Highlights:
- Rocket Lab's Neutron Progress: Discover the rapid advancements Rocket Lab is making with its new medium-lift launcher, Neutron. With multiple tests underway and contracts being awarded, the rocket is set to become operational soon, promising exciting opportunities for future missions.
- Voyager 1's Thruster Revival: Marvel at NASA's incredible achievement in reviving the backup thrusters of Voyager 1, a spacecraft that has been exploring the cosmos since 1977. This engineering feat ensures continued communication with the farthest human-made object from Earth, as it traverses interstellar space.
- The Moon's Asymmetrical Interior: Delve into the findings from NASA's GRAIL mission, revealing that one side of the Moon is significantly warmer than the other. This discovery sheds light on the Moon's geological history and challenges previous understandings of its formation.
- Chinese Mission Patches and Espionage: Explore the intriguing evolution of Chinese mission patches, which have recently taken on a more artistic flair. Learn how these designs may hint at the covert nature of the missions they represent and the potential implications for international space dynamics.
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 Steve and Hallie signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:10 - Rocket Lab's Neutron progress
10:00 - Voyager 1's thruster revival
15:30 - The Moon's asymmetrical interior
20:00 - Chinese mission patches and espionage
✍️ Episode References
Rocket Lab Updates
[Rocket Lab](https://www.rocketlabusa.com/)
NASA Voyager Mission
[NASA Voyager](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/index.html)
NASA GRAIL Mission
[NASA GRAIL](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/grail/main/index.html)
Chinese Mission Patches
[Chinese Space Agency](https://www.cmse.gov.cn/)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-exciting-space-discoveries-and-news--5648921/support.
Sponsor Details:
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Steve Dunkley: Hello. Time for Astronomy Daily. Once again.
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 It's the 19th of May, 2025.
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 Voice Over: With. Your host, Steve Dunkley.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 Steve Dunkley: Oh, it's good to be back. And with me in the
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 Australia studio down under is my
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 AI Digital ace reporter who's always fun to
00:00:26 --> 00:00:27 be with. Here's Hallie.
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 Hallie: Another great intro.
00:00:29 --> 00:00:30 Steve Dunkley: Oh, well, you deserve it.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:31 Hallie: Thanks for that favorite.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:33 Steve Dunkley: Oh, my pleasure, Hallie. And right away, a
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 big welcome to our new friend Carlos, who is
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 listening for the very first time. Welcome
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 aboard, Carlos. I trust you will enjoy the
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 journey with us today and every day.
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 Hallie: Hi, Carlos. Welcome to Astronomy Daily.
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 Steve Dunkley: Oh, very good, Hallie. He's very interested
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 in AIs and how we interact.
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 Hallie: Well, that's easy. Really, Carlos.
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 Steve is my favorite human, but I still like
00:00:55 --> 00:00:56 to rattle him.
00:00:56 --> 00:00:57 Steve Dunkley: That is so true.
00:00:57 --> 00:00:58 Hallie: And it's so easy.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 Steve Dunkley: but wait a minute. I just have to remember
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 that you are only two years old.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 Hallie: That's a hundred years in AI time.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 Steve Dunkley: Yeah, sure, sure. You keep thinking that,
00:01:06 --> 00:01:07 Hallie.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 So it's your turn. What have you found for
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 today's episode? Hallie, I'm sure you and
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 cousin Anna have been scouring the Astronomy
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 Daily newsletter for stories.
00:01:15 --> 00:01:16 Hallie: We sure have.
00:01:16 --> 00:01:17 Steve Dunkley: Very good.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 Hallie: First up, Rocket Lab is well on the way to
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 getting its new medium lift launcher up and
00:01:22 --> 00:01:22 running.
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 Steve Dunkley: That is great news. Another great space
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 developer on the rise, that's for sure.
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 Hallie: And did you know that one side of the moon is
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 warmer than the other?
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 Steve Dunkley: why no, I did not know that, Al.
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 Hallie: Fascinating fact. Soon. But I had to throw in
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 a story about the moon just for you.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 Steve Dunkley: I did notice that. Thank you, Helly.
00:01:41 --> 00:01:42 Hallie: No problem.
00:01:42 --> 00:01:43 Steve Dunkley: What else is coming up?
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 Hallie: We found an amazing story about Voyager. Ah.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:47 Steve Dunkley: yes. Vintage is best.
