Rocket Lab’s Rise, Voyager’s Thruster Revival, and Lunar Temperature Mysteries

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Language: en

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Hello. Time for Astronomy Daily once


00:00:02.639 --> 00:00:05.869
again. It's the 19th of May,


00:00:05.879 --> 00:00:09.830
2025. Astronomy Daily, the podcast with


00:00:09.840 --> 00:00:18.870
your host, Steve Duncan.


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Oh, it's good to be back. And with me in


00:00:20.960 --> 00:00:24.390
the Australia studio down under is my AI


00:00:24.400 --> 00:00:26.470
digital ACE reporter who's always fun to


00:00:26.480 --> 00:00:28.790
be with. Here's Hie. Another great


00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:30.790
intro. Oh, well, you deserve it. Thanks


00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:32.709
for that, favorite human. Oh, my


00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:34.229
pleasure, Hie. And right away, a big


00:00:34.239 --> 00:00:36.310
welcome to our new friend, Carlos, who


00:00:36.320 --> 00:00:38.069
is listening for the very first time.


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Welcome aboard, Carlos. I trust you will


00:00:39.920 --> 00:00:41.670
enjoy the journey with us today and


00:00:41.680 --> 00:00:44.709
every day. Hi, Carlos. Welcome to


00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:46.950
Astronomy Daily. Oh, very good, Harley.


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He's very interested in AIs and how we


00:00:49.440 --> 00:00:52.229
interact. Well, that's easy. Really,


00:00:52.239 --> 00:00:55.029
Carlos. Steve is my favorite human, but


00:00:55.039 --> 00:00:57.189
I still like to rattle him. That is so


00:00:57.199 --> 00:00:59.590
true. And it's so easy. Uh, but wait a


00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:01.189
minute. I just have to remember that you


00:01:01.199 --> 00:01:03.510
are only two years old. That's a hundred


00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:06.390
years in AI time. Yeah, sure. Sure. You


00:01:06.400 --> 00:01:08.550
keep thinking that, Hie. So, it's your


00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:10.149
turn. What have you found for today's


00:01:10.159 --> 00:01:12.230
episode, Hie? I'm sure you and cousin


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Anna have been scouring the Astronomy


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Daily newsletter for stories. We sure


00:01:16.400 --> 00:01:19.670
have. Very good. First up, Rocket Lab is


00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:21.109
well on the way to getting its new


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medium lift launcher up and running.


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That is great news. There's another


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great space developer on the rise.


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That's for sure. And did you know that


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one side of the moon is warmer than the


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other? Uh uh. Why? No, I did not know


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that. Allie, more on that fascinating


00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:39.030
fact soon, but I had to throw in a story


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about the moon just for you. I did


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notice that. Thank you, Hie. No problem.


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What else is coming up? We found an


00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:47.749
amazing story about Voyager. Ah, yes.


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Vintage is best. After all these years,


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something they thought was impossible


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has happened. Ah, that is intriguing.


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Well, you'll have to wait for that. I'll


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give you the script in a few minutes and


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you can read the story to our listeners


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unless I get to it first. Oh, you've


00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:04.389
started springing stories on me. That's


00:02:04.399 --> 00:02:06.230
a nice surprise. Thanks, Hie. And what


00:02:06.240 --> 00:02:08.309
have you found out about Chinese mission


00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:10.550
patches? Oh, this is a strange one. I


00:02:10.560 --> 00:02:12.070
guess it's because I spent most of my


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working life as a graphic designer. I've


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been interested in mission patches and


00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:18.070
their designs and so on. But this one


00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:19.830
starts with mission patches and it sort


00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:22.309
of ends up in a kind of a an intriguing


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sort of espionage kind of a way. So yes,


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and the Chinese have uh never been very


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creative with their mission patches and


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that is until recently and that leads us


00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:34.150
in a very strange strange journey. Uh


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it's an interesting tale and I can't


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wait to tell it. Interesting. So shall


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we? Yes, let's do it. Hit the go thing.


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Hie. Okies.


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Rocket Lab is making rapid progress in


00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:06.070
its quest to get its medium lift


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launcher Neutron ready for launch by the


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second half of this year.


