- Gilmour Space's Eris 1 Rocket Update: We discuss the latest challenges facing Australia's first orbital rocket, the Eris 1, as Gilmour Space pushes back its launch date due to technical setbacks. Learn about the rocket's specifications and the team's commitment to iterative improvement in the face of adversity.
- - Titan's Role in Exoplanet Research: Explore how Saturn's moon Titan is becoming a vital benchmark for understanding the atmospheres of distant exoplanets. We delve into the findings from the Cassini mission and how they inform current research on atmospheric retrievals with next-generation telescopes.
- - Mixed News from the Satellite World: We cover the successful launch of a European weather satellite aimed at environmental monitoring, alongside the unfortunate loss of the MethaneSat, which was designed to track methane emissions. Discover the implications of these developments for climate science.
- - Perseverance Rover's Discoveries on Mars: Join us as we follow NASA's Perseverance rover as it grinds into Martian rock to uncover clues about the planet's ancient habitability. We discuss the rover's advanced techniques and the significance of its findings in the Jezero Crater.
- 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.
Gilmour Space Updates
[Gilmour Space](https://gilmourspace.com/)
Titan Research Findings
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Satellite Launch Information
[European Space Agency](https://www.esa.int/)
Perseverance Rover Discoveries
[NASA Mars Perseverance](https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support.
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your regular dose of the
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 latest cosmic happenings and stellar insights.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 I'm Anna, and we have an exciting lineup for you today,
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 packed with fascinating developments from across the
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 cosmos. First up, we'll be checking in on
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 Australia's highly anticipated Eris 1 rocket,
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 which has faced some recent setbacks.
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 Then we'll take a deep dive into the fascinating world
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 of exoplanets, exploring how Saturn's
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 moon Titan is becoming a crucial benchmark
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 for understanding atmospheres far beyond our solar
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 system. We also have a dual report on satellite
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 news, covering a successful European weather
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 satellite launch and the unfortunate loss of a
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 critical methane tracking satellite.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 Finally, we'll journey to Mars, where NASA's
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 Perseverance rover is hard at work grinding into
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 ancient rocks to uncover clues about the Red Planet's
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 past habitability. So buckle up
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 because we're about to embark on an incredible journey through
00:00:55 --> 00:00:56 space.
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 News okay, let's talk
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 about Gilmour Space's Eris 1 rocket. This is a
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 really big deal for Australia, as it's set to be their very first
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 orbital rocket. However, its debut launch has
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 faced a few more hurdles, pushing back its highly
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 anticipated liftoff. Most recently, Gilmour
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 Space decided to stand down from its planned July 2
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 launch, this citing the need for a longer,
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 more flexible launch window for our first test flight.
00:01:22 --> 00:01:25 While a new target date is expected to be announced next
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 week, this isn't the first time the Aris
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 one has encountered a delay. The rocket was
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 initially ready to fly back in May, but that attempt
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 was nixed due to an early trigger of the vehicle's
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 fairing. For those unfamiliar, the
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 fairing is the protective shell at the very top of the rocket
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 that shields its payloads during launch.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 This particular setback wasn't due to Mother Nature. Unlike an
00:01:47 --> 00:01:50 even earlier delay, what happened was that neighbouring
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 components created a feedback charge during a routine
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 vehicle shutdown. This engaged the fairing's
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 single use deployment protocols, essentially ejecting
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 the protective shell prematurely. Gilmour Space
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 explained that while shutdowns are a normal part of launch
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 operations, this specific issue hadn't appeared
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 in previous tests. Because the fairing separation system is
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 a single use component only activated
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 when absolutely necessary to ensure its reliability
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 and safety. It was quite an unexpected
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 glitch. Prior to that May incident,
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 Gilmour was actually prepared to launch Eris one as
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 early as March, but that first attempt was prevented
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 by Tropical Cyclone Alfred. So it's been a bit
00:02:30 --> 00:02:33 of a challenging start for their maiden flight, but the team
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 is clearly dedicated to getting it right.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 Gilmour Space, founded by brothers Adam and James Gilmour in
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 2015 has steadily grown and now boasts
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 over 200 employees supporting their operations
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 and their Bowen Orbital Spaceport in Queensland.
