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<v Speaker 1>Hello, and welcome to Astronomy Daily, your premier source for

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<v Speaker 1>all things space and astronomy. I'm Anna and I'm thrilled

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<v Speaker 1>to be your guide through the Cosmos. Today, we have

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<v Speaker 1>an absolutely packed episode for you with some truly groundbreaking

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<v Speaker 1>developments in space exploration and astronomical research. The headlines are

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<v Speaker 1>buzzing with SpaceX's latest achievement, the historic fram two mission

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<v Speaker 1>that has just sent the first ever human spaceflight over

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<v Speaker 1>Earth's poles. We'll dive into what makes this mission so

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<v Speaker 1>special and the unique experiments the crew will be conducting

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<v Speaker 1>as they circle our planet in a way no humans

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<v Speaker 1>have done before. But that's just the beginning of our

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<v Speaker 1>cosmic journey. Today, we'll also explore how SpaceX is ramping

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<v Speaker 1>up its launch schedule to unprecedented levels, with multiple missions

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<v Speaker 1>taking off in rapid succession this week alone. Then we'll

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<v Speaker 1>head to Mars, where NASA's Perseverance Rover is conducting fascinating

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<v Speaker 1>tests on space suit materials, giving us crucial data for

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<v Speaker 1>future human exploration of the Red planet. The harsh Martian

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<v Speaker 1>environment poses unique challenges for astronaut safety, and this research

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<v Speaker 1>could be key to overcoming them. We'll also check in

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<v Speaker 1>with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunny Williams, who recently

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<v Speaker 1>returned to Earth after what was supposed to be a

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<v Speaker 1>brief mission turned into a nine months day aboard the

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<v Speaker 1>International Space Station. And finally, we'll explore new research suggesting

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<v Speaker 1>something truly mind bending that dark matter could actually be

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<v Speaker 1>affecting planetary rotation, potentially making planets spin faster. This could

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<v Speaker 1>have profound implications for how we understand our own Earth

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<v Speaker 1>and distant exoplanets. So strap in for a journey across

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<v Speaker 1>our Solar System and beyond as we explore the latest

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<v Speaker 1>and most fascinating developments in space science and astronomy. Let's

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<v Speaker 1>kick things off with today's big story. SpaceX has made

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<v Speaker 1>history with the first ever human spaceflight to circle Earth

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<v Speaker 1>over its poles. The private fram two mission lifted off

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<v Speaker 1>from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March thirty

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<v Speaker 1>first at nine forty six pm Eastern Time, carrying four

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<v Speaker 1>space travelers into a unique polar orbit that no human

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<v Speaker 1>has experienced before. The crew launched aboard the crew Dragon

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<v Speaker 1>capsule Resilience, which has now completed its fourth space mission

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<v Speaker 1>after previously supporting crew ie Inspiration four and Polaris Dawn.

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<v Speaker 1>Falcon nine booster B one thousand eighty five powered the

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<v Speaker 1>launch for its sixth flight before successfully landing on SpaceX's

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<v Speaker 1>Drone ship a shortfall of gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean.

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<v Speaker 1>This groundbreaking mission is commanded by Chun Wang of Malta,

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<v Speaker 1>who is joined by an international team including vehicle commander

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<v Speaker 1>Janecke Michelson from Norway, pilot Rabea Roga of Germany, and

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<v Speaker 1>Australian medical officer and mission specialist Eric Phillips. All four

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<v Speaker 1>are first time space travelers, making this journey even more remarkable.

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<v Speaker 1>After reaching orbit, SpaceX's Bill Gerstenmeier radioed the crew, saying

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<v Speaker 1>Dragon on behalf of the Falcon team were honored to

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<v Speaker 1>deliver you safely to your polar orbit. Enjoy the v

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<v Speaker 1>use of the poles, Send us some pictures, and our

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<v Speaker 1>hearts and minds will be flying with you as you

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<v Speaker 1>go over the poles. The mission is named after the

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<v Speaker 1>famous Norwegian exploration ship Fram, which ventured into both Arctic

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<v Speaker 1>and Antarctic regions in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

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<v Speaker 1>Fram translates to forward or onward in Norwegian. A fitting

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<v Speaker 1>name for this pioneering spaceflight that carries the same spirit

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<v Speaker 1>of exploration into Earth orbit. During their three to five

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<v Speaker 1>days in space, the crew will conduct twenty two scientific

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<v Speaker 1>experiments that leverage their unique orbital path. These include the

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<v Speaker 1>first ever attempt to grow mushrooms in the microgravity environment

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<v Speaker 1>of space, and operating a machine that will capture the

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<v Speaker 1>first X ray images of the human body while in orbit.

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<v Speaker 1>Additional studies will investigate how spaceflight and microgravity affect the

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<v Speaker 1>human musculoskeletal system. FRAM two represents SpaceX's seventeenth human spaceflight

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<v Speaker 1>overall and its sixth private crude mission. What makes this

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<v Speaker 1>launch particularly notable is that it came just seventeen days

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<v Speaker 1>after SpaceX's previous astronaut launch Crew ten to the International

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<v Speaker 1>Space Station, marking the shortest interval between SpaceX Creude missions

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<v Speaker 1>to date. Upon completion of their orbital journey, the FRAM

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<v Speaker 1>two crew will make history again with the first Pacific

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<v Speaker 1>Ocean splash down for a SpaceX Crude mission. Previous Dragon

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<v Speaker 1>capsules have all landed in the Atlantic off Florida's coast,

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<v Speaker 1>but the company is shifting returns to the West coast

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<v Speaker 1>to minimize risk to people and property during re entry.

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<v Speaker 1>In one final research opportunity, the crew will forego the

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<v Speaker 1>typical medical assistance normally provided to astronauts returning from space,

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<v Speaker 1>allowing scientists to study how their bodies readapt to Earth's

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<v Speaker 1>gravity without intervention, valuable data for future space exploration missions.

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<v Speaker 1>Speaking of launches, let's turn our attention now to this

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<v Speaker 1>week's schedule. It's been an exceptionally busy period for SpaceX,

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<v Speaker 1>with this week alone featuring five planned Falcon nine launches.

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<v Speaker 1>The company's impressive cadence kicked off with the Starlink Group

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<v Speaker 1>six eighty mission from Cape Canaveral, which lifted off just

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<v Speaker 1>hours before the historic FRAM two flight. This Starlink deployment

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<v Speaker 1>carried a record twenty eight of SpaceX's upgraded V two

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<v Speaker 1>Mini Optimized satellites to orbit, marking the first time these

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<v Speaker 1>enhanced satellites have launched from the East Coast. The rapid

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<v Speaker 1>fire succession of launches showcases SpaceX's growing operational capability. Just

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<v Speaker 1>consider that the booster used for the Starlink six eighty

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<v Speaker 1>mission was making its seventeenth flight after a turnaround of

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<v Speaker 1>only forty one days, numbers that would have seemed impossible

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<v Speaker 1>just a few years ago. Looking ahead through the week,

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<v Speaker 1>SpaceX has scheduled three more Starlink missions. On April first,

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<v Speaker 1>Falcon nine is set to launch Starlink Group eleven thirteen

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<v Speaker 1>from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, followed by two

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<v Speaker 1>additional deployments, Starlink Group eleven eleven on April five and

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<v Speaker 1>Starling Group six seventy two on April sixth from opposite

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<v Speaker 1>coasts of the United States. The timing between the Fram

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<v Speaker 1>two Crude mission and the previous Crew ten launch to

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<v Speaker 1>the International Space Station set a new record for SpaceX,

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<v Speaker 1>with just two weeks and three days separating these human

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<v Speaker 1>space flights. This compressed timeline demonstrates the maturity of SpaceX's

