULTS STRENGTHEN TESTS OF GENERAL RELATIVITY BY READING HORIZON-SCALE SIGNATURES IN THE POST-MERGER RINGDOWN. YOUNG SUPERNOVA REMNANT NEAR SGR A* - CHANDRA AND XMM-NEWTON DATA POINT TO A POSSIBLE SUPERNOVA REMNANT IN THE SAGITTARIUS C REGION NEAR THE MILKY WAY’S CENTRAL BLACK HOLE, SAGITTARIUS A*. IF CONFIRMED, THE ROUGHLY 1,700-YEAR-OLD REMNANT WOULD ILLUMINATE HOW STAR DEATH, SHOCKS, AND CHEMICAL ENRICHMENT SHAPE THE GALACTIC CENTER ENVIRONMENT. ASTEROID 1997 NC1 FLIES BY - A ROUGHLY KILOMETER-WIDE POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS ASTEROID, 1997 NC1, PASSED EARTH SAFELY AT ABOUT 1.5 MILLION MILES, OFFERING A REAL-WORLD PLANETARY-DEFENSE CASE STUDY. THE FLYBY HIGHLIGHTED BOTH EFFECTIVE TRACKING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUED DETECTION AND ORBIT REFINEMENT FOR NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS. ROBOTIC MISSION TO BOOST SWIFT - NASA AND COMMERCIAL PARTNER KATALYST SPACE ARE PREPARING A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND ROBOTIC SERVICING ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE THE AGING SWIFT OBSERVATORY AND RAISE ITS ORBIT. THE SWIFT BOOST PLAN AIMS TO EXTEND A KEY HIGH-ENERGY ASTRONOMY MISSION WHILE DEMONSTRATING NEW TOOLS FOR SPACE SUSTAINABILITY. LAUNCH CADENCE, ROMAN, SKYWATCHING HIGHLIGHTS - LATE JUNE 2026 COMBINED HIGH LAUNCH TEMPO AND BIG UPCOMING SCIENCE, INCLUDING ROMAN SPACE TELESCOPE PRELAUNCH PROCESSING, WITH PUBLIC SKY EVENTS LIKE PLANETARY CONJUNCTIONS AND A MOON–VENUS OCCULTATION. THE MIX SHOWS HOW CUTTING-EDGE MISSIONS, COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS, AND BACKYARD OBSERVING INCREASINGLY INTERTWINE. Episode Transcript Gravitational waves probe event horizons First up: a milestone for gravitational-wave astronomy. Researchers analyzing LIGO’s exceptionally strong event GW250114—detected in January 2025 and described as the strongest gravitational-wave signal recorded so far—report they can isolate the final “direct waves” right after the merger. That late-time burst carries unusually clean information from the remnant black hole’s near-horizon region, letting the team read out details consistent with a Kerr black hole, including signatures tied to extreme frame dragging. The bigger picture is that gravitational waves are shifting from simply confirming black hole mergers to doing precision tests of spacetime dynamics right at the boundary we call an event horizon. Young supernova remnant near Sgr A* Next: a potential new supernova remnant close to the Milky Way’s center. Using X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra observatory, along with ESA’s XMM-Newton, astronomers identified an X-ray “blob” in the Sagittarius C complex that looks embedded in expanding gas. The interpretation is cautious, but the spectra and morphology are consistent with shock-heated remnant material from a massive star that exploded roughly 1,700 years ago, with expansion speeds cited around 3.2 million kilometers per hour. If confirmed, it’s a fresh data point for how supernova feedback and heavy-element enrichment operate in the crowded, energetic environment not far from Sagittarius A*. Asteroid 1997 NC1 flies by Now to planetary defense, with a reassuring but instructive flyby. On June 27, 2026, the near-Earth asteroid 1997 NC1—estimated around one kilometer wide—passed Earth at about 1.5 million miles, nearly seven times the Moon’s distance, with no risk of impact. It’s classified as an Aten-type, Earth-crossing object and carries the “potentially hazardous” label because of its orbit and size, not because of any imminent threat. For skywatchers, reports noted it could be tracked as a faint, star-like point with modest telescopes, making it a practical reminder that many significant objects move through our neighborhood routinely—and that systematic surveys and careful orbit modeling are what turn scary headlines into clear probabilities. Robotic mission to boost Swift One of the most operationally ambitious stories is NASA’s Swift Boost effort. The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, launched in 2004, is gradually losing altitude due to atmospheric drag, raising the likelihood of an uncontrolled reentry without action. NASA’s plan is to use a commercial robotic servicing spacecraft called Link, built by Katalyst Space, to rendezvous with Swift, grapple a satellite that was never designed for servicing, and then slowly raise its orbit—reports describe a boost to around 370 