Returning guest Danny Jaques has taken students to Space Camps for the past 32 years! He’s been a certified space geek since he watched the last flight of Project Mercury with Gordon Cooper in Faith 7 on May 15, 1963, with his Dad.   Danny started his career in education teaching science and was invited to tour the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He was so impressed with the programs, facilities, and people that he decided it would become his mission to share the...

Dr. Kirby Runyon is completely qualified to be your outer space lifestyle guide and science consultant.  What makes him qualified, you ask? He’s a Planetary Geologist at The Planetary Science Institute, a Creative Space Science Consultant, his research has flown on a recent Zero-G flight(s), he hosts tours of the Kennedy Space Center, offers astrogeology tours for educators, and, well, you can read all of his formal qualifications at https://planex.space.    In the meantime, we’re talking...

40 years ago, the six surviving Mercury 7 Astronauts (Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Walter Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayton), Betty Grissom, William Douglas, M.D., and Henri Landwirth established the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF). Since its inception, the ASF had the mission of retaining the United States' world leadership in technology and innovation to support the best and brightest STEM scholars while commemorating the legacy of America’s pioneering...

Stephen Matier is the President and CEO of Maritime Launch Services. He is also the visionary behind Spaceport Nova Scotia, a world-class commercial space complex that will launch Canada into the global space industry. Steve and his team at Maritime Launch will carry the next set of stories about space INTO space later this summer (Mission 03, currently open for story submissions) through the STORIES of Space non-profit organization.   Today on the podcast, Steve explains how space...

Are you ready for the April 8 solar eclipse? Don’t worry, Tyler Nordgren is THE perfect guide, and he’s here to walk us through what to expect on the upcoming solar eclipse, along with other celestial events- Tyler is an artist, astronomer, and night sky ambassador. So tune in, and get ready for this incredible event with our friend and returning guest expert and guide, Tyler Nordgren!  More about Dr. Tyler Nordgren, from his website: https://www.tylernordgren.com/  “When I’m not creating...

Maureen Gibbons, MD, (known on social media as Dr. Moe), is a practicing physician, sports nutritionist and life coach who also held athletic trainer and triathlon coach credentials for many years. Her board certification is in emergency medicine, obesity medicine and lifestyle medicine. Dr. Moe founded and runs a remote lifestyle medicine practice called Active Medical Solutions.  As an author and speaker Maureen seeks to spread the word that we are all “Happy First” which is the title of...

Why is space agriculture important, possible, and necessary? Daniel Tompkins believes the present and future of agriculture can be reimagined.  Daniel Tompkins is an expert in plant medicine and agriculture, with a unique doctorate from the University of Florida that combines practical problem-solving with a focus on agriculture- a perfect mixture to explore sustainable agricultural practices for future space habitats.  Learn more about GrowMars:...

Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through? Kelly and Zach Weinersmith make their triumphant return to Casual Space sharing their new book, “A City on Mars.” Beth asks Kelly and Zach to spill the beans about everything they’ve learned and extensively researched regarding space settlements. In      doing their research Kelly attended numerous space conferences, while      Zach spent numerous hours reading memoirs.      Then they presented balanced...

Dr. Karen Nyberg is an engineer, astronaut, and artist who, through nearly thirty years of experience in human spaceflight, has gained an appreciation for the value of working within and across diverse political ideologies, cultural values, and world views to advance critical missions. In this episode of Casual Space, Beth and Karen delve into Karen's journey from learning how to sew by her mother, to creating art inspired by her space missions. Karen discusses her love for quilting, which...

Our future in space is going to be radically different with the implementation of space solar power.  According to John Mankins, space solar power is an energy application that’s going to happen in the coming decade(s); the only question is, who will build it? John Mankins has made his case. It’s a case for space solar power. John’s more than qualified to make this case, too. He’s a leading international expert in the field of space solar power, the author of the book, "The Case for Space...

We’re talking tacos on the shuttle. Pizza on the ISS. And we’re washing it down with a big glass (that’s not made of glass, but rather, a well-engineered pouch) of Tang on this episode of Casual Space with NASA food scientist Vickie Kloeris!  What I enjoyed most about talking with Vickie was her career journey that she’s shared in her book, “Space Bites.”  What started as an “impulsive decision” her senior year of college (guest lectures on seafood microbiology!) turned into an incredible...

Jan Spacek is an explorer both on Earth and beyond. He has worked in the fields of astrobiology, electrochemistry, nanoscience, genomics, and proteomics searching for life within our solar system. Jan is an astrobiologist working with renowned scientist Steven Benner on expanding the genetic alphabet.  In this episode of Casual Space, Jan discusses his transition to astrobiology, his work on projects related to the search for life on Mars and Venus, and the potential for private space...

Astronomer and friend of the show John Read is back for our first episode of 2024!    John may be working on a capstone course for his Master’s Degree, but John joins us for what John does best- helping space explorers of ALL AGES learn and be easily inspired! Have you seen his latest YouTube Channel video, “How to use ANY telescope?” Discover John’s new books, new videos and more at https://learntostargaze.com/     Today, John walks us through what to see in the night sky during these...

Whenever we talk about UFO’s, there’s a lot we can unpack. An entire UFO culture, really. And we’ve got just the expert journalist and author to help us better understand why we see saucers.  Returning guest and friend of the show Sarah Scoles is back to discuss her new book, “They Are Already Here.” Join us and let’s unpack Sarah’s trip out to Area 51, attending UFO conferences, alien pet parades and what surprises Sarah most when researching UFOs.    Order your copy of They Are Already...

Ron Rosano recently flew into space with Virgin Galactic on the #Galactic04 mission!  But commercial space flight with Virgin Galactic is just the beginning for Ron. He’s got plans to fly with Blue Origin, Space Perspective, and World View in the near future, and believes OUR time in space is just around the corner…  Listen as Ron describes his recent space flight experience and his family’s reaction to getting the big news… In this episode, Ron takes Beth on a journey back to his childhood,...

Isaac Arthur is the creator of the wildly successful “Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur,” an award-winning weekly science education and entertainment show with over 700,000 subscribers and over 400 episodes on YouTube. His show covers a wide range of futuristic concepts including space technology, development, and exploration, and focuses on how humanity or other hypothetical advanced civilizations may behave logistically, technologically, and socially, both in the near and distant...

NASA Astronaut Dr. Jan Davis flew on the Space Shuttle for the first time in 1992- ​ on the first joint Shuttle mission with the Japanese during an eight-day mission on Space Shuttle Endeavour.  She would fly again in 1994 on the first joint Shuttle mission with the Russians on Space Shuttle Discovery. Today on the show, we discuss her space career as well as her new book, Air Born, Two Generations in Flight.   Dr. Davis would fly once again in 1997 on a 12-day mission on Space Shuttle...

Laura is the CEO and Co-Founder of Epsilon3. Among the initial members of the operations team for SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, she helped put the US back in the human space flight business.  Laura wants to continue to revolutionize the space industry, beginning with operational tools.  She believes that no matter what your specialty, no matter where you attended school, and whatever your talents may be, there is a place for you in the space industry. Find Laura and her company, Epsilon3 at...

The Artemis Accords- A Discussion with Dale Skran  What are the Artemis Accords? Are countries starting to “pick sides” as they decide to sign the Artemis Accords?  What do the Artemis Accords mean for our future of space exploration, space settlement and space economy? Will the future of space exploration invite us into a collaborative market in space, or a competitive market? Dale Skran is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the National Space Society- the preeminent...

Henk Rogers is on a mission. Several missions, actually, and each one is as bold and audacious as the next.  When we explore space, Henk wants to take nature with us. It’s just one of the many goals that Henk has set out to accomplish, and there’s plenty of reason to believe he’s going to, based on his previous work within the space industry, his companies and non-profit organizations.  Listen for big ideas and clear missions presented in this insightful conversation with Henk Rogers. About...

The private space sector is growing tremendously. The industry’s consensus leader, SpaceX, headed by outspoken billionaire Elon Musk, is today worth an estimated $74 billion. And SpaceX and its chief competitors, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, are taking on more roles—flying cargo, supplies, and astronauts to outer space. Space Race 2.0 tells their story with expertly written text by science journalist Brad Bergan and stunning photography of the spacecraft, key players, and facilities in...

Adriana Blachowicz may just have one of the MOST IMPORTANT JOBS on our planet… and perhaps one of the coolest!  Adriana is a planetary protection scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory where she works to prevent microbial transfer between the Earth and other planets.  So how can we protect as we explore?  Why should we care about planetary protection? What are extremophiles? Can microbes live in an inhospitable environment? Does finding water really equate to finding life? In this...

Tara Sweeney is a United States Air Force Academy graduate, a Space Camp Hall of Fame inductee, a corporate leader in advanced technology test and evaluation events, a former crew member on parabolic research flights, a private pilot, and a graduate of SpaceKind training. She has been instrumental in establishing and executing the Cosmic Odyssey Scholarship as a mentor to Niko Blanks. In addition to being a proven leader, entrepreneur, and STEM mentor to many organizations, individuals, and...

Who was Robert H. Goddard?  His theories on space exploration were so ahead of his time that they were mocked and ridiculed by colleagues and by the New York Times… but Robert Goddard persisted, and with very little resources, he overcame adversity and launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket, ushering in the space age.  In 1903, the Wright brothers took their historic “First Flight” and got humanity off the ground. Just 23 years later, Dr. Robert Goddard’s “First Launch” was the...