About this episode

The episode discusses the historic launch of a German rocket from Western Europe and various astronomical phenomena.

A German rocket lifted off from an Arctic island on Saturday and became the first vehicle ever to reach orbit from Western European soil. Plus: the gaps in stellar streams may not be dark matter after all, two white dwarfs circling every 374 seconds in the far southern sky, peptides that fold in concentrated sulfuric acid, and what Katalyst's LINK is actually doing next to Swift. Both-hemispheres skywatch, and a serious safety warning for tomorrow's daylight Jupiter occultation. Links & sources · Isar Aerospace — mission updates — https://isaraerospace.com/mission-updates-overview · ESA — Spectrum launches to orbit (imagery) — https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2026/09/Spectrum_launches_to_orbit · NASASpaceflight — Isar 'Onward and Upward' — https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2026/09/isar-onward-and-upward/ · Space.com — Private German rocket makes history — https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/isar-aerospace-second-launch-norway-andoya-spaceport-spectrum-rocket · Space.com — Gilmour Space eyes a second orbital attempt —…

Topics covered

• rocket launch
• white dwarfs
• stellar streams
• Jupiter occultation
• space exploration

Keywords

• Isar Aerospace
• rocket launch
• white dwarfs
• stellar streams
• Jupiter occultation
• space exploration
• ESA
• NASASpaceflight

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Isar Aerospace, ESA, NASASpaceflight, Space.com, Sky & Telescope

Books & works: Arora et al.

Places: Arctic, Western Europe

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