This Week in Space (Audio)

• TWiS 146: All the Way With USRA - CEO Dr. Elsayed Talaat Shares Insights on Cutting-Edge Space Science

  What do schools, universities, motivated STEM students, NASA, and the space industry have in common, all across the globe? The Universities Space Research Association! You may not have heard of this group before, but it's high time you did. Their new President and CEO, Dr. Elsayed Talaat, joins us to discuss the association's long history, educational and industry affiliations, and perhaps most impressively, their vast areas of research. If it's space, cutting-edge, and cool, the USRA is probably engaged. Join us for this fascinating look at one of the best education and research facilitators anywhere--the USRA. Headlines: • Astronomers mistakenly identified Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster as an asteroid, highlighting the challenges of tracking an increasing number of objects in space • AstroForge, a space mining company, announced their target asteroid for a mission launching next month, following calls for increased transparency from the scientific community • SpaceX is completing construction on their fifth and final Crew Dragon capsule, as the current fleet is expected to meet NASA's needs until Starship becomes operational • A newly discovered asteroid, 2024 YR4, has a small chance (1 in 83) of impacting Earth in 2032; NASA emphasizes that an impact is highly unlikely but will continue to track the object and refine the trajectory plot Main Topic - All the Way with the USRA: • The USRA was founded in 1969 to connect universities with NASA projects, particularly for lunar sample research during the Apollo era • The organization has since expanded to cover a wide range of space-related research areas, including astrophysics, heliophysics, Earth science, space nuclear propulsion, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and microgravity science • The USRA plays a key role in workforce development by providing internship and scholarship opportunities for students interested in space research • The organization has a consortium of 121 member universities worldwide, which helps guide USRA's research focus and advocate for the interests of the academic space research community • The USRA's funding primarily comes from competitively awarded NASA contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements, as well as some funding from the Department of Defense and Department of Energy • President and CEO Dr. Talaat emphasizes the importance of collaboration and cross-disciplinary research in advancing space science and technology • The USRA's Lunar and Planetary Institute has been a key player in lunar research and exploration since the Apollo era, and continues to offer internship programs to inspire and train the next generation of space scientists • Dr. Talaat highlights the critical role of space weather research in protecting technological infrastructure and ensuring the safety of astronauts and pilots • He encourages young people to get involved in space research, emphasizing the excitement of scientific discovery and the real-world applications that benefit society Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Guest: Dr. Elsayed R. Talaat Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

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• TWiS 145: We're Star Bound! - Authors of 'Star Bound: A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program'

  This week, we're talking to the authors of a new book about spaceflight called "Star Bound: A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program, from Goddard's Rockets to Goldilocks Planets and Everything in Between," Emily Carney and Bruce McCandless III. Emily started the popular Facebook group Space Hipsters, now 66,000 members strong, and Bruce is a retired lawyer and space enthusiast who also happens to be the son of Bruce McCandless II, the NASA astronaut who flew on the shuttle and pioneered the use of the Manned Maneuvering Unit. We're going to cover a lot of territory in this one, so take your hand off the eject lever and strap in! Get "Star Bound" (Amazon Affiliate): https://amzn.to/4hvHtXo Headlines - Trump's Mars Vision: The administration's push for a crewed Mars mission by 2029 sparks debate. Tariq notes Elon Musk's visible enthusiasm, while Rod highlights the technical and political hurdles. - NASA Leadership Shuffle: Janet Petro named interim NASA administrator, bypassing Jim Free. The move might signal potential shifts in Artemis priorities. - DEI Rollbacks: Executive orders halt NASA's diversity initiatives, sparking workforce concerns. - SpaceX Milestones: 400th Falcon 9 landing celebrated, with 60 Starlink satellites launched in a week. ULA's Vulcan launch remains delayed. - Meteorite Doorbell Footage: A meteorite impact in Canada, captured on camera, stuns scientists and homeowners. - Quirky Moon Naming: IAU dubs a quasi-moon "Cardea" after the Roman goddess of door hinges. Main Topic: Star Bound - Book Overview: A cultural history of the U.S. space program, connecting missions like Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab to societal shifts (e.g., civil rights movements). Authors Emily Carney and Bruce McCandless III emphasized accessibility, avoiding "engineer-speak." - Skylab's Legacy: Emily's passion shines as she details Skylab's role as a bridge between Apollo and the Shuttle, citing the groundbreaking science performed and how it may help us send humans to Mars. - MMU & Bruce McCandless II: Bruce shares stories of his father's iconic untethered flight with the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU), suggesting that future missions may revive jetpack tech for tourism and repairs. - Shuttle Era Love/Hate: Both guests defend the Shuttle's cultural impact (e.g., Judy Resnik's inspiring legacy) while acknowledging its flaws. - Conspiracy Corner: The duo laughs over wild theories (STS-1 being flown by clones; Neil Armstrong being a robot) and praises Rod's 2016 book "Amazing Stories of the Space Age" for documenting Project Orion's nuclear explosive propulsion tech. - Future of Space: The book ends at today's "precipice"—Artemis delays, Mars hype, and private ventures. Bruce predicts jetpacks and hotels; Emily urges newcomers to embrace space history's messy, human side. Don't Miss: - Emily's Space Hipsters Facebook group for lively space discussions. - Bruce's website (brucemccandless.com) with book sources and WWII project teasers. Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Guests: Emily Carney and Bruce McCandless III Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

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• TWiS 144: The Great Lunar Armada - 2025 Will Be a Big Year Moon Missions

  2025 is the year that introduces the Great Lunar Armada! A small fleet of private and publicly-funded orbiters, landers, and rovers are heading off to explore Luna Incognita this year, and it will only speed up after that. We also look at the recent Starship test flight number seven—which ended in the total loss of the Starship upper stage—and the inaugural flight of Blue Origin's New Glenn mega-rocket, which flew successfully but did not manage to land on the recovery ship. Plus, our usual space dad joke and an update on the LA fires' impact on NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and how you can help. Headlines: • SpaceX's Starship test flight experiences partial success with booster catch but an explosive ending for the upper stage • Blue Origin successfully launches its New Glenn rocket, marking a major milestone for the company • India demonstrates automated docking capability in space with the SPADEX mission, crucial for future lunar exploration plans • Wildfires in Los Angeles cause extensive damage, impacting the community around NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Main Topic: The Great Lunar Armada • Overview of recent lunar missions launched by private companies and national space agencies • Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander, carrying various scientific payloads, aims to study the lunar surface and test new technologies • ispace's Hakuto-R mission, featuring a lunar lander and rover, will explore the moon and test in-situ resource utilization techniques • Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lander, equipped with a drill and other scientific instruments, targets the lunar south pole • Retrospective on previous private lunar missions, including SpaceIL's Beresheet lander and the defunct Google Lunar XPrize • China's steady progress in lunar exploration, with plans for the International Lunar Research Station in collaboration with Russia • Russia's setbacks and reduced budget for lunar missions and the failed mission of Luna 25 • India's advancements in space technology and plans for a robotic lunar sample return mission • The crew express excitement about the rapid pace of lunar exploration and the potential for groundbreaking discoveries in the near future Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

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• TWiS 143: King Starship - Will 2025 be SpaceX's Game-Changing Year?

  Coming into 2025, we have six flights of SpaceX's Starship behind us, with a possibility for as many as 25 tests supported by the FAA license for this year. This is also the year we need to see an orbital test, payloads carried, orbital refueling, and hopefully catches of both the Booster and Ship, and progress toward an uncrewed test landing on the moon. So much to discuss, so join Tariq, Rod, and ace space reporter Leonard David as we deep dive into King Starship! Headlines: • Wildfires near NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, have displaced many employees and caused the facility to shut down temporarily, but the lab itself remains untouched. • NASA is considering two options for the Mars Sample Return mission, both under $8 billion, with a launch planned by 2035-2039. • Bill Nye, CEO of The Planetary Society and former host of "Bill Nye the Science Guy," was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his dedication to science education and space exploration advocacy. Main Topic - SpaceX Starship in 2025: • SpaceX plans to ramp up Starship test flights in 2025, with up to 25 launches scheduled throughout the year. • Starship test flight 7, scheduled for January 13th, will feature a new Starship design with enhanced flaps, a new flight computer, and other upgrades. • The goal of Starship is to serve as a reusable, heavy-lift launch vehicle capable of carrying up to 100 people and 100 metric tons of cargo to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. • SpaceX is rapidly iterating on the Starship design, with stated plans to build new Starships in a single day and test new features on each flight. • While Starship's development has been impressive, questions remain about its life support systems, radiation protection, and interior design for crewed missions. • A discussion of the potential impact of Starship on NASA's Artemis program and the future of space exploration, including the possibility of using Starship as a space station or for Mars missions. • The conversation also touches on the challenges facing NASA, including aging infrastructure and the need for greater collaboration with the private sector, as highlighted in a recent report by the National Academies. Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Guest: Leonard David Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

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• TWiS 142: 2025 in Space - The Year's Most Anticipated Space Missions & Developments

  On episode 142 we're talking about 2025 in space! It's going to be an exciting year, kicking off with the first launch attempt for Blue Origin's New Glenn heavy booster and another test flight of Starship. Then we'll see a new asteroid sampling mission from China, the first test flight of Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander to the moon, and the launch of the first-ever private robotic mission to Venus by Rocket Lab. There's a lot more in store, so be sure to join us for this jam-packed episode! Headlines: - NASA's Parker Solar Probe makes its closest, fastest, and hottest flyby of the Sun yet, flying through the corona and withstanding 1800°F temperatures - Blue Origin's massive New Glenn rocket is finally on the pad with plans to launch in early January after many years of development - China announces their crewed lunar lander and crew capsule are ready, raising concerns about a new space race to the Moon 2025 in Space: - SpaceX aims for up to 25 Starship launches—and landings—in 2025 if they can secure FAA approval, with flight 7 featuring Starlink satellite deployment tests coming within weeks - Jared Isaacman, billionaire and private space mission funder, expected to be nominated as the new NASA administrator under the incoming Trump administration - Several commercial and international robotic missions to the Moon are planned, some of which will help fill the void left by NASA's canceled VIPER rover - The future of NASA's expensive and long-delayed Mars sample return mission is in question as China aims to complete its own by 2027 - Colorado and Alabama are vying to be the home of U.S. Space Command as it potentially reorganizes under the new administration - Vast Space aims to be the first to launch a private space station module in 2025 without NASA funding, providing a potential ISS replacement - The European Space Agency's Space Rider, a reusable robotic space transportation system, set to launch in 2025 for various orbital experiments and satellite deployment/retrieval - China's ambitious Tianwen-2 mission to collect samples from a near-Earth asteroid and visit a main-belt comet in the 2030s launches this year - Japan's Destiny+ mission will visit asteroid Phaethon, the source of the Geminid meteor showers, propelled by novel ion engines - Rocket Lab plans to launch a small, privately financed probe to Venus to look for signs of life and organic molecules in the atmosphere Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

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