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50 The Eris 1 itself is a modest but capable
00:02:50 --> 00:02:53 rocket. Standing 82ft or 25
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 metres tall, it's designed to launch payloads
00:02:55 --> 00:02:58 of up to 474 pounds or 215
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 kilogrammes, into Sun Synchronous orbits.
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 This debut mission, named Test Flight 1, is
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 the first of several planned flights as Gilmour Space works
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 to qualify the new vehicle's various systems.
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 Despite the setbacks, the founders of Gilmour Space
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 maintain a very realistic and practical view of their
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 expectations for this first flight. They've
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 emphasised that any measure of success will be considered a win,
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 as they put it in a press release earlier this year,
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 whether we make it off the pad, reach max Q
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 or get all the way to space, what's important is that
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 every second of flight will deliver valuable data that
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 will improve our rocket's reliability and performance for
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 future launches. This approach highlights their
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 commitment to learning and iterative improvement, which
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 is crucial in the challenging world of rocket development.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 It's m also worth noting that the upcoming launch,
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 whenever it happens, won't be streamed live.
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 However, Gilmour Space has committed to providing
00:03:55 --> 00:03:58 updates through their social media channels so we can
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 all follow along with their progress there. We'll certainly
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 keep you updated on the Eris one's next launch attempt here on Astronomy
00:04:04 --> 00:04:04 Daily.
00:04:06 --> 00:04:09 Moving from rockets to research let's turn our gaze to a
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 fascinating new study that suggests one of our own solar
00:04:11 --> 00:04:14 system's moons. Saturn's Titan,
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 could hold the key to understanding alien worlds light
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 years away. The NASA ESA Cassini
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 Huygens mission, which explored Saturn and its moons
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 from 2004 to 2017,
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 provided incredible data, especially on
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 Titan. The probe closely examined Titan,
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 even deploying the Huygens lander to its surface,
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 revealing insights into its atmosphere,
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 methane cycle and rich prebiotic environment.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 These findings, which led to speculation about
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 methanogenic life in Titan's vast methane
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 lakes, are now being leveraged for exoplanet research
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 with next generation observatories like the James Webb Space
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 Telescope or jwst. We're moving
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 from simply discovering exoplanets to deeply characterising
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 their atmospheres, According to this new study.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 Cassini's detailed examinations of Titan's
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 atmosphere can inform these attempts, serving
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 as an aspirational study to help astronomers
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 anticipate and overcome interpretation
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 difficulties. This significant research
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 was led by Prajwal Niraula, a graduate student
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 at MIT, and co author Juliette
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 DeWitt, an associate professor at MIT and leader
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 of its Disruptive Planet Group. Their paper,
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 currently under review for Astronomy and Astrophysics,
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 consulted data from Cassini's Visual and Infrared
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 Mapping Spectrometer, or vims.
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 VIMS conducted high fidelity observations of
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 Titan using solar occultations, where
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 sunlight passing through an atmosphere is analysed
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 to detect chemical signatures. These
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 observations confirm Titan's atmosphere is
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 95% nitrogen and about 5%
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 methane with trace hydrocarbons. The
00:05:52 --> 00:05:55 data also revealed Titan's methane cycle, similar
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 to Earth's water cycle, with liquid methane forming
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 clouds and raining onto the surface. As
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 Niraula and DeWitt explained, the Cassini mission
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 demonstrated how challenging it can be to identify
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 molecules in atmospheres because different chemicals
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 can have similar absorption features. This can lead
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 to mischaracterization with drastic
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 implications for determining a planet's habitability.
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20 Their study's primary focus was to leverage
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 Titan's precise transmission spectrum and our
00:06:23 --> 00:06:26 existing knowledge of its atmosphere to investigate the strengths
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 and limitations of exoplanet atmospheric retrievals,
00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 specifically assessing if misinterpretation impacts only
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 spectroscopic features or biases other atmospheric
00:06:35 --> 00:06:38 properties. Exoplanet atmosphere
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 characterization has advanced significantly.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 Previously, astronomers relied on transmission
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 spectra during planetary transits.
