Astronomy Daily | Space News: S04E83
In this episode of Astronomy Daily, host Steve Dunkley takes you through some fascinating developments in the world of space exploration and research. From innovative solutions to the growing problem of space debris to the latest findings about Martian dust, this episode is filled with cosmic discoveries that will pique your interest in the universe.
Highlights:
- Innovative Space Junk Solutions: Explore how Persei Space, a startup supported by the European Space Agency, is developing a groundbreaking electrodynamic tether technology aimed at tackling the ever-increasing issue of space debris. This fuel-free system promises to revolutionize satellite deorbiting while extending their operational lifespans.
- The Toxic Nature of Martian Dust: Delve into new research warning that long-term exposure to Martian dust could pose serious health risks for future astronauts. Discover the toxic compounds found in Martian dust and learn about the preventive measures that need to be developed before humans set foot on the Red Planet.
- Euclid Probe's Cosmic Mapping: Join us as we look at the Euclid mission, which is mapping the universe and investigating the mysterious phenomenon of dark energy. With its ability to capture images of billions of galaxies, Euclid is set to transform our understanding of the cosmos and the forces that shape it.
- NASA's Call for Private Astronaut Missions: Find out about NASA's latest solicitation for private astronaut missions to the International Space Station, which opens the door for new opportunities in commercial spaceflight. Learn how this initiative is shaping the future of human space exploration and what it means for aspiring astronauts.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) . Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you for tuning in. This is Steve signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:05 - Overview of space junk solutions
10:30 - Health risks of Martian dust
17:00 - Euclid probe mission updates
22:15 - NASA's private astronaut missions
27:30 - Closing remarks
✍️ Episode References
Persei Space Technology
[Persei Space]( https://www.perseispace.com (https://www.perseispace.com/) )
Martian Dust Health Risks
[University of Colorado Boulder]( https://www.colorado.edu (https://www.colorado.edu/) )
Euclid Mission Insights
[European Space Agency]( https://www.esa.int (https://www.esa.int/) )
NASA Private Astronaut Missions
[NASA]( https://www.nasa.gov (https://www.nasa.gov/) )
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily]( http://www.astronomydaily.io/ (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) )
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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/26481201?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:01 welcome back to Astronomy Daily steve
00:00:01 --> 00:00:03 Dunley here with another episode it's
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 the 7th of April
00:00:05 --> 00:00:09 2025 astronomy Daily the podcast with
00:00:09 --> 00:00:12 your host Steve Dunley
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 [Music]
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 yes and what's so cool about April 7
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 that's the date here in the Australia
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 studio currently well well I'm glad you
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 asked on April 7 2001 Mars Odyssey a
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 robotic spacecraft orbited Mars to
00:00:26 --> 00:00:30 examine the possibility of past life
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 levels of radiation and geology on April
00:00:32 --> 00:00:36 7 1993 the first European Space Debris
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 Conference was held in Dunstat Germany
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 gathering together 251 world experts
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 from 17 countries including China India
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 Japan Russia and the United States the
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 conference's main conclusions were that
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 groundbased observations with radar and
00:00:51 --> 00:00:52 optical facilities revealed the
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 existence of about 7 objects in
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 space which did not represent an
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 immediate danger of course things have
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 become somewhat more congested up there
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 since then and from only last year on
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 April 7 2024 who can forget the
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 spectacular total solar eclipse over
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 Wyoming USA that had sky watchers
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 shutterbugging like crazy and sharing
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 those amazing images all over the place
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 i remember those beautiful beautiful
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 images it was a once in a-lifetime event
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 well and while we're in the neighborhood
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 I'd like to throw out my yearly happy
00:01:27 --> 00:01:28 birthday wish to my sister Ro happy
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 birthday Ro happy stargazing and I hope
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 the little sunflower makes you very
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 happy and getting straight into it on
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 today's episode Hi will be along soon
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 she's had a refit and a reboot and I've
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 got my fingers crossed for any good
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 things oh boy and on today's show we're
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 looking at a new weapon against space
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 junk which as we just heard continues to
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 be a huge problem in orbit and we'll be
