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Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily dose of the most

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exciting developments in space exploration and astronomical discoveries. I'm Anna,

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and today we're diving into a fascinating mix of stories

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from across the Cosmos, from groundbreaking telecommunications partnerships in Australia

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to the discovery of an incredibly dense super Earth, and

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from NASA's innovative lunar technology to blue origins ambitious rocket launch.

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We've got an action packed episode ahead that showcases just

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how rapidly our understanding and exploration of space continues to evolve.

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There's a lot going on today, so let's get started.

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In an exciting development for remote connectivity, Australia's largest telecommunications company, Telstra,

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has announced a groundbreaking collaboration with Elon Musk's SpaceX. This

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partnership aims to bring Starlink's satellite to mobile technology directly

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to Australian customers in remote areas, marking a significant step

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forward in bridging the digital divide across the vast con

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The collaboration will enable Telstra customers to send and receive

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text messages on compatible mobile phones from virtually anywhere in Australia.

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Provided they have a clear view of the sky. This

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means that even in the most isolated parts of the outback,

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people will be able to stay connected, a potentially life

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changing development for rural communities and remote workers. This isn't

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the first time these companies have worked together. In fact,

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they already have an existing agreement from twenty twenty three

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that provides voice only and voice plus broadband services to

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rural areas. This new expansion of their partnership demonstrates both

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companies' commitment to improving connectivity in traditionally underserved regions. What

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makes this particularly interesting is how it represents a growing

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trend of traditional telecommunications companies embracing satellite technology to expand

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their service coverage. By combining Telstra's established network infrastructure with

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SpaceX's innovative satellite technology, they're creating a more robust and

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comprehensive communications network that could serve as a model for

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similar partnerships worldwide. Let's take a look at a major

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discovery now, scientists have made a fascinating discovery in deep space,

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a remarkable new planetary system that's challenging our understanding of

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how planets form and evolve. Located about seven hundred and

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fifty light years from Earth. The K two three hundred

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sixty system features what might be one of the most

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extraordinary planets we've ever found. The star system's innermost planet,

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designated K two three hundred sixty B, is truly remarkable.

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It's what we call a super Earth, but with some

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mind boggling characteristics. Despite being only about one point six

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times the size of our Earth, it packs nearly eight

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times Earth's mass into that relatively small volume. To put

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this in perspective, this planet is so dense it rivals

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the density of lead, making it the densest well studied

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ultra short period planet ever discovered. What makes this world

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even more in tree is its incredibly tight orbit around

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its star. It completes one full orbit in just twenty

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one hours, less than one Earth day. At such close

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proximity to its star, the surface conditions must be extreme,

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with temperatures hot enough to maintain pools of molten rock

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on its surface. But that's not all. This system has

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another surprise in store. A second, larger planet, K two

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three hundred and sixty c orbits further out from the star,

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taking about ten days to complete one orbit. While we

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can't see this planet directly crossing in front of its star.

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We know it exists because of its gravitational effects, and

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it appears to be at least fifteen times more massive

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than Earth. The discovery team believes this unique configuration might

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help explain how such extreme planets form. The outer planet

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may have played a crucial role in pushing the inner

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planet into its current tight orbit through gravitational interactions. It's

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like watching the aftermath of a cosmic dance that's been

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ongoing for billions of years. The composition of k A

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two three hundred and sixty B is particularly interesting to

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planetary scientists. Unlike mercury, which is mostly iron, this super

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earth appears to have a more earth like composition, just

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much more compressed. It likely has a substantial iron core

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making up about half its mass, surrounded by a dense,

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rocky mantle. This helps us understand how planets can form

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and survive in these extreme conditions. This discovery is more

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than just an astronomical curiosity. It's helping us piece together

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the puzzle of how planetary systems form and evolve throughout

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our galaxy, especially under extreme conditions we don't see in

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our own Solar system. Next up. In a bold move

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that could reshape Mars exploration, rocket Lab has stepped forward

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with an ambitious proposal to revolutionize NASA's Mars Sample Return mission.

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The commercial space company is urging NASA to open up

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the program to commercial competition, claiming they can accomplish the

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mission faster and at a significantly lower cost than current plans.

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While NASA re announced it would spend the next eighteen

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months studying two new architectures for the sample return mission,

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rocket Lab believes they have a better solution. The company's

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proposal suggests they could bring Martian samples back to Earth

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by twenty thirty one, nearly four years earlier than NASA's

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projected timeline, and do it for less than four billion

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dollars compared to NASA's estimated cost of up to seven

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point seven billion dollars. Rocket labs approach would leverage their

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existing technologies across multiple platforms, from their Neutron launch vehicle

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to their experience with re entry vehicles and proximity operations.

