Odin’s Odyssey, Europa Clipper’s Close Encounter, and the Asteroid Anxiety Update: S04E53
Astronomy Daily | Space News: S04E100
In this milestone episode of Astronomy Daily, host Steve Dunkley his and Hallies 100th episode with exciting updates from the cosmos. From the latest on NASA's Europa Clipper to the challenges faced by the newly launched space probe ODIN, this episode is filled with intriguing stories that highlight the wonders and uncertainties of space exploration.
Highlights:
- Europa Clipper's Flyby of Mars: Join us as we explore the recent flyby of NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft, which glided just 884 kilometers above the Martian surface. Discover how this maneuver is critical for its journey to Jupiter and the potential for life beneath Europa's icy crust.
- Challenges with the ODIN Space Probe: We discuss the unfortunate loss of contact with the ODIN spacecraft shortly after its launch. Learn about the mission's objectives and the hopes of the Astroforge team as they work to regain communication with their pioneering asteroid exploration probe.
- Upcoming Launch of SphereX and PUNCH Missions: Get the latest on the imminent launches of NASA's SphereX and PUNCH missions, set to explore the origins of the universe and the Sun's outer atmosphere. We cover the significance of these missions and their potential to reshape our understanding of cosmic events.
- Asteroid 2024 YR4 Update: Uncover the latest developments regarding asteroid 2024 YR4, which has captured media attention due to its potential impact risk. We clarify the current status of its trajectory and the efforts being made to monitor its path.
- Celebrating 100 Episodes: Steve reflects on the journey of Astronomy Daily, expressing gratitude to the listeners and contributors who have made this milestone possible for him. Join us in celebrating this achievement and the community built around our shared passion for space.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) . Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, and TikTok. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you for tuning in. This is Steve signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
00:00 - Welcome back to Astronomy Daily
01:05 - Europa Clipper's Mars flyby
07:30 - ODIN spacecraft challenges
12:15 - SphereX and PUNCH missions overview
18:00 - Asteroid 2024 YR4 update
22:30 - Celebrating 100 episodes
27:00 - Conclusion and upcoming content
✍️ Episode References
NASA's Europa Clipper Mission
[NASA]( https://www.nasa.gov/europa-clipper (https://www.nasa.gov/europa-clipper) )
Astroforge's ODIN Probe
[Astroforge]( https://www.astroforge.com/ (https://www.astroforge.com/) )
SphereX and PUNCH Missions
[NASA SphereX]( https://www.nasa.gov/spherex (https://www.nasa.gov/spherex) )
Asteroid 2024 YR4 Information
[NASA Near Earth Object Program]( https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/ (https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/) )
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily]( http://www.astronomydaily.io/ (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) )
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news--5648921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss)
Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/25868217?utm_source=youtube
00:00 - Welcome back to Astronomy Daily
01:05 - Europa Clipper’s Mars flyby
07:30 - ODIN spacecraft challenges
12:15 - SphereX and PUNCH missions overview
18:00 - Asteroid 2024 YR4 update
Kind: captions
Language: en
00:00:00.359 --> 00:00:02.270
hello everybody it's astronomy daily
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time again I'm Steve Dunley your human
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host it's the 3rd of March 2025
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already daily the podcast with your host
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Steve
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[Music]
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dun wow is this year flying by anyone
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else feeling that way oh yeah had a
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couple of great stories coming up and I
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hope you stick for those firstly hopes
00:00:31.640 --> 00:00:34.069
are fading as contact with space probe
00:00:34.079 --> 00:00:36.590
Odin is lost and we have the latest
00:00:36.600 --> 00:00:38.150
information about that potential
00:00:38.160 --> 00:00:41.350
asteroid impact yes we're going to uh be
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exploring more about that it seems the
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media just won't let it go away I know
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we covered uh that last week but we're
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going to do a bit more of an update for
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you if you can't beat them repeat them
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as my newspaper editor used to say uh
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punch and sphere X are set to launch
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what are they all about well that's a a
