Your Space Journey

Phone Interview with OSIRIS-REx Project Scientist Dr. Jason P. Dworkin

On October 20th, 2020, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft made history as it collected samples from asteroid Bennu, which are expected to return to Earth in 2023. For this episode I’m pleased to introduce Dr. Jason Dworkin, the project scientist for OSIRIS-REx, for an update and more details on the OSIRIS-REx mission.

About OSIRIS-REx
(Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer)
https://www.asteroidmission.org/
OSIRIS-REx seeks answers to the questions that are central to the human experience: Where did we come from? What is our destiny? Asteroids, the leftover debris from the solar system formation process, can answer these questions and teach us about the history of the sun and planets.

The OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is currently orbiting Bennu, a carbonaceous asteroid whose regolith may record the earliest history of our solar system. Bennu may contain the molecular precursors to the origin of life and the Earth’s oceans. Bennu is also one of the most potentially hazardous asteroids, as it has a relatively high probability of impacting the Earth late in the 22nd century. OSIRIS-REx will determine Bennu’s physical and chemical properties, which will be critical to know in the event of an impact mitigation mission. Finally, asteroids like Bennu contain natural resources such as water, organics, and precious metals. In the future, these asteroids may one day fuel the exploration of the solar system by robotic and crewed spacecraft.

About Dr. Jason Dworkin
https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sed/bio/jason.p.dworkin
Jason Dworkin is the Project Scientist for OSIRIS-REx and NASA's Senior Scientist for Astrobiology. Jason's objective is to assess the organic species available for the origin and early evolution of life with a focus is on understanding the extraterrestrial input and origin of molecules relevant for life. This objective has been to study increasingly documented and constrained systems, from plausibly early Earth chemistry, chemistry of astrophysically relevant laboratory ices, organic and chiral analysis of meteorites, to analysis of sample returned material and how to protect that material from contamination. This research employs modern analytical methods to examine authentic samples of the early solar system as well as laboratory models of ancient environments. This involves both directing research in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and scientific leadership in NASA sample return and in situ missions.

NASA’s aircraft SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) has confirmed for the first time, water on the sunlit surface of the Moon. Previously NASA had discovered evidence for water in shadows of craters, but this new discovery has incredible implications for possible use of this water as a resource as NASA returns to the Moon. Lunar Geologist Dr. Sarah Noble joins us today to discuss this incredible discovery and its implications for the future of space exploration, especially with NASA’s plan to send the first woman and next man on the Moon in 2024.

In this interview Sarah discusses how SOFIA made this discovery, how much water was found, and future plans for investigating on the Moon, including NASA's VIPER rover, a mobile robot that will go to the South Pole of the Moon to get a close-up view of the location and concentration of water ice. 

About Sarah Noble (from NASA.gov)
Sarah Noble grew up in rural Minnesota, where from a very young age she was fascinated with space exploration, staring up at the moon and making plans to visit it one day. She started collage as an aerospace engineering major, because it was the only major with the word “space” in it, but stumbled into a geology class one day and fell in love with the science. Knowing her love of all things space related, her professors steered her towards planetary geology, the subfield of geology that studies how other planets (and moons and asteroids and comets and whatnot) form, evolve, and operate. She started her NASA career studying meteorites as an undergraduate intern at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. After graduate school, and a short adventure working for Congress, she returned to Johnson, and also spent time working at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama and Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland before finding her place at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. She has worked as a program officer and discipline scientist in the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters since 2010 working on missions, as well as research and analysis programs. She is an avid painter and is passionate about sharing the joy and beauty of space exploration, both through science outreach and through her artwork.

For more information, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/sofia

In this interview, recorded via phone on September 29, 2020, I speak with Commander Mike Hopkins about this mission, his training and the challenges (and thrills) of commanding the SpaceX Crew-1 mission, currently scheduled to launch in mid-November 2020. 

BONUS: Mini-Interview with Felix Schlang of What About It!?
Felix joins me briefly to share how he became interested in space and his excitement for the future, especially SpaceX Starship. Felix is the host of "What About It!?", an amazing program on YouTube that explores Space, Rockets & Science, with new episodes on Tuesdays and Fridays. Check out his YouTube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/ZSSolomon or visit https://whataboutit.space/

ABOUT SPACEX CREW-1
NASA is preparing to launch its first crew rotational flight of a U.S. commercial spacecraft with astronauts to the International Space Station. The SpaceX Crew-1 flight mission will carry astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker of NASA and Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to the space station from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

The launch will be the first time an international crew will fly aboard a NASA-certified, commercially-owned and operated American rocket and spacecraft from American soil. Following the launch, the Crew-1 astronauts are scheduled to arrive at the space station for a six-month science mission aboard the orbiting laboratory.

