00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 welcome to astronomy daily your source
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 for the latest news in space and
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 astronomy I'm your host Anna and today
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 we've got a fascinating Roundup of
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 stories covering everything from orbital
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 debris concerns to lunar missions and
00:00:12 --> 00:00:15 Mars exploration we'll be exploring some
00:00:15 --> 00:00:16 groundbreaking developments that are
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 shaping our understanding of the cosmos
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 and Humanity's ambitious Ventures beyond
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 Earth our first story today highlights a
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 growing crisis above our heads the
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 recent breakup of the Intel sat 33e
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 satellite has added another troubling
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 chapter to the mounting space debris
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 problem this Broadband Communications
00:00:35 --> 00:00:39 satellite positioned about 35 km
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 above the Indian Ocean Suddenly lost
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 power and broke into at least 20 pieces
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 according to us space forces
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 confirmation this incident adds to an
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 already critical situation in low earth
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 orbit where we currently have an
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 estimated 13 metric tons of space
00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 junk circling our planet it's a stark
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 reminder of what scientists is called
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 the Kesler syndrome a scenario first
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 proposed by NASA scientists in 1978
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 where the density of objects in orbit
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 becomes so high that collisions create a
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 Cascade effect generating more debris
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 and more collisions the numbers are
00:01:15 --> 00:01:18 staggering the European space agency's
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 space debris office estimates there are
00:01:20 --> 00:01:21 about
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 40 objects larger than 10 cm in
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 orbit plus an additional 1.1 million
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 objects between 1 and 10 cm and a
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 staggering 130 million pieces smaller
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 than a centimeter back in 2009 Donald
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 Kesler himself declared that the orbital
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 situation had already reached the point
00:01:40 --> 00:01:41 of
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 instability while tracking technology is
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 improving and various Solutions are
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 being developed including missions like
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 addrress J and clear sat 1 designed to
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 actively remove debris The Challenge
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 continues to grow the intelsat incident
00:01:54 --> 00:01:55 underscores the urgent need for better
00:01:56 --> 00:01:57 Frameworks to prevent future collisions
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 and address the removal of existing
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 space debris without effective action we
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 risk compromising our ability to safely
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 operate in Earth orbit potentially
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 impacting everything from Communications
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 to scientific research next up today
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 let's get a Mars update in what can only
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 be described as a fascinating
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 astronomical spectacle NASA's
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 perseverance Rover has captured an eerie
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 and remarkable sight from its vantage
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 point in Mars's jezero
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 crater the Rover witnessed Phobos one of
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 Mars's two moons passing directly
00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 between the Sun and Mars creating what
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 looks remarkably like a cosmic googly
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 eye in the Martian sky this rare Transit
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 occurred on September 30th during the
00:02:41 --> 00:02:42 Rover's
00:02:42 --> 00:02:46 1 Martian day of exploration using
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 its Advanced mastcam Z camera system
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 perseverance recorded the potato-shaped
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 moon as it partially blocked the sun's
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 disc casting its shadow known as the
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 antumbra across the red planet's surface
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 to put this Celestial dance in
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 perspective Phobos is quite tiny
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 compared to our own Moon about 157 times
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 smaller in fact measuring only 17 mil
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 across at its widest point despite its
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 small size these transits are relatively
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 common on Mars because Phobos orbits
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 very close to the planet's surface and
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 almost perfectly along its Equator the
00:03:21 --> 00:03:25 moon completes an orbit every 7.6 hours
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 which means these Transit events
00:03:27 --> 00:03:30 typically last only about 30 seconds
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 what makes this observation particularly
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 valuable is that it helps scientists
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 refine their understanding of phobos's
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 orbital Dynamics by comparing images of
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 these transits over time researchers can
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 track subtle changes in the moon's orbit
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 current calculations suggest that Phobos
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 is gradually moving closer to Mars and
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 is predicted to collide with the planet
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 in approximately 50 million years a
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 cosmic blink of an eye in astronomical
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 terms this isn't the first time NASA has
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 C Ed such an event on Mars several
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 Rovers including curiosity and
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 opportunity have witnessed similar
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 transits over the years but each
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 observation adds another piece to our
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 understanding of Mars complex system of
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 moons and their ultimate
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 fate speaking of things colliding with
