Highlights:
- China's Methane-Powered Rocket Launch: Discover how Landspace Technology successfully launched their Jukui 2E Y2 carrier rocket, marking a significant milestone in the commercial space race. Learn about the advantages of methane as a rocket fuel and the implications for reusable rocket technology.
- Upcoming Tianwen 2 Asteroid Mission: Get excited about China's Tianwen 2 probe, set to collect samples from asteroid 2016 HO3. This mission represents China's first foray into asteroid exploration and sample collection, showcasing their rapid advancements in space exploration.
- Solving Mars' Slope Streak Mystery: Delve into the recent findings that may have finally unraveled the enigma of dark streaks on Mars. A new study suggests these features are the result of dry processes rather than liquid water, reshaping our understanding of the Martian environment.
- Mysterious Light Streak Over US Skies: Uncover the truth behind a brilliant light show that captivated sky watchers across the United States, which turned out to be a fuel dump from a Chinese rocket, rather than an aurora phenomenon.
- SpaceX's Busy Starlink Launch Schedule: Stay updated on SpaceX's ambitious plans for multiple Starlink launches, including a significant mission targeting a polar sun-synchronous orbit to enhance global internet coverage.
- NASA's Perseverance Rover Exploration: Follow the latest adventures of NASA's Perseverance rover as it investigates ancient rocks on Mars, providing crucial insights into the planet's watery past and the potential for past life.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:10 - China's methane-powered rocket launch
10:00 - Upcoming Tianwen 2 asteroid mission
15:30 - Solving Mars' slope streak mystery
20:00 - Mysterious light streak over US skies
25:00 - SpaceX's busy Starlink launch schedule
30:00 - NASA's Perseverance rover exploration
✍️ Episode References
Landspace Technology Updates
[Landspace](https://www.landspace.com/)
Tianwen 2 Mission
[China National Space Administration](http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/)
Mars Slope Streaks Research
[Nature Communications](https://www.nature.com/ncomms/)
SpaceX Starlink Updates
[SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/)
NASA Perseverance Rover
[NASA Perseverance](https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Anna: Hello and welcome to Astronomy Daily, your
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 daily dose of everything happening in the
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 cosmos. I'm, your host, Anna, and I'm
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 thrilled to bring you today's roundup of the
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 most fascinating developments in space and
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 astronomy. We've got an action packed episode
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 for you today. We'll explore China's latest
00:00:15 --> 00:00:18 achievements with their methane powered
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 rocket launch and their upcoming asteroid
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 sample return mission. Then we'll dive into
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 some intriguing Mars mysteries as, scientists
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 may have finally solved the puzzle of those
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 strange dark streaks on the Martian surface.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 Plus, we'll uncover the truth behind that
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 mysterious light streak that appeared over US
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 skies during a recent aurora storm. Get
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 updates on SpaceX's busy Starlink launch
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 schedule, and check in with NASA's
00:00:43 --> 00:00:45 Perseverance rover as it explores an ancient
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 region on Mars that could hold clues to the
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 planet's watery past. So stick around
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 as we journey through today's most exciting
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 space news right here on Astronomy Daily.
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 China has made significant strides in the
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 commercial space race with Beijing based
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 Landspace Technology successfully launching
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 their Jukui 2E Y2 carrier rocket
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 last Saturday. The rocket blasted off from
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 the Juquan satellite launch center in
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 northwest China at 12:12pm local time,
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 marking the fifth flight for the Jukui 2
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 series. What makes this launch
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 particularly noteworthy is that Landspace is
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 doubling down on methane as a rocket fuel. In
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 fact, the company made history in July
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 2023 when it became the world's first
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 to successfully launch a methane liquid
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 oxygen rocket launch, beating out major
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 competitors like Elon Musk's SpaceX
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 and Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:39 Methane is gaining popularity in the
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 aerospace industry for good reason. It's
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 considered less polluting than traditional
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 rocket fuels, offers enhanced safety, and
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 comes with a lower price tag. These
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 advantages make methane particularly well
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 suited as a propellant for reusable rockets,
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 which is exactly what Landspace is working
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 toward. Saturday's launch successfully
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 deployed six satellites into orbit, showing
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 progress from their previous launches. Their
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 first successful methane powered launch
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 didn't carry any real satellites, while their
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 second launch in December 2023 managed to
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 place three satellites into orbit. This
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 latest mission carried payloads developed by
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 Chinese firm Spacedee, including a radar
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 satellite, two multispectral satellites, and
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 three satellites for scientific experiments.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 This launch included some technical
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 improvements that will support Landspace's
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 reusability goals. The company implemented a
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 new propulsion method that involved chilling
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 both liquid oxygen and methane below their
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 boiling points to boost thrust. Landspace
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 founder and CEO Zhang Chung Wu has
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 indicated that the company is actively
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 developing reusable rockets with test
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 launches expected in the second half of 2025.