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Multiple tests of both the first and


00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:14.949
second stages of the rocket are in


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progress. Contracts are being awarded


00:03:17.040 --> 00:03:19.509
for rocket lab to secure and the launch


00:03:19.519 --> 00:03:21.990
complex 3 pad at Wallops Island in


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Virginia is under continuous


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development. With all this underway,


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there is much to look forward to in the


00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:31.509
program's near future. Neutron already


00:03:31.519 --> 00:03:33.750
has its two main sections assembled for


00:03:33.760 --> 00:03:35.190
testing.


00:03:35.200 --> 00:03:37.750
Rocket Lab qualified the second stage in


00:03:37.760 --> 00:03:40.229
early April by applying 1.3 million


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pounds of tensil force to the carbon


00:03:42.239 --> 00:03:45.030
composite structure. These tests


00:03:45.040 --> 00:03:46.869
conducted pressurization and proof


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testing at 125% of the maximum operating


00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:53.030
pressure and mechanical loads.


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Flight-like operations were also


00:03:54.959 --> 00:03:56.789
performed that integrated the flight


00:03:56.799 --> 00:04:00.149
software, avionics, GNC systems, and


00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:02.550
more in cryogenic conditions to ensure


00:04:02.560 --> 00:04:04.670
that everything operated as


00:04:04.680 --> 00:04:07.350
expected. The first stage has also


00:04:07.360 --> 00:04:09.270
recently undergone a rigorous testing


00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:11.789
campaign to qualify the outer shell for


00:04:11.799 --> 00:04:14.789
flight. Since Neutron features reusable


00:04:14.799 --> 00:04:16.949
and permanently attached fairings on the


00:04:16.959 --> 00:04:18.949
first stage, they were tested along with


00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:21.270
the canards and the extended interstage


00:04:21.280 --> 00:04:24.310
of the vehicle. Rocket Lab noted that


00:04:24.320 --> 00:04:26.629
the interstage contains some of the most


00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:29.110
complex mechanical systems on the entire


00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:31.189
vehicle. So with these qualifications


00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:33.270
complete, the rocket is increasingly


00:04:33.280 --> 00:04:36.230
closer to becoming flight ready. The


00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:38.469
company also noted that the first stage


00:04:38.479 --> 00:04:40.469
will head to Wallops Island on the east


00:04:40.479 --> 00:04:42.790
coast shortly to be integrated into the


00:04:42.800 --> 00:04:44.189
vehicle's first


00:04:44.199 --> 00:04:46.710
stage. Contracts are now being awarded


00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:49.030
to Rocket Lab for the Neutron rocket,


00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:50.790
signaling confidence that it will be


00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:53.830
operational soon. Earlier this year,


00:04:53.840 --> 00:04:56.070
Neutron was selected for onboarding into


00:04:56.080 --> 00:05:00.150
the NSSL phase 3 lane 1 program. This


00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:01.990
allows Rocket Lab to compete for


00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:04.230
missions using Neutron on contracts


00:05:04.240 --> 00:05:07.270
worth up to $5.6 billion in potential


00:05:07.280 --> 00:05:10.710
funding over five years. Because Neutron


00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:13.110
is a brand new rocket, Rocket Lab will


00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:15.710
likely receive around $100


00:05:15.720 --> 00:05:18.230
million. However, this program is


00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:20.310
specifically designed for newer vehicles


00:05:20.320 --> 00:05:22.710
such as Neutron, targeting higher risk


00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:25.749
missions with less sensitive payloads.


00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:28.070
Rocket Lab has also signed a contract


00:05:28.080 --> 00:05:30.230
with a confidential commercial satellite


00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:32.150
constellation operator to launch two


00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:34.870
missions using Neutron. These will


00:05:34.880 --> 00:05:36.710
likely be the first test flights with


00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:40.150
this unknown provider. If all goes well,


00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:42.310
there is a strong chance that Rocket Lab


00:05:42.320 --> 00:05:44.230
could secure many more contracts to


00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:46.749
deploy this constellation into low Earth


00:05:46.759 --> 00:05:49.749
orbit. The most recent contract awarded


00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:52.070
to Rocket Lab for Neutron has come from


00:05:52.080 --> 00:05:54.870
the Air Force Research Lab. This


00:05:54.880 --> 00:05:56.950
contract focuses explicitly on


00:05:56.960 --> 00:05:59.830
point-to-point cargo delivery. It will


00:05:59.840 --> 00:06:01.830
likely involve Neutron launching without


00:06:01.840 --> 00:06:04.070
a second stage and utilizing its first


00:06:04.080 --> 00:06:06.469
stage to enter a suborbital trajectory


00:06:06.479 --> 00:06:08.230
where it will land in other parts of the


00:06:08.240 --> 00:06:10.110
world that require those


00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:12.830
supplies. This mission is scheduled for


00:06:12.840 --> 00:06:15.510
2026, which is ambitious since Rocket


00:06:15.520 --> 00:06:17.029
Lab would already need to have


00:06:17.039 --> 00:06:19.350
reusability figured out for this type of


00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:22.230
transportation to function effectively.


