On Orbit

Latest Episodes:

Propulsion in Space While Moving Forward on Earth With Naia Butler-Craig Jul 21, 2020

Show notes

Naia Butler-Craig is a NASA space technology graduate research fellow and a PhD student at the Georgia Institute of Technology, focusing on electric propulsion. She's not only involved in gateway Artemis projects, but as a self-proclaimed thrill-seeker, aspires to be an astronaut.

Beginning at the age of 13, she's been on a journey to become an aerospace engineer. Since then, she has been honored with many accolades, including the 2020 Modern Day Technology Leader Award, Black Engineer of the Year.

In this episode Naia talks about her journey in the space industry, her research, the importance of the smallsat renaissance, and the importance of tackling racism in STEM.

Keeping Space Green and Clean With Luc Riesbeck Jul 07, 2020

Show notes

Luc Riesbeck is a space policy research analyst at Astroscale U.S., and wants to make our orbits a safer place.

Riesbeck started their career with an undergraduate degree in international relations, then interned at NASA, and quickly realized their interest in space policy. Now with a masters degree and a space policy internship under their belt, Riesbeck is eager to work alongside other industries to put space on the map for the "green" environmental movement.

In this episode, Riesbeck talks about the importance of space sustainability, keeping our orbits clean, and what space policy could look like in the years to come.

Cubesat Experiments With Julie Sage, Gen Z Aspiring Astrophysicist Jun 23, 2020

Show notes

Julie Sage is an aspiring astrophysicist, science communicator, and the host of SuperNova Style Science News. At just 16-years-old, she's been doing some real science with running a variety of different experiments on cubesats, including material testing.

But with her age comes obstacles, including issues with funding and a lack of access to materials. Regardless she perseveres, and with that, has a unique perspective on doing science.

In this episode we talk about her various cubesat experiments, the challenges she's faced as a young scientist, as well as making science more accessible for young folks.

Exploring Space Medicine With Dominic Tanzillo Jun 09, 2020

Show notes

What is space medicine? Although the answer can vary, it focuses on ways to keep humans in homeostasis while they endure extreme environments. There's also ways that the space environment can benefit researchers studying diseases.

Dominic Tanzillo is an intern at NASA, a member of SEDS, as well as a mathematics and neuroscience student at Duke University. Although his NASA internship focuses on engineering, he's interested in pursuing medical school. His interest led him to develop a space medicine course at Duke, which will be offered in the fall.

In this episode, we talk to Dominic about the history of space medicine, what it encompasses, and what we can learn during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Making Space in the Space Industry With SEDS Director of Projects Nicole Chase May 26, 2020

Show notes

What does "space is for everyone" really mean? Nicole Chase tackles this question in her work. In order to make the space industry accessible for everyone, it's important to understand what the phrase truly means.

A woman with many titles, Nicole is the Director of Projects for SEDS, Director of the Student Space Ambassador Program for The Mars Generation, and a Database Administrator for Made in Space. She recently submitted an abstract about the importance of young leadership in the space industry, and why it is crucial to foster an environment that young leaders thrive in. Additionally, she presented about the concept of "space is for everyone" at the SpaceUp Unconference and the Space Science in Context 2020 conference.

In this episode, we talk to Nicole about what "space is for everyone" means, how to foster young leadership, and how to make the industry an inclusive space (no pun intended) for all.

Launching Both CubeSats and Events With SEDS Rice President Ryan Udell May 11, 2020

Show notes

With the world around us constantly changing, next-generation space leadership is more important than ever. But, what does it mean? What does it look like?

SEDS Rice Chapter President Ryan Udell gives us an example of next-gen space leadership. An engineering major eager to connect his fellow students with the greater space industry, Ryan has taken it upon himself to revamp the SEDS chapter at his university, transforming the club from a single member to over 30!

From there, he founded and hosted the inaugural Owls in Space Symposium event, which featured attendees such as NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and NASA astronaut Dr. Peggy Whitson. Additionally, he led Rice University's entry in the NASA CubeSat launch initiative project, which was 1 of 18 winners to be launched into space.

In this episode, On Orbit talks to Ryan about the similarities and differences in leading (and launching) two very different projects, and what it takes to be a next-gen space leader.

The Automated Fiber-Planting Tractor that Won Startup Space Apr 28, 2020

Show notes

There have been only a handful of places fit for fiber installation — underwater, underground, or strung up on utility poles — until a new tech startup based in Virginia emerged with robotic tractors that are opening up a new world of possibilities for broadband infrastructure on the ground.

On Orbit caught up with Startup Space-winner Daniel Turner, CEO and Co-Founder of TRAXyL, a company that is developing an automated, tractor-powered fiber deployment solution. Instead of crops, Daniel's automated tractor plants fiber broadband lines along highways and existing paved infrastructure. The goal is to bring high-speed connectivity to millions of municipalities, small businesses, hospitals, school campuses, event complexes, and government and military facilities.

