S03E156: Ariane 6's Comeback, Starving Galaxies, and Mars' Hidden Secrets

0:00 Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go to podcast for the

0:02 Speaker 1: latest and most exciting developments in space and astronomy. I'm

0:06 Speaker 1: your host, Anna, and I'm thrilled to bring you another

0:08 Speaker 1: episode packed with fascinating stories from the Cosmos. Today, we've

0:12 Speaker 1: got a stellar lineup of topics that span from Earth

0:15 Speaker 1: to the far reaches of our galaxy. We'll start with

0:17 Speaker 1: an update on Europe's Ariani six rocket and its journey

0:21 Speaker 1: to become a key player in the competitive launch market.

0:23 Speaker 1: Then we'll explore a groundbreaking discovery made by the James

0:26 Speaker 1: Webb Space Telescope, a black hole that's actually starving its

0:30 Speaker 1: host galaxy. We'll also discuss the potential for US companies

0:34 Speaker 1: to use Australian spaceports, a development that could reshape the

0:37 Speaker 1: future of space launches. Next, we'll delve into new revelations

0:41 Speaker 1: about Mars, uncovered through innovative gravity mapping techniques. And finally,

0:45 Speaker 1: we'll round up the exciting rocket launches scheduled for the

0:48 Speaker 1: coming week. So strap in and prepare for liftoff as

0:51 Speaker 1: we journey through the universe's latest mysteries and marvels. In

0:54 Speaker 1: our first story today, we're focusing on the recent developments

0:57 Speaker 1: with Europe's newest rocket, the Ariani six. As many of

1:01 Speaker 1: you may recall, the Ariani six made its inaugural launch

1:03 Speaker 1: on July ninth this year. While the mission successfully carried

1:07 Speaker 1: out a series of important trials, it wasn't without its hiccups.

1:10 Speaker 1: The launch ended with the upper stage coasting in orbit,

1:13 Speaker 1: unable to complete its final plan maneuver. This resulted in

1:16 Speaker 1: the rocket failing to deploy its last batch of payloads.

1:19 Speaker 1: Arianni Space, the company behind Ariani six, has now traced

1:23 Speaker 1: this issue to what they're calling an easily fixable software fault.

1:27 Speaker 1: Despite this setback, Ariani Space remains optimistic. They've reaffirmed their

1:31 Speaker 1: commitment to stage a second Ariani six mission before the

1:34 Speaker 1: end of this year. This quick turnaround demonstrates their confidence

1:38 Speaker 1: in resolving the software glitch and their determination to establish

1:42 Speaker 1: Ariani six as a reliable launch vehicle. It's worth noting

1:47 Speaker 1: the significance of Ariani six in the current space launch market.

1:50 Speaker 1: Developed at an estimated cost of four billion euros, this

1:54 Speaker 1: rocket represents Europe's answer to the increasing competition in the

1:57 Speaker 1: launch sector, particularly from companies like SpaceX. As the demand

2:01 Speaker 1: for satellite launches continues to grow. ARIANI six is poised

2:05 Speaker 1: to play a crucial role in maintaining Europe's independent access

2:08 Speaker 1: to space and its competitiveness in the global launch market.

2:12 Speaker 1: Next up, the James Web Space telescope has made a

2:15 Speaker 1: groundbreaking discovery that's shedding new light on the power of

2:17 Speaker 1: supermassive black holes. Scientists have identified a black hole that's

2:21 Speaker 1: actually starving its host galaxy of the fuel needed to

2:25 Speaker 1: form new stars. The galaxy in question, nicknamed Poblo's Galaxy,

2:29 Speaker 1: is located a staggering twelve billion light years away. This

2:33 Speaker 1: means we're seeing it as it was when the universe

2:36 Speaker 1: was only about two billion years old, just fifteen percent

2:40 Speaker 1: of its current age. Despite its youth, Poblo's galaxy is

2:44 Speaker 1: already massive, weighing in at about two hundred billion times

2:48 Speaker 1: the mass of our Sun. What's particularly interesting is that

2:51 Speaker 1: this galaxy is in what scientists call a quenched state.

2:56 Speaker 1: It's not forming many new stars, which is unusual for

2:59 Speaker 1: such an early galaxy. The culprit its central supermassive black hole.

