WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:03.320 Anna: Hey, everyone. Welcome back to Astronomy 1 00:00:03.320 --> 00:00:04.800 AstroDailyPod. I'm Anna. 2 00:00:04.880 --> 00:00:07.720 Avery: And I'm Avery. And Anna, uh, I don't think 3 00:00:07.720 --> 00:00:09.520 I've slept properly since Wednesday. 4 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:11.600 Anna: Because of the eclipse. 5 00:00:11.920 --> 00:00:14.400 Avery: Because of the Eclipse. It's Thursday, 6 00:00:14.560 --> 00:00:17.320 August 13th. This is series five, episode 7 00:00:17.320 --> 00:00:20.200 166. And yesterday, half our 8 00:00:20.200 --> 00:00:22.160 listeners were either standing on a beach in 9 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:24.600 Spain or on a boat in Greenland watching the 10 00:00:24.600 --> 00:00:27.500 moon eat the sun. So, yeah, today's a 11 00:00:27.500 --> 00:00:27.940 big one. 12 00:00:28.180 --> 00:00:31.020 Anna: It really is. We've got the eclipse as 13 00:00:31.020 --> 00:00:33.700 our main storey today, properly deep dive. 14 00:00:33.700 --> 00:00:35.700 We're going to spend some real time on it. 15 00:00:35.860 --> 00:00:37.780 And then three more news storeys to get 16 00:00:37.780 --> 00:00:39.940 through. Astronomers have found three 17 00:00:40.100 --> 00:00:42.900 supermassive black holes hanging out in one 18 00:00:42.980 --> 00:00:45.460 single galaxy, which rude 19 00:00:45.700 --> 00:00:48.140 Virgin Galactic just pushed its comeback 20 00:00:48.140 --> 00:00:50.860 flight back again. And Rocket Lab's 21 00:00:50.860 --> 00:00:53.100 neutron rocket is doing that thing where the 22 00:00:53.100 --> 00:00:55.180 deadline keeps sliding, but they're also 23 00:00:55.180 --> 00:00:58.050 signing new customers, so make it make sense. 24 00:00:58.530 --> 00:01:00.370 Avery: Lots to get through. Let's get into it. 25 00:01:00.530 --> 00:01:03.330 Anna: Okay, so let's set the scene. Yesterday, 26 00:01:03.330 --> 00:01:05.770 August 12th, the moon's shadow, and this 27 00:01:05.770 --> 00:01:08.530 shadow is about 182 miles wide, 28 00:01:08.850 --> 00:01:11.330 swept across the planet, starting up near 29 00:01:11.330 --> 00:01:14.250 Siberia, across the Arctic Ocean, down 30 00:01:14.250 --> 00:01:16.930 through eastern Greenland, western Iceland, 31 00:01:17.170 --> 00:01:20.010 northern Spain, over the Balearic Islands, 32 00:01:20.010 --> 00:01:22.910 and finally out into the Mediterranean, which 33 00:01:22.910 --> 00:01:24.430 is such a wild path. 34 00:01:24.430 --> 00:01:27.070 Avery: Like, you don't usually get Arctic Ocean in 35 00:01:27.070 --> 00:01:29.190 northern Spain in the same sentence for 36 00:01:29.190 --> 00:01:31.310 anything, let alone the same eclipse. 37 00:01:31.790 --> 00:01:33.790 Anna: Right. And this is one of the reasons this 38 00:01:33.790 --> 00:01:36.590 one had people so excited, because it hit 39 00:01:36.590 --> 00:01:38.789 two totally different kinds of eclipse 40 00:01:38.789 --> 00:01:41.430 chasing experiences. You had people up in 41 00:01:41.430 --> 00:01:44.270 Greenland and Iceland, where it's this stark, 42 00:01:44.270 --> 00:01:46.990 icy, end of the world kind of landscape. 43 00:01:47.070 --> 00:01:49.430 And then a few hours of shadow travel later, 44 00:01:49.430 --> 00:01:51.630 it's crossing sunbathers in Spain. 45 00:01:52.270 --> 00:01:54.350 Avery: Tell me about the Iceland leg, because I 46 00:01:54.350 --> 00:01:55.790 heard that's where you got the longest 47 00:01:55.790 --> 00:01:56.430 totality. 48 00:01:56.750 --> 00:01:59.470 Anna: Yeah, so the single longest point of totality 49 00:01:59.470 --> 00:02:01.950 on land was at a place called La Tr, 50 00:02:02.510 --> 00:02:04.710 which is this dramatic bird cliff on 51 00:02:04.710 --> 00:02:07.550 Iceland's westernmost tip. And totality there 52 00:02:07.550 --> 00:02:10.270 ran about 2 minutes and 18 seconds. 