Lunar Mysteries Unveiled, Rocket Launch Delays, and Martian Aurora Firsts

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Language: en

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Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your cosmic


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connection to the stars and beyond. I'm


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Anna, bringing you the latest


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developments in space exploration and


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astronomical discoveries right to your


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ears. Today's episode is packed with


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fascinating stories that showcase both


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the mysteries of our universe and


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humanity's incredible technological


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ingenuity in uncovering them. We'll be


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exploring several breaking stories that


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highlight just how dynamic our solar


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system truly is. We'll start by delving


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into a new gravity study that finally


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helps explain why the two sides of our


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moon look so dramatically different. A


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question that has puzzled scientists for


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decades. The research reveals


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fascinating asymmetries deep within the


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lunar interior that have shaped its


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distinctive


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appearance. Then we'll head down under


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to Australia where an aerospace firm was


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preparing for a historic rocket launch


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that would have been the first


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Australianmade rocket to reach orbit


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from Australian soil. We'll look at what


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happened with this milestone attempt and


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what it means for the growing global


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space industry. Next, we'll travel to


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the very edge of our solar system, where


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NASA engineers have achieved what many


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would consider impossible, reviving


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thrusters on the Voyager 1 spacecraft


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that had been deemed unusable since


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2004.


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This remarkable feat of remote


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engineering shows just how resourceful


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our space teams can be, especially when


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working with a spacecraft that's now


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over 15 billion miles from Earth. We'll


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also examine fascinating new findings


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about Venus that suggest our nearest


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planetary neighbor may be more


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geologically active than previously


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thought. Data from NASA's Mellin mission


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has revealed evidence of ongoing


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tectonic processes that reshape our


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understanding of this enigmatic world.


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Finally, we'll look at a historic first


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on Mars, where the Perseverance rover


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has captured an image that no human has


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ever seen before. A visible aurora on


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the red planet. This subtle green glow


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gives us a preview of what future


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Martian explorers might witness in the


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night sky. These stories remind us that


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our solar system is not a static place,


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but an everchanging, dynamic environment


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full of ongoing processes and unexpected


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discoveries. They also highlight the


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incredible technological achievements


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that allow us to explore these distant


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worlds from right here on Earth. So


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settle in as we journey across the


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cosmos, exploring the latest findings


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that continue to expand our


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understanding of the universe we call


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home. Let's get things underway.


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One of the most enduring mysteries about


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our closest celestial neighbor has been


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why the moon's near side, the face we


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see from Earth, looks so dramatically


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different from its far side. Now, an


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exhaustive examination of lunar gravity


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using data from NASA's Grail mission is


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offering compelling new evidence to


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explain this lunar dichotomy. The


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research team discovered that the moon's


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near side flexes slightly more than the


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far side during its elliptical orbit


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around Earth. This difference in tidal


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deformation caused by Earth's


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gravitational pole indicates significant


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structural differences between the two


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sides of the lunar interior,


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particularly in the mantle layer. Our


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study shows that the moon's interior is


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not uniform, explains Ryan Park, lead


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author of the study published in the


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journal Nature. The side facing Earth,


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the near side, is warmer and more


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geologically active deep down than the


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far side. This temperature difference is


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substantial. Researchers estimate that


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the near side mantle averages between


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180 to


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360° hotter than the far side mantle.


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This thermal difference is likely


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sustained by the radioactive decay of


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elements like thorium and titanium which


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appear to have accumulated on the near


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side overions of the help explain the


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stark visual contrast between the two


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lunar hemispheres. If you've ever looked


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up at the moon, you've noticed that the


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near side is dominated by vast dark


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plains called mare formed when molten


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rock cooled and solidified billions of


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years ago. In contrast, the far side has


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a much more rugged mountainous terrain


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with very few of these


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planes. Scientists have long


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hypothesized that intense volcanism on


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the near side caused radioactive heat


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generating elements to accumulate in the


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mantle beneath this hemisphere, driving


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these surface differences.


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The new Grail data provides the


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strongest evidence yet supporting this


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theory. The researchers devoted years to


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analyzing data from the Twin Grail


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spacecraft, Eb and Flow, which orbited


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the moon from December 2011 to December


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2012. Their work has resulted in what


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Park describes as the most detailed and


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accurate gravitational map of the moon


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to date. Beyond solving this lunar


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mystery, the enhanced gravity map has


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practical applications. It will be


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crucial for developing lunar


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positioning, navigation, and timing


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systems, essential tools for future


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lunar exploration missions. By improving


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our understanding of the moon's gravity


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field, the research contributes to


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establishing a precise lunar reference


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frame that will enable safer and more


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reliable navigation for spacecraft and


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surface operations.


