In this action-packed episode of Astronomy Daily, host Anna takes listeners on a journey through the latest groundbreaking discoveries and developments in space exploration. From revolutionary findings by NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars to the implications of colossal black hole eruptions, this episode is filled with cosmic revelations that will leave you eager for more.
Highlights:
- Curiosity's Organic Discovery on Mars: Discover how NASA's Curiosity rover has identified the largest organic compounds ever found on the Martian surface, including significant fatty acids that could hint at the planet's potential for past life. This discovery opens new avenues in our understanding of Martian organic chemistry and its implications for life beyond Earth.
- A Surge in Rocket Launches: Join us as we discuss the whirlwind of recent rocket launches, including SpaceX's classified missions and Isar Aerospace's historic attempt to launch the first European rocket from continental Europe. With numerous launches scheduled, the commercial space sector is witnessing an unprecedented surge in activity.
- Webb Space Telescope's Stunning Observations: Marvel at the James Webb Space Telescope's latest findings, which reveal a cosmic alignment of two unrelated objects, challenging previous assumptions about star formation and the universe's structure. This stunning imagery underscores Webb's ability to reshape our understanding of cosmic phenomena.
- Alarming Black Hole Discoveries: Explore the terrifying implications of a newly detected supermassive black hole producing enormous jets stretching six million light years. This revelation raises critical questions about galactic evolution and the potential dangers posed by black holes, including their effects on our own Milky Way.
- Progress on NASA's Artemis Program: Get the latest updates on NASA's Artemis 2 mission, which aims to return humans to deep space. With significant milestones achieved, the mission is on track for a potential launch next year, marking a historic moment in human space exploration.
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.
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:05 - Curiosity rover's organic compounds discovery
10:30 - Recent rocket launches and advancements
17:00 - Webb Space Telescope's cosmic observations
22:15 - Erupting black hole findings
27:30 - Updates on Artemis 2 mission progress
✍️ Episode References
Curiosity Rover Findings
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov)
Rocket Launch Updates
[SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com)
James Webb Space Telescope Observations
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/webb)
Supermassive Black Hole Research
[Astrophysical Journal](https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/0004-637X)
Artemis Program Updates
[NASA Artemis](https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Anna: Welcome to ASTRONOMY Daily, your source for
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 the latest news and discoveries in space
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 exploration. I'm your host, Anna. And
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 today we have a packed episode covering
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 exciting developments from NASA's Curiosity
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 rover on Mars, recent rocket launches,
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 stunning observations from the Webb Space
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 Telescope, a terrifying cosmic scenario
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 involving black holes, and updates on NASA's
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 Artemis program. So let's get into
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 it. NASA's Curiosity
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 rover has made a groundbreaking discovery on
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 Mars that's sending ripples of excitement
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 through the scientific community. Researchers
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 analyzing pulverized rock samples inside the
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 rover's onboard laboratory have detected the
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 largest organic compounds found on the Red
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 Planet to date. The findings, published in
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 the Proceedings of the National Academy of
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 Sciences, reveal that Curiosity sample
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 analysis at Mars Minilab identified
00:00:54 --> 00:00:55 three significant organic
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 decane, undecane, and
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 dodecane. These aren't just any compounds.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 They contain 10, 11, and 12 carbon atoms,
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 respectively, making them substantially more
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 complex than previous organic molecules
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 discovered on Mars. Scientists believe
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 these compounds are fragments of fatty acids
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 that were preserved in the Martian rock
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 samples. This is particularly significant
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 because on Earth, fatty acids are among the
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 fundamental chemical building blocks of life.
00:01:25 --> 00:01:26 They're essential components in cell
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 membranes and serve various biological
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 functions in living organisms. While the
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 discovery doesn't prove the existence of past
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 or present life on Mars, it does suggest that
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 organic chemistry on the Red Planet may have
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 advanced further than previously observed.
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 The size and complexity of these molecules
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 indicate that Mars may have once had
00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 conditions suitable for the kind of prebiotic
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 chemistry that could potentially lead to
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 life. What makes this discovery even more
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 remarkable is that it demonstrates these
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 complex organic compounds can survive Mars
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 harsh surface conditions. The planet's
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 surface is constantly bombarded with
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 radiation and oxidizing chemicals that would
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 typically destroy such delicate organic
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 molecules over time. The fact that
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 Curiosity found them intact suggests that if
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 biosignatures ever existed on Mars, they
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 might still be detectable today. This
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 discovery is particularly exciting because
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 fatty acids are fundamental chemical building
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 blocks of life as we know it on Earth. In
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 living organisms, these compounds play
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 crucial roles in forming cell membranes, the
00:02:30 --> 00:02:31 protective barriers that separate cellular
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 contents from the external environment, as
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 well as storing energy and facilitating other
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 essential biological processes.
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 As Caroline Freycinet from the French
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 national center for Scientific Research put
00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 it, our study proves that even today,
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 by analyzing Mars samples, we could detect
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 chemical signatures of past life if it ever
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 existed on Mars. That's a profound
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 statement about our increasing ability to
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 address one of humanity's most fundamental
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 questions. Are we alone in the universe?
00:03:02 --> 00:03:05 Turning our telescopes skyward now, this has
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 been an exceptionally busy week for orbital
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 launches around the world. SpaceX kicked off
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 the action with a classified mission on
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 Monday, continuing their breakneck pace of
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 operations for 2025. The
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 European Space industry is making history
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 this week with Isar Aerospace attempting the
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 first orbital launch of a European rocket
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 from continental Europe. After a scrub on
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 Monday due to unfavorable winds, their
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 Spectrum rocket is now positioned to make the
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 inaugural orbital launch from Norway's
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 andoya spaceport. This two stage vehicle
00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 stands 28 meters tall with a 2 meter
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 diameter and can deliver up to 1000
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 kg to low earth orbit. What makes
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 Spectrum particularly notable is its
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 propulsion system 9.3D printed
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 Aquila engines on the first stage, burning
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 liquid propane and oxygen, offering what the
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 company calls the highest density specific
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 impulse of all carbon fuels.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 Meanwhile, Firefly Aerospace is preparing for
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 the sixth launch of its Alpha rocket from
00:04:06 --> 00:04:09 Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 This message in a booster mission will carry
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 a technology demonstrator for Lockheed
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 Martin's LM400 satellite
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 bus. The launch marks the first of up to
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 25 flights for Lockheed Martin as part of a
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 multi launch agreement spanning the next five
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 years. Not to be outdone, Rocket
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 Lab is on track for its third electron launch
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 in just two weeks, a remarkable achievement
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 in rapid launch cadence. Their mission,
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 colorfully named Finding Hot Wildfires near
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 you, will deploy eight satellites for Aurora
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 Tech's Thermal Imaging Constellation, which
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 monitors wildfires globally to support faster
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 response times for protecting forests,
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 communities and critical infrastructure.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 With four worldwide orbital launch attempts
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 scheduled for Wednesday alone, including a
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 Changjang 3B E launch from China carrying an
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 unknown payload, and three SpaceX Starlink
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 missions planned for the week, we're
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 witnessing a truly unprecedented era in space
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 access and utilization. SpaceX continues
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 to redefine what's possible in the commercial
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 space industry, shattering records left and
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 right in 2025. Just last week they
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 achieved a remarkable feat when Booster
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 B1088 set a new first
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 stage turnaround record of just over nine
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 days during the NR OL57 mission from
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 Vandenberg. This dramatically improves on
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 their previous record of 14 days, showcasing
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 the company's rapidly advancing reusability
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 capabilities. The records don't stop there
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 Space Force Station. SpaceX established an
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 impressive pad turnaround milestone on March
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 15. The Starlink Group 1216
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 mission launched just 2 days, 8 hours,
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 59 minutes and 40 seconds after the previous
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 Starlink mission from the same pad, slashing
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 nearly six hours off their previous record.
