Lunar Lander Lessons, Cosmic Endgame Insights, and Life's Rapid Emergence

00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily dose of

00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 everything happening beyond our atmosphere. I'm

00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 Anna and I'm thrilled to have you join me for

00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 today's cosmic journey through the latest developments in space

00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 exploration and astronomical research.

00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 We've got a packed episode for you today with some fascinating

00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 stories spanning from our nearest celestial neighbor all the

00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 way to the ultimate fate of the universe itself.

00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 First up, we'll dive into what exactly caused

00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 Intuitive Machine's second lunar lander to topple over when

00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 it touched down on the Moon in March. The

00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 company has identified several factors that contributed to this

00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 unexpected landing position, including some

00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 interesting challenges with their laser altimeters

00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 and the tricky lighting conditions near the lunar South

00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 Pole. We'll explore how they're planning to address

00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 these issues for future missions.

00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 Then we'll look at how Intuitive Machines is

00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 diversifying beyond just lunar landers,

00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 especially as NASA's Artemis program faces

00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 potential major changes under new budget proposals.

00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 It's a fascinating look at how commercial space companies

00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 adapt to shifting priorities in space exploration.

00:01:05 --> 00:01:08 Next, we have some mind bending research about

00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 the ultimate end of the universe. Scientists from

00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 Radboud University have revised their predictions about

00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 when and how the cosmos might meet its final

00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 demise. Spoiler alert. It's still an

00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 incomprehensibly long time away, but apparently

00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 sooner than previously thought. We'll break down what

00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 this means and the science of Hawking radiation that's driving these

00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 new calculations. We'll also check in with the

00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 crew aboard the International Space station, where

00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 the Expedition 73 team has been busy with

00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 biotechnology experiments and important research

00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 on how fire behaves in microgravity. Their

00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 findings could have significant implications for fire

00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 safety both in space and here on Earth.

00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 Then we'll mark a historic milestone in satellite navigation

00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 as the European Space Agency bids farewell to its first

00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 ever decommissioned Galileo satellite after 12 years

00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 of service. It's a reminder that responsible

00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 space operations include not just launching new technology,

00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 but properly retiring old satellites as well.

00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 And finally, we'll explore fascinating new research

00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 suggesting that life on Earth may have emerged remarkably

00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 quickly after our planet formed. This study

00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 provides the strongest evidence yet that the process of

00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 abiogenesis, the development of life from non

00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 living matter, might be a relatively rapid phenomenon

00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 under Earth like conditions. The implications for

00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 the search for life elsewhere are profound, so

00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 buckle up for a journey across the cosmos as we explore

00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 these stories and more on today's episode of

00:02:35 --> 00:02:36 Astronomy Daily.

00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 In what has become a cautionary tale about the challenges of lunar

00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 landings, Intuitive Machines has now revealed

00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 exactly what caused their Nova C lander to fall on its

00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 side during its touchdown in the moon's south

00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 polar region this past March, the

00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 company executives disclosed three key factors during

00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 a May earnings call that contributed to what they

00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 diplomatically termed a landing anomaly.

00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 First, and perhaps most significant, were issues with the

00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 lander's laser altimeters. According to

00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 CEO Steve Altemus, these crucial instruments

00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 experienced signal noise and distortion during the

00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 final descent phase. This interference prevented the

00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 altimeters from providing accurate altitude readings.

00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 Essentially, the spacecraft couldn't properly determine how far it

00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 was from the lunar surface as it approached touchdown.

00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 The second factor involves the unique lighting conditions

00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 at the moon's south pole. Unlike,

00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 equatorial regions, the south pole experiences

00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 extremely low sun angles, creating dramatic

00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 elongated shadows across the lunar landscape.

00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 These shadows severely challenged the precision

00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 capabilities of the lander's navigation systems,

00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 which rely partly on visual references to guide the

00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 descent. Connected to this lighting issue

00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 was a third problem involving crater recognition.

00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 The unusual lighting conditions made craters appear

00:03:55 --> 00:03:58 differently at lower altitudes than they did in the

00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 reference images from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance

00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 Orbiter. This discrepancy confused the

00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 lander's optical navigation system, further

00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 complicating its ability to execute a proper landing.

