Liftoff

By RelayScience Education

Liftoff episodes

January 26, 2021141: Apollo 14
Less than a year after the disastrous Apollo 13 mission, the program returned to flight when Alan Shepard, Stuart Roosa and Edgar Mitchell landed on the moon in February, 1971.
This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:
Tuparev Technologies: Learn more about the new POLIS initiative now.
Links and Show Notes:
Our Apollo Episodes:
Apollo 1
Apollo 4 & 5
Apollo 6
Apollo 7
Apollo 8
Apollo 9
Apollo 10
Apollo 11
Apollo 12
Apollo 13
Apollo 14
Apollo 15
Apollo 16
Apollo 17
Apollo 14 | NASA Apollo 14 Flight Journal Apollo 14 Mission Overview - Lunar and Planetary Institute Apollo 14 (AS-509) | National Air and Space Museum Apollo 14 | The Planetary Society NASA Technical Reports: The Apollo Docking system Don Eyles | Hack the Moon Don Eyles: Extra! Weird-Looking Freak Saves Apollo 14! - Rolling Stone Apollo 14 Science Experiments - Lunar and Planetary Institute Modular Equipment Transporter - Wikipedia New Moon Photo Reveals Tracks from Tough Apollo Moonwalk | Space How NASA brought color TV to the Moon | Astronomy.com Apollo Television - NASA (PDF) Apollo 14: 'Rookie' Crew and a Famous Golf Ball | Space Could you really hit a golf ball miles and miles on the Moon? | ScienceBlogs Apollo 14 - Golf on the Moon - YouTube Moon tree - Wikipedia
1 hr 1 min
January 12, 2021140: The End of the Year Means Next Year
Jason and Stephen start 2021 by picking some things they are looking forward to in what promises to be a very busy year in space.
This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:
Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
Links and Show Notes: Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership NASA’s Webb Telescope Looks Back on 2020 Engineering Milestones | NASA NASA Space Launch System Rocket Proceeding with Green Run Hot Fire | NASA Landing Toolkit: Perseverance Rover - NASA Mars Your Guide to Tianwen-1 | The Planetary Society About EMM | Emirates Mars Mission Boeing’s Starliner Makes Progress Ahead of Flight Test with Astronauts | NASA NASA and Boeing Target New Launch Date for Next Starliner Flight Test | NASA SpaceX - Starship NASA extends Juno, turning spacecraft into an Io, Europa, and Ganymede explorer | Ars Technica Staring at Firefly Aerospace’s hot rocket-engine flames in a Texas pasture | Ars Technica ABL Space Systems tests launch vehicle stage - SpaceNews Astra came close to achieving what DARPA has sought for two decades | Ars Technica Blue Origin | Fly With Us Blue Origin delivers the first BE-4 engine to United Launch Alliance - SpaceNews NASA's Europa Clipper has been liberated from the Space Launch System | TheHill First Commercial Moon Delivery Assignments to Advance Artemis | NASA Virgin Galactic aborts first powered spaceflight from New Mexico spaceport - The Verge Joe Biden was ‘indebted’ to Stennis in 1985, now he should rename NASA’s space center in Mississippi - Space Explored Axiom Space plans first-ever fully private human spaceflight mission to International Space Station — Axiom Space More About the Human Landing System Program | NASA NASA Names Companies to Develop Human Landers for Artemis Missions | NASA China to begin construction of space station this year – Spaceflight Now
48 min
December 15, 2020139: Space Omelets
You get a sample return; you get a sample return; you get a sample return!
In other news: SN8 had a rough landing, SpaceIL is getting back on the horse and NASA has unveiled more Artemis plans.
This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:
Tuparev Technologies: Learn more about the new POLIS initiative now.
Links and Show Notes: Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership Japan Asteroid Mission Ends With Recovered Capsule in Australian Outback - The New York Times Japan confirms its asteroid mission returned samples of space rocks - The Verge Hayabusa 2: JAXA finally discovers the treasures of six years of hard work - Space Explored Watch the Moon Landing of China’s Chang’e-5 Spacecraft - The New York Times China Moon Mission: Watch Chang'e-5 Launch From the Lunar Surface - The New York Times China's moon rocks are officially on their way to Earth as Chang'e 5 probe leaves lunar orbit | Space SpaceX flies Starship prototype rocket to highest altitude yet — but doesn’t stick the landing - The Verge Can Israelis Put Two Landers on the Moon at Once? - The New York Times Proton (rocket family) - Wikipedia Green Run Wet Dress Rehearsal Update – Artemis SLS, Stennis working on colder LOX for next Green Run WDR attempt - NASASpaceFlight.com Artemis II Science Definition Team Report (PDF) Report outlines science goals of first Artemis human lunar landing mission - SpaceNews At his last Space Council meeting, Mike Pence announces new cadre of lunar astronauts - The Verge NASA The Artemis Team Airbus officially hands over first European Service Module to NASA ahead of Artemis I mission - Space Explored
