S03E113: Mars Microbe Fossils & Twin Meteor Showers

Welcome to Astronomy Daily, the podcast where we delve into the latest and greatest in space and astronomy. I'm your host, Steve Dunkley, and today we've got a stellar lineup of stories that will take you from Mars to the Moon and beyond. Let's dive into the cosmos.Perseverance's Potential Fossil Discovery: NASA's Perseverance rover has made a groundbreaking discovery on Mars, potentially unearthing microbe fossils in a rock named Chevre Falls. This could be the most compelling evidence yet of ancient life on the Red Planet.- Mercury's Diamond Mantle: New research suggests that Mercury may have a 15-kilometre thick layer of solid diamond beneath its crust. This discovery could revolutionise our understanding of the planet's formation and evolution.- Moon Cave for Human Habitation: Scientists have discovered a massive cave on the Moon, which could serve as a potential shelter for future lunar bases. This cave, located in the Mare Tranquillitatis, offers natural protection from cosmic rays and temperature extremes.- Twin Meteor Showers: Stargazers are in for a treat with the upcoming twin meteor showers, the Alpha Capricornids and the Southern Delta Aquariids, peaking next week. This rare celestial event will be best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere.- Space Force and Private Sector Collaboration: Akema's subsidiary, Five Rivers Analytics, has secured a $480 million contract to support the US Space Force's satellite control network. This partnership aims to enhance national defence and intelligence operations.- Sierra Space's Inflatable Space Module: Sierra Space has successfully completed another burst test on its inflatable space module, a key component of the future commercial space station, Orbital Reef. This innovation promises to revolutionise space habitation and commercialisation.Don't forget to visit our website at astronomydaily.io to sign up for our free daily Space & Astronomy News newsletter, catch up on all the latest space news, and listen to our previous episodes. Follow us on social media by searching for AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, and TikTok. Until next time, keep looking up.www.bitesz.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-latest-space-news--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.astronomydaily.io/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Get the best secure and private email on the planet. Stop your Government, google and who knows who else spying on every email you write. Do what we did and use ProtonMail. They beleive in privacy and there are no ads in their business model...yet they still provide a free forever service. Check them out and get out special deal at www.astronomydaily.io/protonmailBecome a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click Here