This Week in Space (Audio)

Robots have, and always will, be the first to go to the dark and scary places in space. For many years, Dr. Jim Green oversaw these missions for NASA as their Chief Scientist. He joins us to talk about the past, present, and future of planetary exploration. Jim has always been passionate about NASA's science programs and believes we're quite likely to find life off-Earth in the near future. Join us!



Headlines:

NASA Unveils New X-70 Fractal X-Plane with Reconfigurable Tech

Earth Gains Temporary "Mini Moon" Asteroid 2026 QQ8

NASA Hosts First-Ever Max Power Air Show Highlighting Space Innovation

Deep Space Nine's Iconic "Trials and Tribble-ations" Episode Turns 30

Main Topic: Planetary Exploration, Science Funding, and Planetary Defense With Dr. Jim Green

Top Unexplored Targets: Sending a Submarine to Europa's Ocean

How Political Changes Affect NASA's Budget and Science Programs

Mars Sample Return: Obstacles, Funding Challenges, and Possible Human Exploration Synergy

Science Communication: Relating New Discoveries to Everyday Life and Public Engagement

JPL's "7 Minutes of Terror" and Changing Outreach Strategies

Building Support for Planetary Defense and the DART Mission

Black Swan Events: How Earth is Threatened by Rare, High-Speed Oort Cloud Comets

Innovative Approaches to Science Education through the Metaverse and Outreach

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Dr. Jim Green

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In our ongoing quest to develop a moon base, could we possibly utilize the area beneath the surface of the moon in order to make the moon habitable? In this episode of This Week in Space, Tariq Malik and guest host Mike Wall of Space.com talk with Than Putzig of the Planetary Science Institute about a NASA-backed payload bound for the Marius Hills Pit, a roughly 50-meter-wide opening that may lead into a lunar lava tube to gather more data about these formations on the Moon and the possibility of these lunar caves becoming the Moon's first living habitats for humans. Putzig explains how geophysical instruments on a rover could detect hidden voids beneath the surface and measure the size of these lava tubes. We also ask Than how these lava tubes form, what a follow-up robotic explorer could reveal, and how this research fits alongside NASA's Artemis plans for a south polar moon base. Join us!



Headlines:

Clear Images Emerge of China's Secretive Shenzhou Space Plane

Virgin Galactic Unveils New Delta Class Spaceplane for Tourism

Remembering Star Trek Legends Walter Koenig and Sir Patrick Stewart

Main Topic: Exploring Lunar Caves and the Gimli Mission

Introduction to Lunar Caves, Pits, and the Quest for Lava Tubes

NASA's Gimli Mission and Selection to Explore Marius Hills Pit

Science Goals: Detecting and Mapping Lunar Lava Tubes for Potential Habitats

Details on Geophysical Instruments and Survey Techniques

Potential Benefits of Lava Tubes for Lunar Habitat Planning

Technical and Logistical Challenges for Accessing and Using Lunar Lava Tubes

Parallels with Lava Tubes on Mars and Planetary Science Collaboration

Building Teams and Proposals at the Planetary Science Institute

Future Steps for the Gimli Mission and Outreach Efforts

Host: Tariq Malik

Co-Host: Mike Wall

Guest: Than Putzig

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Newspace is hiring! With the major powers heading to the moon, low-Earth orbit becoming busier than ever, and countless new companies entering the space marketplace, the hiring pipeline is more critical than ever. We spoke with Dr. Amanda Smith-Hackler, the Director of Education for the Universities Space Research Association and Principal Investigator for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars and STEM Workforce Development Programs, about the new and exciting opportunities available to young people seeking to enter the space workforce.

Host: Tariq Malik

Co-Host: Fredrick (Rick) Jenet

Guest: Dr. Amanda Smith-Hackler

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In this week's episode we turned to Chelsea Gohd, former writer for NASA/JPL and now with Space.com, to talk about the recent large data dump from the Artemis II mission. What was included? Why is this new data important? What observations were made, and what discoveries might result from them? What kind of annotations and notes did the astronauts include that make these observations uniquely valuable? And finally, we talk about Artemis III - what is the mission profile and what are the stakes for SpaceX and Blue Origin?

Headlines:

SpaceX Seeks Approval for 450 Starship Launches Per Year

Flying Tesla Roadster Demo Features SpaceX Thrusters and Suction Fan

Astronomers Spot Possible First Green Star – the Cosmic Zombie

Perseverance Rover Breaks Martian Distance Record

Main Topic: Artemis II Mission Data Dump and Lunar Science

NASA Releases 800GB of Artemis II Lunar Mission Data

Science, Images, Audio, and Annotations Collected by Astronauts

Crew's Training to Make Detailed Lunar Observations

Importance of Human Eyes on the Moon Versus Remote Sensing

Astronauts Witness Spectacular Impact Flashes on Lunar Surface

Firsthand Descriptions of Moon's Subtle Colors and Terrain

Insights Into Crew Experience and Data Collection Process

Astronauts' Career Moves Following Artemis II Mission

Artemis III Plans: Docking, Landers, and Science Objectives

Challenges Facing SpaceX Starship and Blue Origin Blue Moon Lander

The Role and Status of New Axiom-Prada EVA/Mobility Suits for Artemis III

Reflections on Historical and Current Lunar Exploration Approaches

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Chelsea Gohd

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From the earliest works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells to the best of contemporary space science fiction, Tariq and I dive deep into our favorite space si-fi across the ages! And our challenge to you for some of the most obscure titles we know.



Headlines:

Remembering Apollo Era Legends Margaret Hamilton and Milt Windler

Soviet Meteor 27 Satellite Breaks Up, Raising Space Debris Concerns

Elon Musk Receives National Science Award Amid NASA Science Cuts

Main Topic: Space Science Fiction Books and Media

Influential Childhood Sci-Fi Classics and Lesser-Known Gems

H.G. Wells, Ray Bradbury, and the Enduring Power of Classic Novels

Comic Books as Gateway to Space Narratives, from Star Trek to Modern Series

Golden Age Science Fiction: Venus Sagas, Heinlein, and Asimov

Modern Standouts: The Expanse, Jack McDevitt, Martha Wells, and Ann Leckie

Women in Sci-Fi: Hidden Voices and Impactful Authors

Sci-Fi Landmarks: War of the Worlds' Grover's Mill Monument and Other Cultural Footprints

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space.

Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts!

Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

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coveron.com/thisweekinspace and use code thisweekinspace

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