00:36 – **Russia plans to build a nuclear power plant on the moon by 2036
01:49 – **Russian rocket company has just secured a patent for a new spacecraft design
03:11 – **Indian rocket recently launched the Bluebird 6 satellite, and it's a record breaker
04:27 – **Japan's ambitions for an independent satellite navigation system suffered a significant blow
05:31 – **Astronomers studying interstellar comet 3I ATLAS have observed unusual behavior
06:59 – **Today's featured news includes ambitious plans for nuclear power on the Moon### Sources & Further Reading1. NASA2. Roscosmos3. Space.com4. AST SpaceMobile5. JAXA### Follow & ContactX/Twitter: @AstroDailyPod
Instagram: @astrodailypod
Email: hello@astronomydaily.io
Website: astronomydaily.io
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This episode includes AI-generated content.
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Avery: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, the podcast that
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 brings you the universe one story at a time.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:06 I'm Avery.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 Anna: And I'm Anna. It's great to be with you.
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 Today we're covering everything from
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 ambitious plans for lunar colonization to
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 fascinating new discoveries about visitors
00:00:16 --> 00:00:17 from beyond our solar system.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 Avery: That's right. We'll be talking about a
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 nuclear powered future on the moon, a sci
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 fi concept for artificial gravity that's
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 getting closer to reality, and a record
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 breaking satellite launch. We've also got
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 news of a major setb for one nation space
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 program and a wobbly interstellar
00:00:35 --> 00:00:36 comet.
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 Anna: So let's get right to it. Our first story
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 takes us to the moon, where Russia has
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 announced some truly monumental plans.
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 Avery: You can say that again, Avery.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 Anna: This isn't just about setting up a temporary
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 outpost. Russia's space agency has
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 stated its intention to build a full fledged
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 nuclear power plant on the lunar surface
00:00:57 --> 00:00:58 within the next decade or so.
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 Avery: A nuclear power plant on the moon? That's a
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 huge undertaking and they're not doing it
00:01:04 --> 00:01:04 alone, right?
00:01:05 --> 00:01:08 Anna: Exactly. This is part of a joint effort
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 with China. The goal is to have the plant
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 constructed and operational by 2036.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 The purpose is to provide a consistent and
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 powerful energy source for a planned joint
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 Russian Chinese research station.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 Avery: That makes sense. Solar power is great, but
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 a, uh, lunar night lasts for about 14 Earth
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 days. If you want a permanently functioning
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 scientific station, you need a power power
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 source that doesn't depend on sunlight.
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 Anna: Right. This really signals a shift in
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 lunar exploration from temporary visits
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 to establishing a long term sustainable
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 human presence. It's a foundational step for
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 what could become a true lunar settlement one
00:01:47 --> 00:01:47 day.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:49 Avery: It's fascinating.
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 And speaking of ambitious Russian plans for
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 the future of space travel, our next story
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 sounds like it was pulled directly from a
00:01:56 --> 00:01:57 science fiction movie.
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 Anna: Sounds intriguing. The details please.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 Avery: The state owned Energia rocket company has
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 just secured a patent for a new spacecraft
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 design. And its main feature is something
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 astronauts have dreamed of for decades.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:11 Artificial gravity.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 Anna: This is a critical piece of the puzzle for
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 long duration space missions. We know that
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 extended time in zero G has serious
00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 negative effects on the human body.
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 Avery: Mm mhm. Serious effects. Things like muscle
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 atrophy and significant bone density loss.
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 It's one of the big hurdles for say, a manned
00:02:30 --> 00:02:31 mission to Mars.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 Anna: So how does this new design work? The concept
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 of a rotating system to create centrifugal
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 force isn't new, but what are the specifics
00:02:40 --> 00:02:40 here?
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 Avery: Well, the patent describes a rotating system
00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 designed to generate a gravitational force of
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 about 0.5g. So half
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 of Earth's gravity while Not a, uh, full one
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 G. It's believed that even this level could
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 profoundly mitigate the health problems
00:02:57 --> 00:02:58 astronauts face.
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 Anna: Halfigy would make a world of difference. It
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 means crews could arrive at Mars or return to
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 Earth in much better physical condition. This
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 could be a genuine game changer for the
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 future of human spaceflight.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:11 Avery: Absolutely.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 From future tech to current accomplishments,
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 let's shift our focus to a remarkable
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 satellite that's now in orbit. Anna, uh, tell
00:03:19 --> 00:03:20 us about Bluebird 6.
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 Anna: This is a story about connectivity.
