WEBVTT FILE 1 00:00:00.100 --> 00:00:01.234 Last time: 2 00:00:01.801 --> 00:00:05.438 3. 2. 1. 0 – 3 00:00:12.112 --> 00:00:13.513 That's a double, yeah! 4 00:00:13.513 --> 00:00:16.583 That's the cooler star – yes! Yes! 5 00:00:16.916 --> 00:00:19.119 SISTINE and DEUCE launched without a hitch. 6 00:00:19.119 --> 00:00:20.620 Woo! 7 00:00:20.620 --> 00:00:23.523 A perk of using sounding rockets is they fall back to Earth 8 00:00:23.523 --> 00:00:25.191 so you can reuse the instruments. 9 00:00:25.658 --> 00:00:28.194 So, we're headed into the Outback to find them. 10 00:00:28.528 --> 00:00:32.132 Luckily, wildlife in Australia is known for being really friendly... 11 00:00:32.332 --> 00:00:33.867 Another creature of my nightmares. 12 00:00:33.867 --> 00:00:37.070 There’s some life biting me right now. There he is – look at him! 13 00:00:37.070 --> 00:00:39.806 Oh my god, that’s worse than I thought. 14 00:00:39.806 --> 00:00:42.842 We're here in Australia and we're going to launch some rockets! 15 00:00:45.678 --> 00:00:48.882 We're following two NASA rocket missions as they try to understand 16 00:00:48.882 --> 00:00:51.885 how stars make the planets around them suitable for life. 17 00:00:53.286 --> 00:00:56.589 I'm Miles Hatfield, and in this episode, we're going to go find some stuff 18 00:00:56.589 --> 00:00:57.991 that just fell from space. 19 00:01:03.797 --> 00:01:07.834 The morning after each launch, a team is sent out to recover the rocket and instruments. 20 00:01:07.834 --> 00:01:11.004 We just got word that we are going to be able to go on 21 00:01:11.004 --> 00:01:12.839 one of the recovery flights in the helicopters. 22 00:01:12.839 --> 00:01:16.543 So, we hopped out of bed and we’re driving now to the Gove Airport. 23 00:01:16.876 --> 00:01:20.080 During flight, the rocket breaks into four separate parts – 24 00:01:20.080 --> 00:01:22.048 each of which lands in a different location. 25 00:01:22.582 --> 00:01:25.585 The team is tasked with finding and retrieving them all – 26 00:01:25.585 --> 00:01:28.588 and not letting the crocs “retrieve” them along the way. 27 00:01:29.022 --> 00:01:32.325 Using math, maps and experience, the recovery team leader 28 00:01:32.325 --> 00:01:35.528 Peter Elstner has a pretty good idea of where each piece has landed. 29 00:01:35.762 --> 00:01:39.599 But winds can push the falling pieces off track, making them difficult to find. 30 00:01:44.337 --> 00:01:45.605 The first thing we're looking for 31 00:01:45.605 --> 00:01:48.608 is one of the payloads, which houses all the scientific instruments. 32 00:01:49.175 --> 00:01:51.945 Luckily, it's equipped with a bright orange and white parachute, 33 00:01:51.945 --> 00:01:53.580 which should help it stick out. 34 00:01:54.581 --> 00:01:56.516 Hmm, not there... 35 00:01:56.516 --> 00:01:58.318 Not there either... 36 00:01:58.318 --> 00:01:59.819 Nope, that's not it... 37 00:01:59.819 --> 00:02:00.653 There we go! 38 00:02:00.653 --> 00:02:03.323 Sure enough, we spot it right where Peter predicted – 39 00:02:07.460 --> 00:02:10.163 and it looks like the parachute gave it a nice soft landing. 40 00:02:10.563 --> 00:02:15.001 The nose cone was just a few miles away – but its landing wasn't so soft. 41 00:02:15.001 --> 00:02:17.003 This is a wizard’s hat. Wizard’s hat. 42 00:02:17.337 --> 00:02:18.938 He’s not going to wear it. No. 43 00:02:19.772 --> 00:02:22.642 The helicopter then carries both the nose cone and payload 44 00:02:22.642 --> 00:02:25.278 back to the range, before being shipped back to the U.S. 45 00:02:25.778 --> 00:02:28.982 Both SISTINE and DEUCE have made several trips to space before. 