- Preparing for First Contact: Dive into the intriguing discussion on humanity's readiness for potential contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. A new research paper from the University of St. Andrews outlines how NASA and the global scientific community should gear up for a future where we might detect technological signatures from alien civilizations. Explore the proposed strategies for addressing misinformation, cultural interpretations, and the psychological impacts of such a monumental discovery.
- - Exoplanet Discovery: L9859 System: Discover the exciting announcement of a fifth rocky planet orbiting the red dwarf star L9859. This new addition to the system, located within the optimistic habitable zone, offers a unique opportunity to study planetary formation and evolution. Learn about the characteristics of these terrestrial planets and their potential for atmospheric studies with the James Webb Telescope.
- - Russia's Ionosphera M Satellites: Unpack the details of Russia's recent launch of the Ionosphera M satellites, designed to enhance our understanding of space weather. Find out how these satellites will contribute to improving forecasting and monitoring of the ionosphere, a crucial layer of Earth's atmosphere that affects satellite operations and radio communications.
- - Innovative Mars Mission Concept: Skyfall: Get captivated by the revolutionary Skyfall mission concept, which proposes deploying a fleet of scout helicopters to Mars. This innovative approach aims to gather critical data about the Martian surface and subsurface, paving the way for future human exploration. Discover how this idea builds on the success of previous Mars missions and could transform our exploration strategies.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTube Music Music, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
Extraterrestrial Intelligence Preparation
[University of St. Andrews](https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/)
L9859 Exoplanet Discovery
[NASA TV](https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov/)
Ionosphera M Satellites Launch
[Russian Space Agency](https://www.roscosmos.ru/)
Skyfall Mars Mission Concept
[NASA TV](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 dive into the cosmos. I'm Anna.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 Avery: And I'm Avery. We're so glad you could join
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 us today for a look at the latest and
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 greatest in space and astronomy news.
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 Anna: We've got a packed show for you today
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 covering everything from how humanity is
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 preparing for potential first contact with
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 alien intelligence to a fascinating new
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 exoplanet system discovered around a red
00:00:24 --> 00:00:25 dwarf star.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 Avery: Plus, we'll tell you about Russia's latest
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 satellite launch aimed at understanding
00:00:29 --> 00:00:32 Earth's space wither and the the truly wild
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 new helicopter mission concept for Mars.
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 Anna: It's going to be a captivating journey
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 through the universe. So buckle up and
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 let's get started with today's top stories.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 All right, let's dive into a topic that has
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 captivated humanity for centuries.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 The possibility of life beyond Earth.
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 Specifically, we're looking at what happens
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 after we discover extraterrestrial
00:00:57 --> 00:00:58 intelligence.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 Avery: Exactly. A fascinating new research paper
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 posted to the ARXIV Preprint server from M.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 The University of St. Andrews tackles this
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 very question. It outlines how NASA and
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 the global scientific community should
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 prepare for the moment humanity detects signs
00:01:14 --> 00:01:15 of alien intelligence.
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 Anna: This isn't just about finding simple
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 microbial life. This is about discovering
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 technological signatures from an alien
00:01:23 --> 00:01:26 civilization. The paper, penned by 14
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 researchers from various institutions,
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 highlights that scientists such a detection
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 would trigger a, uh, complex global process
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 heavily influenced by uncertainty,
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 misinformation and diverse ideological
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 viewpoints. It would fundamentally reshape
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 our understanding of our place in the
00:01:43 --> 00:01:44 universe.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 Avery: And what's particularly striking is how
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 outdated previous preparation efforts are.
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 Early guidelines from 1989 predate the
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 Internet entirely. The researchers, led
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 by Kate Genevieve from the Astroecologies
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 Institution, argue that those protocols
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 simply can't account for the rapid global
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 media dissemination we experience today.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:08 Anna: Imagine the media firestorm if this news
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 broke now. In an era of viral
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 misinformation and instant global
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 communication, it would be unlike anything
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 humanity has ever experienced.
