Lunar Lander Lessons, Cosmic Endgame Insights, and Life’s Rapid Emergence

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Language: en

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[Music]


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Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily


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dose of everything happening beyond our


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atmosphere. I'm Anna and I'm thrilled to


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have you join me for today's cosmic


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journey through the latest developments


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in space exploration and astronomical


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research. We've got a packed episode for


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you today with some fascinating stories


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spanning from our nearest celestial


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neighbor all the way to the ultimate


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fate of the universe itself. First up,


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we'll dive into what exactly caused


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Intuitive Machine second lunar lander to


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topple over when it touched down on the


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moon in March. The company has


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identified several factors that


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contributed to this unexpected landing


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position, including some interesting


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challenges with their laser altimeters


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and the tricky lighting conditions near


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the lunar south pole. We'll explore how


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they're planning to address these issues


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for future missions.


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Then we'll look at how Intuitive


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Machines is diversifying beyond just


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lunar landers, especially as NASA's


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Aremis program faces potential major


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changes under new budget proposals. It's


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a fascinating look at how commercial


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space companies adapt to shifting


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priorities in space


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exploration. Next, we have some


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mindbending research about the ultimate


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end of the universe. Scientists from


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Radbood University have revised their


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predictions about when and how the


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cosmos might meet its final demise.


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Spoiler alert, it's still an


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incomprehensibly long time away, but


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apparently sooner than previously


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thought. We'll break down what this


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means and the science of Hawking


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radiation that's driving these new


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calculations. We'll also check in with


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the crew aboard the International Space


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Station where the Expedition 73 team has


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been busy with biotechnology experiments


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and important research on how fire


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behaves in microgravity. Their findings


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could have significant implications for


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fire safety both in space and here on


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Earth. Then we'll mark a historic


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milestone in satellite navigation as the


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European Space Agency bids farewell to


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its first ever decommissioned Galileo


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satellite after 12 years of service.


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It's a reminder that responsible space


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operations include not just launching


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new technology, but properly retiring


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old satellites as well. And finally,


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we'll explore fascinating new research,


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suggesting that life on Earth may have


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emerged remarkably quickly after our


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planet formed. This study provides the


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strongest evidence yet that the process


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of abiogenesis, the development of life


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from non-living matter, might be a


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relatively rapid phenomenon under


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Earthlike conditions. The implications


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for the search for life elsewhere are


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profound. So, buckle up for a journey


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across the cosmos as we explore these


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stories and more on today's episode of


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Astronomy


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Daily. In what has become a cautionary


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tale about the challenges of lunar


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landings, Intuitive Machines has now


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revealed exactly what caused their Nova


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Sea lander to fall on its side during


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its touchdown in the moon's south pole


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region this past March. The company


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executives disclosed three key factors


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during a May earnings call that


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contributed to what they diplomatically


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termed a landing anomaly. First, and


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perhaps most significant, were issues


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with the lander's laser alimters.


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According to CEO Steve Alimus, these


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crucial instruments experienced signal


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noise and distortion during the final


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descent phase. This interference


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prevented the altimeters from providing


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accurate altitude readings. Essentially,


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the spacecraft couldn't properly


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determine how far it was from the lunar


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surface as it approached touchdown. The


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second factor involves the unique


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lighting conditions at the moon's south


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pole. Unlike equatorial regions, the


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south pole experiences extremely low sun


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angles, creating dramatic elongated


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shadows across the lunar landscape.


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These shadows severely challenged the


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precision capabilities of the lander's


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navigation systems, which rely partly on


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visual references to guide the descent.


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Connected to this lighting issue was a


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third problem involving crater


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recognition. The unusual lighting


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conditions made craters appear


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differently at lower altitudes than they


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did in the reference images from NASA's


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Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. This


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discrepancy confused the lander's


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optical navigation system, further


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complicating its ability to execute a


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proper landing. The combined effect of


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these issues resulted in the Nova C


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lander tipping over upon touchdown,


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falling onto its side within a crater.


