June solstice: geometry meets skywatching & Sunspots, flares, and asteroid tracking - Space News (Jun 21, 2026)

Black hole jet stirs galaxy & China launches Gravity-1 from sea - Space News (Jul 22, 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://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/consensus?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] - Invest Like the Pros with StockMVP - https://www.stock-mvp.com/?via=ron [https://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/stock_mvp?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] - KrispCall: Agentic Cloud Telephony - https://try.krispcall.com/tad [https://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/krispCall?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] Support The Automated Daily directly: Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily [https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily] TODAY'S TOPICS: BLACK HOLE JET STIRS GALAXY - ASTRONOMERS USING NASA'S CHANDRA X-RAY OBSERVATORY SAY A SUPERMASSIVE BLACK HOLE JET IS STIRRING GAS AROUND A NEIGHBORING EARLY-UNIVERSE 'RED POTATO' GALAXY, SUPPRESSING STAR FORMATION. THE RESULT OFFERS A VIVID EXAMPLE OF AGN FEEDBACK, GALAXY EVOLUTION, AND HOW BLACK HOLES CAN SHAPE ENTIRE GALACTIC ENVIRONMENTS. CHINA LAUNCHES GRAVITY-1 FROM SEA - CHINA'S GRAVITY-1 Y4 ROCKET LAUNCHED FROM A MARITIME PLATFORM OFF SHANGHAI AND PLACED NINE SATELLITES INTO ORBIT ON ITS THIRD FLIGHT. THE MISSION HIGHLIGHTS CHINA'S GROWING SEA-BASED LAUNCH CAPABILITY AND ITS EXPANDING COMMERCIAL AND STRATEGIC SPACE INFRASTRUCTURE. STARLINK FLIES AFTER LAST-SECOND ABORT - A SPACEX FALCON 9 LAUNCHED 24 STARLINK SATELLITES FROM VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE JUST ONE DAY AFTER A LAST-SECOND ABORT. THE SUCCESSFUL TURNAROUND UNDERSCORES LAUNCH SAFETY SYSTEMS, OPERATIONAL RESILIENCE, AND THE CONTINUED EXPANSION OF THE STARLINK CONSTELLATION. MOON AND MARS SUMMIT OPENS - THE HUMANS TO THE MOON AND MARS SUMMIT, OR H2M2, OPENED AT RICE UNIVERSITY IN HOUSTON ON JULY 21. THE EVENT BRINGS TOGETHER LEADERS FROM INDUSTRY, ACADEMIA, AND POLICY TO DISCUSS SUSTAINED HUMAN EXPLORATION OF THE MOON AND MARS. Episode Transcript Black hole jet stirs galaxy Our first story comes from the early universe, where astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have found what looks like a striking case of black hole feedback in action. A distant, oddly shaped galaxy nicknamed the red potato is surrounded by gas that should be cooling into new stars, but instead that gas appears hot, turbulent, and unsettled. Researchers say the likely cause is a jet from a supermassive black hole in a neighboring galaxy, effectively stirring the gas and suppressing star formation. It's a dramatic reminder that black holes do not just consume matter; they can also control how nearby galaxies grow. China launches Gravity-1 from sea Next, China added another launch to its busy space calendar with the third flight of the Gravity-1 rocket. The Y4 mission lifted off from a maritime platform east of Shanghai and placed nine satellites into orbit, showing how sea-based launch operations can add flexibility to a nation's launch system. By moving launches offshore, operators can choose more favorable trajectories and reduce some of the constraints tied to fixed land-based sites. For China, it is another sign that launch capability is broadening beyond traditional spaceports. Starlink flies after last-second abort In California, SpaceX successfully launched 24 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space Force Base, but what makes this flight notable is the timing. It came just a day after a last-second abort, the kind of halt that happens when onboard or ground systems detect something outside safe limits. A rapid return to flight after an abort shows both caution and confidence: the mission only proceeds once the issue is understood, but the system is mature enough to recover quickly. It's a good example