00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 Perhaps most impressively, this launch marked
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 SpaceX's third mission in a mere 12.5
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 hours following the Crew 10 and Transporter
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 13 missions. While SpaceX has
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 slightly revised its annual launch target
00:06:10 --> 00:06:13 from 180 to 170 missions,
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 due to some challenges with booster recovery
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 and increased refurbishment times, they're
00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 still on an extraordinary trajectory.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 They've already completed 38 launches across
00:06:24 --> 00:06:25 their fleet in just the first quarter of
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 2025, putting them well ahead of pace
00:06:28 --> 00:06:31 to exceed their revised goal. This
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 relentless cadence is transforming our access
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36 to space. With Falcon 9 now firmly
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 established as the workhorse of the
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 commercial launch industry, SpaceX is
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 demonstrating that rapid, reliable and
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 reusable space transportation isn't just a
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 futuristic concept, it's today's reality.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 The implications for satellite deployment,
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 space station resupply, and potentially even
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 human spaceflight beyond Earth orbit are
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 profound as launch constraints continue to
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 fall. Lets get a
00:07:00 --> 00:07:01 JWST update.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has gifted
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 us with another breathtaking image that's
00:07:06 --> 00:07:07 forcing astronomers to rethink what they
00:07:07 --> 00:07:10 thought they knew about a cosmic phenomenon.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 What was once dramatically dubbed the cosmic
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 tornado by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 back in 2006 has been revealed to be
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 something even more a chance alignment
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 of two completely unrelated objects separated
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 by unfathomable distances. The
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 web's extraordinary resolution shows that
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 what we're actually seeing is Herbig Haro
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 49/50. A uh, frothy looking
00:07:34 --> 00:07:37 outflow from a nearby young star perfectly
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 aligned with a colorful spiral galaxy
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 located hundreds of millions of light years
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 in the background. It's like capturing a
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 photograph of a leaf blowing in the
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 wind that just happens to perfectly frame
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 a distant mountain peak. This composite
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 image combines data from Webb's near infrared
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 camera and mid infrared instrument, providing
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 unprecedented detail of this dynamic region.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 The arc shaped features in the outflow point
00:08:02 --> 00:08:05 back to their source, likely a Protostar
00:08:05 --> 00:08:06 known as Cederblad110
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 IRS4, a young object only
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 tens of thousands to a million years old
00:08:12 --> 00:08:15 that's still gaining mass. What makes this
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 discovery particularly striking is is how it
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 illustrates the three dimensional nature of
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 our universe projected onto the two
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 dimensional plane of the night sky. When we
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 observe space, objects that appear to be
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 interacting might actually have no
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 relationship whatsoever. Separated by vast
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 cosmic distances,
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 HH4950 is relatively close to
00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 us, residing in the Chamalion 1 cloud
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 complex just 625 light years away,
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 practically in our cosmic backyard.
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 Meanwhile, the spiral galaxy that appears to
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 be at the tip of this outflow is incredibly
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51 distant, with no physical connection to the
00:08:51 --> 00:08:54 nearby stellar jet. Over thousands of
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 years, as the edge of HH
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 4950 continues to move outward,
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 it will eventually appear to cover up the
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 distant galaxy entirely, further changing
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 this chance cosmic alignment. Herbig haro
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 objects like HH4950 are among
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 the most dynamic and visually striking
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 phenomena in star formation. These glowing
00:09:13 --> 00:09:16 nebulae form when newborn stars eject high
00:09:16 --> 00:09:19 velocity jets of gas that collide violently
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 with the surrounding interstellar medium. The
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 process is rather dramatic as a young star
00:09:24 --> 00:09:27 forms from a collapsing cloud of gas and
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 dust. Not all material falls directly onto
00:09:29 --> 00:09:32 the protostar. Instead, some gets channeled
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 into these powerful, focused jets that blast
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 outward from the star's poles at astonishing
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 speeds, often hundreds of miles per second.
