Shows / Made of Stars
Made of Stars
Made of Stars is a look at everything in space exploration from programs and vehicles on Earth to discoveries made just out of our atmosphere and into deep space. Space enthusiast Wes Carroll interviews executive director of CSU's Coca-Cola Space Science center Dr. Shawn Cruzen each week with new episodes published Thursday mornings.
Georgia Association of Broadcasters winner for Best Podcast Series at the 2022 and 2026 Gabby Awards
Support the Podcast https://www.patreon.com/Wescarroll
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Episodes
- Made of Stars
It's Historic, Trust Us
NASA astronauts are doing the 100th space walk from the ISS Quest airlock. Artemis III is a step closer as it's now being stacked inside the VAB at Kennedy…
- Made of Stars
Another Jellyfish In the Sky?
Another SpaceX launch was visible up the eastern coast of the US. NASA has closed out OSIRIS-REx and moved on with OSIRIS-APEX. Japan has aimed a rocket for…
- Made of Stars
What's that Big Jellyfish In the Sky?
The Tuesday morning SpaceX ISS resupply launch was visible in the morning sky along the east coast. Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch has a new role with…
- Made of Stars
Gabby Award for Best Podcast Series Winner? Who Us?
We spike the football a few times this week after winning the Gabby Award for Best Podcast Series at the Georgia Association of Broadcasters' Gabby Awards…
- Made of Stars
Episode 300! Frank, They're Not Here for You. Weird Al Yankovic Is on the Plane
On our 300th epiosde, a startup company is preparing to launch the first ever fully autonomous space mission to mine an asteroid. Forecasting weather on alien…
- Made of Stars
Auroras and Equinoxes Are Pretty Much BFFs
The autumnal equinox means the beginning of aurora season. Research shows that the Sun may have swallowed a planet. SpaceX launch moved to next week. Plus new…
- Made of Stars
Down Goes Farrah
A US Cold War era satellite broke apart in orbit and no one knows why. A French court has ruled that aviation radiation is real and that it qualifies as an…
- Made of Stars
China Has Big Plans for Mars
China plans to beat the US to Mars with a mission that will return samples. The Roman Space Telescope had a better than perfect launch that will extend its…
- Made of Stars
Starbase Louisiana Is Coming
Louisiana will be the home of SpaceX's new starbase and the revenue and tourism will have a massive impact. Have astronomers discovered the first starless…
- Made of Stars
Kim Steadman from NASA's JPL
Kim Steadman joins us to talk about her time with NASA's JPL, SHERLOC and the Dragonfly Mission. She will be joining Trina Ray at Dragon Con as part of the…
- Made of Stars
Trina Ray from NASA's JPL
Trina Ray joins us to talk about her career at NASA's JPL and her work on Voyager, Cassini and Europa Clipper Become a supporter of this podcast…
- Made of Stars
Black Hole Star, Won't You Come?
ISS astronauts are studying ways to help care for astronauts with experiments in radiation, bone density and IV fluid production. Astronaut Mike Fincke has…
- Made of Stars
The Sun and the Moon and Iceland
SpaceX hit the Moon and it was observed for science. NASA is several steps closer to its next Artemis mission. PUNCH has given us a new way to track CMEs…
- Made of Stars
SpaceX Launched Flight 13 and Is Floating in the Indian Ocean
SpaceX finally launched Flight 13 successfully and Starship's landing was so soft that it's still afloat in the Indian Ocean. What are the mysterious Little…
- Made of Stars
Deva Vu All Over Again for SpaceX
SpaceX had an issue with 4 egines not firing last week so they rescheduled to launch later today. A young blue giant and a white dwarf star are compainions in…
- Made of Stars
The Space Race Is In Full Swing
SpaceX says no to superstition with it's flight 13 test mission later today. China is on the board now with its own catch and re-use rocket system…
- Made of Stars
Check Out the Size of These Numbers
New Horizons was just awakened a long way from home. SpaceX celebrates the 36th launch of a Falcon 9 rocket. Earth reached its farthest point from the Sun on…
- Made of Stars
American Exceptionalism in Space Exploration
As America celebrates 250 years, we look at some of the incredible accomplishments of America in space exploration. SpaceX has now launched more satellites…
- Made of Stars
SpaceX Launches Starfall
SpaceX has successfully launched Starfall. Perseverance has given us more evidence that could prove life existed on Mars. A massive sunspot can be observed…
- Made of Stars
SpaceX Breaks Another Record
SpaceX record-breaking IPO turns many of its employees into millionaires. SpaceX prepares to send a rocket to the Moon and NASA wants input from anyone who…
- Made of Stars
Straight Outta Columbus
NASA has announced the Artemis III astronauts and one has Columbus ties. The ISS is leaking air.. again. Scientists have gotten better at locating…
- Made of Stars
Three Booms and a Hmmm?