of how modern commercial launch operations balance speed with safety. Moon and Mars summit opens Finally, in Houston, the Humans to the Moon and Mars Summit has begun at Rice University. The three-day event brings together experts from across the space world to talk about what it will take to move from short missions to a sustained human presence beyond Earth. That includes lunar infrastructure, Mars planning, partnerships, and the policies needed to support long-term exploration. It is a quieter story than a rocket launch, but these strategy meetings help shape the missions and settlements that may define the next era of human spaceflight. 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]

AI cosmology tests dark energy & Psyche turns Mars flyby cinematic - Space News (Jul 21, 2026)

Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - Discover the Future of AI Audio with ElevenLabs - https://try.elevenlabs.io/tad [https://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/eleven_labs?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] - SurveyMonkey, Using AI to surface insights faster and reduce manual analysis time - https://get.surveymonkey.com/tad [https://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/survey-monkey?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] - Consensus: AI for Research. Get a free month - https://get.consensus.app/automated_daily [https://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/consensus?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] Support The Automated Daily directly: Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily [https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily] TODAY'S TOPICS: AI COSMOLOGY TESTS DARK ENERGY - A NEW AI-DRIVEN COSMOLOGY RESULT IS ADDING MOMENTUM TO ONE OF THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS IN PHYSICS: WHETHER DARK ENERGY CHANGES OVER TIME. THE STORY CONNECTS MACHINE LEARNING, DESI, AND EUCLID TO THE FUTURE OF PRECISION COSMOLOGY. PSYCHE TURNS MARS FLYBY CINEMATIC - NASA'S PSYCHE MISSION HAS RELEASED A STRIKING TIME-LAPSE OF ITS MARS GRAVITY ASSIST, TURNING A CRITICAL NAVIGATION MANEUVER INTO A COMPELLING OUTREACH MOMENT. THE UPDATE HIGHLIGHTS BOTH SPACECRAFT HEALTH AND THE LONG JOURNEY TOWARD THE METAL-RICH ASTEROID PSYCHE. NEBULAE AND GALAXIES STEAL SPOTLIGHT - FRESH ASTRONOMY HIGHLIGHTS RANGE FROM THE STAR-FORMING STATUE OF LIBERTY NEBULA, NGC 3576, TO JAMES WEBB'S VIEW OF A GALAXY SHAPED BY COLLISION. TOGETHER THEY SHOWCASE HOW MODERN OBSERVATORIES REVEAL STELLAR BIRTH AND GALACTIC TRANSFORMATION. LAUNCH CADENCE MEETS OPERATIONAL REALITY - A SCRUBBED FALCON 9 STARLINK LAUNCH, THE UPCOMING MRV-MEP MISSION, AND STARSHIP'S NEXT TEST FLIGHT UNDERLINE THE FAST PACE AND COMPLEXITY OF MODERN LAUNCH OPERATIONS. THESE UPDATES SHOW HOW ROUTINE SCHEDULING, SAFETY SYSTEMS, AND EXPERIMENTAL HARDWARE NOW COEXIST ON THE SAME CALENDAR. DATA TOOLS REVEAL HIDDEN STRUCTURES - FROM A POSSIBLE IMPACT CRATER SPOTTED ON GOOGLE EARTH TO A RECORD-BREAKING RECONSTRUCTION OF A GALAXY CLUSTER'S MAGNETIC FIELD, POWERFUL DATA PLATFORMS ARE EXPOSING STRUCTURES AT EVERY SCALE. EVEN ESA'S PLANNED PORTAL MAINTENANCE REMINDS US THAT SOFTWARE INFRASTRUCTURE IS CENTRAL TO SPACE SCIENCE. Episode Transcript AI cosmology tests dark energy First up, cosmology. One of the standout stories is a new AI-driven analysis entering the dark energy debate. Building on massive survey efforts like DESI and Euclid, the result hints at fresh ways to interpret the large-scale structure of the universe, and potentially whether dark energy is truly constant or evolves over time. That's a huge question, because if dark energy changes, the standard model of cosmology may need a serious update. Just as important, this story shows how artificial intelligence is becoming a core research tool, not just a buzzword, in the effort to understand cosmic acceleration. Psyche turns Mars flyby cinematic Next, NASA's Psyche mission has turned orbital mechanics