Talking Space

In this special episode of Talking Space, we delve into a rarely discussed, but crucial aspect of living in space: health and sickness. We're putting the spotlight on the unique challenges posed by bacterial and viral infections aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and future long-duration missions. We're bringing you a deep dive into a groundbreaking experiment, GEARS (Genomic Enumeration of Antibiotic Resistance in Space), recently transported to the ISS. What is the aim of this experiment? How can analyzing the genetic makeup of antibiotic-resistant microbes in space help us on Earth? Joining us for this insightful conversation are Dr. Sarah Wallace, a NASA microbiologist at the Johnson Space Center’s Biomedical research and Environmental Sciences Division Microbiology Laboratory, and Dr. Christopher Carr, co-director of the Georgia Tech Astrobiology Program. They'll shed light on the history of sickness on the ISS, the precautions in place, and the worst-case scenarios of illness or injury that have occurred. How do astronauts maintain personal hygiene in space? What kind of medical supplies are available aboard the ISS? Tune in to find out. We're also discussing the specifics of the GEARS experiment. What unique insights can we glean from the genetic makeup of bacteria in space? How will this knowledge shape the future of long-duration space missions? With the advent of commercial LEO destinations, how is the space industry preparing for microbial challenges? What discussions are under way to make new stations more resistant to accumulating microbes? Lastly, we tackle the ultimate Doomsday medical scenario: What would happen in case of a serious illness outbreak on the ISS or during a long-term flight to Mars? We'll discuss how scientists are trying to mitigate the potential dangers of bringing Earth germs to another planet and the risks of bringing something dangerous back to Earth. Don't miss this episode of Talking Space as we navigate the intriguing world of health and sickness in space. Please be sure to let us know your thoughts on the topics we discuss. You can always reach us at mailbag@TalkingSpaceOnline.com. You now also have a way to easily send us a voice recording that we may use on the show: just click on the blue microphone icon at the bottom right of any page at TalkingSpaceOnline.com. Show recorded 04-18-2024. Host: Larry Herrin Panelist(s):  Mark Ratterman (Gene Mikulka, Dr. Kat Robison and Sawyer Rosenstein will return) Podcast Editor: Larry Herrin GEARS experiment – website photo credit: Planetary eXploration Lab (PXL) Sarah Wallace - website photo credit: NASA Christopher Carr - website photo credit: Planetary eXploration Lab (PXL)

There’s a lot going on this time around, as usual. First, in the news roundup: Starship: The Lawsuit pitting the Center for Biological Diversity against the FAA and SpaceX proceeded mostly as expected (with a notable exception). The FAA awaits the US Fish and Wildlife Service to complete their Biological Assessment portion for review of the Starship’s next launch license. Here’s the Wallops Spaceport site map about which Gene quoted Eric Roesch in our discussion. Harry Stranger first tweeted about the maps on X. LUCY Mission makes its first asteroid flyby on November 1st. India has announced an ambitious, multi-planetary expansion of its space program on a short, 20-year timeline. NASA picks three museums in which to display OSIRIS-REx asteroid Bennu samples. When can you go see them? Actually very soon! Then, Mark discusses a brief history and laments the lessened art of spacecraft call signs and aircraft nose art. He also informs us that Commander Callie continues her mission in NASA’s newest issue of its graphic novel. Next, Gene brings us up to speed on the wobbly future of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission in light of the findings of the recent Independent Review Board 2 report. The IRB2 report concluded, among other things, that there is “likely not enough funding available to accomplish any mission.” Say again, Houston? Finally, Kat brings us an initial teaser report and interview from the recent ASCEND conference with Lindsay Kaldon, Project Manager with NASA’s Fission Surface Power Project, managed by NASA’s Glenn Research Çenter in Cleveland, OH. You want to survive long-term on the Moon or Mars, you gotta have a lot of reliable electrical power! Thanks to all for the heads-up about issues with Talking Space’s website. It’s been down for a number of weeks now. We’re “working the problem,” and will have the site back up very soon. The podcast itself has always been available wherever else you get your podcasts, as you know if you’re reading this soon after it is published! UPDATE: The website has been restored as of the afternoon of November 7, 2023, and seems to be functioning normally. Please be sure to let us know your thoughts on the topics we discuss. You can always reach us at mailbag@TalkingSpaceOnline.com . Show recorded 10-27-2023. Host: Sawyer Rosenstein Panelist(s): Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman, Dr. Kat Robison and Larry Herrin Podcast Editor: Larry Herrin  

