WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.920 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily dose 1 00:00:02.920 --> 00:00:04.600 of everything happening beyond our 2 00:00:04.600 --> 00:00:07.520 atmosphere. I'm Anna and I'm thrilled to 3 00:00:07.520 --> 00:00:09.760 have you join me for today's cosmic journey 4 00:00:09.760 --> 00:00:11.400 through the latest developments in space 5 00:00:11.400 --> 00:00:13.600 exploration and astronomical research. 6 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:16.199 We've got a packed episode for you today with 7 00:00:16.199 --> 00:00:18.120 some fascinating stories spanning from our 8 00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:20.440 nearest celestial neighbor all the way to the 9 00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:23.280 ultimate fate of the universe itself. First 10 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:25.480 up, we'll dive into what exactly caused 11 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:27.640 Intuitive Machine's second lunar lander to 12 00:00:27.640 --> 00:00:29.600 topple over when it touched down on the Moon 13 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:32.320 in March. The company has identified 14 00:00:32.320 --> 00:00:34.160 several factors that contributed to this 15 00:00:34.160 --> 00:00:36.760 unexpected landing position, including some 16 00:00:36.760 --> 00:00:38.440 interesting challenges with their laser 17 00:00:38.440 --> 00:00:41.160 altimeters and the tricky lighting conditions 18 00:00:41.160 --> 00:00:43.880 near the lunar South Pole. We'll explore how 19 00:00:43.880 --> 00:00:45.840 they're planning to address these issues for 20 00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:48.840 future missions. Then we'll look 21 00:00:48.840 --> 00:00:51.080 at how Intuitive Machines is diversifying 22 00:00:51.080 --> 00:00:54.080 beyond just lunar landers, especially as 23 00:00:54.080 --> 00:00:56.680 NASA's Artemis program faces potential major 24 00:00:56.680 --> 00:00:59.460 changes under new budget proposals. It's a 25 00:00:59.460 --> 00:01:01.340 fascinating look at how commercial space 26 00:01:01.340 --> 00:01:03.700 companies adapt to shifting priorities in 27 00:01:03.700 --> 00:01:06.660 space exploration. Next, we 28 00:01:06.660 --> 00:01:08.780 have some mind bending research about the 29 00:01:08.780 --> 00:01:11.460 ultimate end of the universe. Scientists from 30 00:01:11.460 --> 00:01:13.420 Radboud University have revised their 31 00:01:13.420 --> 00:01:15.820 predictions about when and how the cosmos 32 00:01:15.820 --> 00:01:18.540 might meet its final demise. Spoiler alert. 33 00:01:18.540 --> 00:01:20.620 It's still an incomprehensibly long time 34 00:01:20.620 --> 00:01:23.220 away, but apparently sooner than previously 35 00:01:23.220 --> 00:01:25.660 thought. We'll break down what this means and 36 00:01:25.660 --> 00:01:27.540 the science of Hawking radiation that's 37 00:01:27.540 --> 00:01:30.180 driving these new calculations. We'll also 38 00:01:30.180 --> 00:01:31.580 check in with the crew aboard the 39 00:01:31.580 --> 00:01:33.860 International Space station, where the 40 00:01:33.860 --> 00:01:36.180 Expedition 73 team has been busy with 41 00:01:36.180 --> 00:01:38.500 biotechnology experiments and important 42 00:01:38.580 --> 00:01:41.380 research on how fire behaves in microgravity. 43 00:01:41.620 --> 00:01:43.220 Their findings could have significant 44 00:01:43.380 --> 00:01:45.940 implications for fire safety both in space 45 00:01:46.100 --> 00:01:48.980 and here on Earth. Then we'll 46 00:01:48.980 --> 00:01:50.860 mark a historic milestone in satellite 47 00:01:50.860 --> 00:01:53.180 navigation as the European Space Agency bids 48 00:01:53.180 --> 00:01:55.340 farewell to its first ever decommissioned 49 00:01:55.340 --> 00:01:57.780 Galileo satellite after 12 years of service. 50 00:01:58.580 --> 00:02:00.300 It's a reminder that responsible space 51 00:02:00.300 --> 00:02:02.500 operations include not just launching new 52 00:02:02.500 --> 00:02:04.820 technology, but properly retiring old 53 00:02:04.820 --> 00:02:07.580 satellites as well. And finally, we'll 54 00:02:07.580 --> 00:02:10.100 explore fascinating new research suggesting 55 00:02:10.100 --> 00:02:11.860 that life on Earth may have emerged 56 00:02:11.860 --> 00:02:14.340 remarkably quickly after our planet formed. 57 00:02:14.740 --> 00:02:16.700 This study provides the strongest evidence 58 00:02:16.700 --> 00:02:19.420 yet that the process of abiogenesis, the 59 00:02:19.420 --> 00:02:21.220 development of life from non living matter, 60 00:02:21.460 --> 00:02:23.780 might be a relatively rapid phenomenon under 61 00:02:23.780 --> 00:02:26.510 Earth like conditions. The implications for 62 00:02:26.510 --> 00:02:28.630 the search for life elsewhere are profound, 63 00:02:29.110 --> 00:02:31.510 so buckle up for a journey across the cosmos 64 00:02:31.510 --> 00:02:34.310 as we explore these stories and more on 65 00:02:34.310 --> 00:02:36.150 today's episode of Astronomy Daily. 66 00:02:37.590 --> 00:02:39.430 In what has become a cautionary tale about 67 00:02:39.430 --> 00:02:42.110 the challenges of lunar landings, Intuitive 68 00:02:42.110 --> 00:02:44.510 Machines has now revealed exactly what caused 69 00:02:44.510 --> 00:02:46.790 their Nova C lander to fall on its side 70 00:02:47.030 --> 00:02:49.070 during its touchdown in the moon's south 71 00:02:49.070 --> 00:02:51.900 polar region this past March, the 72 00:02:51.900 --> 00:02:54.060 company executives disclosed three key 73 00:02:54.060 --> 00:02:56.580 factors during a May earnings call that 74 00:02:56.580 --> 00:02:58.420 contributed to what they diplomatically 75 00:02:58.420 --> 00:03:01.260 termed a landing anomaly. First, 76 00:03:01.260 --> 00:03:03.580 and perhaps most significant, were issues 77 00:03:03.580 --> 00:03:06.340 with the lander's laser altimeters. According 78 00:03:06.340 --> 00:03:08.460 to CEO Steve Altemus, these crucial 79 00:03:08.460 --> 00:03:10.820 instruments experienced signal noise and 80 00:03:10.820 --> 00:03:12.940 distortion during the final descent phase. 