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Naked Astronomy, from the Naked Scientists

Latest episodes

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May 10, 2020 • 41min

Maiden Flight

With astronauts preparing for the first flight in the Dragon spacecraft, space reporter Sarah Cruddas discusses this new era in space travel. Richard and Sue hear about the space industry's response to Covid-19, astronaut Nicole Stott talks about space art and we feature another song about Hubble that should have been a Britpop classic. As the Space Boffins in lockdown go mildly hysterical, enjoy the calming effects of Atom Bomb Yoga... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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May 1, 2020 • 36min

The Loneliest Human: Space Boffins Special

In a special bonus episode of Space Boffins Richard Hollingham celebrates Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, who died in March. The podcast features extracts from interviews Richard conducted with Al, including previously unbroadcast material, and includes the astronaut's comments on being the loneliest human, the stamps controversy and his relationship with mission commander Dave Scott. Al describes what it was like to make the first space walk in deep space and his work since leaving the space programme. Richard also talks to Vix Southgate - Al's friend and business manager in the UK - about the... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Apr 14, 2020 • 36min

Cubesats, Hubble and Apollo 13 Trouble

Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson celebrate Hubble's 30th birthday with Shuttle astronaut Kathy Sullivan, who deployed the space telescope, and hear from NASA engineer Jerry Woodfill about his warning alarm system for Apollo 13, celebrating its 50th lucky escape anniversary. And Craig Clark, of AAC Clyde Space, shows them around the cubesat pioneer's HQ in Glasgow. All this with bonus space-themed added music.... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Mar 10, 2020 • 45min

Solar Orbiter, stamps and exoplanets

The Sun, stamps and exoplanets in this edition. ESA's senior science advisor Mark McCaughrean reflects on the emotional launch of Solar Orbiter, Nobel Prize winner Didier Queloz talks CHEOPS as the telescope prepares to start studying planets outside our Solar System, and Stuart Clark reveals his role in the UK's recently released Visions of the Universe space stamps. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Feb 10, 2020 • 37min

Hubble, TRUTHS and space Law

Live at Astrofest 2020, Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham talk to UK Space Agency chief scientist Chris Lee, space law expert Chris Newman and the European Space Agency's Antonella Nota. They discuss Hubble's legacy, the James Webb, legality of lunar ownership, and the impact of hundreds of new satellites. Plus, TRUTHS - the new climate-monitoring mission. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Jan 10, 2020 • 41min

Robot Arms and Space Toilets

Shuttle astronaut Mike Mullane recounts stories of space sexism, toilets and M and Ms in the first Space Boffins podcast of 2020. We also meet the engineer developing the controls for a new robotic arm for the space station - or 'Man Machine Interface' - and Richard and Sue are joined by science writer Colin Stuart to look ahead to the next year in space. Warning: this podcast features some disturbing audio of a space toilet malfunction. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Dec 24, 2019 • 38min

2020 State of the Universe Address

On the tenth anniversary of Naked Astronomy, Dark Matter physicist Ben McAllister delivers our State of the Universe Address and asks "what's changed" in astronomy over the decade since we launched this programme. World leaders explain the impacts of the first photographs of a black hole, the Nobel prize for the detection of exoplanets, the new insights arising from the study of the cosmic microwave background radiation, and the revolution in physics that was the first detection of gravitational waves... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Dec 13, 2019 • 0sec

Glove Actually and the Sew Sisters

Rubber gloves, sew sisters and a mission to the Sun with Space Boffins Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson this month. Richard talks to Solar Orbiter ESA and NASA mission scientists in Munich. Sue reports from the US on the seamstresses to the stars - including Jean Wright, who sewed thermal blankets on the Space Shuttle and Jeanne Wilson, who helped make Neil Armstrong's spacesuit. Plus astronomer Nick Howes on his efforts to track down the Apollo 10 Snoopy lunar lander. Liz Seward from Airbus Defence and Space joins the Space Boffins in the studio and brings along several pairs of gloves used... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Nov 10, 2019 • 52min

Moving to Mars

What would a house on Mars look like? Space Boffins Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson tackle the tricky topic of Mars interior design and the challenges of moving to Mars. They're joined by the Head of Science for the UK Space Agency, Chris Lee, to also discuss a new mission to a comet - a comet that's not yet been discovered - and future international science missions. They also hear from Apollo 12 Flight Director, Gerry Griffin, recalling the dramatic launch of Apollo 12 and the switch - and puppet show - that saved the day. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Oct 15, 2019 • 44min

Cosmic Girl - from California to Cornwall

Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham visit Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne factory floor in Long Beach, California and Sue heads to Spaceport Cornwall, where Virgin Orbit plans to launch its small satellites from a modified Boeing 747 called Cosmic Girl. Shahida Barick from SSC Space UK joins them in the studio to explain what Sweden has to offer the space industry and there's a tribute to cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, featuring an interview with the world's first spacewalker and an exclusive extract from Audible's The Space Race docudrama. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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