China’s Rocket Innovations, Martian Secrets Unveiled, and Cosmic Light Displays

WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en

00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:01.990
Hello and welcome to Astronomy Daily,


00:00:02.000 --> 00:00:03.510
your daily dose of everything happening


00:00:03.520 --> 00:00:06.309
in the cosmos. I'm your host, Anna, and


00:00:06.319 --> 00:00:07.670
I'm thrilled to bring you today's


00:00:07.680 --> 00:00:09.589
roundup of the most fascinating


00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:12.070
developments in space and astronomy.


00:00:12.080 --> 00:00:13.830
We've got an action-packed episode for


00:00:13.840 --> 00:00:16.150
you today. We'll explore China's latest


00:00:16.160 --> 00:00:18.870
achievements with their methane powered


00:00:18.880 --> 00:00:20.790
rocket launch and their upcoming


00:00:20.800 --> 00:00:23.269
asteroid sample return mission. Then


00:00:23.279 --> 00:00:24.950
we'll dive into some intriguing Mars


00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:27.349
mysteries as scientists may have finally


00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:29.429
solved the puzzle of those strange dark


00:00:29.439 --> 00:00:32.470
streaks on the Martian surface. Plus,


00:00:32.480 --> 00:00:34.229
we'll uncover the truth behind that


00:00:34.239 --> 00:00:35.830
mysterious light streak that appeared


00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:38.069
over US skies during a recent aurora


00:00:38.079 --> 00:00:40.630
storm. Get updates on SpaceX's busy


00:00:40.640 --> 00:00:42.950
Starlink launch schedule, and check in


00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:45.030
with NASA's Perseverance rover as it


00:00:45.040 --> 00:00:47.350
explores an ancient region on Mars that


00:00:47.360 --> 00:00:49.270
could hold clues to the planet's watery


00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:50.630
past.


00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:52.150
So stick around as we journey through


00:00:52.160 --> 00:00:54.150
today's most exciting space news right


00:00:54.160 --> 00:00:57.029
here on Astronomy Daily. China has made


00:00:57.039 --> 00:00:58.630
significant strides in the commercial


00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:00.910
space race with Beijing based land space


00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:03.270
technology, successfully launching their


00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:07.190
Juk 2e Y2 carrier rocket last Saturday.


00:01:07.200 --> 00:01:09.190
The rocket blasted off from the Jukuan


00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:10.870
satellite launch center in northwest


00:01:10.880 --> 00:01:13.670
China at 12:12 p.m. local time, marking


00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:16.870
the fifth flight for the Jukay 2 series.


00:01:16.880 --> 00:01:18.550
What makes this launch particularly


00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:20.630
noteworthy is that Landspace is doubling


00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:23.270
down on methane as a rocket fuel. In


00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:25.550
fact, the company made history in July


00:01:25.560 --> 00:01:28.390
2023 when it became the world's first to


00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:30.469
successfully launch a methane liquid


00:01:30.479 --> 00:01:32.870
oxygen rocket, beating out major


00:01:32.880 --> 00:01:35.910
competitors like Elon Musk's SpaceX and


00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:37.630
Jeff Bezos's Blue


00:01:37.640 --> 00:01:40.390
Origin. Methane is gaining popularity in


00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:42.710
the aerospace industry for good reason.


00:01:42.720 --> 00:01:44.390
It's considered less polluting than


00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:46.389
traditional rocket fuels. offers


00:01:46.399 --> 00:01:48.630
enhanced safety and comes with a lower


00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:51.429
price tag. These advantages make methane


00:01:51.439 --> 00:01:53.510
particularly well suited as a propellant


00:01:53.520 --> 00:01:55.830
for reusable rockets, which is exactly


00:01:55.840 --> 00:01:58.310
what Landspace is working toward.


00:01:58.320 --> 00:02:00.389
Saturday's launch successfully deployed


00:02:00.399 --> 00:02:02.469
six satellites into orbit, showing


00:02:02.479 --> 00:02:04.789
progress from their previous launches.


00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:06.709
Their first successful methane powered


00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:09.190
launch didn't carry any real satellites,


00:02:09.200 --> 00:02:11.150
while their second launch in December


00:02:11.160 --> 00:02:13.830
2023 managed to place three satellites


00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:16.309
into orbit. This latest mission carried


00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:19.110
payloads developed by Chinese firm Spac,


00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:20.790
including a radar satellite, two


00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:22.550
multisspectral satellites, and three


00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:24.430
satellites for scientific


00:02:24.440 --> 00:02:26.710
experiments. This launch included some


00:02:26.720 --> 00:02:28.309
technical improvements that will support


00:02:28.319 --> 00:02:30.790
Landspace's reusability goals. The


00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:32.390
company implemented a new propulsion


00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:33.910
method that involved chilling both


00:02:33.920 --> 00:02:35.910
liquid oxygen and methane below their


00:02:35.920 --> 00:02:38.150
boiling points to boost thrust.


00:02:38.160 --> 00:02:41.190
Landspace founder and CEO Jang Chong Wu


00:02:41.200 --> 00:02:42.869
has indicated that the company is


00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:44.790
actively developing reusable rockets


00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:46.550
with test launches expected in the


00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:47.790
second half of


00:02:47.800 --> 00:02:50.309
2025. The race to develop reusable


00:02:50.319 --> 00:02:52.550
rockets has intensified since SpaceX


00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:54.390
demonstrated how they can dramatically


00:02:54.400 --> 00:02:56.470
lower costs for launch vehicles and


00:02:56.480 --> 00:02:58.869
space transportation. Chinese commercial


00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:00.470
space companies have been particularly


00:03:00.480 --> 00:03:03.350
active since 2014 when the government


00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:04.869
opened the industry to private


00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:07.270
investment with land space being one of


00:03:07.280 --> 00:03:09.350
the earliest and best funded entrance in


00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:10.190
the


00:03:10.200 --> 00:03:13.270
field. In more news from China today,


00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:15.190
China is ramping up its ambitious space


00:03:15.200 --> 00:03:16.790
exploration program with the upcoming


00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:19.430
launch of the Tianwin 2 asteroid probe


00:03:19.440 --> 00:03:20.869
scheduled for late May from the


00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:23.270
Chi-Chong Satellite Launch Center. After


00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:25.110
being transported to the launch area on


00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:27.589
May 14th, the spacecraft is currently


00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:29.670
undergoing final inspections before its


00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:32.070
historic journey begins. This mission


00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:34.390
represents China's first attempt to


00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:36.229
collect samples from interplanetary


00:03:36.239 --> 00:03:38.630
space, marking another significant


00:03:38.640 --> 00:03:40.550
milestone in the country's rapidly


00:03:40.560 --> 00:03:42.789
advancing space program. The primary


00:03:42.799 --> 00:03:47.190
target is asteroid 2016 HO3, a small 100


00:03:47.200 --> 00:03:48.869
meter asteroid that follows a unique


00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:51.030
orbit around Earth as what scientists


00:03:51.040 --> 00:03:53.589
call a quasi satellite. While it doesn't


00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:55.990
orbit Earth directly like our moon, it


00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:58.149
follows a path around the sun that keeps


00:03:58.159 --> 00:04:00.350
it as a constant companion to our


00:04:00.360 --> 00:04:02.949
planet. Once Chen 2 reaches its


00:04:02.959 --> 00:04:05.350
destination, it will deploy a mechanical


00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:07.429
arm to scoop up dust samples from the


00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:09.509
asteroid surface. But the mission


00:04:09.519 --> 00:04:11.910
doesn't end there. The spacecraft will


00:04:11.920 --> 00:04:15.270
also explore comet 311P, providing an


00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:17.590
unprecedented opportunity to study two


00:04:17.600 --> 00:04:19.430
distinct celestial bodies during a


00:04:19.440 --> 00:04:21.990
single mission. This sample return


00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:23.909
mission follows in the footsteps of


00:04:23.919 --> 00:04:25.909
similar successful ventures by other


00:04:25.919 --> 00:04:28.230
space fairing nations, including the


00:04:28.240 --> 00:04:30.230
United States and Japan, who have


00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:32.950
previously landed on asteroids. However,


00:04:32.960 --> 00:04:34.710
this represents China's first venture


00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:36.870
into asteroid exploration and sample


00:04:36.880 --> 00:04:39.350
collection. The Tienwin 2 mission comes


00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:41.110
on the heels of China's impressive


00:04:41.120 --> 00:04:42.790
achievement earlier this year with the


00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:45.270
Changi 6 lunar probe, which made history


00:04:45.280 --> 00:04:46.950
as the first mission to bring back


00:04:46.960 --> 00:04:49.670
samples from the moon's far side. This


00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:51.909
consistent progress demonstrates China's


00:04:51.919 --> 00:04:54.070
growing capabilities and determination


00:04:54.080 --> 00:04:56.150
to establish itself as a leading space


00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:59.270
power. Looking ahead, China has already


