00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Welcome to Astronomy Daily. I'm your
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 host, Anna, bringing you the pulse of
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 our cosmic frontier. Today, we're diving
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 into a constellation of exciting
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 developments that showcase humanity's
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 relentless pursuit of the stars. The
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 space industry never sleeps, and this
00:00:16 --> 00:00:17 week proves it. With a flurry of
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 activity that spans from Earth's
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 atmosphere to the mysterious shores of
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 Titan, we've got a packed episode
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 exploring breakthroughs that could
00:00:26 --> 00:00:27 reshape our understanding of the
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 universe and our place within it. Let's
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 get into it, then. First up today, the
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 Federal Aviation Administration has
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 given SpaceX the green light for its
00:00:37 --> 00:00:39 next Starship launch, providing final
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 approval on May 22nd for what will be
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 the ninth test flight of this massive
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 spacecraft. This comes after a careful
00:00:46 --> 00:00:47 review of the mishaps that occurred
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 during previous launch attempts. For
00:00:50 --> 00:00:51 those who haven't been following
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 Starship's development journey, this
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 approval represents a significant
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 milestone in SpaceX's ambitious program
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 to develop the world's largest and most
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 powerful rocket system. The FAA's
00:01:03 --> 00:01:04 decision indicates they're satisfied
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 with SpaceX's response to the problems
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 encountered during flight 8 back in
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 March. During that previous launch,
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 Starship's upper stage experienced what
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 SpaceX described as an energetic event,
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 a technical way of saying something went
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 dramatically wrong. This event caused
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 the loss of several Raptor engines and
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 ultimately resulted in the vehicle
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 losing control. The spacecraft
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 eventually re-entered Earth's atmosphere
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 over the Caribbean. What's particularly
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 noteworthy is that this failure looked
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 remarkably similar to what happened
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 during flight 7 in January. Despite the
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 ongoing mishap investigation into flight
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 8 not being officially closed, the FAA
00:01:42 --> 00:01:43 determined that SpaceX has
00:01:44 --> 00:01:45 satisfactorily addressed the causes of
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 the mishap and that the vehicle can
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 safely return to flight. This approach
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 mirrors what the agency did for flight
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 8, essentially concluding that the
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 launch does not pose a safety risk to
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 the public. One significant change for
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 flight 9 involves the expansion of
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 aircraft hazard areas or AHAs. These are
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 airspace closures designed to prevent
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 any debris from a launch failure from
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 potentially hitting aircraft. An
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 environmental review concluded that
00:02:11 --> 00:02:12 these safety zones needed to be
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 considerably expanded based on data from
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 the previous launches, which suggested a
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 higher probability of failure than
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 originally estimated. The numbers here
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 are striking. The AHA for flight 9 will
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 extend east from SpaceX's Starbase
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 facility in South Texas for
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 approximately 1 nautical miles.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 That's nearly 3 kilometers past the
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 Straits of Florida, including the
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 Bahamas and Turks and Kyikos
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 Islands. By comparison, the hazard area
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 for Flight 8 extended for just 885
00:02:43 --> 00:02:47 nautical miles, or about 1
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 km. Another factor contributing to these
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 expanded safety measures is SpaceX's
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 plan to use a previously flown
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 Superheavy booster on the upcoming
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 mission. This marks the first time
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 they've attempted to reuse a Superheavy
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 booster, adding another layer of
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 complexity and potential risk to the
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 mission. While SpaceX hasn't announced
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 an official launch date yet, temporary
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 flight restrictions published by the FAA
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 shortly after the approval announcement
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 indicate they're working toward a launch
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 as soon as May 27th. As always with
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 experimental rockets of this scale, that
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 date remains fluid and dependent on both
00:03:22 --> 00:03:23 technical readiness and weather
00:03:24 --> 00:03:25 conditions.
