Oct. 2, 2024

S03E169: Barnard's New Planet, SpaceX Anomaly, and China's Moon Ambitions

S03E169: Barnard's New Planet, SpaceX Anomaly, and China's Moon Ambitions

Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S03E169
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go-to source for the latest and most fascinating space and Astronomy news. I'm Anna, and I'm thrilled to be your host for today's cosmic journey. We've got an exciting lineup of...

Season 3
Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S03E169
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go-to source for the latest and most fascinating space and Astronomy news. I'm Anna, and I'm thrilled to be your host for today's cosmic journey. We've got an exciting lineup of stories that will take us from our nearest stellar neighbor to the far side of the moon and beyond.
Highlights:
- New Exoplanet Discovery: Astronomers using the European Southern Observatory's very large telescope have discovered Barnard b, a low-mass exoplanet orbiting Barnard's star, just six light years away. With an orbital period of just 3.15 Earth Daily, this planet challenges our understanding of planetary formation.
- SpaceX Launch Anomaly: The US Federal Aviation Administration has mandated an investigation into an anomaly during the SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The Falcon 9's upper stage experienced an off-nominal deorbit burn, impacting future missions, including NASA's Europa Clipper.
- Lunar Samples from the Far Side: Chinese scientists have analyzed samples from the Chang'e 6 mission, revealing new insights into the moon's volcanic history and geological diversity. This breakthrough offers a unique perspective on the lunar far side.
- Webb Telescope's Discovery on Charon: NASA's Webb Space Telescope has detected traces of carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on Pluto's largest moon, Charon. This finding provides new insights into Charon's composition and formation.
- ISSA's JUICE Mission: The ISSA's JUICE mission has captured the sharpest ever image of Earth's radiation belts during its lunar-Earth flyby. This achievement is a vital step for future observations of Jupiter.
- China's New Moon Landing Spacesuit: China has unveiled a new spacesuit for its planned lunar missions by 2030. Inspired by traditional Chinese armor, this suit combines cultural heritage with advanced functionality, marking a significant milestone in their space exploration journey.
For more space news, be sure to visit our website at astronomydaily.io. There you can sign up for our free Daily newsletter, catch up on all the latest space and Astronomy news with our constantly updating newsfeed, and listen to all our back episodes.
Don't forget to follow us on social media. Just search for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, and TikTok.
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.
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WEBVTT

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Welcome to Astronomy Daily. I'm your host Anna. Today we're

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diving into some exciting space and astronomy news. We'll explore

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a newly discovered planet orbiting our nearest stellar neighbor, investigate

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a SpaceX launch anomaly, examine lunar samples from the far

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side of the Moon, and unveil China's ambitious plans for

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future Moon missions. Stay tuned for these stories and more

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on today's episode of Astronomy Daily. Kicking things off today,

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some exciting news from the world of exoplanet discovery. Astronomers

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using the European Southern Observatory's very large telescope have made

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a groundbreaking find right in our cosmic backyard. They've detected

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a new planet orbiting Barnard Star, which is the closest

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single star to our Sun, just six light years away.

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This newly discovered exoplanet, dubbed Barnard B, is truly remarkable.

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It's one of the lowest mass exoplanets we've ever found,

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with at least half the mass of Venus. What's even

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more fascinating is its incredibly short orbital period. Barnard B

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whips around at star in just three point one five

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Earth days. To put that in perspective, a year on

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this planet is shorter than a week here on Earth.

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The planet's proximity to Barnard's Star means it's far too

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hot for liquid water to exist on its surface, with

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temperatures reaching around one hundred and twenty five degrees celsius.

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While this rules out the possibility of life as we

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know it, the discovery is still incredibly valuable for our

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understanding of planetary formation and the diversity of worlds in

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our galaxy. But the excitement doesn't stop there. The research

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team has also uncovered tantalizing hints of three more exoplanet

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candidates orbiting Barnard's Star. While these potential planets still need

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to be confirmed with additional observations, the discovery suggests that

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our cosmic backyard might be teeming with low mass planets

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we've yet to detect. This finding aligns with other recent

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discoveries like the planets around Proxima Centauri, painting a picture

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of a local galactic neighborhood bustling with planetary activity. It's

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a thrilling prospect that challenges our understanding of planetary formation

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and distribution in the universe. Let's move on to an

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update to a story we brought you a couple of

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days ago. In a recent development, the US Federal Aviation Administration,

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or FAA, has mandated an investigation into an anomaly that

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occurred during the SpaceX Crew nine mission launch. The issue

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arose after the Falcon nine rocket successfully deployed the Crew

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Dragon capsule carrying NASA astronaut Nick Haig and Russian cosmonaut

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Alexander Gorbanov towards the International Space Station. According to SpaceX,

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the Falcon nine's upper stage experienced what they termed an

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off nominal deorbit burn. This unexpected event resulted in the

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upper stage landing in the ocean outside of its designated

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disposal area. While the primary mission objective of delivering the

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astronauts to orbit was achieved, this deviation from the planned

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disposal procedure has raised concerns. The FAA has made it

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clear that this investigation is not optional, emphasizing the importance

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of understanding and addressing any irregularities in spaceflight operations. As