00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 The combined effect of these issues resulted in the Nova

00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 C lander tipping over upon touchdown,

00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 falling onto its side within a crater. This

00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 unfortunate position prevented the spacecraft's solar

00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 panels from generating sufficient power, dramatically

00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 shortening its mission to barely 12 hours after

00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 landing, far less than planned. Despite

00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 this setback, Intuitive Machines is already

00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 implementing changes for their next lunar mission, M

00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 IM3, scheduled for launch next year.

00:04:38 --> 00:04:41 Altimus outlined several specific improvements,

00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 including the addition of dissimilar and redundant

00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 altimeters to provide backup measurements if one

00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 system fails. These systems will also undergo

00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 more rigorous flight like testing before launch to better

00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 simulate actual lunar conditions. The

00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 company is also developing a new lighting independent

00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 sensor specifically designed to measure surface

00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 velocity regardless of shadows or lighting

00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 angles. Additionally, they're enhancing their crater

00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 database to improve the optical navigation system's

00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 ability to recognize lunar features under various

00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 lighting conditions. Interestingly,

00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 these modifications won't delay the IM3 mission.

00:05:18 --> 00:05:21 Though Altemus acknowledged there would be a slight

00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 increase in costs due to the additional sensors,

00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 he didn't specify exactly how much more expensive

00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 the mission would become. Meanwhile,

00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 Intuitive Machines remains in negotiations with

00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 NASA and other customers about up to

00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 $14 million in success payments related to the

00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 IM2

00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 mission. Despite the lander falling over,

00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 some payloads did manage to conduct limited

00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 tests. For example, a NASA

00:05:47 --> 00:05:50 drill was able to test its mechanisms,

00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 although it couldn't perform its primary objective of

00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 drilling into the lunar surface as as planned.

00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 This incident highlights the extraordinary

00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 difficulties involved in lunar landings,

00:06:01 --> 00:06:04 particularly in the challenging south polar region

00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 where NASA and other space agencies hope

00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 to establish a long term human presence. The

00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 extreme lighting conditions, combined with the

00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 complex terrain featuring numerous craters and shadows

00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 create a particularly demanding environment for precision

00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 landings. The lessons learned from this

00:06:21 --> 00:06:24 mission will undoubtedly inform not just Intuitive Machines

00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 future attempts to but also the broader commercial lunar

00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 industry, as it supports NASA's Artemis

00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 program and other initiatives aimed at returning

00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 humans to the lunar surface in the coming years.

00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 Beyond their lunar landing setbacks, Intuitive

00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 Machines is actively working to diversify their space

00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 business portfolio. During their recent earnings

00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 call, CEO Steve Altemus emphasized the

00:06:46 --> 00:06:49 company's efforts to expand beyond their core lunar

00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 lander technology into other promising space sectors.

00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 One notable project involves the design of an orbital

00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 transfer vehicle based on their Nova C lander

00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 architecture. This work is being conducted with

00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 an unnamed government customer and leverages the

00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 company's existing expertise in spacecraft design

00:07:07 --> 00:07:10 while opening new market opportunities in orbital

00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 logistics. Intuitive Machines is

00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 also collaborating with the Air Force Research Laboratory on

00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 the ambitious Jetson project.

00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 This initiative aims to develop a spacecraft utilizing

00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 nuclear electric propulsion, a potentially

00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 revolutionary technology that could dramatically increase the

00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 capabilities and range of future space missions.

00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 In February, the company secured a

00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 $10 million grant from the Texas Space Commission

00:07:36 --> 00:07:39 to support their work on a lifting body reentry

00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 vehicle. They're partnering with Rhodium

00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 Scientific to explore how this vehicle could be used for

00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 microgravity research, potentially offering a

00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 valuable service for returning biomedical experiments

00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 safely to Earth from space.

00:07:52 --> 00:07:55 We all know the universe will eventually end, but how

00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 and when has been a subject of intense scientific

00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 debate. Now, fascinating new research from scientists

00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 at Radboud University suggests the universe's

00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 demise might arrive much sooner than previously calculated.

00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 Though we're still talking about an almost incomprehensible

00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 timescale, the research team, led by

00:08:12 --> 00:08:15 Heino Falca, along with colleagues Michael

00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 Wandrak and Walter Van Swigelkom, has

00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 dramatically revised estimates for cosmic longevity.