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This asymmetry in the moon's interior


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structure also deepens our appreciation


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of our celestial companions importance


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to Earth. The moon stabilizes our


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planet's rotation and generates ocean


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tides that influence countless natural


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systems and daily rhythms on our world.


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What's particularly exciting is that the


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gravitational analysis techniques used


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in this study could potentially be


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applied to other bodies in our solar


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system, such as Saturn's moon Enceladus


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and Jupiter's moon Ganymede. both


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considered prime candidates in the


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search for potential life beyond


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Earth. Next in today's story lineup, an


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Australian aerospace firm has been


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forced to delay what would have been a


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historic rocket launch from Australian


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soil. Gilmore Space Technologies had


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planned to conduct the first test launch


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of their three-stage Aerys rocket


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yesterday, but had to postpone after


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encountering a ground system glitch


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during pre-launch operations.


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The company's communications chief,


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Michelle Gilmore, explained that the


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issue was with an external power system


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we used during system checks. The


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technical team identified the fix, but


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ran out of time to implement it and fuel


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the rocket within the day's launch


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window. They're now targeting today for


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the rescheduled launch attempt. The 23 m


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75- ft Aerys rocket is poised to take


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off from a spaceport near Bowen, a


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coastal township approximately 1,000 km


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north of Brisbane. If successful, it


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would mark a significant milestone as


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the first Australian-made rocket to


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achieve an orbital launch from


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Australian soil. While the maiden flight


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is primarily a test, the rocket isn't


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traveling empty. In a quintessentially


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Australian touch, it will be carrying a


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jar of Vegemite, the iconic Australian


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toast spread as its payload. CEO Adam


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Gilmore has been candid about managing


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expectations for this first flight. If


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it orbits Earth, I would probably have a


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heart attack actually because I'll be so


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surprised but deliriously happy. He told


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reporters, "We're going to be happy if


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it gets off the pad. 10, 20, 30 seconds


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of flight time. Fantastic. So, orbit is


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just not in the realm of my belief right


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now, even though it's theoretically


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possible. The Aerys rocket is designed


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to eventually carry small satellites


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weighing between 100 and 200 kg into low


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Earth orbit, weighing 30 tons when fully


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fueled. It uses a hybrid propulsion


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system combining solid inert fuel with a


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liquid oxidizer.


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Gilmore Space Technologies has backing


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from private investors, including


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venture capital group Blackbird and


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pension fund HA. The company, which


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employs 230 people, has ambitious plans


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to commence commercial launches by late


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2026 or early 2027. Here's wishing them


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all the best with the next attempt.


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Now, here's a story that truly showcases


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the incredible ingenuity of NASA's


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engineering team. In what can only be


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described as a remarkable feat of remote


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problem solving, engineers at NASA's Jet


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Propulsion Laboratory have successfully


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revived a set of thrusters aboard


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Voyager 1 that had been considered


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completely inoperable since 2004.


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This achievement is particularly


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impressive when you consider that


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Voyager 1 is currently hurtling through


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interstellar space at approximately


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35,000 mph, over 15 billion miles from


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Earth. That's so far away that radio


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signals take more than 23 hours to


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travel between the spacecraft and our


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planet. The thruster revival was


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critically timed. Engineers needed to


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fix these systems before May 4th when


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the Deep Space Network's 230 foot wide


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antenna in Canberra, Australia, the only


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dish powerful enough to send commands to


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the distant Voyagers, went offline for


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extensive upgrades that will last until


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February 2026 with only brief


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operational windows in August and


00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:06.550
December. Why was this fix so urgent?


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The Voyager spacecraft rely on small


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thrusters to maintain their orientation,


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keeping their antennas pointed at Earth


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so they can continue sending back data


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and receiving commands. The primary set


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of thrusters currently in use on Voyager


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1 have been experiencing fuel tube


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clogging due to residue buildup, which


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could cause them to fail completely as


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early as this northern fall. The


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situation was complicated by the fact


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that the backup thrusters had stopped


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working back in 2004 when two small


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internal heaters lost power. At that


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time, engineers determined the heaters


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were likely unfixable and switched to


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other backup systems. After all, who


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could have predicted Voyager would still


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be operational two decades later? After


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revisiting the 2004 thruster failure,


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the team suspected that an unexpected


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circuit disturbance had essentially


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flipped a switch to the wrong position.


