WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.000 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily 1 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:05.440 dive into the cosmos. I'm Anna. 2 00:00:05.520 --> 00:00:07.840 Avery: And I'm Avery. We're so glad you could join 3 00:00:07.840 --> 00:00:09.400 us today for a look at the latest and 4 00:00:09.400 --> 00:00:11.360 greatest in space and astronomy news. 5 00:00:11.600 --> 00:00:13.680 Anna: We've got a packed show for you today 6 00:00:13.760 --> 00:00:16.480 covering everything from how humanity is 7 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:18.960 preparing for potential first contact with 8 00:00:18.960 --> 00:00:21.960 alien intelligence to a fascinating new 9 00:00:21.960 --> 00:00:24.560 exoplanet system discovered around a red 10 00:00:24.560 --> 00:00:25.200 dwarf star. 11 00:00:25.520 --> 00:00:27.520 Avery: Plus, we'll tell you about Russia's latest 12 00:00:27.520 --> 00:00:29.600 satellite launch aimed at understanding 13 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:32.350 Earth's space wither and the the truly wild 14 00:00:32.350 --> 00:00:35.030 new helicopter mission concept for Mars. 15 00:00:35.350 --> 00:00:38.110 Anna: It's going to be a captivating journey 16 00:00:38.110 --> 00:00:40.830 through the universe. So buckle up and 17 00:00:40.830 --> 00:00:43.350 let's get started with today's top stories. 18 00:00:43.990 --> 00:00:46.830 All right, let's dive into a topic that has 19 00:00:46.830 --> 00:00:49.270 captivated humanity for centuries. 20 00:00:49.590 --> 00:00:52.310 The possibility of life beyond Earth. 21 00:00:52.710 --> 00:00:55.270 Specifically, we're looking at what happens 22 00:00:55.350 --> 00:00:57.670 after we discover extraterrestrial 23 00:00:57.670 --> 00:00:58.390 intelligence. 24 00:00:58.970 --> 00:01:01.650 Avery: Exactly. A fascinating new research paper 25 00:01:01.650 --> 00:01:04.260 posted to the ARXIV Preprint server from M. 26 00:01:04.290 --> 00:01:07.050 The University of St. Andrews tackles this 27 00:01:07.050 --> 00:01:09.970 very question. It outlines how NASA and 28 00:01:09.970 --> 00:01:12.010 the global scientific community should 29 00:01:12.010 --> 00:01:14.330 prepare for the moment humanity detects signs 30 00:01:14.330 --> 00:01:15.690 of alien intelligence. 31 00:01:16.170 --> 00:01:18.330 Anna: This isn't just about finding simple 32 00:01:18.330 --> 00:01:21.050 microbial life. This is about discovering 33 00:01:21.130 --> 00:01:23.650 technological signatures from an alien 34 00:01:23.650 --> 00:01:26.330 civilization. The paper, penned by 14 35 00:01:26.330 --> 00:01:28.410 researchers from various institutions, 36 00:01:28.890 --> 00:01:30.670 highlights that scientists such a detection 37 00:01:30.670 --> 00:01:33.470 would trigger a, uh, complex global process 38 00:01:33.790 --> 00:01:36.030 heavily influenced by uncertainty, 39 00:01:36.270 --> 00:01:39.150 misinformation and diverse ideological 40 00:01:39.150 --> 00:01:41.870 viewpoints. It would fundamentally reshape 41 00:01:41.870 --> 00:01:43.710 our understanding of our place in the 42 00:01:43.710 --> 00:01:44.190 universe. 43 00:01:44.510 --> 00:01:47.110 Avery: And what's particularly striking is how 44 00:01:47.110 --> 00:01:49.390 outdated previous preparation efforts are. 45 00:01:49.470 --> 00:01:52.230 Early guidelines from 1989 predate the 46 00:01:52.230 --> 00:01:55.190 Internet entirely. The researchers, led 47 00:01:55.190 --> 00:01:57.790 by Kate Genevieve from the Astroecologies 48 00:01:57.790 --> 00:02:00.270 Institution, argue that those protocols 49 00:02:00.270 --> 00:02:02.410 simply can't account for the rapid global 50 00:02:02.410 --> 00:02:04.890 media dissemination we experience today. 