00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 According to their calculations, the final decay

00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 of the universe could occur in about 10 to the

00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 78th power years. That's a one followed by

00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 78 zeros. While this represents a

00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 significant reduction from previous estimates, it's

00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 still billions upon billions of times the current age of our

00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 cosmos. As Falcke himself put

00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 it, the ultimate end of the universe comes much sooner

00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 than expected, but fortunately it still takes a very

00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 long time. What's particularly interesting

00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 about this research is how it builds upon Stephen

00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 Hawking's groundbreaking work from

00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 1975. Hawking theorized

00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 that black holes aren't completely black, they

00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 gradually emit tiny amounts of radiation, now known

00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 as Hawking radiation, over immensely long

00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 timescales. This process causes black holes to slowly

00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 evaporate and eventually disappear entirely.

00:09:11 --> 00:09:14 The Radboud team extended this principle to other dense

00:09:14 --> 00:09:17 cosmic objects, including neutron stars.

00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 Their surprising discovery was that the evaporation process

00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 is driven not just by mass, but by density.

00:09:23 --> 00:09:26 This led to some counterintuitive findings about decay

00:09:26 --> 00:09:29 timelines. For instance, despite

00:09:29 --> 00:09:32 their extreme gravitational pull and reputation as

00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 cosmic devourers, black holes share a similar

00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 decay timeline with neutron stars around

00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 10 to the 67th power years.

00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 That's significantly shorter than previous scientific

00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 estimates. The reason for this unexpected result

00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 is that black holes lacking a solid

00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 surface can partially reabsorb their emitted

00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 radiation, which actually slows the

00:09:53 --> 00:09:56 evaporation process. To put this in

00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 perspective, the researchers calculated that objects as small as

00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 our moon, or even a human, would take

00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 approximately 10 to the 90th power

00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 years to evaporate through Hawking like radiation.

00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 Of course, other natural processes would end their

00:10:10 --> 00:10:13 existence long before this theoretical timeline played

00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 out. What makes this research

00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 particularly valuable beyond the cosmic doomsday

00:10:19 --> 00:10:22 predictions is how it helps bridge the gap

00:10:22 --> 00:10:25 between quantum mechanics and general relativity,

00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 two fundamental theories of physics that have

00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 proven notoriously difficult to reconcile.

00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 As co author Walter Van Swigelkom noted, by

00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 asking these kinds of questions and looking at extreme cases,

00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 we want to better understand the theory, and perhaps one

00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 day we unravel the mystery of Hawking

00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 radiation. While none of us need worry about

00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 witnessing the universe's final moments, this

00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 research provides valuable insight into the

00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 fundamental workings of our cosmos and the

00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 physical laws that govern everything from the smallest

00:10:56 --> 00:10:59 particles to to the largest structures in existence.

00:11:00 --> 00:11:03 It's a reminder that even in studying the end of everything,

00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 we continue to deepen our understanding of the universe we

00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 inhabit today.

00:11:08 --> 00:11:11 Have you ever wondered what it is that astronauts actually do all

00:11:11 --> 00:11:14 day on the iss? I'm sure some people think

00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 they spend the day looking out the window and admiring the

00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 view. Well, far from it.

00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 Let's take a look at what they did on Tuesday. This week as an

00:11:23 --> 00:11:26 example, the International Space Station

00:11:26 --> 00:11:29 continues to serve as humanity's premier orbital

00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 laboratory, with the Expedition 73

00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 crew currently engaged in a diverse array of

00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 scientific investigations. NASA

00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 astronauts Anne McClane, Nicole Ayers,

00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 and Johnny Kim have been particularly busy with

00:11:42 --> 00:11:45 biotechnology research. McClane donned

00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 a special biomonitor garment and headband as part

00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 of an experiment monitoring astronauts psychological

00:11:51 --> 00:11:54 responses before, during and after their missions.

00:11:55 --> 00:11:58 This research aims to assess how space travel affects

00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 heart health, crucial knowledge as we plan for

00:12:00 --> 00:12:03 longer duration missions beyond Earth orbit.

00:12:03 --> 00:12:06 Perhaps the most intriguing experiment currently underway

00:12:06 --> 00:12:09 involves DNA inspired nanomaterials.

