S03E114: NASA & JAXA's Laser Feat & Rare Second Gen Star

0:02 Speaker 1: Welcome listeners to Astronomy Daily, your friendly guide to all

0:05 Speaker 1: things celestial. I'm your host, Anna, and today we'll be

0:09 Speaker 1: diving into some fascinating stories from the world of astronomy

0:12 Speaker 1: and space exploration. In this episode, we have an exciting

0:17 Speaker 1: lineup that includes groundbreaking achievements and stellar discoveries. We'll start

0:21 Speaker 1: with NASA and Jacks's remarkable success in exchanging laser signals

0:25 Speaker 1: between the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the slim Lander on

0:28 Speaker 1: the Moon. Next, we'll explore the discovery of a rare

0:32 Speaker 1: second generation star in the large Magellanic Cloud that offers

0:36 Speaker 1: new insights into the early Universe. Then we'll cover United

0:40 Speaker 1: Launch Alliance's historic final mission using the Atlas five rocket

0:45 Speaker 1: for the US Space Force. Finally, we'll delve into Rocket

0:48 Speaker 1: Labs preparation to launch twin spacecraft to Mars for NASA's

0:51 Speaker 1: Escapade mission. So sit back, relax, and let's embark on

0:55 Speaker 1: this cosmic journey together. In an impressive feat of international collaboration,

1:03 Speaker 1: NASA and Jackson have pulled off a remarkable achievement exchanging

1:07 Speaker 1: laser signals between NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, commonly known as

1:11 Speaker 1: LRO and Jackson's Smartlander for investigating Moon or slim Lander

1:16 Speaker 1: on the lunar surface. What's truly astonishing about this accomplishment

1:21 Speaker 1: is the set of challenges that the teams had to overcome,

1:24 Speaker 1: shedding light on both the resilience and advanced potential of

1:28 Speaker 1: lunar retro reflectors. To give you some context, on May

1:32 Speaker 1: twenty fourth, twenty twenty four, during two separate orbits, the

1:36 Speaker 1: LRO passed just forty four miles above the slim Lander.

1:40 Speaker 1: Harnessing its state of the art laser altimeter, the LRO

1:43 Speaker 1: sent laser pulses down to the Moon's surface. Unlike previous attempts,

1:48 Speaker 1: these signals were successfully returned to lro's detector not once,

1:52 Speaker 1: but twice. Why is this a big deal, you ask, Well,

1:56 Speaker 1: the slim Lander's retro reflector wasn't positioned in the most

1:59 Speaker 1: favorable way. Typically, these devices are mounted on the top

2:02 Speaker 1: of landers facing the sky, ensuring a broader one hundred

2:05 Speaker 1: twenty degree range for targeting. However, slim landed with its

2:09 Speaker 1: top facing sideways, severely restricting the range for lro's laser pulses.

2:15 Speaker 1: So how did the teams manage this? Given such a constraint.

2:18 Speaker 1: NASA's engineers, in close cooperation with their counterparts at JACKSA,

2:22 Speaker 1: worked meticulously to determine slim's exact location and orientation on

2:26 Speaker 1: the lunar surface. They calculated with precision when the lro's

2:30 Speaker 1: orbit would most ideally align with the retro reflector's position,

2:35 Speaker 1: optimizing the chances of a successful signal exchange. Schiali's Sun,

2:39 Speaker 1: who spearheaded the team responsible for slim's retro reflector at

2:43 Speaker 1: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, aptly highlighted the prowess of

2:47 Speaker 1: these simple yet powerful devices. Lro's altimeter wasn't built for

2:52 Speaker 1: this type of application, so the chances of pinpointing a

2:56 Speaker 1: tiny retro reflector on the Moon's surface are already low.

2:59 Speaker 1: Sun pointed out pointed the success of targeting a sideways

3:03 Speaker 1: facing retro reflector truly shows the engineering marvel and resilience

3:07 Speaker 1: of these devices. Interestingly, SLIM is part of an international

3:12 Speaker 1: effort involving six NASA retro reflectors dispatched to the Moon.

3:17 Speaker 1: While this achievement marks only the second time a retro

3:20 Speaker 1: reflector has successfully returned a laser signal from the Moon's

3:24 Speaker 1: surface to LRO, it sets a significant milestone. The first

3:28 Speaker 1: instance took place on December twelfth, twenty twenty three, when

3:32 Speaker 1: LRO exchange signals with ISRO's VICRIM Lander retro reflector. Since then,

3:38 Speaker 1: there have been three more successful laser pings with VICROM.

