Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your window to the universe, where
Speaker 1: we bring you the freshest discoveries and developments from across
Speaker 1: the cosmos. I'm Anna and I'm thrilled to guide you
Speaker 1: through today's fascinating journey through space. In today's episode, we'll
Speaker 1: explore a remarkable observation of a black hole violently expelling
Speaker 1: matter at incredible speeds into deep space. We'll also cover
Speaker 1: SpaceX's impressive launch milestones and the global surge and space
Speaker 1: activities happening around the world. Plus we'll discuss the historic
Speaker 1: inauguration of the African Space Agency and what it means
Speaker 1: for the continent's space ambitions. And finally, we'll venture to
Speaker 1: our Moon, where a massive ancient crater may hold secrets
Speaker 1: about our lunar companion's fiery birth. So settle in as
Speaker 1: we blast off into another edition of astronomical wonders and
Speaker 1: cosmic revelations. In a stunning discovery that challenges our understanding
Speaker 1: of these cosmic monsters, scientists have captured a black hole
Speaker 1: in the act of hurling matter into deep space at
Speaker 1: us astonishing velocities. The culprit is located in NGC four
Speaker 1: thousand nine hundred forty five, a beautiful spiral galaxy sitting
Speaker 1: over twelve million light years away in the constellation Centaurus.
Speaker 1: While NGC four nine hundred forty five might appear serene
Speaker 1: from a distance, it harbours a ferocious secret at its core.
Speaker 1: Unlike some black holes that quietly consume their cosmic meals,
Speaker 1: such as the relatively calm one at the center of
Speaker 1: our own Milky Way, this supermassive beast is both a
Speaker 1: voracious eater and a violent expeller. Using the Advanced Meuse
Speaker 1: instrument on the European Southern Observatory's very large telescope, astronomers
Speaker 1: have documented this black hole not only devouring surrounding material,
Speaker 1: but also generating powerful cone shaped winds of gas and
Speaker 1: dust that blast outward with tremendous force. What's particularly fascinating
Speaker 1: is that these outflows, visible as striking red plumes against
Speaker 1: the galaxy's elegant spiral structure, are moving so rapidly that
Speaker 1: scientists expect them to completely escape the galaxy's gravitational pull.
Speaker 1: This matter will eventually drift into the vast emptiness of
Speaker 1: intergalactic space, a cosmic ejection on a truly enormous scale.
Speaker 1: This observation is reshaping our understanding of galactic dynamics. Black
Speaker 1: holes have long been known to pull matter inward with
Speaker 1: their immense gravity, but this dramatic example of matter ejection
Speaker 1: shows how these cosmic entities play a much more complex
Speaker 1: role in shaping their galactic neighborhoods. The expelled material, which
Speaker 1: would otherwise be available for star formation, is essentially being
Speaker 1: removed from the galaxy's inventory. This finding represents a pivotal
Speaker 1: moment in our quest to understand the intricate relationship between
Speaker 1: supermassive black holes and the evolution of their host galaxies
Speaker 1: across cosmic time. What makes this discovery truly revolutionary is
Speaker 1: that these black hole driven winds behave in ways astronomers
Speaker 1: didn't anticipate. The meuse data reveals something counterintuitive. Instead of
Speaker 1: gradually slowing down as they travel outward through the galaxy,
Speaker 1: these powerful outflows actually accelerate as they move away from
Speaker 1: the galactic center. They gain momentum on their journey toward
Speaker 1: the edge of the galaxy and eventually into inner galactic space.
Speaker 1: This acceleration mechanism is particularly significant for understanding galactic evolution.
Speaker 1: By forcefully ejecting potential star forming material from the galaxy.
Speaker 1: These black holes effectively act as cosmic regulators, controlling the
Speaker 1: rate at which new stars can form within their host galaxies.
