Sept. 11, 2024
S03E151: Polaris Dawn's Private Spacewalk, Moon Mapping Challenge, and Milky Way Mysteries
Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: 11th September 2024
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go-to Podcast for the latest and greatest in space and Astronomy. I'm your host, Anna, and today we have some thrilling stories lined up for you. Sit tight as we dive...
Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: 11th September 2024
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go-to Podcast for the latest and greatest in space and Astronomy. I'm your host, Anna, and today we have some thrilling stories lined up for you. Sit tight as we dive into groundbreaking missions, celestial discoveries, and much more. Buckle up, stargazers. It's going to be an exciting ride through the cosmos.
Highlights:
- SpaceX's Polaris Dawn Mission: Earlier this week, SpaceX made history with the launch of its Polaris Dawn mission, introducing an extraordinary era of private space exploration. Aboard the modified Crew Dragon capsule, four courageous private astronauts embarked on a groundbreaking journey, one that is slated to include the first-ever private spacewalk. The mission is led by billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, with Scott Petit, Sara Gillis, and Anna Menon joining as crew members. This mission also debuts new SpaceX spacesuits designed for greater ease of movement.
- NASA's Moon Mapping Challenge: NASA is offering a $50,000 reward for groundbreaking solutions to navigate the rugged terrain of the moon's south pole and map the enigmatic Shackleton crater. This ambitious challenge is part of the Artemis campaign, aiming to facilitate human landing on lunar surfaces and pave the way for future missions to Mars.
- Origins of the Milky Way's Supermassive Black Hole: New research from the Nevada Center for Astrophysics at UNLV might have unearthed a crucial piece of the cosmic puzzle surrounding Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the core of the Milky Way. Researchers propose that it may have formed as a result of a massive cosmic merger, possibly coinciding with the Milky Way's merger with the Gaia-Enceladus galaxy around 9 billion years ago.
- NASA's Parker Solar Probe: NASA's Parker Solar Probe is gearing up for a significant milestone on November 6, with its final planned Venus flyby. This maneuver is designed to harness Venus's gravitational pull to tighten the spacecraft's orbit around the sun, bringing it closer than ever before. The probe is currently in its 21st orbit and will begin a science encounter that will peak with a close approach to the sun on September 30.
- NASA's Voyager 1: NASA's Voyager 1 has been an incredible explorer for over 47 years, recently overcoming technical difficulties. The mission team successfully switched the spacecraft to a different set of thrusters, ensuring it continues to send valuable scientific data from over 14 billion miles away in interstellar space.
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WEBVTT
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Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go to podcast for the
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latest and greatest in space and astronomy. I'm your host, Anna,
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and today we have some thrilling stories lined up for you.
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Sit tight as we dive into groundbreaking missions, celestial discoveries,
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and much more. In today's episode, we'll explore SpaceX's pioneering
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Polaris Dawn mission, which just launched with the first ever
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private spacewalk. We'll also delve into NASA's exciting fifty thousand
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dollars reward challenge for mapping the Moon's mysterious south Pole.
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But that's not all.
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We've got new research shedding light on the fascinating origins
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of the Milky Ways supermassive black hole.
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Plus, we'll track.
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NASA's Parker Solar Probe as it prepares for its critical
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final fly by a Venus. And finally, don't miss the
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incredible story of how NASA's Voyager won journeying through interstellar
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space successfully overcame technical difficulties after forty seven years. Buckle up, stargazers,
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it's going to be an exciting ride through the Cosmos.
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Earlier this week, SpaceX made history with the launch of
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its Polaris Dawn mission, introducing an extraordinary era of private
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space exploration. Aboard the modified Crew Dragon Capsule, four courageous
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private astronauts embarked on a groundbreaking journey, one that is
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slated to include the first ever private spacewalk, lifting off
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from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission began
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at the crack of dawn five twenty three amst to
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be precise. Just nine and a half short minutes later,
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the crew Dragon Capsule gracefully entered orbit, a small plush
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astronaut dog floating freely in zero gravity, signaling the onset
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of the grand adventure. Upon reaching space, the capsule offered
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the crew a stunning view of the Earth bathed in sunlight.