TRAXyL installs optical fiber lines along existing roadways without digging deep trenches. The company's patented driverless FiberTRAXtor vehicle installs a fiber line on the surface of the road and then covers and protects the line with the company's FiberTRAX resin. In this episode, Daniel shared the company's origins, how he and his partner came up with the idea of using an automated tractor, and how technologies like the FiberTRAXtor can benefit the satellite and space sectors and, hopefully, the deployment of 5G wireless.

On Orbit Live at SATELLITE — What Does "New Space" Really Mean? Apr 07, 2020

Show notes

The topic of this episode — our first live podcast — is more or less a question. What exactly do we, people in the space and satellite industry, mean when we use the term 'New Space'? New Space is often used to describe new companies, new ideas, and new technologies. Is New Space a technical term? Or, is it a cultural identity?

This episode was recorded during the SATELLITE 2020 show in Washington D.C., and it's co-hosted by our good friends Grace Graham (Brooke Owens Fellow, Utah State University, Via Satellite contributor) and Brian Garret-Glazer (Avionics Magazine). Our special guest panelists are Dr. Tanya Harrison (Planet), Charlie Nitschelm (Students for the Exploration and Development of Space — SEDS), Rafferty Jackson (Jack Industries, Astia) and Ali Younis (Astranis). Via Satellite also covered the panel during SATELLITE.

We'd like to thank Charlie and SEDS for sponsoring this episode. SEDS is a non-profit that empowers young people to participate and make an impact in space exploration. Visit SEDS' website for more information about how you can join or volunteer for SEDS and their many causes and events throughout the year.

Finally, the Via Satellite team would like to send our best wishes to all of our listeners as we deal with this global health crisis. We hope all of you stay safe and healthy, and we also thank you for listening to this podcast. We may be stuck inside, but thanks to modern technology, we can still talk to people all around the world. So, if you have an idea for an episode, or are interested in participating in a discussion, please follow us and message us on Twitter (@OnOrbitPodcast). Enjoy the show!

The Songs (and Sounds) of Space with Steven Drozd & The Flaming Lips Mar 24, 2020

Show notes

And now for something completely different! Steven Drozd, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter with the world-famous Oklahoma City-based rock band, The Flaming Lips joins us on On Orbit for a discussion about how space and technology has influenced not only his music, but of the music of a generation.

Over the course of their nearly 37-year existence, the Flaming Lips have drawn inspiration for their music from the most fascinating and unique corners of science fiction, as well as some of the most important moments in space exploration history. Steven talks about how the NASA Moon landing, Voyager program, Mars mission, visual artist Moebius, David Bowie, the films "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Logan's Run," and composers Gustav Holst, György Ligeti, and Igor Stravinsky all helped shape the Flaming Lips' signature sound. We even discuss the musical instruments and tools that Steven used to recreate the space environments in his songs.

Escape the daily pandemic news for a moment and enjoy this conversation about the songs and sounds of space!

This episode also features samples of Flaming Lips songs, which are available through Warner Brothers, on all streaming services, online and retail record stores. The band's new album, American Head, will be released this summer. For more information on the band, visit flaminglips.com.

This episode of On Orbit is sponsored by the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (or SEDS). SEDS is a non-profit that empowers young people to participate and make an impact in space exploration. Thank you so much to SEDS and all of their members for supporting this episode of On Orbit.

The Future of Connectivity Mar 17, 2020

Show notes

For our sixth and final episode of our special podcast series, "Connecting the Unconnected," we're joined by Hughes Vice President of Corporate Marketing Arunas Slekys and Senior Vice President of Engineering John Corrigan for a conversation about the future of global satellite communications.

During the conversation, we discuss how broadband connectivity is more than just a technology issue – it's a fight for global economic equality. We also talk about how the rollout of 5G services could impact the development of satellite hardware and ground terminals.

"Connecting the Unconnected" was generously sponsored and co-produced by Hughes. If you've been following along with us during this series, then you've heard from several different executives at Hughes about the many projects they have around the world using satellite to connect people. We've covered satellite internet, cellular backhaul, community Wi-Fi, emergency response communications and the regulatory environment. If you haven't done so, please go back and listen to the five previous episodes.

We'll return to our regular bi-weekly schedule after next week's episode. Our guest will be grammy-award winning musician and songwriter with The Flaming Lips Steven Drozd, who took some time in between recording and shooting a music video to talk about the music and songs of space!

After that, we'll be releasing our On Orbit Live podcast from SATELLITE 2020 – What is NewSpace? With guest hosts Brian Garrett-Glaser and Grace Graham, speaking with Tanya Harrison, Rafferty Jackson, Ali Younis and Charlie Nitschelm about what defines this new movement happening in the space industry. We'll also be releasing a best of SATELLITE 2020, including an excerpt from my fireside interview with SpaceX Founder Elon Musk.

For everyone working at home, there will be plenty of On Orbit podcasts to keep you company!

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