- Unveiling Betelgeuse's Companion: Join us as we unravel the centuries-old mystery of Betelgeuse, the famous red supergiant star. Recent discoveries reveal its hidden stellar companion, providing new insights into the star's variable brightness and the enigma of its six-year dimming cycle. We discuss how advanced imaging techniques were employed to detect this companion star, believed to be a hot blue-white star, and what this means for our understanding of red supergiants.
- - Juno's Ingenious Camera Rescue: Explore the remarkable efforts of NASA's Juno team as they successfully restored the radiation-damaged JunoCam camera. Learn about the innovative annealing technique used to revive the camera's functionality, allowing it to capture stunning images of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io. This episode highlights the challenges faced in the harsh radiation environment and the lessons learned for future space missions.
- - The Upcoming Total Solar Eclipse: Prepare for the breathtaking total solar eclipse set to occur on August 12, 2026. We provide essential tips for those planning to witness this spectacular event, including the best locations in Greenland, Iceland, and Spain to experience totality. Discover the importance of meticulous planning and the unique viewing opportunities that await eclipse chasers.
- - Global Launch Watch: Get the latest updates on an exciting week of space launches, featuring multiple SpaceX Falcon 9 missions, China's Hyperbola 1 rocket, and Russia's Soyuz 2.1B rocket. We also discuss Gilmour Space's historic attempt to launch Australia's first sovereign-built rocket. Stay tuned for all the thrilling developments in space exploration!
- 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, 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.
Betelgeuse Companion Discovery
[NASA Ames Research Centre](https://www.nasa.gov/ames)
JunoCam Restoration
[NASA Juno](https://www.nasa.gov/juno)
Total Solar Eclipse Planning
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Global Launch Updates
[SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/)
Astronomy Daily
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your regular dive
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 into the cosmos with me, Anna. Um. In this
00:00:04 --> 00:00:07 episode, we're uncovering a centuries old
00:00:07 --> 00:00:10 mystery of a famous star, marvelling at how
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 NASA fixed a camera millions of miles away,
00:00:12 --> 00:00:15 and getting ready for an epic total solar
00:00:15 --> 00:00:16 eclipse. Plus a quick look at upcoming
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 launches from around the globe. So let's get
00:00:19 --> 00:00:19 started.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 Our first story shines a light on Betelgeuse,
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 the famous red supergiant that has baffled
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 astronomers for millennia. Now
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 scientists have finally spotted its hidden
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 stellar companion. A discovery that has
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 cracked a thousand year old mystery
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 surrounding its behaviour. For centuries,
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 Betelgeuse has puzzled astronomers with its
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 varying brightness, particularly a regular
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 dimming over six year periods. This is
00:00:45 --> 00:00:48 distinct from the more dramatic great dimming
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 of 2019 and 2020,
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 which though solved in 2023 by a
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 giant dust cloud, sparked intense
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 supernova speculation. It was the
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 consistent millennia old six year
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 heartbeat that remained the profound
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 enigma. The breakthrough came from reviewing
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 archival data, leading scientists to theorise
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 a hidden companion. Despite challenges
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 with instruments like Hubble, a team led by
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 NASA Ames Research Centre scientist Steve
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 Howell persevered. They utilised the Gemini
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 North Telescope and its Alopiki instrument,
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 employing speckle imaging to cut through
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 atmospheric distortions with short exposures.
