Liftoff - TopPodcast.com

View Top 200 Chart

Back to Rankings Page

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:

151: Off to the Arctic Circle With You Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

It's budget time, and Stephen is here with the numbers. He and Jason are both excited about the final steps before the JWST launches. That, and a bunch of news updates this fortnight!

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

Tuparev Technologies: Learn more about the new FITS Guide now.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Zhurong is Rolling on Mars - Universe Today

APOD: 2021 June 1 - Satellites over Orion

Astronomy Picture of the Day Archive

In Sweden’s Far North, a Space Complex Takes Shape - The New York Times

Space Station May Host Wave of TV Shows and Films - The New York Times

Webb’s Golden Mirror Wings Open One Last Time on Earth | NASA

ESA - James Webb Space Telescope launch kit

Webb telescope launch date slips again | Ars Technica

Budget Documents, Strategic Plans and Performance Reports | NASA

NASA Administrator Statement on President’s FY 2022 Funding Request | NASA

NASA budget goes all-in on science, stays the course on Moon lander | Ars Technica

Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) | NASA

Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID) | NASA

State of NASA Address from Administrator Bill Nelson - YouTube

150: Worming It Up May 18, 2021

Show notes

This fortnight, Jason and Stephen catch up on what NASA's new administrator has been saying about the future of the agency, and China's actions in space, both near and far away.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

China's Rocket Debris Landed Near Maldives: Here's What to Know - The New York Times

NASA Administrator Statement on Chinese Rocket Debris | NASA

Rocket Lab’s 20th Electron launch ends in failure with the loss of its payload | TechCrunch

Rocket Lab recovered the first stage from its failed May 15 launch, a silver lining for its reusability program | TechCrunch

China's newly landed Mars rover Zhurong likely to roll into action this weekend | Space

China Lands Rover on Mars – SpacePolicyOnline.com

Senate Committee Approves 2021 NASA Authorization, Requires Second HLS System – SpacePolicyOnline.com

Orion Spacecraft Adorned with Iconic NASA Worm Logo – Artemis

Artemis I Rocket and Spacecraft Receive “Worm” Welcome | NASA

NASA chief Bill Nelson talks rockets, Moon plans, and partnerships - The Verge

Biden space advisers urge cooperation with China - POLITICO

Membership - Relay FM

149: $5,999,999,999.99 May 06, 2021

Show notes

There's a new boss at NASA, and he already has a mess to deal with in the contested Human Landing System contract with SpaceX, which is seeing success in Texas with Starship testing. Then, an update on Mars missions and a goodbye to Michael Collins.

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

A Message from NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson to the NASA Workforce - YouTube

Vice President Kamala Harris to lead National Space Council - CBS News

NASA Suspends HLS Contract With SpaceX – SpacePolicyOnline.com

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin protests NASA’s $2.9 billion Moon contract with SpaceX - The Verge

Bill Nelson backs NASA decision on lunar lander in confirmation hearing | Ars Technica

Tianhe, the Core of the Chinese Space Station | The Planetary Society

This Is What Legally Happens If An Uncontrolled Rocket Damages Something | The Planetary Society

Skylab (Re-entry and debris) - Wikipedia

SpaceX's Starship SN15 lands successfully! - SpaceFlight Insider

Liftoff #144: Elon Being Elon and the Early Days of SpaceX, with Eric Berger - Relay FM

How Not to Land an Orbital Rocket Booster - SpaceX on YouTube

Ingenuity shifts from technology to operations demo after successful fourth flight - SpaceNews

NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover Extracts First Oxygen From Red Planet – NASA’s Mars Exploration Program

Michael Collins, ‘Third Man’ of the Moon Landing, Dies at 90 - The New York Times

Liftoff #62: Get Out of Low Earth Orbit - Relay FM

Liftoff #103: Apollo 11 - Relay FM

Carrying the Fire: An Astronaut's Journeys - Amazon.com: Books

148: Space Suits as a Service Apr 19, 2021

Show notes

With its Ingenuity Mars Helicopter's first flight compete, NASA has made history, opening the door to missions beyond landers and rovers. Also: what SpaceX's Human Landing System contract means for the SLS and the future of NASA leadership.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

Tuparev Technologies: Learn more about the new FITS Guide now.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

NASA Statement on Nomination of Pam Melroy for Agency Deputy Administrator

Artemis Moonwalkers, Space Station to Use NASA-Industry EVA Services | NASA

NASA and Boeing Targeting August/September for Starliner’s Uncrewed Orbital Flight Test-2 Launch

Crew-2 Flight Readiness Review Begins as Falcon 9 Rocket and Crew Dragon Reach the Launch Complex – Commercial Crew Program

NASA SpaceX Crew-2 ‘Go’ for April 22 Launch – Commercial Crew Program

An Astronaut's Heart Shrank From Space Travel, Study Finds - The New York Times

Artemis I Core Stage Being Readied for Shipment to Kennedy – Artemis

NASA Ground, Marine Teams Integral to Moving SLS Rocket to Pad | NASA

Elon Musk’s SpaceX will build NASA’s lunar lander - The Verge

NASA Picks SpaceX to Land Next Americans on Moon | NASA

Eric Berger on Twitter: "For perspective on what "commercial space" means: SpaceX's bid for the entirety of its Human Landing System, $2.9 billion, is about what NASA spends each year on SLS and associated ground systems development."