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<v Speaker 1>human spaceflight program and the reliability of their Falcon nine

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<v Speaker 1>and Dragon systems. While SpaceX dominates the launch schedule this week,

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<v Speaker 1>they're not alone in reaching for orbit. China also has

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<v Speaker 1>two launches planned, with their chang Jeng two D rocket

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<v Speaker 1>scheduled to lift off on April first, followed by what

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<v Speaker 1>might be one of the final flights of the chung

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<v Speaker 1>Jang six rocket later in the week from the Taiyuan

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<v Speaker 1>Satellite Launch Center. The increasing frequency of SpaceX launches has

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<v Speaker 1>become almost routine, but it represents a fundamental shift in

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<v Speaker 1>space access. Just a decade ago, achieving this many orbital

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<v Speaker 1>launches across an entire year would have been considered remark

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<v Speaker 1>maarkable for a single company. Now SpaceX is demonstrating the

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<v Speaker 1>capability to achieve that in a single week while simultaneously

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<v Speaker 1>conducting historic human spaceflight missions and expanding their global satellite

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<v Speaker 1>Internet constellation. This operational tempo not only serves SpaceX's commercial interests,

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<v Speaker 1>but also provides crucial experience for NASA's future crude missions

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<v Speaker 1>and demonstrates the kind of launch cadence that will be

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<v Speaker 1>necessary as humanity expands its presence beyond Earth. Let's go

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<v Speaker 1>to Mars now for an update. This is fascinating. While

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<v Speaker 1>the Perseverance rover's primary mission on Mars focuses on searching

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<v Speaker 1>for signs of ancient microbial life, it's also quietly conducting

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<v Speaker 1>crucial research that could directly impact the safety of future

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<v Speaker 1>human explorers. For the past four years, the rover has

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<v Speaker 1>been exposing small swatches of space suit materials to the

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<v Speaker 1>harsh Martian environment in what amounts to the ultimate real

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<v Speaker 1>world test. These material samples, each measuring just three quarters

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<v Speaker 1>of an inch square, are attached to a calibration target

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<v Speaker 1>for the rover's sherlock instrument. The selection includes pieces that

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<v Speaker 1>would be integral to any Mars astronaut's protective gear, a

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<v Speaker 1>polycarbonate helmet visor vectrin used in glove palms for cut resistance,

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<v Speaker 1>two variations of teflon with dust repelling properties, and a

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<v Speaker 1>complex material called orthofabric. The ortho fabric is particularly interesting

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<v Speaker 1>as it combines multiple protective layers nomechs for flame resistance

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<v Speaker 1>like firefighter gear, breathable gortex, and kevlar for tear resistance,

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<v Speaker 1>similar to what's used in bulletproof vests. Together, these materials

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<v Speaker 1>represent the building blocks of what future Martian explorers might wear.

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<v Speaker 1>Mars presents an extremely hostile environment for both humans and

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<v Speaker 1>their equipment. Unlike Earth, with its protective magnetic field that

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<v Speaker 1>deflects much of the Sun's radiation, Mars lost its magnetic

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<v Speaker 1>shield billions of years ago, along with most of its atmosphere.

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<v Speaker 1>This leaves the surface exposed to intense ultraviolet radiation that

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<v Speaker 1>can rapidly degrade materials. Add to this, the planet's freezing temperatures,

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<v Speaker 1>find dust particles that can infiltrate mechanisms, and corrosive perchlurates,

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<v Speaker 1>toxic salts that permeate the Martian soil, and you have

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<v Speaker 1>an environment engineered to break down almost anything we might

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<v Speaker 1>send there. Mark Fryes of NASA's Johnson Space Center explains

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<v Speaker 1>the forward thinking nature of this experiment. This is one

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<v Speaker 1>of the forward looking aspects of the Rover's mission, not

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<v Speaker 1>just thinking about its current science, but also about what

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<v Speaker 1>comes next. We're preparing for people to eventually go and