Speaker 1: It's a form of self regulation that dampens stellar birth
Speaker 1: rates across the entire galactic structure. Even more fascinating is
Speaker 1: how this process creates a feedback loop that affects the
Speaker 1: black hole itself by removing the very gas and dust
Speaker 1: they feed upon, more active and powerful black holes actually
Speaker 1: impede their own growth. This self limiting behavior drives the
Speaker 1: whole system toward a kind of galactic equilibrium, delicate balance
Speaker 1: between consumption and ejection. The new findings represent a significant
Speaker 1: step forward in our understanding of how galaxies evolve over
Speaker 1: cosmic time. These accelerating winds appear to be a key
Speaker 1: mechanism through which black holes shape not just their immediate surroundings,
Speaker 1: but the fate of entire galaxies. By regulating both star
Speaker 1: formation and their own feeding processes, these cosmic behemoths play
Speaker 1: a far more sophisticated role in universal dynamics than previously understood.
Speaker 1: Scientists believe that by studying these acceleration patterns in detail,
Speaker 1: we can better comprehend the forces that have shaped galactic
Speaker 1: evolution throughout the universe's history, one of the fundamental questions
Speaker 1: in modern astrophysics. Let's move on now and take a
Speaker 1: look at this week's launch schedule. SpaceX continues to push
Speaker 1: the boundaries of what's possible in the commercial space industry,
Speaker 1: setting remarkable records that would have seemed impossible just a
Speaker 1: few years ago. The company is on track to achieve
Speaker 1: its two hundred and fiftieth mission launch from space Base
Speaker 1: Launch Complex forty in Florida this week, a milestone that
Speaker 1: highlights just how quickly SpaceX has transformed access to space.
Speaker 1: The pace of launches is nothing short of extraordinary. SpaceX
Speaker 1: has now surpassed two hundred and fifty dedicated Starlink launches,
Speaker 1: rapidly expanding its satellite Internet constellation to provide global coverage.
Speaker 1: Just last week, the company deployed a record twenty nine
Speaker 1: Starlink satellites in a single mission, demonstrating their ability to
Speaker 1: maximize payload capacity on their workhourse Falcon nine rocket. This
Speaker 1: achievement is particularly noteworthy because it also marked SpaceX's fiftieth
Speaker 1: mission of twenty twenty five, maintaining a launch cadence that
Speaker 1: averages nearly three launches per week. If this pace continues,
Speaker 1: the company is on track to potentially exceed one hundred
Speaker 1: launches this year, a figure that the entire global launch
Speaker 1: industry struggled to achieve collectively just a decade ago. Perhaps
Speaker 1: equally impressive is SpaceX's growing mastery of reusability. Mission marked
Speaker 1: the one hundredth consecutive successful Falcon nine landing since their
Speaker 1: last landing failure. This perfect landing streak highlights the maturity
Speaker 1: of SpaceX's recovery technology and operations. The booster used for
Speaker 1: this mission, designated B one thousand, seventy eight, became the
Speaker 1: ninth in the fleet to reach twenty flights, demonstrating the
Speaker 1: durability and reliability of these vehicles that were initially designed
Speaker 1: for just a handful of missions. The economics of this
Speaker 1: reusability revolution cannot be overstated. By recovering and refurbishing first
Speaker 1: stage boosters, SpaceX has dramatically reduced launch costs while simultaneously
Speaker 1: increasing their launch capacity. What once required building dozens of
Speaker 1: new rockets annually can now be accomplished with a much
Speaker 1: smaller fleet of frequently flown vehicles. This unprecedented launch cadence
Speaker 1: is enabling SpaceX to deploy its Starlink constellation at a
Speaker 1: pace that competitors struggle to match. With each launch carrying
Speaker 1: dozens of satellites, the company is rapidly approaching the point
Speaker 1: where it can offer true global coverage for its Internet service,
Speaker 1: including in remote and underserved regions where traditional internet infrastructure
Speaker 1: is impractical. While SpaceX dominates headlines with its impressive launch schedule,
Speaker 1: it's worth noting that they're not the only players in
Speaker 1: this increasingly busy orbital traffic pattern. Other spacefaring nations continue
Speaker 1: to maintain active launch schedules, with China being particularly noteworthy
Speaker 1: among them. In fact, China attempted to launch one of
Speaker 1: its Changjeng twelve A rockets earlier this week, though the
Speaker 1: mission was scrubbed for reasons that haven't been officially disclosed.
