Today In Space

Welcome to our newly revamped segment for 2020 called the People of Science where we breakdown the common misconception of what someone in science is like. Let's be honest, when I say that someone is a person of science, or a scientist what do you think of? Probably someone in a lab coat, maybe holding a beaker of some neon colored liquid. Maybe safety glasses on, if you're lucky?

On this week's episode - we're talking about Astronomer and Astrophysicist Vera Rubin who is responsible for the discovery of Dark Matter Haloes which expands our search to understanding the mystery of 'dark matter'. Learn a bit about the life and person behind the scientist on this week's episode. Vera Rubin's voice was done by Sara. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-a-neutrino/

https://www.space.com/vera-rubin.html?utm_campaign=meetedgar&utm_medium=social&utm_source=meetedgar.com

Neil DeGrasse Tyson on Dark Matter https://youtu.be/lr-DB3Z_5_c

Preview of Vera Rubin's book Bright Galaxies, Dark Matters https://books.google.com/books/about/Bright_Galaxies_Dark_Matters.html?id=OVBUt6yrMtAC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button

'Bright Galaxies, Dark Matters' - Vera Rubin: https://amzn.to/2u6oBfJ

'Astrophysics for people in a hurry' by Neil DeGrasse Tyson https://amzn.to/2GxwOfD

Welcome to the Commercial Crew Review on Today In Space, where once a month we review the latest with SpaceX and Boeing as they continue to develop NASA's next options to send American Astronauts from American soil once again. On this episode, we're going to review the successful Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort test for SpaceX. This test was a MAJOR milestone in the commercial crew program.

Crew Dragon Launch Escape Demonstration https://youtu.be/mhrkdHshb3E?t=1036

SpaceX Booster Death Fall - IFA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4soghyssxQ&t=385s

Stephen Marr Image of Falcon9 Explosion from IFT https://www.facebook.com/stephen.marr.14/posts/2643781058992349 Elon Musk & NASA Discuss Successful In Flight Abort Test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggxhLa2xJOA&feature=share https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerodynamic_force https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/a24735688/spacex-go-searcher-rescue-ship-astronauts/ Guardian Angels https://www.acc.af.mil/About-Us/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/199118/guardian-angels-faq/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9_booster_B1046#

The Bachelor...in Space? So it seems, after the latest from the first commercial investor of a SpaceX Starship, Yusaku Maezawa is now planning a romantic getaway (and accompanying dating show) to go with the #dearMoon mission. Or are they not sending artists around the moon anymore? Things are confusing, and space will be weird in the near space future.

This week Alex does a thought experiment on when commercial space can go too far...send us your ideas and thoughts! [email protected] @todayinspacepod on twitter and instagram /TodayInSpacepodcast on facebook https://twitter.com/SpaceForceDoD/status/1217255506894606336 https://twitter.com/yousuck2020/status/1217662377367224320 https://mz.abema.tv/en.html P.S. - Apologies on any weird voice modulation this episode. Down a microphone and didn't notice the issue until after I recorded. Totally listenable - just sounds a little like we added a Tron filter towards the end. Working on it!

First podcast of the year meets first rocket launch of the year with SpaceX's Starlink 2 launch aboard a Falcon 9 (which attempted a landing on the droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You'). During this launch hangout we talk about the details behind the launch of 60 Starlink satellite that will be part of a constellation that will later provide affordable worldwide 5G internet coverage to all.

The controversy? Unknown to seemingly everyone before launch, the reflectivity of the Starlink solar panels at certain periods of the day is ruining ground based astronomers images of the stars. I try to sift through the facts and provide a balanced point of view on this. Is SpaceX doing enough to help with this? Is this the end of Astronomy as we know it? Listen to find out! Hope you have a great week! Another episode next week - feel free to hit us up with any questions or ideas for future episodes!

@todayinspacepod on twitter and instagram /TodayInSpacepodcast on Facebook @todayinspace on TikTok todayinspace.net

Getting real on this episode to talk about my personal balance as we enter the next decade and the start of a new year. Instead of celebrating all of the things I did this past year that were awesome, I usually find myself looking back at what I can improve. It's not always in the most positive mood, but I always try to focus on what I can do to make things better.

This podcast has been a huge source of improvement for me and came into my life at my lowest point - right before I accomplished one of the hardest things in my life. Quitting a pack a day cigarette habit. But I really just transferred my addiction to something productive. Sometimes thats great, and sometimes the same old habits come back in other ways that don't include going outside to smoke. I've learned it's a mindset - not just a physical addiction.

What I learned about my addictive mindset is if applied properly it can help me achieve my greatest goals. But it is a double edged sword and needs consistent discipline to keep in line. I talk about my own balance as I look to 2020 and of course find someway to tie it into the current state of the space industry. In this case, the commercial crew program with NASA, SpaceX, Boeing and the ULA. There's a balance to everything, from space travel to personal challenges. Identifying that it is a problem or that it needs fixing is the first step.

Hope you have a wonderful New Year and wish you the best of luck! Here's to an incredible and most likely weird 2020

In the intro for this episode, we start with my thoughts on the close of 2019 and the start of 2020. There's a-lot to look forward to and reflect on. Boeing's CST-100 Starliner returns to Earth safely landing in White Sands base in New Mexico after an anomaly getting into orbit to dock with the International Space Station. I also share my thoughts on some lessons I've learned from this year, specifically perspective. How emotion can filter how we see reality. Then I intro the second part of our NASAsocial tour of the Veggie lab with Trent Smith and Dr. Gioia Massa

On this week's episode we enter NASA's Veggie Lab and hear about their plans for growing plants in space for the ISS. This work prepares us to move forward to Cislunar space and then on to a sustainable food source at scale with Lunar and Martian Colonies. Get a sneak peak at NASA's plan to be able to grow and provide a diverse yet targeted supply of crops to sustain humans traveling the next stages of the final frontier. This whole trip was amazing, and if we hadn't seen rockets in person this would be #1. Thank you NASA Social!

You'll also learn how we first learned we could eat in space, what we plan to plant in space for the future, as well as our speaker Ralph Fritsche's thoughts on the Martian's depiction of growing food on Mars.

Fun episode! Looking forward to a Boeing CST100 Starliner launch on Friday Dec 20th, 2019 at 06:36AM currently. Can be watched live at boeing.com/starliner. Go Commercial Crew! Have a great week space people! We'll see you right after Christmas with part two from inside the Veggie lab...

Here is another installment from the NASA social event we went to last week for the SpaceX CRS-19 Launch. This week, we have a very special tour of the VAB, or Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida. We had the best tour guide we could ever hope for, Greg Hale, who worked at the VAB during the Space Shuttle Era and had so much knowledge and stories to share that even if you are just listening I think you'll get A TON from it. I was completely baffled and honestly speechless at the VAB. The sheer magnitude of the building which was created to assemble some of the most important space technologies of all time - Saturn V and Space Shuttle. And soon to be the Space Launch System. Quite an episode. Hope you enjoy! I know I did. Such an amazing opportunity - thanks NASA Social! Models for the 3D models we used for the NASA Social: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:221799

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1802512

After the SpaceX CRS19 launch to send the Dragon Spacecraft to the International Space Station, we had an impromptu podcast as soon as we got off the podcast with some of the remaining NASA Social peeps. Unfortunately, due to the nature of launching rockets, the launch on Wednesday was scrubbed for Thursday and some of the amazing people on this trip had to return home.

But, with those remaining, we had the chance to share our reactions post-launch which is really cool considering for most of us it was our first launch! Hear what we all had to say and learn where you can follow these amazing people online!

JACK PHAN @JackPhan TERESA MOON @teresamoon3 ANDREW CANTINO @tectonic orbitalindex.com ERIN VEST @swordandsnore CHRISTINA ROWLAND @stinaeroland ANDREW PRESSLEY @yoandrewp ELENA SALAZAR @elenacsalazar ZAC HALL @apollozac 9to5mac.com HALEY HARRISON @__Stellaaaar SUSAN MALLETT @sbmallett @capaerospace ANGELA DiLORETO @AngelaMDiLoreto VICTORIA HEATH @planetarynomad @victoria_heath7 CHRIS EDENS @guywithgolden guywithgolden.com KATE MORGAN @katebomb CHARLES ATKEISON @military_flight AVGEEKERY.COM MARY KIMBALL @str8outtanaptym thescenesnobs.com STEPHEN MARR @spacecoast_stve spacecoaststeve.com

What I hope you take away from this is two things:

1. That ANYONE can be into space, no matter your background or interest in space. If you are even a little but intrigued by the infinite expanse of space or seeing an insanely powerful rocket launch off the Earth and into space - there's a place for you! And I highly recommend finding your way to the Space Coast or another launch site to see one for yourself. Sign up for alert for NASA Social to apply to get access to do so in the future! All you need is a social media account!

2. Your first rocket launch in person will knock your socks off. Everyone, including myself, that saw their first launch was basically speechless afterwards. There is so much about a rocket launch that you can't even grasp without feeling it. The slow increasing rumble of the rockets that crescendoes to a loud roar, shaking everything around you. The intense brightness of the rocket flames as they push the rocket out of gravity's influence and into space, which is NEVER shown in its true view in video or pictures.

If you ever go to see a rocket launch in person for the first time - please reach out and let me know if you felt anything like this afterwards.

A big thank you to NASA Social for selecting me for this opportunity. It was mind bending and now I'm hooked and can't wait to do another in the future.

Huge thanks to everyone who jumped on the podcast and shared their reactions!

So great meeting all of you including those who had to leave after the first launch scrubbed. To say I had a great time is an understatement!

Hey there Space People! Here in sunny (and warm) Florida avoiding the triple threat snow storms in Boston and getting ready for the SpaceX CRS-19 launch.

Today was a nice relaxing day getting prepped for this amazing opportunity from the NASA Social program and I can't help but think back to where this all started. And I mean BACK to the origins of why I podcast. It's amazing to look back and see how the earliest memories of what I wanted to be when I was a kid has somehow manifested itself into this show and this launch coverage coming up on Wednesday. Absolutely crazy!

Live Stream will be up on our Youtube Channel on Wednesday for the launch and watch for some live streaming tests tomorrow for some prelaunch coverage. HERE WE GO!!!!