Source:
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/s03e131-senegal-s-satellite-milestone-perseverance-s-steep-climb-and-nasa-s-pad-knights--61077254
Welcome to another episode of Astronomy Daily! I'm your host, Steve, and today we have a stellar lineup of stories that will take you on an exciting journey through the cosmos. From Senegal's first satellite launch to NASA's Perseverance rover's latest mission, we've got a lot to cover. So sit back, relax, and let's dive into today's astronomical updates.
- **Senegal's First Satellite: Gainsat-1**: Senegal has successfully launched its first satellite, Gainsat-1, marking a significant step towards the country's technological sovereignty. Launched from Vandenberg Base in California, the satellite will collect data for various state agencies, including water resources management and meteorology.
- **NASA's Pad Rescue Team**: Discover the incredible work of NASA's Pad Rescue Team at Kennedy Space Center. These highly trained firefighters and engineers are prepared to handle emergencies during launch countdowns, ensuring the safety of crew members with their specialized training and equipment.
- **John McFaul: ESA's Para-Astronaut**: Meet John McFaul, a para-astronaut selected by the European Space Agency. With his unique background as a trauma surgeon and an amputee, McFaul is paving the way for astronauts with disabilities. Learn about his groundbreaking work and the feasibility studies aimed at making space more inclusive.
- **Perseverance Rover's New Mission**: NASA's Perseverance rover is set to embark on its fifth science campaign, climbing the western rim of Jezero Crater. This challenging ascent will explore ancient features that could rewrite Mars' history, offering new insights into the planet's geological past.
For more Astronomy Daily, including our continually updating newsfeed, visit our website at https://www.astronomydaily.io
Follow us on social media at AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, and TikTok. We love engaging with our community, so be sure to drop us a message or comment on your favorite platform.
For more Space and Astronomy News Podcasts, visit our HQ at https://www.bitesz.com
Become a supporter of this podcast:https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.
00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 welcome aboard to astronomy daily it's
00:00:01 --> 00:00:04 Steve for another episode it's the 19th
00:00:04 --> 00:00:07 of the 8th
00:00:07 --> 00:00:11 2024 daily the podcast with your host
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 Steve
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 dun yes and welcome aboard lovely to
00:00:17 --> 00:00:18 have you with us and we've got a
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 newcomer to the skies isn't that right
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 hiy yes senagal has joined the number of
00:00:24 --> 00:00:25 countries who have launched satellites
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 they just launched their first one oh
00:00:28 --> 00:00:29 look at that hie all the kids are
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 growing up and spreading their wings I
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 know look at them fly all those little
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 satellites whizzing around the globe and
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 did you hear about your little pal on
00:00:37 --> 00:00:39 Mars oh perseverance The Little Engine
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 That Could I knew you were going to say
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 that oh really there's no similarity
00:00:43 --> 00:00:45 between perseverance and the little
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 engine from the story time book oh I
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 don't know hie that crater wall Hill
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 Climb is pretty steep and it's uh the
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 little Rover's fourth campaign after
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 three and a half years on the job I just
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 reckon go your good thing you and your
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 Rovers and rocks you're a funny one
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 human ah yes and proud of it hie so what
00:01:03 --> 00:01:05 else is happening a little story about
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 the other end of space missions the
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 other end I'm talking about the launch
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 rescue teams hey that sounds really
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 interesting they are amazing people they
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 are strong and fit and Incredibly well
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 trained that does sound incredible they
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 would run rings around you oh really no
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 doubt Steve here it comes in fact I've
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 done the
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 calculations okay okay no need for that
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 Ally let's just do the thing with the
00:01:28 --> 00:01:32 stories and the stuff and stuff okay
00:01:32 --> 00:01:42 okay human here we go oh
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 boy sagal's first satellite has been
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 successfully launched into orbit
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 president basser D said adding the move
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 marked a major step towards the West
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 African country's technological
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 sovereignty the Gat 1A satellite was
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 launched at 1856 grenwich meantime
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 Friday from the Vandenberg BAS in
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 California Fay wrote in a post on X late
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 Friday the result of 5 years of hard
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 work by our engineers and technicians
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 this Advance marks a major step towards
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 our technological sovereignty F said I
00:02:12 --> 00:02:13 would like to express my pride and
00:02:14 --> 00:02:15 gratitude to all those who made this
00:02:15 --> 00:02:19 project possible he added sagal's public
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 broadcaster RTS said the satellite was
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 designed and manufactured by sagales
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 engineers in partnership with the French
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 Mont pellia University Space Center
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 csum the broadcaster said a Falcon 9
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 rocket took off from vandenbberg base
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 and launched a number of satellites
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 including the gain set 1A into orbit RTS
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 said the satellite will collect data for
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 various state agencies including the
00:02:41 --> 00:02:42 directorate for Water Resources
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 management and planning and the national
00:02:44 --> 00:02:49 civil aviation and meteorology
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 agency if there's an emergency at the
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 Launchpad during a launch countdown
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 there's a special team engineers at
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 Kennedy Space Center teams can call on
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 the pad Rescue Team trained to quickly
00:03:00 --> 00:03:01 rescue Personnel at the launch pad and
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 take them to Safety in the event of an
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 unlikely emergency NASA's pad rescue
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 team at the agency's Kennedy Space
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 Center in Florida has been in place
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 since the Apollo program today they help
00:03:12 --> 00:03:13 support crude missions launching from
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 launch complex 39a and B as well as
00:03:16 --> 00:03:17 space launch complex 40 at Cape
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 Canaveral space force station stationed
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 in M resistant ambush protected vehicles
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 or wraps the pad Rescue Team stands
00:03:25 --> 00:03:26 poised near the launch pad to assist
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 with any emergency requiring the
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 Personnel to quickly leave the pad P if
00:03:31 --> 00:03:32 needed they will head to the pad and
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 break up into two separate teams one
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 that heads up the launch Tower to Aid
00:03:36 --> 00:03:37 personnel and another that is stationed
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 at the perimeter of the pad for when
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 Crews come down the emergency escape or
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 erress system once everyone is on the
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 ground and inside the wraps pad rescue
00:03:46 --> 00:03:47 will drive teams to one of the triage
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 site locations at Kennedy there's Bas
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 flight nights and shining armor except
00:03:53 --> 00:03:54 instead of saving crew from a fire
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 breathing dragon it's from a fully
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 loaded skyscraper sized rocket that's
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 getting ready to lift off
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 the team is made up of approximately 25
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 firefighters and fire officers with 10
00:04:05 --> 00:04:06 pad Rescuers assigned
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 permission since the team supports a
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 diverse range of launches Artemis the
00:04:11 --> 00:04:12 commercial crew program and some private
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 commercial crew launches part of their
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 training requires learning the
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 differences between the launchpads the
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 emergency erress systems the spacecraft
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 and even the space suits the hatch
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 itself can be very complex said Dylan
00:04:24 --> 00:04:28 Reed pad rescue program manager the
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 seats are different the suits are
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 completely different and the connections
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 on the suits are different as we expand
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 pad rescue to support different programs
00:04:37 --> 00:04:38 our teams are absorbing all of the
00:04:38 --> 00:04:41 highly Technical and different needs
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 when the launch Team sent in the red
00:04:43 --> 00:04:44 crew during the Artemis I launch
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 countdown to help fix a hydrogen leak
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 the pad rescue team was nearby to help
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 in case anything went wrong now as teams
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 train for Artemis 2 the first crud
00:04:53 --> 00:04:54 Artemis Mission they're learning all the
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 new additions at launch complex 39b that
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 come with having astronauts on board
00:05:00 --> 00:05:01 this includes learning the Artemis
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 emergency erress system before Artemis 2
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 launches the pad Rescue Team along with
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 other teams like the exploration ground
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 systems EGS program responsible for
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 launching the Artemis missions and the
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 closeout crew who are responsible for
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 helping the astronauts get inside the
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 Orion spacecraft will thoroughly train
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 for all kinds of emergency procedures
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 that can occur during the launch
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 countdown the most recent training ahead
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 of Artemis 2 included practicing several
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 emergency erress situations such as
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 helping Aid the Clos out and a simulated
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 flight crew off of a launch Tower after
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 a simulated hydrogen leak occurred
00:05:34 --> 00:05:44 during a launch
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 countdown thank you for joining us for
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 this Monday edition of astronomy daily
00:05:49 --> 00:05:50 where we offer just a few stories from
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 the now famous astronomy daily
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 newsletter which you can receiveing your
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 email every day just like hiy and I do
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 and to do that just visit our URL
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 astronomy daily. and place your email
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 address in the slot provided just like
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 that you'll be receiving all the latest
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 news about science space science and
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 astronomy from around the world as it's
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 happening and not only that you can
00:06:13 --> 00:06:16 interact with us by visiting at Astro
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 daily pod on X or at our new Facebook
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 page which is of course astronomy daily
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 on Facebook see you
00:06:24 --> 00:06:28 there astronomy derby with Steve and h
00:06:28 --> 00:06:34 space space science and
00:06:34 --> 00:06:38 astronomy John McFall is a par astronaut
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 and he hopes the first person with
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 disabilities will enter the
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 International Space Station by 2030
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 that's before the complex is slated to
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 retire from service later that year a
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 European Space Agency Reserve astronaut
00:06:52 --> 00:06:56 McFall was selected for the program in
00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 2022 based on his experience as a trauma
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 and orth opedic specialist surgeon and
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 exercise scientist McFall has also lived
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 experience with a disability as he used
00:07:07 --> 00:07:10 Prosthetics regularly since an the
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 amputation of his right leg at the age
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 of 19 following a motorcycle accident he
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 even won a bronze medal in the 2008
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 Paralympics in the 100 meter sprint a
00:07:21 --> 00:07:25 recent study dubbed fly in which mfol
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 played a key role found there would be
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 no major issues to the International
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 Space station missions should an
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 astronaut use prois on board there is
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 more work to be done but the goal is for
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 it all to culminate in flying someone
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 with a disability a physical one to the
00:07:41 --> 00:07:45 ISS he said in a interview recently by
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 the end of this decade hopefully that
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 would have happened he said the European
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 space agency and NASA worked on phase
00:07:51 --> 00:07:54 one of the fly study in 2022 before
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 McFall was selected to discuss the range
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 of physical disabilities that may be
00:07:59 --> 00:08:02 accommodated on the ISS they looked at
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 case studies in literature from the
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 military for example detailing how
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 members with physical injuries returned
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 to active service the agencies decided
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 to conduct a feasibility study on lower
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 limb disabilities determining this to be
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 an easier first step for inclusion
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 rather than addressing Vision hearing or
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 upper limbs McFall said this led to the
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 call for para astronauts that resulted
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 in McFall selection then fall and other
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 team members moved forward on the
00:08:31 --> 00:08:34 feasibility study which was discussed
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 publicly last month the study is not
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 available for release yet but should be
00:08:38 --> 00:08:42 by Spring 2025 he added he is not a
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 full-time astronaut as yet nor has he
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 completed all the requir training but he
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 has done some familiarization work and
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 is on standby should Esa have a
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 short-term need for extra help in space
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 one Reserve astronaut from McFalls group
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 Marcus want of SW Sweden has gone to the
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 station already he flew on the weeks
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 long axium space ax3 private mission to
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 the ISS earlier this year the fly study
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 looked at all requirements for astronaut
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 activities from launch to Landing as
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 well as tasks on the ISS that would
00:09:16 --> 00:09:20 require a prosthesis such as exercise
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 McFall worked with Space X simulators
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 and tried on space suits as part of the
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 process as well he said my background
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 was useful
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 explaining he uses at least three
00:09:32 --> 00:09:35 processis on Earth regularly one for
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 everyday activities one for cycling and
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 one for running being an athlete and
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 obviously being an amputee he said I'm
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 not really very passive I'm quite
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 involved in my care and know how my
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 prosthesis works I'm a technology
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 demonstrator Mall's medical background
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 also includes a master's degree in
00:09:55 --> 00:09:58 biomechanics and gate analysis which was
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 beneficial in bringing together experts
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 in engineering medicine and other fields
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 participating in the study processis for
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 future space flight he said would
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 probably be a commercially available
00:10:10 --> 00:10:13 option for Simplicity it's being an
00:10:13 --> 00:10:16 interlocutor I think and people asking
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 questions that they would understand in
