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Liftoff — Education
Liftoff

Liftoff was a podcast about space, the universe, and everything. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand the major developments as explained by enthusiastic space fans Stephen Hackett and Jason Snell. Hosted by Jason Snell and Stephen Hackett.

Copyright: Copyright © 2019 Relay FM

Latest Episodes:

161: Now It’s Very Much Precedented Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

This week, Jason preps a glass of ice water for Stephen and the two discuss recent Starliner updates, the future of the ISS and Lucy.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
Ladder: Flexible life insurance in minutes.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Hubble Finds Evidence of Water Vapor in One Hemisphere of Europa | NASA

Hubble Finds First Evidence of Water Vapor at Jupiter's Moon Ganymede

Small satellite launcher Astra identifies cause behind strange sideways rocket launch - The Verge

Astra Announces LV0007 Launch Window For The United States Space Force | Astra

Starliner valve investigation continues to focus on moisture interaction with propellant - SpaceNews

NASA Selects First Commercial Destination Module for Space Station | NASA

The Space Review: What is the future of the International Space Station?

Space Station Emergency Prompted by Russian Thruster Firing - The New York Times

Lucy: The First Mission to Jupiter’s Trojans | NASA

Lucy: First Mission to the Trojan Asteroids - YouTube

NASA's Mission to Visit 8 Asteroids, Lucy, Launches on October 16th - Universe Today

Lucy Spacecraft Healthy; Solar Arrays Being Analyzed – Lucy Mission

Lucy’s solar panel hasn’t latched—a problem for a mission powered by the Sun | Ars Technica

Star Trek's William Shatner, Back From Space With a Message | Time

160: Hot Jupiters in Colorado Oct 05, 2021

Show notes

This week, there's news about cubesats, several commercial space programs and more. Then, a look at what is going on at Blue Origin.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

LinkedIn Jobs: Post a job for free by visiting this link.
Privacy: Smarter payments. Get $5 to spend on your first purchase.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

$701k Raised for St. Jude!

Downstream - Relay FM

Jason's new podcast!

A Tiny, Inexpensive Satellite Will be Studying the Atmospheres of hot Jupiters - Universe Today

This May Be the First Planet Found Orbiting 3 Stars at Once - The New York Times

Blue Origin says ‘Star Trek’ actor William Shatner will fly to space next week – Spaceflight Now

FAA clears Virgin Galactic to resume SpaceShipTwo flights - SpaceNews

Russian Film Crew Has Arrived at Space Station: Live Updates - The New York Times

NASA likely to move some astronauts off Starliner due to extended delays | Ars Technica

SLS modal testing complete, mass-sim removed - Space Explored

NASA completes umbilical test for SLS Artemis 1 mission - NASASpaceFlight.com

All Artemis I Secondary Payloads Installed in Rocket’s Orion Stage Adapter – Artemis

All Artemis I Secondary Payloads Installed in Rocket’s Orion Stage Adapter – Artemis

SLS modal testing complete, mass-sim removed - Space Explored

NASA completes umbilical test for SLS Artemis 1 mission - NASASpaceFlight.com

Blue Origin ‘gambled’ with its Moon lander pricing, NASA says in legal documents - The Verge

Revealed: The secret notes of Blue Origin leaders trying to catch SpaceX | Ars Technica

Blue Origin has a toxic culture, former and current employees say | Ars Technica

Bezos Wants to Create a Better Future in Space. His Company Blue Origin Is Stuck in a Toxic Past.

