- New Insights on Trappist 1d: Join us as we explore the latest findings regarding the exoplanet Trappist 1d, which, despite its Earth-like size and rocky surface, has been ruled out as a potential twin due to the absence of a suitable atmosphere. Discover what this means for the search for life beyond our solar system and the implications of red dwarf stars on planetary atmospheres.
- - Colorado's Lunar Surface Simulator: Travel closer to home as we discuss an innovative lunar surface simulator built at the Colorado School of Mines. This impressive facility is testing lunar rovers and excavation equipment, providing vital data for future Moon missions and commercial activities.
- - Controversial Executive Order on Rocket Launches: Delve into the recent executive order signed by President Trump aimed at streamlining regulations for commercial rocket launches. We examine the balance between fostering innovation and ensuring environmental safeguards, as well as the mixed reactions from industry leaders and environmental advocates.
- - Supermassive Black Hole Awakens: Marvel at the discovery of a supermassive black hole located 6 billion light years away, caught in the act of awakening. This unprecedented observation offers insights into the early stages of black hole activity and its influence on galaxy formation, providing a unique opportunity to study these cosmic giants.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTube Music, 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 Ena and Avery signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
Trappist 1d Study
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Lunar Surface Simulator Information
[Colorado School of Mines](https://www.mines.edu/)
Executive Order Details
[Federal Aviation Administration](https://www.faa.gov/)
Black Hole Discovery
[University of Bologna](https://www.unibo.it/en)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Welcome back to Astronomy Daily, your daily
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 dive into the cosmos. I'm Ena.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 Avery: And I'm Avery. We're so glad you could join
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 us today for another fascinating journey
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 through the latest in space and astronomy
00:00:12 --> 00:00:12 news.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 Anna: Today, uh, we're going to travel light years
00:00:15 --> 00:00:18 away to discuss new findings about a distant
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 exoplanet that's not quite Earth's
00:00:20 --> 00:00:21 twin.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 Avery: Then we'll shift gears and get down to Earth,
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 specifically to Colorado, where a new lunar
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 surface simulator is putting Moon machinery
00:00:29 --> 00:00:30 to the test.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 Anna: And for those interested in the policy side
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 of space, we'll be looking at a controversial
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 executive order aiming to cut red tape
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 for commercial rocket launches.
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 Avery: Finally, we'll marvel at a cosmic M giant
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 caught in the act of waking up billions of
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 light years away, giving us unprecedented
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 insight into black holes.
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 Anna: Kicking off our news, let's talk about
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 exoplanets. Specifically one that has
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 long captivated astronomers. Surviving,
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 searching for life beyond our solar system.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 Trappist1d this
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 planet is incredibly intriguing because
00:01:06 --> 00:01:09 it's similar in size to Earth, it's
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 rocky, and it resides in an area around
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 its star where liquid water on its surface
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 is theoretically possible.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 Avery: That sounds incredibly promising, like a real
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 contender for another habitable world. What's
00:01:22 --> 00:01:22 the latest?
00:01:22 --> 00:01:25 Anna: Well, Avery, a new study using data from
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 the NASA ESA CSA James Webb,
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 Space Telescop, has unfortunately
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 delivered some sobering news. Despite
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 all Those promising characteristics,
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 Trappist1d does not have an Earth like
00:01:39 --> 00:01:40 atmosphere.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 Avery: Oh, that's a bit of a letdown. An atmosphere
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 is pretty crucial for habitability, isn't it?
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 Anna: Absolutely. A protective atmosphere
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 along with a friendly star and liquid water
00:01:52 --> 00:01:53 is what makes Earth so special.
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 Astronomers are really on a mission with Webb
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 to determine just how unique our home planet
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 is. Caroline Pialet Goryeb, the lead
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 author of the study, put it clearly stating
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 that while Webb is allowing them to explore
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 this question for Earth sized planets for the
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 first time, they can now rule out
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 Trappist1d from a list of potential Earth
00:02:15 --> 00:02:16 twins or cousins.
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 Avery: So what exactly did Webb's instruments find,
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 or rather not find?
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 Anna: Webb's near infrared Spectroscope or near
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 spec instrument did not detect
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 molecules common in Earth's atmosphere like
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 water, methane or carbon. D.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 Pialit Goryeb outlined a few possibilities
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 for Trappist1d. It could have an
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 extremely thin atmosphere similar to Mars,
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 or perhaps very thick high altitude
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 clouds like Venus that are blocking their
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 detection of specific atmospheric signatures.