51 00:02:05.770 --> 00:02:08.290 Anna: Imagine the media firestorm if this news 52 00:02:08.290 --> 00:02:10.570 broke now. In an era of viral 53 00:02:10.570 --> 00:02:12.890 misinformation and instant global 54 00:02:12.890 --> 00:02:15.650 communication, it would be unlike anything 55 00:02:15.650 --> 00:02:17.530 humanity has ever experienced. 56 00:02:18.010 --> 00:02:20.490 Avery: To address this, the team proposes six 57 00:02:20.490 --> 00:02:23.050 critical areas where NASA should invest now 58 00:02:23.050 --> 00:02:26.050 before any discovery occurs. These range from 59 00:02:26.050 --> 00:02:28.330 advancing detection technologies to studying 60 00:02:28.330 --> 00:02:30.530 how different cultures might interpret the 61 00:02:30.530 --> 00:02:32.650 news of extraterrestrial discovery. 62 00:02:33.110 --> 00:02:35.350 Anna: One of the most intriguing aspects is the 63 00:02:35.350 --> 00:02:38.030 concept of developing other minds 64 00:02:38.030 --> 00:02:40.510 paradigms. This means preparing to 65 00:02:40.510 --> 00:02:42.670 recognize intelligence that doesn't 66 00:02:42.670 --> 00:02:45.310 necessarily think like us. The paper 67 00:02:45.310 --> 00:02:47.350 suggests leveraging techniques from 68 00:02:47.350 --> 00:02:49.910 bioacoustics, machine learning and 69 00:02:49.910 --> 00:02:51.030 quantum computing. 70 00:02:51.430 --> 00:02:53.790 Avery: They even mention studying whale songs and 71 00:02:53.790 --> 00:02:56.230 bird navigation to understand non human 72 00:02:56.310 --> 00:02:58.630 communication patterns. This really 73 00:02:58.630 --> 00:03:00.870 challenges us to move beyond Earth centric 74 00:03:00.870 --> 00:03:03.440 assumptions. If aliens communicate through 75 00:03:03.440 --> 00:03:06.160 methods we haven't even conceived of, like 76 00:03:06.160 --> 00:03:08.920 quantum entanglement our current detection 77 00:03:08.920 --> 00:03:11.280 methods might miss them entirely. 78 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:13.800 Anna: What's surprisingly practical about this 79 00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:16.280 research is that much of the preparation work 80 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:19.040 isn't focused on alien technology itself, 81 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:21.920 but on human psychology and interaction. 82 00:03:22.160 --> 00:03:24.320 The researchers emphasize integrating 83 00:03:24.320 --> 00:03:26.320 humanities and social sciences, 84 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:29.040 recognizing that the biggest challenges might 85 00:03:29.040 --> 00:03:31.580 come from how people react to the news range 86 00:03:31.730 --> 00:03:33.410 rather than from the aliens themselves. 87 00:03:33.890 --> 00:03:35.770 Avery: They recommend funding research on the 88 00:03:35.770 --> 00:03:38.770 psychological, social and global dynamics of 89 00:03:38.770 --> 00:03:41.570 post detection scenarios, and even suggest 90 00:03:41.730 --> 00:03:44.290 analyzing science fiction stories. They 91 00:03:44.290 --> 00:03:46.210 believe these fictional scenarios offer 92 00:03:46.290 --> 00:03:49.250 valuable insights into human expectations and 93 00:03:49.250 --> 00:03:49.730 fears. 94 00:03:49.970 --> 00:03:52.810 Anna: And on a very practical level, the team calls 95 00:03:52.810 --> 00:03:54.690 for creating robust international 96 00:03:54.930 --> 00:03:57.650 coordination systems before they're needed. 