- Australia's Spirit Satellite Takes Selfies in Orbit: The Spirit nanosatellite has successfully completed its first mission phase, orbiting Earth for over 600 days and taking selfies to confirm its systems are operational. Equipped with an Italian Space Agency instrument to detect gamma ray bursts, Spirit features an autonomous repointing system that allows it to respond immediately to cosmic events, showcasing the potential of AI in space exploration.
- US and UK Military Satellites Conduct Historic Operation: In a first-of-its-kind event, the US Space Command performed a rendezvous proximity operation with the UK's Skynet 5A satellite in geostationary orbit. This peaceful inspection underscores military cooperation between allies while sending a clear message about capabilities in contested space environments.
- NASA Introduces New Class of Astronauts: NASA has welcomed its 24th class of astronauts, including a former SpaceX crew member from the all-civilian Inspiration4 mission, highlighting the growing pipeline from commercial spaceflight to NASA.
- Rocket Launch Roundup: It's been a busy week for launches, featuring SpaceX's deployment of 22 Starlink satellites with a record-setting reusable booster, Rocket Lab's upcoming Electron launch for the US Space Force, and China's successful launch of the Yao' Gon 44 reconnaissance satellite.
- Exotic Theories on Gravitational Waves: A new paper suggests that the peculiar gravitational wave signal GW 190521 may not be a standard black hole merger but could instead be an echo of a collision from another universe, traveling through a wormhole. While the standard explanation remains the most likely, the hypothesis opens up intriguing possibilities.
- New Research Challenges Water World Theories: Recent studies on Hycean worlds, previously thought to be covered in vast oceans, indicate that immense pressure and heat may trap water deep within these planets, making them less likely to exist as envisioned. However, this could lead to more Earth-like planets forming with moderate surface water.
- New Comet C2025R2 Swan Discovered: A newly discovered comet, C2025R2 Swan, is brightening and may become visible to the naked eye by October. Stargazers are encouraged to keep an eye on the sky, especially around its closest approach to Earth on October 21st.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic 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 and Avery signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and exploring the wonders of our universe.
Spirit Satellite Update
[Australian Space Agency](https://www.astronauts.gov.au/)
US-UK Military Operation
[US Space Command](https://www.spacecom.mil/)
NASA Astronaut Class Announcement
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Launch Updates
[SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/)
Gravitational Waves Research
[Nature](https://www.nature.com/)
Hycean Worlds Study
[Journal of Astrobiology](https://www.journalofastrobiology.com/)
Comet C2025R2 Swan Discovery
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
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00:00:01 --> 00:00:04 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, the podcast.
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 Avery: Bringing you the latest in space and
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 astronomy news. I'm Avery.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 Anna: And I'm Anna. Today we've got a busy
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 show. We'll be talking about an Australian
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 satellite that's taking selfies in orbit.
00:00:15 --> 00:00:18 Avery: A close encounter between US and UK military
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 satellites, and a busy week for rocket
00:00:21 --> 00:00:22 launches around the globe.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 Anna: Plus we'll dive into some fascinating new
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 research that questions the existence of
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 so called water worlds.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 Avery: And we'll have headlines including a, uh,
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 potential signal from a wormhole.
00:00:35 --> 00:00:36 Let's get started.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 Anna: First up, let's head down under.
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 Australia's Spirit nanosatellite has
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 just wrapped up its first mission phase after
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 an impressive run.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 Avery: Impressive is right. It's been in orbit for
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 over 600 days, circling the Earth more than
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 9 times since it launched on a
00:00:54 --> 00:00:55 SpaceX Falcon 9.
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 Anna: For a satellite that's only about 11.5
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 kilograms, that's quite a journey. The
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 initial phase about checking its systems,
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 making sure everything was working correctly,
00:01:07 --> 00:01:08 and.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 Avery: They did this in the coolest way possible. It
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 has a selfie stick to take a photo of itself
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 against a backdrop of Earth. I love that it
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 confirms everything is deployed and
00:01:18 --> 00:01:18 operational.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 Anna: It's not just for show though. Spirit's main
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 job is pretty serious. It carries an
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 instrument from the Italian Space Agency
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 designed to detect gamma ray bursts.
