

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists
Richard Hollingham, Sue Nelson
Publishing monthly, Space Boffins brings you cutting edge conversation and debate about the past, present and future of space science.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 9, 2014 • 34min
The Mars Yard
The Space Boffins are in America to hear about Neil Armstrong and the hypersonic X-15 at the Edwards Air Force base, and they're also reporting from the surface of Mars. More precisely, from the UK's new Mars Yard, in Stevenage. But the head of the UK Space Agency, the European Space Agency's head of robotic exploration and Business Secretary Vince Cable are also walking on the red planet with them. There's also an interview with former space shuttle astronaut Jon McBride and the studio guest is Helen Keen - presenter of Radio 4 comedy 'It Is Rocket Science'. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Mar 10, 2014 • 36min
Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence and the challenge of looking for space aliens and why they never attack Belgium is under scrutiny this month. Plus, Richard Hollingham also reports from the Mojave desert on the progress being made by Virgin Galactic and XCOR to fly tourists into space. And he talks to a U2 spy plane pilot about boiling blood and life above the Earthlings... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Feb 10, 2014 • 30min
Exo Mars and Crowd-funded SpaceCraft
Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham dodge a prototype Mars rover on location at Airbus Defence and Space in Stevenage - where the future Exo Mars mission rover is going to be built. They're joined by space engineer Abbie Hutty and the Mr Future of advanced space concepts, Matthew Stuttard. There are also reports on Urthecast - the two new British-made cameras on the International Space Station - and the imminent launch of the crowd-funded spacecraft, KickSat. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jan 10, 2014 • 26min
Chris Hadfield: How to fix a space toilet
Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham meet astronaut Chris Hadfield. In this special edition of the podcast, Commander Hadfield talks about fixing a space toilet, how rifle practice helped him dock a spacecraft and the advantages of flying musicians in space. We also hear from a group of children he's been singing with and he gives his views on space tourism. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Dec 10, 2013 • 38min
The future of lunar space missions
Join Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham for a lunar love-in featuring Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell and studio guests David Baker, author of the latest Apollo 13 Haines Manual, and the spacetastic Gareth Jones. Together they discuss the future of lunar space missions and Richard reports from the United States on Apollo's successor, Orion, with a space architect. Plus there's a seasonal tribute to Apollo 8. What's not to like? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Nov 8, 2013 • 40min
Looking forward to ExoMars
Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham are joined by new Mars Society president Jerry Stone and aspiring astronaut Kate Arkless Gray. Sue reports from the UK control room of the Mars SAFER field trial as scientists operate an ExoMars rover prototype, there's a revealing interview by Kate with Apollo 12 astronaut Alan Bean, and shield your ears if you want to hear how Richard got on in QinetiQ's centrifuge. Warning: it's not pretty. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Oct 9, 2013 • 38min
Sue in a Centrifuge
Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham discover what it's like to undergo G forces with a special podcast from QinetiQ's centrifuge facility - the only one of its kind in the UK. As Sue spins around, guests Dr Jon Scott and Dr Simon Brown discuss the physical stresses on the body and the demands on astronauts and pilots. There's also a close up look at the James Webb Space Telescope mirrors and we hear from veteran US pilot Wally Funk, who had the right stuff to become an astronaut in 1960 but is still waiting for her chance to go into space. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Sep 9, 2013 • 37min
Missions to Mars
Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham present a Mars podcast special. Interviews include Curiosity Rover's Principal Investigator for its Radiation Assessment Detector, and the British physics student who's applied for a one way trip to Mars. Studio guests are Dr Robert Massey, from the Royal Astronomical Society, and its space scientist president, Professor David Southwood from Imperial College London - also the former director of science and robotic exploration at the European Space Agency. Not forgetting Richard's report from Lockheed Martin in Denver beside the new... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Aug 9, 2013 • 38min
NOAA's Space Weather Centre
Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham are joined by a cosmic hedgehog with a report from NOAA's space weather centre in Colorado and details on how to own the latest affordable pocket spacecraft to the moon. Studio guests include space artist Vix Southgate and rocket insurer David Wade - plus the final stage of Sue's brave attempt to become an astronaut. It will end in tears... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Jul 9, 2013 • 35min
Landing on a Comet
Space Boffins Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson go to a comet, Mars and into space. This month's podcast is from the Open University's Rosetta mission room and includes NASA's Curiosity rover mission specialist Daniel Limonadi, British space scientist Maggie Aderin Pocock and Anousheh Ansari, the first Iranian woman in space. Meanwhile studio guests Dr Dan Andrews and Professor Ian Wright explain why their Ptolemy instrument on board Rosetta's comet chasing mission is not a burglar alarm (even if it looks like one) but an advanced technology, state-of-the-art electronic nose. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists