A look at a new documentary which highlights the people behind the scenes that kept the Space Shuttle program flying. Plus, and update on SpaceX's Starship plans.

People in the path of Hurricane Ian are still dealing with its aftermath. Before and during the storm, residents rely on forecasts from meteorologists to track the storm and plan to prepare. Many of the tools these forecasters use come from space.

People in the path of Hurricane Ian are still dealing with its aftermath.

Before and during the storm, residents rely on forecasts from meteorologists to track the storm and plan to prepare. Many of the tools these forecasters use come from space.

We’ll chat with meteorology professor Rob Eicher about the space-based tools forecasters use to predict the severity and path of storms like Ian.

Then, weather -- it’s not just an Earthly phenomenon. We’ll speak with NOAA’s Rob Steenburgh about forecasting space weather -- and why forecasting space storms is important to us here on Earth.

Additional Links

Here's the image from Landsat 8, described by Eicher. Be sure to click on the image for the full resolution. To compare, here's images from GOES-East, which is operating from a much higher orbit.

For the past six years, Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen has led NASA’s science division. From the deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope to landing a robot on Mars, Dr. Z has been at the helm for some of NASA’s most complex and critical science missions. At the end of this year, he’s leaving the agency.

For the past six years, Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen has led NASA’s science division. From the deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope to landing a robot on Mars, Zurbuchen has been at the helm for some of NASA’s most complex and critical science missions.

At the end of this year, he’s leaving the agency.

We’ll speak with Zurbuchen about his six years leading NASA science and what’s ahead for the agency’s science mission directorate.

Then, earlier this year, a group of scientists recommended NASA look at Uranus. The decadal survey outlined reasons why the agency should send a mission to the gas giant. We’ll revisit a conversation with planetary scientist Paul Byrne about why that’s exciting -- and important.

 

As Florida prepares for Hurricane Ian, NASA is hoping to deflect another natural disaster -- an asteroid.

How will NASA's lunar missions help get humans to Mars? And a look at an intriguing finding by NASA's newest Martian explorer in the search for signs of ancient life on Mars.

NASA’s Artemis missions aim to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time in nearly half a century. But the agency doesn’t want to stop there. These moon missions of today are paving the way for astronaut missions to places like Mars and beyond.

Space policy analyst Laura Forczyk joins the show to  look at the long-term plans for astronauts in deep space and how Artemis is leading the charge.

Plus, scientists say NASA’s Perseverance rover has made its most exciting discovery on Mars in its search for signs of life on the red planet. University of Florida astrobiologist Dr. Amy Williams brings us up to speed on the latest development from the Martian surface.

Two attempts to launch NASA’s new moon rocket SLS and deep space capsule Orion have been waived off -- facing a handful of issues including a hydrogen leak. Now, engineers are working on fixing the issues for an attempt as soon as the end of this month as NASA faces pressure to get this long-delayed and over-budget rocket to the moon.

Two attempts to launch NASA’s new moon rocket SLS and deep space capsule Orion have been waived off -- facing a handful of issues including a hydrogen leak. Now, engineers are working on fixing the issues for an attempt as soon as the end of this month as NASA faces pressure to get this long-delayed and over-budget rocket to the moon.

It’s the first mission of NASA’s SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft on an uncrewed trip around the moon and back testing key systems of the vehicle before astronauts fly on it next.

In an update released Monday, NASA says the ground team will test that fix at the pad this week and could try once more to launch the vehicle as early as September 27.

But it’s more than just a hydrogen leak keeping Artemis I on the ground. NASASpaceflight.com's assistant managing editor Chris Gebhardt joins the show to break down the issues facing SLS rocket and NASA’s plan to prepare for the vehicle’s maiden flight from Kennedy Space Center.