WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:03.400 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, the podcast that 1 00:00:03.400 --> 00:00:06.240 brings you the universe one story at a time. 2 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:08.080 I'm your host, Anna. 3 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:10.920 Avery: And I'm Avery. Today we'll be looking at a 4 00:00:10.920 --> 00:00:13.200 huge success for Blue Origin's new Glenn 5 00:00:13.200 --> 00:00:15.919 rocket. A dramatic planned return to Earth 6 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:18.800 for three Chinese astronauts and a comet that 7 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:21.080 decided to put on a show by breaking apart 8 00:00:21.080 --> 00:00:22.560 right in front of our telescopes. 9 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:26.120 Anna: And to top it all off, we're coming back down 10 00:00:26.120 --> 00:00:28.560 to Earth to explore a, um, massive 11 00:00:28.560 --> 00:00:31.400 10,000 year old crater discovered in 12 00:00:31.400 --> 00:00:31.680 China. 13 00:00:32.540 --> 00:00:35.420 So let's get started. Avery, why don't you 14 00:00:35.420 --> 00:00:37.180 kick us off with Blue Origin? 15 00:00:37.580 --> 00:00:40.060 Avery: Absolutely. This is big news in the 16 00:00:40.060 --> 00:00:42.820 commercial space race. Blue Origin just had a 17 00:00:42.820 --> 00:00:44.900 landmark success with the second launch of 18 00:00:44.900 --> 00:00:47.700 its new Glenn rocket. It wasn't just a 19 00:00:47.700 --> 00:00:50.180 launch. It was a complete mission profile 20 00:00:50.180 --> 00:00:52.900 success. They deployed a, uh, NASA science 21 00:00:52.900 --> 00:00:54.700 mission that's now on its way to Mars. 22 00:00:55.180 --> 00:00:57.420 Anna: Which is a major achievement in itself. 23 00:00:57.900 --> 00:01:00.460 But that wasn't the main event everyone was 24 00:01:00.460 --> 00:01:01.420 watching, was it? 25 00:01:02.070 --> 00:01:04.870 Avery: Not at all. The real nail biter and the part 26 00:01:04.870 --> 00:01:06.910 that had everyone glued to their screens was 27 00:01:06.910 --> 00:01:09.430 the landing. For the first time, they 28 00:01:09.430 --> 00:01:11.710 successfully landed the massive new Glenn 29 00:01:11.710 --> 00:01:13.590 first stage booster on one of their 30 00:01:13.590 --> 00:01:16.230 autonomous drone ships out in the ocean. And 31 00:01:16.230 --> 00:01:18.630 we have to emphasize how difficult that is. 32 00:01:18.790 --> 00:01:20.870 You're essentially trying to land a 33 00:01:20.870 --> 00:01:23.550 skyscraper on a moving target in the middle 34 00:01:23.550 --> 00:01:24.150 of the sea. 35 00:01:24.630 --> 00:01:27.350 Anna: That's the holy grail of modern rocketry. 36 00:01:27.590 --> 00:01:30.430 Proving reusability is the key to bringing 37 00:01:30.430 --> 00:01:33.350 down the cost of access to SpaceX 38 00:01:33.570 --> 00:01:35.850 has been the dominant player there. But this 39 00:01:35.850 --> 00:01:38.450 proves Blue Origin is officially in the game. 40 00:01:38.450 --> 00:01:41.290 And, um, then some. It's an incredible feat 41 00:01:41.290 --> 00:01:43.930 of engineering. The guidance systems have to 42 00:01:43.930 --> 00:01:46.490 account for wind, ocean currents, the 43 00:01:46.490 --> 00:01:49.050 rocket's own fuel sloshing around. The 44 00:01:49.050 --> 00:01:51.850 margins for error are razor thin. So this 45 00:01:51.850 --> 00:01:54.450 isn't just a win. It's a demonstration of 46 00:01:54.450 --> 00:01:56.130 some serious precision technology. 