Skylab's perilous and dramatic mission, life on Venus, the religion of Cosmism, and Brexit all get discussed this month. Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson are joined by astronomer and writer Dr Stuart Clark to chat about our relationship with the night sky. Also aboard are David Hitt, author of Homesteading Space - the Skylab Story, and Arfan Chaudhry, from the UK Space Agency, on new UK space programmes... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists...
Sep 17, 2020•43 min•Ep. 160
Space Boffins celebrate their 100th Naked Scientists' edition with two major guests: NASA's head of science, Thomas Zurbuchen, and the UK Space Agency's head of human space exploration, Libby Jackson. They discuss the future of the International Space Station and lunar exploration and the inside-track on the troubled James Webb Space Telescope. Also aboard, Charles Cockell on asteroid mining, and Tim Gagnon on mission patch design. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scient...
Aug 12, 2020•59 min•Ep. 159
Mars is the destination of choice for three Mars missions this summer, with the US, China and the United Arab Emirates all preparing for launch. Also, UAE plans for a Mars habitat, the UK engineer working on ways to return samples to Earth, the Mars Society's Lucinda Offer outlines plans for Martian settlements, Nicolas Booth talks landers, life, and rovers, and a review Spaceship Earth, the new movie about the 1990s Biosphere 2 experiment... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the N...
Jul 14, 2020•43 min•Ep. 158
Following the successful Crew Dragon launch, Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman talks about the terrors of splashdown, and Shuttle astronaut and aquanaut Kathy Sullivan describes the choreography of spacewalking. The Boffins are also joined by TV presenter Gareth Jones and hear about a mission to remove space debris, and listen to the latest release from Kraftwurst... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Jun 15, 2020•52 min•Ep. 157
With astronauts preparing for the first flight in the Dragon spacecraft, space reporter Sarah Cruddas discusses this new era in space travel. Richard and Sue hear about the space industry's response to Covid-19, astronaut Nicole Stott talks about space art and we feature another song about Hubble that should have been a Britpop classic. As the Space Boffins in lockdown go mildly hysterical, enjoy the calming effects of Atom Bomb Yoga... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked S...
May 10, 2020•41 min•Ep. 156
In a special bonus episode of Space Boffins Richard Hollingham celebrates Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden, who died in March. The podcast features extracts from interviews Richard conducted with Al, including previously unbroadcast material, and includes the astronaut's comments on being the loneliest human, the stamps controversy and his relationship with mission commander Dave Scott. Al describes what it was like to make the first space walk in deep space and his work since leaving the space pro...
May 01, 2020•36 min•Ep. 155
Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson celebrate Hubble's 30th birthday with Shuttle astronaut Kathy Sullivan, who deployed the space telescope, and hear from NASA engineer Jerry Woodfill about his warning alarm system for Apollo 13, celebrating its 50th lucky escape anniversary. And Craig Clark, of AAC Clyde Space, shows them around the cubesat pioneer's HQ in Glasgow. All this with bonus space-themed added music.... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists...
Apr 14, 2020•36 min•Ep. 154
The Sun, stamps and exoplanets in this edition. ESA's senior science advisor Mark McCaughrean reflects on the emotional launch of Solar Orbiter, Nobel Prize winner Didier Queloz talks CHEOPS as the telescope prepares to start studying planets outside our Solar System, and Stuart Clark reveals his role in the UK's recently released Visions of the Universe space stamps. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Mar 10, 2020•45 min•Ep. 153
Live at Astrofest 2020, Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham talk to UK Space Agency chief scientist Chris Lee, space law expert Chris Newman and the European Space Agency's Antonella Nota. They discuss Hubble's legacy, the James Webb, legality of lunar ownership, and the impact of hundreds of new satellites. Plus, TRUTHS - the new climate-monitoring mission. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
Feb 10, 2020•37 min•Ep. 152
Shuttle astronaut Mike Mullane recounts stories of space sexism, toilets and M and Ms in the first Space Boffins podcast of 2020. We also meet the engineer developing the controls for a new robotic arm for the space station - or 'Man Machine Interface' - and Richard and Sue are joined by science writer Colin Stuart to look ahead to the next year in space. Warning: this podcast features some disturbing audio of a space toilet malfunction. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked ...
Jan 10, 2020•41 min•Ep. 151
On the tenth anniversary of Naked Astronomy, Dark Matter physicist Ben McAllister delivers our State of the Universe Address and asks "what's changed" in astronomy over the decade since we launched this programme. World leaders explain the impacts of the first photographs of a black hole, the Nobel prize for the detection of exoplanets, the new insights arising from the study of the cosmic microwave background radiation, and the revolution in physics that was the first detection of gravitational...
