A Heart For Space with Dr. Eiman Jahangir

What happens when you've spent your life chasing a dream that still feels just out of reach? For Andrew Parris, the answer is simple: you keep going. From supporting NASA's Space Shuttle and International Space Station programmes to experiencing weightlessness aboard zero-gravity flights, Andrew has built an extraordinary career around his passion for space exploration. His ultimate dream of becoming an astronaut remains alive, and he's determined to keep pursuing it, no matter how long the journey takes.

This week on A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir welcomes three-time Emmy Award-winning broadcast engineer and co-founder of The Inspired 24, Andrew Parris, for a conversation about the wonders of space exploration and the perseverance required to achieve your greatest aspirations.

Andrew reflects on his years at NASA and the unforgettable moments that shaped his lifelong commitment to space exploration. Together, they go on to explore how The Inspired 24 grew from a chance gathering of space enthusiasts into what is now an international community helping people pursue opportunities in the space industry. Andrew shares how he navigates setbacks and stays ready for new opportunities in his own astronaut journey, as well as the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive people. His story is a reminder that even when the path to your dream takes longer than expected, the courage to keep trying can inspire others to pursue their own.

Explore more about The Inspired 24 at https://theinspired24.com/

00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:29 Meeting Andrew Parris: The Broadcast Engineer with an Astronaut Dream
02:02 The Family Business: Growing Up in Television
03:29 Inside the Truck: What a Remote Television Engineer Does
04:55 Three Emmy Awards and the Return to Flight
09:36 The Path to NASA: Making Connections in Houston
11:18 Memorable Moments: Shuttle Launch and the Columbia Tragedy
15:56 Flying Zero G: The Most Welcoming Feeling You Can Experience
18:47 Journey to Russia: Behind the Iron Curtain at Baikonur
26:30 The Birth of the Inspired 24: A Dinner That Changed Everything
29:04 Building a Community: Over 300 Members Pursuing Space Dreams
30:52 Success Stories: From Inventory Specialist to SpaceX Technician
35:46 Black Friday: When Dreams Hit Pause
38:50 Never Give Up: Why We Explore and Why It Matters
48:26 The Cyan Proctor Moment: Realizing Others Share Your Dream
49:26 Looking Back at Earth: What It Will All Mean

Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

For more than twenty years, Andrew Gordon helped bring some of Pixar's most beloved characters to life, contributing to films including A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles. Behind those iconic stories is a career shaped by rejection and imposter syndrome, as well as experimentation and a determination to keep getting better.

In this episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir is joined by filmmaker, animator, and creative leader Andrew Gordon to talk about the power of storytelling, and what is required when building a career around creativity. Andrew reflects on his initial rejection from Pixar before eventually joining the studio, and the culture that helped produce its groundbreaking films, before exploring why failure and iteration are essential parts of creating something great.

As the conversation continues, the pair discuss Andrew's decision to leave Pixar in search of new challenges, and how emerging AI tools are changing what's possible for filmmakers. Andrew also shares why technology can never replace a compelling story and why, even after decades of success, he is still pushing beyond his comfort zone in search of the next great thing he can create.

00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:32 Meeting Andrew Gordon: From New York to Pixar
02:04 Early Inspiration: A Cousin's Sketchbook and Computer Graphics
03:31 The Commodore Amiga and Finding His Craft
05:22 Heading West: From New Jersey to Animation School
07:18 First Break: Landing at Warner Brothers Looney Tunes
08:20 Rejection and Redemption: The Path to Pixar
10:12 Driving to the Mecca: First Day at Pixar
11:31 The Pixar Culture: Weirdos, Excellence, and John Lasseter
13:01 Imposter Syndrome and Daily Scrutiny
15:30 Animating Characters: From Gil to Mike Wazowski
17:34 The Art of Caricature: Bringing Edna Mode to Life
19:51 Why Pixar Makes Adults Cry Over Toys and Fish
25:09 The Lucky 7 Lounge: Building a Secret Casino at Pixar
27:10 Teaching and Giving Back: Breaking Down the Secrets
28:30 The Internship Program: Molding Through Play
32:40 Storytelling for Business: The Salesforce Success Story
36:31 Leaving Pixar: Twenty Years and a New Chapter
38:21 AI and Animation: The New Frontier at ITEL
41:01 Advice for Aspiring Creatives: Persistence and Fundamentals
43:11 The Space Still Worth Reaching For: Crafting Diamonds

Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

Mike Mongo has spent nearly two decades telling young people something he wishes someone had told him growing up: you have permission to imagine an extraordinary future.