46 00:02:29.115 --> 00:02:32.318 Now they're ready for retirement. After some repairs 47 00:02:32.318 --> 00:02:35.388 and careful testing back home, they’ll live out their days in the lab, 48 00:02:35.421 --> 00:02:38.658 helping calibrate new instruments and analyzing laboratory data. 49 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:42.695 With that done, we’re off to find one of the second stage motors, 50 00:02:42.695 --> 00:02:44.898 which takes the payload all the way to space. 51 00:02:45.598 --> 00:02:49.669 But unlike the payload, it doesn't get a nice parachute to soften its landing. 52 00:02:50.670 --> 00:02:52.939 Yep, it's really in there! 53 00:02:52.939 --> 00:02:55.942 The team marks his location, and flies back out the next day 54 00:02:55.942 --> 00:02:57.210 to dig it out of the ground. 55 00:02:58.111 --> 00:03:02.115 And then filling that hole right back in, so as to leave as little trace as possible. 56 00:03:04.751 --> 00:03:07.921 The next day, I join the recovery team on foot, as we hike out 57 00:03:07.921 --> 00:03:11.424 to find the first stage motor, which didn't fall too far from the range. 58 00:03:13.126 --> 00:03:14.861 We were led by Micah and Boaz, 59 00:03:14.861 --> 00:03:16.863 two Dhimurru Rangers who knew the area. 60 00:03:17.864 --> 00:03:20.633 And how to recognize the animals that could kill us. 61 00:03:20.633 --> 00:03:22.702 Snake! 62 00:03:23.570 --> 00:03:26.606 Dangerous or? Dangerous! That’s a king brown! 63 00:03:26.606 --> 00:03:28.341 Venomous. Really. 64 00:03:28.975 --> 00:03:31.311 Hey, I didn't say it was a big snake. 65 00:03:32.579 --> 00:03:34.547 Now watching my feet a little more carefully. 66 00:03:34.547 --> 00:03:35.815 Nice-size ant mound. 67 00:03:36.115 --> 00:03:37.884 Yeah, look at that guy – he’s cool! 68 00:03:38.751 --> 00:03:41.754 After about a half hour of hiking, we finally found it. 69 00:03:42.288 --> 00:03:44.157 Wow, there it is! 70 00:03:44.157 --> 00:03:46.726 It may only burn for the first six seconds after launch, 71 00:03:46.726 --> 00:03:49.529 but it still manages to get over two and a half miles high. 72 00:03:49.963 --> 00:03:54.033 That's one heck of a fall. Peter assessed the tools we’d need 73 00:03:54.033 --> 00:03:56.236 and then radioed in the list to the helicopter. 74 00:03:59.505 --> 00:04:00.440 So, right now we're digging 75 00:04:00.440 --> 00:04:04.377 out the parts of the motor that are lodged in the ground. 76 00:04:09.449 --> 00:04:10.883 1. 2. 3 – 77 00:04:10.883 --> 00:04:13.486 Nice! That thing’s heavy! 78 00:04:14.387 --> 00:04:15.788 That’s a fin! 79 00:04:16.990 --> 00:04:20.893 As we waited for the helicopter, Peter gave an impromptu tutorial on rockets – 80 00:04:21.261 --> 00:04:22.495 with sound effects! 81 00:04:22.495 --> 00:04:23.696 Takes off – pow! 82 00:04:26.132 --> 00:04:27.267 Big parachute comes out. 83 00:04:28.568 --> 00:04:30.103 Blows over there. 84 00:04:30.103 --> 00:04:31.437 So, then we have to find it. 85 00:04:31.437 --> 00:04:35.041 I think we just got our explanation for the video of how a sounding rocket works. 86 00:04:35.775 --> 00:04:38.811 As the recovery efforts wrap up, it's time for us to head home. 87 00:04:40.380 --> 00:04:41.581 But for the science teams, 88 00:04:41.581 --> 00:04:43.016 things are just beginning. 89 00:04:51.991 --> 00:04:55.595 A year after launch, both teams are getting ready to publish their results... 90 00:04:56.596 --> 00:04:59.666 but we convinced Kevin to give us some hints ahead of time. 91 00:05:00.667 --> 00:05:02.235 Hi Miles, long time to talk – 92 00:05:02.235 --> 00:05:03.069 How are you doing? 93 00:05:03.069 --> 00:05:06.205 I’m good, mostly just eager to hear about what you've learned! 