Join Anna in this action-packed episode of Astronomy Daily as she navigates through the latest and most fascinating developments in space exploration and astronomy. Prepare for an exhilarating journey that spans from China's innovative rocket launches to the intriguing mysteries of Mars.
Highlights:
- China's Methane-Powered Rocket Launch: Discover how Landspace Technology successfully launched their Jukui 2E Y2 carrier rocket, marking a significant milestone in the commercial space race. Learn about the advantages of methane as a rocket fuel and the implications for reusable rocket technology.
- Upcoming Tianwen 2 Asteroid Mission: Get excited about China's Tianwen 2 probe, set to collect samples from asteroid 2016 HO3. This mission represents China's first foray into asteroid exploration and sample collection, showcasing their rapid advancements in space exploration.
- Solving Mars' Slope Streak Mystery: Delve into the recent findings that may have finally unraveled the enigma of dark streaks on Mars. A new study suggests these features are the result of dry processes rather than liquid water, reshaping our understanding of the Martian environment.
- Mysterious Light Streak Over US Skies: Uncover the truth behind a brilliant light show that captivated sky watchers across the United States, which turned out to be a fuel dump from a Chinese rocket, rather than an aurora phenomenon.
- SpaceX's Busy Starlink Launch Schedule: Stay updated on SpaceX's ambitious plans for multiple Starlink launches, including a significant mission targeting a polar sun-synchronous orbit to enhance global internet coverage.
- NASA's Perseverance Rover Exploration: Follow the latest adventures of NASA's Perseverance rover as it investigates ancient rocks on Mars, providing crucial insights into the planet's watery past and the potential for past life.
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.
Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:10 - China's methane-powered rocket launch
10:00 - Upcoming Tianwen 2 asteroid mission
15:30 - Solving Mars' slope streak mystery
20:00 - Mysterious light streak over US skies
25:00 - SpaceX's busy Starlink launch schedule
30:00 - NASA's Perseverance rover exploration
✍️ Episode References
Landspace Technology Updates
[Landspace]( https://www.landspace.com/ (https://www.landspace.com/) )
Tianwen 2 Mission
[China National Space Administration]( http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/ (http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/) )
Mars Slope Streaks Research
[Nature Communications]( https://www.nature.com/ncomms/ (https://www.nature.com/ncomms/) )
SpaceX Starlink Updates
[SpaceX]( https://www.spacex.com/ (https://www.spacex.com/) )
NASA Perseverance Rover
[NASA Perseverance]( https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/ (https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/) )
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily]( http://www.astronomydaily.io/ (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) )
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-exciting-space-discoveries-and-news--5648921/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-exciting-space-discoveries-and-news--5648921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss) .
Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/27215523?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 Hello and welcome to Astronomy Daily,
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 your daily dose of everything happening
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 in the cosmos. I'm your host, Anna, and
00:00:06 --> 00:00:07 I'm thrilled to bring you today's
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 roundup of the most fascinating
00:00:09 --> 00:00:12 developments in space and astronomy.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:13 We've got an action-packed episode for
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 you today. We'll explore China's latest
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 achievements with their methane powered
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 rocket launch and their upcoming
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 asteroid sample return mission. Then
00:00:23 --> 00:00:24 we'll dive into some intriguing Mars
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 mysteries as scientists may have finally
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 solved the puzzle of those strange dark
00:00:29 --> 00:00:32 streaks on the Martian surface. Plus,
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 we'll uncover the truth behind that
00:00:34 --> 00:00:35 mysterious light streak that appeared
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 over US skies during a recent aurora
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 storm. Get updates on SpaceX's busy
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 Starlink launch schedule, and check in
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 with NASA's Perseverance rover as it
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 explores an ancient region on Mars that
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 could hold clues to the planet's watery
00:00:49 --> 00:00:50 past.
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 So stick around as we journey through
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 today's most exciting space news right
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 here on Astronomy Daily. China has made
00:00:57 --> 00:00:58 significant strides in the commercial
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 space race with Beijing based land space
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 technology, successfully launching their
00:01:03 --> 00:01:07 Juk 2e Y2 carrier rocket last Saturday.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 The rocket blasted off from the Jukuan
00:01:09 --> 00:01:10 satellite launch center in northwest
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 China at 12:12 p.m. local time, marking
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 the fifth flight for the Jukay 2 series.
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 What makes this launch particularly
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 noteworthy is that Landspace is doubling
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 down on methane as a rocket fuel. In
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 fact, the company made history in July
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 2023 when it became the world's first to
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 successfully launch a methane liquid
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 oxygen rocket, beating out major
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 competitors like Elon Musk's SpaceX and
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 Jeff Bezos's Blue
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 Origin. Methane is gaining popularity in
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 the aerospace industry for good reason.
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 It's considered less polluting than
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 traditional rocket fuels. offers
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 enhanced safety and comes with a lower
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 price tag. These advantages make methane
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 particularly well suited as a propellant
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 for reusable rockets, which is exactly
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 what Landspace is working toward.
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 Saturday's launch successfully deployed
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 six satellites into orbit, showing
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 progress from their previous launches.
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 Their first successful methane powered
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 launch didn't carry any real satellites,
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 while their second launch in December
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 2023 managed to place three satellites
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 into orbit. This latest mission carried
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 payloads developed by Chinese firm Spac,
00:02:19 --> 00:02:20 including a radar satellite, two
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 multisspectral satellites, and three
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 satellites for scientific
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 experiments. This launch included some
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 technical improvements that will support
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 Landspace's reusability goals. The
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 company implemented a new propulsion
00:02:32 --> 00:02:33 method that involved chilling both
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 liquid oxygen and methane below their
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 boiling points to boost thrust.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 Landspace founder and CEO Jang Chong Wu
00:02:41 --> 00:02:42 has indicated that the company is
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 actively developing reusable rockets
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 with test launches expected in the
00:02:46 --> 00:02:47 second half of
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50 2025. The race to develop reusable
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 rockets has intensified since SpaceX
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 demonstrated how they can dramatically
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 lower costs for launch vehicles and
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 space transportation. Chinese commercial
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 space companies have been particularly
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 active since 2014 when the government
00:03:03 --> 00:03:04 opened the industry to private
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 investment with land space being one of
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 the earliest and best funded entrance in
00:03:09 --> 00:03:10 the
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 field. In more news from China today,
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 China is ramping up its ambitious space
00:03:15 --> 00:03:16 exploration program with the upcoming
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 launch of the Tianwin 2 asteroid probe
00:03:19 --> 00:03:20 scheduled for late May from the
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 Chi-Chong Satellite Launch Center. After
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 being transported to the launch area on
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 May 14th, the spacecraft is currently
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 undergoing final inspections before its
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 historic journey begins. This mission
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 represents China's first attempt to
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 collect samples from interplanetary
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 space, marking another significant
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 milestone in the country's rapidly
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 advancing space program. The primary
00:03:42 --> 00:03:47 target is asteroid 2016 HO3, a small 100
00:03:47 --> 00:03:48 meter asteroid that follows a unique
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 orbit around Earth as what scientists
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 call a quasi satellite. While it doesn't
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 orbit Earth directly like our moon, it
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 follows a path around the sun that keeps
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 it as a constant companion to our
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 planet. Once Chen 2 reaches its
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 destination, it will deploy a mechanical
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 arm to scoop up dust samples from the
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 asteroid surface. But the mission
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 doesn't end there. The spacecraft will
00:04:11 --> 00:04:15 also explore comet 311P, providing an
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 unprecedented opportunity to study two
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 distinct celestial bodies during a
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 single mission. This sample return
00:04:22 --> 00:04:23 mission follows in the footsteps of
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 similar successful ventures by other
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 space fairing nations, including the
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 United States and Japan, who have
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 previously landed on asteroids. However,
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 this represents China's first venture
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 into asteroid exploration and sample
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 collection. The Tienwin 2 mission comes
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 on the heels of China's impressive
00:04:41 --> 00:04:42 achievement earlier this year with the
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 Changi 6 lunar probe, which made history
00:04:45 --> 00:04:46 as the first mission to bring back
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 samples from the moon's far side. This
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 consistent progress demonstrates China's
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 growing capabilities and determination
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 to establish itself as a leading space
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 power. Looking ahead, China has already
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 announced plans for Chen 3, an even more
00:05:02 --> 00:05:03 ambitious mission scheduled for around
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 2028 that aims to return samples from
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 Mars. These missions reflect the
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 intensifying space race between China
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 and the United States as both nations
00:05:13 --> 00:05:16 accelerate their exploration plans with
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 increasingly sophisticated missions. The
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 upcoming Tienwen 2 launch will be
00:05:21 --> 00:05:22 closely watched by the international
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 scientific community as the samples it
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 returns could provide valuable insights
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 into the composition of asteroids and
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 the early solar system, potentially
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 offering clues about the origins of life
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 on Earth. Next, let's take a look at the
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 first of two stories we have today from
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 the red planet. Dark streaks that
00:05:41 --> 00:05:44 mysteriously appear on Martian slopes
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 have puzzled planetary scientists since
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 they were first observed in the late
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 1970s. These features, known as slope
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 streaks, are typically darker than their
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 surroundings and can extend for hundreds
00:05:56 --> 00:06:00 of meters down steep terrain. In 2011,
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 researchers discovered similar but
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 shorter lived features called recurrent
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 slope linei or RSL, triggering an
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 intense debate about their origins. For
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 decades, scientists have been divided on
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 whether these streaks are evidence of
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 something extraordinary, liquid water
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 flowing on the Martian surface, or
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 merely the result of dry processes like
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 dust movements. A new study published in
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 Nature Communications may have finally
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 resolved this long-standing mystery. A
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 big focus of Mars research is
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 understanding modern-day processes on
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 Mars, including the possibility of
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 liquid water on the surface, explains
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 Adamus Valentine from Brown University,
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 who co-authored the research. The water
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 hypothesis suggested that small amounts
00:06:44 --> 00:06:47 from buried ice, subsurface aquifers, or
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 unusually humid air could mix with salt
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 to create briney flows capable of
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 persisting even in Mars' freezing
00:06:54 --> 00:06:55 conditions.
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 To settle the debate, Valentine's and
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 his colleague Dr. Valentine Bickl from
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 the University of Burn used machine
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 learning to create the first global
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 catalog of these features. After
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 training their algorithm on confirmed
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 slope streak sightings, they analyzed
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 over 86 highresolution satellite
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 images, identifying 500 individual
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 slope streaks. Once we had this global
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 map, we could compare it to databases of
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 temperature, wind speed, hydration,
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 rocklide activity, and other factors,
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 says Bickl. Then we could look for
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 correlations over hundreds of thousands
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 of cases. Their findings were
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 conclusive. These features appear more
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 frequently in areas with above average
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 wind speed and dust deposition, factors
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 that strongly suggest a dry origin
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 rather than liquid water.
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 Neither type of streak shows
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 associations with factors you'd expect
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 if water were involved, such as specific
00:07:51 --> 00:07:54 slope orientations, high humidity, or
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 temperature
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 fluctuations. The researchers concluded
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 that slope streaks most likely form when
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 layers of fine dust suddenly slide off
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 steep slopes, while RSLs are more
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 commonly found in places with frequent
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 rock falls and dust devils, those mini
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 whirlwinds of dust and grit that dance
00:08:10 --> 00:08:13 across the Martian surface. Our findings
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 suggest that Martian slopes currently do
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 not experience seasonal transient flows
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 of liquid water or brines underscoring
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 the dry desert-like nature of Mars. The
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 authors write, "This conclusion has
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 important implications for future Mars
00:08:28 --> 00:08:31 missions as it suggests these areas are
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 unlikely to be habitable environments,
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 potentially easing planetary protection
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 constraints for landed missions
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 targeting these regions."
00:08:39 --> 00:08:42 Meanwhile, a mystery back here on Earth.
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 On the night of Saturday, May 17th, sky
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 watchers across the United States were
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 treated to an unexpected light show. A
00:08:49 --> 00:08:50 brilliant stream of whitish light
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 stretched across the night sky, visible
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 as far south as New Mexico. With a major
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 auroral display already underway due to
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 solar particles hitting Earth's magnetic
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 field, many observers initially thought
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 they were witnessing Steve. That's the
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 strong thermal emission velocity
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 enhancement, a rare aurora adjacent
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 phenomenon that creates white mauve
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 streaks in the ionosphere. But this
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 wasn't Steve at all. Astronomer Jonathan
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 McDow, who specializes in tracking
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 activity in Earth orbit, quickly
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21 identified the true source, a fuel dump
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 from the upper stage of China's Zuk 2
00:09:23 --> 00:09:26 rocket at an altitude of about 250
00:09:26 --> 00:09:29 km. As reported earlier in the show,
00:09:29 --> 00:09:33 just hours earlier at 412 UTC, Beijing
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 based startup Landspace Technology had
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 launched their Jukquay 2e Y2 carrier
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 rocket carrying six satellites into
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 orbit. The striking visual effect
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 occurred when the rocket's upper stage
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 released unused methyloxs fuel, a
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 mixture of methane and liquid oxygen,
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 while passing over the southwestern
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 United States. At that altitude, right
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 in Earth's ionosphere, the fuel created
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 a chemical light show through reactions
00:09:58 --> 00:10:01 with the charged plasma environment.
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 According to physicists, these reactions
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 can include ion molecule charge
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 exchange, electron ion recombination,
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 and optical emissions from
00:10:10 --> 00:10:13 chemoluminescence. In simpler terms,
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 when rocket fuel interacts with the
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 ionosphere at night, it can create a
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 long lived glow visible from the ground.
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 While we've seen rocket fuel create
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 strange spirals in the sky before, this
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 particular manifestation, a straight
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 white streak resembling Steve, appears
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 to be something new. With methyloxs
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 gaining popularity as a rocket fuel due
00:10:32 --> 00:10:35 to its efficiency, cleaner combustion,
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 and potential for insitu production on
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 Mars, we might see more of these unusual
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 light shows in our night skies in the
00:10:41 --> 00:10:44 future. So, if you spotted this
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 mysterious streak on May 17th, now you
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 know it wasn't an aurora or Steve, but
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 rather the after effects of humanity's
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 expanding activities in space, bringing
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 a bit of cosmic chemistry right to our
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 doorstep. Okay, moving on. Let's take a
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 look at this week's launch schedule.
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 SpaceX is ramping up for an
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 exceptionally busy week with at least
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 three Starlink satellite launches
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 planned across both coasts of the United
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 States. The ambitious schedule reflects
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 the company's accelerating pace as it
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 works to expand its global internet
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 constellation. The week began with a
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 Falcon 9 scheduled to launch Starlink
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 Group 12 to 15 from Space Launch Complex
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 40 at Cape Canaveral in Florida.
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 However, the countdown was held at just
00:11:24 --> 00:11:27 under 2 and 1/2 minutes before liftoff.
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 Unlike most Starlink missions, which
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 typically have 4-hour launch windows,
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 this one had an unusually short 35minut
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 window. The hold resulted in a scrub as
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 Falcon 9's highly chilled fuel warms too
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 quickly to allow for a reset within the
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 same window. The mission would have
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 carried 23 satellites, including both
00:11:46 --> 00:11:48 standard V2 mini satellites and
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 specialized directto cell variants.
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 Later in the week, another Florida
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 launch is planned with Starlink Group
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 1222 lifting off from the same pad on
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 Saturday. This mission will similarly
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 carry a mixture of Starlink V2 mini and
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 directto cell satellites on a
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 southeasterly trajectory over the
00:12:05 --> 00:12:08 Atlantic Ocean. But perhaps the most
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 significant launch of the week will come
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 California. On Sunday, SpaceX plans to
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 initiate construction of an entirely new
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 orbital shell for the Starlink
00:12:20 --> 00:12:23 constellation with the Group 171
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 mission. This launch represents a major
00:12:25 --> 00:12:28 milestone as the first Starlink mission,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 targeting a polar sun-synchronous orbit
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 at a 97 degree inclination since the
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34 earlier Group 3 deployments, which used
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 older V1.5
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 satellites. The polar orbit will enable
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 Starlink to provide coverage at high
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 latitudes, including the Arctic and
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 Antarctic regions areas that have
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 historically had limited access to
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 reliable internet connectivity.
