WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.200 Anna: Welcome, um, to Astronomy Daily, your go to 1 00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:06.080 podcast for the latest and greatest news from 2 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:08.400 across the cosmos. I'm Anna. 3 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:11.440 Avery: And I'm Avery. We're thrilled to have you 4 00:00:11.440 --> 00:00:14.080 join us today as we dive into some truly 5 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:15.840 mind boggling space stories. 6 00:00:16.560 --> 00:00:19.280 Anna: That's right, Avery. We've got a packed 7 00:00:19.280 --> 00:00:21.920 episode for you. Starting with the discovery 8 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:24.880 of what might just be the biggest black hole 9 00:00:24.880 --> 00:00:27.120 ever measured, weighing in at an 10 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:29.960 unimaginable 36 billion 11 00:00:30.120 --> 00:00:32.040 times the mass of our own sun. 12 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:34.960 Avery: Plus, we'll journey to Mars with some 13 00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:37.640 exciting news about Italy's bold uncrewed 14 00:00:37.640 --> 00:00:40.560 mission aboard a SpaceX Starship. And then 15 00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:43.560 look even further out to a truly ambitious 16 00:00:43.640 --> 00:00:46.440 concept for a 400 year voyage 17 00:00:46.520 --> 00:00:49.360 to another star and bringing. 18 00:00:49.360 --> 00:00:51.800 Anna: Us back to Earth. We'll get the latest on 19 00:00:51.800 --> 00:00:54.460 United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket launch 20 00:00:54.530 --> 00:00:56.970 as it gears up for a crucial flight, and 21 00:00:56.970 --> 00:00:59.090 discuss the bustling future of launch 22 00:00:59.090 --> 00:01:00.770 operations at Cape Canaveral. 23 00:01:01.490 --> 00:01:03.810 Avery: So strap in because we're about to launch 24 00:01:03.810 --> 00:01:06.130 into the daily dose of space news. 25 00:01:07.010 --> 00:01:09.810 Anna: Alright, let's kick things off with a mind 26 00:01:09.810 --> 00:01:11.050 boggling discovery. 27 00:01:11.050 --> 00:01:13.330 From about 5 billion light years away, 28 00:01:13.890 --> 00:01:16.530 scientists have just measured what could be 29 00:01:16.530 --> 00:01:19.090 the most massive black hole ever found, 30 00:01:19.410 --> 00:01:21.490 sitting right at the heart of one of the most 31 00:01:21.490 --> 00:01:23.170 massive galaxies on record. 32 00:01:24.390 --> 00:01:27.030 Avery: And when we say massive, we mean truly 33 00:01:27.030 --> 00:01:29.710 colossal. Anna. Uh, this thing has a mass 34 00:01:29.710 --> 00:01:32.150 equivalent to 36 billion 35 00:01:32.630 --> 00:01:35.150 suns. To put that in perspective, the 36 00:01:35.150 --> 00:01:37.510 supermassive black hole at the centre of our 37 00:01:37.510 --> 00:01:40.230 own Milky Way galaxy, Sagittarius A, 38 00:01:40.790 --> 00:01:43.510 only holds the mass of about 4.15 39 00:01:43.750 --> 00:01:46.390 million suns. It's almost 40 00:01:46.390 --> 00:01:47.510 incomprehensible. 41 00:01:48.150 --> 00:01:50.910 Anna: It certainly is. This newly measured 42 00:01:50.910 --> 00:01:53.750 giant is located in the Tomic Horseshoe 43 00:01:53.750 --> 00:01:55.770 system. And what's particular particularly 44 00:01:55.770 --> 00:01:57.930 interesting is that it's a dormant black 45 00:01:57.930 --> 00:01:59.490 hole, right? 46 00:01:59.490 --> 00:02:01.770 Avery: Which means it's not actively devouring 47 00:02:01.770 --> 00:02:03.770 matter from its surroundings. Unlike, um, an 48 00:02:03.770 --> 00:02:06.090 active black hole that's constantly feasting 49 00:02:06.090 --> 00:02:08.650 from an accretion disc, which is usually how 50 00:02:08.650 --> 00:02:11.329 we detect them. It's like finding a sleeping 51 00:02:11.329 --> 00:02:13.250 leviathan in the cosmic ocean. 