From Here to the Stars | Dr. Mason Peck on Planetary Defense, ChipSats, and the Future of Space ExplorationIn this episode of From Here to the Stars, host Stephen Euin Cobb interviews Dr. Mason Peck, aerospace engineer at Cornell University and former Chief Technologist at NASA (2011–2013). Dr. Peck shares insights into his work on space systems, orbital dynamics, planetary defense, and ultra-miniaturized spacecraft called ChipSats—tiny vehicles that could revolutionize interplanetary and interstellar exploration.Highlights from the Interview: - Asteroid Grand Challenge: How NASA’s initiative aimed to crowdsource solutions to planetary defense—and whether we're now "smarter than the dinosaurs." - Planetary Defense Progress: Why over 90% of extinction-level asteroids have now been cataloged, and how missions like DART are direct outcomes of early efforts. - ChipSats & Interstellar Travel: Learn how spacecraft the size of a postage stamp could explore deep space, survive atmospheric re-entry, and even travel to Proxima Centauri. - Interplanetary Transport Network: A low-energy, gravity-assisted pathway through the solar system—ideal for smart swarms of ChipSats. - Atmospheric Science & the Mesosphere: Why this “ignorosphere” remains one of the least studied parts of Earth’s atmosphere—and how ChipSats could fill in the data gaps. - The Space Systems Design Studio: How Dr. Peck mentors students at Cornell to take wild space ideas from theory to orbit.Why It Matters:Dr. Peck makes a compelling case for shifting space exploration from one-off billion-dollar missions to large-scale, statistical swarms of micro-probes—enabling distributed, cost-effective science across the solar system and beyond.Presented by the Interstellar Research Group (IRG)The IRG is a nonprofit dedicated to exploring the science and engineering of interstellar travel. Learn more about the next IRG Symposium and contribute your work at: https://irg.spaceSearch Tags:#MasonPeck #ChipSats #InterstellarTravel #PlanetaryDefense #NASA #DARTMission #AsteroidGrandChallenge #FromHereToTheStars #SpaceEngineering #Aerospace #BreakthroughStarshot #SpaceDebris #MicroSatellites #CubeSats #ITN #SpaceSystemsDesignStudio #MesosphereScience #LowMassReentry #CornellUniversity #IRGspace