Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

Join Planetary Radio host Sarah Al-Ahmed for part two of her trip to the 2023 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Symposium in Houston, Texas.  You'll hear from Mike LaPointe and John Nelson, the NIAC Program Executive and Deputy Program Executive along with Theresa Benyo (NASA Glenn Research Center), Lynn Rothschild (NASA Ames Research Center), and Javid Bayandor (State University of New York). Stick around for What's Up with Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, to learn more about his favorite science conferences.    Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-niac-part-2 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join Planetary Radio host Sarah Al-Ahmed on a trip to the 2023 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Symposium in Houston, Texas. In this jam-packed two-part series, you'll hear Sarah's interviews with the inspiring NIAC fellows who are thinking up the technologies that could change the future of space exploration. In this episode, you’ll hear from Congrui Grace Jin (University of Nebraska, Lincoln), Quinn Morley (Planet Enterprises), Ronald Polidan (Lunar Resources, Inc.), and Edward Balaban (NASA Ames Research Center). Stick around for What's Up with Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, for a discussion about the advances in space exploration during our lifetimes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Louis Friedman, one of the three co-founders of The Planetary Society, joins Planetary Radio to discuss his new book, "Alone but Not Lonely: Exploring for Extraterrestrial Life." The book takes us on a realistic but hopeful reflection on the search for life, from habitable worlds to the technologies that might allow us to explore exoplanets without leaving our stellar backyard. Then stick around for What's Up with Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, as we get his hot take on life in the universe.   Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-alone-but-not-lonely See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carver Bierson from Arizona State University discusses how Jupiter's radiant beginnings might have turned Io from a water-rich moon into a world with lakes of lava. Voyager project manager Suzanne Dodd and Voyager project scientist Linda Spilker share their endeavor to reestablish contact with Voyager 2. Other topics include retaining atmosphere and water on moons, the mystery of Europa's ocean, upcoming missions to Jovian moons, and the journey of helium.

Lujendra Ojha, assistant professor at Rutgers University, discusses subsurface liquid water on exoplanets orbiting red dwarf stars and its potential for habitable worlds. They explore the Trappist system, Proxima Centauri B, and the prevalence of M-dwarf stars. They also discuss factors impacting basal bounty on exoplanets, challenges of melting ice, and the potential for life beneath ice sheets.

A next-generation asteroid discovery algorithm, HelioLinc3D, has successfully identified its first potentially hazardous asteroid. Mario Jurić and Ari Heinze from the University of Washington join Planetary Radio to discuss the upcoming Vera Rubin Observatory and how their team's new asteroid detection algorithm can help defend our world. The Planetary Society editorial director, Rae Paoletta, marks the successful landing of the Indian Space Research Organization's (ISRO's) Chandrayaan-3 mission on the Moon. Then Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, pops in for What's Up and a conversation about space dreams.    Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-algorithm-potentially-hazardous-asteroid See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kevin Trinh, a researcher at Arizona State University, discusses his research on Europa's formation history and its potential habitability. Topics include the upcoming total solar eclipse, Europa's geophysics and geochemistry, solid materials and internal heat in the solar system, tidal heating and volcanism on Europa, and the potential for life on the moon.

Researchers discuss the JWST's detection of water vapor in a planet-forming disk, providing insights into planet formation. They explore hypotheses on water delivery to rocky planets and the complexity of molecules in planet-forming disks. The importance of considering both gas and dust components in planet formation is discussed, along with the excitement for future discoveries and research.

Many missions are working to understand Mars' past habitability, but could there still be microbial life on the red planet today? This week on Planetary Radio, we discuss the proposed Mars Life Explorer mission with Amy Williams, assistant professor of geology at the University of Florida. Then Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, pops in for What's Up and a celebratory conversation about reestablishing contact with the beloved Voyager 2 spacecraft. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-mars-life-explorer See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Pace, the prior executive secretary of the National Space Council, discusses why Artemis is of strategic value to U.S. national interests — and why the Moon is unique as a destination to drive global space exploration. Casey also discusses the latest congressional budgets news and what it means for NASA’s Mars Sample Return program. Note: the Space Policy Edition will go on hiatus for two months and return in November 2023. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/lunar-exploration-enduring-national-interestSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.