00:04:59.280 --> 00:05:02.070
announced plans for Chen 3, an even more


00:05:02.080 --> 00:05:03.990
ambitious mission scheduled for around


00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:06.830
2028 that aims to return samples from


00:05:06.840 --> 00:05:09.189
Mars. These missions reflect the


00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:11.350
intensifying space race between China


00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:13.670
and the United States as both nations


00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:16.150
accelerate their exploration plans with


00:05:16.160 --> 00:05:19.110
increasingly sophisticated missions. The


00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:21.029
upcoming Tienwen 2 launch will be


00:05:21.039 --> 00:05:22.710
closely watched by the international


00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:25.270
scientific community as the samples it


00:05:25.280 --> 00:05:27.749
returns could provide valuable insights


00:05:27.759 --> 00:05:30.150
into the composition of asteroids and


00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:32.469
the early solar system, potentially


00:05:32.479 --> 00:05:34.710
offering clues about the origins of life


00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:37.590
on Earth. Next, let's take a look at the


00:05:37.600 --> 00:05:39.510
first of two stories we have today from


00:05:39.520 --> 00:05:41.909
the red planet. Dark streaks that


00:05:41.919 --> 00:05:44.310
mysteriously appear on Martian slopes


00:05:44.320 --> 00:05:46.870
have puzzled planetary scientists since


00:05:46.880 --> 00:05:48.830
they were first observed in the late


00:05:48.840 --> 00:05:51.590
1970s. These features, known as slope


00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.830
streaks, are typically darker than their


00:05:53.840 --> 00:05:56.230
surroundings and can extend for hundreds


00:05:56.240 --> 00:06:00.230
of meters down steep terrain. In 2011,


00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:02.150
researchers discovered similar but


00:06:02.160 --> 00:06:03.909
shorter lived features called recurrent


00:06:03.919 --> 00:06:06.710
slope linei or RSL, triggering an


00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:09.270
intense debate about their origins. For


00:06:09.280 --> 00:06:11.590
decades, scientists have been divided on


00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:13.029
whether these streaks are evidence of


00:06:13.039 --> 00:06:15.590
something extraordinary, liquid water


00:06:15.600 --> 00:06:17.510
flowing on the Martian surface, or


00:06:17.520 --> 00:06:19.749
merely the result of dry processes like


00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:22.629
dust movements. A new study published in


00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:25.029
Nature Communications may have finally


00:06:25.039 --> 00:06:27.990
resolved this long-standing mystery. A


00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:29.590
big focus of Mars research is


00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:31.670
understanding modern-day processes on


00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:33.990
Mars, including the possibility of


00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:36.629
liquid water on the surface, explains


00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:39.270
Adamus Valentine from Brown University,


00:06:39.280 --> 00:06:41.909
who co-authored the research. The water


00:06:41.919 --> 00:06:43.990
hypothesis suggested that small amounts


00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:47.029
from buried ice, subsurface aquifers, or


00:06:47.039 --> 00:06:49.830
unusually humid air could mix with salt


00:06:49.840 --> 00:06:51.830
to create briney flows capable of


00:06:51.840 --> 00:06:53.990
persisting even in Mars' freezing


00:06:54.000 --> 00:06:55.510
conditions.


00:06:55.520 --> 00:06:57.830
To settle the debate, Valentine's and


00:06:57.840 --> 00:06:59.909
his colleague Dr. Valentine Bickl from


00:06:59.919 --> 00:07:02.230
the University of Burn used machine


00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:04.309
learning to create the first global


00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:07.029
catalog of these features. After


00:07:07.039 --> 00:07:09.029
training their algorithm on confirmed


00:07:09.039 --> 00:07:11.350
slope streak sightings, they analyzed


00:07:11.360 --> 00:07:13.909
over 86,000 highresolution satellite


00:07:13.919 --> 00:07:16.950
images, identifying 500,000 individual


00:07:16.960 --> 00:07:19.589
slope streaks. Once we had this global


00:07:19.599 --> 00:07:22.150
map, we could compare it to databases of


00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:25.029
temperature, wind speed, hydration,


00:07:25.039 --> 00:07:27.270
rocklide activity, and other factors,


00:07:27.280 --> 00:07:29.909
says Bickl. Then we could look for


00:07:29.919 --> 00:07:31.830
correlations over hundreds of thousands


00:07:31.840 --> 00:07:34.189
of cases. Their findings were


00:07:34.199 --> 00:07:36.469
conclusive. These features appear more


00:07:36.479 --> 00:07:38.390
frequently in areas with above average


00:07:38.400 --> 00:07:40.950
wind speed and dust deposition, factors


00:07:40.960 --> 00:07:43.510
that strongly suggest a dry origin


00:07:43.520 --> 00:07:45.909
rather than liquid water.


