The city of Roswell, New Mexico is kind of in the middle of nowhere. Out in the dessert west of Texas, this small oasis in the dessert was first home to indigenous peoples, then cowboys, ranching and farming and then the military before becoming the crash site of a possible UFO in 1947. That story took on a life of it's own and by the time the Army came out with an official explaination in 1997, the myths had stuck. Today, Roswell is still a farming and ranching community but 'the incident' as i...
Jun 27, 2024•36 min•Season 9Ep. 4
Sci-fi is full of giant ships full of humanity living and dying and reaching out to new places far far away. Usually, these are called generations ships. And they rely on well, generations. But today in science-fact there's so much more about reproducing in space that we don't know than the small amount that we do. And as we get closer to commercial space travel that might include honeymooning on the moon, we kind of need to figure out what's going to happen with pregnancies that are a little ex...
Jun 13, 2024•22 min•Season 9Ep. 3
Georgia "Tiny" Broadwick was 15 years old when she first jumped out of a hot air balloon with a parachute in 1908. Over the next 14 years she would make over 1,000 jumps, first out of balloons and then as the first woman to jump from an airplane. Her talent and skill was sought after by the Army in WWI when they first started training their balloon and airplane pilots to use parachutes as a safety device. Tiny even accidentally invented the ripcord that's a staple in parachute design today. Her ...
May 23, 2024•18 min•Season 9Ep. 2
In the 1930s, rocketry was basically a joke among the scientific establishment in the U, but that didn't stop a rag tag group out of Pasadena from trying to build rockets. That group would first be known as The Suicide Squad (for all the dangerous experiments they conducted on campus) and later as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Over its first decade, the JPL story includes funding challenges, communist intrigue, brushes with the occult, building weapons, building engines and ultimately--building...
May 09, 2024•35 min•Season 9Ep. 1
AirSpace will be back in two weeks with brand new epsiodes. In the meantime, enjoy this episode from our friends at the podcast, This is Love. When twin rovers named Spirit and Opportunity landed on Mars twenty years ago, they were only supposed to last 90 Martian days. But years passed, they were still alive, and engineers kept taking care of them. “I remember telling myself, ‘Please don’t die, Opportunity. Please don’t die.’” Find more information about this episode here. AirSpace is from the ...
Apr 25, 2024•44 min
While we get Season Nine ready for you, we turned to our friends at Sidedoor to bring you a story of running and running and running and running…in Space! We’ll let them take it from here: Until the 1970s, women were barred from competing in U.S. marathons because of the belief that the "violent movements" of running would wreak havoc on their reproductive system, "thus defeating a woman’s true purpose in life, i.e., the bringing forth of strong children." Through a series of steps, stumbles—and...
Apr 11, 2024•33 min
You’ll have new AirSpace episodes soon, but since they may have found Amelia Earhart’s plane(!!!) we thought we’d revisit our episode on her and Eleanor Roosevelt’s somewhat unlikely friendship. On a spring evening in 1933, Amelia Earhart took first lady Eleanor Roosevelt on a joyride. Imagine two women—dressed for dinner at the White House (white gloves and all)—stealing away from 1600 Pennsylvania Ave to pilot and co-pilot a nighttime flight to Baltimore. On this episode of AirSpace, we’re det...
Mar 28, 2024•26 min
As we look forward to the upcoming total solar eclipse over North America, AirSpace is looking back in time to a much much older eclipse. In 1142 a total solar eclipse with much the same path as the one coming up April 8. It was also the sign in the sky the Seneca needed to join the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, a representative democracy that would govern six tribes below Lakes Erie and Ontario. Before a 1997 journal article, Western Historians insisted the eclipse that decided the Seneca happened...
Mar 14, 2024•29 min•Season 9Ep. 12
Did you know that it takes the Earth 365-ish days to orbit the sun? It’s that ‘ish’ that makes February 29 a thing every four years. We talk to one of the Museum’s astronomy educators to get the low down on Leap Day. Thanks to Astronomy Educator Shauna Brandt Edson for joining Emily for this episode. Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.
Feb 29, 2024•11 min
Afrofuturism is a cultural movement that explores the possibilities of Black futures and pasts and presents through art, literature, music, film and pop culture. And a lot of Afrofuturism has a lot of space in it. Today we're talking about Afrofuturist space and Afronauts and walking through the Afrofuturism exhibit by our friends at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Thanks to our guests in this episode: Dr. Kevin Strait, Curator National Museum of African American His...
