WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.680 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your regular dose 1 00:00:02.680 --> 00:00:04.640 of the latest and greatest in space and 2 00:00:04.640 --> 00:00:07.600 astronomy news. I'm your host, Anna, and I'm 3 00:00:07.600 --> 00:00:09.080 thrilled you could join me today for an 4 00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:11.640 episode packed with fascinating stories from 5 00:00:11.640 --> 00:00:14.280 across the cosmos and beyond. We have a lot 6 00:00:14.280 --> 00:00:16.199 to cover, starting with Blue Origin's 7 00:00:16.199 --> 00:00:18.000 ambitious plans for Mars and the moon, 8 00:00:18.240 --> 00:00:20.520 including an update on their new Glenn rocket 9 00:00:20.520 --> 00:00:23.320 and the Blue Moon lander. Then we'll dive 10 00:00:23.320 --> 00:00:25.480 into a perplexing discovery from the icy 11 00:00:25.480 --> 00:00:27.880 asteroid Ryugu that has scientists scratching 12 00:00:27.880 --> 00:00:30.520 their heads. We'll also journey billions of 13 00:00:30.520 --> 00:00:32.920 light years away to explore a truly ancient 14 00:00:32.920 --> 00:00:35.720 galaxy, a cosmic fossil that's been frozen 15 00:00:35.720 --> 00:00:38.680 in time, offering us a rare glimpse into the 16 00:00:38.680 --> 00:00:41.280 early universe. Closer to home, 17 00:00:41.360 --> 00:00:43.760 we'll take a dazzling peek inside a blue 18 00:00:43.760 --> 00:00:46.480 nebula where new planets are forming around 19 00:00:46.480 --> 00:00:49.360 not one, but three suns. And of 20 00:00:49.360 --> 00:00:51.280 course, we'll round up all the significant 21 00:00:51.440 --> 00:00:53.520 space launches that are keeping our orbits 22 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:56.200 busy before looking at how NASA is bringing 23 00:00:56.200 --> 00:00:58.280 the wonders of space even closer to your 24 00:00:58.280 --> 00:01:00.710 living room. So buckle up, because it's going 25 00:01:00.860 --> 00:01:02.060 to be an exciting ride. 26 00:01:03.340 --> 00:01:05.620 Blue Origin is making steady progress towards 27 00:01:05.620 --> 00:01:08.140 the second launch of its new Glenn rocket, a 28 00:01:08.140 --> 00:01:10.340 significant step that could occur sometime 29 00:01:10.340 --> 00:01:13.300 this fall. The company has already completed 30 00:01:13.300 --> 00:01:15.460 the crucial second stage ignition test in 31 00:01:15.460 --> 00:01:17.900 April, and the first stage is now in its 32 00:01:17.900 --> 00:01:20.380 final preparation at Cape Canaveral, Florida. 33 00:01:20.940 --> 00:01:23.580 While the initial target of August 15 is off 34 00:01:23.580 --> 00:01:26.380 the table, sources suggest a, uh, mid to late 35 00:01:26.380 --> 00:01:28.890 September launch is realistic, with others 36 00:01:28.890 --> 00:01:30.930 leaning towards late October or November. 37 00:01:31.490 --> 00:01:33.690 Blue Origin has remained quiet about the 38 00:01:33.690 --> 00:01:36.210 payload for this flight, but multiple reports 39 00:01:36.370 --> 00:01:38.650 indicate it will carry NASA's escapade 40 00:01:38.650 --> 00:01:41.050 mission. This mission involves a pair of 41 00:01:41.050 --> 00:01:43.850 small spacecraft heading to Mars to study the 42 00:01:43.850 --> 00:01:46.770 Red Planet's magnetosphere. Escapade 43 00:01:46.770 --> 00:01:48.490 was originally meant for New Glenn's first 44 00:01:48.490 --> 00:01:51.090 flight last October, but was removed due to 45 00:01:51.090 --> 00:01:53.290 launch date uncertainty and the spacecraft's 46 00:01:53.290 --> 00:01:55.850 propellant shelf Life. Missing that 47 00:01:55.850 --> 00:01:58.610 2024 Mars launch window means these 48 00:01:58.610 --> 00:02:01.370 spacecraft, once launched this fall, won't 49 00:02:01.370 --> 00:02:03.370 reach Mars until late 2027. 