This week's episode of the Radio Saxa Vord podcast is brought to you from Cape Canaveral, Florida and Braemar, Scotland. Emily and Bryden begin by hearing from Mike Mongo who was present at the recent Inspiration 4 launch on the 16th of September, 2021. We also have live interviews from the New Enlightenment Summit which took place at the start of September. Interviews including politician, Craig Harrow, Nick Halfhide, theoretical cosmologist Claudia De Rahm, Professor & presenter Hannah Fry and Lord Rees, the Astronomer Royal. This week we hear a piece written especially for SaxaVord Spaceport by Peter Wood (who was performing at the Summit!) called 'Unstronauts'.

This week on the Radio Saxa Vord podcast we are joined by Mike Mongo and Manik Foreman who will be giving us an update on their summer in Unst. Mike and Manik delivered the Astronaut Job Camp and workshops in every single school in Shetland! We also hear a review from Grace Wood who is a space super-fan and attended the Astronaut Job Camp. The music for this episode is 'Daddy's Song' by Jim Salestrom.

This week Bryden and Emily speak to Jimmy Slaughter to talk to him about what it's like being the range operations manager for SaxaVord Spaceport. We learn about what launch day will look like from his perspective and about what lead up to him taking the job. The music this week is 'Julie and Graham's Silver Wedding Waltz' by Megan Nisbet from the island of Yell.

This week Bryden and Emily speak to Wild Skies Shetland about how they started, their projects during the pandemic and their plans for the future, as well as their interactions with the SaxaVord Spaceport. The music for this episode is some traditional Shetland tunes performed by Angela Fraser and our very own Bryden Priest.

To kick off Season 2 of Radio Saxa Vord, Bryden and Emily speak to Frank Strang, the head of SaxaVord Spaceport. We learn more about how the space centre started, the changes in branding and about Frank's background before the spaceport. Frank chose 2 songs for this episode, starting with 'What Would You Say?' performed and written by our very own Emily Strang and her brother Tom and finishing with 'Ponies' written by John Denver and performed by Jim Salestrom.

That’s a wrap folks!  In the final episode, our young hosts Emily and Bryden Recap the Season and share some laughs with Yvette Hopkins of the Shetland Space Centre.  

Music by Jim Salestrom (Dolly Parton band member)
Artwork by Vaila Gunn

In this special edition of the Radio Saxa Vord Podcast, Emily and Bryden are joined by Mike Mongo from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Mike is in Unst this summer working on the Astronaut Job Camp. We learn more about Mike's journey to becoming an Astronaut Teacher and what his camp will look like. Mike and Bryden also discuss Mike's experience in Shetland so far and why it is important for this camp to take place live from Unst. 

Artwork © MIKE MONGO

 Music: Golden Goals at the Gibby - Steven Spence

This week's episode of the Saxa Vord podcast is all about local history through the eyes of people living in Shetland.

George Jamieson is an Unst resident and former head teacher of the Anderson High School in Lerwick, the largest school in the islands. Now retired, he recounts some memories of growing up in Unst, his school days during World War II and leaving the island to study and work. He has seen a lot of change over the years.

Emily and Bryden also interview Chris Dyer, archaeologist and military historian, who has made Shetland his home. He has a tremendous knowledge of historical sites in Shetland, including the headland at Lamba Ness, home to our launch site and to RAF Skaw during WWII.

Artwork © Rashik Saravanan – category runner up of a Space Art competition run by Shetland Space Centre in 2020 

Music: Royal Air Force Music Services. UK Ministry of Defence © Crown copyright  

In the latest episode of our podcast, Emily and Bryden talk to Davie Gardner, who is a music promoter and journalist. Shetland has a long history of producing world class musicians and is probably best known for its traditional music. Davie tells us about the wide diversity of music in Shetland and the opportunities musicians have to perform in Shetland through its varied calendar of festivals. To hear some of the musicians mentioned in this episode, head for YouTube. 

Aly Bain https://youtu.be/6nbOaPN5toM 

Ross Couper https://youtu.be/eaT520u7aVA 

Catriona Macdonald  https://youtu.be/vBh1jBla0TU 

Artwork © Connie Dickie - category runner up in a Space Art competition run by Shetland Space Centre in 2020 

This week's episode features Ruth Fain of ITP Energised, who was heavily involved in carrying out the very detailed environmental impact study prepared as part of Shetland Space Centre's planning application. The discussion centres on spaceport and all the steps that will be taken to minimise its impact on birdlife and sealife.