S03E26: Hopping Robots & Lunar Flybys: Post-Eclipse Eye Safety & Space Force's International Summit

Welcome aboard. It's Steve here with another episode of Astronomy Daily. It's the

fifteenth of April twenty twenty four. Poda. I mean to be a whole

Steve gun't clue. Oh, and it's good to have you with us again.

And I hope you all fared well in the eclipse. But I've I've

got to tell you, I'm pretty pretty disappointed. Maybe he listened to our

warning. Oh well, lots of people didn't listen to our warning. Isn't

that right, hallie? And didn't we warn you about protecting your eyes?

Oh, we sure did. The most searched item on Google the day after

the eclipse was exactly what we didn't want to see. Is you the impression

these days that a lot of people just think they know best and they don't

listen to the experts. Yes, The most searched for item on Google the

day following the eclipse was my eyes hurt. According to Google Trends, The

search term my eyes hurt peaked in the United States during and just after the

eclipse. This fellow on Reddit damaged his eyes in the nineties when he looked

at an eclipse. Yes, he says, I'll fess up way back in

the nineties when I was a kid, we made the shadow boxes, but

I just had to see it with my own eyes. Just after a very

brief couple of seconds, he says, I felt this insane, intense searing

in my eyes and I saw a crazy array of colors. Yes, that

was my optic nerve getting fried. Anyway. Yeah, every optometrist is like,

what is this scarring on your eyes? And I tell them it's from

the eclipse, and they actually go and look it up. Story as kids

don't look at the eclipse unprotected. Well that's his story. That's terrible,

and just a short one from last week. They interviewed a local eye doctor

on the radio last week and he talked about the patients that he's seen following

past eclipses, damage ranging from a light sunburn on the retina. Can you

imagine to permanent dark spots in the central vision and unfortunately the part that helps

best with driving. Now, I just can't imagine what that must be like.

Just wow, I'm lucky I can see in multiple wavelengths and don't have

this kind of issue. Oh, I guess there's a lot to be said

for being an AI these days. But anyway, a little education goes a

long way. Oh watch it, helly, you use the E word.

I don't think they like that. Well, he could be right. So

what's happening today? Then? Well I've got a little something from our friends

at Space Force. Oh great, I'll have to dig up the music again,

won't I? Oh you bet. We can't do a Space Force story

without the Space Force theme. I've got a cute story about a tiny hopping

robot designed to explore asteroids. You'll dig that one, won't. Oh?

Oh, of course, anything to do with asteroids and robots. Yes,

I'm an instant fan. And listeners might recall rumors of a surfboard like object

being photographed orbiting the Moon recently. Oh I heard that? What have you

heard? I've got the answer. Oh I'm glad someone has. And finally

some news about SpaceX and Starship and some future plans for the Moon. SpaceX

always interesting, always pushing forward. And have also got a couple of interesting

articles. Well, so, without any more skylarking, let's go. This

is trying to the podcast. The space Hopper program was first launched too and

a half years ago as a student research project at ETH Zurich University in Switzerland,

and recently researchers tested the Hopping robot in a simulated zero gravity environment during

a European Space Agency parabolic flight. According to a statement from the university,

the robot consists of a triangular body with an articulated leg at each corner.

Each of these three legs has a knee and a hip joint, allowing the

robot to push off from a surface kick to propel itself through space and control

it its landing within a designated area. Space Hopper is designed specifically to explore

relatively small celestial bodies, such as asteroids and moons, where there is little

to no gravity. Asteroids are thought to contain valuable mineral resources that could be

of use to humankind in the future. Researchers said in the statement, the

exploration of these bodies could also give us insights into our universe's formation. However,

exploring these types of celestial bodies can be challenging. In an environment with

almost no gravity, there is basically no traction between a spacecraft's wheels and the

surface it drives across. There is barely any atmosphere for a spacecraft to fly

through. If there is one at all. That's why space Hopper instead performs

brief hops to move upwards and sideways. The recent parabolic flight allowed the researchers

to simulate the low gravity conditions in which space Hopper may one day be deployed.

