Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S03E211
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your trusted source for the latest in space and Astronomy. I'm your host, Anna, and today we have a thrilling lineup of stories that will take you from the edge of space to the depths of the ocean.
Highlights:
- Starship's 6th Test Flight: Explore SpaceX's sixth Starship test flight from Boca Chica, Texas. Delve into the mission's mixed results as the booster faced challenges, yet the Starship upper stage excelled in space, showcasing its capabilities for future orbital missions.
- Rocket Launch Bonanza : Get ready for an action-packed week with multiple launches. Rocket Lab leads with missions from Virginia and New Zealand, while SpaceX, Roscosmos, and Blue Origin join the global launch frenzy, each with their unique missions and goals.
- UAP Investigations: Dive into the Pentagon's UFO Investigation Office's latest update to the Senate. Discover the scientific rigor applied to puzzling cases and the progress made in explaining famous incidents, while acknowledging the mystery that still surrounds some reports.
- Lunar Traffic Jams : Uncover the emerging challenges of lunar traffic management as spacecraft from multiple nations navigate the crowded orbits around the Moon. Learn about the informal coordination efforts and the call for a formal international protocol.
- Rocket Lab's Neutron Rocket : Discover Rocket Lab's ambitious plans for the Neutron rocket, targeting a mid-2025 debut. Explore the engineering marvels of this partially reusable vehicle and its potential to revolutionize launch capacity.
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, YouTube, 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 exploring the cosmos and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/24177167?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 hello and welcome to astronomy daily
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 your source for the latest space in
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 astronomy news I'm Anna and we have an
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 exciting show lined up for you today
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 we'll be diving into spacex's latest
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 Starship test flight looking ahead at a
00:00:12 --> 00:00:15 busy week of rocket launches exploring
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 new developments and UAP investigations
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 and much more let's get started with
00:00:20 --> 00:00:21 today's top
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 stories SpaceX launched its sixth
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 Starship test flight on Sunday from
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 their Starbase facility in Bach chica
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 Texas the mass the vehicle lifted off
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 precisely at 5:00 p.m. Eastern marking
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 another crucial step in the development
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 of the world's largest rocket system
00:00:37 --> 00:00:39 while the launch itself went smoothly
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 the mission saw mixed results when it
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 came to the planned booster Landing
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 about 2 minutes and 45 seconds into
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 flight the super heavy booster
00:00:49 --> 00:00:50 successfully separated from the Starship
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 upper stage however controller soon had
00:00:53 --> 00:00:54 to abort the planned return to the
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 launch site announcing a booster
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 offshore divert the booster ended up
00:00:59 --> 00:01:00 making a powered Landing attempt in the
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 Gulf of Mexico just offshore where it
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 tipped over and exploded seconds later
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 this represented a minor setback after
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 SpaceX had successfully caught the
00:01:09 --> 00:01:10 booster at the launch Tower during
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 October's flight despite the booster
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 situation the Starship upper stage
00:01:15 --> 00:01:18 performed well during its Mission the
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 vehicle designated ship 31 successfully
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 executed a brief engine restart test in
00:01:23 --> 00:01:26 space an important capability needed for
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 future orbital missions SpaceX
00:01:29 --> 00:01:30 intentionally pushed the vehicle's
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 limits during re-entry testing the
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 thermal protection system and flap
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 controls under more extreme conditions
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 than previous flights the Starship made
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 it through re-entry mostly intact though
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 there was some visible damage to a flap
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 and parts of the heat shield after a
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 flight lasting 65 minutes it made a soft
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 splash down in the Indian Ocean where it
00:01:51 --> 00:01:52 could be seen floating on its side in
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 daylight conditions that allowed for
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 excellent video coverage of the landing
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 looking ahead SpaceX revealed their
00:01:59 --> 00:02:00 already Inc corporating upgrades into
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 the next Starship vehicle including
00:02:03 --> 00:02:04 stretching the tanks to increase payload
00:02:05 --> 00:02:09 capacity from 1 to 1 tons and
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 modifying the forward flaps for better
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 re-entry protection the rapid 6we
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 turnaround between flights was possible
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 because the limited changes fell within
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 the scope of their existing FAA launch
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 license space enthusiasts are in for an
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 action-packed week ahead with multiple
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 launches scheduled across the globe
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 rocket lab is taking center stage with
00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 two missions launching just days apart
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 from their Wallops facility in Virginia
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 they're preparing to launch the
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 classified Latos mission 2 which will
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 test experimental Hypersonic
00:02:41 --> 00:02:42 Technologies for the Department of
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 Defense using a modified version of
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 their electron rocket called haste
00:02:48 --> 00:02:49 meanwhile on the other side of the world
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 at their New Zealand launch site rocket
00:02:52 --> 00:02:53 lab will send up another electron
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 carrying five satellites for French
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 company kenice these Nano satellites
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 will join their growing Internet of
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 Things constellation marking the third
