00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 welcome to astronomy daily I'm excited
00:00:01 --> 00:00:03 to bring you another fascinating day of
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 space and astronomy news there's quite a
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 bit to cover today from orbital drama to
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 seasonal changes on the red planet we'll
00:00:11 --> 00:00:12 start with a concerning development in
00:00:12 --> 00:00:15 Earth orbit where a retired military
00:00:15 --> 00:00:16 weather satellite has broken up into
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 dozens of pieces adding to a pattern of
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 similar incidents with these particular
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 spacecraft then we'll look ahead to
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 spacex's upcoming bandwagon 2 mission
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 which will carry an impressive array of
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 30 different payloads into orbit
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 including an advanced radar satellite
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 for South Korea we'll also take a
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 Journey to Mars where NASA's Mars
00:00:38 --> 00:00:39 reconnaissance Orbiter has been
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 capturing some incredible seasonal
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 phenomena unlike Earth's gentle seasonal
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 transitions Mars experiences some
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 remarkably explosive changes during its
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 spring thaw and I can't wait to tell you
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 all about them plus we've got to look at
00:00:53 --> 00:00:54 a new theory about that mysterious dark
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 energy and we'll revisit an age-old
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 debate with some new research so let's
00:00:59 --> 00:01:00 get started
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 in a concerning development the US space
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 force has reported that a defunct
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 military weather satellite experienced
00:01:07 --> 00:01:08 what they're calling a low velocity
00:01:08 --> 00:01:12 fragmentation event on December 18th the
00:01:12 --> 00:01:13 incident occurred at an altitude of
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 about 840 km creating more than 50
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 pieces of trackable debris according to
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 radar observations from commercial space
00:01:22 --> 00:01:23 monitoring company
00:01:23 --> 00:01:26 leolabs the satellite in question known
00:01:26 --> 00:01:30 as dmsp 5D 2 F14
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 was launched back in 1997 as part of the
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 defense meteorological satellite program
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 after serving its purpose for over two
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 decades it was retired in 2020 but
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 remained in its Sun synchronous orbit
00:01:43 --> 00:01:47 weighing about 750 kg this spacecraft is
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 now the latest in a series of similar
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 satellites to meet this unfortunate fate
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 what's particularly concerning is that
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 this isn't an isolated incident several
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 other satellites from the same family
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 have experienced similar breakups over
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 the years in October 2016 the F12
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 satellite broke apart following the
00:02:06 --> 00:02:10 fragmentation of f-13 in February 2015
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 going back even further the f11
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 spacecraft created 56 pieces of tra
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 debris when it broke up in 2004 the root
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 cause appears to be a known design flaw
00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 in these satellites battery assemblies
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 that makes them vulnerable to explosion
00:02:24 --> 00:02:25 this issue isn't limited to military
00:02:26 --> 00:02:27 satellites either similar civilian
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 weather satellites operated by Noah have
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 suffered the same fate with Noah 16
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 breaking up in 2015 and Noah 17
00:02:34 --> 00:02:35 following suit in
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 2021 most troubling is that these
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 breakups occurred despite attempts to
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 prevent them through a process called
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 passivation where satellites are
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 prepared for decommissioning by draining
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 their batteries and venting fuel tanks
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 industry experts note that this process
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 may not be fully effective on older
00:02:53 --> 00:02:54 satellites that were designed before
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 modern orbital debris mitigation
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 practices were
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 established next up up SpaceX is gearing
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 up for an exciting ride share Mission
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 from vandenbberg space force base in
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 California the bandwagon 2 mission
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 scheduled for a 3:34 a.m. Pacific launch
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 on December 21st will carry an
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 impressive array of 30 different
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 payloads to orbit the star of this
00:03:17 --> 00:03:18 mission is a sophisticated radar
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 satellite for South Korea capable of
00:03:21 --> 00:03:22 seeing through clouds and darkness to
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 capture detailed images of Earth this
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 spacecraft is part of South Korea's 425
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 project a const of military Earth
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 observation satellites that combines
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 both Optical and radar Imaging
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 capabilities among the other fascinating
00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 payloads are two satellites from IC that
00:03:40 --> 00:03:41 will join their radar Imaging
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 constellation and a trio of satellites
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 from Hawkeye 360 that will work together
00:03:47 --> 00:03:48 to pinpoint radio frequency
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 Transmissions from orbit two compact
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 weather satellites from tomorrow. will
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 collect valuable atmospheric data while
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 Lizzy SAT 2 will test out new Imaging
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 and Computing Technologies in space
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 the mission will use Falcon 9 booster
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 b171 making its 21st flight after
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 sending its passengers on their way the
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 booster will return to land at Landing
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 Zone 4 right next to its Launchpad the
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 second stage will perform a carefully
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 choreographed series of burns to deploy
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 the satellites at two different
00:04:19 --> 00:04:23 altitudes most at 510 km and the South
