January 24, 2025

TWiS 145: We're Star Bound! - Authors of 'Star Bound: A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program'

1 hour 16 minutes

This week, we're talking to the authors of a new book about spaceflight called "Star Bound: A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program, from Goddard's Rockets to Goldilocks Planets and Everything in Between," Emily Carney and Bruce McCandless III. Emily started the popular Facebook group Space Hipsters, now 66,000 members strong, and Bruce is a retired lawyer and space enthusiast who also happens to be the son of Bruce McCandless II, the NASA astronaut who flew on the shuttle and pioneered the use of the Manned Maneuvering Unit. We're going to cover a lot of territory in this one, so take your hand off the eject lever and strap in!

Get "Star Bound" (Amazon Affiliate): https://amzn.to/4hvHtXo

Headlines

Trump's Mars Vision: The administration's push for a crewed Mars mission by 2029 sparks debate. Tariq notes Elon Musk's visible enthusiasm, while Rod highlights the technical and political hurdles.

NASA Leadership Shuffle: Janet Petro named interim NASA administrator, bypassing Jim Free. The move might signal potential shifts in Artemis priorities.

DEI Rollbacks: Executive orders halt NASA's diversity initiatives, sparking workforce concerns.

SpaceX Milestones: 400th Falcon 9 landing celebrated, with 60 Starlink satellites launched in a week. ULA's Vulcan launch remains delayed.

Meteorite Doorbell Footage: A meteorite impact in Canada, captured on camera, stuns scientists and homeowners.

Quirky Moon Naming: IAU dubs a quasi-moon "Cardea" after the Roman goddess of door hinges.

Main Topic: Star Bound

Book Overview: A cultural history of the U.S. space program, connecting missions like Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab to societal shifts (e.g., civil rights movements). Authors Emily Carney and Bruce McCandless III emphasized accessibility, avoiding "engineer-speak."

Skylab's Legacy: Emily's passion shines as she details Skylab's role as a bridge between Apollo and the Shuttle, citing the groundbreaking science performed and how it may help us send humans to Mars.

MMU & Bruce McCandless II: Bruce shares stories of his father's iconic untethered flight with the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU), suggesting that future missions may revive jetpack tech for tourism and repairs.

Shuttle Era Love/Hate: Both guests defend the Shuttle's cultural impact (e.g., Judy Resnik's inspiring legacy) while acknowledging its flaws.

Conspiracy Corner: The duo laughs over wild theories (STS-1 being flown by clones; Neil Armstrong being a robot) and praises Rod's 2016 book "Amazing Stories of the Space Age" for documenting Project Orion's nuclear explosive propulsion tech.

Future of Space: The book ends at today's "precipice"—Artemis delays, Mars hype, and private ventures. Bruce predicts jetpacks and hotels; Emily urges newcomers to embrace space history's messy, human side.

Don't Miss:

Emily's Space Hipsters Facebook group for lively space discussions.

Bruce's website (brucemccandless.com) with book sources and WWII project teasers.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guests: Emily Carney and Bruce McCandless III

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