- Tiangong Space Station's Stranded Crew: The Shenzhou 21 crew aboard the Tiangong Space Station faces a precarious situation after the Shenzhou 20 mission astronauts returned home using their capsule, which was damaged by space debris. With no immediate escape vehicle, the crew awaits the uncrewed launch of Shenzhou 22, highlighting the risks posed by space debris in low Earth orbit.
- NASA's Scenic Route to Mars: NASA's Escapade mission has launched twin probes, Blue and Gold, that will take an innovative detour to Mars. Instead of heading directly, they will first travel to the second Lagrange point (L2) to study space weather for a year before using Earth's gravity to assist their journey to Mars in 2027, providing a unique 3D view of the Martian atmosphere.
- Upcoming Leonid Meteor Shower: The Leonid meteor shower is set to peak on November 18, but this year’s display may be underwhelming, with only five to ten meteors expected per hour. Earth is passing through a sparse debris stream from the parent comet Tempel-Tuttle, leading to a quieter show than in previous years.
- Discovery of a New Super Earth: Astronomers have discovered a new super Earth, GJ251C, located just 18 light years away. Positioned in its star's habitable zone, this rocky planet is a prime candidate for future observation with next-generation telescopes, which may help to identify biosignatures in its atmosphere and advance our search for extraterrestrial life.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna and Avery signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and exploring the wonders of our universe.
Tiangong Space Station Update
[CMSA](http://www.cmse.gov.cn/)
NASA Escapade Mission
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Leonid Meteor Shower Predictions
[Meteor Society](https://www.meteorshowers.org/)
GJ251C Discovery
[Astronomical Journal](https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/1538-3881)
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This episode includes AI-generated content.
00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Avery: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, the podcast that
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 brings you the universe, one story at a time.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 I'm Avery, and as always, I'm joined by my co
00:00:09 --> 00:00:10 host, Anna.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 Anna: Uh, it's great to be here, Avery. Today
00:00:12 --> 00:00:15 we'll be covering a tense situation aboard
00:00:15 --> 00:00:18 the Tiangong Space Station now that the Crew
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 20 mission astronauts have returned home
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 safely. A new NASA mission taking a
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 scenic route to Mars, a heads up about
00:00:26 --> 00:00:29 the upcoming Leonid meteor shower, and a
00:00:29 --> 00:00:32 very exciting discovery of a new super Earth
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 that's surprisingly close to home.
00:00:34 --> 00:00:37 Avery: A packed show indeed. Let's get right
00:00:37 --> 00:00:37 into it.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 Anna, um, why don't you start us off with a
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 situation in low Earth orbit?
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 Anna: Absolutely. Our first story involves the
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 three astronauts of China's Shenzhou 21
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 mission. Currently on the Tiangong Space
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 Station. It seems they are temporarily
00:00:52 --> 00:00:53 stranded.
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 Avery: Stranded? That sounds serious. What
00:00:56 --> 00:00:57 happened?
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 Anna: It's a bit of a domino effect. The previous
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 crew, Shenzhou 20, had their
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 own capsule damaged by a piece of space
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 debris. So to get them home safely,
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 the China National Space Administration
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 made the call to use the Shenzhou 21
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 capsule, which was docked at the station,
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 as the current crew's ride home. Wow.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 Avery: So they gave up their lifeboat to
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 save the other crew. That's a tough decision,
00:01:26 --> 00:01:27 but definitely the right one.
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 Anna: Exactly. It highlights the dangers of
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 space debris. The station itself is well
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 protected, but these smaller capsules are
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 more vulnerable. Now. The Shenzhou
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 21 crew is safe on the station, but without
00:01:41 --> 00:01:42 a return vehicle.
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 Avery: So what's the rescue plan?
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 Anna: A new spacecraft, Shenzhou 22,
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 is being prepared for an uncrewed launch.
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 It will serve as the new lifeboat and
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 eventual ride home for the crew. Chinese
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 officials say the crew is not in any
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 immediate danger and has plenty of supplies.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 Avery: Right, but being on a space station without
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 an escape route is still a high risk
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 situation. Any delay in that rescue launch
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 could be critical if another emergency were
00:02:12 --> 00:02:13 to happen on the station.
