Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S04E38
In this episode of Astronomy Daily, host Anna takes you on an exhilarating journey through the latest advancements in space exploration and astronomy. From planetary defense initiatives to groundbreaking discoveries, this episode is filled with insights that will captivate your cosmic curiosity.
Highlights:
- China's Planetary Defense Initiative: Learn about China's newly established planetary defense team in response to the potential threat posed by asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a 2.2% chance of impacting Earth in 2032. Discover their innovative strategies, including a kinetic impact approach inspired by NASA's DART mission.
- James Webb Space Telescope's Discoveries: Explore the stunning new images from the James Webb Space Telescope revealing the formation of planets around a distant star, providing insights into the early stages of planetary development and the dynamics of circumplanetary disks.
- Vast Space's Haven 1 Space Station: Delve into Vast Space's ambitious plans for the Haven 1 space station, which is set to launch in 2026. Find out how this project could pave the way for future private space stations and ensure continuous human presence in low Earth orbit.
- Record-Breaking Cosmic Neutrino: Uncover the details of the most powerful cosmic neutrino ever detected, observed by the KM3NeT telescope. This remarkable discovery opens new avenues for understanding high-energy cosmic phenomena and the universe's most enigmatic processes.
- Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Update : Get the latest on NASA's Roman Space Telescope project, which has successfully integrated its deployable aperture cover, marking a significant milestone as it prepares for its launch scheduled for 2027.
- Innovative Lunar Habitat Concept: Discover an exciting new design for lunar habitats made from blown glass, a concept that could revolutionize living spaces on the Moon and beyond, utilizing materials sourced from the lunar surface.
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, and TikTok. 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 back to Astronomy Daily
01:02 - China's Planetary Defense Initiative
05:30 - James Webb's planetary formation images
10:15 - Vast Space's Haven 1 space station progress
14:00 - Discovery of record-breaking cosmic neutrino
18:20 - Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope update
22:00 - Innovative lunar habitat concept
25:00 - Conclusion and upcoming content
✍️ Episode References
China's Planetary Defense Initiative
[Planetary Defense](https://www.nasa.gov/webb)
Vast Space Haven 1 Project
[Vast Space](https://www.nasa.gov/roman)
Innovative Lunar Habitat Concept
[Lunar Habitat](https://www.nasa.gov/lunarhabitat)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io)
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily--5648921/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily--5648921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss) .
Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/25571733?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:00 [Music]
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 from asteroids threatening Earth to
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 Innovative space stations and
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 groundbreaking astronomical discoveries
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 today's episode is packed with
00:00:08 --> 00:00:09 fascinating developments in space
00:00:09 --> 00:00:12 exploration and astronomy we'll be
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 diving into China's new planetary
00:00:14 --> 00:00:15 Defense Initiative in response to a
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 potential asteroid threat examining
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 spectacular new images from the James
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 web Space Telescope that are
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 revolutionizing our understanding of
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 Planet formation and exploring the
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 progress of an ambitious private space
00:00:29 --> 00:00:30 station project
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 we'll also discuss the detection of the
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 most powerful Cosmic nutrino ever
00:00:34 --> 00:00:37 observed check in on NASA's latest
00:00:37 --> 00:00:39 progress with the Roman Space Telescope
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 and look at an Innovative New Concept
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 for lunar habitats that could change how
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 we think about living on the moon stay
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 with me as we explore these remarkable
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 developments that are shaping the future
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 of space exploration and our
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 understanding of the cosmos let's get
00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 started in a significant development
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 from Beijing China has EST established a
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 dedicated planetary defense team in
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 response to Growing concerns about
00:01:04 --> 00:01:08 asteroid 2024 yr4 the European Space
00:01:08 --> 00:01:09 Agency recently announced that this
00:01:09 --> 00:01:13 neear object has a 2.2% probability of
00:01:13 --> 00:01:14 impacting our planet in
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 2032 placing it at the top of their risk
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 list while these odds might seem small
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 they're significant enough to Warrant
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 serious attention from space agencies
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 worldwide the asteroid first spotted by
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 the University of Hawaii's Institute of
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 astronomy in late December is estimated
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 to be between 40 and 90 M wide to put
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 this in perspective while not Planet
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 threatening an impact from an object
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 this size could cause significant local
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 damage particularly if it were to strike
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 a populated area China's State
00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 administration of science technology and
00:01:49 --> 00:01:50 Industry for National Defense isn't
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 taking any chances they've begun
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 recruiting Specialists to study asteroid
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 monitoring and develop early Warning
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 Systems their approach appears to mirror
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 successful strategies we've seen before
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 particularly NASA's Dart Mission which
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 successfully demonstrated asteroid
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 deflection capabilities in
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 2022 what's particularly interesting
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 about China's response is their proposed
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 defense method they're considering a
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 kinetic impact approach similar to Dart
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 where a spacecraft would deliberately
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 crash into the asteroid to alter its
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 trajectory this shows how the success of
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 NASA's Dart Mission has influenced
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 planetary defense strategies globally
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 it's worth noting that while the threat
00:02:30 --> 00:02:34 from 2024 yr4 requires monitoring the
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 current impact Corridor is quite wide
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 and astronomers will be able to refine
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 their calculations as they gather more
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 data the European Space Agency continues
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 to provide regular updates on the
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 asteroids movements and multiple space
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 agencies are collaborating to track its
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 path and develop potential mitigation
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 strategies this situation perfectly
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 illustrates how planetary defense has
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 evolved from science fiction to a very
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 real and necessary field field of
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 international cooperation in space
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 science the threat of asteroid impacts
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 is one that affects our entire planet
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 making it a unique Catalyst for
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 international collaboration in
00:03:10 --> 00:03:14 space next up today the James web Space
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 Telescope has given us our most detailed
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 look yet at planets being born around a
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 distant star offering an unprecedented
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 glimpse into the process of planetary
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 formation the star system in question
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 PDS 70 located about 370 light years
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 away has already made history as the
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 site of the first directly imaged
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 protoplanet using an Innovative
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 observational technique called aperture
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 masking interferometry jwst near
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 infrared imager has revealed fascinating
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 new details about the two known planets
00:03:43 --> 00:03:47 in the system PDS 70b and PDS
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 70c the telescope observed these young
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 Worlds at longer wavelengths than ever
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 before detecting more light than
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 previous observations could account for
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 what makes this discovery particularly
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 exciting is the evidence of warm
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 material surrounding both planets
00:04:02 --> 00:04:03 suggesting the presence of
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 circumplanetary
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 diss these are essentially miniature
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 versions of the disk that surrounds the
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 parent star and they're actively feeding
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 material onto the growing planets it's
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 like watching a cosmic feeding freny in
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 action with both the star and its
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 planets competing for the available
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 material the star itself is remarkably
00:04:22 --> 00:04:26 young only about 5.4 million years old
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 practically a toddler in Stellar terms
00:04:29 --> 00:04:30 this gives a strong astronomers a rare
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 opportunity to witness planetary
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 formation as it happens rather than
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 trying to piece together the process
00:04:36 --> 00:04:37 from studying mature
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 systems but perhaps the most intriguing
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 aspect of these observations is the
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 possible detection of a third planet in
00:04:44 --> 00:04:48 the system tentatively called PDS 70
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 days while this potential new world
00:04:51 --> 00:04:52 appears to have different
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 characteristics from its siblings its
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 exact nature remains to be confirmed if
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 verified this would make PDS 70 and even
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 more valuable laboratory for studying
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 how planetary systems form and evolve
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 these observations are providing crucial
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 insights into our own solar systems
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 history when we look at PDS 70 we're
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 essentially seeing a family photo of
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 what our Cosmic neighborhood might have
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 looked like billions of years ago when
00:05:18 --> 00:05:19 earth and its neighboring planets were
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 still in their formative
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 stages in exciting developments for
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 commercial space exploration vast space
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 is making significant strides with their
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 ambitious Haven one space station
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 project the company recently achieved a
00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 crucial Milestone successfully
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 completing qualification testing of
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 their station test article in Mojave
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 California with launch planned for no
00:05:41 --> 00:05:44 earlier than May 2026 aboard a SpaceX
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 Falcon 9 rocket Haven 1 represents a
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 bold step toward private space station
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 development this initial station while
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 modest in size is designed as a Proving
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 Ground for vasts larger Ambitions Haven
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 1 will host Crews of four for for
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 approximately 2 we stays with plans for
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 three to four different crew rotations
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 during its operational lifetime of 2 to
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 3 years the station's design prioritizes
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 efficiency with careful consideration
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 given to everything from crew
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 consumables to structural Integrity
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 looking Beyond Haven 1 vast has even
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 more ambitious plans with Haven 2 which
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 they hope will serve as a partial
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 replacement for the International Space
00:06:23 --> 00:06:26 Station after its planned retirement in
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 2030 this larger station would feature
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 multiple modules each capable of
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 operating independently providing
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 redundancy and flexibility that current
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 space stations don't have what sets
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 vasts approach apart is their commitment
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 to Rapid development and in-house
