Today In Space

On this episode, we have Roman Chiporukha, the Co-Founder & CEO of SpaceVIP on the podcast to talk everything 'Space Tourism'. SpaceVIP was responsible for booking the Axiom-1 Spaceflight mission to the ISS! But that's not all that Roman & SpaceVIP are working on to play a part in building the space economy, creating cultural moments with tourist flights to the edge of space, and helping premium customers have one place to access every "Astronaut" experience possible. SpaceVIP is making it easier for individuals with means to access everything the space industry has to offer to this kind of experience in today's world. Just like early air travel, we discuss the reality of technology development for "access to space" like we have today with "access to air". But we also vent about the struggle the space industry has for itself, and after the Blue Origin NS-31 All-Female flight to the edge of space and back! Check out spacevip.com to learn more! We'd love to know what YOU think! Comment below, or message

6 Women took flight on Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket to the edge of space and a powder keg of hype and celebrity blew up the internet. Something about this all-female mission triggered people from all sides, with many jumping on the trend or not even realizing this billionare space race has been underway for a while (or even what the Karman line is). This episode lays out some basic facts about the mission and dedicates coverage of the two women with (IMO) the most powerful stories of the NS-31 crew, Aisha Bowe and Amanda Nguyen. These are chaotic times, with people chasing the algorithm - but that doesn't mean we can't share the powerful stories underneath the hype & celebrity of it all. The Space Conundrum is in full effect! So let's dig in to try and understand WHY and hear Aisha & Amanda's stories in their own voices. Thanks for joining us Timestamps: 00:00 Blue Origin NS-31 Backlash & Our Focus 02:17 Breakdown of Blue Origin NS-31 Mission 03:37 Hype & Celebrity with Space Tourism 05:44

The FRAM2 Astronauts have returned safetly after their "work-week" long mission in polar orbit. One thing about these private missions is that they can happen so fast! They don't stay up in space as long as NASA missions these days (ISS) so it's a fresh & interesting take on human spaceflight. And that's the theme for this week: discussing our top 3 favorite experiements shared live, in-flight by the FRAM 2 Crew. It also blends perfectly with our thoughts on how these private missions differ from the classic "NASA" spaceflight mission, and the future missions to the Moon & Mars. So buckle up - and let's dive in!  Let us know what you think about the mission! Hit is up on social media @todayinspacepod on X/Instagram/Threads, @todayinspace on TikTok, or email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com! Sources: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1906033185353334805 https://f2.com/ https://f2.com/research-announcement.pdf Mission Commander Chun Wangs thoughts post mission:  https://x.com/ELGR3CO/status/191051126198226

The FRAM2 Mission is ready to take flight on Monday, March 31st with a 4.5 hour launch window that starts at 9:46PM ET! We'll be going live on social media for a Launch Hangout if you want to join us and hangout. This episode is covering all the basics for the first crewed polar orbiting mission, you'll learn about the mission, the crew, the original Polar Expedition with the FRAM ship, and our thoughts on the next human spaceflight mission! Since this is a private mission, there's so much to learn about as it's not the typical NASA Astronaut mission. Plenty of firsts, along with an all-international crew with all but 1 Astronaut being the first of their country to go to space. For all the adventurers out there, this mission is for you! Let us know what you think about the mission! Hit is up on social media @todayinspacepod on X/Instagram/Threads, @todayinspace on TikTok, or email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com! Sources: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1906033185353334805 https://f2.com/launch-announcement.p

On this week's episode we discuss the return of Crew 9 to Earth after! All four humans on board spent at least half a year, while the "stranded" Starliner Astronauts returned home after 9.5 months in space. We breakdown the whole thing, starting by introducing the crew, reviewing the Starliner Saga, and discussing why this mission was so important, and engaging. We also discuss the importance of international cooperation, the challenges faced, and the significance of NASA's backup plan, and the resilience of the SpaceX teams that made it all happen. So buckle up, and let's dive in! Thanks for joining us for another episode of Today In Space 00:00 Introduction  01:19 Breakdown of the Humans on Crew 9 02:48 Crew 9's Original and Revised Crew 04:08 Starliner Saga and Engineering Problems 07:19 Crew 9/Starliner Public Perception and Political Narratives 10:52 Significance of Crew 9's Mission  12:04 NASA's Backup Plan and SpaceX's Role 13:29 Conclusion and Call to Action Here's to building a fantastic future - an