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 The race to develop reusable rockets has
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 intensified since SpaceX demonstrated how
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 they can dramatically lower costs for for
00:02:55 --> 00:02:56 launch vehicles and space transportation.
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 Chinese commercial space companies have been
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 particularly active since 2014, when the
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 government opened the industry to private
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 investment, with land space being one of the
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 earliest and best funded entrants in the
00:03:08 --> 00:03:09 field.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 In more news from China today, China is
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 ramping up its ambitious space exploration
00:03:15 --> 00:03:16 program with the upcoming launch of the
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 Tianwen 2 asteroid probe, scheduled for late
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 May from the Qichong satellite launch center.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 After being transported to the launch area on
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 May 14, the spacecraft is currently
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 undergoing final inspections before its
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 historic journey begins. This mission
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 represents China's first attempt to collect
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 samples from interplanetary space, marking
00:03:37 --> 00:03:38 another significant milestone in the
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 country's rapidly advancing space program.
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 The primary Target is asteroid 2016
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 HO3, a small 100 meter
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 asteroid that follows a unique orbit around
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 Earth as what scientists call a, quasi
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 satellite. While it doesn't orbit Earth
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 directly like our moon, it follows a path
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 around the sun that keeps it as a constant
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 companion to our planet. Once
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 Tianwen 2 reaches its destination, it will
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 deploy a mechanical arm to scoop up dust
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 samples from the asteroid's surface. But the
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 mission doesn't end there. The spacecraft
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 will also explore Comet 311P,
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 providing an unprecedented opportunity to
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 study two distinct celestial bodies during a
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 single mission. This sample return
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 mission follows in the footsteps of similar
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 successful ventures by other spacefaring
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 nations, including the United States and
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 Japan, who have previously landed on
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 asteroids. However, this represents China's
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 first venture into asteroid exploration and
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 sample collection. The Tianwen 2 mission
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 comes on the heels of China's impressive
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 achievement earlier this year with the Chang'
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 E 6 lunar probe, which made history as the
00:04:45 --> 00:04:47 first mission to bring back samples from the
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 moon's far side. This consistent progress
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 demonstrates China's growing capabilities and
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 determination to establish itself as a
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 leading space power. Looking ahead,
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 China has already announced plans for Tianwen
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 3, an even more ambitious mission scheduled
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 for around 2028 that aims to return
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 samples from Mars. These missions
00:05:07 --> 00:05:10 reflect the intensifying space race between
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 China and the United States as both nations
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 accelerate their exploration plans with
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 increasingly sophisticated missions. The
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 upcoming Tianwen 2 launch will be closely
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 watched by the international scientific
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 community as the samples it returns could
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 provide valuable insights into the
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 composition of asteroids and the early solar
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 system, potentially offering clues about the
00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 origins of life on Earth.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 Next, let's take a look at the first of two
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 stories we have today from the Red Planet
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 dark streaks that mysteriously appear on
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 Martian slopes and have puzzled planetary
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 scientists since they were first observed in
00:05:47 --> 00:05:50 the late 1970s. These features, known
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 as slope streaks, are typically darker than
00:05:52 --> 00:05:55 their surroundings and can extend for
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 hundreds of meters down steep terrain.
