Interstellar Mysteries, Solar Celebrations, and the AI Propulsion Revolution

WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en

00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:03.190
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, the podcast


00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:05.269
that brings you the biggest news from


00:00:05.279 --> 00:00:07.670
across the cosmos. I'm Avery.


00:00:07.680 --> 00:00:10.629
>> And I'm Anna. We have a fascinating show


00:00:10.639 --> 00:00:13.190
for you today. We'll be looking at our


00:00:13.200 --> 00:00:15.829
mysterious interstellar object friend


00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:18.470
that's prompting secret space drills.


00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:20.550
>> We're also celebrating the 30th


00:00:20.560 --> 00:00:22.870
anniversary of a legendary solar


00:00:22.880 --> 00:00:26.310
observatory and diving into how AI is


00:00:26.320 --> 00:00:29.189
revolutionizing spacecraft propulsion.


00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:32.470
Plus, a hypersonic space gun, a preview


00:00:32.480 --> 00:00:35.030
of one of the best meteor showers of the


00:00:35.040 --> 00:00:37.910
year, and we'll solve a decad's old


00:00:37.920 --> 00:00:40.310
mystery from Voyager 2's journey to


00:00:40.320 --> 00:00:41.350
Uranus.


00:00:41.360 --> 00:00:43.270
>> Anna, let's start with something that


00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:46.310
has the astronomical community buzzing.


00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:49.430
The interstellar object known as threey


00:00:49.440 --> 00:00:51.670
Atlas is back in the spotlight.


00:00:51.680 --> 00:00:54.630
>> It certainly is, Avery. This object


00:00:54.640 --> 00:00:57.350
which came from outside our solar system


00:00:57.360 --> 00:00:59.670
is exhibiting some very strange


00:00:59.680 --> 00:01:01.990
behavior. Scientists have noted what


00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:04.229
they call non-gravitational


00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:05.509
acceleration.


00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:07.990
>> Meaning it's changing speed in a way


00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:10.310
that can't be explained by the pole of


00:01:10.320 --> 00:01:11.990
the sun or planets.


00:01:12.000 --> 00:01:14.950
>> Exactly. And it's not outgassing like a


00:01:14.960 --> 00:01:17.830
typical comet. Instead, it seems to have


00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:21.510
these strange focused jets pointing away


00:01:21.520 --> 00:01:25.109
from the sun, forming an anti-tail. It's


00:01:25.119 --> 00:01:26.310
a real puzzle.


00:01:26.320 --> 00:01:28.710
>> And this puzzle is getting some serious


00:01:28.720 --> 00:01:31.270
attention. There have been a series of


00:01:31.280 --> 00:01:34.149
coordinated but very quiet space defense


00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:38.469
drills involving the ESA, Japan, the US,


00:01:38.479 --> 00:01:41.030
Australia, and several other nations.


00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:43.670
>> That's right. The official line is that


00:01:43.680 --> 00:01:45.910
they are standard preparedness


00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:48.230
exercises, but the timing is


00:01:48.240 --> 00:01:50.950
conspicuous, especially with ThreeI


00:01:50.960 --> 00:01:53.429
Atlas's closest approach to Earth


00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:55.429
happening on December 19th.


00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:58.389
>> It adds a layer of intrigue, especially


00:01:58.399 --> 00:02:00.709
when you consider some of the more out


00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:01.990
there theories.


00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:04.469
>> You're thinking of Aviab's hypothesis.


00:02:04.479 --> 00:02:07.990
>> I am. He suggested that threeey atlas


00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:10.389
might not be a single object but a


00:02:10.399 --> 00:02:13.510
primary craft accompanied by a swarm of


00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:15.990
smaller probes. Now that is pure


00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:17.670
speculation of course.


00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:20.630
>> Pure speculation but it highlights just


00:02:20.640 --> 00:02:22.630
how little we understand about this


00:02:22.640 --> 00:02:25.430
visitor. Whatever its nature, its


00:02:25.440 --> 00:02:27.830
strange dynamics and the heightened


00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:30.550
military interest mean that countless


00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:33.350
telescopes will be tracking it very,


00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:35.750
very closely in the coming weeks.