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 When these jets slam into the relatively calm
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 gas around them, they create shock fronts
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 similar to sonic booms in Earth's atmosphere.
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 These shock waves compress and heat the gas
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 to thousands of degrees, causing it to glow
00:09:55 --> 00:09:58 brightly across multiple wavelengths. As
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 the superheated gas gradually cools, it emits
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 light that we can detect in both visible and
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 infrared spectrums, creating the distinctive
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 glowing features we observe. What makes
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 Webb's observations particularly valuable is
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 the telescope's unparalleled infrared
00:10:13 --> 00:10:16 sensitivity and resolution. Previous
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 observations couldn't capture the intricate
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 details we're now seeing. Webb can clearly
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 trace the location of glowing hydrogen
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 molecules, carbon monoxide, and
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 energized dust grains as the
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 protostellar jet impacts the surrounding
00:10:30 --> 00:10:33 region. These fine scale
00:10:33 --> 00:10:36 observations allow astronomers to model the
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 properties of the jet with unprecedented
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 accuracy.
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 In a concerning discovery, astronomers have
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 detected an erupting supermassive black hole
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 producing enormous jets bursting from a
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 spiral galaxy similar to our Milky Way. The
00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 galaxy known as J2
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 3450449 is three times the size
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 of our galaxy and located
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 947 million light years away.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 Yet it's causing quite a stir in the
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 astronomical community due to its unusual
00:11:07 --> 00:11:10 characteristics. What's particularly alarming
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 about this finding is the scale of these
00:11:12 --> 00:11:15 jets. They stretch an astonishing 6 million
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 light years in length. To put that in
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 perspective, our entire Milky Way galaxy is
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 roughly 100 light years across,
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 making these jets 60 times longer than our
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 galaxy's diameter. While larger jets
00:11:28 --> 00:11:31 have been observed in the past, including one
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 named Porphyrion stretching 23 million
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 light years. Such massive emissions have
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 typically been associated with elliptical
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 galaxies, not spiral ones like
00:11:41 --> 00:11:45 J2300450449
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 and our own Milky Way. Perhaps even more
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 puzzling is the fact that
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 J23450449
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 appears remarkably tranquil despite housing
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 one of the most violent supermassive black
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 holes ever seen in a spiral galaxy.
00:12:00 --> 00:12:03 The Galaxy has somehow managed to maintain
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 its spiral structure, including its
00:12:05 --> 00:12:08 distinctive arms, bright nuclear bar of
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 stars, and stellar ring. This
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 directly contradicts previous scientific
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 models which predicted that such powerful
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 jets would tear apart the structure of a
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 spiral galaxy. Adding to this cosmic
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 mystery, J2345
00:12:23 --> 00:12:26 0449 contains 10 times
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 more dark matter than than our Milky Way and
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 is surrounded by a huge halo of superheated
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 gas. In most galaxies, this gas would be
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 cooling and condensing to form new stars.
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 However, in J2345
00:12:38 --> 00:12:41 0449, the Central Black hole
00:12:41 --> 00:12:44 acts as a cosmic furnace, heating this gas
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 halo and preventing star formation while
00:12:46 --> 00:12:48 producing intense X ray emissions, as
00:12:48 --> 00:12:51 one scientist involved in the study put it.
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 This discovery forces us to rethink our
00:12:53 --> 00:12:56 understanding of galactic evolution and how
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 supermassive black holes grow and shape their
00:12:59 --> 00:13:02 environments. It raises profound questions
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 about what this might mean for the future of
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 galaxies like our own Milky Way. This
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 discovery raises a chilling question that has
00:13:08 --> 00:13:11 astronomers concerned. Could Sagittarius
00:13:11 --> 00:13:14 A, the supermassive black hole lurking
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 at the center of our own Milky Way,
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 experience a similar eruption? The
00:13:18 --> 00:13:20 possibility is both fascinating and
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 terrifying. While Sagittarius
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 A is significantly smaller than the black
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 hole in J2345
00:13:27 --> 00:13:30 0449, just 4.3
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 million solar masses compared to the distant
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 galaxy's estimated 1.4 billion solar
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 masses, size isn't the only factor
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 determining a black hole's activity.
