Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science
1,186 episodes - English - Latest episode: 20 days ago - ★★★★★ - 1.2K ratingsPlanetary Radio brings you the human adventure across our Solar System and beyond. We visit each week with the scientists, engineers, leaders, advocates, and astronauts who are taking us across the final frontier. Regular features raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Join host Sarah Al-Ahmed and Planetary Society colleagues including Bill Nye the Science Guy and Bruce Betts as they dive deep into space science and exploration. The monthly Space Policy Edition takes you inside the DC beltway where the future of the US space program hangs in the balance. Visit planetary.org/radio for an episode guide and much more.
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Episodes
Space Policy Edition: Real and Acceptable Reasons for Space Exploration
April 05, 2024 15:00 - 53 minutes - 49.3 MBFormer NASA Administrator Mike Griffin joins the Space Policy Edition to discuss his notable 2007 speech outlining the tension between so-called “real” and “acceptable” reasons for space exploration. “Acceptable” reasons for space exploration are logical, policy-friendly justifications such as workforce development, technology spinoffs, and STEM engagement. They are quantifiable and dispassionate — the Vulcans of arguments. However, Griffin argues that the essence of humanity's drive to ex...
Syzygy science: Discoveries made during total solar eclipses
April 03, 2024 15:00 - 57 minutes - 52.8 MBPlanetary Radio marks its last show before the Apr. 8 total solar eclipse with a look back at discoveries made during totality. Planetary Society science editor Asa Stahl shares why solar maximum is excellent for eclipse observing but potentially scary for Earth. Then Jeff Rich, outreach coordinator at the Carnegie Science Observatories in Pasadena, CA, joins Planetary Radio to discuss how total solar eclipses have contributed to our understanding of the Sun and beyond. Bruce Betts, our chie...
Eclipse Tips: A guide to safe observing and astrophotography
March 27, 2024 15:00 - 59 minutes - 54.9 MBOn April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will sweep across North America. Ron Benner, the President of the American Optometric Association, joins Planetary Radio to share safety tips to protect your eyes during partiality. Then, astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy gives helpful advice about observing solar eclipses using telescopes and cameras. We close the show with our chief scientist, Bruce Betts, as he discusses The Planetary Society's new eclipse book for kids, "Casting Shadows," and the u...
The asteroid hunter
March 20, 2024 15:00 - 56 minutes - 51.4 MBBehind every space mission is a tale of hard work, love, and perseverance. Dante Lauretta, the principal investigator for NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission, joins Planetary Radio to share stories from his new book, "The Asteroid Hunter." Then Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, looks back at the Shoemaker-Levy 9 impact on Jupiter and answers a question from our audience in What's Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-the-asteroid-hunter See omn...
Tales of totality: The adventures of an eclipse chaser
March 13, 2024 15:00 - 59 minutes - 54.6 MBThe countdown is on! With less than a month until the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, Planetary Radio is buzzing with anticipation. This celestial event will sweep across Mexico, the United States, and Canada, promising a spectacular view to millions. Jim Bell, a professor from the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University and former president of The Planetary Society's Board of Directors, will share captivating tales from his global eclipse-chasing journeys. Bu...
Geothermal activity on the icy dwarf planets Eris and Makemake
March 06, 2024 16:00 - 1 hour - 62.5 MBA team co-led by the Southwest Research Institute has made a groundbreaking discovery, revealing evidence of hydrothermal or metamorphic activity on the icy dwarf planets Eris and Makemake in the Kuiper Belt. The lead author of this research, Chris Glein, joins Planetary Radio to explain. But our journey doesn't stop there. We dive into the newly reformed US Planetary Science Caucus with The Planetary Society's top space policy experts, Casey Dreier and Jack Kiraly. Our senior communications...
Space Policy Edition: The ahistorical era of commercial lunar exploration
March 01, 2024 16:00 - 1 hour - 60.2 MBThe successful landing of IM-1 on the Moon ushered in a new era of commercial lunar exploration, one that has little to no historical precedent. The future, still highly uncertain, is rich with promise for what commercial payload deliveries can provide. There will be new and more frequent science opportunities, lower-cost access for national and non-state actors, and, potentially, a path to a sustainable presence on the lunar surface. Dr. Matt Shindell, science historian and curator of the p...
