Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

The SpaceX of today reuses rockets and launches people into space. But 15 years ago, the future of the company was in doubt as its Falcon 1 rocket repeatedly failed to reach orbit. Eric Berger, Senior Space Editor at Ars Technica, joins the show to discuss his new book, Liftoff, which chronicles these early, formative years of the company in which it nearly collapsed. Discover more here:  https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/0305-2021-spe-eric-bergerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cleaning up water pollution, inventing inexpensive ventilators for hospitals, turning waste plastic into sidewalks, and making baby formula more nutritious—these and thousands of other innovations have come directly from research and development for space exploration. NASA technology transfer program executive Daniel Lockney takes us on a tour of Spinoff 21, the agency’s fascinating new report.  Bruce Betts reminds us that a spin past Venus is sometimes the best way to head to far more distant worlds.  That’s the inspiration for this week’s What’s Up space trivia contest. There’s much more to hear and discover at https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/dan-lockney-nasa-spinoff-21See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mars 2020 rover is on Mars. We have collected the most thrilling moments from the landing and the revelations that followed, including the first sounds recorded on the Red Planet. Bill Nye congratulates the entire Perseverance team and explains why this audacious mission is so important. Then Bruce Betts and Mat Kaplan welcome special guests as they read the winners of the What’s Up Mars poetry contest. There’s more to discover at  https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/perseverance-landing-highlightsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Planetary Society’s Planetfest ’21 celebrated Mars and the newest visitors to the Red Planet.  Mat Kaplan shares some of his Planetfest conversation with Andy Weir, author of The Martian. We also sit down with the leader of the United Arab Emirates’ Hope mission that entered Mars orbit a few days ago. Planetary Society contributing editor Andrew Jones provides an update on China’s Tianwen-1 spacecraft that arrived within hours of Hope.  We’ll also join preparations for the landing of NASA’s Mars 2020 rover Perseverance as we hear a media briefing from mission leaders. There’s more to discover at  https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/planetfest-andy-weir-omran-sharaf-andrew-jonesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mars has commanded our attention and stimulated our imaginations for millenia. Now, as 3 more spacecraft arrive, we talk with author Marc Hartzman about his new book that documents the fascination and fancy generated by the Red Planet. Planetary Society Chief Advocate Casey Dreier gives us a taste of the Society’s recommendations for the Biden administration regarding space exploration. Bruce Betts provides one more opportunity to win a Planetfest ’21 t-shirt! There’s more to discover, including a link to Planetfest ’21, at https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/marc-hartzman-big-book-of-marsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt Hourihan is perhaps the world's most knowledgeable expert in how the U.S. government funds basic science and development activities. He joins the show to talk about the big picture of where the money goes, how the focus has changed over time, and the consequences of budget cuts to critical science investments. Discover more here:  https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/0205-2021-spe-matt-hourihanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Astronomer Linda Schweizer spent countless hours interviewing the explorers who revolutionized astronomy through observations made at California’s Palomar Observatory. She tells their fascinating stories and shares their science in her new book Cosmic Odyssey: How Intrepid Astronomers at Palomar Observatory Changed our View of the Universe. Attention space poets! You might win a Planetfest ’21 t-shirt as Mat and Bruce invite your best efforts in the new What’s Up contest. Hey, it could be verse! There’s more to discover, including a link to Planetfest ’21, at https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/0203-2021-linda-schweizer-cosmic-odysseySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could the first object shown to have originated outside our solar system be a light sail built by an alien civilization? That’s the very controversial hypothesis put forward by distinguished Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb in his new book Extraterrestrial. The book is about much more than ‘Oumuamua, and so is Avi’s conversation with Mat Kaplan. Bill Nye pays tribute to a fallen member of The Planetary Society’s space family, and the biggest coincidence in the history of Planetary Radio surfaces during What’s Up.There’s more to discover, including a link to Planetfest ’21, at https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/0127-2021-avi-loeb-extraterrestrialSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2020 Mars Rover will reach the Red Planet on February 18th after many months in the relative quiet of space. It will then undergo a true trial by fire as it descends to the surface. Jet Propulsion Lab systems engineer and his colleagues hope it will arrive as successfully as its sister Curiosity did in 2012. He tells host Mat Kaplan what to expect. Planetary Radio listeners prove once again that they are awesome as they go to amazing and unnecessary lengths (oops!) to answer the space trivia quiz. There’s more to discover at https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/0120-2021-gregory-villar-perseverance-edlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is not your normal episode of the Space Policy Edition, but these are not normal times. The centuries-old U.S. tradition of the peaceful transfer of power ended on 6 January 2021, as a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol building during the certification of the electoral college vote, leaving 5 dead. Hours later, more than one hundred members of Congress voted to object to the certified electoral results of Arizona and Pennsylvania. Jared Zambrano-Stout, former congressional staffer and chief of staff of the National Space Council, joins the show to help process these events. We’ll return to our usual space policy content in February. Discover more here:  https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/0115-2021-spe-jared-zambrano-stoutSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.