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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00:25:20 --> 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