NASA Selects Four New Deep Space Missions

SpaceTime S24E116 Air

[00:00:00] Stuart: This is space-time series 24 episode, 116 full broadcast and the 30th of October, 2021. Coming up on space time, NASA selects for new deep space missions. The first planet found orbit three stars and another space first as a Russian actress and director arrive at the international space station to film scenes for a motion picture, all that are more coming up on SpaceTime.

[00:00:31] VO Guy: Welcome to SpaceTime with Stuart Gary

[00:00:51] Stuart: NASA has selected four new deep space missions for further development, as part of its discovery program, to explore the solar system, the deep atmosphere, Venus investigation of noble gases, chemistry, and imaging, or DaVinci plus mission. We'll analyze Venus's atmosphere to understand how it formed and evolve and determine where the Venus ever had an ocean.

The Vinci plus we'll plunge through Venus's crushingly thick, hot and poisonous atmosphere to precisely measure its composition all the way down to the surface. The instruments will be encapsulated in a purposely built the sense fair in order to protect them from Venus's intense environment where temperatures are hot enough to melt, lead and surface air pressure is 99 times greater than that on.

Oh, and that plus in DaVinci plus, well, that refers to the imaging component of the mission, which includes cameras on both the descents fare and the orbiter designed to map surface geology. The last us led in situ mission. The Venus was back in 1978, the results of the Vinci plus have the potential to reshape science's understanding of terrestrial planet formation.

The Venus emissivity radio science in stat pornography and spectroscopy, missional Veritas, all mapped Venus the surface that determined the planet geologic history in order to understand why Venus is developed so differently, compare to the earth after all earth, planets are similar in size. They both formed in the same part of the solar system, out of the same materials and under similar conditions.

Yet the two planets have turned out so very different. Vera tasks will obit Venus using a synthetic aperture radar it'll chart surface elevations over the entire planet, create three-dimensional reconstructions of the topography and confirm where the processes such as plate tectonics and volcanism is still active on Venus Varidesk would also map infrared emissions from the surface in order to determine Venus's geology, which is still largely unknown.

The IO volcano observer mission would explore Jupiter's volcanic moon IO. The learn how titled forces shape planetary bodies IO is the most volcanically active body in the solar system. And it's heated by the constant crushing and pulling it with Jupiter's gravity as it orbits around the guests giant, but little is known about IO specific characteristics, such as whether a magma ocean exists in its interior.

Using closely in Flybuys, the pro will assess how magmas generated and erupts on IO. The missions results could revolutionize science's understanding of the formation and evolution of Rocky terrestrial bodies, as well as the icy ocean worlds in the outer solar system. And finally, there's the trend mission Triton would explore Neptune's fascinating moon Triton, which is thought to be a captured Copperbelt objects.

Try it and is unique and highly active icy world where cryo volcanoes, erupt plumes high into the atmosphere and messes Voyager. Two mission showed that Triton has active resurfacing generating one of the youngest services in the solar system. Trenton also has an honest fear. They can create organic snow and there's the potential for an interior ocean.

Trenton principal investigator Lewis Proctor from the lunar and planetary Institute says the mission would use a single flyby to map Triton, characterize active processes and determine whether a predicted subsurface ocean really exists. Uh, we

[00:04:26] Guest: are proposing a bold mission to Neptune's moon Triton. Uh, we want to explore how I see.

Evolve and what processes that active on them today? Uh, in particular, we want to know if Titan has an ocean, uh, can a captured body from the Cape about which is how it originated, um, form an ocean. And can that ocean persist until today? We also want to investigate. Volcanic and tectonic processes and understand how they lead to what we think is one of the youngest surfaces of anybody in the solar system.

Uh, one of those processes leads to plumes is very large and distinctive plumes. Uh, we want to understand whether they are the result of IC volcanoes, or are they the result of, uh, sunlight, uh, driving explosions in nitrogen ice. It's very, very cool. Uh, we also are going to fly through. Um, Titans' ionosphere to understand why it is one of the most intense in the whole solar system of any moves.

So 10 times more intense than any other moons. Um, all of these investigations will lead us to understand whether Triton, maybe a habitable world, one of the most fundamental questions in all of solar system science,

[00:05:33] Stuart: right? Let's try it. And principal investigated Lewis Proctor from the lunar and planetary Institute.

And this space time still to come. The first pilot found to be orbiting free stars and lights. Camera action. Another space first as a Russian actress and director arrival at the international space station, the film scenes for a motion picture, or that are more stored account. Spacetime

astronomers think they may have discovered a planet that's opening phrase style. The triple star system is called GW arenas. It's located some 1,312 light is the way in the constellation of Ryan. The findings reported in the monthly notices of the Royal astronomical society. Uh, based on an analysis of three strange dust rings discovered in the system and observations easily Alma, the Atacama lodge, millimeters submillimeter array, radio telescoping, Cho.