ABOUT COMMANDER MICHAEL S. HOPKINS (Source: NASA)
Michael S. Hopkins was selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2009. The Missouri native is currently training for Crew-1, the first post-certification mission of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft – the second crewed flight for that vehicle – and his second long duration mission aboard the International Space Station.

Hopkins and his crewmates are working closely with SpaceX to develop their new spacecraft systems, which will provide roundtrip crew transportation services to the International Space Station and, along with Boeing’s Starliner, return the ability to launch humans into space from United States soil.

Previously, Hopkins was member of the Expedition 37/38 crew and has logged 166 days in space. He launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station in September 2013. During his stay aboard the station, he conducted two spacewalks totaling 12 hours and 58 minutes to change out a degraded pump module.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Stanford University. Hopkins currently supports International Space Station Operations at the Johnson Space Center.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

In this episode we interview Thomas Kacpura regarding NASA’s SCaN program (Space Communications and Navigations). I was fortunate to travel to NASA Glenn Research Center earlier this year to meet with Tom and discuss this incredible program. SCaN provides communications services that are essential to the operations of NASA’s space flight missions. SCaN provides communications support to NASA and non-NASA missions by managing three networks: The Deep Space Network, the Near Earth Network and the Space Network.  

In this interview Tom provides an overview of SCaN, how the program has its roots in the 1950s, the three networks managed by SCaN, plus the incredible spinoffs generated by the development of SCaN technology.

For more information, visit https://www.nasa.gov/scan

Special thanks to Dylan Hagreen for sharing his space journey in this episode!

In this episode authors Michael Zeiler and Michael Bakich join us to discuss their fascinating new book, Atlas of Solar Eclipses, an adventure guide for the next 25 years of solar eclipses. This amazing atlas covers every type of solar eclipse around the world—total, annular and partial—with beautiful and informative maps to guide you to nature’s most stupendous site, a total eclipse of the Sun.

The Atlas of Solar Eclipses — 2020 to 2045 is an adventure guide for anyone entranced by celestial wonders and interested in seeking nature’s most stupendous sight, a total eclipse of the Sun. The atlas covers every type of solar eclipse around the world — total, annular, and partial — with beautiful and informative maps at overview, regional, and detail scales.   

You can view a preview of the atlas at https://tinyurl.com/AtlasOfSolarEclipsesPreview

The atlas spans 56 solar eclipses from 2020 to 2045. Emphasis is given to total solar eclipses in heavily populated areas, such as the 2024 April 8 eclipse across North America, the 2027 August 2 eclipse over Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, the 2035 September 2 eclipse passing over Beijing, Pyongyang, and Tokyo, the 2044 August 23 eclipse over Canada and Montana, and the 2045 August 12 eclipse crossing North and South America. Also covered in depth is the annular solar eclipse of 2023 October 14 crossing the western United States from Oregon to Texas.  

In this interview the authors discuss not only the book, but also tips for observing and photographing solar eclipses, as well as traveling to them and using the proper equipment. 

For more information, visit https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/books/atlas-of-solar-eclipses-2020-to-2045

LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS INTERVIEW
SOLAR ECLIPSE GLASSES:
Make sure your solar eclipse glasses are safe by visiting https://eclipse.aas.org

SOLAR ECLIPSE MAESTRO:
http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/Solar_Eclipse_Maestro_Help/pgs2/btoc1.html

SOLAR ECLIPSE TIMER:
https://www.solareclipsetimer.com/

Thanks to actress Zoe Perry ("Young Sheldon") for sharing her space journey (and as Sheldon's mom Mary Cooper) in this episode! 

In this episode we continue our "Around the World in Space" series with the Canadian Space Agency.

Ken Podwalski, Program Manager for the Lunar Gateway at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) joins us to discuss the Canadian Space Agency's efforts for the upcoming Lunar Gateway and Canadarm3. The Canadian Space Agency was established in 1990 but Canada has been involved with space for decades. In fact, Canada was the third country to develop and build its own satellite, Alouette, that launched in 1962. CSA is well known for its development of Canadarm, the robotic arm used on the space shuttle, the International Space Station, and soon the Lunar Gateway.  

About the Gateway
NASA is spearheading the initiative to establish the Gateway, a space station in lunar orbit. About one-fifth of the size of the ISS, this new outpost will be developed, serviced, and utilized in collaboration with international and commercial partners.

The Gateway will be:

- a science laboratory;
- a testbed for new technologies;
- a rendezvous location for exploration of the surface of the Moon;
- a mission control centre for operations on the Moon; and
- one day, a stepping stone for voyages to Mars.