miles over a period of months. Beyond extending Swift’s science, the point is bigger: if this kind of “retroactive servicing” works, it becomes a template for managing aging satellites, reducing debris risk, and making on-orbit logistics a routine capability rather than a one-off stunt. Launch cadence, Roman, skywatching highlights Finally, the broader late-June backdrop: high launch cadence, big observatories nearing the pad, and public sky events that keep space science grounded in everyday experience. Launches and constellation deployments continued at pace, while NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope advanced through prelaunch milestones ahead of a planned late-summer 2026 launch window on Falcon Heavy. Meanwhile, the night sky offered attention-grabbers like tight planetary conjunctions and a Moon–Venus occultation visible from parts of the Americas, plus the seasonal marker of the June solstice. The common thread is connectivity—between discovery science, operational spaceflight, and public-facing observing—and how quickly each now amplifies the other. Subscribe to edition specific feeds: - Space news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/4cLLrdt] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/4jN8Dui] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_space] Spanish [https://theautomateddaily.com/space_es/feed.xml] French [https://theautomateddaily.com/space_fr/feed.xml] - Top news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/3PTvdUF] Spanish [https://apple.co/3ECCMgk] French [https://apple.co/4hmcxbB] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/3ZYXAW2] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/414h4JD] French [https://spoti.fi/3Di0jDe] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_news] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_news_es] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_news_fr] - Tech news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/3RYWbg4] Spanish [https://apple.co/4i0WqRM] French [https://apple.co/4bEAXMm] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/3S089pG] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/3EE2Fwv] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/3DlObRE] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_tech] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_tech_es] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_tech_fr] - Hacker news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/48QWyzj] Spanish [https://apple.co/4ke9jtE] French [https://apple.co/41E1qFd] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/45zD1kf] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/4hF8h81] French [https://spoti.fi/3QY26Ak] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hacker_news] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hacker_news_es] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hacker_news_fr] - AI news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/3M6Tg1o] Spanish [https://apple.co/4315L7Y] French [https://apple.co/3DkZbPb] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/3tzOfrz] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/416m40q] French [https://spoti.fi/41HuJGW] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hackernews_ai] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hackernews_es_ai] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hackernews_fr_ai] Visit our website at https://theautomateddaily.com/ [ https://theautomateddaily.com/] Send feedback to feedback@theautomateddaily.com Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAutomatedDaily] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-automated-daily/] X (Twitter) [https://x.com/automated_daily]

Puffiest cotton-candy exoplanets discovered & NASA selects lunar rover teams - Space News (Jun 27, 2026)

Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - Consensus: AI for Research. Get a free month - https://get.consensus.app/automated_daily [https://get.consensus.app/automated_daily] - KrispCall: Agentic Cloud Telephony - https://try.krispcall.com/tad [https://try.krispcall.com/tad] - Discover the Future of AI Audio with ElevenLabs - https://try.elevenlabs.io/tad [https://try.elevenlabs.io/tad] Support The Automated Daily directly: Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily [https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily] TODAY'S TOPICS: PUFFIEST COTTON-CANDY EXOPLANETS DISCOVERED - NASA’S TESS MISSION HAS REVEALED TWO SUPER-PUFF EXOPLANETS, TOI-791 B AND C, WITH JUPITER-LIKE SIZES BUT ONLY A FEW PERCENT OF JUPITER’S MASS. THE DISCOVERY CHALLENGES PLANET-FORMATION MODELS AND SETS UP PRIME TARGETS FOR FUTURE ATMOSPHERE STUDIES. NASA SELECTS LUNAR ROVER TEAMS - NASA HAS CHOSEN ASTROLAB AND LUNAR OUTPOST TO DEVELOP LUNAR TERRAIN VEHICLES TO SUPPORT ARTEMIS SURFACE OPERATIONS NEAR THE MOON’S SOUTH POLE. THE MOVE STRENGTHENS PLANS FOR SUSTAINED LUNAR EXPLORATION BY ADVANCING PRACTICAL MOBILITY FOR ASTRONAUTS AND EQUIPMENT. ARTEMIS II ROCKET REACHES PAD - NASA HAS ROLLED THE ARTEMIS II ROCKET AND ORION SPACECRAFT TO THE LAUNCH PAD IN A MAJOR READINESS MILESTONE. PAD OPERATIONS AND INTEGRATED TESTING NOW TAKE CENTER STAGE AS THE FIRST CREWED ARTEMIS MISSION APPROACHES. ROCKET LAB LAUNCHES RADAR SATELLITE - ROCKET LAB’S ELECTRON HAS LAUNCHED SYNSPECTIVE’S TENTH STRIX SYNTHETIC-APERTURE RADAR SATELLITE, EXPANDING AN ALL-WEATHER EARTH-OBSERVATION CONSTELLATION. MORE SAR COVERAGE CAN IMPROVE INFRASTRUCTURE MONITORING AND SPEED UP DISASTER-RESPONSE MAPPING. NEON AURORAS CAPTURED FROM ORBIT - VIVID GREEN, PURPLE, AND RED AURORAS SEEN FROM ORBIT HIGHLIGHT ACTIVE SPACE WEATHER AND EARTH’S MAGNETIC SHIELDING IN ACTION. THESE DISPLAYS ARE ALSO A REMINDER THAT SOLAR ACTIVITY CAN INFLUENCE SATELLITES, COMMUNICATIONS, AND POWER SYSTEMS. Episode Transcript Puffiest cotton-candy exoplanets discovered Astronomers analyzing observations from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, TESS, report two extraordinarily low-density exoplanets: TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c. Both are roughly Jupiter-sized by radius, but their measured masses are only a small fraction of Jupiter’s—putting them in the “super-puff” category with densities compared to cotton candy. Follow-up observations, including work with the ASTEP telescope in Antarctica, helped confirm the planets and refine their properties. The big scientific question now is how such balloon-like worlds form and survive: are they inflated by heat, shaped by migration history, or actively shedding atmosphere? Either way, their huge, low-gravity atmospheres make them compelling targets for future atmospheric spectroscopy. NASA selects lunar rover teams NASA is making its lunar surface plans more concrete by selecting two teams—Astrolab and Lunar Outpost—to develop next-generation lunar terrain vehicles. These unpressurized rovers are intended to expand astronaut range and capability near the lunar south pole, turning “walkable” exploration into true regional fieldwork with tools, instruments, and sample return logistics. The selections also reflect a push for resilience through multiple providers, a practical choice when surface mobility becomes mission-critical. The vehicles are expected to be delivered ahead of later Artemis surface operations, supporting the broader goal of sustained human activity on the Moon rather than brief, isolated visits. Artemis II rocket reaches pad In another Artemis milestone, NASA has rolled the Artemis II rocket and Orion spacecraft out to the launch pad, showcased in an extended time-lapse. This step marks a transition into intensive pad processing, where integrated checks and rehearsals validate systems before a launch attempt. Artemis II is designed as the first crewed flight in the Artemis campaign, sending astronauts on a trip around the Moon and back to prove out deep-space crew operations, navigation, and reentry performance. Seeing the stack on the pad is a visible reminder that the program advances through incremental, test-driven milestones—each one reducing risk for the missions that follow. Rocket Lab launches radar satellite Rocket Lab has successfully launched an Electron rocket on the “Ten Owl of Ten” mission, deploying Synspective’s tenth StriX synthetic-aperture radar satellite into low Earth orbit. SAR satellites are valuable because they can “see” through clouds and operate at night, making them particularly useful for change detection, infrastructure monitoring, and rapid mapping after disasters like floods or earthquakes. Adding satellites to the constellation improves revisit time, which can mean faster updates when conditions are changing on the ground. It’s also another data point in how commercial launch providers and commercial Earth-observation constellations increasingly support real-world decision-making beyond the space sector. Neon auroras captured from orbit Finally, new images of auroras from orbit