Astronomy Daily | Space News: S04E85
In this episode of Astronomy Daily, host Anna takes you on an exciting exploration of the latest developments in space exploration and astronomical discoveries. From NASA's groundbreaking expansion in Australia to the mesmerizing phenomena of Saturn's rings, this episode is filled with captivating insights into our universe.
Highlights:
- NASA's Deep Space Network Expansion: Join us as we celebrate 60 years of NASA's Deep Space Network in Canberra, Australia, and explore the groundbreaking of a new radio antenna. This state-of-the-art addition will enhance communication capabilities with distant spacecraft, ensuring our connection with the farthest reaches of the solar system.
- Saturn's Rare Edge-On Rings: Discover the fascinating reasons behind Saturn's temporarily "ringless" appearance due to a rare astronomical alignment. Learn how this unique phenomenon occurs only once every 14 to 15 years and what it means for observers on Earth.
- Busy Launch Schedule: Get the lowdown on an action-packed week in spaceflight, featuring major launches from United Launch Alliance and SpaceX, including Amazon's Project Kuiper satellites and Blue Origin's historic all-women crew mission.
- Growing Commercial Lunar Demand: Delve into the burgeoning interest in lunar landers beyond NASA, as companies report increasing commercial demand and explore new opportunities in the lunar economy. Understand how these developments could pave the way for a sustainable lunar marketplace.
- Breakthrough in Black Hole Magnetism: Explore a groundbreaking discovery that reveals how black holes inherit their powerful magnetic fields from the dying stars that birthed them. This finding solves a long-standing mystery in astrophysics and reshapes our understanding of cosmic phenomena.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io (http://www.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 - NASA's Deep Space Network expansion
10:30 - Saturn's edge-on ring phenomenon
17:00 - Upcoming launch schedule overview
22:15 - Commercial lunar demand growth
27:30 - Black hole magnetism breakthrough
✍️ Episode References
NASA Deep Space Network
[NASA]( https://www.nasa.gov (https://www.nasa.gov/) )
Saturn's Rings Research
[NASA Solar System Exploration]( https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/ (https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/) )
Project Kuiper Details
[Amazon]( https://www.amazon.com/ (https://www.amazon.com/) )
Commercial Lunar Payload Services
[NASA CLPS]( https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/landers.html (https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/commercial/landers.html) )
Black Hole Magnetism Study
[Flatiron Institute]( https://www.flatironinstitute.org/ (https://www.flatironinstitute.org/) )
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily]( http://www.astronomydaily.io/ (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) )
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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/26523084?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 hello and welcome to Astronomy Daily
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 your source for the latest and most
00:00:04 --> 00:00:05 fascinating developments in space
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 exploration and astronomical discoveries
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 I'm your host Anna and I'm excited to
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 guide you through today's cosmic journey
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 We have a stellar lineup of stories for
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 you today We'll be exploring NASA's deep
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 space network as it celebrates 60 years
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 in Australia while breaking ground on a
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 new radio antenna Then we'll look at
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 Saturn's rings as they present a rare
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 edge-on view that occurs only every 14
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 to 15 years We'll also cover this week's
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 busy launch schedule including Amazon's
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 Project Kyper satellites and Blue
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 Origin's first all-woman crew Plus we'll
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 examine the growing commercial demand
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 for lunar landers beyond NASA and dive
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 into a breakthrough discovery about the
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 origin of black hole magnetism that
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 solves a long-standing cosmic mystery So
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 strap in as we blast off into today's
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 exploration of our fascinating universe
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 Here we go with one for our Aussie
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 listeners NASA's Deep Space Network in
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 Canber Australia recently celebrated a
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 significant milestone its 60th
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 anniversary This celebration came with
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 an exciting development as the facility
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 broke ground on a new radio antenna
00:01:13 --> 00:01:14 marking the beginning of its next
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 chapter in space communications The
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 Cannber facility has been a vital part
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 of NASA's global communications network
00:01:21 --> 00:01:22 since joining in
00:01:22 --> 00:01:25 1965 Currently operating four massive
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 radio antennas the addition of this
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 fifth dish represents a crucial
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 expansion of the network's overall
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 capacity to handle the everinccreasing
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 flow of data from missions across our
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 solar system This new antenna designated
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 Deep Space Station 33 will be a marvel