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 Anna: That's the core of the issue. The situation
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 is temporary, but the risk is elevated until
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 Shenzhou 22 is docked and ready.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 We'll certainly be following this story
00:02:23 --> 00:02:23 closely.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 Avery: It's a good reminder of how hostile the space
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 environment is. Does a situation like this
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 trigger any international rescue protocols,
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 or is China handling this entirely on its
00:02:34 --> 00:02:34 own?
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 Anna: For now, it's an internal CNSA operation.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 Unlike the iss, which is a partnership with
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 established mutual support agreements, the
00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 Tiangong is operated solely by China,
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 while other space agencies are monitoring.
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 The rescue is entirely dependent on the
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 successful and timely launch of Shenzhou
00:02:54 --> 00:02:55 22.
00:02:55 --> 00:02:58 Avery: Definitely now from low Earth
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 orbit. Let's travel a little Bit farther out.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 Our next story is about NASA's newest mission
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 to Mars. But it's not taking the direct
00:03:06 --> 00:03:07 route you might expect.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 Anna: This is the Escapade mission. Correct. The
00:03:10 --> 00:03:11 twin probes.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 Avery: That's the one. The probes nicknamed Blue
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 and Gold, have just launched. But instead of
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 pointing straight at Mars, they're heading in
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 the opposite direction, out to a point in
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 space called L2, about 1.5
00:03:25 --> 00:03:26 million kilometers from Earth.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 Anna: The second Lagrange point. That's a
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 gravitationally stable spot where the
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 Webb telescope also operates. So why
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 send Mars probes there first?
00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 Avery: It's a clever fuel saving trajectory. They'll
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 spend a year at L2 studying space weather,
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 essentially getting some bonus science in.
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 Then in late 2026, they'll loop back
00:03:48 --> 00:03:49 towards Earth.
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 Anna: Ah, uh, for a gravity assist.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 Avery: Exactly. Earth's gravity will act like a
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 slingshot, flinging them towards Mars with
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 the speed they need to get into. Or in
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 2027. It's a much more efficient way to
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 travel for smaller, lighter spacecraft.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 Anna: And once they arrive, what's their primary
00:04:07 --> 00:04:08 mission?
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 Avery: This is the really cool part. Blue and Gold
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 will orbit Mars in formation, giving us the
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 first ever stereo or 3D view
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 of the planet's upper atmosphere. They'll
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 study how solar wind strips atmospheric
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 particles away from Mars, which is crucial
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 for understanding how the planet lost its
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 water and became the cold, dry world it is
00:04:29 --> 00:04:29 today.
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 Anna: A stereo view that will provide a much more
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 complete picture than any single orbiter ever
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 could. A very innovative mission, both in its
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 science and its journey.
00:04:41 --> 00:04:42 Avery: It really is.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 And while on the subject of the Escapade
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 mission, catching a ride on the twin probes,
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 uh, are the first Kiwis to fly to the red
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 planet. The Escapade probes are the first
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 Mars bound vehicles to be designed, built
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 and tested by Rocket Lab, the space
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 company headquartered in California, but
00:05:00 --> 00:05:01 founded in New Zealand.
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 Anna: Hence the Kiwis.
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 Avery: That's right. Rocket Lab has a tradition of
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 hiding Kiwis in many areas of its design,
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 said Lindsey McLaurin, senior communications
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 manager for Space Systems at Rocket Lab, in
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 response to an inquiry from collectspace.com
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 the birds have snuck onto our rockets and
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 satellites since the beginning of the
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 company, reflecting the New Zealand roots of
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 the company and as a challenge among our
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 designers and spacecraft builders.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 Anna: The birds appear as graphics on twin
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36 plaques attached to blue and gold.
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 The metal plates, which adorn, uh, one of the
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 two solar panels on each probe, also feature
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 the Rocket Lab logo. The company's motto,
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 Non sufficient hick orbis or
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 this world is not enough. And a
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 similar icon of a bald eagle to
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 represent our company's global presence, said
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 McLaurin, referring to the American icon.
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 Avery: A nice fun touch to an important mission.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 Okay, let's bring our focus back closer to
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 home for all our listeners who enjoy some
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 good old fashioned stargazing. We've got an
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 update on the Leonid meteor shower.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 Anna: Right. The Leonids are one of the most famous
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 showers known for producing spectacular
00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 meteor storms in the past. They're peaking
00:06:21 --> 00:06:24 next week on the morning of Tuesday, November
00:06:24 --> 00:06:24 18th.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 Avery: So should everyone be setting their alarms?