97 00:03:57.670 --> 00:03:59.620 They they warn that without a proper post 98 00:03:59.620 --> 00:04:02.500 detection SETI hub, NASA risks a gap in 99 00:04:02.500 --> 00:04:04.660 the system, likening it to a, uh, moon 100 00:04:04.660 --> 00:04:06.700 landing without astronaut retrieval. 101 00:04:07.020 --> 00:04:09.460 Avery: Just as NASA developed detailed protocols for 102 00:04:09.460 --> 00:04:11.460 Apollo missions, including quarantine 103 00:04:11.460 --> 00:04:14.099 procedures, they need comprehensive plans for 104 00:04:14.099 --> 00:04:15.740 managing a SETI discovery. 105 00:04:15.980 --> 00:04:18.140 Anna: While the researchers aren't claiming that 106 00:04:18.140 --> 00:04:20.740 discovering extraterrestrial intelligence is 107 00:04:20.740 --> 00:04:22.780 imminent, their message is 108 00:04:23.500 --> 00:04:26.010 preparation is essential. With 109 00:04:26.010 --> 00:04:28.370 advanced telescopes like the James Webb 110 00:04:28.370 --> 00:04:31.290 Telescope already operational and others 111 00:04:31.290 --> 00:04:34.050 like the Vera C Rubin Observatory coming 112 00:04:34.050 --> 00:04:36.770 online, a ah, technosignature discovery 113 00:04:36.770 --> 00:04:39.370 could emerge from any realm of astronomy 114 00:04:39.370 --> 00:04:39.690 research. 115 00:04:40.250 --> 00:04:42.810 Avery: Their message truly boils down to this. 116 00:04:43.210 --> 00:04:45.810 The question isn't whether we'll ever detect 117 00:04:45.810 --> 00:04:48.730 signs of alien technology, but whether 118 00:04:48.730 --> 00:04:51.500 we'll be ready when we do. By 119 00:04:51.500 --> 00:04:53.540 investing in research, international 120 00:04:53.700 --> 00:04:56.460 cooperation and communication strategies. 121 00:04:56.460 --> 00:04:59.420 Now, humanity's greatest discovery could 122 00:04:59.420 --> 00:05:02.260 become a moment of unity and wonder rather 123 00:05:02.260 --> 00:05:05.180 than chaos and confusion. It's a powerful and 124 00:05:05.180 --> 00:05:06.580 forward thinking perspective. 125 00:05:07.380 --> 00:05:09.780 Anna: Now let's shift our gaze from potential 126 00:05:09.860 --> 00:05:12.740 alien civilizations to actual new 127 00:05:12.740 --> 00:05:15.020 discoveries right here in our cosmic 128 00:05:15.020 --> 00:05:17.840 neighborhood. Relatively speaking, there's 129 00:05:17.840 --> 00:05:19.800 some exciting news out of the exoplanet 130 00:05:19.800 --> 00:05:20.080 community. 131 00:05:20.640 --> 00:05:23.200 Avery: Absolutely, Anna. Astronomers, uh, have just 132 00:05:23.200 --> 00:05:26.000 announced the discovery of a fifth rocky 133 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:28.320 planet orbiting the small red dwarf star 134 00:05:28.640 --> 00:05:31.480 L9859. And here's the 135 00:05:31.480 --> 00:05:34.120 kicker. One of these planets, a super 136 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:36.680 Earth, is located squarely within the 137 00:05:36.680 --> 00:05:39.040 star's optimistic habitable zone. 138 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:42.560 Anna: This system, L9859, isn't 139 00:05:42.560 --> 00:05:45.450 new to us. Tess, the Transiting 140 00:05:45.450 --> 00:05:48.370 Exoplanet Survey Satellite initially 141 00:05:48.370 --> 00:05:51.130 found three planets around it back in 2019, 142 00:05:51.690 --> 00:05:54.610 then a fourth in 2021. Now, with 143 00:05:54.610 --> 00:05:57.290 this fifth detection, the system is certainly 144 00:05:57.290 --> 00:05:58.570 generating renewed interest. 