October 2021 Space Update: ISS Issues, Star Supernovae, Jupiter Impacts, Upcoming Launches, and Volcanic Activity Across the Solar System

Griffith Observatory

Mars Mission Update: Conjunction and Sample Collection [00:03:22]

• Mars Conjunction [00:03:41]
  • Mars is currently in conjunction with the Sun, meaning the Sun is directly between Earth and Mars.
  • This astronomical alignment makes it difficult for Mars-based instruments (Perseverance and Ingenuity) to communicate with Earth due to solar interference with radio signals.
  • The Mars rovers are operating in a pre-programmed "self-mode" for a few weeks, collecting data but not reporting back.
• Perseverance Rover Progress [00:04:04]
  • Perseverance (Percy) and Ingenuity's current location in Jezero Crater has been mapped by the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter using its HiRISE instrument.
  • Perseverance has successfully collected rock samples, creating two drill holes in a Martian rock.
  • These samples are stored for future return missions to Earth.
• Ingenuity Helicopter Flights [00:04:06]
  • Ingenuity continues its flights, covering significant distances.

ISS Status and Future of Space Stations [00:05:07]

• Recent Incidents on ISS [00:05:07]
  • Smoke in Zvezda Module [00:05:22]: On September 8th, alarms sounded in the Russian Zvezda service module during battery recharging, and astronauts reported a smell of burning plastic and some smoke. The issue dissipated, and no fire occurred, but it remains a concern.
  • Cracks in Zarya Module [00:06:05]: Small metal fatigue cracks were found in the Russian Zarya module, the ISS's oldest component (launched 23 years ago). While not causing immediate air leaks or structural failure, these indicate the station's age.
• Historical Precedents and Lessons Learned [00:06:41]
  • Mir Space Station Fire [1997] [00:06:51]: A fire on the Mir station in 1997 required astronauts to don gas masks and fight the blaze, highlighting the risks of aging space hardware.
  • Wear and Tear Examples [00:07:18]: The ISS has experienced other wear and tear, including micrometeorite dings on windows and the robotic arm, and a manufacturing drill hole on a visiting Soyuz spacecraft (which was successfully repaired with fiberglass epoxy).
  • Early Space Environment Testing [00:08:41]: NASA conducted experiments like the Pegasus satellites [1965] and retrieved Surveyor 3 camera (moon, 3 years exposure), and the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF, 5 years in orbit) to understand the effects of the space environment on materials, informing ISS design.
• Future of Space Stations [00:09:51]
  • The ISS is planned to operate through 2024, with a potential extension to 2028 or 2030.
  • NASA intends to transition to commercial space stations built by private companies, leveraging lessons learned from the ISS regarding long-duration structural behavior and in-space repair.
  • Skills in space repair will be crucial for future lunar and Mars missions.

All Space Asks: A Star Gets Triggered? (Interview with Dylan Dong) [00:11:36]

• Introduction to "All Space Asks" [00:11:41]: A new segment featuring interviews with experts on interesting space stories.
• Interview with Dylan Dong [00:12:01]
  • Dylan Dong, a Caltech PhD candidate, is the lead author on a paper describing a newly discovered astrophysical phenomenon.
  • Discovery: Supernova Trigger Mechanism [00:13:41]
    • Two massive stars are born in a close binary system.
    • One star undergoes a core-collapse supernova, leaving behind a black hole or neutron star.
    • This compact object then spirals into its companion star, siphoning off mass.
    • As it sinks, it "splashes out" the star's atmosphere, expanding it to 10,000 times its original size over centuries.
    • Upon reaching the core, the compact object forms an accretion disk, releasing immense energy and launching a jet at near light-speed.
    • This jet bores out of the star, emitting X-rays (observed in 2014 by MAXI on ISS).
    • The remaining stellar material expands outwards, colliding with the previously ejected atmosphere, creating a "shock" that produces luminous radio emissions (observed by the Very Large Array).
  • Rarity and Significance [00:18:35]: This phenomenon was theorized in 2012 by Roger Chevalier but had not been observed until now. Dong's data mining of the VLA sky survey, looking for transient radio sources, led to this discovery. It is estimated to occur more frequently than previously thought (e.g., more often than once every 10 million years in a Milky Way-sized galaxy, rather than once every 5,000 years). This suggests a new mechanism for triggering stars to explode.