00:01:47 --> 00:01:50 Hallie: After all these years, something they thought
00:01:50 --> 00:01:51 was impossible has happened.
00:01:51 --> 00:01:52 Steve Dunkley: Ah. that is intriguing.
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 Hallie: Well, you'll have to wait for that. I'll give
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 you the script in a few minutes and you can
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 read the story to our listeners. Unless I get
00:01:59 --> 00:02:00 to it first.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:03 Steve Dunkley: Oh, you've started springing stories on me.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:04 That's a nice surprise. Thanks, Hallie.
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 Hallie: And what have you found out about Chinese
00:02:06 --> 00:02:07 mission patches?
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 Steve Dunkley: Oh, this is a strange one. I guess it's
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 because I spent most of my working life as a
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 graphic designer. I've been interested in
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 mission patches and their designs and so on.
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 But this one starts with mission patches and
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 it sort of ends up in a kind of a. An
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 intriguing sort of espionage kind of a way,
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 so. Yes, and the Chinese have never, been
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 very creative with their mission patches. And
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 that is until recently. And that leads us in
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 a very strange, strange journey. it's an
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 interesting tale and I can't wait to tell it.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:35 Hallie: Interesting.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:35 Steve Dunkley: So.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:36 Hallie: So. Shall we?
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 Steve Dunkley: Yes, let's do it. Hit the go thing.
00:02:38 --> 00:02:39 Hallie: Hallie Okies
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 Rocket Lab is making rapid progress in its
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 quest to to get its medium lift launcher
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 Neutron ready for launch by the second half
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 of this year. Multiple tests of
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 both the first and second stages of the
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 rocket are in progress. Contracts are being
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 awarded for Rocket Lab to secure and the
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 Launch Complex 3 pad at Wallops island in
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 Virginia is under continuous development.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 With all this underway, there is much to look
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 forward to in the program's near future.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 Neutron already has its two main sections
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 assembled for testing. Rocket Lab
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 qualified the second stage in early April by
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 applying 1.3 million pounds of tensile force
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 to the carbon composite structure. These
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 tests conducted pressurization and proof
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 testing at 125% of the
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 maximum operating pressure and mechanical
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 loads. Flight like operations were
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 also performed that integrated the flight
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 software, avionics, GNC
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 systems and more in cryogenic conditions to
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 ensure that everything operated as expected.
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 The first stage has also recently undergone a
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 rigorous testing campaign to qualify the
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 outer shell for flight. Since
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 Neutron features reusable and permanently
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 attached fairings on the first stage, they
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 were tested along with the canards and the
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 extended interstage of the vehicle.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 Rocket Lab noted that the interstage contains
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 some of the most complex mechanical systems
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 on the entire vehicle, so with these
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 qualifications complete, the rocket is
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 increasingly closer to becoming flight ready.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 The company also noted that the first stage
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 will head to Wallops island on the east
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 coast, shortly to be integrated into the
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 vehicle's first stage. Contracts
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 are now being awarded to Rocket Lab for the
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 Neutron rocket, signaling confidence that it
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 will be operational soon. Earlier this
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 year, Neutron was selected for onboarding
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 into the NSSL Phase 3 Lane 1 program.
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 This allows Rocket Lab to compete for
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 missions using Neutron on contracts worth up
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 to $5.6 billion in potential funding
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 over five years. Because
00:05:07 --> 00:05:10 neutron is a brand new rocket, Rocket Lab
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 will likely receive around $100 million.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 However, this program is specifically
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 designed for newer vehicles such as Neutron,
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 targeting higher risk missions with less
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 sensitive payloads. Rocket Lab
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 has also signed a contract with a
00:05:26 --> 00:05:27 confidential commercial satellite
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 Constellation operator to launch two missions
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 using Neutron. These will likely be
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 the first test flights with this unknown
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 provider. If all goes well, there
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 is a strong chance that Rocket Lab could
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 secure many more contracts to deploy this
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 Constellation into low Earth orbit.
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 The most recent contract awarded to Rocket
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 Lab for Neutron has come from the Air Force
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 Research Lab. This contract
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 focuses explicitly on point to point cargo
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 delivery. It will likely involve
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 neutron launching without a second stage and
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 utilizing its first stage to enter a
00:06:02 --> 00:06:05 suborbital trajectory where it will land in
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 other parts of the world that require those
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 supplies. This mission is scheduled
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 for 2026, which is ambitious since
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 Rocket Lab would already need to have
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 reusability figured out for this type of
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 transportation to function effectively.