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 An Indian rocket recently launched the
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 Bluebird 6 satellite, and it's a
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 record breaker. It was built by a Texas based
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 company, AST Space Mobile. And
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 its mission is to provide broadband Internet
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 service directly to standard off the shelf
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 smartphones on the ground, directly to
00:03:43 --> 00:03:43 phones.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 Avery: So no special equipment needed. That's the
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 key. But what makes it a record breaker?
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 Anna: Its size. To talk to a small device like
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 a cell phone from orbit, you need a very,
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 very large. Bluebird 6
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 features a, uh, communication array of nearly
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 2 square feet.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 Avery: Wow, 2 square feet. That's
00:04:04 --> 00:04:05 massive.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 Anna: It is. In fact, it's the largest
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 communication array ever deployed in low
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 Earth orbit. The potential impact here is
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 enormous, offering a way to connect the
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 unconnected in the most remote parts of the
00:04:18 --> 00:04:18 globe.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 Avery: That's an incredible piece of engineering
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 with a very noble goal. But as we know,
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 getting these complex machines into orbit is
00:04:25 --> 00:04:26 the hardest part.
00:04:27 --> 00:04:28 Which brings us to our next story.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 Unfortunately, not all recent launches have
00:04:31 --> 00:04:32 been successful.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 Anna: That's right, Avery. Japan's ambitions for
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 an independent satellite navigation system
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 suffered a significant blow after the second
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 major failure of its flagship H3
00:04:43 --> 00:04:44 rocket.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 Avery: This is a tough one for the Japanese space
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 program. The rocket was supposed to deliver
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 the Michibiki 5 satellite into orbit, but it
00:04:51 --> 00:04:52 failed during its flight.
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 Anna: And this satellite was a crucial component of
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 their Quasi Zenith Satellite System, or
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 qzss.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 Avery: Mhm. The QZSS is designed to augment
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 GPS signals, providing much more accurate and
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 reliable positioning for Japan and the rest
00:05:07 --> 00:05:10 of East Asia. This failure represents a major
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 delay to the expansion and improvement of
00:05:12 --> 00:05:13 that system.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 Anna: It's a stark reminder that even for
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 established spacefaring nations, rocket
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 science is incredibly challenging. There's
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 just no room for error. We certainly hope
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 they can identify and fix the issue for
00:05:25 --> 00:05:26 future flights.
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29 Avery: Indeed, it's a reminder of the high stakes in
00:05:29 --> 00:05:30 space exploration.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:31 Anna: It truly is.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 And for our final story, we're venturing far
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 from Earth to look at one from another solar
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 system that's been paying us a bit of a
00:05:38 --> 00:05:39 visit.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 Avery: Astronomers have been studying the
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 interstellar comet 3I
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 ATLAS, which has begun leaving our solar
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 system. And they've observed some very
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 unusual behavior. First, it has
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 a rare sun facing anti tail.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 Anna: An anti tail. So a tail of
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 dust and gas pointing towards the sun instead
00:06:01 --> 00:06:01 of away from it.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 Avery: It's an optical illusion caused by our, uh,
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 viewing angle of the comet's dust trail. But
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 what's truly remarkable is what's happening
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 within that tail. As the comet approached the
00:06:10 --> 00:06:13 sun, scientists observe jets of outgassing
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 material that appear to be wobbling.
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 Anna: Wobbling jets. That's new.
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 Avery: Completely. This is the first time such an
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 outgassing pattern has ever been observed
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 from an interstellar comet. The jets were
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 seen to wobble on a very specific cycle every
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 7 hours and 45 minutes.
00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 Anna: And that tells us something fundamental about
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 the comet itself, doesn't it?
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 Avery: It does. This wobble implies a rotational
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 period for the comet's solid nucleus. Based
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 on the data, scientists have calculated that
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 the nucleus is spinning on its axis once
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 every 15 and a half hours.
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 Anna: That is so cool. To be able to determine
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 the length of a day on an object that came
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 from an entirely different solar system just
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 by watching its jets wobble. It's an amazing
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 piece of cosmic detective work.
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 Avery: It certainly is.
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 And that's all the time we have for today's
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 top stories. From ambitious plans for nuclear
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 power on the Moon to the rotation of an
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 interstellar comet, the cosmos never
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 fails to inspire a.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 Anna: Uh, big thank you to all of you for tuning
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 in. We hope you'll join us again next time
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 for another dose of Astronomy Daily. Until
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 then, you can find us on all major podcast
00:07:20 --> 00:07:23 platforms and on social media. Just search
00:07:23 --> 00:07:26 for AstroDailyPod Daily Pod full details on
00:07:26 --> 00:07:29 our website@astronomydaily.IO
00:07:29 --> 00:07:29 from both of.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 Avery: Us here, keep looking up.