Speaker 1: This particular rocket was set to carry the fourth batch
Speaker 1: of Shingwang satellites for the Guawang Network, one of two
Speaker 1: mega constellations China is developing to compete with Starlink in
Speaker 1: the global satellite internet market. April twenty twenty five has
Speaker 1: now secured its place in the record books as the
Speaker 1: busiest April in spaceflight history, with an impressive twenty six
Speaker 1: rockets launching worldwide. This remarkable achievement reflects the growing commercialization
Speaker 1: and accessibility of space launch capabilities across multiple countries and
Speaker 1: private companies. Even more impressive was the flurry of activity
Speaker 1: that occurred at the end of the month. Between April
Speaker 1: twenty eighth and twenty ninth, a new global launch record
Speaker 1: was set when six different rockets blasted off within just
Speaker 1: eighteen hours of each other. This unprecedented concentration of launches
Speaker 1: required careful coordination among various launch providers and space traffic
Speaker 1: management authorities to ensure safe operations. This accelerating pace of
Speaker 1: launches is expected to continue throughout May and beyond, with
Speaker 1: additional starlink missions, crude launches to space stations, and various
Speaker 1: satellite deployments already on the manifest. We're witnessing a historic
Speaker 1: transformation in how frequently humanity accesses space, and the trend
Speaker 1: shows no signs of slowing down. The space industry's rapid
Speaker 1: growth presents both opportunities and challenge leunges. While increased launch
Speaker 1: cadence means more satellites for communications, Earth observation, and scientific research,
Speaker 1: it also creates concerns about orbital congestion and space debris management.
Speaker 1: International cooperation on space traffic management is becoming increasingly crucial
Speaker 1: as more rockets and satellites fill the skies and another
Speaker 1: new player has just run onto the playing field. On
Speaker 1: April twentieth, twenty twenty five, a significant milestone in African
Speaker 1: space exploration was achieved with the formal inauguration of the
Speaker 1: African Space Agency or AFSA, in Cairo, Egypt. This development
Speaker 1: marks nearly a decade of coordinated planning since twenty sixteen,
Speaker 1: when the African Union first adopted the comprehensive African Space
Speaker 1: Policy and Strategy Framework. The creation of AFSA represents a
Speaker 1: deliberate move to unite the continent's space ambitions under a
Speaker 1: single organizational umbrella. Currently, twenty two African nations operate their
Speaker 1: own space agency, with varying degrees of legislative support and
Speaker 1: organizational structures. Some are fully independent agencies backed by national legislation,
Speaker 1: while others function as departments within broader research institutions. This
Speaker 1: new continental agency will serve as the coordinating body for
Speaker 1: Africa's existing space programs, streamlining cooperation between member states and
Speaker 1: creating a unified voice when engaging with international partners. Rather
Speaker 1: than replacing national agencies, AFSA will amplify their collective impact
Speaker 1: through strategic coordination. The agency's mandate includes establishing a centralized
Speaker 1: point of contact for negotiations with private launch providers, satellite manufacturers,
Speaker 1: and other space services companies. This unified approach gives African
Speaker 1: nations significantly more leverage in these discussions than they would
Speaker 1: have individually. Doctor tidian Ouatara, president of the AFSA Council,
Speaker 1: emphasized at the launch ceremony that the agency will focus
Speaker 1: on pactical applications that benefit African citizens, including improved agricultural forecasting,
Speaker 1: disaster monitoring, telecommunications infrastructure, and educational opportunities. Many African space
Speaker 1: agencies already specialize in earth observation missions, tracking climate patterns
Speaker 1: crucial for agriculture, and providing services like navigation systems and
Speaker 1: emergency response coordination. The South African National Space Agency, for example,
Speaker 1: has developed a successful satellite based wildfire detection system that
Speaker 1: identifies remote blazes and alerts firefighting authorities. Through AFSA, these
Speaker 1: specialized capabilities can now be shared more effectively across borders,
Speaker 1: creating a multiplier effect that benefits all member states while
Speaker 1: avoiding costly duplication of efforts. The agency will also play
Speaker 1: a crucial role in standardizing regulations, protocols, and technological systems
Speaker 1: across the continent's space sector. Despite Africa's vast geographical footprint
Speaker 1: covering one fifth of Earth's land surface, the continent currently
Speaker 1: contributes a mere zero point five percent to the global
Speaker 1: space budget. This stark disparity highlights the significant untapped potential
Speaker 1: within Africa's space sector. The newly established African Space Agency
Speaker 1: aims to fundamentally transform this reality, pivoting the continent from
Speaker 1: being primarily a consumer of space technology and data to
Speaker 1: becoming an active producer and innovator. As doctor Uatara aptly
Speaker 1: described it, Africa is a sleeping giant in the space economy,
Speaker 1: with ambitious projections estimating space economy revenue reaching twenty two
Speaker 1: billion dollars by twenty twenty six. The agency recognizes that
Speaker 1: current activities have only scratched the surface of what's possible.