53 00:02:10.430 --> 00:02:13.150 The actual maximum point of the whole eclipse 54 00:02:13.230 --> 00:02:16.190 was just off the coast, about 45 kilometres 55 00:02:16.190 --> 00:02:17.150 out over the water. 56 00:02:17.560 --> 00:02:20.320 Avery: 2 minutes 18. Doesn't sound like much, but 57 00:02:20.320 --> 00:02:20.720 when you're 58 00:02:20.720 --> 00:02:23.720 Anna: standing there, it's an eternity. And 59 00:02:23.720 --> 00:02:26.240 this is the bit I love. One of the Space.com 60 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:28.760 editors on the ground, Daisy Dobrievic, 61 00:02:28.920 --> 00:02:31.400 said something like, I knew what to expect. 62 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:34.280 I've seen thousands of photos, but nothing 63 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:36.120 compares to that feeling you get when you 64 00:02:36.120 --> 00:02:38.680 watch the sun transform before your very 65 00:02:38.680 --> 00:02:39.160 eyes. 66 00:02:39.640 --> 00:02:42.080 Avery: That's a thing every eclipse chaser tries to 67 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:44.200 explain to people who haven't seen one, and 68 00:02:44.200 --> 00:02:45.480 you just can't really. 69 00:02:46.020 --> 00:02:47.860 Anna: There was another quote I liked from a guy 70 00:02:47.860 --> 00:02:50.740 watching in Spain, Anthony Wood. He said it 71 00:02:50.740 --> 00:02:52.820 strikes the lizard part of your brain that 72 00:02:52.820 --> 00:02:54.820 just tells you this shouldn't be real. 73 00:02:56.020 --> 00:02:58.260 Avery: The lizard brain thing. Yeah, that tracks. 74 00:02:58.340 --> 00:03:00.100 There's something about totality that's 75 00:03:00.100 --> 00:03:02.900 almost primal. Day turning to night in a 76 00:03:02.900 --> 00:03:05.220 couple of minutes, temperature dropping, 77 00:03:05.300 --> 00:03:06.580 animals going quiet. 78 00:03:06.980 --> 00:03:09.260 Anna: And in Iceland, because it happened mid 79 00:03:09.260 --> 00:03:11.580 afternoon, only about four hours before 80 00:03:11.580 --> 00:03:14.580 sunset, and up that far north, you got some 81 00:03:14.580 --> 00:03:17.130 extra atmospheric effects that this eclipse 82 00:03:17.130 --> 00:03:19.650 gamma geometry meant people could actually 83 00:03:19.730 --> 00:03:21.890 see the moon shadow moving through the high 84 00:03:21.890 --> 00:03:24.450 atmosphere and had this weirdly extended 85 00:03:24.530 --> 00:03:26.690 twilight window either side of totality. 86 00:03:27.010 --> 00:03:29.090 Avery: That's very niche and, uh, very cool. 87 00:03:29.330 --> 00:03:31.770 Anna: There was even a chance of aurora showing up 88 00:03:31.770 --> 00:03:33.850 in northern Russia if the geomagnetic 89 00:03:33.850 --> 00:03:36.730 activity cooperated. Which total eclipse and 90 00:03:36.730 --> 00:03:39.730 aurora at once, that's the dream combo for a 91 00:03:39.730 --> 00:03:40.690 lot of skywatchers. 92 00:03:41.090 --> 00:03:43.290 Avery: Okay, let's talk Spain, because that's where 93 00:03:43.290 --> 00:03:45.250 the crowd numbers really show up. 94 00:03:45.630 --> 00:03:48.190 Anna: So the path crossed Ocaruna, Bilbao, 95 00:03:48.190 --> 00:03:50.590 Zaragoza, Valencia and Palma, 96 00:03:50.830 --> 00:03:53.390 notably Madrid and Barcelona, were both 97 00:03:53.470 --> 00:03:56.430 just outside the path of totality. So a 98 00:03:56.430 --> 00:03:57.270 lot of people had to 99 00:03:57.270 --> 00:03:59.710 Avery: travel for it, which, if you live in Madrid, 100 00:03:59.710 --> 00:04:02.270 that's a rough one. So close. And yet, 101 00:04:02.350 --> 00:04:03.870 nope, you get the partial. 102 00:04:04.430 --> 00:04:06.670 Anna: Millions of people gathered across small 103 00:04:06.670 --> 00:04:09.270 towns in northern Spain. Places like 104 00:04:09.270 --> 00:04:12.230 Valoria, La Buena, and Segur de Calafel 105 00:04:12.230 --> 00:04:15.220 were absolutely packed. And because it 106 00:04:15.220 --> 00:04:17.580 happened about an hour before sunset there, 107 00:04:17.740 --> 00:04:20.460 you got totality low on the horizon 108 00:04:20.540 --> 00:04:23.180 with this golden, dramatic lighting. 109 00:04:23.500 --> 00:04:25.860 Avery: And it wasn't just a look up and go home 110 00:04:25.860 --> 00:04:28.220 event either. There was real science 111 00:04:28.220 --> 00:04:29.660 happening during totality. 112 00:04:30.220 --> 00:04:32.740 Anna: Yeah, this is the bit that matters. Beyond 113 00:04:32.740 --> 00:04:35.500 the spectacle during totality, the 114 00:04:35.500 --> 00:04:38.340 sun's corona, its outer atmosphere, which 115 00:04:38.340 --> 00:04:40.820 you basically never get to see because the 116 00:04:40.820 --> 00:04:43.750 sun's surface is so blindingly bright, still 117 00:04:43.900 --> 00:04:45.820 streams out visibly into space. 118 00:04:46.380 --> 00:04:49.340 Observers also picked out a solar prominence, 119 00:04:49.340 --> 00:04:51.980 and you could see Jupiter, Mercury, and 120 00:04:51.980 --> 00:04:54.540 Venus all pop into the darkened sky. 121 00:04:55.100 --> 00:04:57.740 Avery: Four minutes, well, two and a bit minutes 122 00:04:57.740 --> 00:05:00.620 of what does a solar system actually look 123 00:05:00.620 --> 00:05:01.500 like right now? 124 00:05:02.140 --> 00:05:04.900 Anna: Exactly. And coronal science is 125 00:05:04.900 --> 00:05:07.820 genuinely useful. It helps researchers study 126 00:05:07.820 --> 00:05:10.460 the sun's magnetic structure and the 127 00:05:10.460 --> 00:05:13.140 processes that drive space weather, which is 128 00:05:13.140 --> 00:05:15.960 obviously very relevant right now, given how 129 00:05:15.960 --> 00:05:17.440 active this solar cycle's 130 00:05:17.440 --> 00:05:19.800 Avery: been for anyone gutted, they missed it. 131 00:05:19.880 --> 00:05:22.760 Partial phases were visible from a huge chunk 132 00:05:22.760 --> 00:05:25.240 of the world, too. Some are set in England, 133 00:05:25.320 --> 00:05:28.200 the northeastern U.S. michigan, Canada, 134 00:05:28.440 --> 00:05:31.360 even Alaska. All got a partial bite taken out 135 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:31.960 of the sun. 136 00:05:32.440 --> 00:05:35.000 Anna: And if you're already eclipse hungry again, 137 00:05:35.320 --> 00:05:37.880 Spain gets another one relatively soon. 138 00:05:38.120 --> 00:05:40.892 Less than a year from now, on August 2, 139 00:05:41.028 --> 00:05:43.770 2027, there's another total solar 140 00:05:43.770 --> 00:05:45.250 eclipse crossing Spain. 141 00:05:45.810 --> 00:05:48.450 Avery: Two total eclipses in Spain within 12 months. 142 00:05:48.770 --> 00:05:50.850 Eclipse chasers are going to have a 143 00:05:50.850 --> 00:05:53.090 Anna: very good year, they really are. 144 00:05:53.410 --> 00:05:56.210 So that's our deep dive. The August 12th 145 00:05:56.210 --> 00:05:57.950 total solar eclipse. A, uh, 146 00:05:58.130 --> 00:06:00.610 182 mile wide shadow, 147 00:06:00.690 --> 00:06:03.490 Arctic ice to Spanish coastline. 2 148 00:06:03.490 --> 00:06:06.250 minutes 18 seconds of totality at its 149 00:06:06.250 --> 00:06:09.170 longest and a genuine I can't believe what 150 00:06:09.170 --> 00:06:11.810 I just saw moment for millions of people. 151 00:06:12.580 --> 00:06:14.980 Avery: Can we talk logistics for a second? Because I 152 00:06:14.980 --> 00:06:16.900 know a chunk of our listeners are already 153 00:06:16.980 --> 00:06:19.820 plotting the 2027 one. If you've never 154 00:06:19.820 --> 00:06:22.140 chased totality before, what's actually 155 00:06:22.140 --> 00:06:22.660 involved? 156 00:06:23.140 --> 00:06:25.620 Anna: Honestly, the biggest thing is just being 157 00:06:25.620 --> 00:06:27.540 inside the path. Even 158 00:06:27.620 --> 00:06:30.260 99% partial is nothing like 159 00:06:30.260 --> 00:06:32.500 totality. It's a completely different 160 00:06:32.580 --> 00:06:35.460 experience. So it's worth the travel. After 161 00:06:35.460 --> 00:06:38.100 that, it's the usual stuff. Proper eclipse 162 00:06:38.100 --> 00:06:40.900 glasses for every phase, except totality 163 00:06:40.900 --> 00:06:43.700 itself. A spot with a clear horizon if you 164 00:06:43.700 --> 00:06:46.680 can one, and a uh, backup location in case of 165 00:06:46.680 --> 00:06:49.120 cloud because you cannot control the weather 166 00:06:49.120 --> 00:06:49.760 on the day. 167 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:52.080 Avery: And don't try to photograph the whole thing 168 00:06:52.080 --> 00:06:54.640 on your phone and forget to actually look up. 169 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:57.960 Anna: That is the classic mistake. Half the 170 00:06:57.960 --> 00:07:00.680 eclipse chaser community has a rule now. Get 171 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:03.400 one or two shots set up on a tripod and 172 00:07:03.400 --> 00:07:05.800 then just put the phone down and watch it 173 00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:08.640 with your own eyes. Because you only get 2 174 00:07:08.640 --> 00:07:11.560 minutes and 18 seconds and you don't get them 175 00:07:11.560 --> 00:07:11.840 back. 176 00:07:12.610 --> 00:07:14.970 Avery: I did see the livestreams were huge for this 177 00:07:14.970 --> 00:07:17.090 one too. Between the Greenland boat 178 00:07:17.090 --> 00:07:19.450 expeditions and the Spanish coverage, they 179 00:07:19.450 --> 00:07:21.730 were millions of people watching online who 180 00:07:21.730 --> 00:07:22.850 couldn't be there in person. 181 00:07:23.330 --> 00:07:25.810 Anna: Which is honestly one of the nicer things 182 00:07:25.810 --> 00:07:28.249 about how big eclipse broadcasting has 183 00:07:28.249 --> 00:07:30.730 gotten. You don't have to be a hardcore 184 00:07:30.730 --> 00:07:33.650 chaser with a passport full of stamps to get 185 00:07:33.650 --> 00:07:36.410 at least some of the I can't believe what I 186 00:07:36.410 --> 00:07:37.570 just saw feeling. 187 00:07:38.200 --> 00:07:40.240 Avery: Still not the same as the lizard brain moment 188 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:40.520 though. 189 00:07:41.080 --> 00:07:44.080 Anna: No, nothing beats being there. But August 190 00:07:44.080 --> 00:07:46.760 2, 2027 in Spain is looking 191 00:07:46.840 --> 00:07:49.400 very tempting for a lot of people right now. 192 00:07:49.880 --> 00:07:52.680 Avery: Alright, from one sun to three black holes, 193 00:07:52.920 --> 00:07:55.560 astronomers have confirmed for the first time 194 00:07:55.800 --> 00:07:58.520 three actively feeding supermassive black 195 00:07:58.520 --> 00:07:58.920 holes 196 00:07:58.920 --> 00:08:01.920 Anna: sitting inside a single galaxy, which is 197 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:02.920 just greedy. 198 00:08:04.290 --> 00:08:05.250 Avery: The galaxy's called 199 00:08:05.250 --> 00:08:08.450 J014-84214 200 00:08:08.530 --> 00:08:11.330 and it's about 12.5 billion light 201 00:08:11.330 --> 00:08:13.650 years away. So we're seeing it as it looked 202 00:08:13.650 --> 00:08:16.570 roughly 1.2 billion years after the 203 00:08:16.570 --> 00:08:17.170 big bang. 204 00:08:17.650 --> 00:08:20.290 Anna: So this is baby picture of the universe 205 00:08:20.290 --> 00:08:20.690 stuff. 