S02E26: Olympus Mons: An Ancient Island & Delayed SpaceX Launch

Welcome to a special 'One Show Thursday' episode of Astronomy Daily! On this day, Tim Gibbs and his AI sidekick, Hallie, delve into a striking discovery about Olympus Mons and an unfortunate delay of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch. **Key Discussions:** 1. **Olympus Mons as an Ancient Martian Volcanic Island:** Hallie unfolds an intriguing possibility about Olympus Mons, Mars' highest mountain, suggesting it could have been a giant volcanic island in an ancient Martian ocean. This theory is based on a recent study led by the Center National Drescherches Scientific (CNRS), revealing characteristics on Olympus Mons' slopes reminiscent of volcanic islands on Earth. These findings illuminate our understanding of Mars' history, hinting at a period of extensive volcanic activity and water presence, and shed light on astrobiology studies of Mars. 2. **SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket Launch Postponed:** A record-breaking Falcon Heavy rocket launch by SpaceX got scrubbed last-minute due to undisclosed reasons. The launch aimed to deploy Jupiter 3, the largest commercial communication satellite ever built. Despite this setback, SpaceX looks ahead to their next-gen Starship vehicle, expected to generate an unparalleled 16.7 million pounds of thrust. **Tune in and Join the Conversation:** Never miss an episode with Tim Gibbs and AI assistant, Hallie, by visiting spacenuts.io or bitesz.com. Join our vibrant community by heading over to our Facebook page and join the 'Space Nuts podcast group'. Join us for full shows with Steve Dunkley on Mondays and Tim Gibbs on Fridays. Thanks for listening! Catch you next week. **Keywords:** Olympus Mons, Mars, Ancient Martian Ocean, Volcanic Activity, Astrobiology, SpaceX, Falcon Heavy Rocket, Jupiter 3 Satellite, Astronomy Daily Podcast, Tim Gibbs, Hallie.