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 Avery: And this is where it gets really clever.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 Spirit also has a built in autonomous
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 repointing system. So when it detects a
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 gamma ray burst, it can automatically and
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 very quickly turn itself to face the source
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 of the explosion. This allows it to gather
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 more detailed data in the crucial first
00:01:47 --> 00:01:47 moments.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 Anna: That's a critical capability. Often the
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 most interesting information from these
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 events fades very quickly. By
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 reacting instantly, without waiting for
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 commands from the ground, Spirit can catch
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 details other telescopes might miss.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 It's a great example of how AI and automation
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 are, uh, transforming space science.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 Avery: And for our listeners, gamma ray bursts, or
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 GRBs, are some of the most powerful
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 explosions in the universe. They come from
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 incredible cosmic events. Like two neutron
00:02:19 --> 00:02:20 stars colliding.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 Anna: Exactly. The idea is that Spirit is a
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 pathfinder, a, uh, prototype for a future
00:02:25 --> 00:02:28 constellation of satellites. This network
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 will be able to quickly spot these gamma ray
00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 bursts and alert astronomers on the ground so
00:02:33 --> 00:02:36 they can point their telescopes at the source
00:02:36 --> 00:02:37 almost immediately.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 Avery: It's a fantastic example of international
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 collaboration and a big step for the
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 Australian space industry. A tiny satellite
00:02:45 --> 00:02:46 with a huge mission.
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 Next, we're moving from scientific
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 collaboration to a major display of military
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 partnership in or. The US Space Command just
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 did something for the first time ever with
00:02:57 --> 00:02:57 the.
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 Anna: Uk, they performed what's called a
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 rendezvous Proximity operation
00:03:02 --> 00:03:05 or rpo. In simple terms
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 they flew one of their spacecraft very close
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 to a UK military satellite to
00:03:10 --> 00:03:11 inspect it.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 Avery: And this wasn't in low earth orbit. This
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 happened 22 miles up in
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 geostationary orbit where many critical
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 communications satellites live. The US
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 spacecraft approached the UK's Skynet
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 5A communications satellite.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 Anna: The official line is that this was a peaceful
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 inspection, a demonstration of trust and
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 cooperation between allies. It shows they
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 can help each other out, say if a friendly
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 satellite is malfunctioning and they need a
00:03:40 --> 00:03:41 closer look.
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 Avery: But there's another layer to this, isn't
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 there? It also sends a very clear message to
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 other nations. It demonstrates, uh, a
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 capability to get extremely close to any
00:03:50 --> 00:03:51 satellite in that orbit.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 Anna: Friendly or that's the subtext,
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 yes. US Space Command's General Stephen
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 Whiting didn't mince words. He called it a
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 demonstration of the war fighting advantage
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 their coalition provides. It's a powerful
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 statement about their capabilities in what's
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 becoming an increasingly contested domain.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:14 Avery: So a friendly checkup, but with a very strong
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 geopolitical message attached.
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 Anna: Speaking of people in space, we should
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 mention that NASA just introduced its newest
00:04:21 --> 00:04:22 class of astronauts.
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 Avery: That's right, the 24th class. It's a
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 diverse group and one interesting name on the
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 list is a former SpaceX crew member
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 who was part of the all civilian Inspiration4
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 mission. It's great to see that pipeline from
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 commercial spaceflight into the official NASA
00:04:39 --> 00:04:40 corps.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 Anna: It's been a very busy week for launches.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 Let's do a quick roundup.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 Avery: Let's start with the usual suspect, SpaceX.
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 On Monday they launched another 22
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral.
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 What's amazing here is the booster used for
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 this Falcon 9 flight. It was its 15th
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 trip to space and back.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 Anna: That reusability is still mind boggling.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 Over in New Zealand, Rocket Lab is gearing up
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 for its 53rd Electron launch. This one
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 is for the US Space Force and has a very
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 cool mission name. Methane to be
00:05:14 --> 00:05:14 Max.
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 Avery: I like that. So what's it doing?
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 Anna: It's deploying a satellite that will try to
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 demonstrate producing methane in orbit.
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 So this is a key technology for in
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 situ resource utilization. The
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 idea is to eventually create rocket fuel
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 from resources found on the moon or Mars,
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36 like water ice and the martian atmosphere so
00:05:36 --> 00:05:36 you wouldn't have to.
