On this episode of Talking Space, we discuss the busy week of launches including the first launch of the week, a manned Soyuz launch to the ISS, as well as the last of the week being SpaceX. We then move on to a large dose of space shuttle retirement news including the final power down of Endeavour, the de-mating of Enterprise from the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, and the ways that the museums owning those two vehicles are raising money for their exhibitions. We then continue on to another of Mark's shuttle retirement interviews from the Kennedy Space Center, and in fact we get two of them this week. This week Mark gives us SCA Flight Engineer Larry LaRose and United Space Alliance Senior Aerospace Technician Richie Van Wart. Following that we answer a listener question regarding future engines. We conclude with another space junk story and how the "asteroid" Vesta may not in fact be an asteroid.

A special thank you to Joe Haberthier for sending in his listener question. You can send yours in as a written question or a .mp3 to [email protected] or by visiting our Contact Us page on our website.

Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman

Show Recorded - 5/14/2012