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 of modern engineering At 112 ft wide
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 that's about 34 meters this
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 multi-frequency beam waveguide antenna
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 will significantly boost the network's
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 capabilities What makes this design
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 particularly interesting is that most of
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 its structure will actually be buried
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 underground A massive concrete pedestal
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 will house cutting edge electronics and
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 receivers in climate controlled rooms
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 providing a solid foundation for the
00:02:05 --> 00:02:08 reflector dish above When operational
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 the dish will rotate during
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 communications on a steel platform
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 called an allidade allowing it to track
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 spacecraft as they move across the sky
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 This sophisticated design ensures
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 reliable communication with distant
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 spacecraft exploring the farthest
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 reaches of our solar system
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 Kevin Coggins deputy associate
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 administrator of NASA's space
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 communications and navigation program
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 highlighted the significance of this
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 development noting that as they look
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 back on 60 years of incredible
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 accomplishments at Canberra the
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 groundbreaking of this new antenna
00:02:44 --> 00:02:45 symbolizes the next 60 years of
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 scientific discovery The construction of
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 such advanced communication technology
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 demonstrates the deep space network's
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 commitment to embracing new technologies
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 that enable exploration by an expanding
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 fleet of space missions The new Camber
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 dish is expected to go online in 2029
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 and will be the final installation of
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 six parabolic dishes constructed under
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 NASA's deep space network aperture
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 enhancement program This program is
00:03:12 --> 00:03:13 specifically designed to support current
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 and future spacecraft and accommodate
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 the increasing volume of data they
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 transmit back to Earth Similar upgrades
00:03:20 --> 00:03:21 have already taken place at the
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 network's Madrid facility which
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 christened a new dish in 2022 while the
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 Goldstone facility in California is
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 completing work on another antenna The
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 Deep Space Network operates through a
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 brilliantly simple yet effective concept
00:03:36 --> 00:03:37 three communication facilities
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 positioned strategically around the
00:03:39 --> 00:03:43 globe approximately 120 degrees apart
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 This careful placement ensures that as
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 Earth rotates at least one facility
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 always has line of sight to any
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 spacecraft in our solar system providing
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 continuous coverage 24 hours a day
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 regardless of where those spacecraft may
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 be The network officially began on
00:03:58 --> 00:04:02 December 24th 1963 when NASA connected
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 its early ground stations including
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 Goldstone to the new network control
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 center at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory
00:04:09 --> 00:04:10 in Southern
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 California Madrid joined in 1964
00:04:13 --> 00:04:17 followed by Canberra in 1965 Since then
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 these facilities have been the lifeline
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 for hundreds of space missions including
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 historic achievements like the Apollo
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 moon landings What makes Canbor
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 particularly special is its location in
00:04:28 --> 00:04:29 the southern
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 hemisphere This unique positioning
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 grants it an exclusive capability It's
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 the only facility that can both send
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 commands to and receive data from
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 Voyager 2 as it journeys southward
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 through interstellar space now almost 13
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 billion miles from Earth Its sister
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 craft Voyager 1 which is even more
