Astronomy Daily | Space News: S04E87
In this episode of Astronomy Daily, host Anna takes you on an exhilarating journey through the latest cosmic discoveries and developments that are reshaping our understanding of the universe. From galactic drama to groundbreaking lunar exploration, this episode is packed with insights that will ignite your curiosity about the cosmos.
Highlights:
- Galactic Drama in the Magellanic Clouds: Join us as we explore new research suggesting that the Large Magellanic Cloud may be tearing apart its smaller companion, the Small Magellanic Cloud. Using data from the Gaia Space Telescope, scientists reveal how massive stars within the SMC are being influenced by the gravitational forces of the LMC, offering a unique perspective on cosmic interactions.
- Fram 2 Mission Insights: Hear firsthand accounts from the crew of the Fram 2 mission, the first humans to orbit Earth's poles. Discover their surprising experiences and the scientific experiments conducted during this groundbreaking journey, including their observations of the auroras from a polar orbit.
- China's Lunar 3D Printing Plans: Learn about China's ambitious plans to 3D print building materials on the Moon using lunar soil. Scheduled for launch in 2028, this innovative technology aims to pave the way for sustainable lunar exploration and habitation, significantly reducing reliance on Earth-sourced materials.
- James Webb's Stellar Discovery: Explore the groundbreaking findings from the James Webb Space Telescope, which has observed a star consuming a planet in a remarkable cosmic event. This discovery challenges previous theories and provides new insights into the life cycle of stars and their planetary systems.
- Innovative Subsurface Robots for Lunar Exploration: Delve into the concept of autonomous subsurface robots designed to explore beneath the Moon's surface. These innovative machines could uncover valuable resources and help establish infrastructure for future lunar missions.
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 - Large Magellanic Cloud's impact on Small Magellanic Cloud
10:30 - Fram 2 mission crew experiences
17:00 - China's lunar 3D printing technology
22:15 - James Webb's discovery of a star consuming a planet
27:30 - Subsurface robots for lunar exploration
✍️ Episode References
Magellanic Clouds Research
[Nagoya University]( https://www.nagoya-u.ac.jp/ (https://www.nagoya-u.ac.jp/) )
Fram 2 Mission Details
[SpaceX]( https://www.spacex.com/ (https://www.spacex.com/) )
China's Lunar Plans
[China National Space Administration]( https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/ (https://www.cnsa.gov.cn/) )
James Webb Discoveries
[NASA]( https://www.nasa.gov (https://www.nasa.gov/) )
Lunar Exploration Robots
[Planetary Exploration Research]( https://www.planetary.org/ (https://www.planetary.org/) )
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily]( http://www.astronomydaily.io/ (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) )
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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/26561698?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:00 [Music]
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 welcome to Astronomy Daily your daily
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 dose of space and astronomy news This is
00:00:04 --> 00:00:07 Anna bringing you the latest updates on
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 cosmic discoveries space missions and
00:00:09 --> 00:00:12 lunar exploration Today we've got a
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 bumper lineup of stories that span our
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 cosmic neighborhood and beyond We'll be
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 exploring new research suggesting that
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 one of our neighboring galaxies might be
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 literally tearing another apart Hear
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 firsthand accounts from the first humans
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 to orbit Earth's poles and learn about
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 China's ambitious plans to 3D print
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 building materials on the lunar surface
00:00:33 --> 00:00:34 Plus we'll dive into a surprising
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 discovery from the James Webb Space
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 Telescope about a planet's demise and
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 look at innovative robots that could
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 soon be exploring beneath the moon
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 surface So sit back and prepare for a
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 journey through the latest developments
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 in our understanding of the universe Our
00:00:52 --> 00:00:53 first story takes us to our cosmic
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 neighborhood where a galactic drama is
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 unfolding If you've ever been lucky
00:00:58 --> 00:00:59 enough to view the night sky from the
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 southern hemisphere you might have
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 spotted two fuzzy patches of light These
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 are the melanic cloud satellite galaxies
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 that orbit our own Milky Way like bees
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 around a hive New research from Japan
00:01:11 --> 00:01:12 has revealed something quite remarkable
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 about these celestial neighbors
00:01:15 --> 00:01:16 Scientists now believe that the large
00:01:16 --> 00:01:20 melanic cloud or LMC might actually be
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 tearing apart its smaller companion the
00:01:22 --> 00:01:25 small melanic cloud Associate Professor
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 Kango Tachihara and his team at Nagoya
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 University use data from the Gaia Space
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 Telescope to track the movements of over
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 7 massive stars in the small melanic
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 cloud These aren't just any stars
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 They're giants more than 8 times the
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 size of our sun young enough that they
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 typically live only a few million years
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 before exploding as
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 supernovi What they discovered was
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 startling The stars in the SMC were
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 moving in opposite directions on either
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 side of the galaxy as if being pulled
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 apart by some invisible force Some stars
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 are approaching the large melanic cloud
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 while others are moving away from it
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 Strong evidence of the larger galaxy's
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 gravitational influence
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 When we first got this result we
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 suspected that there might be an error
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 in our method of analysis Tachihara
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 admitted But the data was clear The SMC
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 appears to be undergoing a slow motion
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 destruction Perhaps even more surprising
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 was the finding that these massive stars
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 and likely the interstellar gas from
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 which they formed don't follow a
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 rotational pattern This suggests the
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 small melanic cloud itself doesn't
00:02:33 --> 00:02:36 rotate as previously thought As
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 researcher Satoya Nano points out this
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 could potentially change our
00:02:40 --> 00:02:41 understanding of the three-way
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 interaction between the Melanic clouds
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 and our own Milky Way galaxy The
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 findings offer us a rare front row seat
