Happy New Year Martians! It’s been 1 year since we launched the Red Planet Review weekly news roundup for our $3+ Patreon supporters . To celebrate, we thought we’d kick off 2019 with a fresh new show that’s available to ALL listeners. If you like what you hear today, consider joining the hundreds of other listeners over at Patreon . With a pledge of $3 or more, you can get a show like this every Friday, a great way to keep up on the news! Plus, you’ll help support things like the WeMartians Tra...
Jan 11, 2019•20 min•Ep. 55
In a quick holiday update, Jake shares an update on the podcast announcing the WeMartians Travel Grant, looking ahead to our next Patreon Goal and content for 2019, as well as two upcoming conferences and Podcast Meetups! We talk 2019 Podcast News Introducing the WeMartians Travel Grant Our Next Patreon Goal Meetup Schedule (stay tuned!) Follow Jake & WeMartians Website (www.wemartians.com) Patreon (www.patreon.com/wemartians) WeMartians Shop (shop.wemartians.com) Check out the new PLANETARY...
Dec 26, 2018•12 min•Ep. 54
NASA has selected the next landing site for its future Mars rover, Mars 2020. Jezero Crater is an incredible ancient river delta spilling in to the side of a crater. But what really makes it special, plus how and why did NASA pick it? Jake is joined by planetary scientist Tim Goudge, who led the advocacy of Jezero through the process, to explain its charm. We talk NASA’s Mars 2020 rover and Jezero Crater NASA Announces Jezero Crater as Landing Site Mars 2020 Rover Previous Coverage of the Mars 2...
Dec 11, 2018•55 min•Ep. 53
On November 26th, 2018, NASA successfully landed the InSight spacecraft on the surface of Mars. It was their 8th successful landing, went picture-perfect, and seemed to defy the common thought that Mars landings rarely work. Jake recounts the landing, provides historical context to the events, and asks the question of whether NASA’s entries, descents, and landings are as failure-prone as some make it out to be. We Talk InSight and Entry, Descent, and Landing Viking Press Kit Mars Pathfinder Pres...
Dec 04, 2018•36 min•Ep. 52
NASA’s InSight lander arrives on Mars on November 26th. It is an exciting event that ends the 7 month cruise phase since its launch on May 5th. But how did it get there? NASA JPL’s Mark Wallace, the Lead Trajectory Analyst for InSight’s, joins Jake and explains how to plan a journey across the solar system. We Talk InSight’s Trajectory Porkchop Plots InSight Press Kit Previous Coverage of InSight Episode 36: Systems Engineering InSight (feat. Farah Alibay) Episode 41: Thirty Years to the Centre ...
Nov 13, 2018•54 min•Ep. 51
NASA continues to advance it’s Moon-first strategy, and commercial companies are starting to hop on board. Along with international interest, it all forms the backbone of NASA’s Moon to Mars strategy. Space consultant and founder of Astralytical Laura Forczyk returns to the show to talk with Jake about what this all means for Mars. We talk Moon and Mars Blue Origin signs agreement with OHB and MT dearMoon Airbus/Blue Origin backed Moon Race NASA’s Moon to Mars strategy Previous Coverage of Mars ...
Oct 23, 2018•42 min•Ep. 50
NASA’s upcoming flagship mission Mars2020 will send a state of the art rover to the surface of Mars. Along for the ride will be an impressive camera called Mastcam-Z which will unveil Mars in a way never seen before. Planetary scientist Melissa Rice from Western Washington University and instrument operations manager Elsa Jensen from Malin Space Science Systems join Jake to talk all about the new camera, how it’s put together and what questions it might help us answer. We talk Mastcam-Z and NASA...
Oct 02, 2018•54 min•Ep. 49
The Opportunity Rover hasn’t been heard from since June 10th, and things are starting to look dire. NASA recently released a new plan to recover the intrepid Mars explorer but the plan hasn’t convinced everyone of its merit just yet. Engineer and former rover driver Mike Seibert returns to the show to talk about the plan, how it compares with Spirit’s recovery, and why some may not be as excited about it as others. We talk NASA’s Opportunity Recovery Plan NASA’s Press Release on the new Opportun...
Sep 18, 2018•39 min•Ep. 48
NASA may have pivoted to the Moon, but Mars remains a horizon goal. Keeping the different departments at the Agency focused and working together towards this goal is no small task. Jake is joined Rick Davis, Assistant Director for Science and Exploration, to talk about how NASA is working to send Humans to Mars. We Talk Humans to Mars NASA’s Mars Human Landing Sites Study Previous Coverage of NASA & Humans to Mars Episode 1: The Waxing Interest in Mars (January 2016) Episode 24: Risks & ...
Aug 21, 2018•52 min•Ep. 47
Missions to Mars don’t happen by accident. A ton of planning goes in long before the spacecraft is even selected. Understanding the consensus wishes of the scientific community is critical to putting resources into the right missions, and one group that helps gather that consensus is the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group. Jake is joined by Jeff Johnson, planetary scientist from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab and the current MEPAGC hair to talk about how MEPAG works and everyt...
