In 1972, the final lunar mission of the Apollo program took place, finally sending a geologist to study the moon up close.

Links and Show Notes:

Our Apollo Episodes:

• Apollo 1
• Apollo 4 & 5
• Apollo 6
• Apollo 7
• Apollo 8
• Apollo 9
• Apollo 10
• Apollo 11
• Apollo 12
• Apollo 13
• Apollo 14
• Apollo 15
• Apollo 16
• Apollo 17

Apollo 17 | NASA

Apollo 17 Mission - Lunar and Planetary Institute

Apollo 17 | National Air and Space Museum

Apollo 17 Flight Journal

Apollo 17 Lunar Surface Journal

Fifty years later, remastered images reveal Apollo 17 in stunning clarity | Ars Technica

NASA Astronaut Group 4 - Wikipedia

Taurus–Littrow - Wikipedia

The Blue Marble - Wikipedia

Tracy's Rock - Wikipedia

Fe, Fi, Fo, Fum, and Phooey - Wikipedia

The Last Man on the Moon (2014) - IMDb

Apollo 17 Command Module - Space Center Houston

Your Hosts at Johnson Space Center in 2019

In the early morning of November 16, the SLS launched for the very first time.

Links and Show Notes:

Artemis Blog | NASA

Liftoff! NASA’s Artemis I Mega Rocket Launches Orion to Moon | NASA

NASA gets its mojo back with a stunning nighttime launch of the SLS rocket | Ars Technica

NASA's daring Artemis 1 'Red Crew' saved the launch to the moon | Space

The Artemis I Engines - @oz1sej on Twitter

Artemis I releases 10 cubesats, including a Moon lander, for technology and research - NASASpaceFlight.com

Artemis I Map | NASA

NASA’s New Orion Spacecraft Completes First Spaceflight Test | NASA

A press release from December 2014.

The oracle who predicted SLS’s launch in 2023 has thoughts about Artemis III | Ars Technica

Jason and Stephen pop open the hatch to marvel at the JWST's first images, talk about the SLS and wonder what is going on with Russia and the ISS.

Links and Show Notes:

First Images: NASA Reveals Webb Telescope's First Images of Unseen Universe

NASA’s Webb Delivers Deepest Infrared Image of Universe Yet | NASA

NASA’s Webb Reveals Steamy Atmosphere of Distant Planet in Detail | NASA

NASA’s Webb Captures Dying Star’s Final ‘Performance’ in Fine Detail | NASA

NASA’s Webb Sheds Light on Galaxy Evolution, Black Holes | NASA

NASA’s Webb Reveals Cosmic Cliffs, Glittering Landscape of Star Birth | NASA

One week later, astronomers find a galaxy even deeper back in time | Ars Technica

Teams Press Ahead Toward Artemis I Launch in Late August – Artemis

Artemis 1 - Wikipedia

Russia says it plans to withdraw from the International Space Station after 2024 - The Verge

Russian space director’s wild threats could have real implications for the ISS - The Verge

Russia: We’re not leaving the Space Station until our own is ready | Ars Technica

An Out-of-Control Chinese Rocket Is Going to Crash Into Earth Tomorrow

Liftoff #12: The Size of a Refrigerator - Relay FM

In April 1972, the crew of Apollo 16 spent 71 hours on the surface of the moon after a series of technical glitches put their landing in jeopardy. The second of three J-missions, the crew spent nearly three whole days on the surface and completed an EVA on the way home, returning one day earlier than initially planned.

