Cataclysmic White Dwarfs, Rapid Military Launches, and Uranus’ Time Adjustment

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Language: en

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[Music]


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welcome to Astronomy Daily I'm Anna


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bringing you the latest and most


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exciting news from across the cosmos


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Today we've got a stellar lineup of


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stories that showcase just how dynamic


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our understanding of space continues to


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be Coming up in the next 20 minutes


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we'll explore a truly rare cosmic event


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that's unfolding relatively close to


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home a pair of white dwarf stars on a


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collision course that will eventually


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create a supernova explosion brighter


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than 10 full moons This firstofits-kind


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discovery is giving astronomers


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unprecedented insight into these cosmic


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standard candles We'll also dive into


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some space policy news as SpaceX steps


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in to launch a military GPS satellite


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that had been waiting in storage due to


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delays with United Launch Alliance's


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Vulcan rocket This satellite shuffle


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reveals interesting developments in how


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the space force is adapting to ensure


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critical missions reach orbit on


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schedule Then we'll head to the


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International Space Station with the


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Soyu's MS27 mission carrying a


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fascinating crew including a NASA


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astronaut with an extraordinary


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background as both a Navy Seal and a


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Harvard educated doctor Our planetary


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exploration takes us to Uranus where new


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Hubble telescope data has revealed the


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ice giant's day is actually longer than


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we've thought for the past four decades


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Those extra 28 seconds might seem small


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but they're forcing scientists to


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recalibrate everything we know about the


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planet's coordinate system And finally


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we'll look at an ambitious proposal for


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a fleet of space telescopes working


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together to answer one of humanity's


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most profound questions How common is


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life in the universe the fascinating


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part is that even if this mission finds


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no signs of extraterrestrial life it


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could still tell us volumes about our


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cosmic neighborhood That's all ahead on


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today's episode of Astronomy Daily your


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window to the wonders beyond our world


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So let's get


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started Astronomers have just made an


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unprecedented discovery that's


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captivating the scientific community A


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pair of white dwarf stars locked in a


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deadly dance just 150 lightyear from


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Earth This extremely rare binary system


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consists of two massive white dwarfs


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that are on a collision course spiraling


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ever closer to each other in what will


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eventually result in one of the most


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spectacular explosions in the


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cosmos White dwarfs are essentially the


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dense cores left behind when stars like


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our sun die They pack roughly the mass


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of the sun into a volume about the size


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of Earth making them incredibly dense


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Finding two of these stellar remnants


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orbiting each other this closely is


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extraordinary And the implications are


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even more fascinating According to


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research published in Nature Astronomy


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these two stars are already remarkably


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close orbiting each other once roughly


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every 14 hours But this leisurely


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encircling won't last forever Over the


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next billion years gravitational wave


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radiation will cause the stars to spiral


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even closer together By the time they're


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about to go supernova they'll be


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whipping around each other every 30 to


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40 seconds What makes this discovery


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truly significant is that it's the first


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direct observation of what astronomers


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believe is the most common cause of type


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1 a


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supernovi These cosmic explosions occur


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when a white dwarf gathers too much mass


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In this case the heavier of the pair


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will likely accumulate material from its


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partner through gravity leading to one


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or both stars exploding Lead researcher


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James Monday from the University of


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Warwick was understandably excited when


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he spotted this system noting that for


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years a local and massive double white


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dwarf binary has been anticipated His


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international team quickly used some of


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the world's largest optical telescopes


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to determine exactly how compact the


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system is discovering that the two stars


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are separated by just 1/60th of the


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Earth's sun distance Type one a


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supernovi are crucial tools for


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astronomers because they serve as


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standard candles Explosions with known


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brightness that allow scientists to


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calculate the distance between Earth and


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other


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galaxies They're even used to test


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theories about the expansion of the


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universe Having a front row seat to the


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formation of such an event is


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unprecedented When these stars


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eventually merge the resulting explosion


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will be truly cataclysmic about a


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thousand trillion trillion times more


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powerful than the most powerful nuclear


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bomb ever created And while that sounds


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alarming especially considering how


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close the system is to our solar system


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we don't need to worry The team's


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calculations indicate this cosmic


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spectacle won't happen for about 23


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billion years


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Co-author Ingred Pelisi points out that


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finding such a system relatively nearby


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suggests these binary white dwarf pairs


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must be fairly common throughout the


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galaxy If they were rare astronomers


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would have needed to look much further


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away to find one She adds that this is


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just the beginning as their survey


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searching for type 1A supernova


