Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S04E01
Happy New Year, and welcome to the first episode of Astronomy Daily for 2025! I'm Anna, and I'm thrilled to be back with you for another exciting year of space exploration and astronomical discoveries. Today, we're diving into some fascinating developments that are already shaping up to make 2025 a landmark year in space science.
Highlights:
- Commercial Spaceflight Boost: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has expanded the spectrum for launch communications, allocating additional frequencies to support the growing commercial space industry. This move is set to streamline the licensing process and accelerate the pace of commercial space activities.
- NASA's Orion Capsule Concerns: Inspectors have discovered significant damage to the Orion capsule's heat shield, causing delays in the Artemis program. NASA has announced changes to the re-entry trajectory and manufacturing methods to ensure crew safety for future missions.
- Gravitational Wave Detection Breakthrough : Scientists have developed a new technique called optical spring tracking, enhancing our ability to detect gravitational waves. This advancement could lead to observations of cosmic events from the universe's earliest moments.
- Studying Lunar Space Debris : The Lunar Meteoroid Impact Observer (Lumio) mission aims to study meteoroid strikes on the Moon's far side. Positioned at the Earth-Moon L2 Lagrange point, Lumio will provide unprecedented data on space debris impacts.
- Remarkable Exoplanet Discoveries : 2024 was a year of extraordinary exoplanet discoveries, including the lowest density "cotton candy" planet and a planet with a super eccentric orbit. These findings expand our understanding of planetary diversity and formation.
- SpaceX's Ambitious Starship Plans: SpaceX is set to increase its launch frequency in 2025, with plans for up to 25 launches and significant upgrades to the Starship vehicle. These developments aim to revolutionize access to space and support NASA's Artemis program.
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, Tumblr, YouTube, YouTubeMusic, and TikTok . Share your thoughts and connect with fellow space enthusiasts.
Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about our amazing universe.
00:00 - This is the first episode of astronomy daily for 2025
00:59 - The FCC has just expanded the spectrum available for launch communications
03:23 - NASA inspectors discovered cracks in Orion's heat shield following its 2022 splashdown
05:40 - Scientists have developed a new technique called optical spring tracking to detect gravitational waves
07:39 - Scientists are developing a new way to study lunar meteoroid impacts
09:56 - This year has been an extraordinary year for exoplanet discoveries
12:12 - SpaceX's Starship rocket system has successfully completed six test flights to date
14:40 - From gravitational wave detection to SpaceX's ambitious plans for Starship
✍️ Episode References
U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
[FCC Official Website](https://www.fcc.gov/)
NASA Artemis Program
[NASA Artemis](https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/)
SpaceX
[SpaceX Official Website](https://www.spacex.com/)
Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)
[LIGO Official Website](https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/)
European Space Agency (ESA) Lunar CubeSat for Exploration
[ESA Lunar CubeSat Competition](https://www.esa.int/)
Astronomy Daily Website
[Astronomy Daily](https://astronomydaily.io/)
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss) .
Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/24872726?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 happy New Year and welcome to the first
00:00:01 --> 00:00:03 episode of astronomy daily for
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 2025 I'm your host Anna and I'm thrilled
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 to be back with you for another exciting
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 year of space exploration and
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 astronomical discoveries we've got a
00:00:13 --> 00:00:14 packed show for you today covering some
00:00:15 --> 00:00:16 fascinating developments that are
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 already shaping up to make 2025 a
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 landmark year in space science we'll be
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 looking at new regulatory changes that
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 could accelerate commercial space flight
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 examining some concerning findings about
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 NASA's Orion capsule and exploring
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 breakthrough technology that could help
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 us detect gravitational waves with
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 unprecedented Precision we'll also
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 Journey To The Far Side of the Moon to
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 learn about an Innovative new way to
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 study space debris check out some of the
00:00:43 --> 00:00:44 most remarkable exoplanet discoveries
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 from the past year and get an inside
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 look at spacex's ambitious plans for
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 their starship program so strap in and
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 get ready to explore the cosmos with us
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 as we begin another year of amazing
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 space science and
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 Discovery in a significant move for
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 commercial space flight the US Federal
00:01:03 --> 00:01:04 Communications Commission has just
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 expanded the Spectrum available for
00:01:06 --> 00:01:07 launch
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 Communications the fcc's December 31st
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 announcement allocated additional
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 frequencies between 2360 and 2395
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 megahertz that can now be used for
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 communications with commercial launch
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 and re-entry Vehicles this new
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 allocation fulfills requirements set out
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 in the launch Communications Act of 2024
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 which President Biden signed into law
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 last September the ACT called for making
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 three specific frequency bands available
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 to support the growing commercial space
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 industry what makes this particularly
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 interesting is that two of these bands
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 were already allocated for launch
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 Communications but this third band opens
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 up new possibilities for both Uplink and
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 downlink Communications with
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 spacecraft this additional bandwidth is
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 crucial as the commercial space sector
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 continues to expand rapidly both the FCC
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 and launch companies have emphasized
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 that this extra spectrum is essential to
00:02:03 --> 00:02:04 handle the increasing number of launches
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 we're seeing as FCC chairwoman Jessica
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 Rosen worell noted this move will make
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 it easier for new competitors to
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 consistently access the spectrum they
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 need for their missions the new
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 allocation isn't without its challenges
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 though the band will be shared with
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 existing aircraft and missile testing
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 operations which means launch operators
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 will need to take special precautions to
00:02:26 --> 00:02:27 avoid
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 interference however companies like
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 SpaceX and Virgin Galactic have already
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 successfully used portions of this band
00:02:34 --> 00:02:35 for several launches without any
00:02:35 --> 00:02:39 reported issues perhaps most importantly
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 this change streamlines the licensing
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 process for launch companies instead of
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 having to apply for special temporary
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 Authority for each individual launch
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 operators can now work within a more
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 efficient framework that covers all
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 three allocated bands this should
00:02:54 --> 00:02:55 significantly reduce the administrative
00:02:55 --> 00:02:59 burden on both the companies and the FCC
00:02:59 --> 00:03:00 helping to accelerate the pace of
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 commercial space activities this
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 development really showcases how the
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 regulatory landscape is evolving to keep
00:03:08 --> 00:03:09 Pace with the commercial space
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 industry's rapid growth as we continue
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 to see more private companies reaching
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 for the Stars having robust and clear
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 communication protocols will be
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 absolutely essential for safe and
00:03:21 --> 00:03:22 efficient
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 operations next up the safety and
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 reliability of NASA's Artemis program
00:03:27 --> 00:03:30 faced a significant challenge when
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 inspectors discovered concerning damage
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 to the Orion capsule's heat shield
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 following its splash down in December
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 2022 what initially looked like a
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 successful conclusion to the Artemis 1
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 Mission revealed some worrying issues
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 that have since caused delays to the
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 program's timeline when the recovery