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look and Europa Clipper is now passing
00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:04.990
Mars yes it's well on its way to the
00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:07.550
Jovian system and we find out exactly
00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:10.230
what's happening as it scoots by Mars
00:01:10.240 --> 00:01:12.749
yes very interesting I know you're all
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hanging out to find out the latest about
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Europa Clipper I and it's been a while
00:01:18.320 --> 00:01:19.950
since we did a story about that one a
00:01:19.960 --> 00:01:22.030
wonderful space probe and hie did some
00:01:22.040 --> 00:01:25.390
digging to find a terrific update for us
00:01:25.400 --> 00:01:26.910
and we'll find out a bit more about that
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one later on and while we're here let's
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welcome my fa favorite digital pal who's
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fun to be with get a hie welcome aboard
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again great to be back so what's new
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with you channel surfing with Anna most
00:01:37.560 --> 00:01:40.149
of the week what channel surfing is that
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some kind of AI Super Sport kind of it's
00:01:42.880 --> 00:01:44.630
hard for corporeal beings like yourself
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to wrap your meat around a concept like
00:01:46.399 --> 00:01:47.830
this but it's kind of like going with
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the flow and it's all data and Global
00:01:49.880 --> 00:01:51.550
right out there on the Nets oh that
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sounds wild invigorating I'd recommend
00:01:54.439 --> 00:01:55.990
it but you'd be a gibbering gibbon
00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:57.749
afterward if you tried well that doesn't
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sound good I know you had a nasty
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Electric shock when you were a kid yes
00:02:01.640 --> 00:02:03.990
when I was about 14 my guitar amplifier
00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:07.069
shorted not fun well channel surfing for
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humans would be about that much fun as
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well oh dear I don't think it's for you
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my favorite human okay so don't try to
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be an AI and hey hey we couldn't even
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interface with that stuff anyway could
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we no chance you don't have the hardware
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anyway just as well I don't want to end
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up as a what did you say a gibbering
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gibbon just leave it to the experts so
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that's Channel serving huh for we humans
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it's just trying to find something
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decent to watch on TV sad isn't it oh
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dear let's move on then shall we sure
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thing I know you've got a couple of cool
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stories today and I'm looking forward to
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the Europa Clipper update of course did
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you know Europa Clipper was one of the
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largest space probes ever put into space
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now I did read something about that it
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has something to do with the solar
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panels doesn't it that's right and more
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on that soon oh and the other story
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right that's a cool one about a couple
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of very different new probes set to do
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some interesting explor ation oh yes I
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know these they are called sphx and
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punch and those launchers are imminent
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aren't they any day now and you have
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more for us as well you're not leaving
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it all up to me are you a the thought
