April 19, 2025
Cosmic Mysteries Unveiled: Life-Bearing Meteoroids, Dark Matter Defiance
In this episode of Astronomy Daily, host Anna guides you through a series of captivating cosmic revelations that are reshaping our understanding of the universe. From the mysterious origins of life contained within meteoroids to significant leadership...
In this episode of Astronomy Daily, host Anna guides you through a series of captivating cosmic revelations that are reshaping our understanding of the universe. From the mysterious origins of life contained within meteoroids to significant leadership changes aboard the International Space Station, this episode is packed with insights that will spark your curiosity about space.
Highlights:
- The Mystery of Missing Life-Bearing Meteoroids: Join us as we explore a groundbreaking study that uncovers why carbon-rich meteoroids, believed to contain essential building blocks for life, rarely make it to Earth. Researchers have identified a two-step filtering process that could explain this puzzling phenomenon, shedding light on the potential origins of life on our planet.
- A Historic Command Change on the ISS: Witness a moment of international cooperation as Russian cosmonaut Alexei Ovchinin hands over command of the International Space Station to Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi. This transition highlights the spirit of collaboration that defines the ISS program, even amidst geopolitical tensions.
- The Ghostly Galaxy FCC224: Delve into the discovery of FCC224, a dwarf galaxy that appears to be missing dark matter. This finding challenges current models of galaxy formation and suggests that there may be a previously unrecognized class of dark matter-deficient galaxies scattered throughout the universe.
- Nuclear Propulsion to Titan: Learn about the ambitious plans for a crewed mission to Saturn's moon Titan, powered by nuclear propulsion technology. Researchers are exploring various propulsion systems that could make this journey feasible, potentially paving the way for humanity's exploration of this intriguing moon.
- The Astronaut Controversy: Unpack the recent debate surrounding the definition of an astronaut sparked by Blue Origin's all-female crew flight. As the boundaries of space travel expand, we examine what it truly means to be an astronaut in this new era of commercial spaceflight.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:05 - The mystery of missing life-bearing meteoroids
10:30 - Historic command change on the ISS
17:00 - The ghostly galaxy FCC224
22:15 - Nuclear propulsion to Titan
27:30 - The astronaut controversy
✍️ Episode References
Meteoroids Study
[Paris Observatory](https://www.obspm.fr/)
International Space Station Command Handover
[NASA ISS](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html)
Ghostly Galaxy Research
[Swinburne University](https://www.swinburne.edu.au/)
Nuclear Propulsion Concepts
[Explore Titan](https://www.exploretitan.org/)
Astronaut Definition Debate
[FAA](https://www.faa.gov/
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
Become a supporter of this podcast:
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.359
Hello, and welcome to Astronomy Daily, your premier source for
2
00:00:03.399 --> 00:00:06.960
the latest developments across the vast frontier of space and
3
00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:11.160
astronomy news. I'm anna your guide through the cosmos today
4
00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:14.560
as we journey through some truly remarkable stories that have
5
00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:18.760
emerged in recent weeks, from the mysterious origins of life
6
00:00:18.920 --> 00:00:22.120
hidden within meteoroids that never reach our planet to a
7
00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:26.039
significant leadership change aboard the International Space Station. We have
8
00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:29.879
a stellar lineup of stories to explore. Together, we'll also
9
00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:33.679
examine a ghostly galaxy that's challenging our understanding of dark matter,
10
00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:36.920
consider how nuclear propulsion might one day take humans to
11
00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:41.240
Saturn's intriguing moon Titan, and weighe into a surprising controversy
12
00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:45.119
about what truly makes someone an astronaut. So settle in
13
00:00:45.159 --> 00:00:48.200
as we prepare to launch into today's cosmic discoveries and
14
00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:51.399
debates that are shaping our understanding of the universe around us.
15
00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:56.200
A fascinating new study has potentially solved a long standing
16
00:00:56.240 --> 00:00:59.920
mystery in planetary science, why meteoroids that are most likely
17
00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:03.039
to contain the building blocks of life so rarely make
18
00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:07.040
it to Earth's surface. For decades, scientists have been puzzled
19
00:01:07.079 --> 00:01:10.640
by this discrepancy. Models suggest that over half of all
20
00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:14.079
meteoroids in our Solar system are carbon rich, yet these
21
00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:17.359
carbonaceous meteorites make up only about four percent of what
22
00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:21.079
we find on the ground. These carbon rich meteorites are
23
00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:25.920
particularly valuable to scientists because they contain water, organic molecules,
24
00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:30.359
and even amino acids, potentially crucial ingredients for the emergence
25
00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:33.640
of life on early Earth, but their scarcity in our
26
00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:37.719
meteorite collections has left us with an incomplete picture of
27
00:01:37.719 --> 00:01:41.079
what's actually out there in space and how life's building
28
00:01:41.079 --> 00:01:45.120
blocks may have arrived on our planet. After analyzing nearly
29
00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:49.799
eighty five hundred fireball events from thirty nine countries, researchers
30
00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:52.920
now believe they've identified a two step filtering process that
31
00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:59.040
explains this mystery. First, many carbonaceous meteoroids are essentially destroyed
32
00:01:59.079 --> 00:02:02.200
before they ever reach Earth. As their orbits bring them
33
00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:05.760
close to the Sun. They experience extreme thermal stress from
34
00:02:05.799 --> 00:02:09.439
repeated heating and cooling cycles, which weakens the material and
35
00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:12.199
causes it to break apart in space. Then comes the
36
00:02:12.199 --> 00:02:16.719
second filter, Earth's atmosphere. Any carbon rich meteoroids already weakened
37
00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:19.400
by solar heating are far less likely to survive the
38
00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:23.400
intense forces of atmospheric entry. The data shows that compact,
39
00:02:23.479 --> 00:02:26.439
high strength meteoroids that have been baked in orbit have
40
00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:29.120
a much better chance of surviving and landing intact on
41
00:02:29.159 --> 00:02:33.680
Earth's surface. Lead author Patrick Schober, an astronomer at the
42
00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:38.000
Paris Observatory, explains that this filtering process means what we
43
00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:41.719
recover on Earth is not representative of what's actually out
44
00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:47.280
there in space. Some meteoroids are especially fragile, particularly those
45
00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:50.840
formed when large asteroids pass close to planets and are
46
00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:54.800
torn apart by tidal forces. The implications of these findings
47
00:02:54.840 --> 00:02:59.000
extend beyond mere statistics. If most carbon rich meteoroids are
48
00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:02.080
being destroyed before reaching the ground, we may be missing
49
00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:05.840
crucial pieces of the puzzle regarding how water, volatiles, and
50
00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:10.560
amino acids, key ingredients for life, arrived on early Earth.
51
00:03:11.400 --> 00:03:15.360
This research could also influence future space missions targeting asteroids,
52
00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:20.120
especially those involving sample return. Understanding what gets filtered out
53
00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:23.840
and why is key to reconstructing our Solar system's history
54
00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:27.159
and the conditions that made life possible. It also has
55
00:03:27.240 --> 00:03:31.240
relevance for planetary defense, since understanding the fragility of different
56
00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:35.159
types of meteoroids helps refine models for assessing potential threats
57
00:03:35.159 --> 00:03:39.520
from space. Thanks to worldwide fireball networks and large scale
58
00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:43.479
observational data, researchers are beginning to fill in these gaps,
59
00:03:43.879 --> 00:03:47.319
revealing how cosmic forces shape not just our skies, but
60
00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:51.360
perhaps even the very origins of life itself. In a
61
00:03:51.400 --> 00:03:54.879
symbolic ceremony aboard the International Space Station earlier this week,
62
00:03:55.199 --> 00:04:00.080
Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin transferred command to Japanese astronaut to
63
00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:04.759
Kuya Onishi, marking a significant moment in space diplomacy and cooperation.
