Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S03E206
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your ultimate source for the latest in space and Astronomy news. I'm your host, Anna, and today we have an exciting lineup of stories that will take you from congressional UFO hearings to groundbreaking astronomical discoveries. Let's dive into today's cosmic headlines.
Highlights:
- Congressional UFO Hearings : Explore the eye-opening testimony from high-ranking officials, including a former U.S. counterintelligence officer and a retired Navy rear admiral, at the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability's hearing titled "Unidentified Anomalous Exposing the Truth." Uncover claims of secret government programs, encounters with non-human intelligence, and calls for greater transparency.
- SpaceX's Starship Preparations : Get the latest updates on SpaceX's preparations for the sixth test flight of their mammoth Starship vehicle. Scheduled for November 18, this flight aims to build on previous successes, including landing the super heavy booster back on the launch pad.
- NASA's JPL Layoffs : Learn about the recent layoffs at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, affecting 325 employees. Discover the budget challenges facing this premier space research facility and its impact on future missions.
- ISS Air Leak Concerns : Delve into the ongoing concerns about an air leak aboard the International Space Station's Russian segment. Understand the differing views between NASA and Roscosmos and the measures taken to address the issue.
- Discovery of New Galaxies : Celebrate the remarkable breakthrough in astronomical observation as scientists map the Zone of Avoidance, revealing 719 previously unknown galaxies using the Meerkat Radio Telescope Array in South Africa.
- Final Super Moon of 2024 : Prepare for the final super moon of the year, the Beaver Moon, gracing our night sky alongside the Pleiades star cluster and a dazzling display of planets including Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io (https://www.astronomydaily.io) . Sign up for our free Daily newsletter to stay informed on all things space. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, Tumblr, and TikTok . Share your thoughts and connect with fellow space enthusiasts.
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.
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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/24063964?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 welcome to astronomy daily your source
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 for the latest space and astronomy news
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 I'm your host Anna and we have quite a
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 packed show for you today we'll be
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 diving into some truly remarkable
00:00:10 --> 00:00:11 developments from eye openening
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 testimony at Congressional UFO hearings
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 to the discovery of hundreds of new
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 galaxies in a region of space
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 astronomers typically avoid we'll also
00:00:21 --> 00:00:22 discuss growing concerns about an air
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 leak aboard the International Space
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 Station and the latest preparations for
00:00:26 --> 00:00:30 spacex's next Starship launch let's get
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 started with today's Cosmic headlines
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 UFOs took center stage in Washington
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 once again as the house committee on
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 oversight and accountability held a
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 hearing titled unidentified anomalous
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 phenomena exposing the truth what made
00:00:43 --> 00:00:45 this hearing particularly noteworthy
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 wasn't just the claims being made but
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 the credentials of those making them
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 several high-ranking officials including
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 a former US Counter Intelligence officer
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 a retired Navy rear Admiral and a former
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 NASA associate administrator presented
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 compelling testimony suggesting that we
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 may not be alone in the cosmos Luis
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 alzando the former Counter Intelligence
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 officer made the Bold assertion that
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 excessive government secrecy has been
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 hiding this reality from the public for
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 decades the witnesses described
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 encounters with various unexplained
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 phenomena from flying orbs emerging From
00:01:23 --> 00:01:26 Oceans to disk-shaped objects displaying
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 flight capabilities far beyond our
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 current technology
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 retired rear Admiral Tim gadet stated
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 directly that these sightings represent
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 evidence of what he called a non-human
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 higher intelligence perhaps most
00:01:39 --> 00:01:40 striking were the claims about secret
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 government programs elzando testified
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 that the US government has programs
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 dedicated to retrieving crashed UAP and
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 reverse engineering them meanwhile
00:01:51 --> 00:01:52 journalist Michael shellenberger
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 revealed information about a classified
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 program called Immaculate constellation
00:01:57 --> 00:01:58 allegedly designed to collect and
00:01:58 --> 00:02:02 quarantine UFO reports from military
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 personnel the witnesses unanimously
00:02:04 --> 00:02:05 stressed the need for greater
00:02:05 --> 00:02:08 transparency and reduced stigma around
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 the UFO topic former NASA associate
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 administrator Michael Gold suggested
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 that NASA's vast Archive of data could
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 contain valuable evidence about UAP and
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 proposed using artificial intelligence
00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 to analyze this
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 information while the hearing was heavy
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 on testimony and light on concrete
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 evidence the witnesses explained that
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 much of the most compelling data remains
00:02:31 --> 00:02:34 classified to protect sensitive military
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 capabilities nevertheless they argued
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 that this level of secrecy is excessive
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 and potentially harmful to National
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 Security the hearing concluded with a
00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 sobering discussion about what exactly
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 constitutes non-human intelligence with
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 Witnesses suggesting everything from
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 extraterrestrial life to Advanced
00:02:52 --> 00:02:53 artificial intelligence as possible
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 explanations for these mysterious
00:02:55 --> 00:02:58 encounters what's clear is that these
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 high-ranking officials believe there's
00:03:00 --> 00:03:01 much more to the UFO phenomenon than the
00:03:02 --> 00:03:03 public currently
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 knows let's move on to something a
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 little less speculative SpaceX is making
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 final preparations for another Milestone
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 test of their Mammoth Starship vehicle
