Stay ConnectedThe new space age is upon us, and This Week in Space leaves no topic untouched. Every Friday, join Editor-in-Chief of Ad Astra magazine, Rod Pyle and Managing Editor of Space.com, Tariq Malik as they explore everything related to the cosmos.
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New episodes posted every Friday.
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Newspace is hiring! With the major powers heading to the moon, low-Earth orbit becoming busier than ever, and countless new companies entering the space marketplace, the hiring pipeline is more critical than ever. We spoke with Dr. Amanda Smith-Hackler, the Director of Education for the Universities Space Research Association and Principal Investigator for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars and STEM Workforce Development Programs, about the new and exciting opportunities available to young people seeking to enter the space workforce.
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Dr. Amanda Smith-Hackler
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In this week's episode we turned to Chelsea Gohd, former writer for NASA/JPL and now with Space.com, to talk about the recent large data dump from the Artemis II mission. What was included? Why is this new data important? What observations were made, and what discoveries might result from them? What kind of annotations and notes did the astronauts include that make these observations uniquely valuable? And finally, we talk about Artemis III - what is the mission profile and what are the stakes for SpaceX and Blue Origin?
Headlines:
Main Topic: Artemis II Mission Data Dump and Lunar Science
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Chelsea Gohd
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From the earliest works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells to the best of contemporary space science fiction, Tariq and I dive deep into our favorite space si-fi across the ages! And our challenge to you for some of the most obscure titles we know.
Headlines:
Main Topic: Space Science Fiction Books and Media
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
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Think you're having a hot summer? Try living on 55 Cancri-e, a super-Earth with daytime temperatures above 4000 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of these super-Earths orbit frighteningly close to their host stars and have long since had their atmospheres scraped away, leaving them baked, parched rocks. But some, like 55 Cancri, still have dense envelopes of air. How is that possible, when the planet is 20 times closer to its star than our own planet Mercury? Dr. Laura Schaefer explains how molten lava worlds defy the odds. Plus: Starship update, the first orbital data centers, and a new year on Mars.
Headlines:
Main Topic: Living on Lava Worlds—Atmospheres, Extreme Planets, and the Search for Life
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Dr. Laura Schaefer
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This week it's Rod and Tariq working through the most important space headlines. The big story: Starship could launch test flight 14 as early as Monday the 28th. We've seen lots of tests, but this is the first attempt at an orbital flight, the success of which is necessary for the lunar landing system and eventual retirement of the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon. Also: Vast starts up a lunar division, Isaacman's relief over delays to China's lunar program, concerns over announced discontinuation of SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon, and yet more money for Boeing's troubled Starliner. This and more on this episode of TWiS!
Headlines:
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
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In the 1980s, as the US space shuttle was just starting operations, the UK embarked on an ambitious project called HOTOL—short for Horizontal Take Off and Landing, a radical, air-breathing spaceplane design. Political and funding shifts in the UK ultimately derailed the project, despite the promising technologies it pioneered. The idea was later restarted as Skylon, with key individuals and refined technologies at its core. This project, too, struggled, ultimately shuttering in 2024. Despite this, the promise of rapid, reusable spaceplanes that can launch and land at airports is still coveted by many countries, and efforts continue. Join Rob Coppinger, author of the definitive book on the topic and editor of the UK's "Spaceflight" magazine, as he tells this fascinating story.
Headlines:
Main Topic: British Spaceplanes – HOTOL and Skylon
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Rob Coppinger
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Hold onto your phasers, but it's been 60 years since Star Trek's debut, and the franchise is still going strong. For 40 of those years, Mike Okuda, working with a gifted team that included his wife Denise, has been central to the look, feel, and substance of the Star Trek universe. From the LCARS computer graphical system to alien languages to the designs and color schemes, and even the digital effects remastering of the original series, Mike has been the Cardinal of Canon when it comes to all things Trek. He has also been involved with many more space-related shows, books, and NASA projects. Join us for this very special episode.
Headlines:
Main Topic: Star Trek at 60—Legacy, Design, and Influence with Mike Okuda
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Michael Okuda
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Capitalism—and a strong profit motivation—has driven enterprise for centuries. Two notable examples are the East India Company and the US transcontinental railroad, and the various tycoons who built it. In neither case, by today's standards, were the operations fair or ethical on a number of fronts. Can we do better in space? Dr. Rainer Zitelmann joins us to discuss capitalism and the importance of extraterrestrial land ownership as an enabler of human expansion off-Earth. He's got a lot to say, and not all of it is what you might expect. Join us for this fascinating and informative look at one business case for newspace.
Headlines:
• NASA's Roman Space Telescope Launches to Explore Cosmic Mysteries
• SpaceX Falcon Heavy Returns to Action for Major NASA Mission
• Blue Origin Selected to Build Mars Communications Relay for NASA
• Japan and Europe's BepiColombo Mission Arrives at Mercury
Main Topic: Who Owns the Moon? — Capitalism in Space With Dr. Rainer Zitelmann
• Dr. Zitelmann Explains Market Forces Transforming the Space Industry
• Historical Parallels Between Economic Reforms and the Privatization of Space
• The Outer Space Treaty and Legal Uncertainty Around Private Ownership Off-Earth
• Potential for Stock Markets and REITs for Off-World Real Estate and Resources
• China's Rapid Advancement in Private Space and Market-Driven Innovation
• Safety Zones, Artemis Accords, and the Limits of Current Legal Frameworks
• First-Mover Advantage: How Initial Claims Might Play Out on the Moon and Mars
• Equity, Envy, and Ethical Debates Over Colonization and Space Ownership
• The Role of Commercial Incentive Versus Public Benefit in Expanding Humanity's Reach
Get "New Space Capitalism" (Amazon Affiliate Link): https://amzn.to/4xEeGID
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Dr. Rainer Zitelmann
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The mitigation of orbital debris is an increasingly serious problem that has not gotten enough attention, but this is changing. Commercial companies are addressing orbital debris, and one of them, KMI Space, has flown its experiments aboard the International Space Station, performing over 170 individual rendezvous-and-grab operations. The results are very promising, and the company is moving ahead with ever more ambitious designs. Adam Kall of KMI joins us to discuss their work on the ISS, the goals of the company, and how nature—via the humble octopus and gecko lizards—may have provided the answers for this vexing problem.
Headlines:
Main Topic: KMI Space's REACH Technology and In-Orbit Relocation
Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik
Guest: Adam Kall
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It has been said that the Moon is a harsh mistress, and nowhere is this more apparent than at the lunar south pole. That is, however, where the Artemis program is headed, and we need to figure out how to best explore the region. Dr. David Kring of the Universities Space Research Association's Lunar and Planetary Institute joins us to explore the where, whys, and hows of the Artemis Program's lunar exploration plans, and the answers--and risks--that await us.
Headlines:
Main Topic: The Science and Planning of the Artemis Lunar Program
Host: Rod Pyle
Co-Host: Fredrick (Rick) Jenet
Guest: Dr. David Kring
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