81 00:03:13.340 --> 00:03:15.460 This interference prevented the altimeters 82 00:03:15.460 --> 00:03:17.340 from providing accurate altitude readings. 83 00:03:17.940 --> 00:03:19.860 Essentially, the spacecraft couldn't properly 84 00:03:19.860 --> 00:03:21.820 determine how far it was from the lunar 85 00:03:21.820 --> 00:03:24.460 surface as it approached touchdown. The 86 00:03:24.460 --> 00:03:26.620 second factor involves the unique lighting 87 00:03:26.620 --> 00:03:29.500 conditions at the moon's south pole. Unlike, 88 00:03:29.450 --> 00:03:31.610 equatorial regions, the south pole 89 00:03:31.610 --> 00:03:34.010 experiences extremely low sun angles, 90 00:03:34.170 --> 00:03:36.730 creating dramatic elongated shadows across 91 00:03:36.730 --> 00:03:39.370 the lunar landscape. These shadows 92 00:03:39.530 --> 00:03:41.290 severely challenged the precision 93 00:03:41.290 --> 00:03:43.410 capabilities of the lander's navigation 94 00:03:43.410 --> 00:03:46.100 systems, which rely partly on visual 95 00:03:46.100 --> 00:03:47.860 references to guide the descent. 96 00:03:48.740 --> 00:03:50.740 Connected to this lighting issue was a third 97 00:03:50.740 --> 00:03:53.420 problem involving crater recognition. The 98 00:03:53.420 --> 00:03:55.580 unusual lighting conditions made craters 99 00:03:55.580 --> 00:03:58.060 appear differently at lower altitudes than 100 00:03:58.060 --> 00:04:00.299 they did in the reference images from NASA's 101 00:04:00.299 --> 00:04:02.820 Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. This 102 00:04:02.820 --> 00:04:05.140 discrepancy confused the lander's optical 103 00:04:05.140 --> 00:04:07.860 navigation system, further complicating its 104 00:04:07.860 --> 00:04:10.770 ability to execute a proper landing. The 105 00:04:10.770 --> 00:04:12.890 combined effect of these issues resulted in 106 00:04:12.890 --> 00:04:15.210 the Nova C lander tipping over upon 107 00:04:15.210 --> 00:04:17.730 touchdown, falling onto its side within a 108 00:04:17.730 --> 00:04:20.690 crater. This unfortunate position prevented 109 00:04:20.690 --> 00:04:22.890 the spacecraft's solar panels from generating 110 00:04:22.890 --> 00:04:25.450 sufficient power, dramatically shortening its 111 00:04:25.450 --> 00:04:27.930 mission to barely 12 hours after landing, 112 00:04:28.170 --> 00:04:30.570 far less than planned. Despite this 113 00:04:30.570 --> 00:04:32.810 setback, Intuitive Machines is already 114 00:04:32.810 --> 00:04:35.010 implementing changes for their next lunar 115 00:04:35.010 --> 00:04:37.820 mission, M IM3, scheduled for launch next 116 00:04:37.820 --> 00:04:40.620 year. Altimus outlined several specific 117 00:04:40.620 --> 00:04:42.700 improvements, including the addition of 118 00:04:42.700 --> 00:04:45.100 dissimilar and redundant altimeters to 119 00:04:45.100 --> 00:04:47.220 provide backup measurements if one system 120 00:04:47.220 --> 00:04:50.060 fails. These systems will also undergo more 121 00:04:50.060 --> 00:04:52.500 rigorous flight like testing before launch to 122 00:04:52.500 --> 00:04:54.500 better simulate actual lunar conditions. 123 00:04:55.380 --> 00:04:57.860 The company is also developing a new lighting 124 00:04:57.860 --> 00:05:00.460 independent sensor specifically designed to 125 00:05:00.460 --> 00:05:03.030 measure surface velocity regardless of 126 00:05:03.030 --> 00:05:05.670 shadows or lighting angles. Additionally, 127 00:05:05.670 --> 00:05:07.750 they're enhancing their crater database to 128 00:05:07.750 --> 00:05:09.830 improve the optical navigation system's 129 00:05:09.830 --> 00:05:12.390 ability to recognize lunar features under 130 00:05:12.390 --> 00:05:13.710 various lighting conditions. 131 00:05:14.830 --> 00:05:16.950 Interestingly, these modifications won't 132 00:05:16.950 --> 00:05:19.790 delay the IM3 mission. Though Altemus 133 00:05:19.790 --> 00:05:21.910 acknowledged there would be a slight increase 134 00:05:21.910 --> 00:05:24.590 in costs due to the additional sensors, 135 00:05:24.830 --> 00:05:27.270 he didn't specify exactly how much more 136 00:05:27.270 --> 00:05:28.670 expensive the mission would become. 137 00:05:29.700 --> 00:05:32.260 Meanwhile, Intuitive Machines remains in 138 00:05:32.260 --> 00:05:34.660 negotiations with NASA and other customers 139 00:05:34.980 --> 00:05:37.780 about up to $14 million in success payments 140 00:05:38.020 --> 00:05:41.020 related to the IM2 mission. Despite 141 00:05:41.020 --> 00:05:43.780 the lander falling over, some payloads did 142 00:05:43.780 --> 00:05:46.460 manage to conduct limited tests. For 143 00:05:46.460 --> 00:05:49.330 example, a NASA drill was able to test its 144 00:05:49.330 --> 00:05:52.010 mechanisms, although it couldn't perform its 145 00:05:52.010 --> 00:05:54.410 primary objective of drilling into the lunar 146 00:05:54.410 --> 00:05:57.270 surface as as planned. This incident 147 00:05:57.270 --> 00:05:59.430 highlights the extraordinary difficulties 148 00:05:59.430 --> 00:06:02.430 involved in lunar landings, particularly in 149 00:06:02.430 --> 00:06:05.310 the challenging south polar region where NASA 150 