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Reports on An Election in Britain; Global Efforts to Clean Up Space; "Emotionally Intelligent" Robot for the ISS
Aired December 13, 2019 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Web casting from CNN.com, pod casting on ITunes and now available at YouTube.com/CNN10 this is CNN 10. I`m Carl Azuz
presenting our last show of the year. After today, we`re scheduled to be back on January 6th, 2020. As we produced this show the United Kingdom was
awaiting the results of a national election. The biggest issue on the table is one you`ve heard about, the Brexit, the British exit from the
European Union. Britain`s voted to leave the 28 member union in the summer of 2016 but it`s such a complicated process with such deep political
divisions over it that it hasn`t been completed yet. In October, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for the election that took place
yesterday.
He`s hoping his party, the conservative party, will win enough seats to push through his Brexit agreement with the European Union. The main
opposition party, the labor party, wants to hold another vote on Brexit. There are other issues here too. According to the Reuters News Agency,
Prime Minister Johnson wants the British government to spend more on education, law enforcement and healthcare. Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn
wants more spending on government services and higher taxes on Britain`s with higher incomes. Going into the election the polls indicated that the
conservatives had the lead. CNN.com will have the latest on how Britain`s vote went.
The European Space Agency is taking steps toward cleaning up a junkyard. The one that surrounds and orbits Earth. Since the Soviet Union launched
the first artificial satellite in 1957, people have sent a lot of stuff into orbit and beyond and they`ve left behind a lot of junk in the process.
In fact, European scientists say that if we quit launching stuff into space all together and we won`t, the amount of space junk will still increase
because of existing pieces smashing into each other. Clear Space One is the name of a mission that will use a four armed robot in an effort to
clean up space.
It will be on the hunt for part of the European rocket that was left in space in 2013. If everything works as planned, the robot will target the
rocket part, latch onto it and then reenter Earth`s atmosphere where everything will burn up. And if the mission`s a success, more like it will
be planned for bigger objects. This won`t happen soon though. The official launch date is set for 2025 but with so much garbage floating
around up there the Clear Space founder says there are more than 3,000 failed satellites in orbit. Supporters say the time is right for projects
like this and the others in development worldwide.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The more we rocket into the heavens - -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Three, two, one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: - - the more junk and debris we leave behind making it more dangerous for our spaceships and our satellites to move around. The
good news, we can clean it up. In the heart of Tokyo just a few miles away from this park on a quiet street, one company is trying to make space a
little safer by making it a little cleaner. Imagine space recycling. It looks something like this. Right? Not quite. According to space wiz`s
like this guy, hi Tim. This is more like it. A world surrounded by broken satellites, old rockets and spaceship fragments and well just junk. You
wouldn`t believe there are thousands and thousands and thousands of pieces of space debris up there. Over 170 million pieces according to some
estimates, some are big others small. Most are really small.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The small one is a like pink flecks (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But don`t let size fool you. In space the smallest thing can have a catastrophic impact. Those flecks move at an average of
40,000 kilometers an hour and when they hit they hit with the force of a hand grenade, imagine that times 170 million. Naoko Yamazaki, Japan`s
second female astronaut, has seen the impact of this stuff first hand.
NAOKO YAMAZAKI: If the space debris (inaudible) it`s (inaudible) meter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Less than a dime.
YAMAZAKI: It will go through the structure so it is a risk.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That means dime sized debris could destroy a spaceship but junk isn`t just a problem for astronauts. It impacts everyone on Earth
too, intelligence gathering, electric grids. Just look at the GPS on your phone. That`s why Mickey (ph) wants so make space clean.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (NOT TRANSLATED)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Step one, map the mess. Agencies like NASA track the big trash but right now no one`s really looking out for the small pieces.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (NOT TRANSLATED)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: While satellite one maps the small stuff, satellite two nicknamed Elsa D (ph) will sweep up the big stuff.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (NOT TRANSLATED)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Really? Just magnets? Mickey`s (ph) team will launch the satellite as close to the selected piece of junk as possible. Special
cameras and sensors will get even closer and magnets will do the rest. Then it will be all programmed to come back to Earth where it will burn up
on reentry. If all goes according to plan, Astroscale will send the first demo sweeper up in 2019 and from there companies can hire their own Elsa
(ph) to sweep up whatever might be in their way. Big international agencies like the European Space Agency have also started developing ideas
to clean up space but Astroscale is the world`s first private company giving it a try because it believes we will become ever more dependent on
space.
YAMAZAKI: Some day, you know, people will probably go to Mars or more (inaudible).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And let`s not forget space tourists.
YAMAZAKI: But if, you know, you`re going to go farther beyond Mars we have to clear that crowded area to minimize the risk.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good luck.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: 10 Second Trivia. Which of these man made objects is the largest? International Space Station, Bingham Canyon Mine, an American football
field, or the Spruce Goose. Utah`s Bingham Canyon Mine is the biggest object on this list but the ISS is the largest man made object in space.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lift off of the Falcon 9 and Cargo Dragon transporting critical research enable living and working in (inaudible) orbit and in
deep space.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Simon, wake up.
ROBOT: I`m waiting for your commands.
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s actually floating there by himself so - - (inaudible)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am nice. He`s accusing me of not being nice.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: You get a perfect 10 out of 10. This has been our biggest year ever and today`s last segment is dedicated to everyone who stopped by CNN
Center. Twas 12 days before Christmas and while I was working; I thought of the viewers who visited, lurking. Here in the food court of the CNN
building; where sometimes I`d be taking pictures and fielding their questions and comments, suggestions that matter; hearing the cheering and
shouts and the chatters. So grateful for all ya`all who came for a visit; I`m asked the best part of my job well this is it.
To the thousands who stopped by and millions who view; you`re a gift that keeps giving to us so to you we wish you a wonder holiday season and thank
you for being a wonderful reason. To have this explainer show and it`s puns; though despite all the moans and the groans they`re still fun. Some
say they`re pun funny; some say they`re pun laughable. I`m still "punstoppable", "pundaunted", "punflappable". This show is my favorite one
to be in; because of you, you`re the best part of CNN. I`m out of time for the rhymes but our official YouTube channel is now live. This is the first
time we`re doing this. YouTube.com/CNN10, that`s CNN 1-0 is where you can subscribe to our show right now. Make sure to use that address for the
official site and we look forward to seeing you on this brand new way to watch the show. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Season`s Greetings to
everyone. I`m Carl Azuz for CNN.
END