145 00:05:59.130 --> 00:06:01.490 Avery: The discovery is detailed in research that's 146 00:06:01.490 --> 00:06:03.530 set to appear in the Astronomical Journal 147 00:06:03.850 --> 00:06:06.020 with lead author Charles Cadieu, a uh, 148 00:06:06.130 --> 00:06:08.770 researcher at the University of Montreal and 149 00:06:08.770 --> 00:06:11.570 Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets 150 00:06:11.570 --> 00:06:14.250 at the helm. L9859 151 00:06:14.250 --> 00:06:17.170 itself is an M M3V star, a red 152 00:06:17.170 --> 00:06:19.890 dwarf about 34.5 light years 153 00:06:19.890 --> 00:06:22.250 away. And it's quite small, only about 154 00:06:22.250 --> 00:06:23.970 0.3 solar masses. 155 00:06:24.690 --> 00:06:27.690 Anna: What's particularly fascinating beyond just 156 00:06:27.690 --> 00:06:30.570 the habitable zone planet is the overall 157 00:06:30.570 --> 00:06:33.290 architecture of the system. It's a tightly 158 00:06:33.290 --> 00:06:35.650 packed grouping of terrestrial planets 159 00:06:35.810 --> 00:06:38.090 showing some dramatic compositional 160 00:06:38.090 --> 00:06:39.990 differences between despite their close 161 00:06:39.990 --> 00:06:42.790 proximity. It actually reminds me a bit of 162 00:06:42.790 --> 00:06:45.750 the Trappist 1 system which also has multiple 163 00:06:45.750 --> 00:06:46.790 terrestrial planets. 164 00:06:47.430 --> 00:06:49.990 Avery: It really does. And the authors point out 165 00:06:49.990 --> 00:06:52.830 that multiplanetary systems like this offer a 166 00:06:52.830 --> 00:06:55.390 unique opportunity to study how planets form 167 00:06:55.390 --> 00:06:57.870 and evolve within the same stellar 168 00:06:57.870 --> 00:07:00.270 environment. These new results paint the most 169 00:07:00.270 --> 00:07:02.070 complete picture we've ever had of this 170 00:07:02.070 --> 00:07:04.710 system, demonstrating the power of combining 171 00:07:04.710 --> 00:07:07.600 data from space telescopes like TESS and and 172 00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:09.480 high precision ground based instruments. 173 00:07:10.280 --> 00:07:12.400 Anna: Let's talk about some of these individual 174 00:07:12.400 --> 00:07:14.400 worlds. The innermost planet, 175 00:07:14.400 --> 00:07:17.320 L9859B is a rare 176 00:07:17.320 --> 00:07:20.040 sub earth, only about 84% of 177 00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:23.040 Earth's mass and half its size. With an 178 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:25.880 Earth like density, it orbits its star in 179 00:07:25.880 --> 00:07:28.840 just over two days and might be volcanically 180 00:07:28.920 --> 00:07:30.760 active due to tidal heating. 181 00:07:31.320 --> 00:07:33.960 Avery: L9859C is also likely 182 00:07:33.960 --> 00:07:36.760 volcanic with about 1.3 earth 183 00:07:36.760 --> 00:07:39.500 radii and 2 earth mass. Then 184 00:07:39.500 --> 00:07:42.380 there's L9859D which has 185 00:07:42.380 --> 00:07:44.940 about 1.6 earth radii and 186 00:07:44.940 --> 00:07:47.860 1.6 earth masses. And it might even be a 187 00:07:47.860 --> 00:07:50.260 water world or what's known as a Hycean 188 00:07:50.260 --> 00:07:50.540 world. 189 00:07:51.100 --> 00:07:53.100 Anna: And the newly detected planet 190 00:07:53.180 --> 00:07:56.180 L9859F is the one in 191 00:07:56.180 --> 00:07:58.940 the optimistic habitable zone. It has a 192 00:07:58.940 --> 00:08:01.460 minimum mass of about 2.8 Earth 193 00:08:01.460 --> 00:08:03.820 masses, around 1.4 Earth 194 00:08:03.820 --> 00:08:06.460 radii and a 28 day orbit. 195 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:08.880 What's great is that these planets follow 196 00:08:08.880 --> 00:08:11.760 near circular orbits which make them prime 197 00:08:11.760 --> 00:08:14.520 targets for atmospheric spectroscopic studies 198 00:08:14.600 --> 00:08:16.520 with the James Webb Telescope. 199 00:08:17.000 --> 00:08:19.760 Avery: Indeed, observations already show that the 200 00:08:19.760 --> 00:08:21.560 three inner transiting planets have 201 00:08:21.560 --> 00:08:24.000 increasing water mass fractions with orbital 202 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:26.320 distance, suggesting a diversity of 203 00:08:26.320 --> 00:08:29.280 compositions. As Professor Renee Doyon, 204 00:08:29.280 --> 00:08:31.920 a AH co author, puts it, this system offers a 205 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:33.920 unique laboratory to answer pressing 206 00:08:33.920 --> 00:08:36.830 questions like what are super earths and sub 207 00:08:36.830 --> 00:08:39.750 neptunes made of? Do planets form differently 208 00:08:39.750 --> 00:08:42.390 around small stars? Can rocky planets around 209 00:08:42.390 --> 00:08:44.670 red dwarfs retain atmospheres over time? 210 00:08:44.910 --> 00:08:47.470 Anna: The question of habitability around m 211 00:08:47.470 --> 00:08:50.430 dwarfs like L9859 is 212 00:08:50.430 --> 00:08:53.310 a complex one. Because their habitable zones 213 00:08:53.310 --> 00:08:56.230 are so close to the star, planets might 214 00:08:56.230 --> 00:08:58.910 be tidally locked, meaning one side 215 00:08:59.070 --> 00:09:01.860 always faces the star. Plus M 216 00:09:01.860 --> 00:09:04.420 dwarfs are known for powerful flaring 217 00:09:04.500 --> 00:09:06.580 which could strip away atmospheres. 218 00:09:07.380 --> 00:09:10.340 Avery: However, M dwarfs are incredibly long lived 219 00:09:10.340 --> 00:09:12.820 stars, burning their fuel very slowly, 220 00:09:13.060 --> 00:09:15.620 offering long term stability for any planets 221 00:09:15.620 --> 00:09:18.380 in their habitable zones. The atmospheric 222 00:09:18.380 --> 00:09:20.420 characterization of these planets is already 223 00:09:20.500 --> 00:09:23.380 underway with JWST using both 224 00:09:23.380 --> 00:09:25.700 transmission and emission spectroscopy. 225 00:09:25.860 --> 00:09:28.620 It's truly an exciting time for exoplanet 226 00:09:28.620 --> 00:09:28.900 research. 227 00:09:29.470 --> 00:09:32.150 Anna: L9859 is definitely 228 00:09:32.150 --> 00:09:34.990 joining the select group of nearby compact 229 00:09:35.070 --> 00:09:37.750 planetary systems that scientists hope to 230 00:09:37.750 --> 00:09:40.030 understand in much greater detail in the 231 00:09:40.030 --> 00:09:40.590 coming years. 232 00:09:41.230 --> 00:09:44.110 Shifting gears from deep space exoplanets, 233 00:09:44.270 --> 00:09:46.670 let's turn our attention back closer to home 234 00:09:46.990 --> 00:09:49.830 to Earth's orbit, where Russia has been 235 00:09:49.830 --> 00:09:51.470 busy with a significant launch. 236 00:09:52.190 --> 00:09:55.070 Avery: That's right, anna. On Friday, July 25, 237 00:09:55.370 --> 00:09:57.810 a Soyuz 2.1B rocket 238 00:09:57.810 --> 00:10:00.250 successfully launched from Site 1S at 239 00:10:00.250 --> 00:10:03.010 Bostochny Cosmodrome in Russia. This 240 00:10:03.010 --> 00:10:05.310 mission carried two Ionosphera M M 241 00:10:05.330 --> 00:10:08.170 satellites, numbers 3 and 4, into a 242 00:10:08.170 --> 00:10:10.850 Sun synchronous orbit, completing their 4 243 00:10:10.850 --> 00:10:13.330 satellite constellation. The first pair, 244 00:10:13.330 --> 00:10:15.930 Ionosphera M M, number 1 and number 2, 245 00:10:16.090 --> 00:10:18.410 were launched back in November 2024. 246 00:10:18.890 --> 00:10:21.530 Anna: So these aren't just any satellites. 247 00:10:21.770 --> 00:10:24.650 What's the main purpose of this Ionosphera 248 00:10:24.650 --> 00:10:25.610 M constellation? 249 00:10:26.530 --> 00:10:28.290 Avery: These satellites are part of what's called 250 00:10:28.290 --> 00:10:31.250 Project Ionozonde, a uh, program specifically 251 00:10:31.250 --> 00:10:33.330 designed to study Earth's geophysical 252 00:10:33.330 --> 00:10:35.970 environment, Particularly space weather and 253 00:10:35.970 --> 00:10:38.450 its effects on our planet. The data they 254 00:10:38.450 --> 00:10:40.690 collect will be crucial for improving space 255 00:10:40.690 --> 00:10:43.330 weather forecasting, which has direct impacts 256 00:10:43.330 --> 00:10:46.050 on everything from satellite operations to 257 00:10:46.050 --> 00:10:47.810 radio communications here on Earth. 258 00:10:48.130 --> 00:10:50.330 Anna: And for our listeners who might not be 259 00:10:50.330 --> 00:10:53.290 familiar, the ionosphere is a fascinating 260 00:10:53.290 --> 00:10:55.390 part of our atmosphere. It's, it's that 261 00:10:55.390 --> 00:10:57.950 region roughly 80 to 650 262 00:10:57.950 --> 00:11:00.750 kilometers, uh, up, where high energy solar 263 00:11:00.750 --> 00:11:03.350 radiation strips electrons from atoms and 264 00:11:03.350 --> 00:11:05.990 molecules, creating electrically charged 265 00:11:05.990 --> 00:11:08.390 ions. This is where the stunning 266 00:11:08.390 --> 00:11:10.790 aurorae originate. And it also 267 00:11:11.030 --> 00:11:13.390 significantly affects radio and navigation 268 00:11:13.390 --> 00:11:13.910 signals. 269 00:11:14.470 --> 00:11:17.030 Avery: Exactly. Each of these ionospheric 270 00:11:17.030 --> 00:11:20.030 satellites, weighing around 400 kg, is 271 00:11:20.030 --> 00:11:21.990 equipped with a suite of nine instruments, 272 00:11:22.440 --> 00:11:25.160 including spectrometers, A shortwave sounder, 273 00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:28.000 a magnetometer and a radio wave 274 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:30.320 sounder. They are designed to operate for 275 00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:32.520 eight years, collecting measurements of the 276 00:11:32.520 --> 00:11:34.600 ionosphere at different times of the day. 277 00:11:34.920 --> 00:11:36.920 Thanks to their carefully planned orbital 278 00:11:36.920 --> 00:11:37.320 planes. 279 00:11:37.720 --> 00:11:40.640 Anna: It'S quite a comprehensive effort. While the 280 00:11:40.640 --> 00:11:42.920 ionosphere was first discovered back in 281 00:11:42.920 --> 00:11:45.760 1902 through radio experiments by 282 00:11:45.760 --> 00:11:48.720 Guglielmo Marconi, and the Soviet Union 283 00:11:48.720 --> 00:11:51.430 flew missions to study it previously. This 284 00:11:51.430 --> 00:11:54.070 ionosphere M M constellation really marks 285 00:11:54.070 --> 00:11:56.630 Russia's first major dedicated effort to 286 00:11:56.630 --> 00:11:58.470 study space weather in many years. 287 00:11:59.110 --> 00:12:01.510 Avery: It's a significant step forward for them in 288 00:12:01.510 --> 00:12:03.750 understanding and forecasting space weather, 289 00:12:03.910 --> 00:12:06.470 which is becoming increasingly vital as our 290 00:12:06.470 --> 00:12:09.030 reliance on space based technology grows. 291 00:12:09.350 --> 00:12:12.190 This mission will provide invaluable data to 292 00:12:12.190 --> 00:12:14.350 help Mitigate the risks posed by solar 293 00:12:14.350 --> 00:12:16.630 activity and other space phenomena 294 00:12:17.230 --> 00:12:18.910 from Earth's ionosphere. 295 00:12:18.990 --> 00:12:21.870 Anna: Let's take a giant leap to Mars, where 296 00:12:21.870 --> 00:12:24.710 there is a truly wild new mission concept on 297 00:12:24.710 --> 00:12:27.710 the horizon. It's called Skyfall, and 298 00:12:27.710 --> 00:12:29.670 it sounds like something straight out of a 299 00:12:29.670 --> 00:12:30.510 sci fi movie. 