Jul 31, 2018•57 min•Ep. 46
There’s a serious Global Dust Storm happening right now on Mars. Several regional storms have kicked up a tremendous amount of dust into the skies, blocking out the sun and jeopardizing the Opportunity rover’s safety. But despite the threat, this is a great chance to do some science on Mars weather. Jake is joined by Space Science Institute’s Mark Lemmon to discuss these storms formation and what we’re learning from them. We Discuss Mars Dust Storms and the NASA rover Curiosity and Opportunity M...
Jun 26, 2018•49 min•Ep. 45
We’ve got plenty of evidence of liquid on the surface of Mars today. Lakes and channels indicate a past life abundant with water. But despite the evidence, scientists have had trouble modelling an ancient Mars climate warm enough to support the theory. Was the past warm and wet like the geology shows, or was it cold and icy like the climate models suggest? Brown University’s Ashley Palumbo, a Martian climatologist, joins Jake to talk weather, rain and mathematical models of the Red Planet’s myst...
Jun 12, 2018•52 min•Ep. 44
Before sending people in to space, space agencies like NASA or commercial companies like Boeing & SpaceX must take stock of risks to crew and vehicle and do their best to mitigate them. But how does this process actually work? How do you quantify risks to people? And most importantly, how do you determine that the risk is acceptable before you fly? Jake is joined by Holly Griffith, an engineer on the Safety team for NASA’s Orion Spacecraft, to talk about risks and to have a candid conversati...
May 22, 2018•42 min•Ep. 43
NASA’s InSight mission, a lander to study the interior of Mars, lifted off from California on May 5th, 2018. For the scientists working on this geophysics mission, it’s been a long time coming. Jake travels down to Vandenberg to “see” the launch, and gets behind the scenes to hear the true story of this mission, thirty years in the making. Jake is joined by InSight Principal Investigator Bruce Banerdt, SEIS instrument Principal Investigator Philippe Lognonné, and Lockheed Martin Deputy Project M...
May 09, 2018•41 min•Ep. 42
Mars One captured the world’s attention when it announced its intentions to colonize Mars by 2023. But since that milestone announcement back in 2012, the organization has faced funding difficulties, delays, and accusations of fraud and misdirection. Meanwhile, the Mars 100, the hundred candidates currently hoping for a seat on the first mission, are left waiting and wondering. Cambridge University PhD student and Mars 100 candidate Ryan MacDonald joins Jake to discuss his experience, the money ...
Apr 17, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 41
Every year, upwards of 2,000 planetary scientists descend upon a suburb of Houston to discuss the latest findings, share the work, and learn something new at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC). A lot of Mars happens at these conferences, so WeMartians decided to attend it in person! Jake catches up with old friends, makes some new ones, and explores Mars like never before. This year, we explore the fascinating use of Earth Analogs to help us better understand the science happening...
Mar 28, 2018•46 min•Ep. 40
Behind every successful space mission is a talented team of support staff back on Earth, guiding the astronauts along the way. When we go to Mars, it will be much the same. But how can we practice these valuable skills? Mars analogues are a great way, and recently, the Austrian Space Forum completed a three week simulation called AMADEE 18. Project Manager Sophie Gruber and Flight Director Reinhard Tlustos join Jake to talk about the mission to the Oman Desert, and what it takes to get the astro...
Mar 06, 2018•44 min•Ep. 39
After years of delays, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket has finally flown, sending a test payload of a Tesla Roadster with a mannequin called Starman to interplanetary space. With the launch, it becomes the most powerful rocket in the world. Jake, along with Anthony from the Main Engine Cut Off podcast, travelled to Florida to watch the launch from the Kennedy Space Center Press Site and returns to talk about the history, development and future of this fantastic launch vehicle. We Discuss SpaceX, Fa...
Feb 13, 2018•40 min•Ep. 38
This year is a Mars launch window, and NASA is taking full advantage of it with their Discovery-class InSight mission. This little lander will launch in May and land on Mars in November. Farah Alibay is a Payload Systems Engineer on this mission, and she joins Jake to talk about InSight’s objectives, integrating the instruments with the spacecraft, and the MarCO technology demonstrator. We Discuss NASA InSight and MarCO NASA’s InSight Landing Page InSight’s Wikipedia InSight unfurls its solar pa...
Jan 30, 2018•46 min•Ep. 37
It’s a new year, and another trip around the sun exploring Mars. Emilee Speck & Brendan Byrne return to the show to continue a new tradition of covering the year that passed and the year that will be. From robotic exploration of Mars rovers and spacecraft to the endless saga of NASA’s human spaceflight program, we take a step back and examine everything going on. Miss last year’s Sate of Mars 2017? Check it out here ! We discuss Mars, Robotic, Human and Otherwise Methane Bursts on Mars (The ...