The system consists of two primary stars, GW, arenas, a and B, which are opening each other in a binary system about one astronomical unit apart and astronomical unit is the average distance between the earth and the sun, which is about 150 million kilometers or 8.3 light in minutes. The systems third star GW, rhino C is orbiting the other pair at about eight times further.

Right? Three-star systems, a common alpha centaury the nearest star system to our own is also a three star system. The study's lead author, Jeremy Smallwood from the university of Nevada says the GWR Ryan. That star system is only about a million years old and it includes a misaligned circum. Triple protoplanetary.

Small wooden colleagues identified a substantial yet parceling gap at about a hundred astronomical units out and misalignments between each of the rings. The authors initially thought the gap might've been caused by gravitational talk between the three stars. Treble is after developing a detailed computer model of the system.

They found that the best fit explanation for the gap in the disc actually involved the presence of one or more large gas planets. Small. It says, well, most stars are in multiple systems. This may will be the first to have a planet orbiting three stars. He says that discovery's exciting was that makes the theory of planetary formation extremely robust.

In fact, it could mean that planetary formation is far more active than scientists ever thought. This space-time still the com it's lights camera action. As a Russian actress and director arrival, the international space station, the film scenes for Russian motion picture. And later in the science report, a new study warns that the Dota variant of COVID-19 appears to be increasing the risk of death by 133% of that.

A more stoic. On space time,

uh, Russian actress and director of arrived, the boat, the international space station, the film scenes for motion picture. The Soyuz Ms. 19 spacecraft had to be specially modified for the mission for single-person operation. As only the spacecraft commander was a qualified allows cosmos cosmonaut, the spacecraft successfully dock to the space stations or as event module, following a fast to orbit rendezvous flight profile.

The mission at launch just three hours earlier from the backend old Cosmodrome the central Asian Republic of Kazakhstan. I bought a Soyuz two, one a

[00:09:32] Narrator: rocket at the time of launch the international space station will be flying over Southwestern Kazakhstan and we'll fly directly over biking or some 33 seconds after launch, ultimately leapfrog leapfrogging ahead of so used during its trajectory.

At the time of third stage shutdown and spacecraft separation, eight minutes and 45 seconds after launch, the Soyuz will be some 1200 miles behind the international space station. And the chase will be on launching into a very narrow 14.6 degree phase. Think of it as, uh, moving on to a very narrow lane on a highway to permit it to orbit rendezvous, and just over three hours between launch and docking to the international space station.

[00:10:28] Guest: One minute readiness is announced. Every sentence put into the schedule. This is , uh, every sentence wouldn't work where ready for

[00:10:37] Narrator: lunch. So I use commander Anton's capital off, uh, reporting back to the Blockhouse in Baikonur that the crew is ready to fly. Onboard systems will soon be switched to onboard control.

Cockpit displays have been activated. The crew members will close their helmet, visors putting them on suit oxygen

and the fuel lines. And other elements of the rocket engines are being purged with nitrogen that proofs the engines by removing vapors of fuel and oxidizer propel and drain back will occur that. Allow, uh, they still use two down, one eight booster to have the right amount of fuel for its first stage performance and booster.

Propellant tanks will be pressurized. The purging of the fuel lines. Now complete the ground. Propellant feed will be terminated moments from now who

[00:11:28] Guest: stepped up, initiated

[00:11:30] Narrator: the ground. Propelling food now has been terminate. The sole use about to go on internal power

[00:11:40] Guest: poster

[00:11:43] Narrator: and the first umbilical now retracting two minus 19 seconds. The second umbilical now retracting this initiates the auto sequence. Start for engine ignition.

[00:11:53] Guest: Second

[00:11:58] Narrator: the engine ignition turbo pumps coming up to flight speed and liftoff. Lift off of, so use Ms. 19 with an actress and her producer, beginning of journey to the international space station.

good role pitch in your program or in

the first stage performance, 33 seconds into the flight, the international space station. Now flying.

So used booster, arking out to the Northeast to an orbit, 51.6 degrees inclined to the equator.

One minute, four seconds into the flight, everything looking good now, passing through maximum dynamic pressure on the vehicle.

[00:13:09] Guest: well, everything is put on board 70 seconds into the flight. The flight is nominal, so we, uh, feeling a little bit of vibration and, uh, G loads, uh, also, um, The first and second stage structures up firing nominally.

