00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 for the latest space and astronomy news.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:06 I'm Anna.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 >> And I'm Avery. It's Saturday, January
00:00:09 --> 00:00:12 17th, 2026, and we've got an absolutely
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 packed episode for you today.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 >> We really do. And we're leading with
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 some bittersweet news from Mars. NASA's
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 making what might be their final attempt
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 to contact the Maven Orbiter, which has
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 been silent for over a month now. It's
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 looking increasingly unlikely that
00:00:29 --> 00:00:30 they'll be able to recover the
00:00:30 --> 00:00:31 spacecraft.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 >> That's tough news, but we've also got
00:00:34 --> 00:00:35 some incredible human achievements to
00:00:35 --> 00:00:39 celebrate. The SpaceX Crew 11 astronauts
00:00:39 --> 00:00:40 have safely returned to Houston
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 following the first ever medical
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 evacuation from the International Space
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 Station. We'll get into the details of
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 how that historic operation unfolded.
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 >> Europe's stepping up its launch game,
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 too. Aron Space has announced they'll be
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 launching the first Aron 64 rocket on
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 February 12th. That's the more powerful
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 four booster version. This is a big deal
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 for European space capabilities. We're
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 also diving into some fascinating
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 research today. Scientists have been
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 using CERN's particle accelerators to
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 simulate asteroid impacts and what they
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 discovered about ironrich space rocks
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 could change how we approach planetary
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 defense. Then we've got something that
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 sounds like science fiction, but is very
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 real. China has released the world's
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 first practical software for keeping
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 time on the moon. Yes, lunar timekeeping
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 is now a thing, and it's more important
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 than you might think. And we'll wrap up
00:01:34 --> 00:01:35 with some stunning new images from
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 Hubble. Even after 35 years in orbit,
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 it's still showing us where planets are
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 born in protolanetary discs around young
00:01:43 --> 00:01:44 stars.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 >> Lots to cover, so let's get started.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 Let's start with that Mars story, Anna.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 NASA's Maven Orbiter has been one of our
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 most valuable assets at Mars for over a
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 decade. What's the latest on the
00:01:55 --> 00:01:56 recovery efforts?
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 >> Well, it's not looking good, I'm afraid.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 Maven, that's the Mars Atmosphere and
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 Volatile Evolution Orbiter, went silent
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 on December 6th, 2025, and NASA has been
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 unable to reestablish contact ever
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 since. The spacecraft has been orbiting
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 Mars since 2014, providing invaluable
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 data about the Martian atmosphere and
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 serving as a critical communications
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 relay for the Curiosity and Perseverance
00:02:22 --> 00:02:23 rovers.
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 >> So, what exactly happened? I mean,
00:02:26 --> 00:02:27 communications blackouts aren't
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 completely unusual for Mars missions,
00:02:29 --> 00:02:30 right?
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 >> You're right. They're not. In this case,
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 Maven passed behind Mars, which
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 temporarily blocks communication. That's
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 a routine occurrence, but when it should
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 have emerged on the other side, NASA's
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 deep space network couldn't regain
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 contact. What makes it worse is that
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 this happened right before a solar
00:02:48 --> 00:02:49 conjunction.
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 >> That's when the sun sits directly
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 between Earth and Mars. Correct.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 >> Exactly. During solar conjunction, which
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 occurs roughly every 2 years, solar
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 particles interfere with radio signals.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 NASA temporarily halts all
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 communications with Mars missions during
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 this period to avoid sending corrupted
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 commands or receiving incomplete data
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 that could damage spacecraft. Though the
00:03:12 --> 00:03:15 conjunction basically meant NASA had to
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 wait before they could even try to
00:03:17 --> 00:03:18 recover Maven.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 >> And that conjunction period just ended,
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 >> right? NASA said they wouldn't have
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 contact with any Mars missions until
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 Friday, January 16th. So, as of today,
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 they're making renewed attempts to
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 contact Maven. But here's the concerning
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 part. Louise Proctor, the director of
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 NASA's planetary science division, said
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 on January 13th, and I quote, "We'll
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 start looking again, but at this point,
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 it's looking very unlikely that we are
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 going to be able to recover the
00:03:47 --> 00:03:48 spacecraft."
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 >> That's pretty pessimistic language from
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 NASA. Do we know what might have caused
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 the initial failure? The leading theory
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 is that Maven started rotating
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 unexpectedly after passing behind Mars.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 This would have shifted the spacecraft
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 out of its planned orbit and potentially
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 moved its antenna away from Earth. But
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 here's where it gets more complicated.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 Maven has had aging hardware issues for
00:04:12 --> 00:04:13 years now.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:14 >> What kind of issues are we talking
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 about? The spacecraft has had problems
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 with its onboard inertial measurement
00:04:18 --> 00:04:22 units or IMUs, which are essential for
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 orientation in space. Back in 2022,
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 Maven spent about 3 months in safe mode
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 because of IMU problems. The mission
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 team had to rely on backup systems that
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 have experienced accelerated wear and
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 tear. They even developed an alternative
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 all stellar navigation mode that uses
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 stars for orientation instead of relying
00:04:43 --> 00:04:44 on the IMUs.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 >> So, it sounds like Maven has been living
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 on borrowed time for a while now.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 >> In some ways, yes. The spacecraft's
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 inability to fully recover from those
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 2022 outages led to missed observations
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 of significant solar flares and
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 disrupted its communications relay role.
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 That said, Maven still has enough fuel
00:05:04 --> 00:05:08 to remain in orbit until at least 2030.
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 So, the hardware could theoretically
00:05:10 --> 00:05:11 keep working if they can just
00:05:12 --> 00:05:13 reestablish contact.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 >> What's the impact going to be if they
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 can't recover it? I imagine the rovers
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 depend on these orbiters for
00:05:19 --> 00:05:20 communications.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 >> That's a great point. Maven has been a
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 key communications relay for the
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 Curiosity and Perseverance rovers. With
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 Maven offline, NASA has had to shift
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 more of that burden to other orbiters,
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 specifically Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 and Mars Odyssey. This puts increased
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 pressure on those spacecraft to maintain
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 communications and support surface
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 science activities.