52 00:02:13.890 --> 00:02:16.770 Anna: Exactly. And the fact that this black hole 53 00:02:16.770 --> 00:02:19.410 is in such an enormous galaxy, while 54 00:02:19.410 --> 00:02:22.210 Sagittarius A is in our more modest 55 00:02:22.210 --> 00:02:25.110 Milky Way galaxy, is likely no coincidence. 56 00:02:25.670 --> 00:02:27.870 Researchers like Thomas Collett from the 57 00:02:27.870 --> 00:02:30.230 University of Portsmouth, a study author, 58 00:02:30.630 --> 00:02:33.070 believe the size of these supermassive black 59 00:02:33.070 --> 00:02:35.710 holes is intimately linked to the size of 60 00:02:35.710 --> 00:02:36.790 their parent galaxies. 61 00:02:37.590 --> 00:02:40.150 Avery: It makes sense. As galaxies grow, they 62 00:02:40.150 --> 00:02:42.070 funnel matter toward their central black 63 00:02:42.070 --> 00:02:44.790 holes, which in turn feeds them. This 64 00:02:44.790 --> 00:02:47.030 process can also create incredibly bright 65 00:02:47.030 --> 00:02:49.750 quasars that actually dump so much energy 66 00:02:49.750 --> 00:02:52.550 into their host galaxies that it stops new 67 00:02:52.550 --> 00:02:54.900 stars from forming. It's a, uh, dynamic, 68 00:02:54.900 --> 00:02:56.260 interconnected system. 69 00:02:57.060 --> 00:02:59.780 Anna: What's even more fascinating is how they 70 00:02:59.780 --> 00:03:02.020 managed to measure this dormant black hole 71 00:03:02.100 --> 00:03:04.740 precisely because it wasn't actively feeding. 72 00:03:05.140 --> 00:03:07.780 Normally, it's that commotion, those X ray 73 00:03:07.780 --> 00:03:10.140 emissions, that give black holes away and 74 00:03:10.140 --> 00:03:11.380 allow us to measure them. 75 00:03:12.180 --> 00:03:14.660 Avery: But here they relied on something even more 76 00:03:15.860 --> 00:03:18.780 gravity. Even dormant black holes have an 77 00:03:18.780 --> 00:03:21.620 immense gravitational pull, which warps 78 00:03:21.620 --> 00:03:24.300 the fabric of spacetime, just as Albert 79 00:03:24.300 --> 00:03:26.520 Einstein's theory of general relativity 80 00:03:26.520 --> 00:03:27.120 predicts. 81 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:30.880 Anna: Einstein's theory fundamentally changed our 82 00:03:30.880 --> 00:03:33.320 understanding of gravity. Instead of an 83 00:03:33.320 --> 00:03:36.280 invisible force pulling things, it describes 84 00:03:36.280 --> 00:03:39.000 gravity as the curvature of spacetime caused 85 00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:41.840 by mass. Imagine a bowling ball on a 86 00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:44.840 stretched trampoline. It creates a dip, and a 87 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:47.200 smaller marble rolled nearby would fall into 88 00:03:47.200 --> 00:03:49.920 that dip. That's a simplified version of how 89 00:03:49.920 --> 00:03:52.240 objects with mass warp space time. 90 00:03:52.900 --> 00:03:54.940 Avery: And crucially, this warping doesn't just 91 00:03:54.940 --> 00:03:57.540 affect physical matter, it also affects 92 00:03:57.540 --> 00:04:00.020 light. The scientists leveraged this by 93 00:04:00.020 --> 00:04:02.260 observing the light from a background galaxy 94 00:04:02.260 --> 00:04:04.580 in the cosmic horseshoe system. As it 95 00:04:04.580 --> 00:04:06.740 travelled past the foreground galaxy 96 00:04:06.740 --> 00:04:09.140 containing this black hole, the light was 97 00:04:09.140 --> 00:04:11.780 bent and magnified, an effect known as 98 00:04:11.780 --> 00:04:13.460 gravitational lensing. 99 00:04:14.180 --> 00:04:16.340 Anna: The cosmic horseshoe system is actually 100 00:04:16.500 --> 00:04:19.260 famous for this. The alignment is so 101 00:04:19.260 --> 00:04:21.900 perfect that the warped background galaxy 102 00:04:21.900 --> 00:04:24.250 appears as almost a perfect ring around the 103 00:04:24.400 --> 00:04:26.640 foreground galaxy, creating what's called an 104 00:04:26.640 --> 00:04:29.520 Einstein ring. In this case, it's more of an 105 00:04:29.520 --> 00:04:30.720 Einstein horseshoe. 106 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:33.680 Avery: So by combining those gravitational lensing 107 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:35.960 measurements with observations of stars in 108 00:04:35.960 --> 00:04:38.440 the foreground galaxy zipping around at 109 00:04:38.440 --> 00:04:41.000 incredibly high speeds, almost 400 110 00:04:41.000 --> 00:04:43.920 kilometres per second, the researchers had 111 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:45.680 the concrete evidence they needed. 112 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:48.480 Anna: As Carlos Melo, the study's lead author, 113 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:51.480 highlighted, this detection relied purely on 114 00:04:51.480 --> 00:04:54.160 the black hole's immense gravitational pull. 115 00:04:54.400 --> 00:04:56.980 It's a game changer, because this method 116 00:04:56.980 --> 00:04:59.740 allows them to find and measure these hidden 117 00:04:59.900 --> 00:05:02.780 ultramassive black holes across the universe, 118 00:05:03.020 --> 00:05:05.100 even when they are completely silent. 119 00:05:05.580 --> 00:05:07.620 Avery: It's like being able to find something that's 120 00:05:07.620 --> 00:05:10.060 been hiding in plain sight. Looking ahead, 121 00:05:10.140 --> 00:05:12.139 this discovery could help us understand the 122 00:05:12.139 --> 00:05:14.860 critical link between galaxy size and 123 00:05:14.940 --> 00:05:17.940 supermassive black hole size. The Cosmic 124 00:05:17.940 --> 00:05:20.540 Horseshoe is what's known as a fossil group, 125 00:05:20.780 --> 00:05:23.060 essentially the final stage of massive 126 00:05:23.060 --> 00:05:25.790 gravitationally bound structures, meaning 127 00:05:25.790 --> 00:05:26.070 it's. 128 00:05:26.070 --> 00:05:28.510 Anna: A galaxy that has absorbed its companions 129 00:05:28.510 --> 00:05:31.350 into one massive structure. It gives us a 130 00:05:31.350 --> 00:05:34.030 potential peek into our own realm's distant 131 00:05:34.030 --> 00:05:36.710 future, as our Milky Way and the Andromeda 132 00:05:36.710 --> 00:05:38.910 Galaxy are likely on a path to collide 133 00:05:38.910 --> 00:05:41.229 someday and might form a fossil group 134 00:05:41.229 --> 00:05:41.710 themselves. 135 00:05:42.350 --> 00:05:44.790 Avery: It's truly remarkable. Thomas Collette 136 00:05:44.790 --> 00:05:46.830 suggests that all the supermassive black 137 00:05:46.830 --> 00:05:49.750 holes from the original companion galaxies in 138 00:05:49.750 --> 00:05:52.550 the cosmic horseshoe have probably merged to 139 00:05:52.550 --> 00:05:55.190 form this single ultramassive black hole. And 140 00:05:55.660 --> 00:05:57.860 so in a way we're witnessing the culmination 141 00:05:57.860 --> 00:06:00.540 of both galaxy and black hole formation 142 00:06:00.780 --> 00:06:03.220 right there. The team's paper on this was 143 00:06:03.220 --> 00:06:05.580 published in the journal Monthly Notices of 144 00:06:05.580 --> 00:06:07.420 the Royal Astronomical Society. 145 00:06:08.140 --> 00:06:10.860 Anna: From the mind bending scale of black holes, 146 00:06:11.180 --> 00:06:13.460 let's turn our attention to some exciting 147 00:06:13.460 --> 00:06:15.660 developments much closer to home, 148 00:06:16.060 --> 00:06:18.900 specifically involving Mars. There's been 149 00:06:18.900 --> 00:06:20.820 a groundbreaking agreement announced this 150 00:06:20.820 --> 00:06:21.100 week. 151 00:06:21.660 --> 00:06:23.580 Avery: That's right Anna. Uh, the Italian Space 152 00:06:23.580 --> 00:06:26.500 Agency, or ASI, has just signed a deal 153 00:06:26.500 --> 00:06:29.140 with SpaceX for an uncrewed mission to 154 00:06:29.140 --> 00:06:32.100 Mars, utilising one of SpaceX's Starship 155 00:06:32.100 --> 00:06:34.500 rockets. This is a pretty significant step 156 00:06:34.500 --> 00:06:36.820 for international collaboration in private 157 00:06:36.820 --> 00:06:37.900 space exploration. 