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This unfortunate position prevented the


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spacecraft's solar panels from


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generating sufficient power,


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dramatically shortening its mission to


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barely 12 hours after landing, far less


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than planned. Despite the setback,


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Intuitive Machines is already


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implementing changes for their next


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lunar mission, IM3, scheduled for launch


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next year. Altimus outlined several


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specific improvements, including the


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addition of dissimilar and redundant


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altimeters to provide backup


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measurements if one system fails. These


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systems will also undergo more rigorous


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flight-like testing before launch to


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better simulate actual lunar conditions.


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The company is also developing a new


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lighting independent sensor specifically


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designed to measure surface velocity


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regardless of shadows or lighting


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angles. Additionally, they're enhancing


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their crater database to improve the


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optical navigation systems ability to


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recognize lunar features under various


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lighting conditions.


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Interestingly, these modifications won't


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delay the IM3 mission. Though Altimus


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acknowledged there would be a slight


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increase in costs due to the additional


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sensors, he didn't specify exactly how


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much more expensive the mission would


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become. Meanwhile, Intuitive Machines


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remains in negotiations with NASA and


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other customers about up to dollar4


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million in success payments related to


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the IM2 mission. Despite the lander


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falling over, some payloads did manage


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to conduct limited tests. For example, a


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NASA drill was able to test its


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mechanisms, although it couldn't perform


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its primary objective of drilling into


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the lunar surface as planned. This


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incident highlights the extraordinary


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difficulties involved in lunar landings,


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particularly in the challenging south


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polear region where NASA and other space


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agencies hope to establish a long-term


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human presence. The extreme lighting


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conditions combined with the complex


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terrain featuring numerous craters and


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shadows create a particularly demanding


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environment for precision


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landings. The lessons learned from this


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mission will undoubtedly inform not just


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intuitive machines future attempts, but


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also the broader commercial lunar


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industry as it supports NASA's Aremis


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program and other initiatives aimed at


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returning humans to the lunar surface in


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the coming years. Beyond their lunar


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landing setbacks, Intuitive Machines is


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actively working to diversify their


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space business portfolio. During their


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recent earnings call, CEO Steve Alimus


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emphasized the company's efforts to


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expand beyond their core lunar lander


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technology into other promising space


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sectors. One notable project involves


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the design of an orbital transfer


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vehicle based on their Nova Sea lander


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architecture. This work is being


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conducted with an unnamed government


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customer and leverages the company's


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existing expertise in spacecraft design


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while opening new market opportunities


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in orbital


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logistics. Intuitive Machines is also


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collaborating with the Air Force


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Research Laboratory on the ambitious


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Jetson project. This initiative aims to


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develop a spacecraft utilizing nuclear


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electric propulsion, a potentially


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revolutionary technology that could


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dramatically increase the capabilities


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and range of future space missions. In


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February, the company secured a dollar10


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million grant from the Texas Space


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Commission to support their work on a


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lifting body re-entry vehicle. They're


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partnering with Rodium Scientific to


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explore how this vehicle could be used


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for microgravity research, potentially


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offering a valuable service for


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returning biomedical experiments safely


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to Earth from


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space. We all know the universe will


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eventually end, but how and when has


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been a subject of intense scientific


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debate. Now, fascinating new research


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from scientists at Radbood University


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suggests the universe's demise might


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arrive much sooner than previously


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calculated. Though we're still talking


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about an almost incomprehensible time


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scale, the research team led by Hino


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Falca along with colleagues Michael


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Wandra and Walter Vanlaccom has


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dramatically revised estimates for


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cosmic longevity. According to their


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calculations, the final decay of the


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universe could occur in about 10 to the


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78th power years. That's a one followed


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by 78 zeros. While this represents a


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significant reduction from previous


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estimates, it's still billions upon


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billions of times the current age of our


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cosmos. As Fala himself put it, the


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ultimate end of the universe comes much


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sooner than expected, but fortunately,


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it still takes a very long time. What's


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particularly interesting about this


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research is how it builds upon Stephven


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Hawkings groundbreaking work from 1975.