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progenitors is ongoing with more


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exciting discoveries likely on the


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horizon This rare glimpse into the life


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cycle of stars provides a valuable piece


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in our understanding of cosmic evolution


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By watching these white dwarfs over time


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astronomers can refine their models of


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how these standard candles form and


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behave ultimately improving our ability


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to measure the vast distances of space


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and understand the fundamental nature of


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our expanding universe


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Next today in a significant shift for


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the US military's launch plans Space


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Systems Command announced Monday that


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SpaceX will now deploy a global


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positioning system satellite originally


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scheduled to fly on United Launch


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Alliance's Vulcan rocket This is no


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small matter It represents the second


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time in just 6 months that the Space


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Force has had to reassign a military


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satellite to SpaceX due to continued


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delays with ULA's new Vulcan launch


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vehicle The satellite in question


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designated GPS


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3SV08 is the eighth in a series of 10


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advanced navigation satellites that


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provide critical positioning and timing


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signals for both military and civilian


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users worldwide It had been sitting in


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storage at Loheed Martin's factory in


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Colorado essentially ready to go but


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waiting for its ride to space Thanks to


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this launch vehicle trade as the Space


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Force calls it the GPS satellite could


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reach orbit as early as the end of May A


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dramatic acceleration compared to its


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uncertain timeline with ULA What makes


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this particularly remarkable is how


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quickly the military can pivot when


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necessary Colonel Jim Horn senior


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material leader of launch execution


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pointed out that this showcases the


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Space Force's ability to complete high


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priority launches with just 3 months of


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preparation compared to the typical


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planning cycle of 2 years This rapid


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response capability isn't just a


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convenience it's increasingly viewed as


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a strategic necessity Frank Calvelli the


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Pentagon's chief of space acquisition


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had previously expressed significant


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concerns about ULA's manufacturing


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capabilities writing in a letter to


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ULA's owners Boeing and Loheed Martin


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that currently there is military


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satellite capability sitting on the


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ground due to Vulcan delays The Vulcan


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rocket which ULA hopes will eventually


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launch twice monthly has only flown on


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two demonstration missions so far While


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the Space Force did certify the rocket


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for military launches last month ULA


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faces the daunting task of working


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through its massive backlog of 89


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missions a number that grew even larger


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after the Space Force awarded the


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company 19 additional launches just last


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week This isn't the first time the


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military has had to pull this kind of


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maneuver Last year teams from the Space


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Force Spac X and Loheed Martin


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successfully executed what they called a


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rapid response trailblazer mission


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preparing a GPS satellite for launch on


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a Falcon 9 in less than 5 months rather


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than waiting for its ULA slot That


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mission launched successfully in


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December To maintain balance in its


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launch portfolio the Space Force is


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making adjustments across its manifest


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They'll be moving a future GPS payload


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from SpaceX's Falcon Heavy back to ULA's


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Vulcan ensuring that the next three GPS


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satellites after this one will still fly


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on Vulcan once the rocket is ready A


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similar compensation occurred after last


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year's reassignment These advanced GPS3


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satellites represent a significant


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upgrade to the navigation constellation


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They broadcast more accurate signals


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that are harder for adversaries to jam


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and they include a new channel


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compatible with Europe's Galileo


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navigation network This allows users to


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merge signals from both constellations


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to achieve even better position


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estimates A capability that both


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military strategists and civilian


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applications are eager to utilize With


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two more completed GPS3 satellites


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already in storage and waiting for


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launch plus an upgraded GPS 3F design


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set to begin launching in 2027 the


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pressure to get these capabilities into


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orbit remains high This satellite swap


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demonstrates not just the space force's


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flexibility but the growing importance


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of having redundant launch options to


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ensure national security assets can


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reach space when


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needed The fourth crude space launch of


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2025 is now in the history books as


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Soyu's MS-27 successfully lifted off


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from the Biconer Cosmo in Kazakhstan The


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launch occurred right on schedule at


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5:47 UTC on Tuesday April 8th carrying


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three crew members bound for the


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International Space Station Leading the


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mission is veteran cosminaut Sergey


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Rajikov who's no stranger to space


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travel This marks his third journey


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beyond Earth's atmosphere following


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previous missions in 2016 and 2020


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During his second flight Riakov even


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served as the commander of the


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International Space Station during


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Expedition 64 gaining valuable


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leadership experience that will serve


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him well on this new mission Joining


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Riakov are two firsttime space travelers


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Russian cosminaut Alexi Zubritzky a


