00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Hello and welcome to Astronomy Daily,
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 the podcast that brings you the universe
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 one story at a time. I'm Avery and as
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 always, I'm joined by the brilliant
00:00:10 --> 00:00:11 Anna.
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 >> Hi Avery and hello to all our listeners.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 We have a busy show today covering
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 everything from a groundbreaking new
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 private space telescope to Russia's only
00:00:22 --> 00:00:23 crude launchpad running into some
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 trouble.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 Plus, we've got the James Webb Space
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 Telescope doing what it does best,
00:00:29 --> 00:00:32 peering into the heart of our galaxy,
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 and we'll look at some stunning new
00:00:34 --> 00:00:37 photos of home. So, let's get started.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 Anna, tell us about this new telescope.
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 >> Absolutely. Our first story is a big
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 one, though it comes in a small package.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 A new space telescope named MAV, about
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 the size of a mini fridge, just launched
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 successfully aboard a SpaceX transporter
00:00:54 --> 00:00:55 mission.
00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 >> Okay, a mini fridge in space. What makes
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 this one so special?
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 >> Well, unlike Hubble or Web, MALV is
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 owned by a private company, Blue Sky
00:01:06 --> 00:01:09 Space. And this is the key difference.
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 Its data will also be private.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 Researchers will have to subscribe to
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 get access to the ultraviolet spectra.
00:01:16 --> 00:01:17 It collects
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 >> a subscription model for astronomical
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 data. That's a fascinating shift.
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 >> It really is. The mission was funded by
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 a mix of EU grants and private funding
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 costing significantly less than
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 comparable NASA missions. It's built on
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 a Cubat chassis, which is incredibly
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 compact and will spend 3 years in low
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 Earth orbit observing exoplanets,
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 stellar flares, and monitoring stars.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 So why would astronomers pay for this?
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 Is the data that unique?
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 >> It's about access. Time on telescopes
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 like Hubble is at an extreme premium and
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 most proposals get rejected. MAV offers
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 a dedicated stream of ultraviolet data,
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 which is only accessible from space. For
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 many institutions, an annual
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 subscription could be a more reliable
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 way to get the specific data they need
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 for long-term studies. That makes sense.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 So, this could be the start of a whole
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 new commercial market for astronomical
00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 observation.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 >> Exactly. Blue Sky Space already has
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 another mission, Twinkle, planned for
00:02:26 --> 00:02:30 2027 to study exoplanet atmospheres.
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 With falling launch costs and
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 miniaturaturization, this could really
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 change how a lot of astronomical
00:02:36 --> 00:02:37 research is done.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 >> Incredible. From a new beginning to a
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 potential problem, our next story takes
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 us to the Biconor Cosmo Drrome and
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 Kazakhstan. Anna, you have the details
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 on some trouble for Rosscosmos.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 That's right. Following the successful
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 launch of the Soyuse MS28 crew to the
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 International Space Station, it seems
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 the launchpad itself sustained some
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 significant damage.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 >> What happened exactly?
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 During the post-launch inspection,
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 Rosasmos confirmed that a maintenance
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 cabin located in the flame trench at
00:03:13 --> 00:03:17 site 316 collapsed. This is a critical
00:03:17 --> 00:03:18 piece of hardware needed to prepare
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 rockets for launch.
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 >> And this is Russia's only active
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 launchpad for sending cosminauts to the
00:03:25 --> 00:03:26 ISS. Right.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 >> That's the crucial part. They used to
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 use the historic site one Gagarin Start,
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 but it was retired in 2020. So since
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 then, all Russian crude and cargo
00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 flights have gone from site 31.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 Roskasmos says they have the spare parts
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 and will repair the damage, but some
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 outside estimates suggest it could take
00:03:47 --> 00:03:48 up to 2 years.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:52 >> 2 years. That would have a major impact
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 on their ISS operations. There's a
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 progress resupply mission scheduled for
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 next month. Indeed, it's unclear at this
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 point if that schedule will hold or if
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 another pad could be adapted. The good
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 news, of course, is that the Soyuse MS28
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 crew, including NASA astronaut Chris
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 Williams, arrived at the station safely
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 and are beginning their 8-month stay.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 >> A situation to watch for sure. All
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 right, let's shift our gaze from Earth
00:04:20 --> 00:04:24 orbit to the very center of our galaxy.