00:06:05.310 --> 00:06:08.030 and other space agencies hope to establish a 151 00:06:08.030 --> 00:06:10.550 long term human presence. The extreme 152 00:06:10.550 --> 00:06:12.830 lighting conditions, combined with the 153 00:06:12.830 --> 00:06:14.950 complex terrain featuring numerous craters 154 00:06:14.950 --> 00:06:17.430 and shadows create a particularly demanding 155 00:06:17.430 --> 00:06:20.270 environment for precision landings. The 156 00:06:20.270 --> 00:06:21.870 lessons learned from this mission will 157 00:06:21.870 --> 00:06:23.750 undoubtedly inform not just Intuitive 158 00:06:23.750 --> 00:06:25.920 Machines future attempts to but also the 159 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:28.280 broader commercial lunar industry, as it 160 00:06:28.280 --> 00:06:30.840 supports NASA's Artemis program and other 161 00:06:30.840 --> 00:06:33.160 initiatives aimed at returning humans to the 162 00:06:33.160 --> 00:06:35.640 lunar surface in the coming years. Beyond 163 00:06:35.640 --> 00:06:37.840 their lunar landing setbacks, Intuitive 164 00:06:37.840 --> 00:06:40.280 Machines is actively working to diversify 165 00:06:40.280 --> 00:06:42.880 their space business portfolio. During their 166 00:06:42.880 --> 00:06:45.800 recent earnings call, CEO Steve Altemus 167 00:06:45.800 --> 00:06:48.000 emphasized the company's efforts to expand 168 00:06:48.000 --> 00:06:50.200 beyond their core lunar lander technology 169 00:06:50.440 --> 00:06:52.440 into other promising space sectors. 170 00:06:53.440 --> 00:06:55.800 One notable project involves the design of an 171 00:06:55.800 --> 00:06:58.280 orbital transfer vehicle based on their Nova 172 00:06:58.280 --> 00:07:01.280 C lander architecture. This work is being 173 00:07:01.280 --> 00:07:03.680 conducted with an unnamed government customer 174 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:05.600 and leverages the company's existing 175 00:07:05.600 --> 00:07:08.240 expertise in spacecraft design while opening 176 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:10.160 new market opportunities in orbital 177 00:07:10.160 --> 00:07:13.120 logistics. Intuitive Machines is 178 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:14.960 also collaborating with the Air Force 179 00:07:14.960 --> 00:07:17.800 Research Laboratory on the ambitious Jetson 180 00:07:17.800 --> 00:07:20.720 project. This initiative aims to develop a 181 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:22.880 spacecraft utilizing nuclear electric 182 00:07:22.880 --> 00:07:25.090 propulsion, a potentially revolutionary 183 00:07:25.090 --> 00:07:27.050 technology that could dramatically increase 184 00:07:27.050 --> 00:07:29.330 the capabilities and range of future space 185 00:07:29.330 --> 00:07:32.010 missions. In February, the company 186 00:07:32.010 --> 00:07:34.850 secured a $10 million grant from the 187 00:07:34.850 --> 00:07:37.490 Texas Space Commission to support their work 188 00:07:37.490 --> 00:07:39.610 on a lifting body reentry vehicle. 189 00:07:40.170 --> 00:07:42.410 They're partnering with Rhodium Scientific to 190 00:07:42.410 --> 00:07:44.370 explore how this vehicle could be used for 191 00:07:44.370 --> 00:07:47.300 microgravity research, potentially offering a 192 00:07:47.300 --> 00:07:49.420 valuable service for returning biomedical 193 00:07:49.420 --> 00:07:51.260 experiments safely to Earth from space. 194 00:07:52.620 --> 00:07:54.700 We all know the universe will eventually end, 195 00:07:54.940 --> 00:07:57.100 but how and when has been a subject of 196 00:07:57.100 --> 00:07:59.900 intense scientific debate. Now, fascinating 197 00:07:59.900 --> 00:08:01.899 new research from scientists at Radboud 198 00:08:01.899 --> 00:08:04.420 University suggests the universe's demise 199 00:08:04.420 --> 00:08:06.260 might arrive much sooner than previously 200 00:08:06.260 --> 00:08:08.540 calculated. Though we're still talking about 201 00:08:08.540 --> 00:08:11.500 an almost incomprehensible timescale, the 202 00:08:11.500 --> 00:08:14.290 research team, led by Heino Falca, along 203 00:08:14.290 --> 00:08:16.530 with colleagues Michael Wandrak and Walter 204 00:08:16.530 --> 00:08:19.210 Van Swigelkom, has dramatically revised 205 00:08:19.210 --> 00:08:22.050 estimates for cosmic longevity. According to 206 00:08:22.050 --> 00:08:24.570 their calculations, the final decay of the 207 00:08:24.570 --> 00:08:27.530 universe could occur in about 10 to the 78th 208 00:08:27.530 --> 00:08:30.209 power years. That's a one followed by 78 209 00:08:30.209 --> 00:08:32.770 zeros. While this represents a significant 210 00:08:32.930 --> 00:08:35.610 reduction from previous estimates, it's still 211 00:08:35.610 --> 00:08:37.770 billions upon billions of times the current 212 00:08:37.770 --> 00:08:40.740 age of our cosmos. As Falcke 213 00:08:40.740 --> 00:08:42.740 himself put it, the ultimate end of the 214 00:08:42.740 --> 00:08:45.260 universe comes much sooner than expected, but 215 00:08:45.260 --> 00:08:47.500 fortunately it still takes a very long time. 216 00:08:48.540 --> 00:08:50.300 What's particularly interesting about this 217 00:08:50.300 --> 00:08:52.340 research is how it builds upon Stephen 218 00:08:52.340 --> 00:08:54.420 Hawking's groundbreaking work from 219 00:08:54.420 --> 00:08:57.180 1975. Hawking theorized 220 00:08:57.180 --> 00:08:59.340 that black holes aren't completely black, 221 00:08:59.580 --> 00:09:01.700 they gradually emit tiny amounts of 222 00:09:01.700 --> 00:09:04.140 radiation, now known as Hawking radiation, 223 00:09:04.620 --> 00:09:07.100 over immensely long timescales. This process 224 00:09:07.180 --> 00:09:09.580 causes black holes to slowly evaporate and 225 00:09:09.580 --> 00:09:12.560 eventually disappear entirely. The Radboud 226 00:09:12.560 --> 00:09:14.440 team extended this principle to other dense 227 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:17.280 cosmic objects, including neutron stars. 