3:42 Speaker 1: These retro reflectors, featuring a dome shaped aluminum frame with

3:45 Speaker 1: eight quartz corner cube prisms, each measuring just two inches wide,

3:50 Speaker 1: do not require any power or maintenance. They are built

3:53 Speaker 1: to endure the extreme lunar environment for decades, providing trustworthy

3:57 Speaker 1: markers for future lunar missions. They could prove invaluable for

4:01 Speaker 1: artemis astronauts, helping them navigate the lunar surface in the dark,

4:05 Speaker 1: or marking exact spacecraft locations to facilitate both manned and

4:10 Speaker 1: unmanned landings. Moreover, the lro's laser altimeter, though initially designed

4:16 Speaker 1: to map lunar topography for surface missions, is now proving

4:19 Speaker 1: its versatility and precision by targeting retro reflectors with incredible accuracy.

4:25 Speaker 1: The engineering prowess required to achieve this within a tiny

4:28 Speaker 1: margin of error just one one hundredth of a degree

4:31 Speaker 1: no less, is nothing short of extraordinary. This successful signal

4:35 Speaker 1: exchange between NASA's and Jacks's lunar missions not only highlights

4:39 Speaker 1: the incredible resilience and utility of lunar retro reflectors, but

4:43 Speaker 1: also paves the way for more advanced navigation and landing

4:45 Speaker 1: technologies on the Moon, and who knows, As we continue

4:50 Speaker 1: to push the boundaries of space exploration, such international collaborations

4:54 Speaker 1: could be key to unlocking the mysteries of our solar system.

5:00 Speaker 1: We have some thrilling news from the Cosmos. Scientists have

5:04 Speaker 1: made a groundbreaking discovery of a rare second generation star

5:07 Speaker 1: in the Large Magellanic Cloud, which is a fascinating find

5:10 Speaker 1: that sheds new light on the early universe's element formation processes.

5:15 Speaker 1: This discovery comes from the collaborative efforts of stellar archaeologists

5:18 Speaker 1: like Anirud Chitti from the University of Chicago, who have

5:22 Speaker 1: been meticulously cataloging these ancient stellar relics. The Large Magellanic Cloud,

5:28 Speaker 1: a prominent feature in the southern hemisphere sky, has long

5:31 Speaker 1: intrigued astronomers. Originally a separate galaxy, it was captured by

5:35 Speaker 1: the Milky Ways gravity a few billion years ago. This

5:38 Speaker 1: unique backdrop allows scientists to peer into the past and

5:42 Speaker 1: understand how the universe's first stars operated outside our galactic neighborhood.

5:47 Speaker 1: Chitty and his team focus their efforts on finding stars

5:50 Speaker 1: formed from the remnants of the universe's first stellar generation.

5:55 Speaker 1: These initial stars created the raw ingredients for everything we

5:58 Speaker 1: know today, from the iron in our blood to the

6:01 Speaker 1: calcium in our bones. When these early stars exploded, they

6:06 Speaker 1: scattered their newly formed elements across space, which then coalesced

6:10 Speaker 1: into second generation stars. However, these stars are incredibly rare,

6:15 Speaker 1: making up less than one in one hundred thousand stars

6:17 Speaker 1: in the Milky Way. Among the sampled stars in the

6:20 Speaker 1: large Magellanic Cloud, one stood out due to its unusually

6:24 Speaker 1: low levels of heavier elements like carbon compared to iron.

6:28 Speaker 1: This star's composition suggests it formed shortly after the first

6:31 Speaker 1: stellar generation, without undergoing multiple cycles of starbirth and death

6:36 Speaker 1: that enrich most stars with heavier elements. This peculiar star

6:41 Speaker 1: challenges our current understanding of early stellar evolution. The team's

6:45 Speaker 1: findings indicate that the element formation processes in the early

6:49 Speaker 1: universe might not have been as uniform as previously thought.

6:53 Speaker 1: The differences in elemental enhancement between this star and similar

6:57 Speaker 1: ones in the Milky Way suggest that the early ue

7:00 Speaker 1: universe's conditions varied significantly from place to place. For Chitty

7:04 Speaker 1: and his colleagues, this discovery marks an exhilarating step forward.

7:09 Speaker 1: They now aim to map out a larger portion of

7:11 Speaker 1: the Southern Sky to uncover more of these second generation stars,

7:15 Speaker 1: particularly within the large Magellanic Cloud. Each new star offers

7:20 Speaker 1: a snapshot of the universe's primordial conditions, helping to piece

7:24 Speaker 1: together the cosmic puzzle of how the first elements formed

7:27 Speaker 1: and dispersed. This work serves as a testament to the

7:30 Speaker 1: importance of stellar archaeology, a field dedicated to reconstructing the

7:35 Speaker 1: history of the universe through its oldest stars. By studying

7:38 Speaker 1: these ancient celestial objects, scientists can glean valuable insights into

7:43 Speaker 1: the processes that shaped our cosmic environment billions of years ago.

