Aspiring Martians

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Jonathan Buzan, an atmospheric physicist and planetary habitability researcher whose journey to Mars science started not with a telescope, but with a well-worn copy of SolarQuest which was this epic monopoly style board game where players would travel around the Sun acquiring monopolies of planets, moons, and space structures trying to knock their opponents out of the game through bankruptcy, as well as the occasional laser blast. That early spark led to video games like SimEarth, a fascination with climate extremes, and eventually, a PhD in atmospheric physics and biothermophysics from Purdue University. Since then, he’s held research positions at institutions like the University of New Hampshire, the University of Bern, and now Aalborg University in Denmark, where he works at the intersection of computational physics, sustainability modeling, and planetary systems science.

In this episode, we dove into his experience as the GreenHab Officer for Crew 218 at the Mars Desert Research Station, the surprising emotional highs and lows of simulation life, how heat stress and planetary climates shape our understanding of habitability, the scandanavian huddling mindset, controlling for randomness, the importance of redundancy, taking the bad with the good, connections to the past, dehydrated cuisine, the absolute workout of preparing an exquisite Martian beshumel sauce, and why space research still feels like play—even when it’s deadly serious.

A huge thank you to Dr. Jonathan Buzan for joining me today and sharing his insight and curiosity, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the FB group, and to my family for supporting this adventure—even when the house turns into a sound lab for Martian acoustics.

This week on Aspiring Martians, I sat down with Linh Vu—also known as Quoc Anh—the only Vietnamese finalist among the Mars One program’s top 100. With degrees from the National University of Singapore and Columbia University, Linh blends curiosity, ambition, and a deep desire to explore what lies beyond Earth. Today, he lives in Hanoi and proudly calls himself a Martian-in-waiting.

We talk about the realities of pursuing a dream that most people consider impossible. Linh shares how he balances startup life with space dreams, how he’s navigated public perception, and why he's not trying to convince anyone—he’s just focused on doing. From hydroponic vegetables to Vietnamese pride, CV drop-ins to emotional goodbyes, it’s a conversation about bold moves, quiet confidence, and preparing for the long journey ahead.

A huge thank you to Linh Vu for joining me today and sharing his thoughtful, daring perspective, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this mission—even when it wanders into 18th-century star maps.

This week on Aspiring Martians, I’m joined by Dr. Saeed Ghandhari, a former Mars One 100 finalist, community builder, refugee advocate, martial artist, and aspiring astronaut originally from Iran and now based in Auckland, New Zealand. Saeed’s journey is a remarkable blend of public service and personal ambition—he’s worked for over a decade in Iran’s parliament, helped countless migrants and Māori navigate life in New Zealand, and holds a PhD in International Relations. Not one to slow down, he recently applied for a six-year medical science degree—because... why not?

In this conversation, we explore what it means to never give up on your dream, even when the path takes unexpected detours. We talk about the value of being unpredictable, his paper on black holes, waiting on Roscosmos, and building hope through Mars One. Also: team dynamics, asteroid indecision, dinosaur contingency plans, space soldiers, Martian toilet innovation, and the importance of keeping a packed Mars bag—just in case.

A huge thank you to Dr. Saeed Ghandhari for joining me today and sharing his powerful story and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for always supporting this journey—even when it detours into orbital trivia.

In this month’s Everyday Mars episode, I sat down with one of the most influential voices in Mars advocacy—Dr. Robert Zubrin, founder of The Mars Society and author of The Case for Mars, The Case for Space, and The New World on Mars. For decades, Zubrin has been championing the idea that humans not only can go to Mars, but should. And in this conversation, we ask a simple but profound question: What is The Right Martian Stuff?

We dig into the character traits, skill sets, and cultural mindsets he believes the first Martian settlers will need—not just to survive, but to thrive. Spoiler: it’s less about military order and more about maverick spirit, humor under pressure, and a healthy dose of DIY ingenuity. We also talk about what kind of society might grow out of that environment—and what lessons Earth might learn in return.

Thank you to Dr. Zubrin for making the time for this chat and for his expertise, to Nick Thorburn for the theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting all of this.

In this episode of Aspiring Martians, I’m joined by Sharife Gacel, a licensed therapist, analog astronaut, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and the creator of The Space Therapist and the Blue Marble Project. Sharife’s work brings together psychology, art, and space exploration to help people build emotional resilience here on Earth—and someday, on Mars. She believes that the perspective shift astronauts feel when seeing Earth from space can be a healing force, and she’s spent years helping others connect to that feeling through outreach, therapy, and awe-driven storytelling.

We talk about the emotional challenges of space travel, what representation looks like in the space world, and how something as simple as looking through a telescope can rewire your whole sense of purpose. We also cover her underwater origin stories, the wonders of astronomy clubs, exploration genes, spacesuit cardboard cutouts, Martian domes in Hawaii, representing by showing up, and finding motivation through the lens of a telescope.