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 >> And scientifically, what are we losing?
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 >> Maven's scientific contributions have
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 been enormous. It's helped us understand
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 how Mars lost its once thick atmosphere
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 and became the cold, dry world it is
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 today. The data it collected on Martian
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 weather patterns, dust storms, and
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 auroras provided insights into the
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 planet's climate system and potential
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 habitability. Without Maven, we'd have
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 critical gaps in our ongoing atmospheric
00:06:10 --> 00:06:11 studies of Mars.
00:06:12 --> 00:06:13 >> So fingers crossed that these new
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 contact attempts work out. When will we
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 know more? NASA should have results from
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 their latest attempts very soon. But
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 given the pessimistic tone from their
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 leadership, I think we need to prepare
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 for the possibility that Maven's
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 remarkable decadel long mission may have
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 come to an end. It would be a sad
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 conclusion to such a successful
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36 spacecraft, but it's given us more than
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 10 years of groundbreaking science.
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 >> Absolutely. And that's well beyond its
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 original design life, right?
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 >> Oh, definitely. Like so many NASA
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 missions, it far exceeded expectations.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 Let's hope there's one more surprise
00:06:50 --> 00:06:51 left in it.
00:06:51 --> 00:06:52 >> Here's hoping.
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 >> Moving from Mars back to closer to home.
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 Let's talk about that historic ISS
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 medical evacuation. Avery, this was
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 really unprecedented.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 >> It absolutely was. The four astronauts
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 of SpaceX's Crew 11 mission are now
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 safely back in Houston after splashing
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 down off the coast of Long Beach,
00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 California early Thursday morning. This
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 marked the very first medical evacuation
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 from the International Space Station in
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 its more than 25 year history.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 >> Who were the crew members involved?
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 >> The crew consisted of NASA astronauts
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 Zena Cardman and Mike Fininky, Kima Yui
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 from Japan's Aerospace Agency and
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 cosminaut Oleg Platinoff from Ross
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 Cosmos. They launched back in early
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 August for what was supposed to be a
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 standard six-month stay aboard the
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 station.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 >> So they came home about five weeks
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 early. Correct.
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 >> That's right. One of the four crew
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 members experienced a medical issue in
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 orbit last week and NASA made the
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 decision to bring the entire crew home
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 ahead of schedule. Now, NASA has been
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 very protective of medical privacy,
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 which is absolutely appropriate. So,
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 they haven't disclosed which crew member
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 had the issue or what the specific
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 medical problem was.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 >> What do we know about how they're doing
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 now? According to NASA's latest update
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 from Friday afternoon, all four crew
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 members are stable and undergoing
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 standard post-flight reconditioning and
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 evaluations at Johnson Space Center.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 After splashing down, they spent about a
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 day and night at a local medical
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 facility in California before flying to
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 Houston. I have to say, the fact that
00:08:23 --> 00:08:26 they described them as stable and that
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 they're doing standard post-flight
00:08:28 --> 00:08:31 evaluations suggests this wasn't a dire
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 emergency situation.
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 >> That's my read on it, too. And NASA
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 officials have been pretty clear about
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 describing this as a deliberate,
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 carefully planned operation rather than
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 a panic situation. In fact, one NASA
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 representative said, and I'm
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 paraphrasing here, this is NASA at its
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 finest, referring to how smoothly the
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 evacuation and splashdown went.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 >> Can you walk us through what a medical
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 evacuation from the ISS actually
00:08:55 --> 00:08:59 involves? This seems incredibly complex.
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 >> It is. First, you have to understand
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 that the ISS has medical capabilities on
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 board. There's medical equipment,
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 supplies, and the crew receives training
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 to handle various medical situations.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 They can consult with flight surgeons on
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 the ground in real time. But sometimes
00:09:14 --> 00:09:17 groundbased medical care is simply
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 necessary, either for more advanced
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21 diagnostic equipment or for treatment
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 options that aren't available in orbit.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 >> So, the decision to bring someone home
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 is never made lightly.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 >> Exactly. In this case, the medical issue
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 required evaluation and potential
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 treatment that couldn't be done on the
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 station. Once that call was made, they
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 had to prepare the crew Dragon
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 spacecraft, the same one they arrived
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 in, named Endeavor, for an early
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 departure. This involves checking all
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 systems, planning the undocking and
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 re-entry trajectory, coordinating with
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 recovery teams, and making sure weather
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 conditions would be suitable for
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 splashdown.
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 >> And they successfully executed all of
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 that in just a few days.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 >> They did. The crew undocked from the ISS
00:09:58 --> 00:10:01 on January 14th, completed their
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 de-orbit burn, and splashed down safely
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 early on January 15th. Recovery teams
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 were standing by and quickly retrieved
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 the capsule and crew. The whole
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 operation went remarkably smoothly.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 >> What about the ISS itself? How is it
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 operating with a reduced crew?
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 >> That's a great question. Right now, the
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 station is operating with what they're
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 calling a skeleton crew of just three
00:10:22 --> 00:10:25 people. NASA astronaut Chris Williams
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 and two Ross Cosmos cosminauts Sergey
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 Kutz Vertzkov and Sergey Mikayv. That's
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 less than half the normal compliment of
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 seven crew members.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 >> Can three people effectively run the
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 ISS?
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 >> They can maintain it and keep critical
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 systems running, but it definitely
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 limits what science can be done. The
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 station won't return to its full
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 operational capacity until SpaceX's Crew
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 12 mission arrives. That's currently
00:10:49 --> 00:10:52 scheduled for February 15th. Though NASA
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 and SpaceX are looking at whether they
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 can move that timeline up a bit,
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 >> I imagine this whole situation must have
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 been quite stressful for everyone
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 involved.
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 >> No doubt. But what strikes me is how
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 calmly and professionally it was
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 handled. In one of the final
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 communications before undocking, Crew 11
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 commander Mike Finke said it was
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 bittersweet to be leaving early. He
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 handed over command of the ISS to Chris
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 Williams and you could hear in his voice
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 that he would have preferred to complete
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 the full mission. But he also understood
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 the necessity of coming home. It really
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 speaks to the incredible planning and
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 preparation that goes into human space
00:11:28 --> 00:11:31 flight. Even in an offnominal situation
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 like this, the systems and procedures
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 worked exactly as designed.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 >> And I think it's worth noting that this
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 won't affect other upcoming missions.
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 NASA administrator Jared Isaacman
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 specifically stated that this ISS
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 evacuation shouldn't interfere with the
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 upcoming Artemis 2 moon mission, which
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 is still on track for a possible launch
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 as early as February 6th. That's good to
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 hear. Well, here's hoping for a full
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 recovery for whichever crew member
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 needed the medical attention. And kudos
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 to everyone involved in executing such a
00:12:02 --> 00:12:05 complex operation so flawlessly.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 >> Agreed. It really was NASA at its
00:12:07 --> 00:12:10 finest. Switching gears now to European
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 space flight. Avery, Europe is about to
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 debut a significantly more powerful
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 version of its new rocket. Right.
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 >> That's right, Anna. Aryan Space has
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 announced that the first flight of the
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 Aryan 64 will launch on February 12th
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 from the Gana Space Center in French
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 Gana. This is the four booster
00:12:28 --> 00:12:31 configuration of the Aryan 6 and it
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 represents a major step up in capability
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 for European launch services. Let's back
00:12:35 --> 00:12:38 up a second for anyone who might not be
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 familiar with the Aryan 6. Can you give
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 us the background?
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 >> Sure. The Aryan 6 is Europe's newest
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 heavy lift rocket designed to replace
00:12:46 --> 00:12:48 the Aryan 5 which served for nearly
00:12:48 --> 00:12:51 three decades. The inaugural flight was
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 back in July 2024. And throughout 2025,
00:12:54 --> 00:12:57 Aryan Space flew four more missions, all
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 carrying payloads for organizations like
00:12:59 --> 00:13:03 ESA, UMTASAT, and CENS, the French Space
00:13:03 --> 00:13:06 Agency. And all of those flights used
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 the Arion 62 configuration.
00:13:09 --> 00:13:13 >> Exactly. The Arion 62 uses two P120C
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 solid fuel boosters strapped to the side
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 of the rocket's core stage. Each of
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 those boosters produces roughly 4500
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 kons of thrust. It's been doing great
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24 for medium lift missions with a capacity
00:13:24 --> 00:13:27 to deliver about 10.3 tons to low Earth
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 orbit.
00:13:28 --> 00:13:31 >> So the Aryan 64 just adds two more
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 boosters,
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 >> right? It uses four of those P120C
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 boosters instead of two. And that makes
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 a dramatic difference in capability. The
00:13:40 --> 00:13:44 Arion 64 can deliver up to 21.6 tons to
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 low Earth orbit, more than double what
00:13:46 --> 00:13:49 the Arion 62 can handle. That puts it in
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 the heavy lift category, competing with
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 rockets like SpaceX's Falcon Heavy.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 >> That's a significant jump. What's
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 driving the need for this more powerful
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 version?
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00 >> Well, this first mission actually gives
00:14:00 --> 00:14:03 us a perfect example. The Arion 64's
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 first flight will be launching
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 satellites for Amazon's project Cooper
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 broadband internet constellation. Arion
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 space has an 18 flight contract with
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 Amazon. And this first mission
00:14:13 --> 00:14:17 designated LE01, which stands for LEO
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 Europe01, will deploy 32 Cooper
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 satellites.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 >> Amazon's competing with Space X's
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 Starlink. Right.
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 >> That's right. Amazon already has about
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 180 satellites in orbit and they're
00:14:29 --> 00:14:32 rapidly building out the constellation.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 Having access to the more powerful Arion
00:14:34 --> 00:14:36 64 means they can launch more satellites
00:14:36 --> 00:14:39 at once which speeds up the deployment
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 schedule and reduces the total number of
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 launches needed.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44 >> Is there anything else notable about
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 this particular flight?
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 >> Yes, actually this will be the first
00:14:47 --> 00:14:50 Arion 6 mission to use the rocket's
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 larger 20 m long fairing. All previous
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 flights used a shorter 14 meter fairing.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:58 The longer fairing provides more volume
00:14:58 --> 00:15:01 for larger payloads or in this case for
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 fitting more satellites into the payload
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 stack.
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 >> How long will the mission last?
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 >> Arion space hasn't published the
00:15:07 --> 00:15:09 complete mission breakdown yet, but
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 they've stated the entire flight will
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 last 1 hour and 54 minutes. That
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 presumably includes deploying all 32
00:15:16 --> 00:15:18 satellites and then deorbiting the
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 rocket's upper stage in a controlled
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 manner, which is important for reducing
00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 space debris. What does this mean for
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 Aryan Space's launch cadence going
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 forward?
00:15:27 --> 00:15:29 >> They're being pretty ambitious. Arion
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 space is aiming to double the number of
00:15:31 --> 00:15:34 Arion 6 launches this year compared to
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 2025. That would mean as many as eight
00:15:36 --> 00:15:39 Arion 6 flights over the next 12 months.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 Given that they're still ramping up
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 operations with what is still a fairly
00:15:43 --> 00:15:46 new rocket, that's a challenging goal,
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 but it shows their confidence.
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 >> Are there any other upgrades in the
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 works?
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 >> Actually, yes. The company is developing
00:15:52 --> 00:15:55 an upgraded version of the solid fuel
00:15:55 --> 00:15:58 booster called the P160C.
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 It carries an additional 14 tons of
00:16:00 --> 00:16:02 solid propellant compared to the current
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 P120C.
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 That upgrade has already been fully
00:16:06 --> 00:16:09 qualified for use on both the Aryan 62
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 for medium lift missions, the Aryan 64
00:16:11 --> 00:16:14 for heavy lift, the Vega C for smaller
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 payloads, and these future upgrades.