00:07:45.919 --> 00:07:47.430
Neither type of streak shows


00:07:47.440 --> 00:07:49.270
associations with factors you'd expect


00:07:49.280 --> 00:07:51.909
if water were involved, such as specific


00:07:51.919 --> 00:07:54.150
slope orientations, high humidity, or


00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:55.309
temperature


00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:57.430
fluctuations. The researchers concluded


00:07:57.440 --> 00:07:59.670
that slope streaks most likely form when


00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:01.670
layers of fine dust suddenly slide off


00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:04.150
steep slopes, while RSLs are more


00:08:04.160 --> 00:08:06.070
commonly found in places with frequent


00:08:06.080 --> 00:08:08.710
rock falls and dust devils, those mini


00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:10.790
whirlwinds of dust and grit that dance


00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:13.430
across the Martian surface. Our findings


00:08:13.440 --> 00:08:15.830
suggest that Martian slopes currently do


00:08:15.840 --> 00:08:18.469
not experience seasonal transient flows


00:08:18.479 --> 00:08:21.189
of liquid water or brines underscoring


00:08:21.199 --> 00:08:24.150
the dry desert-like nature of Mars. The


00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:26.390
authors write, "This conclusion has


00:08:26.400 --> 00:08:28.469
important implications for future Mars


00:08:28.479 --> 00:08:31.029
missions as it suggests these areas are


00:08:31.039 --> 00:08:33.350
unlikely to be habitable environments,


00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:35.430
potentially easing planetary protection


00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:36.949
constraints for landed missions


00:08:36.959 --> 00:08:39.909
targeting these regions."


00:08:39.919 --> 00:08:42.550
Meanwhile, a mystery back here on Earth.


00:08:42.560 --> 00:08:45.030
On the night of Saturday, May 17th, sky


00:08:45.040 --> 00:08:46.630
watchers across the United States were


00:08:46.640 --> 00:08:49.110
treated to an unexpected light show. A


00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:50.470
brilliant stream of whitish light


00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:52.710
stretched across the night sky, visible


00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:55.350
as far south as New Mexico. With a major


00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:57.509
auroral display already underway due to


00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:59.350
solar particles hitting Earth's magnetic


00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:01.670
field, many observers initially thought


00:09:01.680 --> 00:09:03.910
they were witnessing Steve. That's the


00:09:03.920 --> 00:09:05.870
strong thermal emission velocity


00:09:05.880 --> 00:09:08.470
enhancement, a rare aurora adjacent


00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:10.310
phenomenon that creates white mauve


00:09:10.320 --> 00:09:12.550
streaks in the ionosphere. But this


00:09:12.560 --> 00:09:14.630
wasn't Steve at all. Astronomer Jonathan


00:09:14.640 --> 00:09:16.870
McDow, who specializes in tracking


00:09:16.880 --> 00:09:18.870
activity in Earth orbit, quickly


00:09:18.880 --> 00:09:21.190
identified the true source, a fuel dump


00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:23.350
from the upper stage of China's Zuk 2


00:09:23.360 --> 00:09:26.590
rocket at an altitude of about 250


00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:29.590
km. As reported earlier in the show,


00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:33.670
just hours earlier at 412 UTC, Beijing


00:09:33.680 --> 00:09:36.150
based startup Landspace Technology had


00:09:36.160 --> 00:09:39.110
launched their Jukquay 2e Y2 carrier


00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:41.350
rocket carrying six satellites into


00:09:41.360 --> 00:09:43.670
orbit. The striking visual effect


00:09:43.680 --> 00:09:45.509
occurred when the rocket's upper stage


00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:47.990
released unused methyloxs fuel, a


00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:50.150
mixture of methane and liquid oxygen,


00:09:50.160 --> 00:09:51.829
while passing over the southwestern


00:09:51.839 --> 00:09:54.470
United States. At that altitude, right


00:09:54.480 --> 00:09:56.870
in Earth's ionosphere, the fuel created


00:09:56.880 --> 00:09:58.949
a chemical light show through reactions


00:09:58.959 --> 00:10:01.590
with the charged plasma environment.