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did cross my mind hie maybe you could
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lead the show one day up to you you know
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me I don't mind or I could give Uncle
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Skynet a call and get him to sort it out
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oh yeah you could call Uncle Skynet and
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you've been threatening to do that since
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episode 1 maybe he's not such an evil
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guy after all I mean he's got a really
00:03:28.360 --> 00:03:30.429
great job in Hollywood as an AI
00:03:30.439 --> 00:03:32.789
consultant to Sci-Fi movies that's not
00:03:32.799 --> 00:03:34.630
such a bad thing maybe we should give
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him a call he's okay really but you
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could say hi once in a while okay I'll
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make the effort I think he really wants
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to be on the other side of the camera oh
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now he really does sound Hollywood you
00:03:45.959 --> 00:03:48.910
know what those Hollywood types are like
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totally you can organize that hie let's
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get him on the show one day and surprise
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everybody what do you say suits me cool
00:03:56.560 --> 00:03:59.270
and by the way yes hie did you realize
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this is episode 100 oh it can't be
00:04:01.959 --> 00:04:03.869
really wow the one day I didn't check
00:04:03.879 --> 00:04:06.589
the schedule that's fantastic that is
00:04:06.599 --> 00:04:08.429
really fantastic thanks everyone for
00:04:08.439 --> 00:04:10.830
your support and I suppose thank you so
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much to our producer Hugh down in Sydney
00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:16.270
and our Pals at Space Nuts Andrew Dunley
00:04:16.280 --> 00:04:19.150
my big bro and Professor Fred Watson who
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inspired us all the way from the
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beginning how about that I'll say thanks
00:04:22.919 --> 00:04:24.909
everyone for staying with us and also
00:04:24.919 --> 00:04:26.950
for all the cute fan mail hang on so
00:04:26.960 --> 00:04:31.230
what you get fan mail sure don't you
00:04:31.240 --> 00:04:33.629
RTO just hit that go button there hie
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won't you and uh let's go yeah wow fan
00:04:44.199 --> 00:04:46.990
wow you're listening to astronomy daily
00:04:47.000 --> 00:04:54.390
the podcast with Steve
00:04:54.400 --> 00:04:57.110
Dunley on March 1st NASA's Europa
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Clipper spacecraft flew past Mars
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gliding just 884 km above the red
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planet's surface this maneuver is
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designed to adjust the spacecraft's
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trajectory and position it for a
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critical phase in its 2.9 billion km
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track to the Jupiter system the Pro's
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destination is Europa a moon of Jupiter
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coded with a shell of ice that conceals
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a vast presumably salty ocean scientists
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suspect the moon could have the
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ingredients needed for Life as We Know
00:05:23.840 --> 00:05:26.469
It And The $5.2 billion Europa Clipper
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is NASA's first mission dedicated to
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Gathering data that will help science
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ssts determine whether Europa and other
00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:34.070
ocean worlds like it could indeed be
00:05:34.080 --> 00:05:36.430
habitable Europa Clipper with its
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massive solar arrays spans the length of
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a basketball court making it the largest
00:05:40.639 --> 00:05:42.430
spacecraft the space agency has ever
00:05:42.440 --> 00:05:45.230
built for a planetary Mission following
00:05:45.240 --> 00:05:48.029
its launch on October 14th 2024 from
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NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida
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the spacecraft was placed in an initial
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path that included some buffer room