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 batch in a series of dedicated launches
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 for this customer SpaceX continues their
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 ambitious launch Cadence with three
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 starlink missions planned this week two
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 will lift off from Florida's Cape
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 Canaveral while another is set to launch
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 from vandenbberg in California the
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 company is pushing to maintain their
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 impressive launch Rhythm currently
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 averaging a launch almost every other
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 day as they work to expand their global
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 satellite internet
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 constellation over in Kazakhstan
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 roscosmos is preparing their reliable
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 soyou rocket to launch the progress ms29
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 cargo mission to the International Space
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 Station the spacecraft will deliver over
00:03:41 --> 00:03:45 2 kg of essential supplies including
00:03:45 --> 00:03:49 fuel drinking water nitrogen food
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 clothing and scientific equipment for
00:03:51 --> 00:03:52 the crew of expedition
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 72 blue origin is also joining the
00:03:55 --> 00:03:58 launch lineup with their ns28 mission
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 marking the ninth crude flight of their
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 new Shephard vehicle from their West
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 Texas facility the mission will carry
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 six passengers including four firsttime
00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 flyers and two returning customers on a
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 brief Journey to the edge of space
00:04:13 --> 00:04:14 rounding out the week China has
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 scheduled a launch of their Chang Jang
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 2C rocket from the jukan satellite
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 launch Center though details about the
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 payload remain undisclosed at this
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 time we're getting a lot of UAP or if
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 you prefer UFO stories lately here's
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 today's update in recent developments
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 from Washington the pentagon's UFO
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 investigation office has provided a
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 significant update to the Senate
00:04:38 --> 00:04:39 emphasizing their commitment to
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 Scientific rigor while acknowledging
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 some truly puzzling cases John kazlowski
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 who heads the all domain anomaly
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 resolution office made it clear during
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 his testimony that while they found no
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 evidence of extraterrestrial activity
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 some cases continue to defy conventional
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 explanation the office established in
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 2022 serves as the hub for military and
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 government Personnel to report unusual
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 phenomena not just in the sky but also
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 in space and water during the hearing
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 kososki highlighted their methodical
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 approach to investigating these
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 incidents explaining how many cases
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 resolved to ordinary explanations like
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 birds balloons or drones in a
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 particularly interesting case study
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 klosi detailed their analysis of the
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 2013 Aguadilla incident in Puerto Rico
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 what initially appeared to be an object
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 diving into the ocean and splitting in
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 two was revealed to be a simpler
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 explanation the thermal imaging camera
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 created an illusion when the object's
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 temperature matched that of the water
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 behind it the office has also made
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 progress in explaining other famous
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 cases including the goast video from
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 2016 which turned out to be a case of
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 perspective creating the illusion of
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 extreme speed these Revelations
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 demonstrate how careful analysis can
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 often provide rational explanations for
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 seemingly extraordinary events
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 however klosi acknowledged that a small
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 percentage of reports remain truly
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 anomalous requiring further
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 investigation the office continues to
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 face challenges in resolving cases
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 primarily due to limitations in sensor
00:06:13 --> 00:06:16 data and the brief nature of many
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 encounters despite these obstacles they
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 maintain their commitment to following
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 the evidence wherever it leads while
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 keeping both Congress and the public
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 informed of their
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 findings as our activities around the
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 Moon continue to increase we're seeing
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 the first signs of lunar traffic jams
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 emerging in a recently reported incident
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 India's chandron 2 Orbiter had to
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 perform an emergency maneuver in
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 September to avoid a potential collision
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 with South Korea's denri spacecraft this
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 wasn't just a one-off event it's
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 becoming a regular occurrence in lunar
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 orbit the situation highlights a growing
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 challenge in space exploration these
