Astronomy Daily | Space News: S04E72
In this action-packed episode of Astronomy Daily, host Anna takes listeners on a journey through the latest groundbreaking discoveries and developments in space exploration. From revolutionary findings by NASA's Curiosity rover on Mars to the implications of colossal black hole eruptions, this episode is filled with cosmic revelations that will leave you eager for more.
Highlights:
- Curiosity's Organic Discovery on Mars: Discover how NASA's Curiosity rover has identified the largest organic compounds ever found on the Martian surface, including significant fatty acids that could hint at the planet's potential for past life. This discovery opens new avenues in our understanding of Martian organic chemistry and its implications for life beyond Earth.
- A Surge in Rocket Launches: Join us as we discuss the whirlwind of recent rocket launches, including SpaceX's classified missions and Isar Aerospace's historic attempt to launch the first European rocket from continental Europe. With numerous launches scheduled, the commercial space sector is witnessing an unprecedented surge in activity.
- Webb Space Telescope's Stunning Observations: Marvel at the James Webb Space Telescope's latest findings, which reveal a cosmic alignment of two unrelated objects, challenging previous assumptions about star formation and the universe's structure. This stunning imagery underscores Webb's ability to reshape our understanding of cosmic phenomena.
- Alarming Black Hole Discoveries: Explore the terrifying implications of a newly detected supermassive black hole producing enormous jets stretching six million light years. This revelation raises critical questions about galactic evolution and the potential dangers posed by black holes, including their effects on our own Milky Way.
- Progress on NASA's Artemis Program: Get the latest updates on NASA's Artemis 2 mission, which aims to return humans to deep space. With significant milestones achieved, the mission is on track for a potential launch next year, marking a historic moment in human space exploration.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) . Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:05 - Curiosity rover's organic compounds discovery
10:30 - Recent rocket launches and advancements
17:00 - Webb Space Telescope's cosmic observations
22:15 - Erupting black hole findings
27:30 - Updates on Artemis 2 mission progress
✍️ Episode References
Curiosity Rover Findings
[NASA]( https://www.nasa.gov (https://www.nasa.gov/) )
Rocket Launch Updates
[SpaceX]( https://www.spacex.com (https://www.spacex.com/) )
James Webb Space Telescope Observations
[NASA]( https://www.nasa.gov/webb (https://www.nasa.gov/webb) )
Supermassive Black Hole Research
[Astrophysical Journal]( https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/0004-637X (https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/0004-637X) )
Artemis Program Updates
[NASA Artemis]( https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/ (https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/) )
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-space-news--5648921/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news--5648921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss) .
Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/26269345?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 welcome to Astronomy Daily your source
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 for the latest news and discoveries in
00:00:03 --> 00:00:07 space exploration i'm your host Anna and
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 today we have a packed episode covering
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 exciting developments from NASA's
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 Curiosity Rover on Mars recent rocket
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 launches stunning observations from the
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 web space telescope a terrifying cosmic
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 scenario involving black holes and
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 updates on NASA's Aremis program so
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 let's get into it
00:00:26 --> 00:00:29 nasa's Curiosity Rover has made a
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 groundbreaking discovery on Mars that's
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 sending ripples of excitement through
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 the scientific community researchers
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 analyzing pulverized rock samples inside
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 the rover's onboard laboratory have
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 detected the largest organic compounds
00:00:43 --> 00:00:45 found on the red planet to date the
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 findings published in the proceedings of
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 the National Academy of Sciences reveal
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 that Curiosity sample analysis at Mars
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 Mini Lab identified three significant
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 organic molecules
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 decay and doicane these aren't just any
00:01:00 --> 00:01:04 compounds they contain 10 11 and 12
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 carbon atoms respectively making them
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 substantially more complex than previous
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 organic molecules discovered on Mars
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 scientists believe these compounds are
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 fragments of fatty acids that were
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 preserved in the Martian rock samples
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 this is particularly significant because
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 on Earth fatty acids are among the
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 fundamental chemical building blocks of
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 life they're essential components in
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 cell membranes and serve various
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 biological functions in living organisms
00:01:31 --> 00:01:32 while the discovery doesn't prove the
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 existence of past or present life on
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 Mars it does suggest that organic
00:01:37 --> 00:01:38 chemistry on the red planet may have
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 advanced further than previously
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 observed the size and complexity of
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 these molecules indicate that Mars may
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 have once had conditions suitable for
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 the kind of prebiotic chemistry that