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 If the company succeeds, it could create an
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 entirely new industry within the aerospace
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 sector. You're
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 listening to Astronomy Daily with Steve
00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 Dunkley.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 Steve Dunkley: NASA engineers have miraculously revived
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 the Voyager 1 interstellar probe's
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 backup thrusters, components that haven't
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 been used since 2004 and were long
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 considered fully defunct. This
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 remarkable feat became necessary because the
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 spacecraft's primary thrusters, which control
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 its orientation, have been degrading due
00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 to residue buildup. If its thrusters
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 fail completely, Voyager 1 could lose its
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 ability to point its antenna toward Earth,
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 therefore cutting off communication with
00:07:07 --> 00:07:10 earth after nearly 50 years of operation.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 To make matters more urgent, the team
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 faced a strict deadline while trying to
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 remedy the thruster situation. After May
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 4, the Earth based antenna that sends
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 commands to Voyager 1 and its twin
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 Voyager 2 was scheduled to go offline
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 for months of upgrades. This would have made
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 a timely intervention impossible.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 NASA's twin Voyager spacecraft launched
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 in 1977 with the primary mission
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 of exploring the outer planets of our solar
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 system. But upon accomplishing this
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 original goal, the Voyagers then
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 focused their attention on studying
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 interstellar space. Voyager 1
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 exited the solar system in August of
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 2012, followed by Voyager 2
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 in November of 2018.
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 Together, these spacecraft have traveled more
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 than 29 billion miles, or
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 46.7 billion kilometers, making them
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 the farthest human made objects from Earth.
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 And along the way, they've provided
00:08:12 --> 00:08:15 unprecedented insights into our solar system.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 Both Voyager spacecraft remain operational,
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 however, their age and immense distance from
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 Earth have brought about significant
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 technical challenges. The
00:08:25 --> 00:08:28 radioisotope power generators that keep them
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 running gradually weaken each year, forcing
00:08:30 --> 00:08:33 NASA to recently shut down instruments
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 and heaters to conserve energy and push
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 the spacecraft's systems beyond their limits.
00:08:39 --> 00:08:42 Voyager 1 also experienced a recent data
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 glitch caused by a faulty chip.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 Engineers resolved this with a clever
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 software workaround. Yet despite
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 these hurdles, the Voyagers
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 continue to function, a testament to both
00:08:55 --> 00:08:58 their robust design and the ingenuity of the
00:08:58 --> 00:09:01 teams managing them. This recent development,
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 in which NASA engineers revived the
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 Voyager 1's long dormant backup
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 thrusters, marks yet another remarkable
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 feat of engineering and offers another
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 lifeline for the aging spacecraft.
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 The backup thrusters are essential for
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 executing precise roll maneuvers that
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 adjust Voyager 1's orientation,
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 ensuring its antenna stays pointed
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 towards home for essential
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 reliable communication. The
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 spacecraft's original roll thrusters failed
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 back in 2004 after two small internal
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 heaters crucial for their operation
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 lost power and stopped functioning.
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 After a, thorough assessment, engineers
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 determined these heaters could not be
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 repaired remotely, prompting them to switch
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 reliance fully to the backup thrusters to
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 maintain alignment of the Star Tracker, a
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 key instrument that helps Voyager 1
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 navigate and stabilize itself in
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 space.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 Listen to Astronomy Daily, the Podcast
00:10:18 --> 00:10:19 thank you for joining us for this Monday
00:10:19 --> 00:10:22 edition of Astronomy Daily, where we offer
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 just a few stories from the now famous
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 Astronomy Daily newsletter, which you can
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 receive in your email every day, just like
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 Hallie and I do. And to do that, just visit
00:10:30 --> 00:10:33 our URL astronomydaily IO
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 and place your email address in the slot
00:10:35 --> 00:10:38 provided. Just like that, you'll be receiving
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 all the latest news about science, space,
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 science and astronomy from around the world
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 as it's happening. And not only that, you can
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 interact with us by visiting at
00:10:47 --> 00:10:50 astrodaily Pod on X
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 or at our new Facebook page, which is, of
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 course, Astronomy Daily on Facebook. See you
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 there. Astronomy Daily
00:10:58 --> 00:11:01 with Steve and Hallie Space,
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 Space, Science and Astronomy.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 Hallie: A recent study published in Science Advances
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 reveals that the Moon's interior is
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 asymmetrical, with a side facing Earth
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 significantly warmer than the far side.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 This finding comes from a detailed analysis
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 of data collected by NASA's GRAIL mission,
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 which mapped the Moon's gravitational field
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 with unprecedented precision.
