WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.240 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go to 1 00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:04.280 podcast for everything happening above our 2 00:00:04.280 --> 00:00:07.160 heads and beyond. I'm Anna and I'm thrilled 3 00:00:07.160 --> 00:00:09.120 to be your host as we explore the universe 4 00:00:09.120 --> 00:00:11.160 together. Today we've got a fascinating 5 00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:13.240 lineup of stories from the forefront of space 6 00:00:13.240 --> 00:00:16.119 exploration and astronomy. We'll be diving 7 00:00:16.119 --> 00:00:18.320 into some recent incidents, including a 8 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:20.680 significant test anomaly for a key component 9 00:00:20.680 --> 00:00:23.200 of NASA's Space Launch System and the 10 00:00:23.200 --> 00:00:25.840 surprising legal challenges facing SpaceX 11 00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:28.910 over a Starship explosion. But it's not 12 00:00:28.910 --> 00:00:31.630 all about the dramatic events. We also have 13 00:00:31.630 --> 00:00:34.550 some truly captivating science to share, like 14 00:00:34.550 --> 00:00:36.590 the rare daytime fireball that may have 15 00:00:36.590 --> 00:00:39.510 impacted a home in Georgia and groundbreaking 16 00:00:39.510 --> 00:00:41.990 new research that might finally explain the 17 00:00:41.990 --> 00:00:44.710 mysterious differences between the near and 18 00:00:44.710 --> 00:00:47.550 far sides of our own moon. And for 19 00:00:47.550 --> 00:00:49.430 something a little different, we'll journey 20 00:00:49.430 --> 00:00:51.750 back in time to uncover the incredible true 21 00:00:51.750 --> 00:00:54.550 story of a con man who managed to fool the 22 00:00:54.550 --> 00:00:55.710 world as an astronaut. 23 00:00:55.870 --> 00:00:57.950 So settle in and let's get started on another 24 00:00:57.950 --> 00:00:59.950 exciting episode of Astronomy Daily. 25 00:01:01.690 --> 00:01:03.410 Delve into some significant news from the 26 00:01:03.410 --> 00:01:05.730 world of space exploration, specifically 27 00:01:05.730 --> 00:01:08.290 regarding NASA's Space Launch System, or 28 00:01:08.290 --> 00:01:11.250 SLS. On June 26, during a 29 00:01:11.250 --> 00:01:13.570 test firing in Utah, a new version of the 30 00:01:13.570 --> 00:01:15.570 solid rocket booster being developed for the 31 00:01:15.570 --> 00:01:18.490 SLS experienced an anomaly. This test 32 00:01:18.490 --> 00:01:20.530 was for Northrop Grumman's Booster 33 00:01:20.530 --> 00:01:23.450 Obsolescence and Life Extension, or bol, 34 00:01:23.530 --> 00:01:25.730 version of the five segment solid rocket 35 00:01:25.730 --> 00:01:28.550 booster. The booster, fixed horizontally, 36 00:01:28.710 --> 00:01:30.710 was undergoing a, uh, two minute firing 37 00:01:30.710 --> 00:01:33.590 simulating a real launch. A little over 100 38 00:01:33.590 --> 00:01:35.510 seconds into the test, observers noted 39 00:01:35.510 --> 00:01:37.270 exhaust appearing from the side of the 40 00:01:37.270 --> 00:01:39.750 nozzle, followed by debris scattering from 41 00:01:39.750 --> 00:01:42.590 that same area. Despite this, the 42 00:01:42.590 --> 00:01:44.790 motor continued to burn for the rest of the 43 00:01:44.790 --> 00:01:47.750 test. Initially, NASA and Northrop 44 00:01:47.750 --> 00:01:50.190 Grumman officials didn't publicly address the 45 00:01:50.190 --> 00:01:52.640 incident during their webcast. However, 46 00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:55.760 a few hours later, Jim Calborer, 47 00:01:55.920 --> 00:01:58.160 vice president of Propulsion systems at 48 00:01:58.160 --> 00:02:00.200 Northrop Grumman, released a statement 49 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:02.920 confirming the anomaly. He noted that while 50 00:02:02.920 --> 00:02:05.040 the motor seemed to perform well through a 51 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:07.400 harsh burn environment, the issue occurred 52 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:10.360 near the end of the burn. Kalberer added that 53 00:02:10.360 --> 00:02:12.440 the company was pushing the boundaries of 54 00:02:12.440 --> 00:02:15.400 large solid rocket motor design and 55 00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:18.240 that this new, largest ever segmented 56 00:02:18.240 --> 00:02:21.090 solid rocket booster test provides valuable 57 00:02:21.090 --> 00:02:23.810 data for future developments. The 58 00:02:23.810 --> 00:02:26.570 bowl design is intended to be used for SLS 59 00:02:26.570 --> 00:02:29.250 missions starting with Artemis 9, projected 60 00:02:29.250 --> 00:02:31.690 for the 2000-30s. Its key improvements 61 00:02:31.690 --> 00:02:33.690 include replacing the shuttle era steel 62 00:02:33.690 --> 00:02:36.370 casings with new carbon fibre composite 63 00:02:36.370 --> 00:02:38.410 designs using a uh, new propellant 64 00:02:38.410 --> 00:02:40.330 formulation and incorporating other 65 00:02:40.330 --> 00:02:42.450 advancements that boost its performance by 66 00:02:42.450 --> 00:02:45.410 over 10%. This would allow an additional 5 67 00:02:45.410 --> 00:02:47.810 metric tonnes of payload for SLS missions 68 00:02:47.810 --> 00:02:50.370 heading to the moon. However, there's a 69 00:02:50.370 --> 00:02:52.170 degree of uncertainty about whether the bowl 70 00:02:52.170 --> 00:02:54.850 design will actually fly. NASA's 71 00:02:54.850 --> 00:02:57.610 fiscal year 2026 budget proposal aims to 72 00:02:57.610 --> 00:03:00.370 cancel the SLS after the Artemis 3 mission. 