into visual storytelling. The spacecraft has released a time-lapse of its Mars flyby, showing its approach, close pass, and departure as it used the planet's gravity to reshape its path deeper into the solar system. Gravity assists are usually discussed in technical terms, but this update makes the maneuver intuitive and memorable. It also serves as a confidence check for the mission team, demonstrating spacecraft performance as Psyche continues toward its scientifically unusual target: a metal-rich asteroid that may resemble an exposed planetary core. Nebulae and galaxies steal spotlight On the astronomy side, NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day spotlighted NGC 3576, also known as the Statue of Liberty Nebula. Located in Carina, this star-forming region is packed with gas, dust, and at least dozens of massive stars nearing the late stages of formation. It's the kind of object that reminds us star birth is not a quiet process. Radiation, winds, and feedback from young stars actively sculpt the nebula around them, making places like NGC 3576 key laboratories for understanding how massive stars form and how they reshape their galactic neighborhoods. Launch cadence meets operational reality James Webb is also in the mix again, this time with observations of an unusual galaxy apparently shaped by a cosmic collision. Webb's infrared sensitivity lets it peer through dust and pick out structures that can be hidden from optical telescopes, making it especially powerful for studying mergers and disturbed galaxies. These are more than pretty pictures. Collisions can trigger bursts of star formation, feed central black holes, and fundamentally alter galaxy evolution, so every well-resolved case helps astronomers connect theory to real systems. Data tools reveal hidden structures Back closer to home, another intriguing headline involves a possible giant impact crater spotted using Google Earth. The report highlights how satellite imagery and accessible mapping tools are increasingly part of the scientific discovery process, allowing researchers and even the public to flag circular structures that may deserve deeper geological study. If confirmed as an impact site, the feature could add to Earth's record of ancient collisions, helping scientists refine models of impact history, environmental disruption, and the long relationship between our planet and the rest of the solar system. Story 6 At the opposite extreme of scale, astronomers have reportedly reconstructed the magnetic field of a galaxy cluster in record detail. Magnetic fields are often the invisible ingredient in big cosmic structures, influencing plasma behavior, particle motion, turbulence, and radiation. A breakthrough map like this can help researchers understand how cluster fields form, how they are amplified, and how they interact with the hot gas filling these enormous systems. It's another reminder that some of the biggest advances in astronomy now come from combining multiple datasets with increasingly sophisticated analysis methods. Story 7 Now to launch operations, where SpaceX saw a Falcon 9 Starlink mission scrubbed from Vandenberg. In today's launch environment, scrubs are less dramatic failure than routine evidence that automated safety checks are doing their job, whether the issue is weather, range constraints, or vehicle health. Still, the event matters because it reflects the extraordinary cadence of modern launches, especially for megaconstellations. On the same broader schedule are the MRV-MEP mission, likely tied to robotic on-orbit servicing capability, and Starship's thirteenth flight test, another step in the long campaign to make ultra-heavy, reusable deep-space transport practical. Story 8 And finally, a quieter but important operational update from Europe: ESA announced scheduled maintenance for several Earth observation data portals. It may sound mundane next to rockets and nebulae, but these systems are part of the essential infrastructure of space science. Platforms serving missions like Swarm, CryoSat, Aeolus, and SMOS support researchers working on everything from magnetic fields and ice thickness to atmosphere and climate. Short downtime windows are a reminder that modern space exploration depends not only on spacecraft in orbit, but also on resilient software, archives, and networks here on Earth. 