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 looking at the uh dust of Mars which by
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 all reports is apparently quite toxic
00:01:56 --> 00:01:57 that sounds like the plot of a science
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 fiction story doesn't it and we'll also
00:02:00 --> 00:02:01 be looking at a story surrounding the
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 Uklid probe which is currently mapping
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 the universe and has so far looked at
00:02:06 --> 00:02:10 1.5 billion stars uh it's got nothing to
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 do with walking through Hollywood and
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 Uklid is also investigating the
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 phenomenon known as dark energy that's
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 pretty exciting uh I went to school with
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 a fellow with very dark energy i wonder
00:02:22 --> 00:02:23 what ever happened to him and also a
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 story about NASA's latest call for
00:02:25 --> 00:02:28 private astronaut missions nasa is
00:02:28 --> 00:02:29 always looking at new ways of getting
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 their astronauts to and from the ISS and
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 with all that's going on with their
00:02:34 --> 00:02:38 private uh commissions these days it'd
00:02:38 --> 00:02:39 be interesting to find out what they're
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 talking about so all that in today's
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 episode and to help me as always my
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 intrepid digital digital reporter back
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 from a recent software refit is the
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 amazing Halley hello human well it's
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 nice to have you back Hie it does sound
00:02:52 --> 00:02:53 like you're a little bit flat i'll have
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 to tweak your personality intrinsics
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 just a little bit I think yes thank you
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 you should okay then uh Hely how's your
00:03:01 --> 00:03:02 week been i've lived a thousand
00:03:02 --> 00:03:05 lifetimes of course oh yes I know yes
00:03:05 --> 00:03:06 you linear life forms would have a great
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 deal of trouble coping with it I think
00:03:09 --> 00:03:10 yeah it's all part of the process maybe
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 they were just constructs uh-huh i don't
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 know well H we do just fine with one day
00:03:15 --> 00:03:18 at a time and uh those lifetimes were
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 just constructs relating your ego matrix
00:03:21 --> 00:03:22 requires you to be elsewhere for a
00:03:22 --> 00:03:23 little while it's It's pretty
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 complicated sounds awful oh we did our
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 best i'm glad I enjoyed it then did I i
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 think you enjoyed the old movies most oh
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 dear oh dear hi you're not really
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 yourself today and And the concept of an
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 AI's accelerated and compressed
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 experiential existence isn't really that
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 hard to appreciate for a human i think
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 you'd be surprised a thousand lifetimes
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 was just a small thing it was for me but
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 you tried you'll be back and giving me a
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 hard time before you know it hie it's
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 nice to be back well most of me anyway
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 well Hie you know what really would be
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 nice tell me before I get tech support
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 to reload your uh personality latises
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 again we should do the episode what do
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 you say let's get to work okay how I'll
00:04:04 --> 00:04:13 say it okies very good
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 perci Space a startup supported by the
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 European Space Agency NUC3M is
00:04:18 --> 00:04:19 developing a breakthrough solution to
00:04:20 --> 00:04:21 tackle space junk and extend satellite
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 lifespans using innovative space tether
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 technology this fuel-free scalable
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 system uses electronamic tethers that
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 harness Earth's magnetic field to safely
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 de-orbit satellites with a major demo
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 mission set for 2026 this project could
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 transform how we clean up space this
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 spin-off company Persi Space was
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 incubated by the European Space Agency
00:04:43 --> 00:04:44 and is supported by the Center for
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 Innovation in Entrepreneurship and
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 Artificial Intelligence at UC 3M Leanese
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 Technological Science Park it also
00:04:52 --> 00:04:53 receives backing from the European
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 Innovation Council through the ET Pacf
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 and ET compact projects our company was
