International Space Development Conference (ISDC)

10/26/2024

Many of us have visited the various displays of space shuttles around the US, and it's always a spectacular sight. The shuttle orbiter was huge, and seeing in any configuration is inspirational. Notably, the California Science Center is completing a display of the Endeavor in a launch configuration, which is unique among shuttle installations. But the very first shuttle mockup ever constructed will soon go on public display in its birthplace in Southern California, the city of Downey. This is where North American Rockwell, the builder of all the shuttles, was located until they were absorbed by Boeing decades ago. It was in the Rockwell facility that the first wood-and-aluminum mockup of the shuttle was built, and it's been stored until this day under the control of the Columbia Memorial Space Center. Of special interest: besides its uses as a technical simulator, this mockup was what closed the deal between NASA and Rockwell to build the shuttles and inspired many in Congress to support the program. The museum's Executive Director and President, Ben Dickow, joins us to talk about this magnificent, full-sized shuttle mockup, its history, and future plans. Martin Lollar Susan Holden Martin TWiT Lisa Laporte National Space Society National Space Society Tariq Malik Burt Dicht Fred Becker Columbia Memorial Space Center Ben Dickow

Many of us have visited the various displays of space shuttles around the US, and it's always a spectacular sight. The shuttle orbiter was huge, and seeing in any

10/12/2024

This week, we're diving deep into some really clever and cutting-edge tech for Martian habitats... made from fungus! Dr. Lynn Rothschild of the NASA Ames Research Center has been working for years on how mushroom mycelia might be utilized as a habitat-building resource. It's quite fascinating--the organic material can be used to make bricks, create shaped structures, and even to create an "astropharmacy" to supply certain compounds needed by the crew of a Mars excursion! And it is sufficiently enticing that NASA's NIAC innovation program has given her no less than five grants (which are not easy to get!) to study the possibilities. Join us for this really engaging and blue-sky conversation! Martin Lollar Susan Holden Martin TWiT Lisa Laporte National Space Society Burt Dicht Fred Becker

This week, we're diving deep into some really clever and cutting-edge tech for Martian habitats... made from fungus! Dr. Lynn Rothschild of the NASA Ames Research Center has

09/28/2024

We decided to call episode 130 of This Week in Space "Dogs on Mars; Snakes on the Moon." Besides being a juicy bit of clickbait, it refers to rovers on the Red Planet and the now-cancelled VIPER program to search for lunar volatiles. Re Mars, we wanted to look again at the status of Mars Sample Return--yet another potential NASA tumble, it appears. Dr. Jim Bell of Arizona State University, and who has worked on every Mars rover since Pathfinder, joins us for a deep dive on these topics and more--and we learned, first hand, why he won the Carl Sagan Award for his ability to communicate about science! Susan Holden Martin Martin Lollar National Space Society Burt Dicht Fred Becker TWiT Lisa Laporte Tariq Malik

NASA's planetary exploration program is in trouble. The Mars Sample Return program is verging on cancellation, and the VIPER mission to the moon already has been. Both are

09/10/2024

The National Space Society has a great opportunity for high school and for university students to become involved in a virtual international debate experience that focuses on issues of space utilization! Pass the word along!

09/07/2024

On Episode 127 of This Week In Space, Tariq Malik and I talk with Max Haot of VAST about his company's first space station.

We all know the ISS is living its last days and will be deorbited sometime around 2030... but what's coming up next? Max Haot of VAST joins us to discuss his company's first space station, called Haven-1, set to launch in 2025.

For a company just just a few years old, VAST has made impressive progress toward what is likely to be the first private crewed space station in history. Subsequent plans include a larger orbital habitat with artificial gravity and much more.

It's an exciting time in Space 2.0, and companies like VAST are leading the way! Join us for this fascinating hour.
National Space Society Fred Becker Burt Dicht Greg Autry Martin Lollar Susan Holden Martin TWiT Lisa Laporte

We all know the ISS is living its last days and will be deorbited sometime around 2030... but what's coming up next? For episode 127, Max Haot of VAST joins us to discuss his

08/24/2024

It's the end of summer, and that means it's time to go back to school—in our case, space school! There's a lot going on, a lot coming up, and a whole lot to know about the next 9 months in space. What can we expect from SpaceX? How are the outer solar system missions proceeding? What about the new rocket engines for the Artemis program? What are we doing about orbital debris? Are we really in a new space race with China? And much more, including that most vexing of questions: what's up with Starliner? Join us for the fun.
Fred Becker Burt Dicht National Space Society Lisa Laporte Martin Lollar Susan Holden Martin TWiT