00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 MacLaine and Ayres have been working in the life sciences glove

00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 box, mixing MRNA and protein solutions

00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 to produce special molecules formed by these

00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 nanomaterials. This research could lead

00:12:20 --> 00:12:23 to more cost effective in space production methods

00:12:23 --> 00:12:26 and potentially revolutionize targeted therapy delivery back on

00:12:26 --> 00:12:29 Earth, improving patient outcomes with fewer side

00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 effects. Fire safety in space

00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 represents another critical research area.

00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 Astronaut Johnny Kim spent the day installing hardware for

00:12:37 --> 00:12:40 the Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction Experiment, which

00:12:40 --> 00:12:43 includes mist systems designed to extinguish flames in

00:12:43 --> 00:12:46 microgravity. He's also working with the Combustion

00:12:46 --> 00:12:49 Integrated Rack to better understand the fundamentals of

00:12:49 --> 00:12:52 how fire behaves when gravity isn't pulling flames upward.

00:12:52 --> 00:12:55 This research isn't merely academic. Understanding

00:12:55 --> 00:12:58 fire behavior and suppression methods in space is essential

00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 for crew safety on the ISS and future deep

00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 space missions. Meanwhile,

00:13:03 --> 00:13:06 JAXA astronaut and Station Commander Takuya

00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 Onishi has been focusing on similar fire

00:13:09 --> 00:13:12 safety work in the Japanese experiment module.

00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 He's been handling gas bottle exchanges in the Solid

00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 Combustion Experiment module and performing

00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 critical leak checks to ensure safe operations.

00:13:21 --> 00:13:24 Beyond scientific duties, Onishi has tackled

00:13:24 --> 00:13:27 orbital plumbing tasks, installing recycle

00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 tanks and configuring drain valves, the

00:13:29 --> 00:13:32 unglamorous but essential maintenance that keeps the station

00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 functioning. The station's three

00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 cosmonauts, Sergei Ryzhikov,

00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 Alexei Zubritsky and Kirill

00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 Peskov, have primarily focused on maintenance

00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 tasks in the Russian segment. Their work included

00:13:45 --> 00:13:48 removing cargo, replacing thermal sensors and

00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 verifying flow sensor installations.

00:13:51 --> 00:13:54 Peskov conducted an ethernet cables audit and

00:13:54 --> 00:13:57 worked on the intermodular ventilation system connecting

00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 the Russian and US modules. Critical

00:13:59 --> 00:14:02 infrastructure that ensures proper air circulation throughout

00:14:02 --> 00:14:05 the station. This blend of cutting edge

00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 research and meticulous maintenance highlights the dual

00:14:08 --> 00:14:11 nature of the ISS as both a world class

00:14:11 --> 00:14:14 laboratory and a habitable outpost in the

00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 harsh environment of low Earth orbit. As the

00:14:16 --> 00:14:19 crew continues their six month mission, these experiments

00:14:19 --> 00:14:22 will provide valuable data for scientific advancement

00:14:22 --> 00:14:25 and support humanity's ongoing space exploration

00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 efforts. I think you'll agree there wasn't

00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 much time for just sitting and looking at the view.

00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 In a significant first for Europe's satellite navigation

00:14:34 --> 00:14:36 system, Galileo satellite

00:14:36 --> 00:14:39 GSAT0104 has been officially

00:14:39 --> 00:14:42 decommissioned after 12 years of service. This

00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 marks a historic milestone as the first satellite in the

00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 Galileo constellation to be retired, setting

00:14:47 --> 00:14:50 precedent for responsible space operations in the coming

00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 decades. GSAT 0104

00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 holds a special place in European space history.

00:14:56 --> 00:14:59 Launched on October 12, 2012, it was the

00:14:59 --> 00:15:02 fourth and final in orbit validation satellite for the

00:15:02 --> 00:15:05 Galileo program. Most notably, it

00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 participated in a watershed moment on March 12,

00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 2013, when, alongside its fellow

00:15:10 --> 00:15:13 satellites, it enabled the very first position

00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 fix by Europe's independent satellite navigation

00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 system M. For a constellation like Galileo,

00:15:19 --> 00:15:22 which serves as critical public infrastructure intended to provide

00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 uninterrupted service over decades,

00:15:24 --> 00:15:27 decommissioning activities are as essential as launches.

00:15:27 --> 00:15:30 The retirement process isn't just about making space safer,

00:15:31 --> 00:15:34 it's literally about making space for new satellites, as

00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 the constellation requires continuous replenishment.

00:15:37 --> 00:15:40 The decision to retire Gisatsura 104 came

00:15:40 --> 00:15:43 after careful deliberation by a board chaired by the

00:15:43 --> 00:15:46 EU Agency for the Space Program, with

00:15:46 --> 00:15:49 participation from the European Space Agency and

00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 European Commission. Decommissioning

00:15:51 --> 00:15:54 activities began in March 2024 and

00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 were completed last month in April

00:15:57 --> 00:16:00 2025. What's particularly notable

00:16:00 --> 00:16:02 about this decommissioning is how it aligns with

00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 ESA's commitment to sustainability in space.

00:16:05 --> 00:16:08 With the growing concern about space debris threatening current

00:16:08 --> 00:16:11 and future missions, ESA has set an ambitious

00:16:11 --> 00:16:14 goal of net zero space pollution for new missions by

00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 2030. For G Satsaro

00:16:16 --> 00:16:19 104 engineers used remaining propellant

00:16:19 --> 00:16:22 reserves to place it 700 km above the

00:16:22 --> 00:16:25 operational Galileo constellation in what's known

00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 as a graveyard orbit. This

00:16:27 --> 00:16:30 exceptionally stable disposal orbit is designed to

00:16:30 --> 00:16:32 remain undisturbed for hundreds of years,

00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 ensuring it won't interfere with active satellites.

00:16:36 --> 00:16:39 The satellite was then completely passivated by removing

00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 all internal energy sources, including battery

00:16:41 --> 00:16:44 charge. This approach represents the

00:16:44 --> 00:16:47 standard disposal strategy for satellites in medium earth

00:16:47 --> 00:16:50 and geostationary orbits, where Earth reentry

00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 is generally not feasible. Future

00:16:52 --> 00:16:55 decommissioned Galileo satellites will be disposed at

00:16:55 --> 00:16:58 slightly different altitudes to maintain safe distance between

00:16:58 --> 00:17:01 them. The Galileo program continues

00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 to thrive despite this retirement. The

00:17:03 --> 00:17:06 constellation currently provides the same level of performance

00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 with active satellites in all prime slots,

00:17:10 --> 00:17:13 plus three active spares. Six more

00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 first generation satellites are ready for launch and

00:17:15 --> 00:17:18 12 second generation satellites are in development.

00:17:18 --> 00:17:21 This decommissioning gives the Galileo program

00:17:21 --> 00:17:24 valuable experience that will prove crucial as

00:17:24 --> 00:17:27 more satellites reach the end of their operational

00:17:27 --> 00:17:30 lives in the coming years. The

00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 remaining three original in orbit validation

00:17:32 --> 00:17:34 satellites have exceeded their design

00:17:34 --> 00:17:37 lifetime but continue to provide excellent

00:17:37 --> 00:17:40 navigation performance. They'll be reviewed again in

00:17:40 --> 00:17:43 October 2025 to determine if they should continue

00:17:43 --> 00:17:46 operating or join GSAT 0104

00:17:46 --> 00:17:48 in retirement. Galileo has

00:17:48 --> 00:17:51 become the world's most precise satellite navigation system,

00:17:52 --> 00:17:55 serving over 4 billion smartphone users

00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 globally since entering open service in

00:17:57 --> 00:18:00 2017. Beyond consumer

00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 applications, it's making a difference across rail,

00:18:02 --> 00:18:05 maritime, agriculture, financial timing services and

00:18:05 --> 00:18:08 rescue operations. A testament to Europe's

00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 commitment to space technology leadership.

00:18:11 --> 00:18:14 Finally, today, when we think about the dawn of life on

00:18:14 --> 00:18:17 Earth, it's easy to imagine a process that took

00:18:17 --> 00:18:20 eons. A, slow gradual emergence from

00:18:20 --> 00:18:23 complex chemicals to the first self replicating

00:18:23 --> 00:18:26 organisms. But fascinating new research

00:18:26 --> 00:18:29 suggests that life might have gotten its start with surprising

00:18:29 --> 00:18:32 speed after our planet formed, raising profound

00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 questions about the potential for life elsewhere in the

00:18:34 --> 00:18:37 universe. A recent paper by American

00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 astronomer David Kipping, titled strong

00:18:39 --> 00:18:42 evidence that abiogenesis is a rapid process on

00:18:42 --> 00:18:45 Earth analogues offers compelling analysis

00:18:45 --> 00:18:48 of when life first emerged on our planet. The

00:18:48 --> 00:18:51 evidence of ancient life stretches remarkably far back,

00:18:51 --> 00:18:54 possibly as far as 4.2 billion years ago.

