Shows / Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science
Planetary Radio brings you the human adventure across our Solar System and beyond. We visit each week with the scientists, engineers, leaders, advocates, and astronauts who are taking us across the final frontier. Regular features raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Join host Sarah Al-Ahmed and Planetary Society colleagues including Bill Nye the Science Guy and Bruce Betts as they dive deep into space science and exploration. The monthly Space Policy Edition takes you…
Episodes
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSearching for ET With Pete Worden
Are we alone? The nearly sixty-year effort to answer that question has gotten a big boost from the Breakthrough Initiatives, funded by Yuri Milner and led by…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and SciencePamela Gay and the Image Detective
Astronomer Pamela Gay tells us how anyone can work with images of Earth taken by astronauts, turning them into terrific scientific resources.Learn more about…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceDawn: Ten Years of Exploration
Dawn Mission Director and Chief Engineer Marc Rayman helps us salute the ion-engine powered spacecraft that first orbited asteroid Vesta in the main asteroid…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSpace Policy Edition #17: The 75th Anniversary of the Rocket Age, with Dr. Michael Neufeld
Fifteen years before Sputnik, on a bright 1942 afternoon in northern Germany, a thundering machine of metal and fire pierced the sky, ultimately touching the…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceAustralia Gets Serious About Space
The Australian government announced that it would create a national space agency at the 68th annual International Astronautical Congress in Adelaide. We’ll…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceCelebrating Cassini…Live!
More than 1,100 fans of the just-completed 20-year mission to Saturn joined us for a live tribute.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceLong Live Cassini!
Join us at JPL and Caltech on the bittersweet morning the Cassini spacecraft plunged into Saturn.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceScience Fiction Greats on Humanity’s Destiny in Space
Robert Zubrin of the Mars Society talks with Gregory Benford, David Brin, Geoffrey Landis and Larry Niven about terraforming Mars, the origin of life, the…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSailing on the Light of the Sun With Lou Friedman
The co-founder and Executive Director Emeritus of The Planetary Society returns for a conversation about the allure of sailing through space. Learn more about…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSpace Policy Edition #16: NASA's Flagship Missions: Are They Worth It?
The multi-billion dollar, multi-decade Cassini mission is about to end. A new report tries to answer an important question: are flagship science missions like…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and SciencePlanetary Radio Live on the Eve of the Eclipse
With hours to go before the Great American Eclipse, nine outstanding guests joined host Mat Kaplan for Planetary Radio Live in front of 1,100 rowdy eclipse and…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceCassini Project Scientist Linda Spilker’s Last Appearance Before the Grand Finale
It’s the Grandest Finale. The spectacular Cassini mission’s exploration of Saturn will end on September 15th when the spacecraft plunges into the planet…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceEd Stone and Forty Years of Voyager in Space
It is most space fans’ favorite planetary science mission, and with good reason. We visit with the man who has been in charge of Voyager mission science for…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceDark Energy Attracts? Astrophysicists Jason Rhodes and Alina Kiessling
JPL astrophysicists Alina Kiessling and Jason Rhodes were brought together by their fascination over the mystery of dark energy. They talk with Planetary Radio…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSpace Policy Edition #15 – Congressman Rick Larsen, Could Russia Exit the ISS?
New U.S. sanctions against Russia have reignited speculation that global politics could undermine cooperation in the International Space Station. Could Russia…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceAn Eye on the Sun (In the Middle of a Lake)
The world’s most powerful solar telescope has just been renamed for the man responsible for its creation. We’ll meet astrophysicist and helioseismologist Phil…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and SciencePlanetary Radio Live! Living on Mars
Will humans live, work and thrive on Mars? What challenges must be met before we can become Martians? On July 20th, the anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceEmily Lakdawalla on the Last Orbits of Cassini
The Cassini Mission has less than two months to go before it ends with a spectacular plunge into the beautiful ringed world. Planetary Society Senior Editor…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science20 Years on Mars with Matt Golombek
When the Pathfinder lander reached Mars 20 years ago it began a Martian renaissance that has never paused. JPL scientist Matt Golombek was the mission’s…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSpace Policy Edition #14 – Ice Giants and Ocean Worlds Beckon
A new report builds the case for long overdue returns to Uranus and Neptune, while another proposal calls for exploration of the many bodies in our solar…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceA Cosmic Voyage with Astronomer Sandra Faber
Veteran astronomer and cosmologist Sandra Faber has just been awarded the Gruber Prize for Cosmology, honoring more than forty years of pioneering work. She…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceHappy Asteroid Day!