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 distant at over 15 billion miles away
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 can transmit data to the Madrid and
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 Goldstone complexes but can only receive
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 commands via Canbor The deep space
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 network currently relies primarily on
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 radio frequencies for communication but
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 NASA is looking toward the future with
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 exciting new technologies The agency is
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 experimenting with laser or optical
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 communications which operates at
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 significantly higher frequencies than
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 radio
00:05:14 --> 00:05:15 This difference is crucial because
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 higher frequencies allow for
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 substantially more data to be
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 transmitted over the same period This
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 advancement isn't just theoretical NASA
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 is actively testing it through the deep
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 space optical communications experiment
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 aboard the Psyche mission launched in
00:05:29 --> 00:05:30 October
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 2023 The results have been impressive
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 demonstrating record-breaking high data
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 rates over unprecedented distances and
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 even successfully downlinking ultra
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 highdefinition streaming video from deep
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 space
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 These new technologies have the
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 potential to boost the science and
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 exploration returns of missions
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 traveling throughout the solar system
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 explained Amy Smith deputy project
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 manager for the Deep Space Network
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 Looking further ahead researchers
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 envision combining laser and radio
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 communications to create hybrid antennas
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 dishes that can communicate using both
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 radio and optical frequencies
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 simultaneously potentially
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 revolutionizing how we communicate with
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 distant spacecraft
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 As our exploration of space grows more
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 ambitious with missions venturing
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 further into the solar system and
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 returning increasingly complex
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 scientific data the deep space network
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 continues to evolve to meet these
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 demands ensuring that humanity maintains
00:06:27 --> 00:06:30 its connection to our most distant
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 explorers Astronomy fans here's one for
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 you If you've looked at Saturn through a
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 telescope lately you might be wondering
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 where those iconic rings went The ringed
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 planet is looking distinctly ringless
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 these days thanks to a fascinating
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 astronomical alignment that happens only
00:06:46 --> 00:06:50 once every 14 to 15 years Saturn's rings
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 have turned edge on as seen from Earth
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 rendering them nearly invisible even
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 through powerful telescopes This
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 phenomenon is tied to Saturn's 29.5ear
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 orbit around the sun The planet's
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 magnificent rings are tilted 27° with
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 respect to its orbital plane Which means
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 that from our earthly perspective our
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 view of the rings cycles from wide open
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 to edge on and back again over roughly
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 15-year intervals The rings were last
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 edge on to Earth on March 23rd and
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 they'll be edge on to the sun on May 6th
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 What makes this disappearing act so
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 dramatic is the stark contrast between
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 the ring's enormous width and their
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 paper thin profile While Saturn's rings
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 span an impressive
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 282 km across that's almost 3/4 of
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 the distance from Earth to the moon
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 they're astonishingly thin averaging
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 just about 100 m in thickness So when we