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<v Speaker 1>explore Mars. The data being collected is particularly valuable because

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<v Speaker 1>it shows how quickly different materials degrade. Remarkably, about half

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<v Speaker 1>of all the changes observed in the samples occurred within

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<v Speaker 1>just the first two hundred days on Mars, with vectin

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<v Speaker 1>appearing to deteriorate most rapidly. This gives engineers crucial information

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<v Speaker 1>about how frequently spacesuits might need replacement or repair during

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<v Speaker 1>extended missions. Scientists are a especially concerned about maintaining flexibility

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<v Speaker 1>and tear resistance in spacesuit materials. As Sherlock team member

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<v Speaker 1>joby Razzl Hollis notes, Mars is a really harsh tough place.

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<v Speaker 1>The radiation in particular is pretty nasty. When these materials degrade,

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<v Speaker 1>they can become brittle, similar to how white plastic lawn

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<v Speaker 1>furniture yellows and cracks after years in sunlight, but likely

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<v Speaker 1>happening much faster on Mars. The research team is now

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<v Speaker 1>preparing to publish their findings, while scientists at NASA Johnson

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<v Speaker 1>are developing Earth based simulations that can replicate Martian conditions.

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<v Speaker 1>They plan to subject identical materials to simulated Martian carbon

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<v Speaker 1>dioxide atmospheres, air pressure, and ultraviolet light, then stress tests

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<v Speaker 1>them to determine how much structural integrity they've lost. The

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<v Speaker 1>fabric materials are designed to be tough but flexible, Freeze explains,

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<v Speaker 1>we want to know the extent to which they lose

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<v Speaker 1>their strength and flexibility over time. As fabrics weaken, they

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<v Speaker 1>can fray and tear, allowing a space suit to leak

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<v Speaker 1>both heat and air, a potentially fatal situation for any

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<v Speaker 1>Mars explorer. This research represents a critical step in preparing

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<v Speaker 1>for human exploration of the Red planet, demonstrating how current

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<v Speaker 1>robotic missions are directly enabling future human missions by solving

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<v Speaker 1>practical challenges before astronauts ever set foot on Martian soil. Well,

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<v Speaker 1>we finally got to see Butch and Sunni addressing the

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<v Speaker 1>world today in their first sit down TV interview since

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<v Speaker 1>returning home. After nine months aboard the International Space Station

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<v Speaker 1>two hundred and seventy eight days longer than planned, NASA

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<v Speaker 1>astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunny Williams have finally returned to Earth.

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<v Speaker 1>What began as a routine eight day test flight of

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<v Speaker 1>Boeing Starliner spacecraft transformed into one of the most dramatic

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<v Speaker 1>extended stays in space history, turning them into household names

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<v Speaker 1>in the process. The veteran astronauts splashed down off Florida's

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<v Speaker 1>coast two weeks ago, not in the Boeing capsule that

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<v Speaker 1>carried them up, but in a space X Dragon that

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<v Speaker 1>came to their rescue. Their unprecedented mission extension came after

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<v Speaker 1>Starliner experienced multiple technical issues during its June twenty twenty

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<v Speaker 1>three launch, including thruster failures and helium leaks that raised

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<v Speaker 1>serious safety concerns about the capsule's return capability. In their

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<v Speaker 1>first news conference since returning home, both astronauts displayed remarkable

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<v Speaker 1>composure and professionalism despite their ordeal. I'll start and point

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<v Speaker 1>the finger, and I'll blame me, Wilmore told reporters, sharing

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<v Speaker 1>responsibility for the mission's issues. I could have asked some questions,

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<v Speaker 1>and the answers to those questions could have turned the

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<v Speaker 1>tide all the way up and down the chain. We

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<v Speaker 1>all are responsible, we all own this. The saga took

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<v Speaker 1>on additional dimensions when President Trump publicly urged SpaceX's Elon

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<v Speaker 1>Musk to accelerate the rescue mission, adding political pressure to

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<v Speaker 1>an already complicated situation. Meanwhile, NASA engineers and Boeing officials

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<v Speaker 1>spent months deliberating the safest course of action before ultimately

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<v Speaker 1>determining that Starliner was too risky to bring the astronauts home.