The legacy of Red Rover Goes to Mars
February 28, 2024 16:00 - 56 minutes - 51.9 MBOver two decades ago, an innovative partnership between The Planetary Society, NASA, and LEGO created the Red Rover Goes to Mars program. Today, we reflect on the program's remarkable achievements with our chief scientist, Bruce Betts. We're also joined by two extraordinary people whose lives were forever changed by their experiences as student astronauts in the program during their high school years. Courtney Dressing, an associate professor in the Department of Astronomy at the University ...
OSIRIS-REx becomes APEX
February 21, 2024 16:00 - 55 minutes - 50.7 MBAfter NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft's successful sample retrieval from asteroid Bennu, it's onto its next adventure as OSIRIS-APEX, the Apophis Explorer. Scott Guzewich, deputy project scientist for APEX, joins Planetary Radio to discuss the next steps for the mission as we count down to asteroid Apophis’ flyby of Earth in 2029. Then Bruce Betts, The Planetary Society’s chief scientist, pops in for What's Up and a look at other multi-world missions. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.or...
The Space Race: Honoring the first African-American space explorers
February 14, 2024 16:00 - 1 hour - 58.4 MBThis week on Planetary Radio, we take a peek behind the scenes at National Geographic's new documentary, “The Space Race,” which celebrates the triumphs and struggles of the first African-American space pioneers and astronauts. Co-directors Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Lisa Cortés, space pioneer Ed Dwight, and astronaut Leland Melvin join us to discuss the film. But first, Casey Dreier, The Planetary Society's chief of space policy, and Jack Kiraly, our director of government relations, give...
Exploring solar eclipses through time
February 07, 2024 16:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBThis week on Planetary Radio, we delve into the evolution of humanity's relationship with one of our planet's most awe-inspiring phenomena: total solar eclipses. Ed Krupp, the director of Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, will share insights from the fascinating field of archaeoastronomy. We'll explore how cultures throughout history have interpreted and imbued solar eclipses with meaning. We'll also introduce The Planetary Society's latest addition, Asa Stahl, our new science editor. The...
Space Policy Edition: Space isn’t black — it’s grey
February 02, 2024 16:00 - 1 hour - 74 MBIt’s a policy paper episode! Laura Delgado López joins the show to break down “Clearing the Fog: The Grey Zones of Space Governance” by Jessica West and Jordan Miller. Grey zones are harmful or disruptive space activities that fall short of provoking a military response — ideally. But the ambiguity, by its nature, could generate unplanned escalation and conflict. What are these grey zones, and why do they exist? What are their consequences to humanity, even for those in nations not actively...
The 20th landing anniversary of Spirit and Opportunity
January 31, 2024 16:00 - 1 hour - 59.5 MBJanuary marks 20 years since NASA’s twin Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, touched down on the surface of the red planet. Matt Golombek, project scientist for the Mars Exploration Rover Project, joins Planetary Radio to celebrate. But first, the countdown to the next great American total solar eclipse continues. Kate Howells, The Planetary Society’s public education specialist and Canadian space policy adviser, explains why this periodic alignment of our Earth, Moon, and Sun is more rare ...
Blazing a trail to the Moon
January 24, 2024 16:00 - 59 minutes - 54.3 MBWe're celebrating lunar missions and the space advocacy that helps make them happen this week on Planetary Radio. Casey Dreier and Jack Kiraly, chief of space policy and director of government relations at The Planetary Society, update you on our next Day of Action in Washington, D.C. Kate Howells, our public education specialist, shares the triumph and challenges of the Japanese space agency's SLIM lunar lander, as Japan becomes the fifth nation to make a successful soft landing on the Moon...
What’s hidden inside planets?
January 17, 2024 16:00 - 1 hour - 67.6 MBVenture into the hearts of worlds and uncover how we study planetary interiors this week on Planetary Radio. Sabine Stanley, professor of planetary physics at Johns Hopkins University and author of the new book "What's Hidden Inside Planets?" discusses some of the amazing things that lie under the surfaces of the worlds in our Solar System. But first, Mat Kaplan, senior communications advisor at The Planetary Society, gives an update on the first Commercial Lunar Payload Services mission and...
JWST finds a new lead in the search for life on a mysterious exoplanet
January 10, 2024 16:00 - 51 minutes - 46.8 MBThis week on Planetary Radio, we're diving into one of the most remarkable new exoplanet discoveries with the help of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). JWST has detected signs of methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of K2-18 b. This discovery could reshape our search for life beyond Earth and teach us more about the enigmatic class of exoplanets known as sub-Neptunes. Our guest, Knicole Colón, is the deputy project scientist for exoplanet science for JWST. She'll fill us in on a...