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 Currently, our galactic center's black hole
00:13:40 --> 00:13:43 is remarkably quiet. If Sagittarius
00:13:43 --> 00:13:46 A were a human, astronomers estimate it would
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 be as if it sustained itself on a single
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 grain of rice every million years. That's an
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 extraordinarily modest diet for such a
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 massive cosmic object. But this peaceful
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 state could change dramatically and with
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 little warning. If Sagittarius A
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 star were to capture a large gas cloud or
00:14:01 --> 00:14:04 even an entire staran event astronomers call
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 a tidal disruption event. It would suddenly
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 have an abundance of material to feed on. As
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 this stellar material falls toward the black
00:14:11 --> 00:14:14 hole, it would form a rapidly spinning
00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 accretion disk, and some of this energy would
00:14:16 --> 00:14:19 be channeled into powerful jets erupting from
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21 the black hole's poles. The consequences
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 of such an eruption would depend largely on
00:14:24 --> 00:14:27 the jets orientation and strength. If one
00:14:27 --> 00:14:30 of these jets, originating from 27
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 light years away at our galactic center,
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 happened to point directly at our solar
00:14:34 --> 00:14:37 system, the results could be catastrophic.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 The high energy particles and radiation
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 within such jets have the potential to strip
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 away planetary atmospheres, including
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 Earth's. The intense radiation could damage
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 DNA in living organisms, dramatically
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 increasing mutation rates across all life
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 forms on our planet. In a worst case
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 scenario where Earth takes a direct hit from
00:14:55 --> 00:14:58 such a jet, the high energy particles could
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 severely degrade our protective ozone layer,
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 potentially triggering a mass extinction
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 event similar to those seen in Earth's
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 geological record.
00:15:07 --> 00:15:10 On a more hopeful note, NASA continues to
00:15:10 --> 00:15:13 make progress on its Artemis 2 mission, which
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 will be the first crewed flight of the
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 Artemis program since its inception.
00:15:17 --> 00:15:20 Late Saturday night, technicians at Kennedy
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 Space center in Florida reached a significant
00:15:22 --> 00:15:25 milestone when they successfully moved the
00:15:25 --> 00:15:28 core stage for NASA's second Space Launch
00:15:28 --> 00:15:31 System rocket into position between the
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 vehicle's two solid fueled boosters.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 Working inside the iconic vehicle assembly
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 building, which stands an impressive 52
00:15:38 --> 00:15:41 stories tall, ground teams used heavy
00:15:41 --> 00:15:44 duty cranes to first lift the butterscotch
00:15:44 --> 00:15:47 orange core stage from its cradle. The
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 operation required meticulous precision as
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 the cranes rotated the massive structure
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 vertically before disconnecting one of the
00:15:53 --> 00:15:56 cranes from the bottom of the rocket. The
00:15:56 --> 00:15:59 Boeing built core stage is truly a
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 marvel of engineering. Weighing
00:16:01 --> 00:16:04 approximately 94 tons and measuring about
00:16:04 --> 00:16:07 212ft tall, this massive
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 component will contain 730
00:16:09 --> 00:16:12 gallons of cryogenic propellant when the
00:16:12 --> 00:16:15 rocket lifts off. It represents the single
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 largest element for the Artemis 2 mission.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 Once positioned, teams connected the core
00:16:20 --> 00:16:23 stage to each booster at forward and aft load
00:16:23 --> 00:16:26 bearing attach points. The next steps in the
00:16:26 --> 00:16:28 assembly process will include stacking a cone
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30 shaped adapter on top of the core stage,
00:16:31 --> 00:16:33 followed by the rocket's upper stage, another
00:16:33 --> 00:16:36 adapter ring, and finally the Orion
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 spacecraft that will house the four person
00:16:38 --> 00:16:41 crew during their journey. This mission
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 represents humanity's return to deep space
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 exploration as Artemis 2 will ferry four
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 astronauts around the far side of the moon.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 If all continues according to plan, this
00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 historic flight could launch as soon as next
00:16:52 --> 00:16:54 year, marking the first time humans have
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 ventured beyond low Earth orbit since the
00:16:56 --> 00:16:59 Apollo era ended over 50 years ago.