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 could potentially lead to life what
00:01:53 --> 00:01:54 makes this discovery even more
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 remarkable is that it demonstrates these
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 complex organic compounds can survive
00:01:58 --> 00:02:01 Mars' harsh surface conditions the
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 planet surface is constantly bombarded
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 with radiation and oxidizing chemicals
00:02:05 --> 00:02:06 that would typically destroy such
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 delicate organic molecules over time the
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 fact that Curiosity found them intact
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 suggests that if bio signatures ever
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 existed on Mars they might still be
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 detectable today this discovery is
00:02:19 --> 00:02:20 particularly exciting because fatty
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 acids are fundamental chemical building
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 blocks of life as we know it on Earth in
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 living organisms these compounds play
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 crucial roles in forming cell membranes
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 the protective barriers that separate
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 cellular contents from the external
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 environment as well as storing energy
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 and facilitating other essential
00:02:37 --> 00:02:38 biological
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 processes as Caroline Fryna from the
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 French National Center for Scientific
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 Research put it "Our study proves that
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 even today by analyzing Mars samples we
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 could detect chemical signatures of past
00:02:50 --> 00:02:54 life if it ever existed on Mars." That's
00:02:54 --> 00:02:55 a profound statement about our
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 increasing ability to address one of
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 humanity's most fundamental questions
00:03:00 --> 00:03:01 are we alone in the
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 universe turning our telescopes skyward
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 now this has been an exceptionally busy
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 week for orbital launches around the
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 world spacex kicked off the action with
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 a classified mission on Monday
00:03:13 --> 00:03:14 continuing their break neck pace of
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 operations for
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 2025 the European space industry is
00:03:19 --> 00:03:20 making history this week with ESAR
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 Aerospace attempting the first orbital
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 launch of a European rocket from
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 continental Europe after a scrub on
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 Monday due to unfavorable winds their
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 Spectrum rocket is now positioned to
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 make the inaugural orbital launch from
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 Norway's Andoya Spaceport this two-stage
00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 vehicle stands 28 m tall with a 2 m
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 diameter and can deliver up to 1 kg
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 to low Earth orbit what makes Spectrum
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 particularly notable is its propulsion
00:03:47 --> 00:03:51 system 93drinted Aquilla engines on the
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 first stage burning liquid propane and
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 oxygen offering what the company calls
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 the highest density specific impulse of
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 all carbon fuels
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 meanwhile Firefly Aerospace is preparing
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 for the sixth launch of its Alpha rocket
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 California this message in a booster
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 mission will carry a technology
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 demonstrator for Loheed Martin's LM 400
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 satellite bus the launch marks the first
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 of up to 25 flights for Loheed Martin as
00:04:21 --> 00:04:22 part of a multilaunch agreement spanning
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 the next 5 years not to be outdone
00:04:26 --> 00:04:27 Rocket Lab is on track for its third
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 Electron launch in just 2 weeks a
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 remarkable achievement in rapid launch
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 cadence their mission colorfully named
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 finding hot wildfires near you will
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 deploy eight satellites for Aurorite's
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 thermal imaging constellation which
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 monitors wildfires globally to support
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 faster response times for protecting
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 forests communities and critical
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 infrastructure
00:04:50 --> 00:04:51 with four worldwide orbital launch
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 attempts scheduled for Wednesday alone
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 including a Chang Jang 3B/E launch from
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 China carrying an unknown payload and
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 three SpaceX Starlink missions planned
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 for the week we're witnessing a truly
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 unprecedented era in space access and
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 utilization spacex continues to redefine
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 what's possible in the commercial space
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 industry shattering records left and