This week, I talk with Bill Bell, a high school Earth and Space Science teacher from Payden City, West Virginia, who grew up pretending his dad’s orange hunting vest was an astronaut suit. Decades later, he found himself as a finalist in the AXE Apollo Space Academy, training alongside over 100 other aspiring astronauts from around the globe, hoping to earn a suborbital flight to space. We talk about that once-in-a-lifetime experience, and how it shaped not just his career, but the way he teaches and inspires the next generation of explorers.

We also dive into the messy middle of chasing big dreams—college setbacks, Navy rejections, and finding your calling in the classroom instead of the cockpit. Bill’s story is one of resilience, curiosity, and the quiet courage it takes to keep dreaming even when the world tries to hand you a smaller one.

A heartfelt thank you to Bill Bell for joining me and sharing his story, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for always supporting this Martian journey—even when it becomes a full-time mission control in our house.

This episode is dedicated to Bill's father, Vincent. To infinity and beyond.

What happens when a childhood dream refuses to fade? For Stephan Günther, it meant spending a lifetime turning that dream into motion. From growing up in 1970s Germany with a deep fascination for space, to becoming an airline captain and 3D simulation developer, Stephan has built both a career and a company—Space Dream Studio—around his vision of one day stepping foot on Mars. He was a candidate for the Mars One program, and today he continues to develop space-related simulations, tools, and experiences for others who dare to imagine interplanetary life.

In this episode, we talk about what it really means to commit to something as massive as moving to another planet. Stephan opens up about the emotional complexity of applying for a one-way trip, including the moment he told his first wife about his plans. We also dive into his thoughts on why Mars is pivotal to proving we're not alone, the importance of honesty when chasing impossible goals, and why—even after all this time—he still believes his journey to space isn’t over.

A huge thank you to Stephan Günther for sharing his story today, to Nick Thorburn for our unforgettable theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the brilliant graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for always encouraging my Mars obsession—even when it means geeking out over vintage color by number art from space.

Let’s say there’s life on Mars today. It’s not strolling across the surface or waving from a crater rim—it’s tucked far beneath the ground, in caves and crevices, protected from radiation, freezing temperatures, and the general chaos of the Martian surface. So what’s actually down there? This week on our monthly Everyday Mars special episode of Aspiring Martians, I speak with Dr. Matthew Niemiller, Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, who specializes in the study of subterranean life on Earth—everything from blind fish to cave-dwelling insects and other organisms that thrive in total darkness.

Together, we dive into what kinds of ecosystems could exist beneath the Martian crust, how life survives in extreme environments on Earth, and what the largest possible living thing on Mars might actually be. We also explore energy-starved food chains, poop-based ecosystems, the strange behavior of animals in complete darkness, and why our best shot at finding alien life might involve crawling through caves with a headlamp and a whole lot of hope.

A huge thank you to Dr. Matthew Niemiller for joining me today, to Nick Thorburn for our amazing theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the stunning graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for always encouraging this never-ending fascination with Mars.

This week on Aspiring Martians, I talk with Jasleen Kaur, an aerospace engineer and PhD candidate at Texas A&M University. Originally from Kurukshetra, India—the hometown of the Kalpana Chawla Planetarium and just a stone's throw away from where she grew up to later become India’s first woman in space—Jasleen was drawn to the stars early on. After placing second in NASA’s Human Exploration Rover Challenge in 2015, she went on to found the Society for Aspiring Astronauts to mentor and guide the next generation of space explorers. And if there's a word we absolutely love, it's aspiring!

In this episode, we talk about space debris landing in her backyard, being inspired by birds and big flying machines, what it means to find comfort in yourself, how a well-rounded Martian might need to know a thing or two about gardening, maintenance, and plumbing, and how she’s using mixed reality to train future space explorers for the unknowns ahead.

A huge thank you to Jasleen Kaur for sharing her story today, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for always supporting this wild Martian journey.

Few people embody the spirit of an aspiring Martian like Jesse Forte—also known by his music artist name Jforte. Jesse is a musician with over 150 tracks to his name, the author of four books including Fail Forward Through Success, a civic disruptor, and a six-time analog astronaut who’s put his body and mind through the paces of simulated space living. His story begins in hardship—surviving homelessness—and rockets forward through self-taught design, music, public service, and science.

In this episode, we talk about the winding road that brought him to the stars, and the mindset that keeps him grounded even while reaching for Mars. Jesse shares why analog astronaut missions are basically camping on steroids, how different each of his analog missions have been, the power of a fidget spinner, and why communication and humility are non-negotiables in space—or life.

Jforte on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4XkFUT4QdGBJia6JNdtbRc?si=n7dklXQOSj6JPZpxcPZEMA

Jesse Forte's books: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=jesse+forte&crid=ZVRA3Q19OZYE&sprefix=jesse+forte%2Caps%2C282&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

Thank you to Jesse for making the time to be on the podcast and for the incredible conversation, to Nick Thorburn for the theme music that is truly out of this world, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for running the Facebook group, and to my family for putting up with nonstop Mars talk around the house.