It's the end of summer, and that means it's time to go back to school—in our case, space school! There's a lot going on, a lot coming up, and a whole lot to know about the

07/13/2024

If you saw the movie "Gravity," you have a sense of the dangers of orbital debris—and the risk is very real. More than 25,000 objects over four inches in diameter are tracked by the US Space Force, and millions of others are smaller or untracked—everything from derelict satellites to dead rocket stages to bits of shrapnel and even just chunks of frozen rocket fuel is there. And even something the size and mass of a paint chip, traveling at orbital speeds, can take out a window of a spacecraft. We're joined by Dr. John Crassidis from the University of Buffalo, an expert in orbital debris and its dangers. Look out below; this is going to be a hot one!
Tariq MalikBurt DichtFred BeckerMartin LollarSusan Holden Martin National Space SocietySpace.comLisa Laporte at BuffaloIsaac Arthur

If you saw the movie 'Gravity,' you have a sense of the dangers of orbital debris—and the risk is very real. More than 25,000 objects over four inches in diameter are tracked by th…

07/06/2024

For many of us, dark matter and dark energy are two of the least understood areas of cosmology and astrophysics. This week on ep 118 of This week in Space, we invited Alina Kiessling and Jason Rhodes, both Research Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, to explain these concepts and their broader implications for cosmology, exoplanet research, and more. Both of them are working on major space telescope projects to research "dark physics," as they will explain. Guest co-host Isaac Arthur asks compelling, comprehensive questions about physics and cosmology while Rod asks things like "is dark energy dangerous?" because, let's face it, someone has to ask the dumb questions. Join us for the fascinating deep dive into dark forces!
Burt DichtFred BeckerMartin LollarSusan Holden MartinNational Space SocietyTariq MalikJpl NewschiefJPL TechnologyRob Manning LaporteAnthony NielsenBurke McQuinn

For many of us, dark matter and dark energy are two of the least understood areas of cosmology and astrophysics. This week, we invited Alina Kiessling and Jason Rhodes, both Resear…

06/29/2024

On ep 117 of This Week in Space, Isaac Arthur and I are joined by Evan Jensen of ICON Build, a company that, in just a few years, has created housing across Texas via 3D printing. Now, in association with NASA, they are also investing heavily in researching how to 3D print habitats on the moon and one day Mars. It isn't easy working in a vacuum--water freezes and evaporates instantly, and any other materials you need must be transported there. ICON has some unique processes they are testing in their large vacuum chambers, and the results are truly fascinating. Join us for a look into the future of living on other worlds!
Martin Lollar Susan Holden Martin Burt Dicht Fred Becker Lisa Laporte Tariq Malik National Space Society Cristin Finnigan Mars Colonization Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur

For decades we've seen images of huge glass domes on the moon and Mars, but the reality of building settlements off-Earth is likely to look much different. This week we're joined b…

06/15/2024

We see the sun every day as it rises and sets... it's one of the few constants in life. But it's a very dynamic body, throwing minor temper tantrums regularly. As it happens, we're at the peak of its 11-year cycle of activity and there's a lot going on! On episode 115 of This Week In Space, Malik and I talk about the sun and solar activity cycles.

Dr. Alex Young, the Associate Director for Science in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, joins us to talk about the recent solar storms that have given us auroras and some communications blackouts, the science from the Parker solar probe, and much more.

Don't take the friendly Mr. Sun for granted--join us for this fascinating episode! Martin Lollar Susan Holden Martin National Space Society Burt Dicht Fred Becker Anthony Nielsen Lisa Laporte NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

We see the sun every day as it rises and sets... it's one of the few constants in life. But it's a very dynamic body, throwing minor temper tantrums regularly. As it happens, we're…

05/31/2024

On ep. 113 of This Week in Space, Tariq Malik and I speak with Mike Wall, senior space reporter at Space. com about China's Chang'e 6 moon probe, the overall Chinese lunar initiative, and the next crewed landing on the moon--whose flag will fly over the landing site, and why does it matter? Also an update on Boeing's Starliner, more aurorae in our future, and much more. Join us! National Space Society Martin Lollar Susan Holden Martin Lisa Laporte Burt Dicht Fred Becker

In this episode of This Week in Space, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik discuss the latest updates on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, the potential for aurora sightings due to increased sol…