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 Or it could simply be a, uh, barren rock with
00:02:52 --> 00:02:53 no atmosphere at all.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 Avery: That's quite a range of possibilities from
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 Mars like to Venus like or even
00:02:58 --> 00:02:59 completely barren.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 Anna: Indeed. And it highlights some of the
00:03:02 --> 00:03:05 inherent challenges of planets orbiting red
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 dwarf stars like Trappist 1.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 This star, while dim and relatively cold,
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 is known to be quite volatile. It often
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 releases flares of high energy radiation,
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 which have the potential to strip, uh, away
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 the atmospheres of its small planets,
00:03:21 --> 00:03:24 especially those orbiting closest.
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 Avery: Right. So even if a planet starts with an
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 atmosphere, these stellar flares could just
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 blast it away over time. But why are
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 scientists still so motivated to look for
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 atmospheres around these specific planets?
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 Anna: Because red dwarf stars are the most common
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 stars in our galaxy. If planets can
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 hold onto an atmosphere in such a harsh
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 environment under waves of intense stellar
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 radiation, it really changes our
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 understanding of where life might be
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 possible. And Bjorn Benike, a co author of
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 the study, mentioned that Webb's sensitive
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 infrared instruments are allowing them to
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 delve into the atmospheres of these smaller,
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 colder planets for the first time. They're
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 just starting to define the line between
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 planets that can hold onto an atmosphere and
00:04:08 --> 00:04:09 those that can't.
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 Avery: So is all hope lost for the Trappist 1 system
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 as a whole? Are there any other planets in
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 that system that might still be candidates
00:04:17 --> 00:04:18 for an atmosphere?
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 Anna: Not at all. In fact, Webb observations of
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 the outer Trappist 1 planets are still
00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 ongoing. Planets E, F, G,
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 and H are further away from the energetic
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 eruptions of their host star, which means
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 they might have a better chance of retaining
00:04:35 --> 00:04:35 their atmospheres.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 Avery: That's encouraging. So there's still a chance
00:04:38 --> 00:04:41 for the Trappist 1 system to host worlds with
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 significant atmospheres, even if Trappist 1D
00:04:44 --> 00:04:45 isn't one of them.
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 Anna: Um, exactly. As Pilat Gaheleb
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 said, all hope is not lost for atmospheres
00:04:50 --> 00:04:53 around the Trappist 1 planets. While they
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 didn't find a strong atmospheric signature at
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 Planet D, there's still potential for the
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 outer planets to hold onto a lot of water and
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 other atmospheric components. Ryan McDonald,
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 another co author, emphasised that their
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 detective work is just beginning, and this
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 research reinforces how truly special
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 Earth is in the cosmos.
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 Avery: Speaking of special places and innovative
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 research, let's pivot from distant exoplanets
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 to something a little closer to home, but
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 still very much out of this world, the Moon.
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 There's an impressive new facility in
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 Colorado that's literally bringing the lunar
00:05:30 --> 00:05:31 surface down to Earth.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 Anna: That's right, Avery. The Colorado School of
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 Mines has built a massive simulated
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 moonscape, and it's being put to work testing
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 lunar rovers, evaluating lunar landing and
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 launch pads, excavation gear, and all
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 sorts of other hardware for future Moon
00:05:47 --> 00:05:50 missions. It's all about getting a practical
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 understanding of how to work effectively with
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 robotic spacecraft on the lunar surface.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 Avery: A simulated moonscape. That sounds
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 fascinating. How large is the facility?
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 Anna: It's quite substantial. Ian Jean, an
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 adjunct professor and structural engineer at
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 the school, confirmed that the MINES lunar
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 surface simulator is up and running and being
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 used almost daily. They filled it with over
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 110 tonnes, or 100
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 metric tonnes, of lunar regolith
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 simulant. Imagine having that much
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 simulated moon dust.
00:06:23 --> 00:06:26 Avery: Wow, that's a lot of simulant. What kind
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 of projects are they running there?