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 Avery: Carry all your return fuel with you. That's a
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 game changer for long duration missions.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:44 Anna: Absolutely. And finally, not to be left
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 out, China also had a successful launch,
00:05:47 --> 00:05:50 sending up the Yao' Gon 44 reconnaissance
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 satellite on a long March 2D rocket
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 launch. Uh, a busy week for all the major
00:05:54 --> 00:05:55 players.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 Avery: Okay, before we get to our last big story,
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 I have to bring up this wild theory I read
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 about. Remember that strange
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 gravitational wave signal from 2019
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 GW 1905, 21.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 Anna: Vaguely. It was very short, just
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 a blip. Right. And it seemed to come from the
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 merger of two unusually massive
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 black holes.
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 Avery: Exactly. But it was so odd
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 that it's opened the door to more exotic
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 explanations. A new paper is floating the
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 idea that it m might not have been a standard
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 black hole merger at all. They suggest it
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 could be the echo of a collision that
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 happened in another universe and the signal
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 traveled to us through a wormhole.
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 Anna: Wow. Okay, that is definitely out
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 there. I assume the standard black hole
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 explanation is still the most likely one,
00:06:47 --> 00:06:48 right?
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 Avery: Oh, absolutely. But the scientists say they
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 can't completely rule out this wormhole
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 hypothesis based on the data. It's a
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 fun thought experiment if nothing else.
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 Anna: All ah, right.
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 For our final story, let's talk about the
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 search for alien oceans. For years
00:07:05 --> 00:07:08 there's been a really exciting idea about a
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 type of exoplanet called a uh, Hycean world.
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 Avery: Right. These are sub Neptunes, bigger than
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 Earth, but smaller than Neptune that are
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 thought to be completely covered in massive
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 deep oceans. Quintessential water
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 world from science fiction.
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 Anna: The theory was that these planets could form
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 with a huge amount of ice which would then
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 melt into a global ocean. But
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 a new study is pouring a little cold water
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 on that idea, pun intended. Of course.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 New computer models suggest that it might be
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 very difficult for these massive oceans to
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 exist on the surface. When these planets
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 form, the immense pressure and heat in their
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 interiors would cause a chemical reaction.
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 Avery: Let me guess, the water doesn't stay on the
00:07:52 --> 00:07:52 surface.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:55 Anna: Exactly. The hydrogen and oxygen that
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 make up the water would likely get trapped
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 deep inside the planet's molten mantle.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:03 The study concludes that planets with Oceans
00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 making up 10 to 90% of their
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 total mass are very unlikely.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 Avery: So the dream of a planet like Kamino from
00:08:11 --> 00:08:14 Star wars might be less realistic. This is
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 particularly relevant because of the recent
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 hype around exoplanet K2
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 18b which some had claimed could be one of
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 the these hean worlds.
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 Anna: This research definitely tempers those
00:08:25 --> 00:08:28 expectations. But it's not all bad news
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 for the search for life. The study also
00:08:30 --> 00:08:33 suggests that the same process would make it
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 easier for planets with more modest Earth
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 like amounts of surface water to form.
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 Avery: So fewer giant water worlds, but potentially
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 more planets that look a little more like
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 home. I'll take that trade off. It's a great
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 reminder that our assumptions about how
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 planets work are constantly being tested and
00:08:49 --> 00:08:49 refined.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 Anna: And one last quick note for all the
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 stargazers out there. A brand new comet has
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 been discovered, and it could be a good one.
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 Avery: Ooh, tell me more.
00:08:59 --> 00:08:59 Anna: It's called
00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 C2025R2
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 Swan. It's already quite bright,
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 and there's a chance it could become visible
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 to the naked eye this October. For now,
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 you'll need binoculars to spot it.
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 Avery: When's the best time to look?
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 Anna: It will make its closest pass to Earth on
00:09:16 --> 00:09:19 October 21st, so mark your calendars and
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 keep an eye on the sky. It's always a treat
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 when a new visitor graces our, uh, cosmic
00:09:24 --> 00:09:24 neighborhood.
00:09:25 --> 00:09:26 Avery: And that's all the time we have for today on
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 Astronomy Daily.
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 Anna: It certainly has been a full week to keep up
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 with these stories and more. Be sure to visit
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 our website.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 Avery: Visit astronomydaily IO for more
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 space and astronomy news and to listen to all
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 our back episodes.
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 Anna: We'll be back tomorrow with more space and
00:09:42 --> 00:09:45 astronomy news for you. See you then.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 I'm Anna signing off.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 Avery: And I'm Avery saying bye for today. Make sure
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 you get outside and look up. You never
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 know what you might see.