It is widely accepted that over time, humanity will need to expand its presence into the solar system. What are the challenges? Well, space and our nearby worlds have proved to be a much greater challenge than we had long thought. While the rigors of zero-g have been well researched on the International Space Station, the challenges of living in lower gravity, such as that found on the moon and Mars, has not yet been explored. And human reproduction in space, along with genetic challenges, is a complete unknown. Rice Univeristy professor and researcher Scott Solomon joins us to explore these topics in depth, and to posit possible solutions.

Headlines:

• Artemis 2 Moon Launch Faces More Delays Due to Hydrogen Leaks
• Perseverance Rover on Mars Completes First Fully AI-Driven Journey
• Study Warns of Urgent Need to Research Human Reproduction in Space

Main Topic: Becoming Martian – What It Would Take for Humans to Thrive on Mars

• Biological impacts of space and Martian environments on the human body
• Gaps in research about reproduction, growth, and development in space and partial gravity
• Ethical, social, and medical challenges of having children beyond Earth
• The complexities of transplanting Earth's ecosystems, microbiomes, and the risk of disruptive species
• Evolutionary changes and the likely divergence of human populations living long-term off-Earth
• Considerations around modifying humans versus modifying extraterrestrial environments
• Infectious disease threats and dwindling biological immunity for space settlers
• Psychological, cultural, and population dynamics for future interplanetary communities

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Dr. Scott Solomon

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This month marks a bitter annual anniversary for NASA. On February 1, 1967, the crew of Apollo 1 was killed in a horrific fire on the pad in Florida. Years later, as the space shuttle Challenger ascended on February 28, 1986, it was destroyed mid-flight with a loss of seven crewmembers. Finally, on February 1, 2003, the shuttle Columbia was lost during reentry, again with a crew of seven. This episode is a remembrance of these tragic events with Gerry Griffin, former Apollo Flight Director and Director of the Johnson Space Center among his many other roles with NASA and beyond. Gerry brings a personal touch to these events, describing the experiences first-hand and lessons learned. Please join us for this very special episode.

Headlines:

• NASA Artemis 2 Testing and Launch Delayed by Cold Weather
• Crew 12 Launch Schedule Impacted by Artemis II Slip
• New Artemis Launch Windows and Associated Challenges
• Countdown to NASA's Next Moonshot: Updated Flight Timelines

Main Topic: Remembering NASA's Worst Tragedies and Lessons Learned

• Apollo 1 Fire: Causes, Team Reaction, and Aftermath
• Transition from Gemini to Apollo: Organizational and Technical Shifts
• Challenger Disaster: Technical Failures, Team Dynamics, and Impact
• Shuttle Safety Evolution and Lessons from Columbia
• The Resolve and Spirit of NASA Teams After Tragedy
• Evolving Risk Management and Decision-Making in Human Spaceflight
• Reflections and Advice for Today's Flight Directors as Artemis II Flight Approaches

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Gerry Griffin

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The Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which was intended to regulate activities in space, is hard to enforce and woefully out of date. New nations and private actors are entering the spaceflight arena, and an updated mechanism with a bit more teeth is needed. Our guest, Ely Sandler, a Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, has put forward the idea of using COPs—not the kind in uniform, but a Conference of Parties—as a less-formal gathering of spacefaring (and space-ambitious) entities, to discuss future treaties, agreements, and enforcement mechanisms, eventually leading to new treaties. These would be similar to the annual climate COP that has provided useful discourse on climate change. A space COP would address responsibility for and control of orbital assets, land and resource use on the Moon, Mars, and asteroids; and possibly limits to the militarization of space. Join us for a fascinating discussion!

Headlines:

• Artemis II Moon Rocket Rolls Out for Launch Preparations
• Crew-11 Astronauts Speak on Space Station Medical Evacuation
• Earth Faces Strongest Solar Radiation Storm in 20 Years
• Auroras Sparked Across Unusual Latitudes

Main Topic: Is the Outer Space Treaty Obsolete? Examining the Future of Space Governance with Ely Sandler

• Outer Space Treaty's Vagueness and Limits for Modern Space Activity
• Why New Space Policy Models Are Needed for Orbital Debris, Spacecraft Ownership, and Liability
• "Conference of the Parties" (COP) Model Proposed for Space Law Updates
• Challenges of Property Rights, Exclusion Zones, and International Consensus on the Moon
• How Commercial Space and Military Concerns Intersect Under Outdated Treaties
• Space Solar Power's Potential and Regulatory Hurdles for Energy Beaming

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Ely Sandler

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NASA's history is a long and fascinating story, and we decided we'd invite former NASA Chief Historian Dr. Roger Launius onto the show to tell us about how NASA tracks its history, the public's perceptions of spaceflight, and how our understanding of the past might inform our future in space. Also the Crew 11 return, Artemis II rollout, and MAVEN, phone home! Join us for this engaging conversation!