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 Anna: Currently, one of the key projects underway
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 is called aspect, which stands for
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 Autonomous Site Preparation and
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 Excavation Compaction and Testing. It's
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 part of NASA's Lunar Surface Technology
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 research programme, aiming to demonstrate
00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 automated lunar site preparation. The ASPECT
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 rover is fully autonomous and equipped for
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 regolith excavation, moving boulders and
00:06:51 --> 00:06:52 surface compaction.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 Avery: That's crucial for future lunar bases and
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58 sustained presence on the moon. Building such
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 a unique facility must have presented a lot
00:07:00 --> 00:07:01 of challenges.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 Anna: Absolutely. Chris Dreyer, director of
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 engineering at the Colorado School of Mine's
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 Centre for Space Resources, highlighted
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 several. Beyond sourcing such a large
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14 quantity of high quality lunar regolith
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 simulant, affordably the structure itself
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 needed to be dust tight and, um, waterproof.
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 They even built a gantry system inside to
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 track rover movements. And an assistant,
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 professor, Frankie Zhu, developed a motion
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 capture system to model rover mobility.
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 Avery: So it's not just a big sandbox, it's a
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 meticulously engineered testing environment.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 Anna: Exactly. Dreier noted that the entire
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 process, from planning to construction, took
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 over a year. And he now understands why there
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 are so few equivalent testbeds globally.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 It's a testament to the complexity and
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 dedication involved. But it's also open for
00:07:52 --> 00:07:55 innovation. Attracting external partners,
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 that's really smart.
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 Avery: Creating a resource for the broader
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 commercial space industry. Are companies
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 already using it?
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 Anna: Yes, indeed. A Colorado based company is
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 building robotic infrastructure, including a
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 rover called Eagle, with the goal of opening
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 the moon for further exploration and
00:08:11 --> 00:08:14 commercial activity. Interlune, a Seattle
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 based startup focused on commercialising
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 space resources like harvesting helium 3
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 from the moon, is also interested. And
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 Neurospace from Berlin
00:08:25 --> 00:08:28 recently evaluated its modular rover
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 platform, the Hiver, at the facility.
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 Avery: So this isn't just about NASA or government
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 missions. It's a hub for private companies
00:08:35 --> 00:08:35 looking.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 Anna: To make their mark on the moon too precisely.
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 Irene Salvanathan, CEO of
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 Neurospace, mentioned they're identifying
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 the minimum technology needed to build
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 inexpensive, affordable and
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51 scalable rovers. The Hive R, for
00:08:51 --> 00:08:54 example, is modular, flexible and can
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 even repair itself. Dreyer
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 reiterated that they're always looking for
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 opportunities to support technology
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 development from startups, established
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 aerospace companies and academia. He
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 sees vast opportunities for the testbed in
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 lunar excavation, construction,
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 mobility sensing and dust
00:09:15 --> 00:09:15 mitigation.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 Avery: This simulator truly sounds like a
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 cornerstone for future lunar exploration and
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 commercial endeavours, enabling companies to
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 test their innovations right here on Earth
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 before sending them to the moon.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:30 Anna: Absolutely, Avery. And speaking of
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 testing things before they head to space, our
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 next story deals with how we're regulating
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 those very launches here on Earth.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 There's been some significant news regarding
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 changes to the rules governing commercial
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 rocket launches.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 Avery: Yes, it's a topic that's often debated in the
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 space industry. The balance between fostering
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 rapid innovation and ensuring safety and
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 environmental protection. President Donald
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 Trump recently signed an executive order.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 That's stirring up a lot of discussion about
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 exactly that.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 Anna: That's right. On Wednesday, President
00:10:02 --> 00:10:05 Trump signed an executive order directing
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 government agencies to eliminate or
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 expedite environmental reviews for commercial
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 launch and re entry licences. The
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 Federal Aviation Administration, or
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 faa, which is part of the Department of
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 Transportation, is the primary agency that
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 grants these licences.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 Avery: So the goal is to reduce what's often
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 referred to as red tape for companies in the
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 commercial space sector.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 Anna: Precisely. This push for deregulation
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 is expected to be particularly welcomed by
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 companies like SpaceX, which conducts the
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 vast majority of commercial launches and re
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 entries licenced by the faa. The
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 order specifically directs Transportation
00:10:45 --> 00:10:48 Secretary Sean Duffy, who's also the acting
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 Administrator of NASA, to use all
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 available authorities to fast track these
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 environmental review.
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 Avery: And it's not just about environmental
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 reviews, is it? I recall there were also
00:10:58 --> 00:11:01 regulations that the industry found
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 burdensome.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 Anna: You're spot on. The executive order also
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 includes a clause directing defy to re
00:11:07 --> 00:11:10 evaluate, amend or even rescind
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 a set of launch safety regulations known as
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 Part 450. These rules were actually
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 written during the first Trump administration
00:11:18 --> 00:11:21 and went into effect in 2021.