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<v Speaker 1>Despite everything they experienced, both Wilmore and Williams expressed continued

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<v Speaker 1>confidence in Boeing spacecraft. When asked if they would fly

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<v Speaker 1>on Starliner again, Williams responded emphatically, we're all in. She

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<v Speaker 1>added that the vehicle has a lot of capability and

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<v Speaker 1>she wants to see it succeed. Wilmore echoed this sentiment,

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<v Speaker 1>saying he'd return in a heartbeat because we're going to

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<v Speaker 1>rectify all the issues that we encountered. We're going to

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<v Speaker 1>fix them. We're going to make it work. The pair

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<v Speaker 1>is scheduled to meet with Boeing leadership this week to

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<v Speaker 1>provide detailed feedback on their flight experience. Wilmore emphasized that

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<v Speaker 1>the meeting is not for pointing fingers, but rather to

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<v Speaker 1>make the path clearer going forward. Both astronauts have been

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<v Speaker 1>adjusting well to life back on Earth. Williams waited until

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<v Speaker 1>she was steadier on her feet before reuniting with her

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<v Speaker 1>two Labrador retrievers the day after splashdown, describing the moment

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<v Speaker 1>as pure joy. Wilmore, meanwhile, has already received his first

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<v Speaker 1>terrestrial assignment from his wife, replacing all the shrubs in

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<v Speaker 1>their yard before summer. NASA engineers still don't fully understand

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<v Speaker 1>what caused Starliner's thrust or malfunctions. With more testing planned

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<v Speaker 1>through summer, the Space Agency may require another uncrude test

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<v Speaker 1>flight before allowing astronauts aboard again, but that potential redo

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<v Speaker 1>could happen by year's end. Despite Starliner's troubled development, NASA

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<v Speaker 1>officials maintained that their strategy of having two competing US

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<v Speaker 1>companies providing space station transportation remains sound However, with the

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<v Speaker 1>International Space Stations scheduled for retirement in just five years,

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<v Speaker 1>the window for Boeing to establish Starliner as a reliable

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<v Speaker 1>crew transport is rapidly closing. Finally, today, a dark matter update.

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<v Speaker 1>Dark matter remains one of the most enigmatic components of

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<v Speaker 1>our universe, making up approximately eighty five percent of all matter.

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<v Speaker 1>It's practically invisible, detectable only through its gravitational effects, but

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<v Speaker 1>new research suggests we might have another way to observe

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<v Speaker 1>its presence through its influence on planetary rotation. Scientists from

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<v Speaker 1>the Shinjang Astronomical Observatory at the Chinese Academy of Sciences

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<v Speaker 1>have published intriguing findings suggesting that dark matter could actually

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<v Speaker 1>make planets spin faster. Their paper, aptly titled dark Matter

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<v Speaker 1>Spins the Planet proposes that planets act as natural dark

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<v Speaker 1>matter collectors, gradually accumulating these mysterious particles over billions of years.

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<v Speaker 1>When dark matter particles enter a planet, they don't interact

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<v Speaker 1>with normal matter in conventional ways. Instead, through quantum effects

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<v Speaker 1>like tunneling, they can deposit energy into the planet's interior.

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<v Speaker 1>This energy transfer manifests in two ways, heating the planet

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<v Speaker 1>and accelerating its rotation. The researchers simulated this dark matter

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<v Speaker 1>capture process in fifteen confirmed exoplanets, including notable examples like

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<v Speaker 1>fifty five Cancree D also known as lip Hay, and

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<v Speaker 1>Epsilon Eridani B. They also applied their model to more

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<v Speaker 1>familiar worlds like Jupiter and our own Earth. For Earth specifically,

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<v Speaker 1>their calculations predict some measurable effects. Dark matter heating combined

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<v Speaker 1>with solar energy could increase Earth's surface atmospheric temperature by

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<v Speaker 1>approximately zero point zero one five kelvin over one hundred

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<v Speaker 1>years and zero point one five kelvin over a millennium.