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 Avery: To address this, the team proposes six
00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 critical areas where NASA should invest now
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 before any discovery occurs. These range from
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 advancing detection technologies to studying
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 how different cultures might interpret the
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 news of extraterrestrial discovery.
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 Anna: One of the most intriguing aspects is the
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 concept of developing other minds
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 paradigms. This means preparing to
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 recognize intelligence that doesn't
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 necessarily think like us. The paper
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 suggests leveraging techniques from
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 bioacoustics, machine learning and
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 quantum computing.
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 Avery: They even mention studying whale songs and
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 bird navigation to understand non human
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 communication patterns. This really
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 challenges us to move beyond Earth centric
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 assumptions. If aliens communicate through
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 methods we haven't even conceived of, like
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 quantum entanglement our current detection
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 methods might miss them entirely.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 Anna: What's surprisingly practical about this
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 research is that much of the preparation work
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 isn't focused on alien technology itself,
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 but on human psychology and interaction.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 The researchers emphasize integrating
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 humanities and social sciences,
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 recognizing that the biggest challenges might
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 come from how people react to the news range
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 rather than from the aliens themselves.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 Avery: They recommend funding research on the
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 psychological, social and global dynamics of
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 post detection scenarios, and even suggest
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 analyzing science fiction stories. They
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 believe these fictional scenarios offer
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 valuable insights into human expectations and
00:03:49 --> 00:03:49 fears.
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 Anna: And on a very practical level, the team calls
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 for creating robust international
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 coordination systems before they're needed.
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 They they warn that without a proper post
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 detection SETI hub, NASA risks a gap in
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 the system, likening it to a, uh, moon
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 landing without astronaut retrieval.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 Avery: Just as NASA developed detailed protocols for
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 Apollo missions, including quarantine
00:04:11 --> 00:04:14 procedures, they need comprehensive plans for
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 managing a SETI discovery.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 Anna: While the researchers aren't claiming that
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 discovering extraterrestrial intelligence is
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 imminent, their message is
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 preparation is essential. With
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 advanced telescopes like the James Webb
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 Telescope already operational and others
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 like the Vera C Rubin Observatory coming
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 online, a ah, technosignature discovery
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 could emerge from any realm of astronomy
00:04:39 --> 00:04:39 research.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 Avery: Their message truly boils down to this.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 The question isn't whether we'll ever detect
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 signs of alien technology, but whether
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 we'll be ready when we do. By
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 investing in research, international
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 cooperation and communication strategies.
00:04:56 --> 00:04:59 Now, humanity's greatest discovery could
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 become a moment of unity and wonder rather
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 than chaos and confusion. It's a powerful and
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 forward thinking perspective.
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 Anna: Now let's shift our gaze from potential
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 alien civilizations to actual new
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 discoveries right here in our cosmic
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 neighborhood. Relatively speaking, there's
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 some exciting news out of the exoplanet
00:05:19 --> 00:05:20 community.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 Avery: Absolutely, Anna. Astronomers, uh, have just
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 announced the discovery of a fifth rocky
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 planet orbiting the small red dwarf star
00:05:28 --> 00:05:31 L9859. And here's the
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 kicker. One of these planets, a super
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 Earth, is located squarely within the
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 star's optimistic habitable zone.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 Anna: This system, L9859, isn't
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 new to us. Tess, the Transiting
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 Exoplanet Survey Satellite initially
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 found three planets around it back in 2019,
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 then a fourth in 2021. Now, with
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 this fifth detection, the system is certainly
00:05:57 --> 00:05:58 generating renewed interest.
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 Avery: The discovery is detailed in research that's
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 set to appear in the Astronomical Journal
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 with lead author Charles Cadieu, a uh,
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 researcher at the University of Montreal and
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 at the helm. L9859
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 itself is an M M3V star, a red
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 dwarf about 34.5 light years
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 away. And it's quite small, only about
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 0.3 solar masses.