3:03 Speaker 1: Web's data shows that Pablo's galaxy is expelling large amounts

3:06 Speaker 1: of gas at incredible speeds. About one thousand kilometers per second.

3:10 Speaker 1: This is fast enough for the gas to escape the

3:12 Speaker 1: galaxy's gravitational pull entirely. By ejecting this cold, dense gas,

3:17 Speaker 1: the black hole is effectively cutting off the galaxy source

3:20 Speaker 1: of food for star formation. This discovery confirms what astrophysicists

3:24 Speaker 1: have long theorized that black holes can have a massive

3:28 Speaker 1: impact on their host galaxies, potentially stopping star formation altogether.

3:33 Speaker 1: It's a crucial piece of evidence in our understanding of

3:35 Speaker 1: how galaxies evolve over cosmic time. Now, let's turn our

3:39 Speaker 1: attention to an exciting development in the space industry, the

3:42 Speaker 1: potential for US companies to use Australian space ports for

3:46 Speaker 1: launches and payload returns. This opportunity has been made possible

3:50 Speaker 1: by the recent ratification of the US Australia Technology Safeguards

3:53 Speaker 1: Agreement or TSA. The TSA establishes a clear legal framework

3:58 Speaker 1: for US entities seeking to launch or return space assets

4:01 Speaker 1: in Australia, streamlining regulatory processes while safeguarding sensitive technology. This

4:07 Speaker 1: agreement opens up new possibilities for collaboration between the two

4:10 Speaker 1: nations in the space sector. Australia offers several unique advantages

4:14 Speaker 1: as a launch and return location. Its vast, uninhabited landscapes

4:18 Speaker 1: and less congested air and sea traffic provide a wide

4:21 Speaker 1: range of trajectories for launch, re entry, and landing. The

4:25 Speaker 1: continent's geography also allows access to various orbital regimes, including polar, sun, synchronous, equatorial,

4:32 Speaker 1: and mid inclination orbits. The strategic benefits of this collaboration

4:37 Speaker 1: extend beyond just launch capabilities. As close allies, the US

4:41 Speaker 1: and Australia already cooperate in defense and intelligence through partnerships

4:44 Speaker 1: like the Five Eyes Alliance and AUCUS. Expanding this cooperation

4:48 Speaker 1: to include space launch could further strengthen their strategic capabilities.

4:52 Speaker 1: For US companies, Australian spaceports could offer greater agility through

4:55 Speaker 1: diversified infrastructure, reduced congestion at existing facilities, and closer proximity

5:01 Speaker 1: to regional demand hubs for launch customers. This could be

5:04 Speaker 1: particularly advantageous for payloads originating in the Asia Pacific region.

5:09 Speaker 1: While there are still challenges to overcome, including infrastructure development

5:13 Speaker 1: and regulatory compliance, the potential for US Australia collaboration in

5:17 Speaker 1: space launch operations represents an exciting frontier in the global

5:22 Speaker 1: space industry. Moving on, now to some news from Mars.

5:25 Speaker 1: Recent studies using gravity data have unveiled fascinating hidden structures

5:29 Speaker 1: beneath the surface of Mars. Scientists have discovered dense, large

5:33 Speaker 1: scale features buried under the sediment layers of what was

5:36 Speaker 1: once an ancient Martian ocean. These findings are shedding new

5:39 Speaker 1: light on the red planet's geological history and volcanic activity.

5:43 Speaker 1: By analyzing variations in Mars gravity field, researchers have identified

5:48 Speaker 1: approximately twenty mysterious structures of varying sizes in the northern

5:52 Speaker 1: polar planes. One of these features even resembles the shape

5:55 Speaker 1: of a dog. Intriguingly, these dense structures, which are about

5:59 Speaker 1: three hundred to four four hundred kilograms per cubic meter

6:02 Speaker 1: denser than their surroundings, show no trace at the surface.