64
00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:07.800
Take care of our station, Ovchinin told Onishi as he
65
00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:10.960
handed over the symbolic key to the ISS, It's our everything.
66
00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:15.479
The heartfelt sentiment underscores the deep connection astronauts developed with
67
00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:18.120
the orbiting laboratory that serves as their home during long
68
00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:23.240
duration missions. Onishi responded with equal reverence, saying it's a
69
00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:26.040
great honor for me to accept the command of the ISS,
70
00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:28.680
and I feel so special that I am taking over
71
00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:32.720
the command from you. After his brief remarks, the two
72
00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:35.959
men embraced, while the rest of the crew applauded The transition.
73
00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:40.120
This handover ceremony represents one of the final orbital events
74
00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:44.480
for Ovchinin, who, alongside fellow cosmonaut Ivon Wagner and NASA
75
00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:47.920
astronaut Don Pettitt, has been aboard the station since September
76
00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:51.040
eleventh of last year. The trio is scheduled to depart
77
00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:54.120
the station tomorrow at five fifty seven pm Eastern Time.
78
00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:58.199
Their undocking will officially mark the end of Expedition seventy
79
00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:02.240
two commanded by Ouchinin, and the beginning of Expedition seventy
80
00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:06.480
three under Onishi's leadership. If all proceeds according to plan,
81
00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:10.279
the Soyuz spacecraft carrying the three returning crew members will
82
00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:13.360
touch down on the step of Kazakhstan at approximately nine
83
00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:17.160
to twenty pm Eastern time. This moment highlights the ongoing
84
00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:21.040
international collaboration that has defined the ISS program for over
85
00:05:21.079 --> 00:05:25.279
two decades. Despite geopolitical tensions on Earth, the space station
86
00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:28.480
continues to serve as a remarkable example of how nations
87
00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:31.639
can work together in the pursuit of scientific advancement and
88
00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:35.720
space exploration. The leadership transition from a Russian cosmonaut to
89
00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:40.079
a Japanese astronaut also represents the diverse international partnership that
90
00:05:40.199 --> 00:05:47.240
maintains and operates the ISS with participation from the United States, Russia, Japan, Europe,
91
00:05:47.560 --> 00:05:51.079
and Canada, continuing to demonstrate that space remains a domain
92
00:05:51.079 --> 00:05:55.959
where cooperation transcends earthly boundaries. You probably know we love
93
00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:59.720
a good mystery here on Astronomy Daily. Well here's today's.
94
00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:04.000
Astronomers have stumbled upon yet another cosmic oddity that's challenging
95
00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:08.600
our fundamental understanding of the universe. A ghostly galaxy designated
96
00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:11.879
FCC two hundred and twenty four appears to be missing
97
00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:18.480
something crucial, dark matter. This peculiar finding is leaving scientists
98
00:06:18.519 --> 00:06:22.639
scratching their heads. Dark matter, that invisible substance thought to
99
00:06:22.680 --> 00:06:24.959
make up roughly eighty five percent of all matter in
100
00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:29.439
the universe, provides the gravitational scaffolding that allows galaxies to
101
00:06:29.560 --> 00:06:33.240
form and grow. Finding a galaxy without it is like
102
00:06:33.319 --> 00:06:37.319
discovering a shadow without an object casting it. It simply
103
00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:40.879
shouldn't exist according to our current understanding of cosmic formation.
104
00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:44.199
FCC two hundred and twenty four isn't the first of
105
00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:47.800
these mysterious objects, but it's adding important pieces to an
106
00:06:47.800 --> 00:06:52.199
increasingly complex puzzle. Located on the fringes of the Fornax cluster.
