00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go to
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 podcast for the latest and greatest in space
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 and astronomy news. I'm Anna.
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 Avery: And I'm Avery. We're so glad you could join
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 us today as we dive into some truly
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 fascinating updates from beyond our world.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 Anna: We've got a busy show for you today, starting
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 with a groundbreaking new Earth, uh,
00:00:21 --> 00:00:22 observing satellite that's set to
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 revolutionize how we understand our planet's
00:00:25 --> 00:00:26 changing surfaces.
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 Avery: Then we'll shift our focus to human
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 spaceflight with exciting news about the next
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 crew heading to the International Space
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 Station, including a historic milestone
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 for one of SpaceX's Dragon capsules.
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 Anna: And speaking of major discoveries, we'll take
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 a closer look at new findings that suggest
00:00:45 --> 00:00:48 Mars might be hiding a lot more ice than
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 we previously thought, which could be a game
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 changer for future human missions to the Red
00:00:53 --> 00:00:54 Planet.
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 Avery: Finally, we'll wrap up with the breathtaking
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 beauty captured by the James Web Space
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 Telescope, showcasing the spectacular death
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 of a star and what it might tell us about the
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 ultimate fate of our own Sun. Stick around.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 It's going to be an amazing journey.
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 Anna: Kicking off our news for today, we have some
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 absolutely monumental news from the world
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 of Earth observation. A first of its
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 kind satellite, nisar, which stands for
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 NASA ISRO Synthetic Aperture
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 Radar, has successfully launched.
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 Avery: That's right, Anna. This is a truly historic
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 moment. Marking the first ever partnership of
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 this magnitude between NASA and the Indian
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 Space Research Organization, or isro.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:40 The satellite lifted off from the
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 Satishthawan Space center in
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 Sriharikota, India, aboard an ISRO
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 Geosynchronous Satellite launch vehicle, mhm.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 Anna: It's an incredible achievement in
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 international civil space cooperation.
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 NISAR is designed to provide an
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 unprecedented, dynamic three
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 dimensional view of Earth. It carries an
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 advanced radar system that can detect the
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 movement of land and ice surfaces down to the
00:02:06 --> 00:02:06 centimeter.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 Avery: The implications of this are huge. As
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 Nikki Fox, Associate Administrator for the
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 Science Mission Directorate at NASA
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 Headquarters, put it, where moments are most
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 critical. Nisar's data will help ensure
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 the health and safety of those impacted on
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 Earth as well as the infrastructure that
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 supports them for the benefit of all.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 Anna: And ISRO Chairman Veen Ryanen
00:02:31 --> 00:02:34 highlighted that this is the GSLV's
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 first mission to sun synchronous polar
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 orbit, bringing to fruition a vision NASA
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 and ISRO had more than 10 years ago.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 He noted its powerful capability will help us
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 study Earth's dynamic land and ice surfaces
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 in greater detail than ever before.
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 Avery: From 464 miles above Earth,
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 Nisar will use two advanced radar
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 instruments, L band and S band,
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 to track changes across the planet. This
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 includes monitoring forests and wetland
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 ecosystems, deformation and motion of
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 frozen surfaces, and even detecting the
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 movement of Earth's crust, crucial for
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 understanding earthquakes, volcanic eruptions
00:03:14 --> 00:03:15 and landslides.
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 Anna: What's particularly amazing is that NISAR
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 will monitor nearly all of the planet's land
00:03:21 --> 00:03:24 and ice covered surfaces twice every
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 12 days, including areas of the polar
00:03:27 --> 00:03:30 southern hemisphere rarely covered by other
00:03:30 --> 00:03:31 radar satellites.
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 Avery: And unlike, um, optical sensors, NISAR
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 can actually see through clouds, allowing it
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 to monitor the surface during storms and in
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 both darkness and light. This continuous
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 monitoring capability is a game changer for
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 disaster response and infrastructure
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 monitoring and even agricultural management.
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 Anna: The L band radar provided by NASA's Jet
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 Propulsion Laboratory excels at measuring
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 soil moisture, forest biomass and land
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 ice motion. The S band radar
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 developed by ISRO is perfect for monitoring
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 agriculture, grassland ecosystems and
00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 infrastructure movement. Together they make
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 NISAR incredibly powerful.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 Avery: It's truly a new way of seeing our planet,
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 helping us understand and foresee natural
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 disasters and other changes in our Earth's
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 system that impact lives and property.
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 In the coming weeks, the satellite will begin
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 a 90 day commissioning phase, deploying
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 its massive 39 foot radar
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 antenna reflector. This reflector is
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 key to collecting all that valuable data
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 about Earth's dynamic surfaces.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 Anna: From observing our own planet.