50 00:02:04.250 --> 00:02:06.010 Looking ahead, Blue Origin has several 51 00:02:06.010 --> 00:02:08.890 exciting missions planned for New Glenn. The 52 00:02:08.890 --> 00:02:11.530 fourth flight in the first half of 2026 53 00:02:11.770 --> 00:02:14.370 is slated to carry the Blue Moon MK1 54 00:02:14.370 --> 00:02:16.130 lander. The fifth in 55 00:02:16.130 --> 00:02:18.850 mid-2026, will deploy the first 56 00:02:18.850 --> 00:02:21.740 batch of 49Amazon Project Kuiper satellites. 57 00:02:22.210 --> 00:02:24.290 Blue Origin's strategy is to launch new 58 00:02:24.290 --> 00:02:26.410 rockets as soon as they're ready to gather 59 00:02:26.410 --> 00:02:29.050 performance data, practise first stage reuse, 60 00:02:29.050 --> 00:02:31.970 and achieve a rapid launch cadence. They even 61 00:02:31.970 --> 00:02:34.090 have an inspirational cube for the future 62 00:02:34.090 --> 00:02:36.770 mission ready as a backup or rideshare if a 63 00:02:36.770 --> 00:02:39.610 customer payload isn't Ready. Among 64 00:02:39.610 --> 00:02:42.250 these, The Blue Moon MK1 lander is 65 00:02:42.250 --> 00:02:45.170 generating significant buzz. It's a key part 66 00:02:45.170 --> 00:02:47.810 of Blue Origin's plan for a large reusable 67 00:02:47.810 --> 00:02:50.290 lander capable of taking humans to the moon. 68 00:02:50.940 --> 00:02:53.420 Recent video showed the MK1's midsection 69 00:02:53.420 --> 00:02:56.220 arriving at their assembly facilities. At 8 70 00:02:56.220 --> 00:02:58.860 metres, or 26.4ft tall, 71 00:02:59.100 --> 00:03:01.740 it's designed to be the tallest vehicle ever 72 00:03:01.740 --> 00:03:04.260 to land on the moon. A um metre taller than 73 00:03:04.260 --> 00:03:07.260 the Apollo lunar module, the MK1 is a 74 00:03:07.260 --> 00:03:10.140 cargo version capable of carrying about 3 75 00:03:10.140 --> 00:03:12.780 metric tonnes to the lunar surface, roughly 76 00:03:12.780 --> 00:03:14.980 10 times the capacity of current commercial 77 00:03:14.980 --> 00:03:17.510 landers and and a precursor to the human 78 00:03:17.510 --> 00:03:18.950 rated MK2. 79 00:03:20.310 --> 00:03:22.870 Interestingly, industry officials now believe 80 00:03:22.870 --> 00:03:25.150 Blue Origin has a realistic chance to beat 81 00:03:25.150 --> 00:03:27.310 SpaceX in landing a vehicle on the lunar 82 00:03:27.310 --> 00:03:29.990 surface. SpaceX has faced development 83 00:03:29.990 --> 00:03:32.229 struggles with its starship, with recent 84 00:03:32.229 --> 00:03:34.990 upper stage losses. Blue Origin's 85 00:03:34.990 --> 00:03:37.710 MK2 Lander, while ambitious, is considered 86 00:03:37.710 --> 00:03:40.310 less technically challenging. Furthermore, 87 00:03:40.310 --> 00:03:42.270 sources suggest Blue Origin founder Jeff 88 00:03:42.270 --> 00:03:44.150 Bezos is is more committed to a lunar 89 00:03:44.150 --> 00:03:46.270 programme than SpaceX's Elon Musk, 90 00:03:46.510 --> 00:03:48.550 potentially giving him an edge in this lunar 91 00:03:48.550 --> 00:03:51.350 race from the ambitious 92 00:03:51.350 --> 00:03:52.670 future of lunar landings. 93 00:03:52.990 --> 00:03:55.070 Let's now shift our focus to a tiny, 94 00:03:55.070 --> 00:03:57.750 perplexing discovery from the icy depths of 95 00:03:57.750 --> 00:04:00.590 asteroid Ryugu, a find that is truly 96 00:04:00.590 --> 00:04:03.390 baffling scientists Researchers at 97 00:04:03.390 --> 00:04:05.590 Hiroshima University have uncovered a mineral 98 00:04:05.590 --> 00:04:07.790 called Jerfischerite within a pristine grain 99 00:04:07.790 --> 00:04:10.450 from Ryugu, an asteroid belonging to the 100 00:04:10.450 --> 00:04:13.170 carbon rich C type family. What makes this so 101 00:04:13.170 --> 00:04:15.210 surprising is that Jerfischerite typically 102 00:04:15.210 --> 00:04:17.850 forms in scorching, oxygen poor 103 00:04:17.850 --> 00:04:20.530 environments, conditions completely contrary 104 00:04:20.530 --> 00:04:22.970 to what we believed about Ryugu, which is 105 00:04:22.970 --> 00:04:25.130 thought to be an icy water soaked time 106 00:04:25.130 --> 00:04:28.010 capsule from the early solar system. This 107 00:04:28.010 --> 00:04:30.490 unexpected discovery, detailed in the