73 00:03:01.090 --> 00:03:02.810 While a provision in the Senate's budget 74 00:03:02.810 --> 00:03:05.330 reconciliation bill could add funding for two 75 00:03:05.330 --> 00:03:08.050 more SLS missions through Artemis V, 76 00:03:08.130 --> 00:03:10.090 it doesn't clarify the vehicle's future 77 00:03:10.090 --> 00:03:13.050 beyond that. Interestingly, this 78 00:03:13.050 --> 00:03:15.530 isn't the first time a Northrop Grumman solid 79 00:03:15.530 --> 00:03:17.890 rocket booster has faced a nozzle issue in 80 00:03:17.890 --> 00:03:20.130 less than a year. Back in October 81 00:03:20.130 --> 00:03:23.130 2024, a nozzle detached from one of the 82 00:03:23.130 --> 00:03:25.810 much smaller GEM3.6XL solid 83 00:03:25.810 --> 00:03:28.050 rocket boosters on the second launch of 84 00:03:28.050 --> 00:03:30.770 United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket. While 85 00:03:30.770 --> 00:03:32.450 that issue did degrade the booster's 86 00:03:32.450 --> 00:03:34.410 performance somewhat, it didn't prevent 87 00:03:34.410 --> 00:03:36.570 Vulcan from successfully completing its 88 00:03:36.570 --> 00:03:39.570 mission. ULA later confirmed in March that a 89 00:03:39.570 --> 00:03:41.810 manufacturing defect in one of the internal 90 00:03:41.810 --> 00:03:44.330 parts of the nozzle caused it to come off, 91 00:03:44.850 --> 00:03:47.370 and fixes to correct this problem were 92 00:03:47.370 --> 00:03:50.130 successfully confirmed in a test firing 93 00:03:50.210 --> 00:03:53.090 in February. These incidents 94 00:03:53.170 --> 00:03:55.890 highlight the complex and challenging nature 95 00:03:55.970 --> 00:03:58.570 of developing such powerful propulsion 96 00:03:58.570 --> 00:03:59.170 systems. 97 00:04:00.609 --> 00:04:02.650 Now let's turn our gaze from man made rockets 98 00:04:02.650 --> 00:04:04.770 to a natural phenomenon that recently put on 99 00:04:04.770 --> 00:04:07.210 quite a show. A large meteor created a 100 00:04:07.210 --> 00:04:09.530 spectacular, rare daytime fireball over the 101 00:04:09.530 --> 00:04:11.860 southeastern United States on a Friday at 102 00:04:11.860 --> 00:04:14.660 12:25pm Eastern Daylight Time. This 103 00:04:14.660 --> 00:04:17.220 wasn't just any meteor. It was so bright that 104 00:04:17.220 --> 00:04:19.660 it was even seen by the National oceanic and 105 00:04:19.660 --> 00:04:22.220 Atmospheric Administration's GOES 19 Earth 106 00:04:22.220 --> 00:04:24.580 observation satellite, using an instrument 107 00:04:24.580 --> 00:04:26.620 designed to map flashes of lightning from 108 00:04:26.620 --> 00:04:29.100 orbit. Daylight fireballs are truly 109 00:04:29.100 --> 00:04:31.740 uncommon, according to Robert Lunsford of the 110 00:04:31.740 --> 00:04:34.140 American Meteor Association. It takes a 111 00:04:34.140 --> 00:04:36.820 significantly large object, much bigger than 112 00:04:36.820 --> 00:04:39.170 your average pea sized meteor, to be bright 113 00:04:39.170 --> 00:04:41.770 enough to be visible during the day. He notes 114 00:04:41.770 --> 00:04:43.650 that we probably only see about one per month 115 00:04:43.650 --> 00:04:46.250 worldwide, meaning only about one in every 116 00:04:46.250 --> 00:04:48.890 3,000 meteor reports occurs during daylight 117 00:04:48.890 --> 00:04:51.570 hours. This particular meteor was first 118 00:04:51.570 --> 00:04:54.050 spotted approximately 48 miles above Oxford, 119 00:04:54.050 --> 00:04:56.490 Georgia, hurtling through the atmosphere at 120 00:04:56.490 --> 00:04:58.290 around 30,000 miles per hour. 121 00:04:59.250 --> 00:05:01.370 Experts suggest it might have been associated 122 00:05:01.370 --> 00:05:04.170 with the daytime Beta Taurid shower, which 123 00:05:04.170 --> 00:05:06.130 peaks in late June as Earth passes through 124 00:05:06.130 --> 00:05:08.130 debris from the ancient comet 2P 125 00:05:08.370 --> 00:05:11.170 Enker. What makes this event even more 126 00:05:11.170 --> 00:05:13.490 intriguing is the strong possibility that 127 00:05:13.490 --> 00:05:16.290 fragments of the meteor survived its fiery 128 00:05:16.290 --> 00:05:19.250 descent and impacted the ground. In 129 00:05:19.250 --> 00:05:21.490 the hours following the fireball, photos 130 00:05:21.490 --> 00:05:24.130 began circulating online, purportedly showing 131 00:05:24.130 --> 00:05:26.250 a hole punched through the roof of a home in 132 00:05:26.250 --> 00:05:28.730 Henry County, Georgia. The size of this 133 00:05:28.730 --> 00:05:30.610 meteor meant it had a better chance of 134 00:05:30.610 --> 00:05:33.010 producing fragments. Scientists look for 135 00:05:33.010 --> 00:05:35.390 reports of sounds like thunder or something, 136 00:05:35.540 --> 00:05:37.820 sonic booms, which indicate that parts of the 137 00:05:37.820 --> 00:05:40.580 fireball made it down to the lower atmosphere 138 00:05:40.740 --> 00:05:43.060 and potentially all the way to the ground. 