Protecting Astronauts from Radiation (Inquiries from the Foundation) [00:22:13]

• Radiation Challenges for Long-Term Missions [00:22:20]: Long-duration missions, such as those to Mars, face significant radiation exposure from the Sun and deep space.
• Shielding Strategies [00:22:42]:
  • Mass as Shielding: The most effective shielding is mass.
  • Utilizing Onboard Resources: Water tanks and fuel tanks can be strategically placed between astronauts and radiation sources (especially the Sun) as they are necessary mission components.
  • Limitations: It's currently impossible to launch enough heavy materials like lead to provide absolute protection against all types of radiation (e.g., deep space gamma rays).

Jupiter: Juno's Close Passes and a Celestial Impact [00:23:30]

• Juno's 36th Perijove [00:23:41]
  • On September 2nd, the Juno spacecraft completed its 36th close pass (Perijove) of Jupiter, flying at 130,000 mph, approximately 3,000 miles above the clouds.
  • Juno's unique orbit provides unprecedented views of Jupiter's polar regions.
  • JunoCam captured detailed images of Jupiter's polar circumpolar cyclones and turbulent cloud patterns, including ammonia ice crystal clouds resembling thunderstorms.
• Amateur Astronomer Captures Jupiter Impact [00:28:02]
  • On September 13th, a flash on Jupiter, lasting about two seconds, was recorded by seven amateur astronomers worldwide.
  • This flash is believed to be the impact of an asteroid or a small comet.
  • Historical Impacts: Jupiter is known for impacts, most famously Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 in 1994, which left large scars across its southern hemisphere and was observed by the Galileo spacecraft.
• Lunar Impact Observation [00:30:02]: A similar, brief flash (less than 1/30th of a second) was observed on the Moon during a lunar eclipse in 2019, highlighting the ongoing frequency of celestial impacts.

Out to Launch: Recent and Upcoming Space Missions [00:31:07]

• Inspiration4 Mission Success [00:31:27]: SpaceX successfully completed the Inspiration4 mission, the first all-civilian orbital spaceflight, with a three-day stay in orbit and safe return. Minor issues included a toilet malfunction.
• Russian Film Crew to ISS [00:32:20]: On October 5th, a Russian actor and director launched to the ISS aboard a Soyuz spacecraft to film scenes for a movie called "The Challenge," spending 12 days in space. This marks a new "Hollywood space race," with Tom Cruise also planning a space film with SpaceX.
• Lucy Mission to Trojan Asteroids [00:33:32]
  • Launch: October 16th.
  • Objective: A 12-year mission to explore eight Trojan asteroids, which share Jupiter's orbit.
  • Significance: These asteroids are exotic and have never been visited before, promising new insights into the early solar system.
• Chinese Shenzhou 13 Mission [00:34:38]: The Chinese government planned to launch a crew to its new space station on October 16th, though official confirmation and crew details were pending.
• Starship Development [00:35:03]: SpaceX's Starship program in Boca Chica, Texas, is undergoing extensive testing of its booster and spacecraft, including engine tests and tank pressurization. The FAA is working on environmental and regulatory approvals for its orbital launches.

Sky Report: October Celestial Events [00:36:10]

• Venus and the Moon [00:36:19]
  • October 9th: Crescent Moon and Venus visible about three degrees apart in the southwest evening sky (around 7:00 PM). Venus is currently very bright but will soon set lower.
• Moon, Saturn, and Jupiter [00:37:30]
  • October 13th: Moon positioned below Saturn in the southern evening sky (around 9:00 PM), approximately three degrees apart.
  • October 14th: Moon approaches Jupiter, also about three degrees apart in the southern evening sky.
  • Both Jupiter and Saturn are visible through telescopes, with Jupiter showing detailed belts and the Great Red Spot, and Saturn's rings and the Cassini Division clearly discernible.
• Constellation Capricornus [00:38:19]: Jupiter and Saturn are currently located in the constellation Capricornus, the "sea goat," which can be faintly observed in dark sky areas.
• Orionid Meteor Shower [00:42:05]
  • Peak: Night of October 20th to morning of October 21st.
  • Expected Rate: Around 19 meteors per hour from a dark sky area.
  • Viewing Conditions: The near-full moon will significantly impact visibility due to its brightness.
• Moon Phases for October 2021 [00:42:51]
  • New Moon: October 6th
  • First Quarter: October 12th
  • Full Moon: October 20th
  • Last Quarter: October 28th

Eruptions Everywhere: Volcanic Activity Across the Solar System [00:47:42]