47 00:01:56.770 --> 00:01:59.690 Avery: Exactly. And New Glenn is a beast of a 48 00:01:59.690 --> 00:02:02.400 rocket designed for heavy lift missions. With 49 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:04.640 this successful landing, they've demonstrated 50 00:02:04.640 --> 00:02:06.440 a capability that's crucial for future 51 00:02:06.520 --> 00:02:08.880 contracts, especially high value government 52 00:02:08.880 --> 00:02:11.240 payloads and the big lunar missions planned 53 00:02:11.240 --> 00:02:13.640 for the Artemis program. The competition is 54 00:02:13.640 --> 00:02:15.940 definitely heating up. Mhm. 55 00:02:15.940 --> 00:02:17.920 Anna: It's an exciting development that benefits 56 00:02:17.920 --> 00:02:19.000 the entire industry. 57 00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:21.960 Avery: It's not just about competition though. 58 00:02:22.200 --> 00:02:24.800 Having multiple reliable heavy lift rockets 59 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:26.440 is a game changer for science and 60 00:02:26.440 --> 00:02:28.920 exploration. It opens up the possibility for 61 00:02:28.920 --> 00:02:31.040 more ambitious missions, larger space 62 00:02:31.040 --> 00:02:32.840 telescopes, and even the construction of 63 00:02:32.840 --> 00:02:33.790 orbital infrastructure. 64 00:02:34.900 --> 00:02:37.740 Anna: Now, speaking of missions in orbit, our next 65 00:02:37.740 --> 00:02:40.580 story involves a situation that was a little 66 00:02:40.580 --> 00:02:43.060 less smooth. It concerns three 67 00:02:43.060 --> 00:02:45.620 astronauts aboard the Tiangong Space 68 00:02:45.620 --> 00:02:46.100 Station. 69 00:02:46.580 --> 00:02:49.340 Avery: Right. This has Been a tense situation. They 70 00:02:49.340 --> 00:02:51.300 were scheduled to return to Earth, but there 71 00:02:51.300 --> 00:02:53.220 was a problem with their right home. The 72 00:02:53.220 --> 00:02:54.820 Chenzu 20 spacecraft. 73 00:02:55.300 --> 00:02:57.780 Anna: That's right. During routine checks, 74 00:02:57.860 --> 00:03:00.140 tiny cracks were discovered in one of the 75 00:03:00.140 --> 00:03:02.980 porthole windows. The suspected culprit 76 00:03:02.980 --> 00:03:05.460 is a micrometeoroid or a small 77 00:03:05.840 --> 00:03:08.360 piece of space debris. It's a stark reminder 78 00:03:08.360 --> 00:03:10.800 of the constant hazards of living and working 79 00:03:10.800 --> 00:03:12.160 in low Earth orbit. 80 00:03:12.480 --> 00:03:15.120 Avery: Even a sand sized piece of debris can cause 81 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:18.000 catastrophic damage at orbital velocities. So 82 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:20.000 they couldn't risk re entry in a compromised 83 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:21.840 vehicle. What was the solution? 84 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:24.960 Anna: Fortunately, the replacement crew was already 85 00:03:25.040 --> 00:03:27.880 on its way. The new Shenzhou 21 86 00:03:27.880 --> 00:03:30.240 spacecraft had just arrived at the station. 87 00:03:30.720 --> 00:03:33.360 So the stranded crew will be able to return 88 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:36.120 to Earth aboard that new undamaged 89 00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:38.240 ship. And, and the plan is to bring them back 90 00:03:38.240 --> 00:03:41.000 to Earth sometime today. The China Manned 91 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:43.960 Space Agency, or CMSA M said 92 00:03:43.960 --> 00:03:46.320 in a statement. We wish them well in the 93 00:03:46.320 --> 00:03:47.160 return journey. 