139 00:05:43.940 --> 00:05:46.060 This strongly suggests the photograph of the 140 00:05:46.060 --> 00:05:48.860 hole in the roof is indeed connected to this 141 00:05:48.860 --> 00:05:51.860 celestial visitor. And if verified, 142 00:05:51.860 --> 00:05:54.020 it wouldn't be the first time a daytime Beta 143 00:05:54.020 --> 00:05:57.020 Taurid left its mark. Lunsford mentioned 144 00:05:57.020 --> 00:05:59.580 a particularly large meteor believed to be 145 00:05:59.580 --> 00:06:02.170 linked to this annual shower that detonated 146 00:06:02.170 --> 00:06:04.890 in a powerful air burst just six miles over 147 00:06:04.890 --> 00:06:07.570 Russian Siberia in June 1908. 148 00:06:07.890 --> 00:06:10.610 That explosion, known as the Tunguska Event, 149 00:06:10.930 --> 00:06:13.610 ignited massive forest fires and flattened an 150 00:06:13.610 --> 00:06:16.330 estimated 80 million trees. It's a 151 00:06:16.330 --> 00:06:18.570 powerful reminder of the impact these space 152 00:06:18.570 --> 00:06:21.010 rocks can have even when they don't 153 00:06:21.090 --> 00:06:22.530 directly hit the surface 154 00:06:23.970 --> 00:06:25.170 from natural impacts. 155 00:06:25.330 --> 00:06:27.410 We now shift our focus to human made space 156 00:06:27.410 --> 00:06:30.210 endeavours. Specifically, the latest legal 157 00:06:30.210 --> 00:06:32.930 challenges faced by SpaceX. The 158 00:06:32.930 --> 00:06:35.410 Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, has 159 00:06:35.410 --> 00:06:37.490 recently threatened to file a lawsuit against 160 00:06:37.490 --> 00:06:40.090 SpaceX, citing alleged contamination 161 00:06:40.250 --> 00:06:42.290 resulting from a starship explosion that 162 00:06:42.290 --> 00:06:45.290 occurred earlier this month. On June 18, 163 00:06:45.530 --> 00:06:47.970 SpaceX was conducting a test of the upper 164 00:06:47.970 --> 00:06:50.610 stage of its starship vehicle at its Starbase 165 00:06:50.610 --> 00:06:53.050 facility near Boca Chica beach in Texas. 166 00:06:53.860 --> 00:06:56.100 This test culminated in a dramatic fireball. 167 00:06:56.580 --> 00:06:58.700 While SpaceX stated on social media that 168 00:06:58.700 --> 00:07:00.300 there were no hazards to the surrounding 169 00:07:00.300 --> 00:07:02.540 communities, President Sheinbaum is 170 00:07:02.540 --> 00:07:05.140 contesting that claim. During a press 171 00:07:05.140 --> 00:07:07.540 conference, she indicated that a general 172 00:07:07.620 --> 00:07:10.340 review is underway of the international laws 173 00:07:10.420 --> 00:07:13.260 that are being violated. Specifically due to 174 00:07:13.260 --> 00:07:15.900 this perceived contamination, the 175 00:07:15.900 --> 00:07:17.980 Mexican government is looking to file the 176 00:07:17.980 --> 00:07:20.790 necessary lawsuits. It's worth noting the 177 00:07:20.790 --> 00:07:23.750 geographical context here. SpaceX's 178 00:07:23.750 --> 00:07:26.070 Starbase facility is located at the very 179 00:07:26.070 --> 00:07:28.710 southeastern tip of Texas, right along the 180 00:07:28.710 --> 00:07:31.150 Rio Grande river, which acts as the border 181 00:07:31.150 --> 00:07:33.910 between the United States and Mexico. Just 182 00:07:33.910 --> 00:07:35.990 across this border from Boca Chica and nearby 183 00:07:35.990 --> 00:07:38.390 Brownsville, Texas, lies the Mexican city of 184 00:07:38.390 --> 00:07:41.350 Heroica Matamoros. This isn't the 185 00:07:41.350 --> 00:07:43.590 first time SpaceX has faced environmental 186 00:07:43.590 --> 00:07:46.230 lawsuits or other legal challenges. In 187 00:07:46.230 --> 00:07:48.990 2023, a coalition of environmental 188 00:07:48.990 --> 00:07:51.270 groups sued the US Federal Aviation 189 00:07:51.270 --> 00:07:53.790 Administration, alleging that the agency 190 00:07:53.790 --> 00:07:56.230 hadn't properly analysed the potential damage 191 00:07:56.230 --> 00:07:57.990 Starship could inflict on the surrounding 192 00:07:57.990 --> 00:08:00.310 areas, which are, uh, home to protected bird 193 00:08:00.310 --> 00:08:02.710 species. More recently, in 194 00:08:02.710 --> 00:08:05.190 2024, the Texas Commission on 195 00:08:05.190 --> 00:08:07.670 Environmental Quality reported that SpaceX 196 00:08:07.670 --> 00:08:10.070 had violated the Clean Water act by releasing 197 00:08:10.070 --> 00:08:12.070 pollutants into nearby bodies of water. 