Speaker 1: The focus now is on leveraging Africa's abundant natural resources,
Speaker 1: alongside its growing pool of engineering talent, to develop indigenous
Speaker 1: space capabilities, rather than relying on imported solutions. Key pillars
Speaker 1: form the foundation of AFSA's approach, recognizing the necessity of
Speaker 1: space technologies for development, establishing robust structural frameworks to support growth,
Speaker 1: and positioning Africa advantageously within the emerging landscapes of new
Speaker 1: space and artificial intelligence. Infrastructure development stands as a critical priority,
Speaker 1: with plans to both incorporate existing facilities and construct new
Speaker 1: ones across member states. This doesn't solely involve physical launch
Speaker 1: sites and satellite manufacturing capabilities, but also encompasses developing specialized
Speaker 1: educational programs and training opportunities to build a skilled workforce.
Speaker 1: The agency will emphasize educational initiatives at all levels, from
Speaker 1: primary school programs that spark interest in space sciences to
Speaker 1: advanced university curricula that produce the next generation of African
Speaker 1: aerospace engineers, astrophysicists, and mission specialists. Creating this human capital
Speaker 1: pipeline is considered essential for sustainable growth in the sector.
Speaker 1: Resource coordination represents another major focus area. Given the substantial
Speaker 1: investment required for space programs, AFSA will facilitate resource sharing
Speaker 1: among member states, preventing costly duplication of efforts while maximizing
Speaker 1: the impact of available funding. This cooperative approach extends to
Speaker 1: sharing markets, technologies, and scientific outcomes. Through these coordinated efforts,
Speaker 1: Africa aims to claim its rightful place in the global
Speaker 1: space community, transforming from a minor player to a significant
Speaker 1: contributor in international space exploration and utilization. Let's change gears now.
Speaker 1: Approximately four point three billion years ago, a massive celestial
Speaker 1: body slammed into the lunar surface, creating what we now
Speaker 1: know as the South Pole Eightken Basin. This colossal impact crater,
Speaker 1: spanning a significant portion of the Moon's far side, may
Speaker 1: hold secrets that could revolutionize our understanding of lunar formation.
Speaker 1: Recent recent search suggests this basin contains pristine fragments of
Speaker 1: the Moon's mantle and remnants of an ancient magma ocean,
Speaker 1: dating back to when our lunar companion was still cooling
Speaker 1: and solidifying after its violent birth. These materials offer a
Speaker 1: rare geological time capsule, preserving evidence from the final stages
Speaker 1: of the Moon's formation process. What makes this discovery particularly
Speaker 1: intriguing is how it challenges previous scientific assumptions. Researchers studying
Speaker 1: the basin's distinctive teardrop shape have determined that the massive
Speaker 1: impactor was actually moving southward when it struck the lunar surface,
Speaker 1: not northward as previously thought, As planetary scientist Jeff Andrews
Speaker 1: Hannah from the University of Arizona noted, we have had
Speaker 1: the data we needed to measure the shape of the
Speaker 1: basin for a long time. It just took a different
Speaker 1: perspective to view the basin this way. The impact was
Speaker 1: so powerful that it appears to have punctured through the
Speaker 1: lunar crust, allowing material from the still crystallizing magma ocean
Speaker 1: beneath to seep upward. This explains the presence of thorium
Speaker 1: and other distinctive elements consistent with creep materials, potassium, rare
Speaker 1: earth elements, and phosphorus found across the basin floor. This
Speaker 1: excavation provides a unique window into the Moon's interior during
Speaker 1: a critical period of its evolution. When the Moon first
Speaker 1: formed from debris following a collision between Earth and a
Speaker 1: Mars sized object. Both bodies were briefly liquefied. As the
Speaker 1: Moon cooled, low density minerals floated upward to form the crust,
Speaker 1: while denser materials sank inward, creating the distinct layers we
Speaker 1: observe today. The South Pole eight con basin effectively captured
Speaker 1: a snapshot of this process in action, preserving evidence of
Speaker 1: the magma Ocean's composition at a specific moment in lunar history.