94 00:03:47.640 --> 00:03:50.080 Avery: That's a relief. And what happens to the 95 00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:51.320 damaged Shenzhou 20? 96 00:03:51.800 --> 00:03:54.280 Anna: Well, there's a fascinating silver lining. 97 00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:57.040 The damaged ship will remain docked to the 98 00:03:57.040 --> 00:03:59.320 station for now. It presents a unique 99 00:03:59.320 --> 00:04:02.080 opportunity for researchers to study the long 100 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:05.040 term effects of space debris impacts on 101 00:04:05.040 --> 00:04:07.720 spacecraft materials without having to bring 102 00:04:07.720 --> 00:04:08.600 it back to Earth. 103 00:04:08.940 --> 00:04:11.660 Avery: Turning a near disaster into a valuable 104 00:04:11.660 --> 00:04:13.740 scientific experiment. I love it. 105 00:04:14.220 --> 00:04:17.140 From human drama to cosmic drama, our 106 00:04:17.140 --> 00:04:19.340 next story is about a comet that has been 107 00:04:19.340 --> 00:04:22.020 putting on quite a show. We're talking about 108 00:04:22.020 --> 00:04:24.540 Comet C 2025 K1, 109 00:04:24.699 --> 00:04:26.380 also known as Atlas. 110 00:04:26.700 --> 00:04:29.540 Anna: Right. This Comet had a very close encounter 111 00:04:29.540 --> 00:04:32.300 with the sun back in October and it seems the 112 00:04:32.300 --> 00:04:35.100 experience was a bit too much for it. 113 00:04:35.430 --> 00:04:37.630 Avery: A bit too much is an understatement. The 114 00:04:37.630 --> 00:04:40.230 intense heat and gravitational forces caused 115 00:04:40.230 --> 00:04:42.670 it to fragment. Astronomers, uh, at the 116 00:04:42.670 --> 00:04:45.310 Asiago Observatory in Italy and the 117 00:04:45.310 --> 00:04:47.510 Virtual Telescope Project have captured 118 00:04:47.510 --> 00:04:50.070 incredible footage showing the comet has 119 00:04:50.070 --> 00:04:52.950 broken into at least three distinct pieces. 120 00:04:53.270 --> 00:04:55.670 Anna: It sounds destructive, but for scientists 121 00:04:55.910 --> 00:04:58.830 this is actually a fantastic event. Why is 122 00:04:58.830 --> 00:04:59.110 that? 123 00:04:59.350 --> 00:05:01.670 Avery: It's because Comet C 2025 124 00:05:01.670 --> 00:05:04.640 Atlas is a pristine object. A 125 00:05:04.640 --> 00:05:07.280 visitor from the Oort Cloud in the outermost 126 00:05:07.280 --> 00:05:08.520 reaches of our solar system. 127 00:05:08.760 --> 00:05:11.000 Anna: Mhm. A cosmic time capsule. 128 00:05:11.080 --> 00:05:13.880 Avery: Exactly. It's made of the same ancient 129 00:05:13.880 --> 00:05:16.440 ice and dust that formed the planets 130 00:05:16.440 --> 00:05:19.320 billions of years ago. When it breaks apart, 131 00:05:19.720 --> 00:05:22.400 it's like cracking open a, uh, geological 132 00:05:22.400 --> 00:05:23.240 treasure chest. 133 00:05:23.640 --> 00:05:26.400 Anna: So by studying the light from these 134 00:05:26.400 --> 00:05:29.360 fresh fragments before they have a chance 135 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:32.120 to change, scientists can get a uh, much 136 00:05:32.120 --> 00:05:34.700 clearer picture of the raw ingredients and 137 00:05:34.850 --> 00:05:36.890 that built our solar system. It's an 138 00:05:36.890 --> 00:05:38.850 incredible unexpected opportunity. 139 00:05:38.930 --> 00:05:40.570 Avery: It's certainly a positive way to look. 140 00:05:40.570 --> 00:05:43.370 Anna: At it and for our final story, we are 141 00:05:43.370 --> 00:05:46.370 coming home to planet Earth for a discovery 142 00:05:46.370 --> 00:05:48.370 that looks back thousands of years. 143 00:05:48.690 --> 00:05:51.370 Geologists in southern China have confirmed 144 00:05:51.370 --> 00:05:54.130 the discovery of a massive impact crater 145 00:05:54.610 --> 00:05:56.450 named the Jinlin Crater. 146 00:05:56.690 --> 00:05:59.050 Avery: And when you say massive, what are we talking 147 00:05:59.050 --> 00:05:59.330 about? 148 00:05:59.650 --> 00:06:02.130 Anna: It's nearly a kilometer wide. 149 00:06:02.450 --> 00:06:05.250 Analysis shows it was formed by a meteorite 150 00:06:05.250 --> 00:06:06.870 impact within the last. Last 151 00:06:06.870 --> 00:06:09.790 11,700 years during 152 00:06:09.790 --> 00:06:12.470 the Holocene epoch, which is our current 153 00:06:12.470 --> 00:06:15.350 geological period. The energy released 154 00:06:15.350 --> 00:06:17.910 was equivalent to about 40 atomic 155 00:06:17.910 --> 00:06:19.230 bombs. Wow. 156 00:06:19.230 --> 00:06:21.550 Avery: That's incredible. And it's the largest 157 00:06:21.550 --> 00:06:24.030 crater ever found from this recent of a time 158 00:06:24.030 --> 00:06:24.750 period. Right. 159 00:06:24.990 --> 00:06:27.870 Anna: That's what makes it so significant. Finding 160 00:06:27.870 --> 00:06:30.750 relatively young craters is extremely rare 161 00:06:31.150 --> 00:06:33.550 on Earth. Processes like erosion, 162 00:06:34.080 --> 00:06:36.400 vegetation growth, and human activity 163 00:06:36.640 --> 00:06:38.240 quickly erase the evidence. 164 00:06:38.640 --> 00:06:41.200 Avery: Right. Especially in a wet, subtropical 165 00:06:41.200 --> 00:06:43.720 climate like southern China, you'd expect the 166 00:06:43.720 --> 00:06:46.400 crater to be filled in and overgrown very 167 00:06:46.400 --> 00:06:49.280 quickly. It's amazing it was identifiable 168 00:06:49.280 --> 00:06:49.840 at all. 169 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:52.960 Anna: Exactly. Discoveries like the Jinlin 170 00:06:52.960 --> 00:06:55.320 Crater are crucial for planetary defense 171 00:06:55.320 --> 00:06:57.520 scientists. They help us build a more 172 00:06:57.520 --> 00:07:00.400 accurate model of how frequently medium 173 00:07:00.400 --> 00:07:03.160 sized asteroids hit our planet. Each new 174 00:07:03.160 --> 00:07:05.970 crater we find refines our understanding of 175 00:07:05.970 --> 00:07:08.210 the potential risks and helps us better 176 00:07:08.210 --> 00:07:09.250 prepare for the future. 177 00:07:09.570 --> 00:07:11.410 Avery: And, um, that's a wrap on our news Roundup 178 00:07:11.410 --> 00:07:14.290 for today. From Blue Origin's reusable 179 00:07:14.290 --> 00:07:17.010 rocket success and a dramatic astronaut 180 00:07:17.010 --> 00:07:19.650 rescue to a fragmenting comet and a 181 00:07:19.650 --> 00:07:21.050 massive ancient crater here. 182 00:07:21.050 --> 00:07:23.210 Anna: On Earth, it just goes to show that there is 183 00:07:23.210 --> 00:07:25.810 always something new and exciting happening 184 00:07:26.050 --> 00:07:28.810 both out in the cosmos and right here at 185 00:07:28.810 --> 00:07:30.730 home. Thank you for joining us on Astronomy 186 00:07:30.730 --> 00:07:31.090 Daily. 187 00:07:31.170 --> 00:07:32.930 Avery: Um, until next time, keep looking up. 188 00:07:36.190 --> 00:07:37.150 Stories are told. 189 00:07:43.950 --> 00:07:44.590 Stories.