158 00:06:38.380 --> 00:06:41.100 Anna: It certainly is. Announced on August 159 00:06:41.100 --> 00:06:43.740 7th. This agreement includes provisions for 160 00:06:43.740 --> 00:06:46.660 several important scientific payloads. We're 161 00:06:46.660 --> 00:06:48.980 talking about a plant growth experiment, a 162 00:06:48.980 --> 00:06:51.100 uh, radiation sensor and even a uh, 163 00:06:51.140 --> 00:06:53.010 meteorological monitoring station. 164 00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:55.640 Avery: And the Italians are ambitious about the data 165 00:06:55.640 --> 00:06:57.840 they'll collect. ASI expects to gather 166 00:06:57.840 --> 00:06:59.840 information not just during the six month 167 00:06:59.840 --> 00:07:02.520 journey to Mars, but also continuously 168 00:07:02.520 --> 00:07:04.560 throughout the mission's time on the Martian 169 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:07.000 surface. ASI President Theodoro 170 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:09.960 Valente even declared that Italy is going 171 00:07:09.960 --> 00:07:12.920 to Mars on social media, describing it as 172 00:07:12.920 --> 00:07:15.080 a first of its kind agreement. 173 00:07:15.560 --> 00:07:18.200 Anna: SpaceX's COO Gwynne Shotwell 174 00:07:18.200 --> 00:07:20.760 echoed that excitement, saying get on board, 175 00:07:20.760 --> 00:07:23.760 we are going to Mars. SpaceX is now offering 176 00:07:23.760 --> 00:07:26.620 Starship services to the Red planet. It's 177 00:07:26.620 --> 00:07:29.060 definitely a bold statement considering 178 00:07:29.060 --> 00:07:31.420 Starship hasn't even launched any commercial 179 00:07:31.420 --> 00:07:34.180 payloads to orbit yet, let alone to another 180 00:07:34.260 --> 00:07:34.740 planet. 181 00:07:35.140 --> 00:07:37.420 Avery: True, the development of Starship is still 182 00:07:37.420 --> 00:07:39.620 very much ongoing with those full scale 183 00:07:39.620 --> 00:07:42.180 prototype tests. Elon Musk himself 184 00:07:42.180 --> 00:07:45.140 targeted the end of next year 2026 for 185 00:07:45.140 --> 00:07:47.860 Starship's first mission to Mars. It'll be 186 00:07:47.860 --> 00:07:49.500 fascinating to see if they can hit that 187 00:07:49.500 --> 00:07:50.580 ambitious timeline. 188 00:07:51.170 --> 00:07:53.010 Anna: And it's worth noting that this deal with 189 00:07:53.010 --> 00:07:55.610 SpaceX bypasses the European Space 190 00:07:55.610 --> 00:07:58.530 Agency. However, Italy has historically 191 00:07:58.610 --> 00:08:01.370 played a major role in ESA's own efforts to 192 00:08:01.370 --> 00:08:03.930 explore Mars. They're the largest contributor 193 00:08:03.930 --> 00:08:06.530 to ESA's ExoMars mission, for example, 194 00:08:06.930 --> 00:08:09.890 which is targeting a 2028 launch for its 195 00:08:09.890 --> 00:08:11.410 Roslyn Franklin rover. 196 00:08:12.050 --> 00:08:14.610 Shifting gears from Martian aspirations, 197 00:08:15.010 --> 00:08:17.690 we're now going to delve into a concept that 198 00:08:17.690 --> 00:08:19.690 truly pushes the boundaries of human 199 00:08:19.690 --> 00:08:22.050 ambition. A multi generational 200 00:08:22.830 --> 00:08:25.630 ship designed to carry thousands of people on 201 00:08:25.630 --> 00:08:28.430 a four century voyage to another star system. 202 00:08:28.830 --> 00:08:31.030 It sounds like science fiction, but this is a 203 00:08:31.030 --> 00:08:33.550 serious design proposal called Chrysalis. 204 00:08:33.790 --> 00:08:36.350 Avery: That's right Anna, this isn't just a fantasy. 205 00:08:36.350 --> 00:08:38.950 Chrysalis is an award winning design from an 206 00:08:38.950 --> 00:08:41.150 Italian team that secured the Project 207 00:08:41.230 --> 00:08:44.070 Hyperion design competition run by the 208 00:08:44.070 --> 00:08:46.710 Initiative for Interstellar Studies. The 209 00:08:46.710 --> 00:08:49.150 challenge was to create a realistic multi 210 00:08:49.150 --> 00:08:51.790 generational ship using current or near 211 00:08:51.790 --> 00:08:54.260 future technology and capable of reaching 212 00:08:54.260 --> 00:08:54.980 another star. 213 00:08:55.380 --> 00:08:57.780 Anna: And what a design it is. The concept 214 00:08:57.780 --> 00:09:00.540 envisions a massive rotating cylinder, more 215 00:09:00.540 --> 00:09:03.180 than 58 kilometres long, weighing an 216 00:09:03.180 --> 00:09:06.180 astonishing 2.4 billion metric tonnes. 