S03E49: Starliner Setbacks & Asteroid Flybys: The Unpredictable Path to the Stars

Embark on a voyage through the cosmos with today's episode of Astronomy Daily - The Podcast, where your host, Anna, steers us through the latest astronomical events and space exploration milestones. Today's celestial digest includes the unfortunate delay of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which faces technical hurdles on its journey to the International Space Station. We'll also reflect on the narrow miss of a car-sized asteroid, 2024 JN 16, which zipped past Earth just days after its discovery, reminding us of the importance of vigilant sky-watching. We'll float alongside the aspirations of Blue Origin's NS-25 mission, which aims to satiate the hunger for suborbital space tourism, and strap on virtual moon boots to join NASA's Artemis moonwalk simulations in the Arizona desert. To cap off our interstellar exploration, we'll share heartwarming recollections from the team aboard NASA's flying laboratory, SOFIA, as it prepares for decommissioning. 1. **Starliner's Stalled Ascent**: Delving into the technical setbacks delaying Boeing's crewed flight to the ISS.2. **Asteroid's Close Call**: The story of 2024 JN 16's surprise flyby and the role of amateur astronomers in planetary defense.3. **Blue Origin's Tourist Trek**: A preview of the upcoming NS-25 mission and its crew of dreamers.4. **Artemis's Arizona Adventures**: NASA's lunar surface simulations and the future of moonwalks.5. **SOFIA's Sentimental Skyward Sojourn**: A tribute to the memories and milestones of NASA's airborne observatory.Join us as we traverse these narratives, celebrating the unyielding human spirit that propels us toward the stars. For an immersive experience of the cosmos, visit our website at astronomydaily.io, and join the conversation on X (@AstroDailyPod) for daily updates and celestial camaraderie. Until our next stellar encounter, this is Anna reminding you to keep your eyes on the skies and your spirit of discovery alive. Clear skies and cosmic wonder to all our fellow space enthusiasts!This episode is brought to you with the support of our galactic sponsors NordPass, the password manager you need in your life. It's the one we use and swear by. Get our special deal by visiting www.bitesz.com/nordpass. Check out all our great sponsor deals on our website. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.