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 This expansion into polar orbits
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 represents the next phase in SpaceX's
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 plan to provide truly global coverage.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 All three missions will include landing
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 attempts on SpaceX's autonomous drone
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 ships positioned in the Atlantic and
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 Pacific oceans. These recoveries
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 continue to demonstrate the company's
00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 reusability model, which has
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 revolutionized launch economics with
00:13:08 --> 00:13:11 some boosters now having flown more than
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 two dozen missions. If all launches
00:13:13 --> 00:13:16 proceed as planned, SpaceX will surpass
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 60 missions for
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 2025, continuing their record-breaking
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 launch cadence and further cementing
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 their dominance in the commercial launch
00:13:23 --> 00:13:26 market. Also this week, we have launches
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 planned from China and Russia. The first
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 of several Chinese launches expected
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 this week will launch from launch
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 complex
00:13:34 --> 00:13:37 2011 at the Wang Space Launch Site in
00:13:37 --> 00:13:41 China on Tuesday, May 20th at 11:50 UTC.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 There is no information regarding the
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 mission's payload at present. However,
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 the hazard warning notices published
00:13:47 --> 00:13:51 indicate that the Chang Jang 7A CZ7A
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 will fly due east from the launch site.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 Another Chinese launch is expected on
00:13:55 --> 00:13:59 Wednesday, May 21 at 0400 UTC. During a
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 launch window extending from 0354 until
00:14:01 --> 00:14:05 0415 UTC, a Kinetic 1 will lift off from
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 site 130 at Jukuan Satellite Launch
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 Center in China. Published hazard
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 notices indicate a southwesterly
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 trajectory for the flight. This mission
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 will serve as the first Kinetic 1
00:14:15 --> 00:14:18 mission of 2025 and the seventh overall.
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 And finally, rounding out a busy week of
00:14:20 --> 00:14:23 launches, a Russian Soyuse 2.1A with a
00:14:23 --> 00:14:26 Frigot M4th stage will launch an unknown
00:14:26 --> 00:14:30 payload on Friday, May 23rd at 0700 UTC
00:14:30 --> 00:14:33 from the Placetsk Cosmo in northwestern
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 Russia. This will be the third launch
00:14:35 --> 00:14:39 for a Soyos in 2025 and the 113th
00:14:39 --> 00:14:42 orbital launch attempt worldwide this
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 year. Finally, today, let's return to
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 Mars. NASA's Perseverance rover is
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 embarking on an exciting new chapter of
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 its Martian adventure, exploring a
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 region that scientists believe could
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 harbor some of the oldest rocks on the
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 entire planet. After spending five
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 months investigating which Hazelh Hill,
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 the nuclearpowered rover has now moved
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 on to a new area of interest dubbed
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 Crocodilan. The name, which means the
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 crocodile in Norwegian, was chosen by
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 mission scientists after a mountain
00:15:10 --> 00:15:13 ridge on Norway's Prince Carl's Fland
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 Island. This 73 acre plateau of rocky
00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 outcrops sits down slope to the west and
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 south of Witch Hazel Hill on the lower
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 slope of Jezero Craters rim. What makes
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 Crocodilan particularly tantalizing is
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29 its geological age. These rocks form
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 before Jazer Crater was even created,
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 dating back to Mars' earliest geological
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 period, known as the Noacian era. In
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 fact, they're among the oldest
00:15:37 --> 00:15:40 accessible rocks on the entire Martian
00:15:40 --> 00:15:42 surface. An early investigation of the
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 region revealed the presence of clay
00:15:44 --> 00:15:47 minerals, which require liquid water to
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 form. This provides compelling evidence
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 that abundant water once flowed across
00:15:51 --> 00:15:54 this ancient landscape long before an
00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 asteroid impact created Jezero Crater.
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 Clay minerals are especially important
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 in the search for past life because
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 they're known on Earth to preserve
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 organic compounds, the fundamental
00:16:05 --> 00:16:08 building blocks of life. Ken Farley,
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 deputy project scientist for
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 Perseverance, explained the
00:16:11 --> 00:16:14 significance. If we find a potential bio
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 signature here, it would most likely be
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 from an entirely different and much
00:16:17 --> 00:16:20 earlier epic of Mars evolution than the
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 one we found last year in the crater
00:16:22 --> 00:16:25 with Chayava Falls. That previous
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 discovery featured chemical signatures
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 and structures that could have been
