Unless you've been living under a big red Martian rock, you've likely heard that NASA's Mars Sample Return mission is in trouble. The robotic program has its roots in the 1960s, when NASA started thinking about sending robots to fetch Mars soil even before Mariner 4's first flyby of the planet. The Russians pondered it as well, as the Chinese and Japanese are today. The problem? It's really hard, with multiple spacecraft, possibly on different launches, rendezvousing around the Red Planet to...

Eclipse Wrap-Up & More Favorite Space Places Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik For full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space/episodes/106

Unless you've been living under a rock or in Barstow, you probably know all about the solar eclipse on Monday. Rod will be going to Austin, likely to be staring at ever-darkening clouds, and Tariq will be headed to the eclipse path in the Northeast. Where will you be? On today's episode, we're talking to astronomer and meteorologist Joe Rao about the solar eclipse of 2024--what is it, where the moon's shadow cross Earth, how can you maximize what you see (or don't see), and how to view...

Ecuador's Space Ambitions With Robert Aillon Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Guest: Robert Aillon For full show notes, visit https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space/episodes/104 Sponsors: zscaler.com/zerotrustAI joindeleteme.com/twit promo code TWIT

Last week's test flight of SpaceX's Starship--its third so far--was a mixed bag. The successful launch, ascent, staging, and testing of propellant transfer and the cargo bay door were all brilliant, yet both vehicles were destroyed before completing their planned trajectories, and the upper stage didn't make it into orbit (though it did reach "orbital velocity," according to Elon). So what's the real story on this test flight? When will the next one be? How close is SpaceX to routine launches...

Thought you knew all about Mars? Think again. Despite thousands of people poring through thousands of images from a flock of Mars orbiters over the decades, Dr. Pascal Lee and his associates found intriguing features in a region of complex terrain between Mars' Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in the solar system, and the western extent of Valles Marineris, the largest canyon. First, he spotted a relict glacier, covered with volcanic ash, and in a single day, realized he'd found a recently...

Russia is building a secret nuclear-powered space weapon, but what does that mean for the rest of us? In this episode, Tariq Malik is joined by Space.com's Brett Tingley to discuss the recent reports and delve into the history of nuclear weapons and reactors in space, the existing international treaties governing weapons of mass destruction in orbit, and the growing militarization of space by Russia, China, and the United States. Malik and Tingley also cover the week's top headlines,...

It's safe to say we all would love a chance to fly to space, but there's wanting to reach space and then ACTUALLY launching into space. This week, as we hit Episode 100, we welcome back Dr. Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute to tell us exactly what it's like to fly on a private spaceplane. Alan, a planetary scientist and principal investigator of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond, launched on a suborbital spaceflight in November 2023 on Virgin Galactic's VSS Unity...

What a year it's been so far! This week, Tariq and Rod look at some of the top headlines for 2024. So far, we've had a partially successful private lunar landing--the first for the United States since 1972--massive satellites hurtling out of orbit, more news on SpaceX's upcoming Starship activity, what's up with Blue Origin and New Glenn, the weirdest quasar story ever, and there's gold in them stars, says the James Webb Space Telescope. And we're just getting 2024 started! Join us for our...

We all think we know what NASA's up to, but there's nothing like hearing their plans directly from the top. This week, NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, who is also a former astronaut, commander of the space shuttle, and US Air Force test pilot, joins us for a very special episode. We discussed the recently announced delays to the Artemis lunar landing program, NASA's long-term goals on the Moon, the overall trajectory of human spaceflight, Pam's favorite memories of her time in space,...

The moons of the outer solar system have become one of the primary targets of robotic exploration. Previous probes have detected what might be warm, salty oceans below the ice crusts of Saturn's moon Enceladus and Jupiter's Europa. NASA's Europa Clipper will soon be bound for that cold, mysterious world. And Erin Leonard, a project scientist on that mission, joins us to discuss what to expect and what the hopes for life miles below the ice might be. Join us for this exciting look at one of...

Space and science TV has come a long way since the old-time staples like Mr. Wizard and the original Bille Nye, The Science Guy. On this episode of This Week in Space, History Channel producer Jeff Stepp joins us to talk about his work on "The UnXplained: With William Shatner" and other science shows—how are they conceived, what is production like, and what is the future of space and science-oriented media? We know Jeff to be a fine writer and responsible gatekeeper for high-quality,...

