Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

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.

After the delay of the Psyche mission, an independent review board faulted management and workforce problems at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as one of the causes. This month we feature the JPL Director, Dr. Laurie Leshin, to discuss what the lab is doing in response to these critiques, how NASA can compete with the private sector for top talent, and why our society needs to improve the diversity of its workforce to ensure every brain possible can work in space exploration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New host Sarah Al-Ahmed bids a fond farewell to Mat Kaplan, Planetary Radio’s former host, with a heartwarming compilation of messages from fans, followed by a special interview with Mat about his two decades as creator and producer of the show. Be sure to catch Sarah and Bruce Betts in this week’s What’s Up as they share a special gaming-themed trivia question. Discover more at https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-stories-with-mat-kaplanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Mat Kaplan’s last episode as host of Planetary Radio. He has gathered several of his colleagues to celebrate an outstanding year across the Solar System and beyond. New host Sarah Al-Ahmed sticks around to join Bruce Betts and Mat for her first What’s Up appearance, including listeners’ suggestions for what Mat should take on next! Discover more at  https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2022-year-in-space-reviewSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Mat Kaplan returned to Naval Base San Diego to greet the return of the Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft aboard the USS Portland. Stay with us for a collage of entertaining excerpts of 10 of the very best Planetary Radio episodes produced over the last two decades. Incoming host Sarah Al-Ahmed points to a new article about the JWST’s stunning infrared image of Neptune. Don’t miss Mat serenading Bruce Betts in this week’s What’s Up! Discover more at  https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2022-best-of-planetary-radio-orion-capsule-recoverySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.