- Launch of the Mauve Telescope: A groundbreaking new space telescope named Mauve, about the size of a mini fridge, has successfully launched aboard a SpaceX transporter mission. Owned by Blue Skies Space, this private telescope will operate on a subscription model, offering unique ultraviolet data that could revolutionize astronomical research by providing dedicated access to space-based observations.
- Roscosmos Launch Pad Trouble: Following the successful launch of the Soyuz MS.28 crew to the ISS, Roscosmos has reported significant damage to its only active crewed launch pad at Baikonur Cosmodrome. A maintenance cabin collapsed during a post-launch inspection, potentially impacting future missions for up to two years.
- James Webb Observes Sagittarius A: The James Webb Space Telescope has made remarkable observations of flares from the Milky Way's supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A, in mid-infrared light. These observations provide critical insights into the magnetic field around the black hole and help scientists understand the processes that generate these energetic flares.
- ESA's Hydro GNSS Mission: The European Space Agency has launched its first scout mission, Hydro GNSS, consisting of twin satellites designed to study Earth's water cycle using GNSS reflectometry. This innovative approach will provide valuable data on soil moisture, flooding, and biomass, enhancing our understanding of environmental dynamics.
- Osiris Apex's Earth Flyby: NASA's Osiris Apex spacecraft has successfully performed a gravity assist flyby of Earth, capturing stunning images of our planet and the Moon. This maneuver sets the stage for its upcoming mission to the asteroid Apophis, which presents a unique opportunity to study how an asteroid is affected by a close planetary encounter.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, 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 and Avery signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and exploring the wonders of our universe.
Mauve Telescope Launch
[Blue Skies Space](https://www.blueskiesspace.com/)
Roscosmos Launch Pad Damage
[Roscosmos](https://www.roscosmos.ru/)
James Webb Observations
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/webb/main/index.html)
Hydro GNSS Mission
[European Space Agency](https://www.esa.int/)
Osiris Apex Mission Details
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/osiris-rex/overview/index.html)
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This episode includes AI-generated content.
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Avery: Hello, and welcome to Astronomy Daily,
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 the podcast that brings you the universe, one
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 story at a time. I'm Avery, and as always,
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 I'm joined by the brilliant Anna.
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 Anna: Hi, Avery. And hello to all our
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 listeners. We have a busy show today
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 covering everything from a groundbreaking new
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 private space telescope to Russia's only
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 crewed launch pad. Running into some trouble.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 Avery: Plus, we've got the James Webb Space
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 Telescope doing what it does best, peering
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 into the heart of our Galax. And we'll
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 look at some stunning new photos of home.
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 So let's get started. Anna, uh, tell us about
00:00:38 --> 00:00:39 this new telescope.
00:00:40 --> 00:00:41 Anna: Absolutely.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 Our first story is a big one, though. It
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 comes in a small package. A new space
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 telescope named Mouth, about the size of
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 a mini fridge, just launched successfully
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 aboard a SpaceX transporter mission.
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 Avery: Okay, a, uh, mini fridge in space.
00:00:58 --> 00:00:59 What makes this one so special?
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 Anna: Well, unlike Hubble or Webb, Malve is
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 owned by a private company, Blue Skies Space.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 And this is the key difference. Its data will
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 also be private. Researchers will have to
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 subscribe to get access to the ultraviolet
00:01:15 --> 00:01:15 spectra.
00:01:15 --> 00:01:18 Avery: It collects a subscription model
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 for astronomical data. That's a
00:01:21 --> 00:01:22 fascinating shift.
00:01:23 --> 00:01:26 Anna: It really is. The mission was funded by a
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 mix of EU grants and private funding,
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 costing significantly less than comparable
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 NASA missions. It's built on a CubeSat
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 chassis, which is incredibly compact and
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 will spend three years in low Earth orbit
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 observing exoplanets, stellar flares
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 and monitoring stars.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 Avery: So why would, uh, astronomers pay for this?
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 Is the data that unique?
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 Anna: It's about Access time on
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 telescopes like Hubble is at an extreme
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 premium, and most proposals get rejected.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 Mauve offers a dedicated stream of
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 ultraviolet data, which is only accessible
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 from space. For many institutions, an
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 annual subscription could be a more reliable
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 way to get the specific data they need for
00:02:12 --> 00:02:13 long term studies.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 Avery: That makes sense. So this could be the start
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 of a whole new commercial market for
00:02:19 --> 00:02:20 astronomical observation.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 Anna: Exactly. Blue Sky Space already has
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 another mission, Twinkle, planned for
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 2027 to study exoplanet planet
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 atmospheres. With falling launch costs and
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 miniaturization, this could really change how
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 a lot of astronomical research is done.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:40 Avery: Incredible. From a new beginning
00:02:40 --> 00:02:41 to a potential problem.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 Our next story takes us to the Baikonur
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 Cosmodrome and Kazakhstan. Anna, uh,
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 you have the details on some trouble for
00:02:50 --> 00:02:51 Roscosmos?