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 crew lifted Orion onto the USS
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 Portland's deck they noticed substantial
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 cracks on the capsule's lower surface
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 where it connects to the heat shield
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 while somewhere on a heat shield that
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 endured temperatures of around 5 de
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 Fahrenheit might seem expected the
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 extent of the damage raised serious
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 concerns about crew safety for future
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 missions after nearly 2 years of
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 thorough analysis NASA's investigation
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 revealed that the problem stemmed from
00:04:15 --> 00:04:16 an unexpected interaction between the
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 shields materials during re-entry the
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 heat shields design uses a specialized
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 resin called novalac embedded in a
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 honeycomb structure of fiberglass
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 threads during re-entry this material is
00:04:29 --> 00:04:30 meant to grad gradually melt and form a
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 protective Char layer however what
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 actually happened was more complex as
00:04:36 --> 00:04:37 Orion performed its skip reentry
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 maneuver The Shield began melting as
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 planned but when the capsule bounced
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 back into space the outer layers froze
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 trapping heat inside this trapped heat
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 vaporized more of the resin and during
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 the second atmospheric entry the
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 expanding gases created those concerning
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 cracks in the Char structure in response
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 to these findings NASA has announced
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 significant changes to their approach
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 for the upcoming Artemis 2 mission which
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 will carry astronauts around the Moon
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 they've modified the re-entry trajectory
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 to prevent heat from accumulating in
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 this way looking further ahead to
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 Artemis 3 NASA plans to implement new
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 manufacturing methods to make the shield
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 more permeable these challenges have
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 pushed the timeline for crude Artemis
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 missions further into the future with
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 Artemis 2 now targeting sometime in 2025
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 and Artemis 3 slated for 20
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 27 while these delays might be
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 frustrating they reflect NASA's
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 unwavering commitment to crew safety as
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 they work to return humans to the
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 Moon scientists have made an exciting
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 breakthrough in our ability to detect
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 gravitational waves those subtle Ripples
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 and SpaceTime that give us unique
00:05:47 --> 00:05:50 insights into Cosmic events researchers
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 have developed a new technique called
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 Optical spring tracking that could
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 dramatically improve how clearly we can
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 detect these elusive waves the advanced
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 laser interference perometer
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 gravitational wave Observatory or aligo
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 uses incredibly sensitive equipment to
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 measure tiny distortions in SpaceTime
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 caused by distant Cosmic events while
00:06:10 --> 00:06:11 this technology has already
00:06:11 --> 00:06:12 revolutionized our understanding of
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 phenomena like black hole mergers it
00:06:15 --> 00:06:16 faces limitations from what scientists
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 call Quantum noise this new Optical
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 spring tracking system works by tuning
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 itself to match the frequency of
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 incoming gravitational waves in tests
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 researchers used a microscopic mirror
00:06:27 --> 00:06:30 weighing just 50 nanog made from
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 carefully layered aluminum gallium
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 arsenide and gallium arsenide when hit
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 with laser light this tiny mirror
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 creates an optical spring effect that
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 can be precisely controlled to track and
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 enhance gravitational wave signals the
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 results have been remarkable in their
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 proof of concept experiment the team
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 demonstrated that tracking a signal with
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 this system improved the signal to noise
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 ratio by up to 40 times compared to
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 traditional methods this means we could
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 potentially detect much fainter
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 gravitation waves from even more distant
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 Cosmic events while implementing this
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 technology in full scale observatories
00:07:05 --> 00:07:08 like ligo will require overcoming some
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 engineering challenges the potential
00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 benefits are
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14 enormous by enhancing our ability to
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 detect gravitational waves we might soon
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 be able to observe events from the very
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 earliest moments of our universe
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 including the mergers of primordial
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 black holes formed shortly after the big
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 bang this advancement represents a
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 significant step step forward in our
00:07:30 --> 00:07:31 quest to understand the universe's most