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senior lieutenant in the Russian Air


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Force is serving as one of the flight


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engineers Born in Ukraine's Zaparia


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region in 1992 Zubritzky was selected


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for the cosminot program in 2018 after


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graduating from the Ivan Kojaub National


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University of the Air Force The second


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flight engineer position is filled by


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NASA astronaut Johnny Kim whose


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background reads like an action movie


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script Before becoming an astronaut Kim


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served as a Navy Seal seeing combat in


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the Middle East where he earned a silver


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star Not content with just military


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achievements he went on to earn a


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mathematics degree sumakum laad and a


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medical degree from Harvard becoming


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both a physician and a naval aviator


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before NASA selected him in


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2017 The Soyuse spacecraft reached the


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station in just over 3 hours docking to


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the PCL module on the Russian segment at


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903 UTC This precise orbital ballet


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demonstrates the reliability of the


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Soyuse program which continues to serve


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as a crucial transportation system for


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the international space community With


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the arrival of Soyuse MS-27 the space


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station is temporarily home to 10


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astronauts and cosminauts The new


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arrivals will join the existing crew 10


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and Soyu's MS26 teams already aboard


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This larger crew will work together


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during a handover period until Soyuse


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MS26 undocks on April 20th marking the


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end of Expedition 72 and the beginning


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of Expedition 73 Unlike typical Soyuse


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missions which last about 6 months this


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crew is scheduled for an extended stay


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of approximately 8 months They won't


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return to Earth until December 8th


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giving them ample time to conduct


00:11:36.640 --> 00:11:38.470
experiments and perform essential


00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:40.870
maintenance on the orbital outpost Among


00:11:40.880 --> 00:11:42.949
their potential tasks is at least one


00:11:42.959 --> 00:11:45.110
spacew walk planned for the US segment


00:11:45.120 --> 00:11:48.069
of the station Johnny Kim with his


00:11:48.079 --> 00:11:51.110
extensive training in EVA operations is


00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:53.110
expected to participate in this critical


00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:55.949
work outside the protective shell of the


00:11:55.959 --> 00:11:59.590
ISS The Soyuse MS27 mission represents


00:11:59.600 --> 00:12:01.190
the continuity of international


00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:03.350
cooperation in space despite


00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:05.829
geopolitical tensions on Earth It's also


00:12:05.839 --> 00:12:08.550
the second Soyuse rocket launch of 2025


00:12:08.560 --> 00:12:10.310
and the first of two planned crude


00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:12.310
flights from Biconor this year The


00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:14.069
backup crew for this mission already


00:12:14.079 --> 00:12:17.350
named as the prime crew for Soyuse MS28


00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:19.350
is scheduled to launch no earlier than


00:12:19.360 --> 00:12:22.470
November 27th As these three explorers


00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:23.829
settle into their home for the next


00:12:23.839 --> 00:12:25.910
eight months they become part of the


00:12:25.920 --> 00:12:27.750
ongoing human presence in low Earth


00:12:27.760 --> 00:12:29.030
orbit that has now continued


00:12:29.040 --> 00:12:31.350
uninterrupted for over two decades


00:12:31.360 --> 00:12:33.269
furthering our understanding of living


00:12:33.279 --> 00:12:34.949
and working in the challenging


00:12:34.959 --> 00:12:36.430
environment of


00:12:36.440 --> 00:12:39.629
space Up next new findings means new


00:12:39.639 --> 00:12:41.829
adjustments Time to adjust our calendars


00:12:41.839 --> 00:12:44.470
for Uranus The ice giant just got a


00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:47.670
longer day Recent analysis of decadel


00:12:47.680 --> 00:12:49.430
long observations from the Hubble Space


00:12:49.440 --> 00:12:51.750
Telescope has revealed that Uranus takes


00:12:51.760 --> 00:12:55.829
17 hours 14 minutes and 52 seconds to


00:12:55.839 --> 00:12:58.629
complete a full rotation on its axis


00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:01.190
This new measurement adds 28 seconds to


00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:02.949
the previous estimate established by


00:13:02.959 --> 00:13:06.590
NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft back in


00:13:06.600 --> 00:13:09.750
1986 The original rotation period of 17


00:13:09.760 --> 00:13:12.150
hours 14 minutes and 24 seconds was


00:13:12.160 --> 00:13:14.310
determined during Voyager 2's historic


00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:16.710
flyby the first and so far only


00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:19.430
spacecraft visit to the distant planet


00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:21.350
Scientists based that figure on radio