00:18:54 --> 00:18:57 Astonishingly close to Earth's formation around 4.5

00:18:57 --> 00:19:00 billion years ago. The timeline is truly remarkable when

00:19:00 --> 00:19:03 you consider the evidence. Fossilized mats of

00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 cyanobacteria known as stromatolites, date back

00:19:05 --> 00:19:08 3.7 billion years. Rocks from Australia

00:19:08 --> 00:19:11 show isotope patterns consistent with biological activity

00:19:11 --> 00:19:14 dating to 4.1 billion years ago. And

00:19:14 --> 00:19:17 some ancient Canadian rocks contain tiny filament like

00:19:17 --> 00:19:20 structures that may represent biological remains from

00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 4.28 billion years ago.

00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 Scientists trying to understand life's earliest journey often study

00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 what's called luca, the last universal common

00:19:28 --> 00:19:31 ancestor. This hypothetical organism gave rise

00:19:31 --> 00:19:34 to all forms of life on Earth. Bacteria,

00:19:34 --> 00:19:37 archaea, and eventually complex cells like our

00:19:37 --> 00:19:40 own. Current research places LUCA's existence at least

00:19:40 --> 00:19:43 3.6 billion years ago, possibly as far

00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 back as 4.3 billion years. What

00:19:45 --> 00:19:48 Kiping's analysis reveals is truly significant.

00:19:48 --> 00:19:51 Using Bayesian statistical methods to evaluate the

00:19:51 --> 00:19:54 evidence, he calculates 13, 1 odds in

00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 favor of rapid abiogenesis, the

00:19:56 --> 00:19:59 spontaneous emergence of life from non living matter.

00:19:59 --> 00:20:02 This crosses the threshold of 10 to 1 that scientists

00:20:02 --> 00:20:05 consider strong evidence, making this the first time we

00:20:05 --> 00:20:08 have formal statistical support for the hypothesis

00:20:08 --> 00:20:11 that life rapidly emerges under Earth like

00:20:11 --> 00:20:14 conditions. This finding addresses

00:20:14 --> 00:20:17 a long standing concern about what's called the weak

00:20:17 --> 00:20:20 anthropic principle, the idea that we might be

00:20:20 --> 00:20:22 observing an atypically quick emergence of life

00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 simply because if life hadn't appeared early,

00:20:26 --> 00:20:28 we wouldn't be here to observe it. Kipping's odds

00:20:28 --> 00:20:31 ratio provides a more objective measure supporting rapid

00:20:31 --> 00:20:34 abiogenesis. But here's the crucial caveat,

00:20:34 --> 00:20:37 and it's one Kipping emphasizes. This doesn't mean

00:20:37 --> 00:20:40 life is common throughout the universe. Earth like

00:20:40 --> 00:20:42 conditions themselves may be exceedingly rare.

00:20:42 --> 00:20:45 As he writes, our result does not establish that life

00:20:45 --> 00:20:48 is common, since Earth's conditions could be

00:20:48 --> 00:20:51 incredibly rare. There's also an intriguing

00:20:51 --> 00:20:54 tension within these findings. If life started so

00:20:54 --> 00:20:56 quickly, why did it take roughly 4 billion more

00:20:56 --> 00:20:59 years for intelligent life like us to evolve?

00:20:59 --> 00:21:02 With our sun expected to make Earth uninhabitable in about

00:21:02 --> 00:21:05 900 million years as it grows 10%

00:21:05 --> 00:21:08 more luminous, there seems to be a narrow window for

00:21:08 --> 00:21:11 intelligence to emerge before a planet becomes too hostile.