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 manufacturing at their Long Beach
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 facility they're producing components in
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 days that would typically take months
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 through traditional Supply chains this
00:06:51 --> 00:06:54 strategy allows them to iterate quickly
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 and maintain tight control over their
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 development timeline the company has
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 also planned ahead for testing critical
00:07:00 --> 00:07:03 systems with a 500 kg demonstration
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 satellite set to launch on an upcoming
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 SpaceX ride share Mission this
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 preliminary Mission will validate key
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 technologies that will be used in Haven
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14 1 helping to reduce risk before the full
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 station
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 launches vast progress represents a
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 significant milestone in the
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 commercialization of low earth orbit
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 potentially ushering in a new era where
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 private companies play an increasingly
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 important role in Humanity's presence in
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 space their success ESS could help
00:07:30 --> 00:07:31 ensure continuous human presence in
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 orbit after the iss's retirement marking
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 a crucial transition in space
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 exploration
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 history in more exciting news today
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 scientists have recently detected a
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 cosmic neutrino that has completely
00:07:43 --> 00:07:46 shattered previous energy records
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 plunging into the Mediterranean Sea with
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 an astonishing energy of 220 million
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 billion electron volts this remarkable
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 particle was observed by the cubic
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 kilometer neutrino telescope or km3 n
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 and packs roughly 20 times more energy
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 than any previously detected Cosmic
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 nutrino what makes this discovery
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 particularly fascinating is that it
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 occurred when km3 NE was only partially
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 constructed with just 21 of its planned
00:08:12 --> 00:08:15 230 sensor cables in place the detector
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 managed to catch this extraordinary
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 event the odds of detecting a neutrino
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 of this caliber are estimated at once
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 every 70 years making this observation
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 even more remarkable for those wondering
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 why neutrinos are so important to
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 astronomers these ghostly particles
00:08:30 --> 00:08:33 serve as Cosmic Messengers they can
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 travel vast distances through space
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 virtually undisturbed carrying
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 information about some of the most
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 powerful phenomena in our universe such
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 as super massive black holes and Other
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 Extreme Cosmic events the detection
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 itself occurred when this ultra high
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 energy neutrino interacted with matter
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 near the detector creating a mu particle
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 that produced tale flashes of blue light
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 by analyzing the timing and brightness
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 of these flashes scientists could
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 determine both the particle's path and
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 its unprecedented energy level while
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 pinpointing the exact origin of this
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 remarkable particle has proved
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 challenging scientists have identified
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 12 potential Source candidates in the
00:09:13 --> 00:09:16 region of sky where it originated most
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 of these candidates are active Galactic
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21 nuclei the bright cores of galaxies
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 where super massive black holes are
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 consuming vast amounts of matter there's
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 also the Intriguing possibility that
00:09:27 --> 00:09:28 this could be the first observed
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 cosmogenic nutrino created by the
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 interaction of ultra high energy cosmic
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 rays with the cosmic microwave
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 background radiation left over from The
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 Big Bang this discovery opens new
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 possibilities for understanding the most
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 energetic phenomena in our universe and
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 with more neutrino telescopes under
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 construction worldwide including
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 expansions to existing facilities we may
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 soon unlock even more secrets about
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 these fascinating particles and their
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 Cosmic
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 Origins NASA's n Grace Roman Space
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 Telescope project has reached a
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 significant Milestone with the
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 successful integration of its Deployable
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 aperture cover essentially a
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 sophisticated sun shade that will be
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 crucial to the telescope's operation
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 think of it as the ultimate blackout
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 curtain designed to prevent unwanted
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 light from interfering with the
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 telescope's observations of the cosmos
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 the sun shade itself is a Marvel of
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 engineering constructed with two layers
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 of reinforced thermal blankets separated
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 by about an inch of space one of these
00:10:29 --> 00:10:32 layers is even reinforced with Kevlar
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 the same material used in bulletproof
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 vests providing protection against
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 potential microm meteoroid impacts in
