Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

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Amy Mainzer: Asteroid Hunter May 09, 2018

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After taking over 10 million images of more than 30,000 solar system objects, the NEOWISE mission is finally in its last months. Principal Investigator Amy Mainzer returns with an update on this phenomenal success and a look ahead toward a much more powerful asteroid and comet hunter called NEOCam. It’s not just about defending our planet. We are learning the origin story of Earth and other worlds. Bruce Betts also shares a story or two, along with a new space trivia contest, in this week’s What’s Up segment. Learn more about this week’s topic and see images here: http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2018/0509-amy-mainzer-neowise.htmlLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Space Policy Edition: A Commercial Future for the Space Station? May 04, 2018

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After announcing it intends to divest from the International Space Station in 2025, NASA quietly released a new report on its transition plans, laying out a series of principles that will set the future of U.S. astronauts in low-Earth orbit. Can a private entity really take over the space station? Where did this idea come from anyway? Will there be new commercial space stations in the near future, and will they serve NASA's needs? Also, the confirmation of Jim Bridenstine as NASA Administrator. More resources to explore this month’s topics are at http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2018/space-policy-edition-25.html Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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All Shook Up: The InSight Mission to Mars May 02, 2018

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No mission to Mars has done what InSight will do. The lander’s spectacularly sensitive instruments will use the Red Planet’s heat and marsquakes to reveal its deep interior while also revealing secrets of other rocky worlds like our own Earth. Principal Investigator Bruce Banerdt came to Planetary Society headquarters barely a week before launch for a long and fascinating conversation. Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye says the European Space Agency’s Gaia spacecraft has mapped our galaxy as never before. Bruce Betts will help us explore a bit of the Milky Way in this week’s What’s Up segment. Learn more about this week’s topics and see images here: http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2018/0502-bruce-banerdt-insight.htmlLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Planetary Radio Live! – Celebrating Curiosity on Mars Apr 25, 2018

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Join us for an utterly fascinating live conversation with Emily Lakdawalla about her brand new book, The Design and Engineering of Curiosity: How the Mars Rover Performs Its Job. Also joining us at Caltech were Curiosity Project Scientist Ashwin Vasavada and JPL Research Scientist Abigail Fraeman. Bruce Betts and Mat Kaplan close out the evening with a live edition of What’s Up, including the space trivia contest. Learn more about this week’s topics and see images here: http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2018/0425-2018-planetary-radio-live-lakdawalla-book-curiosity.htmlLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Yuri’s Night 2018! Apr 18, 2018

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Host Mat Kaplan once again attends the worldwide party for space. Join him at the Los Angeles celebration under Space Shuttle Endeavour. You’ll hear conversations with astronauts Nicole Stott and Anousheh Ansari, Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides, Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye the Science Guy and others. Then test your space history and trivia knowledge with Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts. Learn more about this week’s topics and see images here: http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2018/0418-2018-yuris-night.htmlLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Visiting the Earth-Like Worlds of TRAPPIST-1 Apr 11, 2018

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We have begun to understand the composition of worlds that are hundreds of trillions of kilometers from Earth. Astronomer Nikole Lewis is co-leader of a team that has used the Hubble Space Telescope to do this with the four Earth-like planets circling a star called TRAPPIST-1. Host Mat Kaplan talks with Digital Editor Jason Davis about a new probe designed to discover thousands of additional exoplanets. Want to win a Planetary Radio t-shirt? Answer this week’s space trivia question posed by Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts. Learn more about this week’s topics and see images here: http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2018/0411-nikole-lewis-trappist-worlds.htmlLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Space Policy Edition: Lori Garver on what a NASA Administrator (and Deputy) actually does Apr 06, 2018

Show notes

Lori Garver, former Deputy Administrator of NASA, talks with Casey about what the Deputy and Administrator jobs are like day-to-day, how decisions actually get made at the top, and why the current lack of confirmed leadership hurts the space agency. Casey, Space Policy Advisor Jason Callahan and Planetary Radio host Mat Kaplan also review the great news about the NASA budget, and reveal the possible fallout from the further delay in launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.More resources to explore this month’s topics are at http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2018/space-policy-edition-24.htmlLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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AI, Space, and Humanity’s Future—A Conversation with David Brin Apr 04, 2018

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The multi-award winning science fiction author, futurist and speaker returns to Planetary Radio for a wide-ranging conversation about robots and humans in space, empathetic artificial intelligences, how we can survive the Singularity and much more. Emily Lakdawalla recaps an astrobiology session at the just-completed Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. There’s a great new book from National Geographic Kids waiting for the winner of the new What’s Up space trivia contest. Learn more about this week’s topics and see images here: http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2018/0404-david-brin-ai-space.htmlLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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A Space Station Crashes to Earth Mar 28, 2018

Show notes

By the time you hear this week’s episode, China’s Tiangong-1 may have spectacularly re-entered our planet’s atmosphere, raining metal on an unpredictable location. The Aerospace Corporation’s Bill Ailor, an expert on space debris, tells us there’s little to worry about, but bigger challenges are ahead in low Earth orbit. Bruce Betts also has his mind on the small space station. Emily Lakdawalla is back from the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference with much news to share. NASA finally has a budget for the year already underway! Casey Dreier breaks it down.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Stephen Hawking: Spaceflight Pioneer! Mar 21, 2018

Show notes

He is known for his breakthrough physics and popularizing of science, but Dr. Hawking also wanted to fly in space. Erik Viirre led the medical team that helped Stephen experience weightlessness. He says the adventure helped open the possibility of spaceflight for many more people. Planetary Society co-founder Louis Friedman and Society CEO Bill Nye share their memories of the great physicist. Bruce Betts doesn’t let a bad cold get in the way of the What’s Up segment. Learn more about this week’s topics and see images here: http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/planetary-radio/show/2018/0321-stephen-hawking-zero-g.htmlLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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