1 00:00:02,319 --> 00:00:05,679 Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily dive into the latest 2 00:00:05,679 --> 00:00:09,080 space and astronomy news. I'm your host, Anna, and I'm 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:12,839 excited to take you through some fascinating updates. Today. We've 4 00:00:12,839 --> 00:00:16,320 got riveting stories lined up for you, from China's ambitious 5 00:00:16,359 --> 00:00:20,879 satellite constellation launch to rival Starlink, to a groundbreaking revelation 6 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:24,120 by the James Webb Space telescope that has astronomers buzzing. 7 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,719 Plus we'll delve into NASA's quirky but educational screaming balloon 8 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:32,159 demonstration involving pennies in space. It's going to be an 9 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:35,439 enlightening and funfilled journey through the Cosmos, So let's get started. 10 00:00:36,439 --> 00:00:38,960 A Chinese state owned enterprise has made a bold move 11 00:00:39,039 --> 00:00:41,920 in the realm of space technology by launching the first 12 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:46,479 batch of satellites designed to rival SpaceX's Starlink. This ambitious 13 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:50,679 initiative marks a pivotal step in Beijing's broader strategic objective 14 00:00:51,039 --> 00:00:54,479 of developing a robust broadband network to compete on a 15 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:58,719 global scale, not only in commercial domains, but with significant 16 00:00:58,719 --> 00:01:02,920 military implications of well. The launch, which took place at 17 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:07,239 the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanshi Province was spearheaded 18 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:12,200 by Shanghai Spacecom Satellite Technology or SSST. This is a 19 00:01:12,239 --> 00:01:17,200 major milestone in ssst's thousand sales constellation project, also known 20 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,040 as the G sixty Starlink plan, initiated last year. The 21 00:01:21,079 --> 00:01:24,040 plan aims to deploy over fifteen thousand low Earth orbit 22 00:01:24,239 --> 00:01:27,560 LEO satellites by the end of this decade. LEO satellites 23 00:01:27,599 --> 00:01:31,359 typically operate between three hundred kilometers and two thousand kilometers 24 00:01:31,359 --> 00:01:34,799 from the Earth's surface. Their lower altitude allows for cheaper 25 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,319 deployment and more efficient data transmission compared to satellites placed 26 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:41,719 in higher orbits. The first batch of satellites launched is 27 00:01:41,799 --> 00:01:44,560 just the beginning, with plans to deploy one hundred and 28 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:47,480 eight satellites this year alone and six hundred and forty 29 00:01:47,519 --> 00:01:50,239 eight by the end of twenty twenty five. The ultimate 30 00:01:50,239 --> 00:01:52,840 goal is to achieve global network coverage by twenty twenty 31 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:56,200 seven and fully deploy the fifteen thousand satellites before twenty thirty. 32 00:01:57,159 --> 00:01:59,599 This ambitious plan is part of a broader trend where 33 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:03,079 various countries are competing to occupy Earth's lower orbits, with 34 00:02:03,159 --> 00:02:08,960 significant ramifications for global communications and military capabilities. Starlink, the 35 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:13,000 brainchild of Elon Musk's SpaceX, has already become a significant 36 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,400 player in this field, boasting around five thousand, five hundred 37 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:19,599 satellites in orbit and serving tens of thousands of users 38 00:02:19,599 --> 00:02:23,159 in the United States. The comparison between Starlink and the 39 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,319 Thousand Sales constellation is inevitable, as both aim to provide 40 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:32,280 near global Internet coverage, but the competition goes beyond commercial interests. 41 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,960 Chinese researchers within the People's Liberation Army have been studying 42 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:40,360 Starlink's deployments closely, particularly its role in the Ukraine conflict. 43 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,719 Their concern is not unfounded. The potential military applications of 44 00:02:44,719 --> 00:02:48,199 a vast satellite constellation could indeed influence the balance of 45 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:52,000 power in any future conflicts. An op ed published in 46 00:02:52,039 --> 00:02:56,319 a leading PLA mouthpiece earlier this year described Starlink's deployment 47 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,280 as a serious threat to the security of space assets 48 00:02:59,319 --> 00:03:02,599 of various country trees, highlighting the anxieties about how such 49 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,919 technology could be used against China in a military context. 