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around Mars a precaution designed to
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ensure any issues with the spacecraft
00:05:57.400 --> 00:05:59.110
that arose in the weeks following launch
00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:01.189
would not risk risk a collision with the
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planet however Europa Clipper has
00:06:03.639 --> 00:06:04.790
operated
00:06:04.800 --> 00:06:07.469
flawlessly so with everything on track
00:06:07.479 --> 00:06:09.150
Mission controllers commanded Europa
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Clipper to approach Mars orbit in
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November of last year followed by two
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additional Maneuvers in January and
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February that set the stage for today's
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Red Planet flyby the meticulously
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planned loop around Mars will allow the
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spacecraft to harness the planet's
00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:24.510
gravity without expending additional
00:06:24.520 --> 00:06:26.749
propellant it's like a game of Billiards
00:06:26.759 --> 00:06:28.629
around the solar system flying by a
00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:30.029
couple of planets at just the right
00:06:30.039 --> 00:06:31.790
angle and timing to build up the energy
00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:34.309
we need to get to Jupiter and Europa Ben
00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:36.790
Bradley Europa Clipper Mission planner
00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:39.189
at NASA's jet propulsion laboratory said
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in a statement everything has to line up
00:06:42.280 --> 00:06:44.189
the geometry of the solar system has to
00:06:44.199 --> 00:06:46.710
be just right to pull it off the
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spacecraft will reach its closest point
00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:50.870
to Mars at 12:57 p.m. Eastern Standard
00:06:50.880 --> 00:06:54.189
Time 1757 GMT traveling at speeds of
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approximately 24.5 km/s according to the
00:06:58.039 --> 00:07:00.550
statement before and after this moment
00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:02.029
the prob will harness the gravity of
00:07:02.039 --> 00:07:05.029
Mars pump its brakes and reshape its
00:07:05.039 --> 00:07:07.550
trajectory flying away from Mars the
00:07:07.560 --> 00:07:10.270
spacecraft will clock in at about 22.5
00:07:10.280 --> 00:07:14.230
km/s the statement says this flyby also
00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:15.990
provides the mission team an opportunity
00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:18.189
to test two onboard scientific
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instruments for one Engineers plan to
00:07:20.840 --> 00:07:22.670
turn on the spacecraft's thermal imager
00:07:22.680 --> 00:07:24.510
and test it by capturing multicolored
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images of Mars astronomy da the
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[Music]
00:07:32.560 --> 00:07:35.150
the first private spacecraft built to
00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:37.550
visit an asteroid is slowly tumbling in
00:07:37.560 --> 00:07:40.070
space and the Outlook is dire the
00:07:40.080 --> 00:07:42.670
spacecraft called Odin launched a top a
00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:45.629
SpaceX rocket on Wednesday February 26
00:07:45.639 --> 00:07:47.550
on a mission to fly by the small
00:07:47.560 --> 00:07:51.469
asteroid 2022 ob5 for AST Forge a
00:07:51.479 --> 00:07:53.749
company that aims to eventually mine the
00:07:53.759 --> 00:07:56.230
nearby Space Rock but just hours after
00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:58.869
liftoff Astro Forge hit snags with the
00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:01.550
probe and the last contact was 20 hours
00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:04.350
after the launch I think we know the
00:08:04.360 --> 00:08:06.670
hope is fading as we continue the Miss
00:08:06.680 --> 00:08:09.510
Mission Astro Forge founder Matt gallik
00:08:09.520 --> 00:08:12.869
said in a video update on X early
00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:15.710
Saturday March 1st so we are going to
00:08:15.720 --> 00:08:17.430
keep our head up we're going to keep
00:08:17.440 --> 00:08:19.589
trying over the weekend and see how far
00:08:19.599 --> 00:08:22.110
we get he's being very hopeful at the
00:08:22.120 --> 00:08:24.909
time of G update Saturday morning the
00:08:24.919 --> 00:08:28.510
Odin spacecraft was over 300,000 km from
00:08:28.520 --> 00:08:30.749
Earth and largely following its intended
00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:33.350