Blue Origin has a relly bad day. A cannibal CME could bring aurora to middle latitude regions. Cape Cod experienced a big boom. And NASA says goodbye to MAVEN…
- Made of Stars
Upcoming Moonbase Missions
Get ready for a great view of Venus, Jupiter and Mercury in the evening sky. NASA has announced plans for the upcoming moon base missions. SpaceX has…
- Made of Stars
A Tragedy Has Delayed the SpaceX Starship V3 Launch
An accident has taken the life of a contract employee causing a delay in the next launch of the Starship V3 out of respect and for an investigation into the…
- Made of Stars
The Other Space Race
Blue Origin's lunar lander is ready for astronaut training. Spacex's new megarocket is set to launch next week. Get ready for more Methalox comets. And we now…
- Made of Stars
Rockets, Yeah
SpaceX is sending up 34th resupply mission to the ISS with lots of experiments. Virgin Galactic shows off its Delta Class spaceplane. Sea-based rocket launches…
- Made of Stars
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah... Let's Bring Pluto Back
NASA's administrator says he thinks Pluto should be a planet again. Artemis III's core stage has arrived at KSC. Canada is preparing to look for Earth-sized…
- Made of Stars
Artemis III Booster Is Heading to KSC
Artemis III is now a step closer to launch which means Artemis IV is now a step closer to landing astronauts on the Moon. The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope…
- Made of Stars
Nutella In Space!
Artemis II featured a Michael Bay level product placement. Artemis astronauts saw colors on the Moon better than camera equipment. 45 years ago, NASA launched…
- Made of Stars
The Reason We Send Humans
Artemis 2 is heading home and there's been some great examples of why we send humans to space and not robots. The Artemis 2 crew is expected to splash down…
- Made of Stars
Live from CSU's Coca-Cola Space Science Center! Again!
Recorded Live March 28,2026 This live edition of Made of Stars covers Artemis II's launch plans, nuclear Mars helicopters, Jared Isaacman's plans for the Moon…
- Made of Stars
Artemis II Could Launch Within a Week
Artemis II is getting close to its next launch window and astronauts could be leaving Earth's oribit next week. Fireball season is upon us. Two baby planets…
- Made of Stars
Space Walks and Objects In the Sky
NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Chris Williams completed a spacewalk outside the ISS. Artemis II will soon roll back out to the launch pad for a possible…
- Made of Stars
All Your Classic Rock Favorites
Can we see that comet in the sky?? No signs of technology on K2-8b... and that might be a good thing. Rare evidence of two worlds colliding. And it's finally…
- Made of Stars
Artemis Has a New Calendar
Artemis 2-5 has a new gameplan. Scientists may have a new way to provide oxygen to lunar and Mars missions. Martian soil may have a self defense against…
- Made of Stars
Artemis II Now Delayed Until April
The latest wet dress rehearsal for Artemis II showed a launch wouldn't be possible in March. We now know which Crew-11 astronaut had a medical issue. There's a…
- Made of Stars
Artemis II Wet Dress Rehearsal Part 2
Artemis II does its latest tests to prepare for a possible early March launch. Firefly prepares to launch its 7th Alpha flight. Massive glaciers could be…
- Made of Stars
Supermassive Black Hole or Dark Matter?
Crew-12 is prepping for a Friday launch. NASA selects AXIOM for a fifth private mission to the ISS. China is a step closer to a lunar mission. Could the…
- Made of Stars
Artemis II Delayed Until March
NASA's wet dress rehearsal for Artemis II gave reasons to delay the Feburary launch. There's another risk of an X-flare today. We may see a new comet this…
- Made of Stars
The Challenger... 40 Years Later!
