WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:02.960 Avery: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, the podcast that 1 00:00:02.960 --> 00:00:05.600 brings you the universe one story at a time. 2 00:00:05.840 --> 00:00:06.800 I'm Avery. 3 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:09.960 Anna: And I'm Anna. Today we've got a big 4 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:12.440 show for you. We'll be looking at why Sierra 5 00:00:12.440 --> 00:00:15.160 Space's Dream Chaser is facing some tough 6 00:00:15.160 --> 00:00:17.760 challenges. And on a brighter note, 7 00:00:17.840 --> 00:00:20.440 the stunning first images from the new 8 00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:22.160 NASA ISRO satellite. 9 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:25.040 Avery: We'll also be visiting an asteroid with some 10 00:00:25.040 --> 00:00:27.840 very human centric new names and peering 11 00:00:27.840 --> 00:00:30.160 into the mysterious upper atmosphere of 12 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:32.780 Saturn with the James Web telescope. 13 00:00:33.180 --> 00:00:35.900 Anna: Plus, we have a few quick updates on 14 00:00:35.900 --> 00:00:38.700 platinum on the moon, how daylight savings 15 00:00:38.700 --> 00:00:41.260 time affects gravitational wave detectors 16 00:00:41.500 --> 00:00:44.300 and two galaxies taking a very, 17 00:00:44.620 --> 00:00:45.980 very fast plunge. 18 00:00:46.140 --> 00:00:47.020 Let's get started. 19 00:00:47.500 --> 00:00:49.940 Avery: First up, a story that sounds like it's 20 00:00:49.940 --> 00:00:52.060 straight out of a sci fi movie, but is 21 00:00:52.060 --> 00:00:54.340 hitting some real world turbulence. The 22 00:00:54.340 --> 00:00:56.940 Sierra Space Dream Chaser, that beautiful 23 00:00:56.940 --> 00:00:59.340 space plane set to deliver cargo to the 24 00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:01.940 International Space Station, is starting to 25 00:01:01.940 --> 00:01:03.810 resemble a bit of a nightmare for its crew 26 00:01:03.880 --> 00:01:04.360 creators. 27 00:01:04.760 --> 00:01:07.400 Anna: That's right, the program has been hit with 28 00:01:07.480 --> 00:01:10.200 significant delays and cost overruns. 29 00:01:10.440 --> 00:01:12.760 Initially planned for its first flight years 30 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:15.720 ago, the vehicle is now in the final stages 31 00:01:15.720 --> 00:01:18.520 of pre flight testing at NASA's Kennedy Space 32 00:01:18.520 --> 00:01:21.080 Center. However, reports indicate that 33 00:01:21.080 --> 00:01:23.920 testing has revealed several issues that need 34 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:25.520 to be addressed before it's cleared for 35 00:01:25.520 --> 00:01:25.800 launch. 36 00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:28.400 Avery: These aren't minor hiccups either. The 37 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:30.480 challenges involve the vehicle's thermal 38 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:33.080 protection system and flight software, 39 00:01:33.320 --> 00:01:36.140 both absolutely critical for a safe entry 40 00:01:36.140 --> 00:01:38.820 into Earth's atmosphere. It highlights just 41 00:01:38.820 --> 00:01:41.260 how difficult it is to develop a reusable 42 00:01:41.260 --> 00:01:42.900 lifting body spaceplane. 43 00:01:43.140 --> 00:01:45.700 Anna: It certainly does. While Sierra Space 44 00:01:45.860 --> 00:01:47.780 remains confident they can resolve these 45 00:01:47.780 --> 00:01:50.100 issues, the timeline for its inaugural 46 00:01:50.100 --> 00:01:52.540 mission is now looking uncertain. The 47 00:01:52.540 --> 00:01:55.220 pressure is on as NASA is counting on Dream 48 00:01:55.220 --> 00:01:57.740 Chaser to be a key part of its commercial 49 00:01:57.740 --> 00:01:58.420 cargo fleet. 