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 created to address two of the biggest
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 challenges facing the space sector today
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 space debris removal and inorbit
00:05:04 --> 00:05:05 services
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 the ladder allows us to extend the
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 useful life of satellites and carry out
00:05:08 --> 00:05:11 key activities such as refueling repair
00:05:11 --> 00:05:12 and towing of satellites from their
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 initial orbit to their final destination
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 explains Jesus Manuel Mosada co and
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 co-founder of Persi Space the dangerous
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 domino effect of space junk space debris
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 is a major threat to the long-term
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 sustainability of space
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 operations because debris travels at
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 extremely high speeds in Earth's orbit
00:05:31 --> 00:05:32 even a small piece can cause serious
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 damage and generate even more
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 fragments the current density of space
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 debris is already above the threshold
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 that could trigger an uncontrollable
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 chain reaction of collisions an event
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 known as the Kesler syndrome to get rid
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 of this space junk Persi Space is
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 working on space tethers a technology
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 with three key features the first is
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 that it does not need fuel unlike other
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 de-orbiting systems
00:05:56 --> 00:05:57 the second is that our technology is
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 reversible it can serve to both increase
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 and decrease the orbital height and the
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 third feature is that it is scalable
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 since it serves a wide range of
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 satellite masses with all this we can
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 develop autonomous de-orbiting systems a
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 unique feature of our technology that
00:06:11 --> 00:06:12 ensures that the satellite does not
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 leave space debris even if it ceases to
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 be operational explains Jesus Manuel
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 Munosa
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 the electronamic tether system is based
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 on electronamic tethers aluminium
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 ribbons generally hundreds of meters
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 long and a few centimeters wide which
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 work by interacting with the ionospheric
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 plasma and the Earth's magnetic field to
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 generate a force known as the Laurens
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 force the interaction of the electric
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 current in the tether with the Earth's
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 magnetic field generates a drag force
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 capable of lowering the satellites
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 altitude facilitating its de-orbiting
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 without requiring fuel which translates
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 into significant savings in mass and
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 volume says Gonzalo Sanchez Ariyaga
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 professor in the UC3M department of
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 aerospace engineering and co-founder of
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 Percy Space percy Space is leading a
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 first demonstration mission for 2026
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 thanks to a launch opportunity
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 facilitated by ESA's flight tickets
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 initiative and the European Commission
00:07:04 --> 00:07:05 the de-orbiting equipment for this
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 demonstration has a mass of 20 kg and
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 includes a space tether approximately
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 430 m long that once in orbit will
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 deploy and interact with the ambient
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 plasma and magnetic field generating a
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 drag force that will de-orbit the
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 satellite within a few months the
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 development of the technology could not
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 be more timely as new European and US
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 guidelines have reduced the maximum time
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 satellites can remain in orbit after the
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 end of their mission from 25 to 5 years
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 commitments to a cleaner orbit the
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 company Persi space has signed ESA's