00:02:35.760 --> 00:02:38.710
>> Well, from a mysterious newcomer to a


00:02:38.720 --> 00:02:41.350
celebrated veteran, our next story is


00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:44.309
about a truly remarkable achievement.


00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:47.750
Happy 30th anniversary to the Solar and


00:02:47.760 --> 00:02:51.509
Heliospheric Observatory, or SOHO. An


00:02:51.519 --> 00:02:54.070
incredible milestone. When SOHO


00:02:54.080 --> 00:02:56.150
launched, its primary mission was


00:02:56.160 --> 00:02:58.949
scheduled to last just two years. 30


00:02:58.959 --> 00:03:01.110
years later, it's still providing


00:03:01.120 --> 00:03:03.350
invaluable data about our star.


00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:05.030
>> It really is the definition of


00:03:05.040 --> 00:03:07.830
resilience. It survived multiple


00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:10.229
technical crises that nearly ended the


00:03:10.239 --> 00:03:12.550
mission. Yet, the team on the ground


00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:14.390
always found a way to bring it back


00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:15.350
online.


00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:18.070
>> Right. And its contributions have been


00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:20.790
monumental. SOHO completely


00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:23.589
revolutionized solar science and our


00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:25.830
understanding of space weather. The


00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:28.390
images and data it provides are the


00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:31.350
foundation of modern solar forecasting,


00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:33.430
which is critical for protecting our


00:03:33.440 --> 00:03:35.430
satellites and power grids.


00:03:35.440 --> 00:03:37.830
>> Absolutely. But it has another


00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:40.309
completely unexpected legacy, doesn't


00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:42.869
it? For a satellite designed to look at


00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:45.270
the sun, it's found an incredible number


00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:48.470
of comets. It's the most prolific comet


00:03:48.480 --> 00:03:50.869
hunter in history, and it's not even


00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:51.509
close.


00:03:51.519 --> 00:03:53.190
>> Is it a case of being in the right place


00:03:53.200 --> 00:03:55.350
at the right time, or is there another


00:03:55.360 --> 00:03:57.110
reason why it's so prolific?


00:03:57.120 --> 00:03:59.589
>> It's because of its wide, uninterrupted


00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:02.149
view of the sun's corona. It spots


00:04:02.159 --> 00:04:05.110
so-called sungrazing comets that are


00:04:05.120 --> 00:04:07.990
otherwise invisible to us. As of this


00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:11.110
year, the official count is over 5,000


00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:13.110
comets discovered by SOHO.


00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:16.710
>> That's just amazing. 5,000 comments as a


00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:19.749
side project. SOHO is a true workhorse


00:04:19.759 --> 00:04:22.550
of space exploration and a testament to


00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:24.150
brilliant engineering.


00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:26.710
>> Speaking of brilliant engineering, our


00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:28.950
next story looks at the future of


00:04:28.960 --> 00:04:31.909
getting around the solar system. Avery,


00:04:31.919 --> 00:04:34.150
artificial intelligence is starting to


00:04:34.160 --> 00:04:36.870
fundamentally change how we design and


00:04:36.880 --> 00:04:39.350
operate spacecraft propulsion systems.


00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:41.590
>> This is fascinating stuff. It's not just


00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:44.469
about AI pilots like in the movies. This


00:04:44.479 --> 00:04:46.629
is about AI making the engines


00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:49.909
themselves smarter and more efficient.


00:04:49.919 --> 00:04:52.230
>> That's the core of it. Researchers are


00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:54.310
using a technique called reinforcement


00:04:54.320 --> 00:04:57.030
learning where an AI runs millions of


00:04:57.040 --> 00:04:59.189
simulations to discover the most


00:04:59.199 --> 00:05:01.670
efficient ways to operate an engine,


00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:03.990
often finding solutions that a human


00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:07.029
engineer might never think of.