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 The stakes remain incredibly high for
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 Starship. As the vehicle designed to
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 eventually carry humans to the moon as
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 part of NASA's Aremis program and later
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 to Mars, each test flight provides
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 critical data that moves SpaceX closer
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 to achieving these ambitious goals. But
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 the path to creating a fully reusable
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 Superheavy lift launch system has proven
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 challenging with each test revealing new
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 hurdles to overcome.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 And in SpaceX competitor news today,
00:03:54 --> 00:03:55 Blue Origin is making bold strides in
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 the lunar exploration arena with plans
00:03:58 --> 00:03:59 to attempt landing an uncrrewed
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 prototype of its human landing system on
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 the moon's south pole before the end of
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 this year. This ambitious timeline was
00:04:06 --> 00:04:09 revealed by John Kures, Blue Origin's
00:04:09 --> 00:04:10 senior vice president of lunar
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 permanence as the company accelerates
00:04:12 --> 00:04:13 its efforts to become a key player in
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 NASA's Aremis program. Blue Origin's
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 lunar lander is one of two systems being
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 developed in partnership with NASA to
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 support crude landings on the moon.
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 While SpaceX secured the first two
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 flight service contracts for NASA's
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 Aremis 3 and four missions with its
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 Starship variant, Blue Origin system has
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 been selected for the Aremis 5 mission,
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 establishing a competitive dual provider
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 approach to lunar transportation.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 The company's Mark1 lander, which is
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 scheduled for this year's demonstration
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 mission, boasts impressive capabilities.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 It's designed to deliver nearly 3.9 tons
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 of payload to any location on the lunar
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 surface. This capacity significantly
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 outperforms the small robotic landers
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 that NASA is developing under its
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 commercial lunar payload services
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 contracts, which can carry up to about 1
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 ton. At the heart of the Mark1 is the
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 BE7 engine, a sophisticated propulsion
00:05:08 --> 00:05:11 system that runs on liquid oxygen and
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 liquid hydrogen. Assembly of the flight
00:05:13 --> 00:05:16 unit is nearly complete and is expected
00:05:16 --> 00:05:17 to be shipped to Johnson Space Center in
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 Houston within 6 weeks for thermal
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 vacuum chamber testing. After completing
00:05:22 --> 00:05:23 those tests, the engine will be
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 transported to Cape Canaveral for
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 integration with the lander before
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 launching aboard Blue Origin's new Glenn
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 rocket. Beyond testing technologies and
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 operations for future Mark I vehicles,
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 the Mark1 mission will carry scientific
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 payloads for both NASA and commercial
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 customers. One key NASA experiment will
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 measure BE7 plume impingement on the
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 lunar surface, providing valuable data
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 about how rocket exhaust interacts with
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 lunar regalith. Coloris also unveiled an
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 updated design for the systems
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 transporter module, which is a critical
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 component of Blue Origin's lunar
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 architecture. This vehicle is designed
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 to launch separately on a new Glenn
00:06:01 --> 00:06:04 rocket and be refueled in low Earth
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 orbit using excess propellant from the
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 rocket's upper stage. The transporter
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 would then travel to lunar orbit to
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 refuel awaiting Blue Origin lander
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 before a crew arrives via NASA's space
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 launch system and Orion capsule. The
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 transporter's capabilities extend beyond
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 lunar missions with the ability to
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 transport roughly 110 tons from Earth
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 orbit to lunar orbit or up to 33 tons to
00:06:28 --> 00:06:31 Mars orbit. This opens up the solar
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 system, Kuris noted, highlighting the
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 company's vision beyond just moon
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 landings. Blue Origin is also making
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 significant progress in addressing one
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 of the biggest challenges for
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 longduration space missions, propellant
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 storage. A ground demonstration of zero
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 boil-off cryogenic propellant storage is
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 currently underway in Washington state.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 By June, the company expects to
00:06:52 --> 00:06:53 demonstrate consistent storage of
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen as
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 storeable propellants, a technological
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 breakthrough that would be the first of
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 its kind at this scale. This lunar
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 demonstration mission represents a
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 crucial step in Blue Origin's journey to
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 becoming a major player in deep space
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 exploration, creating a competitive
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 landscape that may ultimately benefit
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 NASA's ambitious plans to establish a
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 sustainable human presence on the
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 moon. Next up, let's move on out to
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 Saturn. When it descends through the
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 thick golden haze on Saturn's moon
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 Titan, NASA's Dragonfly roercraft will
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 find itself in a world that is
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 simultaneously alien and strangely
00:07:30 --> 00:07:34 familiar. This car-sized flying vehicle
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 scheduled to launch no earlier than
00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 2028. We'll explore a frigid realm where
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 dunes wrap around the equator, clouds
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 drift across the skies, rain drizzles
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 down, and rivers flow forming canyons,
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 lakes, and seas. But the familiarity
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 ends there. At temperatures of minus292
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 degrees F, Titan's dune sands aren't
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 made of silicate grains like on Earth,
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 but of material. The rivers, lakes, and
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 seas don't contain water, but liquid
00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 methane and ethane. This frigid world is
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 laden with organic molecules, making it
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 a unique laboratory for studying the
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 chemical processes that may have led to
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 life on our planet. What makes
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 Dragonflyy's mission so fascinating is
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 that it isn't looking for life itself on
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 Titan. It's investigating the chemistry
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 that came before biology here on Earth.