107
00:06:52.279 --> 00:06:55.360
About sixty five million light years from Earth. This dwarf
108
00:06:55.399 --> 00:06:59.399
galaxy possesses a dozen luminous, tightly bound star clusters and
109
00:06:59.480 --> 00:07:04.000
unusually rich population for its modest size. Maria Buzzo, a
110
00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:07.160
doctoral candidate at Swinburne University of Technology who led one
111
00:07:07.160 --> 00:07:09.920
of the studies on this enigmatic object, puts it bluntly,
112
00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:14.439
no existing galaxy formation model within our standard cosmological paradigm
113
00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:18.120
can currently explain how this galaxy came to be. Her
114
00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:21.480
team used data from the Keck Observatory in Hawaii to
115
00:07:21.560 --> 00:07:25.079
track the movement of star clusters within FCC two hundred
116
00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:29.279
and twenty four. What they found was revealing these clusters
117
00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:33.399
move surprisingly slowly, a telltale sign that the galaxy lacks
118
00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:36.959
the strong gravitational pull that would be expected if dark
119
00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:41.759
matter were present. What makes this discovery particularly intriguing is
120
00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:45.120
that FCC two hundred and twenty four occupies a completely
121
00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:49.000
different cosmic neighborhood than other known dark matter deficient galaxies.
122
00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:53.600
This suggests these ghostly objects might not be isolated anomalies,
123
00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:58.079
but could represent a previously unrecognized class of dwarf galaxies
124
00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:02.759
scattered throughout the universe. Another research team, led by astronomer
125
00:08:02.839 --> 00:08:06.040
Yeming Tang at the University of California, Santa Cruz, has
126
00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:10.000
proposed a potential explanation. They suggest FCC two hundred and
127
00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:12.680
twenty four could have formed from a high velocity collision
128
00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:16.240
of gas rich galaxies. In such a violent event, the
129
00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:19.439
gas would separate from the dark matter, with subsequent star
130
00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:23.000
formation occurring in the expelled gas, creating a dark matter
131
00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:27.240
free galaxy. Tang's team believes FCC two hundred and twenty
132
00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:31.000
four likely has a twin galaxy, possibly the nearby FCC
133
00:08:31.079 --> 00:08:34.440
two hundred and forty, which appears to have the same size, shape,
134
00:08:34.440 --> 00:08:39.279
and orientation. If confirmed, this would provide crucial evidence supporting
135
00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:44.480
the collision scenario. Alternatively, FCC two hundred and twenty four
136
00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:48.200
could result from a chaotic, high energy environment where intense
137
00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:52.440
star formation from over massive star clusters actually expelled dark
138
00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:57.039
matter from the galaxy, a process that challenges conventional astrophysical models.
139
00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:00.240
FCC two hundred and twenty four serves as a crewrucial
140
00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:02.919
data point in our effort to identify and study other
141
00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:08.120
dark matter deficient galaxies. Buzzo explains, By expanding the sample size,
142
00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:11.600
we can refine our understanding of these rare galaxies and
143
00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:14.279
of the role of dark matter and dwarf galaxy formation.
144
00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:19.440
These ghost galaxies are forcing astronomers to reconsider long held
145
00:09:19.480 --> 00:09:23.519
theories about galaxy formation and the nature of dark matter itself.
146
00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:27.759
As our observational technology improves and more examples are discovered,
147
00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:31.039
we may need to fundamentally rethink how galaxies can form
148
00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:34.759
and evolve in our universe. The mystery of FCC two
149
00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:38.000
hundred and twenty four reminds us that despite all we've
150
00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:42.360
learned about the cosmos, the universe still holds profound secrets
151
00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:46.279
waiting to be uncovered. Each anomalist discovery takes us one
152
00:09:46.279 --> 00:09:49.480
step closer to a more complete understanding of the cosmic
153
00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:55.240
tapestry that surrounds us. Next in today's story, Roster, Saturn's
154
00:09:55.320 --> 00:09:58.960
largest moon, Titan, has captivated scientists since the Pioneer eleven
155
00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:01.720
probe first gave us a close look in nineteen seventy nine.