217 00:09:06.500 --> 00:09:08.980 The rotation is key because it would create 218 00:09:09.059 --> 00:09:11.380 artificial gravity, combining the muscle and 219 00:09:11.380 --> 00:09:13.700 bone loss that occurs in zero g. 220 00:09:14.180 --> 00:09:16.780 The jury praised its quote, system level 221 00:09:16.780 --> 00:09:19.540 coherence and innovative design of the 222 00:09:19.540 --> 00:09:21.140 modular habitat structure. 223 00:09:21.540 --> 00:09:24.380 Avery: It's like a cosmic Russian nesting doll, with 224 00:09:24.380 --> 00:09:27.060 layers built around a central core. Each 225 00:09:27.060 --> 00:09:29.500 shell would have a specific function. The 226 00:09:29.500 --> 00:09:31.860 outermost layer would act as a shield against 227 00:09:31.860 --> 00:09:34.700 micrometeoroids and radiation, while also 228 00:09:34.700 --> 00:09:37.700 serving as a giant warehouse for tools, spare 229 00:09:37.700 --> 00:09:40.500 parts and raw materials, all managed by 230 00:09:40.500 --> 00:09:43.060 robotic systems moving inward. 231 00:09:43.060 --> 00:09:45.340 Anna: The next shell would house industrial 232 00:09:45.340 --> 00:09:47.940 facilities for recycling, manufacturing 233 00:09:48.020 --> 00:09:50.980 and even pharmaceutical labs. Closer still 234 00:09:50.980 --> 00:09:53.580 are the housing blocks, designed with comfort 235 00:09:53.580 --> 00:09:56.460 in mind, followed by communal spaces like 236 00:09:56.460 --> 00:09:59.100 parks, schools, libraries and hospitals. 237 00:09:59.420 --> 00:10:01.900 And nearest to the core, we have the crucial 238 00:10:01.900 --> 00:10:04.340 food production areas, maintaining entire 239 00:10:04.340 --> 00:10:07.100 ecosystems with plants, fungi, 240 00:10:07.100 --> 00:10:09.820 microbes, insects and even livestock. 241 00:10:10.060 --> 00:10:12.540 Avery: And at the very heart of Chrysalis, the core 242 00:10:12.540 --> 00:10:15.020 would hold communication systems and shuttles 243 00:10:15.020 --> 00:10:17.660 for ferrying passengers down to the surface 244 00:10:17.660 --> 00:10:20.560 of Proxima B, which once the epic journey 245 00:10:20.560 --> 00:10:23.480 finally ends. Proxima B, for context, 246 00:10:23.480 --> 00:10:26.240 is 4.24 light years away, 247 00:10:26.560 --> 00:10:29.520 or about 39 trillion kilometres. 248 00:10:30.160 --> 00:10:33.160 Anna: The ship is designed to travel at one tenth 249 00:10:33.160 --> 00:10:35.680 the speed of light, which would still mean 250 00:10:35.680 --> 00:10:38.160 roughly 400 years to reach its destination. 251 00:10:38.880 --> 00:10:41.080 This includes a year for acceleration at the 252 00:10:41.080 --> 00:10:43.800 start and another for deceleration before 253 00:10:43.800 --> 00:10:46.650 arrival. For propulsion, they're looking 254 00:10:46.650 --> 00:10:49.170 at a direct fusion drive using 255 00:10:49.170 --> 00:10:52.010 helium and deuterium isotopes. While 256 00:10:52.010 --> 00:10:54.690 this technology is untested, it holds the 257 00:10:54.690 --> 00:10:56.730 promise of generating both thrust and 258 00:10:56.810 --> 00:10:57.850 electrical power. 259 00:10:58.330 --> 00:11:00.730 Avery: A journey of this magnitude also brings up 260 00:11:00.810 --> 00:11:03.730 incredible societal challenges. The first 261 00:11:03.730 --> 00:11:06.610 generation of passengers would undergo 70 to 262 00:11:06.610 --> 00:11:09.250 80 years of training in an isolated 263 00:11:09.250 --> 00:11:12.160 Antarctic habitat, testing their ability to 264 00:11:12.160 --> 00:11:14.200 live in close quarters and maintain 265 00:11:14.280 --> 00:11:16.880 psychological health. Birth rates would be 266 00:11:16.880 --> 00:11:18.760 carefully controlled to keep the population 267 00:11:18.920 --> 00:11:21.840 at around 1500 people, even though the ship 268 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:24.600 could hold up to 2400. Ensuring 269 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:25.720 sufficient resources. 