50 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:11,319 The strategic importance of developing a competing mega constellation cannot 51 00:03:11,439 --> 00:03:15,800 be overstated. If successful, the Thousand Sales constellation would provide 52 00:03:15,879 --> 00:03:18,960 China with a similar level of connectivity and control over 53 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:23,680 space based communications, thereby reducing reliance on infrastructure operated by 54 00:03:23,719 --> 00:03:28,759 potential rival states. The significant investment and rapid deployment timeline 55 00:03:29,159 --> 00:03:32,759 underscore the urgency Beaging feels inclosing the gap with SpaceX's 56 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:38,080 Starlink and ensuring future technological and military parity. SST's achievement 57 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:41,919 is receiving significant attention both domestically and internationally. While the 58 00:03:41,919 --> 00:03:45,280 company has not commented on this latest development, it's clear 59 00:03:45,319 --> 00:03:50,240 that the launch represents a promising start. As the initiative progresses, 60 00:03:50,599 --> 00:03:53,879 it will be crucial to monitor both the technological advancements 61 00:03:54,199 --> 00:04:01,000 and policy implications resulting from this rapidly growing network. The 62 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:05,080 James Webb Space Telescopes Mid Infrared Instrument, or MIRI, has 63 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:09,159 delivered a truly breathtaking discovery. What astronomers long believe to 64 00:04:09,159 --> 00:04:12,120 be a single star known as WL twenty S is 65 00:04:12,159 --> 00:04:15,840 actually a twin star system. This revelation doesn't just add 66 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:18,839 a fascinating twist to our understanding of this celestial body, 67 00:04:19,279 --> 00:04:21,759 it opens up new avenues in the study of stellar 68 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,879 life cycles and planetary formation. So how did this all 69 00:04:24,959 --> 00:04:28,600 come to light. The story begins with astronomers turning NASA's 70 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:31,480 James Webb's Space telescope toward a group of young stars 71 00:04:31,519 --> 00:04:34,959 called WL twenty located in a star forming region of 72 00:04:34,959 --> 00:04:38,079 the Milky Way called Roe O Fiuci. This group of 73 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:40,600 stars has been the topic of scientific scrutiny since the 74 00:04:40,639 --> 00:04:44,480 nineteen seventies, despite being studied by at least five different 75 00:04:44,519 --> 00:04:48,399 telescopes over the years. It was Webb's unprecedented resolution and 76 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:52,120 specialized instruments that revealed WL twenty s to be two 77 00:04:52,199 --> 00:04:55,839 stars rather than one. The discovery was unveiled at the 78 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,199 two hundred and forty fourth meeting of the American Astronomical Society. 79 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:03,319 Using Mary, scientists discovered that these twin stars also possess 80 00:05:03,399 --> 00:05:06,639 matching jets of gas streaming from their north and south poles. 81 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:10,639 Imagine their excitement. After decades of studying what they thought 82 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,800 was a single star, they suddenly found themselves looking at 83 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:18,879 not one, but two stars with intriguing features. Mary Barsony, 84 00:05:18,920 --> 00:05:21,519 the lead author of the new paper presenting these results, 85 00:05:21,560 --> 00:05:25,720 put it aptly, our jaws dropped, adding another layer to 86 00:05:25,759 --> 00:05:30,199 the mystery. Further observations by the Atacama Large Millimeter submillimeter 87 00:05:30,399 --> 00:05:35,319 array ALMA provided even more surprising findings. ALMA, with its 88 00:05:35,399 --> 00:05:39,279 array of over sixty radio antennas in Chile, detected disks 89 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:43,560 of gas and dust encircling both stars. Given the stars age, 90 00:05:43,839 --> 00:05:46,920 it is highly probable that planets are forming within these disks. 91 00:05:47,399 --> 00:05:49,279 This means we're not just looking at a new twin 92 00:05:49,319 --> 00:05:52,600 star system, but potentially at a burgeoning planetary system as well. 93 00:05:53,519 --> 00:05:55,519 But why hadn't we seen this before? It turns out 94 00:05:55,519 --> 00:05:58,839 that WL twenty is hidden behind thick clouds of gas 95 00:05:58,959 --> 00:06:02,399 and dust, making it difficult for visible light telescopes to 96 00:06:02,439 --> 00:06:06,600 penetrate Web. However, detects in the infrared spectrum which can 97 00:06:06,639 --> 00:06:12,079 pass through these obscuring layers. MIRI, specifically designed for such observations, 98 00:06:12,480 --> 00:06:16,040 can detect the longest infrared wavelengths of any instruments on WEB, 99 00:06:16,519 --> 00:06:20,120 making it especially suited for looking into regions like WL twenty. 100 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,639 This high powered observation means that we can now see 101 00:06:23,879 --> 00:06:26,600 not just the structure of these twin stars, but also 102 00:06:26,639 --> 00:06:29,879 their behavior. The jets of gas detected by MIRI are 103 00:06:29,879 --> 00:06:34,360 composed of ions atoms stripped of some electrons, which radiate 104 00:06:34,439 --> 00:06:38,399 at mid infrared wavelengths. These features would not be visible 105 00:06:38,439 --> 00:06:41,959 at the submillimeter wavelengths observed by a facility like Alma, 106 00:06:42,319 --> 00:06:45,399 thus highlighting the importance of having both types of telescopes 107 00:06:45,439 --> 00:06:50,720 working in conjunction. They say a penny doesn't go far 108 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:53,639 these days, but NASA has added its own twist to 109 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:57,399 that