00:04:23 --> 00:04:27 Korean satellite at 570 km this launch
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 represents spacex's 13 first Falcon
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 mission of the Year marking an
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 incredibly busy period for the company
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 it's also their second dedicated ride
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 share mission to a mid inclination orbit
00:04:39 --> 00:04:40 specifically chosen to keep these
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 satellites positioned over more
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 populated areas of our planet rather
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 than following the polar orbits
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 typically used for Earth observation
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 missions after deployment these
00:04:51 --> 00:04:52 satellites will begin their diverse
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 missions from Earth Imaging and weather
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 monitoring to testing new space
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 Technologies and providing communication
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 Services together they represent a
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 remarkable snapshot of the increasing
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 variety and capability of small
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 satellites being launched
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 today ever thought about the concept of
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 seasons on other planets while we're
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 celebrating the approaching New Year
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 here on Earth Mars has already completed
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 its Journey around the Sun marking the
00:05:19 --> 00:05:23 end of its 687 Earth Day year this past
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 November but unlike Earth's Northern
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 Winter Wonderland or Southern
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 hemisphere's summer Mars is EXP
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 experiencing a spectacular Spring
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 Awakening that's far more dramatic than
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 anything we see here at home instead of
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 gentle snow melt and trickling streams
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 Mars puts on an explosive show the red
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 planet's thin atmosphere means ice
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 doesn't gradually melt into liquid it
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 transforms directly into gas in a
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 process called sublimation this creates
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 some truly remarkable phenomena that
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 NASA's Mars reconnaissance Orbiter has
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 been tracking for nearly two decades one
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 of the most dramatic events are the
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 frost Avalanches imagine witnessing a
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 massive chunk of carbon dioxide Frost
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 wider than a house breaking free and
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 tumbling down Martian Cliffs the Orbiter
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 highresolution cameras actually captured
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 one of these spectacular events showing
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 a 66 foot wide block of dry ice in freef
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20 fall but that's just the beginning as
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 spring temperatures rise pressurized
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 carbon dioxide gas builds up beneath the
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 surface ice until it literally explodes
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 upward creating powerful geysers that
00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 blast dark fans of sand and dust into
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 the Martian Sky these explosive Jets
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 leave behind distinctive patterns in the
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 soil that when viewed from orbit look
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 remarkably like giant spider legs etched
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 into the surface perhaps most impressive
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 is the planet's Northern ice cap a
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 structure as large as Texas that
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 features enormous spiral troughs carved
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 by powerful seasonal winds some of these
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 troughs stretch as long as California
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 dwarfing similar features found in
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 Antarctica as the spring thaw begins
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 these channels become super highways for
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 warm wind gusts that gain speed and heat
00:07:04 --> 00:07:05 as they race
00:07:05 --> 00:07:08 downhill these same winds are constantly
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 reshaping Mars's landscape particularly
00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 its sand dunes during winter carbon
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 dioxide Frost locks these Dunes in place
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 but once spring arrives and the frost
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 sublimates they begin their slow
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 migration across the Martian surface
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 it's a seasonal dance that's been
00:07:23 --> 00:07:26 ongoing for eons sculpting and reshaping
00:07:26 --> 00:07:29 the face of our neighboring Planet what
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 makes makes this even more fascinating
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 is that each Martian spring is unique
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 with subtle variations in temperature
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 and timing creating different patterns
00:07:36 --> 00:07:40 of sublimation and surface activity it's
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 a reminder that Mars despite its
00:07:42 --> 00:07:45 apparent desolation is a dynamically
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 changing world with its own distinctive
00:07:48 --> 00:07:49 seasonal
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 Rhythm now let's dive into a topic
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 that's been puzzling scientists for
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 decades dark energy for years the term
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 dark energy has been used to describe
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 the mysterious Force believed to drive
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 the accelerated expansion of our
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 universe it's thought to make up about
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 2/3 of the universe's total mass energy
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 content however Recent research from the
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 University of Canterbury in Christ
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 Church New Zealand challenges this
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 long-standing
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 concept led by Professor David Wiltshire
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 the team analyzed Supernova light curves
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 with enhanced Precision their findings
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 suggest that the universe's expansion
00:08:25 --> 00:08:28 isn't uniform but rather lumpy varying
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 in different regions
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 this challenges the conventional Lambda
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 cold Dark Matter model which relies on