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 As Zibby Turtle, principal investigator
00:08:25 --> 00:08:28 for Dragonfly and a planetary scientist
00:08:28 --> 00:08:29 at John's Hopkins Applied Physics
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 Laboratory explains, "On Titan,
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 scientists can explore the chemical
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 processes that may have led to life on
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 Earth without life itself complicating
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 the picture. On our planet, life has
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 reshaped nearly everything, burying its
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 chemical forebears beneath eons of
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 evolution. Even today's simplest
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 microbes rely on complex chemical
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 reactions to exist. The transition from
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 simple to complex chemistry before
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 jumping to biology remains one of
00:08:55 --> 00:08:58 science's greatest mysteries. With many
00:08:58 --> 00:09:01 steps still unknown, Titan offers a
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 unique opportunity to uncover some of
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 these missing pieces. What makes Titan
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 so valuable is that it's an untouched
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 chemical laboratory where all the
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 ingredients for known life, organic
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 molecules, liquid water, and energy
00:09:13 --> 00:09:16 sources have interacted in the past.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 Before NASA's Cassini Hygens mission,
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 researchers didn't fully appreciate just
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 how rich Titan is in organic molecules.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:26 Data revealed a molecular smores board,
00:09:26 --> 00:09:30 ethane, propane, acetylene, acetone,
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 vinyl cyanide, benzene, and many more
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 compounds.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 These molecules fall to Titan's surface,
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 forming thick deposits on the moon's ice
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 bedrock. Scientists believe life related
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 chemistry could begin there,
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 particularly if given some liquid water,
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 such as from an asteroid impact. This is
00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 why Selk Crater, a 50-m wide impact
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 site, is a key destination for
00:09:53 --> 00:09:56 Dragonfly. The impact that formed silk
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 melted the icy bedrock, potentially
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 creating a temporary pool that could
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 have remained liquid for hundreds to
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 thousands of years under an insulating
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 ice layer. If natural antifreeze like
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 ammonia were mixed in, the pool could
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 have stayed unfrozen even longer,
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 blending water with organics and
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 minerals from the impactor to form what
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 scientists describe as a primordial
00:10:17 --> 00:10:20 soup. As Sarah Hurst, an atmospheric
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 chemist and co-investigator on
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 Dragonflyy's science team puts it, "It's
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 essentially a longunning chemical
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 experiment. That's why Titan is
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 exciting. It's a natural version of our
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 origin of life experiments, except it's
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 been running much longer and on a
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 planetary scale. Selk Crater represents
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 what scientists call a natural
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 laboratory, one that may hold crucial
00:10:41 --> 00:10:44 clues to life's origins. When
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 researchers try to understand how life
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 began on Earth, they face a fundamental
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 challenge. Time. For decades, scientists
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 have simulated early Earth conditions in
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 labs, creating prebiotic soup mixtures
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 of water and simple organic compounds,
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 then jumpstarting reactions with
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 electrical shocks to mimic lightning.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 But these experiments typically last
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 weeks, months, or at most a few years.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:09 The melt pools at Selt Crater, however,
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 potentially persisted for tens of
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 thousands of years. While this is still
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 shorter than the hundreds of millions of
00:11:14 --> 00:11:16 years it took for life to emerge on
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 Earth, models suggest it could be
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 sufficient time for critical chemical
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 processes to unfold. As HT explains, we
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 don't know if Earth life took so long
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 because conditions had to stabilize or
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 because the chemistry itself needed
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 time. But models show that if you toss
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 Titan's organics into water, tens of
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 thousands of years is plenty of time for
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 chemistry to happen. This is why
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 Dragonflyy's exploration of silk is so
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 important. Landing near the crater, the
00:11:42 --> 00:11:45 rotorcraft will fly from sight to sight,
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 analyzing the surface chemistry to
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 investigate what could be the frozen
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 remains of prebiotic chemistry in
00:11:50 --> 00:11:53 action. The impact that formed selt
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 created ideal conditions for this
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 chemistry, melting water ice, and
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 potentially mixing it with organic
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 compounds already present on Titan's
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 surface. The Dragonfly mass
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 spectrometer, or DRAMS, will be crucial
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 to this investigation.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 Developed by NASA's Gddard Space Flight
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 Center with a key subsystem from CNS.