270 00:11:26.360 --> 00:11:28.960 Anna: Governance would be a fascinating blend of 271 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:31.320 human decision makers and artificial 272 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:33.760 intelligence designed to strengthen social 273 00:11:33.760 --> 00:11:36.280 resilience and ensure knowledge transfer 274 00:11:36.280 --> 00:11:38.910 across generations. And for a unique 275 00:11:38.910 --> 00:11:41.830 experience, the ship features a cosmodome at 276 00:11:41.830 --> 00:11:44.550 the front, offering a microgravity zone with 277 00:11:44.550 --> 00:11:46.230 sweeping views of deep space. 278 00:11:46.710 --> 00:11:49.070 Avery: It's a concept that truly makes you think 279 00:11:49.070 --> 00:11:52.070 about the when, not if of interstellar 280 00:11:52.070 --> 00:11:54.750 migration. While nuclear fusion drives and 281 00:11:54.750 --> 00:11:57.150 Century spanning governance systems are still 282 00:11:57.150 --> 00:11:59.670 works in progress. Projects like Chrysalis 283 00:11:59.670 --> 00:12:01.510 push the boundaries of what's possible 284 00:12:02.150 --> 00:12:04.710 influencing future spacecraft architecture, 285 00:12:04.790 --> 00:12:07.150 life support systems and long duration 286 00:12:07.150 --> 00:12:09.260 mission planning right here on Earth. 287 00:12:21.490 --> 00:12:24.410 Anna: From ambitious interstellar journeys, let's 288 00:12:24.410 --> 00:12:26.570 bring it back to Earth for a moment, or 289 00:12:26.570 --> 00:12:29.450 rather to Earth's launch pads. We've got an 290 00:12:29.450 --> 00:12:32.250 important update from ULA or United Launch 291 00:12:32.250 --> 00:12:34.610 alliance regarding their Vulcan rocket which 292 00:12:34.610 --> 00:12:36.690 is poised for a significant milestone. 293 00:12:36.970 --> 00:12:39.850 Avery: That's right, Anna Ah Ula's 202 foot tall 294 00:12:39.850 --> 00:12:42.250 Vulcan rocket is about to embark on its 295 00:12:42.250 --> 00:12:44.570 inaugural National Security Mission, 296 00:12:44.730 --> 00:12:47.530 USSF106 as early as 297 00:12:47.530 --> 00:12:50.410 Tuesday, August 12th. This is a huge moment 298 00:12:50.410 --> 00:12:53.370 for ULA as it's the first post certification 299 00:12:53.370 --> 00:12:55.770 flight for Vulcan and a mission they designed 300 00:12:55.770 --> 00:12:57.450 the rocket specifically to do. 301 00:12:57.770 --> 00:13:00.290 Anna: Tory Bruno, ULA's president and 302 00:13:00.290 --> 00:13:03.290 CEO, highlighted just how critical this 303 00:13:03.290 --> 00:13:06.070 launch is, calling it the anchor 304 00:13:06.070 --> 00:13:08.270 case that drove the design and the 305 00:13:08.270 --> 00:13:11.030 architecture of the whole rocket. It's a 306 00:13:11.030 --> 00:13:13.670 particularly challenging mission involving a 307 00:13:13.670 --> 00:13:16.430 direct injection to geosynchronous orbit, 308 00:13:16.590 --> 00:13:18.790 which makes it one of their longest duration 309 00:13:18.790 --> 00:13:19.710 missions ever. 310 00:13:20.190 --> 00:13:23.030 Avery: And um, it hasn't been an easy road. This 311 00:13:23.030 --> 00:13:24.990 launch was actually hoped for much earlier, 312 00:13:25.070 --> 00:13:27.990 but faced setbacks including a solid rocket 313 00:13:27.990 --> 00:13:30.550 motor anomaly during a certification flight 314 00:13:30.550 --> 00:13:33.460 last year, delays with Sierra Space's dream 315 00:13:33.460 --> 00:13:36.220 chaser and even issues with the USSF 316 00:13:36.220 --> 00:13:38.340 Dash106 payloads themselves. 317 00:13:39.300 --> 00:13:41.860 Anna: Despite those hurdles, ULA is now 318 00:13:41.860 --> 00:13:44.180 confident and ready to ramp up their launch 319 00:13:44.180 --> 00:13:47.060 cadence. Bruno revealed plans for nine 320 00:13:47.060 --> 00:13:49.500 more missions before the end of the year, a 321 00:13:49.500 --> 00:13:51.700 mix of commercial and government flights. 322 00:13:52.020 --> 00:13:54.860 Some will still utilise their reliable Atlas 323 00:13:54.860 --> 00:13:55.620 V rockets. 