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NASA Moon Day Budget Protest & Falcon 9 California Launch Milestone - Space News (Jul 20, 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://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/gamma?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] - Prezi: Create AI presentations fast - https://try.prezi.com/automated_daily [https://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/prezi?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] - KrispCall: Agentic Cloud Telephony - https://try.krispcall.com/tad [https://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/krispCall?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] Support The Automated Daily directly: Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily [https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily] TODAY'S TOPICS: NASA MOON DAY BUDGET PROTEST - NASA EMPLOYEES AND SUPPORTERS ARE PREPARING A MOON DAY PROTEST IN WASHINGTON, D.C., OVER PROPOSED 2026 BUDGET CUTS. THE DEMONSTRATION HIGHLIGHTS GROWING CONCERN OVER THE FUTURE OF NASA SCIENCE, EARTH OBSERVATION, AND PLANETARY MISSIONS. FALCON 9 CALIFORNIA LAUNCH MILESTONE - SPACEX IS TARGETING ANOTHER FALCON 9 STARLINK MISSION FROM VANDENBERG, A LAUNCH THAT WOULD BECOME CALIFORNIA’S 50TH ORBITAL MISSION OF 2026. THE FLIGHT UNDERSCORES THE RELENTLESS PACE OF COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY IN LOW EARTH ORBIT. STARSHIP FLIGHT 13 FACES UNCERTAINTY - SPACEX’S STARSHIP FLIGHT 13 REMAINS IN A FLUID STATE AFTER A LAST-SECOND ABORT DURING A PREVIOUS ATTEMPT. THE MISSION IS EXPECTED TO TEST UPDATES AND COULD DEBUT NEXT-GENERATION V3 STARLINK SATELLITES WHEN IT FINALLY FLIES. NGC 6563 TONIGHT IN SAGITTARIUS - SKYWATCHERS HAVE A LATE-NIGHT TARGET IN THE FAINT PLANETARY NEBULA NGC 6563 IN SAGITTARIUS. THE OBJECT OFFERS AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS A CHANCE TO OBSERVE THE GLOWING SHELL OF A DYING SUN-LIKE STAR AS THE MOON SETS. Episode Transcript NASA Moon Day Budget Protest First, a striking story out of Washington. NASA employees and supporters are preparing a Moon Day protest to challenge steep proposed cuts in the 2026 budget request. The concern is not only the scale of the reductions, but the fear that NASA leadership could begin adapting to them before Congress makes any final decision. For scientists and mission teams, this matters because the deepest impacts would hit Earth science and planetary exploration, areas that shape climate research, long-running missions, and the broader direction of publicly funded space science in the United States. Falcon 9 California Launch Milestone On the launch front, SpaceX is working toward another Falcon 9 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The rocket is set to carry 24 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit, and if it flies as planned, it will mark the 50th orbital launch from California this year. That number says a lot about the state of modern spaceflight: launches that once felt exceptional are now becoming routine, driven largely by commercial constellations that need a constant flow of new satellites. Starship Flight 13 Faces Uncertainty At the same time, there is still uncertainty around SpaceX’s much larger vehicle, Starship. Flight 13 had been expected to make a new attempt around July 20 and could become the first mission to carry V3 Starlink satellites, but the program is coming off a last-second abort from a previous try. For now, the key point is that Starship remains in a familiar pattern of ambition, pause, and revision. It is a