Episodes
Friday Mar 28, 2014
Episode 607: Robots, Wheels and Wings
Friday Mar 28, 2014
Friday Mar 28, 2014
Robots, Wheels and Wings literally covers these three topics with a couple of interviews and our comments. First we cover F.I.R.S.T. as in For Inspiration And Recognition Of Science And Technology http://www.usfirst.org/ Mark went to the March 15, 2014 Orlando, FL Regional FRC Robotics Competition. Along with seeing some real #omgrobots he interviewed former FIRST Regional Chairman and former NASA KSC Media Operations Group Manager Laurel Lichtenberger (who is also a SpaceFlightInsider.com Team Member). They talked about the incredible way FIRST and High School students come together redefining what team work is all about. For a video insight into the excitement that’s FIRST check out this 2014 NY Tech Valley Regional Highlight Video http://youtu.be/_ORIt5PC8uc Next up the unique testing of one fast set of wheels at the NASA Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility with the Hennessy Venom GT http://www.venomgt.com/ We think you’ll agree that 270.49 mph is impressive.
We wind up this episode talking about wings thanks to our interview with John Godfrey, Owner of The Shuttle Landing Experience in Titusville, FL http://theshuttlelandingexperience.com/index.html John flies guests on any and all of three levels of tours seeing the Shuttle Landing Facility from the air like our Space Shuttle crews did time after time on their landings at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility. Hear about the Level 1, 2 and 3 Flights you can take when you’re visiting the Central Florida area.
Host this week Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Member: Mark Ratterman
Special Guests: Laurel Lichtenberger from our partner The Spaceflight Group http://spaceflightinsider.com/ and John Godfrey from The Shuttle Landing Experience http://theshuttlelandingexperience.com/index.html
Show Recorded 03/23/2014
Friday Feb 14, 2014
Episode 605: From To and About Space
Friday Feb 14, 2014
Friday Feb 14, 2014
On this episode Sawyer and Mark cover a wide variety of topics and catch up on some news we promised to share like the Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture from October 2013 titled “The Chelyabinsk Meteor: Can We Survive a Bigger Impact?” http://youtu.be/Y-e6xyUZLLs Another video to check out is one from the NASA YouTube channel titled “2013 Astronaut Class Talks STEM at Smithsonian Air and Space Museum” Don’t miss what Astronaut Candidate Anne McClain (@Astroannimal on twitter) has to say about believing in yourself. The link to the video takes you to 36:38 with Leland Melvin speaking, then Anne McClain. http://youtu.be/7-iCm9S53Jo?t=36m38s
What would Google want with a NASA hanger at Moffett Federal Airfield? #NASA continues to connect with participants with a first ever Photo #NASASocial at Goddard SpaceFlight Center. Remember to keep up with NASASocial news at http://www.nasa.gov/connect The Great Moonbuggy Race has transitioned to something new, read more about The NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge. It’s coming up at the US Space and Rocket Center April 10-14 2014 Learn more at http://www.nasa.gov/roverchallenge/home/index.html#.Uvrmsfnw8VU
How about 16 Cubesat’s from 9 states selected by NASA to fly from 2015-2017. Our new topic (maybe first of its type for Talking Space) is numismatist. If you are one then you already know about the collectable coin celebrating the European Space Agency and 50 years of space cooperation. They are a limited edition run from 500 to 10,000 coins depending on denomination. Leland Melvin announces his retirement and Sawyer shares a quick interview with him from an event back in July 2012. President and COO of SpaceX, Gwynne Shotwell was recently appointed to the FAA Management Advisory Council. The Astronaut Hall of Fame has selected two astronauts for induction in 2014. Congratulations to Jerry Ross and Shannon Lucid.
Winding
up this show is an interview with RocketSTEM Executive Director and Founder, Chase Clark. Here are the links for your convenience to vote for RocketSTEM
at the FedEx web site. Your vote supports them in the competition to
receive a $25,000 small business grant
from FedEx. Please vote daily through Feb 23.
https://www.facebook.com/RocketSTEM
http://smallbusinessgrant.fedex.com/Gallery/Detail/7163199e-1591-4b95-9dce-18edc7725104
Friday Jan 24, 2014
Episode 603: Rousing Rosetta
Friday Jan 24, 2014
Friday Jan 24, 2014
On this episode of Talking Space, the ship runs a little light, as Gene and Sawyer start with the wake-up of Rosetta after 31 months of hibernation, and we talk about the ambitious goals this mission has set. We then talk about the newest approved NASA budget and is it really a "hip hip hooray" like some are saying? We then start round two with a look at ESA's service module for Orion and rumors of a possible delay. We give the facts and weigh in our thoughts. We finish off with an interesting topic and one almost certain to cause debate: Should NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center have been renamed after Neil Armstrong, and should any others be renamed. We finish off with a special segment from Mark who interviewed ULA TDRS-L Mission Integrator Bryan Bauerlin.
Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Member: Gene Mikulka with Mark Ratterman and his guest ULA TDRS-L Mission Integrator Bryan Bauerlin
Show Recorded 1/20/2014
Wednesday Jan 15, 2014
Episode 602: The Social Space Station
Wednesday Jan 15, 2014
Wednesday Jan 15, 2014
On this episode of Talking Space, our first news show in 2014, we discuss a whole bunch of commercial news. We discuss Virgin Galactic's latest test flight of SpaceShipTwo, SpaceX's most recent launch of Thaicom 6 aboard a Falcon 9 v1.1, and Orbital's Antares launch bringing Cygnus to the ISS. In regards to Orbital, we also look at the man behind the name of this particular Cygnus capsule, C. Gordon Fullerton. We then look at National Geographic's upcoming live two hour show from the International Space Station and what in particular they plan on doing that excites us the most. We then talk about the recent announcement extending the life of the space station until 2024. Finally, Mark brings us a special follow-up interview with NASA's Social Media Manager and Deputy Manager John Yembrick and Jason Townsend.
Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Emily Carney, Gene Mikulka, with Mark Ratterman and his guests NASA's Social Media Manager John Yembrick and NASA's Deputy Social Media Manager Jason Townsend
Show Recorded 1/13/2013
Wednesday Jan 08, 2014
Episode 601: Viva NASA Viva Florida
Wednesday Jan 08, 2014
Wednesday Jan 08, 2014
This Episode of Talking Space brings you a recording from August 7th 2013 at the Alachua County Library Headquarters branch in Gainesville, FL. The presenter is Peter Chitko from NASA Kennedy Space Center. Peter Chitko is employed by NASA as the Mechanical Division Engineering Technical Integration Manager. In 1983, he joined NASA at the Kennedy Space Center, which was the launch site and preferred landing site for NASA’s Space Shuttles, so, with 30 years of experience, he has a wealth of information about Florida history and space travel.
Mr. Chitko’s presentation at the Alachua County Florida Library added the very interesting aspect of spaceflight to the theme “Viva Florida 500”. Viva Florida 500 is a statewide initiative to highlight the 500 years of historic people, places and events in present-day Florida since the arrival of Juan Ponce de León to the land he named La Florida in 1513. While Florida’s Native American heritage dates back more than 12,000 years, Spain’s claim in 1513 began a new era. 2013 marks 500 years of history and diverse cultural heritage in Florida – a claim no other state in America can make – and Viva Florida 500 promotes the place where the world’s cultures began to unite and transform into the great nation we know today as the United States of America. The Viva Florida 500 commemoration is ongoing throughout 2013, and includes hundreds of events statewide. The goal is to promote 500 years of Florida’s history – its people, places and cultural achievements – and this important milestone in American and Florida history.
My apologies for the moments you miss here with this audio only recording. Mr. Chitko played several videos of key events from the Apollo program. Unfortunately the acoustics of the conference room we were in, made that audio (on my recording) difficult to understand. However I think you will find Mr. Chitko easy to understand and I ask you to let your mind’s eye fill in the pictures or video you have certainly seen before. Mr. Chitko will be telling us about the space race, about the Apollo Program and a little about what is ahead for NASA.
I want to thank Mr. Peter Chitko of NASA Kennedy Space Center and the Alachua County Library for permission to record this presentation. Several of us there felt this was an outstanding presentation from an extremely knowledgeable speaker. Thank you NASA for sharing your best with communities far and wide.
During the last two minutes of this recording you'll hear the question I asked Mr. Chitko and I think you'll find his answer well worth waiting for.
http://www.aclib.us/archer/blog/nasa-expert-peter-chitko-presents-history-space-aug-7-two-locations
Host: Mark Ratterman
Show Recorded 08/07/2013
Friday Dec 20, 2013
Episode 540: ISS Science Update 6
Friday Dec 20, 2013
Friday Dec 20, 2013
On this episode of Talking Space we talk with Liz Warren,
Ph.D. from NASA ISS Program Science Office Communications Integration at
Johnson Space Center.
We learn about the upcoming Orbital Sciences CRS cargo launch and experiments (some from students) it will take to the ISS. We also hear about some of the effects of microgravity on the human body. Liz says we need to keep our people healthy in space and learning how to do that has brought home some very valuable science that applies to life here on earth too.
Some experiments have an educational component to them like the NanoRacks-NCESSE-Falcon Student Spaceflight Experiment Program. With 17 experiments involving thousands of students on the ground. This is the 5th opportunity the student spaceflight program has participated in. Some of their experiments investigate fungal growth, antibiotic efficiency, seed germination, bacterial growth and space radiation. Did you know that bacteria grow faster in microgravity? Having a space station to fly to makes science experiments like we’ve been talking about possible by students in grades 5-12. Pretty incredible!
We learn that it is rather fun to train astronauts. Liz describes them as overachievers, wanting not just to do their best but to do a job better than the next guy. The astronauts want to get really good results for the Principal Investigators. From research in space there have been changes in Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamins by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that affect bone loss. There are medications now on the market from research in space that can help patients affected by bone loss due to chemotherapy.
While we were talking about the ISS, gravity came up. The Hollywood movie starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney named “Gravity” that is. So do you think science fiction has a place in our discussion about ISS science?