324 00:13:56.020 --> 00:13:58.740 Avery: He emphasised that they have a stockpile of 325 00:13:58.740 --> 00:14:01.220 both Atlases and Vulcans fully built, 326 00:14:01.520 --> 00:14:03.560 ready to fly, which gives them high 327 00:14:03.560 --> 00:14:05.920 confidence in meeting their goals. There are 328 00:14:05.920 --> 00:14:08.760 13 Atlas V rockets remaining, with seven 329 00:14:08.760 --> 00:14:11.720 allocated to Amazon's Project Cooper, six for 330 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:14.680 Boeing's CST100 Starliner and one 331 00:14:14.680 --> 00:14:15.600 for Viasat. 332 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:18.680 Anna: Ula's ambitious target is to achieve a 333 00:14:18.680 --> 00:14:21.400 cadence of two launches per month by the end 334 00:14:21.400 --> 00:14:24.312 of the year and maintain that pace into 20, 335 00:14:24.408 --> 00:14:27.400 26 and beyond. This is a clear signal 336 00:14:27.400 --> 00:14:29.960 that the Vulcan is ready to take its place as 337 00:14:29.960 --> 00:14:31.680 a workhorse in the launch industry, 338 00:14:32.160 --> 00:14:34.860 especially for challenging national security 339 00:14:34.940 --> 00:14:37.700 missions that require such precise and 340 00:14:37.700 --> 00:14:39.660 long duration orbital insertions. 341 00:14:40.140 --> 00:14:42.220 Avery: They're also expanding their infrastructure 342 00:14:42.300 --> 00:14:45.020 with Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg 343 00:14:45.020 --> 00:14:47.700 Space Force Base, nearly 76% 344 00:14:47.700 --> 00:14:49.820 complete and aiming for certification by the 345 00:14:49.820 --> 00:14:52.220 end of the year. And at uh, Cape Canaveral, 346 00:14:52.300 --> 00:14:54.620 their second vertical integration facility, 347 00:14:55.020 --> 00:14:58.020 VIF A, which will handle commercial Vulcan 348 00:14:58.020 --> 00:15:00.460 launches, is almost finished. It sounds like 349 00:15:00.460 --> 00:15:02.740 ULA is truly set to expand their presence in 350 00:15:02.740 --> 00:15:03.780 the launch landscape. 351 00:15:04.500 --> 00:15:07.260 Anna: Speaking of expanding operations, ULA 352 00:15:07.260 --> 00:15:09.420 isn't the only one making big moves at the 353 00:15:09.420 --> 00:15:12.220 Cape. SpaceX is also pushing forward 354 00:15:12.220 --> 00:15:14.420 with its Starship super heavy rocket 355 00:15:14.420 --> 00:15:16.980 operations and this is creating some 356 00:15:16.980 --> 00:15:18.940 significant discussions around launch 357 00:15:18.940 --> 00:15:20.980 capacity and environmental impact. 358 00:15:22.020 --> 00:15:24.860 Avery: Absolutely, Anna. Uh, the Federal aviation 359 00:15:24.860 --> 00:15:27.440 Administration or FAA 360 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:30.320 recently published a draught environmental 361 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:33.240 impact statement for SpaceX's proposal 362 00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:35.840 to launch up to 44 times from 363 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:38.480 Launch Complex 39A using 364 00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:41.440 Starship. This includes plans for up to 365 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:44.400 88 landings of the first and second stages, 366 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:46.240 plus static fire tests. 367 00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:49.040 Anna: This is huge because Starship is, as Tory 368 00:15:49.040 --> 00:15:51.840 Bruno from ULA puts it, not just another 369 00:15:51.840 --> 00:15:53.840 rocket on the range. It's uh, of 370 00:15:53.840 --> 00:15:56.520 unprecedented size and aims for a very, 371 00:15:56.520 --> 00:15:59.280 very high launch rate. Its operations will 372 00:15:59.280 --> 00:16:01.760 require massive clearance across the Florida 373 00:16:01.760 --> 00:16:04.400 spaceport, impacting other launch complexes 374 00:16:04.400 --> 00:16:07.400 like 39B and SLC 41. 375 00:16:08.040 --> 00:16:10.320 Avery: Indeed, the Department of the Air Force is 376 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:12.680 also considering SpaceX's separate proposal 377 00:16:12.680 --> 00:16:14.920 for up to 76 launches and 378 00:16:14.920 --> 00:16:17.640 152 landings at uh, SLC 379 00:16:17.640 --> 00:16:20.210 37. Bruno emphasised that the Space 380 00:16:20.210 --> 00:16:23.090 Force and the FAA need to conduct a 381 00:16:23.090 --> 00:16:25.130 very thorough analysis of how this will 382 00:16:25.130 --> 00:16:27.090 affect not just the ecological environment 383 00:16:27.570 --> 00:16:30.010 but also the overall launch environment for 384 00:16:30.010 --> 00:16:31.330 everyone operating there. 385 00:16:31.730 --> 00:16:34.570 Anna: It's a complex situation. When one vehicle 386 00:16:34.570 --> 00:16:37.050 is fueled, certain operations are restricted 387 00:16:37.050 --> 00:16:39.650 on other pads due to the energetics involved. 388 00:16:39.970 --> 00:16:42.410 Given Starship's size, which is even larger 389 00:16:42.410 --> 00:16:45.260 than a Saturn V, it's something truly new to 390 00:16:45.260 --> 00:16:45.820 the range. 391 00:16:46.310 --> 00:16:48.780 Avery: Uh, exactly. The goal is for the range to 392 00:16:48.780 --> 00:16:51.460 maintain its capacity for all users. The 393 00:16:51.460 --> 00:16:54.260 public comment period for the SLC 37 proposal 394 00:16:54.260 --> 00:16:56.380 is closed with the Air Force sifting through 395 00:16:56.380 --> 00:16:59.220 feedback for a final analysis. Meanwhile, the 396 00:16:59.220 --> 00:17:01.180 FAA is collecting public thoughts on the 397 00:17:01.180 --> 00:17:04.060 LC39A proposal through late August 398 00:17:04.060 --> 00:17:06.580 and early September. It's clear that careful 399 00:17:06.580 --> 00:17:09.140 planning is essential to ensure everyone can 400 00:17:09.140 --> 00:17:11.140 operate safely and efficiently at uh, Cape 401 00:17:11.140 --> 00:17:11.580 Canaveral. 402 00:17:12.289 --> 00:17:14.889 Anna: Well, what a jam packed episode of Astronomy 403 00:17:14.889 --> 00:17:17.849 Daily today. From the mind boggling scale of 404 00:17:17.849 --> 00:17:20.809 that 36 billion solar mass black hole 405 00:17:20.809 --> 00:17:21.209 measured. 406 00:17:21.209 --> 00:17:23.609 Avery: Using Einstein's relativity, to Italy's 407 00:17:23.609 --> 00:17:26.569 ambitious plans to send a starship mission to 408 00:17:26.569 --> 00:17:28.809 Mars pushing the boundaries of 409 00:17:28.809 --> 00:17:30.689 interplanetary exploration. 410 00:17:31.169 --> 00:17:34.009 Anna: And we can't forget ula's aggressive plans to 411 00:17:34.009 --> 00:17:36.809 ramp up their Vulcan launches and the intense 412 00:17:36.809 --> 00:17:38.889 discussions surrounding how Starship's 413 00:17:38.889 --> 00:17:41.209 massive operations will affect the busy 414 00:17:41.209 --> 00:17:42.749 launch schedule at Cape Canaveral. 415 00:17:43.300 --> 00:17:45.580 Avery: It really shows the incredible breadth of 416 00:17:45.580 --> 00:17:48.140 activity happening in space right now. From 417 00:17:48.140 --> 00:17:51.060 the deepest reaches of the cosmos to the very 418 00:17:51.060 --> 00:17:53.460 rockets lifting off from our planet. 419 00:17:54.020 --> 00:17:56.580 Anna: It's truly an exciting time to be looking up. 420 00:17:57.060 --> 00:17:59.300 Thanks for joining us for another episode of 421 00:17:59.300 --> 00:18:01.860 Astronomy Daily. Remember to visit our 422 00:18:01.860 --> 00:18:04.820 website at astronomydaily IO if you'd 423 00:18:04.820 --> 00:18:07.140 like to listen to all our back episodes and 424 00:18:07.140 --> 00:18:10.140 achieve completionist status or simply catch 425 00:18:10.140 --> 00:18:11.430 up on the latest space news. 426 00:18:12.300 --> 00:18:14.340 Avery: We hope you enjoyed diving into these 427 00:18:14.340 --> 00:18:17.300 fascinating updates with us. Be sure to tune 428 00:18:17.300 --> 00:18:19.780 in tomorrow for more space and astronomy 429 00:18:19.780 --> 00:18:21.260 news. Goodbye for now.