Space Policy Edition: India’s growing space ambitions
January 05, 2024 16:00 - 1 hour - 58.5 MBThe history of India’s space program is, in many ways, the inverse of that of the US and Russia. While the two superpowers were outpacing each other in space spectaculars in their early decades, India — which began its space program around the same time in 1963 — prioritized practical programs by developing its own launch capability and launching satellites for weather, communications, and regional positioning systems. It is only in the 21st century that India began embracing the more symbol...
Revisiting the discovery of phosphorus on Enceladus
January 03, 2024 16:00 - 59 minutes - 54.9 MBThis week on Planetary Radio, we are revisiting one of the biggest recent headlines in planetary science, the detection of Phosphorus in the oceans of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. Phosphorus is a key ingredient for life on Earth, and this discovery marks the first time it has been found in an ocean off of Earth. Chris Glein, a lead scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, joins us to discuss the discovery and its implications for the search for life. Then Bruce Betts returns for What's Up....
Looking back on 2023
December 27, 2023 16:00 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MBMembers of The Planetary Society staff revisit some of 2023's most exhilarating moments and groundbreaking discoveries in space this week on Planetary Radio. Kate Howells, Public Education Specialist, announces the winners of The Planetary Society's Best of 2023 awards. Jack Kiraly, Director of Government Relations, shares the strides made in space advocacy. Then Rae Paoletta, Director of Content and Engagement, and Mat Kaplan, Senior Communications advisor and former host of Planetary Radio...
Dragonfly soars to final design phase
December 20, 2023 16:00 - 1 hour - 67.3 MBNASA's Dragonfly mission to Saturn's moon Titan has been authorized to proceed with work on final mission design and fabrication, known as Phase C. This week on Planetary Radio, we get an update on the mission's progress and new timeline. You'll hear from Bobby Braun, head of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab's Space Exploration Sector, Elizabeth (Zibi) Turtle, the principal investigator for Dragonfly, and Ken Hibbard, mission systems engineer for the spacecraft. If that doesn't convince...
An astrogeologic experience with Kirby Runyon
December 13, 2023 16:00 - 1 hour - 55 MBSometimes, when you want to learn more about other worlds, all you have to do is step out your door. Mat Kaplan, Planetary Radio's creator and former host, takes us on an adventure with planetary geologist Kirby Runyon as they tour New Mexico, U.S.'s varied geology and compare it to other worlds. They'll explore the dunes of White Sands National Park, the Mars-like geology of Kilbourne Hole, and the rocks in the Carrizozo Lava flow. Then Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Soci...
The mystery of the largest marsquake ever recorded
December 06, 2023 16:00 - 49 minutes - 45.7 MBWhat caused the largest marsquake ever recorded? Benjamin Fernando, a post-doctoral fellow from the University of Oxford, joins Planetary Radio this week to talk about the 4.7-magnitude marsquake recorded by NASA’s InSight Mars lander and the international effort it took to pinpoint the cause of the quake. Then Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, and host Sarah Al-Ahmed chat about their earthquake experiences and share a fresh Random Space Fact in this week's What's Up...
Space Policy Edition: Was the Space Shuttle a policy failure?
December 01, 2023 16:00 - 59 minutes - 54.5 MBWas the Space Shuttle a successful program? In many ways, yes: it endured for 30 years, launched hundreds of astronauts into space, and built the International Space Station. But, according to the goals of lower costs, rapid reusability, and reliability NASA stated at its conception, the Space Shuttle program was a failure. In this new recurring feature on SPE, Jack and Casey read through a classic paper in space policy and discuss its arguments, its conclusions, and whether the paper stands...
Lucy's first asteroid flyby reveals a surprise moon
November 29, 2023 16:00 - 53 minutes - 48.9 MBOn Nov. 1, 2023, NASA's Lucy spacecraft, which is on a mission to investigate Jupiter's Trojan asteroids, made its first flyby of asteroid Dinkinesh. Hal Levison and Simone Marchi, the mission's principal and deputy principal investigators, join Planetary Radio to discuss the asteroid rendezvous and the surprising discovery of Dinkinesh's moon. Stick around for What's Up with Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, as he digests the discovery. Discover more at: https://ww...