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 Let's turn our gaze to human exploration
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 because the next big news is all about
00:04:46 --> 00:04:47 sending more people into space.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 SpaceX's Crew 11 astronaut mission to
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 the International Space Station for NASA
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 is officially a go for launch.
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 Avery: That's exciting. The mission is set to lift
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 off from the historic launch complex
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 Center. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will be
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 sending a crew of four up to the
00:05:11 --> 00:05:12 for a six month stay.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 Anna: And this isn't just any Crew Dragon
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 spacecraft. This mission will be flying
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 aboard the Crew Dragon Endeavor, making
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 its milestone sixth flight.
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 No other Crew Dragon has flown more than four
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29 times. So this is quite the achievement for
00:05:29 --> 00:05:30 spacecraft reusability.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 Avery: Exactly. Steve stich, manager of
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 NASA's Commercial Crew Program, highlighted
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 this, saying they worked very hard with
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 SpaceX to complete all the reuse activities
00:05:41 --> 00:05:44 for the vehicle. Especially since dragons
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 were previously certified for only five
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 flights. Now they're truly ready to go.
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 Anna: The crew itself is an international mix,
00:05:52 --> 00:05:55 which is always fantastic to see. Leading
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 the mission as commander on her first trip to
00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 space is NASA astronaut Zena
00:06:00 --> 00:06:01 Cardman.
00:06:01 --> 00:06:04 Avery: She'll be joined by veteran NASA astronaut
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 Mike Finke, making his fourth trip to space,
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 serving as the mission pilot. Then we have
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 Kimiya Yui of Japan Aerospace Exploration
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 Agency on his second trip to the
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 iss. And Oleg Platonov Of
00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 Russia's Roscosmos making his first journey
00:06:21 --> 00:06:22 into space as mission.
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 Anna: Specialists, Zina emphasized the
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 importance of these long duration stays on
00:06:27 --> 00:06:30 the iss, Stating they are crucial for
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 preparing NASA to send astronauts much
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 farther into space. She said
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 understanding how to live and work for long
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 durations, going and staying is a really
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 interesting challenge.
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 Avery: She also called the International Space
00:06:44 --> 00:06:47 Station an absolutely critical stepping stone
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 for future missions to the moon and beyond.
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 The Crew 11 astronauts are expected to dock
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 with the ISS about 39 hours after
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 launch, and they'll overlap with the Crew 10
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 astronauts for a few days to ensure a smooth
00:07:00 --> 00:07:03 handover before Crew 10 returns to Earth.
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 Anna: It sounds like another step forward in
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 preparing for humanity's deeper ventures into
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 the solar system. The U.S. space Force has
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14 even predicted a, uh, 90% chance of favorable
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 weather for the launch. So things are looking
00:07:17 --> 00:07:17 good.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 Avery: Speaking of stepping stones for future
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 missions, let's shift our focus to Mars,
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 Where a truly remarkable discovery has been
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 made Regarding its hidden glaciers. It
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 turns out those curious shapes sprawling
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 across Martian mountains and crater rims
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 beyond, previously thought to be mainly rocky
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 debris, are actually massive glaciers
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 hidden under layers of dust and rubble.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 Anna: And here's the kicker. A new radar survey
00:07:43 --> 00:07:46 suggests these Martian glaciers, known as
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 lobate debris aprons, have
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 contained more than 80% pure water ice
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 under just a few meters of dust. This is
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 a game changer. For decades, scientists
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 believed they were mostly rock with just a
00:08:00 --> 00:08:00 little ice.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 Avery: This finding, published in the journal
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 Icarus, strongly indicates that Mars
00:08:05 --> 00:08:08 has experienced either a single planet wide
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 glaciation or a series of similar ice
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 ages. The consistency of the findings across
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 multiple sites using data from Sharad, the
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 shallow radar instrument aboard NASA's Mars
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 Reconnaissance Orbiter, provides a much
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 clearer picture of the planet's frosty past.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 Anna: That's right. The radar sends pulses into
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 the Martian crust and measures how fast and
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 far they travel across, Allowing scientists
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 to determine the amount of ice and rock
00:08:34 --> 00:08:37 beneath the dust. All five locations
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 studied showed strikingly similar radar
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 signatures pointing to more than 80%
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 water ice. This uniformity tells us that the
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 formation and preservation mechanisms were
00:08:49 --> 00:08:51 likely the same everywhere on the planet.
00:08:51 --> 00:08:54 Avery: And it has huge implications for
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 understanding Mars climate history.