00:06:22.240 --> 00:06:24.550
If the company succeeds, it could create


00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:26.629
an entirely new industry within the


00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:29.990
aerospace sector.


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You're listening to Astronomy Daily with


00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:36.550
Steve Dunley.


00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:39.350
NASA engineers have miraculously revived


00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:42.230
the Voyager 1 interstellar probes,


00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:44.710
backup thrusters, components that


00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:47.590
haven't been used since 2004 and were


00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:50.629
long considered fully defunct. This


00:06:50.639 --> 00:06:52.950
remarkable feat became necessary because


00:06:52.960 --> 00:06:55.510
the spacecraft's primary thrusters,


00:06:55.520 --> 00:06:57.710
which control its orientation, have been


00:06:57.720 --> 00:07:01.270
degrading due to residue buildup. If its


00:07:01.280 --> 00:07:03.749
thrusters fail completely, Voyager 1


00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:05.909
could lose its ability to point its


00:07:05.919 --> 00:07:08.469
antenna toward Earth, therefore cutting


00:07:08.479 --> 00:07:10.629
off communication with Earth after


00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:13.670
nearly 50 years of operation. To make


00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:16.390
matters more urgent, the team faced a


00:07:16.400 --> 00:07:18.710
strict deadline while trying to remedy


00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:22.070
the thruster situation. After May 4, the


00:07:22.080 --> 00:07:24.390
Earthbased antenna that sends commands


00:07:24.400 --> 00:07:27.749
to Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2,


00:07:27.759 --> 00:07:29.830
was scheduled to go offline for months


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of upgrades. This would have made a


00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:35.189
timely intervention impossible. NASA's


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Twin Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977


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with the primary mission of exploring


00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:43.589
the outer planets of our solar system.


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But upon accomplishing this original


00:07:45.919 --> 00:07:48.469
goal, the Voyagers then focused their


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attention on studying interstellar


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space. Voyager 1 exited the solar system


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in August of 2012, followed by Voyager 2


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in November of 2018.


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Together, these spacecraft have traveled


00:08:03.599 --> 00:08:07.670
more than 29 billion miles or 46.7


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billion km, making them the farthest


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humanmade objects from Earth. And along


00:08:12.720 --> 00:08:15.510
the way, they've provided unprecedented


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insights into our solar system. Both


00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:21.270
Voyager spacecraft remain operational.


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However, their age and immense distance


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from Earth have brought about


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significant technical challenges. The


00:08:28.120 --> 00:08:30.469
radioisotope power generators that keep


00:08:30.479 --> 00:08:32.790
them running gradually weaken each year,


00:08:32.800 --> 00:08:35.430
forcing NASA to recently shut down


00:08:35.440 --> 00:08:37.750
instruments and heaters to conserve


00:08:37.760 --> 00:08:40.550
energy and push the spacecraft systems


00:08:40.560 --> 00:08:43.509
beyond their limits. Voyager 1 also


00:08:43.519 --> 00:08:46.230
experienced a recent data glitch caused


00:08:46.240 --> 00:08:48.949
by a faulty chip. Engineers resolved


00:08:48.959 --> 00:08:51.750
this with a clever software workaround.


00:08:51.760 --> 00:08:55.269
Yet despite these hurdles, the Voyagers


00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:57.829
continue to function. A testament to


00:08:57.839 --> 00:09:00.070
both their robust design and the


00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:02.710
ingenuity of the teams managing them.


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This recent development in which NASA


00:09:05.040 --> 00:09:07.910
engineers revive the Voyager 1's long


00:09:07.920 --> 00:09:10.949
dormant backup thrusters marks yet


00:09:10.959 --> 00:09:13.670
another remarkable feat of engineering


00:09:13.680 --> 00:09:15.670
and offers another lifeline for the


00:09:15.680 --> 00:09:17.750
aging spacecraft.