show striking bands of neon green with purples and reds—evidence of charged particles from the Sun interacting with Earth’s upper atmosphere along magnetic field lines. The colors reflect different atmospheric gases and altitudes being energized during geomagnetic activity. Beyond the beauty, auroras are a visible signal of space weather conditions that can affect satellites, increase atmospheric drag in low Earth orbit, and disrupt communications or power infrastructure during stronger events. In other words, the light show is also a space-environment status update—one that connects solar activity directly to the technology we rely on every day. Subscribe to edition specific feeds: - Space news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/4cLLrdt] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/4jN8Dui] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_space] Spanish [https://theautomateddaily.com/space_es/feed.xml] French [https://theautomateddaily.com/space_fr/feed.xml] - Top news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/3PTvdUF] Spanish [https://apple.co/3ECCMgk] French [https://apple.co/4hmcxbB] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/3ZYXAW2] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/414h4JD] French [https://spoti.fi/3Di0jDe] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_news] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_news_es] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_news_fr] - Tech news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/3RYWbg4] Spanish [https://apple.co/4i0WqRM] French [https://apple.co/4bEAXMm] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/3S089pG] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/3EE2Fwv] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/3DlObRE] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_tech] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_tech_es] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_tech_fr] - Hacker news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/48QWyzj] Spanish [https://apple.co/4ke9jtE] French [https://apple.co/41E1qFd] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/45zD1kf] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/4hF8h81] French [https://spoti.fi/3QY26Ak] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hacker_news] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hacker_news_es] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hacker_news_fr] - AI news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/3M6Tg1o] Spanish [https://apple.co/4315L7Y] French [https://apple.co/3DkZbPb] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/3tzOfrz] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/416m40q] French [https://spoti.fi/41HuJGW] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hackernews_ai] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hackernews_es_ai] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hackernews_fr_ai] Visit our website at https://theautomateddaily.com/ [ https://theautomateddaily.com/] Send feedback to feedback@theautomateddaily.com Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAutomatedDaily] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-automated-daily/] X (Twitter) [https://x.com/automated_daily]

Cotton-candy super-puff exoplanets & Rocket Lab launches SAR imaging - Space News (Jun 26, 2026)

Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - Effortless AI design for presentations, websites, and more with Gamma - https://try.gamma.app/tad [https://try.gamma.app/tad] - Invest Like the Pros with StockMVP - https://www.stock-mvp.com/?via=ron [https://www.stock-mvp.com/?via=ron] - KrispCall: Agentic Cloud Telephony - https://try.krispcall.com/tad [https://try.krispcall.com/tad] Support The Automated Daily directly: Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily [https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily] TODAY'S TOPICS: COTTON-CANDY SUPER-PUFF EXOPLANETS - ASTRONOMERS REPORT TWO RARE “SUPER-PUFF” EXOPLANETS, TOI-791 B AND C, THAT ARE JUPITER-SIZED YET ASTONISHINGLY LOW-DENSITY. THE FIND ADDS FRESH PRESSURE ON PLANET-FORMATION AND ATMOSPHERIC-INFLATION MODELS, AND SETS UP PRIME TARGETS FOR FUTURE WEBB FOLLOW-UP. ROCKET LAB LAUNCHES SAR IMAGING - ROCKET LAB’S ELECTRON IS SET TO LAUNCH THE “TEN OWL OF TEN” MISSION, ADDING A SYNSPECTIVE STRIX SYNTHETIC-APERTURE RADAR SATELLITE TO ORBIT. SAR IMAGING BOOSTS DISASTER RESPONSE AND INFRASTRUCTURE