156
00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:05.200
With each subsequent mission from the Voyager probes to the
157
00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:08.759
Cassini Huygens mission, the moon has only become more intriguing.
158
00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:12.279
Titan stands as the only celestial body besides Earth, with
159
00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:16.279
a thick, nitrogen rich atmosphere, and remarkably, it features a
160
00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:21.480
methanogenic cycle similar to Earth's water cycle. These unique characteristics,
161
00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:25.559
along with Titan's rich prebiotic environment and complex organic chemistry,
162
00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:29.759
have fueled speculation that life might exist there, possibly in
163
00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:33.519
the form of simple organisms dwelling within its vast methane lakes.
164
00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:38.039
This potential for discovery is what's driving NASA's development of
165
00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:41.960
the Dragonfly Mission, a nuclear powered quad copter scheduled to
166
00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:46.279
begin exploring Titan's atmosphere and surface in twenty thirty four.
167
00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:50.600
But what about sending humans to this distant moon. According
168
00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:54.080
to a recent study by the nonprofit organization Explore Titan,
169
00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:58.080
a nuclear fission propulsion spacecraft, could make the first crude
170
00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:02.799
mission to the outer Solar System reality. The research, conducted
171
00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:06.440
by William O'Hara and Marcos Fernandez TuS, was presented at
172
00:11:06.440 --> 00:11:09.519
the fifty six Lunar Planetary Science Conference earlier this year.
173
00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:13.919
The challenge is formidable. While NASA has been working towards
174
00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:16.919
sending humans beyond Low Earth orbit since two thousand and five,
175
00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:21.559
the distance to Titan dwarfs anything we've attempted before at
176
00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:26.080
approximately eight point five astronomical units from Earth compared to
177
00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:29.440
Mars at just zero point five AU. Transit times would
178
00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:33.360
need to be dramatically reduced to protect astronauts from extended
179
00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:38.440
exposure to microgravity and cosmic radiation. The researchers assessed several
180
00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:42.000
nuclear propulsion technologies that might make such a journey feasible.
181
00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:46.840
They examined NASA's nuclear thermal propulsion concept outlined in Design
182
00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:51.000
Reference Architecture five DOT zero COMMA, which describes a fifty
183
00:11:51.080 --> 00:11:54.399
six ton crew capable spacecraft using a uranium two hundred
184
00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:58.200
thirty five reactor and hydrogen propellant. While this system could
185
00:11:58.200 --> 00:12:00.759
complete a Mars mission in about three hundred and seventy
186
00:12:00.759 --> 00:12:04.039
five days, the much longer duration required for a Titan
187
00:12:04.120 --> 00:12:08.080
mission would pose significant health risks for the crew. They
188
00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:12.480
also evaluated Copernicus, a larger nuclear thermal concept proposed in
189
00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:15.799
twenty thirteen that could potentially reduce one way transit times
190
00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:18.279
to between one hundred and fifty and two hundred and
191
00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:23.000
twenty days. Even more promising is the variable specific Impulse
192
00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:27.480
Magnetoplasma Rocket VASI MAR concept, which relies on a nuclear
193
00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:32.320
magnetohydrodynamic reactor, to power an electric thruster. According to one study,
194
00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:35.279
this technology could reduce transit time to just one hundred
195
00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:39.240
and forty nine days. Perhaps most intriguing is the direct
196
00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:43.279
fusion drive concept, which a twenty twenty study suggested could
197
00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:46.399
enable a robotic mission to Titan with a round trip
198
00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:50.200
time of two to two point six years. Properly adapted
199
00:12:50.200 --> 00:12:53.159
for human spaceflight, this technology could make a crude mission
200
00:12:53.159 --> 00:12:58.360
to Titan viable. Explore Titan proposes extending NASA's current Moon
201
00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:01.679
to Mars approach to include Titan as the next logical destination.