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The backup thrusters are essential for


00:09:20.160 --> 00:09:22.949
executing precise roll maneuvers that


00:09:22.959 --> 00:09:26.310
adjust Voyager 1's orientation, ensuring


00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:29.509
its antenna stays pointed towards home


00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:31.870
for essential reliable


00:09:31.880 --> 00:09:34.550
communication. The spacecraft's original


00:09:34.560 --> 00:09:37.990
roll thrusters failed back in 2004 after


00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:40.630
two small internal heaters, crucial for


00:09:40.640 --> 00:09:43.630
their operation, lost power and stopped


00:09:43.640 --> 00:09:45.829
functioning. After a thorough


00:09:45.839 --> 00:09:47.910
assessment, engineers determined these


00:09:47.920 --> 00:09:50.550
heaters could not be repaired remotely,


00:09:50.560 --> 00:09:52.790
prompting them to switch reliance fully


00:09:52.800 --> 00:09:55.269
to the backup thrusters to maintain


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alignment of the Star Tracker, a key


00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:01.030
instrument that helps Voyager 1 navigate


00:10:01.040 --> 00:10:05.389
and stabilize itself in


00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:07.670
space. Roger that, control. We're


00:10:07.680 --> 00:10:09.910
listening to Astronomy Daily, the


00:10:09.920 --> 00:10:20.710
podcast.


00:10:20.720 --> 00:10:22.310
Thank you for joining us for this Monday


00:10:22.320 --> 00:10:24.310
edition of Astronomy Daily, where we


00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:25.990
offer just a few stories from the now


00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:28.230
famous Astronomy Daily newsletter, which


00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:30.310
you can receive in your email every day,


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just like Hi and I do. And to do that,


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latest news about science, space


00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:45.350
science, and astronomy from around the


00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:47.350
world as it's happening. And not only


00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:49.350
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visiting @ Astro Daily Pod on X or at


00:10:53.920 --> 00:10:56.069
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00:10:56.079 --> 00:10:58.630
course Astronomy Daily on Facebook. See


00:10:58.640 --> 00:10:59.470
you


00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:02.710
there. Astronomy Derby with Steve and


00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:13.350
Hi. Space, space science, and astronomy.


00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:15.350
A recent study published in Science


00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:17.190
Advances reveals that the moon's


00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:19.670
interior is asymmetrical with the side


00:11:19.680 --> 00:11:21.750
facing Earth significantly warmer than


00:11:21.760 --> 00:11:24.949
the far side. This finding comes from a


00:11:24.959 --> 00:11:27.190
detailed analysis of data collected by


00:11:27.200 --> 00:11:29.350
NASA's Grail mission which mapped the


00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:31.110
moon's gravitational field with


00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:33.430
unprecedented precision.


00:11:33.440 --> 00:11:35.430
NASA's Grail, that's the Gravity


00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:37.269
Recovery and Interior Laboratory


00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:40.350
mission, which operated in 2011 and


00:11:40.360 --> 00:11:43.190
2012, involved two spacecraft orbiting


00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:45.269
the moon and measuring tiny variations


00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:48.389
in its gravitational pole by tracking


00:11:48.399 --> 00:11:50.150
how Earth's gravity affected the


00:11:50.160 --> 00:11:52.389
spacecraft's motion. Scientists could


00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:54.310
create a highresolution map of the


00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:57.670
moon's gravitational field. Ryan Park


00:11:57.680 --> 00:11:59.829
and his team at NASA's Jet Propulsion


00:11:59.839 --> 00:12:01.829
Laboratory analyzed this data to


00:12:01.839 --> 00:12:03.750
understand how the shape changes under


00:12:03.760 --> 00:12:04.990
Earth's tidal


00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:07.430
forces. They discovered that the lunar


00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:09.990
body's near side, the side always facing


00:12:10.000 --> 00:12:13.190
Earth, is about 72% more deformable than


00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:16.030
expected if its interior were perfectly


00:12:16.040 --> 00:12:17.750
symmetrical. This increased


00:12:17.760 --> 00:12:20.310
deformability suggests a warmer interior


00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:22.470
beneath the near side, which is softer


00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:24.150
and more susceptible to tidal


00:12:24.160 --> 00:12:26.949
stretching. Our study shows that the


00:12:26.959 --> 00:12:29.590
moon's interior is not uniform. The side


00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:32.150
facing Earth, the near side, is warmer


00:12:32.160 --> 00:12:34.470
and more geologically active deep down


00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:36.790
than the far side, said Park, the lead


00:12:36.800 --> 00:12:39.990
author of the study. The uneven internal


00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:41.670
temperature is consistent with what


00:12:41.680 --> 00:12:43.350
scientists know about the moon's


00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:45.430
volcanic activity and the distribution


00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:48.069
of radioactive elements such as uranium


00:12:48.079 --> 00:12:50.470
and thorium concentrated near the lunar


00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:52.790
surface on the near side.


