Talking Space

Episode 412: The Power of Pluto

On this episode of Talking Space, we discuss the mystery and concern surrounding the upcoming North Korean rocket launch. We then discuss the current situation of Plutonium-238 and if it's as bad as was reported or not. We then discuss some former NASA members becoming entrepreneurs.On our second go-around, we discuss a record that we almost tied for, but lost because of Pluto. We then talk about an all too popular topic on this show, space junk. Then, Mark talks about the history of the T-38 and if it's still important with the shuttle program over. On our final go around, we make a VERY special announcement regarding our shows. SPOILER: Talking Space will be covering the final retirements of the space shuttles throughout the month of April. Mark will be covering Discovery's departure from KSC, Gene will be covering Discovery's arrival in Washinton DC and Enterprise's departure, and Sawyer will be covering Enterprise's landing in New York City. Listen to the episode to hear exactly what we'll each be doing. Due to this schedule, we will have a show next week, April 18th, however, there will be no show on April 25th. We will return with a space shuttle special on May 2nd. Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 4/9/2012

Episode 411: The '411' on Space News

On this episode of Talking Space, we take a look at another CBS "60 Minutes" piece, except this time on the current condition of Florida's "Space Coast" after the end of the shuttle program. We then discuss some congressional hearings involving some commercial spaceflight. Following that we talk about sustaining a space to ground network. On our second go-around, we discuss the Express AM-4 satellite and the questionable call to deorbit it. We then discuss an update on SpaceX as well as the questionable future of ESA's ATV. We then discuss another use for Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility. On our final go-around, we discuss a milestone for the Space Launch System. We talk about plans to recover engines from Apollo 11 off the ocean floor. Lastly, we discuss an interesting slide show released by the Goddard Space Flight Center. To view the 60 minutes piece, or to read the transcript if outside of the USA, visit http://cbsn.ws/HmUTRq Also, to view the Goddard video discussed by Mark, check out http://geeked.gsfc.nasa.gov Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 4/2/2012

Episode 410: Impressive Station Stories

On this episode of Talking Space, we discuss the successful launches of ATV-3 to the International Space Station and the Intelsat 22 communications satellite. We then discuss the possibility and probability of whether China, with cooperation from ESA, become an ISS partner. We then move onto a news briefing for the International Space Station talking the next Expedition to the station, SpaceX updates, as well as an update on a pump brought back on STS-135. On our second go-around, we discuss the YouTubeSpace Lab winners and their experiments. We then discuss a near-miss with the station and a piece of space junk. We then discuss an extraordinarily powerful laser. On our final go-around, we talk about wind and a bizarre anomaly on Mars, we then discuss the 100th birthday celebration for the late Dr. Wernher Von Braun. Lastly, we discuss some technologies being used from NASA technology right back here on planet Earth. To see the NASA press conference on YouTube, visit http://youtu.be/16rfcTbU_D4 To see the winners of the YouTube Space Lab competition and their experiments, visithttp://youtube.com/spacelab To view the images of the bizarre cloud seen on Mars visit http://on.io9.com/GZ284Q Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 3/26/2012

Episode 409: Launch Madness

On this episode of Talking Space, we discuss a piece aired on the CBS program "60 Minutes" about SpaceX and discuss our thoguhts on that as well as getting test subjects into a seven-person crewed mockup of the Dragon capsule. We then discuss China's plan for a female astronaut, or taikonaut, and when they might fly. We then talk about the FAA's involvement with Virgin Galactic's activities in the Mohave Desert and other private companies. On our second go-around, we discuss some Russian activities going on. We then discuss a look for fossils on Mars. We then discuss how a satellite that was declared lost might not be after all. On our final trip around the table, we learn a little bit about what's going on with NuSTAR and its status. We then move on to a launch of 5 rockets in 5 minutes. Lastly, we talk about Boeing and all-electric spacecrafts. To see the SpaceX story on 60 Minutes, visit http://cbs.com/60minutes Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 3/19/2012

Episode 408: Green Pigs...In...Space

On this episode of Talking Space, we begin with the announcement of NASA's prolonged dependcy on Russia's Soyuz rocket as well as some other NASA budgetary news. We then discuss the new Angry Birds: Space which is working in cooperation with NASA. We then discuss a satellite aimed at helping with the ozone layer as well as Earth's weather. On our second go-around, we discuss SpaceX's possible use of launch pad 39A. We then talk about a 'maglev' train to space. Next the topic turns to a new X-plane which has an added safety feature. On our final trip around the table, we discuss a debris tracking system by Lockheed Martin. We then talk about whether artifacts dating back to the Apollo era belong to the astroanuts or the government. Lastly, we discuss a laser able to detect important features on exo-planets. To view the trailer for Angry Birds: Space, visit http://youtu.be/lxI1L1RiSJQ Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 3/11/2012