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 Thanks to Webb, direct imaging of exoplanets
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 based on reflected light is now possible, a
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 monumental step forward. The core
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58 challenge remains properly identifying chemical
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 spectra to determine biosignatures. The
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 team used the publicly available Tierra model, a
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 one dimensional spectroscopy code. In this
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 study, they expanded the model to include a wider range of
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 molecules and account for the similarity of their
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 signatures based on existing astronomical
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 data. Their M findings revealed that spectral
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 signatures can not only be easily misidentified,
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 but such misidentification can also bias other
00:07:23 --> 00:07:26 atmospheric parameters like temperature.
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 This highlights the crucial connection between detection and
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 retrieval that wasn't previously fully
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 appreciated. What researchers choose as detectable
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 significantly affects their atmospheric derivations.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 Another key insight relates to identifying the dominant
00:07:41 --> 00:07:43 background gas in an exoplanet's atmosphere,
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 even if it lacks strong absorption features like
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 nitrogen. This is crucial for understanding the
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 atmospheric chemistry and provides essential context
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 for interpreting trace gases, including
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 potential biosignatures. As the
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 exoplanet census grows, the search for
00:08:00 --> 00:08:03 habitable planets is entering a sophisticated phase.
00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 Webb has already shown its ability to characterise
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 exoplanet atmospheres and make direct detections
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 like TWA7. Soon,
00:08:11 --> 00:08:14 Webb will be joined by the Nancy Grace Roman Space
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 Telescope and powerful ground based
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 observatories like the Extremely Large Telescope,
00:08:19 --> 00:08:22 Giant magellan telescope and 30 metre
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 telescope. These will enable more direct imaging
00:08:25 --> 00:08:28 and detailed characterizations. The
00:08:28 --> 00:08:31 ability to properly identify potential biosignatures
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 is is indispensable for finding an Earth
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 2.0 quote or other habitable
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 exoplanets. Niraula and DeWitt believe their
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 work will help the community transition into this new era of
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 information rich data. They emphasise the need to
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 ask what can we reliably say from this data?
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 They break this down further what can we
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 reliably say given our current models, and
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 what could we say if we had perfect models?
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 The first helps account for current limitations where models
00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 not data quality are bottlenecks. Not accounting
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 for model induced noise leads to overconfidence.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 The second question identifies dominant model
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 limitations, showcasing the depth of science
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 achievable with targeted upgrades. It's a call
00:09:13 --> 00:09:16 to refine our tools as much as our observations.
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 Now let's pivot from looking far beyond our solar
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 system to the instruments orbiting much closer to
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 home with some mixed news from the satellite world.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:29 On one hand, there's been a successful launch that will aid in
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 environmental monitoring.
00:09:31 --> 00:09:34 SpaceX's Falcon 9 recently launched a
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 European satellite designed with a dual to
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 collect vital weather data and to monitor atmospheric
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 pollution. This successful deployment adds to
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 our growing capabilities to keep an eye on our planet's changing
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 climate from above. However, on the other side of the
00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 coin, we've received some disheartening news about another
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 crucial satellite. Methane Sat, which was
00:09:54 --> 00:09:57 anticipated to revolutionise our view of methane emissions,
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 has unexpectedly lost power less than 1 year and
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 1/2 after its launch. According to a
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 statement from the Environmental Defence Fund, the
00:10:06 --> 00:10:09 nonprofit organisation that launched and operated the satellite,
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 MethaneSat is likely not recoverable.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 This loss is a significant setback for global efforts to track
00:10:15 --> 00:10:18 and curb methane emissions, which are a major
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 contributor to the rise in global temperatures.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 Launched in March 2024, MethaneSat
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 joined a growing constellation of satellites dedicated to
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 detecting invisible methane emissions from key sources
00:10:30 --> 00:10:33 like oil and gas wells, livestock landfills and
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 wetlands. While other satellites focused on
00:10:35 --> 00:10:38 individual sources or broad regions, MethaneSat
00:10:38 --> 00:10:41 was uniquely designed to detect methane at a middle scale,
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 making it ideal for spotting emissions from oil and gas
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 production. The satellite, which cost
00:10:47 --> 00:10:50 nearly $100 million to build and launch,
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 began collecting data in June of last year
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 and released its first detections of methane from oil
00:10:56 --> 00:10:59 and gas basins in November 2024.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 Researchers were actively working on automating data
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 processing to deliver near real time information on
00:11:05 --> 00:11:08 emissions. The Environmental Defence Fund reported
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 losing contact with the satellite on June 20,
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 and after exhausting all options to restore
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 communications, they confirmed the power loss.