206 00:08:21.090 --> 00:08:23.290 Avery: Exactly. And that's what Makes it such a big 207 00:08:23.290 --> 00:08:26.130 deal. The team led by Hannah Hubler at the 208 00:08:26.130 --> 00:08:28.170 Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial 209 00:08:28.170 --> 00:08:30.570 Physics used the James Webb Telescope's 210 00:08:30.570 --> 00:08:32.770 NIRSP instrument to find them. 211 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:34.840 Specifically, a technique called 212 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:37.440 spectroastrometry, which measures tiny 213 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:39.120 spatial shifts in the light coming from 214 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:42.000 hydrogen emission to pin down exactly where 215 00:08:42.000 --> 00:08:44.040 each black hole is sitting, even though 216 00:08:44.040 --> 00:08:45.840 they're really close together on the sky. 217 00:08:45.920 --> 00:08:47.520 Anna: And these aren't small either? 218 00:08:47.760 --> 00:08:50.480 Avery: No, roughly 80 million, 2 million 219 00:08:50.560 --> 00:08:53.520 and 0.6 million solar masses. And 220 00:08:53.520 --> 00:08:55.960 here's the two of the three are on a 221 00:08:55.960 --> 00:08:57.880 collision course. They're heading for a 222 00:08:57.880 --> 00:08:58.240 merger. 223 00:08:58.730 --> 00:09:01.290 Anna: So why does finding three in one galaxy 224 00:09:01.290 --> 00:09:03.930 actually matter scientifically beyond just 225 00:09:04.090 --> 00:09:04.890 wow three? 226 00:09:05.210 --> 00:09:07.330 Avery: Because it's evidence for how supermassive 227 00:09:07.330 --> 00:09:10.130 black holes get so big so fast in the early 228 00:09:10.130 --> 00:09:12.330 universe, which has honestly been a bit of a 229 00:09:12.330 --> 00:09:14.689 puzzle. If black holes can merge with each 230 00:09:14.689 --> 00:09:16.970 other, not just grow by slowly swallowing 231 00:09:16.970 --> 00:09:19.730 gas, that gives them a much faster route to 232 00:09:19.730 --> 00:09:22.210 becoming supermassive. Hubler's team is 233 00:09:22.210 --> 00:09:24.690 essentially saying mergers might be doing a 234 00:09:24.690 --> 00:09:26.570 lot more of the heavy lifting early on than 235 00:09:26.570 --> 00:09:27.050 we thought. 236 00:09:27.130 --> 00:09:29.690 Anna: It's basically a black hole growth hack, 237 00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:32.880 cosmic speedrunning to supermassive status. 238 00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:35.720 But it does reshape how we think about galaxy 239 00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:38.360 assembly in the early universe. If triple 240 00:09:38.360 --> 00:09:40.680 black hole systems like this aren't a total 241 00:09:40.680 --> 00:09:42.720 fluke, there could be a lot more of these 242 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:45.440 hiding out there, waiting for JWST to spot 243 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:46.640 them for scale. 244 00:09:46.640 --> 00:09:49.440 Avery: Sagittarius A, our own galaxy's black 245 00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:52.360 hole, is about 4 million solar masses. So 246 00:09:52.360 --> 00:09:55.120 the biggest of these three, at 80 million, is 247 00:09:55.120 --> 00:09:57.240 20 times heavier than the black hole sitting 248 00:09:57.240 --> 00:09:58.560 at the centre of the Milky Way. 249 00:09:58.910 --> 00:10:00.990 Anna: And that's just one of three in the same 250 00:10:00.990 --> 00:10:01.550 galaxy. 