

Are We There Yet?
Central Florida Public Media
Your weekly podcast journey into the latest news, missions, and stories shaping space exploration.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 20, 2025 • 28min
Artemis II is closer to flight and Voyager’s thrusters get a deep space fix
Lockheed Martin delivered the Orion spacecraft for NASA’s Artemis II mission. Now, the agency is preparing the vehicle for the more than ten-day flyby of our moon—with a crew of four. Plus, Voyager's thrusters are back online after over two decades.

May 13, 2025 • 28min
Mega rockets, private space stations and sweaty spacecraft
From the inaugural launch of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket to plans for SpaceX’s Starship to lift once off again, it’s been a busy year for commercial space. Plus, one engineer is making a sweat shield to protect spacecraft when re-entering Earth’s atmosphere.

May 7, 2025 • 28min
Proposed NASA funding cuts and tracking hurricanes from space

Apr 29, 2025 • 28min
Astrophotography and a snapshot of the space economy
The Orlando Museum of Art and the Central Florida Astronomical Society are hoping to inspire people to see the connection between art and space. Plus, we take a look at how the space economy is fairing under the new presidential administration and its policy changes.

Apr 22, 2025 • 28min
Planets eaten by stars and one astronaut’s guide to infinite possibilities
In our own galaxy, a planet’s orbit slowly got closer and closer to a star, resulting in the star gobbling up its own planet. Plus, one veteran astronaut is using his inspiration from his space career to inspire others to reach for the stars.

Apr 15, 2025 • 28min
A curious carbon finding on Mars and the prospect of space pirates
One of the rovers on Mars made a big discovery on the red planet: the largest organic carbon molecules to date. This discovery could lead scientists closer to answering the age-old question: could there have been life on Mars? Plus, just like pirates roam the seas, the idea of pirates or criminals in space could be more of a reality than science fiction.

Apr 8, 2025 • 28min
Starliner’s remarkable journey and the human factors of NASA missions
In an interview with Ars Technica’s Eric Berger, Starliner’s commander Butch Wilmore revealed that the spacecraft’s thruster issues led to one of the most harrowing journeys in his aerospace career. Plus, while we send robots to the moon, the success of a mission begins in the control room.

Apr 1, 2025 • 28min
The Scoop on 'Scopes
The “Are We There Yet?” team hosted a live panel discussion featuring experts on telescopes at the Daytona Beach Museum of Arts and Sciences. For centuries, telescopes have played a crucial role in science and exploration.The way telescopes work is simple: They magnify distant objects by collecting and focusing light. But through this simplicity, they can illuminate the complexities of the cosmos.

Mar 25, 2025 • 28min
Moon landers and sipping cocktails in space
Lunar Trailblazer, a mission to explore water on the lunar surface, is having some issues along its mission. Plus, the book “Alcohol in Space” and documentary explores the idea that alcohol should be more available so people can relax and have an important part of Earth’s culture while away from our home planet.

Mar 18, 2025 • 28min
Getting “swole” in space and a Voyager update
Exercise while in space is vital for the human body, but scientists are studying how important cardio workouts are for long duration missions. Plus, engineers and scientists have worked to keep Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 going for almost 50 years by turning off some of the systems.