Episodes

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

Tuesday Dec 31, 2013
Episode 542: 'Tis the Seasons
Tuesday Dec 31, 2013
Tuesday Dec 31, 2013
On this episode of Talking Space, we close out 2013 and Season 5 by looking back at some of our favorite moments from our first 5 seasons on the air, both from the show, from personal experience, and from space news in general. Enjoy moments from shuttle launches to exhibit openings to some words from past episodes that have a totally new meaning all these years later. We hope you enjoy listening back to our last 5 seasons as we've had making each and every episode so far.
Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman
Show Recorded 12/23/2013

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

Sunday Dec 01, 2013
Episode #537: Formula for Future Flight
Sunday Dec 01, 2013
Sunday Dec 01, 2013

Friday Sep 13, 2013
Episode 528: Cosmonaut Needed
Friday Sep 13, 2013
Friday Sep 13, 2013
On this episode Sawyer and Gene discuss the LADEE launch via the Orbital Minotaur V rocket and the upcoming Orbital Cygnus cargo test flight to the ISS via the Antares rocket. Also discussion of the $44 billion budget estimate by DOD, NASA and GAO for the cost to launch government satellites through 2018. Gene talks about the interview of former NASA manned spaceflight director Chris Kraft by Eric Berger of the Houston Chronical. A Cosmonaut gets out of the program, anyone else want out of the space program?
Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka (Mark Ratterman deleted due to time constraints)
Show Recorded 09/09/2013

Friday Jun 21, 2013
Episode 519 - Different Wavelengths
Friday Jun 21, 2013
Friday Jun 21, 2013
With Sawyer Rosenstein under the weather, the Talking Space Team is joined by singer song writer and space advocate, CraftLass with Gene Mikulka in the left seat. We examine NASA’s new Astronaut Class and discuss the media’s reaction. The Wave At Saturn project to coincide with a photo NASA/JPL plans to take of Saturn’s ring with a cameo appearance by our home, Earth in the photo. We then move on to NASA’s Asteroid Initiative Industry and Partner Day, where the space agency asked, Academia, Industry, and anyone to help get humans to an Asteroid by setting up a Request For Information. We discuss an article by Policto article indicating Congress is trying to do away with the Asteroid Mission altogether and put in place a Constellation-Like program, featuring a Lunar and Mars base (with no additional funds to pay for it). and a little bit of a Twitter firestorm that happened when Gene Mikulka posted the article on his Twitter feed. The Houston Chronicle's SciGuy, Eric Berger, posted the results. Host this week: Gene Mikulka. Panel Members: Mark Ratterman and special guest CraftLass Show Recorded 06/19/2013

Wednesday Dec 05, 2012
Episode 438: Curiosity About the Outer Solar System
Wednesday Dec 05, 2012
Wednesday Dec 05, 2012
On this epside of Talking Space, we talk about the "earth-shattering" discovery made by Curiosity that rumors had been circulating around before the announcement. We then talk about Voyager 1 reaching a new part of the solar system. We then discuss an update on Orion, including some cracks and how "made in America" it is. On our second trip around the table, we discuss an interesting discussion on NPR involving Chuck Yeager. We then discuss some big news about Reaction Engines. Then, we discuss a free e-book NASA has made available. On our final trip around the table, we discuss Atlantis being angled in preparation for its display and the crew that will be staying aboard the ISS for 1 full year. Lastly, we then discuss the discovery of water on Mercury and if it really is a big deal or not. To hear the NPR segment mentioned in the episode, visit http://sciencefriday.com/segment/11/30/2012/scifri-book-club-has-the-right-stuff.html To download "Earth as Art" the free NASA e-book, visit http://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/earth_art_detail.html Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 12/3/2012

Thursday Oct 18, 2012
Episode 433: The Traditional Way of Being Social
Thursday Oct 18, 2012
Thursday Oct 18, 2012
On this episode of Talking Space, we discuss the journey of Endeavour from Los Angeles International Airport through the narrow streets to its new home at the California Science Center. The shuttle got in later than expected, and we explain why. We then discuss the Red Bull Stratos jump, where Felix Baumgartner jumped from 24 miles to a safe landing on Earth, breaking some pretty impressive world records and almost not surviving. Lastly, we discuss the Dragon docking to the ISS, the failure of the Orbcomm payload which hitched a ride on the Falcon 9, and then we get into interviews. Mark sits down with many members of the CRS-1 NASA Social and get their opinion on the debate brought up last week of social media versus traditional media. Special thanks to the following for their interviews. You can click on a Twitter username to follow them. *Note, these are in order of how they appeared on the show: Adam Kostecki @AIAspeaks Manya Susoev @ManyaS Kara Haas @greenposgirl Emily Carney @emilyc1978 Stacey Severn @FanciFlautist Robert Neff @5wa Richard Hay @WinObs Molly Wood @mollywood For info on how to help the Planetary Society, visit http://planetary.org As well, apologies for the occasional audio issues, specifically in the beginning. Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 10/15/2012

Wednesday Jan 25, 2012
Episode 403: The
Wednesday Jan 25, 2012
Wednesday Jan 25, 2012
On this episode, sticking with the new format, we discuss the recent WGS-4 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. We then proceed to how Opportunity, which is beginning its 8th year on Mars, will be spending the winter. We continue on with more on Phobos-Grunt and its demise. On our second go-around, we discuss how we're taking a look in real time at snowfall amounts. We then proceed to the naming of GRAIL-A and B, which just recently began orbiting the moon. We then move on to the groundbreaking for the exhibit which will house Space Shuttle Atlantis. On our final round, we discuss sea turtles being rescued at Cape Canaveral, a sci-fi movie made in space, and some space junk guidelines. For information on NASA's Precipitation Measurement Missions, check out their Twitter account,@NASA_Rain or their website http://pmm.nasa.gov/GCPEx/blog Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 1/23/2012

Wednesday Jan 18, 2012
Episode 402: The Sky is Falling...Again!
Wednesday Jan 18, 2012
Wednesday Jan 18, 2012