Dec 24, 2019•38 min•Ep. 150
Rubber gloves, sew sisters and a mission to the Sun with Space Boffins Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson this month. Richard talks to Solar Orbiter ESA and NASA mission scientists in Munich. Sue reports from the US on the seamstresses to the stars - including Jean Wright, who sewed thermal blankets on the Space Shuttle and Jeanne Wilson, who helped make Neil Armstrong's spacesuit. Plus astronomer Nick Howes on his efforts to track down the Apollo 10 Snoopy lunar lander. Liz Seward from Airbus De...
Dec 13, 20190•Ep. 149
What would a house on Mars look like? Space Boffins Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson tackle the tricky topic of Mars interior design and the challenges of moving to Mars. They're joined by the Head of Science for the UK Space Agency, Chris Lee, to also discuss a new mission to a comet - a comet that's not yet been discovered - and future international science missions. They also hear from Apollo 12 Flight Director, Gerry Griffin, recalling the dramatic launch of Apollo 12 and the switch - and p...
Nov 10, 2019•52 min•Ep. 148
Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham visit Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne factory floor in Long Beach, California and Sue heads to Spaceport Cornwall, where Virgin Orbit plans to launch its small satellites from a modified Boeing 747 called Cosmic Girl. Shahida Barick from SSC Space UK joins them in the studio to explain what Sweden has to offer the space industry and there's a tribute to cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, featuring an interview with the world's first spacewalker and an exclusive e...
Oct 15, 2019•44 min•Ep. 147
Space Boffins Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson with a TinTin style headline for this month's podcast: lunar heritage and the lost meteorites of Antarctica. Recorded at the recent Bluedot festival, Space archaeologist and co-deputy chair of Australia's Space Industry Association, Dr Alice Gorman, explains why we need to think about preserving the Apollo sites before we return to the Moon and Dr Katherine Joy discusses her latest meteorite mission. Bjorn from Sweden provides a jingle, the joys of...
Aug 10, 2019•38 min•Ep. 145
This is a Space Boffins podcast to blow your minds. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Moon landings, it features the only woman in launch control for Apollo 11, JoAnn Morgan, talking about her work as an instrumentation controller and coping with sexism on the job. Former Apollo engineer David Baker joins Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson in the British Interplanetary Society library with contributions from Apollo propulsion engineer John Tribe and former NASA Johnson Space Centre head, Ge...
Jul 10, 2019•57 min•Ep. 144
As mankind celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Moon landings, Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham are joined by bestselling Apollo 11 author David Whitehouse at the British Interplanetary Society. Universal Pictures' highly anticipated documentary film, Apollo 11, is out in UK cinemas on June 28 and, with a sneak preview, Sue meets the film's director Todd Miller and archivist Stephen Slater. If you've seen the Orion capsule you'll know it resembles Apollo and will splashdown too....
Jun 09, 2019•55 min•Ep. 143
Space Boffin Sue Nelson interviews two remarkable women for this podcast: Hidden Figure Christine Darden and Mercury 13 legend and astronaut wannabe, Wally Funk.  Darden, who featured in the book Hidden Figures, worked at NASA for 40 years as a mathematician, computer programmer and sonic boom expert.  Sue's book, Wally Funk's Race for Space, is out in paperback in June. To celebrate its release, we learn more about Funk as she reveals her incredible history and the continued d...
May 15, 2019•30 min•Ep. 142
The Space Boffins get to see inside the NASA's famous Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Centre - a building so large that it has its own weather system. It's being adapted so that NASA's Saturn V replacement the new SLS or Space Launch System rocket will be built. The senior NASA engineer who's overseeing the project, Ken Tenbusch, gives Richard Hollingham a personal tour. Back in the studio Richard and Sue (Nelson) are joined by rocket expert David Wade and Oliver Morton, author of...
Apr 09, 2019•48 min•Ep. 141
This month Space Boffins contemplates the missing universe, the nature of humanity and reunites astronaut Nicole Stott with her Space Shuttle Atlantis. Richard Hollingham is joined by theoretical physicist and comedian Dr Fran Day to discuss a new European mission, Euclid, which will be investigating dark matter. He also chats to NASA's new chief flight director in mission control Houston, Holly Ridings, and we hear from Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart about his revelations from orbit.You c...