journal 108 00:04:30.490 --> 00:04:33.330 Meteoritics and Planetary Science, is like 109 00:04:33.330 --> 00:04:35.970 finding a tropical seed buried deep in Arctic 110 00:04:35.970 --> 00:04:38.970 ice. Ryugu's samples, brought to 111 00:04:38.970 --> 00:04:41.660 Earth by Japan's Hayabusa2 probe in December 112 00:04:41.760 --> 00:04:44.570 2020, have been turning planetary science on 113 00:04:44.570 --> 00:04:46.770 its head. The presence of 114 00:04:46.770 --> 00:04:48.930 Jerfischerite suggests two main 115 00:04:50.130 --> 00:04:52.529 either the asteroid endured unexpected heat 116 00:04:52.529 --> 00:04:55.090 spikes, or it somehow captured exotic 117 00:04:55.090 --> 00:04:56.810 material that travelled across the early 118 00:04:56.810 --> 00:04:59.730 solar system. This m finding challenges 119 00:04:59.730 --> 00:05:01.890 the long held idea that Ryugu is 120 00:05:01.890 --> 00:05:04.700 compositionally uniform and instead points to 121 00:05:04.700 --> 00:05:07.060 a far more chaotic mixing of planetary 122 00:05:07.060 --> 00:05:09.420 building blocks during the solar system's 123 00:05:09.420 --> 00:05:12.340 formation. Ryugu is believed to 124 00:05:12.340 --> 00:05:14.220 have originated from a larger parent body 125 00:05:14.220 --> 00:05:16.540 that formed in the outer regions of the solar 126 00:05:16.540 --> 00:05:19.020 system, where water and carbon dioxide 127 00:05:19.020 --> 00:05:21.980 existed as ice temperatures 128 00:05:21.980 --> 00:05:24.220 within this parent body were estimated to 129 00:05:24.220 --> 00:05:26.900 have remained below about 50 degrees Celsius. 130 00:05:27.860 --> 00:05:30.380 In stark contrast, Jerfischurite is known to 131 00:05:30.380 --> 00:05:32.660 form in much Hotter conditions, sometimes 132 00:05:32.660 --> 00:05:35.450 exceeding 350 degrees Celsius, often 133 00:05:35.450 --> 00:05:37.570 found in meteorites that formed closer to the 134 00:05:37.570 --> 00:05:40.410 sun. Scientists are now considering whether 135 00:05:40.410 --> 00:05:42.210 this mineral arrived from another source 136 00:05:42.210 --> 00:05:45.090 during Ryugu's formation, or if Ryugu 137 00:05:45.090 --> 00:05:48.090 itself experienced localised heating events 138 00:05:48.090 --> 00:05:49.930 that allowed jerfischerite to form 139 00:05:49.930 --> 00:05:52.570 intrinsically. Preliminary evidence 140 00:05:52.570 --> 00:05:54.450 leans towards the intrinsic formation 141 00:05:54.450 --> 00:05:57.370 hypothesis, but more research is needed. 142 00:05:57.690 --> 00:06:00.050 The next steps involve conducting isotopic 143 00:06:00.050 --> 00:06:02.980 studies of this and other Ryugu grains to 144 00:06:02.980 --> 00:06:04.900 determine their true origins. 145 00:06:05.940 --> 00:06:08.100 Ultimately, the goal is to reconstruct the 146 00:06:08.100 --> 00:06:10.780 early mixing processes and thermal 147 00:06:10.780 --> 00:06:12.980 histories that shaped small bodies like 148 00:06:12.980 --> 00:06:15.940 Ryugu, thus improving our understanding 149 00:06:15.940 --> 00:06:18.779 of how planets formed and how materials were 150 00:06:18.779 --> 00:06:20.500 transported in the early solar system. 151 00:06:20.900 --> 00:06:23.780 It's a tiny mineral, but a huge mystery for 152 00:06:23.780 --> 00:06:26.780 planetary scientists. From 153 00:06:26.780 --> 00:06:29.390 the small wonders of asteroids, we now 154 00:06:29.390 --> 00:06:31.390 journey to the colossal structures of the 155 00:06:31.390 --> 00:06:34.030 universe, where astronomers have made a truly 156 00:06:34.030 --> 00:06:36.790 remarkable discoverya uh, galaxy that has 157 00:06:36.790 --> 00:06:39.670 remained frozen in time for billions 158 00:06:39.670 --> 00:06:42.190 of years. Imagine a cosmic 159 00:06:42.190 --> 00:06:44.590 fossil, much like the dinosaur fossils we 160 00:06:44.590 --> 00:06:46.990 find here on Earth. But instead of ancient 161 00:06:46.990 --> 00:06:49.510 life, it's a galaxy that has preserved the 162 00:06:49.510 --> 00:06:52.150 conditions of the early universe. This 163 00:06:52.150 --> 00:06:54.740 incredible find is the Galaxy Kids 164 00:06:55.060 --> 00:06:58.660 J08420059, 165 00:06:58.900 --> 00:07:01.220 located a staggering 3 billion light years 166 00:07:01.220 --> 00:07:04.140 away. What makes it a cosmic fossil is 167 00:07:04.140 --> 00:07:05.780 its unique ability to have, um, remained 168 00:07:05.780 --> 00:07:07.660 virtually unchanged by collisions and 169 00:07:07.660 --> 00:07:10.379 interactions with other galaxies. Acting as a 170 00:07:10.379 --> 00:07:13.060 pristine time capsule, recent research 171 00:07:13.220 --> 00:07:15.300 utilising data from the Large Binocular 172 00:07:15.300 --> 00:07:18.100 Telescope has confirmed that this galaxy has 173 00:07:18.100 --> 00:07:20.380 been perfectly preserved for approximately 7 174 00:07:20.380 --> 00:07:22.780 billion years. As Crescenzo 175 00:07:22.780 --> 00:07:25.700 Tortora, a team co leader and researcher at 176 00:07:25.700 --> 00:07:27.620 the National Institute of Astrophysics, put 177 00:07:27.620 --> 00:07:30.500 it, discovering this galaxy is like 178 00:07:30.500 --> 00:07:32.500 an archaeological find that helps us 179 00:07:32.500 --> 00:07:34.860 understand how the first galaxies were born 180 00:07:34.860 --> 00:07:37.820 and how the universe has evolved. These 181 00:07:37.820 --> 00:07:40.180 fossil galaxies are truly like the dinosaurs 182 00:07:40.180 --> 00:07:42.580 of the universe, offering clues about the 183 00:07:42.580 --> 00:07:44.620 environmental conditions in which they formed 184 00:07:44.620 --> 00:07:47.220 and how today's most massive galaxies came to 185 00:07:47.220 --> 00:07:48.960 be. M Kids 186 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:52.480 J084-20059 187 00:07:52.640 --> 00:07:55.280 was initially discovered in 2018 by the 188 00:07:55.280 --> 00:07:57.280 Kilo Degree Survey, or KIDS. 189 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:00.080 Subsequent observations with instruments like 190 00:08:00.080 --> 00:08:02.720 the Very Large Telescope and its X Shooter 191 00:08:02.720 --> 00:08:04.720 instrument helped astronomers measure its 192 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:07.320 size and mass. It was found to have a stellar 193 00:08:07.320 --> 00:08:09.600 mass about 100 billion times that of our Sun. 194 00:08:09.840 --> 00:08:12.200 Yet it's more compact than other galaxies of 195 00:08:12.200 --> 00:08:14.650 similar mass and has notably lacked star 196 00:08:14.650 --> 00:08:17.130 formation for much of its life. All these 197 00:08:17.130 --> 00:08:19.010 characteristics pointed towards it being a 198 00:08:19.010 --> 00:08:21.850 fossil galaxy. To confirm its unique 199 00:08:21.850 --> 00:08:24.490 nature, the team used the adaptive optics 200 00:08:24.490 --> 00:08:27.210 system of the Large Binocular Telescope, 201 00:08:27.290 --> 00:08:29.690 obtaining images with 10 times the detail 202 00:08:29.690 --> 00:08:32.170 previously available. This confirmed its 203 00:08:32.170 --> 00:08:34.610 compact structure, similar to other rare, 204 00:08:34.610 --> 00:08:36.170 stunted galactic fossils like 205 00:08:36.170 --> 00:08:39.090 NGC1277, which is much 206 00:08:39.090 --> 00:08:41.640 closer to us. The existence of 207 00:08:41.640 --> 00:08:42.760 galaxies like kids 208 00:08:42.760 --> 00:08:46.280 J08420059 209 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:48.600 indicates that some galaxies can form 210 00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:51.520 rapidly, stay compact, and remain dormant 211 00:08:51.520 --> 00:08:53.960 for aeons by simply avoiding collisions. 212 00:08:54.680 --> 00:08:57.160 Studying these cosmic fossils is crucial for 213 00:08:57.160 --> 00:08:59.200 reconstructing the formation history of the 214 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:01.960 nuclei of today's massive galaxies, which, 215 00:09:01.960 --> 00:09:04.600 unlike these relics, have undergone numerous 216 00:09:04.600 --> 00:09:07.490 merger processes. Future research 217 00:09:07.490 --> 00:09:09.890 with cutting edge technologies and telescopes 218 00:09:09.890 --> 00:09:12.490 such as the Euclid Space Telescope promises 219 00:09:12.490 --> 00:09:14.810 to further unlock the secrets these ancient 220 00:09:14.810 --> 00:09:15.690 galaxies hold. 221 00:09:17.050 --> 00:09:19.290 From the ancient past of galaxies, we now 222 00:09:19.290 --> 00:09:21.650 turn our gaze to the vibrant present of star 223 00:09:21.650 --> 00:09:24.050 and planet formation as the Hubble Space 224 00:09:24.050 --> 00:09:26.530 Telescope has delivered another breathtaking 225 00:09:26.530 --> 00:09:29.250 image. This time it's a dazzling 226 00:09:29.250 --> 00:09:31.940 peak inside a blue nebula, revealing what 227 00:09:31.940 --> 00:09:33.860 astronomers are calling a hidden planet 228 00:09:33.860 --> 00:09:36.700 factory. The image showcases a stunning 229 00:09:36.700 --> 00:09:37.980 cosmic cloud known as 230 00:09:37.980 --> 00:09:40.660 GN043.2.8, 231 00:09:41.060 --> 00:09:43.740 a type of reflection nebula. Unlike 232 00:09:43.740 --> 00:09:46.300 nebulae that emit their own light, reflection 233 00:09:46.300 --> 00:09:49.180 nebulae glow by scattering light from nearby 234 00:09:49.180 --> 00:09:52.060 stars, often giving them that characteristic 235 00:09:52.060 --> 00:09:54.900 soft, bluish hue, which is certainly the 236 00:09:54.900 --> 00:09:57.700 case here. This glowing cloud is nestled 237 00:09:57.700 --> 00:10:00.600 within the Torus Molecular Cloud, a 238 00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:02.760 rich star forming region located 239 00:10:02.760 --> 00:10:05.680 approximately 480 light years from Earth 240 00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:08.840 in the constellation Taurus. It's one of the 241 00:10:08.840 --> 00:10:11.120 closest and most ideal places for observing 242 00:10:11.120 --> 00:10:13.920 newborn stars in action. The soft 243 00:10:13.920 --> 00:10:16.840 Glow of GN04328 comes 244 00:10:16.840 --> 00:10:18.800 from a trio of young stars at its heart. 245 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:22.040 These include the variable star V1025 246 00:10:22.040 --> 00:10:24.640 Tauri at the very centre of the image, along 247 00:10:24.640 --> 00:10:27.340 with HP Tau, HP Tau G2, 248 00:10:27.420 --> 00:10:30.220 and HP Tau G3. HP 249 00:10:30.220 --> 00:10:32.260 Tau itself belongs to a special class known 250 00:10:32.260 --> 00:10:35.020 as T Tauri stars, which are energetic and 251 00:10:35.020 --> 00:10:36.980 restless stars in the earliest stages of 252 00:10:36.980 --> 00:10:39.180 their lives, perfectly at home in this 253 00:10:39.180 --> 00:10:41.900 stellar nursery. Astronomers believe 254 00:10:41.979 --> 00:10:44.220 these three stars form a gravitationally 255 00:10:44.220 --> 00:10:46.380 bound triple system, making this region even 256 00:10:46.380 --> 00:10:49.220 more compelling for study. But perhaps the 257 00:10:49.220 --> 00:10:51.620 most exciting detail for planet hunters is a 258 00:10:51.620 --> 00:10:54.480 small squashed orange spot just to the left 259 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:56.760 of the centre, below the main cloud, 260 00:10:57.080 --> 00:11:00.080 crossed by a dark line. This is a newly 261 00:11:00.080 --> 00:11:02.160 formed protostar veiled within a 262 00:11:02.160 --> 00:11:05.000 protoplanetary disc that obstructs some of 263 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:07.720 its light. Because this disc is seen 264 00:11:07.720 --> 00:11:10.680 edge on from our perspective, it presents an 265 00:11:10.680 --> 00:11:13.080 ideal opportunity for astronomers to examine 266 00:11:13.080 --> 00:11:15.840 it closely. They're using Hubble's keen 267 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:18.000 eye to seek out clues about the kinds of 268 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:20.440 exoplanets that might be formed within discs 269 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:21.760 just like this one. 270 00:11:23.040 --> 00:11:25.640 Moving from the ancient past of galaxies to 271 00:11:25.640 --> 00:11:28.160 the dynamic present here on Earth, this week 272 00:11:28.160 --> 00:11:30.240 promises to be an incredibly busy one for 273 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:33.240 space launches. As July begins, the 274 00:11:33.240 --> 00:11:35.520 global launch manifest is absolutely jam 275 00:11:35.520 --> 00:11:38.080 packed with exciting missions Kicking things 276 00:11:38.080 --> 00:11:41.080 off SpaceX is set for a double header with 277 00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:43.880 two Falcon 9 launches from Florida. The first 278 00:11:43.880 --> 00:11:46.320 is a Starlink mission scheduled for no 279 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:49.030 earlier than Tuesday, July 1st at 280 00:11:49.030 --> 00:11:52.030 2:06am EDT from Space 281 00:11:52.030 --> 00:11:54.790 Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. This 282 00:11:54.790 --> 00:11:56.750 rocket will fly on a northeast trajectory 283 00:11:56.750 --> 00:11:59.430 carrying a batch of 27 Starlink V2 mini 284 00:11:59.430 --> 00:12:01.790 satellites for Internet connectivity. The 285 00:12:01.790 --> 00:12:03.950 first stage booster will attempt a landing on 286 00:12:03.950 --> 00:12:06.270 one of SpaceX's East coast drone ships in the 287 00:12:06.270 --> 00:12:08.630 Atlantic. This mission marks a significant 288 00:12:08.790 --> 00:12:11.790 milestone as it will be the 82nd flight of a 289 00:12:11.790 --> 00:12:14.530 Falcon 9 in 2025 and the 290 00:12:14.530 --> 00:12:17.090 staggering 500th mission for the rocket since 291 00:12:17.090 --> 00:12:19.370 its debut back in June 2010. 292 00:12:20.170 --> 00:12:22.810 SpaceX is ambitiously aiming for up to 293 00:12:22.810 --> 00:12:25.770 170 Falcon launches before the year is out. 294 00:12:26.570 --> 00:12:28.650 Just Hours later, the second SpaceX launch 295 00:12:28.650 --> 00:12:30.730 could happen. Liftoff of the 296 00:12:30.730 --> 00:12:33.570 MTGS1 mission is scheduled for no earlier 297 00:12:33.570 --> 00:12:35.850 than Tuesday, July 1 at 298 00:12:35.850 --> 00:12:38.650 5:03pm EDT, this 299 00:12:38.650 --> 00:12:40.490 time from the historic Launch Complex 300 00:12:41.030 --> 00:12:43.710 39A at Kennedy Space Centre. The 301 00:12:43.710 --> 00:12:45.950 payload for this M mission is the Meteosat 302 00:12:45.950 --> 00:12:48.390 third generation Sounder 1 or 303 00:12:48.470 --> 00:12:51.110 MTG S1, a crucial weather 304 00:12:51.110 --> 00:12:53.030 satellite to be operated by the European 305 00:12:53.030 --> 00:12:56.030 Space agency and Umet Sat. Weighing in 306 00:12:56.030 --> 00:12:58.870 at 3,800 kilogrammes, MTG 307 00:12:58.870 --> 00:13:01.350 S1 is equipped with an infrared sounder, 308 00:13:01.750 --> 00:13:04.670 Europe's first in geostationary orbit, and a 309 00:13:04.670 --> 00:13:07.440 UVN spectrometer. These instruments will 310 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:09.560 provide improved weather forecasting data for 311 00:13:09.560 --> 00:13:12.080 Europe and Northern Africa and importantly 312 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:14.920 monitor air quality by detecting trace gas 313 00:13:14.920 --> 00:13:17.920 concentrations and aerosols, supplying hourly 314 00:13:17.920 --> 00:13:20.320 air pollution information. This will be the 315 00:13:20.320 --> 00:13:22.240 83rd Falcon 9 launch of the year. 316 00:13:23.200 --> 00:13:25.640 Beyond SpaceX we have a truly momentous 317 00:13:25.640 --> 00:13:28.120 occasion for Australia the debut flight of 318 00:13:28.120 --> 00:13:30.400 its first homegrown launch vehicle, Gilmore 319 00:13:30.400 --> 00:13:32.670 Space's Air Ros rocket. This highly 320 00:13:32.670 --> 00:13:34.510 anticipated maiden flight is set to take 