[00:13:31] Narrator: I'm standing by for first stage separation

[00:13:34] Guest: unit

[00:13:37] Narrator: and first stage separation confirmed

[00:13:39] Guest: 7 62 is the pressure in the amount control. Copy, nominal rehabilitation,

[00:13:48] Narrator: good vehicle stability reported from the Blockhouse in Baikonur. The soil is 29 miles an hour. 35 miles down range from the bike and or Cosmodrome traveling almost 5,000 miles an hour.

[00:14:03] Guest: The shit out it's vehicles.

[00:14:06] Narrator: Stable. Good motion control parameters. As we passed the three minute mark into the flight. Second stage shutdown, uh, will come at the four minute 37 second mark into the flight. All the reports from the Blockhouse in Baikonur. Excellent performance by the

[00:14:22] Guest: Soyuz functioning

[00:14:25] Narrator: four and a half minutes into the flight.

Standing by for second stage shutdown and we have second stage separation.

So he was traveling almost 10,000 miles an hour, 97 miles in altitude, 287 miles down range from Baikonur third stage performance reported to be normal as we hit the five minute 46 second mark into the flight. Three minutes of powered flight remaining NAMI. Now third stage performance continues to be excellent.

You all pitch and roll all reported to be nominal at the seven minute 15 second mark into the flight about a minute and a half of powered flight remaining. So use continues to fly straight as an arrow. Everything in good shape. Peyton to have minutes into the flight, about 15 seconds away from third stage shutdown and spacecraft separation,

[00:15:18] Guest: ready to split separation.

[00:15:22] Narrator: And third stage shutdown is confirmed and spacecraft separation

[00:15:29] Guest: from

[00:15:30] Narrator: third stage separate. Next step will be the deployment of the solar rays. And furling. And we now have confirmation of the deployment of the solar rays and the navigational antennas has, how far

[00:15:42] Guest: are we copy and good day to you. We are ready to listen to your report about how you feel and guide Moscow.

This is an Australian one. We're feeling great. Everything's working normally.

[00:15:54] Narrator: So it was a flawless asset to orbit for the Soyuz Ms. 19, everything went to by the book lift off occurring on time at 3 55 and two seconds am central time, which was 1:55 PM at the launch site to the Baikonur cosmic Jerome, eight minutes and 46 seconds later.

Third stage shutdown on the Soyuz to down to one a booster. And so use separation from the third stage. But the solar rays and navigational antennas, having been deployed the chases on a quick to orbit rendezvous upcoming for Anton Capitol Roth and Yulia para

[00:16:32] Stuart: sealed. Mark's the first time a feature films actually been partly shot in space rather than simply using special effects or foul.

The mission. According to the Russian federal space agency across cosmos is an experiment to see if two ordinary people can be prepared for space flight and just three to four months. But it's received lots of opposition from both the scientific and aerospace communities, mainly because it's removed train cosmonauts from their flights, others see it as a misuse of public money.

And there are even claims that it's using the station's resources for non-scientific purposes, which under Russia and Lori's elite. No word about all the other space tourist, the Russians are flying up to the space station. The group should about 35 to 40 minutes of film on the Albany outpost during their 12 day stay.

I wonder how they'll get the catering truck up there and they won't be the last of the, of the Russians are setting to the space station this year to Japanese space. Tourists will fly up on a capsule in December. And just in case you missed our report last week on the ABC 90 year old actor, William Shatner earned for his portrayal of James T.

Kirk, captain of the Starship enterprise in the star Trek series. We'll fly into space this week about blue origins, new shepherd boldly going way more and more of the rich and famous I going every day. This is time.

and Tom had to take another brief look at some of the other stories, making news insights this week with the science report, a new study wants at the donor variant of COVID-19 appears to increase the risk of death by 133% compared to the original strain. The findings reported in the Canadian medical association journal also found that the chance of ICU admission was 235% higher.

The study also looked at other variants of the Corona virus of concern and found that those who carry the mutation and as N 5 0 1, Y which includes the alpha beta and gamma strains have around a 50% higher rate of hospitalization and death and an 89% higher rate of ICU admission. The study also found that people infected with variants of concern were significantly younger and less likely to have comorbidities those with non variants of concern infections, the world health organization says more than 8 million people have been killed by the COVID-19 Corona virus with some 4.8 million confirmed fatalities and over 240 million people infected since the deadly disease was first spread out of and China.

There are new warnings today that logging is decimating Australian sandalwood populations. Australian sandalwood is one of the most valuable timbers in the world, but 175 years of commercial harvesting as decreased the population of wild sandalwood by 90% placing the tree on a path to extinct. Uh, report in the range.