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 DRMS will search for indicators of
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 complex chemistry rather than specific
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 molecules. We're not looking for exact
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 molecules, but patterns that suggest
00:12:20 --> 00:12:23 complexity, explains Morgan Cable, a
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 research scientist at NASA's Jet
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 Propulsion Laboratory and
00:12:26 --> 00:12:29 co-investigator on Dragonfly. On Earth,
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 for instance, amino acids, fundamental
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 building blocks of proteins, appear in
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 specific patterns. A world without life
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 would mainly produce the simplest amino
00:12:38 --> 00:12:41 acids and form fewer complex ones. Titan
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 itself isn't considered habitable in the
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 conventional sense. It's far too cold
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 for life's chemistry as we understand it
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 with no liquid water on the surface
00:12:49 --> 00:12:52 where organics and energy sources exist.
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 But this is precisely what makes it
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 valuable for understanding life's
00:12:55 --> 00:12:58 origins. If Dragonfly finds evidence
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 that complex chemistry did unfold in
00:13:00 --> 00:13:03 Salt Craters temporary melt pools, it
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 strengthens the case that life could
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 emerge relatively easily given the right
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 ingredients and conditions. Conversely,
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 if complex chemistry didn't develop
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 despite favorable conditions and ample
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 time, it might suggest that life's
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 emergence requires additional factors we
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 haven't yet identified, potentially
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 making it rarer in the universe than we
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 thought.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:26 Meanwhile, back here on Earth, in a
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 significant shift from traditional space
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 business models, Dawn Aerospace has now
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 begun taking orders for its Aurora space
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 plane, a remarkable vehicle designed to
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 carry small payloads on suborbital
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 flights. This New Zealand-based company
00:13:39 --> 00:13:42 announced on May 22nd that the Aurora is
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 capable of carrying 6 kg of payload to
00:13:45 --> 00:13:48 an altitude of 100 km with first
00:13:48 --> 00:13:51 deliveries projected for 2027.
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 What makes Dawn's approach particularly
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 innovative is their business model.
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 Rather than operating the vehicles
00:13:56 --> 00:13:58 themselves and selling launch services
00:13:58 --> 00:14:01 as most space companies do, Dawn
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 Aerospace is selling the actual space
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 planes to customers who will then
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 operate them independently. This mirrors
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 the commercial aviation industry where
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 Boeing and Airbus don't fly passengers.
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 They sell aircraft to airlines who
00:14:14 --> 00:14:17 handle operations. As Stephan Powell,
00:14:17 --> 00:14:19 Dawn Aerospace's chief executive,
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21 explained during a recent webinar
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 organized by the Global Spaceport
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 Alliance, there are many out there who
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 would love to have this capability and
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 be willing to pay for it, but they
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 simply can't get their hands on it. It's
00:14:31 --> 00:14:34 not for sale. He contrasted this with
00:14:34 --> 00:14:36 commercial aviation's approach, noting
00:14:36 --> 00:14:38 that the airline model presents us with
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 a far more scalable model for
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 transportation and one that we would
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 really like to draw on. The Aurora
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 itself has been in testing for several
00:14:46 --> 00:14:49 years with its MK2 version reaching
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 supersonic speeds for the first time
00:14:50 --> 00:14:54 last November, achieving Mach 1.12 and
00:14:54 --> 00:14:57 reaching an altitude of 25.1 km. But
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59 what's particularly noteworthy about
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 this vehicle is its fundamental design
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 philosophy. This is an aircraft with the
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 performance of a rocket, not a rocket
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 with wings, Powell emphasized. That is
00:15:08 --> 00:15:11 to say, reliability, reusability, and
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 ultimately scalability are not
00:15:13 --> 00:15:15 afterthoughts, but baked in from day one
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 to enable this airline model. The
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 upcoming suborbital version of Aurora
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 will feature increased propellant
00:15:21 --> 00:15:23 capacity and engine thrust, plus
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 reaction control system thrusters for
00:15:25 --> 00:15:28 maneuverability outside the atmosphere.
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 Remarkably, these enhancements will be
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 incorporated within the same external
00:15:32 --> 00:15:35 dimensions as the previous version,
00:15:35 --> 00:15:38 maintaining its sleek aircraft-like
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 profile. Dawn Aerospace expects the
00:15:40 --> 00:15:42 first suborbital Aurora to be ready for
00:15:42 --> 00:15:45 flight testing within 18 months with a
00:15:45 --> 00:15:47 test program lasting approximately 6 to9
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 months. These flights will begin at
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 lower altitudes, but rapidly progress to
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 higher ones, demonstrating the vehicle's
00:15:53 --> 00:15:55 full capabilities before customer
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 deliveries begin. Looking at Aurora's
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 capabilities in more detail, the space
00:16:00 --> 00:16:02 plane offers an impressive flight
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 profile. On a typical suborbital
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 mission, Aurora will take off from a
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 conventional runway and immediately
00:16:08 --> 00:16:11 begin a steep vertical ascent. It will
00:16:11 --> 00:16:14 reach speeds of Mach 3.5, more than
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 three times the speed of sound, and
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 provide approximately 3 minutes of true
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 microgravity at the peak of its
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 trajectory. The entire flight from
00:16:22 --> 00:16:25 takeoff to landing takes just 1 half an
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 hour with most of that time spent
00:16:27 --> 00:16:30 gliding back to a runway landing after
00:16:30 --> 00:16:32 re-entry. Powering this remarkable
00:16:32 --> 00:16:35 vehicle is an engine using 90% hydrogen
00:16:35 --> 00:16:38 peroxide and kerosene D60 propellants.
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 When fully loaded, the Aurora weighs
00:16:40 --> 00:16:44 just 450 kg and requires only a 1
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 meter runway for takeoff, making it
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 accessible to numerous existing airports
00:16:48 --> 00:16:51 and spaceports worldwide.
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 One of Aurora's most compelling features
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 is its rapid
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 reusability. Dawn has already
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 demonstrated the ability to prepare the
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 vehicle for another flight within 6
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 hours. And Powell confidently stated
00:17:02 --> 00:17:05 that a 4-hour turnaround time should be
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 achievable. That would make the first
00:17:07 --> 00:17:10 aircraft ever, the first vehicle of any
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 kind actually, to fly above the Carman
00:17:12 --> 00:17:15 line twice in one day, he noted. On the
00:17:15 --> 00:17:18 business side, Dawn Aerospace is now
00:17:18 --> 00:17:20 taking orders for Aurora with deliveries
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 starting in
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 2027. While the company hasn't publicly
00:17:24 --> 00:17:26 disclosed pricing, Powell suggested that
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 a perflight operational cost of around
00:17:28 --> 00:17:32 $100 is absolutely tenable with
00:17:32 --> 00:17:34 prices potentially higher for more
00:17:34 --> 00:17:37 customized mission profiles. Each Aurora
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 is designed for up to 1 flights over
00:17:39 --> 00:17:42 its lifetime with potential revenue per
00:17:42 --> 00:17:44 vehicle reaching approximately $100
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 million. The market interest is already
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 evident. Dawn has secured several
00:17:49 --> 00:17:51 customers for test flights of the Mark 2
00:17:51 --> 00:17:54 Aurora, including three prestigious
00:17:54 --> 00:17:57 universities, Arizona State, Calpaly,
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 and John's Hopkins, as well as Scout
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 Space, a company developing space domain
00:18:01 --> 00:18:04 awareness services. Powell believes
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 there's substantial demand for
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 suborbital flight even with Aurora's
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 modest payload capacity, particularly in
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 fields like microgravity life sciences
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 research, semiconductor development, and
00:18:14 --> 00:18:17 defense payload testing. This innovative
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 approach has been enthusiastically
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 welcomed by the Global Spaceport
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 Alliance whose chairman George Neil
00:18:22 --> 00:18:25 pointed out with a small reusable system
00:18:25 --> 00:18:27 that can operate from a standard runway.
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 There's no reason why any spaceport with
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 a runway couldn't provide regular access
00:18:31 --> 00:18:34 to space. For numerous underutilized
00:18:34 --> 00:18:37 spaceports worldwide, Aurora could be
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 the catalyst that finally brings their
00:18:39 --> 00:18:43 facilities into regular operational use.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 Finally, today, an innovation worth
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 noting. Multime messenger astronomy
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 represents one of the most exciting
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51 frontiers in our understanding of the
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 cosmos. It's the science of capturing
00:18:53 --> 00:18:55 different types of signals, both
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 gravitational and electromagnetic, from
00:18:57 --> 00:19:00 the same cosmic event. But to fully
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 realize this potential, we need eyes
00:19:02 --> 00:19:05 constantly watching the entire sky.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 This is where the high energy rapid
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 modular ensemble of satellites
00:19:09 --> 00:19:12 pathfinder mission or Hermes PF comes
00:19:12 --> 00:19:15 into play. Successfully launched in
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 March and currently undergoing
00:19:16 --> 00:19:19 commissioning, Hermes PF aims to solve a
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 fundamental challenge in multimest
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 astronomy. When catastrophic cosmic
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 events occur like black hole mergers or
00:19:25 --> 00:19:27 neutron star collisions, gravitational
00:19:27 --> 00:19:29 wave detectors can sense these
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 disturbances in spaceime, but they
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 struggle to pinpoint exactly where the
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 signal originated.
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 The Hermes PF solution is elegantly
00:19:37 --> 00:19:40 simple yet technologically
00:19:40 --> 00:19:43 sophisticated. Deploy six small three U
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 cubats that work together to monitor the
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 entire sky for high energy bursts. When
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50 a cosmic event releases a burst of gamma
00:19:50 --> 00:19:53 rays or other high energy radiation,
00:19:53 --> 00:19:55 multiple satellites in the constellation
00:19:55 --> 00:19:57 detect it. By triangulating these
00:19:57 --> 00:20:00 signals with precise timing data, the
00:20:00 --> 00:20:03 system can identify the source location
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 to within one degree of accuracy, a
00:20:05 --> 00:20:07 remarkable feat that dramatically
00:20:07 --> 00:20:10 narrows the search area for astronomers.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:13 Each cubat in the Hermes PF system
00:20:13 --> 00:20:16 carries 60 GAD GC cintilator crystals
00:20:16 --> 00:20:19 and 12 silicon drift detectors, allowing
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 them to capture a wide spectrum of
00:20:20 --> 00:20:23 energy signatures with exceptional
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 temporal resolution.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 What's particularly clever about this
00:20:26 --> 00:20:28 approach is that the satellites
00:20:28 --> 00:20:30 primarily use commercial off-the-shelf
00:20:30 --> 00:20:32 components rather than expensive
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 radiation hardened parts, making the
00:20:34 --> 00:20:37 entire system more cost effective. The
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 technology isn't entirely untested
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 either. A similar sensor system has been
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 operating on another mission called
00:20:43 --> 00:20:46 Spirit since 2023, though it has faced
00:20:46 --> 00:20:48 some challenges with cooling systems and
00:20:48 --> 00:20:51 data downlink capabilities. The full six
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53 satellite Hermes PF constellation aims
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 to overcome these limitations and
00:20:55 --> 00:20:57 provide truly comprehensive sky
00:20:57 --> 00:21:00 coverage. This capability will become
