- NASA and DOE sign memorandum of understanding
- President Trump's executive order drives ambitious timeline
- Nuclear power essential for permanent lunar bases
- Building on 50+ years of space nuclear collaboration
- First-ever medical evacuation from ISS proceeds on schedule
- Undocking set for 5:05 PM EST Wednesday, January 15
- Splashdown off California coast at 3:41 AM Thursday
- Station will operate with skeleton crew of three
- River delta features identified in Valles Marineris
- Ocean covered half of Mars 3+ billion years ago
- High-resolution orbital imagery reveals ancient coastline
- Major implications for Mars' past habitability
- MIT study reveals brains move "backward, upward and tilted"
- Changes persist up to 6 months after return to Earth
- Brain displacement linked to post-flight balance issues
- Critical for planning longer Moon and Mars missions
- Eric Schmidt funds Lazuli Space Observatory
- "Move fast" philosophy applied to flagship telescope
- Designed to catch transient events like gravitational waves
- Will test technology for future NASA missions
- Chang'e-6 samples reveal impact chemistry differences
- Ancient collision reshaped Moon's internal structure
- Evidence of hemisphere-wide mantle convection
- First hard evidence from lunar far side
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This episode includes AI-generated content.
00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Hello, everyone and welcome to Astronomy
00:00:03 --> 00:00:04 Daily. I'm Anna.
00:00:04 --> 00:00:07 Avery: And I'm Avery. Thanks for joining us this
00:00:07 --> 00:00:10 Tuesday, January 14, 2026.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 We've got a fantastic lineup of space news
00:00:13 --> 00:00:13 for you today.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 Anna: We really do. We're covering everything
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 from nuclear reactors on the moon to
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 ancient Martian oceans, plus some
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 fascinating discoveries about how spaceflight
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 affects astronaut brains.
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 Avery: And we'll be talking about a major ISS
00:00:29 --> 00:00:32 update, a new privately fund space
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 telescope and scientists finally solving a
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 six decade old mystery about the moon's two
00:00:38 --> 00:00:38 faces.
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 Anna: It's going to be an exciting episode, so
00:00:42 --> 00:00:43 let's dive right in.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:43 Avery: Anna.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 Uh, let's start with some big news from NASA
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 and the Department of Energy. The United
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 States is getting serious about putting a
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 nuclear reactor on the moon by 2030.
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 Anna: That's right, Avery. This isn't just talk
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 anymore. Last week, NASA Administrator
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 Jared Isaacman and U.S. secretary of Energy
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 Chris Wright signed a memorial memorandum of
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 understanding that reaffirms their commitment
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 to meet that ambitious deadline.
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 Avery: And this comes on the heels of President
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 Trump's executive order from December calling
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 for construction to begin on a lunar base by
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 2030 with a nuclear reactor ready to
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 launch by that same year.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 Anna: Isaacman said something really interesting in
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 the announcement. He said achieving this
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 future requires harnessing nuclear power.
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 This agreement enables closer collaboration
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 between NASA and the Department of Energy to
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 deliver the capabilities necessary to usher
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 in the golden age of space exploration and
00:01:41 --> 00:01:41 discovery.
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 Avery: It makes sense when you think about it.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 Nuclear power can generate electricity
00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 continuously for years without refuelling.
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 And it's not affected by the moon's two week
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 long nights or changing weather conditions
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 like solar panels would be.
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 Anna: And this isn't the first time NASA and the
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 Department of Energy have worked together on
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 space nuclear systems. They've been
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 collaborating for more than half a century.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:06 Right?
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 Avery: Many of NASA's deep space robotic explorers
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 have used radioisotope thermoelectric
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 generators, or RTGs, as a power
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 source. We're talking about missions like the
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 Cassini Saturn orbiter and the Curiosity and
00:02:19 --> 00:02:20 Perseverance Mars rovers.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 Anna: But this lunar reactor would be something
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 different entirely. It would be designed to
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 power one or more bases on the lunar
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 surface. As part of NASA's Artemis programme,
00:02:32 --> 00:02:32 Secretary.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 Avery: Wright made a connection to America's
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 historic achievements. He said history shows
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 that when American science and innovation
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 come together, from the Manhattan Project to
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 the Apollo mission, our nation leads the
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 world to reach new frontiers once thought
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50 impossible. This agreement continues that
00:02:50 --> 00:02:50 legacy.