251 00:10:01.790 --> 00:10:03.910 Avery: Right. Which tells you this galaxy was doing 252 00:10:03.910 --> 00:10:06.590 some serious growing up fast. It's another 253 00:10:06.590 --> 00:10:09.150 one of those results where JWST just keeps 254 00:10:09.150 --> 00:10:11.150 outperforming what Hubble could ever have 255 00:10:11.150 --> 00:10:13.510 shown us at these distances. This is a level 256 00:10:13.510 --> 00:10:16.350 of detail on a 12.5 billion year old 257 00:10:16.350 --> 00:10:18.550 galaxy that simply wasn't accessible a few 258 00:10:18.550 --> 00:10:18.990 years ago. 259 00:10:18.990 --> 00:10:21.710 Anna: JWST really is the gift that keeps on 260 00:10:21.710 --> 00:10:24.110 giving. We'll be watching to see if Uber's 261 00:10:24.110 --> 00:10:26.350 team or anyone else turns up more of these 262 00:10:26.350 --> 00:10:28.310 triple systems now that people know what to 263 00:10:28.310 --> 00:10:28.750 look for. 264 00:10:29.390 --> 00:10:31.190 Sticking with things that are taking longer 265 00:10:31.190 --> 00:10:33.830 than planned, Virgin Galactic has delayed its 266 00:10:33.830 --> 00:10:36.190 return to commercial spaceflight again. 267 00:10:36.430 --> 00:10:37.950 Avery: Again being the key word. 268 00:10:38.030 --> 00:10:40.710 Anna: Right. So the new spacecraft, this is their 269 00:10:40.710 --> 00:10:43.510 upgraded Delta class vehicle, was supposed to 270 00:10:43.510 --> 00:10:45.550 start flying paying customers in the fourth 271 00:10:45.550 --> 00:10:47.950 quarter of this year. That's now been pushed 272 00:10:47.950 --> 00:10:49.790 to February 2027. 273 00:10:49.870 --> 00:10:51.750 Avery: What's the hold at this time? According to 274 00:10:51.750 --> 00:10:53.830 the company, it's avionics and systems 275 00:10:53.830 --> 00:10:55.430 installation on the first operational 276 00:10:55.430 --> 00:10:57.820 spacecraft. They say they need more time to 277 00:10:57.820 --> 00:10:59.780 get it right before putting people on board, 278 00:10:59.780 --> 00:11:01.900 which. Fair enough. I'd rather they take the 279 00:11:01.900 --> 00:11:03.180 extra months than rush it. 280 00:11:03.180 --> 00:11:05.220 Anna: Always the right call with anything crude. 281 00:11:05.380 --> 00:11:06.580 How did the market react? 282 00:11:06.980 --> 00:11:09.900 Avery: Not well. Shares dropped about 12% in after 283 00:11:09.900 --> 00:11:11.140 hours trading on the news. 284 00:11:11.220 --> 00:11:14.020 Anna: Ouch. But there's a more interesting storey 285 00:11:14.020 --> 00:11:16.060 buried in the same. Their 286 00:11:16.060 --> 00:11:18.940 $750,000 a seat flight packages 287 00:11:18.940 --> 00:11:21.700 were over subscribed and CEO Michael 288 00:11:21.700 --> 00:11:24.100 Coglazier said they'll be offering higher 289 00:11:24.100 --> 00:11:26.220 price points when ticket sales reopen this 290 00:11:26.220 --> 00:11:26.580 autumn. 291 00:11:26.820 --> 00:11:28.940 Avery: So even with the delay, demand isn't the 292 00:11:28.940 --> 00:11:31.060 problem. If anything, they could be 293 00:11:31.060 --> 00:11:32.180 underpricing seats. 294 00:11:32.260 --> 00:11:34.580 Anna: Seems that way. Financially, the picture is 295 00:11:34.580 --> 00:11:37.180 actually improving too. Net loss narrowed to 296 00:11:37.180 --> 00:11:39.660 about $56 million, down from 297 00:11:39.660 --> 00:11:42.660 $67 million a year ago. And they've still got 298 00:11:42.660 --> 00:11:45.340 $286 million in cash and 299 00:11:45.340 --> 00:11:46.340 securities on hand. 300 00:11:46.420 --> 00:11:48.580 Avery: So they can absorb another delay. They've 301 00:11:48.580 --> 00:11:50.380 just got to actually get the Delta ships 302 00:11:50.380 --> 00:11:51.460 flying at some point. 303 00:11:51.460 --> 00:11:53.500 Anna: That's the whole storey with Virgin Galactic 304 00:11:53.500 --> 00:11:55.500 at this point, isn't it? The money and the 305 00:11:55.500 --> 00:11:57.850 demand are there. It's the hardware timeline 306 00:11:57.850 --> 00:11:58.690 that keeps slipping. 307 00:11:58.930 --> 00:12:01.010 Avery: It's a very different position than where 308 00:12:01.010 --> 00:12:03.850 they were even five years ago. Right back 309 00:12:03.850 --> 00:12:05.810 when this was Richard Branson's company 310 00:12:05.810 --> 00:12:08.170 flying the original SpaceShipTwo on short 311 00:12:08.170 --> 00:12:10.250 hops. And everyone was comparing them 312 00:12:10.250 --> 00:12:12.450 directly to Blue Origin's New Shepard. 313 00:12:13.170 --> 00:12:15.970 Anna: Right. And that comparison's aged in an 314 00:12:15.970 --> 00:12:18.530 interesting way. Blue Origins had its own 315 00:12:18.530 --> 00:12:20.450 well documented hardware problems this year 316 00:12:20.450 --> 00:12:23.130 too. So it's not like Virgin Galactic's the 317 00:12:23.130 --> 00:12:25.010 only one whose timeline keeps slipping. 318 00:12:25.590 --> 00:12:28.270 Suborbital space tourism as a whole seems to 319 00:12:28.270 --> 00:12:30.910 be harder than everyone hoped across the 320 00:12:30.910 --> 00:12:31.190 board. 321 00:12:31.670 --> 00:12:34.230 Avery: Which? Building crewed spacecraft's always 322 00:12:34.310 --> 00:12:37.030 harder than everyone hoped. We'll cheque back 323 00:12:37.030 --> 00:12:39.430 in as February 2027 gets closer. 324 00:12:39.910 --> 00:12:42.910 Last one, Rocket Lab. Their new medium 325 00:12:42.910 --> 00:12:45.470 lift rocket, Neutron, is looking less and 326 00:12:45.470 --> 00:12:47.670 less likely to make its planned debut before 327 00:12:47.670 --> 00:12:48.630 the end of this year. 328 00:12:49.190 --> 00:12:50.870 Anna: How much of a slip are we talking? 329 00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:54.120 Avery: The company's now hedging pretty openly. This 330 00:12:54.120 --> 00:12:56.360 could push out of 2026 and into 331 00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:59.360 2027. It's the kind of narrowing 332 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:02.040 window language that usually means don't hold 333 00:13:02.040 --> 00:13:03.160 your breath for December. 334 00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:06.040 Anna: Rocket development timelines name a more 335 00:13:06.040 --> 00:13:08.600 consistent disappointment, honestly. 336 00:13:08.920 --> 00:13:11.800 Avery: But and this is the fun contrast, in the same 337 00:13:11.800 --> 00:13:14.080 window, they announced a brand new 5 launch 338 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:16.480 deal with Kepler Communications, who'll be 339 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:18.960 flying payloads on Neutron once It does get 340 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:19.480 off the ground, 341 00:13:20.420 --> 00:13:22.780 Anna: so customers are still betting on it even as 342 00:13:22.780 --> 00:13:24.180 the debut date wobbles. 343 00:13:24.580 --> 00:13:27.340 Avery: Exactly. And Rocket Lab's actually coming off 344 00:13:27.340 --> 00:13:29.300 a record revenue quarter, so the business 345 00:13:29.300 --> 00:13:31.580 overall is healthy. It's specifically 346 00:13:31.580 --> 00:13:33.740 Neutron's first flight that keeps sliding, 347 00:13:33.740 --> 00:13:34.020 right? 348 00:13:34.580 --> 00:13:37.060 Anna: Which to be fair, is basically the storey of 349 00:13:37.060 --> 00:13:39.900 every new orbital rocket ever built. Starship 350 00:13:39.900 --> 00:13:41.940 slipped for years, New Glenn slipped for 351 00:13:41.940 --> 00:13:42.260 years. 