So much has happened so fast in the last couple of weeks related to SpaceX’s pursuit of Starship’s Flight 2 launch license. Look at all these goings-on: September 10, 2023: The list of 63 corrective actions specified in the Mishap Investigation Report are published; September 13, 2023: Acting FAA Administrator Polly Trottenberg comments to reporters that “We’re working well with them (SpaceX) and I think we’re optimistic sometime next month,” whatever that means. Trottenberg also mentions that SpaceX would also need a separate environmental approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) before a launch. She didn’t say how long that might take. Late Friday afternoon on September 15, 2023: News from FAA that they were performing a Written Reevaluation (WR) of the 2022 Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA). The WR will evaluate all the new environmental data collected as a result of the April 20, 2023 initial test launch of Starship, and will include results of an Endangered Species Act (ESA) consultation with USFWS. September 18, 2023: USFWS clarifies a few things about its ESA Section 7 re-initiation of the biological consultation with the FAA in a statement to@NASASpaceflight. To try and make sense of all this, Larry and Gene are pleased to welcome back Eric Roesch (@ESGHound), who by now should be familiar to regular Talking Space listeners. Eric is an environmental engineer by trade. He is an environmental permitting expert who has written extensively about permitting-related activities related to the activities of SpaceX. Eric, Gene and Larry will take a deep dive to provide some clarity to all the above, as well as answers to questions like: Is there anything new in the environmental lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and SpaceX? Does the lawsuit have any bearing on this whole WR situation? Do any of the 63 corrective actions resulting from the now-closed Mishap Investigation address the lack of an Industrial Wastewater Permit for the water deluge system? How long will FAA take to confirm that SpaceX has satisfactorily completed all the corrective actions, including the environmental aspects? What is a Written Reevaluation (WR)? Why did the FAA decide to require a WR? How long will the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service take to perform their consultation with the FAA? What are the possible outcomes of the WR, and how long will they take to resolve? What is the most likely outcome? What is our “SWAG estimate” as to how long before we can get an idea of when Starship will fly again? Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the topics we discuss. You can always reach us at mailbag@TalkingSpaceOnline.com . Contact Eric and read his writings: website: blog.esghound.com; Substack: esghound.substack.com; X/Twitter: @ESGHound; Also: Mashable story about the Bloomberg FOIA story. Show recorded 09-19-2023. Host: Larry Herrin Panelist(s): Gene Mikulka (Mark Ratterman, Sawyer Rosenstein and Dr. Kat Robison will return) Podcast Editor: Larry Herrin

In this special edition of Talking Space, we talk to the man who was for many years was the voice of Shuttle Launch Control at the Kennedy Space Center, Mr. Hugh Harris. Born in December of 1932 he served as an information specialist with the US Army from 1952 until 1954 and graduated from Western Reserve University in Ohio in 1956.  Mr. Harris worked as a reporter for a metropolitan daily newspaper, a magazine writer for Standard Oil,  and a radio personality at WMTR in Morristown, NJ.  According to his NASA bio, He started his NASA career in 1963 as an information officer at what was then the Lewis Research Center, in Cleveland Ohio ( Now the John H. Glenn Research Center).  He was promoted to Chief Public Affairs Officer in 1968 and was transferred to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in 1975. ten years later he assumed the role of Deputy Director of the KSC Public Affairs Office. Harris Earned NASA’s Equal Opportunity Medal in 1979 and was awarded Exceptional Service Medals in 1985 and 1988. He’s also earned a Distinguished Service Award. form the SPacecoast Chapter of Federally Employed Women for 1978-79 Harris retired from NASA in April of 1998 but still volunteers on occasion at the Public Affairs Office. He is the author of the e-book: Challenger an American Tragedy where he recounts his observations of that fateful day in January 1986, and the events thereafter.  

