Talking Space

Episode 343: Ghosts, Ghouls, and Spooky Space

On this, our 99th and Halloween episode of Talking Space, we discuss an announcement made by Boeing to build their CST-100 in Orbiter Processing Facility 3 (OPF-3) at the Kennedy Space Center. We then discuss the successful launch of a Soyuz carrying Progress 45, a resupply ship to the International Space Station, and discuss its impact after the recent Progress 44 failure. We then move onto the successful launch of China's Shenzhou-8 to dock with the already orbiting Tiangong 1. We discuss what this means for China's future as well as an attempted hacking of a US satellite and China's denial. We then move on to a discussion about an article written by Robert Zubrin about a review of NASA's planetary missions and our opinion on the possible cancellations of such missions as Voyager 1 and 2, the Mars rovers, and more. We finish off with NASA's underwater mission, NEEMO 15, as well as Elon Musk possibly dropping out of his attempts to dock to the ISS due to a format change. Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gina Herlihy, Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 10/31/2011

Episode 342: Landing a New Home

On this news-packed episode of Talking Space, we discuss the space shuttle Endeavour officially being handed over to the California Science Center, and also discuss the controversey of trying to bring a shuttle to Houston as well as Ohio. This segment includes a classic clip from a STS-134 briefing with a question asked by our own Gene Mikulka. We then discuss former Space Shuttle Launch Integration Manager Mike Moses, who will be leaving NASA to join Virgin Galactic. We also discuss the second drop test of Space Ship 2, which did not go as smooth as expected. We then get into a deep discussion of the next proposed NASA budget and some intersting areas which are being affected by the budget and others that aren't. We then talk about a possible 2013 abort test of the Orion capsule as well as a 2012 drop test of Sierra Nevada's Dreamchaser. We then continue with another satellite coming in for a reentry similar to UARS, except this time it's ROSAT. We finish off our discussions with the Soyuz getting NASA's ok to keep flying as well as a launch this week, for the first time, of a Soyuz from somewhere other than the Baikonour Cosmodrome. We finish off with an interview conducted by Mark with another amazing speaker from the 100 Year Star Ship Symposium, Chantelle Louis. For more information on the upcoming Soyuz launch from French Guyana, check outhttp://threelaunchersontheequator.com For more information on Chantelle Louis and to see her work, visit her website athttp://chantellelouis.com Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gina Herlihy, Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 10/17/2011

Episode 341: Deep 'Space.com' Travel

On this episode of Talking Space, we continue our discussion of the 100 Year Star Ship Symposium with an interview conducted by Mark with Space.com Senior Writer Clara Moskowitz. Afterwards, we get a special report from friend of the show and composer of all of our music Todd Cecilio. Todd reports on STS-135 commander Chris Ferguson's trip to the Franklin Institute Science Museum where he returned a piece of their planetarium which had flown in space. We then discuss Boeing's desire to use the US military X-37 B for commercial purposes. We move on, afterwards, to a discussion about the possibility of Europe becoming involved with the design for the service module of the Orion/Space Launch System. Lastly, we discuss Mark Kelly's retirement from the Navy and the special guest who was their to participate in the event. For more information on Clara Moskowitz, follow her on Twitter as @claramoskowitz and be sure to read hear articles on Space.com. Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gina Herlihy, Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman. Included in this episode is Senior Writer for Space.com Clara Moskowitz and friend of the show Todd Cecilio. Show Recorded - 10/10/2011

Episode 340: 100 Years in 1 Hour

On this episode of Talking Space, Mark discusses his amazing visit to the 100 Year Starship Study Public Symposium (100 YSS) held in Orlando, Florida. He discusses the multiple tracks you could take as well as some of the lectures he heard ranging from algae farming to a panel of science fiction writers to creating aliens. We then move on to the successful launch of China's Tiangong-1, a space lab, as well as a minor mishap that occured on a video which China released. We then move on to an announcement by SpaceX's Elon Musk about the reusability of the Falcon rocket as demonstrated in the video released by the company, available on our website http://talkingspaceonline.com. Lastly, we discuss an announcement regarding the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum moving the planned location for the space shuttle Enterprise and discuss a bill proposed to remove the shuttle from New York and deliver one to Texas. To learn more about the 100 Year Star Ship Symposium, please visit: http://100yss.org Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gina Herlihy, Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 10/2/2011 Listen now:

Episode 339: It's "Aviation Week" on Talking Space

On this episode, we invite back Aviation Week Senior Editor Frank Morring. With his 35 years in journalism, over 20 of those focusing in aerospace, we ask him about the current events around NASA. We begin with the discussion of UARS which recently crashed back to Earth and about space debris in general. Then we get his opinion of the Space Launch System, or SLS, NASA's future spacecraft to take American astroanuts to an unspecified destination. We then discuss the role of commercial companies and the possibilities that it may hold and if it can be viable. We then finish off with Wallops Space Flight Center possibly having manned launches and the implications at the Kennedy Space Center, as well as preview Mark's far-out upcoming trip and Mr. Morring's thoughts on it. Be sure to check out Frank Morring and all of the other amazing staff members at Aviation Week by visiting their website: http://aviationweek.com Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gina Herlihy, Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 9/26/2011

Episode 338: Talking Space is

On this episode, we discuss the safe return of the Expedition 28 crew after their 6 month stay aboard the International Space Station. In doing so, we discuss the Soyuz and Progress 44 failure and the impact it will have on the ISS in the near future. We then get into a large discussion about the official announcement and presentation of NASA's new vehicle to carry humans beyond Low Earth Orbit, and that is the Space Launch System (SLS) scheduled for completion in 2017. We discuss the composition of the vehicle as well as the actual announcement itself. We then discuss our opinions on the vehicle and if we think it's going to fly. We them move on to ATK's new commercial rocket as well as an update on the UARS satellite scheduled to make a fiery return to Earth sometime this week. We then mention a discovery by the spacecraft Keppler of a Tatooine-type planet from Star Wars. Lastly, we mention that last week our show celebrated its 2 year anniversary and we reflect on where we've come, who's helped us, and where we're going next. Please feel free send us your comments regarding the SLS announcement or any other story. You can email us at mailbag@talkingspaceonline.com, send us as tweet at @talkingspace or post it on our Facebook wall at facebook.com/talkingspace Two images were inserted here. To view them, please visit http://talkingspaceonline.com Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 9/18/2011

Episode 336: The Holy GRAIL

On this episode of Talking Space, we return from our three week summer break to catch you up on the latest in space news, starting with the successful launch of the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory, (GRAIL) mission which successfully launched to study the moon and our own Mark Ratterman was there to cover the launch. Mark also gets a special interview with Kim Guodace, a former shuttle vehicle engineer for United Space Alliance. We then move on to the failure of a Progress 44 resupply ship launched aboard a Soyuz and how it may leave the International Space Station unmanned. We move onto the topic of space debris including the UARS satellite scheduled to crash back to Earth at an unknown location. We then discuss some stunning shots of the lunar landing sites taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, LRO. We finish off with pieces of metal on Spirit and Opportunity which were once a part of the World Trade Center towers which were destroyed in a terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. Two images were inserted here. To view them, please visit http://talkingspaceonline.com Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 9/11/2011

Episode 335: EVA-Expansive Variety of Acronyms

On this episode, we begin with a new control center which will be going online in a unique location in the world for the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02). We then move on to a previously-deleted discussion about the Mars Science Laboratory, also known as Curiosity. We then discuss the next moon mission coming up called GRAIL, which will be two tandem spacecrafts operating together. Following that we discuss a DARPA aircraft which prematurely performed a nosedive into the Pacific Ocean and the impact of this crash. We continue on to a shuttle shuffle where Discovery and Endeavour swapped places and ended up meeting nose-to-nose. We finish off with a surprise discussion regarding the Space Launch System (SLS) and it's new completion date of 2032. Two images were inserted here. To view them, please visit http://talkingspaceonline.com Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 8/14/2011

Episode 334: Our Corner of the 'Cosmos'

On this episode of Talking Space, we discuss the successful launch of Juno on its way to Jupiter and Mark's experiences at the Kennedy Space Center for the launch on the spacecraft's five year journey to Jupiter. We then move on to Boeing's two announcements regarding its CST-100 spacecraft including its choice of rocket and who it will be choosing as its crew. We then discuss a discovery on Mars which could possibly be flowing water on the surface of the red planet. We then move on to the return of the PBS series "Cosmos" and its new host and its new major network, Fox. We end with a reminder to check out the Perseid meteor shower and then read one of the most amazing poems written by a former space shuttle worker titled "Empty Sky". Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman, and special guest Todd Cecilio Show Recorded - 8/7/2011

Episode 333: Juno About Jupiter?

On this episode of Talking Space, we talk with Dr. David McComas, the principal investigator for JADE, the Jovian Auroral Distribution Experiment, aboard the spacecraft Juno launching to Jupiter on August 5, 2011. We discuss the spacecraft itself and many of the instruments onboard. We discuss the magnetosphere of the planet as well as the aurora which it produces. We talk about past Jovian spacecrafts, radiation belts, and the amazing size of the solar panels being used on board. This is one where you will come away amazed and well-educated on our solar system's largest planet. For more information on Juno as heard in the show, visit: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_(spacecraft) The Southwest Research Institute's (SwRI) Juno website: http://missionjuno.swri.edu/ Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman, and special guest Dr. David McComas Show Recorded - 7/29/2011