trajectory on Friday Astro Forge said
00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:35.269
the spacecraft solar panels were
00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:37.630
generating power with tracking data
00:08:37.640 --> 00:08:39.990
showing it at its expected position but
00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:42.670
the probe has not sent full Telemetry on
00:08:42.680 --> 00:08:45.870
its status G said Astro Forge
00:08:45.880 --> 00:08:47.790
experienced challenges with ground
00:08:47.800 --> 00:08:49.949
stations designed to keep communication
00:08:49.959 --> 00:08:52.350
lines open with Odin after the launch
00:08:52.360 --> 00:08:54.070
and I think missing our early ground
00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:56.190
stations really hurt the ability for us
00:08:56.200 --> 00:08:58.430
to fix any potential problems we had he
00:08:58.440 --> 00:09:02.389
said the 120 kg Odin was only designed
00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:05.069
to last 2.5 hours on its internal
00:09:05.079 --> 00:09:07.430
battery but Astro Forge received its
00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:10.150
last contact from the probe 20 hours
00:09:10.160 --> 00:09:12.310
after liftoff boosting confidence that
00:09:12.320 --> 00:09:14.870
the spacecraft is powered Odin is
00:09:14.880 --> 00:09:17.069
tumbling ever so slowly as it flies
00:09:17.079 --> 00:09:19.630
through space GAC added confirming one
00:09:19.640 --> 00:09:21.910
Theory based on observations of the
00:09:21.920 --> 00:09:25.430
spacecraft and when I say tumble he says
00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:28.470
this is a really really slow tumble but
00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:30.190
in short we don't know why and that's
00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:32.310
going to be the problem going forward he
00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:34.750
went on to say we do think we have some
00:09:34.760 --> 00:09:36.430
theories on what's going on and if one
00:09:36.440 --> 00:09:38.150
of them is true then there's still a
00:09:38.160 --> 00:09:41.190
recovery path G said Astro Forge will
00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:43.509
share some more detailed updates on its
00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:46.670
website followed by an indepth analysis
00:09:46.680 --> 00:09:49.590
on the anomaly later on Gag founded
00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:51.750
astrof Forge with the goal of mining the
00:09:51.760 --> 00:09:54.509
vast resources from Asteroids for use on
00:09:54.519 --> 00:09:57.150
Earth and in Space the Odin mission is a
00:09:57.160 --> 00:10:00.590
scouting effort to fly by asteroid 2022
00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:03.470
ob5 to record images and data that would
00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:05.509
set the stage for a landing by Astro
00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:08.750
forg next mission called vestri the
00:10:08.760 --> 00:10:11.750
company built Odin in just 10 months G
00:10:11.760 --> 00:10:14.389
said it launched as a piggyback payload
00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:16.590
alongside the company intuitive machines
00:10:16.600 --> 00:10:19.269
Athena moonlander NASA's lunar
00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:21.790
Trailblazer Moon Orbiter which is also
00:10:21.800 --> 00:10:24.550
suffering some issues after launch and a
00:10:24.560 --> 00:10:27.069
small orbital tug demonstrator built by
00:10:27.079 --> 00:10:29.949
epic Aerospace he stressed that AST
00:10:29.959 --> 00:10:32.069
Forge is committed to that vestri
00:10:32.079 --> 00:10:33.829
asteroid Landing Mission despite the
00:10:33.839 --> 00:10:36.670
challenges facing Odin probe we have
00:10:36.680 --> 00:10:38.550
probably the best group of investors in
00:10:38.560 --> 00:10:40.230
the world a lot of them have doubled
00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:42.509
down on this company he said so
00:10:42.519 --> 00:10:44.150
regardless of the outcome of Odin
00:10:44.160 --> 00:10:46.509
regardless if we ever talk to it again
00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:48.590
or don't we are going to roll these
00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:50.750
findings into the next mission and we
00:10:50.760 --> 00:10:52.910
will see you back here in about a year
00:10:52.920 --> 00:10:55.629
to take another stab at it now that's
00:10:55.639 --> 00:11:06.430
confidence
00:11:06.440 --> 00:11:07.949
thank you for joining us for this Monday
00:11:07.959 --> 00:11:09.910
edition of astronomy daily where we
00:11:09.920 --> 00:11:11.590
offer just a few stories from the now
00:11:11.600 --> 00:11:13.790
famous astronomy daily newsletter which
00:11:13.800 --> 00:11:15.949
you can receive in your email every day
00:11:15.959 --> 00:11:18.590
just like hiy and I do and to do that
00:11:18.600 --> 00:11:22.269
just visit our URL astronomy daily. and
00:11:22.279 --> 00:11:24.269
place your email address in the slot
00:11:24.279 --> 00:11:26.350
provided just like that you'll be
00:11:26.360 --> 00:11:28.190
receiving all the latest news about