Please watch and share this video Liz spoke of. The
stories told will touch, inspire and change how you look at the ISS and
research done there. Please, please, please share this video. We’ve only begun
to see the International Space Station’s “Benefits For Humanity”.
Benefits For Humanity: In Their Own Words http://youtu.be/HhsaKTFz0TM
NASA ISS Program Science Office web page - www.nasa.gov/iss-science/
Phone (281) 244-6187 email
Host this week: Mark Ratterman. Panel Members: Gene
Mikulka, Emily Carney.
Special Guest: Liz Warren, Ph.D. ISS Program Science Office
Thursday Oct 25, 2012
Episode 434: Skylon with SABRE - Single Stage to Orbit
Thursday Oct 25, 2012
Thursday Oct 25, 2012
We interview Reaction Engines LTD Mark Hempsell about the SABRE (Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine). This is a breakthrough rocket engine in aerospace technology that can operate in both air-breathing and rocket modes. Join us as we talk about the SABRE rocket engine, the Skylon Spaceplane (runway to orbit) and LAPCAT (Mach 5 cruise Brussels to Sydney in 4.6 hours). Plan on spending some time looking over the Reaction Engines web site for an extensive download list of images, video's and technical documents. http://www.reactionengines.co.uk/index.html https://twitter.com/ReactionEngines Host this week: Gene Mikulka, Panel Member: Mark Ratterman Show Recorded 10/17/2012
Friday Sep 28, 2012
Episode 430: My Science in Space, Ready, Set, Go!
Friday Sep 28, 2012
Friday Sep 28, 2012
On this episode of Talking Space we talk with Carl Carruthers about how to get your science project on the International Space Station. Starting in 1998 Carl has navigated the complex process to have his research fly in space. Now he wants to share how much easier it is with resources currently available through NASA, CASIS, Implementation Partners and others. Download this show to keep as a resource for the day when someone says "I wish I could get my experiment in orbit". We hear about several previous of Carl's previous projects that flew on shuttle and his upcoming project that will fly to the ISS via SpaceX Dragon capsule early in 2013. We also talk about crew health in space & early detection of osteoporosis (EDOS) http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/EDOS.html Carl mentions searching for more information about bisphosphonates in microgravity - so go ahead and search that term and learn more. Check out the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education at http://ncesse.org/ For information about the Space Florida ISS Research Competition and the workshop on Oct 5 that Carl will speak at go to http://www.spaceflorida.gov/iss-research-competition/ Carl's great writeup titled "How Can I Get My Science Project on the International Space Station" with all the links is at http://www.theproteinwrangler.com/2012/07/19/how-can-i-get-my-science-project-on-the-international-space-station/ on Twitter follow him at https://twitter.com/proteinwrangler Host this week: Mark Ratterman, Panel Member: Gene Mikulka with Special Guest Carl Carruthers Show Recorded - 09/26/2012
Tuesday Jun 14, 2011
Episode 325: Finding NEEMO
Tuesday Jun 14, 2011
Tuesday Jun 14, 2011
On this special episode, we interview the Associate Program Scientist for the International Space Station, Dr. Tara Ruttley. Tara was the Lead Hardware Engineer for the Health Maintenance System on the station until about two years ago when she acquired her current title. Dr. Ruttley discusses with us a couple of the experiments being performed onboard the ISS and some of the intricacies, concerns, and fun facts about them. We talk about her background on getting involved and her interest in biology. We then discuss with her on NEEMO-6, a NASA mission (NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations) which simulated time onboard the ISS, although underwater. We discuss schedules, aquanauts, and men who don't sound like men underwater. This is an episode not to be missed! For more information on what's going on with science on the ISS, check out: NASA's Site for ISS Research: http://1.usa.gov/mKipOl NASA's ISS Research Twitter account: @ISS_Research For the ISS research blog which Tara is an author for, check out A Lab Aloft at: http://bit.ly/jioBRG To follow Tara on her personal Twitter account, give her a follow at @SpaceMama Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman, and special guest Associate Program Scientist for the International Space Station Dr. Tara Ruttley Show Recorded - 6/5/2011
Tuesday May 31, 2011
Episode 322: The Ghost of Spacecraft Past
Tuesday May 31, 2011
Tuesday May 31, 2011
On this clip-filled episode of Talking Space, we begin with the conclusion of the STS-134 mission, recapping the final spacewalks and the outline for the end of Endeavour's operational career. We then briefly discuss STS-135 before delving deeper into it through a special interview which Mark obtained with Space.com writer Denise Chow. We then move on to talk about the rebirth of Orion as the Multi Purpose Crew Vehicle, or MPCV, and listen to clips from an interview with Doug Cooke from NASA. Then we finish off by discussing the official loss of the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Spirit, who last year became stuck upon a rock. Contact was unable to be reestablished, and we bid her farewell. To read Denise Chow's articles, check out the website http://SPACE.com and you can follow her on Twitter as @DeniseChow Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gina Herlihy, Gene Mikulka, and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 5/29/2011 Listen now: