00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 welcome to astronomy daily your source
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 for the latest space in astronomy news
00:00:04 --> 00:00:05 I'm your host Anna and we have an
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 incredible show lined up for you today
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 we're diving into some fascinating
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 developments across the cosmos from
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 groundbreaking Moon missions to
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 mysterious black holes lurking in the
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 early Universe we'll explore Firefly
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 aerospace's ambitious lunar Mission
00:00:20 --> 00:00:21 discover why there's about to be a tiny
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 Swedish House on the moon and learn
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 about spacex's latest record-breaking
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 satellite deployment we'll also check in
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 on China's historic u22 Road as it
00:00:30 --> 00:00:31 reaches a potential end to its
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 remarkable journey and uncover new
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 findings about super massive black holes
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 that might be hiding in plain sight plus
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 we're diving into a fascinating
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 Revelation from NASA's James web Space
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 Telescope stay with us as we journey
00:00:45 --> 00:00:46 through these remarkable stories that
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 continue to expand our understanding of
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 the universe around us let's get
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 underway Firefly Aerospace is making
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 history with their first ever mission to
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 the moon set to launch on a SpaceX
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 Space Center very shortly their blue
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 Ghost lunar lander aptly nicknamed Ghost
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 Riders in the Sky carries an impressive
00:01:06 --> 00:01:09 payload of 10 NASA experiments more than
00:01:09 --> 00:01:10 any previous commercial lunar payload
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 Services Mission the mission will
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 conduct crucial research at every stage
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 of its Journey from Earth orbit all the
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 way to the lunar surface before even
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 reaching the moon the Lander will
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 measure solar wind particles and test
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 radiation resistant computer hardware
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 while also experimenting with using
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 Earth's GPS satellites for lunar
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 navigation once Blue Ghost touches down
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 in Marium the real work Begins the
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 landing site was specifically chosen for
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 its smooth Dusty terrain perfect for
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 studying one of the moon's most
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 challenging features lunar regolith this
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 fine powder-like dust caused numerous
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 headaches for Apollo Astronauts from
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 obscuring their visors to grinding
00:01:51 --> 00:01:52 inside their space suits and
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 compromising equipment seals several
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 experiments will focus on tackling this
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 Dusty dilemma the regolith adherent
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 characterization experiment will test
00:02:02 --> 00:02:03 how different materials react to
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 long-term exposure to lunar dust while
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 the electrodynamic dust shield will
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 attempt to clear away dust buildup using
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 electrical currents technology that
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 could prove vital for future lunar bases
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 and solar panels the mission will also
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 probe beneath the moon surface with the
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 liser experiment drilling up to 9 ft
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 deep to measure heat flow potentially
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 revealing new insights about lunar
00:02:25 --> 00:02:28 resources and formation meanwhile the
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 Next Generation lunar retro reflector
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 will use lasers to measure the precise
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 distance between Earth and the Moon
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 building upon similar experiments first
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 conducted during the Apollo era Blue
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 Ghost 60-day Mission will conclude with
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 a spectacular finale as it Witnesses
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 both a lunar solar eclipse and an
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 intriguing phenomenon where lunar dust
00:02:50 --> 00:02:54 appears to levitate at Sunset A fitting
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 end for a mission that could help pave
00:02:56 --> 00:02:57 the way for Humanity's sustainable
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 return to the Moon speaking of things
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 going to the Moon bet you didn't see
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 this coming the Moon is about to receive
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 its first tiny house and it's not just
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 any ordinary dwelling it's an iconic
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 Swedish red house with White Corners
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 this miniature architectural Marvel is
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 heading to the lunar surface aboard ice
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 space's resilience Mission representing
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 the culmination of artist Mikel gur's
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 25-year dream while genberg initially
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 envisioned a self-unfolding structure
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 standing 8T tall the final moonhouse has
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 has been scaled down considerably to
00:03:31 --> 00:03:37 just 3 in High 4 in wide and 2.5 in deep
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 despite its diminutive size the
00:03:39 --> 00:03:40 structure has undergone rigorous
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 engineering to ensure it can withstand
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 the harsh conditions of space travel and
00:03:45 --> 00:03:46 the lunar
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 environment the symbolic red color of
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 the house carries deep historical
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 significance dating back to a 16th
00:03:53 --> 00:03:54 century paint derived from Sweden's
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 falloon copper mine for genberg this
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 isn't just about placing a structure on
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 the moon it's about creating a universal
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 symbol that speaks to Humanity's Eternal
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 Quest to explore the unknown this isn't
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 the first time genberg has sent a
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 version of the moonhouse into space in
00:04:11 --> 00:04:15 2009 Swedish astronaut Christ Fugal sang
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 carried a fold out card stock model to
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 the International Space Station where it
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 was filmed floating freely in
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 microgravity but now after Decades of
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 preparation the moonhouse is finally
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 headed for its intended destination the
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 tiny house will travel aboard iac's
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 resilience Lander targeting a landing
00:04:34 --> 00:04:37 site in Mar frigoris or the Sea of cold
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 in the moon's Northern Hemisphere after
