Amazon’s Kuiper Delays, Juno’s Scares, and Titan’s Life Possibilities

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Language: en

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hello and welcome to Astronomy Daily


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your cosmic companion for all things


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space and astronomy i'm Anna and today


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we've got a stellar lineup of


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fascinating stories from across the


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universe coming up in the next 20


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minutes we'll explore Amazon's space


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ambitions as their Project Kyper


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satellite launch faces delays on the


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launchpad then we'll check in with


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NASA's Juno spacecraft which recently


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experienced a scare while orbiting the


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harsh radiation environment of Jupiter


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we'll also dive into intriguing new


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research about the potential for life in


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the subsurface ocean of Saturn's moon


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Titan and examine how lunar samples from


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China's Chang 6 mission are helping


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scientists understand the violent birth


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of our moon and to cap it all off


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there's an exciting celestial visitor


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you might want to wake up early to see


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the newly discovered comet swan is


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brightening in our morning skies and


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amateur astronomers are already


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capturing stunning views so let's launch


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right into today's cosmic news roundup


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it seems Amazon may be a wizard at


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delivering packages to your doorstep but


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delivering satellites to orbit proves a


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bit more challenging a United Launch


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Alliance Atlas 5 rocket was set to carry


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27 satellites for Amazon's Project Kyper


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internet constellation into orbit from


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Cape Canaveral Space Force Station this


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week but Mother Nature had other plans


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persistent clouds near the launchpad


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violated safety rules forcing ULA to


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scrub the launch despite working through


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a full 2-hour launch window launch


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controllers battled not only technical


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glitches but also thick cumulus clouds


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and rain within 10 miles of the pad


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ultimately making the call to delay the


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mission project Kyper represents


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Amazon's ambitious leap into the


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space-based internet market directly


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challenging SpaceX's Starlink


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constellation that's already providing


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high-speed internet to customers


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worldwide amazon isn't thinking small


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either they're planning to deploy a


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massive constellation of 3,200 broadband


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satellites in the coming years


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this launch would have been Amazon's


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first operational deployment of Kyper


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satellites following a successful test


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flight last October that carried two


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prototype satellites to orbit while ULA


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is handling this initial launch Amazon


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has wisely spread its bets across


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multiple launch providers the e-commerce


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giant has secured flights on several


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different rocket systems including ULA's


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brand new Vulcan Centaur rocket Aryani


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Space Boosters Blue Origins New Glenn


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and interestingly enough even their


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direct competitor SpaceX's Falcon rocket


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family this multi-provider approach


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helps ensure Amazon can maintain its


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deployment schedule even if one launch


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system faces delays


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the satellite internet market is heating


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up rapidly as companies race to provide


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global connectivity from space while


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SpaceX currently dominates with


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thousands of Starlink satellites already


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in orbit Amazon brings considerable


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resources and a massive potential


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customer base to the competition these


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constellations promise to bring


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high-speed internet to remote and


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underserved regions around the world


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where traditional infrastructure is


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impractical ula and Amazon are now


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working with the US Space Force to


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identify the next launch opportunity


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hoping clearer skies will allow these


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first operational Kyper satellites to


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finally reach their orbital


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destination next up a bit of a scare


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while a long way from home nasa's Juno


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spacecraft has experienced an unexpected


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hiccup during its ongoing mission to


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Jupiter the space agency reported that


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the solarp powered spacecraft entered


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safe mode not once but twice on April


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4th while conducting its 71st close


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flyby of the gas giant safe mode is


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essentially a spacecraft's


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self-preservation state when Juno


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detects an anomaly or something unusual


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it automatically switches to this


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precautionary status where it shuts down


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non-essential functions and focuses


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solely on critical tasks like


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maintaining communication with Earth and


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managing power as designed Juno's


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science instruments were powered down


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for the remainder of the flyby when it


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entered safe mode the good news is that


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mission controllers have successfully


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reestablished high- rate data


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transmission with the spacecraft which


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is now running flight software


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diagnostics the team is working to


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download all the engineering and science


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data collected before and during the


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safe mode events what's particularly


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interesting is that during both


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incidents Juno performed exactly as it


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was designed to rebooting its computer


