Aspiring Martians

What does it look like to prepare for Mars… from a place the space industry often overlooks?

In this episode of Aspiring Martians, I sit down with Isaac Macharia Gathu, founder and president of Mars Society Kenya, to talk about building a path to space where none previously existed.

Isaac is a Kenyan IT technician, entrepreneur, analog astronaut, and one of the leading voices pushing for Africa’s role in the future of human space exploration. Through his work, he’s not only growing a community of aspiring Martians across Kenya, but also developing real-world analog simulations like OASEAS and working toward a Mars habitat in the Chalbi Desert.

His journey has captured global attention, including in the documentary Kenyan on Mars, but what makes Isaac’s story so compelling is not just the dream… it’s the discipline behind it.

In this episode, we talked all about Kenyan pride in space exploration, building Mars Society Kenya, Maasai-inspired spacesuit beadwork, training for a future that hasn’t arrived yet, analog astronaut missions in Africa, creating opportunity where none exists, preparing for the World’s Biggest Analog, the power of representation in space, blending culture with technology, overcoming doubt and distance, community-driven space advocacy, and why pursuing your dream matters… even when the odds say otherwise.

• Kenyan on Mars documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8s-Gi4Zk0hU
• Mars Society Kenya: https://kenyamarssociety.org/

~

A huge thank you as well to Isaac for joining me today and sharing his story and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project!

What does it take to build a Mars mission… from scratch?

In this month’s Inside the Habitat, we head to Wadi Rum, Jordan, a place so otherworldly it’s often called “The Valley of the Moon,” to explore MENA, the first women-led space organization in the region dedicated to STEM, inclusion, and human space exploration.

Founded in 2024, MENA is already pushing boundaries, combining education, analog missions, and global collaboration to empower the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers. With over 250 students and young professionals involved, their work extends far beyond space, tackling real-world challenges like sustainability, water systems, and climate innovation.

And at the center of it all is Salam Abualhayjaa, founder and CEO, a mechanical engineer specializing in spacesuit design, a science communicator, and someone quietly building the future of space exploration from the ground up.

We talk about what it was like to run one of the very first missions as part of the World’s Biggest Analog, recently featured in National Geographic, and what happens when you try to build a Mars mission in the desert with limited resources, big ambition, and very little room for error.

In this episode, we talked all about what Wadi Rum feels like, building community first, going from nothing to mission, bold leap beginnings, three-week deadline scramble, desert habitat build, bubble dome setup, mission control chaos, two-hour sleep nights, power outages reality, Mars-like isolation, crew psychology shifts, strangers to tension, real-time problem solving, spacesuit EVAs daily, learning on the fly, global analog collaboration, the World’s Biggest Analog, media and momentum, and how setbacks can turn into something much bigger than you ever planned.

~

A huge thank you as well to Salam and her team at MENA for joining me today and sharing their incredible work and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project.

Today is one of those days that changes the trajectory of everything.

As Artemis II launches humanity back beyond low Earth orbit for the first time in over 50 years, we’re marking the moment with a special bonus episode of Aspiring Martians.

Because this mission isn’t just about going to the Moon. It’s about proving we can go further.

Artemis II will send astronauts around the Moon aboard the Orion spacecraft, testing the systems, endurance, and operations that will define the next era of human spaceflight. It’s the bridge between where we’ve been… and where we’re going next.

And that next step includes Mars.

To help bring that future into focus, I’m joined by Ben Bailey, a member of NASA’s 2025 Astronaut Candidate Class Group 24, aka "the Platypi".

Ben’s path to NASA is anything but typical. From building nuclear propulsion systems for aircraft carriers, to flying Black Hawk helicopters in high-risk environments, to becoming an experimental test pilot pushing aircraft to their limits, his career sits at the intersection of engineering, exploration, and extreme performance.

Now, he’s training for missions that could take him to the Moon… and eventually beyond.

This is a short but powerful conversation about what it takes to become an astronaut, what Artemis means for the future of exploration, and how close we really are to becoming a multi-planetary species.

Because today isn’t just a launch.