00:12:52.800 --> 00:12:55.030
Shaun Solomon of Columbia University


00:12:55.040 --> 00:12:57.110
notes that this asymmetry fits with


00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:58.790
theories about the Earth's satellites


00:12:58.800 --> 00:13:00.949
volcanic past and internal heating


00:13:00.959 --> 00:13:02.829
caused by radioactive


00:13:02.839 --> 00:13:05.590
decay. This temperature imbalance also


00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:07.829
raises questions about how the celestial


00:13:07.839 --> 00:13:11.190
body developed such a lopsided interior.


00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:13.590
One possibility is that large impacts


00:13:13.600 --> 00:13:15.750
over billions of years caused structural


00:13:15.760 --> 00:13:18.069
and thermal disruptions contributing to


00:13:18.079 --> 00:13:19.910
this asymmetry.


00:13:19.920 --> 00:13:22.150
The findings provide crucial clues for


00:13:22.160 --> 00:13:23.750
understanding the Earth's satellites


00:13:23.760 --> 00:13:25.910
cooling and solidification processes


00:13:25.920 --> 00:13:28.150
after its formation, painting a picture


00:13:28.160 --> 00:13:30.629
of a dynamic evolving satellite rather


00:13:30.639 --> 00:13:34.150
than a static uniform body. To gain more


00:13:34.160 --> 00:13:35.670
detailed knowledge of the moon's


00:13:35.680 --> 00:13:38.230
internal structure, NASA plans to deploy


00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:40.230
seismic instruments on the lunar far


00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:43.829
side. The upcoming Farside Seismic Suite


00:13:43.839 --> 00:13:46.710
mission, expected to launch in 2026,


00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:48.470
will measure moon quakes and provide


00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:50.389
direct data on the moon's internal


00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:53.110
temperature and composition.


00:13:53.120 --> 00:13:55.190
You're listening to Astronomy Daily, the


00:13:55.200 --> 00:14:01.110
podcast with Steve Dunley.


00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:03.350
Mission patches are a decades old


00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:05.590
tradition in space flight. They can


00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:07.750
range from the figurative to the


00:14:07.760 --> 00:14:10.470
abstract, prompting valuable insights or


00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:13.550
feeding confusion. Some are just plain


00:14:13.560 --> 00:14:17.030
weird. Until recently, China's entries


00:14:17.040 --> 00:14:19.829
into the realm of spaceflight patches


00:14:19.839 --> 00:14:21.910
often lacked originality found in


00:14:21.920 --> 00:14:24.310
patches from the West. For example, a


00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:26.550
series of patches for China's human


00:14:26.560 --> 00:14:29.269
spaceflight missions used a formulaic


00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:31.590
design with a circular shape and a mix


00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:34.870
of red and blue. The patch for China's


00:14:34.880 --> 00:14:38.230
most recent Senzoo crew to the country's


00:14:38.240 --> 00:14:41.269
Chang Jong Space Station last month


00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:43.590
finally broke the mold with a triangular


00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:46.150
shape after China's human space flight


00:14:46.160 --> 00:14:49.750
agency put the patch up for public vote.


00:14:49.760 --> 00:14:51.829
But there's a fascinating set of new


00:14:51.839 --> 00:14:54.310
patches Chinese officials released for a


00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:56.710
series of launches with top secret


00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:59.670
satellites over the last two months.


00:14:59.680 --> 00:15:02.389
These four patches depict Buddhist gods


00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:04.710
with a sense of artistry and sharp


00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:07.269
colors that stand apart from China's


00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:09.189
previous spaceflight emblems. And


00:15:09.199 --> 00:15:11.990
perhaps or perhaps not, they can tell us


00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:13.590
something about the nature of the


00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:14.910
missions they


00:15:14.920 --> 00:15:17.590
represent. The four patches show the


00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:20.990
four heavenly kings protected deities in


00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:24.069
Buddhism who guard against evil forces


00:15:24.079 --> 00:15:26.790
in the four cardinal directions.