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 But space companies have since complained
00:11:23 --> 00:11:26 they are too cumbersome and have actually
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 slowed down the licence approval process.
00:11:29 --> 00:11:32 Avery: So a past attempt at streamlining ironically
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 created new hurdles. What else does the order
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 aim to achieve?
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 Anna: It goes further. Trump ordered NASA,
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 the military and the Department of
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 Transportation to eliminate duplicative
00:11:42 --> 00:11:45 reviews for spaceport development, especially
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 at federally owned launch ranges like Cape
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 Canaveral in Florida or or Vandenberg Space
00:11:51 --> 00:11:54 Force Base in California. The administration
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 also plans to make the head of the FAA's
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 Office of Commercial Space Transportation a
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 political appointee rather than a career
00:12:02 --> 00:12:05 civil servant, and elevate the Office of
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 Space Commerce.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 Avery: It sounds like a comprehensive effort to
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 reshape the regulatory landscape for
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 commercial spaceflight. What's the stated
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 policy goal behind all these changes?
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 Anna: The Executive Order clearly states it
00:12:18 --> 00:12:21 is the policy of the United States to enhance
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 American greatness in space by
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 enabling a, uh, competitive launch
00:12:25 --> 00:12:28 marketplace and substantially increasing
00:12:28 --> 00:12:31 commercial space launch cadence and novel
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 space activities by 2030.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 Essentially, they want to streamline
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 approvals to boost the US based operators.
00:12:39 --> 00:12:42 However, as with any significant policy
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 change, there's always a flip side and
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 concerns raised. What have environmental
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 groups said about this order?
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 Avery: There's been significant criticism. Jared
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 Margolis, a senior attorney for the Centre
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 for Biological Diversity, voiced strong
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 opposition, stating that this reckless order
00:12:59 --> 00:13:02 puts people and wildlife at risk from private
00:13:02 --> 00:13:05 companies launching giant rockets that often
00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 explode and wreak devastation on surrounding
00:13:07 --> 00:13:10 areas. He added that bending the
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 knee to powerful corporations by allowing
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 federal agencies to ignore bedrock
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 environmental laws is incredibly dangerous
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 and puts all of us in harm's way.
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 Anna: So the concern is that expediting these
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 reviews might compromise environmental
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 safeguards and public safety.
00:13:27 --> 00:13:30 Exactly. The changes to the environmental
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 review process, particularly regarding the
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 National Environmental Policy act or
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 nepa, are considered the most
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 controversial part of the order. NEPA
00:13:40 --> 00:13:43 requires federal agencies to evaluate the
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 environmental effects of their actions. The
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 the White House has directed the
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 Transportation Department to identify
00:13:49 --> 00:13:52 activities not subject to NEPA and
00:13:52 --> 00:13:55 establish exclusions for launch and re entry
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 licences.
00:13:57 --> 00:14:00 Avery: On the other hand, those in favour argue that
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 these changes are vital for the growth and
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 competitiveness of the US space industry.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 Anna: That's the perspective from Secretary Duffy,
00:14:07 --> 00:14:10 who argued the order is important to sustain
00:14:10 --> 00:14:13 economic growth. He said, by slashing
00:14:13 --> 00:14:16 red tape, tying up spaceport construction,
00:14:16 --> 00:14:18 streamlining launch licences so they can
00:14:18 --> 00:14:21 occur at scale and creating high level space
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 positions in governments, we can unleash the
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 next wave of innovation. Lara
00:14:26 --> 00:14:29 Forsyk, founder of the space consulting firm
00:14:29 --> 00:14:32 Astrolytical, also noted that while the Biden
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 Administration knew reforms were needed for
00:14:34 --> 00:14:37 commercial launch regulations, little was
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 done and she hopes this executive order will
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 spur more action.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 Avery: And what about the industry itself?
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 Anna: Dave Cavosa, president of the Commercial
00:14:46 --> 00:14:49 Space Flight Federation, applauded the move,
00:14:49 --> 00:14:51 stating that it will strengthen and grow the
00:14:51 --> 00:14:54 US commercial space industry by cutting red
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 tape while maintaining a commitment to public
00:14:56 --> 00:14:58 safety. It's interesting to note that while
00:14:58 --> 00:15:01 the NEPA aspect is controversial, the attempt
00:15:01 --> 00:15:04 to reform or rescind the Part 450 launch
00:15:04 --> 00:15:07 and re entry regulations actually appears to
00:15:07 --> 00:15:09 have bipartisan support in Congress.