94 00:05:06.205 --> 00:05:10.543 Yeah, so we've been taking a look at the SISTINE and DEUCE data and trying to compare that 95 00:05:10.543 --> 00:05:13.646 to the ultraviolet brightness of our Sun, 96 00:05:13.880 --> 00:05:17.383 and we're finding that these Alpha Centauri stars are maybe 97 00:05:17.383 --> 00:05:19.952 two times brighter, maybe two and a half times brighter, 98 00:05:19.952 --> 00:05:22.155 in the ultraviolet than our Sun. 99 00:05:22.722 --> 00:05:23.623 So what does that mean 100 00:05:23.623 --> 00:05:27.694 for the habitability of a planet around stars like Alpha Centauri A and B? 101 00:05:27.894 --> 00:05:30.897 Would an Earth-like atmosphere survive those sort of conditions? 102 00:05:31.364 --> 00:05:34.467 This probably means that the upper atmospheres of planets around 103 00:05:34.667 --> 00:05:35.868 those types of stars 104 00:05:35.868 --> 00:05:39.405 are just going to be a little bit hotter than what we have here on Earth. 105 00:05:39.405 --> 00:05:44.210 But, not to the point where the atmosphere is rapidly evaporating 106 00:05:44.210 --> 00:05:47.313 and it’s changing its composition drastically over time. 107 00:05:47.580 --> 00:05:52.085 I actually think this is pretty good news for the ability of your average 108 00:05:52.085 --> 00:05:56.322 rocky planet around an average solar-type star to hang on to its atmosphere 109 00:05:56.322 --> 00:05:59.792 and probably be a pretty good candidate for the search for life. 110 00:06:00.226 --> 00:06:01.194 That's amazing! 111 00:06:01.194 --> 00:06:06.432 So, what about biomarkers, or signs of life, on planets around stars like that? 112 00:06:06.899 --> 00:06:09.869 It looks like the biomarkers that we would expect here on Earth – 113 00:06:09.869 --> 00:06:15.007 things like molecular oxygen, methane – those all look like they're probably going 114 00:06:15.007 --> 00:06:18.644 to be pretty good on planets around stars like Alpha Cen. as well. 115 00:06:19.445 --> 00:06:21.247 That sounds really promising. 116 00:06:21.247 --> 00:06:22.749 So, how do you think these findings 117 00:06:22.749 --> 00:06:25.752 are going to impact the search for habitable worlds going forward? 118 00:06:25.985 --> 00:06:27.553 So, that's a really good question, Miles. 119 00:06:28.121 --> 00:06:30.823 NASA has recently started a new mission concept 120 00:06:30.823 --> 00:06:32.825 called the Habitable Worlds Observatory, 121 00:06:32.825 --> 00:06:36.896 and this is going to be the mission that I think finally allows us to determine 122 00:06:37.563 --> 00:06:40.800 if we are alone in the universe or if there are signs 123 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:43.803 of active biology on planets beyond the solar system. 124 00:06:43.803 --> 00:06:46.973 And I think what some of the results from DEUCE and SISTINE are telling us 125 00:06:46.973 --> 00:06:51.744 is that orangish and yellowish stars are probably going to be the best environments 126 00:06:51.744 --> 00:06:55.581 in which to look for life as we understand it here in the solar system. 127 00:06:56.115 --> 00:06:57.683 That is so cool. 128 00:06:57.683 --> 00:07:00.686 Thanks for talking with me Kevin and giving us this sneak peek at your results! 129 00:07:01.154 --> 00:07:03.189 Great to talk to you too, Miles – see you next time! 130 00:07:04.257 --> 00:07:06.692 After this adventure with SISTINE and DEUCE, 131 00:07:06.692 --> 00:07:09.328 the night sky doesn't look quite the same to me anymore. 132 00:07:10.062 --> 00:07:13.166 Hanging out with these rocket teams has shown me that we're in a time 133 00:07:13.166 --> 00:07:16.335 like no other, where our capabilities for discovery 134 00:07:16.335 --> 00:07:19.105 are starting to catch up to our imaginations. 135 00:07:20.039 --> 00:07:21.140 Somewhere, 136 00:07:21.140 --> 00:07:23.142 orbiting a far-off star, 137 00:07:23.142 --> 00:07:25.445 is there another planet brimming with life? 138 00:07:25.978 --> 00:07:29.382 Or is our habitable world the only one that's actually inhabited? 139 00:07:30.516 --> 00:07:33.519 We've never been closer to finding out.