Talking Space

Episode 1103: Challenger: An American Tragedy - A Conversation With NASA's Hugh Harris

In this special edition of Talking Space, we talk to the man who was for many years was the voice of Shuttle Launch Control at the Kennedy Space Center, Mr. Hugh Harris.

Born in December of 1932 he served as an information specialist with the US Army from 1952 until 1954 and graduated from Western Reserve University in Ohio in 1956.  Mr. Harris worked as a reporter for a metropolitan daily newspaper, a magazine writer for Standard Oil,  and a radio personality at WMTR in Morristown, NJ.

 According to his NASA bio, He started his NASA career in 1963 as an information officer at what was then the Lewis Research Center, in Cleveland Ohio ( Now the John H. Glenn Research Center).  He was promoted to Chief Public Affairs Officer in 1968 and was transferred to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in 1975. ten years later he assumed the role of Deputy Director of the KSC Public Affairs Office.

Harris Earned NASA’s Equal Opportunity Medal in 1979 and was awarded Exceptional Service Medals in 1985 and 1988. He’s also earned a Distinguished Service Award. form the SPacecoast Chapter of Federally Employed Women for 1978-79

Harris retired from NASA in April of 1998 but still volunteers on occasion at the Public Affairs Office. He is the author of the e-book: Challenger an American Tragedy where he recounts his observations of that fateful day in January 1986, and the events thereafter.  

Episode 1102: Apollo 1

In this special edition of Talking Space, we observe the anniversary of Apollo 1 allowing the crew to tell their own story and talk to us through courtesy of the NASA Internet Audio Archive. 

While launch preparations for Apollo 1 were underway, NASA had held a press conference with the prime crew of what was then called Apollo-Saturn 204

Command Pilot: Virgil I. Grissom

Senior Pilot: Edward H. White II

and Pilot: Roger B. Chaffee

The newly announced back-up crew was also in attendance: 

Back-up Command Pilot: Walter M. Schirra,

Back-up Senior Pilot: Donn F. Eisele

Back-up Pilot: R. Walter Cunningham,  

Chief of the US Astronaut Corps Donald K. "Deke" Slayton was also made available to the press for this conference. 

The purpose of the press event was to introduce the new back-up crew for the flight and to highlight training for the upcoming mission of the then new 3 person spacecraft that would be the lynchpin to get the United States to the Moon.  

Rather than recount the doleful events from January 27, 1967, we decided to take a different approach and allow people who may not have been alive or were too young to hear from the astronauts and remember these courageous individuals as they prepared for what was to be the first piloted mission for the Apollo program. 

For More information on Apollo 1, visit the NASA History web site 

Host: Gene Mikulka 

 

Episode 1011 : Apollo 8 - A Christmas Card From 1968

What would Talking Space sound like if it were able to reach across the gulf of time to 1968 fifty years ago and cover the Apollo 8 mission: humanity’s first piloted spacecraft to successful orbit the Moon and return home to Earth? 

That is what this episode tries to answer bringing to you some of the historic moments from the Apollo 8 mission, the first to carry humans beyond Earth’s gravity well into deep space to explore the Moon with human eyes and close up photography. This installment makes extensive use of NASA's audio archive from that time period, and we thank the space agency for making these moments in history available for use. It also includes the historic Christmas Message that the flight will be long remembered for. This installment is a tribute of sorts to the individuals known and unknown who made the voyage of Apollo 8 possible 50 years ago.

This installment makes extensive use of NASA's audio archive from that time period, and the Apollo 8 press kit itself. We thank the space agency for making this historical material available for use.

This episode is a tribute of sorts to the individuals known and unknown who made the voyage of Apollo 8 possible 50 years ago.

It's also an audio holiday greeting card to you our listeners to say thank you for your continued support of the program during both the good and challenging times. We'll be back in 2018 next time! 

From all of us at Talking Space, Season’s Greetings and hopes for a happy and prosperous New Year. 

Episode 910: Total Eclipse of the Mind and Sun

How do you describe a solar eclipse on the radio? Listen and find out! On this episode, we begin with the return of the Expedition 52 and looking at the records set by NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson. All this happening ahead of the next crewed launch on September 12. Then it's onto recent launches, including the Formosat-5 launch aboard a Falcon 9 and the ORS-5 launch on the first ever Minotaur out of Cape Camaveral. We also look at the first major failure of India's PSLV in tis more than 20 years of flying.

With the recent announcement of a nominee for the currently vacant NASA Administrator position, we discuss the pros and cons of the current choice. Then it's onto our main topic...the Great American Total Solar Eclipse of 2017. Both Kat and Sawyer were in the path of totality. Hear how "fantastic" it really is and hear what the pictures in the show notes below don't convey. Hear how far people came and what it took to organize a party for 10,000+ people traveling to a small town just for the eclipse.

