This Week in Space (Audio)

We've been anxiously awaiting the first flight of SpaceX's fully stacked Starship and Super Heavy booster since 2016, and last Thursday, we finally saw it in action. While the flight did not go as planned, it exceeded SpaceX's expectations--and another should follow within a matter of weeks. Join Rod as he talks with Mike Wall of Space.com, who has been a keen observer of Starship since its earliest days.

Image credit: SpaceX

Host: Rod Pyle

Guest: Mike Wall

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Finding water on Mars could be a boon for human explorers there, as it provides drinking water, oxygen, and rocket fuel. Dr. Pascal Lee of the Mars Institute and SETI, with his colleagues, has spotted the remains of what appears to be an ancient glacier—which may still contain ice–close to the Martian equator, where it would be most accessible to future astronauts.

Image credit: NASA MRO HiRISE and CRISM false color composite. Lee et al. 2023

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Pascal Lee

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Students for the Exploration and Development of Space has been preparing young people for space careers since its founding in 1980. With chapters in 14 countries and countless universities, the organization has expanded exponentially since then. Join us as we talk to Sara Alvarado and Audrey Scott about this dynamic, youth-empowering group!

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guests: Sara Alvarado and Audrey Scott

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Col. Eileen Collins was the first woman to pilot the space shuttle and command a NASA mission, but the journey was not easy. She was the second woman to go through the Air Force's test pilot school and was selected as an astronaut in 1990. In 1995 she piloted the shuttle Discovery in a mission to rendezvous with the Russian space station Mir, and in 1999 she commanded the STS-93 mission--the first woman to do so--and STS 114 in 2005, the shuttle's return to flight after the Columbia accident; in all, she flew four shuttle missions. Eileen retired from NASA in 2006 and co-authored "Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars" with Jonathan Ward. She continues to inspire young women worldwide. 

Host: Tariq Malik

Guest: Eileen Collins

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This week is all about you, our wonderful listeners! You asked questions and we have answers. From secret Russian rockets to alien physiology to alien motherships lurking in our solar system, Rod and Tariq tackle the vexing questions of our time. We might even be right!

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

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Being in space has a profound effect on people, an occurrence that is now known as the Overview Effect thanks to this week's guest, author and space philosopher Frank White. From the first orbital flights of the Space Age to the view of Earth from the moon during the Apollo program to space tourists aboard the New Shepard and Virgin Galactic, people have experienced profound and dramatic shifts in perception once they've seen Earth from space--and this can lead to greater awareness of our interconnectedness and even political change.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Frank White

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When we think about science on TV, most of us think of Bill Nye. Host of "Bill Nye: The Science Guy" in the 1990s and multiple shows since then, Bill is the CEO of The Planetary Society and star of the new "The End is Nye" on Peacock. Join Rod and Tariq as they sit down with Bill to discuss his origins, talking science to the world, The Planetary Society's Lightsail 2 project, and much more.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Bill Nye

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Since at least the 1940s, UFOs and alien encounters have been a part of popular culture, and with tens of millions of true believers across the globe, these are powerful ideas with staying power. What makes these stories so appealing? Do alien visitations even make sense? If so, why are they so interested in us? Dale Skran, Chief Operating Officer of the National Space Society, joins us to apply Occam's Razor to these and other questions about what's out there.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Dale Skran

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When the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 rolled around, we were awash in documentaries, books, and more. One of the best documentaries was National Geographic's "Apollo: Missions to the Moon," produced by Tom Jennings. Join Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik for a conversation with the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning producer about the challenges of finding truly unique, unseen materials to make a must-see documentary!

Image credit: NASA

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Tom Jennings

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Dr. Greg Autry, Clinical Professor and Director of the Thunderbird Initiative for Space Leadership, Policy, and Business at ASU's Thunderbird School of Global Management, joins Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik to explore the world of space entrepreneurs, and how YOU can become one!

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Dr. Greg Autry

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