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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go to podcast for the

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<v Speaker 1>latest and most exciting developments in space and astronomy. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>your host, Anna, and I'm thrilled to bring you another

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<v Speaker 1>episode packed with cosmic wonders and scientific breakthroughs.

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<v Speaker 2>Today, we've got a stellar.

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<v Speaker 1>Lineup of stories that will take us from the farthest

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<v Speaker 1>reaches of the universe to our own cosmic backyard. We'll

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<v Speaker 1>explore record setting jets from a distant black hole, witness

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<v Speaker 1>a dramatic rocket launch abort, celebrate the hidden figures of

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<v Speaker 1>NASA's past, ponder the possibility of ancient Earth sporting Saturn

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<v Speaker 1>like rings, and even discuss the potential for space lasers

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<v Speaker 1>in planetary defense.

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<v Speaker 2>So buckle up and prepare.

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<v Speaker 1>For liftoff as we embark on this cosmic journey together,

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<v Speaker 1>Let's dive into the fascinating world of space science and

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<v Speaker 1>exploration on this episode of Astronomy Daily. In a groundbreaking discovery,

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<v Speaker 1>astronomers have detected the largest known jets of energy shooting

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<v Speaker 1>from a super massive black hole. These colossal beams extend

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<v Speaker 1>an astonishing twenty three million light years from end to end,

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<v Speaker 1>dwarfing our in higher Milky Way galaxy. The black hole

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<v Speaker 1>responsible for this cosmic spectacle is located in a galaxy

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<v Speaker 1>about seven point five billion light years from Earth. To

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<v Speaker 1>put that in perspective, we're observing an event that occurred

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<v Speaker 1>when the universe was less than.

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<v Speaker 2>Half its current age.

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<v Speaker 1>These jets, nicknamed Porphyrion after a giant from Greek mythology,

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<v Speaker 1>are truly massive. They're about thirty percent longer than the

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<v Speaker 1>previous record holder, making them the most extensive structures of

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<v Speaker 1>their kind ever observed.

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<v Speaker 2>But what exactly are these jets.

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<v Speaker 1>They're made up of subatomic particles electrons and positrons, along

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<v Speaker 1>with magnetic fields, all moving at nearly the speed of light.

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<v Speaker 1>These particles are ejected from the area around the black

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<v Speaker 1>hole as it devours nearby matter like gas, dust, and

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<v Speaker 1>even entire stars. The energy output of these jets is

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<v Speaker 1>mind boggling. Scientists estimate its equivalent to the energy released

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<v Speaker 1>by trillions of stars like our Sun, or the amount

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<v Speaker 1>produced when entire galaxy clusters collide. This discovery isn't just

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<v Speaker 1>about breaking records, though, it provides valuable insights into how

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<v Speaker 1>black holes influence their surroundings on a truly enormous scale.

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<v Speaker 1>These jets can heat up interstellar gas, potentially affecting star

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<v Speaker 1>formation across vast regions of space. They might even play

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<v Speaker 1>a role in distributing energy and magnetic fields throughout the

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<v Speaker 1>cosmic web, the large scale structure of the universe. The

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<v Speaker 1>observation was made possible by LOFAR, a network of radio

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<v Speaker 1>antennas primarily based in the Netherlands. This cutting edge technology

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<v Speaker 1>allows astronomers to peer deeper into the universe and uncover

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<v Speaker 1>phenomena that push the boundaries of our understanding of cosmic processes.

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<v Speaker 1>As we continue to explore the depths of space, discoveries

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<v Speaker 1>like Porphyrion remind us of the immense power and influence

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<v Speaker 1>of supermassive black holes in shaping our universe. In space

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<v Speaker 1>launch news, rocket Lab experienced a last second abort during

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<v Speaker 1>their latest mission attempt. The company's Electron rocket was poised

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<v Speaker 1>to lift off from New Zealand carrying five Internet of

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<v Speaker 1>Things satellites for the French company QNIE. However, as the

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<v Speaker 1>countdown reached zero and the first stage engines ignited, they

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<v Speaker 1>immediately shut down, resulting in a launch abort. Rocket Lab

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<v Speaker 1>has named this mission Keyness Killed the radiot Star a

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<v Speaker 1>playful nod to the payload and a classic song title.