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 energetic events and could help unlock
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 mysteries about how our Cosmos formed
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 and evolved over billions of
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 years next a story about cubat
00:07:41 --> 00:07:43 Innovation at its finest while Earth's
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 atmosphere protects us from most space
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 debris scientists are developing an
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 Innovative new way to study these Cosmic
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 impacts by watching them strike the moon
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 a fascinating new mission called the
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 lunar meteoroid impact Observer or lumio
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 aims to give us an unprecedented view of
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 meteoroid strikes on the lunar Far Side
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 lumio is a compact but capable
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 spacecraft a 12 kg Cube sat equipped
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 with a specialized camera designed to
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 detect the bright flashes that occur
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 when space rocks impact the lunar
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 surface what makes this Mission
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 particularly clever is its planned
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 position at a special point in space
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 called the Earth Moon L2 lrange Point
00:08:23 --> 00:08:26 perfectly situated to observe the moon's
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 Far Side from this unique vantage point
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 lumio will have an unobstructed view of
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 impacts that we could never see from
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 Earth and since the moon has virtually
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 no atmosphere these objects strike the
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 surface directly creating visible
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 flashes that can tell us important
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 information about both the impactor and
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48 the lunar surface the numbers are quite
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 remarkable scientists estimate that up
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53 to 23 meteoroids weighing 30 grams
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 or more strike the moon each year while
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 lumio will only observe half of these
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 impacts it's still expected to detect
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 multiple strikes every single day
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 building up an unprecedented database of
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 information about the space debris in
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 our Cosmic neighborhood of course
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 operating at the L2 Point presents some
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 unique challenges the spacecraft will
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 need to rely on relay satellites for
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 communication since the moon will block
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 its direct line of sight to Earth it
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 will also need sophisticated automated
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 systems to process the massive amount of
00:09:24 --> 00:09:27 imagery it collects capturing 15 frames
00:09:27 --> 00:09:28 every second and using smart algorithms
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 to ident ify genuine impact flashes the
00:09:31 --> 00:09:34 lumio mission has already been selected
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 as a finalist in esa's lunar Cube sat
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 for exploration competition and is
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 scheduled for launch in 2027 once
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 operational it promises to give us
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 fascinating new insights into the
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 bombardment our Celestial neighbor
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 regularly endures helping us better
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 understand the threats these objects
00:09:51 --> 00:09:55 might pose to Earth and our future lunar
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 operations let's take a look now at some
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 of the strangest planets discovered over
00:09:59 --> 00:10:02 the past 12 months 2024 has been an
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 extraordinary year for exoplanet
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 discoveries with several fascinating new
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 worlds expanding our understanding of
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 planetary diversity perhaps the most
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 intriguing find was a new cotton candy
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 planet with the lowest density ever
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 recorded for an
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 exoplanet these peculiar worlds continue
00:10:19 --> 00:10:20 to challenge our theories about
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 planetary formation with their
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 impossibly fluffy atmospheres defying
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 conventional
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 explanation in an inspiring
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 demonstration of Citizen science science
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 amateur astronomers working alongside
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 professionals discovered a remarkable
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 planet in a binary star system what
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 makes this find particularly exciting is
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 that it orbits within the habitable zone
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 of the brightest known star to host such
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 a planet the region where liquid water
00:10:45 --> 00:10:48 could potentially exist on its surface
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 we've also gained valuable insights into
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 planetary formation thanks to the
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 discovery of what may be the youngest
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 transiting exoplanet ever found this
00:10:56 --> 00:10:59 giant World orbiting an incredibly Young
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 star is providing astronomers with a
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 rare glimpse into the early stages of
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 planetary development one of the year's
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 most bizarre discoveries was a huge
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 planet with what scientists are calling
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 a super Ecentric orbit more elliptical
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 than any previously known this peculiar
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 World appears to be traveling backward
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 compared to its Stars rotation
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 potentially offering clues about how hot
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 Jupiter's massive planets orbiting
00:11:24 --> 00:11:27 extremely close to their stars come to
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 exist closer to home home our nearest
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 Stellar neighbor after the sun Barnard
00:11:32 --> 00:11:35 star has revealed its own planetary
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 secret just six light years away this
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 newly confirmed exoplanet adds to our
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 growing catalog of nearby worlds and
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 reminds us that we still have much to
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 discover in our own Cosmic backyard
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 perhaps the most unexpected planetary
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 Discovery came from a simple timing
00:11:51 --> 00:11:54 discrepancy when astronomers noticed a
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 known planet Crossing in front of its
00:11:55 --> 00:11:58 star 2 hours earlier than predicted
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 their investigation LED led to the
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 discovery of an entirely New World in
00:12:01 --> 00:12:04 the same system it's a perfect example
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 of how careful observation and attention
00:12:06 --> 00:12:09 to detail continue to unveil the
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 universe's Hidden
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 Treasures finally today let's take a
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 look at spacex's Starship plans heading
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 into the new year spacex's Starship
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 program reached several significant
00:12:19 --> 00:12:22 milestones in 2024 with the company Now
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 setting its sights on an ambitious
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 expansion of operations in
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 2025 the world's largest and most
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 powerful rocket system completed six
00:12:30 --> 00:12:33 test flights to date with each launch
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 bringing valuable lessons and
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 improvements to the vehicle's design and
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 performance the most recent flights have
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 demonstrated remarkable progress with
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 both the super heavy booster and the
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 Starship upper stage successfully
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 surviving atmospheric re-entry a
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 particularly noteworthy achievement came
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 during the fifth test flight when the
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 launch Tower successfully caught the
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 returning super heavy booster using its
00:12:55 --> 00:12:58 innovative Chopstick arms a crucial step
00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 towards spacex's goal of Rapid
00:13:01 --> 00:13:04 reusability looking ahead to 2025 SpaceX
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 has applied for permits to dramatically
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 increase their launch frequency from
00:13:08 --> 00:13:11 their Starbase facility in Texas the
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 Federal Aviation Administration has
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 given preliminary approval for up to 25
00:13:15 --> 00:13:18 launches in the coming year a five-fold
00:13:18 --> 00:13:20 increase from current levels this
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 expanded schedule would include not just
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 launches but also 50 Tower catches split
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 evenly between the super heavy boosters
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 and Starship upper stages
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 the company is also planning significant
00:13:31 --> 00:13:34 upgrades to the vehicle itself future
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 versions of Starship will feature
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 increased thrust capabilities with plans
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 to achieve three times the power of
00:13:40 --> 00:13:43 NASA's Saturn Vive rocket these
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 improvements aim to enable the transport
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 of larger payloads with future
00:13:46 --> 00:13:49 iterations capable of carrying over 200
00:13:49 --> 00:13:52 tons to orbit perhaps most ambitious are
00:13:52 --> 00:13:55 the cost projections with SpaceX
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 suggesting that the full reusability of
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 the system could eventually bring launch
00:13:59 --> 00:14:02 costs down to just a few million dollar
00:14:02 --> 00:14:05 per flight this dramatic reduction in
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 launch costs combined with increased
00:14:07 --> 00:14:10 payload capacity and flight frequency
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 could revolutionize access to space and
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 support the company's longer-term goals
00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 of establishing a sustained human
00:14:16 --> 00:14:19 presence on Mars these developments come
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21 at a crucial time as NASA continues to
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 rely on Starship as a key component of
00:14:23 --> 00:14:26 its Artemis program with the vehicle
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 selected to serve as the lunar lander
00:14:28 --> 00:14:31 for future Miss to the Moon surface as
00:14:31 --> 00:14:34 we move into 2025 all eyes will be on
00:14:34 --> 00:14:36 Space X to see if they can maintain this
00:14:36 --> 00:14:39 ambitious pace of development and
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 testing that brings us to the end of
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 today's episode of astronomy daily I'm
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 Anna and I want to thank you for joining
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 me as we explored these fascinating
00:14:47 --> 00:14:50 developments in space and astronomy from
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 revolutionary advances in gravitational
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 wave detection to spacex's ambitious
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 plans for Starship it's clear that 2025
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 is already shaping up to be an
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 incredible year for space exploration to
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 stay up to dat with all the latest space
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 and astronomy news head over to our
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 website at astronomy daily. iio there
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 you'll find detailed articles on all the
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 stories we covered today plus our
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 complete Archive of past episodes and
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 don't forget to follow us on social
00:15:15 --> 00:15:18 media you can find Astro daily pod on
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00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 and Tik
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 Tok until next time keep looking up and
00:15:25 --> 00:15:30 stay curious about our amazing universe
00:15:30 --> 00:15:33 the stories told
00:15:33 --> 00:15:47 [Music]