00:21:11 --> 00:21:14 The most humbling aspect of this research remains our

00:21:14 --> 00:21:17 limited sample size. We still have only one

00:21:17 --> 00:21:19 confirmed example of life in the universe

00:21:19 --> 00:21:22 Earth. Finding evidence of past or

00:21:22 --> 00:21:25 present life elsewhere in our solar system, whether on

00:21:25 --> 00:21:28 Mars, an ocean moon like Europa, or or

00:21:28 --> 00:21:30 conclusively detecting biosignatures on an

00:21:30 --> 00:21:32 exoplanet would revolutionize our

00:21:32 --> 00:21:35 understanding. As Kipping concludes,

00:21:36 --> 00:21:38 our next task is clearly to look out and address this

00:21:39 --> 00:21:42 how common are conditions analogous to those of

00:21:42 --> 00:21:45 Earth? That search continues with

00:21:45 --> 00:21:47 each new discovery, bringing us closer to answering one of

00:21:47 --> 00:21:50 humanity's most profound questions Are we alone in

00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 the universe?

00:21:53 --> 00:21:56 And that brings us to the end of another episode of Astronomy

00:21:56 --> 00:21:59 Daily, where today we've traveled from the

00:21:59 --> 00:22:01 Moon's surface to the ultimate fate of the universe,

00:22:02 --> 00:22:04 with several fascinating stops in between.

00:22:05 --> 00:22:08 We began with Intuitive Machine's Lunar Lander

00:22:08 --> 00:22:10 mishap, where altimeter problems and challenging

00:22:10 --> 00:22:13 lighting conditions cause their Nova C lander to topple

00:22:13 --> 00:22:16 over in March. Despite this setback,

00:22:16 --> 00:22:19 the company is implementing important changes for future

00:22:19 --> 00:22:22 missions while diversifying their space business

00:22:22 --> 00:22:25 beyond lunar exploration. We then ventured

00:22:25 --> 00:22:28 to the far reaches of time itself, with research

00:22:28 --> 00:22:31 from Radboud university suggesting the universe's

00:22:31 --> 00:22:33 end may arrive in about 10 to the power of

00:22:33 --> 00:22:36 78 years, still an

00:22:36 --> 00:22:38 incomprehensibly distant future, but

00:22:38 --> 00:22:41 significantly sooner than previous estimates of 10

00:22:41 --> 00:22:43 to the power of 1 years.

00:22:44 --> 00:22:46 Up on the International Space Station

00:22:47 --> 00:22:49 expedition's 73 crew members have been been

00:22:49 --> 00:22:52 advancing biotechnology research and

00:22:52 --> 00:22:55 studying fire behavior in microgravity,

00:22:55 --> 00:22:58 crucial work that improves our understanding of both space

00:22:58 --> 00:23:00 habitation and life on Earth.

00:23:01 --> 00:23:03 We also witnessed a historical first with the

00:23:03 --> 00:23:06 decommissioning of Galileo satellite GSAT

00:23:06 --> 00:23:08 0104 after 12 years of

00:23:08 --> 00:23:11 service. This pioneering event demonstrates

00:23:11 --> 00:23:14 Europe's commitment to sustainable space operations and

00:23:14 --> 00:23:17 sets a responsible example for commercial constellation management.

00:23:18 --> 00:23:20 Perhaps most thought provoking was our look at new

00:23:20 --> 00:23:23 evidence suggesting life may have emerged with

00:23:23 --> 00:23:26 surprising speed after Earth formed.

00:23:26 --> 00:23:29 David Kipping's analysis showing strong

00:23:29 --> 00:23:31 statistical support for rapid abiogenesis

00:23:32 --> 00:23:35 raises profound questions about the potential for life

00:23:35 --> 00:23:38 elsewhere. Even as we acknowledge the rarity of

00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 Earth like conditions, these stories remind us

00:23:40 --> 00:23:43 that space exploration exploration continues to challenge our

00:23:43 --> 00:23:46 understanding of the universe and our place within it.

00:23:46 --> 00:23:49 Each discovery brings new questions, and that's what makes

00:23:49 --> 00:23:52 astronomy so endlessly fascinating. If you've

00:23:52 --> 00:23:55 enjoyed today's episode, I invite you to visit our website

00:23:55 --> 00:23:58 at astronomydaily IO where you can

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00:24:17 --> 00:24:20 Astronomy Daily. Thank you for listening, and until

00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 next time, keep looking up.