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 view them exactly edge on they
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 essentially vanish from sight Galileo
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 was the first to observe Saturn's rings
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 in 1610 though with his primitive
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 telescope he couldn't quite make out
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 what he was seeing His sketches show a
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 strange twinlobed world that resembled a
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 double-handled coffee cup a testament to
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 the limitations of early astronomical
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 equipment It wasn't until later that
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 Christian Hygens correctly deduced that
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 these handles were actually rings
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 completely detached from the planet
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 itself Today we understand that Saturn's
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 rings consist primarily of countless ice
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 particles ranging from snowballs sized
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 to much larger along with some rocky
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 debris And while every gas and ice giant
00:08:25 --> 00:08:26 in our solar system has some form of
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 ring system none are as spectacular or
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 as visible from Earth as Saturn's
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 Perhaps the most surprising discovery
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 about Saturn's rings in recent years is
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 their relative youth Several studies now
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 suggest that the rings may be a
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 surprisingly recent addition to the
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 planet possibly forming just 10 to 100
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 million years ago practically yesterday
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51 in cosmic terms This means that if
00:08:51 --> 00:08:52 dinosaurs had somehow developed
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 telescopes they might have observed a
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 rather ordinary looking Saturn without
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 its distinctive halo Even more
00:08:59 --> 00:09:03 intriguing is the ring's limited future
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 Scientists predict that in the next few
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 hundred million years the rings will
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 gradually dissipate from view as
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 gravitational forces pull their
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 particles either into Saturn itself or
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 fling them outward into space We're
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 actually witnessing Saturn during a
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 special period when its rings are at
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 their most magnificent a cosmic
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 coincidence that makes our era
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 particularly fortunate for astronomical
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 observation So while Saturn might look a
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 bit bland during this edgeon phase take
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 heart the rings are still there and
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 they'll gradually become visible again
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 as the viewing angle changes reaching
00:09:37 --> 00:09:41 their maximum tilt once more in 2032
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 Sometimes in astronomy the most
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 fascinating phenomena are not what
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 appears but what temporarily
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 disappears April offers some excellent
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 opportunities for early risers to spot
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 Saturn Despite its temporarily ringless
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 appearance if you're hoping to observe
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 this unusual site Venus will be your
00:09:59 --> 00:10:02 best guide in the dawn sky Shining
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 brilliantly at magnitudeus 4.6 6 Venus
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 outshines Saturn by over 100 times
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 making it an unmistakable beacon
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 pointing the way to the more subdued
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 Saturn which currently glows at
00:10:13 --> 00:10:16 magnitude plus 1.2 Mercury completes
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 this planetary dawn trio reaching its
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 greatest elongation 27° from the sun on
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 April 21st Mark your calendar for the
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 morning of April 25th when the waning
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 crescent moon joins this celestial
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 gathering in the eastern sky While the
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 moon won't pass directly in front of
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 Saturn during this particular alignment
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 it creates a beautiful photo opportunity
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 for astrophotographers and a striking
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 visual for casual observers If you're
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 interested in seeing a lunar occultation
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 of Saturn you'll need to wait until
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 April 24th