00:16:28 --> 00:16:32 formed by ancient life. The rover, which
00:16:32 --> 00:16:35 celebrated its 1th day of surface
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 operations on May 9th, is currently
00:16:37 --> 00:16:40 analyzing a rocky outcrop called Copper
00:16:40 --> 00:16:43 Cove. Orbital data suggests that other
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 areas of crocodilan may contain olivine
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 and carbonate minerals. While olivine
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 forms from magma, carbonates typically
00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 develop when rock reacts with carbon
00:16:52 --> 00:16:54 dioxide dissolved in liquid water. On
00:16:54 --> 00:16:57 Earth, carbonates excel at preserving
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59 fossilized microbial life and recording
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 ancient climate conditions. The
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 Perseverance team has also implemented a
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 new sampling strategy, allowing some
00:17:05 --> 00:17:08 cord samples to remain unsealed. This
00:17:08 --> 00:17:10 gives the mission flexibility to replace
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 earlier samples if more scientifically
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 compelling features are discovered down
00:17:13 --> 00:17:16 the road. Katie Stack Morgan,
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 Perseverance's acting project scientist,
00:17:18 --> 00:17:21 noted, "We have been exploring Mars for
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 over four years, and every single filled
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 sample tube we have on board has its own
00:17:25 --> 00:17:28 unique and compelling story to tell. As
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 Perseverance continues its methodical
00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 exploration of this ancient Martian
00:17:32 --> 00:17:35 landscape, each rock it analyzes brings
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 us closer to understanding Mars' distant
00:17:37 --> 00:17:40 past and potentially answering whether
00:17:40 --> 00:17:43 life once existed on our neighboring
00:17:43 --> 00:17:46 planet. Well, what an incredible week in
00:17:46 --> 00:17:48 space and astronomy news. We've truly
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 spanned the solar system in today's
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 episode. From groundbreaking rocket
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 launches here on Earth to the mysteries
00:17:54 --> 00:17:56 of Mars and beyond, the pace of
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 innovation in space technology continues
00:17:58 --> 00:18:00 to accelerate with China's land space
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 joining the race to develop methane
00:18:02 --> 00:18:05 powered rockets. Technology that could
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 revolutionize our access to space
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 through reusability and efficiency.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:11 Their upcoming Tanwen 2 mission
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 represents another significant step in
00:18:13 --> 00:18:16 asteroid exploration, joining efforts by
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 NASA, JAXA, and other space agencies to
00:18:18 --> 00:18:21 understand these ancient celestial
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 bodies. Looking ahead, watch for
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 SpaceX's continued expansion of their
00:18:25 --> 00:18:28 Starlink constellation, particularly the
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 new polar orbit shell, which will
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 enhance global coverage. The Russian
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 Soyuse launch carrying its mysterious
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 payload will certainly be worth
00:18:36 --> 00:18:39 monitoring as well. On Mars,
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 Perseverance's exploration of the
00:18:40 --> 00:18:43 ancient crocodilan region may yield some
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 of the most significant discoveries yet
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 about the red planet's early history.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 The rover's investigation of those
00:18:48 --> 00:18:51 Noakian era rocks could fundamentally
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 change our understanding of Mars'
00:18:53 --> 00:18:55 potential habitability. And the
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 scientific detective work that solved
00:18:56 --> 00:18:59 both the mystery of Mars slope streaks
00:18:59 --> 00:19:01 and the strange light phenomenon over
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 the United States reminds us that space
00:19:03 --> 00:19:06 science is constantly evolving with new
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 observations challenging our previous
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 assumptions. The coming weeks promise
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 even more excitement as these missions
00:19:12 --> 00:19:15 progress and new launches take flight.
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 Our understanding of the cosmos grows
00:19:16 --> 00:19:19 richer with each passing
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 day. And that's all for this episode of
00:19:21 --> 00:19:24 Astronomy Daily. I'm Anna and I want to
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 thank you for joining me on this cosmic
00:19:26 --> 00:19:29 journey through today's most fascinating
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 space and astronomy news. If you're
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 hungry for more space content, and let's
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 be honest, who isn't? I invite you to
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 visit our website at
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 astronomydaily.io where you can sign up
00:19:39 --> 00:19:41 for our free daily newsletter. It's the
00:19:41 --> 00:19:43 perfect way to stay updated on all the
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 latest developments in space exploration
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 and astronomy with our constantly
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00:19:53 --> 00:19:56 Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
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00:19:57 --> 00:20:00 podcasts. New episodes drop daily,
00:20:00 --> 00:20:02 bringing you the most compelling stories
00:20:02 --> 00:20:04 from across the universe. Until next
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 time, keep looking up. There's always
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 something amazing happening in our
00:20:08 --> 00:20:10 cosmic neighborhood. This has been Anna
00:20:10 --> 00:20:13 for Astronomy Daily, your daily dose of
00:20:13 --> 00:20:17 space news and wonder.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:24 Stories
00:20:24 --> 00:20:28 told stories
00:20:28 --> 00:20:32 [Music]
00:20:32 --> 00:20:36 told stories