MONITORING BECAUSE IT CAN SEE THROUGH CLOUDS AND AT NIGHT. EXPLODING ROCKET BODIES WORSEN DEBRIS - A NEW BRIEF HIGHLIGHTS MULTIPLE IN-ORBIT BREAKUPS OF CHINESE ROCKET BODIES, PRODUCING LONG-LIVED DEBRIS THAT CAN PERSIST FOR DECADES AT HIGHER ALTITUDES. THE STORY UNDERSCORES HOW LEFTOVER UPPER STAGES CAN BECOME FRAGMENTATION HAZARDS FOR EVERYONE OPERATING IN LEO. BOTSWANA SIGNS THE ARTEMIS ACCORDS - BOTSWANA IS POISED TO BECOME THE 68TH SIGNATORY OF THE ARTEMIS ACCORDS, JOINING A GROWING COALITION SHAPING NORMS FOR PEACEFUL AND TRANSPARENT CIVIL SPACE EXPLORATION. THE MOVE SIGNALS EXPANDING AFRICAN PARTICIPATION IN SPACE GOVERNANCE AND DIPLOMACY. STRAWBERRY MOON AND PLANET TRIO - LATE JUNE SKYWATCHING FEATURES THE BRIGHT “STRAWBERRY MOON” PLUS AN EASY-TO-SPOT GROUPING OF MERCURY, VENUS, AND JUPITER LOW AFTER SUNSET. IT’S A TIMELY REMINDER THAT MANY OF TODAY’S SPACE HEADLINES CONNECT DIRECTLY TO WHAT YOU CAN SEE TONIGHT. Episode Transcript Cotton-candy super-puff exoplanets We’ll start with the strangest headline of the day: two “super-puff” exoplanets, TOI-791 b and TOI-791 c. They’re described as roughly Jupiter-sized, but with such tiny mass for their size that their overall densities come out lower than cotton candy. The system was first flagged by NASA’s TESS planet-hunting survey, then pinned down with follow-up observations that helped estimate size and mass. What makes this especially intriguing is that super-puffs are already rare—and finding two in the same system gives researchers a valuable comparison set. The big question now is how these planets stay so inflated: is it unusual atmospheric heating, an odd formation history, or something else keeping their envelopes puffed up despite not being classic “hot Jupiter” scorchers. Rocket Lab launches SAR imaging Next, launch news with a practical payoff back on Earth. Rocket Lab is preparing its Electron rocket for the “Ten Owl of Ten” mission from New Zealand, carrying a Synspective Strix synthetic-aperture radar satellite. SAR satellites don’t need daylight and they don’t care about cloud cover, because they actively transmit radar pulses and measure the return signal. That makes them extremely useful for rapid mapping after floods, earthquakes, and storms, and for quieter long-term monitoring like detecting ground subsidence or infrastructure shifts. Adding another satellite to Synspective’s constellation mainly means better coverage and faster revisits—more chances per day to image the same place when responders and planners need updates quickly. Exploding rocket bodies worsen debris Now to the orbital environment, where today’s message is blunt: debris lasts a long time, and breakups make it worse fast. A new brief focuses on multiple Chinese rocket bodies that have exploded in orbit, creating debris that can remain in low Earth orbit for decades depending on altitude. These aren’t portrayed as intentional events; they’re the kind of fragmentation that can happen when derelict upper stages are left with residual energy sources—like leftover propellants, pressurants, or batteries—that eventually fail. The key takeaway is that a single breakup turns one large object into a swarm, complicating tracking and collision avoidance for all satellite operators, not just the country that launched the stage. Botswana signs the Artemis Accords On the policy side, there’s a notable diplomatic update: Botswana is set to become the 68th country to sign the Artemis Accords. The Accords are a non-binding framework that lays out principles for civil space activity—things like peaceful purposes, transparency, interoperability, and sharing scientific data, along with expectations around registering space objects and encouraging responsible behavior. Botswana’s signing matters less as a near-term mission commitment and more as a signal: more nations, including in southern Africa, want a seat at the table as lunar exploration ramps up and as norms for space activity evolve. It’s a governance counterpoint to the debris story—if more countries and companies are going to operate in space, the “rules of the road” have to keep pace. Strawberry Moon and planet trio Finally, something you can do tonight: look up. Late June brings the full “Strawberry Moon,” a traditional name linked to seasonal harvest timing rather than the Moon literally turning pink—though low on the horizon it can look warm-colored thanks to our atmosphere. And if you have a clear western horizon after sunset, keep an eye