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Hawking theorized that black holes


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aren't completely black. They gradually


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emit tiny amounts of radiation, now


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known as Hawking radiation. Over


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immensely long time scales, this process


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causes black holes to slowly evaporate


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and eventually disappear entirely. The


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Radboot team extended this principle to


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other dense cosmic objects, including


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neutron stars. Their surprising


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discovery was that the evaporation


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process is driven not just by mass, but


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by density. This led to some


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counterintuitive findings about decay


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timelines. For instance, despite their


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extreme gravitational pull and


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reputation as cosmic devourers, black


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holes share a similar decay timeline


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with neutron stars around 10^ the 67th


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power years. That's significantly


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shorter than previous scientific


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estimates. The reason for this


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unexpected result is that black holes


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lacking a solid surface can partially


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reabsorb their emitted radiation, which


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actually slows the evaporation process.


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To put this in perspective, the


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researchers calculated that objects as


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small as our moon or even a human would


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take approximately 10 to the 90th power


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years to evaporate through Hawking-like


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radiation. Of course, other natural


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processes would end their existence long


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before this theoretical timeline played


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out. What makes this research


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particularly valuable beyond the cosmic


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doomsday predictions, is how it helps


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bridge the gap between quantum mechanics


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and general relativity, two fundamental


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theories of physics that have proven


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notoriously difficult to reconcile. As


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co-author Walter Vanucom noted, by


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asking these kinds of questions and


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looking at extreme cases, we want to


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better understand the theory and perhaps


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one day we unravel the mystery of


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Hawking


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radiation. While none of us need worry


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about witnessing the universe's final


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moments, this research provides valuable


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insight into the fundamental workings of


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our cosmos and the physical laws that


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govern everything from the smallest


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particles to the largest structures in


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existence. It's a reminder that even in


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studying the end of everything, we


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continue to deepen our understanding of


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the universe we inhabit


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today. Have you ever wondered what it is


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that astronauts actually do all day on


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the ISS? I'm sure some people think they


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spend the day looking out the window and


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admiring the view. Well, far from it.


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Let's take a look at what they did on


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Tuesday this week as an example. The


00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:27.750
International Space Station continues to


00:11:27.760 --> 00:11:29.949
serve as humanity's premier orbital


00:11:29.959 --> 00:11:33.110
laboratory with the Expedition 73 crew


00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:35.269
currently engaged in a diverse array of


00:11:35.279 --> 00:11:36.509
scientific


00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:38.790
investigations. NASA astronauts Anne


00:11:38.800 --> 00:11:42.310
Mlan, Nicole Ayes, and Johnny Kim have


00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:43.509
been particularly busy with


00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:46.550
biotechnology research. MLAN dawned a


00:11:46.560 --> 00:11:48.150
special biom monitor garment and


00:11:48.160 --> 00:11:50.230
headband as part of an experiment


00:11:50.240 --> 00:11:52.069
monitoring astronauts psychological


00:11:52.079 --> 00:11:54.230
responses before, during, and after


00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:57.030
their missions. This research aims to


00:11:57.040 --> 00:11:59.030
assess how space travel affects heart


00:11:59.040 --> 00:12:01.509
health, crucial knowledge as we plan for


00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:03.590
longer duration missions beyond Earth


00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:05.910
orbit. Perhaps the most intriguing


00:12:05.920 --> 00:12:07.829
experiment currently underway involves


00:12:07.839 --> 00:12:10.710
DNA inspired nanomaterials.


00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:12.389
MLAN and AIRS have been working in the


00:12:12.399 --> 00:12:15.430
life sciences glove box mixing mRNA and


00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:17.269
protein solutions to produce special


00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.310
molecules formed by these


00:12:19.320 --> 00:12:21.509
nanomaterials. This research could lead


00:12:21.519 --> 00:12:23.190
to more cost-effective inspace


00:12:23.200 --> 00:12:25.110
production methods and potentially


00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:27.110
revolutionize targeted therapy delivery


00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:29.030
back on Earth, improving patient


00:12:29.040 --> 00:12:31.990
outcomes with fewer side effects. Fire


00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:33.670
safety in space represents another


00:12:33.680 --> 00:12:36.150
critical research area. Astronaut Johnny


00:12:36.160 --> 00:12:37.990
Kim spent the day installing hardware


00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:39.509
for the solid fuel ignition and


00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:41.590
extinction experiment, which includes


00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:43.430
mist systems designed to extinguish


00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:45.750
flames in microgravity. He's also


00:12:45.760 --> 00:12:47.350
working with the combustion integrated


00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:49.110
rack to better understand the


00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:51.030
fundamentals of how fire behaves when


00:12:51.040 --> 00:12:53.590
gravity isn't pulling flames upward.