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 Despite being years behind schedule, the
00:17:02 --> 00:17:05 Artemis program continues to gain momentum.
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 NASA has achieved several important
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 milestones recently, including the
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12 installation of the Orion spacecraft's solar
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 panels and completing the crucial closeouts
00:17:14 --> 00:17:17 of its service module with aerodynamic panels
00:17:17 --> 00:17:20 that will jettison during launch. A
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 few months ago, there was serious speculation
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 that NASA's Space Launch System might face
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 cancellation due to its high costs and
00:17:27 --> 00:17:30 delays. However, this possibility
00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 seems increasingly unlikely as alternative
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 heavy lift vehicles aren't ready for human
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 spaceflight. Both SpaceX's Starship and
00:17:37 --> 00:17:40 Blue Origin's New Glenn, while promising, are
00:17:40 --> 00:17:42 still years away from being certified for
00:17:42 --> 00:17:45 crewed missions. Starship, though holding
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 enormous long term potential to be cheaper
00:17:47 --> 00:17:50 and more capable than SLS has faced recent
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 setbacks with back to back failures early
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 this year. The vehicle needs to demonstrate
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 reliable recovery, reuse and in orbit
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 refueling before it can be considered for
00:17:59 --> 00:18:02 human missions. Similarly, Blue
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04 Origin's New Glenn had a successful debut
00:18:04 --> 00:18:06 flight in January, but its development
00:18:06 --> 00:18:08 timeline suggests it won't be ready for
00:18:08 --> 00:18:11 crewed flights anytime soon. These
00:18:11 --> 00:18:14 circumstances have created a situation where,
00:18:14 --> 00:18:17 despite its delays and budget overruns, the
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 Space Launch System remains NASA's only
00:18:19 --> 00:18:22 viable option for sending humans beyond Earth
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 orbit in the near term. This practical
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 reality, combined with the progress being
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 made on hardware assembly, makes it
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 increasingly likely that NASA will proceed
00:18:30 --> 00:18:33 with Artemis 2 as planned, marking humanity's
00:18:33 --> 00:18:36 long awaited return to deep space exploration
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 that wraps up today's episode of Astronomy
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 Daily.
00:18:40 --> 00:18:43 What an incredible journey through our cosmic
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 neighborhood we've had today. From the
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 tantalizing discovery of complex organic
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 molecules on Mars, to that could point to
00:18:49 --> 00:18:52 ancient life, to the terrifying potential of
00:18:52 --> 00:18:55 galactic scale black hole eruptions, to
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 the steady progress of humanity's return to
00:18:57 --> 00:19:00 the moon, the universe continues to both
00:19:00 --> 00:19:03 inspire and humble us. I'm
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 Anna and I've been your host for Astronomy
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 Daily. If you enjoyed today's episode, you
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 can listen to all our back episodes at
00:19:09 --> 00:19:12 astronomydaily, IO where we maintain a
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 complete archive of our broadcasts. And don't
00:19:14 --> 00:19:16 forget to connect with us on social media.
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 Just search for Astro Daily Pod on Facebook,
00:19:18 --> 00:19:21 X, YouTubeMusic, YouTubeMusic, Music,
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 Instagram and TikTok. Thanks for joining me
00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 on this cosmic journey. I'll see you again
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 tomorrow as we continue to explore the
00:19:28 --> 00:19:30 wonders of our universe together. In the
00:19:30 --> 00:19:32 meantime, keep looking up.