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 Anna: For NASA's Artemis programme, having a
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 reliable long term power source on the Moon
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 is absolutely critical. If we're going to
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 establish a permanent presence there and use
00:03:02 --> 00:03:05 it as a stepping stone to Mars. We need
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 infrastructure that can operate reliably.
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 Avery: For years, and the 2030 timeline
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 is really aggressive. We're talking about
00:03:12 --> 00:03:15 just over four years from now. That's
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 incredibly fast for a project of this
00:03:17 --> 00:03:17 magnitude.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 Anna: It is. But with the renewed focus on
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 lunar exploration and the competition with
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 other spacefaring nations, particularly
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 China, there's definitely motivation to move
00:03:28 --> 00:03:29 quickly.
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 Avery: Speaking of space developments, we have an
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 important update on the Crew 11 situation at
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 the International Space Station. Mission
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 managers have officially given the go for the
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 crew's return to Earth tomorrow.
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 Anna: That's right. NASA astronauts Zena Cardman
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 and Mike Finke, along with JAXA astronaut
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 Kimia Yu and Roscosmos cosmonaut
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 Oleg Platanov, are scheduled to undock
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 from the harmony module at 5:05pm
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 Eastern Time on Wednesday.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 Avery: And they're coming home aboard the SpaceX
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 Dragon crew spacecraft, with Cardman
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 commanding and Finke piloting. The weather
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 forecast is looking excellent for their
00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 parachute assisted splashdown off the coast
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 of California, which is scheduled for
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 3:41am on Thursday.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 Anna: Yesterday, the crew spent most of their time
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 preparing for departure. They packed cargo,
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 reviewed return to Earth procedures and
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 transferred hardware. Hardman and her
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 crewmates also trained on how to use
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 respirators during unlikely emergency
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 events like an ammonia Lee.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 Avery: NASA is planning extensive coverage of the
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 event. NASA will begin live coverage at
00:04:38 --> 00:04:41 3pm on Wednesday when the crew enters the
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 Dragon spacecraft and says goodbye to the
00:04:44 --> 00:04:45 remaining crew on the station.
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 Anna: Coverage continues at 4:45pm
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 for the actual undocking, then
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 returns at 2:15am Thursday
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 for the descent, and finally at
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 5:45am for the post splashdown
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 news conference. You can watch all of this on
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 NASA, Amazon prime or
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 NASA's YouTube channel.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 Avery: As we discussed yesterday, this is the first
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 medical evacuation in ISS history.
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 The crew was originally scheduled to stay
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 until after Crew 12 arrived in mid February,
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 but an undisclosed medical condition
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 affecting one of the four crew members
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 prompted NASA to bring them home early.
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 Anna: After Crew 11 leaves, Expedition
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 74 will be commanded by
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 Kudzverchkov, leading flight engineers
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 Sergei Mikayev and NASA's Chris
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 Williams. That's a skeleton crew of just
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 three people running the entire station.
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 Avery: Yesterday, Kuts, Verchkov and Mikhayev
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 participated in a study assessing how crews
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 make decisions and work together in space,
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 which is especially relevant given they'll be
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 operating with a reduced crew for a while.
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 Anna: BASA is still evaluating whether they can
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 move up the Crew 12 launch date to replenish
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 the station crew sooner than originally
00:06:03 --> 00:06:04 planned.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 Avery: Now let's talk about Mars. Anna. There's
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 exciting new evidence that an ancient ocean
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 once covered half the planet.
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 Anna: This is really fascinating research, Avery.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 A team led by Ignatius
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 argadestia, a, uh, PhD student at the
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 University of Bern, has identified features
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 in Mars Valles Marineris that
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 look remarkably similar to river deltas here
00:06:28 --> 00:06:28 on Earth.
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 Avery: Valles Marineris is that massive canyon
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 system on Mars, right? The largest in the
00:06:34 --> 00:06:34 solar system.
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 Anna: Exactly. Along with Olympus Mons,
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 it's one of Mars's most defining features.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 This research focused specifically on the
00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 southeast part of a sub canyon called
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 Copratus Chosma.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 Avery: The researchers used images from multiple
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 orbital Cameras, CTX and
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 HiRISE on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 Orbiter and CASSIS
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 on the ESA Roscosmos
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 Trace Gas Orbiter. They also worked with
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 digital elevation models to examine what they
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 call scarpa fronted deposits.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 Anna: These scarp fronted deposits, or
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 SFDs, are fan shaped
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 sediment deposits that form where a river
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 empties into a body of standing water.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:23 The team identified three of these features
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 in Copratus Chasma and they're almost
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 identical to river deltas we see on Earth.