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 The results suggest Mars climate once
00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 supported widespread snowfall or frost, which
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 could be build glaciers. Today, the
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 planet is too dry and cold for such activity,
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 so it must have had different atmospheric and
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 orbital conditions in the past. It's like
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 discovering a frozen archive of Martian
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 weather.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:19 Anna: That makes perfect sense. Pure ice
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 is far easier to use than a mix of
00:09:21 --> 00:09:24 stone and frost. You don't need complex
00:09:24 --> 00:09:27 equipment to melt or filter it with
00:09:27 --> 00:09:30 vast frozen reserves. In many terrains, the
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 some even near the equator, Mars
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 suddenly becomes much more welcoming to long
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 term human missions and settlements.
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 Avery: The charade radar's ability to pinpoint these
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 reservoirs is crucial for mission planners,
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 helping them choose ideal landing and
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 habitation sites. It's not just about
00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 counting how much ice is there. It's about
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 understanding the story the ice tells about
00:09:53 --> 00:09:56 Mars past climate cycles, orbital
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 shifts, and how a once wetter world
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 became the dry desert we see today.
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 Anna: It really does transform our understanding of
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 Mars and its potential for future human
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 presence. The Red Planet continues to
00:10:09 --> 00:10:12 reveal its frozen secrets, and each
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 discovery brings us closer to making it a
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 viable destination for humanity.
00:10:17 --> 00:10:20 Avery: From the potential for life on Mars, let's
00:10:20 --> 00:10:23 turn our gaze to the more distant cosmos and
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 the incredible images delivered by the James
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 Webb Space Telescope. It has once again
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 captiv us with a stunning view of a star's
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 final moments, specifically the planetary
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 nebula NGC
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 6072.
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 Anna: That's right, Alex. This isn't just a pretty
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 picture. It's a profound glimpse into the
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 end of a Sun like star's life.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 NGC 6072, found
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 in the constellation Scorpius about
00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 3060 light years away, is
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 the dying embers of a star transforming
00:10:57 --> 00:11:00 into a white dwarf cocooned within its
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 own ejected outer layers.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 Avery: And what's truly fascinating is how complex
00:11:05 --> 00:11:08 and unique its shape appears. Unlike many
00:11:08 --> 00:11:11 planetary nebulas that are often cylindrical,
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 bipolar, or perfectly round,
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 NGC 6072 looks
00:11:16 --> 00:11:19 more like a misshapen splodge of color.
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 The JWST's Near Infrared Camera,
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 or nircam radio, reveals multiple
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 pairs of outflows pointing in various
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 directions, which is quite unusual.
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 Anna: Indeed, this complexity is leading
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 scientists to believe there's more to it than
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 just a single star. Previous observations
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 by the Gaia mission strongly suggested there
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 are two stars at the heart of NGC
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 6072, and the
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 JWST's new views seem to back that
00:11:47 --> 00:11:50 up. It's thought that the changing direction
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 of these outflows is a result of
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 gravitational interactions between the dying
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 central star and its companion star.
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 Avery: The false colors in the images representing
00:12:00 --> 00:12:03 infrared light we can't see also provide
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 crucial information about the nebulous
00:12:05 --> 00:12:08 properties. For instance, the star has shed
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 up to 80% of its total mass, which we see
00:12:11 --> 00:12:14 in the dark orange clumps of gas and dust.
00:12:14 --> 00:12:17 The relatively empty dust free regions
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 appear blue. It's like a cosmic painting
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 telling a detailed story.
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 Anna: What's clear is that the JWST's
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 images emphasize just how
00:12:26 --> 00:12:29 beautiful and unusual, unusual the deaths
00:12:29 --> 00:12:32 of stars can be. And for us, it
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34 offers a captivating preview of what's in
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 store for our own sun in about 5
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 billion years. It's a powerful
00:12:39 --> 00:12:42 reminder of the grand cyclical nature
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 of the universe and what a journey it's
00:12:45 --> 00:12:48 been today. Avery From Earth's new eyes in
00:12:48 --> 00:12:51 space with the NISAR satellite to the
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 upcoming Crew 11 mission heading to the
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 International Space Station.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 Avery: Absolutely, Anna. We also dove deep into the
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 surprising discovery of pure water ice on
00:13:01 --> 00:13:04 Mars and wrapped up with the stunning and
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 thought provoking images from the James Webb
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 Space Telescope showing us the beautiful
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 demise of a star.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 It's been a packed day in Astronomy.
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 Anna: It certainly has. We hope you enjoyed
00:13:14 --> 00:13:17 exploring these incredible stories with us on
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 Astronomy Daily. Thank you so much for tuning
00:13:20 --> 00:13:20 in.
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 Avery: We love bringing you the latest from the
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 cosmos, so make sure to subscribe to
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 Astronomy Daily wherever you get your
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 podcast. And join us next time for more
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 exciting news from the world of space and
00:13:31 --> 00:13:34 astronomy. In the meantime, keep looking up
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 and marveling at our wondrous universe.