Source:
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/spacex-s-falcon-9-cleared-europa-clipper-delayed-nuclear-propulsion-advances--62266397
Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S03E173
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your ultimate source for the latest in space and Astronomy news. I'm Anna, your host, and today we have an episode brimming with exciting updates from rocket launches to planetary exploration and cosmic mysteries.
Highlights:
- SpaceX Falcon 9's Return to Flight: The Federal Aviation Administration has authorized SpaceX to resume Falcon 9 flights following a previous malfunction. This clearance is timely for ESA's HERa mission, launching today, October 7, to study the impact of NASA's DaRt spacecraft on asteroid Dimorphos. This marks a significant step in international space collaboration.
- Europa Clipper Mission Delay: NASA's $5 billion Europa Clipper mission faces a delay due to Hurricane Milton. Originally set for October 10, the launch is postponed with a window extending through November 6. Safety concerns have taken precedence, but the mission team is actively working on securing the spacecraft and reassessing launch options.
- Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Advancements: Researchers are developing nuclear thermal propulsion technology that could halve travel time to Mars. By utilizing nuclear fission, this propulsion system promises more efficient space travel, potentially revolutionizing future crewed missions to the red planet.
- BEPI Colombo's Mercury Philip: The Bepicolombo spacecraft's recent flyby of Mercury has provided new insights into the planet's magnetic field and plasma environment. These observations are paving the way for more detailed studies when Bepicolombo enters Mercury's orbit in 2026.
- Origin of Sagittarius A: A new study suggests that the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*, formed from a merger with another black hole around 9 billion years ago. This discovery sheds light on its rapid spin and misalignment with the Milky Way's angular momentum.
- Concerns Over China's Qianfan Satellites: The brightness of China's Qianfan broadband constellation satellites is raising alarms among astronomers, potentially interfering with night sky observations. The astronomical community is calling for immediate action to address this issue as China plans to launch thousands more.
For more space news, visit our website at https://www.spacenutspodcast.com. There, you can sign up for our free Daily newsletter, catch up on all the latest space and Astronomy news with our constantly updating newsfeed, and listen to all our previous episodes.
Don't forget to follow us on social media. Just search for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, and TikTok.
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.
00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 welcome listeners to astronomy daily
00:00:01 --> 00:00:03 your source for the latest space and
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 astronomy news I'm your host Anna and
00:00:06 --> 00:00:07 today we have a packed episode with
00:00:07 --> 00:00:10 exciting updates from across the cosmos
00:00:10 --> 00:00:11 from rocket launches to Planetary
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 Exploration and Cosmic Mysteries we've
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 got it all covered so sit back relax and
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 let's dive into the fascinating world of
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 astronomy in exciting news for space
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 enthusiasts the Federal Aviation
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 Administration has given SpaceX the
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 green light to resume flights of its
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 Falcon 9 rocket this this authorization
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 comes after a period of grounding
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 following a malfunction in the rocket
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 second stage during a previous Mission
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 this authorization comes just in time
00:00:38 --> 00:00:39 for issa's Hera mission to launch on
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 schedule today Monday October 7th this
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 launch is set to carry the European
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 space agency's Hera spacecraft marking a
00:00:47 --> 00:00:48 significant step forward in
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 International Space cooperation Hera is
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 part of a planetary defense Mission
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 designed to study the effects of NASA's
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 Dart spacecraft impact on the asteroid
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 demorphis this return to flight is
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 crucial for Space X as the Falcon 9 is
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 their Workhorse rocket responsible for
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 numerous satellite deployments and cargo
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 missions to the International Space
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 Station the faa's decision demonstrates
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 their confidence in spacex's ability to
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 address and resolve the issues that led
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 to the earlier grounding as we look
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 forward to this launch it's worth noting
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 the resilience and adaptability of the
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 space industry in overcoming challenges
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 and pushing forward with critical
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 missions however it's not all good news
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 from SpaceX and NASA today in space
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 exploration even the best-laid plans can
00:01:33 --> 00:01:34 sometimes be disrupted by forces beyond
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 our control such is the case with NASA's
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 highly anticipated Europa Clipper
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 Mission originally slated for liftoff on
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 October 10th the5 billion Mission has
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 hit an unexpected snag hurricane Milton
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 the powerful storm moving Eastward from
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 the Gulf of Mexico towards Florida's
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 Space Coast has forced NASA and SpaceX
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 to postpone the launch with high winds
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 and heavy rain expected in the Cape
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 Canaveral area safety concerns have
00:01:59 --> 00:02:00 taken precedence
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 while this delay May disappoint eager
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 scientists and space enthusiasts there's
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 no need to worry just yet the mission's
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 launch window extends through November
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 6th providing ample opportunity for a
00:02:11 --> 00:02:12 successful liftoff once the weather
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 clears the Europa Clipper team is now
00:02:15 --> 00:02:16 working diligently to secure the
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 spacecraft and reassess launch options
00:02:19 --> 00:02:20 we'll be keeping a close eye on
00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 developments and hope to bring you news
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 of a new launch date soon in other news
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 today imagine cutting your travel time
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 to Mars in half that's the promise of
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 nuclear thermal propul technology
00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 currently being developed by researchers
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 this Innovative propulsion system
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 harnesses the power of nuclear fishion
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 to potentially revolutionized space
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 travel unlike traditional chemical
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 Rockets nuclear thermal propulsion uses
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 the incredible energy released when
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 atoms are split to heat a propellant
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50 typically hydrogen to extremely high
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 temperatures this superheated propellant
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 is then expelled from the Rockets nozzle
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 generating thrust more efficiently than
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 conventional methods the potential
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 benefits are significant not only could
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 it dramatically reduce travel time to
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 Mars but it could also allow for larger
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 payloads and more flexible Mission
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 planning this technology could be a
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 GameChanger for future crude missions to
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 the red planet NASA and DARPA are
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 working together on this ambitious
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 project with plans to demonstrate a
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 prototype in Space by 2027 it's an
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 exciting development that could bring us
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 one step closer to making long distance
