Source:
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/s03e153-spacex-s-milestone-japan-s-lunar-landing-plans-and-james-webb-s-outer-galaxy-insights--61419443
Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: 13th September 2024
Welcome to Astronomy Daily. I'm Anna, and you're tuning into your Daily dose of space and Astronomy news. We've got an action-packed episode for you today, filled with groundbreaking developments that are pushing the boundaries of human exploration and our understanding of the cosmos. Coming up, we'll dive into a historic milestone in private space exploration as SpaceX achieves the first-ever privately financed spacewalk. We'll also check in on Japan's ambitious plans for a second moon landing attempt and discuss the latest hurdles facing SpaceX's Starship program. But that's not all. We'll take you on a journey to the far reaches of our galaxy as the James Webb Space Telescope unveils stunning new observations of star formation in the extreme outer regions of the Milky Way. And finally, we'll explore NASA's efforts to establish a standardized lunar time, a crucial step for future moon missions and beyond. Stick around as we explore these fascinating stories and more on today's episode of Astronomy Daily.
Highlights:
- SpaceX's First Private Spacewalk: SpaceX has once again pushed the boundaries of commercial space exploration with a historic achievement. In a groundbreaking mission, billionaire Jared Isaacman and SpaceX crew trainer Sarah Gillis successfully conducted the first privately financed spacewalk in history. The spacewalk took place early Thursday morning, with Isaacman and Gillis taking turns floating just outside their Crew Dragon capsule at an altitude of 458 miles above Earth. They had an unobstructed view of our planet that left Isaacman in awe. This wasn't just a joyride in space, though. The primary goal of this 1 hour and 46 minutes spacewalk was to test SpaceX's new pressure suits. These new suits are a crucial development for SpaceX's ambitious plans to create low-cost, easy-to-manufacture spacesuits for future commercial astronauts who might one day fly to the moon or Mars aboard SpaceX's Super Heavy Starship rockets.
- Japan's Second Moon Landing Attempt: Japanese space exploration company ispace is gearing up for another shot at the moon. Their second lunar landing mission is set to launch as early as December, just over a year and a half after their first attempt. The company's CEO, Takeshi Hakamada, announced that the Hakuto-R Mission 2 will be delivered to space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launching from Florida. After a journey of four to five months, the spacecraft will attempt its crucial lunar touchdown. Despite a setback in their first attempt, the company remains determined to achieve its goals.
- SpaceX's Starship Program Delays: Their highly anticipated fifth test flight of its Starship rocket is facing unexpected delays. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that a final license determination for Starship Flight 5 is not expected before late November 2024. This comes as a setback for SpaceX, who had been gearing up for the launch since their successful fourth flight in June. The delay stems from SpaceX's decision to modify both the vehicle configuration and mission profile for Flight 5, triggering a more in-depth review process.
- James Webb Space Telescope's New Discoveries: In a groundbreaking study, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has turned its powerful gaze to the farthest reaches of our Milky Way, capturing stunning images of star-forming regions in what astronomers call the extreme outer galaxy. Using its NIRCam and MIRI instruments, the Webb telescope focused on two molecular clouds known as Deagle Clouds One and Two. These observations have revealed unprecedented details of star clusters undergoing intense bursts of star formation.
- NASA's Standardized Lunar Time: NASA is taking on a task that might seem mundane at first glance but is actually crucial for future lunar missions: establishing a standardized lunar time. The space agency is spearheading efforts to create what's being called Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC). This initiative comes in response to a White House policy directive issued in April, recognizing the need for a unified timekeeping system on the moon. This lunar time standard isn't just about the moon, though. NASA sees it as a scalable solution that could be applied to future Mars missions and exploration of other celestial bodies in our solar system.