Today on A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir welcomes author and self-described “Astronaut Teacher” Mike Mongo for an energetic conversation about childhood dreams, unconventional careers, and inspiring the next generation to see themselves as part of humanity's future in space. Mike shares how watching the Moon landing transformed his childhood ambition from becoming a superhero to becoming an astronaut—and how, decades later, believing that dream had passed him by ultimately inspired him to create an entirely new role for himself.

Mike and Eiman explore why he teaches students around the world that tomorrow's jobs are in space, and what Mike has learned from helping young people imagine possibilities beyond the paths already laid out for them, before digging into the philosophy behind his new KID Astronaut Training Manual. Mike also reflects on his own continuing journey toward space, particularly the mentors and strangers who gave him permission to follow an unconventional path, and why success ultimately comes down to doing what you love, with people you love, while helping others.

Learn more about Mike and his work at https://mikemongo.com

00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:37 Meeting Mike Mongo: The Astronaut Teacher
02:41 Batman and the Birth of a Dream
06:02 Becoming the Astronaut Teacher
07:32 The Power of Permission
15:39 Mike Mongo's Kid Astronaut Training Manual
20:07 Astronaut Job Camp and Saxavord Spaceport
26:36 Being 49 Percent Sure of Arrest at NASA
29:11 Blue Origin, New Shepard, and the Blue 92
32:45 Solving for Space to Solve for Earth
39:46 It's Already Too Late, So Bake a Cake
43:46 The Space We're Still Reaching For

Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

Cinematographer Kevin Curran has captured extraordinary stories through his lens for close on three decades. But when COVID brought the world—and his career—to a sudden pause, Kevin began reconsidering what he wanted to do with the time he had left. A lifelong fascination with aerospace provided the answer: use his skills as a filmmaker to document this remarkable chapter in human spaceflight.

In this episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir sits down with Kevin for a conversation about finding purpose in capturing history, and the people pushing humanity beyond our atmosphere. Kevin shares what it was like filming historic moments for Blue Origin, SpaceX and Artemis I, including capturing the reactions of astronauts like Jeff Bezos and William Shatner just moments after their flights.

Kevin and Eiman go on to explore Kevin's documentary Beyond Blue Sky, which preserves the remarkable story of SpaceShipOne and the pioneers behind the first privately funded human spaceflight. Kevin reflects on the five-year journey of bringing the film to life and what he's learned from spending time with aerospace visionaries, as well as why pursuing your passion one step at a time can ultimately lead somewhere greater than you ever dared imagine.

Learn more about Beyond Blue Sky at https://beyond-blue-sky.com/

00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:51 Meeting Kevin Curran: From Electrical Engineering to Cinematography
03:05 The Creative Spark: Taking Things Apart and Putting Them Together
04:42 Finding Purpose in Space: The 2020 Turning Point
05:36 Capturing History: Blue Origin and the Closest Camera
09:24 The Story of Spaceship One: First Private Astronauts
09:46 The $28 Million Miracle: Building a Private Space Program
18:25 Five Years to Tell the Story: The Making of Beyond Blue Sky
20:23 Sitting Across from Legends: Burt Rutan and Brian Binnie
23:17 The Sidewinder Solution: Engineering Under Pressure
25:16 Mike Melville at 64: The First Private Astronaut
27:13 Age Is Just a Number: Human Capacity and Courage
28:07 Brian Binnie's UAP Encounter: A Courageous Disclosure
32:08 The Stigma and the Truth: UAPs in 2020
36:37 What We Lose Without These Stories
38:13 The Power of Parenting: Early Sparks That Drive Greatness
41:14 Advice for Dreamers: Identify Your Passion and Protect It
42:40 NS-16: The Most Meaningful Moment
47:01 Behind the Lens: Capturing Emotional Reactions
48:29 The Overview Effect: Processing the Experience
54:32 The Space Still Worth Reaching For
56:07 Beyond Blue Sky: Where to Watch

Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

For years, Shantanu Rai built his life around medicine, caring for patients in underserved communities while witnessing firsthand the challenges facing both doctors and patients within the American healthcare system. But beyond the exam room, another ambition was taking shape: telling the stories that medicine alone couldn't fully capture.

In today's conversation, Dr. Eiman Jahangir sits down with physician and author Shantanu Rai to discuss the intersections of medicine and storytelling, exploring the courage to step outside the lane that's been defined for you. Shantanu shares how his experiences as a physician inspired his debut medical thriller, A Dangerous Diagnosis, why he chose fiction to pull back the curtain on modern healthcare, and the five-year journey of learning an entirely new craft while continuing his career in medicine.

Together, they explore physician burnout, the need for meaningful change within healthcare, and the power of storytelling to build understanding and empathy. Shantanu also reflects on reconnecting with your purpose and navigating rejection, sharing why pursuing something outside your established path can sometimes give you the energy to discover just how much more you're capable of.

