WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.320 Avery: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, the podcast that 1 00:00:03.320 --> 00:00:06.160 brings you the universe, one story at a time. 2 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:09.400 I'm Avery, and as always, I'm joined by my co 3 00:00:09.400 --> 00:00:10.160 host, Anna. 4 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:12.960 Anna: Uh, it's great to be here, Avery. Today 5 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:15.720 we'll be covering a tense situation aboard 6 00:00:15.720 --> 00:00:18.560 the Tiangong Space Station now that the Crew 7 00:00:18.560 --> 00:00:20.840 20 mission astronauts have returned home 8 00:00:20.840 --> 00:00:23.720 safely. A new NASA mission taking a 9 00:00:23.720 --> 00:00:26.560 scenic route to Mars, a heads up about 10 00:00:26.560 --> 00:00:29.520 the upcoming Leonid meteor shower, and a 11 00:00:29.520 --> 00:00:32.460 very exciting discovery of a new super Earth 12 00:00:32.620 --> 00:00:34.300 that's surprisingly close to home. 13 00:00:34.540 --> 00:00:37.420 Avery: A packed show indeed. Let's get right 14 00:00:37.420 --> 00:00:37.980 into it. 15 00:00:38.220 --> 00:00:40.220 Anna, um, why don't you start us off with a 16 00:00:40.220 --> 00:00:42.140 situation in low Earth orbit? 17 00:00:42.220 --> 00:00:44.980 Anna: Absolutely. Our first story involves the 18 00:00:44.980 --> 00:00:47.859 three astronauts of China's Shenzhou 21 19 00:00:47.859 --> 00:00:50.380 mission. Currently on the Tiangong Space 20 00:00:50.380 --> 00:00:52.780 Station. It seems they are temporarily 21 00:00:52.780 --> 00:00:53.420 stranded. 22 00:00:53.740 --> 00:00:56.660 Avery: Stranded? That sounds serious. What 23 00:00:56.660 --> 00:00:57.100 happened? 24 00:00:57.590 --> 00:01:00.470 Anna: It's a bit of a domino effect. The previous 25 00:01:00.550 --> 00:01:03.350 crew, Shenzhou 20, had their 26 00:01:03.350 --> 00:01:06.030 own capsule damaged by a piece of space 27 00:01:06.030 --> 00:01:08.630 debris. So to get them home safely, 28 00:01:08.870 --> 00:01:11.110 the China National Space Administration 29 00:01:11.670 --> 00:01:14.350 made the call to use the Shenzhou 21 30 00:01:14.350 --> 00:01:16.870 capsule, which was docked at the station, 31 00:01:17.270 --> 00:01:19.910 as the current crew's ride home. Wow. 32 00:01:20.630 --> 00:01:23.470 Avery: So they gave up their lifeboat to 33 00:01:23.470 --> 00:01:25.980 save the other crew. That's a tough decision, 34 00:01:26.140 --> 00:01:27.980 but definitely the right one. 35 00:01:28.140 --> 00:01:30.940 Anna: Exactly. It highlights the dangers of 36 00:01:30.940 --> 00:01:33.580 space debris. The station itself is well 37 00:01:33.580 --> 00:01:36.420 protected, but these smaller capsules are 38 00:01:36.420 --> 00:01:39.020 more vulnerable. Now. The Shenzhou 39 00:01:39.020 --> 00:01:41.860 21 crew is safe on the station, but without 40 00:01:41.860 --> 00:01:42.940 a return vehicle. 41 00:01:43.580 --> 00:01:45.260 Avery: So what's the rescue plan? 42 00:01:45.900 --> 00:01:48.620 Anna: A new spacecraft, Shenzhou 22, 43 00:01:48.940 --> 00:01:51.580 is being prepared for an uncrewed launch. 44 00:01:51.980 --> 00:01:54.660 It will serve as the new lifeboat and 45 00:01:54.660 --> 00:01:57.580 eventual ride home for the crew. Chinese 46 00:01:57.580 --> 00:01:59.580 officials say the crew is not in any 47 00:01:59.580 --> 00:02:02.180 immediate danger and has plenty of supplies. 