Astronomer and friend of the show John Read is back for our first episode of 2024! John may be working on a capstone course for his Master’s Degree, but John joins us for what John does best- helping space explorers of ALL AGES learn and be easily inspired! Have you seen his latest YouTube Channel video, “How to use ANY telescope?” Discover John’s new books, new videos and more at https://learntostargaze.com/ Today, John walks us through what to see in the night sky during these winter months, w...
Jan 27, 2024•56 min•Ep. 212
Whenever we talk about UFO’s, there’s a lot we can unpack. An entire UFO culture, really. And we’ve got just the expert journalist and author to help us better understand why we see saucers. Returning guest and friend of the show Sarah Scoles is back to discuss her new book, “They Are Already Here.” Join us and let’s unpack Sarah’s trip out to Area 51, attending UFO conferences, alien pet parades and what surprises Sarah most when researching UFOs. Order your copy of They Are Already Here: https...
Dec 27, 2023•56 min•Ep. 221
Ron Rosano recently flew into space with Virgin Galactic on the #Galactic04 mission! But commercial space flight with Virgin Galactic is just the beginning for Ron. He’s got plans to fly with Blue Origin , Space Perspective , and World View in the near future, and believes OUR time in space is just around the corner… Listen as Ron describes his recent space flight experience and his family’s reaction to getting the big news… In this episode, Ron takes Beth on a journey back to his childhood, sha...
Dec 16, 2023•47 min•Ep. 210
Isaac Arthur is the creator of the wildly successful “ Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur ,” an award-winning weekly science education and entertainment show with over 700,000 subscribers and over 400 episodes on YouTube. His show covers a wide range of futuristic concepts including space technology, development, and exploration, and focuses on how humanity or other hypothetical advanced civilizations may behave logistically, technologically, and socially, both in the near and distant futu...
Dec 04, 2023•57 min•Ep. 209
NASA Astronaut Dr. Jan Davis flew on the Space Shuttle for the first time in 1992- on the first joint Shuttle mission with the Japanese during an eight-day mission on Space Shuttle Endeavour. She would fly again in 1994 on the first joint Shuttle mission with the Russians on Space Shuttle Discovery. Today on the show, we discuss her space career as well as her new book, Air Born, Two Generations in Flight. Dr. Davis would fly once again in 1997 on a 12-day mission on Space Shuttle Discovery. R...
Nov 22, 2023•51 min•Ep. 208
Laura is the CEO and Co-Founder of Epsilon3. Among the initial members of the operations team for SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, she helped put the US back in the human space flight business. Laura wants to continue to revolutionize the space industry, beginning with operational tools. She believes that no matter what your specialty, no matter where you attended school, and whatever your talents may be, there is a place for you in the space industry. Find Laura and her company, Epsilon3 at www.epsi...
Nov 21, 2023•51 min•Ep. 207
The Artemis Accords- A Discussion with Dale Skran What are the Artemis Accords? Are countries starting to “pick sides” as they decide to sign the Artemis Accords? What do the Artemis Accords mean for our future of space exploration, space settlement and space economy? Will the future of space exploration invite us into a collaborative market in space, or a competitive market? Dale Skran is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the National Space Society- the preeminent citizen...
Nov 03, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 206
Henk Rogers is on a mission. Several missions, actually, and each one is as bold and audacious as the next. When we explore space, Henk wants to take nature with us. It’s just one of the many goals that Henk has set out to accomplish, and there’s plenty of reason to believe he’s going to, based on his previous work within the space industry, his companies and non-profit organizations. Listen for big ideas and clear missions presented in this insightful conversation with Henk Rogers. About Henk: ...
Oct 22, 2023•20 min•Ep. 205
The private space sector is growing tremendously. The industry’s consensus leader, SpaceX, headed by outspoken billionaire Elon Musk, is today worth an estimated $74 billion. And SpaceX and its chief competitors, Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, are taking on more roles—flying cargo, supplies, and astronauts to outer space. Space Race 2.0 tells their story with expertly written text by science journalist Brad Bergan and stunning photography of the spacecraft, key players, and facilities in Calif...
Oct 11, 2023•47 min•Ep. 204
Adriana Blachowicz may just have one of the MOST IMPORTANT JOBS on our planet… and perhaps one of the coolest! Adriana is a planetary protection scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory where she works to prevent microbial transfer between the Earth and other planets. So how can we protect as we explore? Why should we care about planetary protection? What are extremophiles? Can microbes live in an inhospitable environment? Does finding water really equate to finding life? In this episode, A...