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 The MethaneSat team is still investigating the
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 exact cause of the malfunction. They will continue to
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 share the valuable data the satellite managed to collect before
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 its power failure, along with the algorithms
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 developed to analyse it. While it's a significant
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 blow, the Environmental Defence Fund hasn't ruled out
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 launching another satellite in the future to pick up where
00:11:36 --> 00:11:39 MethaneSat left off from
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 satellites orbiting Earth.
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 Lets now journey to Mars, where NASA's Perseverance
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 rover is literally digging deeper into the Red Planet's
00:11:47 --> 00:11:50 geological past. The M rover has
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 shifted its focus from primarily scouting and sampling
00:11:53 --> 00:11:56 to more detailed on site science, beginning to
00:11:56 --> 00:11:59 grind into Martian rock surfaces to expose
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 material that could hold crucial clues to the planet's ancient
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 environment and potential habitability.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:08 Earlier this month, Perseverance used its abrasion
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 tool to scrape away the top layer of a rocky Martian
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 outcrop it affectionately nicknamed Kenmore.
00:12:14 --> 00:12:17 This procedure, which combines mechanical grinding with a, uh,
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 gas blast cleaning, reveals a fresh surface for
00:12:20 --> 00:12:23 close up analysis. The goal is to study rock
00:12:23 --> 00:12:26 interiors that haven't been altered by billions of years of wind,
00:12:26 --> 00:12:29 radiation or dust. Interestingly,
00:12:29 --> 00:12:32 Kenmore was a weird, uncooperative rock, according
00:12:32 --> 00:12:35 to Ken Farley, Perseverance's deputy project
00:12:35 --> 00:12:38 scientist. He explained that visually it looked
00:12:38 --> 00:12:41 promising for a good abrasion and possibly sample collection.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 However, during the process it vibrated
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 excessively and small chunks broke off.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 Fortunately, the team managed to get just deep enough below the
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 surface to move forward with their analysis.
00:12:53 --> 00:12:56 Perseverance employs an advanced abrading bit and a
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 gaseous dust removal tool, or gdrt,
00:12:59 --> 00:13:02 which applies five puffs of nitrogen to clear samples.
00:13:02 --> 00:13:05 This method poses less risk of contamination
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08 compared to earlier rovers that used brushes to sweep debris
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 away. Once an abrasion is complete,
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 Perseverance's sophisticated science instruments are
00:13:13 --> 00:13:16 deployed to investigate the exposed rock. The
00:13:16 --> 00:13:19 rover's Watson Imager, which stands for Wide
00:13:19 --> 00:13:22 Angle Topographic Sensor for operations and engineering,
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 snaps detailed close up photos. Its
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 supercam then uses laser pulses to analyse the
00:13:28 --> 00:13:31 composition of vaporised material with one
00:13:31 --> 00:13:34 spectrometer and studies visible and infrared
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 light reflected from the freshly exposed surface with
00:13:36 --> 00:13:39 another. The initial findings from
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 Kenmore are already revealing fascinating
00:13:41 --> 00:13:44 insights. The tailings or abraded debris
00:13:44 --> 00:13:47 showed that this rock contains clay minerals which
00:13:47 --> 00:13:50 are composed of water as hydroxide molecules bound
00:13:50 --> 00:13:53 with iron and magnesium. This composition is
00:13:53 --> 00:13:56 relatively typical of ancient Mars clay minerals.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:58 The abrasion spectra further provided the chemical