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 In 2011, researchers discovered similar
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 but shorter lived features called recurrent
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 slope lineae, or rsl, triggering an
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 intense debate about their origins. For
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 decades, scientists have been divided on
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 whether these streaks are evidence of
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 something extraordinary liquid water flowing
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 on the Martian surface or merely the result
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 of dry processes like dust movements.
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 A new study published in Nature
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 Communications may have finally resolved this
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 long standing mystery. A big focus of
00:06:27 --> 00:06:30 Mars research is understanding modern day
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 processes on Mars, including the possibility
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 of liquid water on the surface, explains
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 Adamus Valentinus from Brown University, who
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 co authored the research. The water
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 hypothesis suggested that small amounts from
00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 buried ice, subsurface aquifers, or
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 unusually humid air could mix with salt
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 to create briny flows capable of persisting
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 even in Mars's freezing conditions.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 To settle the debate, Valentinas and his
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 colleague Dr. Valentin Bickle from the
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 University of Bern used machine learning to
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 create the first global catalog of these
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 features. After training their algorithm
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 on confirmed slope streak sightings, they
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 analyzed over 86 high resolution
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 satellite images identifying 500
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 individual slope streaks. Once we had this
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 global map, we could compare it to databases
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 of temperature, wind speed, hydration,
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 rockslide activity, and other factors, says
00:07:26 --> 00:07:29 Bickle. Then we could look for
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 correlations over hundreds of thousands of
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 cases. Their findings were conclusive.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 These features appear more frequently in
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 areas with above average wind speed and dust
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 deposition factors that strongly suggest a
00:07:41 --> 00:07:43 dry origin rather than liquid water.
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 Neither type of streak shows associations
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 with factors you'd expect if water were
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 involved, such as specific slope
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 orientations, high humidity, or temperature
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 fluctuations. The researchers concluded
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 that slope streaks most likely form when
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 layers of fine dust suddenly slide off steep
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 slopes, while RSLs are more commonly found
00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 in places with frequent rockfalls and dust
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 devils, those mini whirlwinds of dust and
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 grit that dance across the Martian surface.
00:08:11 --> 00:08:14 Our findings suggest that Martian slopes
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 currently do not experience seasonal
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 transient flows of liquid water or brines,
00:08:19 --> 00:08:22 underscoring the dry desert. Like Nature of
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 Mars, the authors write, this conclusion
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 has important implications for future Mars
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 missions, as it suggests these areas are
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 unlikely to be habitable environments,
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 potentially easing planetary protection
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 constraints for landed missions targeting
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 these regions.
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 Meanwhile, a mystery back here on Earth on
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 the night of Saturday, May 17, sky watchers
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 across the United States were treated to an
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 unexpected light show. A brilliant stream of
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 whitish light stretched across the night sky,
00:08:51 --> 00:08:54 visible as far south as New Mexico, with a
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 major auroral display Already underway Due to
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 solar particles hitting Earth's magnetic
00:08:58 --> 00:09:01 field, many observers initially thought they
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 were witnessing Steve. That's the strong
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 thermal emission velocity enhancement, a
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 rare aurora adjacent phenomenon that creates
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 white mauve streaks in the ionosphere. But
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 this wasn't Steve at all. Astronomer Jonathan
00:09:13 --> 00:09:16 McDowell, who specializes in tracking
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 activity in Earth orbit, quickly identified
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21 the true source, a fuel dump from the upper
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 stage of China's Zhuque 2 rocket at an
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 altitude of about 250 kilometers.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:29 As reported earlier in the show, just Hours
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 earlier, at 04:12 UTC,
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 Beijing based startup Landspace Technology
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 had launched their Jukui 2E Y2
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 carrier rocket carrying six satellites into
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 orbit. The striking visual effect occurred
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 when the rocket's upper stage released unused
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 methalox fuel, a mixture of methane and
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 liquid oxygen, while passing over the
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 southwestern United States. At that
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 altitude, right in Earth's ionosphere, the
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 fuel created a chemical light show through
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 reactions with the charged plasma
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 environment. According to physicists,
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 these reactions can include ion molecule,
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 charge exchange, electron ion recombination,
00:10:07 --> 00:10:10 and optical emissions from chemiluminescence.
