S03E147: Mars's Lost Water Mystery, China's Satellite Ambitions, and SpaceX's Spy Satellite Launches

0:00 Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your latest source of space and

0:02 Speaker 1: astronomy news. With your host Anna, Today, we're diving into

0:07 Speaker 1: some fascinating topics, ranging from the latest findings about Mars's

0:10 Speaker 1: escaping water to the exciting flyby of Mercury by the

0:14 Speaker 1: BEPI Columbo mission. We'll also discuss China's ambitious plans with

0:18 Speaker 1: g Space's new low Earth orbit satellites, SpaceX's launch of

0:22 Speaker 1: next gen spy satellites, and how amateur astronomers are aiding

0:25 Speaker 1: the study of Jupiter's weather. Stick around for an engaging

0:28 Speaker 1: episode packed with the latest updates and discoveries from the Cosmos.

0:32 Speaker 1: Let's start today with a Mars update. NASA's Hubble Space

0:35 Speaker 1: Telescope and Maven mission are making significant strides in unlocking

0:38 Speaker 1: one of Mars's biggest secrets, what happened to all its water.

0:42 Speaker 1: Mars was once a very wet planet, evidenced by its

0:44 Speaker 1: surface geological features. Over the past three billion years. Scientists

0:49 Speaker 1: suggest that some of this water went underground, but where

0:51 Speaker 1: did the rest go? The Hubble and Maven missions have

0:54 Speaker 1: combined data to offer answers. There are only two places

0:57 Speaker 1: water can go, explains John Clark, Boston University. It can

1:01 Speaker 1: freeze into the ground, or the water molecule can break

1:04 Speaker 1: into atoms, and the atoms can escape from the top

1:06 Speaker 1: of the atmosphere into space. Essentially, Clark's team needs to

1:09 Speaker 1: understand how these atoms escape to gauge how much water

1:12 Speaker 1: Mars once held. Water molecules in the Martian atmosphere are

1:16 Speaker 1: broken apart by sunlight into hydrogen and oxygen atoms. Clark's

1:20 Speaker 1: team focused on hydrogen and its heavier cousin, deuterium, which

1:23 Speaker 1: has a neutron in its nucleus. Because deuterium is heavier,

1:27 Speaker 1: it escapes Mars's atmosphere more slowly than regular hydrogen. By

1:31 Speaker 1: measuring the current ratio of deuterium to hydrogen, scientists can

1:34 Speaker 1: work backwards to estimate the amount of water Mars used

1:37 Speaker 1: to have. What makes this study groundbreaking is the combination

1:40 Speaker 1: of data collected over different Martian years. Maven, not sensitive

1:44 Speaker 1: enough to detect uterium throughout the Martian year, relied on

1:47 Speaker 1: Hubble's data to fill in the gaps, offering a complete picture.

1:51 Speaker 1: This holistic approach over years allowed a more dynamic understanding

1:54 Speaker 1: of Mars's atmosphere, showing that it is much more turbulent

1:58 Speaker 1: and changes more quickly than previously thought. One significant discovery

2:03 Speaker 1: is that hydrogen and deuterium escape rates spike dramatically when

2:06 Speaker 1: Mars is closest to the Sun. Traditional models had shown

2:09 Speaker 1: these atoms slowly diffusing upward, but the new data indicate

2:13 Speaker 1: a more rapid and energy intensive process. Collisions with solar

2:16 Speaker 1: wind protons and sunlight driven chemical reactions help give these

2:20 Speaker 1: atoms the extra kick needed to escape Mars's gravity. Beyond

2:24 Speaker 1: understanding Mars, the study offers insights into the evolution of

2:28 Speaker 1: planets around other stars, especially Earth like planets and habitable

2:32 Speaker 1: zones where liquid water might exist. Mars, Earth, and Venus

2:36 Speaker 1: all occupy or very near our Solar System's habitable zone,

2:39 Speaker 1: but have vastly different environments today. By studying Mars, we

2:43 Speaker 1: gain a better understanding of these distinctions and their implications

2:46 Speaker 1: for distant worlds. The Hubble Space Telescope and Maven missions

2:50 Speaker 1: have been crucial in this research. Hubble, a joint project

2:53 Speaker 1: between NASA and ISA, has been studying the universe for

2:56 Speaker 1: over three decades. Meanwhile, Maven, managed by NASA's gold Dottered

3:00 Speaker 1: Space Flight Center, is preparing to celebrate its tenth year

3:03 Speaker 1: at Mars. Both of these missions underscore the importance of

3:06 Speaker 1: international cooperation and long term investments in space exploration. Thanks