Asteroid Day, June 30th, marks the anniversary of the great Tunguska impact that leveled a Siberian forest. It reminds us that a Near Earth Object can destroy…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceThomas Edison, Eclipse Chaser!
Former NPR science reporter David Baron discusses the stories of men and women who made their way across the American West to view and document the total solar…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceJulie Webster and the Art of Spacecraft Endurance
How do you keep a dazzlingly complex spacecraft in good health after 20 years in space? That’s the challenge for Julie Webster and her team of engineers…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSpectacular Jupiter!
Have you seen its stunning image of Jupiter’s south pole? The Juno orbiter is surpassing expectations and delivering surprising science. Scott Bolton, the…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSpace Policy Edition #13 – The 2018 Budget Proposal and Is Mars Exploration in Retrograde?
The Trump Administration released its proposed FY2018 budget just days ago. Casey Dreier, Jason Callahan and Mat Kaplan dive deep into what this controversial…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceBuzz Aldrin and Other Martians
He walked with Neil Armstrong on the moon, but that may not be his greatest legacy. Buzz Aldrin was joined by other space stars at the recent Humans To Mars…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceHuman Spaceflight: Coming Back to America
Astronauts may soon ride on US rockets and in US spaceships for the first time since the last Space Shuttle flight. Jon Cowart of NASA is working with SpaceX…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceNASA Leaders on Getting Humans to Mars
The human journey to the Red Planet is long and hard, but Mat’s conversation with three NASA Associate Administrators at the Humans to Mars Summit was filled…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceVisiting Worlds Fantastic with Bonnie Buratti
Veteran Jet Propulsion Lab planetary scientist Bonnie Buratti talks with Mat about the wonder of our solar neighborhood that she explores in "Worlds Fantastic…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSpace Policy Edition #12 – Is Space Policy Stagnant? With Special Guest Marcia Smith
Moon or Mars? Should NASA depend on private companies? What’s the goal of human spaceflight? These questions were debated three decades ago, yet are just as…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceBe There! The Great American Eclipse
Our ongoing coverage of preparation for the Great American Eclipse takes us to Southern Illinois University Carbondale where a huge celebration is…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceBill Nye Saves the World…With Space
It was a big week for the Science Guy, and for science. Bill Nye served as honorary co-chair of the March for Science in Washington DC. His new Netflix series…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceMcDonald Observatory and the Quest for Dark Energy
The University of Texas at Austin’s observatory is high in the hills of west Texas. In this special episode, Mat Kaplan joins the tens of thousands who visit…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceAerospace Corporation President and CEO Steve Isakowitz
The Aerospace Corporation has been innovating since 1960. Now it’s headed by a former leader of “New Space” company Virgin Galactic. President and CEO Steve…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSpace Policy Edition #11 – Big Science and a Skinny Budget
Whether it’s discovering gravity waves, curing cancer or building a space station, the biggest science challenges increasingly require investments that are…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceMars’ Atmosphere…Lost in Space!
Mars was once a warm and wet world. Then its dense, protective atmosphere mostly vanished. Learning why was one of the greatest mysteries in planetary science…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceNancy Atkinson’s Incredible Stories from Space
The longtime editor of outstanding online space news source Universe Today has just written about nine robotic missions of exploration in "Incredible Stories…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceReady for Space: LightSail 2 Update
The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 solar sail spacecraft is ready to be packed away for its ride to orbit on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Mat Kaplan checks…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceThe Great American Eclipse—Be Part of It!
It’s coming! Will you be in the path of totality? Astronomers Without Borders President Mike Simmons says be there if you can.Learn more about your ad choices…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceHope for Pluto—Should We Re-Redefine Planets?
Planetary geologist Kirby Runyon is lead author of an abstract that proposes a new, geophysical definition of what a planet is.Learn more about your ad…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSpace Policy Edition #10 - Special Guest Laura Delgado Lopez, SpaceX to the Moon, looming budget cuts
Laura Delgado Lopez from the Harris Corporation joins us to talk about the growing number of countries getting into the space business, particularly in Latin…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceThe Worlds of TRAPPIST-1
The discovery of seven, Earth-sized planets in a nearby solar system was announced last week. Astrophysicist and planetary scientist Sara Seager joins us to…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and SciencePlanetary Radio Live: Near Earth Objects—The Killer Asteroid Threat
Leaders of the quest to find, understand and protect ourselves from the asteroids and comets called Near Earth Objects gathered with host Mat Kaplan for a live…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceNazis in Space? Rod Pyle’s Amazing Stories of the Space Age
Rod Pyle reveals bizarre yet fascinating space projects of the past in his new book. Pyle also exposes previously classified information about missions and…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceEarth Microbes! Welcome to Mars
University of Arkansas grad student Rebecca Mickol and her team have demonstrated that some Earth bacteria can survive in the extremely thin atmosphere of…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSpace Policy Edition #9 – Congress Plots New Space Legislation Amid Trump’s Tumultuous First Two Weeks
It’s still too early to say where the Trump Administration will take NASA, but there are a few hints. Congress is not waiting. Casey, Jason and Mat review a…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceThe Final Countdown at Saturn
Planetary Radio’s most frequent guest, Project Scientist Linda Spilker, returns with another update on the Cassini mission that is approaching its grand…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceIce, Snow and Lava: Exploring Antarctica’s Mount Erebus
Earth’s southernmost active volcano may also be its most remote. Rosaly Lopes and Michael Carroll recently spent a few frigid days on the slopes of…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceChief Scientist Ellen Stofan Leaves NASA
For well over three years, planetary scientist Ellen Stofan has worked directly with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden to help coordinate and expand the myriad…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceBen Miller Says The Aliens are Coming!
We are joined by British physicist turned comedian and actor Ben Miller, author of The Aliens are Coming! The Extraordinary Science Behind our Search for Life…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSpace Policy Edition #8 - A Transition "Trumpdate", 2016 in Review, and Answering Your Questions
After an opening update on the presidential transition, Casey, Jason and Mat share their nominees for the biggest space exploration events of 2016. Then they…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceA Little Rocket Company Shoots for the Moon
CEO Randa Milliron introduces us to Interorbital Systems, which wants to put your payload in orbit for as little as $8,000. Can they do it?Learn more about…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceMarvelous Martian MAVEN
MAVEN, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution orbiter, has gone a long way toward solving the mystery of the Red Planet’s missing water and air. The…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceArt That Captures the Beauty and Science of Space
Marilynn Flynn, Simon Kregar and Rick Sternbach are masters of space art. They talk about how their work furthers science and captures the imagination.Learn…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceA Giant Telescope and Remembering John Glenn
Space historian John Logsdon remembers American hero John Glenn. Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye was a big fan of the Friendship 7 astronaut—less so the new…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceRunning Before the Sun: Astronomer Jay Pasachoff
No one is more excited about eclipses than famed solar astronomer and author Jay Pasachoff. He looks forward to the total solar eclipse in August of 2017.Learn…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceSpace Policy Edition #7 - The Trump Administration: What Can We Expect for Space?
The SPE team reviews the outlook for human spaceflight, planetary science, Earth observation and much more under the upcoming Trump administration. Learn more…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceLeading the Search: Bill Diamond of the SETI Institute
The SETI Institute is about much more than the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. President and CEO Bill Diamond of the Institute explains.Learn more…
Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceTo Mars! With National Geographic
The National Geographic Channel’s “Mars” miniseries has begun. Mat Kaplan attended a kickoff for the ambitious docudrama last summer. You’ll hear from series…