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Asteroid 2026 JH2 Close Approach & SpaceX CRS-34 ISS Docking - Space News (May 18, 2026)
Published 3 days, 8 hours ago
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Episode Transcript
Asteroid 2026 JH2 Close Approach
Starting with today's most attention-grabbing story: Asteroid 2026 JH2, recently dubbed 'Death Rock' in some media circles, is making an extremely close approach to Earth today. Discovered just eight days ago on May 10th, this space rock measuring between 50 and 115 feet across will pass within 91,000 kilometers of our planet—closer than many communication satellites orbit. While NASA confirms there's no collision risk, the proximity has scientists closely monitoring its trajectory. What makes this particularly noteworthy is how quickly it was detected after entering our observational range, highlighting both the capabilities and limitations of our planetary defense systems. This event serves as a timely reminder of why continued investment in near-Earth object tracking remains crucial for planetary safety.
SpaceX CRS-34 ISS Docking
In International Space Station news, SpaceX's CRS-34 cargo mission successfully docked with the orbital laboratory yesterday morning at approximately 6:37 a.m. Eastern Time. The Dragon spacecraft, which launched from Cape Canaveral on Friday evening, delivered about 6,500 pounds of scientific experiments and crew supplies. Among the payload are several noteworthy investigations: a bone scaffold made from wood that could lead to new osteoporosis treatments, an instrument studying charged particles that affect power grids and satellites, and research that may provide fundamental insights into planetary formation. The spacecraft will remain attached to the station until mid-June before returning to Earth with time-sensitive research samples. This mission marks another successful chapter in the ongoing partnership between NASA and commercial space providers for maintaining continuous scientific operations in low Earth orbit.
Moon Venus Conjunction Tonight
Skywatchers have a special treat tonight as the Moon and Venus put on their closest
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Today's topics:
Asteroid 2026 JH2 Close Approach - Asteroid 2026 JH2 passes extremely close to Earth at 91,000 km distance, discovered just eight days ago, raising awareness about near-Earth objects monitoring.
SpaceX CRS-34 ISS Docking - SpaceX Dragon spacecraft successfully docks with International Space Station carrying 6,500 pounds of scientific experiments including bone scaffold research and planetary formation studies.
Moon Venus Conjunction Tonight - Closest Moon-Venus conjunction of 2026 visible tonight, creating a striking celestial pairing in western sky after sunset, best viewing opportunity of evening apparition.
SMILE Mission Launch Tomorrow - ESA-China SMILE mission launches tomorrow to study solar wind-magnetosphere interactions, first major joint space mission between European and Chinese space agencies.
Starship Version 3 Debut - SpaceX prepares for Starship Version 3 debut with significant redesigns, aiming to demonstrate full and rapid reuse capabilities for future lunar missions.
Episode Transcript
Asteroid 2026 JH2 Close Approach
Starting with today's most attention-grabbing story: Asteroid 2026 JH2, recently dubbed 'Death Rock' in some media circles, is making an extremely close approach to Earth today. Discovered just eight days ago on May 10th, this space rock measuring between 50 and 115 feet across will pass within 91,000 kilometers of our planet—closer than many communication satellites orbit. While NASA confirms there's no collision risk, the proximity has scientists closely monitoring its trajectory. What makes this particularly noteworthy is how quickly it was detected after entering our observational range, highlighting both the capabilities and limitations of our planetary defense systems. This event serves as a timely reminder of why continued investment in near-Earth object tracking remains crucial for planetary safety.
SpaceX CRS-34 ISS Docking
In International Space Station news, SpaceX's CRS-34 cargo mission successfully docked with the orbital laboratory yesterday morning at approximately 6:37 a.m. Eastern Time. The Dragon spacecraft, which launched from Cape Canaveral on Friday evening, delivered about 6,500 pounds of scientific experiments and crew supplies. Among the payload are several noteworthy investigations: a bone scaffold made from wood that could lead to new osteoporosis treatments, an instrument studying charged particles that affect power grids and satellites, and research that may provide fundamental insights into planetary formation. The spacecraft will remain attached to the station until mid-June before returning to Earth with time-sensitive research samples. This mission marks another successful chapter in the ongoing partnership between NASA and commercial space providers for maintaining continuous scientific operations in low Earth orbit.
Moon Venus Conjunction Tonight
Skywatchers have a special treat tonight as the Moon and Venus put on their closest