Oct 02, 2023•54 min•Ep. 203
Tara Sweeney is a United States Air Force Academy graduate, a Space Camp Hall of Fame inductee, a corporate leader in advanced technology test and evaluation events, a former crew member on parabolic research flights, a private pilot, and a graduate of SpaceKind training. She has been instrumental in establishing and executing the Cosmic Odyssey Scholarship as a mentor to Niko Blanks. In addition to being a proven leader, entrepreneur, and STEM mentor to many organizations, individuals, and stud...
Sep 22, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 202
Who was Robert H. Goddard? His theories on space exploration were so ahead of his time that they were mocked and ridiculed by colleagues and by the New York Times… but Robert Goddard persisted, and with very little resources, he overcame adversity and launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket, ushering in the space age. In 1903, the Wright brothers took their historic “First Flight” and got humanity off the ground. Just 23 years later, Dr. Robert Goddard’s “First Launch” was the first step...
Sep 13, 2023•50 min•Ep. 201
Did you know that the white material on the outside of space shuttles was not metal or glass but actually fabric? Specialized quilts, two inches thick, covered the space shuttles and protected the astronauts from deadly heat and radiation. Jean Wright was one of the eighteen “Sew Sisters” who crafted these thermal blankets, mostly by hand, with incredible precision and skill. From sending letters to Johnson Space Center as a child with crayon-drawn patch ideas, Jean had always aimed to work for ...
Sep 01, 2023•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 200
UFO’s. New books. A movie script with a character who has a gold nose, and a beaver dinosaur. Star Trek, Yerkes Observatory, and of course, aliens. Mark O’Connell brings the best stories and big news to the show this week- everything you would expect from a Star Trek writer, screenplay writer, UFO book author, podcast host…. All around awesome friend of the show! You’re going to love this episode. Mark O’Connell got his start in television writing for Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek...
Aug 25, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 199
Mars. Mars has fully invaded pop culture, inspiring its own day of the week (Tuesday), an iconic Looney Tunes character, and many novels and movies, from Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles to The Martian. It’s this cultural familiarity with the fourth planet that continues to inspire advancements in Mars exploration, from NASA’s launch of the Mars rover Perseverance to Elon Musk’s quest to launch a manned mission to Mars through SpaceX by 2024. Perhaps, one day, we’ll be able to answer the questi...
Aug 17, 2023•59 min•Ep. 198
Augmented Reality. Virtual Reality. Artificial Intelligence. Physics, Immersive Technology, Cognitive Science and Human Factors. What happens when you have a highly immersive technology tool (XR) that can integrate with our space exploration efforts? Perhaps a truly incredible experience. As we learn about a world we have yet to (personally) explore, we have some incredible tools that will allow us to have an experience in space- without even going! Don Balanzat can be our guide. Because accordi...
Aug 10, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 197
Casual Space is BACK with all new episodes, casual conversations with amazing guests! The summer break is just about coming to an end, but don’t worry- the next 200 episodes of the Casual Space Podcast is just about to START! This week, Beth welcomes you back with a preview of some upcoming guest conversations that include AI, Antarctica, and of course, aliens!!!! You’ll recognize returning guests like author Mark O’Connell, and new friends of the show sharing their incredible stories of adventu...
Jul 30, 2023•29 min•Ep. 196
Want to learn more about the rocky and icy worlds in the solar system? Dr. Kirby Runyon can serve as your guide- from earth or from space! Kirby can remember being fascinated with space since he was three years old! His parents brought him to a space museum, and soon after gave him a telescope for Christmas, securing a passion for space exploration that continues today. Dr. Kirby is a space explorer, planetary geologist, zero gravity coach, and space tourism tour guide! You’re going to want to c...
May 12, 2023•38 min•Ep. 195
Danny was born and raised on a ranch near Ignacio, Colorado — the Rocket Ranch — to a farmer and his wife. Instead of farming, Danny dreamed of being an astronaut as he watched the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space flights and knew his future would include his love for space exploration. Danny started his career in education teaching science, and was invited to tour the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He was so impressed with the programs, facilities, and people, he decide...
May 05, 2023•38 min•Ep. 194
Many dates in history stand out in human space flight and exploration. From the first airplane flight to the first man in space, much has been accomplished. Many of our significant milestones were not without danger. On this podcast Beth & our Resident Space Expert (RSE) Dean Mikolaiczyk revisit our historic 3rd trip to the moon. *Actual conversation between Dean and Captain James Lovell on his triumphant flight of Apollo 13. RSE Dean Mikolajczyk
Apr 28, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 193
Do you want to see humans on the surface of Mars by the mid-2030s? Explore Mars, Inc.’s annual conference, the 2023 Humans to Mars Summit (H2M) takes place on May 16-18, 2023 at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, D.C. This event is already shaping up to be the largest H2M yet, featuring leaders from NASA, innovators, policy experts and elected officials, STEM professionals, artists and musicians, members of the entertainment community, and more presentations from throughout...