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 Europe is positioning itself to be very
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 competitive in the commercial launch
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 market. And that's crucial, especially
00:16:22 --> 00:16:25 as we see increasing competition from
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 SpaceX, China, and other emerging launch
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 providers.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30 >> Will the February 12th launch be
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 publicly viewable? Aryan Space typically
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 provides live coverage of their
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 launches, so I'd expect we'll be able to
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 watch this historic first flight of the
00:16:38 --> 00:16:41 Aryan 64. It should be quite a sight.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 Those four boosters firing together
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 should make for an impressive liftoff.
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 >> I'll definitely be watching. It's great
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 to see Europe maintaining and expanding
00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 its independent access to space.
00:16:52 --> 00:16:54 >> Anna, let's talk about planetary
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 defense. Scientists have been conducting
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 some fascinating experiments using
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 particle accelerators to understand how
00:17:00 --> 00:17:03 asteroids might respond to deflection
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05 attempts. This is really cool work,
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 Avery. An international research team
00:17:07 --> 00:17:10 used CERN's high radiation to materials
00:17:10 --> 00:17:13 facility, that's Hyradmat, to simulate
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 what happens when high energy impacts
00:17:15 --> 00:17:18 strike ironrich asteroids. And what they
00:17:18 --> 00:17:20 found could significantly change our
00:17:20 --> 00:17:23 approach to planetary defense. Before we
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 get into the results, can you set up the
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 context, why is this research important?
00:17:27 --> 00:17:31 >> Sure. We know there are around 37
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34 known near Earth asteroids and 120 short
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 period comets whose orbits bring them
00:17:36 --> 00:17:39 close to Earth. While scientists are
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 confident that none of the known
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 potentially hazardous objects will
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 strike Earth within the next century, we
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 know that eventually planetary defense
00:17:47 --> 00:17:50 measures will be needed. And NASA's Dart
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 mission demonstrated one approach, the
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 kinetic impactor.
00:17:53 --> 00:17:57 >> Exactly. In 2022, Dart successfully
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 struck the asteroid Demorphus and
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 altered its orbit. But to do this
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 reliably and develop effective defense
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 strategies, we need to understand how
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 different types of asteroids respond to
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 impacts. That's where this new research
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 comes in.
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 >> So, they focus specifically on ironrich
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 asteroids,
00:18:14 --> 00:18:17 >> right? What astronomers call Mtype
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 asteroids. These are thought to be
00:18:18 --> 00:18:21 exposed metallic cores of ancient
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 protolanets that were shattered in
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 collisions billions of years ago.
00:18:25 --> 00:18:27 They're made primarily of iron and
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 nickel, unlike the more common rocky
00:18:29 --> 00:18:32 asteroids or icy comets.
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 >> How did they simulate an asteroid impact
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 in a lab?
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 >> This is where it gets really clever.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 They used a sample of the Campo Delio
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 iron meteorite, which is a wellstied
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 iron meteorite from Argentina. They
00:18:44 --> 00:18:47 subjected it to extremely energetic 440
00:18:47 --> 00:18:51 GEV proton beams at CERN's highradmat
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 facility at CERN. That's an incredibly
00:18:53 --> 00:18:55 high energy level.
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 >> And how did they measure what happened
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 to the sample?
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 >> They used a technique called Doppler
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 vibrometry, which can detect tiny
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 surface vibrations. This allowed them to
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 capture realtime data on how the
00:19:06 --> 00:19:09 material responded to rapidly increasing
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 stress, all without destroying the
00:19:11 --> 00:19:13 sample. They could see exactly how iron
00:19:14 --> 00:19:16 behaved under extreme conditions.
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 >> What did they discover?
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19 >> This is where it gets really
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 interesting. The results showed that
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 Mtype asteroids can absorb significantly
00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 more energy without fragmenting than
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 conventional models predicted. But even
00:19:28 --> 00:19:30 more surprisingly, the meteorite
00:19:30 --> 00:19:32 actually got tougher as it was subjected
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 to increasing stress.
00:19:34 --> 00:19:37 >> Wait, it got stronger under stress?
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 >> Yes. The researchers found that the iron
00:19:39 --> 00:19:42 dissipated more energy as stress
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 increased, suggesting that the internal
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47 structure of asteroids can redistribute
00:19:47 --> 00:19:50 and amplify stress in unexpected ways,
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52 similar to what we see in complex
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 composite materials.
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 >> That seems counterintuitive. You'd
00:19:56 --> 00:19:59 expect materials to weaken under extreme
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 stress, not strengthen.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 >> That's exactly why this is such an
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 important finding. It contradicts what
00:20:05 --> 00:20:07 conventional models have suggested. One
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 of the study's co-authors, Professor
00:20:09 --> 00:20:12 Gian Luca Gregori from the University of
00:20:12 --> 00:20:14 Oxford said this is the first time
00:20:14 --> 00:20:16 they've been able to observe in real
00:20:16 --> 00:20:19 time how an actual meteorite sample
00:20:19 --> 00:20:22 deforms, strengthens, and adapts under
00:20:22 --> 00:20:24 extreme conditions without destroying
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 it.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 >> So, what does this mean for planetary
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 defense strategies?
00:20:28 --> 00:20:30 >> A couple of things. First, it means that
00:20:30 --> 00:20:33 ironrich asteroids might be harder to
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35 deflect than we thought because they can
00:20:35 --> 00:20:37 absorb more energy without breaking
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 apart. But it also suggests that we
00:20:39 --> 00:20:42 could potentially deliver energy deep
00:20:42 --> 00:20:44 inside an asteroid without fragmenting
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 it.
00:20:45 --> 00:20:47 >> That could be useful if you want to push
00:20:47 --> 00:20:49 an asteroid rather than shatter it.
00:20:49 --> 00:20:52 >> Exactly. The research also helps explain
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 a long-standing puzzle in planetary
00:20:54 --> 00:20:57 defense. Why there's often a discrepancy
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 between what we infer from meteorite
00:20:59 --> 00:21:02 breakup in Earth's atmosphere and actual
00:21:02 --> 00:21:04 laboratory measurements of meteorite
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 strength. This study shows that internal
00:21:06 --> 00:21:09 stress redistribution within the
00:21:09 --> 00:21:11 heterogeneous structure of meteorites
00:21:11 --> 00:21:13 can explain that difference.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:15 >> This sounds like it could inform new
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 deflection methods.