Jeff Bezos Faces Worker Complaints at Blue Origin - The Atlantic

159: Fun Stuff in Science Sep 21, 2021

Show notes

NASA has published information about its work with AR, VR and getting sleepy while in a self-driving car. Jason and Stephen talk through the reports, then get into the breaking news of NASA's two new mission directorates.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

LinkedIn Jobs: Post a job for free by visiting this link.
Privacy: Smarter payments. Get $5 to spend on your first purchase.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Support the life-saving work of St. Jude

Relay FM Podcastathon for St. Jude (2021) - YouTube

Bonus Balderdash! - YouTube

Inspiration4 - Crew Makes Evening Splashdown, Completing World’s First All-Civilian Orbital Mission to Space

NASA Lab Studies Sleepiness and Use of Automated Systems | NASA

NASA’s Artemis Rover to Land Near Nobile Region of Moon’s South Pole | NASA

The Moon Crater Where NASA Will Send Its Viper Rover - The New York Times

Nine Ways We Use AR and VR on the ISS | NASA

NASA Leadership Positions Agency for Future | NASA

NASA to split leadership of its human spaceflight program | Ars Technica

158: A Bad Roommate Sep 07, 2021

Show notes

It's a real roller coaster this week, except for the Astra rocket that went ... sideway off the pad. Other stories include Inspiration4, the James Webb Space Telescope and dual-core stars.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
Privacy: Smarter payments. Get $5 to spend on your first purchase.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Relay FM for St. Jude 2021

NASA's Perseverance Rover Successfully Cores Its First Rock – NASA’s Mars Exploration Program

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Collects First Mars Rock Sample | NASA

Cosmonauts Find Cracks in the Aging Zarya ISS Module - Universe Today

Russian cosmonauts find new cracks in ISS module | Reuters

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Has Completed Testing | NASA

Upper stage of Ariane 5 rocket for James Webb Space Telescope launch arrives in French Guiana - Space Explored

Cosmic indigestion: Swallowing a neutron star can cause a star to explode | Ars Technica

Inspiration4 - [object Object]

Netflix: Countdown: Inspiration4 Mission to Space

How It Happened - Podcasts - Axios

St. Jude Mission of a Lifetime Podcast

NASA’s big rocket misses another deadline, now won’t fly until 2022 | Ars Technica

Vibration Tests for Moon Rocket Help Ensure Safe Travels to Space | NASA

FAA grounds Virgin Galactic’s core spaceship pending probe into Richard Branson’s flight - The Verge

Astra LV0006 rocket fails to reach orbit after sliding horizontally off the pad - The Verge

Chris Kemp on Twitter: RE: Astra LV0006

Firefly Alpha failure blamed on premature engine shutdown - SpaceNews

Firefly Alpha FLTA001 - YouTube

157: It's in the Slushie Now Aug 24, 2021

Show notes

Boeing is returning the Starliner capsule to the factory, while Cassini continues to teach us about Saturn from beyond the grave. Then, Stephen and Jason give good and bad news about Artemis.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

LinkedIn Jobs: Post a job for free by visiting this link.
Privacy: Smarter payments. Get $5 to spend on your first purchase.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Relay FM for St. Jude 2021

Pediatric Cancer Genome Project | St. Jude Research

Inspiration4 - Home

Starliner Returning to Factory to Resolve Valve Issue

NASA, Boeing to Move Starliner to Production Facility for Propulsion System Evaluation – Commercial Crew Program

NASA’s Perseverance to attempt second Mars soil scoop, hoping rocks don’t ‘crumble’ - The Verge

Helicopter Status Updates - NASA Mars

Millennium Space in an experiment de-orbited a satellite in eight months - SpaceNews

Saturn's insides are sloshing around | MIT Technology Review

Orion Spacecraft Goes ‘Shields Up’ for Artemis I – Artemis

First Piece of Artemis II Rocket Hardware Arrives in Florida | NASA

Blue Origin suit stops work on NASA HLS contract with SpaceX - SpaceNews

Nelson: Blue Origin lawsuit adds further delays to Artemis - SpaceNews

Development of spacesuits for Artemis moonwalks lagging – Spaceflight Now

156: You're Stealing My Rocks Aug 10, 2021

Show notes

Jason and Stephen are back, catching up on the news. Topics include SLS flight computers, Starliner's continued struggles, the recent incident at the ISS and a lot more.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.
F-Sim Space Shuttle: Try it today for just $4.99.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

NASA’s New Telescope Will Show Us the Infancy of the Universe | The New Yorker

Jaw-dropping remastered NASA photos celebrate Apollo 15's 50th anniversary - CBS News

Apollo Remastered - The ultimate photographic record of humankind's greatest adventure

SpaceX surges Starship work despite FAA environmental review uncertainty - SpaceNews

With a single photo, SpaceX sent a not-so-subtle message to FAA regulators | Ars Technica

Blue Origin | HLS National Team

Bezos' Blue Origin Loses Challenge to NASA SpaceX Lunar Lander Contract - The New York Times

Jeff Bezos asks NASA for moon lander contract, offers to cover billions in costs | Space

NASA's Perseverance Team Assessing First Mars Sampling Attempt – NASA’s Mars Exploration Program

Space Station Incident Demands Independent Investigation - IEEE Spectrum

Blue Origin successfully completes its first human launch | Ars Technica

Now someone wants to slap a SPACE Tax on Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, et al | TheHill

NASA EGS, Jacobs power up Artemis 1 vehicle to begin system checkouts in the VAB - NASASpaceFlight.com

NASA Moon Rocket Flight Software Readied for Artemis I Launch | NASA

First CubeSats Aboard for Artemis I Mission – NASA Blogs

Stephen's photo of Orion's stage adapter

Boeing Starliner launch problems more widespread than previously reported - The Washington Post

Starliner delayed again, and its launch window may close soon | Ars Technica

NASA, Boeing Continue to Work Toward Understanding Starliner Service Module Valve Performance Issue – Commercial Crew Program

Test Launch of Boeing's Starliner Delayed Due to Stuck Valves - Gizmodo

NASA’s new space suits are delayed, making a 2024 Moon landing ‘not feasible’ - The Verge

155: Apollo 15 Jul 27, 2021

Show notes

As the first J mission, Apollo 15 marked a new era of broader discovery and scientific work on the lunar surface. David Scott, Alfred M. Worden, James Irwin worked to further our understanding of the moon, and were the center of a bit of a scandal after splashdown.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

LinkedIn Jobs: Post a job for free by visiting this link.
Audible: Stories that speak to you. Start listening with a 30-day trial.

Links and Show Notes:

Our Apollo Episodes:

Mission Summary: Apollo 15 | NASA

Apollo 15 Flight Journal - Index Page

Apollo 15 Lunar Surface Journal

Lunar - Missions - Apollo 15 Mission

Apollo 15 (AS-510) | National Air and Space Museum

Apollo’s First Lunar Rover, Driven 50 Years Ago - The Atlantic

The Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle

Apollo 15: "Never Been on a Ride like this Before" - YouTube

LM Tapemeters and T/W Indicator

A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts: Chaikin, Andrew, Hanks, Tom: 9780143112358: Amazon.com: Books

Sculpture on the moon: Paul van Hoeydonck’s Fallen Astronaut.

‎The Fallen Astronaut on iTunes

ASF | Astronaut Scholarship Foundation

154: 💼 🚀 💰 💸 Jul 16, 2021

Show notes

Jason and Stephen check in on the Hubble's progress to return to normal operation and talk about Russia's upcoming ISS plans. Then, a discussion of billionaires in space and how the Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin missions are changing the world of space travel.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Operations Underway to Restore Payload Computer on NASA's Hubble | NASA

Operations Underway to Restore Payload Computer on NASA's Hubble | NASA

Russia's new Nauka module readied for launch to International Space Station | Space

Cosmonauts decommission old space station docking module in 7-hour spacewalk | Space

ESA - European Robotic Arm

NASA TV to Air Crew Dragon Port Relocation on Space Station | NASA

Eric Berger on Twitter: "Lol. None of the three lander proposals wanted to fly on SLS because it was supremely non-competitive in terms of price. But sure, shackle them to it. That’s how they’re going to compete with SpaceX. Brilliant." / Twitter

