On a Mission

Latest Episodes:

Secrets of the Mars Rovers – S4E12 Mar 08, 2023

Show notes

In this season 4 finale, Gentry Lee and Rob Manning reveal how surprises, hidden flaws, and uncertainties have always been a part of rovers and the exploration of Mars.

Digging In: When Rovers Get Dirt on Mars - S4E11 Jan 12, 2023

Show notes

Aaron Yazzie and others explain how, by scooping dirt and drilling rocks, rovers are digging deeper into the mysteries of Mars.

The Power of the Rovers – S4E10 Nov 14, 2022

Show notes

How does a rover keep driving on a planet with no gas stations? Shonte Tucker, Sabah Bux and Rob Manning power us through the ways Mars rovers keep going.

Before You Can Drive, First You Have to Fly – S4E9 Oct 03, 2022

Show notes

Before a rover can make tracks on Mars, it first has to rocket off Earth, speed through space, and then alight gently on the planet’s surface. Al Chen and Swati Mohan guide us through the many stages of a rover’s flight to Mars.

How to Drive a Mars Rover – S4E8 Aug 25, 2022

Show notes

Buckle up for a Mars tour with rover driver Vandi Verma, and learn how NASA’s rovers have evolved to better explore this alien world.

Flying with Ingenuity: the Mars Helicopter – S4E7 Jul 20, 2022

Show notes

Bob Balaram and Teddy Tzanetos share stories of how the Mars helicopter came to be, and transport us on Ingenuity’s flights through dusty Martian skies.

The Promise of Perseverance – S4E6 Jun 08, 2022

Show notes

The Perseverance rover holds many promises: to look for evidence of life on Mars, to collect rock samples meant to be sent to Earth one day, and to test technology that could be used in a future human Mars mission.

A Ton of Curiosity - S4E5 Apr 21, 2022

Show notes

The Curiosity rover is a big nerd at heart, fitted with a science lab to take in the planet Mars. Get the inside scoop on the mission’s many discoveries and dramas after a decade on the Red Planet.

A Lifetime on Mars: The Adventures of Spirit and Opportunity - S4E4 Mar 16, 2022

Show notes

Born together, the Spirit and Opportunity twin rovers followed divergent paths after they landed on opposite sides of Mars. Opportunity’s journey was marked by good fortune, while Spirit’s was troubled from the start.

Rise of the Twins: Spirit and Opportunity - S4E3 Feb 16, 2022

Show notes

After two failed missions to Mars, NASA tried to double its odds for success by sending twin rovers to the Red Planet. Part one of the story of Spirit and Opportunity takes us from their birth to their launch from Earth.

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