202
00:13:02.679 --> 00:13:05.960
Their vision is a Mars to Titan progression, where technology
203
00:13:05.960 --> 00:13:08.720
developed for human missions to Mars could be evolved for
204
00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:13.879
exploring Saturn's mysterious moon. The researchers concluded that nuclear space
205
00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:17.440
propulsion systems may be the key enabler for future Titan missions.
206
00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:21.600
Given the health risks associated with deep space human spaceflight,
207
00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:25.200
advanced propulsion could be the most critical element to their success.
208
00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:28.919
While such missions remain years away, the work being done
209
00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:32.519
today lay's crucial groundwork for what could become humanity's most
210
00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:36.720
ambitious journey yet, extending our reach to the mysterious, methane
211
00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:42.039
rich world that might harbour the ingredients for alien life. Finally, today,
212
00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:44.440
let's turn our attention to a controversy that's come into
213
00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:48.600
focus this week. A recent suborbital flight aboard Blue Origin's
214
00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:51.960
new Shepherd spacecraft has ignited a surprising controversy in the
215
00:13:51.960 --> 00:13:56.720
space community. The mission, designated NS thirty one, featured an
216
00:13:56.720 --> 00:14:00.679
all female crew, headlined by pop superstar Katie Perry, along
217
00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:04.600
with Jeff Bezos's fiance Lauren Sanchez, and four other women.
218
00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:09.360
The flight generated extensive media coverage, from tabloids to serious
219
00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:13.960
news outlets, celebrating this milestone for women in space. However,
220
00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:17.120
it also revived a debate that has simmered since the
221
00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:21.039
early days of commercial spaceflight, namely, who deserves to be
222
00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:25.320
called an astronaut. The controversy took an unexpected turn when
223
00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:29.559
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wade in on social media, stating,
224
00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:32.240
the crew who flew to space this week on an
225
00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:35.639
automated flight by Blue Origin were brave and glam but
226
00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:38.639
you cannot identify as an astronaut. They do not meet
227
00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:44.240
the FAA astronaut criteria. Duffy referenced previous Federal Aviation Administration
228
00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:48.799
guidelines under the commercial space Astronaut Wings program, which specified
229
00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:52.440
that crew members must have demonstrated activities during flight that
230
00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:56.600
were essential to public safety or contributed to human spaceflight
231
00:14:56.679 --> 00:15:02.120
safety to qualify as astronauts. Statement raised eyebrows because the FAA,
232
00:15:02.440 --> 00:15:06.399
which falls under Duffy's Department of Transportation, had previously stated
233
00:15:06.440 --> 00:15:09.799
it would no longer designate anyone as an astronaut. In fact,
234
00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:14.240
the agency's human Spaceflight page explicitly says the FAA no
235
00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:18.000
longer designates anyone as an astronaut. In addition, the FAA
236
00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:22.440
does not define where space begins. The apparent contradiction highlights
237
00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:25.799
the evolving nature of human spaceflight in this new commercial era.
