Feb. 11, 2025

Firefly’s Lunar Journey, Pandora’s Exoplanet Quest, and Cosmic Signals: S04E36

Firefly’s Lunar Journey, Pandora’s Exoplanet Quest, and Cosmic Signals: S04E36
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Firefly’s Lunar Journey, Pandora’s Exoplanet Quest, and Cosmic Signals: S04E36

Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S04E36

In this episode of Astronomy Daily, host Anna brings you the latest and most exciting developments in space exploration and astronomy. From lunar missions to mysterious cosmic signals, this episode is packed with insights that will keep you informed and intrigued about the universe around us.

Highlights:

- Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Lunar Mission: Discover how Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar lander has successfully begun its journey to the moon after launching aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Learn about its mission objectives, including scientific experiments aimed at advancing our understanding of the lunar environment.

- NASA's Pandora Exoplanet Mission: Get the scoop on NASA's selection of SpaceX to launch the Pandora spacecraft, a new exoplanet research mission designed to study the atmospheres of distant worlds and improve our understanding of exoplanetary systems.

- Concerns Over NASA's Artemis Program: Delve into the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel's report highlighting critical safety challenges and budget uncertainties surrounding NASA's ambitious timeline for returning humans to the moon with Artemis 3.

- Mysterious X-Ray Signal Detected : Explore the intriguing X-ray signal designated EP 240408A detected by China's Einstein probe, which has sparked excitement and speculation among astronomers about its potential origins and implications for cosmic events.

- Upcoming Space Launches : Stay tuned for an overview of upcoming significant space missions, including China's debut flight of the Changjong 8 rocket and SpaceX's continued Starlink deployments, showcasing the rapid pace of space commercialization.

- Euclid Space Telescope's Discovery: Learn about the European Space Agency's Euclid Space Telescope's remarkable discovery of its first Einstein ring, a perfect cosmic circle that provides insights into dark matter and the universe's structure.

For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io (http://www.astronomydaily.io) . Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, and TikTok. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.

00:00 - Welcome back to Astronomy Daily

01:02 - Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lunar mission

05:30 - NASA's Pandora exoplanet mission details

10:15 - Concerns over Artemis program safety

14:00 - Mysterious X-ray signal detection

18:20 - Upcoming space launches overview

22:00 - Euclid Space Telescope's Einstein ring discovery

25:00 - Conclusion and upcoming content

✍️ Episode References

Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost Mission

[Firefly Aerospace](https://www.nasa.gov/pandora)

Artemis Program Safety Robert

[NASA Artemis Safety](https://www.nasa.gov/artemis)

Einstein Probe X-ray Signal

[Einstein Probe](https://www.space.com/launch-calendars)

Euclid Space Telescope Discoveries

[Euclid Telescope](https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration)

Astronomy Daily

[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io)


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily--5648921/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily--5648921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss) .

Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/25526849?utm_source=youtube

00:00 - Welcome back to Astronomy Daily

01:02 - Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lunar mission

05:30 - NASA’s Pandora exoplanet mission details

10:15 - Concerns over Artemis program safety

WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en

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[Music]


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welcome to astronomy daily I'm your host


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Anna bringing you today's top stories in


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space and astronomy news from lunar


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missions and mysterious space signals to


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safety concerns about NASA's emis


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program we've got a packed show for you


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so let's get straight into it exciting


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developments are unfolding in lunar


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exploration as Firefly aerospace's Blue


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Ghost lunar lander has successfully


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begun its Journey To The Moon after


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launching aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9


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rocket on January 15th the spacecraft


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has now performed crucial trans lunar


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injection burn Breaking Free from


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Earth's gravitational pole following


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this major Milestone Blue Ghost executed


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a precise trajectory correction maneuver


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to refine its path toward lunar orbit


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the spacecraft will spend approximately


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16 days in lunar orbit giving fireflies


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team time to calibrate their navigation


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systems and conduct initial science


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operations before attempting their


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Landing the mission's target Landing


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site is mar Chisum or the Sea of Christ


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es a vast Basin on the moon's near side