00:05:07.039 --> 00:05:09.430
>> So, what kind of advanced systems are


00:05:09.440 --> 00:05:11.510
benefiting from this?


00:05:11.520 --> 00:05:13.430
We're seeing it applied to next


00:05:13.440 --> 00:05:16.230
generation concepts like nuclear thermal


00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:18.950
propulsion, both fision and the more


00:05:18.960 --> 00:05:21.830
complex fusionbased designs. These


00:05:21.840 --> 00:05:24.469
engines are incredibly powerful, but


00:05:24.479 --> 00:05:27.990
also incredibly complex to manage.


00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:30.469
>> So just what can AI help with? A lot, I


00:05:30.479 --> 00:05:31.430
would imagine.


00:05:31.440 --> 00:05:34.230
>> AI can optimize the fuel flow,


00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:37.430
temperature, and thrust in real time.


00:05:37.440 --> 00:05:39.510
It's also being used to tackle one of


00:05:39.520 --> 00:05:41.510
the biggest challenges in fusion


00:05:41.520 --> 00:05:44.070
research, managing the superheated


00:05:44.080 --> 00:05:47.110
plasma. In concepts like the poly well,


00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:50.070
a compact fusion device, AI is learning


00:05:50.080 --> 00:05:52.150
how to best configure the magnetic


00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:55.029
fields to confine the plasma, which is a


00:05:55.039 --> 00:05:57.270
massive step forward.


00:05:57.280 --> 00:06:00.550
>> So AI is becoming a design partner. It's


00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:02.390
not just running the machine, it's


00:06:02.400 --> 00:06:04.230
helping to perfect the machine's very


00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:06.309
operation. This could be the key to


00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:08.469
unlocking faster, more efficient travel


00:06:08.479 --> 00:06:10.629
across the solar system.


00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:12.629
>> We'll keep an eye on this and report


00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:15.189
back on any developments, but it sounds


00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:16.309
exciting.


00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:19.189
>> From the digital frontier of AI, we go


00:06:19.199 --> 00:06:22.390
to something that sounds decidedly more


00:06:22.400 --> 00:06:26.070
analog. Anna, what is a hypersonic space


00:06:26.080 --> 00:06:27.110
gun?


00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:29.189
>> It sounds like something out of Jules


00:06:29.199 --> 00:06:31.990
Vern novel, doesn't it? But it's a very


00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:34.150
real concept being developed by a


00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:35.909
company called Longshot Space


00:06:35.919 --> 00:06:38.309
Technologies. They are building a


00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:41.270
kinetic space launch system. In simple


00:06:41.280 --> 00:06:44.230
terms, it's a massive gun designed to


00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:47.670
fire payloads directly into orbit.


00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:50.629
>> You're kidding. How does that even work?


00:06:50.639 --> 00:06:53.749
>> The system uses a huge piston driven by


00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:56.790
compressed gas to launch a projectile at


00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:00.870
incredible speeds. We're talking Mach 23


00:07:00.880 --> 00:07:03.510
or about 28,400


00:07:03.520 --> 00:07:07.029
km hour. The projectile would carry a


00:07:07.039 --> 00:07:10.469
small hardened satellite or other cargo.


00:07:10.479 --> 00:07:13.110
>> I can't even imagine the forces


00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:15.510
involved. The heat and the acceleration


00:07:15.520 --> 00:07:17.909
must be astronomical.


00:07:17.919 --> 00:07:20.469
>> They are. That's the biggest challenge.


00:07:20.479 --> 00:07:22.550
The payload would experience about


00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:26.230
10,000 gs of acceleration and intense


00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:29.350
atmospheric heating. So this isn't for


00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:31.830
launching astronauts or delicate


00:07:31.840 --> 00:07:33.350
telescopes.


00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:35.990
>> Definitely not. So it's for hardened


00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:37.350
cargo only.


00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:40.309
>> Exactly. Things like fuel, water,


00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:42.390
building materials, or ruggedized


00:07:42.400 --> 00:07:44.629
military satellites. But here's the


00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:47.270
payoff. Longot believes they can get the


00:07:47.280 --> 00:07:50.309
cost of launching a kilogram of cargo to


00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:52.230
just $10.


00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:54.710
>> $10. That's compared to thousands of


00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:56.469
dollars per kilogram on a traditional


00:07:56.479 --> 00:07:59.270
rocket. That's a complete gamecher for


00:07:59.280 --> 00:08:00.469
space logistics.


00:08:00.479 --> 00:08:03.110
>> It is. And that's why it's attracting


00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:05.189
serious interest from both venture


00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:08.390
capital and military agencies. If they


00:08:08.400 --> 00:08:10.710
can solve the engineering challenges,


00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:13.430
this space gun could revolutionize how


00:08:13.440 --> 00:08:16.469
we supply future operations in orbit and


00:08:16.479 --> 00:08:17.670
beyond.


00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:19.589
>> All right, let's bring our focus back to


00:08:19.599 --> 00:08:21.270
our own night sky. For all our


00:08:21.280 --> 00:08:23.430
stargazing listeners out there, one of


00:08:23.440 --> 00:08:25.830
the best celestial shows of the year is


00:08:25.840 --> 00:08:27.589
just around the corner.


00:08:27.599 --> 00:08:30.070
>> That's right. The Gemini meteor shower


00:08:30.080 --> 00:08:32.389
is set to peak on the night of December


00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:35.750
13th into the morning of the 14th. And


00:08:35.760 --> 00:08:37.829
this year, the conditions are just about


00:08:37.839 --> 00:08:39.430
perfect.


00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:41.430
>> What makes this year so good?


00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:44.149
>> The moon. It will be a waning crescent,


00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:46.310
which means it won't rise until the


00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:48.550
early hours of the morning, and its


00:08:48.560 --> 00:08:50.310
light won't wash out the fainter


00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:52.790
meteors. We'll have beautifully dark


00:08:52.800 --> 00:08:54.870
skies for most of the night.


00:08:54.880 --> 00:08:57.829
>> Fantastic. So, what can people expect to


00:08:57.839 --> 00:08:59.030
see?


00:08:59.040 --> 00:09:01.509
>> Under ideal conditions, you could see


00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:05.829
between 120 and 150 meteors per hour at


00:09:05.839 --> 00:09:08.310
the peak. The radiant, the point they


00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:10.870
appear to come from, is near the star


00:09:10.880 --> 00:09:14.070
castor in the constellation Gemini.


00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:16.230
>> And Geminites are known for being a bit


00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:18.710
slower, right? It makes them easier to


00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:19.590
spot.


00:09:19.600 --> 00:09:22.230
>> Yes, they enter the atmosphere at about


00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:25.829
22 m per second. That sounds fast, but


00:09:25.839 --> 00:09:27.829
it's slower than many other showers,


00:09:27.839 --> 00:09:30.389
which can lead to longer, more graceful


00:09:30.399 --> 00:09:33.110
streaks across the sky. They are also


00:09:33.120 --> 00:09:34.790
often brightly colored


00:09:34.800 --> 00:09:36.310
>> and they have a really interesting


00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:37.030
origin.


00:09:37.040 --> 00:09:39.990
>> They do. Unlike most meteor showers


00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:42.150
which come from the debris trail of a


00:09:42.160 --> 00:09:44.710
comet, the Geminids originate from an


00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:48.389
asteroid called 3200 Faithon. It's a bit


00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:50.550
of a mystery how this rocky body


00:09:50.560 --> 00:09:52.790
produces so much debris.


00:09:52.800 --> 00:09:54.630
>> So what are your tips for viewers?


00:09:54.640 --> 00:09:57.590
>> Find a location away from city lights.


00:09:57.600 --> 00:10:00.790
Dress warmly, lie back on a blanket or a


00:10:00.800 --> 00:10:03.670
chair, and just look up. You don't need


00:10:03.680 --> 00:10:06.389
a telescope or binoculars. Just give


00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:08.710
your eyes about 20 minutes to fully


00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:11.509
adapt to the dark and enjoy the show.