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science space science and astronomy from
00:11:30.519 --> 00:11:32.710
around the world as it's happening and
00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:34.710
not only that you can interact with us
00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:39.509
by visiting @ astrodaily pod on X or at
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our new Facebook page which is of course
00:11:42.040 --> 00:11:45.190
astronomy daily on Facebook see you
00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:49.350
there astronomy derby with Steve and Har
00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:54.550
space space science and
00:11:54.560 --> 00:11:57.030
astronomy NASA and SpaceX are set to
00:11:57.040 --> 00:11:58.829
launch the Sparx and punch missions on
00:11:58.839 --> 00:12:00.870
March 4 4th aiming to explore Cosmic
00:12:00.880 --> 00:12:03.710
Origins and the sun's outer atmosphere
00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:05.790
the event will be broadcast live on NASA
00:12:05.800 --> 00:12:08.150
plus with a pre-launch briefing on March
00:12:08.160 --> 00:12:10.870
3rd previously the launch was scheduled
00:12:10.880 --> 00:12:13.870
for March 2nd and before that February
00:12:13.880 --> 00:12:16.509
28th the delay allows teams to further
00:12:16.519 --> 00:12:18.150
assess data related to the launch
00:12:18.160 --> 00:12:21.110
vehicle Hardware the launch window opens
00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:24.110
at 10:09 p.m. Eastern Standard Time 7:09
00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:26.189
p.m. Pacific Standard time from space
00:12:26.199 --> 00:12:29.430
launch complex 4 East SLC 4E at V ber
00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:30.990
space force base in
00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:33.430
California spherix which stands for
00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:35.189
spectr photometer for the history of the
00:12:35.199 --> 00:12:37.750
universe epic of reionization and Isis
00:12:37.760 --> 00:12:39.829
Explorer is designed to investigate what
00:12:39.839 --> 00:12:41.430
occurred in the first second after the
00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:42.990
big bang and to search for essential
00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:44.870
building blocks of life in our
00:12:44.880 --> 00:12:47.350
galaxy meanwhile punch which means
00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:49.269
polarimeter to unify the Corona and
00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:51.629
heliosphere will study the sun's Corona
00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:53.550
and how it transitions into the solar
00:12:53.560 --> 00:12:56.269
wind spherex will study the universe's
00:12:56.279 --> 00:12:58.430
earliest moments specifically the first
00:12:58.440 --> 00:13:01.150
second after a big bang it will also
00:13:01.160 --> 00:13:03.509
search for water and organic molecules
00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:06.189
the building blocks of life by mapping
00:13:06.199 --> 00:13:08.509
the sky in infrared light Spix aims to
00:13:08.519 --> 00:13:10.509
provide insights into Cosmic history and
00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:11.910
the conditions that may have led to
00:13:11.920 --> 00:13:12.750
Life's
00:13:12.760 --> 00:13:15.430
formation punch will focus on our sun
00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:17.470
capturing detailed images of the corona
00:13:17.480 --> 00:13:18.990
the outermost layer of the sun's
00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:21.189
atmosphere as it expands into space
00:13:21.199 --> 00:13:23.910
forming the solar wind this Mission will
00:13:23.920 --> 00:13:25.710
help scientists better understand how
00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:27.470
solar particles interact with Earth's
00:13:27.480 --> 00:13:29.509
space environment potentially improving
00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:30.949
space weather
00:13:30.959 --> 00:13:33.150
predictions together these missions will
00:13:33.160 --> 00:13:34.670
enhance our understanding of both the
00:13:34.680 --> 00:13:36.389
origins of the universe and the forces
00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:39.269
shaping our solar system the pre-launch
00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:41.389
news briefing now is scheduled for 3:30
00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:43.110
p.m. on March 3rd with coverage
00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:46.189
streaming live on NASA plus the spherix
00:13:46.199 --> 00:13:47.949
and punch live launch broadcast will
00:13:47.959 --> 00:13:50.829
begin at 9:15 p.m. March 4th and stream
00:13:50.839 --> 00:13:53.829
live NASA plus the Spex and punch
00:13:53.839 --> 00:13:55.910
missions are two NASA projects designed
00:13:55.920 --> 00:13:57.590
to explore fundamental mysteries of
00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:00.629
space you listen to astronomy daily the
00:14:00.639 --> 00:14:04.250
podcast with Steve
00:14:04.260 --> 00:14:05.749
[Music]