The Challenger tragedy's 40th anniversary is a time to remember and a time to reflect on the fact that in spite of how it sometimes looks easy, rocket science…
- Made of Stars
Artemis II Is On the Launchpad Ready for Tests
Artemis II has made the journey from the VAB and is now in place for launch. Crew-11 astronauts say that their training prepared them for the medicl emergency…
- Made of Stars
After a Medical Emergency, Crew-11 Is Home
Three astronauts remain in the ISS after a medical emergency ended the mission for Crew-11 early. SpaceX has broken its own record for launch turnaround. What…
- Made of Stars
ISS Astronaut's Health Delays Spacewalk
A Crew-11 astronaut's health has caused a delay in a planned spacewalk. NASA acknowledged the work done on the ISS in 2025. Doug Hurley is honored for his…
- Made of Stars
Recapping Space News of 2025 Part 2
Let's look back at some of the biggest space news stories if 2025! Become a supporter of this podcast…
- Made of Stars
Recapping Space News of 2025 Part 1
Let's look back at some of the biggest space news stories if 2025! Become a supporter of this podcast…
- Made of Stars
It's Finally Official! Isaacman Confirmed!
Jared Isaacman has been confirmed to lead NASA. NASA has completed its next-gen space telescope. JWST has confirmed a runaway supermassive black hole. Rocket…
- Made of Stars
Satellite of Love?
Russian Soyuz has returned to Earth full of love. NASA is preparing for Artemis IV by selecting instruments. MAVEN has gone silent. AI discovered and fixed…
- Made of Stars
Space Turkeys? A Big Helping of Tryptophan on an Astreoid
The Russian Cosmodrome was damaged after a launch over Thanksgiving. A Russian cosmonaut won't be flying aboard a SpaceX mission because of his cell phone…
- Made of Stars
NASA Is Getting Closer to Sending Astronauts to the Moon
NASA has begun the next phase of preparations to send a crewed mission around the Moon next year. NASA has made a pivot to Starliner. Perseverance has…
- Made of Stars
Aurora Aftermath
Scientists say the auroas brought us milstone solar radiation. Plus NASA's possible new chief is expected to appear before Congress again next month. NASA has…
- Made of Stars
CMEs Generating Excitement and Complications
Solar activity gave all fifty states aurora borealis this week and there's a chance for more tonight. Blue Origin wants to launch today by the solar activity…
- Made of Stars
Live from CSU's Coca-Cola Space Science Center!
Recorded November 1, 2025: It's Made of Stars... LIVE! How do you move a space shuttle without a shuttle mover and while preserving it? We're learning more…
- Made of Stars
Blue Origin Has Entered the Chat
Blue Origin was preparing a lander for the Artemis V mission that may never happen and now it could be used for Artemis III. SpaceX has broken one of its own…
- Made of Stars
Voyager Set to Make History Again
NASA's voyager 1 is set to make history again. Elon Musk isn't happy with NASA's decision to re-open bidding for Artemis III's Moon landing contract. NASA has…
- Made of Stars
Episode 250! Isaacman, SpaceX and Breaking Bad
Jared Isaacman could actually head NASA after being dropped from consideration. SpaceX successfully launched the final Version 2 Starship Super Heavy this…
- Made of Stars
Following Up on Four Stories
NASA and Blue Origin are preparing to launch two spacecraft to Mars. Dream Chaser is preparing to debut as a free-flying spacecraft in 2026. ESA's TGO has…
- Made of Stars
NASA Names Their Next Ten Astronaut Candidates
NASA has announced its next ten candidates for astronaut. STEVE has returned. Strong solar flares are possible over the next few days. Axiom has selected its…
- Made of Stars
Yes, We're Returning to the Moon
NASA says the Artemis II Moon mission could happen in six months and there's a way your name can travel with it. NASA and SpaceX sent up three probes to study…
- Made of Stars
Biggest Ever Cargo Ship Arrives at ISS
Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL has reached the ISS. Space Weather announces upcoming solar activity. Scientists discover evidence of liquid water on Ryugu's…
- Made of Stars
No, It's Not Definitely a Sign of Life on Mars, But It Could Be
The Perseverance rover has given some evidence of what could be a sign of a past life on Mars, but it's too early to confirm. There's a large hole in the Sun's…