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 The James Webb Space Telescope has been
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 watching the Milky Way super massive
00:04:28 --> 00:04:32 black hole Sagittarius A star and it saw
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 something spectacular.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:37 >> It did. Astronomers used web to observe
00:04:38 --> 00:04:41 flares from Sagittarius A star in mid
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 infrared light for the first time. We've
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 seen these flares in other wavelengths
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 like near infrared and radio, but mid
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 infrared was the missing piece of the
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 puzzle. Why is seeing it in a different
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 wavelength so important? Does it just
00:04:57 --> 00:04:57 look different?
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 >> It's about understanding the physics of
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 what's happening. The processes that
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 create these flares don't show up in all
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 wavelengths equally. By observing in mid
00:05:08 --> 00:05:11 infrared, web is bridging the gap
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 between what we see in near infrared and
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 radio waves, giving us a more complete
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 picture of how the flare evolved.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 >> So, what did this new view reveal?
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 two really cool things. First, they
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 confirmed that a process called
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 synretron cooling is happening. This is
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 when high-speed electrons lose energy by
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36 emitting radiation. And that's what
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 powers the mid infrared light we're
00:05:38 --> 00:05:39 seeing.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 >> Okay, synretton cooling. And the second
00:05:41 --> 00:05:42 thing,
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 >> this is the big one. Because the speed
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 of that cooling process depends on the
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 strength of the magnetic field. These
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 new observations allow scientists to
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 measure the magnetic field around the
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 black hole more directly and cleanly
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 than ever before. It's a critical
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 parameter for understanding how these
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 cosmic giants are sculpted and how they
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 eject so much energy.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 >> Wow. So, we're getting a direct
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 measurement of the magnetic environment
00:06:13 --> 00:06:14 right next to a super massive black
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 hole. That's a huge step.
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 >> It is. And the lead researchers
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 emphasized this was only possible
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 because of web's MIRI instrument which
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 can observe in that specific wavelength
00:06:27 --> 00:06:30 with incredible sensitivity. Something
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 impossible from the ground.
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 >> Absolutely incredible. So now that we
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 have this new tool to measure the
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 magnetic field so close to the event
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 horizon, what's the next big question
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 these researchers are trying to answer?
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 Are they looking for something specific
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 in future observations?
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 The ultimate goal is to understand how
00:06:50 --> 00:06:54 Sagittarius A star feeds and grows.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 These flares are thought to be the
00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 crumbs from its meals, gas and stars
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 that get too close. By studying the
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 magnetic field, scientists can build
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 better models of the accretion disc,
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 which is the swirling vortex of matter
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 that feeds the black hole. They want to
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 understand how this magnetic field
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 extracts energy and launches powerful
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 jets of particles, a phenomenon we see
00:07:20 --> 00:07:23 in more active super massive black holes
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 across the universe. Web's observations
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 are providing the crucial ground truth
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 for those theories.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 >> Another win for Web. Okay. From one
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 innovative space mission to another, the
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 European Space Agency just launched its
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 first scout mission. Anna, what is
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 HydroGNNS
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 scouting for?
00:07:43 --> 00:07:46 >> As the name suggests, it's scouting for
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 water. Hydrogns
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 consists of two small twin satellites,
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 also launched on that same Transporter
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 15 ride share flight we mentioned
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 earlier. Their goal is to improve our
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 understanding of Earth's water cycle.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 >> And how are they doing that? What's the
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 technology?
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 >> It's a really clever technique called
00:08:06 --> 00:08:10 GNSS refletometry. Essentially, the
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 satellites listen for signals from
00:08:12 --> 00:08:16 navigation systems like GPS and Galileo.
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 They compare the signals they receive
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 directly from the navigation satellites
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 with the signals that have reflected off
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 the Earth's surface.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 >> Right. And the way those signals change
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 after bouncing off the ground tells them
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 something.
00:08:30 --> 00:08:33 >> Exactly. It reveals valuable information
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 about key parts of the water cycle such
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 as soil moisture, the freeze thaw state
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 of the ground, areas of flooding or
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 wetlands, and even the amount of biomass
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 in forests. These are all critical for
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 things like predicting floods, planning
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 agriculture, and understanding carbon
00:08:53 --> 00:08:53 cycles.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 >> You mentioned this is a scout mission.
