Spacewalk Records, Hidden Black Holes, and Martian Climate Secrets: S04E27

0:00 Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily. I'm your host, Anna, and today

0:03 Speaker 1: we've got a lot of news to cover and some

0:05 Speaker 1: fascinating developments in space exploration and astronomical discoveries. We'll start

0:10 Speaker 1: with an incredible milestone aboard the International Space Station where

0:13 Speaker 1: astronaut Sunny Williams has just broken the record for total

0:16 Speaker 1: space walking time during a crucial maintenance mission with fellow

0:19 Speaker 1: astronaut which Wilmore. It seems to be their week, doesn't it.

0:23 Speaker 1: Then we'll dive into the latest updates on Boeing's Starliner investigation,

0:27 Speaker 1: where engineers are making significant progress in understanding what went

0:31 Speaker 1: wrong during last year's test flight. Get ready for some

0:35 Speaker 1: mind bending numbers as we explore a groundbreaking discovery of

0:39 Speaker 1: hundreds of hidden supermassive black holes lurking in the Cosmos

0:43 Speaker 1: and why scientists believe there could be billions more out there.

0:47 Speaker 1: We'll also examine intriguing new research about Mars's ancient climate

0:51 Speaker 1: that's helping us understand how the red planet may have

0:54 Speaker 1: sustained liquid water billions of years ago. And finally, we'll

0:58 Speaker 1: look at some spectacular new view use of our planet,

1:01 Speaker 1: including a unique perspective from a Japanese moonlander, and an

1:04 Speaker 1: exciting new way to watch Earth from space in stunning

1:07 Speaker 1: four K resolution. So let's get into it. A remarkable

1:12 Speaker 1: spacewalk took place yesterday aboard the International Space Station, where

1:16 Speaker 1: NASA astronauts Sunny Williams and Butch Wilmore ventured outside for

1:21 Speaker 1: a critical maintenance mission lasting over five hours. During this spacewalk,

1:25 Speaker 1: Williams achieved something truly extraordinary. She surpassed former astronaut Peggy

1:30 Speaker 1: Whitson's record for total spacewalking time, bringing her cumulative time

1:35 Speaker 1: in the vacuum of space to an impressive sixty two

1:37 Speaker 1: hours and six minutes. The primary objective of their mission

1:41 Speaker 1: was to remove faulty radio communications hardware, specifically an S

1:46 Speaker 1: band antenna system that had previously resisted removal attempts during

1:50 Speaker 1: two earlier spacewalks. Using a specially designed wrench tool, Williams

1:54 Speaker 1: and Wilmore successfully extracted the problematic equipment, which will be

1:58 Speaker 1: returned to Earth for refurbishment. But the mission didn't stop there.

2:02 Speaker 1: After completing the hardware removal, Wilmore conducted and fascinating experiment

2:07 Speaker 1: collecting samples from various locations on the station's exterior. This

2:11 Speaker 1: experiment aims to determine whether the ISS releases microorganisms into space,

2:16 Speaker 1: a crucial investigation for future space exploration. While we thoroughly

2:20 Speaker 1: sterilize all spacecraft and space suits before launch, humans carry

2:24 Speaker 1: their own microorganisms, which are constantly regenerating. Understanding which microorganisms

2:30 Speaker 1: can survive in the harsh environment of space has significant

2:33 Speaker 1: implications for our upcoming Artemis missions to the Moon and

2:37 Speaker 1: eventual human missions to Mars. Scientists are particularly interested in

2:42 Speaker 1: learning whether any of these microscopic stowaways could become what

2:45 Speaker 1: we call extremophiles, organisms capable of surviving in the most

2:50 Speaker 1: challenging conditions similar to those found in deep sea hydrothermal

2:54 Speaker 1: vents here on Earth. This space walk marks Williams's ninth

2:58 Speaker 1: venture outside the station and Wilmore's fifth, but only the

3:02 Speaker 1: first time together, contributing to the ongoing legacy of the

3:05 Speaker 1: ISS's maintenance and scientific advancement. Their experience and expertise were

3:10 Speaker 1: evident throughout the mission as they methodically worked through their

3:14 Speaker 1: tasks while floating two hundred and fifty miles above our planet.