It’s a beginning.

~

A huge thank you as well to Ben for joining me today and taking the time to answer all my weird questions. I also want to thank Anna Schneider at NASA for helping coordinate all of this. And of course, thank you to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project...even when me asking to excuse myself from the table turns into some epic lunar farewell speech.

We’re going somewhere humanity hasn’t quite been willing to go yet… not physically, but conversationally.

Because if we’re serious about building a future on Mars, we have to ask a simple question: are we designing that future for everyone?

This week, I’m joined by Manju Bangalore: engineer, researcher, astronaut-in-training, and founder of Operation Period to explore one of the most overlooked gaps in human spaceflight: menstruation.

From her work at NASA and in science policy to launching a pioneering effort to study periods in microgravity, Manju is helping redefine what it means to build truly human-centered systems in space.

This is a conversation about science, stigma, autonomy, and design and why something that affects billions of people has been treated like an afterthought in space exploration.

If Mars is going to be home… this is part of the blueprint.

Check out Operation Period and their Red Shift Lab on their website: https://www.operationperiod.org/

Dive into more about Manju! https://www.astronautmanju.com/

A huge thank you as well to Manju for joining me today and sharing her time and perspective, to Kayley for helping coordinate and review everything, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project—even when NASA design decisions become dinner table topics.

References:

• Stats on menstruators: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10014781/
• World Bank stats: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/water/brief/menstrual-health-and-hygiene
• Original Kotex ad: http://www.mum.org/kotexadwords.htm
• Tampax Tampons with Courtney Cox Commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnmxLW4cO88
• 100 tampons: https://people.com/nasa-engineers-packed-100-tampons-for-sally-ride-for-one-week-in-space-8781804
• Menstruation in spaceflight: Options for astronauts: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/archive/news/lsm/newsrecords/2016/apr/menstruation-in-spaceflight-options-for-astronauts?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• First study to measure toxic metals in tampons shows arsenic and lead, among other contaminants: https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/articles/spotlight/research/first-study-to-measure-toxic-metals-in-tampons-shows-arsenic-and-lead
• Tampons as a source of exposure to metal(loid)s: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412024004355
• FDA launches tampon safety investigation after study finds toxic metals: https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/articles/spotlight/research/fda-launches-tampon-safety-investigation-after-study-finds-toxic-metals#:~:text=Two%20months%20after%20a%20study%20led%20by,its%20own%20investigation%20into%20the%20potential%20hazard.
• Menstruation in spaceflight: https://www.kcl.ac.uk/archive/news/lsm/newsrecords/2016/apr/menstruation-in-spaceflight-options-for-astronauts?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Analysis of menstrual effluent: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6016873/pdf/10020_2018_Article_9.pdf
• Next-gen tech can detect disease biomarker in period blood: https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/next-gen-tech-can-detect-disease-biomarker-period-blood
• MenstruAI: https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2025/05/sanitary-towels-morph-into-test-strips.html
• Potential for and challenges of menstrual blood as anon-invasive diagnostic specimen: current statusand future directions: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11305704/pdf/ms9-86-4591.pdf
• Ginger for Pain Management in Primary Dysmenorrhea: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38770631/
• Effect of fennel on pain intensity in dysmenorrhoea: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3611645/pdf/AYU-33-311.pdf
• Comparison of the effect of Chamomile: https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/bcd0/a6d6c9ffc4012c6178d41662bb0899972723.pdf
• Hypatia astronauts:https://www.catalannews.com/tech-science/item/hypatia-astronauts-suggest-using-menstrual-blood-as-fertilizer-for-plants-on-mars

Today we've got the ULTIMATE aspiring Martian!

This week, Joe is joined by Alyssa Carson: science communicator, astrobiologist, and one of the most recognizable voices of the so-called “Mars Generation.” You may know her as “Blueberry,” the kid who decided at just three years old that she wanted to go to Mars...and then actually kept going.

But this conversation isn’t about a childhood dream. It’s about what happens after the dream sticks.

