The Cosmic Companion - Astronomy, Space, Technology Advancing Humanity

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at Making Space Sustainable, talking with Daniel Bock from Morpheus Space. We’ll be looking at how we can move into the inner solar system while protecting the environments of Earth, the Moon, and Mars, as well as the future of space travel.The first and most obvious way to improve the sustainability of spaceflight is through the use of reusable boosters, and the development of greener fuel alternatives. Biofuels, for example, emit fewer harmful particles into the atmosphere and are an important step towards reducing carbon emissions during launch.Lifting off from Earth takes nearly all the fuel in a rocket, and most systems today shed empty fuel tanks and boosters once they pass beyond our planetary atmosphere.Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch it as a video!This process can also shed smaller debris, potentially posing future hazards. There are currently 27,000 pieces of spaceborne flotsam larger than a softball being tracked in orbit around the Earth, and there could be 100 million such pieces larger than a millimeter in diameter whizzing around our world.[Well, that’s a whole lot of space junk now, isn’t it?] {sure is!}Being hit by a screw is one thing. Being hit by a screw flying at 10 kilometers a second is an entirely different issue.  Minimizing waste released into space is a priority, keeping low-Earth orbit as clear as possible for spaceflight.Apple co-founder and pioneer of the personal computer revolution, Steve Wozniak, recently founded Privateer Space, focused on clearing potentially-hazardous debris from low-Earth orbit.[WOOOOZZZZZZZZZZ!!!] {Yeah, He’s cool.}The Orbex Prime rocket is designed to be one of the most environmentally-friendly launch systems ever designed. This two-stage rocket is 19 meters tall… I’ll save you the math. That’s……8.6 Peter Mayhews standing on top of each other. [RrRRrrRR] You’re welcome!Powered by a 3D-printed propane-fueled engine, this green booster is reusable, produces 96% fewer emissions than comparable boosters, and the system leaves no debris in orbit. [<<< As far as propane accessories go, the Orbex is good as all git out, tell you what.]The ultimate in clean fuels may be solar sails. These are EXACTLY what they sound like — spacecraft powered through the pressure of light from the sun, gently pushing on a large, reflective sail. Once in space, these sails create a gentle, yet continuous acceleration capable of taking a spacecraft from one planet to another. And the best part? No fuel required! Solar sails could offer us a clean, sustainable and a cost-effective way of exploring the Cosmos. They could also be attached to wayward space junk, moving debris out of the way of active satellites. As our species grows, heading out into the Cosmos, we can explore and populate the Moon and Mars. This exploration will drive science, social progress, and technology. The means to do that in the coming years and decades are being developed right now, by both nations and startups around the globe. Next up, we talk with one of those innovators, Daniel Bock, CEO and co-founder of Morpheus Space.As space tourism grows, costs to travel beyond the Earth will plummet. Within a decade or so, the price of a trip to space should equal that of a luxury cruise on the oceans of Earth. Still out of the reach of most people, but low enough to make space tourism far more common than it is today. As this industry grows, it’s essential to consider the impact it will have on the environment of Earth as well as destinations beyond our home world.The Age of Sail lasted for three centuries — from about 1550, when Copernicus first put forth his wacky idea that the Earth revolves around the Sun until about 1850, just before the invention of the refrigerator. Similar sailing ships could once again soar to distant worlds — this time, racing through the vast expanse of space, powered by the constant push of light from our life-giving star. This technology could also be adapted to passenger ships, riding the breeze of light from our parent star. Guests will marvel at the beauty of space, soaring aboard the environmentally-friendly sailing ships of the 21st century and beyond.The future of space travel is not just about reaching for the stars, but also about preserving the beauty and wonder of worlds for future generations to enjoy. By adopting more sustainable practices, we can continue to explore the Cosmos while reducing our impact on the environment. So, let’s raise the solar sails and set our sights on a greener future for space exploration!Next week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at Diversity in Space Exploration from the dawn of the space age to our future among the stars. We’ll be talking with Meredith Bagby, author of The New Guys, the story of NASA’s legendary Class of 1978. If you enjoyed this episode of The Cosmic Companion, please subscribe, follow, share, and tell your friends about the show. Head on over to TheCosmicCompanion.com and sign up to get every episode in your email inbox. Free and VIP subscriptions are available! Educators get 25% off VIP subscriptions with any .edu email address!Clear skies!JamesThe Cosmic Companion w/ James Maynard is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Educators get 25% off VIP subscriptions with any .edu email address! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aicreatorhouse.substack.com/subscribe

We look at the future of living on Mars, talking with James Burk, executive director of The Mars SocietyThis week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at our shared future, living on the surface of the Red Planet. Later in the show, we’ll be talking with James Burk, executive director of The Mars Society.Science-fiction has fueled the human quest to live on Mars for generations, from the technically-adept-if-illness-prone aliens of H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds,” onward to Ray Bradbury’s “The Martian Chronicles,” and through Red Mars from Kim Stanley Robinson... This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aicreatorhouse.substack.com/subscribe

