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/

At age eight, Scott watched Apollo 9 launch from the surf off Cocoa Beach—and his course was set. Decades later, he would become the only person to have both flown in space and summited Mount Everest.

In this episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir sits down with Scott Parazynski—physician, retired NASA astronaut, and CEO of OnwardAir—for a conversation that spans five space missions, seven spacewalks, and two of the most demanding summits a human being can attempt. Scott opens up about the phone call that changed everything: being asked to fly alongside an American legend, and what it meant to become that person's crewmate, physician, and eventual friend. He goes on to share the story behind a dangerous repair mission, and what it felt like to be farther from the safety of the airlock than any astronaut before him, working on a live solar panel that could have ended everything.

As the conversation continues, Scott also gets candid about the moment his dream was ripped away, pulled from a mission just months before launch, and how that setback led to a $45 million fix, a second chance, and a piece of the moon that ended up on the summit of Everest. That same rock led to something Scott never saw coming: meeting the woman who'd become his wife.

Scott and Eiman go on to talk about the razor's edge between ambition and risk, why he chose emergency medicine as the ultimate training ground for space, the astronaut he quietly helped launch into his own career, and what still keeps him up at night solving problems, decades into a career most people would call complete.

Order your own copy of Scott’s book, The Sky Below, at https://go.aheartforspace.com/theskybelow

00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:30 Meeting Scott Parazynski: Physician, Astronaut, and Explorer
02:34 Growing Up Abroad: From Tehran to Athens
06:54 A Childhood Shaped by Apollo: Watching the Launch at Age Eight
08:29 Taking Risks and Saying Yes: From Luge to Medical School
12:31 Choosing Between Two Callings: Medicine and Spaceflight
14:51 Mentoring Johnny Kim: Recognizing a Future Astronaut
19:11 Flying with a Legend: John Glenn's Return to Space
21:24 Too Tall for Soyuz: A Setback That Led to New Opportunities
24:53 The Most Dangerous Spacewalk: Repairing a Live Solar Array
29:13 Everest: The Dream, the Injury, and the Summit
32:21 How a Moon Rock Led to Love: Meeting His Wife
34:11 Comparing Extremes: Space vs. Everest
36:19 Into the Volcano: Descending into Masaya's Lava Lake
40:47 The Challenger Legacy: Honoring Loss Through Education
44:17 Staying Curious and Taking the First Step
47:14 Life Lessons from Jenna: The Power of Positivity
49:10 The Space Still Worth Reaching For: Innovation and Problem Solving

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

In today's episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir is joined once more by his sister-in-law and TaskRabbit founder Leah Solivan to discuss the leap of faith that led to the platform's inception, and the unconventional path one must walk to risk being successful.

Leah reflects on her decision to leave the stability of a successful career at IBM to pursue an idea she couldn't ignore. She shares the uncertainty of taking that leap, and how her mentors gave her the confidence and conviction she needed to transform TaskRabbit from a simple concept into one of the pioneering companies of the sharing economy. Eiman and Leah then explore the realities of building a business from the ground up, from investing her own savings and navigating imposter syndrome to pitching investors, overcoming rejection, and learning to trust her instincts.

Looking beyond TaskRabbit, Leah shares how her passion has evolved into empowering the next generation of founders to take leaps of their own, offering a compelling reminder that pursuing ambitious goals isn't about having the perfect credentials—it's about developing the conviction to take the first step and believing in your ability to create something that has never existed before.

00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
02:07 The Leap from IBM: Leaving Stability Behind
06:27 Finding a Mentor: Meeting the CEO of Zipcar
09:11 Betting on Yourself: Funding TaskRabbit with a Pension
15:06 Being a Secret Agent: Navigating Identity as a Latina Founder
20:15 The Fundraising Gauntlet: 50 Pitches for One Yes
26:15 Building the Muscle of Conviction
28:35 From Dog Food to Soul Food: The Moment TaskRabbit Became Real
34:29 Advice for First-Generation Founders
36:21 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/

This week on A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir embarks on an exploration of the power of curiosity, perseverance, and lifelong learning with explorer and former Explorers Club president Richard Wiese.

Richard shares how a childhood filled with outdoor adventure and scientific curiosity helped shape a life dedicated to discovery. From climbing Mount Kilimanjaro at age eleven to producing award-winning television and leading one of the world's most renowned exploration organizations, he reflects on the unexpected turns, setbacks, and opportunities that defined his journey.

Their conversation traverses the roles that confidence and resilience play in pursuing unconventional paths, the importance of becoming the author of your own story, and how some of life's greatest lessons come not from standing on the summit, but from learning how to recover when things don't go according to plan.

Richard also offers a fascinating look inside The Explorers Club, sharing why he believes the future of exploration lies not only in discovering new places, but in discovering new perspectives by elevating diverse voices and fostering a deeper understanding of the world around us.

00:00 Welcome to A Heart for Space
00:32 Meeting Richard Wiese: Explorer and Television Host
02:22 Origin Story: From Immigrant Family to World Traveler
04:44 The Unexpected Turn: From Science Major to Model
06:16 Breaking Into Television and Finding His Voice
07:28 The Explorers Club and Meeting Childhood Heroes
08:02 Weekends with Yankee and Discovering Wonder Close to Home
09:36 The Power of Perseverance and Pulling Yourself Out
13:05 Confidence, Jealousy, and Being Your Own Advocate
15:40 The People Along the Way: Social Consciousness and Africa
17:55 Staying Relevant: Passion and Collaboration
19:51 The Magic of Tide Pooling and New England Wonders
22:03 What Is the Explorers Club and Why It Matters
23:29 The Future of Exploration: Diversity of Thought
26:56 Universal Languages: Food, Music, Art, and Nature
28:14 Facing Doubt and Reinventing Yourself
30:05 The Fury of Nature and Apprenticeship of Skills
32:18 Meeting People Where They Are
36:05 Space, the Overview Effect, and Going Back
38:18 The People Who Shaped Him: Family and Grandfather
39:49 The Space Still Reaching For: Family and Unexplored Places
41:25 Closing Thoughts and Invitation

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