238
00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:30.080
The FAA's astronaut Wings program, created in two thousand and
239
00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:33.799
four to recognize the pilots of Spaceship one, was discontinued
240
00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:37.559
in December twenty twenty one. The agency announced that starting
241
00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:40.840
in twenty twenty two, it would simply list individuals who
242
00:15:40.919 --> 00:15:44.799
reached fifty statute miles above Earth on its website, rather
1
00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:03.359
2
00:00:03.399 --> 00:00:06.960
3
00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:11.160
4
00:00:11.359 --> 00:00:14.560
5
00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:18.760
6
00:00:18.920 --> 00:00:22.120
7
00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:26.039
8
00:00:26.079 --> 00:00:29.879
9
00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:33.679
10
00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:36.920
11
00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:41.240
12
00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:45.119
13
00:00:45.159 --> 00:00:48.200
14
00:00:48.240 --> 00:00:51.399
15
00:00:52.920 --> 00:00:56.200
16
00:00:56.240 --> 00:00:59.920
17
00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:03.039
18
00:01:03.119 --> 00:01:07.040
19
00:01:07.079 --> 00:01:10.640
20
00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:14.079
21
00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:17.359
22
00:01:17.400 --> 00:01:21.079
23
00:01:21.120 --> 00:01:25.920
24
00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:30.359
25
00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:33.640
26
00:01:33.680 --> 00:01:37.719
27
00:01:37.719 --> 00:01:41.079
28
00:01:41.079 --> 00:01:45.120
29
00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:49.799
30
00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:52.920
31
00:01:53.000 --> 00:01:59.040
32
00:01:59.079 --> 00:02:02.200
33
00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:05.760
34
00:02:05.799 --> 00:02:09.439
35
00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:12.199
36
00:02:12.199 --> 00:02:16.719
37
00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:19.400
38
00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:23.400
39
00:02:23.479 --> 00:02:26.439
40
00:02:26.479 --> 00:02:29.120
41
00:02:29.159 --> 00:02:33.680
42
00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:38.000
43
00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:41.719
44
00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:47.280
45
00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:50.840
46
00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:54.800
47
00:02:54.840 --> 00:02:59.000
48
00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:02.080
49
00:03:02.159 --> 00:03:05.840
50
00:03:05.879 --> 00:03:10.560
51
00:03:11.400 --> 00:03:15.360
52
00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:20.120
53
00:03:20.199 --> 00:03:23.840
54
00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:27.159
55
00:03:27.240 --> 00:03:31.240
56
00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:35.159
57
00:03:35.159 --> 00:03:39.520
58
00:03:39.520 --> 00:03:43.479
59
00:03:43.879 --> 00:03:47.319
60
00:03:47.360 --> 00:03:51.360
61
00:03:51.400 --> 00:03:54.879
62
00:03:55.199 --> 00:04:00.080
63
00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:04.759
64
00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:07.800
65
00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:10.960
66
00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:15.479
67
00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:18.120
68
00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:23.240
69
00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:26.040
70
00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:28.680
71
00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:32.720
72
00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:35.959
73
00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:40.120
74
00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:44.480
75
00:04:44.560 --> 00:04:47.920
76
00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:51.040
77
00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:54.120
78
00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:58.199
79
00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:02.240
80
00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:06.480
81
00:05:06.879 --> 00:05:10.279
82
00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:13.360
83
00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:17.160
84
00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:21.040
85
00:05:21.079 --> 00:05:25.279
86
00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:28.480
87
00:05:28.480 --> 00:05:31.639
88
00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:35.720
89
00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:40.079
90
00:05:40.199 --> 00:05:47.240
91
00:05:47.560 --> 00:05:51.079
92
00:05:51.079 --> 00:05:55.959
93
00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:59.720
94
00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:04.000
95
00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:08.600
96
00:06:08.720 --> 00:06:11.879
97
00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:18.480
98
00:06:18.519 --> 00:06:22.639
99
00:06:22.680 --> 00:06:24.959
100
00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:29.439
101
00:06:29.560 --> 00:06:33.240
102
00:06:33.319 --> 00:06:37.319
103
00:06:37.360 --> 00:06:40.879
104
00:06:41.600 --> 00:06:44.199
105
00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:47.800
106
00:06:47.800 --> 00:06:52.199
107
00:06:52.279 --> 00:06:55.360
108
00:06:55.399 --> 00:06:59.399
109
00:06:59.480 --> 00:07:04.000
110
00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:07.160
111
00:07:07.160 --> 00:07:09.920
112
00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:14.439
113
00:07:14.519 --> 00:07:18.120
114
00:07:18.120 --> 00:07:21.480
115
00:07:21.560 --> 00:07:25.079
116
00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:29.279
117
00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:33.399
118
00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:36.959
119
00:07:37.000 --> 00:07:41.759
120
00:07:41.759 --> 00:07:45.120
121
00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:49.000
122
00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:53.600