00:12:53.600 --> 00:12:55.990
This research isn't merely academic.


00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:57.509
Understanding fire behavior and


00:12:57.519 --> 00:12:59.110
suppression methods in space is


00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:01.670
essential for crew safety on the ISS and


00:13:01.680 --> 00:13:04.949
future deep space missions. Meanwhile,


00:13:04.959 --> 00:13:07.110
JAXA astronaut and station commander


00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:09.670
Takuya Onishi has been focusing on


00:13:09.680 --> 00:13:11.829
similar fire safety work in the Japanese


00:13:11.839 --> 00:13:14.150
experiment module. He's been handling


00:13:14.160 --> 00:13:15.990
gas bottle exchanges in the solid


00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:18.069
combustion experiment module and


00:13:18.079 --> 00:13:19.990
performing critical leak checks to


00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:21.310
ensure safe


00:13:21.320 --> 00:13:24.069
operations. Beyond scientific duties,


00:13:24.079 --> 00:13:26.069
Onishi has tackled orbital plumbing


00:13:26.079 --> 00:13:28.629
tasks, installing recycle tanks and


00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:30.629
configuring drain valves, the


00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:32.470
unglamorous but essential maintenance


00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:35.190
that keeps the station functioning. The


00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:37.790
station's three cosminauts, Sergey


00:13:37.800 --> 00:13:40.910
Riakov, Alexe Zubritzky, and Kiril


00:13:40.920 --> 00:13:43.190
Pescov have primarily focused on


00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:44.710
maintenance tasks in the Russian


00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:47.030
segment. Their work included removing


00:13:47.040 --> 00:13:49.509
cargo, replacing thermal sensors, and


00:13:49.519 --> 00:13:52.389
verifying flow sensor installations.


00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:54.470
Pescov conducted an Ethernet cables


00:13:54.480 --> 00:13:56.710
audit and worked on the intermodular


00:13:56.720 --> 00:13:58.389
ventilation system connecting the


00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:00.790
Russian and US modules, critical


00:14:00.800 --> 00:14:02.790
infrastructure that ensures proper air


00:14:02.800 --> 00:14:05.590
circulation throughout the station. This


00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:07.189
blend of cuttingedge research and


00:14:07.199 --> 00:14:09.189
meticulous maintenance highlights the


00:14:09.199 --> 00:14:11.430
dual nature of the ISS as both a


00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:13.990
worldclass laboratory and a habitable


00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:16.230
outpost in the harsh environment of low


00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:18.629
Earth orbit. As the crew continues their


00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:20.629
six-month mission, these experiments


00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:22.230
will provide valuable data for


00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:24.150
scientific advancement and support


00:14:24.160 --> 00:14:26.430
humanity's ongoing space exploration


00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:28.870
efforts. I think you'll agree there


00:14:28.880 --> 00:14:30.790
wasn't much time for just sitting and


00:14:30.800 --> 00:14:32.030
looking at the


00:14:32.040 --> 00:14:34.389
view. In a significant first for


00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:36.550
Europe's satellite navigation system,


00:14:36.560 --> 00:14:39.910
Galileo satellite GAT 0104 has been


00:14:39.920 --> 00:14:41.829
officially decommissioned after 12 years


00:14:41.839 --> 00:14:44.150
of service. This marks a historic


00:14:44.160 --> 00:14:45.990
milestone as the first satellite in the


00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:48.389
Galileo constellation to be retired,


00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:50.310
setting precedent for responsible space


00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:53.870
operations in the coming decades. GSAT