00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:13.829
And for our final story today, we are


00:10:13.839 --> 00:10:15.910
revisiting a cold case from the outer


00:10:15.920 --> 00:10:18.310
solar system and solving a mystery


00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:20.710
that's nearly four decades old.


00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:23.110
>> This has to be about Voyager 2's flyby


00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:26.710
of Uranus in 1986. I remember reading


00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:29.110
that it found something unexpected in


00:10:29.120 --> 00:10:31.030
the planet's radiation belts.


00:10:31.040 --> 00:10:33.990
>> That's the one. Voyager 2 detected an


00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:36.710
incredibly intense belt of high energy


00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:39.509
electron radiation, far more powerful


00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:42.389
than models had predicted. For decades,


00:10:42.399 --> 00:10:44.870
scientists couldn't quite explain why it


00:10:44.880 --> 00:10:45.910
was so strong.


00:10:45.920 --> 00:10:48.069
>> And after all this time, there's a new


00:10:48.079 --> 00:10:48.949
explanation.


00:10:48.959 --> 00:10:51.509
>> There is. A team at the Southwest


00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:53.990
Research Institute revisited the old


00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:56.710
Voyager data. They proposed the intense


00:10:56.720 --> 00:10:59.910
radiation wasn't caused by Uranus alone.


00:10:59.920 --> 00:11:02.470
Instead, it was a case of being in the


00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:04.470
right place at the right time.


00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:05.990
>> So, what was happening?


00:11:06.000 --> 00:11:08.230
>> The team believes a huge structure in


00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:10.710
the solar wind called a co-rotating


00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:13.190
interaction region was passing through


00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:16.150
the Uranian system just as Voyager 2


00:11:16.160 --> 00:11:17.030
flew by.


00:11:17.040 --> 00:11:19.590
>> A co-rotating what? Now,


00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:21.590
>> think of it as a massive shock wave in


00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:23.910
the solar wind where fast moving solar


00:11:23.920 --> 00:11:26.389
particles overtake slower ones. This


00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:28.230
interaction creates powerful


00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:30.790
highfrequency plasma waves like Whistler


00:11:30.800 --> 00:11:33.110
waves. These waves were the perfect


00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:35.430
frequency to grab electrons already


00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:37.990
trapped in Uranus's magnetic field and


00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:40.710
accelerate them to incredible speeds,


00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:42.870
creating that intense radiation belt


00:11:42.880 --> 00:11:45.509
Voyager saw. We see similar events


00:11:45.519 --> 00:11:48.069
happen near Earth, but this is the first


00:11:48.079 --> 00:11:50.310
time we've confirmed it happening so far


00:11:50.320 --> 00:11:51.750
out in the solar system.


00:11:51.760 --> 00:11:54.389
>> So, it was a temporary storm caused by


00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:56.870
the sun that Voyager just happened to


00:11:56.880 --> 00:11:59.269
fly through. That is a brilliant piece


00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:01.030
of cosmic detective work.


00:12:01.040 --> 00:12:01.910
>> You betcha.


00:12:01.920 --> 00:12:04.230
>> And that's a wrap. From mysterious


00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:06.310
interstellar visitors and hypersonic


00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:08.870
cannons to celebrating a 30-year-old


00:12:08.880 --> 00:12:12.069
hero of astronomy and finally solving a


00:12:12.079 --> 00:12:14.870
cold case from Uranus. What an episode.


00:12:14.880 --> 00:12:17.190
>> It really was. That's all the time we


00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:19.670
have for today on Astronomy Daily. We'd


00:12:19.680 --> 00:12:21.670
like to thank you all for tuning in.


00:12:21.680 --> 00:12:23.670
>> Join us next time as we continue to


00:12:23.680 --> 00:12:25.829
explore the wonders of the universe.


00:12:25.839 --> 00:12:28.389
Until then, clear skies everyone and


00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:31.910
remember to get out there and look up.


00:12:31.920 --> 00:12:34.310
Every day


00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:42.310
stories we told


00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:50.230
stories told


00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:52.959
stories