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 with the sixth test flight now scheduled
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 for November 18th the company has
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 already moved the massive upper stage of
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 the rocket to the Launchpad at their
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 Starbase facility in south Texas where
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 it's currently undergoing pre-flight
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 testing this particular Starship vehicle
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 is catching attention not just for its
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 impressive engineering but for its
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 Whimsical touch the stainless steel
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 spacecraft is adorned with unique
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 artwork showing a pixelated smiling
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 cartoon banana holding a realistic
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 banana this playful detail is actually a
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 clever reference to the Aerospace
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 industry's inside joke of using bananas
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 for scale in technical photographs
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 standing at 165 ft tall the upper stage
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 is just one component of what Remains
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 the most powerful rocket ever built when
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 combined with its super heavy booster
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 the complete stack reaches nearly 400 ft
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 in height both stages are designed for
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 full reusability a revolutionary
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 approach that SpaceX believes will
00:04:11 --> 00:04:14 transform space travel the upcoming
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 flight will attempt to build on the
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 success of October's test where SpaceX
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 achieved a significant Milestone by
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 successfully Landing the super heavy
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 booster back on the launch pad using the
00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 launch Tower's catch arms nicknamed the
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 Chopsticks the team will attempt to
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 repeat this impressive feat while the
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 upper stage continues its Journey
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 ultimately aiming for a splash down in
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 the Indian
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 Ocean some not so good news from NASA
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 today in a significant blow to space
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 exploration efforts NASA's jet
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 propulsion laboratory has announced its
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 second round of layoffs for 2024 with
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 325 employees approximately 5% of the
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 workforce being let go this follows
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 February's cuts when 530 employees were
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 dismissed highlighting the Ono budget
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 challenges facing one of America's
00:05:02 --> 00:05:03 Premier space research
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 facilities the latest reduction in force
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 comes at a particularly challenging time
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 for JPL as uncertainty surrounds the
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 Mars sample return Mission and no
00:05:13 --> 00:05:14 Flagship missions are currently in
00:05:14 --> 00:05:15 development following the launch of
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 Europa Clipper in October JPL director
00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 Lori lushen emphasized in a memo to
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 staff that these Cuts were purely budget
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 related and not reflective of individual
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 performance the impact spreads across
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 nearly all areas of the laboratory
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 affecting technical project business and
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 support divisions while the cuts were
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 described as painful but necessary lesen
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 expressed hope that this would be the
00:05:40 --> 00:05:43 final Workforce reduction needed for the
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 foreseeable future with Staffing levels
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 now considered stable and sustainable at
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 around 5
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 employees despite these challenges JPL
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 maintains its commitment to space
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 exploration building on its impressive
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 Legacy that includes missions to every
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 planet in our solar system system and
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 the iconic Voyager missions that have
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 now reached Interstellar space the
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 laboratory's leadership remains
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 optimistic about its future emphasizing
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 that while these adjustments are
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 difficult they're essential to ensure
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 JPL can continue its crucial work for
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 NASA and the
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 nation some other NASA news today in
00:06:19 --> 00:06:20 concerning developments aboard the
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 International Space Station NASA and
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 Russ Cosmos find themselves at odds over
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 a persistent air leak in the Russian
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 segment of the orbital Outpost the leak
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 located in a vestibule of the zvezda
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 service module known as PRK has been
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 present for several years but has
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 recently become a more pressing concern
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 the situation has created a notable
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 divide between the space agencies
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 Russian Engineers attribute the issue to
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 high cyclic fatigue from micro
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 vibrations while NASA believes multiple
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 factors are at play including pressure
00:06:51 --> 00:06:54 and mechanical stress material
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 properties and environmental exposure
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 more worryingly there's disagreement
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 about the potential consequences with
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 NASA expressing concerns about possible
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 catastrophic failure while Russian teams
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 maintain operations remain safe the leak
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 has forced Crews to implement special
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 procedures including sealing off the
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 affected area when it's not needed for
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 Progress cargo spacecraft operations
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 Crew 8 astronaut Michael Barrett
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 recently revealed that they have taken