00:10:10 --> 00:10:13 In m simpler terms, we when rocket fuel
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 interacts with the ionosphere at night, it
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 can create a long lived glow visible from the
00:10:17 --> 00:10:20 ground. While we've seen rocket fuel create
00:10:20 --> 00:10:23 strange spirals in the sky before this
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 particular manifestation, a straight white
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 streak resembling Steve appears to be
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 something new. With methalox gaining
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 popularity as a rocket fuel due to its
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 efficiency, cleaner combustion, and
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 potential for in situ production on Mars, we
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 might see more of these unusual light shows
00:10:39 --> 00:10:42 in our night skies in the future. So if you
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 spotted this mysterious streak on May 17, now
00:10:45 --> 00:10:48 you know it wasn't an aurora or Steve, but
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 rather the after effects of humanity's
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 expanding activities in space, bringing a bit
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 of cosmic chemistry right to our doorstep.
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 Okay, moving on. Let's take a look at this
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 week's launch schedule. SpaceX is ramping up
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 for an exceptionally busy week, with at least
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 three Starlink satellite launches planned
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 across both coasts of the United States. The
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 ambitious schedule reflects the company's
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 accelerating pace as it works to expand its
00:11:11 --> 00:11:14 global Internet constellation. The week began
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 with a Falcon 9 scheduled to launch Starlink
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 Group 12 to 15 from Space Launch Complex
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 40 at Cape Canaveral in Florida. However,
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 the countdown was held at just under 2 1/2
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 minutes before liftoff. Unlike most Starlink
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 missions, which typically have four hour
00:11:29 --> 00:11:32 launch windows, this one had an unusually
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 short 35 minute window. The hold
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 resulted in a scrub as Falcon 9's highly
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 chilled fuel warms too quickly to allow for a
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 reset within the same window. The mission
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 would have carried 23 satellites, including
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 both standard V2 mini satellites and
00:11:47 --> 00:11:50 specialized direct to cell variants. Later
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 in the week, another Florida launch is
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 planned, with Starlink Group 1222 lifting off
00:11:55 --> 00:11:58 from the same pad on Saturday. This
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 mission will similarly carry a mixture of
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 Starlink V2 mini and and direct to cell
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 satellites on a southeasterly trajectory over
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 the Atlantic Ocean. But perhaps the most
00:12:07 --> 00:12:10 significant launch of the week will come from
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 On Sunday, SpaceX plans to initiate
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 construction of an entirely new orbital shell
00:12:18 --> 00:12:21 for the Starlink Constellation with the Group
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 171 mission. This launch represents
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 a major milestone as the first Starlink
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 mission targeting a polar sun synchronous
00:12:28 --> 00:12:31 orbit at a 97 degree inclination since the
00:12:31 --> 00:12:34 earlier Group 3 deployments which used older
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 V1.5 satellites. The
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 polar orbit will enable Starlink to provide
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 coverage at high latitudes, including the
00:12:41 --> 00:12:44 Arctic and Antarctic region's areas that have
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 historically had limited access to reliable
00:12:46 --> 00:12:49 Internet connectivity. This expansion into
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 polar orbits represents the next phase in
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 SpaceX's plan to provide truly global
00:12:53 --> 00:12:56 coverage. All three missions will include
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 landing attempts on SpaceX's autonomous drone
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 ships positioned in the Atlantic and Pacific
00:13:00 --> 00:13:03 Oceans. These recoveries continue to
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 demonstrate the company's reusability model,
00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 which has revolutionized launch economics,
00:13:07 --> 00:13:10 with some boosters now having flown more than
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 two dozen missions. If all launches proceed
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 as planned, SpaceX will surpass 60 missions
00:13:15 --> 00:13:18 for 2025, continuing their record
00:13:18 --> 00:13:20 breaking launch cadence and and further
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 cementing their dominance in the commercial
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 launch market.