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at the Apollo and Artemis programs, discussing how these first missions to the Moon set the stage for the next step in human evolution — becoming an interplanetary species.We will be talking with NASA historian Andy Saunders. His new book, Apollo Remastered, is filled with never-before-seen and newly remastered photographs exploring the history of humanity’s first forays to our planetary companion. The Apollo Program, one of the greatest accomplishments in human history, lifted off (Ha! See what I did there?) in 1961, when President John F. Kennedy announced that the United States would put an astronaut on the moon before the end of the decade, a goal many people considered impossible... This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aicreatorhouse.substack.com/subscribe

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at Teaching Kids About Space, as we welcome astronomer Dean Regas to the show. He is the author of a new book, 1,000 Facts About Space from National Geographic Kids.In years past, students didn’t have a lot of resources for learning about the stars and planets. They would have to rely on books, or perhaps a telescope if they were lucky. But all that began to change in the 20th century.In the 1920s and 30s, planetariums began to pop up in schools and museums around the world. These dome-shaped theaters make use of special projectors, simulating the night sky, providing viewers with an up-close and personal look at the stars and planets. This was a game changer for astronomy education, as it allowed kids and adults a means to experience the night sky in a way that wasn’t possible before that time... This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aicreatorhouse.substack.com/subscribe

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we imagine PREDATORS FROM SPACE!!! as we welcome Shark Week regular Paul de Gelder to the show. We will be talking about his new book, Shark: Why We Need to Save the World’s Most Misunderstood Predator. And — did I mention? PREDATORS FROM SPACE!!!Life on other worlds is likely to be far different than life on Earth. However, most lifeforms throughout the Cosmos are likely to share a few common traits. The laws of chemistry and physics suggest that carbon is an ideal chemical backbone for the formation of life, and water is a perfect medium if you want to create a bunch of complex chemicals and spread them around a planet.  Also many lifeforms on Earth depend on other life for their sustenance and survival. Even herbivores and vegans consume other forms of life. We can’t all be plants, living off photosynthesis, all snooty and stuff, you know… This means that life on other worlds is likely to include… PREDATORS FROM SPACE!! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aicreatorhouse.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to our premiere of season seven of The Cosmic Companion!To kick off the new year, we’ll be looking at our collective future in space, as seen through the new tools of interactive 3D environments. Such prescience was once exclusively the hallmark of science-fiction. Today, as Star Trek goes into its sixth decade with hit-or-miss series, movies and episodes, as the Rolling Stones of sci-fi franchises, a revolutionary new media is taking shape. Later in the episode, we will welcome Tony Tellado, host of the Sci-Fi Talk podcast to the show, discussing how the development of metaverses is shaping insights into the future of the human race. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aicreatorhouse.substack.com/subscribe

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we wrap up season six with a look at… SPACE: 2023. In the year 2023, a massive nuclear explosion will rip the Moon from its orbit, sending more than 300 inhabitants of a lunar colony careening into space. [No. No. That’s not right.] Oh, yeah, ANYWAY!We are going to give you a look at what’s happening in the night sky over the next 12 months, as well as looking forward to what’s coming up on our show in the coming weeks.In January, we will take a glimpse at how 3D environments give us our best look yet at our future beyond the Earth. We will also imagine predators in space - what can animal hunters here on Earth teach us about possible predators on distant worlds? We’ll be hunting down ideas with Shark week regular Paul de Gelder. On 28 January, we’ll be discussing the history of diversity in space exploration, from its earliest days, up through the modern age and beyond, talking with Meredith Bagby, author of The New Guys. Check that out in episode four of our upcoming season, coming out 7 February. If that weren’t enough, we’ll be kicking February off with a new look at the amazing remastered images of the Apollo Project. We welcome NASA expert and historian Andy Saunders to the show, discussing his new work, Apollo Remastered. Here’s a short clip from that interview.Join us starting on 4 February to watch the full interview with Andy Saunders, looking at Apollo to Artemis: Our Future on the Moon. Naturally, 2023 will feature the usual annular meteor showers, and the Moon is always going to be there. That is… unless a GIANT NUCLEAR EXPLOSION… But apart from that possibility, here’s a look forward to the coming year in the night sky. On 20 April in the coming year, many amateur astronomers in the Southern Hemisphere will be treated to a hybrid solar eclipse. These events appear total in some areas, and partial in others, hence the name hybrid. This eclipse begins in the southern Indian Ocean, stretching toward western Australia and southern parts of Indonesia. People living on the islands of Indonesia and parts of Australia will be treated to a partial eclipse. [the kangaroos will enjoy it as well] (and, naturally, the kangaroos will enjoy it, as well). A penumbral lunar eclipse happening on 5 May will be seen over parts of eastern Europe and Africa, all of Asia, and Australia again.Our planetary companion, the Moon, comes in closer to Earth than average, producing a supermoon on 3 July. Another supermoon - this one also a blue moon - takes place on 31 August. On 14 October, as you’re hanging Halloween decorations, an annular solar eclipse will develop in the Pacific Ocean west of southern Canada and spread toward the southwestern United States before moving into Central America and Brazil. Large swathes of North and South America will be treated to a partial eclipse from this event.Europe, Asia, Africa, and western Australia are going to see a partial lunar eclipse on 28 October - Halloween Weekend! [howl]If you enjoy The Cosmic Companion, also take a listen to our friends at Pale Blue Pod. This new podcast about space and astronomy, hosted by astrophysicist and folklorist Dr. Moiya McTier and comedian and science educator Corinne Caputo brings science to everyone with fun, lighthearted episodes. Astrophysicist and folklorist Moiya McTier earned a degree from Harvard and a PhD from Columbia University. Given her desire to teach science with humor, (and perhaps just as important to our narrative), she also went on to meet writer and comedian Corinne Caputo. Now, Caputo is a former game show host, and she wrote Space Trash for Yale’s Summer Cabaret. Check out this podcast for people who are overwhelmed by the universe, but want to be its friend, at palebluepod.space. Next week, for our season seven premiere, we welcome Tony Tellado, host of the Sci-Fi Talk podcast to the show. We’ll be envisioning our future in space, as seen through the revolutionary technologies of the metaverse and 3D environments. Please join us starting 7 January. Make sure you enjoy all the Universe around us has to offer and visit us each week here on The Cosmic Companion. You’re always welcome in our corner of space!Clear skies and Happy New Year!JamesThe Cosmic Companion w/ James Maynard is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Start writing today. Use the button below to create your Substack and connect your publication with The Cosmic Companion w/ James Maynard This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aicreatorhouse.substack.com/subscribe