3:11 Speaker 1: to the efforts of these powerful telescopes and the dedicated

3:14 Speaker 1: scientists interpreting their data, we are one step closer to

3:17 Speaker 1: understanding not only the history of Mars, but settings more

3:20 Speaker 1: applicable universally. Now, let's turn our attention to some groundbreaking

3:24 Speaker 1: news from China. Chinese automaker Guile's g space has announced

3:28 Speaker 1: an impressive milestone with the launch of ten low Earth

3:31 Speaker 1: orbit satellites. This launch is part of their ambitious plan

3:35 Speaker 1: to form a global communications mega constellation. Essentially, it's China's

3:39 Speaker 1: answer to SpaceX's Starlink, which has already revolutionized the satellite

3:43 Speaker 1: communications industry. These ten new satellites were launched from the

3:47 Speaker 1: Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanshi Province, significantly extending the

3:52 Speaker 1: capabilities of g Space's constellation. With this batch, the constellation

3:57 Speaker 1: now boasts thirty satellites covering ninety percent of the globe

4:01 Speaker 1: with twenty four hour communication services. That's a massive achievement

4:05 Speaker 1: for g space and marks the first time a Chinese

4:08 Speaker 1: commercial aerospace company has offered low Earth orbit satellite communication

4:13 Speaker 1: on a global scale. G space was established by Gely

4:17 Speaker 1: Technology Group in twenty eighteen. Their mission to research, launch,

4:22 Speaker 1: and operate low orbit satellites that can provide global broadband services,

4:26 Speaker 1: and they're well on their way. Their initial plan includes

4:29 Speaker 1: placing seventy two satellites in orbit by the end of

4:32 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five, aiming to serve over two hundred million

4:35 Speaker 1: users worldwide. But that's just the beginning. The company plans

4:39 Speaker 1: to expand its constellation to nearly six thousand satellites. This

4:43 Speaker 1: robust network will be designed to offer global broadband services,

4:47 Speaker 1: positioning g space as a strong competitor to starlink. LEO

4:51 Speaker 1: satellites typically orbit at altitudes of three hundred to two

4:54 Speaker 1: thousand kilometers above the Earth surface. One of their main

4:57 Speaker 1: advantages is that they're cheaper and provide more efficient transmission

5:00 Speaker 1: compared to those in higher orbits. G Space's deployment strategy

5:04 Speaker 1: leverages these benefits, making it a cost effective and scalable

5:08 Speaker 1: solution for global communications. G Space's endeavor is part of

5:12 Speaker 1: a broader wave of Chinese companies entering the satellite communications space.

5:16 Speaker 1: Another notable player is Shanghai spacecom Satellite Technology, which has

5:20 Speaker 1: also launched LEO satellites under its thousand sales constellation or

5:25 Speaker 1: the G sixty Starlink plan. They have equally ambitious plans,

5:29 Speaker 1: aiming to deploy fifteen thousand satellites by twenty thirty. It's

5:33 Speaker 1: clear that China is heavily investing in satellite technology to

5:36 Speaker 1: ensure they're not left behind in this new space race.

5:39 Speaker 1: G Space's latest launch is a significant step forward, not

5:43 Speaker 1: just for Giele and g Space, but for the overall

5:45 Speaker 1: landscape of global satellite communications. This competitive spirit and rapid

5:49 Speaker 1: technological advancement could lead to more affordable and accessible communication

5:53 Speaker 1: services worldwide. Speaking of that other satellite communications company, SpaceX,

5:58 Speaker 1: is showing no signs of slowan down. On September fifth,

6:01 Speaker 1: one of SpaceX's Falcon nine rockets launched from California's Vandenberg

6:05 Speaker 1: Space Force Space. This wasn't just any mission. This launch

6:08 Speaker 1: sent a new batch of next gen spy satellites into

6:10 Speaker 1: orbit for the US National Reconnaissance Office, or NRO. It

6:14 Speaker 1: was their eighty sixth orbital mission of the year, underscoring

6:18 Speaker 1: just how prolific SpaceX has become in the realm of

6:20 Speaker 1: space launches. What's intriguing about this particular operation, known as

6:25 Speaker 1: NROL one hundred and thirteen, is that it's part of

6:28 Speaker 1: the NRO's new strategy called Proliferated Architecture. This concept involves

6:33 Speaker 1: deploying numerous smaller satellites to create a network designed to

6:37 Speaker 1: be more capable and resilient than traditional single satellite systems.

6:42 Speaker 1: In simple terms, having more satellites in orbit can ensure

6:45 Speaker 1: the network remains operational and less vulnerable to threats. SpaceX's

6:50 Speaker 1: efforts didn't just end with launching the satellites. The Falcon

6:53 Speaker 1: nine booster used in this mission also executed a flawless

6:56 Speaker 1: landing About eight point five minutes after liftoff. The booster

7:00 Speaker 1: settled back down onto the deck of the SpaceX Drone ship.