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as part of NASA's commercial lunar


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payload Services Program Blue Ghost is


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carrying several scientific instruments


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designed to advance our understanding of


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the lunar environment these experiments


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include subsurface drilling equipment


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sample collection tools and instruments


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for x-ray Imaging of Earth's magnetic


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field the mission will also Test new


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dust mitigation Technologies a crucial


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capability for future lunar operations


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this commercial mission represents


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another significant step in NASA's


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strategy of partnering with private


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companies to expand lunar exploration


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capabilities if successful Blue Ghost


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will join a growing list of commercial


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vehicles helping to pave the way for


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sustained human presence on the


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moon in other NASA news today NASA has


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taken another step forward in its quest


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to understand Distant Worlds by


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selecting Space X to launch an


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Innovative new exoplanet research


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Mission the Pandora spacecraft a small


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but sophisticated Observatory is


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scheduled to launch as soon as this


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September as part of NASA's astrophysics


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Pioneers program this compact Explorer


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featuring a 45 cm telescope equipped


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with both Optical and infrared detectors


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has been specifically designed to solve


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one of the most pressing challenges in


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exoplanet research its primary Mission


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will focus on studying 20 carefully


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selected stars that we already know host


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planets


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what makes Pandora particularly special


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is its role as a calibration instrument


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the telescope will help scientists


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determine whether certain signatures we


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detect in exoplanet atmospheres are


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truly indicators of compounds like


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hydrogen and water or if they're


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actually being caused by variations in


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the host Stars themselves as Dr Alisa


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Quintana Pandora's principal


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investigator explains stars are not


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uniform light sources this variability


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can make it difficult to to accurately


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interpret what we're seeing when we


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study exoplanet atmospheres Pandora's


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observations will help us better


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understand and account for these Stellar


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effects the spacecraft has already


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reached an important Milestone with the


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completion of its bus structure the


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mission will operate from a sun


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synchronous orbit where it will spend a


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full year conducting its careful study


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of these distant planetary systems


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helping us better understand the nature


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of Worlds beyond our solar


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system staying with NASA in a


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significant development for NASA's


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Artemis program the Aerospace safety


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advisory panel has released its annual


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report expressing serious concerns about


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the ambitious timeline for returning


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humans to the moon the panel led by


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former NASA astronaut Lieutenant General


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Susan J Helms while acknowledging NASA's


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impressive progress has highlighted


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several critical safety challenges that


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need addressing the report specifically


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points to the extraordinary technical


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hurdles facing Artemis 3 the mission


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plan to return humans to the lunar


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Surface by mid


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2027 of particular concern is the


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compressed schedule for completing


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multiple firsttime technical


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achievements with the panel suggesting


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that the accumulated risk might be too


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high under the current


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timeline among the most pressing


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challenges identified are the complex


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procedures for delivering and storing


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cryogenic fuel in orbit the critical


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mating procedures between the Orion


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spacecraft and the human Landing system


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and the safe execu ution of lunar


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descent and Ascent


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operations these elements all represent


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unprecedented technical challenges that


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the panel believes require more thorough


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testing and


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validation the panel is also monitoring


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ongoing investigations into the Orion


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capsules heat shield performance


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following the Artemis 1 Mission while


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corrective actions have been implemented


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for future heat shields the panel plans


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to conduct a detailed review of these


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modifications in early 2025 to ensure


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crew safety adding to these technical


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concerns is the impact of persistent


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budget uncertainty the panel emphasizes


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that Congressional delays in providing


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definitive Appropriations are


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significantly hampering NASA's ability


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to effectively plan and execute these


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highly complex missions this financial


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ambiguity not only escalates development


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risks but could potentially create


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operational risks down the line the


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report concludes that while returning to


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the Moon remains a critical stepping


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stone in developing human interplanet


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Ary travel capabilities NASA must


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carefully balance its ambitious goals


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with thorough safety


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considerations the agency faces what the


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panel describes as a myriad of daunting


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budgetary industrial


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geopolitical Technical and health


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challenges that must be systematically