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<v Speaker 1>This would have been their second launch for Canais, following

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<v Speaker 1>a successful five satellite deployment in June. The aboard occurred

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<v Speaker 1>at the precise moment of the instantaneous launch window, leaving

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<v Speaker 1>no opportunity for a same day retry. Rocket Lab's team

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<v Speaker 1>is now assessing options for the next launch attempt within

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<v Speaker 1>their fourteen day launch window. This mission is part of

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<v Speaker 1>a larger contract between rocket Lab and Kineis, which aims

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<v Speaker 1>to deploy a total of twenty five satellites using the Electron,

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<v Speaker 1>a small but capable rocket standing at fifty nine feet tall.

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<v Speaker 1>Despite this setback, rocket Lab maintains an impressive track record

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<v Speaker 1>with fifty two orbital missions to date, including ten successful

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<v Speaker 1>launches in twenty twenty four alone. Now a story about

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<v Speaker 1>recognition that many would consider long overdue. In a moving

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<v Speaker 1>ceremony at the US Capitol, four trailblazing women of NASA

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<v Speaker 1>were honoured with Congressional Gold Medals for their groundbreaking contributions

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<v Speaker 1>to space exploration. Catherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and

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<v Speaker 1>Christine Darden. The hidden figures behind America's space race success

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<v Speaker 1>were finally given their well deserved recognition. The event, held

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<v Speaker 1>in Emancipation Hall, brought together lawmakers, NASA officials, and family

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<v Speaker 1>members of these remarkable women. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson highlighted

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<v Speaker 1>how their pioneering work laid the foundation for today's achievements

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<v Speaker 1>in space. These African American mathematicians and engineers played crucial

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<v Speaker 1>roles in NASA's early spaceflight programs, from calculating flight trajectories

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<v Speaker 1>to becoming the agency's first black female supervisor and engineer.

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<v Speaker 1>Their stories, largely unknown for decades, were brought to light

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<v Speaker 1>by Margo Lee Shutterley's book Hidden Figures and the subsequent

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<v Speaker 1>film adaptation. The ceremony not only celebrated these four women,

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<v Speaker 1>but also acknowledged the countless others who worked behind the

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<v Speaker 1>scenes at NASA performing critical calculations before the advent of

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<v Speaker 1>electronic computers. This Congressional Gold Medal, one of the highest

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<v Speaker 1>civilian honors in the United States, serves as a testament

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<v Speaker 1>to their enduring legacy and the impact they've had on

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<v Speaker 1>generations of scientists and engineers. It's a powerful reminder of

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<v Speaker 1>the importance of diversity in scientific advancement, and a long

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<v Speaker 1>overdue recognition of these hidden figures who helped shape America's

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<v Speaker 1>space program. Now, let's turn our attention to a fascinating

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<v Speaker 1>piece of research that's shaking up our understanding of Earth's

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<v Speaker 1>ancient past. A new study suggests that our planet may

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<v Speaker 1>have once sported a ring system similar to Saturn's about

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<v Speaker 1>four hundred and sixty six million years ago. This isn't

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<v Speaker 1>just idle speculation. It's based on some intriguing evidence from

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<v Speaker 1>twenty one crater sites around the world.

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<v Speaker 2>Here's the story.

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<v Speaker 1>Researchers believe that Earth may have captured and destroyed a

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<v Speaker 1>passing asteroid, creating a debris ring that lasted for tens

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<v Speaker 1>of millions of years. This event potentially occurred during the

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<v Speaker 1>Ordovician period, a time when our planet experienced a significant

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<v Speaker 1>increase in asteroid impacts. The team, led by Andy Tompkins

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<v Speaker 1>from Monash University used computer models to map out where

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<v Speaker 1>these craters were when they first formed. Interestingly, all the

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<v Speaker 1>craters were found within thirty degrees of the equator. This

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<v Speaker 1>pattern is consistent with what we'd expect from a debris

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<v Speaker 1>ring orbiting Earth, as such rings typically form above a

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<v Speaker 1>planet's equator. Now, you might be wondering about the implications

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<v Speaker 1>of such a ring system, while the researchers suggest it

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<v Speaker 1>could have had a major impact on Earth's climate. Because

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<v Speaker 1>Earth's axis is tilted relative to its orbit around the Sun,

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<v Speaker 1>this ring would have cast a shadow over parts of

