Today In Space

The Bachelor...in Space? So it seems, after the latest from the first commercial investor of a SpaceX Starship, Yusaku Maezawa is now planning a romantic getaway (and accompanying dating show) to go with the #dearMoon mission. Or are they not sending artists around the moon anymore? Things are confusing, and space will be weird in the near space future.  This week Alex does a thought experiment on when commercial space can go too far...send us your ideas and thoughts! todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com @todayinspacepod on twitter and instagram /TodayInSpacepodcast on facebook https://twitter.com/SpaceForceDoD/status/1217255506894606336 https://twitter.com/yousuck2020/status/1217662377367224320 https://mz.abema.tv/en.html P.S. - Apologies on any weird voice modulation this episode. Down a microphone and didn't notice the issue until after I recorded. Totally listenable - just sounds a little like we added a Tron filter towards the end. Working on it!

First podcast of the year meets first rocket launch of the year with SpaceX's Starlink 2 launch aboard a Falcon 9 (which attempted a landing on the droneship 'Of Course I Still Love You'). During this launch hangout we talk about the details behind the launch of 60 Starlink satellite that will be part of a constellation that will later provide affordable worldwide 5G internet coverage to all. The controversy? Unknown to seemingly everyone before launch, the reflectivity of the Starlink solar panels at certain periods of the day is ruining ground based astronomers images of the stars. I try to sift through the facts and provide a balanced point of view on this. Is SpaceX doing enough to help with this? Is this the end of Astronomy as we know it? Listen to find out! Hope you have a great week! Another episode next week - feel free to hit us up with any questions or ideas for future episodes! @todayinspacepod on twitter and instagram /TodayInSpacepodcast on Facebook @todayinspace on TikTok todayinspace.net

Getting real on this episode to talk about my personal balance as we enter the next decade and the start of a new year. Instead of celebrating all of the things I did this past year that were awesome, I usually find myself looking back at what I can improve. It's not always in the most positive mood, but I always try to focus on what I can do to make things better. This podcast has been a huge source of improvement for me and came into my life at my lowest point - right before I accomplished one of the hardest things in my life. Quitting a pack a day cigarette habit. But I really just transferred my addiction to something productive. Sometimes thats great, and sometimes the same old habits come back in other ways that don't include going outside to smoke. I've learned it's a mindset - not just a physical addiction. What I learned about my addictive mindset is if applied properly it can help me achieve my greatest goals. But it is a double edged sword and needs consistent discipline to keep in line. I talk abo

In the intro for this episode, we start with my thoughts on the close of 2019 and the start of 2020. There's a-lot to look forward to and reflect on. Boeing's CST-100 Starliner returns to Earth safely landing in White Sands base in New Mexico after an anomaly getting into orbit to dock with the International Space Station. I also share my thoughts on some lessons I've learned from this year, specifically perspective. How emotion can filter how we see reality. Then I intro the second part of our NASAsocial tour of the Veggie lab with Trent Smith and Dr. Gioia Massa

On this week's episode we enter NASA's Veggie Lab and hear about their plans for growing plants in space for the ISS. This work prepares us to move forward to Cislunar space and then on to a sustainable food source at scale with Lunar and Martian Colonies. Get a sneak peak at NASA's plan to be able to grow and provide a diverse yet targeted supply of crops to sustain humans traveling the next stages of the final frontier. This whole trip was amazing, and if we hadn't seen rockets in person this would be #1. Thank you NASA Social! You'll also learn how we first learned we could eat in space, what we plan to plant in space for the future, as well as our speaker Ralph Fritsche's thoughts on the Martian's depiction of growing food on Mars.  Fun episode! Looking forward to a Boeing CST100 Starliner launch on Friday Dec 20th, 2019 at 06:36AM currently. Can be watched live at boeing.com/starliner. Go Commercial Crew! Have a great week space people! We'll see you right after Christmas with part two from inside the V