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shutting down non-essential systems and


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pointing its antenna toward Earth to


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maintain


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communications jupiter presents arguably


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the most hostile environment in our


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solar system with radiation belts near


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the planet that would quickly fry


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unprotected electronics


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early indications suggest that Juno's


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safe mode events occurred as it flew


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through these intense radiation zones to


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shield against this extreme radiation


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Juno is equipped with a titanium vault


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that houses and protects its sensitive


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electronics this isn't the first time


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Juno has experienced such issues since


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arriving at Jupiter in July 2016 the


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spacecraft has unexpectedly entered safe


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mode four times including these recent


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events the previous incidents occurred


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in 2016 during its second orbit and


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again in 2022 during its 39th orbit in


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all cases the spacecraft recovered fully


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demonstrating the effectiveness of its


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protective systems despite this minor


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setback Juno's mission continues the


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spacecraft is scheduled for its next


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close approach to Jupiter on May 7th


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which will include a flyby of Jupiter's


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volcanic moon Io at a distance of


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approximately 55,300 m this upcoming


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encounter with Io the most volcanically


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active body in our solar system promises


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to deliver fascinating new data about


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this enigmatic Jovian moon the Juno


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mission managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion


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Laboratory continues to provide


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invaluable insights into Jupiter's


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atmosphere magnetic field and interior


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structure since its arrival at the gas


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giant nearly 8 years


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ago next on our story list today could


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Saturn's largest moon Titan harbor life


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in its hidden ocean new research from


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the International Space Science


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Institute in Burn Switzerland suggests


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it's possible but with significant


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limitations a multiddisciplinary team


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has been investigating the potential


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habitability of Titan's subsurface water


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ocean focusing specifically on whether a


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metabolism called glycine fermentation


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could support microbial life there


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unlike some metabolic processes that


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require strong oxidants glycine


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fermentation could potentially work in


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Titan's ocean environment


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the researchers used bioenergetic


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modeling the same approach previously


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applied to Saturn's moon and early Earth


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ecosystems to assess the energy


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available for potential


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microorganisms their findings suggest


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that Titan's ocean could theoretically


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support heterotrophic life forms


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organisms that consume organic material


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rather than producing their own food


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through


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photosynthesis what makes Titan


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particularly interesting is its abundant


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surface organics the moon has lakes and


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seas of liquid methane and ethane with a


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thick atmosphere rich in nitrogen and


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methane however the study found that


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only a limited fraction of these


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abundant surface organics would be


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suitable for microbial


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metabolism furthermore there's a


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transportation problem the organic


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material from Titan's surface has


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difficulty reaching the subsurface ocean


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where potential microbes might live the


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primary delivery mechanism appears to be


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through impact generated melt pools


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essentially when meteorites crash into


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Titan and create temporary melting that


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allows surface materials to mix with the


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subsurface ocean this inefficient


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transport means any potential biosphere


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in Titan's ocean would be extremely


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sparse the study estimates a total


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biomass ranging from just a few grams to


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a few kg of carbon across the entire


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moon to put that in perspective this


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would equate to fewer than one microbial


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cell per kilogram of water when diluted


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throughout Titan's enormous subsurface


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ocean these findings highlight both the


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possibility and the challenges of life


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existing in Titan's hidden ocean while


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the basic ingredients and energy sources


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for life might be present the difficulty


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in delivering nutrients to potential


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organisms creates a significant hurdle


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the research team notes that further


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studies into alternative metabolic


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pathways and potential nutrient delivery


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mechanisms are needed to fully


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understand Titan's habitability


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potential despite these limitations


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Titan remains one of the most intriguing


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places in our solar system to search for


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potential extraterrestrial life a world


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with a complex atmosphere surface lakes


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and a hidden ocean that continues to


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fascinate astrobiologists


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meanwhile a bit closer to home and the


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discoveries keep coming fascinating news


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from China's Chang 6 mission which


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recently returned the first ever samples


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collected from the far side of the moon


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analysis of these precious lunar


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materials is revealing important


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differences between the moon's familiar


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near side and its hidden far side


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differences that may help confirm how


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our moon formed scientists examining the


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Chong A6 samples have discovered that