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 Avery: So there's a recognised need for regulatory
00:15:12 --> 00:15:15 efficiency, but the specific approach,
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 especially concerning environmental
00:15:17 --> 00:15:20 oversight, is where the disagreement lies.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:23 Anna: Yes, and the order even seeks to limit the
00:15:23 --> 00:15:26 authority of state officials in enforcing
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 their own environmental rules related to
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 spaceport construction or operation.
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 This is especially relevant after the
00:15:33 --> 00:15:35 California Coastal Commission recently
00:15:35 --> 00:15:38 rejected a proposal by SpaceX to double
00:15:38 --> 00:15:41 its launch cadence at Vandenberg's Space for
00:15:41 --> 00:15:41 Space.
00:15:42 --> 00:15:45 Avery: This really highlights the complex interplay
00:15:45 --> 00:15:47 between federal policy, state regulations,
00:15:47 --> 00:15:50 and the rapidly advancing private space
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 industry. It's clear that finding the right
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 balance will be an ongoing challenge.
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 Anna: It definitely is, Avery.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 And moving from the complexities of
00:15:58 --> 00:16:01 earthbound regulations to the truly
00:16:01 --> 00:16:04 cosmic, our next story takes us
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 billions of light years away to witness
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 something incredible. The a supermassive
00:16:08 --> 00:16:11 black hole caught in the very act of
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 switching on.
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 Avery: That sounds absolutely fascinating, Anna. Uh,
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 a black hole waking up. That's quite an
00:16:17 --> 00:16:20 image. Tell us more about this cosmic alarm
00:16:20 --> 00:16:20 clock.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:23 Anna: This discovery centres on a galaxy cluster
00:16:23 --> 00:16:26 called Chips 1911,
00:16:27 --> 00:16:30 uh, 4455, located an
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 incredible 6 billion light years from Earth.
00:16:33 --> 00:16:36 At its heart lies a supermassive black
00:16:36 --> 00:16:39 hole that has only recently turned on,
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42 roughly a thousand years ago. While that
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 might sound like a long time to us, in
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 astronomical terms, it's truly just a blink
00:16:48 --> 00:16:51 of an eye. Lead researcher
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 Francesco Ubertosi from the University
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 of Bologna described it as like
00:16:56 --> 00:16:59 watching a sleeping giant wake up.
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 The team used an array of powerful
00:17:02 --> 00:17:05 telescopes, including the Very Long
00:17:05 --> 00:17:08 Baseline Array and Very Large Array,
00:17:08 --> 00:17:10 to peer deep into space with
00:17:10 --> 00:17:13 remarkable precision. Imagine being
00:17:13 --> 00:17:16 able to read a newspaper in Los Angeles
00:17:16 --> 00:17:19 while standing in New York. That's the kind
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 of detail they achieved.
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 Avery: That's an astonishing level of detail. So
00:17:23 --> 00:17:26 what makes this newly awakened black hole so
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 special compared to others?
00:17:28 --> 00:17:31 Anna: What's unique is that it's essentially a
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34 newborn in terms of its activity. The
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 jets of material it's shooting out extend
00:17:36 --> 00:17:39 only about a hundred light years from its
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 centre. While that sounds like enormous,
00:17:42 --> 00:17:44 it's actually tiny by black hole standards.
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 Mature black holes in similar systems can
00:17:47 --> 00:17:50 create jets stretching for tens of thousands
00:17:50 --> 00:17:53 of light years. Most black holes
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 astronomers study have been active for
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 millions of years, which makes it very
00:17:57 --> 00:18:00 difficult to understand how they first begin
00:18:00 --> 00:18:03 to influence their surroundings. This newly
00:18:03 --> 00:18:06 awakened black hole provides a unique before
00:18:06 --> 00:18:09 picture, showing scientists what happens
00:18:09 --> 00:18:12 in the earliest stages of black hole
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 activity.