Apr 20, 2023•40 min•Ep. 192
Shelli Brunswick is the COO of Space Foundation, overseeing Center for Innovation and Education, Symposium 365, and Global Alliance. This week on the Casual Space Podcast, we learn more about Shelli’s distinguished career as a space acquisition and program management leader and congressional liaison for the U.S. Air Force, her perspective of the global space ecosystem, and how Shelli works with government, commercial and educational sectors on initiatives for space commerce and why she’s activel...
Apr 14, 2023•47 min•Ep. 191
Dr. Janet L. Kavandi is an American scientist and NASA astronaut, a veteran of three Space Shuttle missions who has logged more than 33 days in space and traveled more than 13.1 million miles in 535 Earth orbits! During her time in the Astronaut Office, Janet supported ISS payload integration, capsule communications, and robotics. While at NASA, Dr. Kavandi was the Deputy Chief of the Astronaut Office, Deputy Director of Health and Human Performance, and served as the Center Director at the NASA...
Apr 07, 2023•50 min•Ep. 190
Artemis Generation Exploration. International Space Station Crewed Missions. SLS Test Crew Announcement. MARS Sample Return, Satellite Missions to obtain more of Earth’s Climate Data, Asteroid Detection and Protection, “Green” Aircraft, and a 7.1% increase in the NASA budget to accomplish it all. Last week, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson presented the State of NASA address for 2023. Listen as Beth and Dean walk through the goals for 2023, NASA’s plans to explore the Moon and Mars, monitor and pr...
Mar 30, 2023•54 min•Ep. 189
Casual Space Podcast is BACK in a BIG way, so let’s celebrate! Beth is joining Tim Bailey to extend YOUR personal invitation to celebrate space exploration with Yuri’s Night! Yuri's Night is a World Space Party. Every year on or around April 12th, Yuri’s Night activities and parties celebrate all that humanity brings with us as we explore the cosmos: music, art, science, culture, and each other! Yuri’s Night uses space to bring the world together, to empower the greatest parts of who we are, and...
Mar 25, 2023•40 min•Ep. 188
Beth Carr is a formally trained performer and brand communications designer, who became passionately obsessed with figuring out how she could elevate storytelling for a brand creating authentic, long-lasting relationships with their ideal audiences and how that could be expressed through all their design, branding, messaging, and marketing. And when it comes to telling the story about space, Beth Carr has professionally and personally helped me build a StoryBrand framework that has allowed me to...
Jan 02, 2023•44 min•Ep. 187
Joyce Hirai and Beth Mund experience turbulence in two very different ways. Joyce is an Air Force Hurricane Hunter and Flight Meteorologist! She, along with her team of experts from the Air Force Reserves fly WC-130Js into tropical storms and hurricanes to take atmospheric measurements that are then fed into weather models. These models then help forecasters make predictions about locations and severity of the storms that local governments can reference to implement emergency plans or issue evac...
Dec 20, 2022•59 min•Ep. 186
Amanda Gutierrez knows the exact moment she fell in love with space. She was in 2nd grade. That moment, along with others since, have made such a strong impression on Amanda that she’s already defined her career goal- to become an aerospace engineer and ultimately go to space. Since she’s a junior in high school, she’ll have to go to college first, but she won’t have to wait for college to get to space- her stories are already going. Amanda is THE NASA award winner for the Artemis Moon Pod Essay...
Dec 08, 2022•46 min•Ep. 185
A continuous source of nutritious food is essential for long-duration exploration missions, and the typical pre-packaged astronaut diet will need to be supplemented by fresh foods produced in space. Researchers at NASA have been testing a plant growth unit on the International Space Station known as Veggie and have successfully grown a variety of leafy greens. Veg-05 , the next step in that work, focuses on growing red dwarf tomatoes! Today on the show, Beth is joined by NASA Life Sciences proje...
Nov 26, 2022•56 min•Ep. 184
How can we help others find their path to success in the space exploration industry? Because of your help and support, the Casual Space Podcast is on its way toward our 200th episode! So on this week’s show, allow me to recognize some fine folks who have not only contributed to the success of the show (#2 in Space Podcasts that are Out of this World, according to We Edit Podcast), but to the career I’ve been able to pursue and enjoy. So let’s get into a few fun stories, and some ideas on how we ...
Nov 21, 2022•29 min•Ep. 183
