What happens when we turn our astronomical instruments back to planet Earth? With the launch of over 12 satellites, Europe's version of GPS, Galileo, will be operational very soon but why are space scientists getting all excited about it? This month on Naked Astronomy, Graihagh Jackson is all about the satellites Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

What happens when we turn our astronomical instruments back to planet Earth? With the launch of over 12 satellites, Europe's version of GPS, Galileo, will be operational very soon but why are space scientists getting all excited about it? This month on Naked Astronomy, Graihagh Jackson is all about the satellites

Buzz Aldrin is the legendary Apollo 11 and Gemini 12 astronaut who made history in 1969 when he became one of the first men to walk on the lunar surface. Today, he has his sights firmly on the future - specifically Mars. The visionary tells Space Boffin Sue Nelson about his cycling orbits to the red planet, why he wouldn't go to Mars himself, what he thinks of the ESA director general's plans for a Moon village and which item of jewellery he's wearing was a gift from Mohammed Ali. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

February 2016 marks one of the biggest discoveries in cosmology and astronomy: the LIGO team annouced that they'd detected gravitational waves, 100 years after Albert Einstein predicted them. Scientists believe this could revolutionise how we study the universe. But what are these gravitational waves? How were they detected? And how is the discovery changing our understanding of cosmos? Graihagh Jackson finds out... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

February 2016 marks one of the biggest discoveries in cosmology and astronomy: the LIGO team annouced that they'd detected gravitational waves, 100 years after Albert Einstein predicted them. Scientists believe this could revolutionise how we study the universe. But what are these gravitational waves? How were they detected? And how is the discovery changing our understanding of cosmos? Graihagh Jackson finds out...

Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham talk Mars rovers, Russian lunar rovers and floating number twos during this month's podcast. Europe's ExoMars mission scientist Nicholas Thomas reveals the role an alcoholic drink played in the naming of one of the Trace Gas Orbiter's key science instruments (as well as what it does of course) while NASA scientist John Grant reveals how some Mars rovers just keep on going and that maybe ideas of canals on the Martian surface weren't so far fetched after all. London science museum space curator Doug Millard also features discussing Luna 9 and,... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

One of the big questions in cosmology is what happened at the beginning of the universe? Astrophycisists are edging closer to answering this question - we can now look back to a fraction of a second after the Big Bang. But what happened before that still remains elusive and there are still many loose ends to tie up. In this episode of Naked Astronomy, Graihagh Jackson takes a look at the origins of time... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

One of the big questions in cosmology is what happened at the beginning of the universe? Astrophycisists are edging closer to answering this question - we can now look back to a fraction of a second after the Big Bang. But what happened before that still remains elusive and there are still many loose ends to tie up. In this episode of Naked Astronomy, Graihagh Jackson takes a look at the origins of time...

The Space Boffins talk surgery in space with a real life Dr McCoy, NASA astronaut and physician Michael Barratt, and report from a school in St Albans during Tim Peake's first ham radio contact with UK students. A member of the European Space Agency's 60 day bedrest study explains how he's helping astronauts by lying down and the studio guest is Mark Craig, British director of the documentary about Apollo astronaut Gene Cernan - Last Man on the Moon - which is about to have its first cinema release in the United States. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham prepare for Tim Peake's launch to the International Space Station by speaking to Britain's first astronaut - Helen Sharman. ESA's Dr Volker Damann, Head of the Space Medicine Office, explains why space is bad for you and studio guests - rocket expert David Wade and space journalist Sarah Cruddas - share insights on the size of entrepreneurs' rockets and the future of Space 2.0. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists