This Week in Space podcast covers the new space age plus the race to Mars and other planets.
Starliner is back and, by all accounts, could have returned with its crew had it been necessary. However, with NASA's "safety forward" approach prevailing, the spacecraft landed uncrewed on September 6, three months after it docked with the International Space Station. Now, the work begins to try to solve the problems- largely software changes, dealing with balky thrusters, and helium leaks- so that the Starliner Crew 1 can fly next year. But how did we get here? What's NASA's take on the latest Starliner mission? And, perhaps above all, how will Boeing approach the program moving ahead? We'll bring you the latest and greatest--and fear not, we have Tariq here to keep us fair--on what's going on with Boeing's Starliner CST-100 spacecraft.
Headlines:
• For the first time, a commercial crew flew above low Earth orbit on SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission, setting records for the highest spaceflight by female astronauts and the first commercial spacewalk by a female astronaut.
• The FAA says it won't clear SpaceX's Starship Flight 5 from Boca Chica, Texas until November due to environmental concerns, frustrating SpaceX as they aim to conduct refueling tests and prepare for lunar missions.
Main Topic: Starliner's Return and Future
• Boeing's Starliner spacecraft finally returned on September 6th, three months after it launched, facing challenges such as thruster failures, overheating, and a GPS dropout during the flight.
• Rod and Tariq discuss the cultural differences between Boeing and SpaceX, with SpaceX embracing a more iterative, failure-tolerant approach that allowed them to innovate faster.
• They debate whether Boeing's traditional aerospace culture and cost-cutting measures contributed to Starliner's issues and the company's lack of transparency during the mission.
• Despite the challenges, Starliner demonstrated its ability to survive an extended mission and NASA remains confident that Boeing will fly out its Commercial Crew contract.
• The future of Starliner may involve private missions to upcoming commercial space stations, but standardizing spacesuits across different spacecraft will be crucial for crew safety.
• While Starliner faced setbacks, Rod and Tariq emphasize the importance of having multiple crew transportation systems to ensure continuous access to space.
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
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We all know the ISS is living its last days and will be deorbited sometime around 2030... but what's coming up next? For episode 127, Max Haot of VAST joins us to discuss his company's first space station, called Haven-1, set to launch in 2025. For a company just just a few years old, VAST has made impressive progress toward what is likely to be the first private crewed space station in history. Subsequent plans include a larger orbital habitat with artificial gravity and much more. It's an exciting time in Space 2.0, and companies like VAST are leading the way! Join us for this fascinating hour.
Headlines:
- Boeing Starliner update: Undocking and landing plans, tension between Boeing and NASA over thruster issues, crew flight delayed to August 2025
- Blue Origin unveils landing ship Jaclyn (named after Jeff Bezos' mom) and moves New Glenn second stage to launch pad for testing, targeting October launch for NASA's Escapade Mars mission
- NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3) CubeSat deploys solar sail and begins navigation tests
Main Topic: VAST with CEO Max Haot
- Max shares his background in software development and his journey to becoming the CEO of VAST
- VAST aims to create a future where more humans live in space than on Earth by developing artificial gravity space stations
- The company's near-term goal is to win NASA's Commercial LEO Destination (CLD) program to become a commercial successor to the ISS
- VAST is developing Haven-1, its first space station module, to be launched by 2026 and visited by a crew of four for two weeks as a proof of concept
- Haven-1 will provide a larger volume and better amenities compared to free-flying SpaceX Dragon missions, allowing customers to enjoy a more comfortable two-week stay in orbit
- VAST is working closely with SpaceX and will use Starlink laser terminals for high-speed, low-latency connectivity on Haven-1
- The long-term vision is to build a large, rotating space station consisting of seven Starship modules to create artificial gravity, though many technical challenges remain
- Max emphasizes the importance of building a strong company culture and the ability to develop safe, human-rated systems at a low cost
- Upcoming milestones for VAST include revealing Haven-1's primary structure and interior design, launching a demo satellite, and selecting the crew for the first Haven-1 mission
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Max Haot
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Sponsor:
As if election season wasn't scary enough, now we have rogue planets to worry about! Out in the vast darkness between star systems, these worlds wander through the interstellar void, sometimes in pairs, and when they encounter a solar system, havoc can result. Add to the fact that they are hard to see, and you have a recipe for worry. Fortunately, we have astrophysicists like Dr. Rosalba Perna on the job, learning more about these strange, errant planets daily! Add to that the ever-increasing stash of data we're getting from the James Webb Space Telescope, and we can all sleep a bit better at night. Join us for a fascinating hour with Dr. Perna as we learn about rogue planets!