352 00:13:42.820 --> 00:13:44.740 Avery: Ariane 6 slipped for years, 353 00:13:45.710 --> 00:13:45.910 right? 354 00:13:45.910 --> 00:13:48.390 Anna: It's basically tradition at this point. We'll 355 00:13:48.390 --> 00:13:50.510 keep you posted on Neutron as we get closer 356 00:13:50.510 --> 00:13:51.870 to an actual launch date. 357 00:13:52.110 --> 00:13:55.030 Avery: For anyone not fully across it, Neutron's the 358 00:13:55.030 --> 00:13:57.790 reusable medium lift rocket Rocket Lab's been 359 00:13:57.790 --> 00:14:00.230 building to sit between their small electron 360 00:14:00.230 --> 00:14:02.830 rocket and the big players. Basically going 361 00:14:02.830 --> 00:14:04.990 head to head with Falcon 9 for the medium 362 00:14:04.990 --> 00:14:06.590 payload market, which 363 00:14:06.590 --> 00:14:08.990 Anna: is a pretty crowded lane to be entering late. 364 00:14:09.310 --> 00:14:11.830 Falcon 9's flying constantly and everyone 365 00:14:11.830 --> 00:14:13.950 from Blue Origin to the Chinese commercial 366 00:14:13.950 --> 00:14:15.950 players wants a piece of that market too. 367 00:14:16.740 --> 00:14:18.540 Avery: Exactly why deals like the Kepler 368 00:14:18.540 --> 00:14:20.900 communications one matter so much right now. 369 00:14:21.220 --> 00:14:23.500 Signing customers ahead of your first flight 370 00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:26.060 is basically a vote of confidence that Rocket 371 00:14:26.060 --> 00:14:28.780 Lab's execution track record with electron is 372 00:14:28.780 --> 00:14:31.180 enough to earn trust, even with Neutron 373 00:14:31.180 --> 00:14:33.900 itself still on the ground reputation 374 00:14:33.900 --> 00:14:35.580 Anna: doing some of the heavy lifting while the 375 00:14:35.580 --> 00:14:36.580 hardware catches up. 376 00:14:36.820 --> 00:14:39.300 Okay, that's our storeys for today. Quick 377 00:14:39.300 --> 00:14:41.980 recap the total solar eclipse over Greenland, 378 00:14:41.980 --> 00:14:44.780 Iceland and Spain gave millions of people a 379 00:14:44.780 --> 00:14:46.740 lizard brain moment on August 12. 380 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:49.360 Astronomers found three supermassive black 381 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:52.200 holes cozying up in one distant galaxy, two 382 00:14:52.200 --> 00:14:54.240 of them headed for a merger. Virgin 383 00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:56.360 Galactic's Delta class comeback flight has 384 00:14:56.360 --> 00:14:59.160 slipped to February 2027, and Rocket 385 00:14:59.160 --> 00:15:01.440 Lab's neutron rocket is picking up customers 386 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:03.520 faster than it's picking up a launch date. 387 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:05.920 Avery: If you enjoyed today's episode, the best 388 00:15:05.920 --> 00:15:08.000 thing you can do for us is leave a rating or 389 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:10.080 review wherever you're listening and share 390 00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:12.520 the episode with a fellow space nerd. You can 391 00:15:12.520 --> 00:15:15.080 find full show notes, sources and links for 392 00:15:15.080 --> 00:15:17.680 every storey we cover today at astronomydaily 393 00:15:17.920 --> 00:15:20.720 IO and find us on social media. We're 394 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:23.520 astronomydailypod pretty much everywhere. 395 00:15:23.760 --> 00:15:25.800 Anna: We'll be back tomorrow with another episode. 396 00:15:25.800 --> 00:15:27.360 Until then, keep looking up. 397 00:15:27.680 --> 00:15:28.640 Avery: See you next time.