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addressed to ensure Mission


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success scientists are buzzing with


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excitement and curiosity over a


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mysterious x-ray signal detected by


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China's Einstein probe earlier this year


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the signal designated ep2


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448a has left astronomers scratching


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their heads as it doesn't match any


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known patterns of cosmic events during


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its commissioning phase the Einstein


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probe detected around 60 very strong


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transient celestial objects and nearly a


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thousand potential transients but this


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particular signal stood out from the


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rest when the spacecraft's follow-up


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x-ray telescope observed The Source less


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than 2 days after its initial detection


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researchers quickly mobilized nearly 20


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different telescopes across multiple


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wavelengths to study the phenomenon what


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makes this signal particularly


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intriguing is that it was primarily


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visible in x-rays with most other


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telescopes unable to detect it in other


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wavelengths the burst lasted somewhere


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between 7 and 23 days placing it in an


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unusual temporal Sweet Spot too long to


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be a fast x-ray burst but too short to


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be typical of Galactic nuclei events two


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independent research teams have proposed


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different explanations for this Cosmic


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mystery one team suggests it might be an


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extremely rare type of title disruption


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event where a star is torn apart by a


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black hole's gravitational forces


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however the lack of radio frequency


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emissions makes this explanation


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challenging to confirm the alternative


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theory proposed by the second team is


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even more exciting ep2


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448a might represent an entirely new


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class of cosmic events they suggest this


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could be the first detection of an


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intermediate time scale phenomenon that


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previous surveys may have missed by


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focusing on either very short or very


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long duration events as the Einstein


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probe continues its Mission astronomers


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are eagerly anticipating the discovery


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of similar events that could help solve


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this Cosmic puzzle this mysterious


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signal serves as a reminder that even


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with our Advanced understanding of the


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universe there are still new phenomena


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waiting to be discovered and


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explained next let's take a look at the


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launch calendar for this week space


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launch activities are ramping up this


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week with several significant missions


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on the schedule China is preparing for a


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milestone launch with the debut flight


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of their upgraded Chong Jong 8 rocket


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from the wenchong space launch site this


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new variant features a more powerful


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second stage and can deliver up to 8,100


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kg to low earth orbit representing a


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significant boost in China's launch


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capabilities meanwhile SpaceX continues


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its ambitious star L deployment schedule


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with three launches planned from


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Florida's Cape Canaveral space force


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station these missions will lift off on


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February 11th 14th and 17th maintaining


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the company's remarkable launch Cadence


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each Mission will carry a mix of


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standard starlink V2 mini satellites and


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specialized direct to cell satellites


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further expanding their Global


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Communications Network the rapid


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turnaround time between launches at


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space launch complex 40 highlights space


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efficient ground operations the company


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is aiming to surpass last year's record


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of 134 Falcon family launches with a


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potential Target of up to 180 flights in


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2025 as of early February the


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operational starlink constellation has


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grown to nearly 7,000 satellites


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including over 400 direct to sell units


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of particular interest is the February


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17th launch which will demonstrate a new


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recovery profile the Falcon 9 booster


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will will perform a unique flip maneuver


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after stage separation and land on a


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drone ship stationed near the Bahamas


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opening up new orbital trajectories for


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future Florida launches this operation


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follows successful negotiations with


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Bahamian authorities who will receive


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starlink connectivity for schools and


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First Responders as part of the


00:09:48.760 --> 00:09:51.190
agreement these launches underscore the


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growing commercialization of space and


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the increasing pace of orbital


00:09:55.279 --> 00:09:57.590
activities with both established players


00:09:57.600 --> 00:09:59.509
and new entrance ramping up their oper


00:09:59.519 --> 00:10:02.069
ations were witnessing an unprecedented


00:10:02.079 --> 00:10:05.110
era in space launch frequency and


00:10:05.120 --> 00:10:07.829
capability finally today the European


00:10:07.839 --> 00:10:10.069
space agency's uclid Space Telescope has


00:10:10.079 --> 00:10:11.949
made an extraordinary Discovery during


00:10:11.959 --> 00:10:14.470
its Mission verification phase its first


00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:16.990
Einstein ring and it's a perfect Cosmic