• Terrestrial Volcanism [00:47:49]
  • Earth's Active Volcanoes: Earth hosts over 1,500 potentially active volcanoes, with dozens erupting at any given time.
  • Ring of Fire: A major concentration of volcanoes linked to plate tectonics, where one plate subducts under another.
  • Volcano Formation Mechanisms:
    • Subduction zones: Plates diving under each other (e.g., Ring of Fire, Cascade Range).
    • Rift zones: Plates spreading apart, allowing magma to rise (e.g., Iceland).
    • Hotspots: Plumes of magma punching through plates (e.g., Hawaii, Aleutian Islands).
  • Eruption Hazards: Volcanic activity produces ash plumes, lava flows, lahars (mudflows), pyroclastic flows (superheated avalanches), and volcanic bombs (giant boulders).
  • Monitoring: Scientists use instruments to monitor ground deformation, seismic activity (earthquakes), and gas emissions to predict eruptions.
  • Current Activity: Recent eruptions include La Palma (Canary Islands), Iceland, and Kilauea (Hawaii), which suddenly erupted from its lava lake.
  • La Palma Eruption: The Cumbre Vieja volcano in La Palma (Canary Islands) erupted, causing lava flows to reach communities and the ocean, creating new land. The ash plume has reached significant heights, potentially affecting telescopes on the island, which is a prime astronomical observation site due to its stable air.
• Cryovolcanism in the Outer Solar System [00:52:08]
  • Ceres (Dwarf Planet) [00:52:19]: Features an ice volcano, Ahuna Mons, where icy material is pushed up and cascades down. Scientists believe there could be over 20 other active ice volcanoes on Ceres, with salts in craters suggesting recent water sublimation.
  • Triton (Neptune's Moon) [00:52:59]: Voyager 2 observed plumes erupting from Triton's surface, indicative of cryovolcanism (icy material like water erupting from beneath).
• Io (Jupiter's Moon) [00:54:20]: The most volcanically active object in the solar system. Its intense volcanic activity, characterized by sulfur-rich eruptions, is driven by tidal heating from Jupiter's strong gravitational pull.
• Venusian Volcanism [00:55:10]
  • Dense Atmosphere: Venus is covered by thick, reflective clouds (15-mile layer of carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid), making direct observation of its surface challenging. The surface temperature is extremely hot (864°F) with crushing atmospheric pressure (90 times Earth's).
  • Magellan Mission (1990s) [00:57:10]: The Magellan spacecraft used radar to map 98% of Venus's surface, revealing it to be covered in thousands of volcanic features, including large shield volcanoes, smaller structures, and pancake- or corona-shaped volcanoes, making it the planet with the most volcanoes in the solar system.
  • Evidence of Recent Activity:
    • Venus Express (2006-2014) detected infrared heat signatures from volcanoes like Idunn Mons, suggesting ongoing volcanic activity.
    • New research proposes that phosphines in Venus's atmosphere, previously considered a potential biomarker, could also originate from explosive volcanic eruptions.
  • Future Missions: NASA announced two upcoming missions to Venus:
    • DAVINCI+: Will send a probe through Venus's atmosphere to sample its composition and land on the surface.
    • VERITAS [01:03:28]: An orbiter equipped with advanced radar to map Venus's surface with much higher resolution than Magellan, and an infrared detector to identify heat sources, launching between 2026 and 2028. These missions aim to confirm active volcanism and model Venus-like exoplanets.
• Martian Volcanism: Not So Extinct? [01:05:08]
  • Olympus Mons: Mars is famous for its large shield volcanoes, including Olympus Mons, the largest in the solar system. Previous estimates for its last eruption ranged from 100 million to 2 million years ago.
  • Elysium Planitia and Cerberus Fossae: New research in Elysium Planitia, an area with a series of cracks called Cerberus Fossae, suggests recent volcanic activity.
    • A dark deposit, eight miles across, near a crack has been identified as likely the result of a pyroclastic explosion (gas-powered eruption of rocks and ash), not a lava flow.
    • Crater counting and other analyses suggest this event occurred within the last 50,000 years, implying Mars may not be volcanically "asleep."
  • Ancient Supervolcanoes (Noachian Period) [01:10:45]: In Arabia Terra, ancient "craters" are now identified as calderas of supervolcanoes, active during Mars's Noachian period (4.1 to 3.7 billion years ago).
    • These supervolcanoes laid down vast, pristine ash deposits (over a kilometer deep) across the planet.
    • This early, intense volcanism likely contributed to a thicker atmosphere, a stronger magnetosphere, and a warmer, wetter environment, potentially supporting early life on Mars.