S03E112: Polaris Dawn Rescheduled & NASA's Dark Matter Quest

0:02 Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, the podcast where we explore the

0:05 Speaker 1: latest and greatest in space and astronomy.

0:08 Speaker 2: I'm your host Anna.

0:09 Speaker 1: Today we have an exciting lineup of stories for you,

0:12 Speaker 1: straight from the final Frontier. SpaceX has been making headlines

0:16 Speaker 1: with the delay of the eagerly anticipated Polarist Dawn mission,

0:19 Speaker 1: slated to be the first ever private space walk. In addition,

0:23 Speaker 1: there's news about SpaceX's return to flight with the Starlink

0:26 Speaker 1: ten nine mission after a brief hiatus, and updates on

0:30 Speaker 1: the Crew nine mission to the International Space Station, likely

0:33 Speaker 1: the last NASA led ISS mission to splash down in

0:36 Speaker 1: the Atlantic. Plus, we're diving into groundbreaking developments in dark

0:40 Speaker 1: matter research thanks to NASA's upcoming Roman Space Telescope.

0:43 Speaker 2: So let's dive into what's new in the cosmos.

0:48 Speaker 1: Our first story today concerns the eagerly anticipated Polarist Dawn

0:52 Speaker 1: mission from SpaceX. Originally slated for late July, the mission

0:56 Speaker 1: has now been delayed to mid to late August. This

1:00 Speaker 1: delay was announced during a recent press conference focused on

1:03 Speaker 1: SpaceX's upcoming Crewe nine astronaut mission to the International Space Station,

1:08 Speaker 1: which also has a scheduled launch for No earlier than

1:10 Speaker 1: August eighteenth. Polaris Dawn is set to use SpaceX's crew

1:15 Speaker 1: Dragon spacecraft and Falcon nine rocket, and the mission is

1:18 Speaker 1: truly groundbreaking. It aims to perform the first ever private

1:21 Speaker 1: spacewalk with funding from billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaac Mann. Isaac Mann,

1:27 Speaker 1: who also commanded the historic Inspiration For mission in September

1:30 Speaker 1: twenty twenty one, is once again at the helm of

1:33 Speaker 1: this ambitious flight. The Polaris Dawn crew includes Isaacman himself,

1:37 Speaker 1: pilot Scott kid Poteit, a retired US Air Force lieutenant colonel,

1:41 Speaker 1: and two mission specialists, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, both

1:45 Speaker 1: of whom are engineers at SpaceX. Unlike the Inspiration For mission,

1:49 Speaker 1: which stayed in a lower Earth orbit, Polaris Dawn will

1:52 Speaker 1: aim to go even higher and conduct at least one spacewalk,

1:56 Speaker 1: the first ever all civilian extra vehicular activity. This mission

2:00 Speaker 1: is also the first in a series of three under

2:02 Speaker 1: the Polaris program, all funded and commanded by Isaac Man.

2:06 Speaker 1: The delays aren't new for Polaris Dawn, as this mission

2:09 Speaker 1: has faced multiple reschedules since its original planning for late

2:13 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two. The mission's complexity requires meticulous planning and preparation,

2:18 Speaker 1: hence the necessary delays. During the press conference, Sarah Walker,

2:22 Speaker 1: SpaceX's director of Dragon Mission Management, explained, there's a lot

2:26 Speaker 1: going on on iss right now. We opted to fly

2:29 Speaker 1: the Crew nine mission as our next astronaut mission and

2:31 Speaker 1: are ready to fly Polaris Dawn in late summer as

2:34 Speaker 1: soon as we fulfill those obligations. So while we will

2:37 Speaker 1: need a bit more patience to witness this historic private

2:40 Speaker 1: space walk, it's comforting to know that every measure is

2:43 Speaker 1: being taken to ensure the mission's success. Stay tuned to

2:48 Speaker 1: Astronomy Daily for more updates as the Polaris Dawn mission

2:51 Speaker 1: approaches its new launch window in mid to late August.

2:57 Speaker 1: In recent news, SpaceX is set to resume launching from

3:00 Speaker 1: the Kennedy Space Center after a two week hiatus. Mark

3:03 Speaker 1: your calendars because this return to flight is scheduled for

3:06 Speaker 1: just after midnight and it's a significant one. This mission,

3:10 Speaker 1: code named Starlink ten nine, will mark the fiftieth dedicated

3:14 Speaker 1: Starlink launch for twenty twenty four, a testament to SpaceX's

3:17 Speaker 1: relentless drive to expand its satellite constellation aimed at providing

3:21 Speaker 1: global Internet coverage. This upcoming launch comes on the heels

3:25 Speaker 1: of a thorough investigation prompted by a Falcon nine mishap

3:28 Speaker 1: earlier this month. During a Starlink mission launched on July eleventh,

3:32 Speaker 1: the Falcon nine's upper stage experienced a liquid oxygen leak,

3:36 Speaker 1: which caused an ice build up around the engine and

3:38 Speaker 1: ultimately led to a mission failure. Despite this hiccup, SpaceX

3:41 Speaker 1: has moved quickly to identify and rectify the issue. The

3:45 Speaker 1: Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees commercial space activities in the US,

3:50 Speaker 1: has given SpaceX the green light to resume its launches.