Learn more about Shantanu Rai and his work at https://shantanurai.com/

00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:34 Meeting a Doctor-Turned-Author: Writing Under a Pen Name
01:36 The Book's Mission: Pulling Back the Exam Room Curtain
02:28 Why Write Under a Pen Name: Protection and Freedom
07:04 The Dilemma Every Doctor Faces: Stay, Leave, or Fight
07:38 The Third Way: A Great Doctor Fights for All Patients
15:17 The Pit and Storytelling: Showing vs. Telling in Medicine
16:40 From Inspiration to Outline: The Journey Begins
22:28 The Fundamental Problem: Healthcare Economics and Access
28:12 The Unexpected Film Deal: Leaked to Movie Studios
32:18 The Writing Process: 4 AM and a French Press
40:13 Doctors as Natural Storytellers: Reclaiming Our Humanity
43:30 Stepping Outside Your Lane: Energy Management Over Time Management
49:01 The Space Still Worth Reaching For: Finding Stillness

Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

Born in Nigeria and raised in Connecticut from the age of six, Blessing Offor's journey has been shaped by change and an unwavering love of music. After losing much of his vision as a child, years spent sitting still while recovering from eye surgeries gave him something unexpected: time at the piano. What began as one of the few things he could fully do eventually became the pursuit that would define his life.

In this episode of A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir is joined by two-time GRAMMY® nominee and award-winning singer-songwriter Blessing Offor for a conversation about resilience, creativity, and what it takes to keep pursuing a dream when there is no clear path forward. Blessing reflects on leaving behind the expectations of a traditional career, moving to Nashville and New York in pursuit of music, navigating years of struggle before his breakthrough on The Voice, and the decade-long journey that ultimately led to a record deal and songs like "Brighter Days" and "The Goodness."

Together, they explore the complicated reality of achieving success while simultaneously experiencing profound personal loss. Blessing shares how songwriting helped him process the grief of losing his mother, sister, best friend and partner while creating his deeply personal album Real. He goes on to explore how some of life's hardest seasons can also become its most formative, as well as the importance of maintaining community even as success grows.

From returning to Nigeria after more than two decades away to collaborating with Dolly Parton and finding a global audience for his music, Blessing's story is an incredible reminder that pursuing an extraordinary life doesn't mean avoiding hardship, but learning to keep moving forward through it.

00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:27 Meeting Blessing Offor: From Nigeria to Connecticut
02:50 Growing Up with Vision Challenges
10:15 Falling in Love with Music
15:00 The Decision to Pursue Music
16:25 Moving to Nashville and New York
17:13 The Voice and Breaking Through
21:55 The Ten-Year Journey to a Record Deal
28:24 Writing Brighter Days During the Pandemic
32:55 Going Home: Returning to Nigeria After 25 Years
36:28 Holding the Tension: Success and Loss
42:23 The Power of Community Over Success
43:53 Music as a Way to Process Grief
45:20 Collaborating with Dolly Parton
48:40 Making Music for Everyone
51:02 The Space Still Worth Reaching For

Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

A cheap, pharmacy telescope changed the course of John Read's life. After years spent building a successful career in corporate finance, John pointed that telescope toward what he thought was a yellow star—and saw Saturn. The experience reignited a fascination with the night sky and eventually gave him the courage to leave behind a stable career, return to university, and build an entirely new life around astronomy.

In this episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir is joined by bestselling astronomy author and Learn to Stargaze host John A. Read for a fascinating conversation about curiosity, career reinvention, and the power of recognizing when you're on the wrong path. John shares how his early love of aviation gave way to a conventional career in finance, how volunteering with an astronomy club inspired his bestselling 50 Things to See with a Telescope series, and why he ultimately took the leap to pursue astrophysics and astronomy education full-time.

Together, John and Eiman explore the importance of finding your people and of making astronomy accessible to beginners, before going on to discuss the consistency required to turn an idea into a successful book, career, or creative pursuit. They also examine our increasingly complicated relationship with technology and why putting down our screens may help us rediscover the sense of awe that's been waiting above us all along.

Discover more about John and his work at http://www.learntostargaze.com

00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:34 Meeting John Read: Author and Stargazing Host
10:58 From Air Cadets to Aviation: Finding His People
16:01 The Corporate Path: Finance Career and Growing Restlessness
20:40 The $14 Telescope That Changed Everything
22:53 Writing the First Book: 50 Things to See with a Small Telescope
24:26 The Leap of Faith: Quitting Corporate to Pursue Astronomy
29:07 Building a Book Empire: Translations, Kids Books, and Finding the Formula
31:26 Learn to Stargaze: Creating a YouTube Channel and Brand
44:39 Technology, Stargazing, and the Lost Art of Authentic Experience
48:22 Johns Hopkins and the All-Star Classroom
54:46 Following Your Competence: The Space Still Worth Reaching For

Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

For nearly four decades, Frank White has helped give a name to one of the most profound experiences in human spaceflight. His groundbreaking book, The Overview Effect, transformed countless astronauts' descriptions of seeing Earth from space into a concept that continues to shape how we think about exploration, humanity, and our place in the universe.

Today on A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir is joined by author, space philosopher, and Overview Effect pioneer Frank White for a fascinating discussion about the childhood curiosity that sparked a lifelong passion for space, the unexpected path that led him to become one of the world's leading voices on the philosophy of space exploration, and why he believes humanity is approaching a pivotal moment in its evolution.

Together, they explore how the Overview Effect has influenced astronauts for generations, the rise of commercial spaceflight, and the promise of permanent lunar settlements, before examining why developing a broader perspective may be one of the greatest challenges—and opportunities—of our time. Frank also reflects on the mentors who shaped his remarkable journey and his campaign to finally travel to space after a lifetime spent studying those who have, sharing why declaring your ambitions, embracing rejection, and taking action are essential to pursuing the dreams that matter most to you.

00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
02:28 From Childhood Wonder to Life Purpose
05:01 The Space Race and Building Rockets in the Front Yard
08:20 Apollo's Impact and Milestone Moments in Space History
13:30 Political Philosophy and the Power of Paradigm Shifts
16:40 Overview Thinking vs Surface Thinking
18:54 Nationalism, Governance, and the Need for a New Social Contract
21:42 The Birth of the Overview Effect Theory
24:23 Why Do We Explore Space? The Cosmo Hypothesis
30:07 The Consistency of the Overview Effect Across All Astronauts
35:29 Send Frank to Space: Declaring Your Dreams
39:14 The Power of Putting Yourself Out There
42:48 Rejection, Persistence, and Plan B
46:42 The People Who Shaped a Life: From Parents to Gerard O'Neill
52:23 We Are All Crew Members of Spaceship Earth

Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

As a child watching the Apollo 11 Moon landing from his home in New York, Ron Garan knew he wanted to become an astronaut. That dream eventually led him from flying F-16 combat missions during the Gulf War to spending 178 days in space aboard both the Space Shuttle and Soyuz spacecraft. But it wasn't reaching orbit that changed him most, it was looking back and seeing Earth as one interconnected, fragile home.

In this episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir welcomes retired NASA astronaut, fighter pilot, author, and social entrepreneur Ron Garan for a conversation about the transformative power of perspective. Ron reflects on the journey that reignited his childhood dream of spaceflight, the unique experience of launching aboard both American and Russian spacecraft, and the profound shift in thinking that inspired his concept of The Orbital Perspective—the belief that humanity's greatest challenges can only be solved by learning to work together on a planetary scale.

Ron and Eiman also explore the lessons of military service and leadership, the future of lunar exploration and commercial spaceflight, the importance of science-based decision-making, as well as Ron's work bringing clean water and renewable energy to underserved communities through social enterprise. From orbit to Earth, this conversation is a compelling reminder that changing the way we see the world may be the first step toward changing the world itself.

Purchase your own copy of Ron’s newest book, Floating in Darkness, at https://go.aheartforspace.com/floatingindarkness

00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
02:34 The Dream Reawakens: From Business to Engineering
06:27 Flying F-16s in the Gulf War
11:55 Comparing the Shuttle and Soyuz: Two Paths to Orbit
16:09 Launching with Former Enemies: A Symbol of Cooperation
18:07 The Orbital Perspective: Seeing Earth as One Planet
20:49 Technology: Connecting and Dividing Us
22:52 Astronauts for America: Defending the Constitution
29:14 Bringing Clean Water to the World
33:24 Writing to Inspire: Three Books and a Sci-Fi Novel
40:59 The Future of Space: Moon Bases and Lunar Economy
46:42 The Space Still Worth Reaching For

Discover more about Dr. Eiman Jahangir, and preorder your own copy of A Heart for Space, now at https://aheartforspace.com/

What does it take to pursue an impossible dream?

In this special bonus episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir reflects on the lessons that have shaped his own journey—from medicine and spaceflight to leadership, resilience, and innovation. Through personal stories and practical insights, he explores why setbacks and uncertainty are often the foundation of success, and why the courage to take the next step can change the course of your life.

Whether you're a student, healthcare professional, leader, entrepreneur, or simply someone pursuing an ambitious goal, this short message offers encouragement to embrace challenges, stay curious, and recognize the strength being built throughout your journey.

Book Dr. Jahangir for your next conference, keynote, leadership event, school guest speaker session, or educational program at https://www.eimanjahangir.com/speaking/