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 to cosmic disruption in action and may
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 help astronomers better understand how
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 galaxies evolve through gravitational
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 interactions a process happening
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 throughout the universe but rarely
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 observable in such detail
00:03:02 --> 00:03:05 Next let's get an update on the Framm 2
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 mission which just concluded The first
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 humans to ever experience a polar orbit
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 of our planet are now sharing what it
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 was like to see Earth from this unique
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 vantage point The FRAM 2 mission named
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 after the famous polar exploration
00:03:18 --> 00:03:22 vessel launched on March 31st 2025 with
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 SpaceX's Crew Dragon Resilience carrying
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 an international crew of four on their
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 groundbreaking journey Unlike typical
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 space missions that orbit roughly along
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 Earth's equator this crew ventured into
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 a 90deree inclined orbit taking them
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 directly over the north and south poles
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 during their 3 and 1/2 day mission This
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 unprecedented trajectory gave them an
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 entirely different perspective on our
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 home planet Mission commander Chun Wang
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 who self-funded this historic flight
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 described the experience in vivid terms
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 People say Earth is a blue marble a blue
00:03:57 --> 00:03:58 planet but to us in polar orbit it's
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 more like a frozen planet It gives you a
00:04:01 --> 00:04:02 feeling of not the Earth but another
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 planet an icy planet such as Jupiter or
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 Saturn's moons The crew all of whom had
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 previously completed expeditions to both
00:04:11 --> 00:04:12 Earth's poles on the ground found
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 themselves surprised by the stark
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 difference between their expectations
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 and reality Medical officer and mission
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 specialist Eric Phillips noted "I was
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 expecting to see a lot more of the Earth
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 the brown Earth within the polar regions
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 When we looked at it from above it was
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 completely white This is one of the most
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 stark contrasts between the images that
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 we see online of these various polar and
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 what we experienced Orientation proved
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 particularly challenging in this unusual
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 orbit." Vehicle commander Yaneka
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 Mickelson recalled struggling to
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 recognize her home in Swalbard an
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 archipelago in the Arctic Ocean It took
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 a few seconds before we identified it
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 because depending on how we are
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 positioned in the cupula we're seeing it
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 upside down left right whatever Now this
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 disorientation wasn't just a curiosity
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 It was part of several experiments
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 conducted during the flight The crew
00:05:04 --> 00:05:05 tested methods to reduce space
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 adaptation sickness by finding familiar
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 orientations They also studied the
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 aurora from above capturing images of
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 what Mickelson called ghost auroras and
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 the wavelengths that go perpendicular to
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 the aurora and the magnetic field
00:05:20 --> 00:05:21 Interestingly Wong noted that despite
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 their privileged position the auroras
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 are beautiful from the capsule but I
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 think all earthlings have the best
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 perspective of auroras from the surface
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 The mission concluded with another first
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 The Crew Dragon splashed down in the
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 Pacific Ocean rather than the Atlantic
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 part of Space X's transition to West
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 Coast recovery operations The crew
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 attempted to exit the capsule
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 independently but quickly discovered how
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 challenging readaptation to gravity
00:05:47 --> 00:05:51 could be after even such a short mission
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 I was so disappointed in my own body
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 after only 3 and 1/2 days Mickelson
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 admitted My body had completely
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 forgotten what it's known its whole life
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 and that's gravity
00:06:02 --> 00:06:05 Next up China is preparing to take a
00:06:05 --> 00:06:06 significant step toward establishing a
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 human presence on the moon with plans to
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 3D print building materials using lunar
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 soil The Chong A8 spacecraft scheduled
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 to launch around 2028 will carry
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 revolutionary technology designed to
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 transform the moon's surface material
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 into construction bricks without
00:06:24 --> 00:06:25 bringing manufacturing equipment from
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 Earth
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 Wuerin chief designer of the Chinese
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 lunar exploration program recently
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 revealed details about this ambitious
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 project Now we have developed the
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 world's first device that produces
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 bricks made of lunar soil This system
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 harnesses sunlight collects solar energy
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 and transmits it to the moon using fiber
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 optics Woo explained The Ingenious
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 system works by concentrating sunlight
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 to achieve temperatures between 1
00:06:53 --> 00:06:57 to° C hot enough to melt lunar soil
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 The device then uses 3D printing
