Episode 1807 : Of Dragons, Starships, and Starliners
Buckle Up! This jam-packed, time-extended episode is loaded with exclusive insights you won't hear anywhere else. First up, we share follow-up information on the X-59 Aircraft and its progress. This revolutionary plane is designed to muffle sonic booms and, if it's successful, will open new possibilities for air travel . We update you on NASA's Psyche mission is on route to the metal-rich asteroid of the same name. Then quickly mention the flyby of Earth performed by ESA's JUICE mission. NASA's Crew-13 mission has officially launched to the International Space Station. Our own Mark Ratterman was on the ground at Kennedy Space Center to witness Falcon 9 send the Crew Dragon Grace into orbit with four souls aboard: NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, CSA astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. Mark takes us behind the scenes at the launch site, while Heather Smith breaks down the critical crew and mission details the mainstream media completely missed. We even discuss the tribute to the Apollo 13 mission the crew baked into their own crew insignia and of course their special zero-g indicator. Next, we dive into SpaceX's 14th Starship prototype launch, aiming for its historic first insertion into Earth orbit. With a primary mission to deploy 26 next-generation Starlink Version 3 satellites, the team discusses the flight's outcome and what it means for NASA’s Artemis Human Landing System. We also break down the latest news from NASA and Boeing: the troubled Starliner capsule could return to space as early as December 2026. The uncrewed Starliner-1 mission will serve as a rigorous test for its re-engineered thrusters—the exact hardware at the center of 2024's high-stakes Crewed Test Flight drama. Plus, NASA has officially named a commander for the crewed Starliner-2 mission targeted for mid-2028. We then debate the big picture. With SpaceX planning to phase out Falcon 9 and Dragon by 2030 as the ISS program winds down, could Boeing emerge as the sole crew provider for the next generation of commercial space stations? If so, does that defeat the entire original purpose of the Commercial Crew program? The team clashes over the implications. Want to rekindle some of that "Moon-Joy" from Artemis II but don't know how to do it? Mark Ratterman gives is just what you're looking for courtesy of NASA's "Houston ,We Have a Podcast. This Week's Team: Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman, Heather Smith.