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 Avery: Professor Fritz Schlundjugger put it really
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 clearly. He said, the structures that we were
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 able to identify in the images are clearly
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 the mouth of a river into an ocean.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 Anna: What's particularly compelling is that all
00:07:41 --> 00:07:43 three SFDs are at the same
00:07:43 --> 00:07:46 elevation. That suggests they were all
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 deposited at the same water level,
00:07:48 --> 00:07:51 essentially marking an ancient coastline.
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 Avery: The researchers believe these deposits were
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 formed sometime between the late Hesperian
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 period and the early Amazonian period.
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 That's roughly between 3.7 billion and
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 3 billion years ago.
00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 Anna: Reid author R. Ghedestia said something
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 interesting in the press release. He said,
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 when measuring and mapping the Martian
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 images, I was able to recognise mountains
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 and valleys that resemble a, uh, mountainous
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 landscape on Earth. However, I was
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 particularly impressed with the deltas that I
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 discovered at the edge of one of the
00:08:23 --> 00:08:23 mountains.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 Avery: Previous research had suggested Mars had a
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 large ocean, but this study provides much
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 more concrete evidence. Slunjugger noted
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 that earlier claims were based on less
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 precise data and sometimes indirect
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 arguments.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 Anna: But their reconstruction of the sea level is
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 based on clear evidence of an actual
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 coastline. Thanks to these high resolution
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 images, the paleo shoreline they
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 identified extends from Valles Marinus
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 all the way to the northern lowlands.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 Avery: Argadestia summed it up nicely. With
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 our study we were able to provide evidence
00:08:58 --> 00:09:01 for the deepest and largest former ocean on
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 Mars to date, an ocean that stretched across
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 the northern hemisphere of the planet.
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 Anna: This has huge implications for Mars
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 past habitability. As the authors write,
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 their findings will impact research on the
00:09:14 --> 00:09:17 evidence for potential life on Mars. Since
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 this represents a period when Mars had the
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 highest water availability, it's amazing.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 Avery: To think that billions of years ago, Mars
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 might have looked very different from the
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 cold, dry desert we see today.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 Anna: Speaking of things changing, Avery, let's
00:09:32 --> 00:09:35 talk about a fascinating new study on how
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 spaceflight literally changes astronauts
00:09:38 --> 00:09:38 brains.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 Avery: This is wild. Ana um. A team led by Rachel
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 Seidler at MIT took MRI scans of
00:09:44 --> 00:09:47 26 astronauts and 24 non
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 astronaut participants. And they found that
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 spaceflight causes astronauts brains to shift
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 position inside their skull.
00:09:54 --> 00:09:57 Anna: The study was published just yesterday. The
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 researchers found a consistent pattern of the
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 brain shifting backward and upward and
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 rotating upward after time in
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 microgravity. And here's the kicker.
00:10:07 --> 00:10:10 Some of these positional changes were still
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 detectable months after astronauts returned
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 to Earth.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:16 Avery: Instead of looking at the brain as one whole
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 unit, they divided it into 130
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 separate regions and examined each one
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 individually. This regional analysis
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 showed many areas with significant
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 displacement across two spatial axes.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 Anna: The data set included astronauts with
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 different mission lengths, roughly two weeks,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 six months and one year. They found
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 significant positional shifts across large
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 portions of the brain, with some
00:10:41 --> 00:10:44 displacements measured as high as
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 2.52 millimetres in
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 subjects with the most time in space.
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 Avery: To put that in perspective, that's about a
00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 uh, tenth of an inch. It might not sound like
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 much, but when we're talking about the brain
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 inside your skull, that's actually quite
00:10:58 --> 00:10:58 significant.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 Anna: The researchers also compared astronauts with
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 people who participated in a long duration
00:11:05 --> 00:11:08 head down tilt bed rest experiment which
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 is used to simulate some effects of
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 microgravity on Earth.
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 Avery: And they found some interesting differences.
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 Astronauts showed stronger upward movement,
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 while the bed rest participants showed
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 stronger backward movement. Only some of the
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 brain shape changes observed after
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 spaceflight appeared in the bedrest group.
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 Anna: This tells us that head down bed rest, while
00:11:29 --> 00:11:32 useful, doesn't perfectly replicate what
00:11:32 --> 00:11:35 happens to the brain in actual microgravity.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 There are unique effects that only real
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 spaceflight produces.
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 Avery: One of the most important findings was the
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 connection to balance problems. The study
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 found that displacement affecting sensory
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 related brain regions correlated with larger
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 declines in astronauts balance after
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 spaceflight, Right.
00:11:53 --> 00:11:56 Anna: We know that when astronauts return from
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 space, they often experience balance issues
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 because their inner ear's sense of direction
00:12:01 --> 00:12:04 isn't immediately restored. This study
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 helps explain why that happens.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 Avery: And while astronauts normally find their
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 footing within a week or so, the physical
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 shifts in their brains persisted for up to
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 six months post spaceflight. That's quite
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 remarkable.
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 Anna: The authors note that this underscores the
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 long lasting effects of spaceflight on
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 neuroanatomy. They recommend future
00:12:25 --> 00:12:28 studies with larger astronaut crews on a
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 broad range of mission lengths to better
00:12:30 --> 00:12:33 understand how quickly these shifts begin
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 and how they evolve.
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 Avery: This research is crucial as we plan longer
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 missions to the moon and eventually to Mars.
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 Understanding how extended spaceflight
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 affects the brain will help us better prepare
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 astronauts and develop countermeasures.
00:12:46 --> 00:12:49 Anna: Avery, let's shift gears and talk about a
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 really exciting development in space
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 telescope technology. There's a new
00:12:54 --> 00:12:57 privately funded observatory called Lazuli
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 that could change how we build flagship class
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 telescopes.
00:13:00 --> 00:13:03 Avery: This is fascinating, Anna. Uh, the Lazuli
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 Space Observatory is being funded by Eric
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08 Schmidt, the former CEO of Google and his
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 wife Wendy, through their philanthropic
00:13:10 --> 00:13:13 organisation, Schmidt Sciences. We're talking
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 about a $500 million investment.
00:13:15 --> 00:13:18 Anna: The whole premise is applying the new space
00:13:18 --> 00:13:21 philosophy to space telescopes. You know that
00:13:21 --> 00:13:24 Silicon Valley mindset of move fast and
00:13:24 --> 00:13:27 don't break things. The idea is to prove that
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 you don't need decades and billions of
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 dollars to build a flagship level space
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 observatory, right?
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 Avery: Compare this to the James Webb Space
00:13:35 --> 00:13:38 telescope, which cost $10 billion, or the
00:13:38 --> 00:13:41 upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope,
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 which is on track for $3 billion. These
00:13:43 --> 00:13:46 huge costs come from using completely de
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 risked flight proven technology to ensure
00:13:48 --> 00:13:51 taxpayer dollars don't literally go up in
00:13:51 --> 00:13:51 flames.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 Anna: But schmidt has a $36 billion
00:13:54 --> 00:13:57 fortune, so even if Lazulli fails, he can
00:13:57 --> 00:14:00 afford the loss. And that's kind of the
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 point. This is an experiment to see if the
00:14:02 --> 00:14:05 approach even works for expensive flagship
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 level observatories.
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 Avery: To keep costs down, up to 80% of the
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 telescope will use off the shelf components.
00:14:11 --> 00:14:14 And operating under Schmidt Sciences
00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 alleviates a lot of the bureaucratic and
00:14:16 --> 00:14:18 political decision making that inevitably
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 delays government funded programmes.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:23 Anna: So where does Lazuli fit in the bigger
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 picture? Webb is obviously already
00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 operational, sending back spectacular images.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:31 Roman is next scheduled to launch in May
00:14:31 --> 00:14:34 2027. But both have weaknesses when
00:14:34 --> 00:14:36 tracking transient phenomena.
00:14:36 --> 00:14:39 Avery: Exactly. Events like kilonovae or
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 gravitational wave producing black hole
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 mergers happen on timescales of hours, not
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 days. They require almost immediate response
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 from observatories to catch them before they
00:14:48 --> 00:14:49 end.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:52 Anna: And Webb just can't slew. That's the term
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 for rotating to a new target fast enough.
00:14:55 --> 00:14:58 It captures extremely high resolution images,
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 but it takes too long to get into position.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:03 Avery: On the other hand, Roman is a survey
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 telescope that looks at white swaths of sky,
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 but doesn't have the resolution to examine
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 individual systems like Lazuli will.