Links and Show Notes:

Our Apollo Episodes:

• Apollo 1
• Apollo 4 & 5
• Apollo 6
• Apollo 7
• Apollo 8
• Apollo 9
• Apollo 10
• Apollo 11
• Apollo 12
• Apollo 13
• Apollo 14
• Apollo 15
• Apollo 16
• Apollo 17

Apollo 16 | NASA

Apollo 16 Flight Journal - Index Page

The Apollo 16 Flight Journal - Apollo 16 Flight Summary

Apollo 16 Lunar Surface Journal

Lunar - Missions - Apollo 16 Mission

Apollo 16 | National Air and Space Museum

APOLLO 16 Grand Prix - Speed Corrected, Sound, Stabilized [HD source] (1972/04/21) - YouTube

The SLS has enjoyed some Florida sunshine but is headed back to the VAB for more work. This time, Stephen and Jason catch up on NASA's new rocket, plus some other news.

Links and Show Notes:

NASA’s next decade: Build a mission to an ice giant | Ars Technica

Planetary Science Decadal Survey: After the… | The Planetary Society

NASA to roll back its mega rocket after failing to complete countdown test | Ars Technica

NASA plans to roll first Artemis moon rocket back to hangar next week – Spaceflight Now

NASA Invites Media to Cover Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 Mission | NASA

For All Mankind: Season 3 - Official Teaser Trailer (2022) Joel Kinnaman, Michael Dorman - YouTube

On this special episode, Stephen and Jason celebrate the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope and talk about the future of the podcast. The short version is that we will no longer be publishing every other week. Moving forward, we'll be recording special episodes as major news warrants.

Links and Show Notes:

Where Is Webb? NASA/Webb

Podcast - Main Engine Cut Off

Days away from (hopefully) the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope, Stephen and Jason talk about the hype around the mission, as well as the latest with SLS and Starliner.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

David Nagy on Twitter: "With this, Bigelow's final operational asset on orbit is no longer under their control as the company disolves BEAM is officially a NASA owned module of the ISS as of today..."

Boeing to Move Up Service Modules for Commercial Crew Flight Tests – Commercial Crew Program

Starliner service module for Orbital Flight Test-2 being replaced - SpaceFlight Insider

Roscosmos selects first cosmonaut for commercial crew flights - SpaceNews

Rocket Lab unveils details of new reusable Neutron launcher - The Verge

Artemis I Space Launch System Rollout Delayed to January - SpaceFlight Insider

SLS Booster Fired up to Test Improved Design for Future Artemis Missions – Artemis

Webb Placed on Top of Ariane 5 – James Webb Space Telescope

James Webb Space Telescope: Looking back in time to catch the earliest starlight in creation - 60 Minutes - CBS News

The future of the International Space Station is the topic of a new report, all while the SLS inches closer to its first launch. Also: DART is on its way to a celestial crash and a spacewalk has been delayed thanks to debris from the recent Russian ASAT test.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

NASA postpones ISS spacewalk because of debris - SpaceNews

NASA Provides Update on Webb Telescope Launch – James Webb Space Telescope

JWST undamaged from payload processing incident - SpaceNews

Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) Mission | NASA

NASA wants to defend Earth from asteroids — so it’s slamming a spacecraft into one - The Verge

Nasa’s Management of The International Space Station and Efforts to Commercialize Low Earth Orbit (PDF)

How To Deorbit The International Space Station Safely - YouTube

Umbilical hardware arrives for SLS ML-2, runs out of funding - NASASpaceFlight.com

NASA wants to buy SLS rockets at half price, fly them into the 2050s | Ars Technica

NASA to Roll Out Mega Moon Rocket for First Time, Media Invited | NASA

Eric Berger on Twitter: "Update on the engine controller issue affecting one of the four space shuttle main engines that power the SLS..." - Twitter

Give the Gift of Relay FM Membership

Artemis' 2024 lunar landing is officially off the table. Russia has shot one of its own satellites down, leading to emergency procedures being carried out at the ISS.

