Description

The Discussion: New Year resolutions, veganism, a little spoiler-free chat about the latest/last Skywalker movie and the new series of Dr Who, before some listeners' emails.

The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have:

• Christina Koch racks up a flight time record on the ISS
• China's moon rover breaks a lunar endurance record
• Ethiopia becomes the 10th African nation to send a satellite into orbit
• ESA launches their CHEOPS Exoplanet characterising spacecraft
• Space Force is go – and the world joins in
• NASA's new (22nd!) intake and what skills are needed to become an astronaut
• OSIRIS-REx now has a target for return samples on asteroid Bennu

Main news story: Boeing's test of its Starliner space capsule

Q&A: Why does NASA search for signs of life rather than directly looking for life? From Gavin Price in the UK on Twitter (@pilliarscreatio)