00:21:00 --> 00:21:02 increasingly crucial as next generation
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 gravitational wave detectors like the
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 Einstein telescope come online in the
00:21:05 --> 00:21:08 coming years. These advanced detectors
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 are expected to identify up to 100
00:21:10 --> 00:21:13 gravitational wave events annually, 10
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 times more than current systems can
00:21:14 --> 00:21:17 detect. Without something like Hermes PF
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 watching for the electromagnetic
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 counterparts to these events, we'd be
00:21:20 --> 00:21:23 missing half the picture. Imagine trying
00:21:23 --> 00:21:25 to understand a thunderstorm by only
00:21:25 --> 00:21:27 feeling the vibrations of thunder, but
00:21:27 --> 00:21:29 never seeing the lightning. Multi-
00:21:29 --> 00:21:31 messenger astronomy allows us to both
00:21:31 --> 00:21:34 see and feel cosmic catastrophes, giving
00:21:34 --> 00:21:36 us complimentary data that reveals the
00:21:36 --> 00:21:38 underlying physics in unprecedented
00:21:38 --> 00:21:42 detail. The Hermes PF mission stands to
00:21:42 --> 00:21:44 transform our understanding of these
00:21:44 --> 00:21:47 extreme events by ensuring we never miss
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 the flash of cosmic lightning that
00:21:49 --> 00:21:52 accompanies the thunder of gravitational
00:21:53 --> 00:21:55 waves. As we've explored today, we're
00:21:55 --> 00:21:57 witnessing a remarkable convergence of
00:21:57 --> 00:21:59 space technologies that are opening new
00:21:59 --> 00:22:02 windows into our universe. From SpaceX's
00:22:02 --> 00:22:04 persistent refinement of Starship
00:22:04 --> 00:22:06 despite setbacks to Blue Origin's bold
00:22:06 --> 00:22:08 lunar ambitions, these commercial
00:22:08 --> 00:22:11 endeavors are reshaping how we access
00:22:11 --> 00:22:13 space. Both companies are crucial
00:22:13 --> 00:22:15 partners in NASA's Aremis program,
00:22:15 --> 00:22:17 working toward returning humans to the
00:22:17 --> 00:22:19 lunar surface with capabilities far
00:22:19 --> 00:22:21 beyond what was possible during the
00:22:21 --> 00:22:24 Apollo era. Meanwhile, scientific
00:22:24 --> 00:22:26 missions like Dragonfly represent some
00:22:26 --> 00:22:28 of the most ambitious exploration we've
00:22:28 --> 00:22:31 ever attempted. By sending a rocraft to
00:22:31 --> 00:22:33 explore Saturn's moon Titan, we're not
00:22:33 --> 00:22:35 just visiting another world. We're
00:22:35 --> 00:22:37 potentially unlocking the chemical
00:22:37 --> 00:22:40 history that preceded life on Earth.
00:22:40 --> 00:22:42 Dawn Aerospace's Aurora Space Plane
00:22:42 --> 00:22:44 demonstrates yet another innovation in
00:22:44 --> 00:22:46 our approach to space access. By selling
00:22:46 --> 00:22:48 spacecraft rather than just launch
00:22:48 --> 00:22:51 services, they're democratizing access
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 to suborbital space in a way that
00:22:52 --> 00:22:54 mirrors how commercial aviation
00:22:54 --> 00:22:56 revolutionized Earthbound travel last
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 century.
00:22:57 --> 00:22:59 Perhaps most exciting is how the Hermes
00:22:59 --> 00:23:01 PF mission connects to everything else
00:23:01 --> 00:23:04 we've discussed. As these cubats monitor
00:23:04 --> 00:23:07 the sky for high energy events, they'll
00:23:07 --> 00:23:09 complement gravitational wave detectors,
00:23:09 --> 00:23:11 creating a more complete picture of
00:23:11 --> 00:23:14 cosmic catastrophes. Collectively, these
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 advancements aren't just isolated
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 technological achievements. They
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 represent humanity extending its senses
00:23:19 --> 00:23:22 further into the cosmos. We're building
00:23:22 --> 00:23:24 tools that may answer some of our most
00:23:24 --> 00:23:27 profound questions. How did life begin?
00:23:27 --> 00:23:29 Are we alone? What fundamental forces
00:23:29 --> 00:23:32 shape our universe? Thank you for
00:23:32 --> 00:23:34 joining me on Astronomy Daily. I'll be
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 back tomorrow for yet another episode
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 where we'll take a look at more
00:23:37 --> 00:23:40 innovations. Until then, keep looking
00:23:40 --> 00:23:42 up. The sky is full of wonders waiting
00:23:42 --> 00:23:56 to be discovered. I'm Anna signing off.
00:23:56 --> 00:23:59 The stories
00:23:59 --> 00:24:03 [Music]
00:24:03 --> 00:24:07 told stories