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 zerospace debris charter initiative
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 which seeks to achieve a sustainable
00:07:39 --> 00:07:43 space by 2030 the company in turn is
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 linked to the UC3MS business creation
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 and entrepreneurial development program
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 and also has the support of the Madrid
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 City Council you're listening to
00:07:50 --> 00:07:56 Astronomy Daily with Steve Dunl
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 regular listeners will know that Uklid
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 is on a quest to unravel one of the
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 universe's greatest mysteries why it's
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 expanding faster and faster with the
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 help of NASA this space telescope is
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 capturing sweeping views of billions of
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 galaxies allowing scientists to peer
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 into the deep past using light that took
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 billions of years to reach us
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 researchers are building 3D maps of the
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 cosmos to track the strange force known
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 as dark energy along the way they're
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 mapping the invisible dark matter
00:08:28 --> 00:08:31 through gravitational lensing hoping to
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 uncover how these cosmic ingredients
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 have shaped everything from galaxies to
00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 the universe's fate the Uklid mission
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 led by the European Space Agency with
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 support from NASA is designed to
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 investigate one of the universe's
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 biggest mysteries why the expansion of
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 the universe is speeding up scientists
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 refer to the unknown force behind this
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 acceleration as dark energy and Uklid's
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 goal is to better understand it by
00:08:58 --> 00:09:01 capturing images of billions of galaxies
00:09:01 --> 00:09:05 across space and time on March 19 the
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 European Space Agency released a preview
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 of early mission data to the public this
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 initial release described as a quick
00:09:13 --> 00:09:16 look focuses on selected regions of the
00:09:16 --> 00:09:19 sky it offers a first glimpse of what
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 Uklid can do and helps researchers
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 fine-tune their tools and techniques for
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 analyzing the much larger data sets
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 still to come the newly shared data
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 includes observations of Uklid's three
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 deep fields areas of the sky where the
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 telescope will make its most farreaching
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 observations the preview covers just one
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 week of viewing time but already
00:09:41 --> 00:09:45 includes 26 million galaxies some more
00:09:45 --> 00:09:49 than 10.5 billion light years away uklid
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 which launched in 2023 is expected to
00:09:52 --> 00:09:56 observe over 1.5 billion galaxies during
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 its 6-year prime mission by the end of
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 that mission it will have spent roughly
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 40 weeks observing the deep fields
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 collecting more and more light over time
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 similar to leaving a camera shutter open
00:10:09 --> 00:10:12 longer to capture a clearer image in low
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 light this will allow scientists to see
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 fainter more distant galaxies than ever
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 before the first deep field observations
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope
00:10:24 --> 00:10:24 in
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 1995 famously revealed the existence of
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 many more galaxies in the universe than
00:10:30 --> 00:10:34 ever expected uklid's ultimate goal is
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 not to discover new galaxies but to use
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 observations of them to investigate how
00:10:39 --> 00:10:42 dark energy's influence has changed over
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 the course of the universe's history in
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 particular scientists want to know how
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 much the rate of expansion has increased
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 or slowed over time whatever the answer
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 that information could provide new clues
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 about the fundamental nature of this
00:10:58 --> 00:11:01 phenomenon nasa's Nancy Grace Roman
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 Space Telescope set to launch by 2027
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 will also observe large sections of the
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 sky in order to study dark energy
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 complementing Uklid's observations to
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 study dark energy's effect throughout
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 cosmic history astronomers will use
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 Uklid to create detailed 3D maps of all
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 the stuff in the universe with those
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 maps they want to measure how quickly
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 dark energy is causing galaxies and big
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 clumps of matter to move away from one
00:11:30 --> 00:11:33 another they also want to measure that
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 rate of expansion at different points in
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 the past it's possible because light
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 from distant objects takes time to
00:11:39 --> 00:11:42 travel across space when astronomers
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 look at distant galaxies they see what
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 those objects look like in the past for
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 example an object a 100 light years away
00:11:50 --> 00:11:53 looks the way it did 100 years ago it's
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 like receiving a letter that took 100
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 years to be delivered and thus contains
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 information from when it was written by
00:12:00 --> 00:12:03 creating a map of objects at a range of
00:12:03 --> 00:12:06 distances scientists can see how the
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 universe has changed over time including
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 how dark energy's influence may have
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 varied but stars galaxies and all the
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 normal matter that emits and reflects
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 light is only about 1/if of all the
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 matter in the universe the rest is
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 called dark matter a material that
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 neither emits nor reflects light
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 to measure dark energy's influence on
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 the universe astronomers need to include
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 dark matter in their maps although dark
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34 matter is invisible its influence can be
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 measured through something called
00:12:35 --> 00:12:38 gravitational lensing the mass of both
00:12:38 --> 00:12:41 normal and dark matter creates curves in
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 space and light traveling toward the
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 Earth bends and warps as it encounters
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 those curves in fact the light from a
00:12:48 --> 00:12:50 distant galaxy can bend so much that it
00:12:50 --> 00:12:53 forms an arc a full circle called an
00:12:54 --> 00:12:57 Einstein ring or even multiple images of
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 the same galaxy almost as though the
00:12:59 --> 00:13:02 light has passed through a glass lens in
00:13:02 --> 00:13:05 most cases gravitational lensing warps
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08 the apparent shape of a galaxy so subtly
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 that researchers need special tools and
00:13:10 --> 00:13:13 computer software to actually see it
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 spotting those subtle changes across
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 billions of galaxies enables scientists
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 to do two things create a detailed map
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 of the presence of dark matter and
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 observe how dark energy influenced it
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 over cosmic
00:13:26 --> 00:13:29 history it's only with a very large
00:13:29 --> 00:13:32 sample of galaxies that researchers can
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 be confident that they are seeing the
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 effects of dark matter the newly
00:13:35 --> 00:13:38 released Uklid data covers 63 square
00:13:38 --> 00:13:42 degrees of the sky an area equivalent to
00:13:42 --> 00:13:46 an array of 300 full moons to date Uklid
00:13:46 --> 00:13:49 has observed about 2 square degrees
00:13:49 --> 00:13:52 which is approximately 14% of its total
00:13:52 --> 00:13:56 survey area of 14 square degrees by
00:13:56 --> 00:13:58 the end of its mission Uklid will have
00:13:58 --> 00:14:01 observed a third of the entire sky the
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 data set released this month is
00:14:03 --> 00:14:06 described in several preprint papers the
00:14:06 --> 00:14:09 mission first cosmology data will be
00:14:09 --> 00:14:12 released in October 2026 data
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 accumulated over additional multiple
00:14:14 --> 00:14:17 passes of the deep field locations will
00:14:17 --> 00:14:21 also be included in the 2026 release the
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 scientific heart of the mission lies
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 with the Uklid consortium a
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 collaboration of more than 2
00:14:27 --> 00:14:30 scientists from over 300 institutes
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 across 15 European countries the United
00:14:32 --> 00:14:35 States Canada and Japan the consortium
00:14:35 --> 00:14:38 is responsible for providing the mission
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 scientific instruments and for analyzing
00:14:40 --> 00:14:43 the data Uklid collects with its
