This Week in Space (Audio)

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" forming from dark matter shortly after the Big Bang prompts discussion on expanding definitions of life.
• Congress orders UFO records released within 25 years but allows military to withhold information threatening national security, disappointing those seeking full disclosure.

Main Topic: The Year in Review

• Recap of major SpaceX milestones in 2023 with Falcon 9 reuse and Starship testing advances, though the lunar landing variant and orbital refueling still need work.
• India bounces back from previous lunar landing failure with successful Chandrayaan-3 orbiter and Pragyan rover mission.
• Mars sample return mission faces criticism for ballooning costs now exceeding $11 billion and delays pushing to 2030 or beyond.
• OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample return hailed as a major success story for 2023 despite minor parachute issue on re-entry.
• Psyche and Lucy asteroid missions yield early surprises on unique asteroid properties.
• China's 2023 space achievements and future plans make it a program to watch with possible Mars sample returns, an increased pace of lunar landings, and more... maybe even sample sharing with the US!
• ULA readies new Vulcan Centaur rocket for a January launch — it's a critical path to the moon with the first commercial lunar lander onboard.
• Artemis delays provide cover for missing elements like SpaceX's lunar lander, orbital refueling tests, and lunar surface EVA suits.
• Guest Leonard David covers latest intrigue around government UFO briefings and disclosure efforts.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Leonard David

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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 treat. And the kicker? He's a world expert in ancient astronomy! Join us.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Dr. Ed Krupp

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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 and former Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Aviation at the FAA, joins us to work through the tangle.

Image Source: Blue Origin

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: George Nield

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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 could finally reach orbit after delays.
• Chinese rocket stage likely caused mysterious Moon crater in 2022, study finds. The lunar impact was traced back to a Long March 3C rocket body.
• ULA's Vulcan Centaur rocket on track for inaugural launch in December, could land lunar probe on Moon. The new rocket's first mission will carry a commercial moon lander.

Main Topic: Thanksgiving Special - What We're Grateful For in Space

• Rod recalls being inspired as a child by 1950s visions of space exploration in magazines by Wernher von Braun.
• Tariq shares how going to space camp multiple times as a teen sparked his interest.
• Rod vividly recounts watching the Apollo 8 circumlunar mission on Christmas 1968.
• Tariq talks about space shuttle mission STS-126 coinciding with his daughter's birth.
• Rod details the 1970s Skylab missions and astronauts fixing the damaged station.
• Tariq expresses gratitude for astronaut Mike Massimino's Hubble repair work and public outreach.
• Rod reminisces about witnessing the first Viking Mars lander images in 1976.
• Tariq highlights Cassini's Huygens probe revealing mysteries of Saturn's moon Titan.
• Rod emotionally recounts being present for Cassini's final plunge into Saturn in 2017.
• The hosts share favorite comments from listeners about the space events they are most grateful for, from the Apollo coverage on network TV to the recent Artemis and Webb missions.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

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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 vodka into space), the data is slim. Space alcohol expert Colleen McLeod Garner has studied this for years and written articles on the topic and will join us to discuss the joys and potential downsides of the consumption of booze in the final frontier—no fake IDs allowed!

Headlines:

• Astronaut Frank Borman, Gemini 7 and Apollo 8 commander, has died at age 95. He was an icon of the early space program.
• NASA launches a new free streaming app called NASA+ with space documentaries and live events.
• A tiny experimental satellite called TRISAT-R managed to take a blurry photo of Earth with a camera the size of a coin's edge.

Main Topic: Alcohol Use in Space

• Brief history: NASA bans it, but a few Russians have consumed vodka in space. Astronauts had communion wine.
• Pros: Provides relaxation, normalcy, creature comforts to deal with stress. Processes in alcohol fermentation could be a component in closed-loop recycling.
• Cons: Impairs functioning, cognition. Unknown effects in zero-G include faster absorption, longer lasting buzz. Beer causes wet burps (gas issues).
• Experiments: Aging whiskey, wine, and beer in space - some marketing gimmicks but also valuable research.
• Tourism vs. settlements: Rules may be looser for paying tourists than permanent crews.
• Challenges: Regulating it, possible licensing. Hard to brew/produce enough in space initially.
• Favorite space drinks: The TWiS crew pick Romulan ale and tequila for their ideal cosmic cocktails and share amusing stories and perspectives on responsible alcohol use in space.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Coleen McLeood Garner

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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 been working on these problems since early in his career, and his company is developing mission-critical systems today. We join Grant to learn about how we can be assured that Tariq and I will still have enough air to tell bad space jokes in month 6 of our trip to Mars.

Headlines:

• Predicting a fierce upcoming solar maximum starting in late 2024, about a year earlier than forecasted
• Exploring the potential impact on Earth of dangerous explosions called "kilonovas" from distant neutron stars
• Remembering Apollo 16 astronaut Ken Mattingly, who has passed away at age 87

Main Topic: The Challenges of Life Support in Space:

• Guest Grant Anderson gives his background - degrees from Stanford, 10 years at Lockheed, starting Paragon in 1993 to provide life support for extreme environments
  Paragon's first biological experiments in space focused on enclosed stable ecosystems with shrimp and algae
• Anderson explains how sweat and humidity are collected, gases removed, and water purified for drinking on the ISS
• The hosts are amazed by Paragon's tech saving 98% of astronaut urine and sweat, critical for deep space missions
• Qualifying life support hardware for zero-g remains challenging - failures in space rarely match those in 1g on Earth
• Looking ahead to Mars, Anderson is concerned about abrupt breakdowns in life support and inadequate medical capabilities
• Rotating spacecraft to create artificial gravity could help address unknown impacts of long-term weightlessness
• Anderson details innovations like selective air bypass to efficiently clean only parts of the airflow inside a spacecraft or habitat
• Miniaturization of sensors and electronics has helped, but some key needs remain
• Grant emphasizes life support isn't "sexy," but it's the critical technology needed for all human spaceflight
• Pyle and Malik joke about the challenges of scaling up from SpaceX's Dragon life support for crews of 4-7 to Musk's visions of 100 people on Starship missions
  Anderson reflects on his surprising prediction that bio-regenerative life support for
• Mars transit might operate more like a brewery than a farm

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Grant Anderson

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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! Partial lunar eclipse on October 28, but you must be in the Eastern Hemisphere to see it. Peak viewing will be in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.
• China launched a new crew to its Tiangong space station on the Shenzhou 17 mission. The three taikonauts will spend 6 months on the station, replacing the outgoing Shenzhou 16 crew.
• The OSIRIS-REx asteroid sample capsule remains stuck shut after its return. NASA is still working on safely opening it to access the priceless cargo inside.

Main Topic - Top Space Frights

• The harrowing Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969, the first time humans landed on another world, almost ran out of fuel before touching down.
• Black holes, with their incomprehensible gravity wells that spaghettify anything that gets too close.
• Alexei Leonov's dicey first spacewalk in 1965 where his suit ballooned up and he nearly couldn't get back into the spacecraft.
• Gamma ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe, that could strip a planet's atmosphere if pointed the wrong way.
• The near-disaster of Gemini 8 in 1966, when Neil Armstrong and Dave Scott had to fire retrorockets, forcing an emergency reentry, to stop the violent tumbling of his spacecraft.
• Spooky exoplanet TrES-2b, with its coal-black atmosphere and lava-hot winds.
• Surprise guest and NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy's Pick: Her own scary moment on STS-120 in 2007 when a snagged solar array threatened to electrocute spacewalker Scott Parazynski.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Pam Melroy

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How many of us wanted to be an astronaut when we were younger? It's a big ask. Now, imagine holding this dream while being a young migrant farm worker in the arid fields of Central California. That was former NASA astronaut Jose Hernandez's dream--and against all odds and with enduring tenacity, he made it. This is a story of a child with a dream and the basis of the smash new biopic on Amazon Prime, "A Million Miles Away." Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik dive deep into the life and dream of Hernandez on this episode of This Week in Space.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: José Hernández

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On October 14 many in the western US will be able to see a partial eclipse of the sun. Astronomer and skywatcher Joe Rao joins us to discuss October 14th's annular eclipse, when most of the sun will be blocked with just a "ring of fire" visible around the margins, and 2024's total solar eclipse--the event of a lifetime. View both, and do it safely--we'll tell you how.

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Joe Rao

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From the Kennedy Space Center to Apollo Mission Control to SpaceX's Starbase, Rod and Tariq discuss the coolest space places on Earth for you to visit. Some are grand, a few are funky, but they are all great places to enjoy the finest moments in space exploration... and there are some hidden gems you shouldn't miss! Join us for this first installment of the Greatest Space Places, Phase One: USA!

Headlines:

• Virgin Galactic's fourth commercial spaceflight launches first Pakistani woman astronaut Namira Salim. Salim flew with two other passengers on the successful suborbital flight.
• SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaks at the International Astronautical Congress, gives an update on Starship development. Musk says there is a "decent chance" Starship could reach orbit this year if engines fire properly. Also discussed upgrades to increase lift capacity.
• Fashion brand Prada partners with spacesuit maker Axiom Space to design stylish spacesuits for NASA's Artemis moon missions. Prada will apply expertise in materials science and textiles.
• Strange press release claims discovery of alien life, but only offers blurry photo of a dog staring at a wall as proof. Self-published book also promoted.

Main Topic: Favorite Space Places

• Kennedy Space Center in Florida has both a visitor complex and active facilities. Highlights include the Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit, Saturn V Center, Apollo-era launch pads, and bus tours to see current operations.
• Johnson Space Center in Houston is home to historic Mission Control and astronaut training facilities. Nearby Space Center Houston houses space artifacts like the Saturn V rocket.
• The National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC contains extensive aviation and space history exhibits, including the original Wright Flyer, Mercury and Gemini capsules, and a Skylab module you can enter.
• SpaceX's Starbase test facility in South Texas allows the public to view Starship development up close from nearby roads. Launch attempts draw big crowds for a party-like atmosphere.
• Other favorites highlighted: the Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles Airport, California Science Center, Wallops Flight Facility, Kansas Cosmosphere, and more. There are many unique sites around the country for space fans to explore.

Image Source: Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

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

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