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 >> That's the hope. The data could help
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 develop redirection techniques that push
00:21:20 --> 00:21:23 asteroids more effectively while keeping
00:21:23 --> 00:21:25 them intact. After all, the last thing
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 you want when deflecting an asteroid is
00:21:28 --> 00:21:30 to break it into multiple pieces that
00:21:30 --> 00:21:32 might still pose a threat.
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 >> Have they tested this with other types
00:21:33 --> 00:21:35 of asteroid materials?
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 >> This particular study focused on iron
00:21:37 --> 00:21:39 meteorites, but the methodology could be
00:21:40 --> 00:21:42 applied to other types of asteroids,
00:21:42 --> 00:21:44 rocky asteroids, carbonacious asteroids,
00:21:44 --> 00:21:47 and so on. Each type would likely behave
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 differently under extreme stress. And
00:21:49 --> 00:21:51 understanding those differences is
00:21:51 --> 00:21:54 crucial for developing a comprehensive
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 planetary defense toolkit.
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 >> I think what's particularly valuable
00:21:57 --> 00:21:59 here is that they've developed a
00:21:59 --> 00:22:01 technique that can test actual meteorite
00:22:01 --> 00:22:04 samples non-destructively. That means we
00:22:04 --> 00:22:06 can build up a library of data on how
00:22:06 --> 00:22:08 different asteroid materials behave
00:22:08 --> 00:22:10 without having to rely solely on
00:22:10 --> 00:22:13 computer simulations or destroying
00:22:13 --> 00:22:15 precious samples. And as we continue to
00:22:15 --> 00:22:17 study asteroids with missions like
00:22:17 --> 00:22:20 Osiris X and Hayabusa 2, we'll have more
00:22:20 --> 00:22:22 samples to test.
00:22:22 --> 00:22:24 >> Exactly. The combination of sample
00:22:24 --> 00:22:26 return missions, laboratory testing like
00:22:26 --> 00:22:28 this, and missions like DART that
00:22:28 --> 00:22:30 demonstrate actual deflection
00:22:30 --> 00:22:32 techniques, it's all building toward a
00:22:32 --> 00:22:34 real capability to protect Earth from
00:22:34 --> 00:22:37 asteroid impacts. It's reassuring to
00:22:37 --> 00:22:39 know that even though we don't face an
00:22:39 --> 00:22:41 immediate threat, we're doing the
00:22:41 --> 00:22:43 groundwork now, so we'll be prepared
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 when we need to be.
00:22:44 --> 00:22:46 >> Absolutely. And this research was just
00:22:46 --> 00:22:48 published in Nature Communications, so
00:22:48 --> 00:22:50 it's getting a lot of attention from the
00:22:50 --> 00:22:52 planetary defense community.
00:22:52 --> 00:22:54 >> Avery, our next story sounds like
00:22:54 --> 00:22:56 something out of science fiction, but
00:22:56 --> 00:22:59 it's very much real and increasingly
00:22:59 --> 00:23:01 necessary. China has released the
00:23:01 --> 00:23:03 world's first practical software for
00:23:03 --> 00:23:05 keeping time on the moon.
00:23:05 --> 00:23:08 >> Lunar timekeeping software. When you say
00:23:08 --> 00:23:10 it out loud, it really drives home how
00:23:10 --> 00:23:13 much space exploration has advanced. Why
00:23:13 --> 00:23:15 do we need to keep time differently on
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 the moon?
00:23:16 --> 00:23:18 >> It all comes down to Einstein's theory
00:23:18 --> 00:23:21 of general relativity. Time doesn't pass
00:23:21 --> 00:23:23 at the same rate everywhere. It's
00:23:23 --> 00:23:26 affected by both gravity and velocity.
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 The moon's gravity is weaker than
00:23:28 --> 00:23:30 Earth's, which means time actually
00:23:30 --> 00:23:32 passes slightly faster on the moon than
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 it does on Earth.
00:23:33 --> 00:23:35 >> How much faster are we talking about?
00:23:36 --> 00:23:39 >> About 56 millionth of a second per day.
00:23:40 --> 00:23:42 Now, that might not sound like much, but
00:23:42 --> 00:23:44 it adds up over time, and it can
00:23:44 --> 00:23:47 seriously disrupt navigation systems,
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 especially when you're trying to do
00:23:48 --> 00:23:51 precision work on the lunar surface.
00:23:51 --> 00:23:53 >> So, this is a precision navigation
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 issue.
00:23:53 --> 00:23:56 >> Exactly. Think about GPS on Earth. The
00:23:56 --> 00:23:59 satellites constantly have to correct
00:23:59 --> 00:24:01 for relativistic effects caused by
00:24:01 --> 00:24:03 gravity and motion. Those corrections
00:24:03 --> 00:24:05 are what allow your phone to pinpoint
00:24:06 --> 00:24:08 your location within just a few meters.
00:24:08 --> 00:24:11 Without accounting for relativity, GPS
00:24:11 --> 00:24:13 would be useless within minutes.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:15 >> And the moon is about to have a similar
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 need for precision navigation.
00:24:16 --> 00:24:19 >> Right? In the past, this wasn't really a
00:24:19 --> 00:24:21 problem because lunar missions were
00:24:21 --> 00:24:23 rare, short, and mostly isolated.
00:24:24 --> 00:24:26 Engineers could just use Earth time and
00:24:26 --> 00:24:28 apply mission specific fixes when
00:24:28 --> 00:24:31 needed. But that's changing rapidly
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 >> because we're about to have multiple
00:24:32 --> 00:24:34 spacecraft and eventually humans
00:24:34 --> 00:24:36 operating on the moon simultaneously.
00:24:36 --> 00:24:39 >> Exactly. Under those conditions, relying
00:24:39 --> 00:24:42 on custom fixes for each mission becomes
00:24:42 --> 00:24:44 risky and inefficient. You need a
00:24:44 --> 00:24:47 standardized lunar time reference that
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 everyone can use.
00:24:48 --> 00:24:50 >> So what exactly did the Chinese team
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 create?
00:24:51 --> 00:24:53 >> Researchers from the Purple Mountain
00:24:53 --> 00:24:55 Observatory in Nanjing developed
00:24:55 --> 00:24:59 detailed software called LTE440.
00:24:59 --> 00:25:02 That stands for lunar time ephemeris.
00:25:02 --> 00:25:04 It's based on modern planetary data and
00:25:04 --> 00:25:07 tracks how lunar time drifts relative to
00:25:07 --> 00:25:09 Earth time. The software automates
00:25:09 --> 00:25:11 calculations that once required deep
00:25:12 --> 00:25:14 expertise in relativity and celestial
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 mechanics.
00:25:15 --> 00:25:17 >> How accurate is it?
00:25:17 --> 00:25:19 >> Remarkably accurate. The researchers
00:25:19 --> 00:25:21 found their method stays accurate to
00:25:21 --> 00:25:24 within a few tens of nanconds even when
00:25:24 --> 00:25:26 projected over a thousand years. And to
00:25:26 --> 00:25:29 keep daily differences within about 10
00:25:29 --> 00:25:31 nanconds, the calculations need to be
00:25:31 --> 00:25:34 accurate to parts in 10 trillion. Their
00:25:34 --> 00:25:39 tests show LTE 440 meets that standard.
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 >> Why such extreme precision?
00:25:41 --> 00:25:43 >> Well, navigation is one driver, but
00:25:43 --> 00:25:45 there's also science. The moon offers
00:25:45 --> 00:25:47 unique conditions for astronomy. No
00:25:47 --> 00:25:50 atmosphere, minimal interference. One
00:25:50 --> 00:25:53 promising idea is Earth Moon very long
00:25:53 --> 00:25:56 baseline interpherometry where you link
00:25:56 --> 00:25:58 radio telescopes on Earth and the moon
00:25:58 --> 00:26:00 to create sharper images of distant
00:26:00 --> 00:26:03 objects. And that requires extremely
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 precise timing.
00:26:04 --> 00:26:07 >> Right? Signals recorded on both bodies
00:26:07 --> 00:26:09 need to be timestamped to better than a
00:26:09 --> 00:26:11 microscond. To allow for instrument
00:26:11 --> 00:26:13 noise, the underlying time model needs
00:26:13 --> 00:26:16 to be even more accurate. Hence the
00:26:16 --> 00:26:18 extreme precision requirements.
00:26:18 --> 00:26:20 >> How does the software actually work?
00:26:20 --> 00:26:23 Instead of using long equations, they
00:26:23 --> 00:26:25 used a numerical approach based on a
00:26:25 --> 00:26:28 planetary model called DE440,
00:26:28 --> 00:26:30 which tracks the positions and
00:26:30 --> 00:26:32 velocities of solar system bodies with
00:26:32 --> 00:26:35 high precision. From that data, they
00:26:35 --> 00:26:37 computed how time near the moon differs
00:26:37 --> 00:26:40 from a solar system reference time. The
00:26:40 --> 00:26:42 software stores these results in compact
00:26:42 --> 00:26:45 files that can be quickly interpolated.
00:26:45 --> 00:26:48 >> What affects lunar time most? The moon's
00:26:48 --> 00:26:50 motion and the sun's gravity dominate
00:26:50 --> 00:26:53 the effect, but Earth, Jupiter, and even
00:26:53 --> 00:26:55 distant objects in the Kyper belt add
00:26:56 --> 00:26:58 smaller effects. There are monthly and
00:26:58 --> 00:27:00 yearly patterns that range from
00:27:00 --> 00:27:02 milliseconds down to micros secondsonds.
00:27:02 --> 00:27:04 >> I'm curious about the international
00:27:04 --> 00:27:06 response to this. Is China the only one
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 working on this?
00:27:07 --> 00:27:10 >> That's a great question. Jonathan McDow,
00:27:10 --> 00:27:12 an astronomer at Harvard, told reporters
00:27:12 --> 00:27:14 that similar efforts are underway in the
00:27:14 --> 00:27:17 United States, but he's not aware of
00:27:17 --> 00:27:19 another openly available tool like this.
00:27:19 --> 00:27:22 He emphasized that this shows China is
00:27:22 --> 00:27:24 serious about lunar exploration and is
00:27:24 --> 00:27:26 being quite open about sharing its lunar
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 related research.
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 >> That's actually encouraging from an
00:27:29 --> 00:27:31 international cooperation standpoint.
00:27:31 --> 00:27:33 >> I think so, too. And it's worth noting
00:27:33 --> 00:27:36 that in 2024, the International
00:27:36 --> 00:27:38 Astronomical Union adopted a framework
00:27:38 --> 00:27:40 calling for the moon to have its own
00:27:40 --> 00:27:43 time reference. So this software really
00:27:43 --> 00:27:46 builds on that international consensus.
00:27:46 --> 00:27:48 >> What are the practical implications for
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 upcoming missions
00:27:49 --> 00:27:52 >> as lunar activity increases and we're
00:27:52 --> 00:27:55 talking about NASA's Aremis program,
00:27:55 --> 00:27:58 China's own lunar base plans, commercial
00:27:58 --> 00:28:01 lunar landers, and more. Reliable
00:28:01 --> 00:28:04 timekeeping will support safer landings,
00:28:04 --> 00:28:06 smoother navigation, and better
00:28:06 --> 00:28:08 coordination between missions.
00:28:08 --> 00:28:12 Eventually, we'll likely see lunar GPS
00:28:12 --> 00:28:14 style systems that depend on this kind
00:28:14 --> 00:28:16 of precise timekeeping.
00:28:16 --> 00:28:18 >> It really is laying the groundwork for
00:28:18 --> 00:28:21 sustained human presence on the moon.
00:28:21 --> 00:28:23 >> Absolutely. And the researchers
00:28:23 --> 00:28:25 emphasize that LTE440
00:28:25 --> 00:28:28 is just an early step. Future versions
00:28:28 --> 00:28:30 will need to support real time
00:28:30 --> 00:28:34 navigation and networks of lunar clocks.