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The company argues that their comprehensive end to end system

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could maintain the core mission objectives while dramatically improving efficiency. However,

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the response to their proposal has been somewhat frustrating for

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the company. Despite submitting detailed studies, they received minimal feedback

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from NASA on their input. Now rocket Lab is advocating

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for a different approach, suggests that instead of continuing with

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extended studies, NASA should initiate a commercial competition to find

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the most effective solution. The debate comes at a crucial time,

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as samples are already being collected by the Perseverance Rover

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on Mars. The Planetary Society has expressed concern about further delays,

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emphasizing that after two years of pause, it's time for

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NASA to commit to a clear path forward. With hundreds

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of millions of dollars potentially being allocated for additional studies,

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rocket Lab argues those resources could be better spent on

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actual mission development through commercial competition. Breaking news from NASA's

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Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, where operations have come to

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a temporary halt due to the approaching Eton fire. The facility,

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which sits at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains

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just north of Los Angeles, has been forced to close

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its doors to all but emergency personnel as the wildfire

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rages dangerously close to the facility. JPL director Lori lah

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reports that while the laboratory itself has so far avoided

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fire damage, they have experienced some wind related issues. More

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concerning is the impact on JPL's staff, with hundreds of

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employees being forced to evacuate their homes and sadly, some

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have already lost their houses to the flames. The Eaten Fire,

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which ignited Tuesday evening near Altadena, has already consumed over

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one thousand acres and is just one of several major

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fires currently threatening the Los Angeles area. These fires are

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being driven by record breaking winds, with the Palisades Fire

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on the city's west side causing particular devastation. This closure

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comes at a challenging time for JPL, which manages several

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of NASA's most important robotic missions, including the Mars Rovers

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Perseverance and Curiosity, as well as the recently launched five

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billion dollars Europa Clipper mission. The laboratory has already faced

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significant challenges in the past year, having undergone two rounds

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of layoffs that reduce their workforce by a combined thirteen

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percent due to budget constraints. In other NASA news today,

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In an exciting development for lunar exploration, NASA is set

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to test an innovative new technology that could revolutionize how

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we collect samples on the Moon. Think of it as

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a space age vacuum cleaner. Aptly named the Lunar Planet

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vac or LPV for short, this ingenious device will be

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one of ten NASA payloads heading to the lunar surface

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aboard Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost one lunar lander. Developed by

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Honeybee Robotics, now a Blue Origin company, The LPV uses

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a fascinating pneumatic system powered by compressed gas. The concept

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is brilliantly simple. It creates a miniature tornado on the

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lunar surface to stir up the Moon's regolith. Secondary jets

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then funnel this material through a transfer tube and into

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a collection container, all without relying on gravity. What makes

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this system particularly impressive is its speed and efficiency. The

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entire sample collection process takes just seconds and operates completely autonomously.

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The device can handle particles up to four tenths of

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an inch in size, sivving them into the collection container,

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where they're photographed and analyzed. These results are then transmitted

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back to Earth in real time. The potential impact of

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this technology extends far beyond simple sample collection. According to

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Dennis Harris, who manages the project, this could be a

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game changer for future lunar operations. Without any mechanical arms

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to wear out or complex digging mechanisms to maintain, the

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system offers a remarkably simple solution for gathering materials that

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could be essential for establishing a permanent lunar presence. From

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searching for water and helium to collecting materials for building

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habitats and launch pads, the Lunar Planet VAT could play

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a crucial role in humanity's return to the Moon. Now

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a quick update, Blue Origin is preparing for a historic

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milestone with the inaugural launch of their new Glen rocket

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scheduled for this Friday at one a m Eastern time

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from Cape Canaveral Space. Forestation in flow and there will

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be a live stream available if you'd like to watch

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this historic launch. This massive rocket, standing over three hundred

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and twenty feet tall, represents a significant leap forward in

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launch vehicle capability and marks Blue Origins entry into the

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heavy lift rocket market. Named after pioneering astronaut John Glenn,

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this new rocket boasts impressive specifications. Its unusually wide payload

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faring measuring nearly twenty three feet across, sets it apart

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from typical rockets and enables it to accommodate substantially larger

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satellites and space hardware. The vehicle is designed to deliver

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up to forty five metric tons to low Earth orbit

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or thirteen metric tons to geostationary transfer orbit. For this

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first test flight, designated NNG one, New Glenn will carry

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a payload mass simulator, including the Blue Ring Pathfinder, a

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prototype for future multi payload missions, while not carrying any

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operational satellites. This mission will validate crucial systems and demonstrate

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the rocket's reusability features, as the first stage is designed

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for at least twenty five flights. The rocket employs seven

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B four engines in its first stage, running on liquid

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oxygen and liquefied natural gas, while two B three U

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engines power the upper stage. Following launch, the first stage

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will attempt an ambitious landing on a ship named Jacqueline

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in the Atlantic Ocean. Similar to SpaceX's successful booster recovery technique.

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This launch represents more than just a test flight. It's

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the culmination of years of development and marks blue origins

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transition from suborbital flights to orbital capabilities. The mission is

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expected to last about six hours, during which the company

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will gather crucial data to refine the vehicle's performance for

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future commercial, government and national security missions. And that wraps

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up another fascinating day in space exploration. What an incredible

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slate of developments we've covered today, from revolutionary satellite communications

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in Austria to record breaking exoplanet discoveries and groundbreaking rocket launches.

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I'm anna and before we close out today's episode, I

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want to make sure you stay connected with all the

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latest developments in space and astronomy. You can find our

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constantly updating news feed and all our previous episodes at

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Astronomy Daily dot io. It's your one stop destination for

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Subscribe to Astronomy Daily on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or

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wherever you get your podcasts. Each day brings new discoveries

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and developments in space exploration, and we're here to keep

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you informed about all of them. Thank you for joining

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me today. This is Anna signing off from Astronomy Daily.

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Keep looking up and I'll see you tomorrow for more

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exciting space news. Day Star is the Tall Star? Is

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the Tall Star? Is the Sol