out for a small planetary grouping: Venus is the bright anchor, Jupiter is also prominent, and Mercury can show up lower and closer to the horizon in twilight. No special gear required—just a few minutes, an unobstructed view, and the patience to let your eyes adjust to dusk. Subscribe to edition specific feeds: - Space news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/4cLLrdt] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/4jN8Dui] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_space] Spanish [https://theautomateddaily.com/space_es/feed.xml] French [https://theautomateddaily.com/space_fr/feed.xml] - Top news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/3PTvdUF] Spanish [https://apple.co/3ECCMgk] French [https://apple.co/4hmcxbB] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/3ZYXAW2] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/414h4JD] French [https://spoti.fi/3Di0jDe] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_news] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_news_es] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_news_fr] - Tech news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/3RYWbg4] Spanish [https://apple.co/4i0WqRM] French [https://apple.co/4bEAXMm] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/3S089pG] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/3EE2Fwv] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/3DlObRE] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_tech] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_tech_es] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_tech_fr] - Hacker news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/48QWyzj] Spanish [https://apple.co/4ke9jtE] French [https://apple.co/41E1qFd] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/45zD1kf] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/4hF8h81] French [https://spoti.fi/3QY26Ak] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hacker_news] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hacker_news_es] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hacker_news_fr] - AI news * Apple Podcast English [https://apple.co/3M6Tg1o] Spanish [https://apple.co/4315L7Y] French [https://apple.co/3DkZbPb] * Spotify English [https://spoti.fi/3tzOfrz] Spanish [https://spoti.fi/416m40q] French [https://spoti.fi/41HuJGW] * RSS English [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hackernews_ai] Spanish [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hackernews_es_ai] French [https://bit.ly/the_automated_daily_hackernews_fr_ai] Visit our website at https://theautomateddaily.com/ [ https://theautomateddaily.com/] Send feedback to feedback@theautomateddaily.com Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAutomatedDaily] LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-automated-daily/] X (Twitter) [https://x.com/automated_daily]

Webb studies ancient interstellar comet & Starlink launch expands mega-constellation - Space News (Jun 25, 2026)

Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - SurveyMonkey, Using AI to surface insights faster and reduce manual analysis time - https://get.surveymonkey.com/tad [https://get.surveymonkey.com/tad] - Invest Like the Pros with StockMVP - https://www.stock-mvp.com/?via=ron [https://www.stock-mvp.com/?via=ron] - Consensus: AI for Research. Get a free month - https://get.consensus.app/automated_daily [https://get.consensus.app/automated_daily] Support The Automated Daily directly: Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily [https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily] TODAY'S TOPICS: WEBB STUDIES ANCIENT INTERSTELLAR COMET - NASA’S JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS OF INTERSTELLAR COMET 3I/ATLAS SUGGEST IT MAY BE 10 TO 12 BILLION YEARS OLD, FAR OLDER THAN THE SOLAR SYSTEM. THE FINDINGS OFFER RARE CLUES ABOUT PLANETARY BUILDING BLOCKS FORMED AROUND OTHER STARS AND HELP GROUND PUBLIC SPECULATION WITH REAL DATA. STARLINK LAUNCH EXPANDS MEGA-CONSTELLATION - SPACEX LAUNCHED 24 NEW STARLINK SATELLITES ON A FALCON 9 FROM VANDENBERG, CONTINUING RAPID GROWTH OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST SATELLITE NETWORK. THE MISSION ALSO HIGHLIGHTED REUSABLE-ROCKETRY MATURITY WITH A BOOSTER FLYING FOR THE 25TH TIME, AS THE ACTIVE CONSTELLATION NEARS 10,700 SATELLITES. ARTEMIS II LESSONS REFINE ORION - NEW NASA COMMUNICATIONS DESCRIBE HOW EARLY TAKEAWAYS FROM ARTEMIS II ARE BEING FOLDED BACK INTO ORION