Return to DPS With Lucy McFadden and Carolyn Crow

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: This Planetary Radio episode covers new peer-reviewed LCROSS results confirming water and other volatiles at the Moon’s south pole, plus the unusually fluffy regolith there. It also highlights JPL’s CuriosityCam, Bill Nye’s outreach for LightSail at a science festival, and two DPS interviews: Lucy McFadden on the recovered asteroid-meteorite 2008 TC3 in Sudan, and Carolyn Crowe on planetary color studies and cosmochemistry. The show closes with Bruce Betts’ sky report and trivia.

Main Topics: LCROSS lunar water and polar regolith: Emily Lakdawalla explains the first peer-reviewed LCROSS papers confirming water and other volatile compounds at the Moon’s south pole, and why the surface may be exceptionally fluffy and potentially hazardous to land on. CuriosityCam and public engagement at JPL: The conversation highlights the live webcam on Curiosity rover assembly, the chat room interaction with engineers, and a viral robot-dance moment that boosted public interest. Bill Nye and LightSail outreach: Bill Nye reports from the National Mall about the Planetary Society booth, LightSail fundraising, solar sail demonstrations, and the broader inspirational value of space exploration. Lucy McFadden on asteroid 2008 TC3 in Sudan: McFadden recounts traveling to Sudan to search for meteorite fragments from the first asteroid detected before impact, emphasizing science, international collaboration, and the logistical/political hurdles involved. Carolyn Crowe’s transition from undergraduate research to cosmochemistry: Crowe describes using planetary colors to characterize exoplanets, then moving into cosmochemistry to study meteorites and lunar zircons at UCLA. Night sky, space history, and trivia: Bruce Betts provides the night-sky outlook, a space-history note on Venera 10, a New Horizons timeline fact, and the episode’s trivia question and prize announcement.

Key Arguments: LCROSS was scientifically successful even though the public expected a dramatic plume; the lack of warning about visible ejecta led to disappointment that obscured the mission’s actual achievements. The lunar polar deposits are more complex than water alone, implying a colder and more chemically varied environment than many expected. CuriosityCam and mission chat rooms make planetary missions more transparent and engaging by letting the public watch real engineering work live. 2008 TC3 is scientifically unique because it is both the first asteroid observed before impact and a recovered meteorite, offering an almost sample-return-like look at primitive asteroid material. International collaboration is essential in planetary science, and the Sudan meteorite effort shows how science can bridge political barriers even when travel and visas are difficult. Planetary colors and simple filter sets can meaningfully distinguish Earth-like planets, supporting future direct-imaging exoplanet missions. Cosmochemistry opens a path for Crowe to study isotopes, meteorites, and lunar minerals, linking solar-system formation questions to laboratory analysis.

Data Points: LCROSS peer-reviewed publication timing: First papers published about a month after the 2009 impact, with peer-reviewed results appearing in print by the time of the episode - Emily Lakdawalla describes the new official confirmation of earlier LCROSS findings LCROSS impact date: October 2009 - Impact into the Moon referenced as the source of the south-pole plume data Sudan search expedition: 4-day field trip that took 10 days - Lucy McFadden describes the logistical reality of searching for 2008 TC3 fragments in northern Sudan Asteroid warning lead time: 20 hours - JPL determined 2008 TC3 was on a collision course shortly after discovery Meteorite recovery effort: Hundreds of fragments - McFadden reports the later expedition found many fragments along the strewn field Sudan student group size: 50 students - McFadden went with physics, chemistry, and geology students from the University of Khartoum CuriosityCam audience: 1,000 viewers and about 100 chat participants - Emily Lakdawalla reports the live assembly webcam’s active audience DPS meeting count: 42nd annual gathering - The American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences meeting New Horizons midpoint: About 4.75 years after launch and 4.75 years before Pluto flyby - Bruce Betts’ random space fact about the mission timeline Venera 10 landing: 1975 - Space history segment noting the Venus lander’s touchdown Trivia prize: Three-DVD set of Wonders of the Solar System - Announced for the next contest Next DPS meeting location: Nantes, France - Bruce Betts identifies the 2011 DPS meeting location

Pivotal Quotes: "The mission turned out to be an incredible success." — Emily Lakdawalla: She is correcting the public perception that LCROSS was a failure because no huge plume was seen "You can see Earth is incredibly blue and sticks out entirely from all these other planets." — Carolyn Crowe: She explains how filter-based color studies help identify Earth-like worlds "It’s their meteorite, and they are eager to engage with us to study this meteorite." — Lucy McFadden: She emphasizes the importance of scientific partnership with Sudanese researchers

Implications: The episode underscores how planetary science advances through peer-reviewed validation, public outreach, and international collaboration. It also points to practical concerns for future missions—surface hazards, exoplanet characterization, and the need to communicate results clearly to the public.