Headlines:

• NASA Completes First-Ever Medical Evacuation From the ISS
• Artemis 2 Megarocket Rolls Out to the Launch Pad Amid Tight Schedule
• NASA Attempts to Revive MAVEN Spacecraft Around Mars

Main Topic: Chronicling the Space Age — With Dr. Roger Launius

• How NASA's First Chief Historian Got Hooked on Space
• The Role and Daily Work of a NASA Chief Historian
• Transitioning From NASA to Smithsonian: Culture, Audience, and Mission
• Is This a "Second Space Age"? Commercial Players and Evolving Space Policy
• Public Attitudes Toward Space: Then and Now—Separating Myth From Reality
• Historical Parallels Between Apollo and Artemis and the Notion of a New Space Race
• Challenges of Public Engagement and NASA's Struggle to Stay In the Spotlight
• Media Fragmentation, Social Media, and Changing Consumption of Space News
• The Rise of Moon Landing Conspiracies Amid Information Abundance
• The Vital Importance of Documenting Accidents and Hard Lessons in Space History
• Preserving Space History in the Digital Era—From Paper to Tweets
• Dr. Roger Launius' Upcoming Book: NASA History in 100 Objects

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Roger Launius

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2026 promises to be the most exciting year in the new space age yet! Shining bright is the prospect of an Artemis II launch to send astronauts around the moon for the first time since 1972, as early as February. We've already seen news about a medical incident on the International Space Station that will force a crew to return to Earth early, but NASA says this won't affect the Artemis launch. On other news, NASA's budget seems on track to be passed at near 2025 levels, China is preparing to send a robot to the south lunar pole, SpaceX plans robust tests of Starship this year—and hopefully refinement of their lander for Artemis III, Boeing will fly Starliner again (uncrewed), Mars Sample Return is poised to be scuttled, and all this under the leadership of a new—and apparently quite capable—NASA administrator, Jared Isaacman. Join us for an in-depth look at what's coming in 2026!

Headlines:

• Medical evacuation planned for ISS astronauts due to health concerns
• NASA Chief Jared Isaacman leads first big press conference amid ISS medical incident
• Artemis 2 lunar mission remains on track for February launch
• Orion spacecraft heat shield faces scrutiny ahead of crewed flight
• NASA budget nearly secured—Congress backs full funding for 2026
• Mars Sample Return project faces likely cancellation
• SpaceX Starship gears up for crucial orbital and refueling tests
• Blue Origin's Blue Moon lunar lander launch delayed, competition heats up
• China's lunar, asteroid, and orbital missions ramp up for 2026
• Boeing Starliner and Sierra Space Dream Chaser schedule ISS cargo missions
• New moon landers, asteroid missions, and global crewed capsule tests coming in 2026
• NASA's Roman Space Telescope possibly launching this year

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

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One of our favorite interviews of 2025 was with Dr. Robert Zubrin, founder of the Mars Society and the mind behind Mars Direct, a streamlined approach to reaching the Red Planet with human beings that was later largely adopted by NASA in their mission designs. It's a fascinating story about a man who continually swam upstream against strong currents of the aerospace establishment. His seminal book, "The Case for Mars," has enjoyed multiple reprints and influenced millions. Join us for this encore of an informative and forward-looking episode!

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

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It's our annual holiday special for 2025, in which we look back at the past year in space—its ups, its downs, its all-arounds. What a year it's been, and after all the challenges and hullabaloo, we're grateful in a post-Thanksgiving fashion to welcome Jared Isaacman, at last, as the new NASA Administrator. What he will do and how remains largely unknown, but we do believe he has the nation's interests at heart, and the man knows people are watching. But there are a lot of other stories and we've done our best to stuff as many as we can into this virtual Christmas space stocking! Please join us for this year-end roundup!

Headlines & Looking Back at 2025:

• New Executive Order Targets Space Superiority
• Starlink Satellite Breaks Up in Orbit, SpaceX Responds
• Interstellar Comet ATLAS: Extraterrestrial Conspiracies and Public Fascination
• Isaacman Confirmed as New NASA Administrator
• Project Athena: NASA's New Strategic Direction?
• Artemis 2 Mission Prep and Timeline Shifts
• Mars Sample Return: Uncertain Costs and New Proposals
• Commercial Spaceflight: SpaceX Successes, Boeing Troubles
• Perseverance Rover Finds Possible Mars Biosignatures Recap
• Space Shuttle Discovery Relocation Battle Heats Up
• New Moon Discovered Around Uranus
• Webb Telescope and Hubble Milestones
• International Space Station Celebrates 25 Years of Crewed Work
• U.S. Space Policy Shifts and NASA's New Leadership
• Satellite Operations: Starlink's Reliability and Space Junk Concerns

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

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This week, we talk with our favorite Newspace Buccaneer, Jeffrey Manber. When so many people were touting their private spaceflight dreams in the 1980s, Manber took the next enormous stride and actually made it happen. He formed the Office of Space Commerce within the US Department of Commerce at the invitation of the Reagan administration, forged the first commercial relations with the then-Soviet Union, bridged that into the post-USSR period, and was responsible for the first commercial spaceflight to the then-mothballed Soviet-era Mir space station with a crew that stayed there for 70 days. He then went on to develop a variety of commercial space enterprises, from the first commercial platform to release smallsats from the ISS to initiating the Bishop airlock that became part of the space station. He also started Nanoracks, the first privately developed and standardized satellite deployment mechanism to fly. Finally, he initiated Starlab, the private space station currently under development by Voyager Technologies and a consortium of aerospace companies. Join us for this very special episode with one of the key founders of NewSpace!

Headlines:

• SpaceX Plans 2026 IPO and Possible $1.5 Trillion Valuation
• NASA Loses Contact with Mars Maven Orbiter
• Discussion of Star Trek's New Starfleet Academy Series Trailer

Main Topic: Privatizing Orbit and the Roots of Commercial Space

• Jeffrey Manber Details His Early US-Russian Commercial Space Collaborations
• His Space Journalism Origins and Shaping Commercial Space Policies
• Inside the Launch of Commercial Space Fund and the Office of Space Commerce
• First US Commercial Contracts with the Soviet Union and Mir Space Station
• Navigating Washington Policy and Export Licenses for Soviet Deals
• Attempt to Privatize Mir: Mirkorp, Leasing the Space Station, and Commercial Astronaut Crews
• The Rise of Nanoracks and Commercial Payloads on the ISS
• Building Starlab: Partnerships, Scale, Launch Plans, and Commercial Design
• Comparing Starlab's Ambitions to Vast, Axiom, and China's Tiangong
• Evaluating SpaceX's Public Offering and Its Impact on Elon Musk's Strategy
• Jeffrey Manber's Other Projects: Writing About Newspace and President Lincoln
• Thoughts on America's Future in Commercial Orbit and Personal Memoir Plans

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Jeffrey Manber

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Jared Isaacman, the billionaire entrepreneur, philanthropist, and private astronaut, took on Capitol Hill this week in his second confirmation hearing as President Trump's pick for NASA's next leader. Here's what it could mean, plus: A Russian cosmonaut got kicked off a SpaceX flight for allegedly trying to steal spacecraft secrets, China's 1st reusable rocket Zhuque-3 reached orbit, but crashed and burned (and exploded) during landing, and Russia accidentally wrecked the only launch pad it has for astronauts with Thanksgiving's new ISS crew launch.

Headlines:

• Russian Cosmonaut Pulled from SpaceX Crew 12 Mission over Alleged Incident at SpaceX HQ
• Russian Soyuz Launch Pad Damaged After Thanksgiving Crew Mission, Threatening Future Flights
• China's Land Space Rocket Nearly Sticks First Reusable Launch and Landing—Explodes on Return
• Scientists Find Time Passes Faster on Mars Than Earth, Thanks to Relativity

Main Topic: Jared Isaacman's Bid to Become NASA Administrator

• Isaacman Returns for Second Senate Confirmation Hearing After Trump Re-Nominates Him
• Controversy Over SpaceX Ties, Conflict of Interest, and Elon Musk's Influence
• Bipartisan Support from Astronauts, Industry, and Lawmakers Highlights Isaacman's Appeal
• Project Athena Leaked: Isaacman's Vision for NASA and Debate on Earth Science Outsourcing
• Congressional Drama Over Artemis Funding, Gateway, and the US-China Race to the Moon
• Questions Around Space Shuttle Discovery's Possible Move to Houston
• Anticipation Builds for Senate Vote and NASA's Need for Stable Leadership Ahead of Artemis 2

Host: Tariq Malik

Guest: Mike Wall

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Were you inspired by "Star Trek" (or one of its innumerable spinoffs) as a young person? We know we were, so it was a pleasure to invite Glen Swanson, author of the new Star Trek history book "Inspired Enterprise" onto the show. We've all heard lore about the original series, but Swanson, who was previously the Chief Historian at the Johnson Space Center, used his prodigious skills to perform a deep dive into the topic. From Gene Roddenberry's original inspiration to working with Caltech, the RAND Corporation, and NASA; and on to the design of the good ship Enterprise itself (and the very popular AMT models that followed), this book provides everything you need to know to be a certified Trekker.

Headlines:

• Comet 3I Atlas confirmed as a comet, not a spacecraft & NASA releases new images and details of the comet
• SpaceX's Starship Version 3 booster suffers damage during test
• Uranus reaches yearly opposition—best viewing opportunity

Main Topic: The Real Inspirations Behind Star Trek

• Glen Swanson shares career highlights as a NASA historian and magazine founder
• How Gene Roddenberry's background and influences shaped Star Trek
• NASA's direct involvement and technical guidance for Star Trek's creators
• The significant role of the aerospace industry, Rand Corporation, and real-world science in Star Trek's development
• The story behind NASA and the Smithsonian Enterprise shooting model connections
• AMT's plastic model kits fueled fan obsession and supported the show's visuals
• Influences from movies like Robinson Crusoe on Mars and Forbidden Planet
• Space Station K7 design's origins traced to NASA and Douglas Aircraft concepts
• Star Trek's impact on inspiring real-life astronauts and the space community
• Glen Swanson's book, "Inspired Enterprise," and how you can get a signed copy

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Glen Swanson

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