3:54 Speaker 1: According to an FAA statement, a comprehensive review found no

3:58 Speaker 1: public safety concerns related to the anomaly. Essentially, this means

4:02 Speaker 1: that while the overarching investigation continues, SpaceX is free to

4:06 Speaker 1: go ahead with its launch schedule, provided it meets all

4:09 Speaker 1: other licensing requirements. Sarah Walker, SpaceX's director of Dragon Mission Management,

4:15 Speaker 1: mentioned during a recent press conference that the root cause

4:18 Speaker 1: of the liquid oxygen leak was identified as a crack

4:21 Speaker 1: in a sensor line on the vehicle's upper stage. This

4:24 Speaker 1: line had cracked due to high engine vibrations and a

4:26 Speaker 1: loosening clamp, but the issue has since been addressed through

4:30 Speaker 1: modifications and rigorous testing at SpaceX's facilities in Texas. Steve Stitch,

4:36 Speaker 1: the manager of NASA's Commercial Crew program, highlighted that both

4:40 Speaker 1: the FAA and NASA were diligent in their review processes,

4:44 Speaker 1: sharing data and engaging in detailed Q and A sessions

4:47 Speaker 1: to ensure the fixes were robust. It's a clear reminder

4:50 Speaker 1: of the meticulous attention to detail that spaceflight technology demands.

4:55 Speaker 2: The two week.

4:55 Speaker 1: Hiatus has allowed SpaceX to make all necessary adjustments and preparations,

5:00 Speaker 1: and now multiple launches are lined up to follow Starlink

5:03 Speaker 1: ten to nine. The return to flight mission is not

5:06 Speaker 1: just a milestone for SpaceX, but also for their myriad customers,

5:10 Speaker 1: including NASA and the Polaris program, who rely on the

5:13 Speaker 1: Falcon nine's proven track record. Following this launch, SpaceX has

5:17 Speaker 1: two more missions ready to roll, the Starlink ten for

5:20 Speaker 1: mission from another Florida launch complex and the Starlink nine

5:24 Speaker 1: four mission from Vandenberg Space four Space in California. The

5:28 Speaker 1: success of this mission will be crucial for the upcoming

5:32 Speaker 1: Crewe nine astronaut launch to the International Space Station, and

5:36 Speaker 1: of course for the highly anticipated Polaris Dawn mission, which

5:40 Speaker 1: aims to undertake the first ever commercial space walk. So

5:44 Speaker 1: stay tuned because SpaceX is back in action and it's

5:47 Speaker 1: shaping up to be an exciting second half of the

5:49 Speaker 1: year for.

5:50 Speaker 2: Space enthusiasts everywhere.

5:54 Speaker 1: On the horizon for SpaceX, we have the Crew nine mission,

5:58 Speaker 1: which is slated to launch to the International Space Station

6:01 Speaker 1: no earlier than August eighteenth. This mission holds particular significance

6:05 Speaker 1: as it may mark the final NASA led ISS mission

6:09 Speaker 1: to splash down in the Atlantic Ocean. Issues with large

6:13 Speaker 1: chunks of debris from the Dragon spacecraft, specifically the trunks

6:16 Speaker 1: where fuel and electrical supplies are held, have resulted in

6:20 Speaker 1: incidents ranging from Australia to North Carolina. Because of this,

6:24 Speaker 1: SpaceX is considering a change in splash down locations for

6:28 Speaker 1: future missions, potentially moving to the Pacific coast. This change

6:32 Speaker 1: could help mitigate space debris concerns and also offer more

6:36 Speaker 1: predictability for scheduling thanks to the typically calmer weather conditions

6:40 Speaker 1: on board. Crew nine will be a team of four astronauts.

6:43 Speaker 1: The crew includes Commander Xena Cardman pilot Nick Haig. Mission

6:46 Speaker 1: Specialist Stephanie Wilson and mission Specialist Alexander Gorbanov from Roscosmos.

6:52 Speaker 1: SpaceX has made the necessary fixes to the Falcon nine,

6:56 Speaker 1: particularly addressing the issues that cause the oxygen leak during

6:59 Speaker 1: a STARL mission in July. NASA and SpaceX have worked

7:03 Speaker 1: closely together throughout the investigation, and the Falcon nine has

7:07 Speaker 1: been granted the all clear to proceed with upcoming missions.