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 Planets For Those who've long viewed
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 comets as mysterious harbingers in our
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 night sky scientists are now developing
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 an Innovative approach that could
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 revolutionize how we detect these
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 Celestial Wanderers by studying meteor
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 shower hours researchers believe they
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 can predict the orbits of potentially
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 hazardous long period comets years
00:04:36 --> 00:04:37 before they become visible to our
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 telescopes the connection between meteor
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 showers and comets has been well
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 established those spectacular shooting
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 stars we see during events like the
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 perseids or Geminids are actually debris
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 Trails left behind by comets Crossing
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 Earth's orbit but until now astronomers
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 have typically worked forward from known
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 comets to identify meteor showers this
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 new research flips that approach on its
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 head using sophisticated computer
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 simulations scientists have demonstrated
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 that by carefully analyzing metor shower
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 patterns they could potentially Trace
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 them back to their parent comets even
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 when those comets are still far from the
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 inner solar
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 system with the upcoming reuin
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 observatory's powerful Skys scanning
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 capabilities this method could provide
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 crucial early warnings of approaching
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 comets the team simulations covered
00:05:28 --> 00:05:31 comets with orbital periods ranging from
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 200 to 4 years while not all Comet
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 orbits produce useful shower patterns
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 the researchers identified 17 scenarios
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 where meteor shower observations could
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 help locate their parent comets months
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 or even years before traditional
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 detection methods would spot them
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 they've already put this Theory to the
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 test with real world data looking at the
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 sigma hydrid meteor shower which appears
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 each December researchers found they
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 could have predicted the arrival of
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 comet nishimura 8 months before its
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 actual Discovery in
00:06:02 --> 00:06:05 2023 this practical demonstration shows
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 just how powerful this new detection
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 method could be for planetary defense
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 and our understanding of these ancient
00:06:11 --> 00:06:15 solar system visitors next up news from
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 China's rapidly developing space program
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 a fascinating space race is heating up
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 between China and the United States but
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 this time it's not about putting humans
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 on another world it's about who will be
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 the first to bring pieces of Mars back
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 to Earth China has recently announced
00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 plans to accelerate their Mars sample
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 return Mission aiming to launch chenn 3
00:06:33 --> 00:06:37 in 2028 2 years earlier than previously
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 scheduled this ambitious Mission will
00:06:39 --> 00:06:40 require two separate launches using
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 China's Long March 5 carrier Rockets the
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 plan involves Not Just landing on Mars
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 but also collecting samples launching
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 them back into Mars orbit and then
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 safely returning them to Earth all
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 within the same year China's approach
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 draws on their successful lunar sample
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 return missions including their recent
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 farside Moon sample collection meanwhile
00:07:00 --> 00:07:03 NASA's Mars sample return Mission a
00:07:03 --> 00:07:04 joint effort with the European Space
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 Agency continues to face scrutiny and
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 challenges the project is currently
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 under review with teams working to find
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 a way to bring samples back before 2040
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 while keeping costs under 11
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 billion these samples would come from
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 carefully selected cores currently being
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 collected by the perseverance Rover in
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 jazero Crater the scientific Community
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 has mixed feelings about this
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 competition while while many researchers
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 welcom the prospect of getting Mars
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 samples sooner rather than later
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 regardless of the source others
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 expressed concern about China
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 potentially achieving this Milestone
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 first some experts are calling this a
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 potential Sputnik moment that could have
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 significant implications for future Mars
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 exploration leadership China's mission
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 may opt for a simpler grab sample
00:07:51 --> 00:07:54 approach collecting whatever material is
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 Within Reach of their Lander while this
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 might be less scientifically valuable
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 than NASA's carefully selected samples
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 the political and technological
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 achievement of being first to return
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 material from Mars could Mark a
00:08:06 --> 00:08:10 significant shift in space exploration
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 prominence and another country with
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 aspirations of bringing samples back
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 from a Celestial neighbor India's space
00:08:17 --> 00:08:18 program is taking another bold step