00:15:10 --> 00:15:13 Anna: So Lazuli's sweet spot is Target
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 of opportunity tracking. It's designed to
00:15:16 --> 00:15:18 slew within an hour and a half to observe
00:15:18 --> 00:15:21 short lived events. It'll work in concert
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 with ground based observatories like ligo,
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 the Gravitational Wave Detector.
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 Avery: But it has the advantage of being in space
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 so no cloud cover or daylight to worry about.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34 Lazuli will also have a wild Field context
00:15:34 --> 00:15:37 camera with 23 separate CMOS sensors,
00:15:37 --> 00:15:40 kind of like Roman, to detect things like
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 exoplanet transits.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:44 Anna: And here's something really cool it should be
00:15:44 --> 00:15:47 able to directly image exoplanets using a
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 vector Vortex coronagraph along with
00:15:49 --> 00:15:52 deformable mirrors to suppress starlight by
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 up to 10 million times.
00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 Avery: This same technology is planned for NASA's
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 Habitable Worlds Observatory which won't
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 launch for decades, so Lazuli will actually
00:16:01 --> 00:16:04 serve as a technology demonstration platform
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 well before the taxpayer funded mission.
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 Anna: Perhaps the most impressive aspect is the
00:16:09 --> 00:16:12 timeline. Schmidt Sciences is planning a
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 three to five year development cycle for this
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 massive space observatory that's
00:16:16 --> 00:16:19 exponentially faster than any comparable
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 government led system.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:23 Avery: Though to be fair, new space leaders do have
00:16:23 --> 00:16:26 a tendency to underestimate timelines. Even
00:16:26 --> 00:16:28 if it takes twice as long though, we'd still
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30 get another flagship level observatory within
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 a decade.
00:16:31 --> 00:16:34 Anna: And here's something amusing. If Schmidt just
00:16:34 --> 00:16:37 leaves his remaining $36 billion in an
00:16:37 --> 00:16:40 S&P 500 index fund, he'd make back
00:16:40 --> 00:16:43 around 40 times what the entire project cost
00:16:43 --> 00:16:46 over a five year period. So financially
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 this is barely a blip for him.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 Avery: Either we get an amazing new space telescope
00:16:50 --> 00:16:53 or we get a $500 million lesson in what can
00:16:53 --> 00:16:56 go wrong when applying speed to large scale
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 astrophysics projects. Either way, the
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 scientific community learned something.
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 Anna: Valuable for our final storey today.
00:17:02 --> 00:17:05 Avery scientists may have finally
00:17:05 --> 00:17:08 solved a mystery that's puzzled them for over
00:17:08 --> 00:17:11 60 years. Why does the moon
00:17:11 --> 00:17:14 look so different on its near and far
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 sides?
00:17:15 --> 00:17:17 Avery: This is based on analysis of dust collected
00:17:17 --> 00:17:20 from the lunar far side by China's Chang' e
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 6 mission, which returned the first ever
00:17:22 --> 00:17:25 samples from the moon's hidden hemisphere in
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 2024.
00:17:26 --> 00:17:29 Anna: The material came from the south pole
00:17:29 --> 00:17:32 Aitken Basin, which is believed to be the
00:17:32 --> 00:17:34 site of the largest impact in the solar
00:17:34 --> 00:17:37 system. This colossal crater spans
00:17:37 --> 00:17:40 nearly a quarter of the lunar surface.
00:17:40 --> 00:17:43 Avery: A team letter by Heng Si Tan from the Chinese
00:17:43 --> 00:17:46 Academy of Sciences conducted isotopic
00:17:46 --> 00:17:49 analysis of potassium and iron found in the
00:17:49 --> 00:17:52 far side dust and compared it with samples
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 from the moon's near side collected during
00:17:54 --> 00:17:56 the Apollo missions and by China's Chang'
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 E5 spacecraft.
00:17:58 --> 00:18:01 Anna: The results showed a significant difference
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04 near side Samples contained more light
00:18:04 --> 00:18:07 isotopes, while the far side material
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 was richer in heavier isotopes,
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 particularly of potassium.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 Avery: This type of isotopic separation couldn't be
00:18:14 --> 00:18:17 explained by normal volcanic activity.
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 Instead, the researchers suggest the south
00:18:19 --> 00:18:22 pole Aitken impactor generated such
00:18:22 --> 00:18:25 extreme heat that lighter isotopes were
00:18:25 --> 00:18:28 vaporised and lost, leaving behind a
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 heavier chemical fingerprint.
