Are We There Yet?

There’s a new generation leading the charge when it comes to space exploration -- millennials. These 20 and 30 year olds are entering the workforce and academia, driving innovation and pushing humanity farther into the solar system. So what’s motivating these millennials? And what’s different from the group of folks that came before them? We’ll chat with space policy analyst and author Laura Forczyk about her new book “Rise of the Space Age Millennials.”

Then, can planets exist outside the orbit of a star? We’ll talk with our panel of experts about the fascinating observations of rogue planets -- how did they escape the gravity of their host star and how do we spot them?

There’s a new generation leading the charge when it comes to space exploration -- millennials.

There are now two new spacecraft zooming around the sun exploring our closest star. NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is getting an up close and personal look at the sun and its corona -- the wispy bits that radiate off the surface. And the recently launched Solar Orbiter will explore the poles of the sun.

All eyes are on the sun. So is this a new chapter of sun science? Our guest this week Nicky Fox says it is. She’s Director of the NASA Heliophysics Science Division and lead scientist on the Parker Solar Probe mission. We’ll talk about the early findings of the mission and how all this sun science will help better life here on Earth.

Then, the matter of antimatter. Our panel of expert scientists breakdown this fundamental piece of physics.

There are now two new spacecraft zooming around the sun exploring our closest star. Is this a new chapter in sun science?

Back in 1967, Dr. Jocelyn Bell Burnell observed a curious set of radio pulses from a new type of telescope. Her findings would lead to a new type of star -- a pulsar -- and begin a new chapter of astronomical discovery. The findings were groundbreaking and paved the way for a new type of observation -- radio astronomy.

We’ll chat with Burnell about the story of that discovery, where she sees the future of radio astronomy heading and her work to get more women and minorities involved in STEM.

Then, Space is huge, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to keep it clean. As we continue to venture into our solar system with robotic explorers and human missions, there’s a greater need for good hygiene. On this week’s “I’d Like to Know” segment, we’ll chat with physicists  from the University of Central Florida about keeping our dirty Earth-germs off other planets and moons -- and why the search for life depends on it.

Back in 1967, Dr. Jocelyn Bell Burnell observed a curious set of radio pulses from a new type of telescope. Her findings would lead to a new type of star -- a pulsar -- and begin a new chapter of astronomical discovery.

The race to deep space is on. NASA has its eyes set on the moon then Mars, and other private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin have ambitious plans to send humans into deep space. So just how close are we to breaking the bonds of Earth’s gravity once more and exploring other worlds? We’ll speak with Mary Lynn Dittmar, President and CEO of the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration. 

Then - astronomers are picking up a strange signal from somewhere in space. Fast Radio Bursts are puzzling scientists -- where are they coming from and what’s causing them? On this week’s “I’d Like to Know” segment, we’ll ask our panel of experts about these interesting new waves.

The race to deep space is on. NASA has its eyes set on the moon then Mars, and other private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin have ambitious plans to send humans into deep space. So just how close are we to breaking the bonds of Earth’s gravity once more and exploring other worlds?

Space is open for business. NASA is loosening restrictions on the use of the space station for commercial companies, paving the way for new business opportunities in orbit. From music videos to commercials, companies are now looking to the cosmos to tell their stories. So what will the future of space marketing look like? And what does NASA stand to gain? We’ll talk with Space Marketing Group’s Trisha Navidzadeh about the bold new future of space marketing.

Then, a listener asks: How far away are we from having rotating ships that create artificial gravity? We’ll put that question to our expert panel of scientists on this week’s edition of “I’d Like to Know”.

Space is open for business. NASA is loosening restrictions on the use of the space station for commercial companies, paving the way for new business opportunities in orbit.