00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:03.750
According to physicists, these reactions


00:10:03.760 --> 00:10:05.829
can include ion molecule charge


00:10:05.839 --> 00:10:08.630
exchange, electron ion recombination,


00:10:08.640 --> 00:10:10.750
and optical emissions from


00:10:10.760 --> 00:10:13.030
chemoluminescence. In simpler terms,


00:10:13.040 --> 00:10:14.790
when rocket fuel interacts with the


00:10:14.800 --> 00:10:16.870
ionosphere at night, it can create a


00:10:16.880 --> 00:10:19.509
long lived glow visible from the ground.


00:10:19.519 --> 00:10:21.190
While we've seen rocket fuel create


00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:23.910
strange spirals in the sky before, this


00:10:23.920 --> 00:10:26.310
particular manifestation, a straight


00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:28.470
white streak resembling Steve, appears


00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:30.710
to be something new. With methyloxs


00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:32.710
gaining popularity as a rocket fuel due


00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:35.509
to its efficiency, cleaner combustion,


00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:37.509
and potential for insitu production on


00:10:37.519 --> 00:10:40.150
Mars, we might see more of these unusual


00:10:40.160 --> 00:10:41.910
light shows in our night skies in the


00:10:41.920 --> 00:10:44.150
future. So, if you spotted this


00:10:44.160 --> 00:10:46.630
mysterious streak on May 17th, now you


00:10:46.640 --> 00:10:49.190
know it wasn't an aurora or Steve, but


00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:51.269
rather the after effects of humanity's


00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:53.829
expanding activities in space, bringing


00:10:53.839 --> 00:10:56.269
a bit of cosmic chemistry right to our


00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:58.710
doorstep. Okay, moving on. Let's take a


00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:00.389
look at this week's launch schedule.


00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:01.829
SpaceX is ramping up for an


00:11:01.839 --> 00:11:03.670
exceptionally busy week with at least


00:11:03.680 --> 00:11:05.350
three Starlink satellite launches


00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:07.269
planned across both coasts of the United


00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:09.350
States. The ambitious schedule reflects


00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:11.269
the company's accelerating pace as it


00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:13.710
works to expand its global internet


00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:15.750
constellation. The week began with a


00:11:15.760 --> 00:11:17.750
Falcon 9 scheduled to launch Starlink


00:11:17.760 --> 00:11:20.630
Group 12 to 15 from Space Launch Complex


00:11:20.640 --> 00:11:23.190
40 at Cape Canaveral in Florida.


00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:24.949
However, the countdown was held at just


00:11:24.959 --> 00:11:27.670
under 2 and 1/2 minutes before liftoff.


00:11:27.680 --> 00:11:29.430
Unlike most Starlink missions, which


00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:31.670
typically have 4-hour launch windows,


00:11:31.680 --> 00:11:34.150
this one had an unusually short 35minut


00:11:34.160 --> 00:11:37.430
window. The hold resulted in a scrub as


00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:39.990
Falcon 9's highly chilled fuel warms too


00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:42.069
quickly to allow for a reset within the


00:11:42.079 --> 00:11:44.150
same window. The mission would have


00:11:44.160 --> 00:11:46.470
carried 23 satellites, including both


00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:48.630
standard V2 mini satellites and


00:11:48.640 --> 00:11:51.269
specialized directto cell variants.


00:11:51.279 --> 00:11:52.949
Later in the week, another Florida


00:11:52.959 --> 00:11:54.750
launch is planned with Starlink Group


00:11:54.760 --> 00:11:57.590
1222 lifting off from the same pad on


00:11:57.600 --> 00:12:00.150
Saturday. This mission will similarly


00:12:00.160 --> 00:12:02.630
carry a mixture of Starlink V2 mini and


00:12:02.640 --> 00:12:04.150
directto cell satellites on a


00:12:04.160 --> 00:12:05.910
southeasterly trajectory over the


00:12:05.920 --> 00:12:08.550
Atlantic Ocean. But perhaps the most


00:12:08.560 --> 00:12:10.790
significant launch of the week will come


00:12:10.800 --> 00:12:13.310
from Vandenberg Space Force Base in


00:12:13.320 --> 00:12:15.990
California. On Sunday, SpaceX plans to


00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:18.629
initiate construction of an entirely new


00:12:18.639 --> 00:12:20.230
orbital shell for the Starlink


00:12:20.240 --> 00:12:23.110
constellation with the Group 171


00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:25.670
mission. This launch represents a major


00:12:25.680 --> 00:12:28.069
milestone as the first Starlink mission,


00:12:28.079 --> 00:12:30.150
targeting a polar sun-synchronous orbit


00:12:30.160 --> 00:12:32.470
at a 97 degree inclination since the


00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:34.949
earlier Group 3 deployments, which used


00:12:34.959 --> 00:12:36.829
older V1.5


00:12:36.839 --> 00:12:39.350
satellites. The polar orbit will enable


00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:41.310
Starlink to provide coverage at high


00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:43.430
latitudes, including the Arctic and


00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:45.430
Antarctic regions areas that have


00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:47.110
historically had limited access to


00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:49.509
reliable internet connectivity.