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 What does that mean for? It's a new
00:08:58 --> 00:09:01 approach for them. Inspired by the new
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 space philosophy, scout missions are
00:09:03 --> 00:09:07 designed to be fast, agile, and lowcost.
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 They go from concept to launch in just 3
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 years with a lean budget, complementing
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 their larger, more traditional Earth
00:09:14 --> 00:09:17 Explorer missions. Hydrogs
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 is the first of this new family.
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 >> That's fantastic. It's great to see
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 agencies embracing faster, more
00:09:24 --> 00:09:27 innovative development cycles. Finally,
00:09:27 --> 00:09:30 let's bring it back home. NASA's Osiris
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 Apex spacecraft recently swung by Earth
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 and sent back some souvenirs.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 >> It did. Listeners will remember this
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 spacecraft as Osiris Rex, the mission
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 that successfully returned a sample from
00:09:42 --> 00:09:45 the asteroid Bennu. After dropping off
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 its precious cargo, it was given a new
00:09:47 --> 00:09:51 name, Osiris Apex, and a new target, the
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 asteroid Apous. And to get there, it
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 needed a little help from home.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 >> That's right. It performed a gravity
00:09:58 --> 00:10:01 assist flyby of Earth, using our
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 planet's gravity to slingshot itself on
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 a new course towards Apous. During this
00:10:06 --> 00:10:09 maneuver, it flew just over 2 m
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 above the surface and took some
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 absolutely stunning photos of Earth
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 showing swirling cloud patterns over
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 blue oceans.
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 >> I saw those pictures. They're
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 breathtaking. It also got a shot of the
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 moon, didn't it? It did. As it was
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 departing, it captured a dramatic image
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 of the Earth and Moon in the same frame
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 from about 370
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 miles away. Besides being beautiful,
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 these images confirmed that its cameras
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 are working perfectly ahead of its new
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 mission.
00:10:38 --> 00:10:41 >> And its target, Apotheus, is a
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 particularly interesting asteroid, isn't
00:10:43 --> 00:10:43 it?
00:10:43 --> 00:10:47 >> Very. Apous will have its own extremely
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 close encounter with Earth on April
00:10:49 --> 00:10:52 13th, 2029, passing closer than many of
00:10:52 --> 00:10:55 our satellites. Osiris Apex is scheduled
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 to arrive shortly after that pass,
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 making it the first mission to study how
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 an asteroid is physically altered by a
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 planetary encounter. It will orbit
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 Apoffice for 18 months, mapping it and
00:11:07 --> 00:11:10 even firing its thrusters to stir up
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 surface dust for analysis. It's amazing
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 that they can get so much more out of
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 one spacecraft. Why is Apous in
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 particular such a high priority target?
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 Is it just about the close flyby or is
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 there something special about the
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 asteroid itself?
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 >> It's a combination of both. The 2029
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 flyby is a once in a millennium
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 scientific opportunity to see how
00:11:32 --> 00:11:35 Earth's gravity can physically alter an
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 asteroid, potentially triggering
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 asteroid quakes or changing its spin.
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 But Apous is also an S type or stony
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 asteroid which are very common in the
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 inner solar system and are the type most
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 likely to pose an impact hazard. By
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 studying its composition and structure
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 up close, especially after it's been
00:11:55 --> 00:11:58 gravitationally stressed, we gain
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 invaluable data for planetary defense
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 models. It's a perfect natural
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 laboratory.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 >> An incredible second act for a
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 history-making spacecraft. Well, that's
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 all the time we have for today. From
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 private telescopes and damaged
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 launchpads to black hole flares and
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 Earth scouting satellites, it's been
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 another busy day in space.
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 >> It certainly has. Thanks for tuning in
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 to Astronomy Daily. Be sure to subscribe
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 wherever you get your podcasts so you
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 don't miss an episode.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 >> Until next time, I'm Avery
00:12:28 --> 00:12:34 >> and I'm Anna. Keep looking up.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:41 Stories we told
00:12:41 --> 00:12:49 stories told
00:12:49 --> 00:12:52 stories