When fully assembled, the Gateway will include modules for scientific research and living quarters for crews of four astronauts. They will be able to live and work on the Gateway for up to three months at a time, occasionally travelling to the lunar surface to conduct science and test new technologies. Eventually, these missions could last longer in order to prepare for the deeper-space missions of the future.

Unlike the ISS, the Gateway will not be crewed continuously, though it will be inhabited at least once a year. As an artificial intelligence-based robotic system, Canadarm3 will be able to tend to the Gateway when no humans are on board, including operating science experiments aboard the lunar outpost.

About Canadarm3
Canadarm3 will be Canada's contribution to the US-led Gateway, a lunar outpost that will enable sustainable human exploration of the Moon. This highly autonomous robotic system will use cutting-edge software to perform tasks around the Moon without human intervention.

The smart robotic system will include several distinct parts, including a large, 8.5-metre-long arm, a smaller, more dexterous arm, and a set of detachable tools. Canadarm3 is designed to work autonomously. However, the system could also be operated by robotics flight controllers in Canada, or by Gateway crew during spacewalks. Canadarm3 will create more flight opportunities for Canadian astronauts and will give Canadian scientists a possibility to conduct research and experiments that cannot be done on Earth.

For more information, visit https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/

Special thanks to Kate Pierson of The B-52's for sharing her space story in this episode! 

We continue our series with countries around the world in this episode as we feature the European Space Agency (ESA). Joining us for this interview is Günther Hasinger, the director of science for ESA. Günther was born in Germany and earned his PhD in astronomy, later becoming a professor, researcher and author. He is the author of an award-winning book called Astronomy’s Limitless Journey: A Guide to Understanding the Universe, and the winner of the Wilhelm Foerster Prize for public dissemination of science.

In this interview we review several current and upcoming missions for ESA including Solar Orbiter, and its recent high-res images of the Sun from its first close approach this summer. Other missions discussed include Cheops (searching for exoplanets), BepiColumbo (Mercury Mission), and an extensive discussion on ExoMars and the upcoming 2022 launch of the Rosalind Franklin Rover, the first rover designed by ESA for Mars.

For more information, visit https://esa.int

Special thanks to Laen August of Alpha Control: A Lost in Space Podcast (https://alphacontrolpodcast.libsyn.com/website) for sharing his space journey in this episode!

In this episode our panel discusses NASA's upcoming Perseverance mission, including its passenger Ingenuity, the first ever helicopter designed to fly on Mars. Targeted for launch in July 2020, the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover will seek signs of past life, set aside a returnable cache with the most compelling rock core and soil samples, and demonstrate technology needed for the future exploration of Mars.

MEET OUR PANEL
Joining us for this panel are Jenna Foertsch (https://www.jennafoertsch.com/), Ken Ruffin (board of advisor for the National Space Society at https://space.nss.org/) and Christian Ready, astronomer and creator of Launchpad Astronomy (https://youtube.com/christianready).

Mars Perseverance Mission Overview
The Mars Perseverance rover mission is part of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, a long-term effort of robotic exploration of the Red Planet. The Mars Perseverance mission addresses high-priority science goals for Mars exploration, including key questions about the potential for life on Mars. The mission takes the next step by not only seeking signs of habitable conditions on Mars in the ancient past, but also searching for signs of past microbial life itself. The Mars Perseverance rover introduces a drill that can collect core samples of the most promising rocks and soils and set them aside in a "cache" on the surface of Mars. The mission also provides opportunities to gather knowledge and demonstrate technologies that address the challenges of future human expeditions to Mars. These include testing a method for producing oxygen from the Martian atmosphere, identifying other resources (such as subsurface water), improving landing techniques, and characterizing weather, dust, and other potential environmental conditions that could affect future astronauts living and working on Mars.

The mission is timed for a launch opportunity in July/August 2020 when Earth and Mars are in good positions relative to each other for landing on Mars. That is, it takes less power to travel to Mars at this time, compared to other times when Earth and Mars are in different positions in their orbits. To keep mission costs and risks as low as possible, the Mars 2020 design is based on NASA's successful Mars Science Laboratory mission architecture, including its Curiosity rover and proven landing system.

Mars 2020 Spacecraft
The spacecraft is the protective "spaceship" that enables the precious cargo (that is, the Perseverance rover!) to travel between Earth and Mars. It is separate from the launch vehicle that carries the spacecraft and the rover outside of Earth's atmosphere and gravitational pull. The spacecraft includes the mechanical units that safely carry and maneuver the rover through the Martian atmosphere to a landing on Mars.