00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:51.269
This expansion into polar orbits


00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:53.269
represents the next phase in SpaceX's


00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:55.750
plan to provide truly global coverage.


00:12:55.760 --> 00:12:57.590
All three missions will include landing


00:12:57.600 --> 00:12:59.670
attempts on SpaceX's autonomous drone


00:12:59.680 --> 00:13:01.430
ships positioned in the Atlantic and


00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:03.670
Pacific oceans. These recoveries


00:13:03.680 --> 00:13:05.269
continue to demonstrate the company's


00:13:05.279 --> 00:13:07.110
reusability model, which has


00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:08.949
revolutionized launch economics with


00:13:08.959 --> 00:13:11.110
some boosters now having flown more than


00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:13.430
two dozen missions. If all launches


00:13:13.440 --> 00:13:16.069
proceed as planned, SpaceX will surpass


00:13:16.079 --> 00:13:17.710
60 missions for


00:13:17.720 --> 00:13:19.990
2025, continuing their record-breaking


00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:22.069
launch cadence and further cementing


00:13:22.079 --> 00:13:23.949
their dominance in the commercial launch


00:13:23.959 --> 00:13:26.550
market. Also this week, we have launches


00:13:26.560 --> 00:13:28.949
planned from China and Russia. The first


00:13:28.959 --> 00:13:30.790
of several Chinese launches expected


00:13:30.800 --> 00:13:32.310
this week will launch from launch


00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:34.430
complex


00:13:34.440 --> 00:13:37.350
2011 at the Wang Space Launch Site in


00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:41.910
China on Tuesday, May 20th at 11:50 UTC.


00:13:41.920 --> 00:13:43.509
There is no information regarding the


00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:45.509
mission's payload at present. However,


00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:47.350
the hazard warning notices published


00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:51.350
indicate that the Chang Jang 7A CZ7A


00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:53.750
will fly due east from the launch site.


00:13:53.760 --> 00:13:55.430
Another Chinese launch is expected on


00:13:55.440 --> 00:13:59.189
Wednesday, May 21 at 0400 UTC. During a


00:13:59.199 --> 00:14:01.750
launch window extending from 0354 until


00:14:01.760 --> 00:14:05.030
0415 UTC, a Kinetic 1 will lift off from


00:14:05.040 --> 00:14:07.670
site 130 at Jukuan Satellite Launch


00:14:07.680 --> 00:14:09.750
Center in China. Published hazard


00:14:09.760 --> 00:14:11.509
notices indicate a southwesterly


00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:13.509
trajectory for the flight. This mission


00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:15.350
will serve as the first Kinetic 1


00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:18.629
mission of 2025 and the seventh overall.


00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:20.389
And finally, rounding out a busy week of


00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:23.750
launches, a Russian Soyuse 2.1A with a


00:14:23.760 --> 00:14:26.790
Frigot M4th stage will launch an unknown


00:14:26.800 --> 00:14:30.949
payload on Friday, May 23rd at 0700 UTC


00:14:30.959 --> 00:14:33.430
from the Placetsk Cosmo in northwestern


00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:35.910
Russia. This will be the third launch


00:14:35.920 --> 00:14:39.670
for a Soyos in 2025 and the 113th


00:14:39.680 --> 00:14:42.509
orbital launch attempt worldwide this


00:14:42.519 --> 00:14:45.230
year. Finally, today, let's return to


00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:47.910
Mars. NASA's Perseverance rover is


00:14:47.920 --> 00:14:49.990
embarking on an exciting new chapter of


00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:52.150
its Martian adventure, exploring a


00:14:52.160 --> 00:14:53.750
region that scientists believe could


00:14:53.760 --> 00:14:55.590
harbor some of the oldest rocks on the


00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:57.990
entire planet. After spending five


00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:00.230
months investigating which Hazelh Hill,


00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:02.150
the nuclearpowered rover has now moved