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If they could turn the switch back, the


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heaters might work again. This solution


00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:06.710
required precision timing and careful


00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:09.110
planning. If the spacecraft's star


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tracker drifted too far from its guide


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star during the fix, the dormant


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thrusters would automatically fire


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without their heaters, potentially


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causing a small explosion. On March


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20th, after sending their commands and


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waiting anxiously through the 23-hour


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signal delay, the team witnessed the


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temperature of the thruster heaters rise


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dramatically, confirming their success.


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As mission propulsion lead Todd Barber


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described it, "It was such a glorious


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moment, team morale was very high that


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day. These thrusters were considered


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dead. It was yet another miracle save


00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:44.710
for Voyager." Launched in 1977, both


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Voyager 1 and its twin Voyager 2


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continue to push the boundaries of space


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exploration as the only spacecraft to


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have ever sent back data from


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interstellar space. The region beyond


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our solar systems protective bubble.


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This latest engineering triumph ensures


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that this incredible scientific journey


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can continue even


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longer. Let's move on now to some news


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from one of our celestial neighbors. Our


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understanding of Venus, Earth's


00:11:09.680 --> 00:11:11.990
so-called twin planet, continues to


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evolve as scientists uncover evidence


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that it may be more geologically active


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than previously thought. New research


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based on data gathered over 30 years ago


00:11:21.040 --> 00:11:23.750
by NASA's Mellin mission has revealed


00:11:23.760 --> 00:11:26.310
fascinating insights about vast


00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:28.829
quasicular features on Venus called


00:11:28.839 --> 00:11:31.829
Coroni, which suggest ongoing tectonic


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activity beneath the planet's surface.


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Unlike Earth with its shifting tectonic


00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:38.389
plates, Venus doesn't have plate


00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:40.790
tectonics as we know it. However, this


00:11:40.800 --> 00:11:43.030
doesn't mean Venus is geologically dead.


00:11:43.040 --> 00:11:44.630
The new study published in Science


00:11:44.640 --> 00:11:46.949
Advances indicates that its surface is


00:11:46.959 --> 00:11:49.190
still being deformed by molten material


00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:52.150
rising from below. Coroni are enormous


00:11:52.160 --> 00:11:54.389
structures ranging from dozens to


00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:57.110
hundreds of miles across where plumes of


00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:59.430
hot buoyant material from Venus's mantle


00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:00.910
are thought to push against the


00:12:00.920 --> 00:12:03.110
lithosphere, the planet's crust and


00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:05.910
uppermost mantle layer. These features


00:12:05.920 --> 00:12:07.829
typically appear as oval structures


00:12:07.839 --> 00:12:09.670
surrounded by concentric fracture


00:12:09.680 --> 00:12:11.910
systems and hundreds of them have been


00:12:11.920 --> 00:12:14.230
identified across Venus.


00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:16.069
What makes this research particularly


00:12:16.079 --> 00:12:18.710
exciting is that it suggests multiple


00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:21.030
ongoing processes are actively shaping


00:12:21.040 --> 00:12:23.829
these coroni. By combining gravity and


00:12:23.839 --> 00:12:25.910
topography data from Mellin and


00:12:25.920 --> 00:12:27.350
developing sophisticated


00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:29.829
three-dimensional geodamic models,


00:12:29.839 --> 00:12:32.069
researchers were able to identify 52


00:12:32.079 --> 00:12:34.710
Coroni out of the 75 studied that appear


00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:36.629
to have buoyant mantle material beneath


00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:40.069
them, likely driving tectonic processes.


00:12:40.079 --> 00:12:41.949
The team identified several different


00:12:41.959 --> 00:12:45.030
mechanisms potentially at work in some


00:12:45.040 --> 00:12:47.110
Coroni. A Venus specific type of


00:12:47.120 --> 00:12:50.069
subduction may be occurring. As hot rock


00:12:50.079 --> 00:12:52.629
pushes upward from the mantle, surface


00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:55.190
material rises and spreads outward


00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:56.790
eventually colliding with surrounding


00:12:56.800 --> 00:12:58.949
material and pushing it downward into


00:12:58.959 --> 00:13:01.350
the mantle. Another process called


00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:03.190
lithospheric dripping might also be


00:13:03.200 --> 00:13:05.509
present where dense accumulations of


00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:06.949
cooler material sink from the


00:13:06.959 --> 00:13:10.150
lithosphere into the hot mantle below.