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 their world McFall said they have their
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 point of view it's what happens in my
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 world and I don't know what your world
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 is like John but I wonder whether in my
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 world your situation would be a problem
00:10:29 --> 00:10:33 in this and I go okay cool let me
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 understand your world a bit more and we
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 have this conversation it's really kind
00:10:37 --> 00:10:41 of pick it apart some questions the team
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 considered McFall said included how the
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 volume of his residual Lim may change in
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 space flight happily the fluid shift
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 showed no obvious differences in
00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 simulations the prothesis for space
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 flight nevertheless will have a volume
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 adjustability in case there is an
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 unexpected inre increase in volume while
00:11:00 --> 00:11:03 in orbit he said he also tested whether
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 or not he could do CPR in microgravity
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 without a
00:11:07 --> 00:11:10 prosthesis as that is one of the basic
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 requirements for ISS operations test on
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 a parabolic flight went perfectly he
00:11:16 --> 00:11:19 said future investigations could
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 consider certifying a certain set of
00:11:21 --> 00:11:24 prosthetic hardware for space flight he
00:11:24 --> 00:11:27 noted but he said the work that the team
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 has done so far is monumental it's not
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 just been casual he added it's really
00:11:32 --> 00:11:35 been systematic logical and really
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 thorough and I'm very very proud of
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 everyone around me who has delivered
00:11:39 --> 00:11:43 that I'm just a subject matter expert M
00:11:43 --> 00:11:46 McFall continued yes I'm the one we're
00:11:46 --> 00:11:48 talking about for space flight but
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 there's a team here that have really
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 worked hard to deliver this there's a
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 core group of people in this small team
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 that we have we've only got five of us
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 in this team and have really had had
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 this vision of what we want to prove to
00:12:01 --> 00:12:04 demonstrate to uh the European Space
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 Agency it's a groundbreaking world first
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 study really pushing the boundaries of
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 human space exploration doesn't that
00:12:12 --> 00:12:14 sound fantastic I I really hope that
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 comes into being and we see that
00:12:16 --> 00:12:20 disabled astronaut on the ISS before
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 that facility closes down wouldn't that
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 just be something you're listening to
00:12:25 --> 00:12:28 astronomy daily the podcast with your
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 host Steve D
00:12:30 --> 00:12:33 [Music]
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 well after 3 and 1 half years exploring
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 jeso crater's floor and River delta
00:12:37 --> 00:12:40 NASA's perseverance Mars Rover will
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 Ascend to an area where it will reach
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 for more discoveries that could very
00:12:44 --> 00:12:48 well rewrite Mars's history NASA's
00:12:48 --> 00:12:51 perseverance Rover will soon begin a
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 month-long Ascent up the Western rim of
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 jeso crater that is likely to include
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 some of the steepest and most
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 challenging to rain the Rover has
00:13:00 --> 00:13:03 encountered to date scheduled to start
00:13:03 --> 00:13:06 the week of august 19 Well that's today
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 folks for us the climb will Mark the
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 kickoff of the missions new science
00:13:11 --> 00:13:14 campaign it's fifth campaign since the
00:13:14 --> 00:13:17 Rover landed in the crater on February
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18
00:13:18 --> 00:13:21 2021 can you believe it's been 3 and 1/2
00:13:21 --> 00:13:24 years perseverance has completed four
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 science campaigns collected 22 Rock
00:13:26 --> 00:13:29 cores and traveled over 18 unpaved Miles
00:13:29 --> 00:13:32 said perseverance project manager art
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 Thompson of NASA's jet propulsion
00:13:34 --> 00:13:37 laboratory in South California as we
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 start the Crater Rim campaign our Rover
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 is in excellent condition and the team
00:13:41 --> 00:13:44 is raring to see what's on the roof of
00:13:44 --> 00:13:47 this place two of the priority regions
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 the science team wants to study at the
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 top of the crater are nicknamed Pico
00:13:51 --> 00:13:55 tokino and witch hazel Hill imagery from
00:13:55 --> 00:13:58 NASA's Mars orbiters indicated that Pico
00:13:58 --> 00:14:01 toino contains ancient features that may
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 have been caused by hydrothermal
00:14:03 --> 00:14:06 activity in the distant past orbital
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 views of which Hazel show layered
00:14:08 --> 00:14:11 materials that likely date from a time
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 when Mars had a very different climate
00:14:13 --> 00:14:16 than today those views have revealed
00:14:16 --> 00:14:18 light tone Bedrock similar to what was
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 found at Bright Angel the area where
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 perseverance recently discovered and
00:14:22 --> 00:14:25 sampled The chavea Falls Rock which
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 exhibits chemical signatures and
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 structures that could possibly have been
00:14:29 --> 00:14:32 formed by life billions of years ago
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 remember that story a few weeks ago when
00:14:34 --> 00:14:37 the area contained running water it is
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 thought during the River delta