Here is another installment from the NASA social event we went to last week for the SpaceX CRS-19 Launch. This week, we have a very special tour of the VAB, or Vehicle Assembly Building in Florida. We had the best tour guide we could ever hope for, Greg Hale, who worked at the VAB during the Space Shuttle Era and had so much knowledge and stories to share that even if you are just listening I think you'll get A TON from it. I was completely baffled and honestly speechless at the VAB. The sheer magnitude of the building which was created to assemble some of the most important space technologies of all time - Saturn V and Space Shuttle. And soon to be the Space Launch System. Quite an episode. Hope you enjoy! I know I did.  Such an amazing opportunity - thanks NASA Social! Models for the 3D models we used for the NASA Social: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:221799 https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1802512  

After the SpaceX CRS19 launch to send the Dragon Spacecraft to the International Space Station, we had an impromptu podcast as soon as we got off the podcast with some of the remaining NASA Social peeps. Unfortunately, due to the nature of launching rockets, the launch on Wednesday was scrubbed for Thursday and some of the amazing people on this trip had to return home. But, with those remaining, we had the chance to share our reactions post-launch which is really cool considering for most of us it was our first launch! Hear what we all had to say and learn where you can follow these amazing people online! JACK PHAN @JackPhan TERESA MOON @teresamoon3 ANDREW CANTINO @tectonic orbitalindex.com ERIN VEST @swordandsnore CHRISTINA ROWLAND @stinaeroland ANDREW PRESSLEY @yoandrewp ELENA SALAZAR @elenacsalazar ZAC HALL @apollozac 9to5mac.com HALEY HARRISON @__Stellaaaar SUSAN MALLETT @sbmallett @capaerospace ANGELA DiLORETO @AngelaMDiLoreto VICTORIA HEATH @planetarynomad @victoria_heath7 CHRIS EDENS @guywithgolden gu

Hey there Space People! Here in sunny (and warm) Florida avoiding the triple threat snow storms in Boston and getting ready for the SpaceX CRS-19 launch. Today was a nice relaxing day getting prepped for this amazing opportunity from the NASA Social program and I can't help but think back to where this all started. And I mean BACK to the origins of why I podcast. It's amazing to look back and see how the earliest memories of what I wanted to be when I was a kid has somehow manifested itself into this show and this launch coverage coming up on Wednesday. Absolutely crazy! Live Stream will be up on our Youtube Channel on Wednesday for the launch and watch for some live streaming tests tomorrow for some prelaunch coverage. HERE WE GO!!!!

On this episode, which I have recorded for a third time, covers the latest on SpaceX's Starship testing as well as some news on the costs of the Commercial Crew Program for NASA's options on sending humans into space again, without the aid of Russia and their Soyuz capsule (which costs $87 million per Astronaut).  I also talk about my thoughts on WHY SpaceX is so disruptive in the Space Industry and how they make it possible to be immune to the ever-changing winds of government funding and political parties in charge.  I have recorded this multiple times because so much happened on the same day of recording, we just had to scrap it and start over. With Thanksgiving coming up next week, we've got a longer episode to help tide you over until December, when I will be in Florida capturing the CRS-19 mission for SpaceX thanks to the NASAsocial program. Enjoy your holiday America! Stay safe everyone - we'll see you in December! If you'd like to learn more about the history of the Space Program get these two books!

On this episode I share my thoughts on an article we received from a listener (thank you Rachel!) about one of the oldest Star's in our known universe that registers as older than the universe...How is that possible? Is science not perfect? How can the magical art of science be wrong? IT'S OVER 9000??!! This brings up one of my favorite parts of science. That it is not perfect. In fact, what science does in my opinion is allow us to disseminate reality. And even then, we can only truly guess within a range of uncertainty. No, not the feeling of not knowing the answer - but scientific uncertainty. Scientific and statistical error. Always been a part of science - but we rarely talk about it, and it seems we only do when it's convenient (like when a Star can read older than the universe). And while science can produce answers with reasonable certainty and with small tolerance - when it comes to space that error can seem unimaginably large. What's the tolerance on the age of the universe at 16 billion years? Eve

On this week's episode we review some important progress in the Commercial Crew Program as both SpaceX and Boeing have had successful tests on their human rated spacecraft. This means the rest of this year will be busy with more testing of the Crew Dragon and CST-100 Starliner. We also review the general details on what Voyager 2 has found since it exited the Heliosphere of our Sun and entered interstellar space (not all of it is what we expected). Boeing's CST-100 Starliner Pad Abort Test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7ZoAZuTWh0 Initial NASA Statement about success of CST-100 Test https://twitter.com/ChrisG_NSF/status/1191380326871977989 ULA Atlas V LVOS for Boeing Starliner https://twitter.com/torybruno/status/1191495218044055553 Interview with Starliner Crew after first test (Astronaut Mike Fincke) https://twitter.com/Commercial_Crew/status/1191363439333122050 SpaceX Multi Parachute (MK3) Dragon Test https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1191475073758064640 Commercial Crew Development (wikipedi

Happy Halloween! This week was a really crazy week and pushed me mentally. But I managed to get another podcast out and accomplish a lot with so many other things going on. This is life. But I wanted to take some time to talk about what helps me get all of this done, between the podcast and AG3D printing. It's the iterative mindset. Setting yourself up to take action and learn in the process. So much of my early 20's was focused on learning everything before taking action. While I may be turning 30 soon and certainly don't feel like I have things "figured out", it's hard not to take a step back and reflect on the progress I HAVE made.  Enjoy some rambling about the iterative mindset and how I expand that thought to discuss SpaceX's plans to land a Starship on the Moon by 2022.  If you want to see how I made the 3D printed Iron Man Wearable Arc Reactor - here's a 3.5min time-lapse video of the whole process: https://youtu.be/fmwzp5fW4YE SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell on SpaceX timeline for Stars

In this episode we cover some orbital news on the historic first all woman spacewalk with Astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir. Learn about what they accomplished on their spacewalk on the ISS, as well as a background on each Astronaut. I share my thoughts on why we don’t cover ISS operations regularly on the podcast. When you’ve gone to school for Aerospace engineering and they retire the Space Shuttle program before you graduate, you tend to be a little cautious about what’s happening today in space. I’m focused on what our next step is, as insurance, to make sure the pendulum of politics and goals for NASA don’t leave us without a human presence in space. Still love the Space Station though - just have to say that out loud lol. Have a great week! Spread love - Spread Science! https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/christina-hammock-koch/biography https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/jessica-u-meir/biography Short preview of all female spacewalk https://youtu.be/cNnvYACgwrE Full Br

This week it's time to discuss the "Balance" in the Space Industry once again as NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstein visited SpaceX HQ in Hawthorne, California to get an update on the progress for the Commercial Crew Program.  It's the belief of this podcast that our best chance for a fantastic future in space to happen is if there is a balance between how NASA and SpaceX operate. If they can learn from each other to create a leading space industry that has deep standards and knowledge, but can design and iterate quickly with reusable spacecraft and rockets - we may see the first woman and next man on the moon in 2024 for Artemis, including boots on the surface of Mars before 2030. Have a great week! Spread Love - Spread Science Jim Bridenstein tweet https://twitter.com/JimBridenstine/status/1177711106300747777?s=20 Tim Dodd Interview w/ NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstein in SpaceX HQ https://youtu.be/TU_vOt3wSDg Jim Bridenstein at SpaceX HQ https://youtu.be/DaJ0n0j-UB8 SpaceX Starship Launch Animation

Finally my voice is back from this cold I've had, and I'm well enough to cover the SpaceX Starship update from Elon Musk this past week. While I highly recommend listening to the update yourself (link below), I've broken down some key concepts that I think we should all take away from the current state of Starship. There's lots of work to be done and technology to develop. But, there's also some incredible things that Starship can achieve that no other spacecraft in existence can accomplish. The biggest concept we review this week is about orbital refueling and maxing out your mission's Delta V. Starship could be ahead of its time and allow an expanded mission capable of launching from Earth and to the Moon (and back) on a full tank of fuel, from orbit. We'll explain WHY that's important for space travel. Have a great week! Spread Love - Spread Science Starship Update - SpaceX https://youtu.be/sOpMrVnjYeY Tim Dodd Interview w Elon Musk after Starship Update https://youtu.be/cIQ36Kt7UVg Friction Stir Weldi

Hey there Space People!  Back this week for another podcast - it's been a busy week but I managed to pull one together amid the chaos! This episode is more off the cuff and me doing some Space Commentary on the Area 51 raid, my thoughts on Bob Lazar and his Joe Rogan Experience interview and the Netflix Documentary "Bob Lazar: UFOs and Flying Saucers".  But to start, I wanted to talk about what the state of space politics is not even a month after the Space Command report. I'll give you a clue - I don't think it can compete with the demand of space progress for commercial and military applications.  More exciting stuff to cover from SpaceX on next weeks episode... Have a great week! Spread Love - Spread Science Raptor Engines installed on Starship - Elon Musk tweet https://twitter.com/TodayInSpacepod/status/1177363106542100485?s=20 Starship Updates of Assembly (@BocaChicaGal on Twitter) https://twitter.com/BocaChicaGal Updates on the State of Space Politics (@SciGuySpace) https://twitter.com/SciGuyS

ABOUT THE EPISODE: The report from Air Force Space Command came across my space radar this week, both online and in person which is usually a good indication we should talk about it here on the podcast. I sat down, read the report, and now I have some thoughts to share. Since there's a solid shot you will never take the time to actually read this report - sit back, buckle up, and get ready as we explain the 8 possible space futures according to the US Space Command that are based on the axis of Space Power: Life in Space, Money in Space, and Allied Leadership.  Let's begin... Future of Space 2060: Air Force Space Command Report: https://www.afspc.af.mil/Portals/3/Future%20of%20Space%202060%20(5%20Sep).pdf?ver=2019-09-09-144648-380 Have a great week - don't forget to reach out if you have any questions or want a topic covered on the podcast! audibletrial.com/todayinspace for a free audiobook. Follow us @todayinspacepod on Instagram and Twitter for more space and science Follow us @ag3dprinting on Instagram

I'm back from Amsterdam and we have lots to talk about! The Chandrayaan-2 mission attempted to land on the surface of the moon but complications arose. We update you on the latest with the mission and will continue to monitor as things continue. Then we close out talking about the importance of understanding that failure is only part of the journey. The Chandrayaan-2 mission showed us a great example of how to support each other in the face of adversity.  Updates on the Chandrayaan-2 Landing https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.firstpost.com/tech/science/chandrayaan-2-can-isro-get-the-silent-possibly-broken-vikram-lander-on-the-moon-to-talk-7320881.html/amp https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.economictimes.com/news/science/chandrayaan-lander-vikram-not-broken-lying-in-a-tilted-position-isro-official/amp_articleshow/71046231.cms https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/isro-releases-latest-photos-of-moon-craters-taken-by-chandrayaan-2/story-6WKsbxDO96UdLmtQ97v7uN.html How to Pronounce the name of the ISRO Rover ht

In this episode, we cover some Orbital News to cover what's new in the Space Industry. SpaceX just returned their Dragon Capsule from CRS-18 safely, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) had their last launch of the Delta IV Medium rocket and we discuss it's replacement, the Vulcan Centaur Booster. There's also some insight into a potential option for the Lunar Gateway thanks to a tweet from Eric Berger. Then we go over my thoughts on aliens for the first time in a segment dedicated to the topic. I also share my thoughts on the microbiome and it's role in our lives, including the mystery of who came first - humans or the microbiome? Who was the first alien to the planet? A fun episode to put together - hope you enjoy! Hope you have a great week - don't forget to reach out if you have any questions or want a topic covered on the podcast! https://www.space.com/spacex-dragon-crs-18-returns-to-earth.html Last ULA Launch of Delta IV Medium Booster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AgiyxDoXtE More info on Vulcan Centau

This week the timing of everything Starhopper worked out and I was able to sit in front of the microphone and watch the 150m test launch for SpaceX. While the first day was scrubbed, there was solid space-talk about Starhopper, how to make spaceships and rockets cheaper, the power of iterative design, 3D printing, and more.  Just an Aerospace Engineer, a microphone, and a launch hangout as we talk everything SpaceX, Starhopper, Starship, and more!  https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1164184942978502656?s=21 https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3772474 3D Printing Time-lapse and Assembly of the hand-held Starhopper from AG3Dprinting: https://www.instagram.com/tv/B1qvZbEBQII/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet EryDayAstronaut Live Broadcast of first launch attempt (lot’s of good space talk here- Tim’s great at what he does! Legend.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fblo3vzsOo4 SpaceX live launch attempt 1 (scrubbed) broadcast (in case you actually wanted to see this...)https://youtu.be/Jhjyz183poo EryDayA