00:14:53.880 --> 00:14:56.629
0104 holds a special place in European


00:14:56.639 --> 00:14:59.269
space history. Launched on October 12,


00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:01.670
2012, it was the fourth and final


00:15:01.680 --> 00:15:03.509
inorbit validation satellite for the


00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:06.470
Galileo program. Most notably, it


00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:08.470
participated in a watershed moment on


00:15:08.480 --> 00:15:11.990
March 12, 2013 when alongside its fellow


00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:14.310
satellites, it enabled the very first


00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:16.470
position fix by Europe's independent


00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:19.030
satellite navigation system. For a


00:15:19.040 --> 00:15:20.870
constellation like Galileo, which serves


00:15:20.880 --> 00:15:22.389
as critical public infrastructure


00:15:22.399 --> 00:15:24.069
intended to provide uninterrupted


00:15:24.079 --> 00:15:26.389
service over decades, decommissioning


00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:29.030
activities are as essential as launches.


00:15:29.040 --> 00:15:30.870
The retirement process isn't just about


00:15:30.880 --> 00:15:33.110
making space safer. It's literally about


00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:35.269
making space for new satellites as the


00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:37.389
constellation requires continuous


00:15:37.399 --> 00:15:40.389
replenishment. The decision to retire


00:15:40.399 --> 00:15:43.590
104 came after careful deliberation by a


00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:45.829
board chaired by the EU Agency for the


00:15:45.839 --> 00:15:48.069
Space Program with participation from


00:15:48.079 --> 00:15:51.069
the European Space Agency and European


00:15:51.079 --> 00:15:53.350
Commission. Decommissioning activities


00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:56.389
began in March 2024 and were completed


00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:59.829
last month in April 2025.


00:15:59.839 --> 00:16:01.590
What's particularly notable about this


00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:03.670
decommissioning is how it aligns with


00:16:03.680 --> 00:16:05.670
ISSA's commitment to sustainability in


00:16:05.680 --> 00:16:08.069
space. With the growing concern about


00:16:08.079 --> 00:16:09.749
space debris threatening current and


00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:11.990
future missions, issa has set an


00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:13.910
ambitious goal of net zero space


00:16:13.920 --> 00:16:16.949
pollution for new missions by 2030. For


00:16:16.959 --> 00:16:20.310
G Satsuro 104, engineers used remaining


00:16:20.320 --> 00:16:23.030
propellant reserves to place it 700 km


00:16:23.040 --> 00:16:24.790
above the operational Galileo


00:16:24.800 --> 00:16:26.790
constellation in what's known as a


00:16:26.800 --> 00:16:29.509
graveyard orbit. This exceptionally


00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:31.670
stable disposal orbit is designed to


00:16:31.680 --> 00:16:33.430
remain undisturbed for hundreds of


00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:35.670
years, ensuring it won't interfere with


00:16:35.680 --> 00:16:38.069
active satellites. The satellite was


00:16:38.079 --> 00:16:40.150
then completely passivated by removing


00:16:40.160 --> 00:16:42.470
all internal energy sources, including


00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:45.430
battery charge. This approach represents


00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:47.350
the standard disposal strategy for


00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:48.790
satellites in medium Earth and


00:16:48.800 --> 00:16:51.030
geostationary orbits where earth


00:16:51.040 --> 00:16:53.590
re-entry is generally not feasible.


00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:55.670
Future decommissioned Galileo satellites


00:16:55.680 --> 00:16:57.269
will be disposed at slightly different


00:16:57.279 --> 00:16:59.350
altitudes to maintain safe distance


00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:02.069
between them. The Galileo program


00:17:02.079 --> 00:17:03.749
continues to thrive despite this


00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:05.990
retirement. The constellation currently


00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:08.069
provides the same level of performance


00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:10.150
with active satellites in all prime


00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:14.069
slots plus three active spares. Six more


00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:15.669
first generation satellites are ready


00:17:15.679 --> 00:17:18.069
for launch and 12 second generation


00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:20.390
satellites are in development. This


00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:22.150
decommissioning gives the Galileo


00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:23.990
program valuable experience that will


00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:26.630
prove crucial as more satellites reach