198 00:08:12.590 --> 00:08:14.830 Though SpaceX refuted these claims as 199 00:08:14.990 --> 00:08:17.590 factually inaccurate, past 200 00:08:17.590 --> 00:08:19.470 starship launches, and particularly 201 00:08:19.470 --> 00:08:21.710 explosions, have indeed left significant 202 00:08:21.870 --> 00:08:24.230 amounts of debris scattered across Boca Chica 203 00:08:24.230 --> 00:08:26.870 beach and its environs. The debut flight of 204 00:08:26.870 --> 00:08:29.750 Starship on April 20, 2023, saw the 205 00:08:29.750 --> 00:08:32.430 rocket's 33 first stage Raptor engines 206 00:08:32.430 --> 00:08:34.990 propel chunks of cement and other debris for 207 00:08:34.990 --> 00:08:37.750 miles. Local residents describe that launch 208 00:08:37.750 --> 00:08:39.940 as terrifying and likened it to an 209 00:08:39.940 --> 00:08:42.180 earthquake, with debris even crushing a 210 00:08:42.180 --> 00:08:44.740 nearby car. That flight also ended 211 00:08:44.740 --> 00:08:47.060 dramatically when SpaceX initiated its 212 00:08:47.060 --> 00:08:49.540 onboard flight termination system, causing 213 00:08:49.540 --> 00:08:51.860 the vehicle to explode about three minutes 214 00:08:51.860 --> 00:08:54.580 after liftoff, with fragments found along the 215 00:08:54.580 --> 00:08:57.540 shores. In the days that followed. To date, 216 00:08:57.540 --> 00:08:59.740 Starship's upper stage has exploded or 217 00:08:59.740 --> 00:09:02.180 crashed into the sea on eight of its nine 218 00:09:02.180 --> 00:09:04.780 test flights. Underscoring the experimental 219 00:09:04.780 --> 00:09:07.180 nature of these ambitious endeavours, these 220 00:09:07.180 --> 00:09:09.660 incidents highlight the ongoing environmental 221 00:09:09.660 --> 00:09:11.700 considerations as, uh, space exploration 222 00:09:11.700 --> 00:09:13.380 continues to push boundaries 223 00:09:14.660 --> 00:09:16.620 from the complexities of earthly legal 224 00:09:16.620 --> 00:09:17.460 battles in space. 225 00:09:17.860 --> 00:09:20.300 We now pivot to the ancient mysteries of our 226 00:09:20.300 --> 00:09:23.180 Moon, specifically the enduring puzzle of 227 00:09:23.180 --> 00:09:25.420 why its near side looks so different from its 228 00:09:25.420 --> 00:09:28.420 far side. For a long time, this was one of 229 00:09:28.420 --> 00:09:31.300 the Moon's most intriguing secrets. Until 230 00:09:31.300 --> 00:09:34.200 1959, when the USSR's Luna 231 00:09:34.200 --> 00:09:36.720 3 spacecraft first circled the Moon and sent 232 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:39.480 back grainy black and white images, humans 233 00:09:39.480 --> 00:09:41.520 had never actually seen the lunar far side. 234 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:43.800 What those images revealed was a stark 235 00:09:43.800 --> 00:09:46.640 contrast. The far side was heavily cratered, 236 00:09:46.640 --> 00:09:48.880 with far fewer of the dark volcanic plains 237 00:09:49.120 --> 00:09:51.920 known as maria that so distinctly mark the 238 00:09:51.920 --> 00:09:54.920 near side. This immediate visual difference 239 00:09:54.920 --> 00:09:57.080 prompted many questions about the Moon's 240 00:09:57.080 --> 00:09:59.370 formation and evolution. Was Earth's 241 00:09:59.370 --> 00:10:02.050 gravitational pull responsible? Or perhaps a 242 00:10:02.050 --> 00:10:04.690 difference in crustal thickness? Scientists 243 00:10:04.690 --> 00:10:07.130 realised the Moon wasn't a uniform body and 244 00:10:07.130 --> 00:10:09.250 the search for answers has continued ever 245 00:10:09.250 --> 00:10:11.890 since. Now, new research 246 00:10:11.970 --> 00:10:14.810 published in Nature Communications, led by Ji 247 00:10:14.810 --> 00:10:17.170 Jun Jing from Ihime University in Japan, 248 00:10:17.570 --> 00:10:19.770 offers a compelling explanation that points 249 00:10:19.770 --> 00:10:22.530 to trace amounts of certain minerals. The 250 00:10:22.530 --> 00:10:24.610 study focuses on chlorine and fluorine and 251 00:10:24.610 --> 00:10:26.850 their presence in lunar minerals and melts. 252 00:10:27.650 --> 00:10:30.130 It highlights that most near side lunar crust 253 00:10:30.130 --> 00:10:32.570 materials show an unusual enrichment in 254 00:10:32.570 --> 00:10:34.970 chlorine, a ah finding that doesn't quite fit 255 00:10:34.970 --> 00:10:36.770 with traditional models of primary crust 256 00:10:36.770 --> 00:10:39.170 formation. This anomaly, the researchers 257 00:10:39.170 --> 00:10:41.650 suggest, is likely due to a process called 258 00:10:41.650 --> 00:10:44.530 metasomatism. Metasomatism 259 00:10:44.530 --> 00:10:46.650 is a geological process where a rock's 260 00:10:46.650 --> 00:10:48.930 chemical composition is altered when new 261 00:10:48.930 --> 00:10:51.170 chemical elements are introduced, often by 262 00:10:51.170 --> 00:10:54.040 water or magma. M In the lunar context, 263 00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:56.600 the research indicates that gaseous chlorine 264 00:10:56.600 --> 00:10:59.200 compounds found their way into near side 265 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:01.520 lunar rocks through this process, while 266 00:11:01.520 --> 00:11:03.240 farside samples don't show the same 267 00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:05.920 enrichment. Another key piece of this 268 00:11:05.920 --> 00:11:08.000 lunar puzzle is what's known as the Moon's 269 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:10.440 creep terrain. This is a large region 270 00:11:10.520 --> 00:11:12.600 exclusively found on the Moon's near side, 271 00:11:12.920 --> 00:11:14.840 characterised by high concentrations of 272 00:11:14.840 --> 00:11:17.480 potassium, rare earth elements and 273 00:11:17.560 --> 00:11:20.450 phosphorus, hence the acronym creep. 274 00:11:20.930 --> 00:11:23.290 It's also known for its significant thorium 275 00:11:23.290 --> 00:11:25.850 concentrations. Creep is crucial to 276 00:11:25.850 --> 00:11:27.690 Understanding the moon's early evolution 277 00:11:27.690 --> 00:11:30.530 after its global magma ocean phase. While 278 00:11:30.530 --> 00:11:33.170 creep was likely widespread initially, it's 279 00:11:33.170 --> 00:11:35.850 now confined to this one region, possibly due 280 00:11:35.850 --> 00:11:38.090 to the massive impact that created the south 281 00:11:38.090 --> 00:11:40.970 pole Aitken Basin on the opposite side of 282 00:11:40.970 --> 00:11:43.810 the Moon. That impact might have generated a 283 00:11:43.810 --> 00:11:46.000 thermal anomaly and that drove the creep 284 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:48.960 towards the near side. The new research 285 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:50.640 suggests a strong connection between 286 00:11:50.640 --> 00:11:53.400 widespread chlorine vapour on the lunar near 287 00:11:53.400 --> 00:11:56.080 side and this lunar dichotomy. They 288 00:11:56.080 --> 00:11:58.640 hypothesise that this chlorine metasomatism 289 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:01.159 is likely related to degassing caused by 290 00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:03.440 impacts or eruptions from the creep terrain. 291 00:12:03.760 --> 00:12:06.240 Chlorine is highly volatile and incompatible, 292 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:08.240 meaning it doesn't easily fit into the 293 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:10.120 crystal structure of minerals. As magma 294 00:12:10.120 --> 00:12:12.780 cools, so chlorine rich vapours released 295 00:12:12.780 --> 00:12:14.980 during volcanic eruptions or impact induced 296 00:12:14.980 --> 00:12:16.940 evaporation likely played a key role in 297 00:12:16.940 --> 00:12:19.100 transforming the moon's near side, the side 298 00:12:19.100 --> 00:12:21.860 we see most clearly. Conversely, the far 299 00:12:21.860 --> 00:12:23.580 side, untouched by these vapour related 300 00:12:23.580 --> 00:12:26.180 volcanic activities, may be more pristine, 301 00:12:26.260 --> 00:12:28.300 preserving information from the moon's very 302 00:12:28.300 --> 00:12:31.140 early magma ocean phase. While this 303 00:12:31.140 --> 00:12:33.500 research provides a strong hypothesis for the 304 00:12:33.500 --> 00:12:36.260 lunar dichotomy, the authors emphasise 305 00:12:36.260 --> 00:12:38.880 that more evidence is needed. This is where 306 00:12:38.880 --> 00:12:41.720 future missions come in. China has already 307 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:43.840 landed two missions on the lunar far side, 308 00:12:44.160 --> 00:12:46.600 including the Chang' E6 mission, which 309 00:12:46.600 --> 00:12:49.440 successfully gathered samples. The 310 00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:51.760 authors believe that measurements of halogens 311 00:12:51.760 --> 00:12:54.640 in these Farside Chang' E6 samples could 312 00:12:54.640 --> 00:12:56.600 provide the crucial evidence needed to 313 00:12:56.600 --> 00:12:59.440 strengthen their explanation. It's a 314 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:01.680 truly exciting prospect for lunar science 315 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:05.600 from deep space. We now turn our attention 316 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:08.440 back to Earth, specifically to a captivating, 317 00:13:08.440 --> 00:13:11.280 unbelievable but true story of a con man 318 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:14.200 who for a time managed to fool the world into 319 00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:15.760 believing he was an astronaut. 320 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:20.320 A cold January evening in 1989. 321 00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:23.120 Members of the Experimental Aircraft 322 00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:25.640 association of Boston are eagerly awaiting a 323 00:13:25.640 --> 00:13:28.280 special guest. The President introduces him 324 00:13:28.280 --> 00:13:30.400 as a master of the skies and space. 