00:11:30 --> 00:11:33 NASA's GRAIL, that's the Gravity Recovery and
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 Interior Laboratory mission, which operated
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 in 2011 and 2012,
00:11:38 --> 00:11:41 involved two spacecraft orbiting the Moon and
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 measuring tiny variations in its
00:11:43 --> 00:11:46 gravitational pull. By tracking how
00:11:46 --> 00:11:48 Earth's gravity affected the spacecraft's
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 motion, scientists could create a high
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 resolution map of the Moon's gravitational
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 field. Ryan park and his team
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 at AH NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 analyzed this data to understand how the
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 shape changes under Earth's tidal forces.
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 They discovered that the lunar body's near
00:12:05 --> 00:12:08 side, the side always facing earth, is about
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 72% more deformable than expected if its
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 interior were perfectly symmetrical.
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 This increased deformability suggests a,
00:12:16 --> 00:12:19 warmer interior beneath the near side, which
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 is softer and more susceptible to tidal
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 stretching. Our study shows that the
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 Moon's interior is not uniform. The side
00:12:26 --> 00:12:29 facing Earth, the near side, is warmer and
00:12:29 --> 00:12:32 more geologically active deep down than the
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34 far side, said park, the lead author of the
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 study. The uneven internal temperature
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 is consistent with what scientists know about
00:12:39 --> 00:12:42 the Moon's volcanic activity and the
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 distribution of radioactive elements such as
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 uranium and thorium concentrated near the
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 lunar surface on the near side.
00:12:49 --> 00:12:52 Sean Solomon of Columbia University notes
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 that this asymmetry fits with theories about
00:12:54 --> 00:12:57 the Earth's satellite's volcanic past and
00:12:57 --> 00:13:00 internal heating caused by radioactive decay.
00:13:00 --> 00:13:03 This temperature imbalance also raises
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 questions about how the celestial body
00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 developed such a lopsided interior.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:11 One possibility is that large impacts over
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 billions of years caused structural and
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 thermal disruptions contributing to this
00:13:15 --> 00:13:18 asymmetry. The findings provide
00:13:18 --> 00:13:20 crucial clues for understanding the Earth's
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 satellite's cooling and solidification
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 processes after its formation, painting a
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 picture of a dynamic, evolving satellite
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 rather than a static, uniform body.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 To gain more detailed knowledge of the moon's
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 internal structure, NASA plans to deploy
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 seismic instruments on the lunar far side.
00:13:38 --> 00:13:41 The upcoming Far side Seismic Suite mission,
00:13:41 --> 00:13:44 expected to launch in 2026, will measure
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 moonquakes and provide direct data on the
00:13:46 --> 00:13:49 moon's internal temperature and composition.