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 This advanced technique provided the high
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 resolution images needed to directly detect
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 Betelgeuse's faint companion for the first
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 time ever. What they found is
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 truly fascinating. This companion star,
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 believed to be a hot blue white star with
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 about 1.5 times the Sun's mass, orbits
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 Betelgeuse in an incredibly tight embrace,
00:01:47 --> 00:01:50 roughly four times the Earth's sun distance.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 This places it within Betelgeuse's extended
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 atmosphere, marking the first time a
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 companion has been detected so close to a red
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 supergiant. The irony lies in their life
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 stages. Betelgeuse rapidly nearing its end,
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 while its companion, though formed at the
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 same time, hasn't even begun to fuse hydrogen
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 in its core yet. Sadly, this doesn't promise
00:02:10 --> 00:02:11 a long life for the smaller star.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 Betelgeuse's intense gravity will likely drag
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 in and devour its companion within the next
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 10, 10 years. This
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 groundbreaking research not only solves a
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 millennia old puzzle about Betelgeuse's
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 brightness, but also paves the way for
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 similar observations of other red
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 supergiants. Astronomers anticipate another
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 look at this unique system in November 2027,
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 when the Companion reaches maximum
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 separation. The team's findings were recently
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 published across two papers in the
00:02:39 --> 00:02:40 Astrophysical Journal.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 Next, we turn our gaze to Jupiter, where
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 NASA's Juno spacecraft team recently pulled
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 off an incredible feat, rescuing its
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 radiation damaged JunoCam imager. Using an
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 experimental technique. This ingenious
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 solution not only restored the camera's
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 ability to capture stunning images of
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 Jupiter's volcanic moon, but it
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 also provides vital lessons for future
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 missions operating in the harsh radiation
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 environments across our solar system.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 JunoCam, a colour visible light camera,
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 is located outside the spacecraft's titanium
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 walled radiation vault, leaving it exposed to
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 some of the most intense planetary radiation
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 fields in our solar system. While it was
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 designed to withstand the first eight orbits,
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 no one knew how long it would truly last. It
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 performed normally through Juno's first 34
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 orbits, but by orbit 47, hints of
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 radiation damage began to appear. And by
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 orbit 56, nearly all images were
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 corrupted. Pinpointing the exact damage
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 from hundreds of millions of miles away was a
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 challenge, but clues pointed to a damaged
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 voltage regulator critical for JunoCam's
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 power. With few options left, the team
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 turned to a process called annealing, heating
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 a material for a period before slowly cooling
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 it. This technique can sometimes alter a
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 material like silicon at a microscopic level,
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 potentially reducing defects. They commanded
00:04:04 --> 00:04:05 JunoCam's heater to raise the camera's
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 temperature to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, much
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 warmer than its typical operating conditions.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 And to their delight, soon after the
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 annealing process finished, JunoCam began
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 cranking out crisp images for the next
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 several orbits. However,
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 Juno was flying deeper into Jupiter's
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 radiation fields with each pass. And by
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 orbit55, the imagery once again started
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 showing problems, full of streaks and noise.
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 With a close encounter with IO just days
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 away, it was a Hail Mary moment. The team
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 decided to crank junocam's heater all the way
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 up, hoping for a more extreme annealing to
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 save them. For the first week, test
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 images showed little improvement. Then,
00:04:45 --> 00:04:47 dramatically just days before the IO
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 encounter, the images began to improve
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 significantly. By December 30,
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 2023, when Juno came within just
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 930 miles of IO's surface, the
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 images were almost as good as the day the
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 camera launched. They captured detailed views
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 of IO's north polar region, remember
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 revealing mountain blocks covered in sulphur
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 dioxide, frosts rising sharply from the
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 plains, and previously uncharted volcanoes
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 with extensive lava flow fields.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 Although the image noise recently returned
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 during Juno's 74th orbit, the Juno
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 team has already applied variations of this
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 annealing technique to several other Juno
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 instruments and engineering subsystems. This
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29 pioneering work is teaching scientists how to
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 create and maintain spacecraft tolerant to
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 radiation, offering insights that will
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 benefit not only defence and commercial
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 satellites, but also future NASA missions,
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 helping us push the boundaries of space
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 exploration even further.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 Get ready to mark your calendars for August
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 12, 2026, when a total
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 solar eclipse will sweep across a select part
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 of the Northern hemisphere, bringing the
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 breathtaking spectacle of totality to
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 Greenland, Iceland and Spain. For those
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 planning to chase this incredible event, now
00:06:01 --> 00:06:04 is the time to prepare, as a perfect eclipse
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 trip often requires months, if not years of
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 meticulous planning. To truly witness a total
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 solar eclipse in all its glory, you
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 absolutely must be within the narrow path of
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 totality, the precise strip of land where the
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20 moon completely blocks the sun. Even a
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 99% eclipse leaves the sun's dazzling disc
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 exposed, meaning the ethereal beauty of the
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 corona, the sun's ghostly outer
00:06:28 --> 00:06:31 atmosphere, remains hidden. So choosing your
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 location wisely is paramount for the
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 adventurous. Greenland offers pristine Arctic
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 landscapes, particularly in Scoresby Sund,
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 which lies entirely within the path of
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 totality. Many will experience this from
00:06:44 --> 00:06:47 expedition style cruise ships. Here you could
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 witness up to 2 minutes and 17 seconds of
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 totality with the sun about 25
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 degrees above the western horizon. While
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 travel costs are high and the weather is a
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 consideration, meteorologist Jay Anderson
00:07:00 --> 00:07:03 notes that air flowing off the ice cap often
00:07:03 --> 00:07:06 dries out, leading to clear skies. Though
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 large weather systems can still pose a
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 challenge, this is truly a bucket list
00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 trip, offering far more than just the eclipse
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 itself. Iceland presents one of the most
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 photogenic landscapes on Earth. Boasting the
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 longest totality on land at 2 minutes and
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 13.7 seconds, the path crosses
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 the most populated areas of the country,
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 specifically the Reykjanes Peninsula, the
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 Snaefelsnes Peninsula and the Westfjords.