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 the precautionary measure of closing the
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 hatch between the US and Russian
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 segments During certain periods
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 describing it as an uncomfort comtable
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 but necessary
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 compromise the leak rate reached its
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 highest levels earlier this year losing
00:07:35 --> 00:07:39 about 1.7 kg of air per day while recent
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 repair work has reduced this rate by a
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 third the underlying structural concerns
00:07:44 --> 00:07:45 remain
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 unresolved both agencies are now
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 bringing in outside experts from
00:07:48 --> 00:07:51 Academia and Industry to help reach a
00:07:51 --> 00:07:54 common understanding of the situation
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 though no timeline has been set for
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 resolving these differences as the
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 station continues to age
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 these kinds of Maintenance challenges
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 are expected to become more common
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 however this particular disagreement
00:08:06 --> 00:08:07 highlights the complex nature of
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 International Space cooperation and the
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 critical importance of reaching
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 consensus on safety issues aboard
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 Humanity's Outpost in
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 orbit in a remarkable breakthrough in
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 astronomical observation scientists have
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 successfully peered through one of the
00:08:22 --> 00:08:23 most challenging regions of our night
00:08:23 --> 00:08:27 sky known as the zone of avoidance this
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 region which lies in the direction of
00:08:28 --> 00:08:31 our galaxy Center has long been a blind
00:08:31 --> 00:08:34 spot for astronomers due to thick clouds
00:08:34 --> 00:08:37 of dust that block our view of what lies
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 Beyond using the powerful mircat radio
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 telescope array in South Africa
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 researchers have mapped this hidden
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 region of space with unprecedented
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 detail specifically focusing on an area
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51 containing the mysterious vea
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53 supercluster the telescope's ability to
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 detect neutral hydrogen which is
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 abundant throughout the Universe has
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 revealed the presence of 700 19
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 previously unknown galaxies more than
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 doubling our knowledge of this region
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 this discovery is particularly
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 significant because the zone of
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 avoidance contains what astronomers call
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 the great attractor a massive
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 gravitational anomaly that's pulling our
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 Milky Way and other nearby galaxies
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 toward it the newly identified galaxies
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 are part of this enormous structure
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 helping us better understand this
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 gravitational puzzle that has intrigued
00:09:26 --> 00:09:29 astronomers for decades the success of
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 this survey demonstrates how modern
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 radio astronomy can overcome the
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 limitations that visible light
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 observations face by detecting radio
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 waves which can penetrate through the
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 dust that blocks visible light
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 astronomers are finally beginning to map
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 what lies behind this Cosmic Veil
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 promising even more discoveries as
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 observations
00:09:49 --> 00:09:53 continue finally today skywatchers are
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 in for a treat this week as the final
00:09:55 --> 00:09:58 Super Moon of 2024 Graces our night sky
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 the full Beaver Moon reaches its peak
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 fullness this Friday at 4:28 p.m.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 eastern time though it will appear
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 gloriously full for about a day before
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 and after this exact moment this
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 Celestial spectacle comes with some
00:10:10 --> 00:10:13 fascinating companions the pleades star
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 cluster often called the Seven Sisters
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 will be positioned right next to the
00:10:17 --> 00:10:20 moon in the constellation Taurus while
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 the moon's brilliant light might
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 overshadow some of the Clusters fainter
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 Stars it's still a spectacular pairing
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 to observe the night sky will be
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 particularly active with four planets
00:10:30 --> 00:10:33 visible at various times Venus and
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 Saturn will be readily visible in the
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 early evening with Venus shining
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 brilliantly in the southwest while
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 Saturn glows with a subtle yellow Hue
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 high in the southern Sky Jupiter will
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 make its appearance a couple of hours
00:10:44 --> 00:10:47 after moonrise dominating the Eastern
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 Sky while Mars joins the cosmic dance
00:10:49 --> 00:10:52 just before midnight for those planning
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 to observe this Celestial Gathering the
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 moon will be positioned in Taurus just
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 beneath AR's curved horns
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 as the night progresses the iconic
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 constellation Orion will follow the
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 moon's path up the Eastern Sky creating
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 a magnificent backdrop for this Final
00:11:08 --> 00:11:11 Super Moon display of the
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 year and that's all for today's episode
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 of astronomy daily I'm Anna and I want
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 to thank you for joining me on this
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 Cosmic Journey Through the latest
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 developments in space and astronomy news
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 if you'd like to stay connected with
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 everything happening in space visit us
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 at astronomy daily. where you can sign
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00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 up and wondering about the mysteries of
00:11:46 --> 00:11:52 our universe
00:11:52 --> 00:12:06 [Music]
00:12:06 --> 00:12:09 St told