00:06:27 --> 00:06:30 Anna: Well, this is one of those times. We have to
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 manage expectations. This year is
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36 predicted to be a, uh, very weak showing.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 We're expecting a peak rate of only about
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 five to ten meteors per hour.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 Avery: Only five to ten? That's not much.
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 Why is it so quiet this year?
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 Anna: It's because Earth is passing through a, uh,
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 very sparse part of the debris stream
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 left by the parent comet, Tempel Tuttle.
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58 The really dense clouds of debris that cause
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 the famous storms of hundreds or even
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 thousands of meteors per hour are not what
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 we're intersecting with right now.
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 Avery: So it's worth a look if you're already an
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 early riser, but maybe not worth a special
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 trip to a dark sky site. When can we expect
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 the next big show from the Leonids?
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 Anna: Astronomers are predicting the next major
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 displays won't be until the2030s
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 as we get closer to the next pass of the
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 parent comet. So we'll have to be patient for
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 the next big storm, it seems.
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 Avery: We'll have to be patient.
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 Now for our final story. We have something
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 that could be truly groundbreaking. A new
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 super Earth has been discovered, and it's
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 practically in our cosmic backyard.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 Anna: This is very exciting. The planet is named
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 GJ251C. A, uh, super
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 Earth means it's larger than Earth, but
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 smaller than Neptune and likely rocky.
00:07:48 --> 00:07:51 And as you said, it's close. Just 18 light
00:07:51 --> 00:07:51 years away.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:55 Avery: 18 light years in galactic terms, that's next
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 door. But what makes this planet so special
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 is its location, its orbit.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 Anna: It's located right in the middle of its
00:08:02 --> 00:08:05 star's habitable zone. That's the orbital
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 region where temperatures are just right for
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 liquid water to potentially exist on a
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 planet's surface.
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 Avery: The Goldilocks zone. Not too hot, not too
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 cold. The combination of its size, its
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 position, and its incredible proximity to us
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 is what makes this a huge deal.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 Anna: It really is, because it's so close.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 Close. GJ251C is now
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 a prime target for future observation.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 We're talking about the next generation of
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 extremely large telescopes like the 30
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 meter telescope.
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 Avery: So these new telescopes could actually
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 analyze the planet's atmosphere.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 Anna: That's the goal. They'll be powerful enough
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 to look for biosignatures, specific
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 gases in its atmosphere like oxygen,
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 methane, or even water vapor
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 that could hint at the presence of life. We
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 are decades away from being able to visit,
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 but in the near future, we might be able to
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 tell if it has water.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 Avery: An incredible discovery and a
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 tantalizing glimpse into what we might find
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 as our technology improves. It really makes
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 you wonder what's out there.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:14 Anna: And its star, GJ25.1, is a
00:09:14 --> 00:09:17 red dwarf, right? That comes with its own set
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 of challenges for habitability, like
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 potential tidal locking and stellar
00:09:22 --> 00:09:22 flares.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 Avery: That's the crucial next question. Red
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 dwarfs are long lived, which is good for
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 life. But they can be volatile, especially
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 when they're young. One of the key tasks for
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 future telescopes will be to study the star's
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 activity and see if the planet has a strong
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 enough magnetic field and atmosphere to
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 withstand those flares. But finding a rocky
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 world in the habitable zone of our neighbor
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 is a critical first step.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 Anna: It certainly is. And that's all the time we
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 have for today. We covered the precarious but
00:09:53 --> 00:09:56 stable situation for the Shanzhou 21
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 astronauts. The scenic route of the escapade
00:09:59 --> 00:10:02 mission to Mars, a subdued Leonid
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 meteor shower, and the discovery of a
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 promising new super Earth just next door.
00:10:07 --> 00:10:10 Avery: Thanks for tuning in to Astronomy Daily. Be
00:10:10 --> 00:10:11 sure to subscribe wherever you get your
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 podcasts so you don't miss an episode. Until
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 next time. I'm Avery.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 Anna: And I'm Anna. Keep looking up.