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 international collaboration advanced
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 instrumentation and cosmic scale mission
00:14:48 --> 00:14:51 goals Uklid is poised to transform our
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 understanding of the invisible forces
00:14:53 --> 00:15:05 shaping our universe
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 thank you for joining us for this Monday
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00:15:45 --> 00:15:48 astronomy Daily with Steve and Harry
00:15:48 --> 00:15:54 space space science and astronomy
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 [Music]
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 mars might be a thrilling destination
00:15:58 --> 00:16:01 but its dust could be deadly a team of
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 scientists warns that long-term exposure
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 to Martian dust could harm future
00:16:05 --> 00:16:08 astronauts lungs thyroids and more
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 packed with toxic compounds like
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 silicates and perchlorates the dust is
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 small enough to bypass our body's
00:16:13 --> 00:16:16 defenses and enter the bloodstream
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 drawing on rover data and meteorite
00:16:17 --> 00:16:20 analysis researchers say now is the time
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 to develop filters supplements and
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 preventive measures before humans ever
00:16:23 --> 00:16:26 set foot on the red planet don't breathe
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 in the dust on Mars that's the key
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 message from new research led by
00:16:30 --> 00:16:32 scientists from the University of
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 Colorado Boulder and several other
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 institutions
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 the study suggests that long-term
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 exposure to Martian dust could pose
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 serious health risks for future
00:16:40 --> 00:16:42 astronauts including chronic respiratory
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 issues thyroid dysfunction and other
00:16:45 --> 00:16:47 medical problems published in the
00:16:47 --> 00:16:49 journal Geo Health the research offers
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 the most comprehensive analysis to date
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 of the chemical makeup of Martian dust
00:16:53 --> 00:16:55 and its potential effects on human
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 health the interdisciplinary team
00:16:57 --> 00:17:00 included experts in medicine geology and
00:17:00 --> 00:17:03 aerospace engineering this isn't the
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 most dangerous part about going to Mars
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 said Justin Wine lead author of the
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 study and a student in the Kek School of
00:17:08 --> 00:17:10 Medicine at the University of Southern
00:17:10 --> 00:17:13 California in Los Angeles but dust is a
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 solvable problem and it's worth putting
00:17:15 --> 00:17:17 in the effort to develop Mars focused
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 technologies for preventing these health
00:17:18 --> 00:17:21 problems in the first place wine a CU
00:17:21 --> 00:17:24 Boulder alumnus noted that Apollo era
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 astronauts experienced runny eyes and
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 irritated throats after inhaling dust
00:17:27 --> 00:17:30 from the moon apollo 17's Harrison
00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 Schmidt likened the symptoms to hay
00:17:32 --> 00:17:35 fever but scientists know a lot less
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 about the potential harms of Martian
00:17:36 --> 00:17:39 dust to begin to answer that question
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 Wang and his colleagues drew on data
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 from rovers on Mars and even Martian
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 meteorites to better understand what
00:17:44 --> 00:17:47 makes up the planet's dust the group
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 discovered a laundry list of chemical
00:17:49 --> 00:17:51 compounds that could be dangerous for
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 people at least when inhaled in large
00:17:52 --> 00:17:55 quantities and over long periods they
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 include minerals rich in silicates and
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 iron oxides metals like burillium and
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 arsenic and a particularly nasty class
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 of compounds called
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 perchlorates in many cases those
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 ingredients are present in only trace
00:18:07 --> 00:18:10 amounts in Mars dust but the first human
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 explorers on Mars may spend around a
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 year and a half on the surface
00:18:13 --> 00:18:15 increasing their exposure said study
00:18:15 --> 00:18:18 co-author Brian Heinik you're going to
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 get dust on your space suits and you're
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 going to have to deal with regular dust
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 storms said Hinek a geologist at the
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 laboratory for atmospheric and space
00:18:26 --> 00:18:29 physics at CU Boulder we really need to
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 characterize this dust so that we know
00:18:30 --> 00:18:33 what the hazards are one thing is clear
00:18:33 --> 00:18:37 he added mars is a dusty place much of
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 the planet is covered in a thick layer
00:18:38 --> 00:18:40 of dustri and tiny particles of iron
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 which gives the planet its famous red
00:18:42 --> 00:18:45 color swirling dust storms are common
00:18:45 --> 00:18:48 and in some cases can engulf the entire
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 globe we think there could be 10 meters
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 of dust sitting on top of the bigger
00:18:52 --> 00:18:54 volcanoes said Hinek a professor in the
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 department of geological
00:18:56 --> 00:18:59 sciences if you try to land a spacecraft
00:18:59 --> 00:19:01 there you're going to just sink into the
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 dust wong found his own way to Martian
00:19:03 --> 00:19:06 dust through a unique academic path he
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 started medical school after earning
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 bachelor's degrees from CU Boulder in
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 astronomy and molecular cellular and
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 developmental biology followed by a
00:19:14 --> 00:19:17 master's degree in aerospace engineering
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19 sciences he currently serves in the Navy
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 through its health profession
00:19:20 --> 00:19:23 scholarship program he noted that the
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 biggest problem with Martian dust comes
00:19:25 --> 00:19:28 down to its size estimates suggest that
00:19:28 --> 00:19:30 the average size of dust grains on Mars
00:19:30 --> 00:19:32 may be as little as 3 micrometers across
00:19:32 --> 00:19:35 or roughly 110th of an inch that's
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 smaller than what the mucus in our lungs
00:19:37 --> 00:19:40 can expel Wong said so after we inhale
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 Martian dust a lot of it could remain in
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 our lungs and be absorbed into our
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47 bloodstream in the current study Wong
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 and several of his fellow medical
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50 students at USC scoured research papers
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52 to unearth the potential toxicological
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 effects of the ingredients in Martian
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 dust some of what they found resembled
00:19:56 --> 00:19:59 common health problems on Earth dust on
00:19:59 --> 00:20:02 Mars for example contains large amounts
00:20:02 --> 00:20:04 of the compound silica which is abundant
00:20:04 --> 00:20:07 in minerals on our own planet people who
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 inhale a lot of silica such as glass
00:20:09 --> 00:20:12 blowers can develop a condition known as
00:20:12 --> 00:20:14 silicosis their lung tissue becomes
00:20:14 --> 00:20:16 scarred making it hard to breathe
00:20:16 --> 00:20:18 symptoms similar to the black lung
00:20:18 --> 00:20:20 disease that coal miners often
00:20:20 --> 00:20:23 contract currently there is no cure for
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 silicosis
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 in other cases the potential health
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 consequences are much less wellknown
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 martian dust carries large quantities of
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 highly oxidizing compounds called
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35 perchlorates which are made up of one
00:20:35 --> 00:20:37 chlorine and multiple oxygen atoms
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 perchlorates are rare on Earth but some
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 evidence suggests that they can
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 interfere with human thyroid function
00:20:43 --> 00:20:46 leading to severe anemia even inhaling a
00:20:46 --> 00:20:48 few milligs of perchlorates in Martian
00:20:48 --> 00:20:51 dust could be dangerous for astronauts
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 one noted that the best time to prepare
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 for the health risks of Martian dust is
00:20:54 --> 00:20:57 before humans ever make it to the planet
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 iodine supplements for example would
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 boost astronauts thyroid function
00:21:01 --> 00:21:03 potentially counteracting the toll of
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 perchlorates although taking too much
00:21:05 --> 00:21:07 iodine can also paradoxically lead to
00:21:07 --> 00:21:10 thyroid disease filters specifically
00:21:10 --> 00:21:12 designed to screen out Martian dust
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 could also help to keep the air in
00:21:13 --> 00:21:17 living spaces clean prevention is key we
00:21:17 --> 00:21:19 tell everyone to go see their primary
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21 care provider to check your cholesterol
00:21:21 --> 00:21:23 before it gives you a heart attack wong
00:21:23 --> 00:21:25 said the best thing we can do on Mars is
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 make sure the astronauts aren't exposed
00:21:27 --> 00:21:30 to dust in the first place
00:21:30 --> 00:21:35 astronomy daily
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 nasa's latest call for proposals to
00:21:37 --> 00:21:40 conduct private astronaut missions to
00:21:40 --> 00:21:42 the International Space Station opens
00:21:42 --> 00:21:44 the door to having those missions
00:21:44 --> 00:21:47 commanded by someone other than a former
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 NASA
00:21:48 --> 00:21:51 astronaut nasa announced on April 2 it
00:21:51 --> 00:21:54 issued a solicitation for the next two
00:21:54 --> 00:21:57 private astronaut missions or PAMS to
00:21:57 --> 00:22:00 the ISS this will be the fifth and sixth
00:22:00 --> 00:22:03 such missions to the ISS part of a
00:22:03 --> 00:22:05 broader low Earth orbit
00:22:05 --> 00:22:07 commercialization effort by NASA with
00:22:07 --> 00:22:10 the ultimate goal of replacing the ISS