For more information, visit https://nasa.gov/perseverance

We continue our series with countries around the world in this episode as we feature JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Joining us to discuss JAXA is astronaut Dr. Koichi Wakata.  Dr. Wakata has accumulated 347 days in space spanning four missions, setting a record in Japanese human space flight history for the longest stay in space. He has flown on three space shuttle missions, and a Soyuz mission, and became the first Japanese Commander of the International Space Station. Dr. Wakata has held several key positions with JAXA, including serving as JAXA Vice President and Senior Advisor.

In this interview, Dr. Wakata discusses JAXA, his experience as an astronaut, current missions including Hayabusa2 (which rendezvoused with near-Earth asteroid Ryugu in 2018 and is returning samples to Earth later this year), and IKAROS (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation of the Sun), launched in 2010 and became the first spacecraft to successfully demonstrate solar sail technology in interplanetary space.

Dr. Wakata also discusses upcoming JAXA missions including:
-SLIM: Smart Lander for Investigating Moon, which will demonstrate an accurate lunar landing
-JUICE: Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, a partnership with ESA & the USA)
-MMX: Martian Moons Exploration, a mission to travel to Mars and survey the red planet's two moons: Phobos and Deimos, including collecting a sample from Phobos to bring back to Earth.

ABOUT JAXA
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) was born through the merger of three institutions, namely the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS), the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan (NAL) and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). It was designated as a core performance agency to support the Japanese government's overall aerospace development and utilization. JAXA, therefore, can conduct integrated operations from basic research and development, to utilization.

In 2013, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of its founding, JAXA created the corporate slogan, "Explore to Realize," which reflects its management philosophy of utilizing space and the sky to achieve a safe and affluent society.

JAXA became a National Research and Development Agency in April 2015, and took a new step forward to achieve optimal R&D achievements for Japan, according to the government's purpose of establishing a national R&D agency.

ABOUT KOICHI WAKATA
Dr. Koichi Wakata was born in 1963, in Saitama, Japan. He received B.S.in Aeronautical Engineering in 1987, M.S.in Applied Mechanics in 1989, and Doctorate in Aerospace Engineering in 2004, all from Kyushu University. Dr. Wakata was selected as an astronaut candidate in 1992 by the National Space Development Agency of Japan. He flew on the Space Shuttles Endeavour & Discovery, ISS, Soyuz TMA-14 & TMA-11M. Dr. Wakata was the commander of ISS Expedition 39 and has accumulated 347 days in space. Follow him on Twitter at @Astro_Wakata.

For more information, visit https://global.jaxa.jp/ 

Special thanks to Josh Malcak for sharing his space journey in this episode!

The United Arab Emirates are just a few days away (July 15, 2020) from launching the Hope Probe to Mars. The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) - Hope Probe will be the first probe to provide a complete picture of the Martian atmosphere and its layers when it reaches the red planet’s orbit in February 2021. The Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, based in Dubai, is managing, developing and executing all stages of the program. 

Joining us from the Space Centre are Ayesha Al Sharafi, the EMM Lead for the Spacecraft Propulsion Subsystem, and Mohsen Al Awadhi, the EMM Lead Mission Systems Engineer.

Emirates Mars Mission Overview
The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) ​is the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) ​first mission to Mars. EMM is designed to ​orbit Mars and study the dynamics in ​the Martian atmosphere on a global scale, and on both diurnal and seasonal timescales. Using three scientific instruments on board of the spacecraft, EMM will provide a set of measurements fundamental to an improved understanding of ​circulation and weather in the Martian lower and middle atmosphere. Combining such data with the monitoring of the upper layers of the atmosphere, EMM measurements will reveal the mechanisms behind the upward transport of energy and particles, and the subsequent escape of atmospheric particles from the gravity of Mars.

For more information, visit https://www.emiratesmarsmission.ae/

Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre, founded in 2006, is home to the UAE National Space Programme.  The Centre builds and operates earth observation satellites, offering imaging and data analysis services to clients around the world. The Centre launched DubaiSat-1, DubaiSat-2, and recently launched KhalifaSat on 29  October  2018  from  Tanegashima  Space Center in Japan.  KhalifaSat was developed  100% in the UAE  by  a team of highly qualified Emirati engineers.

The Centre is responsible for the development of the Emirates Mars Mission and the Mars  Hope  Probe,  a  mission  to  reach  Mars  orbit  by  2021  and  gather  key  science  data  about Mars’ atmosphere, as well as the UAE Astronaut Programme, which saw the launch of Hazzaa AlMansoori,  first  Emirati  Astronaut,  to  the  International  Space  Station  on  a  scientific  mission on 25th September 2019, and the development of the Mars 2117 vision to build a human colony on Mars.

For more information about the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center visit https://www.mbrsc.ae/

Special thanks to Ben Cross (https://glimpsevideo.com/) for sharing his space journey in this episode!