00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:29.190
the end of their operational lives in


00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:31.830
the coming years. The remaining three


00:17:31.840 --> 00:17:34.470
original inorbit validation satellites


00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:37.110
have exceeded their design lifetime, but


00:17:37.120 --> 00:17:39.350
continue to provide excellent navigation


00:17:39.360 --> 00:17:41.270
performance. They'll be reviewed again


00:17:41.280 --> 00:17:43.750
in October 2025 to determine if they


00:17:43.760 --> 00:17:46.110
should continue operating or join GSAT


00:17:46.120 --> 00:17:49.029
0104 in retirement.


00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.950
Galileo has become the world's most


00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:53.510
precise satellite navigation system,


00:17:53.520 --> 00:17:55.669
serving over four billion smartphone


00:17:55.679 --> 00:17:57.830
users globally since entering open


00:17:57.840 --> 00:18:01.029
service in 2017. Beyond consumer


00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:02.789
applications, it's making a difference


00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:05.350
across rail, maritime, agriculture,


00:18:05.360 --> 00:18:07.230
financial timing services, and rescue


00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:09.510
operations. A testament to Europe's


00:18:09.520 --> 00:18:11.029
commitment to space technology


00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:12.950
leadership.


00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:15.110
Finally, today, when we think about the


00:18:15.120 --> 00:18:17.350
dawn of life on Earth, it's easy to


00:18:17.360 --> 00:18:20.150
imagine a process that took eons, a


00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:22.390
slow, gradual emergence from complex


00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:25.310
chemicals to the first self-replicating


00:18:25.320 --> 00:18:27.750
organisms. But fascinating new research


00:18:27.760 --> 00:18:29.510
suggests that life might have gotten its


00:18:29.520 --> 00:18:31.350
start with surprising speed after our


00:18:31.360 --> 00:18:33.510
planet formed, raising profound


00:18:33.520 --> 00:18:35.270
questions about the potential for life


00:18:35.280 --> 00:18:37.430
elsewhere in the universe.


00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:39.430
A recent paper by American astronomer


00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:41.750
David Kipping titled Strong Evidence


00:18:41.760 --> 00:18:44.230
that abiogenesis is a rapid process on


00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:46.630
Earth analoges offers compelling


00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:48.710
analysis of when life first emerged on


00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:51.270
our planet. The evidence of ancient life


00:18:51.280 --> 00:18:53.430
stretches remarkably far back possibly


00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:55.909
as far as 4.2 billion years ago,


00:18:55.919 --> 00:18:57.750
astonishingly close to Earth's formation


00:18:57.760 --> 00:19:00.310
around 4.5 billion years ago. The


00:19:00.320 --> 00:19:01.990
timeline is truly remarkable when you


00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:04.390
consider the evidence. Fossilized mats


00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:06.710
of cyanobacteria known as stromatalites


00:19:06.720 --> 00:19:09.830
date back 3.7 billion years. Rocks from


00:19:09.840 --> 00:19:11.510
Australia show isotope patterns


00:19:11.520 --> 00:19:13.270
consistent with biological activity


00:19:13.280 --> 00:19:16.070
dating to 4.1 billion years ago. And


00:19:16.080 --> 00:19:18.150
some ancient Canadian rocks contain tiny


00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:19.750
filament-like structures that may


00:19:19.760 --> 00:19:22.470
represent biological remains from 4.28


00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:23.549
billion years


00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:25.830
ago. Scientists trying to understand


00:19:25.840 --> 00:19:27.430
life's earliest journey often study


00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:29.909
what's called LUCA, the last universal


00:19:29.919 --> 00:19:32.150
common ancestor. This hypothetical


00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:34.230
organism gave rise to all forms of life


00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:37.110
on Earth. Bacteria, archa, and


00:19:37.120 --> 00:19:38.430
eventually


00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:40.950
complex. Current research places Luca's


00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:42.950
existence at least 3.6 billion years


00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:46.150
ago, possibly as far back as 4.3 billion


00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:48.549
years. What Kipping's analysis reveals


00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:51.190
is truly significant. Using Besian