reminder that rapid testing can move quickly, but not always smoothly, especially for a rocket system meant to change the scale of access to orbit. NGC 6563 Tonight In Sagittarius And finally, for anyone who wants a quieter connection to space tonight, astronomy guides are pointing observers toward NGC 6563 in Sagittarius. This is a faint planetary nebula, essentially the glowing shell of gas cast off by a dying Sun-like star. It is best suited for larger amateur telescopes and becomes easier to catch as the Moon sets and the object climbs higher in the southern sky. It is not a headline-grabbing discovery, but it is a powerful reminder that even on a day filled with protests and rocket plans, the sky still offers something patient and beautiful to find. 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Skyroot Vikram-1 Reaches Orbit & Hayabusa2 Maps Binary Asteroid - Space News (Jul 19, 2026)

Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - Invest Like the Pros with StockMVP - https://www.stock-mvp.com/?via=ron [https://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/stock_mvp?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] - KrispCall: Agentic Cloud Telephony - https://try.krispcall.com/tad [https://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/krispCall?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] - Effortless AI design for presentations, websites, and more with Gamma - https://try.gamma.app/tad [https://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/gamma?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] Support The Automated Daily directly: Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily [https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily] TODAY'S TOPICS: SKYROOT VIKRAM-1 REACHES ORBIT - SKYROOT AEROSPACE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED VIKRAM-1, THE FIRST PRIVATELY DEVELOPED INDIAN ROCKET TO REACH ORBIT. THE MILESTONE EXPANDS INDIA'S COMMERCIAL LAUNCH CAPABILITIES AND RESHAPES COMPETITION IN THE SMALL SATELLITE MARKET. HAYABUSA2 MAPS BINARY ASTEROID - JAPAN'S HAYABUSA2 SPACECRAFT PULLED OFF AN ULTRA-CLOSE FLYBY OF ASTEROID TORIFUNE AND REVEALED IT TO BE A CONTACT BINARY. THE OBSERVATIONS OFFER FRESH CLUES ABOUT RUBBLE-PILE ASTEROIDS, COLLISION HISTORY, AND FUTURE SMALL-BODY MISSION DESIGN. COMET TEMPEL 2 KNIFE-EDGE - COMET 10P/TEMPEL 2 HAS ENTERED A DRAMATIC KNIFE-EDGE PHASE AS EARTH CROSSES ITS ORBITAL PLANE. THE GEOMETRY IS SHARPENING THE COMET'S TAIL AND GIVING ASTRONOMERS AND SKYWATCHERS A PRIME CHANCE TO STUDY DUST DYNAMICS IN REAL TIME. EXOPLANETS REDEFINE HABITABILITY FRONTIERS - ASTRONOMERS REPORTED THE FIRST ROBUST DETECTION OF AN ATMOSPHERE AROUND A ROCKY HABITABLE-ZONE EXOPLANET, LHS 1140 B, WHILE ALSO HIGHLIGHTING THE FAINT GIANT BETA PICTORIS D AND RENEWED INTEREST IN HYCEAN WORLDS. TOGETHER, THESE DISCOVERIES ARE WIDENING THE SEARCH FOR LIFE AND IMPROVING DIRECT IMAGING METHODS. BLACK HOLES, DARK MATTER, OUTREACH - NEW RESEARCH UNCOVERED A STELLAR-MASS BLACK HOLE IN OMEGA CENTAURI AND USED GIANT PLANETS AS DARK MATTER DETECTORS, WHILE PUBLIC EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS KEPT SPACE SCIENCE CONNECTED TO WIDER AUDIENCES. IT IS A SNAPSHOT OF HOW ASTROPHYSICS, PLANETARY SCIENCE, AND EDUCATION ARE ADVANCING TOGETHER. Episode Transcript Skyroot Vikram-1 Reaches Orbit First, a major launch milestone. Skyroot Aerospace successfully sent its Vikram-1 rocket to orbit on its debut mission, Aagaman, making it the first privately developed Indian rocket to achieve orbital flight. The vehicle launched from Sriharikota and placed four payloads into low Earth orbit, a success that signals India's private space sector has moved beyond testing and into real operational capability. Strategically, this gives India a stronger position in the global small satellite launch market and could eventually make it easier for research missions and commercial spacecraft to find flexible rides to orbit. Hayabusa2 Maps Binary