The Orbital Index | Space: weekly, technical, curated.

NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter Succeeds in Historic First Flight – NASA’s Mars Exploration Program

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter achieves historic powered flight on Mars - The Verge

First Video of NASA’s Ingenuity Mars Helicopter in Flight, Includes Takeoff and Landing (High-Res) - YouTube

NASA's Dragonfly Mission to Titan Will Look for Origins, Signs of Life | NASA

147: Astronaut To Be Named Later Apr 08, 2021

Show notes

This fortnight, Jason and Stephen discuss traffic management at the International Space Station, upgrades to KSC's ground systems in preparation for SLS and the instruments that will fly with Europa Clipper.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

Technology Untangled: Join Michael Bird as he untangles innovation through a series of interviews, stories, and analyses with some of the industry’s brightest brains.
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

SpaceX rocket debris creates a fantastic light show in the Pacific Northwest sky - The Verge

SpaceX rocket debris lands on man’s farm in Washington - The Verge

SpaceX launches Starship SN11 rocket prototype, but misses landing | Space

Musk says methane leak doomed latest Starship test flight – Spaceflight Now

Photos show pieces of SpaceX's SN11 scattered across Boca Chica after failed landing

Four astronauts took a Dragon for a spin on Monday morning | Ars Technica

NASA, SpaceX Relocate Crew-1 Dragon; More Crewed Flight Preps Continue – Commercial Crew Program

A Billionaire Names His Team to Ride SpaceX, No Pros Allowed - The New York Times

SpaceX is adding a glass dome on Crew Dragon for 360 views of space - The Verge

NASA’s Mars Helicopter Survives First Cold Martian Night on Its Own

NASA’s Mars helicopter ready for pre-flight checkouts – Spaceflight Now

RS-25 Rocket Engines Return to Launch NASA’s Artemis Moon Missions | NASA

Aerojet Rocketdyne has upgraded 16 RS-25 engines,

Under Pressure! New Rainbird System Will Protect Artemis II – Kennedy Space Center

Under Pressure! New Rainbird System Will Protect Artemis II – Kennedy Space Center

NASA Begins Major Assembly of Rocket Stage for First Crewed Artemis Mission – Artemis

NASA’s Europa Clipper Builds Hardware, Moves Toward Assembly | NASA

On the Path Towards Unprecedented Science – NASA's Europa Clipper

Pimm's Cup Cocktail Recipe | Michael Chiarello | Food Network

ESA Science & Technology - JUICE

146: Reverse Origami Mar 23, 2021

Show notes

The SLS has completed a full-length hot fire test and NASA is on the verge of having a new administrator, all while SpaceX continue to move ahead with its Starship testing.

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.
Fortnite, from Epic Games: Embrace your wild side in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 6: Primal.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

LEGO Space Shuttle Discovery debuts as new 2,300-piece set - 9to5Toys

NASA’s new Mars rover is about to spawn a tiny helicopter - The Verge

Starship SN11 returns to pre-launch testing - Super Heavy BN1 rollout to follow - NASASpaceFlight.com

Oumuamua: It Came From Another Solar System - The New York Times

NASA Mega Moon Rocket Passes Key Test, Readies for Launch | NASA

NASA has begun a study of the SLS rocket’s affordability [Updated] | Ars Technica

What are the sparks flying at the bottom of SSMEs at the time of launch? - Space Exploration Stack Exchange

NASA has begun a study of the SLS rocket’s affordability [Updated] | Ars Technica

President Biden Announces his Intent to Nominate Bill Nelson for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration | The White House

Biden Nominates Bill Nelson to Lead NASA - The New York Times

Here are five questions we would ask the nominee for NASA administrator | Ars Technica

NASA Commits To Building Mandated Heavy-lift Rocket - SpaceNews

145: Sad Mole Mar 09, 2021

Show notes

March is here, and it brings with it a lot of space news. On Mars, Perseverance is busy with a lot of firsts, even as Insight says goodbye to an old friend. In Texas, SpaceX keeps churning out test vehicles as the SLS program readies for a second hot fire test. Elsewhere, China and Russia join forces to build a lunar space station.

This episode of Liftoff is sponsored by:

Tuparev Technologies: Learn more about the new POLIS initiative now.

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

NASA’s Perseverance Drives on Mars’ Terrain for First Time | NASA

Images from the Mars Perseverance Rover - NASA Mars

Location Map for Perseverance Rover - NASA Mars

Octavia E. Butler: NASA names the Perseverance rover's landing spot for the author - CNN

NASA Awards Mars Ascent Propulsion System Contract for Sample Return | NASA

NASA InSight’s ‘Mole’ Ends Its Journey on Mars | NASA

Russia partners with China for lunar space station - The Verge

SpaceX's SN10 Starship prototype lands after epic test launch — but then explodes | Space

SpaceX reveals the grand extent of its starport plans in South Texas | Ars Technica

SpaceX acquires former oil rigs to serve as floating Starship spaceports - NASASpaceFlight.com

Green Run Update: Engineers Repair Valve for Mid-March Hot Fire Test – Artemis

Mammoth Artemis I Rocket Boosters Stacked on Mobile Launcher – Artemis

NASA's new race to put a woman on the moon - 60 Minutes - CBS News

SpaceX Should Build NASA's Rockets Amid $20bn SLS Cost: Ex-NASA Administrator Lori Garver

NASA | Exploration Systems Suppliers in America

Allan McDonald, Who Refused To Approve Shuttle Challenger Launch, Dead At 83 : NPR

144: Elon Being Elon and the Early Days of SpaceX, with Eric Berger Feb 23, 2021

Show notes

Jason and Stephen are joined by Eric Berger to discuss his new book Liftoff, which covers the origins of SpaceX. Eric is the Senior Space Editor at Ars Technica and the book comes out on March 2. The guys also discussed the landing of Perseverance, the Starship test flights and who may be the next NASA Administrator.

Guest Starring:

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX – HarperCollins

Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) / Twitter

NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover Provides First Audio Recording on Mars | NASA

The Insane Engineering of the Perseverance Rover - YouTube

Linux has made it to Mars - The Verge

How NASA Designed a Helicopter That Could Fly Autonomously on Mars - IEEE Spectrum

The FAA is no longer concerned with SpaceX’s Starship SN9 and SN8 - The Verge

Starship SN10 hopeful for launch "this week" - Super Heavy waiting in the wings - NASASpaceFlight.com

A politician who said politicians shouldn’t run NASA wants to run NASA | Ars Technica

Breaking Defense on Twitter on Nelson/Melroy Rumor

Green Run Update: NASA Investigating Valve Performance Before Second Hot Fire – Artemis

NASA sees “reasonable chance” of first SLS launch this year - SpaceNews

143: The Perseverance Landing and "For All Mankind" with Ron Moore Feb 19, 2021

Show notes

On this bonus episode, Jason and Stephen speak with Ron Moore, co-creator, writer and producer of For All Mankind. Topics covered include the challenges writing for a parallel timeline and a bit about episode 1 of the new season after a spoiler warning is given.

Guest Starring:

Links and Show Notes:

Support Liftoff with a Relay FM Membership

Mars Perseverance Mission Overview | NASA

First Image From Perseverance on Mars - NASA

For All Mankind - Apple TV+

For All Mankind - Apple TV+ Press

For All Mankind: The Official Podcast on Apple Podcasts

For All Mankind - TeeVee - The Incomparable

Jason and Dan on "For All Mankind" - Apple Podcasts

142: Not To Sound Like a Parent, But... Feb 11, 2021

Show notes

Jason and Stephen are getting back to the news, and talk about Alan Shepard's golf balls, the state of NASA's programs under the Biden administration and what NASA would do if the SLS program were ended. Lastly, they discuss the upcoming Inspiration4 mission.

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

Remastered images reveal how far Alan Shepard hit a golf ball on the Moon | Ars Technica

Golf on the moon: Apollo 14 50th anniversary images find Alan Shepard's ball and show how far he hit it - BBC Sport

Mars Mission From U.A.E. to Arrive and Orbit Red Planet - The New York Times

China's Tianwen-1 enters orbit around Mars - SpaceNews

Mission Overview - NASA Mars

Landing Toolkit: Perseverance Rover - NASA Mars

White House says its supports Artemis Program to return to the Moon [Updated] | Ars Technica

NASA delays moon lander awards as Biden team mulls moonshot program - The Verge

NASA to use commercial launch vehicle for Europa Clipper - SpaceNews

NASA Awards Contract to Launch Initial Elements for Lunar Outpost | NASA

So long Senator Shelby: Key architect of SLS rocket won’t seek reelection | Ars Technica

Green Run Update: NASA Proceeds With Plans for Second Hot Fire Test – Artemis

Artemis I Boosters Take Shape – Artemis

Artemis 1 SLS booster stacking nearing completion - SpaceFlight Insider

St. Jude joins world’s first all-civilian mission to space - St. Jude Inspire | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

SpaceX Planning to Fly First All-Civilian Mission This Year; Two Seats Donated to St. Jude Backers – 512 Pixels

Inspiration4 - Home

Related Podcasts