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 Eclipse chaser Saevar Helgi Bragason
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 warns of heavy traffic, especially since the
00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 eclipse falls on a Wednesday and many locals
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 will be heading into the path. Icelandic
00:07:41 --> 00:07:43 weather is famously unpredictable, often
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 changing completely in just five minutes.
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 However, it's rarely entirely overcast in
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 August, with always a hole somewhere,
00:07:52 --> 00:07:55 so staying mobile and relying on excellent
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 forecasts from the Icelandic Met Office will
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 be key. Getting close to the water on one of
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 the peninsulas could also offer better
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 conditions due to onshore flow. Most
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 travellers, however, are expected to flock to
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 Spain, which will experience its first total
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 solar eclipse since since 1905. The
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 path of totality cuts a diagonal track across
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 the northeast from Galicia to Catalonia,
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 with the longest duration about 1 minute and
00:08:19 --> 00:08:22 44 seconds, occurring just before
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 sunset. Spain's mountainous terrain,
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 particularly the Cantabrian Mountains, the
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 Meseda Plateau and the Iberian System,
00:08:30 --> 00:08:33 means that choosing a spot with an open view
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 is essential. The new eclipse viewing map
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 from M. Spain's Geographic Institute can help
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 observers avoid blocked sight lines.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 While August cloud cover averages less than
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 50%, late day storms are common.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48 Travel around Spain will be relatively easy,
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 but be prepared for significant traffic, as
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 many locals from Madrid and Barcelona will be
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 heading into the path. Accommodation could
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 also be tricky due to peak vacation season.
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 Experts strongly advise against attempting to
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 drive back to major cities immediately after
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 the eclipse to avoid potentially millions of
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 people on the roads. Instead,
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 consider staying overnight in the path. This
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 offers another astronomical treat, the
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 Perseid meteor shower, which peaks just a few
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 hours after the eclipse on August 12th to
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 13th. Rural skies will also provide a
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 stunning view of the Milky Way arching across
00:09:22 --> 00:09:25 the southern sky. Whether you choose the
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 icy fjords of Greenland, the dramatic
00:09:27 --> 00:09:30 landscapes of Iceland or the plains of Spain,
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 the experts agree on three key strategies for
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 chasing this event. Plan ahead, check weather
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 forecasts diligently and stay mobile.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 Witnessing the 2026 total solar
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 eclipse will undoubtedly be a moment you
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 carry for life, and if you happen to miss
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 this one, don't worry. Spain will host
00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 another total solar eclipse exactly one lunar
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 year later, on August 2,
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 2027.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:58 Now let's shift our gaze from distant stars
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 to the rockets preparing for launch or right
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 here from Earth as we bring you our Global
00:10:02 --> 00:10:05 Launch Watch. This week promises to be an
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07 exceptionally busy one in space, with eight
00:10:07 --> 00:10:10 launches on the docket highlighting the
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 incredible pace of global space endeavours.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 Leading the charge are multiple SpaceX
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 Falcon 9 missions. From
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, a
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 Falcon 9 is set to launch NASA's Tracers
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 mission, consisting of two satellites
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 designed to study magnetic reconnection and
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 its effects on Earth's atmosphere. This
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 mission, scheduled for Tuesday, July 22,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 will also carry at least three other
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 rideshare payloads. The booster is expected
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 to return to land at landing zone 4.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 Meanwhile, on the east coast, the Cape
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida is
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 bustling with activity. SpaceX's Falcon
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 9 was initially scheduled to launch the
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 O3BM M Power 9 and 10
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 satellites for SES owned
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 O3B Networks on Monday, July 21,
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 though that launch was scrubbed due to
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 unspecified reasons, with a new attempt
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 possible on Tuesday. If successful, this
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 would mark the 90th Falcon 9 mission of
00:11:07 --> 00:11:10 2025, utilising booster
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 B1090 for its sixth flight
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 shortly after. On, um, Thursday, July 24,
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 another Falcon 9 will launch the Starlink
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 Group 10 26th batch of V2 mini
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 satellites into low Earth orbit, further
00:11:23 --> 00:11:26 expanding the Starlink constellation. The
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 efficiency of pad turnarounds at SLC 40
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 continues to be remarkable. Looking
00:11:30 --> 00:11:33 internationally, China's Hyperbola 1 rocket
00:11:33 --> 00:11:36 is expected to launch on Friday, July 25 from
00:11:36 --> 00:11:39 the Juquan Satellite Launch Centre. The
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 mission's payload remains unknown and this
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 will be its first flight since a previous
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 launch failure in July 2024.