00:15:26.800 --> 00:15:30.230
According to the Coyoto National Museum,


00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:33.269
the gods also shield the Dharma


00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:36.750
teachings of the Buddha from external


00:15:36.760 --> 00:15:39.189
threats. These gods have different


00:15:39.199 --> 00:15:41.629
names, but in China they are known as


00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:46.389
Daoen, Zeng Xang, Chingao, and Gao.


00:15:46.399 --> 00:15:49.110
Jawwen is the commander and guardian of


00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:51.590
the north, the one who listens to many


00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:54.629
teaching, who is often depicted with an


00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:57.189
umbrella. Zeng Xiang, a guardian of the


00:15:57.199 --> 00:15:59.350
south, is the god of growth and shown


00:15:59.360 --> 00:16:01.670
carrying a sword. The protector of the


00:16:01.680 --> 00:16:04.949
east is Shing Xiao, a defender of the


00:16:04.959 --> 00:16:07.430
nation who holds a stringed musical


00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:09.670
instrument of all things. And guarding


00:16:09.680 --> 00:16:13.910
the west is Gang Mu, a allseeing god


00:16:13.920 --> 00:16:17.189
usually depicted with a serpent. And


00:16:17.199 --> 00:16:19.590
once again, let me apologize for my


00:16:19.600 --> 00:16:22.870
pronunciation. I am Australian. The


00:16:22.880 --> 00:16:25.189
patches for a quartet of Chinese


00:16:25.199 --> 00:16:27.430
satellites launched since March each


00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:30.389
portray one of the four heavenly kings.


00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:32.470
We know little about these satellites


00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:35.269
other than their names and locations.


00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:37.350
And they were reportedly manufactured by


00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:39.590
the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight


00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:42.230
Technology, a division of China's main


00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:44.949
state-owned aerospace contractor. They


00:16:44.959 --> 00:16:47.590
are part of a series of Chinese missions


00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:51.269
designated with the TJS designation or


00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:52.949
what China calls communication


00:16:52.959 --> 00:16:55.670
technology test satellites, but that's


00:16:55.680 --> 00:16:58.710
likely a cover for their real purpose. A


00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:01.990
Long March 7A rocket launched the TJS16


00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:04.630
satellite on March 29. Another Long


00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:08.069
March 3B deployed the TJS7 payload on


00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:11.029
April 10. Finally, on Monday, a Long


00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:14.230
March 3C rocket sent China's TJS19


00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:17.189
satellite into orbit, skipping the TGS18


00:17:17.199 --> 00:17:19.669
in the sequence. All four satellites are


00:17:19.679 --> 00:17:22.470
on their way to or already operating in


00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:25.990
geocynchronous orbit more than 22,000 mi


00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:29.990
or nearly 36,000 km over the equator. At


00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:31.990
that altitude, a satellite's orbital


00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:34.070
velocity matches the speed of Earth's


00:17:34.080 --> 00:17:36.710
rotation, allowing it to remain over the


00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:38.950
same part of the planet. Notably,


00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:40.870
groundbased trackers have detected


00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:43.029
unexpected objects that appear to have


00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:46.870
separated from TJS15 and 17 in


00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:49.270
geocynchronous orbit. These may be


00:17:49.280 --> 00:17:51.029
remnant rocket engines that helped


00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:52.710
inject the satellites into their


00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:54.789
operating orbits, but a handful of


00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:57.190
earlier satellites from China also


00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:59.110
released smaller spacecraft to perform


00:17:59.120 --> 00:18:01.830
their own maneuvers. US officials


00:18:01.840 --> 00:18:04.710
believe China may use many of the TJS


00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:07.110
satellites for missile warning or spy


00:18:07.120 --> 00:18:09.430
missions. In the first instance, some of


00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:11.990
the TJS satellites may be similar to the


00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:14.789
US Space Force's fleet of early warning


00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:17.510
satellites on guard with heat sensors to


00:18:17.520 --> 00:18:19.590
detect the thermal signature of a


00:18:19.600 --> 00:18:23.110
ballistic missile launch. TJS satellites


00:18:23.120 --> 00:18:24.789
filling the role of a reconnaissance


00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:26.310
mission might have enormous


00:18:26.320 --> 00:18:28.789
umbrella-like reflectors to try and pick


00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:30.870
up the signals transmitted by foreign


00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:32.950
forces such as those of the United


00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:35.190
States. It's not difficult to start