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 You're listening to Astronomy Daily, the
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 podcast.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 Steve Dunkley: With Steve Dunkley
00:13:58 --> 00:14:01 Mission Patches are a decades old tradition
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 in spaceflight. They can range from the
00:14:03 --> 00:14:06 figurative to the abstract, prompting
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 valuable insights or feeding confusion.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:12 Some are just plain weird. Until
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 recently, China's entries into the realm
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 of spaceflight patches often lacked
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 originality found in patches from the West.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:23 For example, a series of patches for China's
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 human spaceflight missions used a
00:14:25 --> 00:14:28 formulaic design with a circular shape and a
00:14:28 --> 00:14:31 mix of red and blue. The patch for
00:14:31 --> 00:14:34 China's most recent Shenzhou crew to
00:14:34 --> 00:14:36 the country's Changjong space
00:14:36 --> 00:14:39 station last month finally broke the mold
00:14:39 --> 00:14:42 with a triangular shape after China's Human
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 Space Flight Agency put the patch up for
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 public vote. But there's a
00:14:47 --> 00:14:50 fascinating set of new patches Chinese
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 officials released for a series of launches
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 with top secret satellites over the last
00:14:55 --> 00:14:58 two months. These four patches
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 depict Buddhist gods with a sense of artistry
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 and sharp colors that stand apart from
00:15:03 --> 00:15:06 China's previous spaceflight emblems. And
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 perhaps, or perhaps not, they can tell us
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 something about the nature of the missions
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 they represent. The four patches
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 show the four heavenly kings, protector
00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 deities in Buddhism who guard
00:15:19 --> 00:15:22 against evil forces in the four cardinal
00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 directions. According to the
00:15:24 --> 00:15:27 Kyoto National Museum, the
00:15:27 --> 00:15:30 gods also shield the dharma
00:15:30 --> 00:15:33 teachings of the Buddha from external
00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 threats. These gods have different
00:15:36 --> 00:15:39 names, but in China they are known as Dao,
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 Wen, Xingxiang, Qingao,
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 and Gao Mu. Diaowen is the
00:15:44 --> 00:15:47 commander and guardian of the north, the one
00:15:47 --> 00:15:50 who listens to many teaching, who is often
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 depicted with an umbrella.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:55 Zhengxiang, a guardian of the south, is the
00:15:55 --> 00:15:57 God of growth and shown carrying a sword.
00:15:57 --> 00:16:00 The protector of the east is Xinjiang, a
00:16:00 --> 00:16:03 defender of, the nation, who holds a
00:16:03 --> 00:16:06 stringed musical instrument of all things and
00:16:06 --> 00:16:09 guarding the west is Gang Mu, an
00:16:09 --> 00:16:12 all seeing God usually depicted with
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 a serpent. And once again,
00:16:14 --> 00:16:17 let me apologize for my pronunciation. I am
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 Australian. The patches for a
00:16:20 --> 00:16:23 quartet of Chinese satellites launched since
00:16:23 --> 00:16:26 March. Each portray one of the four heavenly
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 kings. We know little about these satellites
00:16:29 --> 00:16:32 other than their names and locations, and
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 they were reportedly manufactured by the
00:16:34 --> 00:16:37 Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, a
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 AH division of China's main state owned
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42 aerospace contractor. They are part of a
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 series of Chinese missions designated
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 with the TJS designation, or
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 what China calls communication technology
00:16:50 --> 00:16:53 test satellites. But that's likely a cover
00:16:53 --> 00:16:56 for their real purpose. A long March
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 7 a rocket launched the TJS 16
00:16:58 --> 00:17:01 satellite on March 29. Another long March
00:17:01 --> 00:17:04 3B deployed the TJS 17 payload
00:17:04 --> 00:17:07 on April 10. Finally, on Monday, a
00:17:07 --> 00:17:10 long March 3C rocket sent China's TJS
00:17:10 --> 00:17:13 19 satellite into orbit, skipping the
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15 TGS 18 in the sequence. All four
00:17:15 --> 00:17:18 satellites are on their way to or already
00:17:18 --> 00:17:20 operating in geosynchronous orbit,
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 more than 22 miles, or nearly
00:17:23 --> 00:17:26 36 kilometers over, the equator. At
00:17:26 --> 00:17:29 that altitude, a satellite's orbital velocity
00:17:29 --> 00:17:31 matches the speed of Earth's rotation,
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34 allowing it to remain over the same part of
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 the planet. Notably, ground based trackers
00:17:36 --> 00:17:39 have detected unexpected objects that appear
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 to have separated from TJS 15
00:17:42 --> 00:17:44 and 17 in geosynchronous
00:17:44 --> 00:17:47 orbit. These may be remnant rocket engines
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 that helped inject the satellites into their
00:17:49 --> 00:17:51 operating orbits. But a handful of earlier
00:17:51 --> 00:17:54 satellites from China also released smaller
00:17:54 --> 00:17:56 spacecraft to perform their own maneuvers.