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 Anna: What's particularly fascinating beyond just
00:06:27 --> 00:06:30 the habitable zone planet is the overall
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 architecture of the system. It's a tightly
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 packed grouping of terrestrial planets
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 showing some dramatic compositional
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 differences between despite their close
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 proximity. It actually reminds me a bit of
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 the Trappist 1 system which also has multiple
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 terrestrial planets.
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 Avery: It really does. And the authors point out
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 that multiplanetary systems like this offer a
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 unique opportunity to study how planets form
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 and evolve within the same stellar
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 environment. These new results paint the most
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 complete picture we've ever had of this
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 system, demonstrating the power of combining
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 data from space telescopes like TESS and and
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 high precision ground based instruments.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 Anna: Let's talk about some of these individual
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 worlds. The innermost planet,
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 L9859B is a rare
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 sub earth, only about 84% of
00:07:20 --> 00:07:23 Earth's mass and half its size. With an
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 Earth like density, it orbits its star in
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 just over two days and might be volcanically
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 active due to tidal heating.
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 Avery: L9859C is also likely
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 volcanic with about 1.3 earth
00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 radii and 2 earth mass. Then
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 there's L9859D which has
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 about 1.6 earth radii and
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 1.6 earth masses. And it might even be a
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 water world or what's known as a Hycean
00:07:50 --> 00:07:50 world.
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 Anna: And the newly detected planet
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 L9859F is the one in
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 the optimistic habitable zone. It has a
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 minimum mass of about 2.8 Earth
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 masses, around 1.4 Earth
00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 radii and a 28 day orbit.
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 What's great is that these planets follow
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 near circular orbits which make them prime
00:08:11 --> 00:08:14 targets for atmospheric spectroscopic studies
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 with the James Webb Telescope.
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 Avery: Indeed, observations already show that the
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 three inner transiting planets have
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 increasing water mass fractions with orbital
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 distance, suggesting a diversity of
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 compositions. As Professor Renee Doyon,
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 a AH co author, puts it, this system offers a
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 unique laboratory to answer pressing
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 questions like what are super earths and sub
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 neptunes made of? Do planets form differently
00:08:39 --> 00:08:42 around small stars? Can rocky planets around
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 red dwarfs retain atmospheres over time?
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 Anna: The question of habitability around m
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 dwarfs like L9859 is
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 a complex one. Because their habitable zones
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 are so close to the star, planets might
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 be tidally locked, meaning one side
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 always faces the star. Plus M
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 dwarfs are known for powerful flaring
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 which could strip away atmospheres.
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 Avery: However, M dwarfs are incredibly long lived
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 stars, burning their fuel very slowly,
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 offering long term stability for any planets
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 in their habitable zones. The atmospheric
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 characterization of these planets is already
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 underway with JWST using both
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 transmission and emission spectroscopy.
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 It's truly an exciting time for exoplanet
00:09:28 --> 00:09:28 research.
00:09:29 --> 00:09:32 Anna: L9859 is definitely
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 joining the select group of nearby compact
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 planetary systems that scientists hope to
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 understand in much greater detail in the
00:09:40 --> 00:09:40 coming years.
00:09:41 --> 00:09:44 Shifting gears from deep space exoplanets,
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 let's turn our attention back closer to home
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 to Earth's orbit, where Russia has been
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 busy with a significant launch.
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 Avery: That's right, anna. On Friday, July 25,
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 a Soyuz 2.1B rocket
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 successfully launched from Site 1S at
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 Bostochny Cosmodrome in Russia. This
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 mission carried two Ionosphera M M
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 satellites, numbers 3 and 4, into a
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 Sun synchronous orbit, completing their 4
00:10:10 --> 00:10:13 satellite constellation. The first pair,
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 Ionosphera M M, number 1 and number 2,
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 were launched back in November 2024.