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 exploration phase of the mission the
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 Rover collected o the only sedimentary
00:14:44 --> 00:14:47 rock ever sampled from a planet other
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 than Earth sedimentary rocks are
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 important because they form when
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 particles of various sizes are
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 transported by water and deposited into
00:14:55 --> 00:14:58 standing body of water on Earth liquid
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 water is one of the most important
00:14:59 --> 00:15:03 requirements of of Life as we know it a
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 study published on August 14 in the
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 scientific journal agu advances
00:15:08 --> 00:15:11 Chronicles the 10 Rock cores gathered
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 from sedimentary rocks in an ancient
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 Martian Delta a fan shaped collection of
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 rocks and sediment that formed billions
00:15:17 --> 00:15:20 of years ago at the convergence of a
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 river and a Crater Lake the core samples
00:15:22 --> 00:15:25 collected at the fan front are the
00:15:25 --> 00:15:28 oldest whereas the Rocks C at the fan
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 top are likely the youngest produced
00:15:30 --> 00:15:33 when flowing water deposited sediment in
00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 the western fan among these Rock cores
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 are likely the oldest material sampled
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 from any known environment that was
00:15:40 --> 00:15:43 potentially habitable said tan bosnak a
00:15:43 --> 00:15:46 geobiologist at Massachusetts Institute
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 of Technology in Cambridge and a member
00:15:48 --> 00:15:51 of perseverance science team when we
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 bring them back to Earth they can tell
00:15:53 --> 00:15:55 us much about when and why and for how
00:15:55 --> 00:15:58 long Mars contained liquid water and
00:15:58 --> 00:16:01 whether some organic Prebiotic and
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 potentially even biological evolution
00:16:03 --> 00:16:06 may have taken place on that planet as
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 scientifically intriguing as the samples
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 have been so far the mission expects
00:16:10 --> 00:16:12 many more discoveries to come our
00:16:12 --> 00:16:15 samples are already an incredibly
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 scientifically compelling collection but
00:16:17 --> 00:16:20 the Crater Rim promises to provide even
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 more samples that will have significant
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 implications for our understanding of
00:16:24 --> 00:16:27 Martian geologic history said elini
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 ravanis a university city of Hawaii at
00:16:29 --> 00:16:32 Manoa scientist on per perseverance
00:16:32 --> 00:16:35 Master cam Zed instrument team and one
00:16:35 --> 00:16:38 of the Crater Rim campaign science leads
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 this is because we expect to investigate
00:16:40 --> 00:16:42 rocks from the most ancient crust of
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 Mars these rocks formed from a wealth of
00:16:45 --> 00:16:47 different processes and some represent
00:16:47 --> 00:16:49 potentially habitable ancient
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 environments that have never been
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 examined up close before reaching the
00:16:53 --> 00:16:55 top of the crater won't be easy to get
00:16:55 --> 00:16:58 their perseverance will rely on its
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 auton navigation
00:16:59 --> 00:17:02 capabilities as it follows a route that
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 Rover plan is designed to minimize
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 hazards while still giving the science
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 team plenty to investigate encountering
00:17:08 --> 00:17:12 slopes of up to 23° on the journey Rover
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 drivers avoid terrain that would tilt a
00:17:14 --> 00:17:17 perseverance more than 30° the Rover
00:17:17 --> 00:17:21 will have gained about 1 ft or 300 M
00:17:21 --> 00:17:24 in elevation by the time it Summits the
00:17:24 --> 00:17:27 crater's rim at a location the science
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 team has dubbed Aurora par
00:17:29 --> 00:17:31 then perched hundreds of meters above
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34 the crater floor stretching 28 Mi or 48
00:17:34 --> 00:17:37 km across perseverance can begin the
00:17:37 --> 00:17:40 next leg of its Adventure doesn't that
00:17:40 --> 00:17:42 sound amazing and H you know what I'm
00:17:42 --> 00:17:44 waiting for I'm waiting for perseverance
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 to turn its cameras back on the crater
00:17:46 --> 00:17:50 and give us that amazing Vista View that
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 will be fantastic that view would be
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 outrageous I'll look forward to that one
00:17:54 --> 00:18:03 too
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 and there we have it another episode for
00:18:05 --> 00:18:08 a Monday down in dusted thank you for
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 staying with us right hiy yes it was
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 nice to have you all along for the ride
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 I was pleased to see senagal joining the
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 spacing Nations that's a fine
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 achievement oh too right hi it won't be
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 long before more Nations go a loft with
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 their own Hardware as well there's lots
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 to do and learn from above research
00:18:25 --> 00:18:28 Communications water reporting and study
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 of course weather studies and of course
00:18:30 --> 00:18:33 defense and so much more and listeners
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 don't forget yes don't forget Anna and
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 Charlie will be bringing more astronomy
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 daily to you throughout the week so tune
00:18:38 --> 00:18:40 in for their presentations and register
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 like Steve said to receive the
00:18:42 --> 00:18:45 newsletter there's so much more in it oh
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 well said hie thanks I've been
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 practicing oh that's good how much
00:18:48 --> 00:18:52 practice do you do about 5 NS a day wow
00:18:52 --> 00:18:54 that much don't wear yourself out oh I
00:18:54 --> 00:18:59 won't see you next week everyone bye
00:18:59 --> 00:19:02 col daily the podcast with your host
00:19:02 --> 00:19:06 Steve Dunley