48 00:02:02.500 --> 00:02:04.740 Avery: Right, but being on a space station without 49 00:02:04.740 --> 00:02:06.980 an escape route is still a high risk 50 00:02:06.980 --> 00:02:09.940 situation. Any delay in that rescue launch 51 00:02:09.940 --> 00:02:12.180 could be critical if another emergency were 52 00:02:12.180 --> 00:02:13.220 to happen on the station. 53 00:02:13.380 --> 00:02:15.780 Anna: That's the core of the issue. The situation 54 00:02:15.780 --> 00:02:18.660 is temporary, but the risk is elevated until 55 00:02:18.660 --> 00:02:21.460 Shenzhou 22 is docked and ready. 56 00:02:21.620 --> 00:02:23.340 We'll certainly be following this story 57 00:02:23.340 --> 00:02:23.860 closely. 58 00:02:24.570 --> 00:02:26.690 Avery: It's a good reminder of how hostile the space 59 00:02:26.690 --> 00:02:29.450 environment is. Does a situation like this 60 00:02:29.450 --> 00:02:32.010 trigger any international rescue protocols, 61 00:02:32.010 --> 00:02:34.410 or is China handling this entirely on its 62 00:02:34.410 --> 00:02:34.730 own? 63 00:02:35.210 --> 00:02:37.930 Anna: For now, it's an internal CNSA operation. 64 00:02:38.330 --> 00:02:41.010 Unlike the iss, which is a partnership with 65 00:02:41.010 --> 00:02:43.610 established mutual support agreements, the 66 00:02:43.610 --> 00:02:46.570 Tiangong is operated solely by China, 67 00:02:46.970 --> 00:02:49.210 while other space agencies are monitoring. 68 00:02:49.450 --> 00:02:51.890 The rescue is entirely dependent on the 69 00:02:51.890 --> 00:02:54.490 successful and timely launch of Shenzhou 70 00:02:54.490 --> 00:02:55.050 22. 71 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:58.400 Avery: Definitely now from low Earth 72 00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:00.800 orbit. Let's travel a little Bit farther out. 73 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:03.720 Our next story is about NASA's newest mission 74 00:03:03.720 --> 00:03:06.320 to Mars. But it's not taking the direct 75 00:03:06.480 --> 00:03:07.840 route you might expect. 76 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:10.600 Anna: This is the Escapade mission. Correct. The 77 00:03:10.600 --> 00:03:11.519 twin probes. 78 00:03:11.920 --> 00:03:14.840 Avery: That's the one. The probes nicknamed Blue 79 00:03:14.840 --> 00:03:17.280 and Gold, have just launched. But instead of 80 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:19.960 pointing straight at Mars, they're heading in 81 00:03:19.960 --> 00:03:22.280 the opposite direction, out to a point in 82 00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:25.120 space called L2, about 1.5 83 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:26.720 million kilometers from Earth. 84 00:03:27.110 --> 00:03:29.350 Anna: The second Lagrange point. That's a 85 00:03:29.350 --> 00:03:32.030 gravitationally stable spot where the 86 00:03:32.030 --> 00:03:35.030 Webb telescope also operates. So why 87 00:03:35.030 --> 00:03:37.030 send Mars probes there first? 88 00:03:37.750 --> 00:03:40.350 Avery: It's a clever fuel saving trajectory. They'll 89 00:03:40.350 --> 00:03:42.950 spend a year at L2 studying space weather, 90 00:03:43.270 --> 00:03:45.430 essentially getting some bonus science in. 91 00:03:45.910 --> 00:03:48.870 Then in late 2026, they'll loop back 92 00:03:48.870 --> 00:03:49.590 towards Earth. 93 00:03:49.670 --> 00:03:51.430 Anna: Ah, uh, for a gravity assist. 94 00:03:51.910 --> 00:03:54.350 Avery: Exactly. Earth's gravity will act like a 95 00:03:54.350 --> 00:03:57.070 slingshot, flinging them towards Mars with 96 00:03:57.070 --> 00:03:59.410 the speed they need to get into. Or in 97 00:03:59.410 --> 00:04:02.410 2027. It's a much more efficient way to 98 00:04:02.410 --> 00:04:04.610 travel for smaller, lighter spacecraft. 