Asteroid In solar system exploration, Hayabusa2 showed once again why extended missions can be so valuable. During a super-close flyby of the near-Earth asteroid Torifune, the Japanese spacecraft approached within about 800 meters and revealed that the object is a contact binary, two lobes gently fused together under gravity. Optical images and last-second thermal infrared data both confirmed the strange shape, giving scientists new insight into how rubble-pile bodies form and evolve. Just as important, the flyby demonstrated that precision navigation near tiny, irregular worlds can deliver big science when mission teams are willing to take carefully managed risks. Comet Tempel 2 Knife-Edge Meanwhile, comet watchers have a great target in the evening sky. Comet 10P/Tempel 2 is entering a knife-edge tail phase as Earth crosses the plane of the comet's orbit, making its dust tail appear narrower, brighter, and more sharply defined. This is more than a pretty sky event: that geometry helps researchers test models of dust emission, solar wind interaction, and tail structure, while also giving amateur astronomers a chance to contribute useful observations over multiple nights. Exoplanets Redefine Habitability Frontiers The biggest exoplanet headline may belong to LHS 1140 b. Researchers say they have made the first robust detection of an atmosphere around a rocky Earth-like planet in the habitable zone, using evidence from helium escaping the planet's atmosphere. If confirmed by further follow-up, this is a genuine milestone in the search for life, because it shows that temperate rocky planets beyond our solar system really can hold onto atmospheres. At the same time, astronomers also announced Beta Pictoris d, an unusually faint gas giant discovered through molecular spectroscopy and old imaging data, and discussion continues around Hycean worlds, ocean-covered planets with hydrogen-rich atmospheres that may broaden what we mean by habitable. Black Holes, Dark Matter, Outreach Finally, two stories show how creative modern astrophysics has become. Astronomers identified a hidden stellar-mass black hole in Omega Centauri, called oMEGACat BH-2, by tracking the long-term motion of a companion star with Hubble and Webb data. And in a very different approach to fundamental physics, researchers used ultraviolet emissions from giant planets to place some of the tightest limits yet on certain dark matter interaction models. Add in public star parties, historic telescope nights, planetarium shows, and advanced summer workshops, and the message is clear: the frontier of space science is expanding not only in research labs and observatories, but in the public imagination as well. 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Psyche swings past Mars successfully & Starship Flight 13 aborts late - Space News (Jul 18, 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://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/survey-monkey?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] - Consensus: AI for Research. Get a free month - https://get.consensus.app/automated_daily [https://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/consensus?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] - Invest Like the Pros with StockMVP - https://www.stock-mvp.com/?via=ron [https://theautomateddaily.com/api/v1/go/stock_mvp?edition=SPACE&lang=en&src=notes] Support The Automated Daily directly: Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily [https://buymeacoffee.com/theautomateddaily] TODAY'S TOPICS: PSYCHE SWINGS PAST MARS SUCCESSFULLY - NASA'S PSYCHE MISSION COMPLETED A MARS GRAVITY ASSIST ON JULY 17, 2026 AND RELEASED A STRIKING TIME-LAPSE OF THE ENCOUNTER. THE FLYBY IS A MAJOR NAVIGATION MILESTONE ON THE SPACECRAFT'S JOURNEY TO THE METAL-RICH ASTEROID PSYCHE. STARSHIP FLIGHT 13 ABORTS LATE - SPACEX'S STARSHIP FLIGHT 13 SUFFERED A LAST-SECOND AUTOMATED ABORT AFTER MULTIPLE SUPER HEAVY ENGINES FAILED TO IGNITE PROPERLY. THE DELAY