3:18 Speaker 1: They're just getting on with the job. While controversy over

3:22 Speaker 1: their return seems to be swirling around them down here

3:25 Speaker 1: on Earth, and an update concerning the two of them

3:30 Speaker 1: in a significant update from NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel.

3:34 Speaker 1: Boeing and NASA are making substantial progress in their investigation

3:38 Speaker 1: of the issues that arose during last year's Starliner test flight.

3:42 Speaker 1: The mission, which carried astronauts which Wilmore and Sunny Williams

3:46 Speaker 1: to the International Space Station, encountered several challenges that ultimately

3:51 Speaker 1: led to the spacecraft returning to Earth without its crew.

3:54 Speaker 1: The investigation teams have begun closing out various flight observations

3:58 Speaker 1: and addressing in flight anomalies. However, one critical issue remains

4:02 Speaker 1: under intense scrutiny, the spacecraft's propulsion system multiple thrusters unexpectedly

4:07 Speaker 1: shut down during the approach to the station, and the

4:10 Speaker 1: system experience concerning helium leaks. These propulsion system anomalies are

4:15 Speaker 1: still being actively investigated through ongoing test campaigns. Teams are

4:19 Speaker 1: currently working on three fronts, determining the root cause of

4:22 Speaker 1: the thruster problems, developing recommendations for modifications to future missions,

4:27 Speaker 1: and examining both technical and organizational factors that may have

4:30 Speaker 1: contributed to these issues. The Safety Panel has expressed confidence

4:35 Speaker 1: that NASA and Boeing are focusing their attention on the

4:38 Speaker 1: right core issues and following an appropriate path towards safely

4:41 Speaker 1: flying Starliner again. Looking ahead to future flights, NASA is

4:46 Speaker 1: keeping all options on the table for achieving system certification.

4:51 Speaker 1: While specific timing hasn't been announced, the agency is exploring

4:54 Speaker 1: potential flight opportunities for Starliner in twenty twenty five. This

4:58 Speaker 1: careful approach reflects now USA's commitment to ensuring all safety

5:02 Speaker 1: concerns are fully addressed before the next mission. The financial

5:06 Speaker 1: impact of these delays continues to affect Boeing, with the

5:09 Speaker 1: company anticipating another significant charge against earnings in the fourth

5:13 Speaker 1: quarter of twenty twenty four. Meanwhile, leadership changes are occurring

5:18 Speaker 1: within the program, including the planned retirement of Mark Knappy,

5:22 Speaker 1: who served as Starliner's program manager during the test flight.

5:26 Speaker 1: This thorough investigation demonstrates the space industry's unwavering commitment to

5:31 Speaker 1: safety and the methodical approach required when developing human space

5:35 Speaker 1: flight systems. While progress may seem slow to outside observers,

5:39 Speaker 1: this meticulous attention to detail is essential for ensuring the

5:43 Speaker 1: safety of future astronaut crews. It seems we find out

5:47 Speaker 1: something new about black holes almost every day, and today

5:50 Speaker 1: is no exception. In an exciting astronomical breakthrough, scientists have

5:55 Speaker 1: discovered hundreds of previously hidden super massive black holes lurking

5:59 Speaker 1: in the depths of our universe. These cosmic giants, each

6:03 Speaker 1: containing at least one hundred thousand times the mass of

6:05 Speaker 1: our Sun, were found by using innovative infrared detection methods

6:10 Speaker 1: to peer through dense clouds of cosmic dust and gas

6:13 Speaker 1: that had kept them hidden from view. What makes this

6:16 Speaker 1: discovery particularly fascinating is that it suggests we've been significantly

6:20 Speaker 1: underestimating the number of supermassive black holes in our universe.

6:24 Speaker 1: While previous estimates suggested that about fifteen percent of these

6:28 Speaker 1: massive objects were hidden from view, new research indicates that

6:32 Speaker 1: number could be closer to thirty five percent, or possibly

6:35 Speaker 1: even fifty percent. This means there could be billions, or

6:38 Speaker 1: perhaps even trillions of these cosmic behemoths scattered throughout the universe.

6:44 Speaker 1: To make these discoveries, astronomers combined data from NASA's Infrared

6:49 Speaker 1: Astronomical Satellite and the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array. Even though

6:54 Speaker 1: the infrared satellite operated for just ten months back in

6:57 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty three. Its data proved invaluable when combined with

7:01 Speaker 1: modern observations, allowing researchers to detect the infrared signatures of

7:06 Speaker 1: these hidden giants. These findings aren't just about adding numbers

7:11 Speaker 1: to our cosmic sensus. They're reshaping our understanding of how

7:15 Speaker 1: galaxies form and evolve. Supermassive black holes appear to play

7:19 Speaker 1: a crucial role in controlling galaxy formation, acting like cosmic

7:23 Speaker 1: architects that help determine the size and structure of their

7:26 Speaker 1: host galaxies. In fact, our own Milky Way would look

7:29 Speaker 1: quite different without its central black hole. We'd likely see

7:33 Speaker 1: many more stars in our night sky if it weren't

7:35 Speaker 1: for its influence. The discovery also demonstrates how far our

7:39 Speaker 1: detection capabilities have come. By using multiple wavelengths of light

7:42 Speaker 1: and combining historical data with new observations, astronomers are increasingly

7:47 Speaker 1: able to pierce through the cosmic veils that have hidden

7:49 Speaker 1: these massive objects from view. This multi wavelength approach is

7:53 Speaker 1: opening new windows into the universe, allowing us to see

7:57 Speaker 1: what was previously invisible and helping us better understand the

8:01 Speaker 1: cosmic forces that shape our universe. Time now for a

8:05 Speaker 1: Mars update. In groundbreaking new research from Harvard's School of

8:09 Speaker 1: Engineering and Applied Sciences, scientists have uncovered fascinating details about

8:13 Speaker 1: Mars's ancient climate patterns. The red planet, which we know

8:17 Speaker 1: was once much wetter and more earth like, apparently experienced

8:21 Speaker 1: dramatic swings between hot and cold periods during its early history.

8:25 Speaker 1: These temperature fluctuations occurred between four and three billion years ago,

8:29 Speaker 1: with each cycle lasting at least one hundred thousand years

8:33 Speaker 1: within a broader forty million year period. What's particularly intriguing

8:37 Speaker 1: is how Mars managed to maintain its warmth despite being

8:40 Speaker 1: further from the Sun, which was also fainter in those

8:43 Speaker 1: early days. The key to this climate puzzle appears to

8:46 Speaker 1: be hydrogen in the Martian atmosphere. When hydrogen combined with

8:50 Speaker 1: carbon atoms, it created carbon dioxide that trapped heat through

8:53 Speaker 1: the greenhouse effect, similar to what we experience on Earth today.

8:58 Speaker 1: But here's the fascinating part. The process that kept Mars

9:01 Speaker 1: warm had an ironic twist. As the planet lost water

9:05 Speaker 1: from its atmosphere to the ground, it actually replenished the

9:09 Speaker 1: atmospheric hydrogen, helping to sustain these warm periods. The chemical

9:14 Speaker 1: changes during these periods were equally complex. Carbon dioxide in

9:18 Speaker 1: the atmosphere would react with sunlight to produce carbon monoxide.

9:22 Speaker 1: During warm spells, this carbon monoxide would convert back to

9:25 Speaker 1: carbon dioxide in a continuous cycle. However, if Mars stayed

9:29 Speaker 1: cold for too long, this recycling process would stall, leading

9:32 Speaker 1: to a build up of carbon monoxide and oxygen. While

9:36 Speaker 1: these findings help explain how Mars maintain liquid water on

9:39 Speaker 1: its surface, they also raise interesting questions about the possibility

9:43 Speaker 1: of ancient Martian life. The temperature swings and changing oxygen

9:47 Speaker 1: levels might have created challenging conditions for any potential life forms.