Feb 22, 2024•35 min•Season 8Ep. 11
Hollywood is in love with airports and airplanes and we are too! How many rom-coms can you name where the meet cute, the almost meet, the epic chase or the long distance relationships happens thanks to a terminal or twist of fate seat assignment? We can name at least six. And if we missed your favorite, drop us a comment on Instagram or Twitter ! Thanks to our guest in this episode: Scott Meslow, Author From Hollywood with Love: The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of the Romantic Comedy Sign up her...
Feb 08, 2024•27 min•Season 8Ep. 10
From when it started in 1981, MTV used an iconic neon scribbled astronaut as its channel ID for years. And even today the award you get when you win a VMA is a statuette of an Apollo era astronaut, but why is MTV obsessed with the Moonman? And why do we have two of those statuettes in our collection? We're digging into the history of cable's giant leap, today on AirSpace Thanks to our guest in this episode: Dr. Margaret Weitekamp, National Air and Space Museum Space History Chair Sign up here fo...
Jan 25, 2024•19 min•Season 8Ep. 9
Hurricanes are a fact of life in the Caribbean but in 2017, the season was so bad that it changed everything for the people of Puerto Rico. Only two weeks after another major hurricane, Maria barreled into the island bringing more than 200 mile per hour winds, rain and flooding. In the aftermath, the Coast Guard with their helicopters are crucial to search and rescue, aid drops and surveying damage. We spoke to two Coast Guard members, as well as one of our own colleagues, about what the hurrica...
Jan 11, 2024•38 min•Season 8Ep. 8
In January 1942 a B-314 flying boat operated by Pan American World Airways landed in New York after making arguably the first around the world flight by a commercial airliner. But when they set out from San Francisco in 1941, they never intended to hold that record. Trapped in the Pacific by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Captain Bob Ford and his crew were forced to return home flying west. It took them more than a month and several tight spots to get their important aircraft back to the U...
Dec 28, 2023•22 min•Season 8Ep. 7
In a lot of political and financial circles space exploration is often talked about in terms of human space exploration VERSUS robotic space travel. But most scientists and engineers who work on space missions think this question is better answered with a yes, and. We're diving into the pros, cons and uses of both human and robotic space exploration today on AirSpace. We’re joined by Dr Erica Jawin, Postdoctoral Research Geologist at NASM’s Center for Planetary Studies Thanks to our guests for t...
Dec 14, 2023•35 min•Season 8Ep. 6
Today is a very special day, parade day of course! The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a holiday staple for almost 100 years, and the balloons have been a part of it for nearly as long. We got the download on these helium-filled works of art that aren't all that different from the hot-air cousins. Thanks to our guest on this episode: Kathleen Wright, Director of Production Operation at Macy’s Parade Studios Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter AirSpace is made possible by the...
Nov 23, 2023•21 min•Season 8Ep. 5
Space is dangerous. And as long as we've been sending people into space, we've also been thinking about what we can do to make sure they're prepared for it, and make sure they will come home again. The main way that manifests is in training astronauts before they go up, and contingency planning on how to rescue them if something goes awry. We’re joined by Dr. Emily A. Margolis , Curator of Contemporary Spaceflight. Thanks to our guests on this episode: Major Nick Barwikowski, Commander, Army SER...
Nov 09, 2023•37 min•Season 8Ep. 4
When the Boeing 747 first came out it revolutionized the already revolutionary Jet Age. Able to carry more than twice as many passengers as it's predecessors, the 747 was initally designed for cargo. Boeing thought it would be quickly outstripped by the U.S.'s SST. But when the 'American Concorde' was scrapped in favor of breathable air and no sonic booms over major cities (see our episode Boom, Clap for deets), the 747 became the plane of choice for high passenger load routes. Now that Boeing's...
Oct 26, 2023•21 min•Season 8Ep. 4
Europa Clipper is soon to be on its was to the outer solar system to study one of Jupiter's most interesting moons. In addition to the really awesome science it will do ('sniffing' gases with a mass spectrometer to find out what they're made of?!? How cool is that??), the spacecraft will carry a "message in a bottle" etched with your names and a poem by U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón. Icy moons, science, and poetry, all our favorite things! Thanks to our guest on this episode: Dr. Bob Pappalardo, ...
Oct 12, 2023•23 min•Season 8Ep. 2
AirSpace is looking up! (We know, we know, we're usually looking up what with the air and the space-ness of our podcast) But today we're exploring how we hang really big, priceless artifacts from the ceiling in the museum. We asked two friends whose jobs are to do just that to talk to us about just what it takes to put airliners, spacecraft, X-wings and more up on the ceiling. Thanks to our guests on this episode: Tony Carp, Museum Specialist, National Air and Space Museum Hannah O’Toole, Exhibi...