We talk about what it really takes to stay committed to something as distant, and as uncertain, as Mars, how that path evolves over time, and why becoming an astronaut isn’t about a single job, but a collection of skills, experiences, and relentless curiosity. Alyssa shares how she found her way into astrobiology, what she’s studying now in her PhD, and how her work is helping answer one of the biggest questions we have: could life exist beyond Earth?

We also get into the reality behind the headlines: what the public gets wrong about space, how safety and risk are actually approached, the importance of community and support systems, and why the future of space might look a lot more connected to everyday life than we think.

Because becoming Martian isn’t about one giant leap.

It’s about thousands of small, deliberate steps.

~

A huge thank you as well to Alyssa for joining me today and sharing her time and perspective, to her dad Bert for coordinating all of this, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project

What if the path to space started not in a government astronaut corps… but on your laptop?

This week on Aspiring Martians, I’m joined by Benedetta Facini — citizen scientist, science communicator, asteroid hunter, and newly selected astronaut candidate with Titans Space Industries.

Benedetta’s journey into space didn’t begin with rocket equations or flight school. It started with curiosity, a telescope, and a grandfather who accidentally sparked a lifelong fascination with the cosmos. From there, that curiosity led her into NASA citizen science projects where she began analyzing real astronomical data, helping identify asteroids, studying Martian cloud patterns, and collaborating with researchers and volunteers around the world.

Along the way she discovered something powerful: the realization that space exploration isn’t only driven by astronauts and engineers — it’s also powered by ordinary people contributing their time, curiosity, and patience to scientific discovery.

Today Benedetta is a physics student, science communicator, mentor to young citizen scientists, and part of a new generation working to make space exploration more accessible to everyone.

In this episode we explore how citizen science can open doors into the space industry, what it’s like to mentor students discovering asteroids for the first time, the surprising reality of astronaut selection, and why curiosity might be the most important qualification for anyone hoping to explore the universe.

Because sometimes the journey to space doesn’t begin with a rocket launch.

Sometimes it begins with a question.

~

A huge thank you as well to Benedetta for joining me today and sharing her time and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project.

What does it really take to become an aspiring Martian?

For some, the journey starts with engineering degrees, astronaut training programs, and analog missions in the desert. For others, it begins much earlier — with challenges that shape resilience, perspective, and a deep curiosity about the human body in extreme environments.

This week I’m joined by Shriya Musuku, a mechanical engineer, analog astronaut, EMT, and astronaut candidate whose career sits at the intersection of engineering, medicine, and space exploration.

Shriya earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where her work ranged from thermal microfluidics research and robotics to computational modeling and biomedical applications. Along the way she also volunteered as an EMT and firefighter, gaining firsthand experience responding to high-stress situations and learning how teams operate in extreme environments.

Those experiences now inform her work in the space industry. Shriya currently serves as Director of Operations at Titans Space Industries, and she is also an R&D Astronaut Candidate, part of a new generation of explorers working toward a future where space becomes accessible to more people around the world.

But her story begins long before engineering school.

As a child, Shriya was diagnosed with leukemia and had to relearn how to walk during her recovery — an experience that helped shape her interest in human health, resilience, and the challenges astronauts face in extreme environments  .

For Shriya, going to space isn’t just about the adventure.

It’s about perspective, resilience, and building a future where exploration benefits everyone.

~

A huge thank you as well to Shriya for joining me today and sharing her time and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for adminning the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project—even when conversations about buried Martian mountains sneak into everyday life.

This month on Inside the Habitat, we step inside one of Europe’s most respected analog research facilities: LunAres Research Station in Poland.

Founded in 2017 and located inside a former post-military airport hangar, LunAres has become a globally recognized platform for human spaceflight research. The station runs 10–12 analog missions per year, hosts crews of four to eight participants, and has supported more than 65 scientific experiments across over 40 missions. Its work spans space medicine, psychology, biotechnology, robotics, human factors, and sustainable living systems. It also serves as a mirror platform for ESA-funded research connected to Poland’s upcoming IGNIS mission to the International Space Station.