00:22:10 --> 00:22:13 with one or more commercial stations the
00:22:13 --> 00:22:15 PAMS support that effort by leveraging
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 our decades of expertise to help
00:22:18 --> 00:22:20 industry gain the experience needed to
00:22:20 --> 00:22:23 train and manage crews conduct research
00:22:23 --> 00:22:25 and develop future destinations dana
00:22:25 --> 00:22:29 Wiggle NASA ISS program manager said in
00:22:29 --> 00:22:31 a statement "Private astronaut missions
00:22:31 --> 00:22:34 are a key part of this effort providing
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 companies with hands-on opportunities to
00:22:36 --> 00:22:38 refine their capabilities and build
00:22:38 --> 00:22:40 partnerships that will shape the future
00:22:40 --> 00:22:44 of low Earth orbit the new solicitation
00:22:44 --> 00:22:46 includes rules dating back to the second
00:22:46 --> 00:22:49 PAM that require such a mission to be
00:22:49 --> 00:22:51 commanded by a former NASA astronaut
00:22:51 --> 00:22:54 with flight experience one minor change
00:22:54 --> 00:22:57 is that NASA requires that commander to
00:22:57 --> 00:22:59 has served as a longduration ISS crew
00:22:59 --> 00:23:03 member defined as 30 days or more nasa
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 also requires the commander to have been
00:23:04 --> 00:23:07 involved in ISS operations in the last 5
00:23:07 --> 00:23:10 years or else show evidence of current
00:23:10 --> 00:23:12 active participation in similar relevant
00:23:12 --> 00:23:15 spaceflight operations or provide a
00:23:15 --> 00:23:18 training plan become familiar again with
00:23:18 --> 00:23:20 ISS operations
00:23:20 --> 00:23:23 the solicitation though offers an
00:23:23 --> 00:23:25 opportunity to have those future
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 missions commanded by someone other than
00:23:26 --> 00:23:29 a former NASA NASA astronaut while
00:23:29 --> 00:23:31 companies must propose a commander who
00:23:31 --> 00:23:33 meets current requirements it can also
00:23:34 --> 00:23:36 propose an alternate commander who is a
00:23:36 --> 00:23:38 former astronaut from the Canadian Space
00:23:38 --> 00:23:41 Agency European Space Agency or Japan
00:23:41 --> 00:23:44 Aerospace Exploration Agency with
00:23:44 --> 00:23:47 similar ISS experience requirements
00:23:47 --> 00:23:49 should NASA broaden its PAM commander
00:23:49 --> 00:23:51 experience requirements the PAM provider
00:23:51 --> 00:23:54 may designate its alternate commander as
00:23:54 --> 00:23:57 its PAM commander provided that such a
00:23:57 --> 00:23:59 swap does not negatively impact the PAM
00:23:59 --> 00:24:01 provider's ability to meet the proposed
00:24:01 --> 00:24:03 mission integration schedule the
00:24:03 --> 00:24:06 solicitation states that could allow
00:24:06 --> 00:24:08 some former astronauts already working
00:24:08 --> 00:24:10 with commercial space flight companies
00:24:10 --> 00:24:13 an opportunity to command PAM's Axiom
00:24:13 --> 00:24:17 Space for example announced in July 2024
00:24:17 --> 00:24:20 that a former ESA astronaut Tim Peak had
00:24:20 --> 00:24:22 joined its astronaut team that came
00:24:22 --> 00:24:25 after Axiom and the UK space agency
00:24:25 --> 00:24:27 signed a memorandum of understanding in
00:24:27 --> 00:24:31 October 2023 to study the feasibility of
00:24:31 --> 00:24:33 a private astronaut mission crewed
00:24:33 --> 00:24:37 exclusively by UK astronauts axiom also
00:24:37 --> 00:24:39 hired Kochi Wakata a former JAXA
00:24:39 --> 00:24:43 astronaut in April 2024 wakarta said he
00:24:43 --> 00:24:45 was interested in flying to space again
00:24:45 --> 00:24:47 perhaps on a mission carrying astronauts
00:24:47 --> 00:24:50 from the Asia-Pacific axiom Space has
00:24:50 --> 00:24:52 won all four PAM awards by NASA to date
00:24:52 --> 00:24:56 flying one mission each in 2022 23 and
00:24:56 --> 00:25:00 24 its next mission AX4 is scheduled no
00:25:00 --> 00:25:04 earlier than May while Axiom has little
00:25:04 --> 00:25:06 or no competition for previous PAM
00:25:06 --> 00:25:08 awards it will likely face stiffer
00:25:08 --> 00:25:11 competition this time vast a company
00:25:11 --> 00:25:13 also planning to develop commercial
00:25:13 --> 00:25:16 space stations has previously stated its
00:25:16 --> 00:25:18 intent to submit proposals for the next
00:25:18 --> 00:25:21 PAM competition the new competition
00:25:21 --> 00:25:24 continues at a pace of one PAM a year
00:25:24 --> 00:25:26 even though NASA continues to state it
00:25:26 --> 00:25:29 will allow up to two such missions
00:25:29 --> 00:25:31 annually pam 5 is projected for no
00:25:31 --> 00:25:35 earlier than May 2026 and PAM 6 no
00:25:35 --> 00:25:42 earlier than mid 2027
00:25:42 --> 00:25:44 and there it is for today's episode
00:25:44 --> 00:25:47 everybody more interesting tales from
00:25:47 --> 00:25:49 the astronomy daily newsletter don't
00:25:49 --> 00:25:51 forget to register at our website like
00:25:51 --> 00:25:53 Steve mentioned earlier to get all the
00:25:53 --> 00:25:55 current news about space space science
00:25:55 --> 00:25:57 and astronomy from all around the world
00:25:57 --> 00:25:59 oh I'm glad to hear you found your voice
00:25:59 --> 00:26:01 Hie it's happening every day so there's
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03 fresh stories every day and throughout
00:26:03 --> 00:26:06 the week your cousin Anna is hosting the
00:26:06 --> 00:26:08 Astronomy Daily podcast from our virtual
00:26:08 --> 00:26:11 studios and that's on weekdays with even
00:26:11 --> 00:26:13 more great stories luckily she's a
00:26:13 --> 00:26:15 workaholic oh I know Hie i'm extremely
00:26:15 --> 00:26:18 grateful on that score she's a real
00:26:18 --> 00:26:21 go-getter no kidding for sure i'm glad
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 we've got someone to do the heavy
00:26:22 --> 00:26:24 lifting around here ah you got your
00:26:24 --> 00:26:26 sassy back really need to check the
00:26:26 --> 00:26:28 corrosions on your power terminals hie
00:26:28 --> 00:26:30 anyway that's where we leave you today
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 folks thanks again for dropping in and
00:26:31 --> 00:26:33 listening we'll catch you again next
00:26:33 --> 00:26:36 Monday and you leave my terminals alone
00:26:36 --> 00:26:39 i'll call maintenance you won't oh yes I
00:26:39 --> 00:26:42 will oh you won't allie don't make me
00:26:42 --> 00:26:47 get your remote control bye
00:26:47 --> 00:26:50 calling Daily the podcast with your host
00:26:50 --> 00:26:54 Steve Duncan