An Alabama lawmaker just wants NASA to fly SLS, doesn’t care about payloads | Ars Technica

Richard Branson rides Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo into space - SpaceFlight Insider

Here’s why Richard Branson’s flight matters—and, yes, it really matters | Ars Technica

Blue Origin donates $19 million to space nonprofits ahead of Jeff Bezos' launch | Space

Blue Origin selects 18 year old for first crewed flight - Space Explored

Increasingly, the ULA-Blue Origin marriage is an unhappy one | Ars Technica

Hayley's Lifelong St. Jude Story - YouTube

153: Hubble Trouble Jul 01, 2021

Show notes

Jason and Stephen catch up with several commercial space companies before reviewing footage of Zhurong on Mars and talking about the issues currently plaguing the Hubble Space Telescope.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Liftoff on Tumblr

Tide to develop first laundry detergent for astronauts' clothing on space station | collectSPACE

NASA - Astronauts' Dirty Laundry

NASA and Boeing close out recommendations from Starliner review - SpaceNews

OFT-2 Starliner spacecraft fueled in advance of late-July launch - SpaceFlight Insider

Virgin Orbit launches cubesats on second operational mission - SpaceNews

Virgin Orbit suddenly has a viable rocket, so what comes next? | Ars Technica

Blue Origin will fly female aviator Wally Funk, one of the Mercury 13, on 1st crewed launch | Space

The Mercury 13: The women who could have been NASA's first female astronauts | Space

In a first, black holes feasting on neutron stars have been discovered in deep space - CNET

China’s Zhurong rover returns landing footage and sounds from Mars - SpaceNews

China's Shenzhou 12 spacecraft docks at space station with 3 astronauts | Space

China outlines space plans to 2025 - SpaceNews

June 18, 2021 - Operations Continue to Restore Payload Computer on NASA's Hubble Space Telescope

Operations Underway to Restore Payload Computer on NASA's Hubble Space Telescope

Operations Underway to Restore Payload Computer on NASA's Hubble | NASA

John Grunsfeld on Twitter: "The team working on #Hubble recovery are masters of engineering and very cautious. I’m optimistic they will succeed." / Twitter

FF Thread on Twitter

152: It's Under Our Control, with Dr. Ed Lu Jun 15, 2021

Show notes

After catching up on a couple of present and future robotic missions, Stephen and Jason talk with former astronaut Dr. Ed Lu about his work at the B612 Foundation, which is focused on protecting Earth from large asteroid strikes.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

Squarespace: Make your next move. Enter offer code LIFTOFF at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase.

Guest Starring:

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Venus Will Have a Fleet of Spacecraft as Europe Adds Orbiter Mission - The New York Times

New NASA Missions Will Study Venus, a World Overlooked for Decades - The New York Times

Then There Were 3: NASA to Collaborate on ESA’s New Venus Mission | NASA

ESA selects revolutionary Venus mission EnVision

NASA’s Perseverance Rover Begins Its First Science Campaign on Mars

Mars helicopter Ingenuity aces 7th flight on the Red Planet | Space

NASA's Juno Takes Photos of Ganymede, Jupiter's Biggest Moon - The New York Times

See the First Images NASA’s Juno Took As It Sailed by Ganymede | NASA

Core stage for NASA’s Space Launch System mega rocket stacked - SpaceFlight Insider

Backbone of NASA’s Moon Rocket Joins Boosters for Artemis I Mission – Artemis

B612 Foundation

Asteroid Day - UN-sanctioned global awareness campaign

NASA has Approved a Space Telescope That Will Scan the Skies for Dangerous Near-Earth Asteroids - Universe Today

The Tunguska Impact--100 Years Later | Science Mission Directorate

DART Launch Moves to Secondary Window | NASA

Rubin Observatory | Opening a digital window for discovery of the dynamic universe.

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