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there's significantly less water in the


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mantle beneath the far side of the moon


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compared to the near side the samples


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from the south pole atkin basin on the


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far side contain only about 1 to 1.5


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microgram of water per gram of sample


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that's substantially lower than


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measurements from Apollo mission samples


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from the near side which show up to 200


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microgram of water per g this water


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content difference provides important


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evidence supporting the giant impact


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hypothesis the leading theory that our


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moon formed when a Mars-ized protolanet


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collided with the early Earth about 4.5


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billion years ago the impact sent a


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cascade of debris into orbit that


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eventually coalesed to form the moon we


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see today according to Professor Husen


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from the Chinese Academy of Sciences we


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believe the new result is in line with


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the giant impact hypothesis of the moon


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computer modeling of such an impact


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event predicts that the moon's mantle


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would have a dicatomic or two-part


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distribution of water exactly what we're


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now observing the water content


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difference is just one of many


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distinctions between the two lunar


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hemispheres the near side features vast


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dark plains of ancient volcanic flows


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that we can see with the naked eye


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meanwhile the far side has a much


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thicker crust with far fewer volcanic


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features different rock types and


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varying concentrations of elements like


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thorium thorium provides a useful proxy


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for water content because both remain in


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magma during melting rather than forming


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crystalline minerals the South Pole Aken


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Basin is one of the few areas on the far


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side with significant thorium as it's a


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massive impact basin where the collision


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dug deep enough to bring material from


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the mantle to the surface at 1,600 m


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across the South Pole Atkin Basin is one


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of the largest impact structures in our


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entire solar system the effects of this


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colossal collision would have profoundly


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influenced the moon's evolution


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particularly on the far side these new


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findings remind us that despite being


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our closest cosmic neighbor the moon


00:11:12.560 --> 00:11:14.949
still holds many secrets especially on


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its perpetually hidden far side as one


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scientist quipped "Despite being as dry


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as a bone the moon's far side continues


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to be one of endless


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fascination." Finally today one for all


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sky watchers in exciting astronomical


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news a recently discovered comet is


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brightening in our skies and might soon


00:11:32.880 --> 00:11:35.670
be visible to the naked eye comet Swan


00:11:35.680 --> 00:11:37.870
officially designated


00:11:37.880 --> 00:11:39.750
C2025F2 wasn't found through a


00:11:39.760 --> 00:11:41.509
traditional telescope but instead


00:11:41.519 --> 00:11:43.590
through careful analysis of images from


00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:45.829
the solar wind anosotropies camera


00:11:45.839 --> 00:11:47.269
aboard the orbiting solar and


00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:48.750
heliospheric


00:11:48.760 --> 00:11:51.269
observatory the discovery honors a great


00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:53.389
tradition of civilian contributions to


00:11:53.399 --> 00:11:56.870
astronomy on March 29th three amateur


00:11:56.880 --> 00:11:58.790
astronomers independently spotted the


00:11:58.800 --> 00:12:01.190
moving object in publicly available swan


00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:04.069
images vladimir Bzugley from Ukraine


00:12:04.079 --> 00:12:06.310
Michael Matiadzo from Australia and Rob


00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:09.030
Matson from California following naming


00:12:09.040 --> 00:12:11.190
guidelines the comet takes its name from


00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:13.350
the instrument that captured the images


00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:15.550
rather than the individuals who made the


00:12:15.560 --> 00:12:17.910
discovery word of the new comet spread


00:12:17.920 --> 00:12:19.829
quickly through the amateur astronomy


00:12:19.839 --> 00:12:22.389
community with observations pouring in


00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:24.870
shortly after currently glowing at


00:12:24.880 --> 00:12:27.430
around magnitude 8 to nine it's already


00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:29.670
visible in small telescopes despite its


00:12:29.680 --> 00:12:32.550
low altitude in the eastern pre-dawn sky


00:12:32.560 --> 00:12:34.710
observers have reported a well condensed


00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:36.790
coma approximately three arc minutes


00:12:36.800 --> 00:12:38.870
across with a slight blue green


00:12:38.880 --> 00:12:41.150
coloration from fluorescent carbon


00:12:41.160 --> 00:12:43.269
compounds the comet appears to be


00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:45.750
brightening rapidly the Central Bureau