PUSHES BACK TESTING FOR STARLINK VERSION 3 DEPLOYMENT AND UNDERSCORES THE CHALLENGES OF REUSABLE HEAVY-LIFT DEVELOPMENT. COMET TEMPEL 2 LIGHTS SKIES - COMET 10P/TEMPEL 2 IS WELL PLACED FOR OBSERVERS IN MID-JULY 2026, WITH ASTRONOMY GUIDES CALLING IT AN ACCESSIBLE BINOCULAR TARGET. NASA'S ASTRONOMY PICTURE OF THE DAY ALSO SPOTLIGHTED THE COMET'S DUST TRAIL, BOOSTING PUBLIC INTEREST IN CURRENT SKYWATCHING. SKYROOT VIKRAM-1 REACHES ORBIT - INDIA'S SKYROOT AEROSPACE ANNOUNCED THAT ITS VIKRAM-1 ROCKET REACHED ORBIT ON ITS MAIDEN MISSION, AAGAMAN. THE SUCCESS MARKS A MAJOR MILESTONE FOR INDIA'S PRIVATE LAUNCH INDUSTRY AND ADDS A NEW COMPETITOR TO THE GLOBAL SMALL-LAUNCH MARKET. APOD HIGHLIGHTS SKY AND LIGHT - NASA'S APOD ENTRIES FOR JULY 17 AND 18 CONNECTED COMET SCIENCE WITH ATMOSPHERIC BEAUTY, FEATURING TEMPEL 2'S DUST TRAIL AND A 'SHADOW AND RAINBOW' SCENE. TOGETHER, THEY SHOW HOW SPACE STORYTELLING SPANS BOTH DEEP SPACE AND THE SKY ABOVE EARTH. Episode Transcript Psyche swings past Mars successfully First up, NASA's Psyche mission has pulled off a beautifully timed gravity assist at Mars. On July 17, the spacecraft passed roughly 2,800 miles above the Martian surface, using the planet's gravity to reshape its path toward the asteroid Psyche. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory also released a time-lapse of the flyby, showing Mars grow in the frame, sweep past, and fall away again. It's a vivid reminder that deep-space navigation is both precision engineering and public-facing storytelling. Starship Flight 13 aborts late Meanwhile in Texas, SpaceX's Starship Flight 13 did not leave the pad. During the launch attempt, the Super Heavy booster reached ignition, but four engines failed to light as expected, triggering an automatic abort just before liftoff. That means a delay for a mission that was supposed to test booster recovery, upper-stage reentry, and the first suborbital deployment of Starlink Version 3 satellites. The key takeaway is that Starship's safety systems caught the problem before flight, which is exactly what they are designed to do, even if it adds another setback to this high-profile test campaign. Comet Tempel 2 lights skies For skywatchers, Comet Tempel 2 is one of the most inviting targets of the week. Astronomy coverage for July 17 through 24 says the comet is favorably placed, rising late and staying visible overnight, with brightness around ninth magnitude, making it reachable for binoculars and small telescopes under dark skies. NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day for July 17 added another layer by featuring the comet's dust trail, highlighting the debris it leaves along its orbit. So this is one of those rare stories that works both as science news and as a direct invitation to step outside and look up. Skyroot Vikram-1 reaches orbit Another major development comes from India, where Skyroot Aerospace says its Vikram-1 rocket successfully reached orbit on its maiden mission, Aagaman. If confirmed in full through broader reporting, that would mark a landmark achievement for India's private launch sector and show that commercial orbital capability is spreading well beyond the industry's traditional centers. The significance here goes beyond one rocket: it suggests India's startup ecosystem is becoming a real force in launch services, with the potential to serve small satellites and technology missions in a competitive global market. APOD highlights sky and light And finally, NASA's daily astronomy imagery offered a nice contrast to the hardware-heavy headlines. After spotlighting Tempel 2's dust trail on July 17, APOD followed with 'Shadow and Rainbow' on July 18, shifting attention to atmospheric optics here on Earth. It's a useful reminder that space science isn't only about rockets, probes, and distant objects. Sometimes the same big questions about light, matter, and motion begin with phenomena visible in our own sky. 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