Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

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Yuri’s Night: For all SpaceKind Apr 12, 2023

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Join us as we delve into the heart of LA's 2023 Yuri's Night party, a celebration commemorating Yuri Gagarin's pioneering 1961 voyage into space. We'll bring you exclusive interviews and insights from a stellar lineup, including Star Trek cast members, NASA's Jet Propulsion Labs Director Laurie Leshin, and astronaut Jessica Watkins. Together, they'll celebrate the future of space exploration and what it means to be SpaceKind. Don’t miss our What’s Up segment for the latest stargazing opportunities and info on the upcoming rare hybrid eclipse on April 20th.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-yuris-night

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Space Policy Edition: The motives behind NASA's billions — Jean Toal Eisen on how Congress funds the final frontier Apr 07, 2023

Show notes

For over a decade, Jean Toal Eisen drafted legislation directing billions of dollars to NASA as senior staff on the Senate Appropriations Committee. She joins the show to unveil the crucial roles played by committee staff like herself, how decisions and priorities are made behind closed doors, and the motivations and drivers of the people who control the fates of billions of dollars of taxpayer funding for the U.S. space program.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/how-congress-funds-the-final-frontier

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Two Years of Hope: Celebrating the Emirates Mars Mission Apr 05, 2023

Show notes

Join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of a truly inspiring space mission - the United Arab Emirates' Hope probe, which has spent two amazing years orbiting Mars! Our guest, Mohsen Al Awadhi, Director of the Space Missions Department at the UAE Space Agency, shares insights into the mission's journey and teases the next exciting chapter: observing Mars' mysterious moon, Deimos. We're also counting down to the launch of the European Space Agency's highly anticipated JUICE mission, set to explore the enigmatic moons of Jupiter. We update you on NASA's VERITAS mission to Venus and share how you can contribute to the campaign to save this crucial exploratory mission. We'll wrap up the episode with our favorite stargazer, Bruce Betts, who'll guide us through a sneak peek at the upcoming night sky in What's Up.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-two-years-of-hope

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Volcanic Venus? New insights from vintage data Mar 29, 2023

Show notes

Is Venus hiding volcanic secrets beneath its shroud of clouds? Robbie Herrick and Scott Hensley, the minds behind a new paper on recent potential volcanic activity on Venus, join Planetary Radio to discuss their discovery and what it means for the future of Venusian exploration. Then we turn to the night sky with our resident stargazer, Bruce Betts, for What's Up and our space trivia contest.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-volcanic-venus

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Getting psyched for Psyche Mar 22, 2023

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NASA’s Psyche mission to explore a metallic asteroid will launch later this year. Lindy Elkins-Tanton, the principal investigator for Psyche, joins Planetary Radio to share the mission’s status and look forward to the wonders that await when the spacecraft reaches its heavy metal target. We also keep you updated on exciting news from Venus, and let you know what to catch in the upcoming night sky in What’s Up.
Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-getting-psyched-for-psyche

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Universal Harmonies: Sonifying images for science and accessibility Mar 15, 2023

Show notes

Kim Arcand from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory joins Planetary Radio to share her team’s new album “Universal Harmonies.” It’s a beautiful collection of sonified observations taken by the space telescope that aims to make space images more accessible to people with low or no vision. The Planetary Society team celebrates the release of their new member community app and shares an update on the Boeing Starliner. Stick around for a chance to win a vinyl version of “Universal Harmonies” in this week’s space trivia contest.
Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-universal-harmonies

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Looking back on Voyager’s 45th Anniversary Mar 08, 2023

Show notes

Planetary Radio’s creator Mat Kaplan guest hosts for this look back at the Jet Propulsion Lab’s celebration of the 45th anniversary of the Voyager mission. Stick around for his conversation with Ann Druyan, creative director for the Golden Record carried by the probes. Mat and Bruce Betts reunite for this week’s What’s Up and space trivia contest.
Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-voyager-45th-anniversary

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Space Policy Edition: The Tricky Ethics of Space Settlement Mar 03, 2023

Show notes

Humanity is on the cusp of attempting permanent settlement on other worlds. But who gets to go? How will we govern ourselves or enforce laws off Earth? How can you have property rights, labor rights, or even individual rights when the very air you breathe is limited and potentially controlled by your employer? Dr. Erika Nesvold, astrophysicist and author of the new book “Off-Earth: Ethical Questions and Quandaries for Living in Outer Space” explores the ethical challenges facing our species as it dips its toe into living beyond our home planet.

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The Canadian Lunar Rover with Peter Visscher Mar 01, 2023

Show notes

In this week’s episode, Director of Canadensys West Peter Visscher fills us in on the upcoming Canadian lunar rover. Visscher has been working on the rover for years. Bruce Betts also returns to the show for another installment of What's Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-canadian-lunar-rover-peter-visscher

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Martian rock collecting: From meteorites to Mars Sample Return Feb 22, 2023

Show notes

Exciting updates to the plans to return samples from Mars to Earth are underway. Meenakshi Wadhwa, principal scientist for Mars Sample Return at NASA JPL, shares what we have learned from our studies of Martian meteorites and fills us in on the upcoming Mars Sample Return missions. Stick around for our review of the night sky and a look back at this week in space history in What’s Up with Bruce Betts.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2023-martian-rock-collecting

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