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The separation from the support trunk provided a picturesque backdrop
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of our home planet as seen from a vantage point
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so few have ever experienced. The man behind this ambitious
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mission is Jared Isaacman, a forty one year old billionaire
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entrepreneur and pilot. Joining him our Scott Petite, a fifty
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year old retired US Air Force lieutenant colonel, and Space
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employees Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, who both serve as
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senior engineers. This diverse crew is not just making history,
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they are also serving as test subjects for an array
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of scientific experiments. Their mission to better understand the effects
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of cosmic radiation in the vacuum of space on the
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human body. One of the most exciting aspects of Polaris
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Dawn is the debut of brand new SpaceX spacesuits.
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Unlike traditional, thick and.
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Bulky designs, these suits are slimmed down and optimized for
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greater ease of movement.
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The true test of these suits.
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Will come on the mission's third day, when Isaac, Mann
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and Gillis plan to venture outside the Crew Dragon for
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a twenty minute spacewalk at a staggering altitude of seven
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hundred kilometers. This mission is particularly challenging and risky. The
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Crew Dragon capsule has no airlock, meaning the entire cabin
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will have to be depressurized for the spacewalk. This is
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a nod to the methods used during early space missions
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in the nineteen sixties. Unlike previous spacewalks that have been
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the domain of highly trained government astronauts, this daring endeavor
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sets a new precedent for private space exploration. Despite having
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to overcome a series of technical delays, including a helium
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leak and a recovery failure of unrelated missions, SpaceX managed
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to pull off a near perfect launch after a brief
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weather delay. The science and data collected from Polaris Dawn
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will undoubtedly pave the way for future missions. This is
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just the first in a planned series under Isaac Mann's
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Polaris program, which aims to culminate in a monumental flight
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aboard SpaceX's Starship, the massive vehicle intended for Moon and
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Mars expeditions. As the voyage continues, know that the pioneering
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spirit of these private astronauts isn't just pushing boundaries in space.
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It's shedding light on human resilience, ingenuity, and the endless
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possibilities that lie beyond our earthly confines. Next up today,
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NASA is once again pushing the envelope of space exploration,
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this time offering a fifty thousand dollars reward for groundbreaking
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solutions to navigate the rugged terrain of the Moon's South
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Pole and map the enigmatic Shackleton Crater. This ambitious challenge
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is part of the Artemis campaign, which aims to facilitate
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human landing on lunar surfaces and pave the way for
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future missions to Mars. The Artemis campaign represents NASA's grand
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return to lunar missions after over half a century, with
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a special focus on the south pole of the Moon,
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particularly targeting Shackleton Crater. The reason behind this choice is
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both scientific and strategic. The permanently shadowed regions here may
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house water ice reserves, which could prove indispensable for sustaining
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future long term missions, especially those venturing out to Mars.
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To make this audacious vision a reality, NASA has introduced
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two key challenges. The first challenge tasks participants with developing
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an innovative orienteering aid to help astronauts navigate the lunar
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surface safely and efficiently. Revisiting techniques used during the Apollo missions,
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NASA seeks fresh and unique technologies that are accurate, easy
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to use, and functional even when astra are wearing bulky,
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pressurized gloves. If you're one of the brains behind a
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winning solution, you could be walking away with a part
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of the fifteen thousand dollars prize perse allocated for this
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challenge alone. But NASA isn't stopping there. The second challenge
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focuses on creating a robust mapping system that can effectively
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operate in the extreme and harsh conditions of Shackleton Crater.