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 right in 2025 just last week they
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 achieved a remarkable feat when booster
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 B 1008 set a new first stage turnaround
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 record of just over 9 days during the
00:05:22 --> 00:05:26 NROL 57 mission from Vandenberg this
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 dramatically improves on their previous
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 record of 14 days showcasing the
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 company's rapidly advancing reusability
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 capabilities the records don't stop
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 there at Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 Canaveral Space Force Station SpaceX
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 established an impressive pad turnaround
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 milestone on March 15th the Starlink
00:05:44 --> 00:05:48 Group 12 16 mission launched just 2 days
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 8 hours 59 minutes and 40 seconds after
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 the previous Starlink mission from the
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 same pad slashing nearly 6 hours off
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 their previous record perhaps most
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 impressively this launch marked SpaceX's
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 third mission in a mere 12.5 hours
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 following the Crew 10 and Transporter 13
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 missions while SpaceX has slightly
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 revised its annual launch target from
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 180 to 170 missions due to some
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 challenges with booster recovery and
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 increased refurbishment times they're
00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 still on an extraordinary trajectory
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 they've already completed 38 launches
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 across their fleet in just the first
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 quarter of 2025 putting them well ahead
00:06:28 --> 00:06:31 of pace to exceed their revised goal
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 this relentless cadence is transforming
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36 our access to space with Falcon 9 now
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 firmly established as the workhorse of
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 the commercial launch industry SpaceX is
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 demonstrating that rapid reliable and
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 reusable space transportation isn't just
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 a futuristic concept it's today's
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 reality the implications for satellite
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 deployment space station resupply and
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 potentially even human space flight
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 beyond Earth orbit are profound as
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 launch constraints continue to
00:06:58 --> 00:07:02 fall let's get a JWST update nasa's
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 James Webb Space Telescope has gifted us
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 with another breathtaking image that's
00:07:06 --> 00:07:07 forcing astronomers to rethink what they
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 thought they knew about a cosmic
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 phenomenon what was once dramatically
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14 dubbed the cosmic tornado by NASA's
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 Spitzer Space Telescope back in 2006 has
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 been revealed to be something even more
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 fascinating a chance alignment of two
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 completely unrelated objects separated
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 by unfathomable distances the web's
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 extraordinary resolution shows that what
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 we're actually seeing is Herbig Harrow
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 4950ths a frothyl looking outflow from a
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 nearby young star perfectly aligned with
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 a colorful spiral galaxy located
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 hundreds of millions of light years in
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 the background it's like capturing a
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 photograph of a leaf blowing in the wind
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 that just happens to perfectly frame a
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 distant mountain peak this composite
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 image combines data from WEB's near
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 infrared camera and mid-infrared
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 instrument providing unprecedented
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 detail of this dynamic region the
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 ark-shaped features in the outflow point
00:08:02 --> 00:08:05 back to their source likely a protoar
00:08:05 --> 00:08:09 known as Cedarblad 110 IRS4 a young
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 object only tens of thousands to a
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 million years old that's still gaining
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 mass what makes this discovery
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 particularly striking is how it
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 illustrates the three-dimensional nature
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 of our universe projected onto the
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 two-dimensional plane of the night sky
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 when we observe space objects that
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 appear to be interacting might actually
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 have no relationship whatsoever
00:08:29 --> 00:08:33 separated by vast cosmic distances
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 hh4950ths is relatively close to us
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 residing in the Chameleon onecloud
