Aspiring Martians

Imagine we've landed on Mars, set up shop, and are absolutely thriving.
Now what?
It’s a question that rarely gets asked. We spend countless hours talking about rockets, habitats, food production, and surviving the journey to the Red Planet—but if humanity truly plans to build permanent settlements beyond Earth, another challenge inevitably awaits us: creating the next generation.
In this episode of Everyday Mars, returning guest Dr. Shawna Pandya—physician, neuroscientist, commercial astronaut, analog astronaut, and one of the world’s leading experts in space medicine—joins us to explore the fascinating science and ethics of reproduction beyond Earth.
Together we examine why fertility and pregnancy have remained one of the biggest blind spots in human spaceflight, what decades of research have (and haven’t) taught us, how reduced gravity and radiation may affect pregnancy and fetal development, and why Mars forces us to rethink everything from prenatal care to emergency medicine.
We also explore IVF on Mars, genetic screening, the possibility of future Martians evolving differently than humans on Earth, whether astronauts should even be allowed to become pregnant during early settlements, and what the birth of the very first Martian child could mean for the future of our species.
It’s one of the most thought-provoking conversations we’ve ever had on the podcast—and a reminder that becoming a multi-planetary civilization isn’t just about learning how to survive on another world.
It’s about learning how to build a future there.
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International Space Station Integrated Medical Group (IMG) Medical Checklist (p. 418) - https://newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/163533main_iss_med_cl.pdf
Walking Through Elephant Cancer Resistance: What it can teach us about elephants, genetics and disease defenses - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/378443177_Walking_Through_Elephant_Cancer_Resistance_What_it_can_teach_us_about_elephants_genetics_and_disease_defenses
Open Label, Dose Escalation, Repeat Dose Study Evaluating YCT-529 in Healthy Males - https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06542237
Understanding how space travel affects the female reproductive system to the Moon and beyond - https://www.nature.com/articles/s44294-024-00009-z#citeas
Microgravity promotes osteoclast activity in medaka fish reared at the international space station - https://www.nature.com/articles/srep14172

A huge thank you Dr. Shawna Pandya for joining me today and sharing her time, expertise, and passion for one of the most fascinating (and important) questions we’ll have to answer before humanity becomes a multi-planetary species. And of course, thank you to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project

In this special bonus episode of Aspiring Martians, I caught up with NASA astronaut Dr. Anil Menon just weeks before his first journey to space aboard Soyuz MS-29, where he’ll spend roughly eight months aboard the International Space Station as part of Expeditions 74 and 75.
Although Anil has served as a NASA flight surgeon, SpaceX’s first medical director, an Air Force physician, engineer, pilot, and emergency medicine specialist, he says the most challenging role he’s ever had is being a father.
With Father’s Day having just passed in the United States, our conversation explores the human side of space exploration—how he and his wife, fellow astronaut Anna Menon, balance two demanding careers while raising their children, the creative ways he stays connected with his family during long separations, and why parenting may be some of the very best preparation for becoming an astronaut.
As humanity prepares for missions lasting years instead of months, these are the kinds of conversations we’ll need to have more often. Because building a civilization on Mars won’t just require engineers and astronauts—it will require families.

Most people imagine a straight line into the space industry.
Mason Robbins’ story is anything but.
After beginning his career in international relations and conflict studies, Mason worked with organizations including the United Nations, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, and innovation hubs across Europe before eventually finding his way back to his childhood passion for space exploration.
Today, he serves as CEO of Star Helix, contributes to advanced spacesuit development programs, conducts human factors research, supports astronaut training initiatives, and has participated in analog astronaut missions across the globe.
In this conversation, Mason shares how curiosity led him from Oklahoma to the Arctic, Hawaii, Scotland, and beyond. We discuss the realities of life inside analog astronaut habitats, what hundreds of hours inside pressurized spacesuits have taught him about human performance, and why the future of Mars exploration depends on understanding people just as much as technology.
We also explore international cooperation in space, mental health in isolated environments, leadership under pressure, the importance of diverse backgrounds in future space crews, and why becoming an aspiring Martian isn’t limited to the people who actually travel to Mars.
Whether you’re interested in astronaut training, human factors engineering, analog missions, or simply hearing an inspiring story about following your curiosity wherever it leads, this episode offers a fascinating look at the human side of humanity’s future beyond Earth.
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A huge thank you to Mason for joining me today and sharing his time and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project.

What does it take to pursue a dream that feels bigger than the world around you?
This week, Joe sits down with Hajar Azizi, a 20-year-old engineering student at École Centrale Casablanca and an active member of the Moroccan Association for Space Studies (MASS), to explore how curiosity, determination, and community can help turn seemingly impossible ambitions into tangible steps forward.
Hajar is part of a new generation of young Moroccans helping to build excitement around science, engineering, and space exploration. Most recently, she helped teach at AstroKids Space Camp, an initiative created by MASS to introduce children to astronomy, robotics, engineering, and the possibilities of a future among the stars. Through hands-on activities, teamwork challenges, and space-themed projects, the camp gave students a chance to see themselves not just as observers of science, but as future scientists, engineers, and explorers.
In this conversation, we talk about growing up in Morocco with big dreams of space, how curiosity can become a powerful driving force, the challenges and rewards of studying engineering, and why pursuing difficult goals often requires embracing uncertainty and failure along the way. Hajar shares her perspective on Morocco’s growing space community, the importance of creating opportunities for young people, and how organizations like MASS are helping build a culture of exploration and innovation throughout the country.
At its heart, this episode is about possibility. It’s about what can happen when someone refuses to let geography, age, or circumstance determine the size of their dreams. And it’s a reminder that the future of Mars won’t be built by a handful of people in a few countries...it will be built by passionate individuals all over the world who decide that humanity’s next great chapter is one worth helping write.
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A huge thank you to Hajar for joining me today and sharing her time and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project.

What does it take to build a space community where one barely exists?
This week, I sit down with Ismail El Omari, a Moroccan space architect, analog astronaut, educator, and founder of the Moroccan Association for Space Studies (MASS).
From his childhood fascination with space to participating in analog astronaut missions and becoming one of Morocco’s leading space advocates, Ismail shares how he’s helping inspire a new generation of explorers across Morocco and Africa.
We discuss Morocco’s surprising history with space exploration, the country’s growing role in astronomy and satellite technology, the importance of space architecture, and why Ismail believes space exploration has the power to unite humanity in ways few other pursuits can.
We also dive into AstroKids Space Camp, what may be Morocco’s first dedicated space camp for children, where young students built rovers, learned about rockets and planets, worked together to solve challenges, and discovered that they too can be part of humanity’s future among the stars.
Whether you’re interested in architecture, education, analog missions, or inspiring the next generation of explorers, this is a conversation about how big dreams can grow into movements.
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A huge thank you to Ismail for joining me today and sharing his time, perspective, and passion for growing the space community in Morocco, to Nick Thorburn for the stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the incredible graphics, to Jero Squartini for the amazing animations, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this project