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space missions become more frequent, ensuring the safety and precision

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of every aspect of these launches is paramount. This pause

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in SpaceX launches could have significant ripple effects across their

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busy schedule. While the company investigates the upper stage anomaly,

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several high profile missions are now in a holding pattern,

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most notably NASA's Europa Clipper mission may face delays. This

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crucial mission to Jupiter's icy moon Europa is currently slated

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for an October launch aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket. Given

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that the Falcon Heavy uses the same upper stage as

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the Falcon nine, it's unclear if this launch will proceed

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as planned. SpaceX's typically rapid launch cadence means even a

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short delay could impact multiple missions. The length of this

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hiatus remains uncertain, leaving many in the space community eagerly

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awaiting updates on when launches might resume. Time now to

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visit our old friend, the Moon. Chinese scientists have made

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a significant breakthrough in lunar research with their analysis of

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the first ever samples collected from the far side of

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the Moon. These samples, brought back by the Changai six mission,

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are shedding new light on the Moon's evolution and the

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differences in volcanic activity between its near and far sides.

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The study, published in the National Science Review, reveals that

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the samples are a mixture of local basaltic material and

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non mare material from other parts of the Moon. This

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composition offers valuable insights into the lunar farsides's volcanic history

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and the composition of the lunar Highland crust. These findings

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are particularly exciting because they provide a unique perspective on

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the Moon's geological diversity. Until now, all lunar samples had

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come from the near side, leaving scientists with an incomplete

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picture of our celestial neighbour's history and composition. The Changai

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six samples are helping to fill in these gaps, potentially

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leading to new theories about the Moon's origin and evolution.

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They may even refine our understanding of how terrestrial planets

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in our Solar system developed. Now more exciting news to

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report today. First up, NASA's web Space Telescope has made

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an exciting discovery Karen, Pluto's largest moon. For the first time,

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scientists have detected traces of carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide

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on its surface. This finding is significant because it gives

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us new insights into Karen's composition and how it may

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have formed. Previously, we knew that Karen's surface was covered

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in water ice thanks to observations from NASA's New Horizon

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spacecraft in twenty fifteen, but the Web telescope's advance capabilities

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have allowed us to see chemicals that were previously hidden

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from view. Scientists believe the hydrogen peroxide might have formed

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when radiation interacted with water molecules on Karen's surface. As

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for the carbon dioxide, it's thought that it could be

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emerging from beneath the surface, possibly due to impacts. This

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discovery is not just important for understanding Karen itself, it

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could also help scientists learn more about the formation and

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makeup of other distant moons and planets in our Solar system. Next,

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in a groundbreaking achievement, esay's Juice mission has captured the

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sharpest ever image of Earth's radiation belts. This remarkable feat

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occurred during the spacecraft's recent lunar earth flyby a crucial

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maneuver in its journey to Jupiter. The image was taken

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by NASA's Jenny instrument on board Juice, showcasing the power

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of international collaboration in space exploration. What makes this image

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truly special is its unparalleled clarity, revealing the vast ring

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of hot plasma encircling our planet in unprecedented detail. This

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accomplishment isn't just a pretty picture. It's a vital dry

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run for Juice's future observations of Jupiter. The data gathered

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during this flyby will help scientists fine tune their instruments

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and strategies for studying the complex magnetosphere of the gas giant.

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The success of this imaging test has sparked excitement among researchers,

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who are now even more eager to see what Juice

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will reveal when it reaches Jupiter in twenty thirty one.

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It's a promising sign that we're on track to uncover

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new secrets about our Solar System's largest planet. Finally, today,

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China has taken a significant step forward in its lunar

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exploration ambitions by unveiling its new moon landing space suit.

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The design, which draws inspiration from traditional Chinese armour, was

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showcased in a recent ceremony in Chongqing. This cutting edge

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suit is tailored specifically for China's planned lunar missions, set

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to commence by twenty thirty. The spacesuit's design beautifully merges

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functionality with cultural heritage. It features a rugged and resolute appearance,

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reminiscent of ancient Chinese armour, while incorporating modern elements like ribbons,

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a staple in Chinese spacesuit design. During the demonstration, a

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technician put the suit through its paces showcasing its flexibility

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and range of motion, even climbing ladder rungs with ease.

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This new lunar suit is an evolution of China's Facian

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spacesuit used for low Earth orbit missions. Unlike its predecessor,

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the moon landing suit is designed to be lightweight and flexible,

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catering to the unique demands of a low gravity environment.

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It allows for a wider range of movements, including squatting

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and bending, crucial for lunar surface activities. The suit's advanced

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features include a protective fabric to shield against extreme temperatures

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and lunar dust, a panoramic glareproof visor, and side mounted

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cameras for video recording. A multifunctional control console on the

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chest enhances operational efficiency. As China races to join the

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select group of nations capable of crude lunar missions, this

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spacesuit unveiling marks a significant milestone in their space exploration journey.

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And that wraps up our cosmic journey for today. I'm Anna,

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your host for Astronomy Daily. If you're hungry for more

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space and astronomy news, head over to our website at

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Astronomy Daily dot io. There you can sign up for

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our free daily newsletter and catch up on all the

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for tuning in and keep looking upday Star. The story

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