00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:23.990
signals from Uranus's auroras and direct


00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:26.389
measurements of its magnetic field This


00:13:26.399 --> 00:13:28.230
value became the foundation for all


00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:30.150
coordinate systems and surface mapping


00:13:30.160 --> 00:13:33.190
of the pale turquoise world However this


00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:35.030
new research suggests astronomers may


00:13:35.040 --> 00:13:37.190
need to reconsider some of those maps


00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:39.110
The Voyager 2 estimate contained


00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:40.949
inherent uncertainties that led to


00:13:40.959 --> 00:13:43.350
significant problems Within just a


00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:45.190
couple of years after the spacecraft's


00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:47.269
brief encounter the orientation of


00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:49.750
Uranus's magnetic axis became completely


00:13:49.760 --> 00:13:52.870
lost resulting in a 180° error in the


00:13:52.880 --> 00:13:55.509
planet's longitude Coordinate systems


00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:57.750
based on that outdated rotation period


00:13:57.760 --> 00:13:59.990
quickly became unreliable


00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:02.550
To resolve this astronomical dilemma a


00:14:02.560 --> 00:14:04.949
team led by Lauron Lami from the Paris


00:14:04.959 --> 00:14:07.030
Observatory undertook the painstaking


00:14:07.040 --> 00:14:10.069
task of tracking Uranus's auroras using


00:14:10.079 --> 00:14:13.150
Hubble data collected between 2011 and


00:14:13.160 --> 00:14:15.750
2022 By monitoring these luminous


00:14:15.760 --> 00:14:17.590
atmospheric displays over more than a


00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:19.990
decade the researchers pinpointed the


00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:21.509
planet's magnetic poles with


00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:24.389
unprecedented accuracy enabling them to


00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:27.670
calculate a more precise rotation period


00:14:27.680 --> 00:14:29.750
The continuous observations from Hubble


00:14:29.760 --> 00:14:32.150
were crucial Lamey noted Without this


00:14:32.160 --> 00:14:33.670
wealth of data it would have been


00:14:33.680 --> 00:14:36.069
impossible to detect the periodic signal


00:14:36.079 --> 00:14:39.189
with the level of accuracy we achieved


00:14:39.199 --> 00:14:41.269
This methodical approach offers benefits


00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:44.310
beyond just updating a planetary factoid


00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:46.230
The technique can now be applied to


00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:48.470
determine rotation rates for any


00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:50.590
celestial body with a magnetic field and


00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:53.030
auroras not only within our solar system


00:14:53.040 --> 00:14:55.189
but potentially for exoplanets and other


00:14:55.199 --> 00:14:57.269
distant worlds as well


00:14:57.279 --> 00:14:59.350
The updated rotation period provides


00:14:59.360 --> 00:15:01.350
astronomers with a much more reliable


00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:03.670
coordinate system for Uranus one


00:15:03.680 --> 00:15:05.670
expected to remain accurate for decades


00:15:05.680 --> 00:15:07.590
until future missions can gather even


00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:10.069
more precise data This improvement could


00:15:10.079 --> 00:15:11.750
prove invaluable for planning those


00:15:11.760 --> 00:15:13.829
future expeditions to Uranus


00:15:13.839 --> 00:15:15.750
particularly in designing orbital tours


00:15:15.760 --> 00:15:17.829
and selecting suitable atmospheric entry


00:15:17.839 --> 00:15:20.870
sites for probes While 28 seconds might


00:15:20.880 --> 00:15:22.470
seem like a minor adjustment in


00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:24.790
astronomical terms this level of


00:15:24.800 --> 00:15:26.470
precision represents a significant


00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:28.310
refinement in our understanding of the


00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:31.269
seventh planet from the sun The findings


00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:32.550
published in the journal Nature


00:15:32.560 --> 00:15:35.189
Astronomy earlier this month demonstrate


00:15:35.199 --> 00:15:36.949
how continued observations from


00:15:36.959 --> 00:15:38.470
Earth-based instruments can still


00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:40.150
enhance our knowledge of even the most


00:15:40.160 --> 00:15:43.189
distant planets in our solar system


00:15:43.199 --> 00:15:45.509
Finally today in our search for life


00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:47.670
beyond Earth scientists are developing


00:15:47.680 --> 00:15:49.509
increasingly sophisticated tools to


00:15:49.519 --> 00:15:51.310
answer one of humanity's most profound


00:15:51.320 --> 00:15:54.550
questions Are we alone a groundbreaking


00:15:54.560 --> 00:15:56.710
mission concept called life the large


00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:58.870
interpherometer for exoplanets aims to