7:48 Speaker 1: In conclusion, the discovery of this rare second generation star

7:51 Speaker 1: is not just a remarkable scientific achievement. It's a window

7:55 Speaker 1: into the dawn of the universe. It underscores the varied

7:59 Speaker 1: and complex prosscesses that have been at work since the

8:02 Speaker 1: earliest times and opens up new avenues for research and discovery.

8:07 Speaker 1: As scientists continue to explore these stellar relics. Each finding

8:11 Speaker 1: brings us closer to understanding the universe's earliest chapters. Stay

8:16 Speaker 1: tuned as we follow these exciting developments in our ongoing

8:19 Speaker 1: quest to uncover the Cosmos's deepest secrets. United Launch Alliance

8:28 Speaker 1: or ULA, is gearing up for a significant event, the

8:31 Speaker 1: launch of its final national security mission using the Atlas

8:34 Speaker 1: five rocket, scheduled for liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space for

8:38 Speaker 1: Station in Florida. This mission represents the culmination of nearly

8:42 Speaker 1: two decades of reliable service from the Atlas five. The

8:45 Speaker 1: exact launch is set for six forty five am EDT

8:48 Speaker 1: today with a three hour window, and there's a slight

8:51 Speaker 1: fifty five percent chance of rain, which might cause some

8:54 Speaker 1: delays for those eager to watch. The launch will be

8:57 Speaker 1: streamed live on ULA's website. This mission, designate ussf fifty one,

9:01 Speaker 1: carries a top secret payload for the US Space Force

9:04 Speaker 1: Systems Command. It's a bittersweet moment for many involved, marking

9:08 Speaker 1: the fifty eighth and final national security mission for the

9:10 Speaker 1: Atlas five, a rocket that's become quite the workhorse since

9:14 Speaker 1: its first launch back in two thousand and two. On Saturday,

9:18 Speaker 1: ULA rolled the one hundred and ninety six foot tall

9:21 Speaker 1: Atlas five to the launch pad, which signaled the beginning

9:24 Speaker 1: of the final preparations. The rocket has had a storied

9:27 Speaker 1: career with numerous successful launches, including the notable Starliner crew

9:32 Speaker 1: flight test to the International Space Station this past June.

9:37 Speaker 1: For Colonel Jim Horn, a senior official with the Space

9:39 Speaker 1: Force's Launch Execution DELTA, this launch is particularly sentimental. Horn

9:45 Speaker 1: reminisced about his experience sitting at the console during the

9:48 Speaker 1: very first national security launch of Atlas back in two

9:51 Speaker 1: thousand and seven. Following Tuesday's mission, ULA's focus will shift

9:56 Speaker 1: to the Vulcan Rocket, the successor to Atlas five and

9:59 Speaker 1: the now retired Delta four. The Vulcan rocket recently completed

10:03 Speaker 1: a successful debut in January and is set to become

10:06 Speaker 1: the primary launch vehicle for future missions. With the Atlas

10:10 Speaker 1: five's five solid rocket boosters mounted around its core, it's

10:13 Speaker 1: impressive to consider just how reliable and capable this rocket

10:17 Speaker 1: has been over the years. Atlas five has not only

10:21 Speaker 1: supported national security missions, but has also played a key

10:24 Speaker 1: role in commercial and non defense missions, including human spaceflight

10:28 Speaker 1: and scientific exploration missions. ULA a partnership between aerospace giants

10:33 Speaker 1: Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense, Space and Security was

10:36 Speaker 1: founded in two thousand and six and has since garnered

10:38 Speaker 1: a reputation for dependable and versatile launch services. So as

10:43 Speaker 1: we prepare to witness the final launch of the Atlas

10:45 Speaker 1: five rocket, it's a moment to celebrate the past achievements

10:49 Speaker 1: of this incredible vehicle while looking ahead to the promising future.

10:53 Speaker 1: With the Vulcan Rocket marking the beginning of a new

10:56 Speaker 1: era in space exploration and national security missions. Rocket Lab

11:02 Speaker 1: is gearing up for an exciting mission that's set to

11:05 Speaker 1: expand our understanding of the Red planet. The company has

11:09 Speaker 1: finalized the integration and testing of two spacecraft for NASA's

11:13 Speaker 1: Escapade mission, and these twin explorers will soon be making

11:16 Speaker 1: their journey to Mars. Escapade, which stands for Escape and

11:20 Speaker 1: Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers, aims to study plasma and

11:24 Speaker 1: magnetic fields around Mars, offering us valuable insights into how

11:29 Speaker 1: atoms are stripped from the Martian atmosphere and magnetosphere. This

11:33 Speaker 1: research is crucial for unraveling the mysteries of Mars climate

11:36 Speaker 1: evolution over time. The spacecraft, aptly named Blue and Gold

11:40 Speaker 1: were developed by rocket Lab in collaboration with the Space

11:43 Speaker 1: Science Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley. These aren't

