For episode 8 of the Astro Ben Podcast, we welcome Moriba Jah. Moriba is a space scientist and space engineer known for his contributions to orbit determination, space attitude awareness, and space traffic monitoring. He is currently an associate professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at the University of Texas.

Hear Moriba's fascinating insights into space environmentalism and how we should accept that "near-Earth" space will never be clean. Ben asks a question Moriba has never been asked (but has another technical problem too!). Thought provoking discussion about the difference between diversity and inclusivity and how we shouldn't worship astronauts!

0:17 Intro

0:57 Last week on The Astro Ben Podcast

02:14 Background to Moriba Jah and Ben attempts to explain space junk (badly)

04:50 Moriba joins Ben

05:12 The importance of running (on Earth)

06:16 What is a normal week for Moriba

07:28 Space environmentalism

09:38 Did the Apollo program consider the future of space junk?

10:25 Similarities to ocean plastic – is it too late?

11:48 Ben has technical issue! (Embarrassing – blame Sky internet)

12:28 Attention to traditional ecological knowledge.

15:00 What happened with Chinese rocket crash?

17:33 Where Moriba got his passion for public speaking for?

19:20 Diversity in space industry

22:08 Hopes and dreams for space industry (great answer!)

24:10 Thanks Moriba!

24:44 Ben attempts to summarize.

25:30 Outro/wrap up – Moriba’s socials!

26:50 Thanks again Moriba – see you next time!

27:08 Next weeks guest

Social Media

Twitter + Instagram: @moribajah

Mentions

Space Diversity Education Satellites Astronomy London Student Candidate space exploration Payloads running rockets space junk debris spacejunk LEO china Chinese rocket dynamics NASA career interplanetary air force Mars Earth Ecological Alaska Environment SpaceX Starlink Flash Gordon Science Fiction Near-Earth Rockets Science Education Public speaking Haiti Diversity Inclusivity TedX Talk Inspire

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For episode 7 of The Astro Ben Podcast: Diversity in the Space Industry, we welcome Professor Chris Welch. Chris is Professor of Astronautics and Space Engineering at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France, where he is Head of the Space Payloads Laboratory and Director of Masters Programs. Although technically a physicist-turned-engineer, Chris sees himself more as a ‘spaceist’, interested in all aspects of space.  Take a listen to hear about Chris’s career from being one of the final twenty candidates for the 1991 UK-USSR Juno mission to the Mir space station, to getting a poem on the International Space Station!

0:18 Intro

1:05 Last week on The Astro Ben Podcast

1:50 Broader podcast aims

3.18 Background to Chris Welch

4.23 Welcoming Chris

5.21 Chris blames Neil Armstrong for passion for space

10.38 Chris’s poem on the International Space Station

14.05 How Diversity has been a focal point on space societies and federations over the years.

21.38 How much of a factor is diversity in making space exploration successful?

27.00 Take for granted the ability to study STEM.

28.08 The quota question – international space university.

29.53 Magic wand for space industry – what would you do?

32.34 Would Chris go to space?

33.40 Thanks Chris!

34.00 Outro/wrap up – Chris’s socials!

Social Media

Twitter + Instagram: @ProfChrisWelch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrChrisWelch

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prof-chris-welch-6855121/

Mentions

Space Diversity Education Neil Armstrong Telescope Cosmology ISU Space University ISS Satellites Astronomy PHD London Strasberg Student Candidate Juno Mission Space propulsion system orbit mechanics space exploration Payloads British Interplanetary Society BIS Stars Planets IAF Space Hero STEM education professor exploration international space station

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For episode 6 of The Astro Ben Podcast: Diversity in the Space Industry we welcome special guest Dr. Sheila Kanani, British astronomer, Space Comedian and the Education, Outreach and Diversity Officer at the Royal Astronomical Society. Take a listen to hear what Dr. Sheila Kanani has to say about being a woman in the space industry and inspiring young people to pursue careers in space!

0:20 Last week on The Astro Ben Podcast

1:15 Yuri’s Night

2:20 This week’s guest: Dr. Sheila Kanani

3:25 Follow Sheila on Twitter

4:30 Welcome Dr. Sheila Kanari

4:50 Saturn!

6:20 Life as an Education, Outreach and Diversity Officer at the Royal Astronomical Society

8:45 Dr. Kanani’s background

10:25 Diversity work for the R.A.S.

12:10 LGBTQ+ physical sciences center

13:50 Challenges in University as a woman, microaggressions & mansplaining

17:50 How to Be an Astronaut Book & diversity’s influence

23:20 Advice to people who want to have careers in the Space industry

27:00 Astronomy & telescopes & programming

29:45 Cosmic Perspective

30:09 Dr. Sheila Kanani’s predictions for the future of the Space industry

31:38 Space Exploration

32:57 What does it mean to be a Space Comedian?

36:35 Recap of episode 6

38:20 Engage with Astro Ben Podcast on social media

Social Media

Twitter: @saturnsheila

Instagram: @royalastrosoc

Mentions

Yuri’s Night

BBC One

STEM Sisters

How to Be an Astronaut

UKSEDS

Space General Advisory Council

Space X

NASA

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On this week’s episode of The Astro Ben Podcast: Diversity in the Space Industry Ben welcomes special guest Loretta Whitesides, a public speaker, co-creator of Yuri's Night, and an author on space exploration. Loretta and Ben dive into her career as well as what being a woman in the space industry is really like.

0:55 Last week with Athena Brensberger

2:05 Today’s guest: Loretta Whitesides

4:30 Welcome Loretta & Crew 1 mission launch

7:15 Space launches

8:00 Loretta’s career

10:20 Space Mind Training

11:18 James Cameron Expedition- Aliens of the Deep documentary

12:25 Doctor Dijanna Figueroa

13:35 Virgin Galactic Space Tourism

14:20 What is Yuri’s Night? How did Loretta create it?

16:30 Diverse Yuri’s Night events

18:45 Getting people to study STEM & Space

22:20 Any setbacks you’ve seen others have in the space industry because of diversity?

23:10 Struggles of women in the space industry

26:15 Loretta’s predictions for the future of space

26:45 First woman on the moon

28:35 The New Right Stuff

32:45 What it will be like to be in Space

34:00 Recap of episode 5

34:55 Follow Loretta on social media

35:00 Inspiration 4 competition for ticket to Space

36:15 See you next week! Don’t forget to subscribe & follow us on social media!

Social Media

Instagram: @allspacekind

Twitter: @LorettaWhtsides

Mentions

Yuri’s night

George T. Whitesides

Virgin Galactic

Aliens of the Deep

James Cameron

NASA

Space X

Dijanna Figueroa

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For episode 4 of The Astro Ben Podcast, we welcome Athena Brensberger, Astronomer, Space Influencer, and model. Athena and Ben talk about space communication in the media, ensuring equity for young STEM and space enthusiasts, and diversity among the space industry!

0:30 Intro/Mars

2:12 Recap of last week

3:00 Search for new astronauts

5:30 This week’s guest: Athena Brensberger

6:09 Space Influencers

7:35 Meet Athena!

8:30 IS Espresso Machine

9:00 Who is Athena & how did she get to where she is now?

11:20 Science communication with social media

14:00 Diversity in Space & in Athena’s career

16:30 Diverse Space Communicators

21:10 Keeping Space relevant in the media

23:10 Why Space & Science?

26:00 Encouraging young kids to study STEM subjects

29:50 Equity of Opportunity for kids of all backgrounds to pursue STEM or Space related careers

33:20 Constellation Satellites, Night Sky & Accessibility

36:45 Studying protoplanetary disks & becoming an astronomer

39:33 What does Space mean to Athena?

41:25 What Instagram accounts to follow to stay informed on Space news & diversity in Space

44:00 Wrap up & next week

Social Media

Instagram: @AstroAthens

Twitter: @AstroAthens

Astroathens.com

Mentions

European Space Agency

STEM

Science Education

Astro Athens

Social Media

Tik Tok

Astro Physics

Starlink

Protoplanetary Disks

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This week we welcome special guest Johann-Dietrich Wörner, Director General of the European Space Agency, to discuss how diversity has played a role in his life and how diversity will be the future of space!

0:35 Intro/Guest Johann-Dietrich Wörner (“Jan”)

1:50 What is the European Space Agency?

2:45 ESA recruiting European astronauts

3:40 Diversity & Inclusivity in ESA letter

6:15 Welcome Jan Wörner

8:25 Background & how diversity has been part of that journey

10:10 Moving to Japan & gaining perspective on diversity

11:04 President of Technische Universität Darmstadt

13:50 Political diversity in ESA

15:55 Meeting Jan Wörner

17:00 Being an educator

19:20 Jan’s personal opinion of diversity in the space industry

20:12 Diversity is an asset

22:00 Women in Space

24:10 Encouraging young people to pursue STEM

29:50 Predictions for the future of Space

32:00 What diversity could look like when we get to Mars

33:20 What would you change about the space industry?

35:10 What does Space meet to you?

37:45 Find Jan on social media

38:27 Recap

Social Media

Twitter: @janwoerner

Facebook: @ESAJanWoerner

Mentions

European Space Agency

Elon Musk

Jan Wörner

Space General Advisory Council

Diversity

Education

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This week Imran Yusufzai, fellow Space enthusiast and film professional, chats with Ben on episode two of The Astro Ben Podcast: Diversity in the Space Industry about personal obstacles Imran has overcome, space for young learners, and space in the media!

0:30 Last week recap

1:47 Name change

2:40 Meet Imran Yusufzai

4:05 Space Kind

6:15 Education and Day Jobs

10:00 Diversity in Imran’s career and opportunities

12:15 Stars and Humanity

13:20 Aspects of Diversity in the Universe

17:20 Spirituality within Space

19:15 Encouraging Young Space Learners

23:45 Space in Media

26:45 Best Space Films

33:10 Dream Job in the Space Industry

39:00 Find Imran on social media

40:20 Recap

41:30 Next week’s episode with Director General of European Space Agency

Social Media

Instagram:

@thespacefuturist

Mentions:

Diversity

Education

Star Wars

Interstellar

Film

Spirituality

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London’s very own Anushka Sharma, founder of Naaut and co-founder of London Space Network, joins Ben on the first episode of AstroBen to discuss diversity within the space sector!

0:35 Who is Ben Gamble?

2:15 Getting back into the Space Industry

3:25 Space Generation Advisory Council

4:00 MBA at UCL

4:49 Previous podcast

5:45 It’s all about diversity

10:15 Target market

12:07 #Astroben

12:35 Who is Anushka Sharma?

13:58 Naaut

16:05 Anushka joins Ben

19:30 Growing up in London and getting into diversity and Space

24:23 NASA satellite launch

32:15 Diversity changing at space events

34:15 London Space Network

37:40 Minority and social background barriers

39:35 Diversity and inclusion across all levels

40:00 Recognizing bias

44:25 Equality vs Equity

48:15 Space is for everyone

48:35 Contact Anushka & social media

50:10 Recap on the interview

53:30 Next week’s show

55:15 Thanks and social media

Social Media

www.londonspace.network

Instagram/Twitter: @nushkino and @naaut

Mentions:

Hospitality

Diversity

Space Generation Advisory Council

NASA

BOEING

SPACE X

Blue Origin

Astro Scale

YSYS

Olympics

London Space Network

Naaut

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