This Week in Space (Audio)

As you have doubtless heard, the White House has once again proposed drastic budget cuts of about 24% for NASA's 2027 budget. It's deja vu all over again for us, as we followed an almost identical story last year. And as with last year, Congress has signaled the new budget to be DOA. This time, however, we had a NASA administrator in the seat when this budget arrived and he said he could work with it—despite a near halving of the NASA science budget and proposed cancellation of well over 50 science missions, many already successful and returning great science after the bulk of the program has been paid for. We invited Jenniter Vaughn, the CEO of The Planetary Society, onto the show to discuss.



Headlines:

Blue Origin's New Glenn 3 Rocket Fails Key Mission Despite Successful Landin

Discovery of Possible Hidden Moons Around Uranus in Planetary Rings

Hubble Space Telescope Celebrates Its 36th Year in Orbit

Main Topic: NASA Science Budget Crisis and Advocacy with Planetary Society CEO Jennifer Vaughn

Jennifer Vaughn's Journey to Leading the Planetary Society

Deep Cuts Proposed for NASA's Science Budget and Widespread Opposition

Congressional Pushback and Ineffectiveness of Copy-Paste Budget Proposals

Risks to Active and Developmental NASA Missions if Funding Slashed

Brain Drain and Damage from Funding Instability at NASA and Partner Institutions

Importance of Public Advocacy and Opportunities to Take Action

Prospects and Cautions for New NASA Leadership Amid Budget Challenges

Broader Impact on US Space Leadership, Innovation, and Long-Term Planning

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Jennifer Vaughn

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What happens next when science can confidently announce the discovery of an alien life form? Whether it's a fully functioning civilization or a lowly Martian microbe, the implications are vast. Dr. Brianne Suldovsky of Portland State University has studied this mostly ignored question and come up with some interesting conclusions--and, like the best science, more questions. How this can best be communicated in an age of mistrust in large institutions and science is a vexing one, and the conversation looked at it from a variety of angles. And--it was fun. Join us!



Headlines:

Artemis 2 Heat Shield Passes Inspection Despite Social Media Panic

SpaceX Nears Version 3 Starship Launch After Delays

New Naked-Eye Comet and Lyrid Meteor Shower Viewing Tips

Main Topic: Communicating the Discovery of Extraterrestrial Life

Lack of Research on Public Communication of Alien Life Discoveries

Religious Backgrounds and How They Shape Views on Science and Space

Public Trust, Misinformation, and Institutional Perception Challenges

Risks, Uncertainties, and Ethics in Announcing Life Discoveries

What Happens if Private Companies Discover Alien Life First

Measuring Public Beliefs: the Extraterrestrial Belief Scale and Conspiracies

Religious, Psychological, and Societal Impacts of Alien Life Announcements

Direct Public Involvement in Decisions About Contacting Alien Life

Navigating AI, Social Media, and Pattern Recognition in Spreading Space News

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Brianne Suldovsky

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This week's episode is devoted to the flight of Artemis II. From the spectacular, on-time launch to the lunar flyby to reentry preparation, we chart all the major events of the mission. Some are technical and scientific--the interest in the small meteoritic impacts on the lunar farside and the spectacular solar eclipse witnessed by the crew—and some are more human interest, such as the messages to the crew from Apollo moonwalker Charlie Duke and the posthumous message from Apollo 8/13 astronaut Jim Lovell, to the very emotional moment where the crew named a crater after Reid Wiseman's recently deceased wife, Carroll. It's a humdinger of a show packed with facts and relevant discussion. Join us!