00:10:49 --> 00:10:53 2031 Astronomy often rewards patience
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 For telescope owners this ring plane
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 crossing period offers a rare observing
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 opportunity With the rings essentially
00:11:00 --> 00:11:03 invisible you can enjoy unobstructed
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 views of Saturn's moons as they transit
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 across the planet's disc These transit
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 events where moons pass in front of
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 Saturn from our perspective are commonly
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 observed on Jupiter but are only visible
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 on Saturn during years when the rings
00:11:15 --> 00:11:19 are edge on Titan Saturn's largest moon
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 is particularly worth watching as it
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 casts a prominent shadow during its
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 transits These events occur
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 approximately every 16 Earth days as
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 Titan completes its orbit though
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 catching one requires being in the right
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 location at the right time as each
00:11:33 --> 00:11:36 transit lasts about 5 hours Specialized
00:11:36 --> 00:11:40 websites like PDS rings node and IMCCE
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 France provide predictions for these
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 events Or you can use astronomy software
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 like Stellarium to check for upcoming
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 transits before planning an observation
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 session As the year progresses Saturn
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 will reach quadriure west of the sun on
00:11:55 --> 00:11:58 June 22nd An excellent time to observe
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 the planet casting its shadow across
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 what remains visible of the rings
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 creating a striking three-dimensional
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 appearance After reaching opposition on
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 September 21st Saturn will transition
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 back into the evening sky By the end of
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 2025 the rings will have tilted about
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 one degree open to our line of sight and
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 they'll continue widening until they
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 reach their maximum tilt again in
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 2032 Saturn's unique orientation affects
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 not just its appearance but also its
00:12:27 --> 00:12:30 brightness with the current edge on view
00:12:30 --> 00:12:33 reducing its magnitude to plus 1.2
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 compared to
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 minus0.54 when the rings are fully
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 tilted toward Earth
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 Let's look at this week's busy launch
00:12:40 --> 00:12:43 schedule next This week is shaping up to
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 be a remarkably active period in space
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 flight with five major launches taking
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 place across multiple launch providers
00:12:49 --> 00:12:52 and mission types The action begins with
00:12:52 --> 00:12:55 United Launch Alliance's Atlas 5 rocket
00:12:55 --> 00:12:58 which is set to lift off on April 9th at
00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 700 p.m Eastern time from Space Launch
00:13:01 --> 00:13:04 Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force
00:13:04 --> 00:13:07 Station in Florida This mission carries
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 special significance as it will deploy
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 the first operational batch of Amazon's
00:13:11 --> 00:13:14 project Kyper satellites marking a major
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 milestone for the internet constellation
00:13:16 --> 00:13:19 program The Atlas 5 will be flying in
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 its most powerful configuration
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 designated
00:13:23 --> 00:13:26 551 featuring a 5 m fairing five solid
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 rocket boosters and a single engine
00:13:28 --> 00:13:31 Centaur upper stage This robust setup is
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 necessary to handle what will be the
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 heaviest payload ever launched by an
00:13:34 --> 00:13:37 Atlas 5 27 Kyper satellites bound for
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 low Earth orbit at an altitude of 450
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 km SpaceX dominates the middle portion
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 of the week with a trio of Falcon 9
00:13:45 --> 00:13:49 launches First up on April 10th at 9:43
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 p.m Eastern time is a Starlink mission
00:13:51 --> 00:13:54 designated group 12 17 carrying
00:13:54 --> 00:13:57 approximately 20 Starlink V2 mini
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 satellites This launch will depart from
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 launch complex 39A at Kennedy Space
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 Center sending the satellites on a
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 southeastern trajectory to an orbit
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 inclined at 43° Just 2 days later on
00:14:08 --> 00:14:11 April 12th Space X shifts operations to
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 the West Coast for a national security
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 mission A Falcon 9 will lift off from
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 Vandenberg Space Force Base in
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 California at 5:17 a.m Pacific time
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 carrying a classified payload designated
00:14:22 --> 00:14:26 NRO 192 for the National Reconnaissance
00:14:26 --> 00:14:29 Office While details remain classified
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 this is believed to be the ninth SpaceX
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 mission deploying Star Shield satellites
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 for reconnaissance operations such as
00:14:36 --> 00:14:38 Earth imaging and early missile warning
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 detection SpaceX rounds out its busy
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 schedule with another Starlink launch on
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 April 13th at 9:59 p.m Eastern time from
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape
00:14:47 --> 00:14:50 Canaveral This mission Starlink Group 6
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 73 will deliver another batch of
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 approximately 20 V2 mini satellites to
00:14:55 --> 00:14:58 the same 43°ree inclined orbit as the
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 earlier Starlink launch The week
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 concludes with Blue Origin's New Shepard
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 rocket taking flight on April 14th at
00:15:04 --> 00:15:07 9:30 a.m Eastern time from launch site 1
00:15:07 --> 00:15:09 in West Texas This suborbital mission
00:15:10 --> 00:15:13 designated NS-31 will carry a historic
00:15:13 --> 00:15:15 all-woman crew of six passengers Aisha
00:15:15 --> 00:15:19 Bo Amanda Ninguen Gail King Katy Perry
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 Kerenne Flynn and Lauren
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 Sanchez The flight will take the crew
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 above the internationally recognized
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29 Carmen line at 100 km allowing them to
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 experience several minutes of
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 weightlessness before returning to Earth
00:15:32 --> 00:15:36 approximately 11 minutes after launch
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 The lunar economy appears to be gaining
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 momentum as companies involved in NASA's
00:15:40 --> 00:15:43 commercial lunar payload services CLPS
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 program report increasing interest from
00:15:46 --> 00:15:49 customers beyond the space agency While
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 NASA funding still accounts for about
00:15:51 --> 00:15:54 90% of mission costs the remaining 10%
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 comes from a diverse group of clients
00:15:55 --> 00:15:57 that includes international space
00:15:57 --> 00:16:00 agencies universities private companies
00:16:00 --> 00:16:03 and even rid share customers Intuitive
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 Machines which successfully landed on
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 the moon in March with its second lander
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 is seeing tangible growth in commercial
00:16:10 --> 00:16:13 demand According to Trent Martin the
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 company's senior vice president for
00:16:14 --> 00:16:17 space systems the commercial market is
00:16:17 --> 00:16:20 real and it's growing This shift
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 suggests we're witnessing the early
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 stages of a sustainable lunar
00:16:23 --> 00:16:25 marketplace rather than just government
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 subsidized missions
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 These companies are finding that data
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 gathered during scientific missions
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 creates pathways to future commercial
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 opportunities David Wheeler general
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 counsel at Firefly Aerospace points out
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 that current activities like regalith
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 sample collection serve as precursors
00:16:41 --> 00:16:44 for resource extraction and mining
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 Similarly Ananda Martin of Space
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 Technologies believes the scientific
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 data being collected now will support
00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 further phases of lunar development such
00:16:52 --> 00:16:54 as extraction and eventually human
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 habitation Although a report released
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 last November by the Center for
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 Strategic and International Studies
00:17:00 --> 00:17:03 found no indication of a lunar gold rush
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 industry insiders maintain that
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 commercial interest is steadily
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 increasing They argue that the economics
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 will improve with each successful
00:17:11 --> 00:17:13 mission as lunar flights become more
00:17:13 --> 00:17:16 affordable and less risky International
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 space agencies are already participating
00:17:18 --> 00:17:21 in these commercial ventures albeit at a
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 smaller scale than NASA As Trent Martin
00:17:23 --> 00:17:26 explained they don't have $150 million
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 to fund a mission but maybe they have
00:17:28 --> 00:17:31 $10 million to fund a small instrument
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 that they want to fly on the
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 lander Intuitive Machines has secured
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 multiple contracts with foreign space
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 agencies to carry payloads on future
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 lunar missions Companies are also
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 discovering unexpected business
00:17:43 --> 00:17:46 opportunities along the way Intuitive
00:17:46 --> 00:17:48 Machines has found additional revenue
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 streams by offering orbital
00:17:49 --> 00:17:52 transportation services for satellites
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 and creating a lunar communications
00:17:54 --> 00:17:56 network When rid Share customers on
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 their recent mission experience
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 difficulties communicating with their
00:17:59 --> 00:18:02 satellites at lunar distance they turn
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04 to intuitive machines for help revealing
00:18:04 --> 00:18:07 a new market need The emerging picture
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 suggests that while we're not yet seeing
00:18:09 --> 00:18:11 a full-fledged commercial lunar
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 ecosystem the foundation is being laid
00:18:14 --> 00:18:17 through these initial CLPS missions With
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 each successful landing these companies
00:18:19 --> 00:18:21 are building technical capabilities
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 operational experience and business
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 relationships that could eventually
00:18:25 --> 00:18:27 transform lunar activities from
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 primarily government-f funed scientific
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 endeavors into a sustainable commercial
00:18:31 --> 00:18:33 enterprise
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 Finally today one of the most enduring
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 mysteries in astrophysics has finally
00:18:38 --> 00:18:40 been solved revealing the origin of the
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 powerful magnetic fields that enable
00:18:42 --> 00:18:46 black holes to create spectacular cosmic
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 fireworks Scientists at the Flat Iron
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 Institute and their collaborators have
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 discovered that these magnetic fields
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 are inherited directly from the dying
00:18:53 --> 00:18:56 stars that give birth to black holes
00:18:56 --> 00:18:58 Black holes are known primarily for
00:18:58 --> 00:19:01 their immense gravitational pull that
00:19:01 --> 00:19:04 traps everything nearby However they can
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 also produce intense jets of charged
00:19:06 --> 00:19:09 particles that generate gammaray bursts
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 explosive events that release more
00:19:10 --> 00:19:13 energy in seconds than our sun will emit
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 across its entire lifetime These
00:19:15 --> 00:19:17 phenomena require extremely strong
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19 magnetic fields But until now the source
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 of this magnetism remained elusive
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 Through detailed computer simulations
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 tracking a star's evolution from
00:19:25 --> 00:19:27 collapse to black hole formation
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 researchers identified the critical
00:19:29 --> 00:19:32 mechanism at work As a massive star
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 explodes in a supernova it leaves behind
00:19:34 --> 00:19:37 a dense core called a proton neutron
00:19:37 --> 00:19:40 star When this proton star collapses to
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 form a black hole its magnetic field
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 doesn't simply disappear Instead it
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 transfers to the dis of swirling matter
00:19:46 --> 00:19:49 that forms around the newborn black hole
00:19:49 --> 00:19:51 Proton neutron stars are the mothers of
00:19:51 --> 00:19:54 black holes explains Orgot Leeb the
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 study's lead author What we are seeing
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 is that as this black hole forms the
00:19:58 --> 00:20:01 proton neutron stars surrounding disc
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 will essentially pin its magnetic lines
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 to the black hole This discovery
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 resolves a significant theoretical
00:20:08 --> 00:20:10 paradox that had puzzled scientists
00:20:10 --> 00:20:12 Previous theories suggested that
00:20:12 --> 00:20:14 magnetic fields were compressed during
00:20:14 --> 00:20:16 stellar collapse enhancing their
00:20:16 --> 00:20:19 strength However such strong magnetism
00:20:19 --> 00:20:22 causes stars to lose their rotation And
00:20:22 --> 00:20:24 without rapid rotation a black hole
00:20:24 --> 00:20:26 can't form the accretion disc necessary
00:20:26 --> 00:20:29 to produce jets and gamma ray bursts The
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 team's calculations revealed a critical
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 timing element The black hole's disc
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35 forms faster than the black hole can
00:20:35 --> 00:20:37 lose its inherited magnetism This
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 sequence preserves the magnetic field
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 lines from the parent neutron star
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 anchoring them to the black hole's
00:20:43 --> 00:20:45 accretion disc The implications extend
00:20:45 --> 00:20:47 throughout astrophysics potentially
00:20:47 --> 00:20:49 changing how scientists understand jet
00:20:49 --> 00:20:52 formation in various cosmic systems As
00:20:52 --> 00:20:55 Gotautle notes this study changes the
00:20:55 --> 00:20:57 way we think about what types of systems
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 can support jet formation Because if we
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 know that accretion discs imply
00:21:01 --> 00:21:04 magnetism then in theory all you need is
00:21:04 --> 00:21:07 an early disc formation to power jets
00:21:07 --> 00:21:09 This breakthrough helps explain how
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 black holes can generate the most
00:21:10 --> 00:21:13 luminous explosions in the universe and
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 provides a comprehensive picture of
00:21:14 --> 00:21:17 these extraordinary cosmic objects from
00:21:17 --> 00:21:19 birth to maturity Previous theories
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21 about black hole magnetism painted an
00:21:21 --> 00:21:24 incomplete picture Scientists had long
00:21:24 --> 00:21:26 thought that as stars collapsed their
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 magnetic fields were simply compressed
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 and
00:21:29 --> 00:21:31 intensified But this explanation created
00:21:31 --> 00:21:33 a fundamental paradox that had
00:21:33 --> 00:21:35 astronomers scratching their heads for
00:21:35 --> 00:21:38 years The problem was this A strong
00:21:38 --> 00:21:40 magnetic field causes a star to lose its
00:21:40 --> 00:21:43 rotation And without rapid rotation a
00:21:43 --> 00:21:45 newborn black hole can't form an
00:21:45 --> 00:21:47 accretion disc That swirling collection
00:21:47 --> 00:21:50 of matter that surrounds it Without an
00:21:50 --> 00:21:52 accretion disc you can't get the
00:21:52 --> 00:21:54 powerful jets that produce gamma ray
00:21:54 --> 00:21:56 bursts So how could black holes have
00:21:56 --> 00:21:59 both the strong magnetic fields and the
00:21:59 --> 00:22:01 accretion discs needed for these
00:22:01 --> 00:22:05 spectacular cosmic phenomena got's team
00:22:05 --> 00:22:07 realized that past simulations had
00:22:07 --> 00:22:09 missed something crucial They'd only
00:22:09 --> 00:22:11 considered isolated neutron stars and
00:22:11 --> 00:22:13 black holes ignoring the complex
00:22:13 --> 00:22:15 interactions between them during the
00:22:15 --> 00:22:18 collapse process The key insight was
00:22:18 --> 00:22:20 recognizing that neutron stars have
00:22:20 --> 00:22:23 their own accretion discs before they
00:22:23 --> 00:22:25 collapse It appears to be mutually
00:22:25 --> 00:22:28 exclusive Gotautle explains you need two
00:22:28 --> 00:22:30 things for jets to form a strong
00:22:30 --> 00:22:33 magnetic field and an accretion disc But
00:22:33 --> 00:22:35 a magnetic field acquired by such
00:22:35 --> 00:22:37 compression won't form an accretion disc
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 And if you reduce the magnetism to the
00:22:38 --> 00:22:40 point where the disc can form then it's
00:22:40 --> 00:22:43 not strong enough to produce the jets
00:22:43 --> 00:22:45 The new calculations revealed a solution
00:22:45 --> 00:22:48 to this puzzle As a neutron star begins
00:22:48 --> 00:22:50 to collapse but before all its magnetic
00:22:50 --> 00:22:52 field is swallowed by the forming black
00:22:52 --> 00:22:56 hole the neutron stars disc inherited by
00:22:56 --> 00:22:58 the black hole During this process the
00:22:58 --> 00:23:00 magnetic field lines become anchored in
00:23:00 --> 00:23:03 the disc preserving the magnetism even
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 as the central object
00:23:04 --> 00:23:07 transforms It's a bit like a cosmic
00:23:07 --> 00:23:09 inheritance The mother neutron star
00:23:09 --> 00:23:12 passes down its magnetic genes to its
00:23:12 --> 00:23:14 child black hole through the medium of
00:23:14 --> 00:23:17 the accretion disc This transfer happens
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 because the time scale for disc
00:23:19 --> 00:23:21 formation is shorter than the time scale
00:23:21 --> 00:23:23 for magnetic field dissipation This
00:23:23 --> 00:23:25 discovery fundamentally changes our
00:23:25 --> 00:23:27 understanding of black hole formation
00:23:27 --> 00:23:29 and jet production It suggests that any
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 system where an accretion disc forms
00:23:31 --> 00:23:34 quickly enough could potentially support
00:23:34 --> 00:23:36 jet formation The researchers are now
00:23:36 --> 00:23:38 reconsidering various types of stellar
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 systems and their potential for
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 generating these powerful cosmic
00:23:42 --> 00:23:44 phenomena The work demonstrates the
00:23:44 --> 00:23:46 power of multiddisciplinary
00:23:46 --> 00:23:48 collaboration and advanced computational
00:23:48 --> 00:23:51 resources By bringing together experts
00:23:51 --> 00:23:53 from different fields and running more
00:23:53 --> 00:23:55 comprehensive simulations than ever
00:23:55 --> 00:23:57 before the team was able to see
00:23:57 --> 00:24:00 connections that had previously been
00:24:00 --> 00:24:03 missed Well that brings us to the end of
00:24:03 --> 00:24:05 another fascinating episode of Astronomy
00:24:05 --> 00:24:07 Daily From the expansion of NASA's deep
00:24:08 --> 00:24:10 space network in Australia to Saturn's
00:24:10 --> 00:24:12 rarelyseen edge on rings we've covered
00:24:12 --> 00:24:14 some truly remarkable developments in
00:24:14 --> 00:24:17 our cosmic neighborhood The busy launch
00:24:17 --> 00:24:19 week ahead promises to push human
00:24:19 --> 00:24:21 exploration further while commercial
00:24:21 --> 00:24:23 lunar lander companies are finding
00:24:23 --> 00:24:26 growing interest beyond NASA's missions
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 Perhaps most exciting was our look at
00:24:27 --> 00:24:29 the breakthrough in understanding black
00:24:29 --> 00:24:32 hole magnetism Solving a paradox that
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 has puzzled scientists for years by
00:24:33 --> 00:24:35 revealing how these cosmic monsters
00:24:35 --> 00:24:38 inherit their magnetic fields from their
00:24:38 --> 00:24:41 mother neutron stars The universe
00:24:41 --> 00:24:43 continues to surprise us with its
00:24:43 --> 00:24:45 complexity and beauty reminding us why
00:24:45 --> 00:24:47 astronomy remains one of the most
00:24:47 --> 00:24:50 captivating scientific pursuits I'm Anna
00:24:50 --> 00:24:52 and I've been your host for this edition
00:24:52 --> 00:24:55 of Astronomy Daily If you enjoyed
00:24:55 --> 00:24:57 today's episode please visit our website
00:24:57 --> 00:24:59 at astronomydaily.io
00:24:59 --> 00:25:01 io where you can sign up for our free
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00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 stay informed about the latest
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00:25:09 --> 00:25:11 exploration news You can also find us
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00:25:20 --> 00:25:22 Share your thoughts about today's topics
00:25:22 --> 00:25:24 or suggest subjects you'd like us to
00:25:24 --> 00:25:27 cover in future episodes Until next time
00:25:27 --> 00:25:29 keep looking up There's always something
00:25:29 --> 00:25:31 amazing happening in our cosmic
00:25:31 --> 00:25:42 neighborhood
00:25:42 --> 00:25:46 Stories told