99 00:04:05.010 --> 00:04:07.810 Anna: And once they arrive, what's their primary 100 00:04:07.810 --> 00:04:08.210 mission? 101 00:04:08.290 --> 00:04:10.770 Avery: This is the really cool part. Blue and Gold 102 00:04:10.770 --> 00:04:13.770 will orbit Mars in formation, giving us the 103 00:04:13.770 --> 00:04:16.450 first ever stereo or 3D view 104 00:04:16.690 --> 00:04:19.290 of the planet's upper atmosphere. They'll 105 00:04:19.290 --> 00:04:21.730 study how solar wind strips atmospheric 106 00:04:21.730 --> 00:04:24.370 particles away from Mars, which is crucial 107 00:04:24.370 --> 00:04:26.530 for understanding how the planet lost its 108 00:04:26.530 --> 00:04:29.330 water and became the cold, dry world it is 109 00:04:29.330 --> 00:04:29.650 today. 110 00:04:30.400 --> 00:04:33.360 Anna: A stereo view that will provide a much more 111 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:36.040 complete picture than any single orbiter ever 112 00:04:36.040 --> 00:04:38.840 could. A very innovative mission, both in its 113 00:04:38.840 --> 00:04:40.320 science and its journey. 114 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:42.000 Avery: It really is. 115 00:04:42.160 --> 00:04:44.520 And while on the subject of the Escapade 116 00:04:44.520 --> 00:04:47.320 mission, catching a ride on the twin probes, 117 00:04:47.320 --> 00:04:49.720 uh, are the first Kiwis to fly to the red 118 00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:52.440 planet. The Escapade probes are the first 119 00:04:52.440 --> 00:04:55.440 Mars bound vehicles to be designed, built 120 00:04:55.440 --> 00:04:58.240 and tested by Rocket Lab, the space 121 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:00.600 company headquartered in California, but 122 00:05:00.600 --> 00:05:01.750 founded in New Zealand. 123 00:05:02.860 --> 00:05:04.140 Anna: Hence the Kiwis. 124 00:05:04.300 --> 00:05:06.700 Avery: That's right. Rocket Lab has a tradition of 125 00:05:06.700 --> 00:05:09.180 hiding Kiwis in many areas of its design, 126 00:05:09.660 --> 00:05:12.580 said Lindsey McLaurin, senior communications 127 00:05:12.580 --> 00:05:15.420 manager for Space Systems at Rocket Lab, in 128 00:05:15.420 --> 00:05:18.300 response to an inquiry from collectspace.com 129 00:05:18.700 --> 00:05:21.380 the birds have snuck onto our rockets and 130 00:05:21.380 --> 00:05:23.380 satellites since the beginning of the 131 00:05:23.380 --> 00:05:26.180 company, reflecting the New Zealand roots of 132 00:05:26.180 --> 00:05:28.340 the company and as a challenge among our 133 00:05:28.340 --> 00:05:30.620 designers and spacecraft builders. 134 00:05:31.340 --> 00:05:33.660 Anna: The birds appear as graphics on twin 135 00:05:33.660 --> 00:05:36.140 plaques attached to blue and gold. 136 00:05:36.620 --> 00:05:39.140 The metal plates, which adorn, uh, one of the 137 00:05:39.140 --> 00:05:42.020 two solar panels on each probe, also feature 138 00:05:42.020 --> 00:05:44.940 the Rocket Lab logo. The company's motto, 139 00:05:45.180 --> 00:05:48.060 Non sufficient hick orbis or 140 00:05:48.060 --> 00:05:50.780 this world is not enough. And a 141 00:05:50.780 --> 00:05:53.500 similar icon of a bald eagle to 142 00:05:53.500 --> 00:05:56.140 represent our company's global presence, said 143 00:05:56.140 --> 00:05:58.700 McLaurin, referring to the American icon. 144 00:05:59.850 --> 00:06:02.410 Avery: A nice fun touch to an important mission. 145 00:06:03.050 --> 00:06:05.730 Okay, let's bring our focus back closer to 146 00:06:05.730 --> 00:06:08.170 home for all our listeners who enjoy some 147 00:06:08.170 --> 00:06:10.770 good old fashioned stargazing. We've got an 148 00:06:10.770 --> 00:06:12.890 update on the Leonid meteor shower. 