7:11 Speaker 1: While we're keeping an eye on August eighteenth for liftoff,

7:14 Speaker 1: remember that spaceflight is always subject to change, but if

7:18 Speaker 1: all goes according to plan, Crew nine will be an

7:20 Speaker 1: important milestone for SpaceX and NASA, and perhaps a turning

7:24 Speaker 1: point for future mission logistics. Exciting advancements are coming to

7:30 Speaker 1: the field of dark matter research thanks to NASA's upcoming

7:34 Speaker 1: Roman Space telescope, set to launch by twenty twenty seven.

7:38 Speaker 1: This telescope will be a groundbreaking tool in our quest

7:40 Speaker 1: to understand one of the universe's greatest mysteries, dark matter.

7:45 Speaker 1: In the past, dark matter has been elusive because it

7:48 Speaker 1: doesn't emit, reflect or absorb light, making it invisible to

7:51 Speaker 1: our current observing methods. However, we know it exists because

7:55 Speaker 1: we can see its gravitational effects on galaxies and other

7:58 Speaker 1: cosmic structures enter the Roman Space Telescope, which will use

8:03 Speaker 1: high resolution imaging to study the distribution of dark matter

8:07 Speaker 1: with a precision never before possible. The Roman Space Telescope

8:10 Speaker 1: will focus on the Andromeda Galaxy, our Milky Way's closest

8:14 Speaker 1: galactic neighbor, to observe tidal streams, elongated groups of stars

8:19 Speaker 1: that have been gravitationally torn from globular clusters. These streams

8:23 Speaker 1: act like cosmic ribbons, leading and trailing the clusters as

8:27 Speaker 1: they orbit around galaxies. By analyzing these streams, scientists aim

8:31 Speaker 1: to pinpoint gaps and disruptions that are likely caused by

8:34 Speaker 1: dark matter. The telescope's wide field instrument will produce images

8:38 Speaker 1: two hundred times larger than the Hubble Space Telescopes near

8:42 Speaker 1: infrared camera, yet at slightly higher resolution. This means Roman

8:47 Speaker 1: will be able to capture vast snapshots of the Andromeda Galaxy,

8:51 Speaker 1: allowing astronomers to identify and study multiple tidal streams and

8:55 Speaker 1: their dark matter induced gaps simultaneously. The data collected will

9:00 Speaker 1: help scientists identify the properties of dark matter halos, spherical

9:04 Speaker 1: regions of dark matter that envelop galaxies. These haloes are

9:08 Speaker 1: thought to play a crucial role in shaping the Universe's structure,

9:11 Speaker 1: and Roman's observations will provide invaluable insights into their size, density,

9:16 Speaker 1: and distribution.

9:18 Speaker 2: Researchers are particularly.

9:19 Speaker 1: Excited about the potential to discover smaller sub halos within

9:23 Speaker 1: larger dark matter halos, proving crucial models of dark matter.

9:26 Speaker 1: More conclusively, these sub halos could be the culprits behind

9:30 Speaker 1: the gaps and tidal streams, and Roman's capabilities will help

9:34 Speaker 1: us map out these invisible structures in unprecedented detail. In

9:38 Speaker 1: addition to this, the Roman Space Telescope will collaborate with

9:42 Speaker 1: other groundbreaking missions such as the European Space Agency's EUCLID

9:45 Speaker 1: mission and the Vira C Reuben Observatory. These collaborations will

9:50 Speaker 1: enhance our understanding of the large scale structure of the

9:53 Speaker 1: universe and the role dark matter plays within it. With

9:57 Speaker 1: its launch, the Roman Space Telescope is set to revolution

10:00 Speaker 1: uianize our understanding of the cosmos, providing a window into

10:04 Speaker 1: the dark unseen forces that govern galaxy formation and evolution.

10:08 Speaker 1: For astronomers and space enthusiasts alike, this is a thrilling

10:11 Speaker 1: time as we inch closer to uncovering the secrets of

10:14 Speaker 1: dark matter. Stay tuned for more updates on this fascinating mission.

10:23 Speaker 1: That's all for today's episode of Astronomy Daily. I've been

10:25 Speaker 1: your host Anna. If you enjoyed today's show, be sure

10:28 Speaker 1: to visit our website at Astronomy Daily dot io. There

10:31 Speaker 1: you can sign up for our free daily newsletter, catch

10:34 Speaker 1: up on all the latest space and astronomy news with

10:36 Speaker 1: our constantly updating news feed, and listen.

10:39 Speaker 2: To all our back episodes.

10:40 Speaker 1: Plus you won't miss out on any exciting updates and

10:43 Speaker 1: special content. You can also find us on social media

10:47 Speaker 1: by searching for astro Daily Pod on Facebook, x, YouTube,

10:51 Speaker 1: and TikTok. Your engagement means the world to us, so

10:54 Speaker 1: don't hesitate to follow, like, and share your thoughts on

10:57 Speaker 1: all things cosmic. Thanks for tuning in and keep looking

11:00 Speaker 1: up a start day.

11:04 Speaker 2: Star is the tall. The star is the tall.

11:20 Speaker 1: Star is the