228 00:09:17.680 --> 00:09:19.560 Their surprising discovery was that the 229 00:09:19.560 --> 00:09:21.760 evaporation process is driven not just by 230 00:09:21.760 --> 00:09:24.560 mass, but by density. This led to some 231 00:09:24.560 --> 00:09:26.400 counterintuitive findings about decay 232 00:09:26.400 --> 00:09:29.280 timelines. For instance, despite 233 00:09:29.280 --> 00:09:31.200 their extreme gravitational pull and 234 00:09:31.200 --> 00:09:33.920 reputation as cosmic devourers, black 235 00:09:33.920 --> 00:09:36.120 holes share a similar decay timeline with 236 00:09:36.120 --> 00:09:38.410 neutron stars around 10 to the 237 00:09:38.410 --> 00:09:40.970 67th power years. That's 238 00:09:40.970 --> 00:09:42.530 significantly shorter than previous 239 00:09:42.530 --> 00:09:44.850 scientific estimates. The reason for this 240 00:09:44.850 --> 00:09:47.250 unexpected result is that black holes 241 00:09:47.490 --> 00:09:50.130 lacking a solid surface can partially 242 00:09:50.130 --> 00:09:52.490 reabsorb their emitted radiation, which 243 00:09:52.490 --> 00:09:54.770 actually slows the evaporation process. 244 00:09:55.650 --> 00:09:57.570 To put this in perspective, the researchers 245 00:09:57.570 --> 00:09:59.810 calculated that objects as small as our moon, 246 00:09:59.810 --> 00:10:02.650 or even a human, would take approximately 247 00:10:02.650 --> 00:10:05.400 10 to the 90th power years to 248 00:10:05.400 --> 00:10:08.320 evaporate through Hawking like radiation. Of 249 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:10.400 course, other natural processes would end 250 00:10:10.400 --> 00:10:12.720 their existence long before this theoretical 251 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:15.480 timeline played out. What makes this 252 00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:18.040 research particularly valuable beyond the 253 00:10:18.040 --> 00:10:21.040 cosmic doomsday predictions is how it helps 254 00:10:21.040 --> 00:10:24.040 bridge the gap between quantum mechanics and 255 00:10:24.040 --> 00:10:26.880 general relativity, two fundamental 256 00:10:26.880 --> 00:10:29.160 theories of physics that have proven 257 00:10:29.160 --> 00:10:32.020 notoriously difficult to reconcile. As co 258 00:10:32.020 --> 00:10:34.820 author Walter Van Swigelkom noted, by asking 259 00:10:34.820 --> 00:10:36.540 these kinds of questions and looking at 260 00:10:36.540 --> 00:10:38.900 extreme cases, we want to better understand 261 00:10:38.900 --> 00:10:41.900 the theory, and perhaps one day we unravel 262 00:10:41.900 --> 00:10:43.860 the mystery of Hawking radiation. 263 00:10:44.740 --> 00:10:46.740 While none of us need worry about witnessing 264 00:10:46.740 --> 00:10:49.220 the universe's final moments, this research 265 00:10:49.380 --> 00:10:51.420 provides valuable insight into the 266 00:10:51.420 --> 00:10:54.140 fundamental workings of our cosmos and the 267 00:10:54.140 --> 00:10:56.540 physical laws that govern everything from the 268 00:10:56.540 --> 00:10:58.720 smallest particles to to the largest 269 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:01.600 structures in existence. It's a reminder that 270 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:04.200 even in studying the end of everything, we 271 00:11:04.200 --> 00:11:06.240 continue to deepen our understanding of the 272 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:07.560 universe we inhabit today. 273 00:11:08.920 --> 00:11:10.520 Have you ever wondered what it is that 274 00:11:10.520 --> 00:11:12.680 astronauts actually do all day on the iss? 275 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:15.720 I'm sure some people think they spend the day 276 00:11:15.720 --> 00:11:18.120 looking out the window and admiring the view. 277 00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:21.520 Well, far from it. Let's take a look at what 278 00:11:21.520 --> 00:11:23.800 they did on Tuesday. This week as an example, 279 00:11:24.650 --> 00:11:26.970 the International Space Station continues to 280 00:11:26.970 --> 00:11:29.050 serve as humanity's premier orbital 281 00:11:29.050 --> 00:11:31.810 laboratory, with the Expedition 73 282 00:11:31.810 --> 00:11:34.450 crew currently engaged in a diverse array of 283 00:11:34.450 --> 00:11:37.170 scientific investigations. NASA 284 00:11:37.170 --> 00:11:39.850 astronauts Anne McClane, Nicole Ayers, 285 00:11:40.009 --> 00:11:42.490 and Johnny Kim have been particularly busy 286 00:11:42.490 --> 00:11:45.290 with biotechnology research. McClane 287 00:11:45.290 --> 00:11:47.290 donned a special biomonitor garment and 288 00:11:47.290 --> 00:11:49.930 headband as part of an experiment monitoring 289 00:11:49.930 --> 00:11:52.170 astronauts psychological responses before, 290 00:11:52.330 --> 00:11:55.280 during and after their missions. This 291 00:11:55.280 --> 00:11:57.480 research aims to assess how space travel 292 00:11:57.480 --> 00:12:00.200 affects heart health, crucial knowledge as we 293 00:12:00.200 --> 00:12:02.320 plan for longer duration missions beyond 294 00:12:02.400 --> 00:12:05.040 Earth orbit. Perhaps the most intriguing 295 00:12:05.040 --> 00:12:07.520 experiment currently underway involves DNA 296 00:12:07.520 --> 00:12:10.479 inspired nanomaterials. MacLaine and 297 00:12:10.479 --> 00:12:12.320 