6:06 Speaker 1: They could be volcanic in origin or possibly compacted material

6:09 Speaker 1: from ancient impacts. The study also revealed new insights into

6:13 Speaker 1: the massive Tharsus volcanic region, home to Olympus Monds, the

6:17 Speaker 1: largest known volcano in our Solar system. A light mass

6:20 Speaker 1: about one thousand, seven hundred and fifty kilometers across and

6:23 Speaker 1: one thousand, one hundred kilometers deep, appears to be giving

6:26 Speaker 1: the entire Tharsis region an upward boost. This could be

6:30 Speaker 1: evidence of a huge plume of lava deep within the

6:33 Speaker 1: Martian interior, suggesting that Mars might still have active internal movements.

6:38 Speaker 1: To further explore these hidden Martian structures, scientists are proposing

6:42 Speaker 1: the Martian Quantum Gravity or MAQUIS mission. This future endeavor

6:46 Speaker 1: aims to map Mars's gravity field in unprecedented detail, helping

6:50 Speaker 1: us better understand the planet's subsurface features, ongoing mantle convection,

6:55 Speaker 1: and dynamic surface processes. Now, let's take a look at

6:58 Speaker 1: the exciting lineup of rocket line bunch is scheduled for

7:00 Speaker 1: this week. SpaceX is gearing up for two Falcon nine

7:03 Speaker 1: missions that are sure to capture our attention. First up,

7:06 Speaker 1: we have a launch from Cape Canaveral carrying a pair

7:08 Speaker 1: of Galileo Global Positioning satellites. This mission, originally planned for

7:13 Speaker 1: Soyuz and then Ariani six, will help expand Europe's own

7:16 Speaker 1: high precision positioning system. The launch was set for Monday evening,

7:20 Speaker 1: with the Falcon nine booster expected to land on a

7:23 Speaker 1: drone ship in the Atlantic. Later in the week, SpaceX

7:26 Speaker 1: will launch another batch of Starlink satellites from Vandenberg Space

7:30 Speaker 1: Force Base in California. This mission is particularly noteworthy as

7:34 Speaker 1: it's expected to push the number of operational Starlink satellites

7:37 Speaker 1: past the six thousand mark, a significant milestone for the

7:40 Speaker 1: growing constellation. But SpaceX isn't the only one lighting up

7:44 Speaker 1: the skies this week. Rocket Lab is preparing for an

7:46 Speaker 1: electron launch from New Zealand, carrying the second batch of

7:49 Speaker 1: nanosatellites for Kinis, a global connectivity provider. This mission, playfully

7:55 Speaker 1: named keen Ice Killed the Radio t Star, will help

7:58 Speaker 1: build out a planned constellation of twenty five satellites for

8:01 Speaker 1: Internet of Things applications. With these launches on the horizon,

8:05 Speaker 1: it's shaping up to be another thrilling week in spaceflight.

8:08 Speaker 1: Each mission brings us one step closer to a more

8:10 Speaker 1: connected and technologically advanced future, and that wraps up our

8:15 Speaker 1: cosmic journey for today, fellow stargazers. We've covered a lot

8:18 Speaker 1: of ground, from the upcoming ARIANI six launch to the

8:21 Speaker 1: James Webb Space Telescopes fascinating black hole discovery. We explored

8:26 Speaker 1: the potential of Australian spaceports, delved into the hidden structures

8:30 Speaker 1: beneath the Martian surface and looked ahead to this week's

8:33 Speaker 1: exciting rocket launches. Remember, for all the latest updates in

8:37 Speaker 1: space and astronomy, head over to our website at Astronomy

8:41 Speaker 1: Daily dot io. There you can sign up for our

8:44 Speaker 1: free daily newsletter and catch up on all the breaking

8:46 Speaker 1: news with our constantly updating news feed. You can also

8:50 Speaker 1: listen to all our previous episodes. Don't forget to follow

8:53 Speaker 1: us on social media. Search for astro Daily Pod on Facebook,

8:57 Speaker 1: x YouTube, and TikTok to stay connected with our celestial

8:59 Speaker 1: care community. And today's listener shout out goes to Eric

9:02 Speaker 1: G who's a listener and comment are on Spotify. Thank you, Eric,

9:05 Speaker 1: your kind words are much appreciated. This is Anna signing off.

9:09 Speaker 1: Keep looking up and I'll see you next time. On

9:11 Speaker 1: Astronomy Daily Sunday, Star is Star Story