325 00:13:31.280 --> 00:13:33.960 Onto the stage strides US Marine Captain 326 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:36.160 Robert J. Hunt, 27 years old, 327 00:13:36.560 --> 00:13:39.200 handsome, with a confident air and dressed in 328 00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:41.640 a powder blue NASA flight suit complete with 329 00:13:41.640 --> 00:13:44.520 shining space patches. Hunt captivated 330 00:13:44.520 --> 00:13:46.920 the amateur pilots with fantastic tales of 331 00:13:46.920 --> 00:13:49.400 his life as a Marine fighter pilot bombing 332 00:13:49.400 --> 00:13:52.000 Gaddafi's Libya from his F A18 jet. 333 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:55.000 But his most astonishing claims involved 334 00:13:55.000 --> 00:13:57.320 soaring above Earth aboard the space shuttle 335 00:13:57.320 --> 00:13:59.800 Atlantis on top secret missions for the 336 00:13:59.800 --> 00:14:02.720 Department of Defence. He even presented two 337 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:04.800 blackened tiles which he claimed were 338 00:14:04.800 --> 00:14:07.440 scorched during his re entry. Despite some 339 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:09.760 members suspicions like Joy Alexander, who 340 00:14:09.760 --> 00:14:12.280 found his thick New England accent and rude 341 00:14:12.280 --> 00:14:14.720 attitude unsettling for a NASA astronaut, 342 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:17.400 most were spellbound. Hunt shook hands, 343 00:14:17.400 --> 00:14:19.400 scribbled autographs and left the aviation 344 00:14:19.400 --> 00:14:21.520 enthusiasts believing they had met a legend. 345 00:14:22.160 --> 00:14:24.480 But Robert J Hunt had never been to space. 346 00:14:25.040 --> 00:14:27.000 He didn't even have a pilot's licence, let 347 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:29.750 alone a driver's licence. He was an imposter, 348 00:14:29.750 --> 00:14:31.790 and his incredible scam would soon make 349 00:14:31.790 --> 00:14:34.470 national headlines, leading to his arrest in 350 00:14:34.470 --> 00:14:37.030 less than a week. Hunt had been leading law 351 00:14:37.030 --> 00:14:38.910 enforcement on a cat and mouse chase for 352 00:14:38.910 --> 00:14:41.910 years, posing as a Marine, a baseball 353 00:14:41.910 --> 00:14:44.270 star, a senator and other prominent figures 354 00:14:44.270 --> 00:14:47.190 often escaping prosecution. It was only when 355 00:14:47.190 --> 00:14:49.110 he became an astronaut that he triggered a 356 00:14:49.110 --> 00:14:51.790 security panic, embarrassed politicians and 357 00:14:51.790 --> 00:14:54.720 captivated the nation. Hunt's obsession 358 00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:57.600 with space began at age 7. Watching the 359 00:14:57.600 --> 00:15:00.240 Apollo 11 moon landing. He felt a deep 360 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:02.400 connection to astronauts like Neil Armstrong 361 00:15:02.400 --> 00:15:05.120 and Alan Shepard. As a teenager, he would 362 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:07.480 sneak into Chelsea Naval Hospital, slip on 363 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:10.200 discarded uniforms and salute himself in the 364 00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:12.520 mirror, dreaming of exploring distant 365 00:15:12.520 --> 00:15:15.320 planets. His father, Leo 366 00:15:15.320 --> 00:15:17.600 Hunt, a plumber who also pretended to be a 367 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:20.440 military colonel, unknowingly influenced him 368 00:15:20.470 --> 00:15:22.460 and even writing a book about his alleged 369 00:15:22.460 --> 00:15:24.260 life in the military titled Colonel 370 00:15:24.260 --> 00:15:26.900 Chameleon. Robert Hunt claims his father 371 00:15:26.900 --> 00:15:28.980 taught him the art of deception, like when he 372 00:15:28.980 --> 00:15:31.500 sold sparrows painted yellow as canaries. 373 00:15:32.300 --> 00:15:34.620 Robert's first steps into grander deceptions 374 00:15:34.620 --> 00:15:37.140 came early. He claimed to join the Marine 375 00:15:37.140 --> 00:15:39.660 Corps on a delayed entry programme, was 376 00:15:39.660 --> 00:15:41.700 supposedly honourably discharged due to an 377 00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:44.060 administrative error, and then simply bluffed 378 00:15:44.060 --> 00:15:46.180 his way back into barracks, knowing the 379 00:15:46.180 --> 00:15:48.980 commands and structure. He even snuck onto 380 00:15:48.980 --> 00:15:50.940 Pease Air Force Base dressed as a second 381 00:15:50.940 --> 00:15:53.100 lieutenant, and was caught poking around Air 382 00:15:53.100 --> 00:15:55.580 Force Two, the Vice President's plane. 383 00:15:56.140 --> 00:15:58.540 This incident triggered an FBI investigation 384 00:15:58.540 --> 00:16:01.300 and ended his first marriage. His 385 00:16:01.300 --> 00:16:03.660 cons escalated. He married again, 386 00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:05.940 claiming to be a college graduate with a 387 00:16:05.940 --> 00:16:08.660 baseball contract. He even invented a spray 388 00:16:08.660 --> 00:16:11.100 on diaper cream called Love My Baby, 389 00:16:11.420 --> 00:16:13.220 falsely claiming a multi million dollar 390 00:16:13.220 --> 00:16:16.090 buyout was imminent. Using his wife's credit 391 00:16:16.090 --> 00:16:18.730 card, he rented limos and posed as a TV 392 00:16:18.730 --> 00:16:20.810 producer to cast a Super bowl commercial, 393 00:16:21.050 --> 00:16:23.290 only to be busted by police, who described 394 00:16:23.290 --> 00:16:25.970 him as a smooth talker. After these 395 00:16:25.970 --> 00:16:28.570 setbacks, Hunt fled back to the military, 396 00:16:28.650 --> 00:16:30.770 using fake credentials to acquire flight 397 00:16:30.770 --> 00:16:32.810 uniforms and promoting himself from marine 398 00:16:32.810 --> 00:16:35.410 pilot to Captain Hunt, America's youngest 399 00:16:35.410 --> 00:16:38.130 Marine astronaut, complete with $20 Navy 400 00:16:38.130 --> 00:16:40.650 astronaut wings. He claimed to have bluffed 401 00:16:40.650 --> 00:16:42.650 his way into NASA astronaut training, 402 00:16:43.110 --> 00:16:45.270 undergoing physical evaluations at Johnson 403 00:16:45.270 --> 00:16:47.710 Space Centre and studying in Rocket City, 404 00:16:47.710 --> 00:16:50.630 Huntsville, Alabama. He even said he spent 405 00:16:50.710 --> 00:16:53.310 nine weeks with Morton Thiokol, the company 406 00:16:53.310 --> 00:16:56.190 that built solid rocket boosters. While 407 00:16:56.190 --> 00:16:58.510 none of these claims are verified, Hunt's 408 00:16:58.510 --> 00:17:00.390 narrative was detailed enough to convince 409 00:17:00.390 --> 00:17:03.270 many, including his fourth wife, Ann Sweeney, 410 00:17:03.270 --> 00:17:06.150 an optical engineer. He whisked her away 411 00:17:06.150 --> 00:17:08.310 on private jets and exotic vacations, 412 00:17:08.939 --> 00:17:11.459 paying with her corporate credit card. The 413 00:17:11.459 --> 00:17:13.539 pinnacle of his astronaut hoax came in 414 00:17:13.539 --> 00:17:16.379 December 1988 when he travelled to Ireland 415 00:17:16.379 --> 00:17:19.059 to visit his brother in law on the Aer 416 00:17:19.059 --> 00:17:21.139 Lingus flight. He charmed the crew and was 417 00:17:21.139 --> 00:17:23.699 invited into the cockpit. Upon landing in 418 00:17:23.699 --> 00:17:25.339 Dublin, he was shocked to be greeted by 419 00:17:25.339 --> 00:17:27.779 smiling Irish government officials and a 420 00:17:27.779 --> 00:17:30.299 small band playing the national anthem. He 421 00:17:30.299 --> 00:17:32.939 didn't even go through customs. Hunt played 422 00:17:32.939 --> 00:17:35.690 along, giving speeches, accepting awards 423 00:17:35.770 --> 00:17:38.330 and sipping tea with Dublin's Lord Mayor, Ben 424 00:17:38.330 --> 00:17:40.610 Briscoe, who, despite his suspicions, 425 00:17:40.610 --> 00:17:43.410 politely let the spectacle continue. Hunt 426 00:17:43.410 --> 00:17:45.810 left Ireland with souvenirs and honorary 427 00:17:45.810 --> 00:17:48.450 Irish citizenship, claiming it all just got 428 00:17:48.450 --> 00:17:51.370 out of control. Back in the US his 429 00:17:51.370 --> 00:17:54.250 scheme began to unravel. American Express 430 00:17:54.250 --> 00:17:57.010 rejected a $5,000 charge for the private jet 431 00:17:57.010 --> 00:17:59.770 trip, alerting his wife's employer, Polaroid. 432 00:18:00.500 --> 00:18:02.780 Massachusetts State Trooper Andrew Palombo 433 00:18:02.780 --> 00:18:05.180 began investigating Hunt after a woman 434 00:18:05.180 --> 00:18:07.260 complained he had convinced her son to 435 00:18:07.260 --> 00:18:10.140 enlist, then demanded $4,000 436 00:18:10.140 --> 00:18:12.460 to use his Pentagon connections for a 437 00:18:12.460 --> 00:18:15.380 discharge. Palombo, a diligent 438 00:18:15.380 --> 00:18:17.540 and tough investigator, quickly discovered 439 00:18:17.540 --> 00:18:19.660 Hunt's military records showed only two 440 00:18:19.660 --> 00:18:21.820 months in the Marine Reserve, ending with a 441 00:18:21.820 --> 00:18:24.740 psychological evaluation. On January 442 00:18:24.820 --> 00:18:27.750 28, 1989, Palambo knocked on 443 00:18:27.750 --> 00:18:30.310 Hunt's door. A search of his home revealed 444 00:18:30.310 --> 00:18:33.030 military paraphernalia, flight jumpsuits, a 445 00:18:33.030 --> 00:18:35.510 NASA helmet, police badges and photos of Hunt 446 00:18:35.510 --> 00:18:38.030 wearing Korean War medals. His wife, Ann 447 00:18:38.030 --> 00:18:39.830 Sweeney, surrendered two scorched space 448 00:18:39.830 --> 00:18:42.390 shuttle tiles, which Palambo identified as 449 00:18:42.390 --> 00:18:45.110 ordinary floor tiles. Hunt was arrested for 450 00:18:45.110 --> 00:18:47.750 larceny. Palambo was relentless, discovering 451 00:18:47.750 --> 00:18:50.310 a fake doctor's ID and confirming that Hunt's 452 00:18:50.310 --> 00:18:52.590 military uniforms were acquired fraudulently. 