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 technology to shape this molten material
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 into bricks of various
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 specifications What makes this approach
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 particularly valuable is that it
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 eliminates the need to transport water
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 and other materials from Earth
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14 significantly reducing mission costs
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 This technology represents a major
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 advancement in what space agencies call
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 institu resource utilization The
00:07:21 --> 00:07:22 practice of using materials already
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 present at the destination rather than
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 carrying everything from Earth Given the
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 extreme expense of launching anything
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 into space utilizing lunar resources
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 could dramatically expand possibilities
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 for sustainable lunar exploration and
00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 eventual habitation The brickmaking
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 experiment is part of China's broader
00:07:41 --> 00:07:43 lunar exploration road map Before Chang
00:07:43 --> 00:07:46 8's brickmaking mission China will
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 launch Chang 7 in 2026 to explore
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 resources at the moon's south pole with
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 a particular focus on searching for
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 water ice If substantial water is found
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 it could provide drinking water oxygen
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 and even rocket fuel for future missions
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 China has already begun testing the
00:08:02 --> 00:08:05 concept on a smaller scale The country
00:08:05 --> 00:08:06 has sent samples of bricks made from
00:08:06 --> 00:08:10 lunar soil simulant to its Tiangong
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 space station where they'll remain
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 exposed to the harsh conditions of space
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 for three years to test their
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 durability These efforts follow China's
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 impressive series of successful lunar
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 missions including the historic Chong 6
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 far side sample return last year The
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 country is also planning to land its
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 first astronauts on the lunar surface
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 before 2030 potentially using
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 technologies like these 3D printed
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 bricks to establish more permanent
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 infrastructure Moving on in an
00:08:39 --> 00:08:42 astronomical plot twist NASA's James Web
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 Space Telescope has rewritten our
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 understanding of what happens when a
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48 star devour a planet Observing what
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 scientists believe to be the first star
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 caught in the act of swallowing a planet
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 web has revealed a surprising mechanism
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 behind this cosmic
00:08:55 --> 00:08:58 catastrophe Located about 12 light
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 years away in our Milky Way galaxy the
00:09:00 --> 00:09:04 star system known as ZTFSRN 2020 was
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 originally spotted when it flashed
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 brightly in optical light
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 Initial theories suggested that as the
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 star aged it had swelled into a red
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 giant gradually engulfing its nearby
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 planet A process astronomers believed
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 might one day happen to our own inner
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 planets as the sun expands However Web's
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 mid infrared instrument told a
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 completely different story With its
00:09:26 --> 00:09:29 unprecedented sensitivity and resolution
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 Web measured the hidden emission from
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 the star with remarkable precision What
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 the telescope found was that the star
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 wasn't as bright as it should have been
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 if it had evolved into a red giant This
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 means there was no stellar swelling to
00:09:41 --> 00:09:44 envelop the planet as previously thought
00:09:44 --> 00:09:47 Instead Web's data suggests that the
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 Jupiterized planet's orbit gradually
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 decayed over millions of years bringing
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 it closer and closer to its star much
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 closer than Mercury orbits our sun
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 Eventually the planet began grazing the
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 stars atmosphere triggering a runaway
00:10:01 --> 00:10:02 process
00:10:02 --> 00:10:05 The planet as it's falling in started to
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07 sort of smear around the star explained
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 team member Morgan Mloud of the Harvard
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 Smithsonian Center for
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 Astrophysics This final planetary plunge
00:10:13 --> 00:10:16 blasted gas from the stars outer layers
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 which expanded and cooled forming a
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 cloud of dust over the following year
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 Web's near infrared spectrograph added
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 another surprise detecting a hot
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 circumstellar disc of molecular gas
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 containing carbon monoxide reminiscent
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 of a planet forming region Though
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 planets certainly aren't forming here
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 this cosmic autopsy provides valuable
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 insights into the fate that might await
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 planets in other systems and potentially
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 our own solar system in the distant
00:10:41 --> 00:10:44 future The researchers hope this is just
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 the beginning of understanding these
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 dramatic stellar events with NASA's
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 Telescope expected to detect more
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 examples of stars consuming their
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 planetary
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 companions Finally today we head back to
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 the moon for a look at some more
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 innovation Our understanding of the moon
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 has advanced considerably thanks to the
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 Apollo missions and robotic explorers
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 but there's still much to learn about