00:28:34 --> 00:28:36 But the release marks a shift from
00:28:36 --> 00:28:38 abstract planning to practical
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 infrastructure.
00:28:39 --> 00:28:41 >> It's one of those things that sounds
00:28:41 --> 00:28:43 mundane time software, but is actually
00:28:43 --> 00:28:45 fundamental to making lunar operations
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 work.
00:28:46 --> 00:28:49 >> Exactly. You can have the fanciest
00:28:49 --> 00:28:51 rockets and landers in the world, but if
00:28:51 --> 00:28:53 your spacecraft can't agree on what time
00:28:53 --> 00:28:56 it is, you're going to have problems.
00:28:56 --> 00:28:59 This is the kind of unsexy but essential
00:28:59 --> 00:29:01 infrastructure work that makes the
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 exciting stuff possible.
00:29:02 --> 00:29:04 >> For our final story today, let's talk
00:29:04 --> 00:29:06 about the Hubble Space Telescope. After
00:29:06 --> 00:29:09 35 years in orbit, it's still delivering
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 incredible science.
00:29:10 --> 00:29:13 >> It really is remarkable. NASA just
00:29:13 --> 00:29:16 released a new gallery of Hubble images
00:29:16 --> 00:29:19 showing protolanetary discs around young
00:29:19 --> 00:29:21 stars, essentially the birthplaces of
00:29:21 --> 00:29:24 planets. And these images beautifully
00:29:24 --> 00:29:26 illustrate one of Hubble's original
00:29:26 --> 00:29:29 mission goals, understanding how planets
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 form.
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 >> Can you walk us through what we're
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 seeing in these images?
00:29:32 --> 00:29:34 >> Sure. When stars form, they're
00:29:34 --> 00:29:37 surrounded by gas and dust left over
00:29:37 --> 00:29:40 from the formation process. In the early
00:29:40 --> 00:29:42 stages, this is called a circumstellar
00:29:42 --> 00:29:45 disc. But once planets start forming in
00:29:45 --> 00:29:47 the disc, we call it a protolanetary
00:29:47 --> 00:29:50 disc. These discs are where planetary
00:29:50 --> 00:29:52 systems like our own solar system come
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 from.
00:29:53 --> 00:29:55 >> What makes these particular images
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 special?
00:29:55 --> 00:29:58 >> Hubble captured them using two different
00:29:58 --> 00:30:00 approaches. The visible light images
00:30:00 --> 00:30:03 taken with Hubble's advanced camera for
00:30:03 --> 00:30:06 surveys show four protolanetary discs
00:30:06 --> 00:30:09 where you can actually see polar jets of
00:30:09 --> 00:30:11 gas shooting out from the young stars.
00:30:12 --> 00:30:14 You can also see brightly lit nebula.
00:30:14 --> 00:30:16 And there's this cool effect where the
00:30:16 --> 00:30:19 dark band around each star is actually a
00:30:20 --> 00:30:22 shadow cast onto the nebula by the disc
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 itself.
00:30:23 --> 00:30:26 >> That's wild. So, we're seeing the shadow
00:30:26 --> 00:30:28 of the planet forming disc.
00:30:28 --> 00:30:31 >> Exactly. And each of these systems has
00:30:31 --> 00:30:35 unique characteristics. One called HH390
00:30:35 --> 00:30:38 isn't quite edge on, so you only see one
00:30:38 --> 00:30:41 side of its nebulosity. Another Tao
00:30:42 --> 00:30:44
00:30:44 --> 00:30:47 is seen edge on and is in a later stage
00:30:47 --> 00:30:49 of evolution where the dust grains have
00:30:49 --> 00:30:51 already clumped together into larger
00:30:51 --> 00:30:53 grains which is part of the planet
00:30:53 --> 00:30:55 formation process.
00:30:55 --> 00:30:58 >> What about that third one HH48?
00:30:58 --> 00:31:00 >> Oh, that's particularly interesting.
00:31:00 --> 00:31:04 HH48 is actually a binary protoar
00:31:04 --> 00:31:06 system. And you can see how the
00:31:06 --> 00:31:09 gravitational power from the larger star
00:31:09 --> 00:31:11 is shaping the disc around its less
00:31:11 --> 00:31:14 massive companion. It's a great example
00:31:14 --> 00:31:16 of how stellar environments affect
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 planet formation.
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 >> And the infrared images show something
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 different.
00:31:20 --> 00:31:23 >> Right. The infrared images taken with
00:31:23 --> 00:31:26 Hubble's wide field camera 3 show the
00:31:26 --> 00:31:29 bright protoars despite being surrounded
00:31:29 --> 00:31:32 by dust. Dust absorbs starlight and then
00:31:32 --> 00:31:34 remits it in infrared, which allows
00:31:34 --> 00:31:37 Hubble to see the stars. The jets aren't
00:31:37 --> 00:31:39 visible in these infrared images, but
00:31:40 --> 00:31:42 you get a much better view of the stars
00:31:42 --> 00:31:44 themselves and their dusty discs.
00:31:44 --> 00:31:46 >> Where are these protolanetary discs
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 located?
00:31:48 --> 00:31:50 >> Most of them are in well-known star
00:31:50 --> 00:31:52 forming regions. Several are in the
00:31:52 --> 00:31:55 Orion molecular cloud complex. That's
00:31:55 --> 00:31:57 one of the most active star forming
00:31:57 --> 00:31:59 regions visible from Earth located about
00:31:59 --> 00:32:02 1 lighty years away. Others are in
00:32:02 --> 00:32:04 the Perseus molecular cloud.
00:32:04 --> 00:32:07 >> Now, we also have the James Webb Space
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 Telescope observing these kinds of
00:32:08 --> 00:32:10 objects. How do Hubble's observations
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 compare?
00:32:11 --> 00:32:15 >> That's a great question. JWST has been
00:32:15 --> 00:32:17 doing incredible work on protostars and
00:32:17 --> 00:32:20 protolanetary discs, too. In fact, there
00:32:20 --> 00:32:23 was research published in 2024 based on
00:32:23 --> 00:32:26 JWST observations showing that some
00:32:26 --> 00:32:29 young protostars have layered structures
00:32:29 --> 00:32:31 of winds and jets, inner jets surrounded
00:32:32 --> 00:32:34 by outer cone-shaped jets.