00:15:58.880 --> 00:16:01.069
tackle this question with unprecedented


00:16:01.079 --> 00:16:03.829
clarity Life proposes deploying a fleet


00:16:03.839 --> 00:16:05.910
of four space telescopes working in


00:16:05.920 --> 00:16:08.230
perfect coordination around a central


00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:10.870
combiner spacecraft These telescopes


00:16:10.880 --> 00:16:13.509
would fly in formation tens to hundreds


00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:16.069
of meters apart collectively functioning


00:16:16.079 --> 00:16:18.629
as a powerful intererometer that


00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:20.310
combines their light detections to


00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:23.509
achieve what no single telescope could


00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:25.069
What makes life particularly


00:16:25.079 --> 00:16:27.350
revolutionary is its planned use of


00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:29.829
nulling interferometry a clever


00:16:29.839 --> 00:16:31.189
technique that cancels out the


00:16:31.199 --> 00:16:33.350
overwhelming glare from stars by


00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:35.990
combining their light out of phase This


00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:38.509
creates what scientists call destructive


00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:40.629
interference effectively dimming the


00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:42.310
stars brilliance while preserving the


00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:45.110
faint light from any orbiting planets


00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:47.670
Rather than producing direct images life


00:16:47.680 --> 00:16:49.269
would observe in the mid infrared


00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:50.949
spectrum allowing it to


00:16:50.959 --> 00:16:52.949
spectroscopically analyze the light from


00:16:52.959 --> 00:16:55.189
exoplanets and reveal the molecular


00:16:55.199 --> 00:16:57.670
composition of their atmospheres The


00:16:57.680 --> 00:16:58.949
mission would target dozens of


00:16:58.959 --> 00:17:00.550
Earth-sized planets residing in the


00:17:00.560 --> 00:17:02.949
habitable zones of their stars searching


00:17:02.959 --> 00:17:05.909
for telltale bio signatures atmospheric


00:17:05.919 --> 00:17:07.590
gases that could indicate the presence


00:17:07.600 --> 00:17:10.470
of life These bios signatures include


00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:12.470
the obvious candidates like oxygen and


00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:14.789
water vapor but also compounds such as


00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:18.470
ozone methane nitrous oxide dimethyl


00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:21.669
sulfide and phosphine The detection of


00:17:21.679 --> 00:17:23.510
certain combinations of these molecules


00:17:23.520 --> 00:17:25.350
could provide compelling evidence for


00:17:25.360 --> 00:17:28.710
biological activity Currently life


00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:30.470
remains a concept spearheaded by


00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:33.350
researchers at ETHZurich in Switzerland


00:17:33.360 --> 00:17:35.190
It hasn't yet been adopted by a space


00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:37.590
agency but its scientific potential is


00:17:37.600 --> 00:17:39.230
already being carefully


00:17:39.240 --> 00:17:41.750
assessed A fascinating aspect of the


00:17:41.760 --> 00:17:43.830
life mission is that it could deliver


00:17:43.840 --> 00:17:46.390
profound insights even if it fails to


00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:49.430
detect any bio signatures at all Using


00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:51.669
sophisticated statistical models


00:17:51.679 --> 00:17:53.510
researchers have determined that life


00:17:53.520 --> 00:17:56.110
would need to examine only 40 to 80


00:17:56.120 --> 00:17:58.549
exoplanets without finding any signs of


00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:00.470
life to conclude with confidence that


00:18:00.480 --> 00:18:02.870
fewer than 10 to 20% of similar planets


00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:06.310
in the universe harbor life A simple


00:18:06.320 --> 00:18:07.830
positive detection would change


00:18:07.840 --> 00:18:09.909
everything notes astronomer Daniel


00:18:09.919 --> 00:18:12.549
Angerhousen of ETHZurich


00:18:12.559 --> 00:18:14.789
But even if we don't detect life we'll


00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:17.190
quantify how rare or common planets with


00:18:17.200 --> 00:18:19.789
detectable bio signatures really might


00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:23.029
be The team employed both bizian and


00:18:23.039 --> 00:18:25.350
frequentist statistical approaches to


00:18:25.360 --> 00:18:27.590
reach this conclusion ensuring their


00:18:27.600 --> 00:18:29.830
findings are robust across different


00:18:29.840 --> 00:18:31.070
mathematical


00:18:31.080 --> 00:18:34.070
frameworks As the sample size increases


00:18:34.080 --> 00:18:36.549
if no bio signatures are detected


00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:38.230
scientists could place increasingly