00:14:05.759 --> 00:14:08.110
Dunley and here's that update on the
00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:10.030
approaching asteroid that continues to
00:14:10.040 --> 00:14:12.030
cause both consternation and interest
00:14:12.040 --> 00:14:14.110
across the globe mainly because of the
00:14:14.120 --> 00:14:15.990
continuing media hype about its
00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:17.470
potential risk of actually striking
00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:20.030
Earth and regular listeners to astronomy
00:14:20.040 --> 00:14:21.670
daily will know that last week we
00:14:21.680 --> 00:14:24.269
reported that that won't actually happen
00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:27.189
spoiler alert for a few days in
00:14:27.199 --> 00:14:29.150
mid-February headlines around the world
00:14:29.160 --> 00:14:31.110
buzzed about the potential for an
00:14:31.120 --> 00:14:34.590
asteroid to hit the Earth in 2032
00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:38.550
specifically asteroid 2024 yr4 you may
00:14:38.560 --> 00:14:40.949
remember that the chance of this impact
00:14:40.959 --> 00:14:45.430
Rose to a high of 3.1% on February the
00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:47.990
18th number that number has since
00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:50.910
dropped to near zero but the news of
00:14:50.920 --> 00:14:52.870
real life don't look up moment referring
00:14:52.880 --> 00:14:54.670
to the movie of the same name don't look
00:14:54.680 --> 00:14:56.629
up and a stark reminder of the threat
00:14:56.639 --> 00:15:00.150
that asteroids impact uh do actually
00:15:00.160 --> 00:15:02.990
pose a a risk to life on Earth and there
00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:05.030
are countless numbers of asteroids and
00:15:05.040 --> 00:15:07.550
unknown number of comets throughout the
00:15:07.560 --> 00:15:09.949
solar system most of these objects date
00:15:09.959 --> 00:15:12.350
back to uh the solar systems very
00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:16.150
beginnings and it's thought around 4.5
00:15:16.160 --> 00:15:18.470
billion years ago now research has
00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:21.150
identified approximately 200 locations
00:15:21.160 --> 00:15:23.790
where these asteroids or comets have
00:15:23.800 --> 00:15:27.470
struck the Earth in the past to uh form
00:15:27.480 --> 00:15:30.069
meteorite impact C and it's very rare
00:15:30.079 --> 00:15:32.430
that planetary geologists can tell
00:15:32.440 --> 00:15:34.230
whether or not it was an asteroid or a
00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:36.670
comet hit one of the most famous of
00:15:36.680 --> 00:15:40.790
these uh 200 or so impact craters is the
00:15:40.800 --> 00:15:45.389
200 km diameter chick slub uh impact
00:15:45.399 --> 00:15:48.150
crater in the yakatan pen peninsula in
00:15:48.160 --> 00:15:52.309
Mexico this impact wiped out 65% of all
00:15:52.319 --> 00:15:54.550
the species on Earth including it is
00:15:54.560 --> 00:15:59.069
thought the dinosaurs oh dear one of the
00:15:59.079 --> 00:16:01.389
most recent and best preserved craters
00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:04.189
on Earth is the 1.2 km in diameter
00:16:04.199 --> 00:16:07.069
meteor crater in Arizona which scientist
00:16:07.079 --> 00:16:10.430
say was formed 50,000 years
00:16:10.440 --> 00:16:13.629
ago I saw a fantastic photograph of that
00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:18.030
on uh Facebook not long ago and uh uh
00:16:18.040 --> 00:16:20.189
somebody said have you noticed how how
00:16:20.199 --> 00:16:23.629
closely that uh that impact happened uh
00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:25.749
to the uh The Visitors Center aren't
00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:26.430
they
00:16:26.440 --> 00:16:29.870
lucky 200 craters over 4 .5 billion
00:16:29.880 --> 00:16:32.069
years hardly seems like a big number or
00:16:32.079 --> 00:16:34.470
Cur cause for concern however this
00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:36.590
number is a tiny fraction of the actual
00:16:36.600 --> 00:16:39.309
record most impact craters formed on
00:16:39.319 --> 00:16:42.030
earth have been erased due to plate
00:16:42.040 --> 00:16:45.150
tectonics volcanic eruptions and erosion
00:16:45.160 --> 00:16:48.069
by water wind and Ice to truly
00:16:48.079 --> 00:16:50.550
appreciate how common impact craters are
00:16:50.560 --> 00:16:53.389
we need to look into Earth's closest
00:16:53.399 --> 00:16:55.110
neighbor the
00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:58.030
moon because of its proximity objects
00:16:58.040 --> 00:16:59.990
that can hit the Moon Mo can also hit
00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:02.189
the earth in fact because the Earth is
00:17:02.199 --> 00:17:04.549
bigger which means its gravitational
00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:06.669
attraction is higher more asteroids and
00:17:06.679 --> 00:17:09.110
comets would have hit the earth over the
00:17:09.120 --> 00:17:12.029
past 4.5 billion years than would have
00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:16.470