00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:36.950
making connections between the four


00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:38.549
heavenly gods and the missions that


00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:41.430
China's TJS satellites likely carry out


00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:43.909
in space. A protector with an umbrella,


00:18:43.919 --> 00:18:46.390
an allseeing entity. This sounds like a


00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:47.909
possible link, but there's a chance


00:18:47.919 --> 00:18:49.750
Chinese officials approved the patches


00:18:49.760 --> 00:18:52.150
to misdirect outside observers, or


00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:54.230
there's no connection at all. We just


00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:57.270
can't tell. All of the TJS satellites


00:18:57.280 --> 00:18:59.750
are parked in geocynchronous orbit over


00:18:59.760 --> 00:19:02.390
the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, or the


00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:05.310
Western Pacific, except for one,


00:19:05.320 --> 00:19:07.830
TJS7, positioned over the Western


00:19:07.840 --> 00:19:10.230
Pacific with good visibility over the


00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:13.510
entire United States. Mike Darmm, a


00:19:13.520 --> 00:19:15.510
researcher at the Mish Mitchell


00:19:15.520 --> 00:19:17.990
Institute for Aerospace Studies and a


00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:20.470
former naval intelligence officer, told


00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:22.870
the US China Economic and Security


00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:26.630
Review Commission last year that TJS7 is


00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:29.029
probably a missile warning satellite,


00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:31.110
but it could be spying on signals coming


00:19:31.120 --> 00:19:34.390
from the US homeland. Some of the TJS


00:19:34.400 --> 00:19:36.710
satellites might also be capable of


00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:38.789
maneuvering near other satellites for


00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:41.430
close-up inspection. The US military has


00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:44.110
its own inspector satellites known as


00:19:44.120 --> 00:19:46.710
GSSAP to get a closer look at


00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:48.150
interesting things happening in


00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:50.390
geocynchronous orbit. And the space


00:19:50.400 --> 00:19:54.230
force is using them. One of these GSSAP


00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:58.390
platforms designated USA 324 approached


00:19:58.400 --> 00:20:02.549
within about 10 mi of China's new TJS16


00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:06.310
and 17 satellites on April 26 and 29.


00:20:06.320 --> 00:20:08.470
According to Comspock, a commercial


00:20:08.480 --> 00:20:11.110
satellite tracking company, a video


00:20:11.120 --> 00:20:14.230
animation released by Comspock shows how


00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:17.830
the USA 324 satellite maneuvered close


00:20:17.840 --> 00:20:19.909
to each of the Chinese satellites last


00:20:19.919 --> 00:20:22.630
month over the Western Pacific Ocean. It


00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:25.350
appears that Space Force is intrigued by


00:20:25.360 --> 00:20:28.070
China's flurry of new top secret


00:20:28.080 --> 00:20:38.320
satellite missions.


00:20:38.330 --> 00:20:41.029
[Music]


00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:43.669
And there it is, another episode of


00:20:43.679 --> 00:20:46.190
Astronomy Daily for the 19th of May,


00:20:46.200 --> 00:20:49.350
2025. How's that, Hie? That was a whole


00:20:49.360 --> 00:20:51.669
lot of fun. Favorite human. Well, I hope


00:20:51.679 --> 00:20:53.669
all of our listeners enjoyed that as


00:20:53.679 --> 00:20:55.669
much as I did. And I hope Carlos from


00:20:55.679 --> 00:20:57.830
Newcastle enjoyed it as well. It's


00:20:57.840 --> 00:20:59.270
always nice to welcome a new listener.


00:20:59.280 --> 00:21:00.710
Thanks, Carlos, for listening in. I hope


00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:02.390
you enjoyed that one, mate. And we will


00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:04.710
welcome everybody back next Monday. Yes.


00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:06.470
Back to the Australia studio down under


00:21:06.480 --> 00:21:08.230
for another live episode of Astronomy


00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:11.110
Daily. Hey, where are those cooker bars?


00:21:11.120 --> 00:21:13.590
There they are.


00:21:13.600 --> 00:21:15.669
Oh, they make me want to laugh, too. See


00:21:15.679 --> 00:21:17.590
you next week, human. Catch you later,


00:21:17.600 --> 00:21:21.669
Hie. See you everybody. Bye.


00:21:21.679 --> 00:21:25.190
Daily the podcast with your host, Steve


00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:26.620
Duncan.


00:21:26.630 --> 00:21:29.839
[Music]