00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:52.870
statistical methods to evaluate the


00:19:52.880 --> 00:19:55.750
evidence, he calculates 13 to1 odds in


00:19:55.760 --> 00:19:56.990
favor of rapid


00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:59.190
abiogenesis, the spontaneous emergence


00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:01.510
of life from non-living matter. This


00:20:01.520 --> 00:20:03.510
crosses the threshold of 10:1 that


00:20:03.520 --> 00:20:05.669
scientists consider strong evidence,


00:20:05.679 --> 00:20:07.110
making this the first time we have


00:20:07.120 --> 00:20:08.990
formal statistical support for the


00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:11.750
hypothesis that life rapidly emerges


00:20:11.760 --> 00:20:14.470
under earthlike conditions.


00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:16.549
This finding addresses a long-standing


00:20:16.559 --> 00:20:18.630
concern about what's called the weak


00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:21.190
anthropic principle. The idea that we


00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:23.270
might be observing an atypically quick


00:20:23.280 --> 00:20:25.990
emergence of life simply because if life


00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:28.070
hadn't appeared early, we wouldn't be


00:20:28.080 --> 00:20:30.470
here to observe it. Kipping's odds ratio


00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:31.909
provides a more objective measure


00:20:31.919 --> 00:20:34.470
supporting rapid abioenesis. But here's


00:20:34.480 --> 00:20:36.909
the crucial caveat, and it's one Kipping


00:20:36.919 --> 00:20:39.110
emphasizes. This doesn't mean life is


00:20:39.120 --> 00:20:40.789
common throughout the universe.


00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:42.789
Earthlike conditions themselves may be


00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:45.590
exceedingly rare. As he writes, "Our


00:20:45.600 --> 00:20:47.350
result does not establish that life is


00:20:47.360 --> 00:20:49.590
common since Earth's conditions could be


00:20:49.600 --> 00:20:51.990
incredibly rare." There's also an


00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:53.350
intriguing tension within these


00:20:53.360 --> 00:20:56.070
findings. If life started so quickly,


00:20:56.080 --> 00:20:58.149
why did it take roughly 4 billion more


00:20:58.159 --> 00:21:00.070
years for intelligent life like us to


00:21:00.080 --> 00:21:02.549
evolve? With our sun expected to make


00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:04.870
Earth uninhabitable in about 900 million


00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:07.990
years as it grows 10% more luminous,


00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:09.669
there seems to be a narrow window for


00:21:09.679 --> 00:21:11.669
intelligence to emerge before a planet


00:21:11.679 --> 00:21:13.909
becomes too hostile. The most humbling


00:21:13.919 --> 00:21:15.750
aspect of this research remains our


00:21:15.760 --> 00:21:18.149
limited sample size. We still have only


00:21:18.159 --> 00:21:20.110
one confirmed example of life in the


00:21:20.120 --> 00:21:23.270
universe, Earth. finding evidence of


00:21:23.280 --> 00:21:25.270
past or present life elsewhere in our


00:21:25.280 --> 00:21:27.669
solar system, whether on Mars, an ocean


00:21:27.679 --> 00:21:29.990
moon like Europa, or conclusively


00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:31.950
detecting bio signatures on an


00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:34.750
exoplanet, would revolutionize our


00:21:34.760 --> 00:21:37.669
understanding. As Kipping concludes, our


00:21:37.679 --> 00:21:39.590
next task is clearly to look out and


00:21:39.600 --> 00:21:41.909
address this question. How common are


00:21:41.919 --> 00:21:44.870
conditions analogous to those of Earth?


00:21:44.880 --> 00:21:47.190
That search continues with each new


00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:48.630
discovery bringing us closer to


00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:49.990
answering one of humanity's most


00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:53.789
profound questions. Are we alone in the


00:21:53.799 --> 00:21:56.070
universe? And that brings us to the end


00:21:56.080 --> 00:21:58.310
of another episode of Astronomy Daily,


00:21:58.320 --> 00:22:00.470
where today we've traveled from the


00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:02.470
moon's surface to the ultimate fate of


00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:04.710
the universe with several fascinating


00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:06.029
stops in


00:22:06.039 --> 00:22:08.390
between. We began with Intuitive


00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:10.390
Machines lunar lander mishap, where


00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:12.149
alimeter problems and challenging


00:22:12.159 --> 00:22:14.070
lighting conditions caused their Nova


00:22:14.080 --> 00:22:16.710
Sea lander to topple over in March.