11:47 Speaker 1: just ordinary spacecraft. They are based on rocket Lab's Versatile

11:51 Speaker 1: Explorer platform, designed for high delta V interplanetary missions. This

11:56 Speaker 1: platform includes numerous components and subsystems manufactured by rocket Lab,

12:00 Speaker 1: such as solar panels, star trackers, propellant tanks, reaction wheels,

12:05 Speaker 1: reaction control systems, and radios. What makes this mission particularly

12:09 Speaker 1: noteworthy is the speed at which these spacecraft were developed. Typically,

12:13 Speaker 1: Mars missions can take a decade or more from the

12:15 Speaker 1: initial proposal phase to the actual launch. However, rocket Lab

12:20 Speaker 1: has managed to develop Blue and Gold in just three

12:22 Speaker 1: and a half years. This rapid progress is a testament

12:25 Speaker 1: to their extensive experience in spacecraft development and their vertically

12:29 Speaker 1: integrated supply chain which allows for efficient and streamlined production.

12:34 Speaker 1: Rocket Labs founder and CEO Sir Peter Beck highlighted the

12:37 Speaker 1: significance of this achievement, stating, building one Mars spacecraft is

12:42 Speaker 1: an achievement, but building two and doing it on an

12:45 Speaker 1: accelerated timeline is a testament to our team's deep experience

12:49 Speaker 1: and our vertical integration strategy. We are immensely proud to

12:53 Speaker 1: partner again with NASA and UCB to deliver new and

12:56 Speaker 1: important science from Mars. The mission Prints investigator Rob Lillis,

13:02 Speaker 1: who is also the Associate Director for Planetary Science at

13:05 Speaker 1: uc Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory, echoed these sentiments. He praised

13:10 Speaker 1: Rocket Lab's team for their rapid and constructive responses to

13:13 Speaker 1: challenges during development. Emphasizing the value of this partnership, Lillis remarked,

13:20 Speaker 1: we are proud to be flying with rocket Lab to Mars.

13:24 Speaker 1: Once Blue and Gold are shipped to Cape Canaveral in August,

13:27 Speaker 1: they will be integrated onto Blue Origin's new Glen rocket

13:30 Speaker 1: for the journey to Mars. This mission not only aims

13:33 Speaker 1: to gather data essential for understanding Martian atmospheric loss, but

13:36 Speaker 1: also showcases rocket Lab's capability to quickly turn around complex

13:40 Speaker 1: interplanetary missions. As these twin explorers prepare to embark on

13:44 Speaker 1: their historic journey, the data they collect will undoubtedly deepen

13:48 Speaker 1: our comprehension of Mars's atmospheric processes and contribute to the

13:52 Speaker 1: broader field of planetary science. So mark your calendars and

13:57 Speaker 1: join us in eagerly awaiting the launch of Rocket Lab

14:00 Speaker 1: as twin spacecraft as they set their sites on Mars.

14:03 Speaker 1: This mission promises to be a significant step forward in

14:06 Speaker 1: our quest to understand the dynamics of our neighboring planet.

14:14 Speaker 1: And that's a wrap for today's episode of Astronomy Daily.

14:16 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for tuning in and joining me

14:18 Speaker 1: Anna on this cosmic journey. We've covered some extraordinary stories today,

14:23 Speaker 1: from NASA and Jackson's laser signals on the Moon, to

14:26 Speaker 1: the discovery of a rare second generation star beyond the

14:30 Speaker 1: Milky Way, the final National Security mission, launch of the

14:33 Speaker 1: Atlas five rocket, and Rocket Labs impressive Mars mission preparations.

14:39 Speaker 1: I hope you found these stories as fascinating as I did.

14:43 Speaker 1: If you want to stay updated with the latest and

14:44 Speaker 1: space exploration and celestial discoveries, be sure to visit our

14:48 Speaker 1: website at Astronomy Daily dot io. There you can catch

14:52 Speaker 1: up on all the latest news, sign up for our

14:54 Speaker 1: free daily newsletter, and listen to all our past episodes.

14:58 Speaker 1: Don't forget you can also follow us on social media.

15:01 Speaker 1: Just look for astro Daily Pod on Facebook, x, YouTube

15:04 Speaker 1: and TikTok. This way you won't miss out on any

15:07 Speaker 1: cosmic updates or exciting space news. Stay curious, keep exploring,

15:12 Speaker 1: and remember the universe is vast and full of wonders

15:16 Speaker 1: just waiting to be discovered. We'll be back soon with

15:19 Speaker 1: more thrilling stories from the Final Frontier. Until then, keep

15:23 Speaker 1: looking up and dreaming big. Have a stellar day, a

15:28 Speaker 1: sunny day. Stars all start, all s