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 complex just 625 lighty years away
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 practically in our cosmic backyard
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 meanwhile the spiral galaxy that appears
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 to be at the tip of this outflow is
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 incredibly distant with no physical
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 connection to the nearby stellar jet
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 over thousands of years as the edge of
00:08:55 --> 00:08:59 HH 4950ths continues to move outward it
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 will eventually appear to cover up the
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 distant galaxy entirely further changing
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 this chance cosmic alignment herbic
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 harrow objects like
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 HH4950ths are among the most dynamic and
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 visually striking phenomena in star
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 formation these glowing nebula form when
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 newborn stars eject high velocity jets
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 of gas that collide violently with the
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 surrounding interstellar medium the
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 process is rather dramatic as a young
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 star forms from a collapsing cloud of
00:09:26 --> 00:09:29 gas and dust not all material falls
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 directly onto the protoar instead some
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 gets channeled into these powerful
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 focused jets that blast outward from the
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 stars poles at astonishing speeds often
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 hundreds of miles per
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 second when these jets slam into the
00:09:42 --> 00:09:45 relatively calm gas around them they
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 create shock fronts similar to sonic
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 booms in Earth's atmosphere these shock
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 waves compress and heat the gas to
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 thousands of degrees causing it to glow
00:09:55 --> 00:09:58 brightly across multiple wavelengths as
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 the superheated gas gradually cools it
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 emits light that we can detect in both
00:10:02 --> 00:10:05 visible and infrared spectrums creating
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07 the distinctive glowing features we
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 observe what makes Web's observations
00:10:09 --> 00:10:12 particularly valuable is the telescope's
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 unparalleled infrared sensitivity and
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 resolution previous observations
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 couldn't capture the intricate details
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 we're now seeing web can clearly trace
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 the location of glowing hydrogen
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 molecules carbon monoxide and energized
00:10:26 --> 00:10:29 dust grains as the protostellar jet
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 impacts the surrounding
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 region these finecale observations allow
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 astronomers to model the properties of
00:10:36 --> 00:10:41 the jet with unprecedented accuracy
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 in a concerning discovery astronomers
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 have detected an erupting super massive
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 black hole producing enormous jets
00:10:47 --> 00:10:50 bursting from a spiral galaxy similar to
00:10:50 --> 00:10:55 our Milky Way the galaxy known as
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 J23450449 is three times the size of our
00:10:58 --> 00:11:01 galaxy and located 947 million lighty
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 years away yet it's causing quite a stir
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 in the astronomical community due to its
00:11:06 --> 00:11:09 unusual characteristics what's
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 particularly alarming about this finding
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 is the scale of these jets they stretch
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 an astonishing 6 million lightyear in
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 length to put that in perspective our
00:11:18 --> 00:11:21 entire Milky Way galaxy is roughly
00:11:21 --> 00:11:24 100 lightyear across making these
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 jets 60 times longer than our galaxy's
00:11:26 --> 00:11:29 diameter while larger jets have been
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 observed in the past including one named
00:11:31 --> 00:11:35 Pfurion stretching 23 million lightyear
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 such massive emissions have typically
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 been associated with elliptical galaxies
00:11:40 --> 00:11:44 not spiral ones like
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 J23450449 and our own Milky Way perhaps
00:11:47 --> 00:11:51 even more puzzling is the fact that
00:11:51 --> 00:11:54 J23450449 appears remarkably tranquil
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 despite housing one of the most violent
00:11:56 --> 00:11:59 super massive black holes ever seen in a
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 spiral galaxy the galaxy has somehow
00:12:02 --> 00:12:05 managed to maintain its spiral structure
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 including its distinctive arms bright
00:12:07 --> 00:12:10 nuclear bar of stars and stellar ring
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 this directly contradicts previous
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 scientific models which predicted that
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 such powerful jets would tear apart the
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 structure of a spiral galaxy adding to
00:12:20 --> 00:12:23 this cosmic mystery
00:12:23 --> 00:12:26 J23450449 contains 10 times more dark
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 matter than our Milky Way and is
00:12:28 --> 00:12:31 surrounded by a huge halo of superheated
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 gas in most galaxies this gas would be