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<v Speaker 1>More dramatically, Earth's rotation period could decrease by about twelve

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<v Speaker 1>seconds over the next century and potentially one hundred and

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<v Speaker 1>twenty seconds over one thousand years. These might sound like

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<v Speaker 1>small changes, but they are significant enough that we should

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<v Speaker 1>be able to detect them with current ground based measurement methods.

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<v Speaker 1>This provides astronomers with a potential new avenue for confirming

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<v Speaker 1>dark matter's existence and properties. The implications extend beyond pure physics.

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<v Speaker 1>The team suggest that dark matter interactions might play a

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<v Speaker 1>role in planetary habitability by altar thermal conditions within planets,

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<v Speaker 1>dark matter could affect the stability of liquid water and

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<v Speaker 1>influence atmospheric evolution, key factors in determining whether a world

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<v Speaker 1>can support life. Despite the theoretical nature of this work,

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<v Speaker 1>it represents an innovative approach to the dark matter puzzle.

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<v Speaker 1>Rather than focusing solely on microscopic particle physics or cosmic

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<v Speaker 1>scale observations, these researchers are looking at planetary scale effects

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<v Speaker 1>that accumulate over long time periods. Dark matter candidates range

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<v Speaker 1>from weakly interacting massive particles WIMPs, to axians to primordial

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<v Speaker 1>black holes. If any of these particles are indeed captured

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<v Speaker 1>by planets, the energy released when they annihilate each other

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<v Speaker 1>could contribute to the heating and rotational effects described in

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<v Speaker 1>the study. As the author's note, this research could prove

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<v Speaker 1>especially valuable as humanity continues searching for potentially habitable worlds

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<v Speaker 1>beyond our Solar System. Understanding how dark matter influences planetary

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<v Speaker 1>conditions might help us better assess which exoplanets could support life,

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<v Speaker 1>adding yet another factor to consider in our quest to

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<v Speaker 1>find a second home among the stars. That wraps up

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<v Speaker 1>today's journey through the Cosmos. From SpaceX's groundbreaking polar mission

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<v Speaker 1>to the intriguing effects of dark matter on planetary rotation,

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<v Speaker 1>We've covered some truly fascinating developments in space exploration and astronomy.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm anna your guide to the stars here at Astronomy Daily,

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<v Speaker 1>and it's been my absolute pleasure sharing these stories with you.

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<v Speaker 1>Space science moves at an incredible pace, and there's always

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<v Speaker 1>something new to discover together. If you're hungry for more

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<v Speaker 1>space news between our episodes, I've got you covered, head

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<v Speaker 1>over to Astronomy Daily dot io, where our constantly updating

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<v Speaker 1>news feed brings you the latest happenings in space and

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<v Speaker 1>astronomy as they unfold. You'll also find our complete episode

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<v Speaker 1>archive there, perfect for catching up on anything you might

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<v Speaker 1>have missed. The conversation doesn't end when our episodes do.

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<v Speaker 1>Join our community of space enthusiasts on social media by

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<v Speaker 1>searching for astro Daily Pod. You'll find us on x, Facebook, YouTube, YouTube, music, Instagram,

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<v Speaker 1>and TikTok. Share your thoughts, questions, and astronomical observations with us.

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<v Speaker 1>We love hearing from fellow cosmic explorers. Until next time,

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<v Speaker 1>keep looking up at those stars. The universe is vast

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<v Speaker 1>and mysterious, but together we're understanding more of it every day.

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<v Speaker 1>This is Anna signing off from Astronomy Daily, where we

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<v Speaker 1>believe the sky is just the beginning star