Universe Today Podcast

The Kerbal Space Program is a fun game, but also an incredible tool for simulating a realistic space exploration program. According to a new paper, people playing the game can help develop innovative ideas that can turn into real missions, especially with the development and integration of reusable rockets like Starship and New Glenn. 👉 [Interview+] Bonus Part. No YT ads. FREE https://patreon.com/universetoday 🟣 Guest: Rodrigo Schmitt https://rodrigo-schmitt.github.io/ 📜 Design of space systems and operational mission architectures using sandbox games https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0094576525002048 00:00 Intro 01:14 KSP as a learning tool 12:26 Why is KSP useful for mission planning 21:17 From gamers to mission architects 22:54 Useful mods for KSP 25:08 Alternatives to KSP 26:52 Gaming meta and AI 33:22 Current obsessions 37:00 Final thoughts 📺 VIDEO VERSION https://youtu.be/DIFnf0UCZUk 📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/ Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/ 📩 CONTACT FRASER frasercain@gmail.com ⚖️ LICENSE Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

The official NASA cuts are here. Several missions reach big milestones. The Solar Gravitational Lens will be challenging to use, and in our special bonus version on Patreon, [Space Bites+] an additional story about New Horizons scanning the clouds of hydrogen around the Solar System. 🦄 Support us on Patreon: https://patreon.com/universetoday 00:00 Intro 00:19 NASA budget cuts are official https://www.universetoday.com/articles/the-white-house-releases-its-2026-budget-request-for-nasa-cuts-to-sls-gateway-and-orion 03:31 Milestones for Dragonfly and Roman https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/dragonfly/2025/04/24/nasas-dragonfly-passes-critical-design-review/ https://www.nasa.gov/missions/roman-space-telescope/key-portion-of-nasas-roman-space-telescope-clears-thermal-vacuum-test/ 05:22 Satellite occultations https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.03474 06:34 Complications with SGL https://www.universetoday.com/articles/using-the-solar-gravitational-lens-will-be-extremely-difficult 09:27 Vote results 10:09 Hakuto-R 2 arrives at Moon orbit https://www.universetoday.com/articles/ispaces-resilience-enters-lunar-orbit-itll-try-to-land-in-early-june 11:32 Rogue binary planets https://www.universetoday.com/articles/free-floating-binary-planets-cant-last-long 13:09 Strange object on the edge of the Milky Way https://www.universetoday.com/articles/its-either-the-milky-ways-farthest-known-star-cluster-or-the-smallest-known-galaxy 14:30 Guide to Space 15:50 Space Bites+ 16:09 Importance of keeping up space missions 📺 VIDEO VERSION https://youtu.be/M96tqKyVx_Q 📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/ Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/ 📩 CONTACT FRASER frasercain@gmail.com ⚖️ LICENSE Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

Which evidence will be a definite smoking gun when it comes to finding extraterrestrial life? Why is a Dyson sphere more realistic than warp drives? Will America ever adopt the metric system? And in our Q&A+ version, will China be collaborating with other nations in space? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show. 🎁 [Q&A+] Same video. No YT ads. BONUS question, totally free : https://www.patreon.com/universetoday 🚀 [Overtime] Even more Q&As https://www.patreon.com/universetoday 00:00 Start 00:32 [Ross] What will be a sufficient enough evidence of life on another world? 06:07 [Mikael Biilmann] Will North America ever switch to the metric system? 08:11 [LeMonkDog] Why is a Dyson sphere considered more rational than FTL travel? 12:34 [Conspiracy_Theory_Enthusiast] Are there any filters that help cope with light pollution? 📺 VIDEO VERSION https://youtu.be/Z31aWzrlOb0 📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/ Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/ 📩 CONTACT FRASER frasercain@gmail.com ⚖️ LICENSE Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

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Vera Rubin Telescope (aka LSST) is finally ready. We're expecting first light in the coming months. It will find Planet 9 (if it exists), discover thousands of new asteroids, millions of new supernovae and will change the way we do astronomy with its surveys of the night sky. Here's how it will do all that. 👉 Watch this interview with no YT ads: https://www.patreon.com/universetoday 00:00 Intro 01:25 What's happening with Vera Rubin 08:20 What will Vera Rubin be able to see 23:35 Northern Rubin Wen? 30:23 Survey telescopes 45:50 Light pollution and satellite constellations 50:18 Current obsessions 52:54 Final thoughts 📺 VIDEO VERSION https://youtu.be/FIJLCwtnKKI 📰 GUIDE TO SPACE Newsletter No ads. Subscribe for FREE: https://universetoday.com/newsletter 🎧 PODCASTS Universe Today: https://universetoday.fireside.fm/ Astronomy Cast: http://www.astronomycast.com/ 📩 CONTACT FRASER frasercain@gmail.com ⚖️ LICENSE Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)Support Universe Today Podcast

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Support Universe Today Podcast

Support Universe Today Podcast

Support Universe Today Podcast

Support Universe Today Podcast