Yeah, not a great week in space.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

• LinkedIn Jobs: Post a job for free by visiting this link.
• The Intrazone, by Microsoft SharePoint: Your bi-weekly conversation and interview podcast about SharePoint, OneDrive and related tech within Microsoft 365.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Not Saying it was Aliens, but 'Oumuamua Probably Wasn't a Nitrogen Iceberg... - Universe Today

Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) | NASA

Practice Makes Perfect: Simulating Separation in Near Zero Gravity | NASA

Maybe It's a Lost Piece of the Moon, but Don't Call It a Moon - The New York Times

Crew Dragon lands safely, despite one parachute inflating slowly [Updated] | Ars Technica

NASA’s DART Preps for Launch in First Planetary Defense Test Mission | NASA

Eric Berger on Twitter: "If the review is favorable, this means that there's a pretty reasonable chance that Starship and Super Heavy will make their first orbital launch attempt during the first quarter of 2022."

The Space Review: Resetting Artemis

Blue Origin loses lawsuit against federal government over NASA’s human lunar lander contracts - The Verge

NASA delays Moon landings, says Blue Origin legal tactics partly to blame | Ars Technica

NASA delays ambitious human lunar landing to 2025 - The Verge

NASA will spend $93 billion on Artemis moon program by 2025, report estimates | Space

Russia blows up a satellite, creating a dangerous debris cloud in space - The Verge

Russia may have just shot down its own satellite, creating a huge debris cloud [Updated] | Ars Technica

NASA Administrator Statement on Russian ASAT Test | NASA

Russia acknowledges anti-satellite test, but says it’s no big deal | Ars Technica

The Darkest Timeline Theory on Russia

Ingenuity is flying faster than ever as JWST and SLS inch closer to launch. Then, a look at two different proposed commercial space stations.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Mars helicopter tests higher rotor speed on latest flight - SpaceFlight Insider

Flying on Mars Is Getting Harder and Harder - NASA Mars

NASA’s Juno spacecraft finds just how deep Jupiter’s Great Red Spot goes - The Verge

NASA’s Juno: Science Results Offer First 3D View of Jupiter Atmosphere | NASA

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 Launch Delayed from Nov. 3 – NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 Mission

Tom Marshburn brings extensive spaceflight experience to Crew-3 mission – Spaceflight Now

JWST launch preparations on track - SpaceNews

Teams evaluate Hubble safe mode event, history of telescope leads to JWST - NASASpaceFlight.com

NASA fully stacks the SLS rocket for the first time - Space Explored

NASA announces Artemis I launch window - Space Explored

Inside Artemis 1's complex launch windows and constraints - NASASpaceFlight.com

Nanoracks, Lockheed Martin and Voyager Space plan to launch crewed commercial space station by 2027 | TechCrunch

Blue Origin, Sierra Space, and Boeing announce Orbital Reef - NASASpaceFlight.com

Blue Origin reveals plans for future commercial space station called Orbital Reef - The Verge

St. Jude Mission of a Lifetime Podcast

This week, Jason preps a glass of ice water for Stephen and the two discuss recent Starliner updates, the future of the ISS and Lucy.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

• Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
• Ladder: Flexible life insurance in minutes.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Hubble Finds Evidence of Water Vapor in One Hemisphere of Europa | NASA

Hubble Finds First Evidence of Water Vapor at Jupiter's Moon Ganymede

Small satellite launcher Astra identifies cause behind strange sideways rocket launch - The Verge

Astra Announces LV0007 Launch Window For The United States Space Force | Astra

Starliner valve investigation continues to focus on moisture interaction with propellant - SpaceNews

NASA Selects First Commercial Destination Module for Space Station | NASA

The Space Review: What is the future of the International Space Station?

Space Station Emergency Prompted by Russian Thruster Firing - The New York Times

Lucy: The First Mission to Jupiter’s Trojans | NASA

Lucy: First Mission to the Trojan Asteroids - YouTube

NASA's Mission to Visit 8 Asteroids, Lucy, Launches on October 16th - Universe Today

Lucy Spacecraft Healthy; Solar Arrays Being Analyzed – Lucy Mission

Lucy’s solar panel hasn’t latched—a problem for a mission powered by the Sun | Ars Technica

Star Trek's William Shatner, Back From Space With a Message | Time