50 00:01:58.660 --> 00:02:01.060 Avery: Absolutely. It's a reminder that 51 00:02:01.060 --> 00:02:04.060 spaceflight is incredibly challenging. Unlike 52 00:02:04.060 --> 00:02:06.860 capsules which re enter as a blunt body, a 53 00:02:06.860 --> 00:02:09.360 lifting body space plane like Dream Chaser is 54 00:02:09.360 --> 00:02:12.120 designed to land on a Runway. This requires a 55 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:14.520 much more complex aerodynamic design and 56 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:17.320 control system to manage the heat and stress 57 00:02:17.320 --> 00:02:20.000 of re entry. Getting that right is a 58 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:21.120 monumental task. 59 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:24.640 Anna: From a challenging project to a triumphant 60 00:02:24.640 --> 00:02:24.960 one. 61 00:02:25.200 --> 00:02:28.200 The NISAR satellite, a joint mission 62 00:02:28.200 --> 00:02:30.880 between NASA and the Indian Space Research 63 00:02:30.880 --> 00:02:33.680 Organization, has sent back its first 64 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:36.720 incredible radar images of Earth's surface. 65 00:02:37.300 --> 00:02:39.460 Avery: And these images are spectacular. 66 00:02:39.940 --> 00:02:42.900 NISAR stands for NASA ISRO Synthetic 67 00:02:42.900 --> 00:02:45.420 Aperture Radar. And it's designed to give us 68 00:02:45.420 --> 00:02:47.780 an unprecedented view of our planet. 69 00:02:48.100 --> 00:02:51.060 Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy called 70 00:02:51.060 --> 00:02:53.180 the images a testament to what can be 71 00:02:53.180 --> 00:02:55.580 achieved with a shared vision of innovation 72 00:02:55.580 --> 00:02:56.500 and discovery. 73 00:02:56.820 --> 00:02:59.580 Anna: One of the first images captured mount Desert 74 00:02:59.580 --> 00:03:02.060 island on the coast of Maine. The level of 75 00:03:02.060 --> 00:03:04.780 detail is astounding. You can see 76 00:03:04.780 --> 00:03:07.700 forests represented in green water in 77 00:03:07.700 --> 00:03:10.520 dark shades and hard surfaces like buildings 78 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:13.200 in magenta. The system can resolve 79 00:03:13.200 --> 00:03:16.160 objects as small as 15ft across, 80 00:03:16.720 --> 00:03:18.560 which is incredible from orbit. 81 00:03:18.880 --> 00:03:21.560 Avery: What makes NISAR truly unique is that it's 82 00:03:21.560 --> 00:03:23.640 the first satellite to carry two different 83 00:03:23.640 --> 00:03:26.480 types of radar systems. L band radar from 84 00:03:26.480 --> 00:03:29.240 NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab is great for seeing 85 00:03:29.240 --> 00:03:32.160 through vegetation to the ground. The S band 86 00:03:32.160 --> 00:03:34.640 from ISRO is more sensitive to small 87 00:03:34.640 --> 00:03:37.280 vegetation, making it perfect for monitoring 88 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:38.640 crops and grasslands. 89 00:03:39.140 --> 00:03:42.100 Anna: This dual radar capability means NISAR 90 00:03:42.100 --> 00:03:44.820 will provide invaluable data for everything 91 00:03:44.900 --> 00:03:47.340 from disaster response to agricultural 92 00:03:47.340 --> 00:03:50.260 management. It will scan the entire earth 93 00:03:50.580 --> 00:03:53.460 twice every 12 days using a massive 94 00:03:53.620 --> 00:03:56.260 39 foot wide antenna reflector, 95 00:03:56.420 --> 00:03:59.060 the largest NASA has ever sent to space. 96 00:03:59.600 --> 00:04:01.780 Avery: Uh, think about the implications. By 97 00:04:01.780 --> 00:04:04.020 detecting tiny changes in the Earth's 98 00:04:04.020 --> 00:04:06.780 surface, NISAR can help predict volcanic 99 00:04:06.780 --> 00:04:09.460 eruptions, monitor melting glaciers, and 100 00:04:09.460 --> 00:04:12.240 track the rise and fall of land due to 101 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:14.920 groundwater extraction. This isn't just about 102 00:04:14.920 --> 00:04:17.030 making maps. It's about creating a, uh, 103 00:04:17.080 --> 00:04:20.080 dynamic, near real time health report for 104 00:04:20.080 --> 00:04:22.920 our entire planet. For farmers, it 105 00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:25.760 can mean better crop management. For disaster 106 00:04:25.760 --> 00:04:28.200 response teams, it could provide critical 107 00:04:28.200 --> 00:04:30.720 data on