The Kepler Spacecraft ran into trouble last Friday but thanks to heroic effort by the team at  NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory,  Kepler’s search for Exoplanets can resume. We discuss the SpaceX Dragon Cargo Resupply Mission 8  and it’s cargo specifically the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) to be attached to the International Space Station.  SpaceX also proved at least part of their business model by landing the first stage of their Falcon 9 booster on a drone ship. We discuss the implications. At the  32nd Space Symposium,  United Launch Alliance and Bigelow Aerospace announced a partnership to loft Bigelow’s B330 expandable modules in 2020, thus creating a new independent space station separate from the ISS without NASA. The team looks at this groundbreaking deal. ULA was also making news this week at the Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF), presenting it’s blueprint for a cis-lunar economy once more independent of NASA. All of this looks at space not just a place for exploration but economic opportunity, the team discusses and explores what a future could look like.  In the second half of the show, the team opens up part one of it’s NEAF roundup with David Shoemaker  of the Advanced LIGO Project  and Hans Koeningsmann of SpaceX  The second half of our NEAF roundup will be coming up in Episode 806.   Host: Sawyer Rosenstein Panel Members: Kassy Tamanini & Gene Mikulka

In 2012, following the end of the Space Transportation System program, NASA faced the monumental task of finding permanent homes for the three remaining Space Shuttle Orbiters—so that their incredible stories could be preserved and shared with the public. After a lengthy and sometimes contentious selection process, the three operational orbiters—Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavour—along with the prototype Enterprise, were officially retired and transported to their new homes amid much celebration. These irreplaceable artifacts of American space history now serve as centerpieces in four major museums across the country, inspiring millions of visitors each year. One notable omission from the final list was Houston, Texas—home to NASA’s Johnson Space Center. While the city did not receive one of the orbiters, it was awarded a Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and a full-scale model orbiter, which allows visitors to explore a replica of the Shuttle's interior. That should have been the end of the story—but it wasn’t. In a surprising twist, Texas Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz inserted a provision into the recently passed Reconciliation Act, also known as “The Big Beautiful Bill Act" that calls for relocating Space Shuttle Discovery from its current home at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, to Houston. Is this bold attempt at “Shuttle Rustling” even viable? To find out, we spoke with Joe Stief, the founder of Keep the Shuttle, a grassroots campaign working to prevent Discovery’s relocation. We discuss his efforts, what’s at stake, and the broader implications this move could have for the future of artifacts held by national museums. Host: Gene Mikulka  Guest: Joe Stief, KeepTheShuttle.org     

The OSIRIS-APEX mission, an extension of the wildly successful OSIRIS-REx mission, is set to rendezvous with Asteroid 99942 Apophis in April 2029. This mission takes full advantage of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which still has plenty of fuel and is totally healthy after delivering samples from Asteroid Bennu to Earth on 24 September, 2023. OSIRIS-APEX will closely observe Apophis as the asteroid makes a remarkably close flyby of Earth, coming within 32,000 kilometers (20,000 miles)  – closer than some Earth-orbiting satellites. The mission's primary objectives are to study how Earth's gravitational pull affects the orbit of Apophis, its spin, and surface features. However, the mission is in peril. The proposed Presidential Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2026 budget calls for the cancellation of OSIRIS-APEX, despite its low cost and the scientific value it offers as an extended mission using an already existing and proven spacecraft. On this episode of Talking Space, we're joined by Dr. Dani Mendoza DellaGiustina, Principal Investigator for the OSIRIS-APEX mission and Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory. We'll delve into the mission's goals, the reasons given behind its potential cancellation in the 2026 NASA Budget, and the options available should the 2026 budget be approved by Congress, a budget that cancels this ambitious mission. Guest: Dr. Dani Mendoza DellaGiustina, Assistant Professor, University of Arizona - Lunar and Planetary Laboratory.  Host: Gene Mikulka Additional information on the 2026 NASA Budget via NASA  Advocacy Resources from the Planetary Society        

