This holiday special episode of This Week in Space covers a wide range of space topics from 2023, including asteroid sample return, China's space achievements, commercial lunar landers, Mars sample return challenges, UFO disclosure, and more.

Headlines:

• The asteroid Bennu sample return mission delivers intriguing early findings, including organic molecules and "cauliflower" textured particles that may provide insights into the early solar system.
• Speculative ideas on "dark life" forming from dark matter shortly after the Big Bang prompts discussion on expanding definitions of life.
• Congress orders UFO records released within 25 years but allows military to withhold information threatening national security, disappointing those seeking full disclosure.

Main Topic: The Year in Review

• Recap of major SpaceX milestones in 2023 with Falcon 9 reuse and Starship testing advances, though the lunar landing variant and orbital refueling still need work.
• India bounces back from previous lunar landing failure with successful Chandrayaan-3 orbiter and Pragyan rover mission.
• Mars sample return mission faces criticism for ballooning costs now exceeding $11 billion and delays pushing to 2030 or beyond.
• OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return hailed as a major success story for 2023 despite minor parachute issue on re-entry.
• Psyche and Lucy asteroid missions yield early surprises on unique asteroid properties.
• China's 2023 space achievements and future plans make it a program to watch with possible Mars sample returns, an increased pace of lunar landings, and more... maybe even sample sharing with the US!
• ULA readies new Vulcan Centaur rocket for a January launch — it's a critical path to the moon with the first commercial lunar lander onboard.
• Artemis delays provide cover for missing elements like SpaceX's lunar lander, orbital refueling tests, and lunar surface EVA suits.
• Guest Leonard David covers latest intrigue around government UFO briefings and disclosure efforts.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Leonard David

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