7:03 Speaker 1: Of course, I still love you, floating in the Pacific Ocean.

7:07 Speaker 1: This marks the twentieth time this particular booster has been

7:09 Speaker 1: launched and landed, highlighting the reusability goals SpaceX founder Elon

7:13 Speaker 1: Musk has championed. Interestingly, this wasn't the only mission SpaceX

7:17 Speaker 1: managed that day. Earlier, on September fifth, another Falcon nine

7:21 Speaker 1: rocket launched from Florida's Space coast, delivering twenty one starlink

7:25 Speaker 1: Internet satellites into orbit. This shows how SpaceX has become

7:28 Speaker 1: adept at handling multiple missions almost simultaneously. While the exact

7:32 Speaker 1: details of these spy satellites remain classified, as is typical

7:36 Speaker 1: with NRO missions, it's clear that they play a critical

7:40 Speaker 1: role in national security. The NRO has described prior launches

7:44 Speaker 1: in this series as essential to their proliferated architecture strategy,

7:48 Speaker 1: and this third launch in the series continues to build

7:51 Speaker 1: on that foundation. It's a testament to the growing relationship

7:54 Speaker 1: and trust between SpaceX and government agencies for crucial and

7:58 Speaker 1: classified missions. Now, let's turn our gaze to Jupiter, with

8:02 Speaker 1: its iconic great red spot and swirling, turbulent atmosphere, has

8:06 Speaker 1: long fascinated astronomers and space enthusiasts alike. While professional observatories

8:12 Speaker 1: and high cost missions like the very large telescope in

8:15 Speaker 1: Chile and NASA's Juno orbiter have offered invaluable insights into

8:20 Speaker 1: Jupiter's meteorology, they can't monitor the gas giant continuously. This

8:24 Speaker 1: is where amateur astronomers armed with relatively affordable telescopes are

8:28 Speaker 1: stepping up to the plate. A recent study published in

8:31 Speaker 1: Earth and Space Science highlights how amateur astronomers can significantly

8:35 Speaker 1: aid in this endeavor. Using equipment costing as little as

8:38 Speaker 1: four thousand dollars, These officionados are making sizable contributions to

8:42 Speaker 1: our understanding of Jupiter's atmospheric phenomena, especially its cloud formations

8:47 Speaker 1: and ammonia distribution. You see, Jupiter's topmost clouds aren't water

8:51 Speaker 1: based like Earth's, but are primarily composed of ammonia ice.

8:55 Speaker 1: By analyzing the absorption of specific wavelengths of light six

8:59 Speaker 1: hundred and forty seven nanometers absorbed by ammonia and six

9:03 Speaker 1: hundred and nineteen nanometers absorbed by methane, amateur astronomers can

9:08 Speaker 1: determine the abundance of ammonia in different regions of Jupiter's atmosphere.

9:12 Speaker 1: Methane levels remain relatively constant and well studied, allowing for

9:15 Speaker 1: this comparative technique. Higher absorption at six hundred and forty

9:19 Speaker 1: seven nanometers compared to six hundred and nineteen indicates increased

9:23 Speaker 1: ammonia content, providing critical clues about Jupiter's intricate weather patterns.

9:28 Speaker 1: This simple yet effective method has allowed researchers to observe

9:32 Speaker 1: changes in ammonia distribution over various time scales from weeks

9:35 Speaker 1: to years. However, more comprehensive data is needed to better

9:38 Speaker 1: understand what these fluctuations signify and how they influence Jupiter's

9:42 Speaker 1: overall weather system. Amateur astronomers are perfectly positioned to fill

9:47 Speaker 1: this gap, and the researchers hope these celestial hobbyists will

9:51 Speaker 1: rally around the cause making regular observations. With a larger

9:56 Speaker 1: global network of observers, we can capture a much more

9:59 Speaker 1: detailed and can continuous picture of Jupiter's atmospheric conditions. This

10:03 Speaker 1: would enable weekly or even daily monitoring, a feat that's

10:06 Speaker 1: unmanageable with sporadic professional observations alone. By joining forces, citizens,

10:12 Speaker 1: scientists and professional astronomers can unlock new levels of understanding,

10:16 Speaker 1: helping us unravel the complexities of not just Jupiter, but

10:20 Speaker 1: planetary weather systems in general. Whether you're an experienced stargazer

10:24 Speaker 1: or a curious newcomer, your contributions could make a meaningful

10:28 Speaker 1: difference in space research. So if you've ever pointed a

10:31 Speaker 1: telescope at Jupiter and marveled at its grandeur, consider becoming

10:35 Speaker 1: part of this significant scientific effort. Whether you capture an

10:38 Speaker 1: image of a swirling storm or a fleeting atmospheric anomaly.

10:43 Speaker 1: Your work might just change our understanding of the largest

10:46 Speaker 1: planet in our Solar System. Now onto Mercury, the BEPY

10:50 Speaker 1: Columbo mission completed its fourth and closest fly by yet

10:53 Speaker 1: of Mercury, a fascinating event that has offered us brand new,

10:57 Speaker 1: unprecedented views of the planet Southpole region. This close encounter

11:00 Speaker 1: took place on September fourth, marking a significant milestone in

11:04 Speaker 1: the mission's journey toward a comprehensive study of Mercury. A

11:07 Speaker 1: joint effort by the European Space Agency ESA and the

11:10 Speaker 1: japan Aerospace Exploration Agency jacksa BEPI Colombo whizzed just one

11:15 Speaker 1: hundred sixty five kilometers about one hundred three miles from

11:19 Speaker 1: the surface of Mercury. Not only did this flyby produce

11:22 Speaker 1: stunning photos, but it also played a crucial role in

11:25 Speaker 1: adjusting the spacecraft's trajectory to match Mercury's more inclined orbit

11:30 Speaker 1: relative to Earth. The primary objective of these flybys is

11:33 Speaker 1: to slow down the spacecraft, effectively using Mercury's gravity as

11:37 Speaker 1: a break to ease it deeper into the Sun's gravitational

11:40 Speaker 1: poll Unlike missions that slingshot pass planets to gain speed,

11:44 Speaker 1: BEPI Colombo needs to decelerate to ensure it gets captured

11:47 Speaker 1: by Mercury's minuscule gravity. Launched in twenty eighteen and named

11:51 Speaker 1: after Italian scientists to set a BEPI Colombo, this mission

11:54 Speaker 1: is unique. It consists of two orbiters ISAs Mercury Planetary

11:58 Speaker 1: Orbiter and Jackson's Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter, stacked together aboard the

12:02 Speaker 1: Mercury Transfer Module MTM. These orbiters will separate once they're

12:06 Speaker 1: inserted into Mercury's orbit in late twenty twenty six to

12:09 Speaker 1: commence their primary science mission. The recent flyby was a

12:12 Speaker 1: pivotal event for the mission, providing a unique opportunity for

12:15 Speaker 1: the scientists involved. Johannes Bankoff Essay's BEPY Columbo project scientists

12:21 Speaker 1: emphasized how crucial these flybys are for both navigating the

12:25 Speaker 1: spacecraft and preparing for its scientific mission. He noted, we

12:29 Speaker 1: get to fly our world class science laboratory through diverse

12:32 Speaker 1: and unexplored parts of Mercury's environment that we don't have

12:35 Speaker 1: access to once in orbit. Even though the main science

12:38 Speaker 1: camera aboard ESA's orbiter remains shielded until final orbit insertion.

12:43 Speaker 1: Ten of the spacecraft's sixteen instruments were active during the flyby.

12:47 Speaker 1: These instruments collected valuable data on Mercury's particles, plasma, and

12:51 Speaker 1: magnetic fields. Additionally, the Japanese orbiters monitoring cameras captured striking

12:57 Speaker 1: black and white images of the planet's terrain, including unusual

13:01 Speaker 1: double peak ring crater basins. Interestingly, the close encounter was

13:06 Speaker 1: made possible due to an issue discovered earlier this year.

13:09 Speaker 1: The spacecraft's electric propulsion system wasn't operating at full power

13:13 Speaker 1: due to unanticipated current levels between the solar arrays and

13:17 Speaker 1: the electrical distribution system. This glitch led the mission controllers

13:21 Speaker 1: to plan a closer flyby, thereby also extending the mission

13:24 Speaker 1: timeline to late twenty twenty six. Once BEPI Columbo enters

13:28 Speaker 1: Mercury's orbit, it aims to transform our understanding of this

13:31 Speaker 1: enigmatic planet. The mission will investigate everything from Mercury's internal

13:35 Speaker 1: structure and surface geology to its magnetic field and exosphere,

13:40 Speaker 1: promising to enrich our knowledge of the smallest and innermost

13:43 Speaker 1: planet in our Solar System. BEPI Colombo's journey has been extensive,

13:47 Speaker 1: involving one flyby of Earth in twenty twenty, to a

13:50 Speaker 1: venus in twenty twenty and twenty twenty one, and now

13:52 Speaker 1: four of Mercury, with two more scheduled before final orbital insertion.

13:56 Speaker 1: After nearly eight years in space. The mission is poised

13:59 Speaker 1: to deliver for groundbreaking science starting in November twenty twenty six.

14:07 Speaker 1: Thank you for tuning in to Astronomy Daily with Anna.

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14:33 Speaker 2: Sunday Stars starz

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