Main Topic: The Artemis II Mission

Rod & Tariq Share Launch Site and Newsroom Experiences

Spacecraft Amenities: The Ongoing Space Toilet Saga

On-the-Ground Reporting at Kennedy and Johnson Space Centers

Inside the Orion Capsule: Size, Crew Life, and Design

Spectacular Launch: Countdown, Liftoff, and Astronaut Impressions

Cameras and Tech: Photo Gear and Laser Communications on Artemis 2

Smoothest Crewed Launch Beyond Earth Orbit in Over 50 Years

Life Aboard Orion: Living Space, Exercise, and Hygiene Challenges

Emotional Moments: Naming Lunar Craters and Tribute to Crew Family

Wakeup Calls from Apollo Astronauts—Legacy Meets Next Generation

Crew Lunar Flyby: Scientific Observations and Lunar Impact Flashes

Capturing Rare Sights: Earthset, Night Views, and Eclipses from Moon Orbit

Presidential Call: Communications Hiccups and Political Overtones

Return and Splashdown: Heat Shield Concerns, Recovery Procedures, and Records Set

Reflections on Budget Constraints, Press Facilities, and NASA Operations

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

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We've seen NASA go through a lot of drama this year, and recently, some remarkable changes have been announced under the new administrator, Jared Isaacman. We're taking a deep dive into what's changed, what's the same, and what to expect. But first: Tariq and Rod are in Houston monitoring the Artemis 2 mission, which launched flawlessly on Wednesday. It's been a thrill since launch day, which Tariq saw in Florida, and shows no sign of slowing. We're bringing it to you from the field, so strap on in and join us!



Headlines:

Artemis 2 Launched This Week!

Challenges Hit Artemis 2 After Launch: Toilet Problems and Personal Computing Issues

Artemis 2 Crew Prepares for Lunar Flyby and Science Activities

NASA Faces Another Budget Cut for 2027

Main Topic: New NASA, Artemis Overhauls, and Future Missions

NASA Reshuffles Artemis 3–5: Landings Delayed, Missions Reassigned

SLS Development Locked; Vulcan Centaur 5 Upper Stage Selected

Aggressive Timeline for 29 Moon Missions and 22 Landings in Next Decade

Push for Moon Bases by 2032 with $20 Billion Investment

Gateway Lunar Station Put on Ice; Hardware Repurposed for Moon Base and Mars

Surprise Nuclear-Powered Mars Mission Announced for 2028

New Mars Helicopter Fleet to Debut as Part of Skyfall Payload

Shift Away from Private Space Stations; NASA to Build New Core Module

NASA Workforce Hit by Layoffs, Launches New NASA Force Hiring Initiative

Geopolitics, China's Role, and Space Race 2.0 Narrative

(Video of Artemis 2 Launch Courtesy of Space.com)

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space.

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We've seen NASA go through a lot of drama this year, and recently, some remarkable changes have been announced under the new administrator, Jared Isaacman. We're taking a deep dive into what's changed, what's the same, and what to expect. But first: Tariq and Rod are in Houston monitoring the Artemis 2 mission, which launched flawlessly on Wednesday. It's been a thrill since launch day, which Tariq saw in Florida, and shows no sign of slowing. We're bringing it to you from the field, so strap on in and join us!



Headlines:

Artemis 2 Launched This Week!

Challenges Hit Artemis 2 After Launch: Toilet Problems and Personal Computing Issues

Artemis 2 Crew Prepares for Lunar Flyby and Science Activities

NASA Faces Another Budget Cut for 2027

Main Topic: New NASA, Artemis Overhauls, and Future Missions

NASA Reshuffles Artemis 3–5: Landings Delayed, Missions Reassigned

SLS Development Locked; Vulcan Centaur 5 Upper Stage Selected

Aggressive Timeline for 29 Moon Missions and 22 Landings in Next Decade

Push for Moon Bases by 2032 with $20 Billion Investment

Gateway Lunar Station Put on Ice; Hardware Repurposed for Moon Base and Mars

Surprise Nuclear-Powered Mars Mission Announced for 2028

New Mars Helicopter Fleet to Debut as Part of Skyfall Payload

Shift Away from Private Space Stations; NASA to Build New Core Module

NASA Workforce Hit by Layoffs, Launches New NASA Force Hiring Initiative

Geopolitics, China's Role, and Space Race 2.0 Narrative

(Video of Artemis 2 Launch Courtesy of Space.com)

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space.

Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts!

Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Sponsor:
helixsleep.com/space