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<v Speaker 1>our planet's surface. This could have contributed to global cooling,

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<v Speaker 1>potentially playing a role in the Hernantean Ice Age, the

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<v Speaker 1>coldest period Earth has experienced in the past five hundred

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<v Speaker 1>million years. Of course, as with all groundbreaking research, more

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<v Speaker 1>evidence is needed to confirm this hypothesis, but it's an

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<v Speaker 1>exciting possibility that gives us a new perspective on Earth's

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<v Speaker 1>dynamic history. Who knows what other surprises our planet might

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<v Speaker 1>be hiding in its geological record. Now, let's talk about

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<v Speaker 1>an intriguing concept that might sound like it's straight out

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<v Speaker 1>of science fiction, using powerful lasers in space for planetary defense.

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<v Speaker 1>A recent study has explored the idea of deploying laser

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<v Speaker 1>arrays in space, primarily for deflecting potentially hazardous asteroids. The concept,

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<v Speaker 1>known as DSTAR, which stands for Directed Energy Systems for

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<v Speaker 1>Targeting of Asteroids and Exploration, involves creating a modular array

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<v Speaker 1>of lasers powered by solar cells. These space based lasers

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<v Speaker 1>could heat the surface of incoming asteroids to about three

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<v Speaker 1>thousand kelvin, hot enough to melt or vaporize their constituents

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<v Speaker 1>and alter their course. Additionally, such a system could potentially

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<v Speaker 1>be used to propel spacecraft. However, with great power comes

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<v Speaker 1>great responsibility. The destructive potential of these laser arrays raises

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<v Speaker 1>concerns about their possible use as weapons. To address this,

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<v Speaker 1>researchers suggest deploying them at safe distances from Earth, where

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<v Speaker 1>they pose no threat to our planet. The size and

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<v Speaker 1>power of the laser array would determine its safe minimum

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<v Speaker 1>distance from Earth. Smaller arrays could pretend be positioned at

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<v Speaker 1>lagrange points between the Earth and Sun, while larger, more

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<v Speaker 1>powerful arrays would need to be placed much further out

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<v Speaker 1>in the Solar System, possibly beyond the asteroid belt or

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<v Speaker 1>even Jupiter's orbit. One challenge is balancing the laser's power

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<v Speaker 1>with available solar energy, which decreases the further the array

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<v Speaker 1>is from the Sun. Engineers would need to consider this

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<v Speaker 1>trade off when designing and positioning these systems.

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<v Speaker 2>While no one is building a.

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<v Speaker 1>D star array just yet, it's crucial to start thinking

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<v Speaker 1>about the implications and potential uses of such technology. As

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<v Speaker 1>we continue to explore space and seek ways to protect

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<v Speaker 1>our planet, concepts like space based lasers may become increasingly

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<v Speaker 1>relevant in our discussions about planetary defense and space exploration.

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<v Speaker 1>And that wraps up today's episode of Astronomy Daily. We've

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<v Speaker 1>covered some truly fascinating developments in space science and exploration,

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<v Speaker 1>from the record setting jets blasting out of a distant

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<v Speaker 1>black hole to the potential for space lasers to protect

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<v Speaker 1>our planet. The universe continues to amaze and challenge us.

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<v Speaker 1>We also celebrated the long overdue recognition of the hidden

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<v Speaker 1>figures who played such a crucial role in NASA's early achievements,

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<v Speaker 1>and explored the intriguing possibility that Earth once had its

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<v Speaker 1>own ring system. I'm Anna, and I've been your host

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<v Speaker 1>for this cosmic journey. If you're hungry for more space

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<v Speaker 1>news and want to stay up to date with the

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<v Speaker 1>latest discoveries, be sure to visit our website at Astronomydaily

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<v Speaker 1>dot io. There you can sign up for our free

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<v Speaker 1>daily newsletter and explore our constantly updating news feed. Don't

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<v Speaker 1>forget to check out all our previous episodes on the

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<v Speaker 1>website as well, and if you want even more Astronomy

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<v Speaker 1>Daily content, find us on social media. Just search for

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<v Speaker 1>astro Daily Pod on Facebook, x YouTube, and TikTok.

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<v Speaker 2>Thanks for listening and remember to keep looking up.

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<v Speaker 3>Saiday Star Star story is ConTroll