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 Also this week we have launches planned from
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 China and Russia. The first of several
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 Chinese launches expected this week will
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 launch from Launch Complex 201
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 at AH, the Wencheng Space Launch Site in
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 China on Tuesday, May 20 at
00:13:38 --> 00:13:41 11:50 UTC. There is no
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 information regarding the mission's payload
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 at present, however, the hazard warning
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 notices published indicate that the Changjang
00:13:47 --> 00:13:50 7A CZ7A will
00:13:50 --> 00:13:53 fly due east from the launch site. Another
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 Chinese launch is expected on Wednesday, May
00:13:55 --> 00:13:58 21 at 400 UTC during
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00 a launch window extending from 3:54 until
00:14:00 --> 00:14:03 4:15 UTC. A Kinetica 1 will lift off
00:14:03 --> 00:14:06 from Site 130 at Juquan Satellite Launch
00:14:06 --> 00:14:09 center in China. Published hazard notices
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 indicate a southwesterly trajectory for the
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 flight. This mission will serve as the first
00:14:13 --> 00:14:16 Kinetica 1 mission of 2025 and the
00:14:16 --> 00:14:18 seventh overall. And finally rounding out a
00:14:18 --> 00:14:21 busy week of launches, a Russian Soyuz
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 2.1 A with a Fregat M M 4th stage
00:14:24 --> 00:14:27 will launch an unknown payload on Friday, May
00:14:27 --> 00:14:30 23rd at 0700 UTC from the
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northwestern Russia.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:36 This will be the third launch for a Soyuz in
00:14:36 --> 00:14:39 2025 and the 113th orbital
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 launch attempt worldwide this year.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44 M Finally today, let's return to Mars.
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 NASA's Perseverance rover is embarking on an
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 exciting new chapter of its Martian
00:14:49 --> 00:14:52 adventure, exploring a region that scientists
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54 believe could harbor some of the oldest rocks
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 on the entire planet. After spending five
00:14:56 --> 00:14:59 months investigating Witch Hazel Hill, the
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 nuclear powered rover has now moved on to a
00:15:01 --> 00:15:04 new area of interest dubbed Crocodylon.
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 The name, which means the crocodile in
00:15:06 --> 00:15:08 Norwegian, was chosen by mission scientists
00:15:08 --> 00:15:11 after a mountain ridge on Norway's Prinz
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 Karls foreland Island. This 73
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 acre plateau of rocky outcrops
00:15:16 --> 00:15:18 sits downslope to the west and south of Witch
00:15:18 --> 00:15:21 Hazel Hill on the lower slope of Jezero
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 Crater's rim. What makes Crocodylan
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 particularly tantalizing is its geological
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29 age. These rocks formed before Jezero Crater
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 was even created, dating back to Mars
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 earliest geological period known as the
00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 Noachian Era. In fact, they're among the
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 oldest accessible rocks on the entire Martian
00:15:38 --> 00:15:41 surface. An early investigation of the
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 region revealed the presence of clay
00:15:43 --> 00:15:46 minerals, which require liquid water to form.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:49 This provides compelling evidence that
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 abundant water once flowed across this
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 ancient landscape long before an asteroid
00:15:53 --> 00:15:56 impact created Jezero Crater. Clay
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 minerals are especially important in the
00:15:58 --> 00:16:01 search for past life because they're known on
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 Earth to preserve organic compounds, the
00:16:03 --> 00:16:06 fundamental building blocks of life. Ken
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 Farley, deputy project scientist for
00:16:08 --> 00:16:11 Perseverance, explained the significance if
00:16:11 --> 00:16:14 we find a potential biosignature here, it
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 would most likely be from an entirely
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 different and much earlier epoch of Mars
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 evolution than the one we found last year in
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 the crater with Chayava Falls.
00:16:23 --> 00:16:25 That previous discovery featured chemical
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 signatures and structures that could have
00:16:27 --> 00:16:30 been formed by ancient life. The
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 rover, which celebrated its
00:16:31 --> 00:16:34 1th day of surface operations
00:16:34 --> 00:16:37 on May 9, is currently analyzing a rocky
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 outcrop called Copper Cove.
00:16:40 --> 00:16:42 Orbital data suggests that other areas of
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 Crocodylon may contain olivine and carbonate
00:16:45 --> 00:16:47 minerals. While olivine forms from
00:16:47 --> 00:16:50 magma, carbonates typically develop when rock
00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 reacts with carbon dioxide dissolved in
00:16:52 --> 00:16:55 liquid water. On Earth, carbonates
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 excel at, preserving fossilized microbial
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59 life, recording ancient climate conditions.
