81: Lasers Are the Best
From a Californian satellite and the retirement of the Delta II to Hayabusa and Opportunity updates, it's been a busy couple of weeks. Plus, a review of Hulu's *The First.*
Sep 28, 2018•53 min•Ep. 81
Liftoff
Liftoff was a podcast about space, the universe, and everything. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand the major developments as explained by enthusiastic space fans Stephen Hackett and Jason Snell. Hosted by Jason Snell and Stephen Hackett.
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Episodes
80: Little Caesars Mars Probe
Recent space news is all weird: Elon Musk's questionable podcast appearance, NASA looking into selling naming rights on its hardware, and a leak on the ISS.
Sep 11, 2018•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 80
79: The Final Bridge to Crewed Flight
NASA is inching toward crewed flights, with its Mobile Launcher Platform coming together and cis-lunar Gateway plans coming together, all while SpaceX and Boeing races to complete its crewed hardware. Elsewhere, Spitzer celebrates 15 years in space and OSIRIS-REx has spotted its target.
Aug 28, 2018•38 min•Ep. 79
78: Shed Some Sunlight on It
The Parker Solar Probe is on its way to study our sun, as New Horizons is exploring what is at the outmost reaches of its influence on the solar system.
Aug 14, 2018•43 min•Ep. 78
77: Belly Flop Situation
What goes around, comes around: The James Webb Telescope, water on Mars and the Space Force are all back in the news.
Aug 01, 2018•34 min•Ep. 77
76: Talking Curiosity with Emily Lakdawalla
Jason and Stephen are joined by Emily Lakdawalla to discuss her new book, *The Design and Engineering of Curiosity: How the Mars Rover Performs Its Job.*
Jul 03, 2018•39 min•Ep. 76
75: Not a Guy, a Box
Jason and Stephen talk about President Trump's call for a Space Force, then Opportunity's struggle against a Martian dust storm and Peggy Whitson's retirement from NASA.
Jun 19, 2018•33 min•Ep. 75
74: Scientific Research and Glory
Jeff Bezos, Planet 9 and China's space station plans are all in the news, then Stephen and Jason remember Alan Bean and Donald Peterson.
Jun 05, 2018•51 min•Ep. 74
73: No Party Beyond the Event Horizon
Jason talks about launching from the west coast of the United States, then Stephen takes the new SLS SEGMENT out for a spin before they discuss black holes.
May 22, 2018•44 min•Ep. 73
72: Into the Black
InSight is headed to Mars, the SLS Segment has a name, and Jason and Stephen read *Into the Black,* by Rowland White.
May 08, 2018•54 min•Ep. 72
71: A 322-foot Football
Stephen launches a new segment about the SLS, then talks with Jason about the swearing in of NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and the future of NASA TESS.
Apr 24, 2018•46 min•Ep. 71
70: An All-Inclusive Space Hotel
This week, Stephen and Jason are joined by space and technology reporter Swapna Krishna to catch up on a whole bunch of news, including the James Webb Telescope's latest schedule slip, SpaceX's recent tangling with NOAA, Commercial Crew changes and more. Also, the introduction of Liftoff merchandise!
Apr 10, 2018•46 min•Ep. 70
69: Apollo 6
This week: NASA's new budget and Apollo 6.
Mar 27, 2018•38 min•Ep. 69
68: In Tune With Your System
This week, Stephen and Jason are joined by Holly Griffith, a Mechanical Engineer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, where she works on the Safety for the Life Support Systems for the new Orion capsule.
Mar 13, 2018•43 min•Ep. 68
67: Paranoia and a Courtesy Laugh
From a HI-SEAS mishap to an exoplanet getting blasted by its host star, it's news round-up time on Liftoff this week.
Feb 28, 2018•48 min•Ep. 67
66: Fancy Ballast
Stephen and Jason talk about their recent #NASASocial trips, and what the agency's new budget and direction may mean for the International Space Station, Mars and more.
Feb 14, 2018•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 66
65: Apollo 4 and 5
This week, Jason and Stephen catch up on some weird satellite and exoplanet news before walking through Apollo 4 and 5.
Jan 30, 2018•38 min•Ep. 65
64: Remembering Apollo 1
This week, we recount the Apollo 1 fire that claimed the lives of Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee.
Jan 16, 2018•40 min•Ep. 64
63: It Looks Like a Soup Can
SpaceX's Falcon Heavy has been erected at 39-A, while NASA moves forward with its New Frontiers finalists. Then, Apollo flight hardware and the mighty Saturn V.
Jan 03, 2018•1 hr•Ep. 63
62: Get Out of Low Earth Orbit
After wading through a busy fortnight's news including Trump's lunar directive, Stephen and Jason wrap up their series on Project Gemini.
Dec 19, 2017•56 min•Ep. 62
61: Sleepover in Space
Elon Musk has been tweeting about payloads and Rocket Lab prepares for another launch. That, and Gemini 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Dec 05, 2017•49 min•Ep. 61
60: Crumbs Are Bad
New spacecraft is being tested, and we had a weird visitor from outside the solar system. That, plus the first crewed Gemini missions (complete with secret beef sandwiches) this fortnight.
Nov 21, 2017•44 min•Ep. 60
59: Kinda Bananas and Super Dangerous
SpaceX is returning to Launch Complex 40 and the GRACE mission is coming to an end while Dawn has a new lease on life. Then, discussion of the Gemini capsule and the two uncrewed launches of the program.
Nov 07, 2017•34 min•Ep. 59
58: Getting in on the Moon Money
Blue Origin is firing up its new rocket engine as Bigelow is talking about inflatable lunar stations. Then, the recent LIGO announcement and some background on Project Gemini.
Oct 24, 2017•45 min•Ep. 58
57: A Realistic View
LIGO is busy with gravitational waves, Elon Musk is busy talking about SpaceX's future and Mike Pence has his eye on the moon.
Oct 10, 2017•48 min•Ep. 57
56: A Guy and a Grease Pencil
This fortnight: damage to the Arecibo telescope in Puerto Rico, a Mars sample return proposal and the final two Mercury flights.
Sep 26, 2017•30 min•Ep. 56
55: Fireflies
Stephen and Jason are back to discuss the end of Cassini and Jim Bridenstine, who appears to be Trump's pick for NASA Administrator. After that, they journey into orbit with John Glenn and Scott Carpenter.
Sep 12, 2017•45 min•Ep. 55
54: Live from the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse
Stephen and Jason both witnessed the 2017 total solar eclipse. They recorded throughout the event and sat down to compare notes the next day.
Aug 22, 2017•27 min•Ep. 54
53: More Sevens
This fortnight, 2014 MU69 comes into focus, SLS has a new paint job and Stephen and Jason talk about the two rockets used in Project Mercury and the first two crewed American spaceflights.
Aug 15, 2017•44 min•Ep. 53
52: Missed by Half an Inch
After going over some last-minute eclipse planning notes, Stephen and Jason start a new series looking at NASA's pre-shuttle crewed missions, starting with testing for Project Mercury and America's first astronauts.
Aug 01, 2017•32 min•Ep. 52
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