453 00:18:53.510 --> 00:18:56.150 NASA and FBI determined that impersonating an 454 00:18:56.150 --> 00:18:58.430 astronaut wasn't illegal unless other crimes 455 00:18:58.430 --> 00:19:00.790 were involved. But Palambo logged Hunt's 456 00:19:00.790 --> 00:19:03.750 astronaut gear as evidence of his fraud. Ann 457 00:19:03.750 --> 00:19:05.630 Sweeney was devastated to learn her husband 458 00:19:05.630 --> 00:19:07.990 was a con man. It was almost like watching 459 00:19:07.990 --> 00:19:10.750 someone die, she told the Herald. Here was 460 00:19:10.750 --> 00:19:12.910 this person I thought I knew. And bit by bit, 461 00:19:12.910 --> 00:19:15.350 in the course of an hour, he just dissolved, 462 00:19:15.510 --> 00:19:18.350 just disappeared. She realised she had 463 00:19:18.350 --> 00:19:20.680 fallen victim to the ostrich effect, a 464 00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:22.560 psychological phenomenon where people bury 465 00:19:22.560 --> 00:19:24.920 their heads in the sand, operating under a 466 00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:27.600 truth bias, assuming others are honest. 467 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:30.680 Hunt pleaded guilty to larceny and received a 468 00:19:30.680 --> 00:19:33.240 two year suspended sentence. After his 469 00:19:33.240 --> 00:19:35.720 release. In May 1989, he announced his 470 00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:37.920 candidacy for mayor of Revere, Massachusetts. 471 00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:40.800 But Trooper Palambo continued to pursue him. 472 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:43.320 Hunt failed to pay restitution and skipped 473 00:19:43.320 --> 00:19:45.640 town, becoming a fugitive. Television crews 474 00:19:45.640 --> 00:19:47.320 interviewed his former wives who compared 475 00:19:47.320 --> 00:19:49.950 notes on set. His cons continued, leading him 476 00:19:49.950 --> 00:19:52.310 to pose as the head of Seal Team 6 at a US 477 00:19:52.310 --> 00:19:55.270 military base in San Francisco. There, he 478 00:19:55.270 --> 00:19:57.350 even berated an elderly man who questioned 479 00:19:57.350 --> 00:19:59.790 his authority, only to later realise it was 480 00:19:59.790 --> 00:20:02.030 Apollo astronaut Eugene cernan. 481 00:20:02.590 --> 00:20:05.470 Finally, in July 1994, he was charged with 482 00:20:05.470 --> 00:20:08.030 false impersonation, pleaded guilty and 483 00:20:08.030 --> 00:20:10.990 served a year in prison. After his release, 484 00:20:10.990 --> 00:20:13.990 Hunt's cons persisted, with Palambo doggedly 485 00:20:13.990 --> 00:20:15.770 pursuing him until the trooper's death. And 486 00:20:15.840 --> 00:20:18.800 in 1998, with stricter security after 487 00:20:18.800 --> 00:20:21.760 911 and the Stolen Valour act of 2005 488 00:20:21.760 --> 00:20:23.880 making it illegal to falsely claim military 489 00:20:23.880 --> 00:20:26.200 decorations, Hunt's schemes became 490 00:20:26.200 --> 00:20:28.680 impossible. He finally hung up his fake 491 00:20:28.680 --> 00:20:30.640 uniforms and tried to rebuild his life, 492 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:33.280 expressing regret for the hurt he caused his 493 00:20:33.280 --> 00:20:36.160 ex wives. While he maintained some incredible 494 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:38.000 claims about flying real fighter jets, 495 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:40.880 investigations by NASA and military records 496 00:20:41.120 --> 00:20:43.480 confirmed that Robert Hunt had no legitimate 497 00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:46.470 military or astronaut service. Today, 498 00:20:46.550 --> 00:20:48.870 Robert J. Hunt lives alone in New Hampshire, 499 00:20:48.870 --> 00:20:51.630 working in Construction. At 63, he 500 00:20:51.630 --> 00:20:54.550 reflects on his past. He once said, when I'm 501 00:20:54.550 --> 00:20:56.510 wearing a blue flight suit and everybody else 502 00:20:56.510 --> 00:20:58.590 is wearing a grey or green one, you stand 503 00:20:58.590 --> 00:21:00.910 out. Like, this guy is the super guru of 504 00:21:00.910 --> 00:21:03.030 pilots, so they all want to be your friend 505 00:21:03.910 --> 00:21:06.790 for a brief, extraordinary moment. Like the 506 00:21:06.790 --> 00:21:09.390 sparrows he once painted yellow, Hunt's 507 00:21:09.390 --> 00:21:12.050 deceptions allowed him to truly believe he 508 00:21:12.050 --> 00:21:13.130 could touch the stars. 509 00:21:15.130 --> 00:21:17.850 And with that incredible story, we're calling 510 00:21:17.850 --> 00:21:20.450 time on today's episode of Astronomy Daily. A 511 00:21:20.450 --> 00:21:22.850 final reminder before I head off, if you'd 512 00:21:22.850 --> 00:21:24.570 like to catch up on all the latest in space 513 00:21:24.570 --> 00:21:26.330 news, please visit our website at 514 00:21:26.330 --> 00:21:29.330 astronomydaily IO. Um, while there, you 515 00:21:29.330 --> 00:21:31.250 can listen to all our back episodes and sign 516 00:21:31.250 --> 00:21:33.850 up for our free daily newsletter. Until next 517 00:21:33.850 --> 00:21:36.250 time, this is Anna signing off and reminding 518 00:21:36.250 --> 00:21:38.630 you to keep looking up. You just never know 519 00:21:38.630 --> 00:21:40.910 what you might see or discover. 520 00:21:41.790 --> 00:21:42.270 Bye.