earthquake, deformation or 108 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:33.120 landslide risks. It's a truly 109 00:04:33.120 --> 00:04:35.520 revolutionary Earth science tool. 110 00:04:36.490 --> 00:04:38.490 Next up, let's talk about giving things 111 00:04:38.650 --> 00:04:41.450 names. We humans love to name things, 112 00:04:41.530 --> 00:04:44.410 from our pets to our planets. And now 113 00:04:44.490 --> 00:04:46.770 even the lumps and bumps on distant 114 00:04:46.770 --> 00:04:49.570 asteroids. The geological features of 115 00:04:49.570 --> 00:04:52.450 asteroid 152446, Donald 116 00:04:52.450 --> 00:04:55.010 Johansson, visited by NASA's Lucy 117 00:04:55.010 --> 00:04:56.170 spacecraft, have. 118 00:04:56.170 --> 00:04:58.970 Anna: Now official names, and the names 119 00:04:58.970 --> 00:05:01.730 are wonderfully interconnected. The 120 00:05:01.730 --> 00:05:03.810 asteroid itself is named after Donald 121 00:05:03.810 --> 00:05:06.450 Johanson, the paleoanthropologist who 122 00:05:06.450 --> 00:05:08.830 discovered the famous Luc Lucy hominin 123 00:05:08.830 --> 00:05:11.670 skeleton. That fossil in turn inspired 124 00:05:11.670 --> 00:05:13.750 the name for the Lucy spacecraft mission. 125 00:05:13.990 --> 00:05:16.270 It's a beautiful tribute to the study of 126 00:05:16.270 --> 00:05:17.110 human origins. 127 00:05:17.670 --> 00:05:20.550 Avery: So what are the new names? Well, the asteroid 128 00:05:20.550 --> 00:05:23.350 has two distinct lobes. The smaller 129 00:05:23.350 --> 00:05:25.590 lobe is now officially called Afar, 130 00:05:25.990 --> 00:05:28.310 named after the Afar Triangle region in 131 00:05:28.310 --> 00:05:31.110 Ethiopia where the Lucy skeleton was found. 132 00:05:31.510 --> 00:05:34.070 Anna: And the larger lobe has been named Alduvai, 133 00:05:34.070 --> 00:05:36.310 after the famous river gorge in Tanzania, 134 00:05:36.550 --> 00:05:38.910 another incredibly significant site where 135 00:05:38.910 --> 00:05:41.050 many other hominin fossils have been 136 00:05:41.050 --> 00:05:43.730 discovered. It's a fantastic way to link our 137 00:05:43.730 --> 00:05:45.970 exploration of the solar system with the 138 00:05:45.970 --> 00:05:48.290 exploration of our own ancient past. 139 00:05:48.930 --> 00:05:51.410 Well, if it's a mystery you're after, the 140 00:05:51.410 --> 00:05:54.370 James Webb telescope always delivers Its 141 00:05:54.370 --> 00:05:57.050 latest observations of Saturn have revealed 142 00:05:57.050 --> 00:05:59.290 features in the planet's upper atmosphere 143 00:05:59.290 --> 00:06:01.810 that have astronomers completely baffled. 144 00:06:02.210 --> 00:06:05.130 Avery: This is wild. About 680 145 00:06:05.130 --> 00:06:08.010 miles above Saturn's clouds, within its 146 00:06:08.010 --> 00:06:10.890 glowing auroras, JWST spotted 147 00:06:10.890 --> 00:06:13.600 a chain of g dark bead like patches. 148 00:06:13.760 --> 00:06:15.960 Think of them as dark spots on the northern 149 00:06:15.960 --> 00:06:18.400 lights. But on a planetary scale, 150 00:06:18.720 --> 00:06:21.040 nothing like this has ever been seen before. 151 00:06:21.440 --> 00:06:24.160 Anna: And it gets weirder. About 300 miles 152 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:26.840 lower in the stratosphere, the telescope saw 153 00:06:26.840 --> 00:06:29.600 a huge sprawling star shaped feature 154 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:31.840 stretching out from the North Pole. But 155 00:06:31.840 --> 00:06:34.520 instead of being a perfect six pointed star 156 00:06:34.520 --> 00:06:37.520 like a snowflake, two of its arms are just 157 00:06:37.760 --> 00:06:40.530 missing. It's a lopsided four 158 00:06:40.530 --> 00:06:41.970 armed star pattern. 159 00:06:42.370 --> 00:06:44.250 Avery: The lead astronomer on the study, Tom 160 00:06:44.250 --> 00:06:46.450 Stallard, said in a statement that these 161 00:06:46.450 --> 00:06:48.970 features were, and I quote, completely 162 00:06:48.970 --> 00:06:51.570 unexpected and at present are completely 163 00:06:51.570 --> 00:06:54.490 unexplained. It just goes to show how even a 164 00:06:54.490 --> 00:06:56.850 planet we think we know well, like Saturn, 165 00:06:57.090 --> 00:06:59.010 still holds profound surprises. 