Happy holidays!This week on The Cosmic Companion, we explore the winter skies using telescopes! But don’t fret — we’ll be talking with Michael Petrasko from Insight Observatory learning how to see the winter sky using telescopes from the warmth and comfort of home.The winter sky is filled with dazzling targets calling out to amateur astronomers. Jupiter is shining brightly in the southwestern sky. Look for the King of the Planets glowing with a bright white light in the southwestern skies during evening hours. Even a small telescope should reveal bands of color across the face of that mighty world, as well as up to four moons. Go out over the course of several nights, and you can actually see those Galilean moons of Jupiter race around their mighty parent world... This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aicreatorhouse.substack.com/subscribe

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we begin a two-part series, exploring the winter sky. We are going to take a look at what you can see using just your eyes. We'll welcome Andrew Fazekas back to the show. He is National Geographic's Night Sky Guy, and we'll talk about exploring the winter sky using eyes alone. We'll also take a look at how to view the Geminid meteor shower peaking on the 14th and 15th of December!  Winter is often considered the best season for amateur astronomy. Heat rising off the ground in summer can make for wavey air, similar to heat rising above a chimney, distorting views of objects behind it. The cooler conditions of winter reduces this effect, providing better viewing during the winter season.  Viewers in the Northern Hemisphere can head on out a little after 8pm this December, to see Orion - one of the easiest constellations to find - hanging out above the southeastern horizon. Look for the three stars lined up as the belt of this celestial hunter. Just beneath the belt, you should see the Orion nebula - a stellar nursery appearing as a fuzzy patch of light, making up the center of three stars of its sword...Listen to the podcast version of this episode here or watch it as a video!Join us next week on The Cosmic Companion for the second part of this look at the winter sky. In part two, we'll take a look at - you guessed it - the objects you can see in the night sky this winter using a telescope - even if you have never used a telescope before! We will be joined by Michael Petrasko from Insight Observatory. Make sure to join us, starting on 17 December.  If you enjoyed this episode of The Cosmic Companion, I'd love it if you could download, share, like, and maybe tell a friend about the show. It'd be much appreciated!  Sign up for our newsletter while you’re here. You'll never miss an episode.  Happy Holidays and clear skies!JamesThe Cosmic Companion w/ James Maynard is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aicreatorhouse.substack.com/subscribe

This week on the Cosmic Companion, we take a look at Exoplanets in Your Backyard! Or, at least how you can get a small idea of what it might be like to visit these worlds, and you know… Survive. Later in the show, we’re going to be talking with Allyson Johnson, senior editor at National Geographic. We’ll be discussing their new release, Complete National Parks of the United States, and explore how some national parks can give us a small taste of life on distant worlds. Astronomers currently know of a little over 5,000 worlds orbiting stars other than the Sun. These range from small, hot rocky planets huddling close to their star, to massive Jupiter-like worlds. This largest class of worlds could themselves be encircled by families of Moons, some as large as Mercury — or perhaps even the Earth.Listen to the podcast episode here or watch this program as a video!Next week, we will begin a tour of the winter sky so grand, it will take two weeks (that’s a fortnight for those of you STILL refusing to use metric!). In part one, we welcome Andrew Fazekas - National Geographics’s “Night Sky Guy” back to the show. We’ll talk about what can be seen in the wintertide sky using just your eyes! (Part 2 will examine The Winter Sky w/ Telescopes! w/ Michael Petrasko from Insight Observatory!).Clear skies!JamesThe Cosmic Companion w/ James Maynard is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit aicreatorhouse.substack.com/subscribe