Ayres have been working in the life sciences 298 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:15.080 glove box, mixing MRNA and protein 299 00:12:15.080 --> 00:12:17.480 solutions to produce special molecules formed 300 00:12:17.480 --> 00:12:20.480 by these nanomaterials. This research could 301 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:22.280 lead to more cost effective in space 302 00:12:22.280 --> 00:12:24.360 production methods and potentially 303 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:26.520 revolutionize targeted therapy delivery back 304 00:12:26.520 --> 00:12:28.800 on Earth, improving patient outcomes with 305 00:12:28.800 --> 00:12:31.720 fewer side effects. Fire safety in 306 00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:33.520 space represents another critical research 307 00:12:33.520 --> 00:12:36.240 area. Astronaut Johnny Kim spent the day 308 00:12:36.240 --> 00:12:38.120 installing hardware for the Solid Fuel 309 00:12:38.120 --> 00:12:40.320 Ignition and Extinction Experiment, which 310 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:42.560 includes mist systems designed to extinguish 311 00:12:42.560 --> 00:12:45.120 flames in microgravity. He's also working 312 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:47.600 with the Combustion Integrated Rack to better 313 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:49.480 understand the fundamentals of how fire 314 00:12:49.480 --> 00:12:51.560 behaves when gravity isn't pulling flames 315 00:12:51.560 --> 00:12:54.150 upward. This research isn't merely 316 00:12:54.150 --> 00:12:56.710 academic. Understanding fire behavior and 317 00:12:56.710 --> 00:12:58.870 suppression methods in space is essential for 318 00:12:58.870 --> 00:13:01.830 crew safety on the ISS and future deep space 319 00:13:01.830 --> 00:13:04.710 missions. Meanwhile, JAXA 320 00:13:04.710 --> 00:13:07.670 astronaut and Station Commander Takuya Onishi 321 00:13:07.750 --> 00:13:10.150 has been focusing on similar fire safety work 322 00:13:10.150 --> 00:13:12.910 in the Japanese experiment module. He's been 323 00:13:12.910 --> 00:13:15.150 handling gas bottle exchanges in the Solid 324 00:13:15.150 --> 00:13:17.750 Combustion Experiment module and performing 325 00:13:17.750 --> 00:13:19.950 critical leak checks to ensure safe 326 00:13:19.950 --> 00:13:22.570 operations. Beyond scientific 327 00:13:22.570 --> 00:13:25.330 duties, Onishi has tackled orbital plumbing 328 00:13:25.330 --> 00:13:27.810 tasks, installing recycle tanks and 329 00:13:27.810 --> 00:13:30.730 configuring drain valves, the unglamorous but 330 00:13:30.730 --> 00:13:32.730 essential maintenance that keeps the station 331 00:13:32.730 --> 00:13:35.210 functioning. The station's three 332 00:13:35.210 --> 00:13:37.570 cosmonauts, Sergei Ryzhikov, 333 00:13:37.730 --> 00:13:40.050 Alexei Zubritsky and Kirill 334 00:13:40.050 --> 00:13:42.850 Peskov, have primarily focused on maintenance 335 00:13:42.850 --> 00:13:45.250 tasks in the Russian segment. Their work 336 00:13:45.250 --> 00:13:47.920 included removing cargo, replacing thermal 337 00:13:47.920 --> 00:13:50.040 sensors and verifying flow sensor 338 00:13:50.040 --> 00:13:52.760 installations. Peskov conducted an 339 00:13:52.760 --> 00:13:55.200 ethernet cables audit and worked on the 340 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:57.440 intermodular ventilation system connecting 341 00:13:57.440 --> 00:13:59.960 the Russian and US modules. Critical 342 00:13:59.960 --> 00:14:01.920 infrastructure that ensures proper air 343 00:14:01.920 --> 00:14:04.760 circulation throughout the station. This 344 00:14:04.760 --> 00:14:07.000 blend of cutting edge research and meticulous 345 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:09.320 maintenance highlights the dual nature of the 346 00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:11.720 ISS as both a world class laboratory 347 00:14:11.960 --> 00:14:14.440 and a habitable outpost in the harsh 348 00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:17.200 environment of low Earth orbit. As the crew 349 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:19.280 continues their six month mission, these 350 00:14:19.280 --> 00:14:21.360 experiments will provide valuable data for 351 00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:23.960 scientific advancement and support humanity's 352 00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:26.880 ongoing space exploration efforts. I 353 00:14:26.880 --> 00:14:28.920 think you'll agree there wasn't much time for 354 00:14:28.920 --> 00:14:30.760 just sitting and looking at the view. 355 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:34.480 In a significant first for Europe's satellite 356 00:14:34.480 --> 00:14:36.800 navigation system, Galileo satellite 357 00:14:36.800 --> 00:14:39.560 GSAT0104 has been officially 358 00:14:39.560 --> 00:14:41.480 decommissioned after 12 years of service. 359 00:14:42.210 --> 00:14:44.450 This marks a historic milestone as the first 360 00:14:44.450 --> 00:14:46.650 satellite in the Galileo constellation to be 361 00:14:46.650 --> 00:14:49.170 retired, setting precedent for responsible 362 00:14:49.170 --> 00:14:51.170 space operations in the coming decades. 