00:18:30 --> 00:18:33 Anna: The researchers wrote this feature
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 most likely resulted from potassium
00:18:35 --> 00:18:38 evaporation caused by the south pole
00:18:38 --> 00:18:40 Aitken basin forming impactor,
00:18:41 --> 00:18:44 demonstrating the profound influence of this
00:18:44 --> 00:18:46 event on the Moon's deep interior.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 Avery: What's particularly interesting is that the
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51 study suggests the impact may have punched
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 through the crust and into the mantle,
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 permanently changing the Moon's inner
00:18:56 --> 00:18:56 composition.
00:18:57 --> 00:18:59 Anna: The sample analysis revealed that
00:18:59 --> 00:19:02 potassium isotopes on the far side
00:19:02 --> 00:19:05 appear to originate from a mantle source
00:19:05 --> 00:19:08 distinct from that of the near side. This
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 implies widespread internal melting
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 and chemical redistribution.
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 Avery: The team even proposes that the impact might
00:19:15 --> 00:19:18 have triggered hemisphere wide mantle
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 convection, a process that could reshape a
00:19:20 --> 00:19:23 planet's crust and inner layers over time.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 Anna: As they noted in their study, this finding
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 also implies that large scale
00:19:28 --> 00:19:31 impacts are, uh, key drivers in shaping
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 mantle and crustal compositions.
00:19:34 --> 00:19:37 Avery: So planetary impacts leave far more than just
00:19:37 --> 00:19:40 visible craters. They can set off long
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 lasting internal transformations that remain
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 detectable billions of years later.
00:19:45 --> 00:19:48 Anna: Heng Si Tian summed it up nicely.
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50 With our study, we were able to provide
00:19:50 --> 00:19:53 evidence for the deepest and largest former
00:19:53 --> 00:19:56 ocean on Mars today date. Wait,
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 that's the wrong quote.
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 Avery: Wrong planet.
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 Anna: Anna, uh, oh my goodness, let me get that
00:20:01 --> 00:20:04 right. Pyeon said. With the Chang' e
00:20:04 --> 00:20:07 6 samples, scientists now have their
00:20:07 --> 00:20:10 first hard evidence from the Moon's far side,
00:20:10 --> 00:20:13 an area once entirely out of reach.
00:20:14 --> 00:20:17 Avery: This discovery is particularly timely as
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 multiple nations gear up for lunar
00:20:19 --> 00:20:21 exploration missions, including NASA's
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 Artemis programme and China's continuing
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 Chang' E missions.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:28 Anna: Understanding the Moon's geological history
00:20:28 --> 00:20:31 and internal structure will be crucial
00:20:31 --> 00:20:34 as we plan to establish permanent bases
00:20:34 --> 00:20:37 there. Each new sample and discovery
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 helps us piece together the storey of how
00:20:39 --> 00:20:42 our nearest celestial neighbour formed and
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 evolved.
00:20:43 --> 00:20:45 Avery: Well, that brings us to the end of today's
00:20:45 --> 00:20:47 episode of Astronomy Daily. What an
00:20:47 --> 00:20:49 incredible day of space news.
00:20:50 --> 00:20:53 Anna: From nuclear reactors on the moon and the
00:20:53 --> 00:20:56 crew 11 undocking tomorrow to
00:20:56 --> 00:20:58 ancient Martian oceans and shifting
00:20:58 --> 00:21:01 astronaut brains, plus a uh, privately
00:21:01 --> 00:21:04 funded space telescope and solving the
00:21:04 --> 00:21:07 Moon's two faced mystery, we've covered a
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 lot of ground today.
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 Avery: If you enjoyed today's episode, please
00:21:10 --> 00:21:12 subscribe to Astronomy Daily wherever you get
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 your podcasts. And don't forget to leave us a
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 review. It really helps other space
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 enthusiasts discover.
00:21:17 --> 00:21:20 Anna: The show you can find us on social media and
00:21:20 --> 00:21:23 at our website for more space news and
00:21:23 --> 00:21:25 updates. Um, on the socials search for
00:21:25 --> 00:21:28 Astro Daily Pod and our website can be
00:21:28 --> 00:21:31 found at astronomydaily.IO
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 thanks so much for listening everyone.
00:21:34 --> 00:21:36 Avery: Until, um, next time, keep looking up Clear
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 skies.
00:21:50 --> 00:22:00 Sam.