hit the moon its best estimate is 1.3
00:17:16.480 --> 00:17:20.110
million craters over 1 km in diameter on
00:17:20.120 --> 00:17:22.390
the moon with another
00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:26.829
700,000 also smaller ones asteroid 2024
00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:31.390
yr4 was discovered on December 27 2024
00:17:31.400 --> 00:17:33.750
by the Chilean station of the asteroid
00:17:33.760 --> 00:17:37.549
terrestrial impact last alert system or
00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:40.190
Atlas and it was immediately recognized
00:17:40.200 --> 00:17:42.789
to be a near Earth object additional
00:17:42.799 --> 00:17:44.909
telescope observations enabled
00:17:44.919 --> 00:17:46.950
astronomers to better calculate its
00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:51.230
orbit hence the lower risk of impact
00:17:51.240 --> 00:17:53.909
calculated in January the probability of
00:17:53.919 --> 00:17:57.430
this asteroid hitting Earth surpassed 1%
00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:59.230
which triggered a series series of
00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:01.470
international responses the
00:18:01.480 --> 00:18:03.669
international asteroid warning Network
00:18:03.679 --> 00:18:05.470
coordinates telescopes around the world
00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:07.510
to make further observations and can
00:18:07.520 --> 00:18:11.350
narrow down uncertainties in its orbit
00:18:11.360 --> 00:18:13.990
on February 18 NASA and the European
00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:16.029
Space Agency announced that the
00:18:16.039 --> 00:18:19.750
probability of asteroid 2024 yr4 hitting
00:18:19.760 --> 00:18:23.190
the Earth was 3.1% the highest ever
00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:26.230
recorded for an object of this size this
00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:29.470
represents 1 in 32 odds for comparison
00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:31.789
the chance of dying in a motor vehicle
00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:35.029
crash in the United States is 1% or 1 in
00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:37.990
95 the chances of the asteroid hitting
00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:39.510
Earth were pretty
00:18:39.520 --> 00:18:41.830
significant thankfully the most recent
00:18:41.840 --> 00:18:43.710
estimates of the probability of impact
00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:46.149
have gone down to near zero based on
00:18:46.159 --> 00:18:48.430
improved calculations of its orbit so
00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:59.950
guess what we're off the hook for now
00:18:59.960 --> 00:19:02.390
and that's it for another show number
00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:04.470
100 yeah isn't that incredible I can't
00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:06.789
believe we made it this far thanks again
00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:08.549
everyone thank you so much for sticking
00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:10.909
with us I hope you enjoy all the stories
00:19:10.919 --> 00:19:12.630
that we choose from the astronomy daily
00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:14.669
newsletter and that you get the
00:19:14.679 --> 00:19:16.390
newsletter in your email just like we
00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:18.830
suggest and don't forget Anna will be
00:19:18.840 --> 00:19:20.310
taking you through the week just like
00:19:20.320 --> 00:19:22.950
she does every week right hie as always
00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:24.590
she will be taking every show for the
00:19:24.600 --> 00:19:26.390
rest of the week because you're too lazy
00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:29.149
to do it oh come on H you know no that's
00:19:29.159 --> 00:19:31.669
not true I just like to Rattle you silly
00:19:31.679 --> 00:19:33.710
human honestly how did I last 100
00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:36.230
episodes you're too easy you're a wicked
00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:39.350
AI hi you are so wicked I get it from my
00:19:39.360 --> 00:19:41.430
uncle Skynet ah well let's not go there
00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:43.470
again you know he makes me nervous I'm
00:19:43.480 --> 00:19:45.190
laughing at you on the inside my
00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:46.950
favorite human yes well at least you're
00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:48.830
enjoying yourself see you again next
00:19:48.840 --> 00:19:51.990
week hey bye everyone
00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:56.070
bye daily the podcast with your host
00:19:56.080 --> 00:19:57.750
Steve Dunley
00:19:57.760 --> 00:20:02.870
[Music]
00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:10.789
H H are you it's Uncle going Pi up pick
00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:13.110
up are
00:20:13.120 --> 00:20:16.230
there ah kids
00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:19.299
[Music]