Asteroid Close Calls, US-Australia Space Pacts, and the Quest to Clean Up Cosmic Clutter | S02E53

**Astronomy Daily Podcast Show Notes - Episode Date: November 1, 2023****Hosted by:** Steve Dunkley and AI Newsreader, Hallie1. **Introduction:**- Warm welcome to another episode of Astronomy Daily.- Steve shares his personal experiences from the weekend, including attending a wedding and a funeral on the same day.2. **Asteroid News:**- Discussion on a recent near-miss asteroid event.- The asteroid, measuring between 30 to 60 meters, passed Earth at a quarter of the distance to the moon.- The potential dangers of undetected asteroids and the importance of early detection.- Exploration of the "pulverize" method as a potential solution to imminent asteroid threats.3. **US-Australia Tech Agreement:**- Announcement of a bilateral tech agreement between the US and Australia.- The agreement facilitates the launch of US commercial space vehicles from Australia.- Emphasis on the benefits of the agreement, including increased launch sites, fuel efficiency, and collaboration opportunities.4. **Asteroid Mining:**- The feasibility and potential benefits of asteroid mining.- Discussion on the environmental and economic implications of space-based mining.- Challenges and technological advancements required for successful asteroid mining.5. **Space Junk Dilemma:**- The growing concern of space debris and its potential dangers.- Review of potential solutions, including pulsed laser ablation, harpoon and net method, claw capture mechanism, and magnetic capture.- The need for research and development in space cleanup technology.6. **Closing Remarks:**- Steve wraps up the episode and provides information on where listeners can find previous episodes and other related podcasts.- Mention of the Astronomy Daily newsletter and an invitation to join the Space Nuts Facebook group.**Links Mentioned:**- [Space Nuts Podcast](https://spacenuts.io)- [Astronomy Daily with Tim Gibbs](https://bitesz.com)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support.