00:11:08 --> 00:11:11 our closest celestial neighbor To tackle
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 this knowledge gap and prepare for
00:11:12 --> 00:11:15 future lunar habitation scientists are
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 now proposing an innovative exploration
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 method subsurface
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 robots A team of researchers has
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 developed a concept called Pleaser
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 Persistent Lunar Exploration with
00:11:26 --> 00:11:29 autonomous subsurface robots This
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 mission would feature a snake-like robot
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 specifically designed to penetrate the
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 lunar regalith allowing unprecedented
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 access to what lies beneath the moon's
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 surface Unlike traditional rovers that
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 can only study surface features Pleaser
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 would be able to burrow into the
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 regalith and even slither into skylights
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 collapsed sections that provide access
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 to underground lava tubes These
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 subsurface caverns are particularly
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 exciting as potential sites for future
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 lunar bases since they offer natural
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 protection from the harsh lunar
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 environment Just like on Earth the
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 different layers tell the history of the
00:12:03 --> 00:12:07 area you are in explains Jared Longfox a
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 planetary exploration research scientist
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 involved in the research On the moon
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 there is no wind or flowing water so the
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 main processes that shape the surface
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 are impacts The robot's snake- like
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 configuration would allow it to measure
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 critical properties of the lunar soil
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 including strength thermal conductivity
00:12:24 --> 00:12:27 and dialectric properties It could also
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 detect the presence of valuable
00:12:28 --> 00:12:31 resources like water ice crucial for
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 sustainable lunar exploration and
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 habitation For power the team has
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 explored multiple options One intriguing
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 design features solar panels embedded
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 along the robot's body that could be
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 deployed when it surfaces to bathe in
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 the sun This would allow the robot to
00:12:45 --> 00:12:48 operate during lunar daytime while
00:12:48 --> 00:12:50 exploring the subsurface regardless of
00:12:50 --> 00:12:53 external conditions Beyond scientific
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 discovery these robots could identify
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 areas suitable for developing lunar
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 infrastructure like habitats roadways
00:12:59 --> 00:13:02 and landing pads They could even deploy
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 subsurface sensors like seismometers to
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 study the moon's interior structure
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 Instruments that are notoriously
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 difficult to place effectively on the
00:13:10 --> 00:13:13 surface Looking further ahead researcher
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 Adrienne Stoica speculates that advanced
00:13:15 --> 00:13:18 versions of these robots might someday
00:13:18 --> 00:13:20 create subsurface tunnels for lunar
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 habitats These may be like the machines
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24 that build underground tunnels but
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 perhaps more in the formation of teams
00:13:26 --> 00:13:29 rather than a big machine He suggests as
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 we plan for a sustained human presence
00:13:31 --> 00:13:34 on the moon these subsurface explorers
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 could prove essential in both unlocking
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 the secrets of lunar geology and paving
00:13:38 --> 00:13:41 the way for our future among the stars
00:13:41 --> 00:13:44 But isn't it a wild idea that sounds
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 plausible that wraps up our cosmic
00:13:46 --> 00:13:49 journey for today What a remarkable
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 collection of stories that remind us how
00:13:51 --> 00:13:54 dynamic our universe truly is From the
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 large melanic cloud potentially tearing
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 apart its smaller companion to humans
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 experiencing Earth from polar orbit for
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 the first time we're constantly gaining
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 new perspectives on our place in the
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 cosmos The innovations we discussed
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 today paint an exciting picture of our
00:14:09 --> 00:14:12 future in space China's plans to 3D
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 print bricks from lunar soil by 2028
00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 could revolutionize how we approach
00:14:16 --> 00:14:19 building off-world Meanwhile the
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21 proposed snake- like pleaser robots
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 might soon be slithering beneath the
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 lunar surface uncovering secrets hidden
00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 for billions of years Perhaps most
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 humbling is Web's observation of a
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 planet's final moments as it spiraled
00:14:31 --> 00:14:35 into its star These cosmic autopsies not
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 only satisfy our curiosity but also
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 provide glimpses into possible futures
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 for planetary systems throughout the
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 universe including our own The pace of
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 discovery in astronomy and space
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 exploration continues to accelerate
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 revealing a universe more complex and
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 fascinating than we ever imagined Each
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 new finding raises fresh questions and
00:14:56 --> 00:14:59 ignites our desire to explore further
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 This is Anna having been your host on
00:15:01 --> 00:15:04 Astronomy Daily And today a small
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 request from me to you If you're
00:15:06 --> 00:15:08 enjoying Astronomy Daily how about
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 sharing us with any family or friends
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 who you think might get some benefit
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 from our stories and news updates i'd
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 really appreciate that And with that I'm
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 out of here Thank you for joining me on
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 this journey through the cosmos Until
00:15:20 --> 00:15:24 next time keep looking up
00:15:24 --> 00:15:27 Day stories told
00:15:27 --> 00:15:41 [Music]