But LunAres doesn’t rely on natural deserts or volcanic terrain. Instead, it specializes in something arguably more difficult: controlled isolation.

Inside a reinforced concrete hangar with no windows, crews simulate lunar and Martian missions under tightly managed environmental conditions. Communication delays mimic Mars. Artificial day-night cycles shift for lunar darkness or Martian drift. Water is strictly rationed. Gray water from showers flushes toilets. Bedrooms are capsule-sized. Hydroponic plants double as morale boosters. EVA operations take place on a 250-square-meter basalt-and-sand terrain accessed through a functional airlock.

In this episode, Dr. Leszek Orzechowski shares how LunAres was born out of an ESA design competition, the steep early learning curve of running analog missions, how nearly 300 participants have navigated isolation inside the habitat, and what it means to simulate Moon and Mars missions in an urban yet sealed environment.

We discuss crew selection, mission control oversight, communication delays, lunar versus Martian simulation differences, participation in the World’s Biggest Analog initiative, ESA-linked neuro studies, collaboration with aerospace agencies, and the surprising psychological power of growing plants in confinement.

If we’re serious about settling other worlds, places like LunAres are where we learn how humans actually behave when the hatch closes.

~

A huge thank you to Leszek for joining me today and sharing his time and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project even when space trivia finds its way into everyday life.

In this special Everyday Mars episode commemorating Mars Love Month, returning guest Dr. Simon Dubé joins Joe to explore one of the most surprising frontiers of space settlement: artificial companions. If Mars is going to be home — not just a research outpost — we’ll need more than life-support systems and radiation shielding. We’ll need emotional infrastructure.

Simon is a researcher whose work sits at the intersection of love, sexuality, psychology, and emerging technology. Listeners may remember him from our conversation last year on Sex and Love on Mars. This time, we take things further, asking what role AI-driven companions, robotic intimacy, and emotionally responsive systems might play in long-duration missions.

We discuss whether artificial partners are substitutes or supplements, how isolation changes human bonding, what happens to attachment in confined habitats, the ethics of emotional AI, and why the goal on Mars may not be to pass the Turing Test — but to pass the loneliness test.

If we’re serious about building a civilization on Mars, we have to design for the heart as much as the body.

~

A huge thank you as well to Simon for joining me again and sharing his time and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for adminning the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project—even when space history gets unexpectedly sweet.

The Media Equation: How People Treat Computers, Television, and New Media Like Real People and Places

Clifford Nass & Byron Reeves

1996

https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/media-equation/98C3C6F9F7E3B1C3B7C0A5A9C7A1E0B3

Living with Seal Robots—Its Sociopsychological and Physiological Influences on the Elderly at a Care House

Kazuhiro Wada & Takanori Shibata

2007

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/4200858

The Effect of a Fully Automated Conversational Agent on Reducing Symptoms of Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Kathleen K. Fitzpatrick, Alison Darcy & Molly Vierhile

2017

https://mental.jmir.org/2017/2/e19/

Use of Social Robots in Mental Health and Well-Being Research: Systematic Review

Jiska A. S. Broekens, et al.

2019

https://www.jmir.org/2019/7/e13322/

Building Long-Term Human–Robot Relationships: Examining Disclosure, Perception and Well-Being Across Time

Guy Laban, Arvid Kappas, Val Morrison & Emily S. Cross

2023

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12369-023-01076-z

We're a community that is working, studying, building, training, and aspiring to become Martians someday. But what does it actually mean to become Martian?

Not metaphorically. Biologically.

In this surprise Everyday Mars episode, I sit down with evolutionary biologist Dr. Scott Solomon to talk about his brand-new book Becoming Martian and what life on Mars could do to our bodies, our children, and the future of our species.

We talk radiation. Low gravity. Reproduction. Gene editing. Immune systems. Speciation. And the uncomfortable question: should we go at all?

If being an aspiring Martian means doing the work — physically, emotionally, psychologically — then this episode is required listening.

~

A huge thank you to Scott for joining me today and sharing his time and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for adminning the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project—even when I start comparing interplanetary travel to reptile endurance.