300 00:12:30.910 --> 00:12:33.550 Avery: It really does, Anna. Uh. This concept, 301 00:12:33.550 --> 00:12:36.030 developed by Eero Wireman of Arlington, 302 00:12:36.030 --> 00:12:38.150 Virginia, and NASA's Jet Propulsion 303 00:12:38.150 --> 00:12:40.950 Laboratory, or JPL, proposes a 304 00:12:40.950 --> 00:12:43.630 revolutionary way to explore the red planet. 305 00:12:44.170 --> 00:12:46.370 Imagine dropping a hornet's nest of 306 00:12:46.370 --> 00:12:48.410 helicopters from high above Mars. 307 00:12:48.810 --> 00:12:51.810 Anna: A hornet's nest of helicopters. I love that 308 00:12:51.810 --> 00:12:54.330 description. So what exactly does 309 00:12:54.410 --> 00:12:57.010 Skyfall entail and why is it 310 00:12:57.010 --> 00:12:58.810 considered such a game changer? 311 00:12:58.890 --> 00:13:01.530 Avery: The core idea is to deploy six 312 00:13:01.690 --> 00:13:04.010 scout helicopters from an entry 313 00:13:04.010 --> 00:13:06.930 capsule during its fiery plunge through the 314 00:13:06.930 --> 00:13:09.890 Martian atmosphere. The ingenious part is, 315 00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:12.560 is that this Skyfall maneuver would 316 00:13:12.560 --> 00:13:15.000 eliminate the need for a traditional landing 317 00:13:15.000 --> 00:13:17.640 platform, which has historically been one of 318 00:13:17.640 --> 00:13:20.520 the most expensive, complex, and risky 319 00:13:20.520 --> 00:13:23.480 elements of any Mars mission. It's a real 320 00:13:23.480 --> 00:13:25.520 cost cutting concept that's. 321 00:13:25.520 --> 00:13:28.040 Anna: A massive shift from previous missions. And 322 00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:31.040 once these six helicopters are deployed, they 323 00:13:31.040 --> 00:13:32.600 don't just sit there, do they? 324 00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:35.800 Avery: Not at all. Each helicopter would 325 00:13:35.800 --> 00:13:38.770 operate independently and essentially fanning 326 00:13:38.770 --> 00:13:41.690 out to explore various sites. Their primary 327 00:13:41.690 --> 00:13:44.130 duties include transmitting high resolution 328 00:13:44.130 --> 00:13:47.130 surface images back to Earth and crucially, 329 00:13:47.210 --> 00:13:49.930 collecting radar data about what lies 330 00:13:49.930 --> 00:13:52.570 beneath the red planet's rocky surface. 331 00:13:52.890 --> 00:13:55.610 This subsurface information is absolutely 332 00:13:55.610 --> 00:13:58.010 key for safely landing future human 333 00:13:58.090 --> 00:14:01.050 crews, especially at locations identified 334 00:14:01.370 --> 00:14:04.290 as holding water, ice and other vital 335 00:14:04.290 --> 00:14:04.810 resources. 336 00:14:05.860 --> 00:14:07.500 Anna: So it's not just about scientific 337 00:14:07.500 --> 00:14:10.420 exploration. It's directly paving the way for 338 00:14:10.420 --> 00:14:12.980 human missions to Mars. This concept 339 00:14:12.980 --> 00:14:15.220 clearly builds on the incredible success of 340 00:14:15.220 --> 00:14:17.700 the Ingenuity Mars helicopter, which, 341 00:14:17.940 --> 00:14:20.540 for those who remember, achieved the first 342 00:14:20.540 --> 00:14:23.460 powered flight on another world back in 2021. 343 00:14:23.780 --> 00:14:26.580 And completed 72 flights in just under 344 00:14:26.660 --> 00:14:27.380 three years. 345 00:14:28.020 --> 00:14:30.860 Avery: Exactly. William Pomeranz, head of 346 00:14:30.860 --> 00:14:33.430 space ventures at AeroVironment and has 347 00:14:33.430 --> 00:14:35.470 highlighted that with six helicopters, 348 00:14:35.630 --> 00:14:38.270 Skyfall offers a low cost solution 349 00:14:38.510 --> 00:14:41.150 that significantly multiplies the range we 350 00:14:41.150 --> 00:14:43.750 can cover, the data we can collect, and the 351 00:14:43.750 --> 00:14:46.350 scientific research we can conduct. He 352 00:14:46.350 --> 00:14:48.430 states. It will make humanity's first 353 00:14:48.430 --> 00:14:51.230 footprints on Mars meaningfully closer. 