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 dark energy to explain the universe's
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 accelerating expansion the researchers
00:08:39 --> 00:08:42 propose an alternative the time scape
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 model this model considers that gravity
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 affects time causing clocks and regions
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 with different gravitational strengths
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 to tick at varying rates for instance a
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53 clock in The Emptiness of space would
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 run faster than one within a Galaxy
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 these time differences could lead to the
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 perception of an accelerating un
00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 Universe without invoking Dark Energy
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 Professor Wilshire explains our findings
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 show that we do not need dark energy to
00:09:06 --> 00:09:07 explain why the universe appears to
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 expand at an accelerating rate He
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 suggests that what we've been
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 interpreting as dark energy might
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 actually be variations in the kinetic
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 energy of expansion influenced by the
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 universe's lumpy structure this
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 perspective also offers insights into
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 the Hubble tension the discrepancy
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 between the current expansion rate of
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 the universe and predictions based on
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 early universe
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 observations by accounting for regional
00:09:32 --> 00:09:35 variations in expansion the Timescape
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 model could bridge this Gap while these
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 findings are compelling they don't
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 entirely dismiss the existence of dark
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 energy instead they encourage a
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 re-evaluation of our cosmological models
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 and highlight the importance of
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 considering the universe's complex
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 structure in our
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 calculations as we continue to explore
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 these Cosmic Mysteries each Discovery
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 brings us closer to understanding the
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 true nature of our universe
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 it's a thrilling reminder of how much
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 there is yet to learn finally today
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 let's revisit a classic debate what
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 really caused the extinction of the
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 dinosaurs for decades scientists have
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 pondered whether massive volcanic
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 eruptions or a catastrophic meteorite
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 impact led to the dinosaur's
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 demise Recent research from utre
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 University and the University of
00:10:22 --> 00:10:25 Manchester sheds new light on this
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 mystery the study focuses on the decken
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 traps in India where colossal volcanic
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 eruptions occurred around 66 million
00:10:32 --> 00:10:35 years ago these eruptions released vast
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 amounts of sulfur and carbon dioxide
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 potentially altering the global climate
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 by analyzing fossil molecules from
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 ancient pets in the United States
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 scientists reconstructed air
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 temperatures during this period they
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 discovered that a significant volcanic
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 eruption about 30 years before the
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 meteorite impact caused a global cooling
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 of approximately 5° C however
00:10:58 --> 00:11:01 temperature rebounded 20 years
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 before the impact likely due to volcanic
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 CO2
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 emissions this timeline suggests that
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 while these volcanic events had drastic
00:11:09 --> 00:11:12 consequences for life on Earth their
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 climatic effects had dissipated
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 thousands of years before the chick alub
00:11:15 --> 00:11:19 meteorite struck therefore the meteorite
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 impact Remains the primary culprit
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 behind the mass extinction event that
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 wiped out the
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 dinosaurs Lauren o Conor of utre
00:11:26 --> 00:11:29 University notes these Volcan iic
00:11:29 --> 00:11:32 eruptions and Associated CO2 and sulfur
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 releases would have had drastic
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 consequences for life on Earth but these
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 events occurred Millennia before the
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 meteorite impact and probably played
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 only a small part in the extinction of
00:11:42 --> 00:11:45 dinosaurs This research underscores the
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 catastrophic impact of the chielo
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 meteorite which Unleashed wildfires
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 earthquakes tsunamis and an impact
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 winter that blocked sunlight and
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 devastated
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 ecosystems understanding these events
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 helps us piece together Earth's complex
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 history and the factors that have shaped
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 life on our planet it's a fascinating
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 reminder of the dynamic forces at play
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 over geological time
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 scales and that wraps up today's
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 fascinating journey through space from
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 Earth orbiting satellite breakups to
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 spacex's ambitious ride share Mission
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 and the dramatic spring spectacle
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 unfolding on Mars I'm Anna and I hope
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 you've enjoyed this episode of astronomy
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 daily if you're hungry for more space
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 content I've got great news for you head
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00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 space thank you for spending time with
00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 us today exploring the wonders of space
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 until next time keep looking up and stay
00:13:03 --> 00:13:10 curious about our Cosmic neighborhood
00:13:10 --> 00:13:26 [Music]