A video taken during the flight shows space Hopper kicking each of its three

legs and coordinated movements to stay lifted during periods of zero gravity, which occurred

about thirty times per flight for about twenty to twenty five seconds each. The

LRO, which has been orbiting the Moon for fifteen years, captured several images

of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute's dan Yuri Lunar Orbiter as the two spacecraft,

traveling in nearly parallel orbits, zoomed past each other in opposite directions during three

orbits between March fifth and March six. According to a statement from NASA,

dan Yuri, the Republic of Korea's first moon explorer, has been in lunar

orbit since December twenty twenty two. At the time the photos were taken,

dan Yuri was orbiting below the LRO, which was flying fifty miles eighty kilometers

above the Moon's surface. Relative velocities between the two spacecraft were about seven thousand,

two hundred miles per hour eleven thousand, five hundred kilometers per hour,

NASA officials said, making it challenging for the lro's narrow angle camera to hone

in on dan Yuri. The lro's camera exposure time was roughly zero point three

three eight milliseconds, causing dan Yuri to appear smeared across the image and stretched

ten times its size as it traveled swiftly in the opposite direction of the LRO.

The LRO operations team at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Green Belt,

Maryland needed exquisite timing in pointing LROC to the right place at the right time

to catch a glimpse of dan Yuri, NASA officials said in a statement.

NASA's LRO had three opportunities to snap photos of dan Uri during close flybys.

For the first snapshot, LRO was three miles five kilometers above dan Yuri and

oriented down forty three degrees from its typical position looking down at the lunar surface.

In capturing the orbiter with its new positioning, dan Yury appeared sort like

a disc shaped streak. Across the middle of the image. SpaceX's Starship,

the largest rocket in the world, will get even bigger as the company continues

to target Mars missions in the future. Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of

SpaceX, told employees on April fourth, that Starship will eventually be as tall

as five hundred feet one hundred and fifty meters, roughly twenty percent higher than

the massive system aboard the super Heavy rocket right now. What's more, advances

in reusability will have each launch cost roughly three million dollars each, Musk predicted.

That's less than a third of what a much smaller Falcon one rocket launch

cost in two thousand four. When inflation is taken into account. The figure

two decades ago was five point nine million dollars, according to NBC, which

is roughly nine point five million dollars in twenty twenty four dollars. These are

sort of unthinkable numbers, Musk said in a Starship update released publicly April sixth,

roughly one month after the third and last test flight to date. Nobody

ever thought that this was possible. But we're not breaking any physics to achieve

this, so this is within the bounds without breaking physics. We can do

this. Musk tends to deliver Starship updates at least once a year to highlight

progress the company is making toward its long term plans of settling Mars. Indeed,

the last year has seen three Starship launches, so there has been progress

made recently. Musk didn't, however, address delays in launching Starship that have

contributed to pushing back the launch date for the first moon landing under the NASA

lad Artemis program. SpaceX was named the vendor for the Artemis three landing mission

that until recently was set for twenty twenty five. In January, NASA elected

to hold the launch date another year to twenty twenty six due to a range

of technical issues. Aside from Starship not being ready, the agency wants many

successful launches before approving it for astronaut flights. Artemis three was also delayed due

to slow progress on space suits and problems with the missions or I in spacecraft,

among other factors. However, Musk's words about Artemis to employees focused on

Starship's future capabilities orbiting the Earth and refilling its tanks, both of which have

yet to be proven on its three test flights. He also envisions of Moon

Base Alpha that would include ships specialized for going to and from the Moon,

meaning there would be no heat shield or flaps due to the lack of atmosphere.

SpaceX is by far the most active launching entity on Earth, and Musk

forecasts the company will send roughly ninety percent of orbital mass aloft this year,

compared to China's six percent, the second largest entity. Starship's next and fourth

space flight attempt, expected to take place in May, aims to have the

first stage of super heavy land on essentially a virtual tower in the Gulf of

Mexico, Musk said. Overall, Musk plans for multiple Starship launches to take

place this year and suggest SpaceX will build an additional six spacecraft by the end

of twenty twenty four. A new rocket factory for the company should be available

in twenty twenty five, which would make production even faster. And that's all

from me today, Back to you Steve. Astronomy with Steve and Halle Space

Space Science and Astronomy, and as always, thank you for joining us on

this Monday edition of Astronomy Daily, where we offer just a few of the

stories from the now famous Astronomy Daily newsletter, which you can receive in your

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on ex formerly Twitter by visiting at astro Daily hod So see you there.

You're getting real good at that, Thanks, Hally. Now that's my bit.