354 00:14:51.710 --> 00:14:54.150 Anna: And it sounds like this isn't just a distant 355 00:14:54.150 --> 00:14:56.990 dream. AeroVironment has already begun 356 00:14:56.990 --> 00:14:59.230 internal investments and coordination with 357 00:14:59.230 --> 00:15:01.910 NASA's JPL to facilitate a potential 358 00:15:01.910 --> 00:15:04.110 launch as early as 2028. 359 00:15:04.610 --> 00:15:07.210 It's truly exciting to see such innovative 360 00:15:07.210 --> 00:15:09.050 thinking pushing the boundaries of what's 361 00:15:09.050 --> 00:15:10.610 possible in space exploration. 362 00:15:11.250 --> 00:15:13.330 And that brings us to the end of another 363 00:15:13.410 --> 00:15:16.330 fascinating episode of Astronomy Daily. What 364 00:15:16.330 --> 00:15:17.570 a packed show. It's been. 365 00:15:17.890 --> 00:15:20.569 Avery: It certainly has, Ana. Uh, we've journeyed 366 00:15:20.569 --> 00:15:22.890 from the profound questions of preparing for 367 00:15:22.890 --> 00:15:25.570 extraterrestrial contact with the SETI Post 368 00:15:25.570 --> 00:15:28.050 Detection Hub's new guidelines to the 369 00:15:28.050 --> 00:15:30.650 exciting discovery of five new rocky 370 00:15:30.650 --> 00:15:33.410 planets around the L98 59 371 00:15:33.410 --> 00:15:36.350 system, including a Super Earth and the 372 00:15:36.350 --> 00:15:37.350 Habitable Zone. 373 00:15:37.750 --> 00:15:39.750 Anna: We then shifted our focus to Earth, 374 00:15:39.990 --> 00:15:42.190 discussing Russia's successful launch of the 375 00:15:42.190 --> 00:15:44.550 Ionosphera M satellites, which will 376 00:15:44.550 --> 00:15:46.870 contribute vital data to our understanding of 377 00:15:46.870 --> 00:15:49.350 space weather and Earth's ionosphere. 378 00:15:49.910 --> 00:15:52.670 Avery: And finally, we ended our tour with the truly 379 00:15:52.670 --> 00:15:55.310 innovative Skyfall concept, a 380 00:15:55.310 --> 00:15:57.510 potential Mars mission that envisions 381 00:15:57.510 --> 00:16:00.360 deploying a fleet of scout helicopters to 382 00:16:00.360 --> 00:16:03.080 map the red planet and pave the way for human 383 00:16:03.080 --> 00:16:03.880 exploration. 384 00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:06.640 Anna: It's been a stellar day for space and 385 00:16:06.640 --> 00:16:08.920 astronomy news, and we hope you've enjoyed 386 00:16:08.920 --> 00:16:10.440 exploring these stories with us. 387 00:16:10.760 --> 00:16:13.200 Avery: Thank you so much for tuning in to Astronomy 388 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:15.600 Daily. We love sharing these cosmic updates 389 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:18.520 with you. And before I go, a quick plug. 390 00:16:18.680 --> 00:16:21.120 Please visit our website for more space and 391 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:24.000 astronomy news, plus a complete catalog of 392 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:26.710 all our back episodes. But I warn you, 393 00:16:26.710 --> 00:16:29.390 there's a lot of content there. Okay, 394 00:16:29.550 --> 00:16:30.270 time to go. 395 00:16:30.510 --> 00:16:33.070 Anna: Until next time. Keep looking up, keep 396 00:16:33.070 --> 00:16:35.510 asking questions, and always stay curious 397 00:16:35.510 --> 00:16:36.510 about the Cosmo. 398 00:16:36.990 --> 00:16:37.950 Avery: Goodbye for now.