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 a 4-month journey through space this
00:04:41 --> 00:04:42 small piece of Sweden will become a
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 permanent artistic installation on our
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 Celestial neighbor serving as what
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 genberg hopes will be a symbol of
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 Humanity's endless drive to push
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 boundaries and gain New Perspectives on
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 our world moving on now to the company
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 that continues to push boundaries SpaceX
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 has just achieved another milestone in
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 democratizing access to space with their
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 latest transporter 12 rid share Mission
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 launching from vandenbberg space force
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 base in California the Falcon 9 rocket
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 successfully deployed an impressive
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 array of 131 satellites into sun
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 synchronous orbit Planet Labs dominated
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 the passenger manifest with 36 of their
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 Dove Imaging Cube SATs and their second
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 Pelican highresolution satellite but
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 what makes this Mission particularly
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 fascinating is the diverse range of
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 payloads sharing the ride the United
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 Arab Emirates contributed their mbz sat
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 weighing in its 750 kg and serving as
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 the mission's largest single payload
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 among the more intriguing passengers was
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 the debut of pixel's first three Firefly
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 hyperspectral satellites this Indian
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 startup fresh off a $24 million funding
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 round aims to build out an 18 satellite
00:05:51 --> 00:05:52 constellation for advanced Earth
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 observation and
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 analytics the mission also carried some
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 groundbreaking experimental Vehicles
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 varda space indust indries launched
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 their second mission W2 carrying a
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 pharmaceutical reactor and payloads for
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 NASA and the US Air Force meanwhile
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 inversion space tested their first
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 mission called Ray designed to splash
00:06:12 --> 00:06:13 down off the California coast as a
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 demonstration of precision re-entry
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 technology perhaps the most unique
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20 payload was sat Gus a 12 U Cube sat
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 featuring a video screen that people can
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 upload images to this selfie satellite
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 takes pictures of the screen with Earth
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 in the background creating a novel way
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 to engage the public with space
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 exploration I just might give that a go
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36 myself spacex's transporter program has
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 now launched over 1 payloads to
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 orbit proving that reliable affordable
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 access to space is no longer Just a
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 Dream while this has been transformative
00:06:46 --> 00:06:49 for many startups and organizations it's
00:06:49 --> 00:06:50 worth noting that some launch companies
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 have raised concerns about spacex's
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 pricing strategy suggesting it may be
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 designed to eliminate
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 competition nevertheless the success of
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 Transporter 12 demonstrates how far
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 we've come in making space accessible to
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 a broader range of participants from
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 established space agencies to Innovative
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 startups pushing the boundaries of
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 what's possible beyond our
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 atmosphere after over 5 years of
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 groundbreaking exploration on The Far
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 Side of the Moon it appears China's u22
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 Rover has finally reached the end of its
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 remarkable Journey NASA's lunar
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 reconnaissance Orbiter images reveal the
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 Rover has remained stationary since
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 March 2024 like likely marking the
00:07:30 --> 00:07:31 conclusion of what has become the
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 longest operating lunar rover in history
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 the mission began with a historic
00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 achievement when chonga 4 and u22 became
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 the first spacecraft to successfully
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 land on the moon's Far Side in January
00:07:44 --> 00:07:48 2019 throughout its operational life u22
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 covered an impressive distance of
00:07:50 --> 00:07:54 1 M across the Von Carman crater
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 surpassing the previous longevity record
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 held by the Soviet Union's Luna Cod one
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 the Rover final movements tell a story
00:08:00 --> 00:08:04 of gradual decline in early 2023 its
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 typical drives of 40 m per lunar day
00:08:06 --> 00:08:10 dropped dramatically to just 8 or 10 m
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 by October these shortened further to
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 Mere 1 or two meter crawls before the
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 Rover finally came to rest near a small
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 10m Crater where it has remained since
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 despite facing the harsh lunar
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 environment of extreme temperatures
00:08:23 --> 00:08:26 radiation and abrasive moondust u22 has
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 made significant scientific
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 contributions the the Rover discovered
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 materials potentially from the moon's
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 mantle provided insights into the
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 composition of the ancient South Pole
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 8kin Basin and used ground penetrating
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 radar to study the lunar
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 subsurface perhaps most importantly this
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 Mission demonstrated the feasibility of
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48 fars side lunar operations through the
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 use of a relay satellite Paving the way
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53 for future missions including China's
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 successful Changi six sample return
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 Mission while U2 may have reached its
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 final resting place its Legacy as a
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 pioneering Explorer of the moon's
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 mysterious Far Side will endure in the
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 annals of space
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 exploration our universe might be hiding
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 far more Cosmic monsters than we
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 previously imagined new research
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 presented at the American Astronomical