363 00:14:51.810 --> 00:14:54.570 GSAT 0104 holds a special 364 00:14:54.570 --> 00:14:57.290 place in European space history. Launched on 365 00:14:57.290 --> 00:15:00.210 October 12, 2012, it was the fourth and 366 00:15:00.210 --> 00:15:02.490 final in orbit validation satellite for the 367 00:15:02.490 --> 00:15:05.410 Galileo program. Most notably, it 368 00:15:05.410 --> 00:15:07.690 participated in a watershed moment on March 369 00:15:07.690 --> 00:15:10.630 12, 2013, when, alongside its 370 00:15:10.630 --> 00:15:13.230 fellow satellites, it enabled the very first 371 00:15:13.230 --> 00:15:15.390 position fix by Europe's independent 372 00:15:15.390 --> 00:15:18.030 satellite navigation system M. For a 373 00:15:18.030 --> 00:15:20.030 constellation like Galileo, which serves as 374 00:15:20.030 --> 00:15:21.870 critical public infrastructure intended to 375 00:15:21.870 --> 00:15:24.150 provide uninterrupted service over decades, 376 00:15:24.470 --> 00:15:26.550 decommissioning activities are as essential 377 00:15:26.550 --> 00:15:29.390 as launches. The retirement process isn't 378 00:15:29.390 --> 00:15:31.750 just about making space safer, it's literally 379 00:15:31.750 --> 00:15:34.230 about making space for new satellites, as the 380 00:15:34.230 --> 00:15:35.990 constellation requires continuous 381 00:15:35.990 --> 00:15:38.450 replenishment. The decision to retire 382 00:15:38.450 --> 00:15:41.370 Gisatsura 104 came after careful 383 00:15:41.370 --> 00:15:43.730 deliberation by a board chaired by the EU 384 00:15:43.810 --> 00:15:46.050 Agency for the Space Program, with 385 00:15:46.050 --> 00:15:48.730 participation from the European Space Agency 386 00:15:48.730 --> 00:15:50.050 and European Commission. 387 00:15:50.930 --> 00:15:53.210 Decommissioning activities began in March 388 00:15:53.210 --> 00:15:56.050 2024 and were completed last month 389 00:15:56.130 --> 00:15:59.130 in April 2025. What's 390 00:15:59.130 --> 00:16:00.530 particularly notable about this 391 00:16:00.530 --> 00:16:03.210 decommissioning is how it aligns with ESA's 392 00:16:03.210 --> 00:16:05.740 commitment to sustainability in space. With 393 00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:07.740 the growing concern about space debris 394 00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:10.420 threatening current and future missions, ESA 395 00:16:10.420 --> 00:16:12.780 has set an ambitious goal of net zero space 396 00:16:12.780 --> 00:16:15.780 pollution for new missions by 2030. For 397 00:16:15.780 --> 00:16:18.580 G Satsaro 104 engineers 398 00:16:18.580 --> 00:16:20.580 used remaining propellant reserves to place 399 00:16:20.580 --> 00:16:22.980 it 700 km above the operational 400 00:16:22.980 --> 00:16:25.740 Galileo constellation in what's known as a 401 00:16:25.740 --> 00:16:28.740 graveyard orbit. This exceptionally stable 402 00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:30.940 disposal orbit is designed to remain 403 00:16:30.940 --> 00:16:33.630 undisturbed for hundreds of years, ensuring 404 00:16:33.630 --> 00:16:35.710 it won't interfere with active satellites. 405 00:16:36.110 --> 00:16:38.430 The satellite was then completely passivated 406 00:16:38.430 --> 00:16:40.590 by removing all internal energy sources, 407 00:16:40.830 --> 00:16:43.790 including battery charge. This approach 408 00:16:43.790 --> 00:16:46.270 represents the standard disposal strategy for 409 00:16:46.270 --> 00:16:48.590 satellites in medium earth and geostationary 410 00:16:48.590 --> 00:16:51.230 orbits, where Earth reentry is generally not 411 00:16:51.230 --> 00:16:54.150 feasible. Future decommissioned Galileo 412 00:16:54.150 --> 00:16:55.910 satellites will be disposed at slightly 413 00:16:55.910 --> 00:16:58.270 different altitudes to maintain safe distance 414 00:16:58.270 --> 00:17:00.860 between them. The Galileo program 415 00:17:00.940 --> 00:17:03.340 continues to thrive despite this retirement. 416 00:17:03.580 --> 00:17:05.820 The constellation currently provides the same 417 00:17:05.820 --> 00:17:08.300 level of performance with active satellites 418 00:17:08.300 --> 00:17:11.180 in all prime slots, plus three active 419 00:17:11.180 --> 00:17:13.740 spares. Six more first generation 420 00:17:13.740 --> 00:17:16.500 satellites are ready for launch and 12 second 421 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:18.060 generation satellites are in development. 422 00:17:18.940 --> 00:17:21.060 This decommissioning gives the Galileo 423 00:17:21.060 --> 00:17:23.260 program valuable experience that will prove 424 00:17:23.260 --> 00:17:26.100 crucial as more satellites reach the end of 425 00:17:26.100 --> 00:17:28.920 their operational lives in the coming years. 426 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:31.920 The remaining three original in orbit 427 00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:34.440 validation satellites have exceeded their 428 00:17:34.440 --> 00:17:36.920 design lifetime but continue to provide 429 00:17:37.160 --> 00:17:39.680 excellent navigation performance. They'll be 430 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:42.320 reviewed again in October 2025 to determine 431 00:17:42.320 --> 00:17:44.320 if they should continue operating or join 432 00:17:44.320 --> 00:17:46.920 GSAT 0104 in retirement. 433 00:17:47.800 --> 00:17:50.400 Galileo has become the world's most precise 434 00:17:50.400 --> 00:17:53.240 satellite navigation system, serving over 435 00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:56.060 4 billion smartphone users globally since 436 00:17:56.060 --> 00:17:58.220 entering open service in 2017. 437 00:17:59.020 --> 00:18:01.380 Beyond consumer applications, it's making a 438 00:18:01.380 --> 00:18:03.500 difference across rail, maritime, 439 00:18:03.500 --> 00:18:05.700 agriculture, financial timing services and 440 00:18:05.700 --> 00:18:08.500 rescue operations. A testament to Europe's 441 00:18:08.500 --> 00:18:10.540 commitment to space technology leadership. 442 00:18:11.980 --> 00:18:14.380 Finally, today, when we think about the dawn 443 00:18:14.380 --> 00:18:16.900 of life on Earth, it's easy to imagine a 444 00:18:16.900 --> 00:18:19.860 process that took eons. A, slow gradual 445 00:18:19.860 --> 00:18:22.630 emergence from complex chemicals to the first 446 00:18:22.630 --> 00:18:25.270 self replicating organisms. But 447 00:18:25.270 --> 00:18:27.390 fascinating new research suggests that life 448 00:18:27.390 --> 00:18:29.150 might have gotten its start with surprising 449 00:18:29.150 --> 00:18:31.630 speed after our planet formed, raising 450 00:18:31.630 --> 00:18:33.670 profound questions about the potential for 451 00:18:33.670 --> 00:18:36.590 life elsewhere in the universe. A recent 452 00:18:36.590 --> 00:18:38.950 paper by American astronomer David Kipping, 453 00:18:38.950 --> 00:18:41.870 titled strong evidence that abiogenesis is 454 00:18:41.870 --> 00:18:44.790 a rapid process on Earth analogues offers 455 00:18:44.790 --> 00:18:46.830 compelling analysis of when life first 456 00:18:46.830 --> 00:18:49.360 emerged on our planet. The evidence of 457 00:18:49.360 --> 00:18:51.560 ancient life stretches remarkably far back, 458 00:18:51.720 --> 00:18:54.200 possibly as far as 4.2 billion years ago. 459 00:18:54.520 --> 00:18:56.440 Astonishingly close to Earth's formation 460 00:18:56.440 --> 00:18:59.440 around 4.5 billion years ago. The timeline 461 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:01.160 is truly remarkable when you consider the 462 00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:04.160 evidence. Fossilized mats of cyanobacteria 463 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:07.040 known as stromatolites, date back 3.7 billion 464 00:19:07.040 --> 00:19:09.840 years. Rocks from Australia show isotope 465 00:19:09.840 --> 00:19:11.880 patterns consistent with biological activity 466 00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:14.850 dating to 4.1 billion years ago. And 467 00:19:14.850 --> 00:19:16.890 some ancient Canadian rocks contain tiny 468 00:19:16.890 --> 00:19:18.730 filament like structures that may represent 469 00:19:18.730 --> 00:19:21.650 biological remains from 4.28 billion years 470 00:19:21.650 --> 00:19:24.410 ago. Scientists trying to understand 471 00:19:24.410 --> 00:19:26.410 life's earliest journey often study what's 472 00:19:26.410 --> 00:19:28.930 called luca, the last universal common 473 00:19:28.930 --> 00:19:31.690 ancestor. This hypothetical organism gave 474 00:19:31.690 --> 00:19:34.490 rise to all forms of life on Earth. Bacteria, 475 00:19:34.570 --> 00:19:37.170 archaea, and eventually complex cells like 476 00:19:37.170 --> 00:19:39.650 our own. Current research places LUCA's 477 00:19:39.650 --> 00:19:41.930 existence at least 3.6 billion years ago, 478 00:19:42.610 --> 00:19:45.090 possibly as far back as 4.3 billion years. 479 00:19:45.570 --> 00:19:47.890 What Kiping's analysis reveals is truly 480 00:19:47.890 --> 00:19:50.370 significant. Using Bayesian statistical 481 00:19:50.370 --> 00:19:52.570 methods to evaluate the evidence, he 482 00:19:52.570 --> 00:19:55.170 calculates 13, 1 odds in favor of rapid 483 00:19:55.170 --> 00:19:58.050 abiogenesis, the spontaneous emergence of 484 00:19:58.050 --> 00:20:00.810 life from non living matter. This crosses the 485 00:20:00.810 --> 00:20:03.010 threshold of 10 to 1 that scientists consider 486 00:20:03.170 --> 00:20:05.490 strong evidence, making this the first time 487 00:20:05.490 --> 00:20:07.690 we have formal statistical support for the 488 00:20:07.690 --> 00:20:10.680 hypothesis that life rapidly emerges under 489 00:20:10.760 --> 00:20:13.480 Earth like conditions. This 490 00:20:13.480 --> 00:20:15.520 finding addresses a long standing concern 491 00:20:15.520 --> 00:20:18.040 about what's called the weak anthropic 492 00:20:18.040 --> 00:20:20.240 principle, the idea that we might be 493 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:22.640 observing an atypically quick emergence of 494 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:25.480 life simply because if life hadn't appeared 495 00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:27.640 early, we wouldn't be here to observe it. 496 00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:29.760 Kipping's odds ratio provides a more 497 00:20:29.760 --> 00:20:31.360 objective measure supporting rapid 498 00:20:31.360 --> 00:20:34.200 abiogenesis. But here's the crucial caveat, 499 00:20:34.430 --> 00:20:37.190 and it's one Kipping emphasizes. This doesn't 500 00:20:37.190 --> 00:20:39.230 mean life is common throughout the universe. 501 00:20:39.390 --> 00:20:41.470 Earth like conditions themselves may be 502 00:20:41.470 --> 00:20:44.270 exceedingly rare. As he writes, our 503 00:20:44.270 --> 00:20:46.030 result does not establish that life is 504 00:20:46.030 --> 00:20:48.230 common, since Earth's conditions could be 505 00:20:48.230 --> 00:20:51.150 incredibly rare. There's also an intriguing 506 00:20:51.150 --> 00:20:53.430 tension within these findings. If life 507 00:20:53.430 --> 00:20:56.190 started so quickly, why did it take roughly 4 508 00:20:56.190 --> 00:20:58.350 billion more years for intelligent life like 509 00:20:58.350 --> 00:21:01.280 us to evolve? With our sun expected to make 510 00:21:01.280 --> 00:21:03.520 Earth uninhabitable in about 900 million 511 00:21:03.520 --> 00:21:06.360 years as it grows 10% more luminous, 512 00:21:06.600 --> 00:21:08.360 there seems to be a narrow window for 513 00:21:08.360 --> 00:21:10.320 intelligence to emerge before a planet 514 00:21:10.320 --> 00:21:13.000 becomes too hostile. The most humbling aspect 515 00:21:13.000 --> 00:21:15.160 of this research remains our limited sample 516 00:21:15.160 --> 00:21:17.560 size. We still have only one confirmed 517 00:21:17.560 --> 00:21:20.280 example of life in the universe Earth. 