00:10:17.000 --> 00:10:19.590
Circle this stunning gravitational lens


00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:21.310
was found by chance just two months


00:10:21.320 --> 00:10:23.509
after the telescope's launch in July


00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:26.069
20123 as it began its ambitious mission


00:10:26.079 --> 00:10:28.870
to map the Dark Universe the ring was


00:10:28.880 --> 00:10:31.110
created by light from a distant Galaxy


00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:34.230
being bent around NGC


00:10:34.240 --> 00:10:37.829
655 a Galaxy about 590 million light


00:10:37.839 --> 00:10:39.990
years from Earth what makes this


00:10:40.000 --> 00:10:42.230
discovery particularly special is how


00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:43.750
close NGC


00:10:43.760 --> 00:10:46.990
655 is to us it's rare to find such a


00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:48.829
nearby Galaxy acting as a strong


00:10:48.839 --> 00:10:51.590
gravitational lens the light forming the


00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:52.949
ring has been traveling for an


00:10:52.959 --> 00:10:55.949
incredible 4.4 billion years meaning it


00:10:55.959 --> 00:10:58.069
began its Journey when our solar system


00:10:58.079 --> 00:11:00.030
was in its infancy


00:11:00.040 --> 00:11:01.430
scientists have nicknamed this


00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:03.870
phenomenon altieri's lens after its


00:11:03.880 --> 00:11:06.509
Discoverer Bruno Altieri the perfect


00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:08.069
circular shape of the Einstein ring


00:11:08.079 --> 00:11:10.150
required an extraordinarily precise


00:11:10.160 --> 00:11:12.310
alignment between the source Galaxy the


00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:15.790
lensing Galaxy and our telescope in fact


00:11:15.800 --> 00:11:17.710
researchers estimate that uclid might


00:11:17.720 --> 00:11:19.829
find only about 20 such perfect Rings


00:11:19.839 --> 00:11:22.230
during its entire Mission but beyond its


00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:24.590
visual Beauty this Einstein ring serves


00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:27.190
as a powerful scientific tool by


00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:28.949
analyzing how the background Galaxy's


00:11:28.959 --> 00:11:31.509
light is distorted researchers have made


00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:34.670
precise measurements of NGC


00:11:34.680 --> 00:11:38.150
655 Mass distribution including its Dark


00:11:38.160 --> 00:11:40.949
Matter content surprisingly they found


00:11:40.959 --> 00:11:43.590
that dark matter makes up only 11% of


00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:46.190
the Galaxy's Central Mass a striking


00:11:46.200 --> 00:11:48.269
contrast to the universe's overall Dark


00:11:48.279 --> 00:11:50.829
Matter content of about


00:11:50.839 --> 00:11:53.670
85% this discovery demonstrates ID's


00:11:53.680 --> 00:11:55.230
extraordinary capabilities in


00:11:55.240 --> 00:11:57.870
investigating the Dark Universe while


00:11:57.880 --> 00:12:00.069
perfect Einstein Rings may be r rare the


00:12:00.079 --> 00:12:02.269
telescope is expected to discover over


00:12:02.279 --> 00:12:04.190
100,000 other gravitational lenses


00:12:04.200 --> 00:12:06.269
during its Mission helping create the


00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:08.790
most detailed map ever of both visible


00:12:08.800 --> 00:12:10.550
and dark matter distribution across


00:12:10.560 --> 00:12:12.069
Cosmic


00:12:12.079 --> 00:12:14.189
time thanks for joining me today on


00:12:14.199 --> 00:12:15.829
astronomy daily if you want to stay up


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toate with all the latest developments


00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:19.590
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Tok I'm Anna and I'll see you tomorrow


00:12:37.160 --> 00:12:38.710
for more fascinating stories from the


00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:45.080
cosmos


00:12:45.090 --> 00:12:59.310
[Music]


00:12:59.320 --> 00:13:02.320
so