Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy And Science

This week we revisit one of the most remarkable exoplanet discoveries of 2024 with the help of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). JWST detected signs of methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere of K2-18 b. Knicole Colón, the deputy project scientist for exoplanet science for JWST, explains how this discovery could reshape our search for life beyond Earth and teach us more about the enigmatic class of exoplanets known as sub-Neptunes. Stick around for What's Up with Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-jwst-new-lead-in-search-for-life  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we celebrate a remarkable milestone as Emily Calandrelli, also known as “the Space Gal,” becomes the 100th woman to venture into space. Emily shares her experiences on the Blue Origin voyage, what she took to space, and how motherhood influenced her reaction to seeing Earth from space. Then Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts joins for What's Up and a list of fun things to do in zero-g. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-100th-woman-in-space  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does change happen within NASA, and what prevents it? Marcia Smith, founder of Space Policy Online, joins the show to discuss the opportunities and pitfalls faced by incoming presidential administrations and how NASA has—and hasn’t—changed over the decades. Will Artemis be reimagined? Will public-private partnerships introduce more risk than reward? And is change even the right default attitude to take? Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/change-and-continuity-at-nasa-with-marcia-smith  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Planetary Radio kicks off The Planetary Society's 45th anniversary year with CEO, Bill Nye. Bill reflects on the organization's first forty-five years and what humanity has learned about space in that time. Then, Chief Scientist Bruce Betts joins in for the first What's Up and Random Space Fact of 2025. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-45th-anniversary  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Planetary Society team reviews the best space moments of 2024, from the China National Space Administration's return of samples from the far side of the Moon to the triumphant launch of NASA's Europa Clipper mission. Kate Howells (Public Education Specialist) shares the winners of The Planetary Society's Best of 2024 awards. Then, Mat Kaplan (Senior Communications Advisor), Ambre Trujillo (Digital Community Manager), and Asa Stahl (Science Editor) team up for a rundown of the year's highlights. We close out 2024 with Bruce Betts, our chief scientist, as he shares his last random space fact of the year. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-looking-back  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lauren Mc Keown, a postdoctoral fellow at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, discusses her experiences recreating Martian araneiform terrain, also called Mars spiders, in the lab. Latif Nasser, the co-host of Radiolab, also joins Planetary Radio to share how you can cast your vote to name a quasi-Moon of Earth. Then Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, looks at a different type of seasonal feature on Mars, recurring slope lineae, in What’s Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-mars-spidersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For over half a century, space advocates and presidents alike have tried to recreate the JFK moment of calling on the country to send a man to Moon — but is this a mistake? The classic book Spaceflight and the Myth of Presidential Leadership argued that it is, and by focusing on presidential power alone advocates set up these initiatives to fail.  However, in the decades since its publication, presidential authority has dramatically expanded. In this episode, we examine this tension: Did the success of Apollo create a false expectation about the role of presidential leadership in spaceflight? How can a president most effectively set new long-term goals for NASA? Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/myth-of-presidential-leadership  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We take you to Planetary Society headquarters, where Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and host of StarTalk, interviews Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye about the organization's 45-year history of empowering the world's citizens to advance space science and exploration. Then, we share an update on the incoming Trump administration's proposed pick for the next NASA Administrator, Jared Isaacman. Planetary Society Chief of Space Policy, Casey Dreier, and Director of Government Relations, Jack Kiraly, give us the details. We close out with Bruce Betts as he discusses the Van Allen belts and shares a new random space fact in What's Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-startalkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sarah Al-Ahmed, the host of Planetary Radio, marks her 100th episode with a look back at the defining moments of the past 100 weeks of space exploration. We'll revisit previous Planetary Radio interviews, including the launch of ESA's Juice mission to the icy moons of Jupiter with project scientist Olivier Witasse. Danny Glavin, the co-investigator for NASA's OSIRIS-REx, shares his thoughts after the triumphant return of samples from asteroid Bennu. Lindy Elkins-Tanton, principal investigator for NASA's Psyche mission, reflects on her team's mission to explore a metallic asteroid. Then, Bob Pappalardo, project scientist for Europa Clipper, discusses the mission's intense brush with Hurricane Milton before blasting off to unlock the secrets of a potentially habitable ocean world. We close out the show with Bruce Betts, the chief scientist of The Planetary Society, for What's Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-one-hundred-weeks  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati

The United Arab Emirates Space Agency is working on its next ambitious spacecraft, the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt. It will visit seven asteroids, ultimately rendezvousing with Justitia, the reddest object in the main asteroid belt. We'll get an update on their team's progress from Mohsen Al Awadhi and Hoor Al Hazmi, the director and science team lead for the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt. Then, our chief scientist at The Planetary Society, Bruce Betts, joins host Sarah Al-Ahmed for What's Up and a new random space fact.  Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-uae-asteroid-belt  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Presidential elections in the United States don’t just shape the country’s future — they set the course for space exploration. This week, Casey Dreier, the chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, analyzes what the incoming Trump administration could mean for NASA’s funding, human spaceflight, and its Science Mission Directorate. Meanwhile, budget cuts have triggered another round of layoffs at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Jack Kiraly, Planetary Society director of government relations, explains why it happened, and what U.S. residents can do to help. Plus, Bruce Betts is back with What's Up and another fascinating Random Space Fact. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-election-nasaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Morgan Cable and Hiro Ono from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory join Planetary Radio to discuss the Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor (EELS) robot concept, a snake-like AI-enabled device designed to navigate the vents of Enceladus. This technology could tell us more about the habitability of Enceladus' subsurface ocean. But first, Kate Howells, The Planetary Society's public education specialist, shares how you can participate in The Planetary Society Best of 2024 Awards. Stay tuned for Bruce Betts, our chief scientist, for What's Up and a new Random Space Fact about Enceladus. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-eels  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spaceport Nova Scotia, Canada’s first commercial launch site, represents a significant step forward for the Canadian space industry. This week, we learn what this spaceport can do for the country's exploratory aspirations and international cooperation with Steve Matier and Sasha Jacob, the CEO and Chairman of Maritime Launch Services. Then Bruce Betts joins me for What's Up and a new random space fact. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-spaceport-nova-scotiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Norm Augustine, the distinguished aerospace industry veteran behind numerous influential studies, joins the show to discuss “NASA at a Crossroads,” the new report that raises alarm bells for NASA’s workforce, infrastructure, and technology capabilities. Augustine, who chaired an expert committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, came to the conclusion that NASA is on an unsustainable path, and has underinvested in its enabling workforce and physical infrastructure for decades.  The solutions put forth by this report committee will require years of effort from NASA, Congress, and subsequent presidential administrations. Which path NASA decides to take, however, may not be known for years to come. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/spe-nasa-at-a-crossroadsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we investigate the mysteries of Pluto's iconic heart-shaped feature. We explore recent research on the origins of the Sputnik Planitia region and what it can tell us about whether or not the dwarf planet has a subsurface ocean. Our guest, Adeene Denton from the University of Arizona, discusses her team's work investigating oblique impact basins, or "splats," and their implications for planetary formation. Then Bruce Betts, chief scientist at The Planetary Society, joins host Sarah Al-Ahmed for a roundup of the most significant impacts in our Solar System in What's Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-pluto-splat See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NASA's Europa Clipper mission launched on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, embarking on a journey to explore Jupiter's icy moon, Europa. This week, Planetary Radio welcomes Bob Pappalardo, the mission's project scientist, who recounts the team's dramatic encounter with Hurricane Milton before their triumphant launch. Plus, get a sneak peek at The Planetary Society's upcoming collaboration with StarTalk as Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium, visits The Planetary Society's headquarters. As always, Bruce Betts wraps up with What's Up, featuring a beautiful member-submitted poem and an intriguing random space fact. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-europa-clipper-blasts-offSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Planetary Radio offers advice for students pursuing higher education in space-related fields. Elizabeth Koenck, a Zed Factor Fellow, shares how her internship at The Planetary Society has helped her pursue a future in space policy. Sara Miller, the organizer of AbGradCon and a Ph.D. candidate at Cornell, discusses how to best leverage conferences and build community. Then, Briley Lewis, a recent Ph.D. graduate at UCLA and a correspondent at STARtorialist, will teach you how to survive grad school. Stick around for What's Up with Bruce Betts, our chief scientist, as he shares more about The Planetary Society's new book series for kids. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-space-students-guide See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jupiter's moon Europa is one of the most promising targets in the search for life. The Planetary Society and space advocates around the world fought to make Europa Clipper a reality. This week, we learn more about the tumultuous history of the mission with Casey Dreier, our chief of space policy. Mat Kaplan, senior communications adviser, gives an update on the successful launch of the European Space Agency's Hera mission and the delayed launch of Europa Clipper due to Hurricane Milton. Then, Bruce Betts, chief scientist at The Planetary Society, discusses two opportunities to view comets in the October sky in What's Up. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-clippers-championsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lori Garver, former NASA Deputy Administrator and participant in two democratic NASA presidential transition teams, joins the show to discuss the potential space policy priorities of a Harris Administration. We explore Harris’ interests in her role as head of the National Space Council, the major issues facing NASA, and Garver’s thoughts on the evolution of Elon Musk, whom she championed during her tenure at NASA in an effort to kickstart the commercial space industry. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/harris-admin-space-policy-preview See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We look forward to the Oct. 7 launch of the European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft with Michael Küppers, project scientist for the mission. Then Ambre Trujillo, our digital community manager at The Planetary Society, lets you know how to celebrate Europa Clipper by joining NASA's Runway to Jupiter style challenge. We'll close out with Bruce Betts, our chief scientist, and a discussion of the potential future meteor shower caused by the DART impact in What's Up.  Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-hera-launchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.