Episodes

ISS crew transitions, wildfire threats to NASA’s Deep Space Network, growing criticisms of the Artemis program architecture, and a 1960s navigation satellite still transmitting signals today and more covered on Talking Space Episode 1805

When the Russian crew on board the ISS decided to perform an unusual procedure on the station’s Zvezda module, it caused quite an agreeable break in the routine of the day on board the orbiting laboratory. The crew on the US segment entered an emergency evacuation posture aboard their Crew Dragon, but all returned to normal after a few hours. The team discusses what happened and why. The astronauts for the Artemis III mission were introduced to the world at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Housto...

The Talking Space Team Discusses the May 26 NASA Press Conference on it’s Lunar Base and Artemis III progress, The SpaceX Starship 12 flight and the explosion of Blue Origin’s New Glenn

The full Talking Space team gathers around the microphone once more to share their thoughts and reactions to the Artemis II lunar flyby and how the 10-day mission was perceived back on Earth, especially those who seldom think about NASA. The panel examines next steps for the Artemis program, reviews highlights from NASA’s recent Ignition event, weighs whether a new space race with China is underway, and considers what the future may hold given the implications of the 2027 NASA Budget. Australia...

Just days before the first human mission to the Moon in 53 years, Talking Space returns to discuss preflight activities and changes to the Artemis program.

In 2012, following the end of the Space Transportation System program, NASA faced the monumental task of finding permanent homes for the three remaining Space Shuttle Orbiters—so that their incredible stories could be preserved and shared with the public. After a lengthy and sometimes contentious selection process, the three operational orbiters—Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour—along with the prototype Enterprise, were officially retired and transported to their new homes amid much celebratio...

Episode 1702 -- The OSIRIS-APEX mission, an extension of the wildly successful OSIRIS-REx mission, is set to rendezvous with Asteroid 9942 Apophis in April 2029. This mission takes full advantage of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which still has plenty of fuel and is totally healthy after delivering samples from Asteroid Bennu to Earth on 24 September, 2023. OSIRIS-APEX will closely observe Apophis as the asteroid makes a remarkably close flyby of Earth, coming within 32,000 kilometers (20,000 mi...

Episode 1701: Talking Space returns after a hiatus to discuss the landing attempts by the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. First a successful soft landing of the Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost 1 mission on the plans of Mare Crisium. Then a much more perilous landing attempt for the Intuitive Machines "Athena" lander, trying to land its suite of science and technology demonstrations closer to the Lunar South Pole than any other mission to date, with some mixed results. Along with Blu...

This time, our entire on-air team (as it existed on Sept. 19, 2023) again reminisces in Part 2 of the Talking Space retrospective about audience feedback, launch anomalies, podcast burnout, and more!

This time, our entire on-air team (as it existed on Sept. 19, 2023) reminisces about how Talking Space got started back in the earliest days of podcasting. Plus, much more!

EPA, TCEQ cite SpaceX with Starbase Clean Water Act violations. Talking Space has an in-depth analysis of the CNBC story and the SpaceX response.

NASA has tried to get Extra Vehicular Activity Number Ninety underway since June 13th. The first attempt was thwarted by a space suit comfort issue, the second by a water leak that created a blizzard of ice inside the Quest airlock. Are the Shuttle-Era Extra Vehicular Mobility Units (EMU) or space suits finally showing their age? Also, what about Collins Aerospace and their recent withdrawal from their NASA contract to build the next generation of space suits for the ISS and the Artemis Lunar Pr...

Truly a GOES fest, with GOES-U Falcon Heavy launch audio and a total of FOUR launch day interviews by our own Mark Ratterman at KSC, including the NWS director.

“Starliner Stuck In Space!!!”, “Starliner Stranded at the ISS!!”, “Space-X To Rescue Starliner Crew!!!” These were the various outrageous headlines being thrown around by various space media outlets this week, concerning the Boeing Starliner Mission and its progress. None of these sensational headlines are true, the ship and crew are in good condition but the media claims that the Starliner mission is in a grave situation, remain. In this special edition of Talking Space, Gene Mikulka and Heath...

A quick special report on the status of the joint NASA/Boeing Starliner Mission based on a Blog Post prepared by NASA and Boeing for our listeners.

After years of development, testing, disappointment, and perseverance,  NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Willams took Boeing's CST 100 Starliner to the International Space Station for its first flight with a human crew. The team discusses all f...

This episode's got it all: geomagnetic storms causing brilliant auroras in equatorial latitudes, Starliner valve causing both delays and controversy -- and more! Have a listen, won't you?

In this episode: Two GEARS scientists discuss the recent GEARS experiment, space hygiene, and coping with the health challenges of long-duration missions.

We have a new Talking Space team member, Heather Smith; an update of the Mars Sample Return mission status from NASA as a response to the IRB; and the latest on the final Delta 4 Heavy flight.

Is the NASA Advisory Council (NAC) system becoming unglued? During the NAC Science Committee meeting on March 21st, there were significant questions about the Primary NAC and its ability to deliver recommendations to NASA's leadership expeditiously.

We have all the latest on Starship Flight 3, the last Delta IV Heavy and the fate of LC-37, and the upcoming April 8th total solar eclipse. And much more!

We review the successful Intuitive Machines IM-1 lunar lander mission, and Mark interviews award-winning artist Agnes Garbowska for her impressions of the IM-1 launch -- her first in-person launch experience. And, mucho space news...

Join us for a rollercoaster of emotions as we discuss the joy of the successful launch of the Intuitive Machines IM-1 Lunar Lander, as well as the heartache of the massive layoffs of employees and contractors at JPL.

Welcome to the First Talking Space of 2024! The Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission is the second flight of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) missions. Its purpose is to have commercial entities be responsible for sending NASA science paylo...