Land journal shows the tree's already been eradicated throughout much of its range, especially across south Western Australia. And in south Australia, we're only small population specifically in Western Australia. The commercial sandalwood harvest quota has been reduced and a regeneration program implemented, but the authors say that neither measure is likely to alter the continued decline in wild sandalwood population.

Paleontologist have identified a new species of Sarah topian dinosaur in New Mexico, a report in the journal Cretaceous research claims Sarah Sarah tops. Turnery had an ornate frill short, but massive brown horns and one and a half meter long skull, and was about 4.6 meters in overall length. It was founded in 72 million year old, late Cretaceous rocks from the whole lake formation.

It predates its famous relative triceratops by some 6 million years, new evidence presented to the United States. Congress show how social media giants such as Facebook and Instagram are actively putting profits over the health of children and politics over free speech. The testimony came on the same day that Facebook and Instagram suffered a major global shutdown after bad code was accidentally uploaded to its server.

Well, the details were joined by a technology editor, Alex Howard, Android from ity.com, Facebook,

[00:21:13] Alex: Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, and Oculus. They were taken offline because something had Facebook. So I want to Facebook somehow. Facebook web addresses out of the DNS, the domain name server system.

They basically somehow disconnected themselves from that. Well, if you, Facebook has seemed to be a company that spies on people, then for a few hours, there was blessedly, nice buying because vice book wasn't available and the Facebook's own tech support people I would have had to have gone to wherever the main server location was to reconnect to.

They couldn't have connected over the internet because all of Facebook's servers were down. And that started at about 2 38. In the Australian time and indeed possibly between nine and 11:00 AM. So it was a several hour outage. Sometimes you see outages on Gmail or Google and you look it down, detective.com, which is a website that shows you outages.

And some of these outages it's just for a few minutes, a little added, just happened all the time in the United state equivalent of somebody tripping over the, a power cable.

Well, you know, there are also people wondering, was this a cyber attack where Facebook says. The attack, the DNS systems. Now the consensus appears to be that, no, it wasn't a cyber attack. It was some internal error. Uh, so yeah, somebody,

[00:22:27] Stuart: uh,

[00:22:30] Alex: you know, it's not the first time Facebook has gone down and it won't be the last because those who are relying upon Facebook for their businesses to communicate with people, to, you know, to make video calls on the WhatsApp semesters. To run a business, then it's important that you don't put all your eggs into one basket that you do have, uh, alternate sources that are alternate alternative to Facebook.

There are alternative to WhatsApp. You should be using a number of them to insulate yourself from these kinds of outages.

[00:22:56] Stuart: Tumbler. I'm very happy with Tombo. They it's very reliable. It's very stable.

[00:23:00] Alex: Uh, you know, don't just rely upon Facebook. You can use something like Hootsuite, which I have a free version of which for three sexual networks, a

[00:23:08] Stuart: paid version works with many more.

I spoke had to actually go on to Twitter in order to let their followers know that they were

[00:23:14] Alex: offline. Well. So even, even Facebook doesn't have all of its eggs in one basket. I had to use a competing social network to get the message out because the ride was down. I couldn't post their own Facebook page.

Facebook has apologized, but this time for the outtake. On a 15 year apology tour as longer apologizing, mainly for this metric people's privacy,

[00:23:36] Stuart: freedom of speech issues destroying the mental stability of young girls. Well,

[00:23:42] Alex: that was a huge whistleblower episode of 60 minutes where one of the former staff who was working in the city.

And the ethics department, which was

[00:23:53] Stuart: dispatched, she had a

[00:23:56] Alex: whole stack, she's captured a whole stack of information, which is going to talk to us Congress about just gone to the sec. She's gone to 60 minutes and she's exposed the fact that, you know, Facebook's algorithms are basically clickbait generation.

Yeah, that more on the side of making sure clickbait has plenty of polarization and division as according to her, and they're not acting in the public good, whatever the public good. Is there a business to make money? And, uh, you know, she was sort of shocked at one of her own relatives was radicalized. So she says buy something.

She saw on Facebook and she wanted to join the company. And when she did, she said, nobody really knows how what's going on, on Facebook and how Facebook operates. So she's bravely decided to expose this all and we'll be talking to the U S Congress about it. I'm sure when people hear. That's

[00:24:38] Stuart: Alex, the higher avoid from it.

y.com

[00:24:57] VO Guy: and that's

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[00:26:37] VO Guy: You've been listening to SpaceTime with Stuart Gary. This has been another quality podcast production from bitesz.com.