Episode 407: Commercial Crafts and Cracked Codes

On this episode of Talking Space, we begin with tests of SpaceX's Falcon 9 as well as NASA's Orion capsule. We then discuss some commerical spaceflight regulations regarding the FAA. On our second trip around the table, we discuss hackers getting into NASA's systems, what they accessed, and how it happened. We then discuss some NASA budgetary news with hearings currently going on surrounding the subject. Then, we discuss some solar weather. On our final round, we discuss a NASA-designed biocapsule that could detect an ailment and automatically release medication to treat it. We then talk a little bit about Neil DeGrasse Tyson who has a new book out. Lastly, we take a look into ways of determining information about exoplanets. You can read the full hacking report in PDF form by clicking here (or if you are listening on iTunes, visit http://talkingspaceonline.com) Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 3/5/2012

Episode 406-B: The Tale of the Tossed Tribbles

On the second part of this episode of Talking Space, we continue our first interview of 2012 with LCROSS's flight software lead, a software engineer for Northrop Grumman, musician, and public speaker Emory Stagmer. We continue where the show left off with a story about SpaceUp and tribbles. We then discuss a little bit about Emory's music career and delve into the world of tech of years goneby, incuding what a VAX is. We then discuss the current status of some of his satellites as well as discover the computing power which these million dollar machines run on. We finish off with the way that Emory began his unique transition to becoming a software engineer and gives tips on how you can be the next software engineer. For the video regarding the "tribbles" visit youtu.be/7ayyisF5FOM (credit: ThinkGeek) To listen to the entire version of "Water on the Moon" and to download a copy, visit the LCROSS website at http://lcross.arc.nasa.gov/mission.htm For more on Emory, follow him on Twitter as @VAXHeadroom and also be sure to check out his music website which includes some of his previous speaking engagements,UnTied Music. Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman, and special guest Emory Stagmer Show Recorded - 2/20/2012

Episode 406-A: LCROSS the Universe

On the first part of this episode of Talking Space, we conduct our first interview of 2012 with LCROSS's flight software lead, a software engineer for Northrop Grumman, musician, and public speaker Emory Stagmer. We discuss what his job entails as well as what he has done on past spacecrafts. We get into a unique story on how the LCROSS mission was almost lost. We also discuss the 50th anniversary of John Glenn's historic flight as the first American to orbit the earth. Lastly, we discuss a little bit about SpaceUp...but, there's more to the story. The interview with Emory is being broken up into two parts. Part two will be released Wednesday, February 29th, 2012, with the continuation of SpaceUp and some more great stories including a tale of tribble tossing. For more on Emory, follow him on Twitter as @VAXHeadroom and also be sure to check out his music website which includes some of his previous speaking engagements, UnTied Music. To read the LCROSS Flight Director's blog, visit http://bit.ly/ADLcem Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman, and special guest Emory Stagmer Show Recorded - 2/20/2012

Episode 405: They Became Astronauts, ASCAN You

On this episode of Talking Space, we begin round one with an overpressurization of a Soyuz capsule, delaying the next manned launch to the International Space Station and discuss the Soyuz "era of reliability". We then move on to a record number of candidates applying for NASA's next class of ASCANs, or astronaut candidaates. Round two begins with the continued adventures of Phobos-Grunt. We then move on to a petition for a stamp honoring the Pluto-mission, New Horizons. We then take a closer look at the Vega, and not the car model. On our third and final round, we discuss the progress of man-rating the Atlas V rocket. We then discuss a public service announcement made by comedian and pundit Stephen Colbert promoting ISS research. We finish off with a course correction and some fun facts about the Jupiter-bound spacecraft, Juno. To sign the petition for a New Horizons USPS stamp, visit http://chn.ge/w88LBn To see Stephen Colbert's public service announcement, visit http://youtu.be/HX_GZiNog_I Also, to see when the International Space Station will be visible, visithttp://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/ A BRIEF NOTE: This episode was recorded before the announcement of the passing of astronaut Janet Voss. Talking Space remembers her and has her family in our thoughts. Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 2/6/2012

Episode 404: Destinations, Debris, and Declassifications

On this episode of Talking Space, we begin our first trip around the table with our insights into Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's (R) plan to have a permanent lunar base by the end of his 2nd term. We continue on with the first female cosmonaut to fly since the Soviet Union collapsed. We then move on to a look at the Liberty rocket. Continuing onto our second round, we look at safety risks regarding the ISS and if the current plan for crew evacuation in an emergency is adequate. We then move onto a boat crash carrying sensitive rocket parts. On our final go-around, we discuss more space debris news including everybody's favorite defunct satellite, Phobos-Grunt. We then continue on with the declassification of military satellites and lastly a look at robotic refueling in space. Talking Space also remembers the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger (STS-51L), and Columbia (STS-107) during NASA's day of remembrance. To read Wayne Hale's post regarding the crews and their legacy, visit http://waynehale.wordpress.com/2012/01/30/what-would-rick-and-gus-and-dick-want/ To check out Astronomy FM, visit http://astronomy.fm To see the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) as discussed in the episode, click here. Host this week: Sawyer Rosenstein. Panel Members: Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman Show Recorded - 1/30/2012