Headlines:
Main Topic - Rogue Planets:
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Rosalba Perna
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It's the end of summer, and that means it's time to go back to school—in our case, space school! There's a lot going on, a lot coming up, and a whole lot to know about the next 9 months in space. What can we expect from SpaceX? How are the outer solar system missions proceeding? What about the new rocket engines for the Artemis program? What are we doing about orbital debris? Are we really in a new space race with China? And much more, including that most vexing of questions: what's up with Starliner? Join us for the fun.
Headlines:
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
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Sponsor:
Czarina Salido, a physics graduate of mixed Mexican and Native American heritage, founded Taking Up Space in 2014. This nonprofit aims to address the underrepresentation of women, particularly Native American girls, in STEM fields. Based near Tucson, the organization provides mentoring, instruction, and Space Camp scholarships to disadvantaged girls on a nearby reservation. Salido's initiative has gained recognition in the STEM community and inspired similar efforts nationwide. Join us as we discuss her work's challenges and successes in this episode of This Week in Space!
Headlines:
Main Topic - Taking Up Space with Czarina Salido:
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Czarina Salido
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Each year, there are a handful of impressive meteor showers, and one of the largest and best this year will be the Perseids. The quarter moon will set just before midnight, when the shower activity peaks, and if you're in a dark spot expect to see maybe 50-60 shooting stars per hour. Steve Fentress, veteran astronomer and planetarium director, joins us to provide viewing tips, a meteor shower, and star lore over the ages, and more.
Headlines: Starliner
- Boeing's Starliner spacecraft continues to face issues, with some experts questioning whether the program will continue after the current mission
- NASA's recent press conferences regarding Starliner have been criticized for lack of clarity and transparency
- SpaceX's Crew Dragon may become the sole provider of crew transportation to the International Space Station if Starliner's problems persist
Main Topic: The Perseid Meteor Shower
- The Perseid meteor shower, peaking around August 12th, is expected to be especially impressive this year due to favorable moon conditions
- Observers can expect to see up to one or two meteors per minute under dark sky conditions
- The Perseids are created by debris left behind by comet 109P Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the sun every 133 years
- Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli first identified the connection between the Perseids and comet Swift-Tuttle in the 19th century
- The colors observed in meteors are caused by different chemical elements in the meteoroids and Earth's atmosphere
- Steve Fentress shares the fascinating history of meteor shower observations and their connection to comets
- Tips for observing the Perseids include finding a dark location, dressing warmly, and watching the sky between 3 AM and dawn
- The future of planetariums lies in becoming valuable community resources and embracing new technologies to create engaging experiences for visitors
- Steve Fentress discusses his book "Sky to Space" and his new podcast, "The Forgotten Bookshelf," which features interesting and obscure topics from old books
Host: Rod Pyle
Co-Host: Isaac Arthur
Guest: Steve Fentress
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It's been said that Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids, and that's certainly the assertion of the popular 2023 book, "A City on Mars" by Kelly and Zack Weinersmith. In fact, they question the future of settling humans off Earth in its entirety. Certainly, it will be challenging, but is it impossible? Are there reasons we should not go? We gathered together two of our favorite experts on the topic, Dale Skran, the COO and SVP of the National Space Society, and Mr. YouTube himself, Isaac Arthur—who has produced maybe 100 hours or more of well-regarded videos on the subject—to discuss the book and our prospects for rational, realistic space settlement plans. Join us!