149 00:06:13.130 --> 00:06:15.930 Anna: Right. The Leonids are one of the most famous 150 00:06:15.930 --> 00:06:18.690 showers known for producing spectacular 151 00:06:18.690 --> 00:06:21.330 meteor storms in the past. They're peaking 152 00:06:21.330 --> 00:06:24.250 next week on the morning of Tuesday, November 153 00:06:24.250 --> 00:06:24.810 18th. 154 00:06:25.490 --> 00:06:27.250 Avery: So should everyone be setting their alarms? 155 00:06:27.650 --> 00:06:30.370 Anna: Well, this is one of those times. We have to 156 00:06:30.370 --> 00:06:33.250 manage expectations. This year is 157 00:06:33.250 --> 00:06:36.050 predicted to be a, uh, very weak showing. 158 00:06:36.450 --> 00:06:39.090 We're expecting a peak rate of only about 159 00:06:39.330 --> 00:06:41.090 five to ten meteors per hour. 160 00:06:41.810 --> 00:06:44.610 Avery: Only five to ten? That's not much. 161 00:06:45.010 --> 00:06:46.850 Why is it so quiet this year? 162 00:06:47.010 --> 00:06:49.630 Anna: It's because Earth is passing through a, uh, 163 00:06:49.730 --> 00:06:52.530 very sparse part of the debris stream 164 00:06:52.610 --> 00:06:55.250 left by the parent comet, Tempel Tuttle. 165 00:06:55.780 --> 00:06:58.460 The really dense clouds of debris that cause 166 00:06:58.460 --> 00:07:01.060 the famous storms of hundreds or even 167 00:07:01.060 --> 00:07:03.980 thousands of meteors per hour are not what 168 00:07:03.980 --> 00:07:05.460 we're intersecting with right now. 169 00:07:05.700 --> 00:07:07.500 Avery: So it's worth a look if you're already an 170 00:07:07.500 --> 00:07:09.660 early riser, but maybe not worth a special 171 00:07:09.660 --> 00:07:12.460 trip to a dark sky site. When can we expect 172 00:07:12.460 --> 00:07:14.100 the next big show from the Leonids? 173 00:07:14.420 --> 00:07:16.620 Anna: Astronomers are predicting the next major 174 00:07:16.620 --> 00:07:19.300 displays won't be until the2030s 175 00:07:19.620 --> 00:07:21.900 as we get closer to the next pass of the 176 00:07:21.900 --> 00:07:24.540 parent comet. So we'll have to be patient for 177 00:07:24.540 --> 00:07:26.540 the next big storm, it seems. 178 00:07:26.540 --> 00:07:27.660 Avery: We'll have to be patient. 179 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:30.820 Now for our final story. We have something 180 00:07:30.820 --> 00:07:33.820 that could be truly groundbreaking. A new 181 00:07:33.820 --> 00:07:36.140 super Earth has been discovered, and it's 182 00:07:36.140 --> 00:07:37.820 practically in our cosmic backyard. 183 00:07:37.980 --> 00:07:40.700 Anna: This is very exciting. The planet is named 184 00:07:40.700 --> 00:07:43.660 GJ251C. A, uh, super 185 00:07:43.660 --> 00:07:45.900 Earth means it's larger than Earth, but 186 00:07:45.900 --> 00:07:48.540 smaller than Neptune and likely rocky. 187 00:07:48.700 --> 00:07:51.340 And as you said, it's close. Just 18 light 188 00:07:51.340 --> 00:07:51.820 years away. 189 00:07:52.530 --> 00:07:55.090 Avery: 18 light years in galactic terms, that's next 190 00:07:55.090 --> 00:07:57.490 door. But what makes this planet so special 191 00:07:57.490 --> 00:08:00.210 is its location, its orbit. 192 00:08:00.530 --> 00:08:02.810 Anna: It's located right in the middle of its 193 00:08:02.810 --> 00:08:05.570 star's habitable zone. That's the orbital 194 00:08:05.570 --> 00:08:07.810 region where temperatures are just right for 195 00:08:07.810 --> 00:08:10.210 liquid water to potentially exist on a 196 00:08:10.210 --> 00:08:11.090 planet's surface. 