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Imagine an instrument that can brave the relentless cold temperatures
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that hover around ninety kelvin and successfully map out the crater,
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characterizing and quantifying its contents. The winning designs will not
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only need to withstand these conditions, but also relate invaluable
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data back to Earth, thereby supporting future exploratory missions. The
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stakes are high, as this challenge has a thirty thousand
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dollars prize perse up for grabs. Altogether, the available prize
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pool for these two challenges is fifty thousand dollars, with
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an additional five thousand dollars reserved for exceptional solutions. The
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rewards are not just financial. Contributing to this groundbreaking effort
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can mean a place in the chronicles of space history.
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If you think you have what it takes, make sure
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to submit your entries by November twenty fifth, twenty twenty four.
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This is a golden opportunity to collaborate with NASA and
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play a pivotal role in the next giant leap in
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lunar exploration. For more detailed information about how you can participate,
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you can visit the competition page on freelancer dot com. So,
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if you're an innovator, engineer, or simply a space enthusiast
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with a killer idea, now's the time to shine. This
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isn't just a challenge. It's a call to be part
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of something monumental, to contribute to knowledge that could one
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day support humanity's journey to Mars and beyond. Whether it's
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through high tech solutions or ingenius low tech devices, the
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goal is the same, to arm astronauts with the tools
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they need to explore the Moon's most mysterious regions, unlocking
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secrets that have lain hidden in the shadows for millennia. So,
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if you're passionate about space and innovation, take up the gauntlet.
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Help NASA navigate the Moon's South Pole map Shackleton C
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and get one step closer to Mars. The deadline is
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approaching fast, and the stars might just align in your favor.
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Now onto one of our favorite subjects. One of the
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most intriguing mysteries in astrophysics centers around supermassive black holes,
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colossal beasts that can be millions of times more massive
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than our Sun, nestled at the heart of most galaxies,
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including our very own Milky Way. These enigmatic entities have
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long puzzled scientists. However, new research from the Nevada Center
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for Astrophysics and CFA at UNLV might just have unearthed
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a crucial piece of this cosmic puzzle. The study, recently
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published in Nature Astronomy takes a closer look at Sagittarius A,
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the supermassive black hole that lies at the core of
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the Milky Way. Using data from the Event Horizon Telescope EHT,
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which astonished the world with the first ever image of
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CRA a asterisk in twenty twenty two, researchers Yihan Wang
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and Bingjong offer a compelling new theory. They propose that
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Suger a asterisk may have formed as a result of
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a massive cosmic merger. To delve deeper into this possibility,
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the researchers analyze the peculiar characteristics of CESDR asterisk. One
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key observation is the black hole's unusual rapid spin and
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its misalignment with the Milky Way's angular momentum. These anomalies
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have long baffled scientists, but Wang and Jang suggest they
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are best explained by a monumental merger event, specifically a
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collision between sigdr Asterisk and another super massive black hole.
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This isn't just a captivating notion. The research team used
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advanced simulations to model the aftermath of such a cataclysmic collision.
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Their findings indicate that a merger with a mass ratio
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of four to one and a highly inclined orbit could
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generate the spin properties observed in SDRA Asterisk. Moreover, the
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team estimates that this colossal collision likely occurred around nine
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billion years ago, possibly coinciding with the Milky Way's merger
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with the Gaya Enceladus galaxy. This discovery paves the way
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for our understanding of how supermassive black holes grow and evolve,
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explain in Zihan Wang. On the other hand, Bingjang points
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out that this event not only adds credibility to the
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hierarchical black hole merger theory, but also offers significant insights
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into the dynamic history of our galaxy, as cesga a
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asterisk sits more than twenty seven thousand light years away
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from Earth. Obtaining concrete proof of these findings remains a challenge. Nevertheless,
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future missions like the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna LISA, set
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to launch in twenty thirty five, hold promise. Lisa's advanced
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gravitational wave detection capabilities could uncover similar merger events in
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other parts of the universe, further validating Wang and Jang's
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groundbreaking research. Understanding the origins of Sagittarius A is more
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than an answer to a long held astrophysical question. It
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opens doors to a deeper understanding of the complex ballet
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of cosmic forces playing out across the universe. As technology
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advances and new observational tools become available, such as the
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EHT and LISA, our comprehension of these awe inspiring celestial
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phenomena will only continue to grow. NASA's Parker Solar Probe
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is gearing up for a significant milestone on November six,
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the final planned Venus flyby. This maneuver is designed to
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harness Venus's gravitational pull to tighten the spacecraft's orbit around
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the Sun, ultimately bringing it closer to our star than
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ever before. It's fascinating to note the precise engineering and
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planning that goes into such a mission.