Sep 28, 2023•33 min•Season 8Ep. 1
We’re extending our Hot Barbie Summer by looking back on this gem from season seven. When Barbie first became an astronaut in 1965, she was more than a decade ahead of NASA sending a woman to space. Since then, there have been several versions of astronaut Barbie — from a spangly 80s doll to one who had a jumpsuit just like the one they give you at Space Camp. Today, astronaut Barbie actually went to the International Space Station! And she's joined by a collection of dolls that represent actual...
Sep 14, 2023•29 min
Desde que llegó a los cines en 1977, la Guerra de las galaxias ha sido adoptada y adaptada por muchos grupos. En los últimos años, una explosión de películas, series y libros de la Guerra de las galaxias ha aportado más diversidad que nunca al universo. En estos lanzamientos recientes, los actores y las historias latinas han tomado protagonismo. En este episodio de AeroEspacial , nos adentramos en el pasado y el presente de la representación latina en el universo de la Guerra de las galaxias . G...
Aug 24, 2023•24 min
From the moment it hit theaters in 1977, Star Wars has been adopted and adapted by many groups. In the past several years an explosion of Star Wars movies, shows, and books have brought more diversity into the universe than ever before. In these recent releases, Latino actors and storylines have taken center stage. We're jumping in to the past and present of Latino representation in the Star Wars universe. Thanks to our guests on this episode: Dr Michelle Martinez, Instructor of Film and Media S...
Aug 24, 2023•23 min
Artists frequently use their mediums to tell stories, send messages, or imagine futures unlike our present. For Latino Futurist artists, drawing on the past is key to creating futures that connect heritage, experience, and indigeneity to the present and future in constantly circling time. In a society that imagines the past as ancient history, these artists are challenging what and who art is for. We explore this genre of art with artists and art commentators. Thanks to our guests on this episod...
Aug 10, 2023•26 min
Los artistas con frecuencia utilizan sus medios para contar historias, enviar mensajes o imaginar futuros distintos de nuestro presente. Para los artistas futuristas latinos, recurrir al pasado es clave para crear futuros que conecten el legado, la experiencia y la indigenidad con el presente y el futuro en un constante círculo temporal. En una sociedad que imagina el pasado como historia antigua, estos artistas desafían lo que es el arte y para quién es el arte. En este episodio de AeroEspacial...
Aug 10, 2023•24 min
En 2020, una devastadora rotura de cable significó el final de uno de los radiotelescopios más icónicos del mundo. Protagonizó películas, nos protegió de los asteroides y escuchó en busca de vida extraterrestre. La ciencia hecha en el Observatorio de Arecibo fue y continúa siendo increíblemente importante, y tener el Observatorio en Puerto Rico es un motivo de orgullo para los locales. En el primer episodio de AeroEspacial, le damos un vistazo a la historia, ciencia e importancia social de Areci...
Jul 27, 2023•27 min
In 2020, a devastating cable break led to the end of one of the most iconic radio telescopes in the world. It starred in movies, kept us safe from asteroids, and listened for extra-terrestrial life. The science done at Arecibo Observatory was (and continues to be incredibly important), and having the observatory in Puerto Rico is a point of pride for locals. We take a look at the history, science, and social importance of Arecibo, and talk about what the observatory’s next chapter may look like....
Jul 27, 2023•27 min
Se necesita un poco de fe, confianza y una exención de visa. A principio de los sesenta, más de 14,000 niños sin acompañante dejaron Cuba y a sus familias, huyendo del régimen castrista. Estos niños vinieron a los Estados Unidos con exenciones de visa del Gobierno de Estados Unidos en el marco de uno de los programas para refugiados patrocinados por el Estado más grandes en la historia de Estados Unidos. También fueron los primeros refugiados en llegar, en gran parte, en avión. En este episodio ...
Jul 13, 2023•24 min
It takes a little faith, trust, and a visa waiver. In the early 1960s, more than 14,000 unaccompanied children left Cuba and their families behind, fleeing the Castro regime. These children came to the United States on visa waivers from the U.S. government in one of the largest state-sponsored refugee programs in American history. They were also the first refugees to come largely by plane. In this episode of AeroEspacial, we tell some of the stories of Operation Pedro Pan and dig into the forces...
Jul 13, 2023•25 min
Coming soon to this podcast feed AeroEspacial , a second limited series from the creators of AirSpace! Published in both English and Spanish, this four-part series presents stories of Latino history, culture, and people at the heart of aviation and space. ¡Próximamente en el podcast AeroEspacial, una segunda serie limitada de los creadores de AirSpace! Publicada en inglés y en español, esta serie de cuatro partes presenta historias de la aviación y el espacio que se desarrollan en el mundo Latin...
Jul 11, 2023•1 min