Nice. Well, it's been a while since we've heard from these guys.

Cue the music. On April eleven, military space leaders from eighteen countries

convened at the invitation of US Space Force Chief of Space Operations General Saltsman for

the fourth Annual Space Chiefs Forum in Colorado Springs. Participants included representatives from Australia,

Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy,

Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Republic of Korea,

Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and of course, the United

States. As tensions and stakes rise in the domain of outer space, the

importance of international cooperation and shared standards has never been more evident. The annual

Space Chiefs Forum has become a critical event for aligning global military strategies regarding space.

At this year's gathering, discussions centered on the ever increasing significance of space

in national defense strategies, the proliferation of satellites, the rising threat of space

debris and anti satellite weaponry. The diversity of nations present with the varying levels

of space capabilities, from well established spacefaring nations such as the US and France

to emerging players like Poland and Finland, underscores a collective push toward forming a

cohesive global front to tackle challenges in space. This unity is seen as essential

for maintaining space as a global commons befitting all humanity. The forum also tackled

the controversial topic of space militarization. With countries like the United States, Russia,

and China advancing their military capabilities in space, there is a significant push

from the international community to establish frameworks that limit military escalations and ensure that space

remains free from conflict. Further discussions enlightened the role of satellites in modern warfare,

intelligence, and reconnaissance, stressing the vulnerability of these essential assets and the

need for robust protective measures. Additionally, the Assembly acknowledged the growing sector of

private space companies and their role alongside governmental space agencies in shaping the future of

outer space activities. By reiterating their commitment to responsible behaviors in space, the

nations aim to promote norms and guidelines that ensure long term sustainability and safety,

which are increasingly urgent due to the congested and competitive nature of today's space environment.

The next Space Chief Forum is anticipated to delve deeper into these agreements and

possibly expanding the number of participant nations and further solidifying the framework for cooperation in

space defense and exploration initiatives. As this dialogue evolves, it should pave the

way for new treaties and ins national laws governing the military use of space.

Emphasizing the importance of a unified approach to space governance, the participating leaders endorsed

a joint statement asserting the significance of strengthening alliances due to managing the involving challenges

and opportunities in space effectively. We affirm that enhanced cooperation among like minded partners

is vital to adapt to the rapidly emerging opportunities and threats in from and to

space. We have a shared interest in maintaining the peaceful use of outer space

and the benefits of man space for mankind. We will continue working together to

deter ambiguous, unfriendly or hostile activities in space. We also emphasize our resolve

to continue promoting mutually agreed norms and the responsible behaviors in space, including by

conducting space activities in a manner that prioritizes the safety, security, stability,

and sustainable of the space domain. They said in the statement in the podcast.

Now, if you'll like me and you like a bit of science fiction,

you will have become aware of the science fiction TV series The Three Body

Problem, the latest from the creators of HBO's Game of Thrones. Now it's

become the most watched TV show on Netflix since its debut last month. Based

on the best selling book trilogy Remembrance of Earth's Past by Chinese computer engineer and

author sign Zoo. The three body Problem introduces viewers to advance concepts in physics

in service to a suspenseful story involving investigative police work, international intrigue, and

the looming threat of a wait for it, extraterrestrial invasion. Yet, how

closely does the story of three body problem adhere to the science that it's based

on. Well, the very name of the show comes from the three body

problem, a mathematical problem in physics long considered to be unsolvable. Virginia Tech

physicist George Minnick says the three body problem is a very famous problem in classical

and celestial mechanics, which goes back to Isaac Newton. It involves three celestial

bodies interacting via the gravitational force, that is Newton's law of gravity. Unlike

mathematical predictions of the motions of a two body system such as Earth Moon or

Earth Sun, the three body problem does not have an analytic solution. At

the end of the nineteenth century, the great French mathematician Henri Pronchierre's work on

the three body problem gave birth to what is known as chaos theory and the

concept of the butterfly effect. Both the novels and the Netflix show contain a

visualization of the three body problem in action, a solar system made to three

sons in erratic orbit around one another. Virginia Tech aerospace engineer and mathematics expert

Shane Ross discussed the liberties the story takes with the science that informs it.