00:15:02.160 --> 00:15:04.670
on to a new area of interest dubbed


00:15:04.680 --> 00:15:06.710
Crocodilan. The name, which means the


00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:09.030
crocodile in Norwegian, was chosen by


00:15:09.040 --> 00:15:10.710
mission scientists after a mountain


00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:13.030
ridge on Norway's Prince Carl's Fland


00:15:13.040 --> 00:15:16.550
Island. This 73 acre plateau of rocky


00:15:16.560 --> 00:15:19.269
outcrops sits down slope to the west and


00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:21.670
south of Witch Hazel Hill on the lower


00:15:21.680 --> 00:15:24.629
slope of Jezero Craters rim. What makes


00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:26.790
Crocodilan particularly tantalizing is


00:15:26.800 --> 00:15:29.509
its geological age. These rocks form


00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:31.670
before Jazer Crater was even created,


00:15:31.680 --> 00:15:33.990
dating back to Mars' earliest geological


00:15:34.000 --> 00:15:36.550
period, known as the Noacian era. In


00:15:36.560 --> 00:15:37.910
fact, they're among the oldest


00:15:37.920 --> 00:15:40.350
accessible rocks on the entire Martian


00:15:40.360 --> 00:15:42.870
surface. An early investigation of the


00:15:42.880 --> 00:15:44.870
region revealed the presence of clay


00:15:44.880 --> 00:15:47.189
minerals, which require liquid water to


00:15:47.199 --> 00:15:49.749
form. This provides compelling evidence


00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:51.910
that abundant water once flowed across


00:15:51.920 --> 00:15:54.389
this ancient landscape long before an


00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:57.509
asteroid impact created Jezero Crater.


00:15:57.519 --> 00:15:59.430
Clay minerals are especially important


00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:01.509
in the search for past life because


00:16:01.519 --> 00:16:03.269
they're known on Earth to preserve


00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:05.430
organic compounds, the fundamental


00:16:05.440 --> 00:16:08.550
building blocks of life. Ken Farley,


00:16:08.560 --> 00:16:09.990
deputy project scientist for


00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:11.350
Perseverance, explained the


00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:14.150
significance. If we find a potential bio


00:16:14.160 --> 00:16:16.230
signature here, it would most likely be


00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:17.910
from an entirely different and much


00:16:17.920 --> 00:16:20.470
earlier epic of Mars evolution than the


00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:22.230
one we found last year in the crater


00:16:22.240 --> 00:16:25.189
with Chayava Falls. That previous


00:16:25.199 --> 00:16:27.189
discovery featured chemical signatures


00:16:27.199 --> 00:16:28.710
and structures that could have been


00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:32.150
formed by ancient life. The rover, which


00:16:32.160 --> 00:16:35.350
celebrated its 1,500th day of surface


00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:37.590
operations on May 9th, is currently


00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:40.069
analyzing a rocky outcrop called Copper


00:16:40.079 --> 00:16:43.030
Cove. Orbital data suggests that other


00:16:43.040 --> 00:16:45.670
areas of crocodilan may contain olivine


00:16:45.680 --> 00:16:48.389
and carbonate minerals. While olivine


00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:50.710
forms from magma, carbonates typically


00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:52.310
develop when rock reacts with carbon


00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:54.949
dioxide dissolved in liquid water. On


00:16:54.959 --> 00:16:57.350
Earth, carbonates excel at preserving


00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:59.509
fossilized microbial life and recording


00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:01.350
ancient climate conditions. The


00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:03.430
Perseverance team has also implemented a


00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:05.590
new sampling strategy, allowing some


00:17:05.600 --> 00:17:08.150
cord samples to remain unsealed. This


00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:10.069
gives the mission flexibility to replace


00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:12.069
earlier samples if more scientifically


00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:13.829
compelling features are discovered down


00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:16.710
the road. Katie Stack Morgan,


00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:18.870
Perseverance's acting project scientist,


00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:21.110
noted, "We have been exploring Mars for


00:17:21.120 --> 00:17:23.270
over four years, and every single filled


00:17:23.280 --> 00:17:25.750
sample tube we have on board has its own


00:17:25.760 --> 00:17:28.549
unique and compelling story to tell. As


00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:30.630
Perseverance continues its methodical


00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:32.630
exploration of this ancient Martian


00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:35.350
landscape, each rock it analyzes brings


00:17:35.360 --> 00:17:37.750
us closer to understanding Mars' distant


00:17:37.760 --> 00:17:40.230
past and potentially answering whether


00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:43.070
life once existed on our neighboring


