Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

Mastcam-Z is the main camera system that will soon leave for Mars as part of the Perseverance rover. Mastcam-Z Principal Investigator Jim Bell is back to tell us about what the most powerful set of eyes to reach the surface of the Red Planet may show us. Planetary Society Solar System Specialist Emily Lakdawalla explores four sample return missions headed out across our solar system. The Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient Greek computing device, anchors this week’s What’s Up segment with Bruce Betts. And someone will win one of Jim Bell’s books in the new space trivia contest. Learn more at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0701-2020-jim-bell-mastcam-z.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Low Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars, even Neptune and the edge of the solar system--China’s ambitious plans for space exploration and development are laid out by Planetary Society contributing editor and Chinese space program expert Andrew Jones. Jason Davis provides a brief overview of what’s in the June Solstice edition of The Planetary Report, now available for free. And it’s time to give away ice cream on What’s Up! Learn more at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0624-2020-andrew-jones-china-space-program.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The LightSail 2 team and 50,000 supporters around the world will celebrate the little spacecraft’s first anniversary on orbit in a few days. Planetary Society Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Vaughn remembers the long road to this accomplishment. LightSail Program Manager Bruce Betts and LightSail Project Manager Dave Spencer tell us what we’ve learned over the last year and look to the future of solar sailing. Dave also reveals his exciting new job at the Jet Propulsion Lab. Learn more at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0617-2020-light-sail-2-betts-spencer-vaughn.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keeping humans alive and well in space is hard enough. How will this be accomplished on a 3-year journey to Mars and back? Paragon President and CEO Grant Anderson shares the great progress we’ve made and the remaining challenges. Astronauts headed for the Red Planet may not need ice cream to stay alive, but will life be worth living without it? You may win a pint of Ben & Jerry’s moooony new flavor and a Netflix Space Force spoon to eat it with in this week’s space trivia contest. Learn more at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0610-2020-grant-anderson-life-support.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon safely carried 2 astronauts to the ISS, nearly a decade after NASA made a huge bet on commercial partnerships to solve a problem of access to the space station. Casey and Mat explore how NASA gained the political will to fundamentally re-imagine its relationship with the private sector. Will it spur a new market for sending humans into space? Chief of D.C. Operations Brendan Curry offers an update on Congress and the outlook for NASA's major programs in a period of unrest and uncertainty. Learn more about this month’s topics through links at  https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/space-policy-edition-50.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode opens with a special message about The Planetary Society’s response to recent news, followed by a period of silence that marks the unjust loss of George Floyd and other black men and women. In our regular coverage, we celebrate the successful launch and arrival of the Crew Dragon spacecraft at the International Space Station. Then it’s off to Mars with planetary scientist Edgard Rivera-Valentin. Learn more at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0603-2020-edgard-rivera-valentin-mars-brines-crew-dragon.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former astronaut and NASA Associate Administrator John Grunsfeld is often called the Hubble Repairman. He made three space shuttle trips to the space telescope to repair and upgrade it. Now he looks back over three decades of science, beautiful images, and inspiration delivered by the HST. Rubber asteroids are back, and you might win one in the new What’s Up space trivia contest. Great links, including to Mat Kaplan’s live interview with John Grunsfeld, are at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0527-2020-john-grunsfeld-hubble-30th.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Engineer and former astronaut Garrett Reisman spent four months on the International Space Station before moving to SpaceX. Ten years of work at the company are about to climax when a Crew Dragon capsule carries astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the ISS. Garrett shares his excitement and inside knowledge about the mission and the groundbreaking spacecraft. We’ve also got headlines from The Downlink, and a night sky update as part of this week’s What’s Up. Great links, including the Crew Dragon ISS manual approach simulation app, are at https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0513-2020-garrett-reisman-crew-dragon.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jet Propulsion Lab astrobiologist Kevin Hand has just written Alien Oceans: The Search for Life in the Depths of Space. Kevin and Mat explore these seas and whether they may have nurtured organisms with no connection to life on Earth. You may win a copy of Kevin’s excellent book in this week’s What’s Up space trivia contest with Bruce Betts. Take an even deeper dive at  https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0513-2020-kevin-hand-alien-oceans.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lori Garver may have been the strongest advocate of commercial space development in her days at NASA. Now one of that program’s greatest goals is about to achieved with the flight of American astronauts to the International Space Station in a Crew Dragon spaceship. The Planetary Society’s Jason Davis previews what to expect from the SpaceX Demo-2 mission. Also, headlines from The Downlink, and Venus shining bright in What’s Up with Bruce Betts. Learn more about Lori Garver and the Crew Dragon mission at  https://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2020/0506-2020-lori-garver-dm2-commercial-space.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.