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Thank you for tuning in, and remember to
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 welcome to astronomy daily I'm Anna and
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 you're tuning in to your daily dose of
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 space and astronomy news we've got an
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 action-packed episode for you today
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 filled with groundbreaking developments
00:00:10 --> 00:00:11 that are pushing the boundaries of human
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 exploration and our understanding of the
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 cosmos coming up we'll dive into a
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 historic milestone in private space
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 exploration as SpaceX achieves the first
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 ever privately financed Space Walk we'll
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 also check in on Japan's ambitious plans
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 for a second moon landing attempt and
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 discuss the latest hurdles facing
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 spacex's star ship program but that's
00:00:31 --> 00:00:32 not all we'll take you on a journey to
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 the far reaches of our galaxy as the
00:00:35 --> 00:00:36 James web Space Telescope unveils
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 stunning new observations of star
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 formation in the extreme outer regions
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 of the Milky Way and finally we'll
00:00:43 --> 00:00:45 explore NASA's efforts to establish a
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 standardized lunar time a crucial step
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 for future Moon missions and Beyond
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 stick around as we explore these
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 fascinating stories and more on today's
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 episode of astronomy daily first up an
00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 update on yesterday's story SpaceX has
00:00:58 --> 00:00:59 once again pushed the boundaries of
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 commercial space exploration with a
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 historic achievement in a groundbreaking
00:01:03 --> 00:01:05 Mission billionaire Jared ISAC man and
00:01:05 --> 00:01:08 SpaceX crew trainer Sarah Gillis
00:01:08 --> 00:01:09 successfully conducted the first
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 privately financed spacewalk in history
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 the spacewalk took place early Thursday
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 morning with Isaac man and Gillis taking
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 turns floating just outside their crew
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 Dragon capsule at an altitude of 458 Mi
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 above Earth they had an unobstructed
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 view of our planet that left Isaac man
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 in awe he remarked on the Serene
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 boundary-free View noting that while
00:01:30 --> 00:01:31 there's much work to be done back on
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 Earth from space it looks like a perfect
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 world this wasn't just a joy ride in
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 space though the primary goal of this 1
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 hour and 46 minute Space Walk was to
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 test spacex's new pressure suits Isaac
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 man and Gillis performed a series of
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 Mobility tests moving their arms hands
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 and legs through various positions to
00:01:50 --> 00:01:51 assess the suit's comfort and
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 functionality in the vacuum of space
00:01:54 --> 00:01:55 these new suits are a crucial
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 development for spacex's ambitious plans
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 the company aims to create low cost easy
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 to manufacture space suits for future
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 commercial astronauts who might One Day
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 Fly To The Moon or Mars aboard spacex's
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 super heavy Starship Rockets the suits
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 feature some impressive Innovations
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 including a heads up display projecting
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 critical data onto the helmet visor
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 something not found in NASA's current
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 space suits they also incorporate
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 thermal insulation and solar protection
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 along with multiple redundancies in
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 oxygen supply and other critical systems
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 this successful spacewalk marks another
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 milestone in spacex's Polaris Dawn
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 Mission the first of three planned by
00:02:33 --> 00:02:36 Isaac man in cooperation with Elon Musk
00:02:36 --> 00:02:37 it's a significant step forward in the
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 commercialization of space travel and
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 exploration demonstrating that private
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 companies can now perform complex
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 operations once reserved for government
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 space agencies as we look to the future
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 of space exploration this achievement
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 opens up exciting possibilities for
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 commercial space Ventures and brings us
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 one step closer to making space more
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 accessible to civilians in other space
00:02:59 --> 00:03:00 news today Japanese space exploration
00:03:01 --> 00:03:02 company ipace is gearing up for another
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 shot at the Moon their second lunar
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 Landing mission is set to launch as
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 early as December just over a year and a
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 half after their first attempt the
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 company's CEO teshi hakamada announced
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 that the hakuto r mission 2 will be
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 delivered to space aboard a SpaceX
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 Falcon 9 rocket launching from Florida
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 after a journey of four to 5 months the
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 spacecraft will attempt its crucial
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 lunar touchdown this Mission follows I
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 space's first moonlanding attemp attt in
00:03:30 --> 00:03:31 April
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 2023 which unfortunately failed in the
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 final moments due to an altitude
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 miscalculation despite this setback the
00:03:38 --> 00:03:39 company remains determined to achieve
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 its goals if successful ipace would join
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 the ranks of us-based intuitive machines
00:03:45 --> 00:03:46 which made history in February by
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 completing the world's first private
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 moon landing it's clear that the
00:03:50 --> 00:03:51 commercial space race to the moon is
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 heating up with private companies vying
00:03:54 --> 00:03:55 to establish their presence on our
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 Celestial neighbor by space's
00:03:57 --> 00:03:58 persistence highlights the growing
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 interest in lunar exploration not just
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 from National Space agencies but also
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 from the private sector the Moon is
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 increasingly seen as a frontier for
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 potential resource extraction and as a
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 stepping stone for further space
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 exploration it's not all good news for
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 SpaceX today they're highly anticipated
00:04:16 --> 00:04:17 fifth test flight of its Starship rocket
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 is facing unexpected delays the Federal
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 Aviation Administration or FAA has
00:04:23 --> 00:04:24 announced that a final license
00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 determination for Starship flight 5 is
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 not expected before late November 2024
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 this comes as a setback for SpaceX who
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 had been gearing up for the launch since
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 their successful fourth flight in June
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 the delay stems from spacex's decision
00:04:38 --> 00:04:41 to modify both the vehicle configuration
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 and Mission profile for flight 5
00:04:43 --> 00:04:44 triggering a more in-depth review
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 process additionally new information
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 submitted by SpaceX in August detailed a
00:04:50 --> 00:04:53 larger environmental impact area than
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 previously reviewed requiring further
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 consultation with other agencies SpaceX
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 has expressed frustration with this
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 development stating that the Starship
00:05:02 --> 00:05:03 vehicle has been technically ready to
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 fly since early August in a blog post
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 the company criticize the regulatory
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 environment claiming that it now takes
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 longer to complete government paperwork
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 for a launch license than to design and
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 build the actual rocket this situation
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 highlights the growing tension between
00:05:19 --> 00:05:20 the rapid pace of technological
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 advancement in the private space
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 industry and the necessarily cautious
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 approach of government oversight as
00:05:27 --> 00:05:28 companies like SpaceX push the
00:05:28 --> 00:05:31 boundaries of space exploration finding
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 the right balance between Innovation and
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 safety remains a critical challenge for
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 the industry let's take a look out into
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 deep space now in a groundbreaking study
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 NASA's James web Space Telescope has
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 turned its powerful gaze to the farthest
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 reaches of our Milky Way capturing
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 stunning images of star forming regions
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 in what astronomers call the extreme
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 outer Galaxy this area located more than
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 58 light years from the galactic
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 center is nearly twice as far as Earth's
00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 position the web telescope
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 using its neram and Mir instruments
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 focused on two molecular clouds known as
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 deagle clouds 1 and 2 these observations
00:06:08 --> 00:06:09 have revealed unprecedented details of
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 star clusters undergoing intense bursts
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 of star formation the images show very
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 young protostars outflows in Jets and
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 unique nebular structures with a level
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 of clarity never before achieved what
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 makes these observations particularly
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 exciting is that the deagle clouds are
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 relatively poor in elements heavier than
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 hydrogen and helium this composition is
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 similar to dwarf galaxies and what our
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 own Milky Way might have looked like in
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 its early history by studying these
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 regions astronomers can gain valuable
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 insights into the processes of star
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 formation in environments that mimic the
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 conditions of the early Universe one of
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 the most striking discoveries was in
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 Cloud 2s where web captured a main
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 cluster of young newly formed Stars this
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 dense area is bustling with activity
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 showing several Stars emitting extended
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 Jets of material from their poles the
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 imagery also confirmed the existence of
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 a previously suspected subcluster within
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 the cloud these observations are just
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 the beginning scientists planned to
00:07:07 --> 00:07:10 revisit this Galactic Outpost to unravel
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 more Mysteries including how the
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 environment influences the formation of
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 different types of stars and why
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 circumstellar diss in the extreme outer
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 Galaxy have shorter lifetimes compared
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 to those closer to us the web
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 telescope's ability to peer into these
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 distant primordial likee environments is
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 providing astronomers with a unique
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 opportunity to study star formation in
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 conditions similar to those that existed
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 billions of years ago this research not
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 only enhances our understanding of our
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 Galaxy's history but also sheds light on
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 the fundamental processes that shape the
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 universe as we know it and finally today
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 let's revisit a story we first brought
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 to your attention some months ago in a
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 move that underscores the complexities
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 of space exploration NASA is taking on a
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 task that might seem mundane at first
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 glance but is actually crucial for
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 future lunar missions establishing a
00:07:59 --> 00:08:02 standardized lunar time the space agency
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 is spearheading efforts to create what's
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 being called coordinated lunar time or
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 LTC this initiative comes in response to
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 a White House policy directive issued in
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 April recognizing the need for a unified
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 timekeeping system on the moon you might
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 wonder why we can't just use Earth time
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 on the moon well it turns out that time
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 moves differently on the lunar surface
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 due to the effects of Relativity atomic
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 clocks on the moon would actually tick
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 faster than those on Earth by microsc
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 per day while that might not sound like
00:08:28 --> 00:08:31 much in the Precision dependent world of
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 space exploration those tiny differences
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 can add up to significant discrepancies
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 to put this into perspective NASA
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 scientist Cheryl gramling explains that
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 for something traveling at the speed of
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 light a 56 microc difference is enough
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48 time to cover a distance of about 168
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 football fields that kind of variation
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 could pose serious risks for navigation
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 and communication in lunar missions the
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 plan is to establish a network of atomic
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 clocks on the moon similar to how we
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 determine coordinated universal time
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 here on Earth however the exact
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 locations for these clocks are still
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 being determined as scientists grapple
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 with the complexities of lunar
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 timekeeping this lunar time standard
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 isn't just about the moon though NASA
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 sees it as a scalable solution that
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 could be applied to Future Mars missions
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 and exploration of other celestial
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 bodies in our solar system as we enter
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 an era of increased commercial space
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 activity and international collaboration
00:09:24 --> 00:09:27 in lunar exploration having a shared
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 definition of time becomes more critical
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 than ever it's an essential component
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 for ensuring safe resilient and
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 sustainable operations beyond Earth in
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 essence NASA's luner time initiative is
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 laying the groundwork for a new era of
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 space exploration one where we're not
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 just visitors to other worlds but
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 potentially long-term inhabitants it's a
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 small step in timekeeping but a giant
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 leap for our future in space and that
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 wraps up our Cosmic Journey for today on
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 astronomy daily I'm Anna and I hope
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 you've enjoyed this Whirlwind tour of
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 the latest developments in space
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 exploration and astronomical discoveries
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00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 Porter one of our long-term listeners on
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00:11:06 --> 00:11:21 [Music]