Deep Sky: A JWST IMAX experience
November 22, 2023 16:00 - 55 minutes - 51 MBDeep Sky, a newly released IMAX documentary, tells the emotional and hopeful story of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Nathaniel Kahn, an Oscar-nominated filmmaker and the director of Deep Sky, joins Planetary Radio this week to discuss the film's decade-long creation process and the magic of JWST images on the big screen. Then Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, joins for What's Up and a new random space fact. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planeta...
NASA’s STEM program looks to the Moon
November 15, 2023 16:00 - 59 minutes - 54.3 MBSteven Smith, an Education Specialist from NASA's Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (or STEM) Program, joins Planetary Radio to share some of the unique opportunities available for students in the lead-up to humanity's return to the Moon. Then Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, pops in for What's Up and a new random space fact. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-nasa-stem See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...
A City on Mars
November 08, 2023 16:00 - 53 minutes - 48.8 MBCan we build permanent human settlements in space? It might be more complex than you think. Kelly and Zach Weinersmith join Planetary Radio this week to discuss their new book, "A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?" Then Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, and host Sarah Al-Ahmed chat about some of the most significant challenges humanity might face as we build habitats beyond Earth. Discover more at: ht...
Space Policy Edition: What went wrong with Mars Sample Return
November 03, 2023 15:00 - 1 hour - 81.1 MBNASA’s Mars Sample Return mission was supposed to be lean, fast, and focused — no extra science instruments, no dedicated communications systems, and launching in 2026. But the effort has foundered under its own complexity and mismanagement. MSR’s total cost is likely to double to $10 billion or more and not launch until 2030 at the earliest. This month’s guest, Orlando Figueroa, chaired an independent review board which recently evaluated this project and identified management failures, une...
Psyche and Eclipse Company blast off
November 01, 2023 15:00 - 58 minutes - 53.2 MBOn October 13, 2023, NASA's Psyche mission's principal investigator, Lindy Elkins-Tanton, watched her team's spacecraft blast off on its voyage to explore a metallic asteroid. She joins Planetary Radio this week for an emotional retelling of that day. Then Jesse Tomlinson and Stephen Watkins from the Eclipse Company tell us about their partnership with The Planetary Society and the launch of their new eclipse map for the upcoming 2024 total solar eclipse in North America. Stick around for Wh...
Simulating Psyche: Modeling craters on a metallic world
October 25, 2023 15:00 - 55 minutes - 50.6 MBNASA's Psyche mission launched on Oct. 13, 2023 on a journey to explore its namesake, the metallic asteroid Psyche. Simone Marchi, co-investigator for the Psyche mission, joins Planetary Radio to share the creative ways their mission team is working to understand cratering on metallic worlds, including everything from computer modeling to blasting metallic meteorites with projectiles. The Planetary Society's Public Education Specialist Kate Howells will discuss the Japanese Space Agency's ne...
InSight's revelation on Mars’ rotation
October 18, 2023 15:00 - 59 minutes - 54.7 MBData from the now-retired NASA InSight mission suggests that Mars' rotation is speeding up. The InSight RISE instrument's principal investigator, Sebastien Le Maistre, from the Royal Observatory of Belgium, joins Planetary Radio to get into the details. The Planetary Society's Digital Community Manager, Ambre Trujillo, shares her experience observing the October 14 annular solar eclipse and her adventure to the OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule opening at Johnson Space Center. Then, our Direc...
Celebrating the OSIRIS-REx sample return
October 11, 2023 15:00 - 57 minutes - 52.4 MBOn September 24th, NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft triumphantly delivered a sample from asteroid Bennu to Earth. Rae Paoletta, the Director of Content and Engagement at The Planetary Society, joins Planetary Radio to recount her firsthand experience of the sample's return in Utah. She introduces us to Mike Puzio, the young man who named asteroid Bennu, and his father, Larry Puzio. Then Danny Glavin, the co-investigator for OSIRIS-REx, shares the next steps for the asteroid samples and the space...
2023 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Symposium: Part 2
October 04, 2023 15:00 - 49 minutes - 45.8 MBJoin Planetary Radio host Sarah Al-Ahmed for part two of her trip to the 2023 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Symposium in Houston, Texas. You'll hear from Mike LaPointe and John Nelson, the NIAC Program Executive and Deputy Program Executive along with Theresa Benyo (NASA Glenn Research Center), Lynn Rothschild (NASA Ames Research Center), and Javid Bayandor (State University of New York). Stick around for What's Up with Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, t...