Episode 1701: Talking Space returns after a hiatus to discuss the landing attempts by the NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services program. First a successful soft landing of the Firefly Aerospace Blue Ghost 1 mission on the plans of Mare Crisium.  Then a much more perilous landing attempt for the Intuitive Machines "Athena" lander, trying to land its suite of science and technology demonstrations closer to the Lunar South Pole than any other mission to date, with some mixed results. We also mention that Japan's ispace is set to try a lunar landing on 6 June.   We then focused on the Expedition 72 / 73 handover at the International Space Station and took one more look at the Crew-9 Mission's saga in the mainstream press with a reminder: Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were never "stuck" or "stranded" on the ISS, and never needed to be "rescued." Our Mark Ratterman also reminds all that the NASA Spinoff catalog for 2025 is available for download. If at first, you don't succeed... try, try again out at Boca Chica Texas for the SpaceX Starship with Integrated Flight Test 8. Alas, the same result as Mission 7 with debris scattering over the skies of Caribbean Islands and air traffic having to be diverted out of the area, quickly. We discuss the incident and the possible future of the program.  We end the program with a plea, especially for our friends in the United States.  Due to current goings-on within the US government, both NASA's personnel and budget are poised to be cut drastically. A 50 % cut in the NASA science budget is not outside the realm of possibility. The impact would be catastrophic, causing long-established science investigations to shut down, and crippling the start of new missions. Very rarely do we go into activist mode, but this is one of those times where it is required. If you care for your space program, tell your elected representatives. Don't know how to contact them? Here's a guide via Congress.gov   Participants this Week:   Dr. Kat Robison, Mark Ratterman, Gene Mikulka     

It was September 9, 2009; aka 09/09/09. That was the easy-to-remember air date of the first episode of Talking Space. The Space Shuttle era was ending. As far as most of the public was concerned, that represented the death knell for the U.S. Space Program. But Gene, Mark and Sawyer knew better, and they were trying to figure out how to best spread the word that all was not lost. Thus, Talking Space was born. And what a ride it’s been. In Part 2 of this retrospective (Part 1 can be found here), the team reveals: The role of audience feedback – pros and cons, and the methods by which we receive it (and don’t, despite our best efforts);  Our social media follies; The behind-the-scenes scrambles to cover launch anomalies; The proven importance of dissimilar redundancy, as well as interoperability; How we’ve dealt with the occasional bouts of podcast burnout over the last 15 years, because sometimes we just get tired, you know? And sometimes, Life just gets in the way. Those are the times we’re glad we’re not doing this podcasting stuff alone. And we also talk about how much we value feedback from you, our listeners – even when you let us know you do not particularly agree with us. Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the topics we discuss. You can always reach us at mailbag@TalkingSpaceOnline.com . Show recorded 09-19-2023. Host: Larry Herrin Panelist(s): Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman, Sawyer Rosenstein and Dr. Kat Robison Podcast Editor: Larry Herrin