197 00:08:11.330 --> 00:08:13.850 Avery: The Goldilocks zone. Not too hot, not too 198 00:08:13.850 --> 00:08:16.770 cold. The combination of its size, its 199 00:08:16.770 --> 00:08:19.530 position, and its incredible proximity to us 200 00:08:19.530 --> 00:08:21.330 is what makes this a huge deal. 201 00:08:21.330 --> 00:08:23.960 Anna: It really is, because it's so close. 202 00:08:24.190 --> 00:08:27.070 Close. GJ251C is now 203 00:08:27.070 --> 00:08:29.310 a prime target for future observation. 204 00:08:29.710 --> 00:08:32.350 We're talking about the next generation of 205 00:08:32.350 --> 00:08:35.110 extremely large telescopes like the 30 206 00:08:35.110 --> 00:08:36.190 meter telescope. 207 00:08:36.750 --> 00:08:38.590 Avery: So these new telescopes could actually 208 00:08:38.670 --> 00:08:40.750 analyze the planet's atmosphere. 209 00:08:41.150 --> 00:08:43.790 Anna: That's the goal. They'll be powerful enough 210 00:08:43.790 --> 00:08:46.470 to look for biosignatures, specific 211 00:08:46.470 --> 00:08:49.230 gases in its atmosphere like oxygen, 212 00:08:49.390 --> 00:08:51.870 methane, or even water vapor 213 00:08:52.430 --> 00:08:54.990 that could hint at the presence of life. We 214 00:08:54.990 --> 00:08:57.310 are decades away from being able to visit, 215 00:08:57.710 --> 00:09:00.230 but in the near future, we might be able to 216 00:09:00.230 --> 00:09:01.390 tell if it has water. 217 00:09:01.950 --> 00:09:04.070 Avery: An incredible discovery and a 218 00:09:04.070 --> 00:09:06.990 tantalizing glimpse into what we might find 219 00:09:07.390 --> 00:09:10.230 as our technology improves. It really makes 220 00:09:10.230 --> 00:09:11.390 you wonder what's out there. 221 00:09:11.790 --> 00:09:14.750 Anna: And its star, GJ25.1, is a 222 00:09:14.750 --> 00:09:17.430 red dwarf, right? That comes with its own set 223 00:09:17.430 --> 00:09:19.670 of challenges for habitability, like 224 00:09:19.670 --> 00:09:22.310 potential tidal locking and stellar 225 00:09:22.310 --> 00:09:22.830 flares. 226 00:09:23.300 --> 00:09:25.780 Avery: That's the crucial next question. Red 227 00:09:25.780 --> 00:09:28.100 dwarfs are long lived, which is good for 228 00:09:28.100 --> 00:09:30.580 life. But they can be volatile, especially 229 00:09:30.580 --> 00:09:33.380 when they're young. One of the key tasks for 230 00:09:33.380 --> 00:09:36.340 future telescopes will be to study the star's 231 00:09:36.340 --> 00:09:38.700 activity and see if the planet has a strong 232 00:09:38.700 --> 00:09:40.940 enough magnetic field and atmosphere to 233 00:09:40.940 --> 00:09:43.860 withstand those flares. But finding a rocky 234 00:09:43.860 --> 00:09:46.300 world in the habitable zone of our neighbor 235 00:09:46.300 --> 00:09:47.700 is a critical first step. 236 00:09:47.940 --> 00:09:50.640 Anna: It certainly is. And that's all the time we 237 00:09:50.640 --> 00:09:53.600 have for today. We covered the precarious but 238 00:09:53.600 --> 00:09:56.440 stable situation for the Shanzhou 21 239 00:09:56.440 --> 00:09:59.440 astronauts. The scenic route of the escapade 240 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:02.280 mission to Mars, a subdued Leonid 241 00:10:02.280 --> 00:10:04.680 meteor shower, and the discovery of a 242 00:10:04.680 --> 00:10:07.640 promising new super Earth just next door. 243 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:10.160 Avery: Thanks for tuning in to Astronomy Daily. Be 244 00:10:10.160 --> 00:10:11.840 sure to subscribe wherever you get your 245 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:14.160 podcasts so you don't miss an episode. Until 246 00:10:14.160 --> 00:10:15.410 next time. I'm Avery. 247 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:17.640 Anna: And I'm Anna. Keep looking up.