00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:18.789
Despite the setback, the company is


00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:20.549
implementing important changes for


00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:22.870
future missions while diversifying their


00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:25.830
space business beyond lunar exploration.


00:22:25.840 --> 00:22:27.750
We then ventured to the far reaches of


00:22:27.760 --> 00:22:30.470
time itself with research from Radbood


00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:33.029
University suggesting the universe's end


00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:35.350
may arrive in about 10 to the power of


00:22:35.360 --> 00:22:38.390
78 years. Still an incomprehensibly


00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:40.870
distant future, but significantly sooner


00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:42.950
than previous estimates of 10 to the


00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:46.149
power of 1,100 years.


00:22:46.159 --> 00:22:48.549
Up on the International Space Station,


00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:51.029
Expedition 73 crew members have been


00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:53.830
advancing biotechnology research and


00:22:53.840 --> 00:22:56.710
studying fire behavior in microgravity.


00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:58.310
Crucial work that improves our


00:22:58.320 --> 00:23:00.549
understanding of both space habitation


00:23:00.559 --> 00:23:03.669
and life on Earth. We also witnessed a


00:23:03.679 --> 00:23:04.870
historical first with the


00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:07.070
decommissioning of Galileo satellite


00:23:07.080 --> 00:23:11.430
GETZ 104 after 12 years of service. This


00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:13.510
pioneering event demonstrates Europe's


00:23:13.520 --> 00:23:14.950
commitment to sustainable space


00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:17.029
operations and sets a responsible


00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:19.669
example for constellation management.


00:23:19.679 --> 00:23:21.590
Perhaps most thought-provoking was our


00:23:21.600 --> 00:23:23.990
look at new evidence, suggesting life


00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:26.149
may have emerged with surprising speed


00:23:26.159 --> 00:23:28.870
after Earth formed. David Kipping's


00:23:28.880 --> 00:23:31.270
analysis showing strong statistical


00:23:31.280 --> 00:23:32.750
support for rapid


00:23:32.760 --> 00:23:35.270
abiogenesis raises profound questions


00:23:35.280 --> 00:23:37.669
about the potential for life elsewhere


00:23:37.679 --> 00:23:39.430
even as we acknowledge the rarity of


00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:41.750
earthlike conditions. These stories


00:23:41.760 --> 00:23:43.750
remind us that space exploration


00:23:43.760 --> 00:23:45.510
continues to challenge our understanding


00:23:45.520 --> 00:23:48.149
of the universe and our place within it.


00:23:48.159 --> 00:23:50.470
Each discovery brings new questions and


00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:52.310
that's what makes astronomy so endlessly


00:23:52.320 --> 00:23:54.549
fascinating. If you've enjoyed today's


00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:56.390
episode, I invite you to visit our


00:23:56.400 --> 00:23:57.950
website at


00:23:57.960 --> 00:23:59.830
astronomydaily.io where you can sign up


00:23:59.840 --> 00:24:01.750
for our free daily newsletter and catch


00:24:01.760 --> 00:24:04.070
up on all the latest space and astronomy


00:24:04.080 --> 00:24:06.390
news with our constantly updating space


00:24:06.400 --> 00:24:09.029
news feed. You can also subscribe to


00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:12.029
Astronomy Daily on Apple Podcasts,


00:24:12.039 --> 00:24:14.630
Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get


00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:16.789
your podcast to ensure you never miss an


00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:19.190
episode. This is Anna for Astronomy


00:24:19.200 --> 00:24:21.669
Daily. Thank you for listening and until


00:24:21.679 --> 00:24:34.310
next time, keep looking up.


00:24:34.320 --> 00:24:36.820
Stories told.


00:24:36.830 --> 00:24:43.200
[Music]