00:17:43.080 --> 00:17:46.070
planet. Well, what an incredible week in


00:17:46.080 --> 00:17:48.710
space and astronomy news. We've truly


00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:50.310
spanned the solar system in today's


00:17:50.320 --> 00:17:52.230
episode. From groundbreaking rocket


00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:54.150
launches here on Earth to the mysteries


00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:56.549
of Mars and beyond, the pace of


00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:58.549
innovation in space technology continues


00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:00.950
to accelerate with China's land space


00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:02.789
joining the race to develop methane


00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:05.110
powered rockets. Technology that could


00:18:05.120 --> 00:18:07.029
revolutionize our access to space


00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:09.190
through reusability and efficiency.


00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:11.510
Their upcoming Tanwen 2 mission


00:18:11.520 --> 00:18:13.510
represents another significant step in


00:18:13.520 --> 00:18:16.150
asteroid exploration, joining efforts by


00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:18.789
NASA, JAXA, and other space agencies to


00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:21.070
understand these ancient celestial


00:18:21.080 --> 00:18:23.669
bodies. Looking ahead, watch for


00:18:23.679 --> 00:18:25.750
SpaceX's continued expansion of their


00:18:25.760 --> 00:18:28.150
Starlink constellation, particularly the


00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:30.150
new polar orbit shell, which will


00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:32.470
enhance global coverage. The Russian


00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:34.390
Soyuse launch carrying its mysterious


00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:36.150
payload will certainly be worth


00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:39.190
monitoring as well. On Mars,


00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:40.710
Perseverance's exploration of the


00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:43.190
ancient crocodilan region may yield some


00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:45.029
of the most significant discoveries yet


00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:47.350
about the red planet's early history.


00:18:47.360 --> 00:18:48.950
The rover's investigation of those


00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:51.590
Noakian era rocks could fundamentally


00:18:51.600 --> 00:18:53.190
change our understanding of Mars'


00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:55.270
potential habitability. And the


00:18:55.280 --> 00:18:56.950
scientific detective work that solved


00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:59.190
both the mystery of Mars slope streaks


00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:01.029
and the strange light phenomenon over


00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:03.590
the United States reminds us that space


00:19:03.600 --> 00:19:06.150
science is constantly evolving with new


00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:08.510
observations challenging our previous


00:19:08.520 --> 00:19:10.549
assumptions. The coming weeks promise


00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:12.390
even more excitement as these missions


00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:15.110
progress and new launches take flight.


00:19:15.120 --> 00:19:16.870
Our understanding of the cosmos grows


00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:19.150
richer with each passing


00:19:19.160 --> 00:19:21.669
day. And that's all for this episode of


00:19:21.679 --> 00:19:24.789
Astronomy Daily. I'm Anna and I want to


00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:26.710
thank you for joining me on this cosmic


00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:29.029
journey through today's most fascinating


00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:31.270
space and astronomy news. If you're


00:19:31.280 --> 00:19:33.110
hungry for more space content, and let's


00:19:33.120 --> 00:19:35.430
be honest, who isn't? I invite you to


00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:37.390
visit our website at


00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:39.350
astronomydaily.io where you can sign up


00:19:39.360 --> 00:19:41.830
for our free daily newsletter. It's the


00:19:41.840 --> 00:19:43.990
perfect way to stay updated on all the


00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:46.150
latest developments in space exploration


00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:48.390
and astronomy with our constantly


00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:51.350
updating news feed. Don't miss a single


00:19:51.360 --> 00:19:53.190
episode by subscribing to Astronomy


00:19:53.200 --> 00:19:56.070
Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,


00:19:56.080 --> 00:19:57.789
YouTube, or wherever you get your


00:19:57.799 --> 00:20:00.630
podcasts. New episodes drop daily,


00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:02.310
bringing you the most compelling stories


00:20:02.320 --> 00:20:04.789
from across the universe. Until next


00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:06.870
time, keep looking up. There's always


00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:08.310
something amazing happening in our


00:20:08.320 --> 00:20:10.710
cosmic neighborhood. This has been Anna


00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:13.510
for Astronomy Daily, your daily dose of


00:20:13.520 --> 00:20:17.830
space news and wonder.


00:20:17.840 --> 00:20:24.830
Stories


00:20:24.840 --> 00:20:28.090
told stories


00:20:28.100 --> 00:20:32.750
[Music]


00:20:32.760 --> 00:20:36.480
told stories