9:51 Speaker 1: When temperatures dropped and oxygen levels rose, any existing organisms

9:56 Speaker 1: would have faced significant survival challenges. Looking ahead, scientists plan

10:01 Speaker 1: to test these theories by examining actual Martian rocks and

10:04 Speaker 1: soil that NASA hopes to bring back to Earth through

10:08 Speaker 1: the Mars Sample Return Mission. This could help us finally

10:12 Speaker 1: unlock the secrets of Mars's lost world and better understand

10:15 Speaker 1: the complex history of our neighboring planet. Space photography has

10:20 Speaker 1: given us some remarkable new perspectives this week, with two

10:23 Speaker 1: exciting developments capturing our attention Japanese space company I Space's

10:29 Speaker 1: Resilience Lunar lander has provided us with a striking view

10:32 Speaker 1: of Earth from its current orbital position, offering a unique

10:36 Speaker 1: glimpse of our planet's most remote location. The image, taken

10:40 Speaker 1: from approximately six thousand miles above Earth, captured Point Nemo,

10:44 Speaker 1: the most isolated spot on our planet, situated nearly one thousand,

10:48 Speaker 1: six hundred and seventy miles from the nearest land. The

10:52 Speaker 1: photo serves as a poignant reminder of the vast emptiness

10:55 Speaker 1: of space as Resilience continues its four month journey toward

10:59 Speaker 1: its place landing site in the Moon's Mare Frigoris, or

11:03 Speaker 1: Sea of Cold. In other imaging news, we're now able

11:07 Speaker 1: to experience the overview effect that profound shift in perspective

11:11 Speaker 1: astronauts report when seeing Earth from space. Thanks to a

11:14 Speaker 1: new set of ultra HD cameras installed on the International

11:17 Speaker 1: Space Station, the Space TV I camera suite, operated by

11:21 Speaker 1: space streaming company SEN, is now providing continuous four K

11:25 Speaker 1: views of our planet and the surrounding space environment. This

11:29 Speaker 1: groundbreaking system features three distinct cameras offering different perspectives, one

11:34 Speaker 1: capturing Earth's curved horizon, another providing detailed views of our

11:37 Speaker 1: planet's surface, covering areas of about one hundred fifty by

11:41 Speaker 1: one hundred ten miles, and a third focused on the

11:44 Speaker 1: station's forward docking port. The cameras have already proven their worth,

11:49 Speaker 1: capturing impressive footage of various phenomena, including Hurricane Milton last October.

11:54 Speaker 1: The live stream is freely available to the public, marking

11:57 Speaker 1: a significant step forward in making space more accessible to everyone.

12:02 Speaker 1: While there are occasional interruptions due to communication dead spots,

12:06 Speaker 1: this unprecedented access to real time views from space represents

12:10 Speaker 1: a remarkable achievement in bringing the Space station experience to

12:13 Speaker 1: viewers worldwide. These developments demonstrate how space imaging technology continues

12:19 Speaker 1: to advance, providing us with ever more detailed and immediate

12:23 Speaker 1: ways to observe both our home planet and humanity's ongoing

12:26 Speaker 1: ventures into space. If you'd like to check it out

12:29 Speaker 1: for yourself, I'll include a link in the show notes,

12:31 Speaker 1: but be warned you could find yourself mesmerized and wind

12:35 Speaker 1: up spending a lot of time just looking at it.

12:37 Speaker 1: I know I did. And with that we come to

12:41 Speaker 1: the end of another fascinating episode of Astronomy Daily from

12:45 Speaker 1: Sunny William's record breaking spacewalk, to the discovery of hundreds

12:49 Speaker 1: of hidden black holes, from Mars's ancient climate swings to

12:52 Speaker 1: stunning new views of Earth from space. It's been quite

12:55 Speaker 1: a journey through today's space news. I'm Anna, and I

12:59 Speaker 1: want to thank you for joining me today. If you're

13:01 Speaker 1: hungry for more space and astronomy content, visit us at

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13:33 Speaker 1: keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of

13:36 Speaker 1: our universe. Stars Star