321 00:13:34.510 --> 00:13:37.350 place no earlier than Thursday, July 3 at 322 00:13:37.350 --> 00:13:40.110 7:30am Australian UM Eastern Standard 323 00:13:40.110 --> 00:13:42.350 Time from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport at 324 00:13:42.350 --> 00:13:45.190 Abbott Point. After years of development, 325 00:13:45.350 --> 00:13:47.949 the three stage ERIS rocket, which uses a 326 00:13:47.949 --> 00:13:50.030 fascinating hybrid propellant system for its 327 00:13:50.030 --> 00:13:52.750 first two stages, will attempt to reach low 328 00:13:52.750 --> 00:13:55.350 Earth orbit. A successful launch would mark 329 00:13:55.350 --> 00:13:57.720 the first for an Australian built rocket and 330 00:13:57.720 --> 00:14:00.600 the first for a hybrid fueled rocket. Fun 331 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:02.640 fact. While not carrying an operational 332 00:14:02.640 --> 00:14:05.520 payload, Gilmour Space has humorously placed 333 00:14:05.520 --> 00:14:07.560 a container of vegemite flavour spread inside 334 00:14:07.560 --> 00:14:10.280 the payload fairing. Also on Thursday, July 335 00:14:10.280 --> 00:14:12.800 3, China's only scheduled launch of the week 336 00:14:12.800 --> 00:14:15.670 will see a uh Chang Geng 4B or CZ4B 337 00:14:15.810 --> 00:14:18.800 Rocket take flight at 9:35am UTC 338 00:14:19.040 --> 00:14:21.200 from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre. 339 00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:23.760 This three stage launcher has a long and 340 00:14:23.760 --> 00:14:26.490 successful history, having flown 53 times 341 00:14:26.490 --> 00:14:29.450 with 52 successes over its 26 year tenure, 342 00:14:29.690 --> 00:14:31.570 primarily launching remote sensing 343 00:14:31.570 --> 00:14:34.410 satellites. Rounding out the week's launches, 344 00:14:34.410 --> 00:14:37.290 the Russian space agency Roscosmos is 345 00:14:37.290 --> 00:14:39.250 looking to resupply the International Space 346 00:14:39.250 --> 00:14:41.290 Station with a Progress cargo mission. 347 00:14:41.690 --> 00:14:44.530 Liftoff from site 31.6 at the Baikonur 348 00:14:44.530 --> 00:14:47.250 Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is scheduled for 349 00:14:47.250 --> 00:14:50.130 Thursday, July 3 at 3:32pm 350 00:14:50.130 --> 00:14:52.950 Eastern Daylight Time. The Progress M 351 00:14:52.950 --> 00:14:55.950 S31 spacecraft will deliver approximately 352 00:14:55.950 --> 00:14:58.950 2,500 kilogrammes of food, water 353 00:14:58.950 --> 00:15:00.830 and equipment for the crew aboard the 354 00:15:00.830 --> 00:15:03.190 station, with docking expected on Saturday, 355 00:15:03.190 --> 00:15:05.310 July 5. This will mark the 356 00:15:05.310 --> 00:15:08.310 184th flight of a Progress cargo spacecraft 357 00:15:08.470 --> 00:15:10.830 and the sixth launch of a Soyuz rocket in 358 00:15:10.830 --> 00:15:13.310 2025. What a week for space 359 00:15:13.310 --> 00:15:14.150 enthusiasts. 360 00:15:15.510 --> 00:15:17.510 Finally, in exciting news for space 361 00:15:17.510 --> 00:15:20.170 enthusiasts everywhere new NASA has announced 362 00:15:20.170 --> 00:15:22.930 its latest venture to bring space closer to 363 00:15:22.930 --> 00:15:25.370 home by teaming up with a major streaming 364 00:15:25.370 --> 00:15:27.930 service. Starting this northern summer, 365 00:15:28.010 --> 00:15:30.650 NASA live programming will be available on 366 00:15:30.650 --> 00:15:33.410 Netflix. This partnership means that 367 00:15:33.410 --> 00:15:36.090 audiences will have another fantastic option 368 00:15:36.330 --> 00:15:38.850 to stream live rocket launches, awe 369 00:15:38.850 --> 00:15:40.970 inspiring astronaut spacewalks, 370 00:15:41.130 --> 00:15:43.250 comprehensive mission coverage, and 371 00:15:43.250 --> 00:15:45.610 breathtaking live views of Earth directly 372 00:15:45.610 --> 00:15:47.210 from the International Space Station. 373 00:15:48.510 --> 00:15:51.230 Rebecca Sermons, General Manager of NASA, 374 00:15:51.710 --> 00:15:54.230 highlighted the agency's commitment, stating 375 00:15:54.230 --> 00:15:56.390 that the National Aeronautics and Space act 376 00:15:56.390 --> 00:15:59.390 of 1958 calls on them to share their story 377 00:15:59.390 --> 00:16:01.750 of space exploration with the broadest 378 00:16:01.750 --> 00:16:04.550 possible audience. This collaboration 379 00:16:04.550 --> 00:16:06.590 aims for a golden age of innovation and 380 00:16:06.590 --> 00:16:09.310 exploration, inspiring new generations right 381 00:16:09.310 --> 00:16:11.070 from the comfort of their couch or the palm 382 00:16:11.070 --> 00:16:13.230 of their hand. Through this strategic 383 00:16:13.230 --> 00:16:15.470 partnership, NASA's groundbreaking work in 384 00:16:15.470 --> 00:16:18.010 science and exploration will become even more 385 00:16:18.010 --> 00:16:20.130 accessible, allowing the agency to 386 00:16:20.130 --> 00:16:22.770 significantly increase engagement and inspire 387 00:16:22.770 --> 00:16:25.290 a global audience within the modern media 388 00:16:25.290 --> 00:16:28.210 landscape. With Netflix reaching over 389 00:16:28.210 --> 00:16:31.010 700 million people worldwide, this move 390 00:16:31.010 --> 00:16:33.570 aligns perfectly with NASA's broader efforts 391 00:16:33.570 --> 00:16:35.570 to connect with as many people as possible 392 00:16:35.650 --> 00:16:38.290 through various platforms, including video, 393 00:16:38.610 --> 00:16:41.570 audio, social media and live events. 394 00:16:42.210 --> 00:16:44.720 The ultimate goal is simple to bring the 395 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:46.760 excitement of the agency's discoveries, 396 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:49.800 inventions and space exploration to people 397 00:16:49.880 --> 00:16:52.720 wherever they are. It's also worth noting 398 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:55.200 that NASA itself will continue to be 399 00:16:55.200 --> 00:16:58.000 available for free with no ads through the 400 00:16:58.000 --> 00:17:00.520 official NASA app and on the agency's 401 00:17:00.520 --> 00:17:02.880 website. More programming details and 402 00:17:02.880 --> 00:17:05.160 schedules are expected to be announced closer 403 00:17:05.160 --> 00:17:08.160 to the launch date. And 404 00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:09.880 that brings us to the end of another 405 00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:12.819 fascinating episode of Astronomy Daily. Thank 406 00:17:12.819 --> 00:17:14.379 you so much for joining me today. I hope you 407 00:17:14.379 --> 00:17:16.299 enjoyed exploring the latest in space and 408 00:17:16.299 --> 00:17:18.659 astronomy news from Mars missions and 409 00:17:18.659 --> 00:17:20.859 puzzling asteroid discoveries to ancient 410 00:17:20.859 --> 00:17:23.379 galaxies and the cutting edge of launch 411 00:17:23.379 --> 00:17:23.779 technology. 412 00:17:24.659 --> 00:17:27.139 Before we sign off. Remember, you can always 413 00:17:27.139 --> 00:17:29.219 catch up on all the latest space and 414 00:17:29.219 --> 00:17:31.819 astronomy news with our constantly updating 415 00:17:31.819 --> 00:17:33.979 news feed, and listen to all our back 416 00:17:33.979 --> 00:17:35.619 episodes by visiting our 417 00:17:35.619 --> 00:17:38.310 website@astronomydaily.IO. that's 418 00:17:38.310 --> 00:17:41.070 Astronomy Daily IO. And if you haven't 419 00:17:41.070 --> 00:17:43.350 already, make sure to subscribe to Astronomy 420 00:17:43.350 --> 00:17:46.230 Daily on Apple podcasts, Spotify and YouTube, 421 00:17:46.230 --> 00:17:48.310 or wherever you get your podcasts so you 422 00:17:48.310 --> 00:17:50.790 never miss an episode. It's been a pleasure 423 00:17:50.790 --> 00:17:52.990 being your host, Anna, and I look forward to 424 00:17:52.990 --> 00:17:54.550 sharing more cosmic wonders with you 425 00:17:54.550 --> 00:17:56.990 tomorrow. Until then, keep looking up.