2023 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Symposium: Part 1
September 27, 2023 15:00 - 59 minutes - 54.8 MBJoin Planetary Radio host Sarah Al-Ahmed on a trip to the 2023 NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Symposium in Houston, Texas. In this jam-packed two-part series, you'll hear Sarah's interviews with the inspiring NIAC fellows who are thinking up the technologies that could change the future of space exploration. In this episode, you’ll hear from Congrui Grace Jin (University of Nebraska, Lincoln), Quinn Morley (Planet Enterprises), Ronald Polidan (Lunar Resources, Inc.), and Edward Bal...
Alone but not lonely with Louis Friedman
September 20, 2023 13:00 - 58 minutes - 54 MBLouis Friedman, one of the three co-founders of The Planetary Society, joins Planetary Radio to discuss his new book, "Alone but Not Lonely: Exploring for Extraterrestrial Life." The book takes us on a realistic but hopeful reflection on the search for life, from habitable worlds to the technologies that might allow us to explore exoplanets without leaving our stellar backyard. Then stick around for What's Up with Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, as we get his hot take ...
Io and Voyager 2: Lost oceans and found signals
September 13, 2023 15:00 - 57 minutes - 53 MBThis week on Planetary Radio, we're traveling back in time to uncover the luminous infancy of Jupiter and its impact on its enigmatic moon, Io. Carver Bierson, a postdoctoral researcher at Arizona State University, tells the tale of how Jupiter's radiant beginnings might have turned Io from a water-rich moon into a world with lakes of lava. You'll also hear from two legendary figures of space exploration, Voyager project manager Suzanne Dodd and Voyager project scientist Linda Spilker, as th...
Subsurface oceans: The hidden potential of Earth-like exoplanets
September 06, 2023 15:00 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBLujendra Ojha, assistant professor at Rutgers University, joins Planetary Radio to discuss how subsurface liquid water on exoplanets orbiting red dwarf stars could increase the likelihood of finding habitable worlds beyond our Solar System. Then we check in with Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, for What's Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-subsurface-oceans See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A new algorithm finds its first potentially hazardous asteroid
August 30, 2023 15:00 - 58 minutes - 53.9 MBA next-generation asteroid discovery algorithm, HelioLinc3D, has successfully identified its first potentially hazardous asteroid. Mario Jurić and Ari Heinze from the University of Washington join Planetary Radio to discuss the upcoming Vera Rubin Observatory and how their team's new asteroid detection algorithm can help defend our world. The Planetary Society editorial director, Rae Paoletta, marks the successful landing of the Indian Space Research Organization's (ISRO's) Chandrayaan-3 mis...
The slow evolution of Europa
August 23, 2023 15:00 - 58 minutes - 53.7 MBJupiter's moon Europa is one of the most exciting locations in our Solar System in the search for life, but a crust of ice guards the secrets of its potential subsurface ocean. This week, Kevin Trinh from Arizona State University joins Planetary Radio to discuss his research into Europa's formation history and the consequences for the moon's habitability. The Planetary Society's senior editor, Jason Davis, looks forward to the upcoming total solar eclipse in 2024. Then Bruce Betts joins in f...
JWST detects water vapor in a planet-forming disk
August 16, 2023 15:00 - 56 minutes - 51.3 MBA team of researchers using the James Webb Space Telescope (or JWST) has made the first detection of water vapor in the inner region of the protoplanetary disc that is already forming worlds. Giulia Perotti and Thomas Henning from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy in Germany join Planetary Radio to discuss their team's research on PDS 70 and what it can tell us about the formation of planets like Earth. The Planetary Society's most recent intern, Ariel Barreiro, reflects on her summer w...
Mars Life Explorer: The search for extant life on the red planet
August 09, 2023 15:00 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBMany missions are working to understand Mars' past habitability, but could there still be microbial life on the red planet today? This week on Planetary Radio, we discuss the proposed Mars Life Explorer mission with Amy Williams, assistant professor of geology at the University of Florida. Then Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, pops in for What's Up and a celebratory conversation about reestablishing contact with the beloved Voyager 2 spacecraft. Discover more at: h...