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On August twenty.
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Sixth, the spacecraft executed a brief but critical thrust burn,
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adjusting its velocity by less than a mile per hour.
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This seemingly minor correction is crucial. It ensures Parker Solar
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Probe is on the optimal path for a targeted approach
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point just two hundred and forty miles above Venus's surface.
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This flyby is the seventh and closest among the gravity
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assists Parker has performed, bringing it nearer to the planet
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than any of its previous encounters. The proximity to Venus
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will allow the Parker's Solar Probe to use the planet's
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gravity to adjust its trajectory. This will enable the spacecraft
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to move significantly closer to the Sun, down to a
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distance of just three point eight million miles, an achievement
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that promises to yield a trove of unprecedented data about
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our solar system's furnace. Yanpinguo, the mission design and navigation
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manager at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, explains that
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precise positioning is everything when it comes to these maneuvers.
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The upcoming Venus flyby isn't just essential, it's critical. It
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represents the last major step required for Parker Solar Probe
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to reach its minimum solar distance. This November, it will
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come within a whisker of the Sun compared to its
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current position. The timing couldn't be more exciting. After this
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close approach to Venus, Parker will embark on its first
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of at least three planned passes near the Sun at
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a record pace of four hundred thirty thousand miles per
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hour come December twenty fourth. That's Christmas Eve, making this
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holiday season even more thrilling for space enthusiasts. As Parker
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Solar Probe prepares for this potent, mentally game changing flyby,
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it's not taking a break.
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The spacecraft is currently.
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In its twenty first orbit and is set to begin
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a science encounter that will peak with a close approach
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to the Sun known as perihelion on September thirtieth. This
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period will help gather critical data, setting the stage for
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what's to come in November. The mission's trajectory adjustments and
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the science data it will collect bring us closer to
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understanding the Sun's outer corona and the solar winds properties.
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This data is expected to provide invaluable insights into the
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mechanisms driving solar phenomena, which in turn have direct impacts
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on space weather, affecting everything from satellite communications to power
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systems here on Earth. For those wanting to follow the
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Parker Solar Probe's journey, updates are consistently posted on the JOHNS.
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Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratories Parker Solar Probe website, and as
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always here at Astronomy Daily, we'll keep you informed with
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the latest developments. The adventure is far from over, and
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as Parker narrows in on the Sun, who knows what
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remarkable discoveries await us now? The spacecraft that just keeps
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on giving. NASA's Voyager one has been an incredible explorer
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for over forty seven years, traveling far beyond our Solar
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System into interstellar space. Recently, the mission team at NASA's
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory accomplished a significant feat. They successfully switched
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the spacecraft to a different set of thrusters due to
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issues with clogged fuel tubes. These thrusters are essential for
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keeping Voyager one pointed at Earth, allowing it to continue
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sending valuable scientific data. The problem emerged when the team
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noticed that the fuel tubes in Voyager one's thrusters were
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becoming clogged with silicon dioxide, a byproduct from the spacecraft's
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aging fuel system. These clogs compromise the thruster's efficiency, which
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in turn made it difficult for the spacecraft to maintain
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its orientation towards Earth. Maintaining this precise orientation is crucial
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for communication and data transmission. Throughout its mission. The Voyager
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team has had to switch between different sets of thrusts
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multiple times due to similar issues. This time, the challenge
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was compounded by the spacecraft's extreme distance from Earth and
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its diminishing power supply. Scientists had to navigate the tricky
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