Speaker 1: By analyzing these materials, scientists hope to refine our timeline
Speaker 1: of exactly when and how Earth's companion took shape. The
Speaker 1: upcoming Artemis missions represent a once in a generation opportunity
Speaker 1: to answer fundamental questions about lunar formation. When astronauts return
Speaker 1: to the Moon in twenty twenty six, they'll be able
Speaker 1: to collect and bring back samples from the South Pole
Speaker 1: eight can basin, giving scientists direct access to materials from
Speaker 1: the Moon's ancient mantle. These samples are particularly valuable because
Speaker 1: they can be compared with materials already in our possession.
Speaker 1: During the Apollo missions of the nineteen sixties and seventies,
Speaker 1: astronauts returned with rocks from the Proselarum creep terrain, another
Speaker 1: region rich in those distinctive potassium, rare earth elements and
Speaker 1: phosphorus materials. More recently, China's Chang of five mission in
Speaker 1: twenty twenty and Chang six in twenty twenty four have
Speaker 1: added to our collection of lunar samples, with the latter
Speaker 1: specifically returning materials from the South Pole eight Can basin.
Speaker 1: What makes this scientific opportunity so compelling is that these
Speaker 1: different areas represent distinct snapshots in time. By analyzing materials
Speaker 1: from both regions, scientists can observe how the lunar magma
Speaker 1: ocean evolved during different periods. It's like having photographs of
Speaker 1: a developing child taken years apart. The differences tell a
Speaker 1: story of growth and change. Andrew's Hannah emphasized that this
Speaker 1: research is about more than just understanding the Moon. The
Speaker 1: magma ocean is inextricably tied to the birth of Earth.
Speaker 1: He explained. While scientists have general timelines for how long
Speaker 1: it took the lunar magma ocean to crystallize, precise dating
Speaker 1: remains challenging. Once Artemis astronauts return with these samples, laboratory
Speaker 1: analysis can determine a precise age for the South Pole
Speaker 1: eight Can basin, which will provide an exact timeline for
Speaker 1: the late stage magma ocean crystallization. This data will help
Speaker 1: scientists refine models of how both the Moon and Earth
Speaker 1: formed and evolved in their earliest days. The comparison between
Speaker 1: the South Pole eight Can basin and the Procellarum creep
Speaker 1: terrain holds additional significance because previous theories suggested the massive
Speaker 1: impact that created the basin might have pushed magma ocean
Speaker 1: material to the opposite side of the Moon, forming the
Speaker 1: Prosollarum region. New evidence indicates these areas formed independently with
Speaker 1: the South Pole eight can impact occurring earlier in lunar history.
Speaker 1: And with that we wrap up our cosmic journey for today.
Speaker 1: From black holes hurling matter into deep space to new
Speaker 1: revelations about the Moon's ancient magma oceans, We've traveled across
Speaker 1: our Solar system and beyond. The universe continues to reveal
Speaker 1: its secrets to those patient enough to look and listen.
Speaker 1: As we observe Africa taking bold new steps into the
Speaker 1: space arena and anticipate what artemis astronauts might discover on
Speaker 1: the lunar surface, it's clear that space exploration remains one
Speaker 1: of humanity's greatest adventures. I'm Anna, and I want to
Speaker 1: thank you for spending this time exploring the cosmos with me.
Speaker 1: If you enjoyed today's episode. Please visit our website at
Speaker 1: Astronomy Daily dot io. You can sign up for our
Speaker 1: free daily newsletter and access our complete archive of past episodes.
Speaker 1: Connect with us on social media too. You'll find astro
Speaker 1: Daily Pod on Facebook, x YouTube, YouTube, music, Instagram, Tumblr,
Speaker 1: and TikTok. Your support helps us continue bringing these fascinating
Speaker 1: stories of space and astronomy to listeners around the world
Speaker 1: until our next journey together through the stars. Keep looking up, Stars,