Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

Humanity is on the cusp of attempting permanent settlement on other worlds. But who gets to go? How will we govern ourselves or enforce laws off Earth? How can you have property rights, labor rights, or even individual rights when the very air you breathe is limited and potentially controlled by your employer? Dr. Erika Nesvold, astrophysicist and author of the new book “Off-Earth: Ethical Questions and Quandaries for Living in Outer Space” explores the ethical challenges facing our species as it dips its toe into living beyond our home planet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s episode, Director of Canadensys West Peter Visscher fills us in on the upcoming Canadian lunar rover. Visscher has been working on the rover for years. Bruce Betts also returns to the show for another installment of What's Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-canadian-lunar-rover-peter-visscherSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exciting updates to the plans to return samples from Mars to Earth are underway. Meenakshi Wadhwa, principal scientist for Mars Sample Return at NASA JPL, shares what we have learned from our studies of Martian meteorites and fills us in on the upcoming Mars Sample Return missions. Stick around for our review of the night sky and a look back at this week in space history in What’s Up with Bruce Betts.  Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-martian-rock-collecting See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new volunteer science project to search for alien technosignatures has launched! Jean-Luc Margot and Megan Li from UCLA join us to share the exciting debut of their Planetary Society STEP Grant-funded SETI project on Zooniverse. Our public education specialist Kate Howells reflects on the tenth anniversary of the Chelyabinsk Meteor Event, and don’t miss your chance to win a comfy Planetary Society beanie in this week’s Space Trivia Contest. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-are-we-alone-setiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mars expert Tanya Harrison shares the details on some of the newest discoveries about Mars’ history, including the discovery of an impact crater thought to be linked to a megatsunami in Mars’ ancient ocean and the discovery of opals, a water-rich gem, in Gale Crater. Stick around for What’s Up as we let you know what to look for this week in the night sky. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-more-on-mars-watery-history See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time in history, the White House laid out a national policy for science and technology in the vast expanse of cislunar space. This policy is not just for NASA — it's an all-of-government approach to establish the infrastructure and capabilities to enable a multitude of national and private actors to reach for the Moon and its environs. Dr. Matt Daniels of the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy chaired the group that defined this new strategy; he joins the show to discuss the strategy, its ambitions, and implications for the future of lunar exploration and development.  Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/us-new-cislunar-strategySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The James Webb Space Telescope has confirmed the discovery of its first exoplanet. Jacob Lustig-Yaeger, one of the leads on the team that made the detection, joins us to discuss the details. We share info on the Juno mission to Jupiter's next flybys of Io, let you know how to spot the "green comet" visiting our part of the Solar System, and provide insights on the night sky in What's Up. Discover more at https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-JWST-confirms-its-first-exoplanetSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Bolton, principal investigator for NASA's Juno mission, dives into the latest discoveries about Jupiter’s moons Ganymede, Europa, and Io. They discuss the data collected by the spacecraft, including the presence of an ice crust meeting a subsurface ocean, and the importance of studying these moons. Excitement builds for exploring IO, the most volcanic body in the solar system, and its interactions with Jupiter's magnetic field. They also cover observations of the poles on IO, Jupiter, Ganymede, and Europa, revealing unknown volcanic activity and polar cyclones.

Jason Achilles, a musician who partnered with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to help put one of the first microphones on Mars, shares his journey and the joy of listening to the sounds of Mars. We also highlight an upcoming opportunity to view comet 2022 E3 (ZTF). Stick around for more on the night sky and our space trivia contest with What’s Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-Martian-mic-dropSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeremy Graeber, the assistant launch director at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, joins us to recount his experience on the night of Artemis I’s historic launch. We celebrate the success of the mission and share a short segment about The Planetary Society’s new Space Life Goals list. Bruce Betts pops in to share more about this week in space history and what to keep an eye out for in the night sky in this week’s What’s Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-celebrating-artemis-1See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.