Climate change has become a top priority for all of us, including NASA. Space solar power—beaming energy from space 24 hours per day—has become a real possibility and is being studied internationally by the US, Europe, Japan, and China. It promises to provide a zero-emissions, zero-carbon source of energy worldwide—but it will take significant investment, development, and commitment. A recent NASA-backed study was positive but careful with its conclusions, and John Mankins, one of the first...

2024 looks to be another exciting year in spaceflight! Despite the delay of the Artemis crewed lunar program, a number of exciting missions are queued up this year, among them the launch of Europa Clipper, ESA's HERA mission to Didymos, the first flight of Blue Origin's mammoth New Glenn rocket, and the first crewed flight of India's new spacecraft, the Gagaanyan capsule. We'll dive into these and more on this episode of This Week in Space! Headlines: Japan became the 5th country to...

America's heading back to the Moon, but what does the public really think? This week, we talk with former NASA Chief Historian and Smithsonian Curator Dr. Roger Launius, who has studied, among many other things, public perceptions of NASA and spaceflight. Some spoilers: no, there was no "Golden Age" in the 1960s when the public was hugely behind the Apollo Moon landings; being a space historian is a lot of fun; and it probably doesn't really matter if China lands people on the Moon before the...

Spend some time in a dark location and you'll see the night sky in all its glory. If you pick a night with no moon, the effect triples. Steve Fentress, recently retired director of the Strasenburgh Planetarium in New York, is our guide to the night sky this week. He'll enlighten us about the lore of the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters, one of the more remarkable constellations in the sky, as well as a general tour of other notable constellations and their stories across the ages....

Happy holidays! Rod and Tariq are taking the next two weeks off but will be back with our regularly scheduled programming on January 5th. Host: Rod Pyle Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit

This holiday special episode of This Week in Space covers a wide range of space topics from 2023, including asteroid sample return, China's space achievements, commercial lunar landers, Mars sample return challenges, UFO disclosure, and more. Headlines: The asteroid Bennu sample return mission delivers intriguing early findings, including organic molecules and "cauliflower" textured particles that may provide insights into the early solar system. Speculative ideas on "dark life"...

Most of us have experienced a planetarium at one time or another, but unless you've been to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, you've missed out. Besides a brand-spanking-new planetarium theater chock-a-block with special effects and computerized systems, the Observatory's Halls of Science are a treat not to be missed. Add to that the stunning views of Los Angeles and the facility's director, Dr. Ed Krupp — one of the best science communicators in the business--and you have a real...

With an increase in commercial and private spaceflight comes the need to regulate it, and the FAA has had a major role in newspace flight rules to date... but should it be the primary regulator moving ahead? Many in the field say no, and some decry most attempts at what they see as unnecessary control. We at TWiS feel that, like any other form of transportation, proper and healthy regulation is needed--the question is by whom, and how. George Nield, President of Commercial Space Technologies...

A lot of cool space stuff has occurred since the dawn of the Space Age, and a lot of it lives overhead right now. This week, Rod and Tariq run through their favorite space missions and top moments in the exploration of the final frontier. As usual, it may not be quite what you expect... but we'll be sure to toss in an extra Bad Space Joke to keep you satisfied. Join us! Headlines SpaceX's Starship rocket ready for launch attempt on November 19 after repairs. The world's largest rocket...

As more people take tourist jaunts into space, and eventually into orbit for longer stays, social drinking will become part of the experience—even if it's just that bottle of congratulatory champagne. Besides the odd effects of zero-g on fizzy drinks in the stomach, the effects of imbibing alcohol cause a wide variety of risks and concerns. And while this is not entirely unknown territory—the Russians have been known to drink cognac from time to time (and are strongly suspected of taking...

We all know you must carry breathable air and drinkable water with you into space... but when traveling to Mars, how can you ensure your life support system will keep working all the way there and beyond? Technology is fallible, and when talking about life support—breathable air, temperature control, and potable water—all are non-negotiable and critical to survival. It's enough to give engineers nightmares. Grant Anderson, the president and CEO of Paragon Space Development Corporation, has...

Space wants to kill you every moment you are there. From the harsh vacuum to extreme temperatures to killing radiation, there's no shortage of ways to make your stay in space brief. This Halloween, we discuss the Top Ten (and probably more) scariest moments and places in space. And a TWiS bonus--NASA Deputy Administrator and former astronaut Pam Melroy drops in with her scariest space story! Hold on to your thrusters; it's going to be a wild ride. Headlines: Pre-Halloween Lunar Eclipse!...