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 Anna: So these aren't just any satellites.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 What's the main purpose of this Ionosphera
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 M constellation?
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 Avery: These satellites are part of what's called
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 Project Ionozonde, a uh, program specifically
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 designed to study Earth's geophysical
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 environment, Particularly space weather and
00:10:35 --> 00:10:38 its effects on our planet. The data they
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 collect will be crucial for improving space
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 weather forecasting, which has direct impacts
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 on everything from satellite operations to
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 radio communications here on Earth.
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 Anna: And for our listeners who might not be
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 familiar, the ionosphere is a fascinating
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 part of our atmosphere. It's, it's that
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 region roughly 80 to 650
00:10:57 --> 00:11:00 kilometers, uh, up, where high energy solar
00:11:00 --> 00:11:03 radiation strips electrons from atoms and
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 molecules, creating electrically charged
00:11:05 --> 00:11:08 ions. This is where the stunning
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 aurorae originate. And it also
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 significantly affects radio and navigation
00:11:13 --> 00:11:13 signals.
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 Avery: Exactly. Each of these ionospheric
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 satellites, weighing around 400 kg, is
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 equipped with a suite of nine instruments,
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 including spectrometers, A shortwave sounder,
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 a magnetometer and a radio wave
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 sounder. They are designed to operate for
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 eight years, collecting measurements of the
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 ionosphere at different times of the day.
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 Thanks to their carefully planned orbital
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 planes.
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 Anna: It'S quite a comprehensive effort. While the
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 ionosphere was first discovered back in
00:11:42 --> 00:11:45 1902 through radio experiments by
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 Guglielmo Marconi, and the Soviet Union
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 flew missions to study it previously. This
00:11:51 --> 00:11:54 ionosphere M M constellation really marks
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 Russia's first major dedicated effort to
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 study space weather in many years.
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 Avery: It's a significant step forward for them in
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 understanding and forecasting space weather,
00:12:03 --> 00:12:06 which is becoming increasingly vital as our
00:12:06 --> 00:12:09 reliance on space based technology grows.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 This mission will provide invaluable data to
00:12:12 --> 00:12:14 help Mitigate the risks posed by solar
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 activity and other space phenomena
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 from Earth's ionosphere.
00:12:18 --> 00:12:21 Anna: Let's take a giant leap to Mars, where
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 there is a truly wild new mission concept on
00:12:24 --> 00:12:27 the horizon. It's called Skyfall, and
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 it sounds like something straight out of a
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 sci fi movie.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:33 Avery: It really does, Anna. Uh. This concept,
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 developed by Eero Wireman of Arlington,
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 Virginia, and NASA's Jet Propulsion
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 Laboratory, or JPL, proposes a
00:12:40 --> 00:12:43 revolutionary way to explore the red planet.
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 Imagine dropping a hornet's nest of
00:12:46 --> 00:12:48 helicopters from high above Mars.
00:12:48 --> 00:12:51 Anna: A hornet's nest of helicopters. I love that
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 description. So what exactly does
00:12:54 --> 00:12:57 Skyfall entail and why is it
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 considered such a game changer?
00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 Avery: The core idea is to deploy six
00:13:01 --> 00:13:04 scout helicopters from an entry
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 capsule during its fiery plunge through the
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 Martian atmosphere. The ingenious part is,
00:13:09 --> 00:13:12 is that this Skyfall maneuver would
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 eliminate the need for a traditional landing
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 platform, which has historically been one of
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 the most expensive, complex, and risky
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 elements of any Mars mission. It's a real
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 cost cutting concept that's.
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 Anna: A massive shift from previous missions. And
00:13:28 --> 00:13:31 once these six helicopters are deployed, they
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 don't just sit there, do they?