Space Policy Edition: Why lunar exploration must be of enduring national interest
August 04, 2023 15:00 - 1 hour - 67.7 MBScott Pace, the prior executive secretary of the National Space Council, discusses why Artemis is of strategic value to U.S. national interests — and why the Moon is unique as a destination to drive global space exploration. Casey also discusses the latest congressional budgets news and what it means for NASA’s Mars Sample Return program. Note: the Space Policy Edition will go on hiatus for two months and return in November 2023. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/l...
Subsurface granite on the Moon? The anatomy of a lunar hot spot
August 02, 2023 15:00 - 1 hour - 58.3 MBA decades-old lunar mystery gets an update in this week's Planetary Radio. Matt Siegler from the Planetary Science Institute shares his team's surprising findings about the granite formation that might lie beneath Compton-Belkovich, a thorium-rich hot spot on the far side of the Moon. Ambre Trujillo, Planetary Society Digital Community Manager, gives an update on the new member community app Space Trivia Contest, and Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, shares What's Up in ...
An essential ingredient for life in the oceans of Enceladus
July 26, 2023 15:00 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBPhosphorus, a key ingredient for life on Earth, has been detected in the ocean of Saturn's moon Enceladus. This discovery marks the first time phosphorus has been found in an ocean off of Earth. Chris Glein, a lead scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, joins Planetary Radio to talk about the discovery and its implications for the search for life. Then Bruce Betts shares what's up in the night sky this week. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-phosphorus...
Mars' Axial Tilt: A Key to Gully Formation
July 19, 2023 15:00 - 56 minutes - 51.5 MBThe gullies of Mars may appear similar to water-carved channels on Earth, but their formation is more complex than meets the eye. Caltech's Jay Dickson joins Planetary Radio to discuss the planet’s changing axial tilt and the consequences of Martian climate change. Then Bruce Betts shares the beautiful dance of planets in the upcoming night sky and the reflections of the oldest person to ever travel to space. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-mars-gullies See...
Comparing the rivers of Earth, Mars, and Titan
July 12, 2023 15:00 - 59 minutes - 54.3 MBGet ready for a journey across the rivers of our Solar System in this week's Planetary Radio. Sam Birch, an assistant professor at Brown University, explores what we know about the alluvial rivers of Earth, Mars, and Saturn’s moon Titan. Stay tuned for the What's Up segment with Bruce Betts and the last question in our on-air space trivia contest. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-rivers-of-earth-mars-and-titan See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...
Space Policy Edition: What’s Going on with: Congress, MSR, and ?
July 07, 2023 15:00 - 56 minutes - 52 MBWe check in on the congressional budget process for NASA, Mars Sample Return’s spiraling cost growth, and the impending end of the regulatory holiday for human commercial space launch companies. Jack Kiraly, director of government relations for The Planetary Society, joins host Casey Dreier to provide the latest insight and analysis on these issues. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/summer-2023-congressional-status See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Humans to Mars by the 2030s? NASA Associate Administrators weigh in
July 05, 2023 15:00 - 1 hour - 55.5 MBIt's going to take a lot of collaboration to get humans to Mars, but we're up for the challenge. This week on Planetary Radio, Mat Kaplan, senior communications adviser at The Planetary Society, takes us to the 2023 Humans to Mars Summit in Washington, D.C. We'll share his conversation with three NASA Associate Administrators, Nicola Fox, James Free, and James Reuter about the international, commercial, and robotic collaboration it will take to put the first humans on the Red Planet. Then Br...
2Fast 2Curious: Finding the source of the fast solar wind
June 28, 2023 15:00 - 54 minutes - 49.8 MBSome solar mysteries, like the origin of the fast solar wind, can only be solved by getting up close and personal with the Sun. James Drake from the University of Maryland joins Planetary Radio this week to talk about the latest results from NASA's Parker Solar Probe as it soars closer to our star than any spacecraft in history. We share what to look forward to in the night sky and a Parker Solar Probe-themed question in our space trivia contest. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/...
The disappearing act of Saturn's young rings
June 21, 2023 15:00 - 1 hour - 60.2 MBSaturn's rings are so young that they may have formed when dinosaurs walked the Earth. Richard Durisen, a Professor Emeritus of Astronomy from Indiana University Bloomington, and Paul Estrada, a Research Scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, join Planetary Radio to discuss their research on the surprisingly recent formation of Saturn's rings and why they are disappearing over time. Then Bruce Betts and host Sarah Al-Ahmed share what's in the upcoming night sky and chat about creepy-crawly ...