166 00:06:59.650 --> 00:07:01.570 Alright, now it's time for a few quick 167 00:07:01.570 --> 00:07:04.450 stories from across the cosmos. First up, it 168 00:07:04.450 --> 00:07:07.130 seems the next platinum rush might not be on 169 00:07:07.130 --> 00:07:07.490 Earth. 170 00:07:07.950 --> 00:07:10.710 Anna: That's right. A new paper suggests that vast 171 00:07:10.710 --> 00:07:13.310 reserves of precious metals delivered by 172 00:07:13.310 --> 00:07:16.150 asteroids could be hidden across the lunar 173 00:07:16.150 --> 00:07:18.750 surface. Researchers estimate that up to 174 00:07:18.830 --> 00:07:21.710 6,500 impact craters on the 175 00:07:21.710 --> 00:07:24.550 Moon may contain valuable platinum group 176 00:07:24.550 --> 00:07:27.470 metals like platinum, palladium and rhodium. 177 00:07:27.710 --> 00:07:30.110 The same study also suggests some 178 00:07:30.110 --> 00:07:33.030 3,400 craters could contain water 179 00:07:33.030 --> 00:07:34.990 in the form of hydrated minerals. 180 00:07:35.480 --> 00:07:38.280 Avery: From lunar riches to a very terrestrial 181 00:07:38.280 --> 00:07:41.160 problem affecting cosmic research. It turns 182 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:43.160 out that our most sensitive gravitational 183 00:07:43.160 --> 00:07:45.960 wave detectors like LIGO are affected 184 00:07:46.040 --> 00:07:48.760 by us. A new study found that LIGO 185 00:07:48.760 --> 00:07:51.000 sensitivity changes based on human 186 00:07:51.160 --> 00:07:53.680 activity, showing patterns for weekdays 187 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:56.280 versus weekends and day versus night. 188 00:07:56.520 --> 00:07:59.080 Anna: The most fascinating part is that this daily 189 00:07:59.080 --> 00:08:01.560 cycle literally shifted when the 190 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:04.040 observatories changed their clocks for 191 00:08:04.040 --> 00:08:06.890 daylight savings time. It's a stark reminder 192 00:08:06.890 --> 00:08:09.610 of how interconnected everything is and how 193 00:08:09.610 --> 00:08:12.530 even subtle human noise can impact our 194 00:08:12.530 --> 00:08:14.490 search for the faintest whispers from the 195 00:08:14.490 --> 00:08:15.010 universe. 196 00:08:15.490 --> 00:08:18.210 Avery: And finally, talk about a cosmic commute. 197 00:08:18.530 --> 00:08:21.490 Astronomers have spotted two galaxies, NGC 198 00:08:21.490 --> 00:08:23.850 4532 and DDO 199 00:08:23.850 --> 00:08:26.370 137, falling into the massive 200 00:08:26.370 --> 00:08:28.450 Virgo cluster at a staggering 201 00:08:28.450 --> 00:08:31.010 547 miles per second. 202 00:08:31.550 --> 00:08:33.550 Anna: As they plunge through the hot gas 203 00:08:33.550 --> 00:08:36.150 surrounding the cluster. Gas is being 204 00:08:36.150 --> 00:08:38.830 scoured from the galaxies, forming a 205 00:08:38.830 --> 00:08:41.630 colossal tail that's 1.6 206 00:08:41.870 --> 00:08:44.750 million light years long. Even more 207 00:08:44.750 --> 00:08:47.309 amazing, astronomers using the Ask 208 00:08:48.030 --> 00:08:50.270 AP radio telescope in Australia 209 00:08:50.990 --> 00:08:52.990 discovered a bridge of gas 210 00:08:53.470 --> 00:08:56.110 185,000 light years 211 00:08:56.110 --> 00:08:59.070 long connecting the two galaxies as they 212 00:08:59.070 --> 00:09:01.780 fall together. It's a dramatic and 213 00:09:01.780 --> 00:09:04.660 beautiful display of galactic interaction. 214 00:09:05.300 --> 00:09:07.380 Avery: And that's all the time we have for today on 215 00:09:07.380 --> 00:09:10.340 Astronomy Daily. From troubled space planes 216 00:09:10.340 --> 00:09:12.900 to mysterious patterns on Saturn, the 217 00:09:12.900 --> 00:09:15.540 universe never fails to keep us on our toes. 218 00:09:16.180 --> 00:09:18.460 Anna: We hope you'll join us again tomorrow for 219 00:09:18.460 --> 00:09:20.780 another journey through the latest in space 220 00:09:20.780 --> 00:09:23.540 and astronomy news. I'm Anna. 221 00:09:23.620 --> 00:09:26.100 Avery: And I'm Avery. Thanks for listening. Clear 222 00:09:26.100 --> 00:09:28.010 skies and keep looking up.