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 forward with their recently announced
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 chandron 4 Mission the Indian space
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 research organization or ISRO is
00:08:25 --> 00:08:28 targeting a 2028 launch for this
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 ambitious sample return to the Moon
00:08:30 --> 00:08:33 South Pole aiming to collect around 3 Kg
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 of lunar material from this
00:08:34 --> 00:08:37 scientifically fascinating region the
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 mission's complexity is remarkable
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 involving five separate spacecraft
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 modules and requiring two launches of
00:08:44 --> 00:08:48 India's most powerful rocket the lvm 3
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 the carefully choreographed plan calls
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 for a Lander and Sample collecting
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 Ascender to be launched first followed
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 by a transfer module and re-entry module
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 that will orbit the Moon after
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 collecting the samples
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 the Ascender will launch from the lunar
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 surface and perform a crucial rendevu
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 with the orbiting modules before the
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 samples begin their Journey back to
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 Earth to prepare for one of the
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 mission's most challenging aspects the
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 orbital docking of spacecraft ISRO will
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 conduct a space docking experiment known
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 as Spex either later this year or in
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 early 2025 they're also developing new
00:09:23 --> 00:09:26 technologies including a robotic arm for
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 surface sample collection and a drilling
00:09:28 --> 00:09:29 mechanism to gather material from
00:09:29 --> 00:09:32 beneath the lunar surface what makes
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 this Mission particularly interesting is
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 its Target location near the lunar South
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 Pole an area rich in water ice that's
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 becoming increasingly important for
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 future space exploration at an estimated
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 cost of about $250 million isero is
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 demonstrating its ability to achieve
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 ambitious goals while maintaining
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 relatively modest budgets the chreon 4
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 Mission isn't standing alone it's part
00:09:54 --> 00:09:57 of India's broader lunar exploration
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 strategy plans are already in motion for
00:09:59 --> 00:10:02 chandrian 5 a joint Mission with Japan
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 that will feature a much larger Rover
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 these missions are Stepping Stones
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 toward India's ultimate goal of Landing
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 astronauts on the Moon by 2040 and
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 establishing a lunar base before
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 2050 next as if our skies weren't
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 cluttered enough already the European
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 commission has recently announced its
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 pressing ahead with its ambitious plans
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 for a sovereign Broadband constellation
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 though the project is facing some
00:10:26 --> 00:10:29 significant hurdles the initiative known
00:10:29 --> 00:10:32 as Iris 2 infrastructure for resilience
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 interconnectivity and security by
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 satellite aims to deploy more than 290
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 Satellites by 2030 creating a robust
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 Communications Network for both
00:10:41 --> 00:10:44 government and commercial use originally
00:10:44 --> 00:10:48 slated to begin Global Services by 2027
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 with satellite deployment starting in
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 2025 the project has encountered delays
00:10:52 --> 00:10:55 and substantial cost increases what
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 began as a 6.5 billion Euro venture has
00:10:58 --> 00:11:01 now reportedly ballooned to around 10
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 billion the initial funding structure
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 which called for 60% Public Funding with
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 the remainder coming from Private
00:11:07 --> 00:11:10 Industry is currently being reassessed a
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 Consortium called space rice led by
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 Major European satellite operators sces
00:11:15 --> 00:11:18 utat and hispasat has submitted what's
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 being called a best and final offer for
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 the project while the details remain
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 Under Wraps the European commission is
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 proceeding with a 12-year concession
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 contract though they've noted that
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 additional funding Arrangements may be
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 necessary after
00:11:32 --> 00:11:35 2027 the project has also seen some
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 interesting shifts in its industrial
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 organization European manufacturing
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 Giants Airbus defense and space and
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 thees alenia space who were initially
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 co-leaders of the Consortium have now
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 moved into subcontractor roles this
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 restructuring appears to be in response
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 to price and performance pressures
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 despite these challenges the European
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 commission remains committed to ensuring
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 the project benefits the broader
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 European space industry they're
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 maintaining their requirement that at
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 least 30% of larger contracts be
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 subcontracted to smaller businesses
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 aiming to foster a more diverse and
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 robust space economy across the
00:12:12 --> 00:12:14 region and that brings us to the end of
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 today's space and astronomy news thanks
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 for tuning in to another episode of
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 astronomy daily I'm Anna and I hope
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 you've enjoyed today's Journey Through
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 the latest developments in space
00:12:24 --> 00:12:27 exploration and astronomy if you want to
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00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 signing off until tomorrow's exploration
00:12:59 --> 00:13:07 of the cosmos keep looking up
00:13:07 --> 00:13:21 [Music]