Mar 11, 2019•31 min•Ep. 140
Space Boffins are live on stage at Astrofest 2019 in London with a stellar line-up of guests to discuss landing on Phobos, weirdly-shaped space rocks and Europe's mission to Mercury. They're joined by science writer Stuart Clark, the Japanese Space Agency's Elizabeth Tasker, New Horizons scientist Simon Porter and Suzie Imber, who's working on the BepiColombo mission. Also featuring live audience participation with how best to pronounce Houston and, completely unrehearsed, audience whooping. Lik...
Feb 11, 2019•29 min•Ep. 139
Mice and flying hotdogs on the podcast as we report from NASA on how to save Apollo's famous mission control and discuss China's landing on the far side of the Moon. Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham are in Milton Keynes where they are joined by Dave Rothery, professor of planetary geosciences at the Open University. Richard hits the jackpot, however, with a tour of a threatened, nicotine stained national historic monument - the iconic mission control at NASA Johnson Space Centre i...
Jan 16, 2019•40 min•Ep. 138
Apollo 8 commander, Frank Borman, joins Space Boffins Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson in this month's podcast. Fifty years ago Apollo 8 became the first manned mission to orbit the Moon and so the podcast has a lunar theme. Recorded at the Royal Astronomical Society in London, guests include Dr Robert Massey and art historian Dr Alexandra Loske, authors of Moon: Art, Science, Culture. There's also an appearance by former European astronaut Thomas Reiter, who discusses the joint NASA and ESA pl...
Dec 13, 2018•50 min•Ep. 137
The Space Boffins podcast is in New York with NASA astronaut, engineer and Big Bang Theory star Mike Massimino. Recorded on the Hudson River from the flight deck of the USS Intrepid - where Massimino works once a week - Space Boffins Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson are also joined by the Sea, Air Space Museum's curator of aviation, Eric Boehm. Add a report on archiving space missions with NASA TV audio engineer Greg Wiseman and you have a NASAtastic edition and yes, we do discuss fruit loops L...
Nov 12, 2018•31 min•Ep. 136
Astronaut Paolo Nespoli joins Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham for a podcast special recorded at the European Space Agency's ESTEC facility in The Netherlands during their Open Day. Thousands of people travel from across Europe and beyond to see where the European Space Agency tests its spacecraft before launch and the birthplace of many of its science missions. Joining the ever entertaining Nespoli on the Space Rocks stage is space debris expert Luisa Innocenti, head of ESA's Cle...
Oct 09, 2018•29 min•Ep. 135
In a special edition of Space Boffins, Richard Hollingham meets a man rarer than a Moonwalker - a spy satellite engineer. Phil Pressel led the team that built the camera for the Hexagon spy satellite system - the most complicated satellite ever launched. Hexagon took pictures on 30 miles of film and returned it to Earth in cannisters, which were captured by aircraft. The interview includes revelations about the capabilities of the satellite, secrecy and Phil's incredible upbringing. Did spy sate...
Sep 10, 2018•28 min•Ep. 134
It's a rocket special on this month's Space Boffins with Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham. As the UK's plans for a Spaceport forge ahead, two microlauncher companies are at the forefront of a commercial space race for launching small satellites from the UK. Sue hears from Orbex's Chris Larmour and Skyrora's Daniel Smith to find out what they have planned. Richard reports from the European spaceport Vega C launch pad in French Guiana with engineer Marco Calcabrini and inside the Ariane 5 and Veg...
Aug 09, 2018•42 min•Ep. 133
It's the 7th anniversary of Space Boffins and Sue and Richard are joined by BBC Science Correspondent, Jonathan Amos - a guest on the very first podcast. Meanwhile, Richard reports from the new Ariane 6 launchpad being built at the European spaceport in French Guiana, and we meet the European Space Agency astronaut training with the Chinese. The team also get to the bottom of some mysterious Skylab space banter. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists...
Jul 09, 2018•46 min•Ep. 132
Magnificent Mercury is in full focus. Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham are at the National Space Centre in Leicester with BepiColombo mission scientists Professor Emma Bunce and Dr Suzie Imber. They also visit London's Science Museum to see the newly installed thermal spacecraft model for Europe's first mission to Mercury in October. Expect to hear from ESA's chief scientific advisor, Mark McCaughrean, the low down on a Soviet space toilet in Leicester, and hear why NASA astronaut...
Jun 09, 2018•53 min•Ep. 131
Asteroid expert Professor Simon Green joins the Space Boffins to discuss missions to collect samples from space rocks and return them to Earth, and the perils of re-directing asteroids heading our way. Richard and Sue also chat to Romanian astronaut Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu about life on the first international space station, Salyut 6, and Europe's ambitious Mercury mission gets packed-up ready for launch. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists...
May 10, 2018•43 min•Ep. 130