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 Space the Dual layer design ensures that
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 even if one layer is compromised the
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 telescope's observations won't be
00:10:44 --> 00:10:47 affected the integration process took
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 place at NASA's garded space flight
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 center where technicians carefully
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 joined the sun shade to the telescope's
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 outer Barrel assembly this outer
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 structure serves multiple purposes
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 helping to maintain a stable temperature
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 for the telescope
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 while also providing additional
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 protection against stray light and
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 microm meteoroid impacts what makes this
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 sun shade particularly interesting is
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 its deployment mechanism during launch
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 it will remain folded up but once in
00:11:12 --> 00:11:15 space three booms Will Spring upward
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 electronically unfurling the sun shade
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 like a page in a popup book given that
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 the system was designed for zero gravity
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 conditions testing on Earth required
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 special equipment to offset the effects
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 of our planet's gravity the successful
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 integration marks a transition from the
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 fabrication stage to the final assembly
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 and testing phase the team will now
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 subject these combined components to
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 Thermal vacuum testing to ensure they
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 can handle the extreme temperature
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 variations and pressure conditions of
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 space followed by vibration testing to
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 verify their ability to withstand the
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 intense forces of
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 launch the Roman Space Telescope remains
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 on schedule for completion by Fall 2026
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 with a launch planned no no later than
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 May
00:12:00 --> 00:12:04 2027 once operational it will join
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 Humanity's growing Fleet of space
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 observatories helping us peer deeper
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 into the mysteries of our universe with
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 unprecedented
00:12:12 --> 00:12:14 clarity as we plan for a permanent human
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 presence on the moon one of the most
00:12:16 --> 00:12:19 crucial challenges we face is creating
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 suitable living spaces for future lunar
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 inhabitants a fascinating New Concept
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 has emerged that could revolutionize
00:12:25 --> 00:12:28 lunar architecture spherical habitats
00:12:28 --> 00:12:31 made from BL glass this Innovative
00:12:31 --> 00:12:34 approach developed by Dr Martin Bermudez
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 has caught NASA's attention earning
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 funding through their Institute for
00:12:38 --> 00:12:41 advanced concepts program picture a
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 gleaming glass sphere rising from the
00:12:43 --> 00:12:46 lunar surface large enough to house
00:12:46 --> 00:12:48 dozens of astronauts while providing
00:12:48 --> 00:12:50 both living and work areas while it
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 might sound like science fiction the
00:12:52 --> 00:12:55 concept leverages materials already
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 present on the moon lunar regolith
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 contains most of the raw materials
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 needed to create these structures
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 including natural glass-like formations
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 called autonat created by microm
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08 meteoroid impacts the construction
00:13:08 --> 00:13:11 process would use argon gas initially
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 transported from Earth to blow the glass
00:13:13 --> 00:13:16 into its spherical shape the vacuum
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 environment of the Moon actually makes
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 this easier than it would be on earth
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 requiring less pressure to expand the
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24 structure the glass itself wouldn't be
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 typical window glass but rather a
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 sophisticated lattice embedded with
00:13:28 --> 00:13:31 titanium tum or aluminum for added
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 strength to protect against the constant
00:13:33 --> 00:13:36 threat of micrometeoroid impacts the
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 design incorporates multiple layers of
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 glass with argon filled spaces between
00:13:40 --> 00:13:43 them similar to Double glazed windows on
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 Earth the spherical shape itself
00:13:45 --> 00:13:48 provides an advantage as it naturally
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 distributes impact forces better than
00:13:50 --> 00:13:53 flat surfaces would the potential
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 applications extend beyond the moon
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 similar structures could be built on
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 Mars particularly in high altitude
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 locations like Olympus Mons where the
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 thin atmosphere would pose less of an
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 erosion risk they could even be
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 constructed on asteroids where the
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 microgravity environment would make the
00:14:08 --> 00:14:11 building process even simpler while
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 significant technical challenges remain
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 this Innovative approach represents a
00:14:15 --> 00:14:18 promising Fusion of functionality and
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 Aesthetics in space
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21 architecture it's a reminder that as we
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 push the boundaries of space exploration
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 we're not just solving technical
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 problems we're designing the homes where
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 future generations of Space Explorers
00:14:30 --> 00:14:33 will live and
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 work and that's it for today's episode
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 thanks for being with us on astronomy
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 daily I'm Anna and I hope you've enjoyed
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 this journey through the latest
00:14:40 --> 00:14:43 developments in space and astronomy for
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00:15:15 --> 00:15:29 [Music]
00:15:29 --> 00:15:32 told