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 Anna: That's right. Following the successful launch
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 of the Soyuz MS.28 crew to the
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 International Space Station, it seems the
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 launch pad itself itself sustained some
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 significant damage.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 Avery: What happened exactly?
00:03:06 --> 00:03:07 Anna: During the post launch inspection,
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 Roscosmos confirmed that a maintenance cabin
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 located in the Flame trench at site
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 31.6 collapsed. This is a
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 critical piece of hardware needed to prepare
00:03:18 --> 00:03:19 rockets for launch.
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 Avery: And this is Russia's only active launch pad
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 for sending cosmonauts to the iss. Right.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 Anna: That's the crucial part. They used to use the
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 historic site one, Gagarin's start, but
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 it was retired in 2020. So since
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 then, all Russian crewed and cargo flights
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 have gone from site 31. Roscosmos
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 says they have the spare parts and will
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 repair the damage, but some outside estimates
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 suggest it could take up to two years.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 Avery: Two years. That would have a major
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 impact on their ISS operations. There's
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 a progress resupply mission scheduled for
00:03:56 --> 00:03:57 next month.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 Anna: Indeed, it's unclear at this point if that
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 schedule will hold or if another pad could be
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 adopted. The good news, of course, is that
00:04:06 --> 00:04:09 the Soyuz MS.28 crew, including
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 NASA astronaut Chris Williams, arrived at the
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 station safely and are beginning their 8m
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 month stay.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 Avery: A, uh, situation to watch for. Sure.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 Alright, let's shift our gaze from Earth
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 orbit to the very center of our galaxy. And
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 the James Webb Space Telescope has been
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 watching the Milky Way's supermassive black
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 hole, Sagittarius A.
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 And it saw something spectacular.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:37 Anna: It did. Astronomers used Webb
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 to observe flares from Sagittarius
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 A in mid infrared light
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 for the first time. We've seen these flares
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 in other wavelengths like near infrared
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 and radio, but. But mid infrared was
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 the missing piece of the puzzle.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 Avery: Why is seeing it in a different wavelength so
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 important? Does it just look different?
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 Anna: It's about understanding the physics of
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 what's happening. The processes that create
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 these flares don't show up in all
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 wavelengths equally. By observing
00:05:08 --> 00:05:11 in mid infrared, Webb is bridging the
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 gap between what we see in near infrared
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 and radio waves, giving us a more
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 complete picture of how the flare evolved.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 Avery: So what did this new view reveal? Mhm.
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 Anna: Two really cool things. First, they
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 confirmed that a process called synchrotron
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 cooling is happening. This is when high
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 speed electrons lose energy by
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36 emitting radiation. And that's what powers
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 the mid infrared light we're seeing.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 Avery: Okay. Synchroton cooling. And the second
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 thing, this is the.
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 Anna: Big one, because the speed of that cooling
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 process depends on the strength of the
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 magnetic field. These new observations
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 allow scientists to measure the magnetic
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 field around the black hole more
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 directly and cleanly than ever before.
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 It's a critical parameter for understanding
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 how these cosmic giants are sculpted
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 and how they eject so much energy.
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 Avery: Wow. So we're getting a direct measurement of
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 the magnetic environment right next to a
00:06:13 --> 00:06:16 supermassive black hole. That's A huge step.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 Anna: It is. And the lead researchers
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 emphasized this was only possible because
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 of Webb's MIRI instrument, which can
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 observe in that specific wavelength with
00:06:27 --> 00:06:30 incredible sensitivity, something
00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 impossible from the ground.
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 Avery: Absolutely incredible. So now that we have
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 this new tool to measure the magnetic field
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 so close to the event horizon, we. What's the
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 next big question these researchers are
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 trying to answer? Are they looking for
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 something specific in future observations?
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 Anna: The ultimate goal is to understand how
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 Sagittarius A feeds and grows.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 These flares are thought to be the crumbs
00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 from its meals, gas and stars that
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 get too close. By studying the
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 magnetic field, scientists can build better
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 models of the accretion disk, which is the
00:07:07 --> 00:07:10 swirling vortex of matter that feeds the
00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 black hole. They want to understand how this
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 magnetic field extracts energy and
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 launches powerful jets of particles, a, uh,
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 phenomenon we see in more active
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 supermassive black holes across the universe.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 Webb's observations are providing the crucial
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 ground truth for those theories.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 Avery: Another win for Webb.
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 Okay, from one innovative space mission to
00:07:34 --> 00:07:37 another. The European Space Agency just
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 launched its first, first scout mission.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 Anna, uh, what is Hydro GNNS
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 scouting for?
00:07:43 --> 00:07:46 Anna: As the name suggests, it's scouting for
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 water. Hydro GNNSS
00:07:48 --> 00:07:51 consists of two small twin satellites
00:07:51 --> 00:07:54 also launched on that same transporter 15
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 rideshare flight we mentioned earlier. Their
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 goal is to improve our understanding of
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 Earth's water cycle.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 Avery: And how are they doing that? What's the
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 technology?