phrase by sending two pennies into space. These pennies, 110 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,600 believe it or not, are on an extraordinary mad aboard 111 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:04,720 the International Space Station, traveling millions of miles and proving 112 00:07:04,759 --> 00:07:07,279 that even the smallest objects can play a big role 113 00:07:07,319 --> 00:07:11,800 in education. On August fourth, two humble US one cent 114 00:07:11,879 --> 00:07:15,839 coins lifted off for the ISS aboard the SS Francis R. 115 00:07:15,959 --> 00:07:21,120 Dick Scobie, Northrop Grumman's twenty first Signus cargo spacecraft, named 116 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:23,959 in memory of the Challenger Shuttle commander. These pennies were 117 00:07:23,959 --> 00:07:27,920 part of an uncrude capsule's eight two hundred pounds of cargo, 118 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,759 launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida by 119 00:07:30,759 --> 00:07:34,240 a SpaceX Falcon nine rocket. What's the mission for these 120 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:39,120 tiny travelers? They're part of NASA's latest demonstration, an educational 121 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:43,360 project designed to engage grade school children in science, technology, engineering, 122 00:07:43,399 --> 00:07:48,720 and mathematics. Michelle Hook's Education project manager for NASA's Office 123 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,000 of Stem Engagement, explained that the pennies are crucial to 124 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:56,680 an experiment called the Screaming Balloon demonstration. In this activity, 125 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,399 one penny is inserted into a deflated balloon, which is 126 00:08:00,439 --> 00:08:03,519 then inflated and given a spin by an astronaut. The 127 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:05,839 experiment will compare the motion of the penny to a 128 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:09,920 hex nut spun inside a second balloon. What makes this 129 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,399 all the more fascinating is the accessibility of the materials. 130 00:08:14,279 --> 00:08:17,920 Pennies are abundant and familiar to students, making it easy 131 00:08:17,959 --> 00:08:21,519 for them to replicate the experiment in their classrooms. This 132 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,680 hands on approach brings the excitement of space right down 133 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:28,480 to Earth, allowing students to draw direct connections between their 134 00:08:28,519 --> 00:08:32,840 everyday lives and the extraordinary work happening on the iss. 135 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:35,559 But it wasn't an easy task to find the right 136 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:39,320 pennies for this mission. NASA wanted pennies minted in twenty 137 00:08:39,399 --> 00:08:41,919 twenty four to mark the year they were sent into space, 138 00:08:42,279 --> 00:08:45,720 and they needed to be shiny, camera ready. Coins Hooks, 139 00:08:46,039 --> 00:08:48,360 along with her team, went on a penny hunt that 140 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:52,639 spanned local banks and personal spare change. After checking hundreds 141 00:08:52,639 --> 00:08:56,519 of coins and enlisting help from bank tellers, NASA staff, 142 00:08:56,759 --> 00:09:00,000 and local educators, they finally collected a pair of perfect 143 00:09:00,320 --> 00:09:04,039 twenty four pennies. These aren't the first pennies to venture 144 00:09:04,039 --> 00:09:07,159 into space, though previous missions have seen pennies flown on 145 00:09:07,200 --> 00:09:10,440 Apollo missions and even to Mars. For instance, a penny 146 00:09:10,480 --> 00:09:13,559 flew aboard Apollo eleven with Neil Armstrong, and multiple coins 147 00:09:13,600 --> 00:09:18,279 traveled on Apollo fourteen and fifteen missions. A particularly valuable penny, 148 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,840 a seventeen ninety three flowing haircent, even hitched a ride 149 00:09:21,879 --> 00:09:25,320 on Gemini seven, later selling for over eighty two thousand 150 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:29,960 dollars at auction. Today, NASA has strict policies against astronauts 151 00:09:30,039 --> 00:09:34,639 personally flying items like coins to prevent exploitation. However, uncrude 152 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:38,200 missions like the current Penny project allow a modern continuation 153 00:09:38,279 --> 00:09:41,799 of this tradition, and these pennies aren't just about looking good. 154 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:46,559 They help carry forward NASA's long standing educational goals. The 155 00:09:46,639 --> 00:09:49,080 coins are set to be reused in various ways aboard 156 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:54,080 the iss, maximizing their educational impact before they eventually returned 157 00:09:54,159 --> 00:10:01,200 to Earth. That's it for today's episode. Of Daily I'm 158 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:03,360 Anna and it's been a pleasure to share these stories 159 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:06,320 with you. Don't forget to visit our website at Astronomy 160 00:10:06,399 --> 00:10:09,360 Daily dot io for all the latest news, listen to 161 00:10:09,399 --> 00:10:12,440 past episodes, and sign up for our newsletter. You can 162 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:14,960 also find us on social media. Just search for astro 163 00:10:15,039 --> 00:10:18,480 Daily Pod on Facebook, x YouTube, and TikTok. See you 164 00:10:18,519 --> 00:10:19,000 next time.