00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:40.310
stringent limits on the prevalence of


00:18:40.320 --> 00:18:43.270
life in our galaxy Of course the


00:18:43.280 --> 00:18:44.990
researchers acknowledge certain


00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:47.510
challenges Some bio signatures might be


00:18:47.520 --> 00:18:50.470
missed due to detection limitations or


00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:52.549
planets might be mistakenly included in


00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:54.750
the potentially habitable


00:18:54.760 --> 00:18:56.950
category It's not just about how many


00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:59.669
planets we observe Angerhousen explains


00:18:59.679 --> 00:19:01.750
"It's about asking the right questions


00:19:01.760 --> 00:19:04.150
and how confident we can be in seeing or


00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:06.789
not seeing what we're searching for


00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:08.870
Whether life ultimately finds inhabited


00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:11.110
worlds or determines they're exceedingly


00:19:11.120 --> 00:19:13.430
rare the mission would fundamentally


00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:15.190
transform our understanding of life's


00:19:15.200 --> 00:19:18.310
place in the cosmos In either scenario


00:19:18.320 --> 00:19:20.230
humanity would gain unprecedented


00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:22.870
insight into our cosmic significance


00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:24.950
either as one among many living worlds


00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:26.950
or as something far more unique than we


00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:28.830
previously


00:19:28.840 --> 00:19:31.190
imagined Well that's all for today's


00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:33.590
cosmic journey What an incredible set of


00:19:33.600 --> 00:19:35.590
discoveries we've explored together From


00:19:35.600 --> 00:19:37.909
those doomed white dwarf stars destined


00:19:37.919 --> 00:19:40.070
for a spectacular collision billions of


00:19:40.080 --> 00:19:42.310
years from now to the space force's


00:19:42.320 --> 00:19:44.630
agile satellite launch maneuvers to the


00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:46.870
successful Soyuse mission carrying


00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:48.909
international crew members to the


00:19:48.919 --> 00:19:51.830
ISS We've also learned that Uranus turns


00:19:51.840 --> 00:19:54.390
a bit more slowly than we thought Those


00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:56.710
extra 28 seconds might seem trivial to


00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:59.190
us but they represent a significant


00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:01.029
refinement in our understanding of the


00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:03.510
ice giant and the proposed life


00:20:03.520 --> 00:20:05.750
telescope array could finally help us


00:20:05.760 --> 00:20:07.510
determine whether habitable worlds are


00:20:07.520 --> 00:20:10.070
cosmic rarities or scattered abundantly


00:20:10.080 --> 00:20:12.630
throughout our galaxy What links all


00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:14.549
these stories is humanity's relentless


00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:17.270
curiosity about the universe we inhabit


00:20:17.280 --> 00:20:19.430
Each discovery each mission each new


00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:20.789
measurement brings us closer to


00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:22.549
understanding our cosmic neighborhood


00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:25.830
and our place within it I'm Anna and


00:20:25.840 --> 00:20:27.430
I've been delighted to share these


00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:29.190
fascinating space developments with you


00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:31.750
on Astronomy Daily If you're hungry for


00:20:31.760 --> 00:20:33.590
more space news remember to visit our


00:20:33.600 --> 00:20:35.070
website at


00:20:35.080 --> 00:20:37.270
astronomydaily.io where our news feed is


00:20:37.280 --> 00:20:39.110
constantly updating with the latest


00:20:39.120 --> 00:20:40.789
discoveries and developments from across


00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:43.110
the cosmos You'll also find all our


00:20:43.120 --> 00:20:44.950
previous episodes there if you'd like to


00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:47.590
catch up on anything you've missed And


00:20:47.600 --> 00:20:49.110
don't forget to join our community on


00:20:49.120 --> 00:20:51.350
social media You can find Astro Daily


00:20:51.360 --> 00:20:54.549
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00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:57.110
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00:20:57.120 --> 00:20:59.350
updates behind the scenes content and


00:20:59.360 --> 00:21:01.549
join the conversation about our amazing


00:21:01.559 --> 00:21:04.630
universe Until next time keep looking up


00:21:04.640 --> 00:21:05.990
There's always something incredible


00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:07.750
happening in the cosmos and we'll be


00:21:07.760 --> 00:21:09.990
here to tell you all about it Thanks for


00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:17.370
listening to Astronomy Daily


00:21:17.380 --> 00:21:32.819
[Music]