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 space travel more feasible and
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 efficient next up a bey Columbo update
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 exciting news from our Solar System's
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 innermost Planet the beepy Columbo
00:03:33 --> 00:03:34 spacecraft has recently completed
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 another flyby of mercury in the data
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 it's collected is shedding new light on
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 this Mysterious World during its brief
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 30-minute sweep through Mercury's
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 magnetosphere Bey Columbo's instruments
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 captured fascinating details about the
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 planet's magnetic field and the plasma
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 environment surrounding it scientists
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 were able to map out various features of
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 Mercury's magnetic landscape including
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 the shock boundary between the solar
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 wind and the magnetosphere as well as
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 the home horns flanking the plasma sheet
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 one of the most intriguing findings was
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 the detection of a low latitude boundary
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 layer with a wide range of particle
00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 energies something never before seen at
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 Mercury researchers also observed hot
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 ions near the equatorial plane hinting
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 at the possible existence of a ring
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 current a feature well understood on
00:04:19 --> 00:04:22 Earth but still debated for mercury
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 these observations are just a taste of
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 what's to come when Bey Columbo enters
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 Mercury's orbit in 2026 it will be able
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 to conduct even more detailed studies of
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 the planet's complex environment the
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 mission promises to revolutionize our
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 understanding of Mercury's magnetic
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 field its interactions with the solar
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 wind and the connections between the
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 planet's surface and its thin
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 atmosphere next a new Theory that's
00:04:46 --> 00:04:47 bound to get astronomers and space
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 enthusiasts talking in a fascinating new
00:04:50 --> 00:04:51 study researchers have uncovered
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 compelling evidence about the origin of
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 our Galaxy's Central super massive black
00:04:55 --> 00:04:59 hole Sagittarius A star it appears that
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 this CA Behemoth likely formed from a
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 dramatic merger with another black hole
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 approximately 9 billion years ago this
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 groundbreaking research conducted by
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 astrophysicists at the Nevada Center for
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 astrophysics sheds light on some of
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 Sagittarius aar's peculiar
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 characteristics the black hole's rapid
00:05:17 --> 00:05:18 Spin and its misalignment with the Milky
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 Way's angular momentum have long puzzled
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 scientists now these features make sense
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 in the context of a major Cosmic
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 Collision using sophisticated
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 simulations and data from The Event
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 Horizon telescope the team modeled
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 various growth scenarios for Sagittarius
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36 AAR their results strongly suggests that
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 a merger with a black hole about a
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 quarter of its size in a highly inclined
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 orbital configuration could produce the
00:05:42 --> 00:05:46 spin properties we observe today this
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 Cosmic event not only provides evidence
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 for the hierarchical black hole merger
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 Theory but also offers intriguing
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 insights into our Galaxy's Dynamic
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 history it seems this merger may have
00:05:56 --> 00:05:57 occurred around the same time the Milky
00:05:57 --> 00:06:01 Way merged with the gu Enceladus galaxy
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 painting a picture of a turbulent period
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 in our Cosmic neighborhood's
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 past finally today in a concerning
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 development for astronomers worldwide
00:06:11 --> 00:06:12 the first satellites of China's new
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 chanan Broadband constellation have been
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 observed to be significantly brighter
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 than their Western counterparts this
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 unexpected brightness is Raising alarms
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 in the astronomical Community as it
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 could potentially interfere with crucial
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 observations of the night sky a recent
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 study by a group of observational
00:06:29 --> 00:06:30 astronomers found that these chanon
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 satellites also known as thousand Sails
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 are visible to the naked eye when
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 overhead with a brightness ranging from
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 magnitude 4 to 8 this is well above the
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 recommended threshold of magnitude 7 set
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 by professional astronomers to minimize
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 interference with major ground-based
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 observatories unlike some Western
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 satellite systems that have implemented
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 measures to reduce their visibility such
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 as spacex's starlink satellites The
00:06:55 --> 00:06:56 chanan Satellites don't appear to
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 incorporate any brightness mitigation
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 techniques this oversight could have
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 significant implications for both
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 professional and amateur astronomical
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 activities as China plans to launch over
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 14 of these satellites the
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 astronomical Community is urging for
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 immediate action to address this issue
00:07:13 --> 00:07:14 the hope is that by raising awareness
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 early changes can be made to the design
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 of future Chan fan satellites to reduce
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 their impact on our view of the
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 cosmos and that brings us to the end of
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 today's Cosmic Journey I'm Anna your
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 guide through the wonders of space on
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 astronomy da daily if you're hungry for
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 more Stellar content don't forget to
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 swing by our website at astronomy
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 daily. there you can dive into our
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 constantly updating Newsfeed sign up for
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 our free daily newsletter and catch up
00:07:42 --> 00:07:45 on all our previous episodes want to
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 stay connected with us across the Galaxy
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 of social media you can find us as Astro
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 daily pod on Facebook X YouTube and Tik
00:07:51 --> 00:07:54 Tok whether you're a season Stargazer or
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 just starting to look up we've got
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 something for everyone Thanks for tuning
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 in and remember keep looking up because
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 the universe is always putting on a show
00:08:02 --> 00:08:05 until next time this is Anna signing off
00:08:05 --> 00:08:06 from astronomy daily
00:08:06 --> 00:08:26 [Music]