00:13:10.160 --> 00:13:12.150
Lead researcher Gail Cashioli who is


00:13:12.160 --> 00:13:13.910
part of NASA's forthcoming Varidis


00:13:13.920 --> 00:13:15.990
mission to Venus noted that these


00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:17.910
features might provide a unique window


00:13:17.920 --> 00:13:21.110
into Earth's past. Coroni are not found


00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:23.430
on Earth today. However, they may have


00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:25.110
existed when our planet was young and


00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:26.710
before plate tectonics had been


00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:29.990
established. He explained, "This work is


00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:31.990
especially significant as it represents


00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:33.829
yet another instance where scientists


00:13:33.839 --> 00:13:35.750
are finding Venus exhibits more


00:13:35.760 --> 00:13:37.670
Earthlike geologic processes than


00:13:37.680 --> 00:13:39.990
originally thought. Just recently,


00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:41.750
researchers were able to identify


00:13:41.760 --> 00:13:43.750
erupting volcanoes and vast lava flows


00:13:43.760 --> 00:13:46.230
in radar images from Mellin, providing


00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:49.190
direct evidence of volcanic activity.


00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:50.430
While these discoveries are


00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:52.230
groundbreaking, scientists will need


00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:54.550
even higher resolution data to fully


00:13:54.560 --> 00:13:56.790
understand the tectonic processes


00:13:56.800 --> 00:13:59.110
driving corona formation. That's where


00:13:59.120 --> 00:14:01.110
NASA's upcoming Varidis mission comes


00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:03.949
in. Scheduled to launch no earlier than


00:14:03.959 --> 00:14:06.710
2031, Veritus will create detailed


00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:08.949
three-dimensional global maps of Venus


00:14:08.959 --> 00:14:11.189
and measure its gravitational field to


00:14:11.199 --> 00:14:12.949
determine the structure of the planet's


00:14:12.959 --> 00:14:16.150
interior at unprecedented resolution,


00:14:16.160 --> 00:14:17.990
potentially revolutionizing our


00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:20.150
understanding of Venus and what it might


00:14:20.160 --> 00:14:23.670
tell us about Earth's early history.


00:14:23.680 --> 00:14:25.430
Next, let's head off to our other near


00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:26.870
neighbor and one of our favorite


00:14:26.880 --> 00:14:28.870
planets. In a groundbreaking


00:14:28.880 --> 00:14:31.590
astronomical first, NASA's Perseverance


00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:33.670
rover has captured an image of a visible


00:14:33.680 --> 00:14:38.150
aurora on Mars. On March 18, 2024, the


00:14:38.160 --> 00:14:40.389
rover observed what scientists describe


00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:43.110
as a subtle green glow hanging low in


00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:45.910
the Martian sky, wathing the horizon in


00:14:45.920 --> 00:14:48.710
every direction. This marks not only the


00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:50.310
first sighting of a visible Martian


00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:52.710
aurora, but also the first observation


00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:54.710
of any aurora from the surface of a


00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:57.269
planet other than Earth. Until now,


00:14:57.279 --> 00:14:59.030
auroras had been spotted on Mercury,


00:14:59.040 --> 00:15:00.790
Jupiter, and every other non-earth


00:15:00.800 --> 00:15:02.870
planet in our solar system, but only


00:15:02.880 --> 00:15:05.269
from orbit. On Mars specifically,


00:15:05.279 --> 00:15:07.110
scientists had only detected auroral


00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:08.790
wavelengths of light that are invisible


00:15:08.800 --> 00:15:11.110
to the naked eye using specialized


00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:13.269
instruments. This new observation


00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:15.269
answers a long-standing question about


00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:17.189
what future human explorers might


00:15:17.199 --> 00:15:19.910
witness in the Martian night sky.


00:15:19.920 --> 00:15:22.069
According to Roger Wis, a planetary


00:15:22.079 --> 00:15:24.470
scientist at Purdue University, future


00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:26.949
astronauts would see a dull or dim green


00:15:26.959 --> 00:15:29.750
glow with their own eyes. The image from


00:15:29.760 --> 00:15:31.509
Perseverance appears somewhat fuzzy


00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:33.350
compared to the spectacular aurora


00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:34.949
displays we're accustomed to seeing from


00:15:34.959 --> 00:15:37.269
Earth, and for good reason. The rover's


00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:38.990
cameras aren't optimized for night


00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:41.430
photography, performing with sensitivity


00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:43.750
roughly comparable to human eyes.