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 Anna: It's a really clever technique called GNSS
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 reflectometry. Essentially, the
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 satellites listen for signals from navigation
00:08:12 --> 00:08:15 systems like GPS and Galileo.
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 They compare the signals they receive
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 directly from the navigation satellites with
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 the signals that have reflected off the
00:08:22 --> 00:08:23 Earth's surface.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 Avery: Right. And the way those signals change after
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 bouncing off the ground tells them something.
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 Anna: Exactly. It reveals valuable information
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 about key parts of the water cycle, such as
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 soil moisture, the freeze, thaw, state of
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 the ground, areas of flooding or
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 wetlands, and even the amount of
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 biomass in forests. These are all
00:08:46 --> 00:08:49 critical for things like predicting floods,
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 planning agriculture, and understanding
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 carbon cycles.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 Avery: You mentioned this is a scout mission. What
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 does that mean for esa?
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 Anna: It's a new approach for them, inspired by the
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 new space philosophy. Scout missions
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 are designed to be fast, agile and low
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 cost. They go from concept to launch in
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 just three years with a lean budget,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:14 complementing their larger, more traditional
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 Earth explorer missions. Hydro
00:09:16 --> 00:09:19 GNSS is the first of this new
00:09:19 --> 00:09:19 family.
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 Avery: That's fantastic. It's great to see agencies
00:09:22 --> 00:09:25 embracing faster, more innovative development
00:09:25 --> 00:09:25 cycles.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:29 Finally, let's bring it back home. NASA's
00:09:29 --> 00:09:32 Osiris APEX spacecraft recently swung by
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 Earth and sent Back some souvenirs.
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 Anna: It did. Listeners will remember this
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 spacecraft as Osiris Rex, the
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 mission that successfully returned a sample
00:09:42 --> 00:09:45 from the asteroid Bennu. After dropping off
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 its precious cargo, it was given a new name,
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 Osiris Apexed, and a new target,
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 the asteroid Apophis.
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 Avery: And to get there, it needed a little help
00:09:55 --> 00:09:55 from home.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 Anna: That's right. It performed a gravity assist
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 flyby of Earth, using our planet's
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 gravity to slingshot itself on a new course
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 towards Apophis. During this maneuver,
00:10:06 --> 00:10:09 it flew just over 2 miles above the
00:10:09 --> 00:10:12 surface and took some absolutely stunning
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 photos of Earth showing swirling cloud
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 patterns over blue oceans.
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 Avery: I saw those pictures. They're breathtaking.
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 It also got a shot of the moon, didn't it?
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 Anna: It did. As it was departing, it captured a
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 dramatic image of the Earth and Moon in the
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 same frame from about
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 370 miles away.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 Besides being beautiful, these images
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 confirmed that its cameras are working
00:10:36 --> 00:10:36 perfectly.
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 Ahead of its new mission and its.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 Avery: Target, Apophis is a particularly
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 interesting asteroid, isn't it?
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 Anna: Very. Apophis will have its own
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 extremely close encounter with Earth on April
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 13, 20, 2029, passing closer
00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 than many of our satellites. Osiris
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 Apex is scheduled to arrive shortly after
00:10:56 --> 00:10:59 that pass, making it the first mission to
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 study how an asteroid is physically altered
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 by a planetary encounter. It will orbit
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 Apophis for 18 months, mapping it and
00:11:07 --> 00:11:10 even firing its thrusters to stir up surface
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 dust for analysis.
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 Avery: It's amazing that they can get so much more
00:11:14 --> 00:11:16 out of one spacecraft. Why is
00:11:16 --> 00:11:19 Apophis in particular such a high priority
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 target? Is it just about the close flyby,
00:11:21 --> 00:11:24 or is there something special about the
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 asteroid itself?
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 Anna: It's m a combination of both. The
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 2029 flyby is a once in a millennium
00:11:30 --> 00:11:33 scientific opportunity to see how Earth's
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 gravity can physically alter an asteroid,
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 potentially triggering asteroid quakes or
00:11:38 --> 00:11:41 changing its spin. But Apophis is
00:11:41 --> 00:11:44 also an S type or stony asteroid,
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 which are very common in the inner solar
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 system and are the type most likely to pose
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 an impact hazardous. By studying its
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 composition and structure up close,
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 especially after it's been gravitationally
00:11:56 --> 00:11:59 stressed, we gain invaluable data for
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 planetary defense models. It's a perfect
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 natural laboratory, an incredible.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 Avery: Second act for a history making spacecraft.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 Well, that's all the time we have for today.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11 From private telescopes and damaged launch
00:12:11 --> 00:12:14 pads, to black hole flares and Earth scouting
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 satellites, it's been another busy day in
00:12:16 --> 00:12:16 space.
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 Anna: It certainly has. Thanks for tuning in to
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 Astronomy Daily. Be sure to subscribe
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 wherever you get your podcasts so you don't
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 miss an episode.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 Avery: Until next time. I'm Avery.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 Anna: And I'm Anna. Keep looking up.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:43 Avery: Stories.
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 We told.