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 Society meeting suggests that
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21 astronomers could be missing between 30%
00:09:21 --> 00:09:25 to 50% of actively feeding super massive
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 black holes throughout the cosmos these
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 aren't your average black holes we're
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 talking about Cosmic Giants with masses
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 millions or even billions of times that
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 of our sun to put their scale into
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 perspective comparing one of these super
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 massive black holes to its host Galaxy
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 is like comparing a PE to the entire
00:09:41 --> 00:09:44 Earth yet despite their relatively small
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 size these Cosmic behemoths wield
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 tremendous influence over their
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 surroundings when these black holes feed
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 they can blast material away from their
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 centers at speeds reaching a third of
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 the speed of light these powerful Jets
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 can push away the very gas and dust that
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 galaxies need to form new stars
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 essentially putting the brakes on Star
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 formation throughout entire
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 galaxies the reason we're missing so
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 many of these feeding Giants they're
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 hiding behind the very material they're
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 consuming picture it like a cosmic
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 doughnut of gas and dust surrounding the
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 black hole depending on our viewing
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 angle from Earth this material can
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 completely obscure our view of The
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 Feeding Frenzy happening at the center
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 using infrared data from NASA's nuclear
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 spectroscopic telescope array
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 researchers have now created the first
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 detailed sensus of these growing black
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 holes while these objects may be
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 invisible to our traditional telescopes
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 the surrounding dust absorbs and
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 re-emits their intense light as infrared
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 radiation revealing their presence this
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 discovery could revolutionize our
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 understanding of how galaxies evolve as
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 one researcher noted if our eyes could
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 detect x-rays the night sky would be
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 dotted with countless feeding super
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 massive black holes
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 each one shaping the destiny of its host
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 Galaxy finally today let's get a jwst
00:11:05 --> 00:11:08 update the James web Space Telescope or
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 jwst has been turning heads with its
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 remarkable ability to peer into the
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 depths of our universe recently it
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 captured an image of herbig herrow
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 4647 a pair of actively forming stars
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 located about
00:11:21 --> 00:11:24 1 light years away in the vea
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 constellation these stars are in their
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 infancy and the surrounding scene is a
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 cosmic
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 Masterpiece imagine a vibrant tapestry
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 of colors and shapes the stars are
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 enveloped in a disc of gas and dust
00:11:36 --> 00:11:39 which fuels their growth as they gather
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 material they also eject Jets of
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 energized gas in opposite directions
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 when these Jets collide with surrounding
00:11:46 --> 00:11:48 gas and dust at high speeds they create
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 shock waves Illuminating the
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 interstellar medium with striking Hues
00:11:51 --> 00:11:54 of pink and orange what's truly
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 captivating is the intricate layering of
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 this Interstellar material the image
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 reveals multiple ejections over time
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 suggesting that these Stellar infants
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 have been undergoing repeated outbursts
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 each layer tells a story of past
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 interactions providing astronomers with
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 a timeline of Stellar formation
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 activities the level of detail in this
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 image is unprecedented web's near
00:12:16 --> 00:12:19 infrared camera near cam allows
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 scientists to observe these phenomena
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 with exceptional Clarity offering
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 insights into the early stages of Star
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 Development by studying objects like
00:12:27 --> 00:12:30 herbig herrow 464 37 researchers can
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 better understand the processes that
00:12:32 --> 00:12:35 have shaped our own sun and solar system
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 it's worth noting that herbig herrow
00:12:36 --> 00:12:40 objects like 46 47th are relatively
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 short-lived in astronomical terms
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 lasting only a few thousand years this
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 makes capturing such detailed images all
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 the more significant as they provide a
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 fleeting glimpse into a critical phase
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 of Stellar Evolution the James web Space
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 Telescope continues to exceed
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 expectations shedding light on the
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 complexities of our universe and
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 bringing us closer to understanding the
00:13:01 --> 00:13:04 origins of stars and planets as it
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 explores the cosmos who knows what other
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 wonders it will
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 uncover that brings us to the end of
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 another fascinating Journey Through the
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 cosmos I'm Anna and I want to thank you
00:13:15 --> 00:13:18 for joining me today on astronomy daily
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 if you're hungry for more space in
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 astronomy news head over to astronomy
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 daily. where you can sign up for our
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 free daily newsletter and stay up to
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 date with our constantly updating news
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 feed while you're there don't forget to
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 check out all our back episodes want to
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 be part of our space loving Community
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 you can find us across all major social
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 media platforms just search for Astro
00:13:40 --> 00:13:44 daily pod on Facebook X Tumblr YouTube
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 YouTube music and Tik Tok until next
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 time keep looking up and wondering about
00:13:48 --> 00:13:53 the mysteries of our Incredible Universe
00:13:53 --> 00:14:02 [Music]
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 the St is the
00:14:04 --> 00:14:11 [Music]