00:15:43.760 --> 00:15:45.189
Another factor contributing to the


00:15:45.199 --> 00:15:47.350
aurora's different appearance is Mars's


00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:49.910
unique magnetic environment. Unlike


00:15:49.920 --> 00:15:51.670
Earth with its global magnetic field


00:15:51.680 --> 00:15:53.350
that concentrates auroras near the


00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:55.910
poles, Mars has a patchy magnetized


00:15:55.920 --> 00:15:58.470
crust. This means auroras can appear all


00:15:58.480 --> 00:15:59.910
over the planet rather than being


00:15:59.920 --> 00:16:02.069
confined to polar regions, but they tend


00:16:02.079 --> 00:16:04.710
to be comparatively dim. Scientists


00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:06.470
believe this particular aurora was


00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:09.189
triggered by a coronal mass ejection. A


00:16:09.199 --> 00:16:10.870
large cloud of plasma and magnetic


00:16:10.880 --> 00:16:13.829
fields blasted from the sun into space.


00:16:13.839 --> 00:16:15.590
The Perseverance team was alerted to


00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:17.749
this solar event days in advance,


00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:19.509
allowing them to prepare the rover to


00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:21.790
capture this historic image.


00:16:21.800 --> 00:16:23.829
Interestingly, while Perseverance is


00:16:23.839 --> 00:16:26.389
located near Mars's equator, researchers


00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:28.150
suggest that observing auroras from


00:16:28.160 --> 00:16:30.389
Mars' southern hemisphere might yield


00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:32.949
even more spectacular results. That


00:16:32.959 --> 00:16:34.949
region contains the most magnetized part


00:16:34.959 --> 00:16:37.269
of the planet, potentially producing


00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:39.910
stronger auroral displays. This


00:16:39.920 --> 00:16:41.990
discovery adds another fascinating


00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:44.310
chapter to our understanding of Mars and


00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:46.389
provides a glimpse of the ethereal


00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:48.829
experiences awaiting future human


00:16:48.839 --> 00:16:51.590
explorers who might one day stand on the


00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:54.710
red planet surface, gazing up at a


00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:58.310
glowing green Martian sky.


00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:00.389
And that brings us to the end of today's


00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:02.230
cosmic journey through the latest space


00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:04.710
news. From the mysterious asymmetry of


00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:06.470
our moon to engineering marvels on


00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:09.510
Voyager 1, tectonic activity on Venus,


00:17:09.520 --> 00:17:11.669
delayed rocket launches in Australia,


00:17:11.679 --> 00:17:13.829
and the first ever image of a Martian


00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:16.150
aurora. The universe continues to


00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:18.390
surprise and inspire us with each new


00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:21.429
discovery. I'm Anna, your host here on


00:17:21.439 --> 00:17:23.270
Astronomy Daily, bringing you the


00:17:23.280 --> 00:17:25.029
stories that connect us to the vast


00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:26.669
cosmos beyond our


00:17:26.679 --> 00:17:28.789
atmosphere. Whether you're a seasoned


00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:31.510
astronomer or simply curious about what


00:17:31.520 --> 00:17:34.070
lies beyond our blue marble, I hope


00:17:34.080 --> 00:17:35.669
today's episode has sparked your


00:17:35.679 --> 00:17:37.590
imagination and deepened your


00:17:37.600 --> 00:17:40.430
appreciation for the wonders of space


00:17:40.440 --> 00:17:42.549
exploration. If you've enjoyed today's


00:17:42.559 --> 00:17:44.470
show, please visit our website at


00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:47.110
astronomyaily.io io where you can sign


00:17:47.120 --> 00:17:49.029
up for our free daily newsletter and


00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.870
stay informed about breaking astronomy


00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:53.029
news. While you're there, you can also


00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:55.110
browse through all our back episodes to


00:17:55.120 --> 00:17:57.510
catch up on any cosmic stories you might


00:17:57.520 --> 00:17:59.590
have missed. Don't forget to subscribe


00:17:59.600 --> 00:18:02.150
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00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:04.390
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00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:06.549
your podcasts to ensure you never miss


00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:09.029
an episode. Until next time, keep


00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:10.950
looking up. The universe is putting on


00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:14.950
quite a show.


00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:21.950
Stories we


00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:25.190
told stories


00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:29.870
[Music]


00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:33.600
told stories