51 min
December 01, 2020138: A Great Acronym, but it's in Russian
The world is mourning the uncontrolled collapse of the Arecibo observatory, even as China's Chang’e-5 mission is underway to return lunar samples to Earth, which would be a first since the final Apollo mission. Also: an update on the SLS and Orion and a look at what's going on at Roscosmos.
This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:
Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
Links and Show Notes: Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership The Arecibo Observatory Platform Has Collapsed - Universe Today Deborah Martorell on Twitter — Photos of Collapsed Arecibo Contact (1997) - IMDb Rocket Lab declares success in Electron rocket recovery - SpaceNews Russian spaceport officials are being sacked left and right | Ars Technica Russia’s replacement for the Proton rocket costs way too much | Ars Technica NASA Prepares for Next Series of RS-25 Engine Tests for SLS Rocket – Artemis Component failure in NASA’s deep-space crew capsule could take months to fix - The Verge Update on Orion Final Assembly and Transfer – Artemis China Launches Lunar Sample Return Mission – SpacePolicyOnline.com China launches ambitious mission to bring back samples from the Moon - The Verge Chang’e-5 successfully lands on moon to collect youngest lunar samples - SpaceNews
34 min
November 17, 2020 137: Delicate Dance of Docking
Commercial Crew has gotten official with the launch of Crew-1 over the weekend, the start of a six-month expedition on the International Space Station. That and the possibilities of Jim Bridenstine's future. Oh, and kilonovas!
Links and Show Notes: Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership NASA Chief Plans To Step Aside Under Biden | Aviation Week Network Jim Bridenstine is leaving NASA. How should we assess his 30-month tenure? | Ars Technica Jeff Foust on Twitter: "A reminder that NASA was not “closed up” when President Trump took office..." NASA's Hubble Sees Unexplained Brightness from Colossal Explosion | NASA SpaceX Crew-1 Astronauts Continue Journey to Station – Commercial Crew Program Victor Glover to Be First Black Astronaut on I.S.S. for Extended Stay - The New York Times Crew-1 Heads to Space Station to Conduct Microgravity Science | NASA
41 min
November 03, 2020136: Don’t Tell the Boss
Zac Hall from Space Explored and 9to5Mac joins Jason to discuss the post-election future of NASA (and administrator Jim Bridenstine), the 20th anniversary of the permanent habitation of the International Space Station, a bunch of news about the moon, and OSIRIS-REx taking a bite out of Bennu.
This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:
Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
Tuparev Technologies: Opportunities for Astronomy Masters or PhD students to work on tools for the 21st Century. Learn more now.
Guest Starring:
Zac Hall
Links and Show Notes: Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership SpaceX now targeting Nov. 14 for next astronaut launch | Space TAG Captured by NavCam 2 - OSIRIS-REx Mission NASA OSIRIS-REX Mission Springs Leak After Touching Asteroid - The New York Times NASA's OSIRIS-REx Probe Successfully Stows Space-Rock Sample - Scientific American The case for NASA'S Bridenstine post-Election Day | TheHill Biden to appoint first female NASA administrator if elected, boost focus on climate change research - Space Explored Biden’s space policy: One giant leap for climate change - POLITICO How the Space Station Became a Base to Launch Humanity’s Future - The New York Times Expedition 1 and the early International Space Station - SpaceFlight Insider After 20 years of service, the Space Station flies into an uncertain future | Ars Technica ISS by the numbers: 20 years of continuous life in space - Space Explored NASA makes milestone discovery of water molecules on sunlit side of Moon - Space Explored NASA's high-flying 747 SOFIA behind new discovery about Moon before astronauts return - Space Explored Intuitive Machines gets selected by NASA to harvest ice on the moon in 2022 - Space Explored ESA - Angelic halo orbit chosen for humankind’s first lunar outpost Hurricane Zeta pushes back Space Launch System hot fire test as storm viewed from ISS - Space Explored Zac Hall - @apollozac on Twitter
1 hr
October 20, 2020135: Space is Full of Rocks
Stephen comes with good news about InSight's Mole, and Jason says there probably aren't aliens on Venus. Also: OSIRIS-REx is due for a big day and the space industry in China is heating up.
This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:
ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free.