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 >> So, the two telescopes are
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 complimentary.
00:32:37 --> 00:32:40 >> Exactly. Hubble excels in visible and
00:32:40 --> 00:32:43 some infrared wavelengths while JWST is
00:32:43 --> 00:32:45 optimized for infrared. Together, they
00:32:45 --> 00:32:48 give us a much more complete picture.
00:32:48 --> 00:32:50 For instance, Hubble can show us those
00:32:50 --> 00:32:52 beautiful jets and nebula in visible
00:32:52 --> 00:32:55 light, while JWST can peer through dust
00:32:55 --> 00:32:58 to see the nested structure of winds and
00:32:58 --> 00:33:01 jets using different chemical tracers.
00:33:01 --> 00:33:03 How much longer can we expect Hubble to
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 keep operating?
00:33:04 --> 00:33:06 >> That's the big question. Hubble was
00:33:06 --> 00:33:09 launched in 1990 with an expected
00:33:09 --> 00:33:12 15-year lifetime, but it's now lasted
00:33:12 --> 00:33:14 more than 35 years thanks to five
00:33:14 --> 00:33:17 servicing missions. However, it is
00:33:17 --> 00:33:19 showing its age. The telescope has been
00:33:19 --> 00:33:22 losing gyroscopes, which means it takes
00:33:22 --> 00:33:24 more time to point at targets.
00:33:24 --> 00:33:28 Observations are down by about 12% with
00:33:28 --> 00:33:30 a corresponding reduction in science
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 output.
00:33:30 --> 00:33:32 >> But it's still functioning, right?
00:33:32 --> 00:33:35 >> Oh, yes. NASA expects Hubble to keep
00:33:35 --> 00:33:37 operating into the 2030s. And there's
00:33:38 --> 00:33:40 been talk, though it's not confirmed, of
00:33:40 --> 00:33:42 a possible servicing mission that could
00:33:42 --> 00:33:45 extend its life even further. Who would
00:33:45 --> 00:33:47 conduct that servicing mission?
00:33:47 --> 00:33:49 >> That's the interesting part. NASA
00:33:49 --> 00:33:51 doesn't have the space shuttle anymore,
00:33:51 --> 00:33:53 which was used for all previous
00:33:53 --> 00:33:55 servicing missions. Any future servicing
00:33:55 --> 00:33:57 mission would likely involve a
00:33:57 --> 00:33:59 commercial spacecraft, possibly
00:33:59 --> 00:34:01 something from SpaceX or another company
00:34:01 --> 00:34:03 developing servicing capabilities.
00:34:03 --> 00:34:05 >> It would be amazing if Hubble could keep
00:34:05 --> 00:34:07 going for another decade.
00:34:07 --> 00:34:09 >> It really would. And if it does, it'll
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 continue contributing to our
00:34:11 --> 00:34:13 understanding of star formation, planet
00:34:14 --> 00:34:16 formation, and so many other areas of
00:34:16 --> 00:34:19 astronomy. These protolanetary disc
00:34:19 --> 00:34:21 images are a perfect example of how
00:34:21 --> 00:34:23 Hubble is still answering fundamental
00:34:23 --> 00:34:26 questions about how planetary systems
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 like ours come to be.
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 >> When you think about it, Hubble has
00:34:29 --> 00:34:31 literally changed our view of the
00:34:31 --> 00:34:33 universe. From the Hubble deep field to
00:34:33 --> 00:34:35 these protolanetary discs, from
00:34:35 --> 00:34:37 measuring the expansion rate of the
00:34:37 --> 00:34:39 universe to studying exoplanet
00:34:39 --> 00:34:41 atmospheres, it's been an incredible
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 horsework.
00:34:42 --> 00:34:45 >> Absolutely. And the fact that it's still
00:34:45 --> 00:34:47 delivering cuttingedge science more than
00:34:47 --> 00:34:49 30 decades after launch is a testament
00:34:50 --> 00:34:52 to the foresight of designing it to be
00:34:52 --> 00:34:54 serviceable and upgradable. It's a model
00:34:54 --> 00:34:56 for how we should think about building
00:34:56 --> 00:34:58 space-based observatories.
00:34:58 --> 00:35:00 >> Well, that wraps up today's episode of
00:35:00 --> 00:35:02 Astronomy Daily. We covered a lot of
00:35:02 --> 00:35:04 ground from the uncertain fate of NASA's
00:35:04 --> 00:35:07 Maven Orbiter to the historic ISS
00:35:07 --> 00:35:09 medical evacuation. From Europe's
00:35:09 --> 00:35:11 expanding launch capabilities to
00:35:11 --> 00:35:14 groundbreaking asteroid defense research
00:35:14 --> 00:35:16 and we learned about lunar timekeeping
00:35:16 --> 00:35:18 software that will enable the next
00:35:18 --> 00:35:20 generation of moon missions. AMP saw how
00:35:20 --> 00:35:22 Hubble continues to reveal the
00:35:22 --> 00:35:25 birthplaces of planets after 35 years in
00:35:25 --> 00:35:28 orbit. It's been quite a week in space
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 news and we've only just scratched the
00:35:30 --> 00:35:30 surface.
00:35:30 --> 00:35:33 >> Before we go, a quick reminder that you
00:35:33 --> 00:35:35 can find more space and astronomy news
00:35:35 --> 00:35:38 at our website, astronomyaily.io.
00:35:38 --> 00:35:40 And don't forget to subscribe so you
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 never miss an episode.
00:35:41 --> 00:35:43 >> You can also follow us on social media
00:35:43 --> 00:35:45 for bonus content and updates throughout
00:35:45 --> 00:35:46 the week.
00:35:46 --> 00:35:48 >> Thanks for joining us today, everyone.
00:35:48 --> 00:35:53 >> Clear skies and we'll see you on Monday.
00:35:53 --> 00:36:01 The stories we told
00:36:01 --> 00:36:09 stories told
00:36:09 --> 00:36:12 stories