00:16:59 --> 00:17:02 The Perseverance team has also implemented a
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 new sampling strategy, allowing some cored
00:17:04 --> 00:17:07 samples to remain unsealed. This gives the
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 mission flexibility to replace earlier
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 samples if more scientifically compelling
00:17:11 --> 00:17:13 features are discovered down the road.
00:17:13 --> 00:17:16 Katie Stack, Morgan Perseverance's acting
00:17:16 --> 00:17:19 project scientist, noted, we have been
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 exploring Mars for over four years, and every
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 single filled sample tube we have on board
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 has its own unique and compelling story to
00:17:25 --> 00:17:28 tell. As Perseverance continues its
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 methodical exploration of this ancient
00:17:30 --> 00:17:33 Martian landscape, each rock it analyzes
00:17:33 --> 00:17:36 brings us closer to understanding Mars's
00:17:36 --> 00:17:38 distant past and potentially answering
00:17:38 --> 00:17:40 whether life once existed on our neighboring
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 planet.
00:17:42 --> 00:17:45 Well, what an incredible week in space and
00:17:45 --> 00:17:48 astronomy news. We've m truly spanned the
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 solar system in today's episode. From
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 groundbreaking rocket launches here on Earth
00:17:52 --> 00:17:55 to the mysteries of Mars and beyond, the
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 pace of innovation in space technology
00:17:56 --> 00:17:59 continues to accelerate, with China's
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 landspace joining the race to develop methane
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 powered rockets, technology that could
00:18:03 --> 00:18:06 revolutionize our access to space through
00:18:06 --> 00:18:08 reusability and efficiency. Their
00:18:08 --> 00:18:11 upcoming Tianwen 2 mission represents another
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 significant step in asteroid exploration,
00:18:13 --> 00:18:16 joining efforts by NASA, JAXA and other space
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 agencies to understand these ancient
00:18:18 --> 00:18:21 celestial bodies. Looking ahead,
00:18:21 --> 00:18:24 watch for SpaceX's continued expansion of
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 their Starlink constellation, particularly
00:18:26 --> 00:18:29 the new Polar Orbit Shell, which will enhance
00:18:29 --> 00:18:32 global coverage. The Russian Soyuz launch
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 carrying its mysterious payload will
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 certainly be worth monitoring as well. On
00:18:36 --> 00:18:39 Mars, Perseverance's exploration of the
00:18:39 --> 00:18:42 ancient Crocodilan region may yield some of
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 the most significant discoveries yet about
00:18:44 --> 00:18:46 the Red Planet's early history. The rover's
00:18:46 --> 00:18:49 investigation of those Noachian era rocks
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51 could fundamentally change our understanding
00:18:51 --> 00:18:54 of Mars's potential habitability. And the
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 scientific detective work that solved both
00:18:56 --> 00:18:58 the mystery of Mars slope streaks and the
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 strange light phenomenon over the United
00:19:00 --> 00:19:03 States reminds us that space science is
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 constantly evolving, with new observations
00:19:05 --> 00:19:08 challenging our previous assumptions. The
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 coming weeks promise even more excitement as
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 these missions progress and new launches take
00:19:12 --> 00:19:15 flight. Our understanding of the cosmos grows
00:19:15 --> 00:19:17 richer with each passing day.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:21 And that's all for this episode of Astronomy
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 Daily. I'm Anna and I want to thank you
00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 for joining me on this cosmic journey through
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 today's most fascinating space and astronomy
00:19:28 --> 00:19:31 news. If you're hungry for more space content
00:19:31 --> 00:19:34 and let's be honest, who isn't, I invite you
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00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 bringing you the most compelling stories from
00:20:01 --> 00:20:04 across the universe. Until next time, keep
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 looking up. There's always something amazing
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 happening in our cosmic neighborhood. This
00:20:08 --> 00:20:11 has been Anna for Astronomy Daily, your daily
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 dose of space news and wonder.