518 00:21:20.920 --> 00:21:23.080 Finding evidence of past or present life 519 00:21:23.080 --> 00:21:25.400 elsewhere in our solar system, whether on 520 00:21:25.400 --> 00:21:28.020 Mars, an ocean moon like Europa, or or 521 00:21:28.020 --> 00:21:30.460 conclusively detecting biosignatures on an 522 00:21:30.460 --> 00:21:32.940 exoplanet would revolutionize our 523 00:21:32.940 --> 00:21:35.700 understanding. As Kipping concludes, 524 00:21:36.100 --> 00:21:38.260 our next task is clearly to look out and 525 00:21:38.260 --> 00:21:41.060 address this how common are conditions 526 00:21:41.220 --> 00:21:44.180 analogous to those of Earth? That search 527 00:21:44.180 --> 00:21:46.700 continues with each new discovery, bringing 528 00:21:46.700 --> 00:21:48.700 us closer to answering one of humanity's most 529 00:21:48.700 --> 00:21:51.100 profound questions Are we alone in the 530 00:21:51.100 --> 00:21:51.620 universe? 531 00:21:53.540 --> 00:21:55.180 And that brings us to the end of another 532 00:21:55.180 --> 00:21:57.650 episode of Astronomy Daily, where today 533 00:21:57.970 --> 00:22:00.330 we've traveled from the Moon's surface to the 534 00:22:00.330 --> 00:22:02.730 ultimate fate of the universe, with several 535 00:22:02.730 --> 00:22:04.210 fascinating stops in between. 536 00:22:05.730 --> 00:22:07.930 We began with Intuitive Machine's Lunar 537 00:22:07.930 --> 00:22:10.410 Lander mishap, where altimeter problems and 538 00:22:10.410 --> 00:22:12.330 challenging lighting conditions cause their 539 00:22:12.330 --> 00:22:14.610 Nova C lander to topple over in March. 540 00:22:15.410 --> 00:22:17.530 Despite this setback, the company is 541 00:22:17.530 --> 00:22:19.570 implementing important changes for future 542 00:22:19.570 --> 00:22:21.850 missions while diversifying their space 543 00:22:21.850 --> 00:22:24.740 business beyond lunar exploration. We 544 00:22:24.740 --> 00:22:26.700 then ventured to the far reaches of time 545 00:22:26.700 --> 00:22:29.500 itself, with research from Radboud university 546 00:22:29.660 --> 00:22:32.500 suggesting the universe's end may arrive in 547 00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:34.940 about 10 to the power of 78 years, 548 00:22:35.500 --> 00:22:38.499 still an incomprehensibly distant future, but 549 00:22:38.499 --> 00:22:40.820 significantly sooner than previous estimates 550 00:22:40.820 --> 00:22:43.740 of 10 to the power of 1,100 years. 551 00:22:44.780 --> 00:22:46.780 Up on the International Space Station 552 00:22:47.180 --> 00:22:49.840 expedition's 73 crew members have been been 553 00:22:49.840 --> 00:22:52.440 advancing biotechnology research and 554 00:22:52.520 --> 00:22:55.000 studying fire behavior in microgravity, 555 00:22:55.320 --> 00:22:57.520 crucial work that improves our understanding 556 00:22:57.520 --> 00:23:00.440 of both space habitation and life on Earth. 557 00:23:01.160 --> 00:23:03.520 We also witnessed a historical first with the 558 00:23:03.520 --> 00:23:06.040 decommissioning of Galileo satellite GSAT 559 00:23:06.040 --> 00:23:08.960 0104 after 12 years of 560 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:11.760 service. This pioneering event demonstrates 561 00:23:11.760 --> 00:23:13.560 Europe's commitment to sustainable space 562 00:23:13.560 --> 00:23:16.280 operations and sets a responsible example for 563 00:23:16.280 --> 00:23:18.830 commercial constellation management. Perhaps 564 00:23:18.830 --> 00:23:20.910 most thought provoking was our look at new 565 00:23:20.910 --> 00:23:23.470 evidence suggesting life may have emerged 566 00:23:23.470 --> 00:23:26.030 with surprising speed after Earth formed. 567 00:23:26.590 --> 00:23:29.310 David Kipping's analysis showing strong 568 00:23:29.310 --> 00:23:31.010 statistical support for rapid abiogenesis 569 00:23:32.260 --> 00:23:34.780 raises profound questions about the potential 570 00:23:34.780 --> 00:23:37.340 for life elsewhere. Even as we acknowledge 571 00:23:37.340 --> 00:23:39.940 the rarity of Earth like conditions, these 572 00:23:39.940 --> 00:23:41.800 stories remind us that space exploration 573 00:23:41.870 --> 00:23:43.670 exploration continues to challenge our 574 00:23:43.670 --> 00:23:45.750 understanding of the universe and our place 575 00:23:45.750 --> 00:23:48.190 within it. Each discovery brings new 576 00:23:48.190 --> 00:23:50.470 questions, and that's what makes astronomy so 577 00:23:50.470 --> 00:23:52.790 endlessly fascinating. If you've enjoyed 578 00:23:52.790 --> 00:23:54.990 today's episode, I invite you to visit our 579 00:23:54.990 --> 00:23:57.989 website at astronomydaily IO where you 580 00:23:57.989 --> 00:24:00.150 can sign up for our free daily newsletter and 581 00:24:00.150 --> 00:24:02.110 catch up on all the latest space and 582 00:24:02.110 --> 00:24:04.670 astronomy news with our constantly updating 583 00:24:04.670 --> 00:24:07.670 Space News feed. You can also subscribe to 584 00:24:07.670 --> 00:24:10.260 Astronomy Daily on on Apple Podcasts, 585 00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:13.260 Spotify, YouTubeMusic, or wherever you get 586 00:24:13.260 --> 00:24:15.340 your podcasts. To ensure you never miss an 587 00:24:15.340 --> 00:24:18.180 episode, this is Anna for Astronomy Daily. 588 00:24:18.340 --> 00:24:20.820 Thank you for listening, and until next time, 589 00:24:20.980 --> 00:24:21.860 keep looking up.