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 cooling and condensing to form new stars
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 however in
00:12:39 --> 00:12:42 J23450449 the central black hole acts as
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 a cosmic furnace heating this gas halo
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 and preventing star formation while
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 producing intense x-ray
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 emissions as one scientist involved in
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 the study put it "This discovery forces
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 us to rethink our understanding of
00:12:54 --> 00:12:57 galactic evolution and how super massive
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 black holes grow and shape their
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 environments it raises profound
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 questions about what this might mean for
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 the future of galaxies like our own
00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 Milky Way this discovery raises a
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 chilling question that has astronomers
00:13:09 --> 00:13:12 concerned could Sagittarius A star the
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 super massive black hole lurking at the
00:13:14 --> 00:13:17 center of our own Milky Way experience a
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 similar eruption the possibility is both
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 fascinating and terrifying
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 while Sagittarius A star is
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 significantly smaller than the black
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 hole in
00:13:28 --> 00:13:31 J23450449 just 4.3 million solar masses
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 compared to the distant galaxy's
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 estimated 1.4 billion solar masses size
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 isn't the only factor determining a
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 black hole's activity currently our
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 galactic cent's black hole is remarkably
00:13:41 --> 00:13:45 quiet if Sagittarius A star were a human
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 astronomers estimate it would be as if
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 it sustained itself on a single grain of
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 rice every million years that's an
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 extraordinarily modest diet for such a
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 massive cosmic object but this peaceful
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 state could change dramatically and with
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 little warning if Sagittarius a star
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 were to capture a large gas cloud or
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 even an entire star an event astronomers
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 call a tidal disruption event it would
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 suddenly have an abundance of material
00:14:08 --> 00:14:11 to feed on as this stellar material
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 falls toward the black hole it would
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 form a rapidly spinning accretion disc
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 and some of this energy would be
00:14:16 --> 00:14:18 channeled into powerful jets erupting
00:14:18 --> 00:14:21 from the black holes poles the
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 consequences of such an eruption would
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 depend largely on the jet's orientation
00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 and strength if one of these jets
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 originating from 27 lighty years
00:14:30 --> 00:14:33 away at our galactic center happened to
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 point directly at our solar system the
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 results could be catastrophic the high
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 energy particles and radiation within
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 such jets have the potential to strip
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 away planetary atmospheres including
00:14:43 --> 00:14:45 Earth's the intense radiation could
00:14:45 --> 00:14:48 damage DNA and living organisms
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 dramatically increasing mutation rates
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 across all life forms on our planet in a
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 worst case scenario where Earth takes a
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 direct hit from such a jet the high
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59 energy particles could severely degrade
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 our protective ozone layer potentially
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 triggering a mass extinction event
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 similar to those seen in Earth's
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 geological record
00:15:07 --> 00:15:10 on a more hopeful note NASA continues to
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 make progress on its Artemis 2 mission
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 which will be the first crude flight of
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 the Artemis program since its
00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 inception late Saturday night
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 technicians at Kennedy Space Center in
00:15:21 --> 00:15:23 Florida reached a significant milestone
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 when they successfully moved the core
00:15:25 --> 00:15:28 stage for NASA's second space launch
00:15:28 --> 00:15:31 system rocket into position between the
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 vehicle's two solidfueled boosters
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 working inside the iconic vehicle
00:15:35 --> 00:15:37 assembly building which stands an
00:15:37 --> 00:15:41 impressive 52 stories tall ground teams
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 used heavyduty cranes to first lift the
00:15:43 --> 00:15:46 butterscotch orange core stage from its
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 cradle the operation required meticulous
00:15:48 --> 00:15:51 precision as the cranes rotated the
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 massive structure vertically before
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 disconnecting one of the cranes from the
00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 bottom of the rocket the Boeing built