Jan 16, 2018•56 min•Ep. 36
Hello Martians! Last month we announced some changes to our Patreon goals and rewards. One of the exciting new things we announced was the Red Planet Review, a short new weekly series that will cover the Mars headlines of the week. It’s a fun way for Jake to explore more topical things happening at Mars without filling up the intros of the main episodes with updates. Going forward, RPR will be available exclusively to our Patrons who contribute $3 or more per month on Patreon . But for the first...
Jan 05, 2018•13 min•Ep. 35
Hopefully everyone is having a great holiday break. I wanted to take the opportunity during this downtime to share some of the cool stuff we just launched! This podcast is the audio version of the blog posts we put out early this week for the listeners who don’t follow along on the website or our social media. We think the message is too important to wait, and this way we don’t have to clutter up our first episode with 10 minutes of housekeeping! New Patreon Rewards and Goals Introducing the WeM...
Dec 22, 2017•11 min•Ep. 34
The US Vice President Mike Pence announced that the United States would be returning to the Moon. But for NASA, this is a change from the “Journey to Mars”. So what does this mean for human spaceflight, especially for the goal of getting people on the Red Planet? Space Consultant Laura Forczyk, founder of Astralytical, joins Jake to discuss the moving goal posts of the space community and what it means for Mars. Hopefully, we’ll get to the bottom of this ever-present debate. We discuss the Moon ...
Dec 05, 2017•49 min•Ep. 33
Mission designs for human trips to Mars are common, but Lockheed Martin’s “Mars Base Camp” is something fresh. That’s because it’s a collaborative, orbit-first, science-focused approach, so it means the plan is a realistic path forward from NASA’s Deep Space Gateway. Complete with a habitat, a laboratory, propulsion, power and two Orion capsules, it’s a complete beachhead for a human trip to the red planet. It’s even got a lander! Listen to engineers Danielle Richey & Steve Jolly join Jake t...
Nov 15, 2017•57 min•Ep. 32
The plains of Meridiani Planum, where the Opportunity Rover is currently exploring, is home to many surface features, but none are as stunning and the wind-formed dunes and ripples. How do these features form, and what significance do they have on the overall climate and history of Mars? The SETI Institute’s Lori Fention, an aeolian geomorphologist, joins Jake to talk all about these sandy structures and share the beauty of their past and present. Links Lori’s Twitter Acount (@LoriKFenton) Lori’...
Oct 24, 2017•49 min•Ep. 31
On Friday, September 29th in Adelaide, Australia, Elon Musk presented SpaceX’s new update to the Interplanetary Transport System. The update to last year’s presentation focused on how to make this concept more real and specifically how to fund it. To get some fresh perspective on the business case, the University of Manitoba’s Chantelle Dubois joins Jake to discuss rocket stockpiles, fleet consolidation, and how this plan plays out across government and commercial space. Links The IAC Talk by El...
Oct 03, 2017•39 min•Ep. 30
Without GPS, keeping track of our Martian explorers is no easy task. Data management for the thousands of photos, especially their locations, is in fact a full time job. Fred Calef, JPL’s “Keeper of the Maps” joins Jake to talk all about how we build a base map for Curiosity to help scientists get the right context for their geologic studies. Links Fred’s Twitter Account (@cirquelar) JPL’s Mars Site The Mars Orbiting Laser Altimeter dataset from USGS WeMartians music is “RetroFuture”, “Electrodo...
Sep 19, 2017•50 min•Ep. 29
For over 13 years, NASA’s Opportunity Rover has been exploring Meridiani Planum on Mars. The determined spacecraft has faced a lot of challenges through its mission, not least of which is continuing to operate in the harsh Martian environment. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Mike Seibert joins Jake to talk about all the intricacies of operating a spacecraft another world away. Links Mike’s Twitter Account ( @mikeseibert ) Opportunity’s 13th Birthday Video Planetary Society’s latest update on Opp...
Sep 05, 2017•54 min•Ep. 28
It’s been five years since NASA’s Curiosity Rover touched down on the surface of Mars, and it’s been doing all kinds of science as it climbs the slopes of Mt. Sharp ever since. Taking a step back, what have we learned from this flagship mission so far? The Planetary Society’s Emily Lakdawalla joins Jake to discuss how Curiosity has pushed the limits of spacecraft engineering, operations, and science. Links Emily’s Twitter Account (@elakdawalla) Emily’s Profile on the Planetary Society 7 Minutes ...
Aug 15, 2017•47 min•Ep. 27
Despite a growing influence of private organizations in the space industry, government still holds a lot of power in the direction of exploration. Space policy is a messy, complicated and mysterious affair. The Planetary Society’s Casey Dreier, Director of Space Policy, joins Jake to talk about the current affairs of Mars exploration, from the robotic side to the human side. Links The Planetary Society Become a member Casey’s profile Casey Dreier’s Twitter Account (@CaseyDreier) “Mars In Retrogr...
Jul 25, 2017•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 26