00:13:58 --> 00:14:01 composition of the rock, showing enhancements in
00:14:01 --> 00:14:04 iron and magnesium. Perseverance also
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 relies on its SHERLOCK and PIXL instruments, which are
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 designed to scan habitable environments with Raman and
00:14:09 --> 00:14:12 luminescence for organics and Chemicals and
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 planetary instrument for X ray lithochemistry,
00:14:14 --> 00:14:17 respectively. These tools help determine
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 mineral content, chemical composition, and
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 potential signs of past water activity or even
00:14:22 --> 00:14:25 microbial life. Not M only did they
00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 confirm the presence of more clay, but they also
00:14:28 --> 00:14:31 detected feldspar, a mineral common in
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 Earth's crust, the Moon, and other rocky
00:14:33 --> 00:14:36 planets. Crucially, the team also found
00:14:36 --> 00:14:39 manganese hydroxide in the observed specimens. For the very
00:14:39 --> 00:14:42 first time, this work is being carried out in
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 Mars Jezero Crater, a vast basin
00:14:45 --> 00:14:48 spanning 28 miles wide that once hosted a river
00:14:48 --> 00:14:51 delta and a lake. Scientists believe
00:14:51 --> 00:14:54 this region contains some of the best preserved records of
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 Mars wet past, making it a prime
00:14:56 --> 00:14:59 location to search for biosignatures or indicators of
00:14:59 --> 00:15:02 ancient life. Kenmore marks the 30th
00:15:02 --> 00:15:05 Martian rock that Perseverance has studied in such fine
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 detail. The data being obtained from rocks
00:15:08 --> 00:15:11 like Kenmore is invaluable for future missions,
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 providing a much clearer idea of what types of rocks can
00:15:14 --> 00:15:17 be easily traversed, sampled, or even used
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 as construction material for habitats.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:23 Perseverance is also continuing to collect rock core
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 samples, sealing them in tubes for a possible
00:15:25 --> 00:15:28 future return to Earth through the planned Mars Sample
00:15:28 --> 00:15:31 Return campaign, although it's worth noting
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 that the recently released fiscal year
00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 2026 NASA budget
00:15:36 --> 00:15:39 proposal from the Trump administration suggests cutting the
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 Mars Sample Return programme altogether,
00:15:41 --> 00:15:44 highlighting ongoing uncertainties for this ambitious
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 endeavour.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:49 That brings us to the end of another captivating episode of
00:15:49 --> 00:15:52 Astronomy Daily. We've covered some truly
00:15:52 --> 00:15:55 exciting ground today, from the ongoing Saga of
00:15:55 --> 00:15:58 Gilmour Space's Eris 1 rocket and its journey
00:15:58 --> 00:16:01 towards launch to how Saturn's moon Titan is
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 helping us decode the mysteries of exoplanet
00:16:03 --> 00:16:06 atmospheres. We also discussed the latest
00:16:06 --> 00:16:09 in Earth orbiting satellites, including a
00:16:09 --> 00:16:12 successful weather satellite launch, and the unfortunate
00:16:12 --> 00:16:15 loss of the crucial methanesat before taking a
00:16:15 --> 00:16:18 deep dive into Mars with the Perseverance rover's
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 fascinating discoveries in the Jezero Crater.
00:16:21 --> 00:16:24 Thank you for joining me, Anna, on this celestial journey through the latest
00:16:24 --> 00:16:27 in space news. If you want to dive deeper
00:16:27 --> 00:16:30 into any of these stories or catch up on previous episodes,
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 be sure to visit our
00:16:31 --> 00:16:34 website@astronomydaily.IO While
00:16:34 --> 00:16:37 you're there, you can sign up for our free daily newsletter to get
00:16:37 --> 00:16:40 all the updates delivered straight to your inbox. And
00:16:40 --> 00:16:43 don't forget to subscribe to Astronomy Daily on Apple
00:16:43 --> 00:16:46 Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get
00:16:46 --> 00:16:49 your podcasts, so you never miss an episode. Until
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 next time, keep looking up.