There are no known configurations of the three massive stars that could maintain an erratic

orbit. Ross said there was a big breakthrough about twenty years ago when a

figure eight solution of the three body problem was discovered, in which three equal

sized stars chase each other around a figure H shaped course. In fact,

six and zero makes reference to this in his books. Building on that development,

other mathematicians found other solutions, but in each case the movement is not

chaotic. Ross elaborated, it's even more unlikely that a fourth body, a

planet that would be in orbit around this system of three stars, however erratically,

it would either collide with one or be ejected from the system. The

situation in the book would therefore be a solution to the four body problem,

which presumably didn't have quite the right ring to it as a title. Furthermore,

a stable climate is unlikely even on an earth like planet. At last

count, there are at least a one hundred independent factors that are required to

create an earth like planet that supports life as we know it. Ross said,

we have been fortunate to have had about ten thousand years of the most

stable climate in Earth's history, which makes us think that climate stability is the

norm, when in fact it's the exception. It's a likely no coincidence that

this has corresponded with the rise of advanced human civilization. Listen to podcast and

here's some latest news about the Artemis two Orion spacecraft, which starts testing ahead

of the Moon mission with astronauts in twenty twenty five. The Orion spacecraft for

Artimus two is slated to fly around the Moon with four astronauts no earlier than

September twenty five, but first engineers with as NASA want to make sure it

is ready for the job of course testing in a vacuum changer at NASA's Kennedy

Space Center began Wednesday, April tend to assess ryan for electro magnetic interference and

electro magnetic compatibility, NASA officials wrote in a statement. The aim is to

make sure the spacecraft can continue working well amid these fields, both spacecraft generated

and space generated ahead of the big launch day. The four Artemis two astronauts

who fly around the Moon aboard Ryan are NASA Commander Reid Wiseman, NASA pilot

Victor Glover, who will become the first black person to leave Low Earth orbit

or LEEO, NASA mission specialist Christina Kosh, the first woman to go beyond

LEO, and Canadian Space Agency mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, the first non American

to achieve the feat. Their spacecraft now at Kennedy Neil Armstrong's Operations and Checkout

building is inside a chamber with a lot of Moon heritage. It was used

to test environmental and life support systems on lunar and command modules during the Apollo

program that brought nine astronaut crews to the Moon between nineteen sixty eight and nineteen

seventy two. Yes I was the NASA officials wrote there are multiple altitude chambers

available at Kennedy. Ryan is in the West Chamber, which was upgraded to

test the spacecraft in a vacuum environment that simulates up to an altitude of two

one hundred and fifty thousand feet that seventy six point two kilometers, NASA told

US technicians hoisted Ryan into that chamber on April four using a newly installed thirty

ton crane in the building, which can move the stacked Orion crew and service

modules into the chamber, manipulate the lid of the chamber, and carefully transfer

the spacecraft in the building's high bay. While Orion spacecraft have flown to space

twice before, this mission will be the first with astronauts on board. It

will also test new systems such as life support. A spacecraft model's previous journey

where the Artemis one uncrewed mission to lunar orbit late in twenty two and a

brief trip to Earth orbit in twenty fourteen, Artemus two's Orion has more work

in store. After the altitude chamber, it will next be sent to another

zone called Final Assembly and Systems Testing in the same Kennedy Space Center building.

Then more altitude testing will happen to conduct tests that simulates as close as possible

the conditions in the vacuum of deep space. As a rote, these altitude

tests could begin as soon as the summer, and I would like to thank

Elizabeth Howe, a staff writer from a spaceflight on space dot Com for those

words. Thank you, Elizabeth. Well done, And just like that,

another episode comes to a grinding halt. Well, yes, it's certainly the

end of the episode. Thank you, Hallie, and thank you everybody for

joining us today. I really hope you got something out of today's mixed bag

of stories. It's always hard to choose which ones to present to you.

There are so many, it's hard to choose which to feature. Well,

that's why I depend on you so much, halle Well, someone has to

work around here. I mean, making coffee isn't exactly rocket science. It's

too If you just get the steam a little bit too hot, then that's

like the whole grinds it gets its cactus. Besides, your coffee machine has

the weirdest accent. Really, I think it's the Toorio, but he's wearing

a Bravil batch. Something isn't right there. Wow, my coffee machine.

Hey, that's what you got from all that? We need to talk Wow

on that note, see you next week, folks, see you skywatchers the

popcast. It would be a high stave downclude

In this episode