123
00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:58.079
124
00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:02.759
125
00:08:02.839 --> 00:08:06.040
126
00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:10.000
127
00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:12.680
128
00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:16.240
129
00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:19.439
130
00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:23.000
131
00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:27.240
132
00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:31.000
133
00:08:31.079 --> 00:08:34.440
134
00:08:34.440 --> 00:08:39.279
135
00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:44.480
136
00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:48.200
137
00:08:48.240 --> 00:08:52.440
138
00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:57.039
139
00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:00.240
140
00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:02.919
141
00:09:03.039 --> 00:09:08.120
142
00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:11.600
143
00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:14.279
144
00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:19.440
145
00:09:19.480 --> 00:09:23.519
146
00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:27.759
147
00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:31.039
148
00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:34.759
149
00:09:34.840 --> 00:09:38.000
150
00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:42.360
151
00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:46.279
152
00:09:46.279 --> 00:09:49.480
153
00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:55.240
154
00:09:55.320 --> 00:09:58.960
155
00:09:59.000 --> 00:10:01.720
156
00:10:02.279 --> 00:10:05.200
157
00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:08.759
158
00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:12.279
159
00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:16.279
160
00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:21.480
161
00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:25.559
162
00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:29.759
163
00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:33.519
164
00:10:34.399 --> 00:10:38.039
165
00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:41.960
166
00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:46.279
167
00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:50.600
168
00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:54.080
169
00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:58.080
170
00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:02.799
171
00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:06.440
172
00:11:06.440 --> 00:11:09.519
173
00:11:10.480 --> 00:11:13.919
174
00:11:13.919 --> 00:11:16.919
175
00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:21.559
176
00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:26.080
177
00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:29.440
178
00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:33.360
179
00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:38.440
180
00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:42.000
181
00:11:42.759 --> 00:11:46.840
182
00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:51.000
183
00:11:51.080 --> 00:11:54.399
184
00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:58.200
185
00:11:58.200 --> 00:12:00.759
186
00:12:00.759 --> 00:12:04.039
187
00:12:04.120 --> 00:12:08.080
188
00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:12.480
189
00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:15.799
190
00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:18.279
191
00:12:18.279 --> 00:12:23.000
192
00:12:23.039 --> 00:12:27.480
193
00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:32.320
194
00:12:32.320 --> 00:12:35.279
195
00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:39.240
196
00:12:39.240 --> 00:12:43.279
197
00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:46.399
198
00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:50.200
199
00:12:50.200 --> 00:12:53.159
200
00:12:53.159 --> 00:12:58.360
201
00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:01.679
202
00:13:02.679 --> 00:13:05.960
203
00:13:05.960 --> 00:13:08.720
204
00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:13.879
205
00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:17.440
206
00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:21.600
207
00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:25.200
208
00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:28.919
209
00:13:28.960 --> 00:13:32.519
210
00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:36.720
211
00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:42.039
212
00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:44.440
213
00:13:44.440 --> 00:13:48.600
214
00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:51.960
215
00:13:51.960 --> 00:13:56.720
216
00:13:56.720 --> 00:14:00.679
217
00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:04.600
218
00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:09.360
219
00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:13.960
220
00:14:14.480 --> 00:14:17.120
221
00:14:17.159 --> 00:14:21.039
222
00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:25.320
223
00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:29.559
224
00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:32.240
225
00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:35.639
226
00:14:35.720 --> 00:14:38.639
227
00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:44.240
228
00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:48.799
229
00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:52.440
230
00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:56.600
231
00:14:56.679 --> 00:15:02.120
232
00:15:02.440 --> 00:15:06.399
233
00:15:06.440 --> 00:15:09.799
234
00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:14.240
235
00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:18.000
236
00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:22.440
237
00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:25.799
238
00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:30.080
239
00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:33.799
240
00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:37.559
241
00:15:37.600 --> 00:15:40.840
242
00:15:40.919 --> 00:15:44.799