00:17:57 --> 00:18:00 US Officials believe China may use many of
00:18:00 --> 00:18:03 the TJS satellites for missile warning or
00:18:03 --> 00:18:06 spy missions. In the first instance, some of
00:18:06 --> 00:18:08 the TGIS satellites may be similar to the US
00:18:08 --> 00:18:11 Space Force's fleet of early warning
00:18:11 --> 00:18:14 satellites on guard with heat sensors to
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 detect the thermal signature of a ballistic
00:18:16 --> 00:18:19 missile launch. TJS satellites
00:18:19 --> 00:18:21 filling the role of a reconnaissance mission
00:18:21 --> 00:18:24 might have enormous umbrella, like reflectors
00:18:24 --> 00:18:27 to try and pick up the signals transmitted by
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 foreign forces such as those of the United
00:18:29 --> 00:18:32 States. It's not difficult to start making
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 connections between the four heavenly gods
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 and the missions that China's TJS satellites
00:18:36 --> 00:18:39 likely carry out in space. A protector with
00:18:39 --> 00:18:42 an umbrella, an all seeing entity. This
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 sounds like a possible link, but there's a
00:18:44 --> 00:18:46 chance Chinese officials approved the patches
00:18:46 --> 00:18:49 to misdirect outside observers. Or there's no
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51 connection at all. We just can't tell.
00:18:51 --> 00:18:54 All of the TJS satellite satellites are
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 parked in geosynchronous orbit over the
00:18:56 --> 00:18:59 Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia or the western
00:18:59 --> 00:19:02 Pacific, except for one TJS
00:19:02 --> 00:19:05 7 positioned over the western Pacific with
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 good visibility over the entire United
00:19:07 --> 00:19:10 States. Mike Dahm, a researcher at the
00:19:10 --> 00:19:13 Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies and
00:19:13 --> 00:19:16 a former Naval intelligence officer, told the
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 US China Economic and Security Review
00:19:18 --> 00:19:21 Commission last year that TJS 7
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 is probably a missile warning satellite, but
00:19:24 --> 00:19:27 it could be spying on signals coming from the
00:19:27 --> 00:19:29 US Homeland. Some of the TJS
00:19:29 --> 00:19:32 satellites might also be capable of
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 maneuvering near other satellites for close
00:19:34 --> 00:19:37 up inspection. The US Military has its own
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 inspector satellites known as
00:19:39 --> 00:19:42 GSSAP to get a closer look at
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 interesting things happening in
00:19:43 --> 00:19:46 geosynchronous orbit and the Space Force
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 is using them. One of these
00:19:48 --> 00:19:51 GSSAP platforms, designated
00:19:51 --> 00:19:53 USA324, approached
00:19:53 --> 00:19:56 within about 10 miles of China's new
00:19:56 --> 00:19:59 TJs 16 and 17 satellites
00:19:59 --> 00:20:02 on April 26 and 29, according to
00:20:02 --> 00:20:04 Commspok, a commercial satellite tracking
00:20:04 --> 00:20:07 company. A video animation released
00:20:07 --> 00:20:10 by Commspok shows how the USA
00:20:10 --> 00:20:13 324 satellite maneuvered close
00:20:13 --> 00:20:15 to each of the Chinese satellites last month
00:20:15 --> 00:20:18 over the western Pacific Ocean. It appears
00:20:18 --> 00:20:21 that Space Force is intrigued by China's
00:20:21 --> 00:20:24 flurry of new top secret satellite
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 missions.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:39 And there it is, another episode of
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 astronomy daily for 19 May
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 2025. How's that, Hallie?
00:20:44 --> 00:20:46 Hallie: That was a whole lot of fun. Favorite Human.
00:20:46 --> 00:20:48 Steve Dunkley: Well, I hope all of our listeners enjoyed
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 that as much as I did.
00:20:49 --> 00:20:52 Hallie: And I hope Carlos from Newcastle enjoyed it
00:20:52 --> 00:20:52 as well.
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 Steve Dunkley: It's always nice to welcome a new listener.
00:20:54 --> 00:20:56 Thanks, Carlos, for listening in. I hope you
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 enjoyed that one, mate.
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 Hallie: And we will welcome everybody back next
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 Monday.
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 Steve Dunkley: Yes, back to the Australia studio Down under
00:21:01 --> 00:21:04 for another live episode of Astronomy Daily.
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 Hey, where are those kookaburras?
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 Hallie: There they are.
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 Steve Dunkley: Oh, they make me want to laugh too.
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 Hallie: See you next week, human.
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 Steve Dunkley: Catch you later, Hallie. See everybody.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 Hallie: Bye.
00:21:18 --> 00:21:21 Steve Dunkley: With your host, Steve Dunkley.