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 Avery: Not at all. Each helicopter would
00:13:35 --> 00:13:38 operate independently and essentially fanning
00:13:38 --> 00:13:41 out to explore various sites. Their primary
00:13:41 --> 00:13:44 duties include transmitting high resolution
00:13:44 --> 00:13:47 surface images back to Earth and crucially,
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 collecting radar data about what lies
00:13:49 --> 00:13:52 beneath the red planet's rocky surface.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:55 This subsurface information is absolutely
00:13:55 --> 00:13:58 key for safely landing future human
00:13:58 --> 00:14:01 crews, especially at locations identified
00:14:01 --> 00:14:04 as holding water, ice and other vital
00:14:04 --> 00:14:04 resources.
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 Anna: So it's not just about scientific
00:14:07 --> 00:14:10 exploration. It's directly paving the way for
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 human missions to Mars. This concept
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 clearly builds on the incredible success of
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 the Ingenuity Mars helicopter, which,
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 for those who remember, achieved the first
00:14:20 --> 00:14:23 powered flight on another world back in 2021.
00:14:23 --> 00:14:26 And completed 72 flights in just under
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 three years.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 Avery: Exactly. William Pomeranz, head of
00:14:30 --> 00:14:33 space ventures at AeroVironment and has
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 highlighted that with six helicopters,
00:14:35 --> 00:14:38 Skyfall offers a low cost solution
00:14:38 --> 00:14:41 that significantly multiplies the range we
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 can cover, the data we can collect, and the
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 scientific research we can conduct. He
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 states. It will make humanity's first
00:14:48 --> 00:14:51 footprints on Mars meaningfully closer.
00:14:51 --> 00:14:54 Anna: And it sounds like this isn't just a distant
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 dream. AeroVironment has already begun
00:14:56 --> 00:14:59 internal investments and coordination with
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 NASA's JPL to facilitate a potential
00:15:01 --> 00:15:04 launch as early as 2028.
00:15:04 --> 00:15:07 It's truly exciting to see such innovative
00:15:07 --> 00:15:09 thinking pushing the boundaries of what's
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 possible in space exploration.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 And that brings us to the end of another
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 fascinating episode of Astronomy Daily. What
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 a packed show. It's been.
00:15:17 --> 00:15:20 Avery: It certainly has, Ana. Uh, we've journeyed
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 from the profound questions of preparing for
00:15:22 --> 00:15:25 extraterrestrial contact with the SETI Post
00:15:25 --> 00:15:28 Detection Hub's new guidelines to the
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 exciting discovery of five new rocky
00:15:30 --> 00:15:33 planets around the L98 59
00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 system, including a Super Earth and the
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 Habitable Zone.
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 Anna: We then shifted our focus to Earth,
00:15:39 --> 00:15:42 discussing Russia's successful launch of the
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 Ionosphera M satellites, which will
00:15:44 --> 00:15:46 contribute vital data to our understanding of
00:15:46 --> 00:15:49 space weather and Earth's ionosphere.
00:15:49 --> 00:15:52 Avery: And finally, we ended our tour with the truly
00:15:52 --> 00:15:55 innovative Skyfall concept, a
00:15:55 --> 00:15:57 potential Mars mission that envisions
00:15:57 --> 00:16:00 deploying a fleet of scout helicopters to
00:16:00 --> 00:16:03 map the red planet and pave the way for human
00:16:03 --> 00:16:03 exploration.
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 Anna: It's been a stellar day for space and
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 astronomy news, and we hope you've enjoyed
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 exploring these stories with us.
00:16:10 --> 00:16:13 Avery: Thank you so much for tuning in to Astronomy
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 Daily. We love sharing these cosmic updates
00:16:15 --> 00:16:18 with you. And before I go, a quick plug.
00:16:18 --> 00:16:21 Please visit our website for more space and
00:16:21 --> 00:16:24 astronomy news, plus a complete catalog of
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 all our back episodes. But I warn you,
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 there's a lot of content there. Okay,
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 time to go.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 Anna: Until next time. Keep looking up, keep
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 asking questions, and always stay curious
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 about the Cosmo.
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 Avery: Goodbye for now.