00:18:13 --> 00:18:15 Avery: So it's like a cosmic laboratory, allowing
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 them to study the very first moments of a
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 black hole's influence.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:22 Anna: Precisely. Co author Mariam
00:18:22 --> 00:18:25 Giddey from the University of Bologna
00:18:25 --> 00:18:28 noted that the jets are so young and
00:18:28 --> 00:18:31 small that they haven't had time to push away
00:18:31 --> 00:18:33 the surrounding hot gas. This creates a
00:18:33 --> 00:18:36 perfect natural laboratory for studying
00:18:36 --> 00:18:39 how black holes first begin to influence
00:18:39 --> 00:18:42 their cosmic neighbourhood. And here's
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 another intriguing detail. While the black
00:18:44 --> 00:18:47 hole itself is just waking up. The
00:18:47 --> 00:18:50 galaxy around it is anything but
00:18:50 --> 00:18:53 sleepy. This galaxy is creating new
00:18:53 --> 00:18:55 stars at an astounding rate. Between
00:18:56 --> 00:18:59 140 and 190 times
00:18:59 --> 00:19:01 the mass of our sun every single year.
00:19:02 --> 00:19:05 Avery: That's an incredible rate. For perspective,
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 our entire Milky Way galaxy only forms about
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 one sun's worth of stars annually.
00:19:10 --> 00:19:13 Anna: Exactly. The researchers believe they
00:19:13 --> 00:19:16 may actually be witnessing this smoking gun
00:19:16 --> 00:19:19 of how black holes get triggered in the first
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 place. The hot gas surrounding this black
00:19:21 --> 00:19:24 hole is cooling very efficiently, which
00:19:24 --> 00:19:27 potentially provides the fuel needed to
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 wake up the black hole.
00:19:28 --> 00:19:31 Avery: That makes sense. It's like pouring fuel onto
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 a fire. So understanding how
00:19:33 --> 00:19:36 supermassive black holes wake up must have
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 significant implications for our
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 understanding of the universe.
00:19:40 --> 00:19:43 Anna: Absolutely. Understanding how they wake
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 up helps solve fundamental questions about
00:19:45 --> 00:19:48 how galaxies evolve. These black
00:19:48 --> 00:19:51 holes play a crucial role in regulating
00:19:51 --> 00:19:54 star formation and shaping the largest
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 structures in the universe. By catching
00:19:56 --> 00:19:59 one in the act of awakening, it's
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 possible to finally study this process
00:20:02 --> 00:20:05 as it unfolds, rather than just seeing the
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 end result.
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 Avery: And, um, I imagine this kind of discovery
00:20:08 --> 00:20:10 requires combining data from multiple
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 sources.
00:20:11 --> 00:20:14 Anna: It did. The discovery required combining
00:20:14 --> 00:20:17 observations from multiple telescopes,
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 each providing different pieces of the
00:20:19 --> 00:20:22 puzzle. Some offered ultra high
00:20:22 --> 00:20:25 resolution to see the tiny jets, while
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 others provided the sensitivity needed to
00:20:27 --> 00:20:30 detect faint signals from star formation.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:34 As the research team continues, they hope
00:20:34 --> 00:20:36 to watch how this black hole evolves over
00:20:36 --> 00:20:39 time and find more similar systems.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 This could truly revolutionise our
00:20:41 --> 00:20:44 understanding of how the universe's most
00:20:44 --> 00:20:47 powerful objects first begin to shape the
00:20:47 --> 00:20:49 cosmos around them.
00:20:49 --> 00:20:51 Avery: What an incredible journey we've had today.
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 From the intriguing, yet ultimately not
00:20:54 --> 00:20:57 earth, like Trappist1d to the innovative
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 Lunar Surface Simulator here on Earth.
00:20:59 --> 00:21:02 Anna: And let's not forget the important discussion
00:21:02 --> 00:21:05 about commercial space regulations and the
00:21:05 --> 00:21:07 truly groundbreaking discovery of a black
00:21:07 --> 00:21:10 hole caught in the act of awakening.
00:21:10 --> 00:21:12 It's been a packed episode of Cosmic
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 Insights.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:16 Avery: It certainly has, Anna. Uh, we hope all our
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 listeners enjoy today's exploration of the
00:21:18 --> 00:21:21 universe's latest news. Thank you for tuning
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 in to Astronomy.
00:21:22 --> 00:21:25 Anna: Daily, and we look forward to bringing you
00:21:25 --> 00:21:27 more fascinating stories from across the
00:21:27 --> 00:21:30 cosmos very soon. Until next time,
00:21:30 --> 00:21:33 space explorers, keep looking up at our
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 wonderful cosmos.