00:12:45.760 --> 00:12:47.910
for Astronomical Telegrams now forecasts


00:12:47.920 --> 00:12:50.470
it could reach magnitude 3.6 six around


00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:53.110
perihelion on May 1st when it passes


00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:55.990
just 31 million miles from the sun that


00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:57.430
would make it potentially visible to the


00:12:57.440 --> 00:12:59.829
naked eye under dark skies though the


00:12:59.839 --> 00:13:01.269
brightness prediction comes with a


00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:02.870
caveat due to the comet's recent


00:13:02.880 --> 00:13:03.949
outburst


00:13:03.959 --> 00:13:06.550
behavior for the next couple of weeks


00:13:06.560 --> 00:13:08.629
comet Swan remains a morning object


00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:10.710
visible in the northeastern sky during


00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:13.829
dawn currently moving about 1.75 degrees


00:13:13.839 --> 00:13:15.829
per day through the great square of


00:13:15.839 --> 00:13:18.590
Pegasus before traversing Andromeda and


00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:21.350
Triangulum around April 25th it


00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:23.509
transitions to the evening sky appearing


00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:26.389
low in the northwest after sunset


00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:27.829
northern hemisphere observers are


00:13:27.839 --> 00:13:29.190
particularly well positioned to view


00:13:29.200 --> 00:13:30.870
this visitor with the best viewing


00:13:30.880 --> 00:13:33.670
window happening now through early May


00:13:33.680 --> 00:13:36.470
on May 1st it will pass just two degrees


00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:38.230
north of the beautiful Pletes star


00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:40.150
cluster creating a potentially


00:13:40.160 --> 00:13:42.110
spectacular photo


00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:44.310
opportunity southern Hemisphere sky


00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:45.910
watchers will get their turn starting


00:13:45.920 --> 00:13:48.870
around May 4th with extended viewing


00:13:48.880 --> 00:13:50.470
opportunities throughout the remainder


00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:52.949
of May if you're planning to observe the


00:13:52.959 --> 00:13:55.190
comet you'll need a location with an


00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:58.310
unobstructed northeastern horizon while


00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:00.470
binoculars or a small telescope will


00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:02.790
give the best views now if brightness


00:14:02.800 --> 00:14:05.430
predictions hold it might become a naked


00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:08.590
eye object as it approaches


00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:11.030
perihelion and that wraps up our cosmic


00:14:11.040 --> 00:14:13.670
journey for today from Amazon's efforts


00:14:13.680 --> 00:14:16.150
to spread internet access from above to


00:14:16.160 --> 00:14:17.910
the resilience of NASA's radiation


00:14:17.920 --> 00:14:19.990
hardened Juno spacecraft from the


00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:21.829
tantalizing possibility of life in


00:14:21.839 --> 00:14:23.990
Titan's hidden ocean to the lunar


00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:26.550
samples illuminating our moon's violent


00:14:26.560 --> 00:14:29.110
birth and finally to our unexpected


00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:31.990
visitor comet Swan brightening in our


00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:34.150
skies the universe continues to


00:14:34.160 --> 00:14:37.350
captivate us with its endless wonders


00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:39.030
i want to thank you for spending this


00:14:39.040 --> 00:14:41.269
time exploring the cosmos with Astronomy


00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:43.150
Daily whether you're a seasoned


00:14:43.160 --> 00:14:45.590
stargazer or just beginning to look up


00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:47.910
in wonder there's always something new


00:14:47.920 --> 00:14:49.790
to discover about our magnificent


00:14:49.800 --> 00:14:52.550
universe this is Anna your guide through


00:14:52.560 --> 00:14:55.269
the stars signing off for today if


00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:57.509
you're hungry for more space news visit


00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:00.069
our website at astronomydaily.io io


00:15:00.079 --> 00:15:01.910
where you can catch up on all the latest


00:15:01.920 --> 00:15:03.829
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00:15:03.839 --> 00:15:06.150
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00:15:06.160 --> 00:15:07.470
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00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:30.710
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00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:33.200
stories told


00:15:33.210 --> 00:15:39.570
[Music]