Get "A City on Mars": https://amzn.to/3LWMhY1
Host: Rod Pyle
Co-Host: Isaac Arthur
Guest: Dale Skran
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A nova is a star that periodically sheds mass in a huge flare-up of light and energy. This week, astrophysicist Dr. Carlos Badenes from the University of Pittsburgh joins us to discuss a star that should be going nova in the next few weeks--and will be visible in the night sky for about 6-7 days! T Corona Borealis (TCrB) is a binary system comprising two stars in the constellation Corona Borealis that bursts into magnitude 2 (as seen from Earth) about every 80 years--and should do so again by mid-September! Join us.
Headlines:
Main Topic - The Visible Nova in the Sky Near You:
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Carlos Badenes
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Sponsor:
In this episode of This Week in Space, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik dive into the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, discussing the mission's highlights, challenges, and historical significance. They also cover recent space news, including Elon Musk's plans to move SpaceX's headquarters to Texas, the Falcon 9 upper stage failure, and the cancellation of NASA's VIPER rover mission. Looking ahead, the hosts speculate on the future of the Artemis program and the political landscape's influence on space exploration.
Headlines:
- Elon Musk announces plans to move SpaceX's headquarters from California to Texas, citing disagreements with a new state law and his political alignment with Texas.
- SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket experiences an upper stage failure during a recent launch, leading to the loss of payload and an investigation by the FAA and NASA.
- NASA cancels its VIPER rover mission, which aimed to search for water ice at the Moon's south pole, due to budget constraints and scheduling issues with the Astrobotic Griffin lander.
- Lou Dobbs, the co-founder of Space.com, passes away at the age of 78.
Apollo 11 55th Anniversary:
- Rod Pyle shares his memories of watching the Apollo 11 launch and moon landing as a teenager, highlighting the limited media coverage and resources available at the time.
- The hosts discuss the tense moments during the lunar module's descent, including computer alarms, low fuel warnings, and Neil Armstrong's quick thinking to avoid a boulder field.
- They recount the challenges faced by the astronauts, such as the difficulty in opening the lunar module's hatch and Buzz Aldrin's ingenious use of a felt-tip pen to reset a broken circuit breaker.
- The hosts emphasize the significance of the Apollo 11 mission and argue for July 20th to be recognized as a national holiday.
Artemis Program and the Future of Space Exploration:
- Rod and Tariq express frustration with the slow progress of the Artemis program compared to the rapid pace of the Apollo missions.
- They discuss the potential impact of the upcoming U.S. presidential election on NASA's funding and priorities, particularly in light of the growing competition with China in space.
- The hosts highlight the challenges facing SpaceX's Starship as the chosen vehicle for the Artemis program's human landing system, including the need for further testing and the development of a 120-foot elevator to transport astronauts to the lunar surface.
- Tariq makes a bold prediction that NASA astronauts will be walking on the Moon by July 20th, 2029, and offers to give Rod his "STar Trek" chair if the prediction doesn't come to pass.
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
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If you saw the movie "Gravity," you have a sense of the dangers of orbital debris—and the risk is very real. More than 25,000 objects over four inches in diameter are tracked by the US Space Force, and millions of others are smaller or untracked—everything from derelict satellites to dead rocket stages to bits of shrapnel and even just chunks of frozen rocket fuel is there. And even something the size and mass of a paint chip, traveling at orbital speeds, can take out a window of a spacecraft. We're joined by Dr. John Crassidis from the University of Buffalo, an expert in orbital debris and its dangers. Look out below; this is going to be a hot one!
Headlines:
Mailbag:
Main Topic: Orbital Debris Discussion with Dr. John Crassidis
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Dr. John Crassidis
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