Links and Show Notes: Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership InSight's 'Mole' is Now Completely buried! - Universe Today Astronomers Report They've Detected the Amino Acid Glycine in the Atmosphere of Venus - Universe Today A NASA spacecraft is poised to snag the largest sample of rocks from an asteroid ever - The Verge NASA selects first human-tended suborbital research payload - SpaceNews The Worm... Inside the Rotation, Processing… | Flickr NASA Graphics Standards Manual (PDF) China’s CASIC reveals five-year plan for reusable spaceplane, commercial space projects - SpaceNews First launch of Chinese Kuaizhou-11 rocket ends in failure - SpaceNews US and seven other countries sign NASA’s Artemis Accords to set rules for exploring the Moon - The Verge
37 min
October 06, 2020134: My Response to Existential Terror, with Dr. Katie Mack
Jason and Stephen are joined by Dr. Katie Mack to discuss her book The End of Everything: (Astrophysically Speaking).
This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:
Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
Guest Starring:
Katie Mack
Links and Show Notes: Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership Katie Mack (@AstroKatie) / Twitter The End of Everything — Katie Mack, Astrophysicist The End of Everything: (Astrophysically Speaking) - Amazon Books Liftoff #51: Dark Matter, with Dr. Katie Mack - Relay FM 20 Macs for 2020 - Relay FM
46 min
September 22, 2020133: The World’s Most Expensive WeWork
The recent announcement of phosphine being detected in Venus' atmosphere could have a major effect on future scientific missions, so Jason is excited about space blimps again. Then, Stephen walks through NASA's most recent Artemis roadmap, and the guys discuss what the future of the program could look like if the White House changes hands next year.
This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:
Tuparev Technologies: Opportunities for Astronomy Masters or PhD students to work on tools for the 21st Century. Learn more now.
ExpressVPN: High-Speed, Secure & Anonymous VPN Service. Get an extra three months free.
Links and Show Notes: Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership Relay FM for St. Jude 2020 Relay FM Podcastathon for St Jude (2020) - YouTube Rocket startup Astra’s first orbital launch attempt ends early due to first-stage burn failure | TechCrunch We Have Liftoff! | Astra An Update on the Damage to the Arecibo Observatory - Universe Today NASA releases ISS commercialization plan - SpaceNews NeXTcube - Wikipedia Charlie Bolden says the quiet part out loud: SLS rocket will go away | Ars Technica Bolden talks expectations for Biden’s space policy - POLITICO Discovery of noxious gas on Venus could be a sign of life - The Verge On Venus, Cloudy With a Chance of Microbial Life - The New York Times Missions Are Already Being Planned to Figure Out What's Creating the Biosignature on Venus - Universe Today Could there be life on Venus? | The Planetary Society The Search for Life on Venus Could Start With Rocket Lab - The New York Times Allan Hills 84001 - Wikipedia NASA Selects 4 Possible Missions to Study Secrets of the Solar System | NASA Dragonfly's Journey to Titan | NASA Venera - Wikipedia EnVision (spacecraft) - Wikipedia High Altitude Venus Operational Concept (HAVOC) NASA Publishes Artemis Plan to Land First Woman, Next Man on Moon | NASA NASA makes push for full funding of Artemis human lunar lander program - SpaceNews Commercial Lunar Payload Services | NASA NASA Selects First Science Instruments to Send to Gateway The End of Everything: (Astrophysically Speaking) by Katie Mack - Amazon
1 hr 1 min
September 08, 2020132: In the Shadow of Artemis
In the Utah desert, Northrop Grumman has tested a full-sized SLS SRB, while the future of work in low-Earth orbit is being debated. On Mars, InSight's troubles continue and 17 billion light years-away, two black holes have collided.
This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:
Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
eero: The WiFi every home deserves. Get your eero delivered with free next day shipping.
Links and Show Notes: Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership Relay FM for St. Jude NASA Engineers Checking InSight's Weather Sensors | NASA Broken Cable Damages Arecibo Observatory | University of Central Florida News OPINION: Arecibo Observatory should be rebuilt - SpaceFlight Insider Gerstenmaier warns against ending space station program prematurely - SpaceNews Bigelow Aerospace lays off entire workforce - SpaceNews NASA tests a booster that produces 3 million pounds of thrust | Ars Technica NASA increases cost estimate for SLS development - SpaceNews Eyes Forward as Artemis Missions Set to Begin Next Year – Artemis A “bang” in LIGO and Virgo detectors signals most massive gravitational-wave source yet | LIGO Lab | Caltech These Black Holes Shouldn’t Exist, but There They Are - The New York Times
51 min

About Liftoff

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Liftoff was a podcast about space, the universe, and everything. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand the major developments as explained by enthusiastic space fans Stephen Hackett…