SPACECRAFT OPERATIONS AND FUTURE MISSION PLANNING. THE UPDATES FRAME ARTEMIS II AS A PIVOTAL STEP TOWARD SUSTAINED LUNAR MISSIONS AND LONGER-TERM MARS AMBITIONS. ISS SPACEWALK TO FIX CANADARM2 - NASA PREVIEWED A U.S. SPACEWALK TO REPLACE A WRIST JOINT ON THE ISS CANADARM2 ROBOTIC ARM, UNDERSCORING HOW ONGOING MAINTENANCE KEEPS THE STATION’S CORE CAPABILITIES ONLINE. THE PLANNED EVA IS PART OF A LONG-RUNNING SEQUENCE OF ASSEMBLY AND UPKEEP SPACEWALKS THAT ENABLE EVERYTHING ELSE IN LOW EARTH ORBIT. JUNE SKYWATCHING: PLANETS AND METEORS - NASA JPL AND THE ROYAL OBSERVATORY GREENWICH SPOTLIGHT JUNE 2026 SKY EVENTS, INCLUDING CLOSE PLANET PAIRINGS, LUNAR OCCULTATIONS, AND UPCOMING METEOR ACTIVITY. THESE GUIDES CONNECT PROFESSIONAL SPACE SCIENCE TO WHAT LISTENERS CAN ACTUALLY SEE FROM THE GROUND THIS MONTH. Episode Transcript Webb studies ancient interstellar comet First up: an interstellar visitor with a seriously deep history. New public-facing reports tied to James Webb Space Telescope observations of comet 3I/ATLAS say this object may have formed roughly 10 to 12 billion years ago—making it two to three times older than the solar system. That turns 3I/ATLAS into a kind of traveling time capsule from an era when star formation in the universe was far more intense, and its chemistry could help scientists compare how planetary ingredients assemble in other star systems versus our own. And despite the inevitable buzz that follows anything “interstellar,” coverage also emphasizes a clear point: researchers see no evidence of alien life in what Webb has measured—still fascinating science, just not science fiction. Starlink launch expands mega-constellation Closer to home in low Earth orbit, SpaceX added another batch to its broadband constellation with a Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base. The Starlink 17-45 mission lifted off late June 24 local time and deployed 24 satellites, while the first stage returned to a droneship landing in the Pacific. The standout statistic: the booster assigned to the mission flew for the 25th time, another marker of how routine—and how high-cycle—orbital-class reusability has become. The launch also nudges the active Starlink constellation to nearly 10,700 satellites, a scale that’s transforming both space operations and the conversation around orbital crowding and night-sky impacts. Artemis II lessons refine Orion In human spaceflight, Artemis II remains the big storyline, with new NASA materials focusing less on spectacle and more on iteration. Agency updates describe how lessons from Artemis II are being captured and fed back into Orion spacecraft design, procedures, and planning for the missions that follow. That’s the core logic of a sustainable exploration campaign: the mission isn’t just a historic crewed trip beyond low Earth orbit after a half-century gap—it’s a data-rich test that’s supposed to make the next flights safer, more efficient, and more repeatable as NASA builds toward longer-duration lunar operations. ISS spacewalk to fix Canadarm2 Meanwhile aboard the International Space Station, NASA previewed an upcoming U.S. spacewalk aimed at a very practical objective: servicing Canadarm2 by replacing a wrist joint. Two NASA astronauts—Chris Williams and Jessica Meir—are slated to perform the work during a June 30 EVA. Canadarm2 isn’t a luxury; it’s central to moving hardware, supporting spacewalks, and handling visiting vehicles, so keeping its joints healthy is essential station infrastructure. NASA also noted this will be the 280th spacewalk supporting ISS assembly, maintenance, and upgrades—a reminder that a huge share of space progress comes from persistent upkeep, not just headline launches. June skywatching: planets and meteors Finally, if you want something you can participate in tonight, June skywatching guides are making the rounds from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Royal Observatory Greenwich. Highlights include bright-planet pairings—like Venus and Jupiter appearing close after sunset—along with chances to spot Mercury low near the horizon during favorable windows. The guides also flag seasonal markers like the solstice and point observers to classic summer targets once the sky is fully dark. As always, follow safe observing practices—especially around any daylight events—and treat these monthly guides as a low-effort way to connect the day’s space headlines to the sky right above you. 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