Finally, Gene Mikulka reports from Podcast Movement 2017 with special guest Daniel Druhora from USC's Escape Velocity podcast to discuss how to convey STEM through podcasting.

[An image gallery was added here. To view it, visit http://talkingspaceonline.com]

Show recorded 9-4-2017

Host: Sawyer Rosenstein

Panelists: Mark Ratterman and Kat Robison with a special guest interview by Gene Mikulka

Episode 811: By And For The People

This week we divert a little from our usual format to bringyou some very special information. Most importantly, we respond to listener Kevin Streitmatter, who was wondering where the candidatesfor President of the United States stand on our favorite issue. Since thewinner will set America’s space policy for the next 4-8 years and could deeplyaffect not only the current and future missions of NASA but the burgeoningcommercial space industry, knowing their positions on space is crucial for anyspace advocate. However, since space is hardly a hot campaign topic, findingthis information requires a bit of digging. Fortunately, we not only lay outand discuss the stated positions of the candidates on this episode, but KatRobison has turned our voterguide into a handy cheat sheet to help U.S. voters make an informeddecision, including links to great sources to learn even more.

Continuing our coverage of the 67th InternationalAstronautical Congress (IAC) from the previous episode, we dip into this year’stheme, Making Space Accessible andAffordable to all Countries by bringing you an exclusive interview with theCEO, Stefan Gardefjord, and Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing,Guillermo Bosch, of SSC, the umbrella ofthe Swedish Space Corporation and their varied group of companies. From their50-year history to what’s now and coming next, they lay out their vision forthe future of the industry and the role they can play in making access to spacea reality for a far wider range of clients.

Sometimes Talking Space doesn’t just cover the news butbecomes part of the story, as both our correspondents pulled double-duty bypresenting at IAC this year. First up, Kat Robison introduces her paper fromthe main conference, U.S. PolicyConsiderations on International Cooperation Beyond 2024. She considered thepotential paths for cooperation on projects beyond the International SpaceStation and the relationship between public statements by various spaceagencies and what might actually be possible. With human space flight to the moonand Mars on the tips of everyone’s tongues, what will succeed and who will beinvolved? Delving further into the moon, we focus in on some of the technicalpapers presented in the lunar exploration symposium and how both today’s andtomorrow’s space engineers and designers are working on sustaining life long-termon the moon and beyond.

Kat was also invited to present at the International StudentForum and she gives us some highlights of the other presentations at thatIAC-associated event before outlining her research into public opinion on space.While the data isn’t exactly rich, her efforts to bring together what there iscan give us some insight into what the general public is thinking about space,and you just might be surprised by some of the patterns she’s unearthing.

Studying public opinion is one part of understanding how toreach voters, Kassy Tamanini explores another fundamental aspect – grassrootsadvocacy for space issues. Her IAC paper, FolkSpace: Using Music to Advocate for Space to the Voting Public, outlines herown experiences with public engagement and the lessons that can be applied notonly to her efforts but grassroots outreach anyone can perform.

We at Talking Space hope this super-sized episode inspiresall of you, wherever you live or are from, regardless of political affiliationsor leanings, to use whatever talents you possess to engage with the politicalprocess as well as the people around you to support the exploration of space.

Show recorded 10-24-2016

Host Sawyer Rosenstein

Panelists: Gene Mikulka, Kat Robison, Kassy Tamanini

Episode 805: Changing of the Guard

The Kepler Spacecraft ran into trouble last Friday but thanks to heroic effort by the team at  NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory,  Kepler’s search for Exoplanets can resume. We discuss the SpaceX Dragon Cargo Resupply Mission 8  and it’s cargo specifically the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) to be attached to the International Space Station.  SpaceX also proved at least part of their business model by landing the first stage of their Falcon 9 booster on a drone ship. We discuss the implications. At the  32nd Space Symposium,  United Launch Alliance and Bigelow Aerospace announced a partnership to loft Bigelow’s B330 expandable modules in 2020, thus creating a new independent space station separate from the ISS without NASA. The team looks at this groundbreaking deal. ULA was also making news this week at the Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF), presenting it’s blueprint for a cis-lunar economy once more independent of NASA. All of this looks at space not just a place for exploration but economic opportunity, the team discusses and explores what a future could look like. 

In the second half of the show, the team opens up part one of it’s NEAF roundup with David Shoemaker  of the Advanced LIGO Project  and Hans Koeningsmann of SpaceX  The second half of our NEAF roundup will be coming up in Episode 806.

 

Host: Sawyer Rosenstein

Panel Members: Kassy Tamanini & Gene Mikulka

Episode 803 Two Deserts, One Sky

In a departure from our usual fare of space news and policy, this week we took some time to contemplate the skies. Danielle Adams, a doctoral candidate at The University of Arizona in the School of Middle East and North African Studies with a minor in the School of Anthropology stopped by to discuss her current project with us. Two Deserts, One Sky is a project in cultural astronomy connecting the present day desert sky in Arizona across time to the desert skies observed by Arab cultures between the 9^th and 12^th centuries CE. Danielle weaves the stories recorded by these past cultures in with instructions on how to view the asterisms in the night sky with naked eye observing. In this episode, we speak with Danielle both about Two Deserts, One Sky and how her interest in astronomy and Arab culture led her to the pursuit of this project. 

 

We often speak about the importance of NASA in the community on our show, and this episode provided us with an opportunity to showcase how NASA supports not only those in the STEM fields, but important social science research as well. Two Deserts, One Sky is funded as an outreach project by NASA through the Arizona Space Grant Consortium, along with The University of Arizona’s School of Middle East and North African Studies and the School of Anthropology.

Show Recorded 2-29-16

Host this week: Kassy Tamanini

Special Guest: Danielle Addams 

Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Kat Robison

Episode 713: IAC 2015 In The Spotlight

In this special edition, the Talking Space Team puts the  66th Annual International Astronautical Congress which took place in Jerusalem, Israel between October 12th and 16th into focus. Our first stop is a paper presented by our own Kat Robison on the issues surrounding scientists communicating the importance and relevance of their own research to the public.  

The theme for IAC 2015 this year was "Space: The Gateway for Mankind's Future" and we review the various gateways starting to open though the International Space Station, leveraging cis-lunar space, and finally humanity declaring "Earth independence" setting sail for Mars. The episode includes commentary from NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and new European Space Agency Director General Johann-Dietrich Wörner. On various concepts including analysis of NASA's Journey to Mars outline and ESA's vision for a permanent research outpost on the lunar surface. 

Commercial ventures were also a topic at IAC 2015 and the team examines a new launch services company, Bloostar with an interesting approach to placing 100 kg (220 lbs) payloads into orbit. 

We end our visit to Jerusalem with an interview Kat conducted with NASA astronaut Suni Williams who was selected to fly one of the first Commercial Crew missions to the International Space Station. 

Talking Space congratulates Kat Robison on her presentation at IAC 2015 and thanks both Kat and Kassy Tamanini for their work in preparing this episode.  

Episode 711: Water, Water, Everywhere...

So you want to be a Martian? On October 1st  NASA  held an event at the Kennedy Space Center to explain more about the agency's push to send the first humans to Mars and our own Mark Ratterman was there and provides insights. We highlight Two Deserts, One Sky a  project by Danielle Adams a doctoral candidate at the University of Arizona, and briefly discuss  new solar power technology.   United Launch Alliance (ULA) puts 100 successful  launches in the books sending Mexico's Morelos-3 communications satellite into orbit on into orbit on October 2nd. However as the company looks toward Launch 101, the joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing heads into uncharted territory and uncertain waters as a launch services provider. The team discusses.the challenges that lay ahead for the firm.  

On September 28 NASA announced the confirmation that brine water has at certain times, been collecting on the surface of Mars.  The initial report made on 4 August 2011 (which we discussed   on Episode 334 )  was confirmed with a NASA press conference  and the team examines the announcement itself, the reaction to the announcement  in some circles, and   the implications not only for NASA's planned human Mars exploration efforts, but for the future of human solar system exploration going forward.  

Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein, 

Panel members:  Mark Ratterman, Kat Robison, Kassy Tamanini (CraftLass) & Gene Mikulka

Episode 701: Return to Flight

In our "Return to Flight" episode we discuss NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission   and it's implications for learning more about how space weather impacts life here on Earth. With the new International Space Station Commercial Cargo Contracts coming, two new players have come on the scene but with very familiar names. Sierra Nevada Space Systems puts its new entry, a cargo version of the Dreamchaser Spacecraft into consideration and Lockheed Martin puts its Jupiter Exoliner hat into the ring.The controversial Mars One program gets placed under the microscope as the team discusses the fallout from Elmo Keep's piece on the Medium web site. We launch a new segment, exploring how NASA technology impacts everyday life hear on Earth profiling medical spinoffs. Finally we look at a NASA sponsored program, FIRST Robotics. Our  Mark Ratterman is leading a team of students, Team 3556 " Get Smart" competing in the event.  

We're sorry for our absence over the last few months. Thanks for sticking with us, and we'll be back with plenty more episodes in 2015!

Show recorded: 3/23/2015

Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Mark Ratterman, Gene Mikulka, Kathryn Robison and Kassy Tamanini aka Craft Lass..