On this episode of the podcast we’re breaking down what happened with Starship Flight 8 and what the future holds for the SpaceX teams. Not only that, we’ll be talking about how progress is more of an adventure than a straight line. We’ll close out with how we can relate to a bumpy road of progress with our own 3D Printing of the James Webb Space Telescope in the AG3D Lab. So buckle up - and let’s dive into this week’s episode. Thanks for joining us! Keywords:  Starship flight eight, SpaceX, super heavy booster, max Q, hot stage separation, Mechazilla, orbital burn, engine failure, development cycle, block two, block three, iterative approach, 3D printing, James Webb Space Telescope, Artemis mission. Sources: https://spacenews.com/spacex-completes-investigation-into-starship-flight-7-mishap/ www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/03/spacex-catches-booster-15-but-once-again-loses/ spaceflightnow.com/2025/03/03/launch-preview-spacex-to-launch-starship-flight-8/   https://x.com/ELGR3CO/status/1897807237986373895  

Firefly Aerospace successfully landed its Blue Ghost 1 mission on the moon on March 2, 2025, as part of NASA's CLIPS program. They became the 1st Commercial Company to touchdown safely and land on the moon!  The mission, which cost 1/10th of a NASA-led mission, carried 10 NASA instruments onboard (among some other payloads as well). The mission's instruments will study lunar dust, solar wind interactions, and other scientific phenomena. Future missions, including Intuitive Machines' IAM-2, are expected to build on the Lunar Momentum, with significant scientific data expected in the coming weeks before the bitter cold of lunar darkness. Buckle up, and let's dive in! Thanks for joining us for another episode of Today In Space Keywords:  Firefly Aerospace, Blue Ghost One, moon landing, NASA, CLIPS program, lunar payloads, SpaceX Falcon 9, Mare Crisium, autonomous descent, lunar dust, scientific instruments, NFT digital art, Artemis mission, lunar night, space exploration. Sources: https://fireflyspace.com/missio

On today’s episode, we’re diving into what’s going on with Near-Earth Asteroid 2024 YR4. You may have heard online that this asteroid is on a trajectory to impact Earth on December 22nd, 2032. It’s captured the zeitgeist and everyone’s talking about it.  But what can we do in the meantime? We say - Let’s learn! We need to science the $%#t out of this one! We’re going to explore the idea of planetary defense, the level of impact if it does hit Earth in 2032, and how lucky we are to have successful missions like DART and HERA to lean on for our “armageddon” moment.  We'll also try to answer these questions: What is the Asteroid? What is the impact potential on Earth? How was it discovered? Why do the impact probabilities keep changing? What can we do about it? Why don't we just NUKE it? Keywords: asteroid 2024 yr4, planetary defense, impact probability, kinetic impactor, Dart mission, Hera mission, James Webb Space Telescope, automated detection, NASA funding, public interest, Tunguska event, city killer, orb

On this week's episode, Alex dives into Japan's Lignosat mission from JAXA! LignoSat is a wooden CubeSat launched from the International Space Station on December 13, 2024. LignoSat aims to test wood as a sustainable, thermally insulating alternative to traditional space materials like aluminum and titanium. Previous research by Kyoto University showed wood's resilience to space conditions over 10 months. The mission could reduce orbital debris and environmental impacts of re-entry.  We also recognize the major job changes in the space industry since the start of the year and invite space professionals to network here on Today In Space! Email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com if you're interested in sharing your Space Industry story and promote what you're working on next in an episode of People of Science. Here to give you a voice and to share your experience to an awesome space community! Sources: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2313374120 https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/nov/05/worlds-f

Welcome back to Today In Space! It’s the end of January, and we couldn’t start off the year without a recap of one of my favorite space theories—the Space Conundrum. As space progress accelerates, so does the chaos in society. But why does this happen? Why are they correlated? And more importantly, where is this all heading?” We’re going to explain what the space conundrum is, how it led to a world changing event the first time and why these times, as crazy & wild as they are, are actually a cycle we’ve seen before. So in favor of mental health & focus, let’s search for answers in the chaos of space progress and humanity! Sources: Chasing the Moon: The People, the Politics, and the Promise That Launched America into the Space Age https://amzn.to/3PVy13M https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/films/chasing-moon/ Star Bound: A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program, from Goddard's Rockets to Goldilocks Planets and Everything in Between (Outward Odyssey: A People's History of Spaceflight) ht

This week, on Today In Space...our first 'Tech Talk' about AI & Business (with some aspirational takes on the role of AI in Humanity's future on Earth and in Space). Our guest David Hirschfeld, CEO of Tekyz, shares the knowledge of his 35-year career in software, including his origin story founding a vending machine software company that grew to 800 customers in 22 countries! We discuss business and AI; including Tekyz's take on the importance of product-market fit and early customer engagement given that "95-98%" of startups fail. David introduced "Launch First," a strategy for pre-launch sales to validate market demand, sharing success stories of securing $70,000 in 60 days for a real estate product and $250,000 for clinical trial software. Long story short - David was a wealth of knowledge and practical expertise, and we talked about almost anything and everything tech, AI, and even philosophy and business along with some laughs! With the way 2025 is shaping up, AI and technology will continue to make

On this episode, in the wake of Blue Origin’s maiden launch of New Glenn and SpaceX’s fascinating Starship Flight 7 it’s time to take a step back and tell the tale of Two Heavy Lift Rockets. After a decade of space progress from both companies, they each took different engineering approaches to building a rocket. Depending on when you look at their progress, it might feel like one approach is better than the other.  But is there a real answer to the “right approach” to building a rocket? Or is success only measured by how well that rocket flies and sends payloads into orbit? The race between the Tortoise (Blue Origin) & the Hare (SpaceX) is in full swing now that New Glenn is orbital. Is there an end to the race? We hope not anytime soon - and that the American Space Program continues to grow thanks to these two innovative companies and the thousands of people that make it happen behind the scenes. This was a hard episode to put together, especially given the timing. While I think it came out better than

In 2025, we’re predicting a BIG year for human space progress! In this episode we’re breaking down what we’re looking forward to, and adding some of our own predictions as well. It’s going to be a wild year with so much to follow, like SpaceX, Starship, NASA Artemis, the New pick for NASA Administrator, Crew Dragon, Boeing Starliner, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, space stations and more! Not to mention our thoughts on other Global space programs, including Russia, India, and China. This year will be one for the record books, we can feel it. Let’s enjoy history as it’s happening and dive into 2025 the year of human space progress! Happy New Year & May you find Mental and Physical Wealth this year Get 45% off the Magic Mind bundle with with my link: https://www.magicmind.com/SPACEJAN #magicmind #mentalwealth #mentalperformance Alex G. Orphanos Topics: human space progress, SpaceX Starship, stainless steel, orbital refueling, mental wealth, NASA Artemis, Crew Dragon, Boeing Starliner, Virgin Galactic, Blue O

On this Christmas Eve episode, we are honored to be joined by Emily Carney and Bruce McCandless III, authors of "Starbound: A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program". Emily Carney is a space historian, podcaster with Space & Things, and the creator of the 'Space Hipsters' Facebook group. She shares her early fascination with space, sparked by the STS-2 launch in 1983. Bruce McCandless III, whose father was Astronaut Bruce McCandless II, shares his journey of becoming a writer and what it was like being the son of an Astronaut. We discuss all things space, including a friendly debate on the evolving definition of "astronaut" in the context of commercial space travel. We also discuss the Space Shuttle's legacy, the importance of space exploration on culture, and the potential of SpaceX, Artemis, and the pick for NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. They also express optimism about the future of space exploration despite current political challenges and the "Space Conundrum" of progress in the space in

This week we have a triple header of space topics! We start by highlighting a potential end of year maiden launch of Blue Origin's New Glenn heavy-lift rocket, and our thoughts on the selection of Jared Isaacman as the pick as the next NASA Administrator. We share some NASA history, discuss Jared's background in commercial spaceflight, and his potential influence on NASA's future direction. We also share an AG3Dprinting Lab update for our recently successful JWST Model - 3D printed in three colors, and is now available in our Etsy Shop at ag3dprinting.etsy.com! What did you think? Email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com or DM us on social media! Topics: Blue Origin, New Glenn, maiden launch, NASA Administrator, Jared Isaacman, SpaceX comparison, reusable rockets, payload capacity, 3D printing, Part Detective, James Webb Telescope, multi-color printing, Space Force, commercial space, space policy Sources: Ars Technica Article on Jared Isaacman https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/12/12/jared-isaacman-makes-first

Who is Elon Musk? What role does he play in the Space Industry of tomorrow and how has all of this Space Progress happened recently? Is SpaceX the true cause? Elon Musk alone? Well, if it were that easy to explain this podcast wouldn't be 365 episodes long and Brad Bergan would not have written two wonderfully detailed books about the Space Race 2.0 and the history and people behind it! We hope you enjoy this in depth and deep conversation with Brad Bergan, the author of "SpaceX: Elon Musk and the Final Frontier". It's conversations like these, with people truly following along to the space progress over the past decade that remind me how special a time we are in. Brad Bergan was an incredible guest and we are grateful this Thanksgiving Week that he joined us to share about his new book, his space origin story, and more about a truly influential character in Elon Musk. This was recorded back in the middle of October, just after Starship Flight Test 4 and the US Elections. LEARN MORE about Brad Bergan: https:/

Starship performs their 6th Test Flight a month after their 5th - and it was.....BANANAS! That's right we are breaking down IFT6, with our (almost) LIVE reaction to the launch! We started recording during Starship's Reentry, so you catch our reaction live to that. It was a great day for data! The Starship team's have pulled off the practically impossible and soft landed both the Super Heavy Booster & Starship. We're not quite sure what survived, but that's space development! The world's most powerful rocket took another big step forward - expect more of these launches soon! We also share our thoughts on the Space Economy, Lowering the cost to Access Space, Space Progress, and Heat Tile Protection required for the insanity of atmospheric reentry for spacecraft with human crew. We'd love to hear about your reaction to Starship IFT6 - email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com or DM us on social media! Otter.AI's Summary of the episode: "The Starship IFT6 test flight successfully lifted off at 5 PM Central Ti

Welcome back for another episode of Today In Space! This week we're exploring the next phase of AG3D, our 3D printing lab where we bring ideas into reality. Enter - the Part Detective, where you can book us on the case of your next 3D printed part mystery! What if the crew of Apollo 13 were able to 3D print the square filter adapter for the round hole of the spacecraft's CO2 Filtration system? There's so much that 3D printing can do in our near Space Future, and we've been training to be a part of that team! In the meantime - you can take advantage of our almost decade of experience in 3D printing challenging parts successful.  From novice to seasoned engineer - we're here to help you bring your parts into reality with 3D printing! Book a 30 minute meeting with us today at ag3d-printing.com & let's solve your next 3D printing mystery together Keywords: 3D printing, part detective, AG3D printing, space industry, Apollo 13, custom logo holder, fidget spinner, engineering component, 3D printing challenges, s

Welcome to another episode of the podcast! On this episode, I'm sharing my thoughts on AI. Specifically, the tools I actually use with some practical-use metrics to show how it's helping me (the individual) do more and spend more time in my creative zone and less time doing things I dont like. I also share my thoughts on AI, and some fundamental beliefs I use to guide my adoption of it. The idea of this episode to give you some real world examples of how AI benefits me, in the hopes it helps you look at AI as a tool and not the enemy. Then I'll close out with my how I think people should use it and when NOT to use AI. At the end, I share thoughts on how AI could be used in Space to help humanity travel the final frontier Keywords: AI tools, creativity enablement, AI metrics, AI future, AI understanding, AI benefits, AI challenges, AI productivity, AI transcription, AI editing, AI brainstorming, AI cost-benefit, AI integration, AI limitations, AI potential Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to AI and Personal Use

This week, we welcome Ethan Siegel on the podcast! Our guest, author of "Infinite Cosmos," discusses his STEM origin story from a curious child with a telescope to a renowned astrophysicist and science communicator. He recounts his educational path, including his PhD from the University of Florida and postdoctoral work at the University of Arizona. Siegel emphasizes the importance of curiosity and overcoming crises in career choices. He highlights the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) as a revolutionary tool for understanding the universe's early stages. Siegel's book, "Infinite Cosmos: Visions from the James Webb Space Telescope," explores JWST's discoveries, including the earliest galaxies and the formation of supermassive black holes. He calls for continued investment in space telescopes to uncover more cosmic mysteries. For all you Big Bang Theory fans (the theory, not the show) Ethan showcases just how JWST & Hubble have helped us understand how the universe looks and now, thanks to Webb, how the ear