Your Space Journey

Planetary scientist Dr. Alan Stern has been chosen to be the first to conduct NASA-funded science experiments while flying aboard a commercial spacecraft. In this interview Dr. Stern discusses the experiments he will perform aboard Virgin Galactic’s “SpaceShipTwo” on a suborbital mission from the Spaceport America launch site in New Mexico. He also discusses software...

Interview with Project Scientist Dr. Jason P. Dworkin On October 20th, 2020, NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft made history as it collected samples from asteroid Bennu, which are expected to return to Earth in 2023. For this episode I’m pleased to introduce Dr. Jason Dworkin, the project scientist for OSIRIS-REx, for an update and more details on...

Water on the Moon – Sunny side up! NASA’s aircraft SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) has confirmed for the first time, water on the sunlit surface of the Moon. Previously NASA had discovered evidence for water in shadows of craters, but this new discovery has incredible implications for possible use of this water as...

In this interview, recorded via phone on September 29, 2020, I speak with Commander Mike Hopkins about this mission, his training and the challenges (and thrills) of commanding the SpaceX Crew-1 mission, currently scheduled to launch in mid-November 2020. BONUS: Mini-Interview with Felix Schlang of What About It!? Felix joins me briefly to share how...

In this episode we interview Thomas Kacpura regarding NASA’s SCaN program (Space Communications and Navigations). I was fortunate to travel to NASA Glenn Research Center earlier this year to meet with Tom and discuss this incredible program. SCaN provides communications services that are essential to the operations of NASA’s space flight missions. SCaN provides communications...

In this episode authors Michael Zeiler and Michael Bakich join us to discuss their fascinating new book, Atlas of Solar Eclipses, an adventure guide for the next 25 years of solar eclipses. This amazing atlas covers every type of solar eclipse around the world—total, annular and partial—with beautiful and informative maps to guide you to...

In this episode we continue our “Around the World in Space” series with the Canadian Space Agency. Ken Podwalski, Program Manager for the Lunar Gateway at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) joins us to discuss the Canadian Space Agency’s efforts for the upcoming Lunar Gateway and Canadarm3. The Canadian Space Agency was established in 1990...

We continue our series with countries around the world in this episode as we feature the European Space Agency (ESA). Joining us for this interview is Günther Hasinger, the director of science for ESA. Günther was born in Germany and earned his PhD in astronomy, later becoming a professor, researcher and author. He is the...

Mars Perseverance launching soon! In this episode our panel discusses NASA’s upcoming Perseverance mission, including its passenger Ingenuity, the first ever helicopter designed to fly on Mars. Targeted for launch in July 2020, the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover will seek signs of past life, set aside a returnable cache with the most compelling rock core...

We continue our series with countries around the world in this episode as we feature JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Joining us to discuss JAXA is astronaut Dr. Koichi Wakata. Dr. Wakata has accumulated 347 days in space spanning four missions, setting a record in Japanese human space flight history for the longest stay...

The United Arab Emirates are just a few days away (July 15, 2020) from launching the Hope Probe to Mars. The Emirates Mars Mission (EMM) – Hope Probe will be the first probe to provide a complete picture of the Martian atmosphere and its layers when it reaches the red planet’s orbit in February 2021....

The Rocket & Satellite Company, Pakistan’s first private space company Over the next few episodes, we’re embarking on a new space journey; a short series highlighting various countries and their efforts for the future of space exploration. In upcoming episodes we’ll be featuring interviews with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), the Canadian Space Agency, and...

Mars Helicopter Ingenuity launching July 2020 In this episode Bob Balaram, Chief Engineer for the Mars helicopter INGENUITY project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, joins us to discuss this first-ever helicopter designed to fly on Mars. The Mars Helicopter, Ingenuity, is a technology demonstration to test powered flight on another world for the first time....

GALAXIES: Inside the Universe’s Star Cities by Dave Eicher is out now! In this episode we first briefly recap the successful launch of SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavor, with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. Then we dive into our conversation with Dave Eicher to talk all about Galaxies! Dave Eicher is one of the...

SpaceX Crew Demo-2 launching soon, and we’re SO EXCITED! For the first time since 2011, astronauts are set to once again launch from U.S. soil aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon–and we’re SO EXCITED! The SpaceX Crew Demo-2 mission is set to launch from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 4:33 pm EDT...

Communications Services Program: Changing the SATCOM Industry Eli Naffah is Chief of NASA’s Space Communications and Spectrum Management Office. In this interview, conducted onsite at NASA’s Glenn Research Center, Eli discusses NASA’s new Communications Services Program (CSP). NASA has long been a leader in space communications services, but the agency is now looking to U.S....

ULA CEO Tory Bruno describes the upcoming Vulcan Centaur rocket In this episode we welcome Tory Bruno, the president & CEO of United Launch Alliance. Tory joins us by phone to discuss how his interest in model rockets at the age of nine years old let to him pursuing a career in aerospace engineering, beginning...

Robust Data Centers in Space! Sylvia France is the President of OrbitsEdge, Inc., a startup company on Florida’s Space Coast that helps companies collect and process huge amounts of data in space. This amazing company is working to create robust data centers in space–above the cloud, helping to reduce bottlenecks in data processing. Commercializing space...

Backstage with Martha Davis of The Motels! In this episode we go backstage with Martha Davis & The Motels before her Valentine’s Day concert where she talks about performing (and her nunchi philosophy for reading the crowd), her upcoming SPACE-themed two-album set called “Escape From Planet Earth”, and how music has always given her an...

Interview with astronaut Fred Haise, the lunar module pilot of Apollo 13! 50 years ago the world witnessed the amazing story of Apollo 13, launched on April 11, 1970. Two days into the mission, an explosion in one of the oxygen tanks prevented the three astronauts, Commander Jim Lovell, Command Module Pilot Jack Swigert and...