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 spacecraft along with NASA's lunar
00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 reconnaissance Orbiter all share similar
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 orbits around the moon this creates
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 particularly risky situations over the
00:07:03 --> 00:07:06 lunar poles where their paths naturally
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 converge to put this in perspective the
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 Korean space agency has received 40
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 Collision warning alerts in just the
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 past year and a half currently space
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 agencies are handling these situations
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 through informal email exchanges and
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 teleconferences there's no formal
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 International protocol for managing
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 these potential collisions it's all
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 being done through voluntary
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 cooperation while while this system has
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 worked so far it's becoming clear that
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 we need something more
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 robust the complexity of coordinating
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 these orbital dances was Illustrated
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 when Dori had to perform three separate
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 Maneuvers since entering lunar orbit
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 dodging not only chreon 2 but also
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 NASA's lro and Japan's slim
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 spacecraft sometimes these close calls
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 can be remarkably tight in a previous
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 incident chreon 2 had to adjust its
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 course to avoid passing within just 1.8
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 mil of the
00:08:00 --> 00:08:03 lro as we look toward a future with even
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 more Nations and private companies
00:08:05 --> 00:08:06 heading to the moon the need for a
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 formal traffic management system becomes
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 increasingly urgent space agencies are
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 now calling for an international
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 platform to share information and
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 establish clear protocols for managing
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 these orbital intersections similar to
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 what we have for satellites in Earth
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 orbit exciting developments are coming
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 from rocket lab as they make significant
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 strides toward the launch of their new
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 Neutron rocket the company has announced
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 their targeting mid
00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 2025 for the vehicle's debut flight with
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 commercial operations set to begin in
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 2026 this timeline shows remarkable
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 progress especially considering the
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 project was announced just over 3 years
00:08:48 --> 00:08:53 ago with a budget of $250 to $300
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 million the launch schedule looks
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 promising with plans to conduct one test
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 flight in 2025 ramping up to three
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 launches in 2026 and increasing to five
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 missions in 2027 beyond that they're
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 aiming for at least seven launches
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 annually what's particularly noteworthy
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 is that they've already secured their
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 first commercial customer a
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 constellation operator who signed up for
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21 two missions in 2026 with options for
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 additional
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 launches the neutron rocket itself is an
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 impressive piece of engineering standing
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 at 141 fet tall this partially reusable
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 vehicle will be capable of lifting
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 nearly 29 lb to low earth orbit it's
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 powered by nine of Rocket lab's new
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 Archimedes engines which have already
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 demonstrated successful tests at over
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 100% throttle level construction is well
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 underway with significant progress on
00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 several key components the distinctive
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 Hungry Hippo nose cone has entered
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 mechanical testing while the second
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 stage has already completed its first
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 fueling test meanwhile the LaunchPad at
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 wups Island Virginia is nearing
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 completion featuring a massive 165 ton
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 steel launch Mount and newly installed
00:10:06 --> 00:10:09 propellant tanks this represents more
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 than just a new rocket it's a strategic
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 move by rocket lab to address what they
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 see as a critical bottleneck in launch
00:10:15 --> 00:10:18 capacity particularly for National
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 Security missions the company even hints
00:10:20 --> 00:10:23 at future plans to use Neutron to deploy
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 their own satellite constellations
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 though the details of these projects
00:10:26 --> 00:10:29 remain under wraps for now
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 thanks for joining us today on astronomy
00:10:31 --> 00:10:35 daily this is Anna and before we wrap up
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 I want to remind you to stay connected
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 with all the latest developments in
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 space exploration and astronomy by
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 visiting our website at astronomy
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 daily. there you'll find our constantly
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 updating Newsfeed access to all our
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 previous episodes and you can sign up
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00:11:12 --> 00:11:28 [Music]