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 Russia is also preparing for action with a
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 Soyuz 2.1B rocket set to launch a pair of
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 Ionosphera UM M satellites from the Vostochny
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 Cosmodrome on Friday, July 25. These
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 satellites will complete the four satellite
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 Ionosphera constellation which aims to
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 observe Earth's ionosphere and enhance our
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 understanding of geomagnetic and solar
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 storms. This mission will also deploy
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 17 CubeSats. Europe's space
00:12:11 --> 00:12:14 ambitions are on display with Vega C's second
00:12:14 --> 00:12:17 mission of 2025 launching from the
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 Guiana Space Centre in French guiana on
00:12:20 --> 00:12:23 Saturday, July 26. This mission
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 will deliver five payloads to sun synchronous
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 orbit, including Microcarb a UH
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 microsatellite designed to measure
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 atmospheric carbon dioxide levels with high
00:12:31 --> 00:12:34 precision alongside four Airbus built
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 satellites for Earth stereo imagery back
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 in the U.S. another Falcon 9 launch for
00:12:39 --> 00:12:42 Starlink Group 172 is
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 scheduled for Friday, July 25 from
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 Vandenberg, adding to the Constellation's
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 polar shell. Finally, a highly anticipated
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 launch comes from Australia where Gilmour
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 Space will make its third attempt at
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 launching its Eris rocket on Saturday, July
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 27. After previous delays due to operational
00:12:59 --> 00:13:02 issues and unfavourable weather, this test
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 flight one mission from the Bowen Orbital
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 Spaceport is poised to be a historic moment
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 as it aims to be the first orbital launch
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 from Australian soil performed by a sovereign
00:13:11 --> 00:13:14 built vehicle and if successful, the first
00:13:14 --> 00:13:17 for a hybrid rocket design. The 25
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 metre tall Eris rocket featuring proprietary
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 Sirius hybrid engines represents a
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 significant step forward for Australia's
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 burgeoning space industry.
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 Finally today in a late breaking story, we
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 bring you news from Iran which yesterday
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 conducted a suborbital test of its KAAS
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 satellite launch vehicle. According to the
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 semi official TASNIM news agency, this test
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 was aimed at evaluating new technologies
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44 developed by the country's domestic space
00:13:44 --> 00:13:47 industry. While specific details about the
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 technologies being evaluated were not
00:13:49 --> 00:13:52 provided, the report stated that the test's
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 primary goal is to gather data that will be
00:13:54 --> 00:13:57 used to enhance the performance of Iran's
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 future satellites and space systems. We'll be
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 sure to update you as more details come to
00:14:01 --> 00:14:04 hand. And that's all for this episode
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 of Astronomy Daily. I'm Anna, your host
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 and it's been a pleasure sharing these cosmic
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 updates with you. For all the latest space
00:14:11 --> 00:14:14 and astronomy news with our constantly
00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 updating news feed and to catch up on all our
00:14:16 --> 00:14:18 back episodes, visit our
00:14:18 --> 00:14:21 website@astronomydaily.IO. you can
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 also subscribe to Astronomy Daily on Apple
00:14:23 --> 00:14:26 Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 get your podcasts to ensure you never miss an
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 episode. And finally, please share our
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 podcast with anyone that you think might be
00:14:32 --> 00:14:35 interested. That would help us a lot, and I'd
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 be incredibly grateful for your support. I'll
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 be back tomorrow with more news from the
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 cosmos. In the meantime, keep looking
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 up.