00:15:57 --> 00:16:00 core stage is truly a marvel of
00:16:00 --> 00:16:03 engineering weighing approximately 94
00:16:03 --> 00:16:06 tons and measuring about 212 ft tall
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 this massive component will contain
00:16:09 --> 00:16:12 730 gallons of cryogenic propellant
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 when the rocket lifts off it represents
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 the single largest element for the
00:16:16 --> 00:16:19 Aremis 2 mission once positioned teams
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 connected the core stage to each booster
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 at forward and aft loadbearing attach
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 points the next steps in the assembly
00:16:26 --> 00:16:28 process will include stacking a
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30 cone-shaped adapter on top of the core
00:16:30 --> 00:16:32 stage followed by the rocket's upper
00:16:32 --> 00:16:35 stage another adapter ring and finally
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 the Orion spacecraft that will house the
00:16:37 --> 00:16:40 four-person crew during their journey
00:16:40 --> 00:16:42 this mission represents humanity's
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44 return to deep space exploration as
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 Artemis 2 will f astronauts around the
00:16:46 --> 00:16:49 far side of the moon if all continues
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 according to plan this historic flight
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 could launch as soon as next year
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 marking the first time humans have
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 ventured beyond low Earth orbit since
00:16:56 --> 00:17:00 the Apollo era ended over 50 years ago
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 despite being years behind schedule the
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 Aremis program continues to gain
00:17:04 --> 00:17:07 momentum nasa has achieved several
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 important milestones recently including
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 the installation of the Orion
00:17:11 --> 00:17:13 spacecraft's solar panels and completing
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 the crucial closeouts of its service
00:17:15 --> 00:17:17 module with aerodynamic panels that will
00:17:17 --> 00:17:21 jettison during launch a few months ago
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 there was serious speculation that
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 NASA's space launch system might face
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 cancellation due to its high costs and
00:17:27 --> 00:17:30 delays however this possibility seems
00:17:30 --> 00:17:33 increasingly unlikely as alternative
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 heavy lift vehicles aren't ready for
00:17:34 --> 00:17:37 human space flight both SpaceX's
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 Starship and Blue Origin's New Glenn
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 while promising are still years away
00:17:41 --> 00:17:44 from being certified for crude missions
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 starship though holding enormous
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 long-term potential to be cheaper and
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 more capable than SLS has faced recent
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 setbacks with back-to-back failures
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 early this year the vehicle needs to
00:17:54 --> 00:17:57 demonstrate reliable recovery reuse and
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 inorbit refueling before it can be
00:17:59 --> 00:18:02 considered for human missions similarly
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04 Blue Origin's New Glenn had a successful
00:18:04 --> 00:18:06 debut flight in January but its
00:18:06 --> 00:18:08 development timeline suggests it won't
00:18:08 --> 00:18:11 be ready for crude flights anytime soon
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 these circumstances have created a
00:18:13 --> 00:18:15 situation where despite its delays and
00:18:15 --> 00:18:18 budget overruns the space launch system
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 remains NASA's only viable option for
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 sending humans beyond Earth orbit in the
00:18:22 --> 00:18:25 near term this practical reality
00:18:25 --> 00:18:27 combined with the progress being made on
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 hardware assembly makes it increasingly
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 likely that NASA will proceed with
00:18:31 --> 00:18:33 Artemis 2 as planned marking humanity's
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 long- aaited return to deep space
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 exploration
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 that wraps up today's episode of
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 Astronomy Daily what an incredible
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 journey through our cosmic neighborhood
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 we've had today from the tantalizing
00:18:45 --> 00:18:48 discovery of complex organic molecules
00:18:48 --> 00:18:51 on Mars that could point to ancient life
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 to the terrifying potential of galactic
00:18:53 --> 00:18:56 scale black hole eruptions to the steady
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 progress of humanity's return to the
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 moon the universe continues to both
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 inspire and humble
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 us i'm Anna and I've been your host for
00:19:04 --> 00:19:07 Astronomy Daily if you enjoyed today's
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 episode you can listen to all our back
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 episodes at
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 astronomyaily.io where we maintain a
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 complete archive of our broadcasts and
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 don't forget to connect with us on
00:19:15 --> 00:19:18 social media just search for Astroaily
00:19:18 --> 00:19:21 Pod on Facebook X YouTube YouTube Music
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 Instagram and Tik Tok thanks for joining
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 me on this cosmic journey i'll see you
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 again tomorrow as we continue to explore
00:19:28 --> 00:19:30 the wonders of our universe together in
00:19:30 --> 00:19:35 the meantime keep looking up
00:19:35 --> 00:19:42 stories
00:19:42 --> 00:19:46 told stories
00:19:46 --> 00:19:50 [Music]
00:19:50 --> 00:19:54 told stories