It was September 9, 2009; aka 09/09/09. That was the easy-to-remember air date of the first episode of Talking Space. The Space Shuttle era was ending. For most casual observers, that represented the death knell for the U.S. Space Program. But Gene, Mark and Sawyer knew better, and they were trying to figure out how to best spread the word that all was not lost. Back then, there were basically only three places to publish a podcast: iTunes, Yahoo and your own website (probably made with Wordpress). Apple didn’t launch its first standalone Apple Podcasts mobile app until 2012. The app was later pre-installed with iOS beginning October 2014. Now, you can listen to Talking Space on any of what seems like dozens of available podcast aggregation apps. So, as our gift to you, you get to hear us talk about ourselves for a change – like it or not. Yay! This time around, our entire on-air team (as it existed when this episode was recorded on September 19, 2023) lets their collective hair down to celebrate and reminisce about how Talking Space got started back in those Wild West days of podcasting. We also discuss how each of us came to find a way to be a part of it. We’ll reveal the "challenging" episodes, the ones that caused us joy, the occasionally stressful times, and the often very rewarding times. Listen in as we share behind-the-scenes stories of covering historic events, interviewing legendary astronauts, and navigating the ever-evolving world of space exploration. Discover how Talking Space has grown and adapted over the years, embracing new formats and audiences while staying true to its mission of delivering in-depth analysis and commentary. Whether you're a long-time listener or new to the podcast, this episode offers a unique glimpse into the passion and dedication that drives the Talking Space team. Don't miss Part 1 of this engaging and nostalgic look back at the past 14 years of Talking Space. And then, stay tuned for Part 2, coming soon, where the conversation continues! Be sure to let us know your thoughts on the topics we discuss. You can always reach us at mailbag@TalkingSpaceOnline.com . Show recorded 09-19-2023. Host: Larry Herrin Panelist(s): Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman, Sawyer Rosenstein and Dr. Kat Robison Podcast Editor: Larry Herrin  

Environmental regulators are beginning to clamp down on Starbase. The big question is: Do these enforcement actions have enough significance to force the FAA to delay launch activities at Boca Chica? Some troubling headlines  appeared on CNBC.com on Monday, August 12, 2024 concerning SpaceX’s alleged issues regarding compliance with environmental regulations that govern their activities at the Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas.  The story by Lora Kolodny alleges that “Elon Musk’s SpaceX violated environmental regulations by repeatedly releasing pollutants into or near bodies of water in Texas, a state agency said in a notice of violation focused on the company’s water deluge system at its Starbase launch facility. “The notice from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) last week came five months after the Environmental Protection Agency Region 6 office, which covers Texas and surrounding states, had also informed SpaceX that it violated the Clean Water Act with the same type of activity.” SpaceX finally submitted an application for an Industrial Wastewater Individual Permit on July 1, 2024. It was later revised, and the revised application was  submitted August 14, 2024. Beginning at 45:20 of this episode we discuss the following: SpaceX posted a response on X in the afternoon of August 12. It dubbed the CNBC story “factually inaccurate,” and revealed additional interesting information that was previously unknown to us. So Many Questions… We’re devoting this looonng episode (sorry!) to an analysis of these developments, and Eric Roesch is back with us to help give it all the once-over. And you know that wherever Eric is, a controversial, SpaceX-related environmental issue can’t be far behind. Among the topics we’ll discuss: What exactly happened here? The classic question: What did SpaceX know, and when did they know it? Do these enforcement actions have enough significance to force the FAA to delay launch activities at Boca Chica? How much worse can SpaceX make it by continuing to use the water deluge system before a permit is issued? What are the potential consequences for these violations? Could anyone actually go to jail? In SpaceX’s response post on X, why don’t some of SpaceX’s assertions make sense? Why did the FAA on Monday (the same day the CNBC story broke) cancel previously scheduled public hearings on the new draft Environmental Assessment for Boca Chica which requests a higher launch cadence and use of a bigger, more powerful and louder version of Starship than is currently in use? Please be sure to let us know your thoughts on the topics we discuss. You can always reach us at mailbag@TalkingSpaceOnline.com. You now have a way to easily send us a voice recording that we may use on the show: just click on the blue microphone icon at the bottom right of any page at TalkingSpaceOnline.com.   Show recorded 08-13-2024.   Host: Larry Herrin Panelist(s): Heather Smith and Eric Roesch (Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman, Dr. Kat Robison and Sawyer Rosenstein will return) Podcast Editor: Larry Herrin   TalkingSpaceOnline.com episode page photo credits: Boca Chica OLM water deluge system test on July 27, 2023: SpaceX/X

NASA has tried to get Extra Vehicular Activity Number Ninety underway since June 13th. The first attempt was thwarted by a space suit comfort issue, the second by a water leak that created a blizzard of ice inside the  Quest airlock. Are the Shuttle-Era Extra Vehicular Mobility Units (EMU) or space suits finally showing their age? Also, what about Collins Aerospace and their recent withdrawal from their NASA contract to build the next generation of space suits for the ISS and the Artemis Lunar Program when they indicated back in February that all was going well? We discuss. On June 17th, the FAA held a virtual public hearing to receive comments concerning SpaceX’s plans to use Launch Complex 39-A and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to support Starship Super Heavy Launches. We discuss what occurred during the session and the fallout from statements put into the record by both Blue Origin and United Launch Alliance. Talking Space continues our Boeing Space CST-100 Starliner Crewed Flight Test coverage. The team continues to examine the “Starliner is Stuck at the ISS” misconceptions and asks what NASA & Boeing Space could have done to alleviate such headlines. We also look at a detailed explanation posted on Twitter from Jim May, a Boeing Engineer who was part of the NASA-TV coverage, of why “Calypso” remains on the ISS. The basis of his discussion comes from the actual NASA flight certification plan. Heather Smith mentions the observations of a NASA flight director and his assessment of how Starliner performed during its first actual safe-haven exercise.  All this and more in this edition of Talking Space! (Recorded July 5th, 2024) Host: Larry Herrin Panel Members: Gene Mikulka, Mark Ratterman, Heather Smith

The Geosynchronous Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-U, launched at 5:26 PM EDT on 25 June 2024 from Launch Complex 39 A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.   A SpaceX Falcon Heavy took the 6000-pound satellite to its geostationary orbit in the Western Hemisphere. After a commissioning process, GOES –U will be renamed GOES 19 and take over the GOES EAST duties, standing sentinel, watching for severe storms, hurricanes, and wildfires. A unique option on this spacecraft: it can keep an eye on Coronal Mass Ejections or CMEs from the Sun. This episode is an all-you-can-eat GOES fest, complete with GOES-U Falcon Heavy launch audio at the beginning and a related special audio treat at the end of the episode.                    Mark Ratterman was at the Kennedy Space Center press site representing Talking Space during launch activities and was able to talk to several key players of the GOES-U team. In this episode you'll hear from:  John Gagosian - Director, NASA Joint Agency Satellite Division Krizia Negron - Language Program Lead, National Weather Service Office of Science and Technology Integration, NOAA Chris Reith - Program Manager, Advanced Baseline Imager,  L3-Harris Technologies Mr. Reith is also working on NOAA's follow-up to the GOES series: The GeoXO program Ken Graham – Director, National Weather Service  If you wish to take a look at what the GOES satellites have seen and how their images have evolved over the years, NOAA has on their website a "Cool Image Retrospective" page, have a look here.   Please be sure to let us know your thoughts on the topics we discuss. You can always reach us at mailbag@TalkingSpaceOnline.com. You now also have a way to easily send us a voice recording that we may use on the show: just click on the blue microphone icon at the bottom right of any of our web pages at TalkingSpaceOnline.com. Show recorded 07-03-2024. Host: Larry Herrin Segment Producer: Mark Ratterman  Panelists:  Gene Mikulka, Heather D. Smith  Podcast Editor: Gene Mikulka GOES-U Falcon Heavy – website photo credit: NASA    

“Starliner Stuck In Space!!!”, “Starliner Stranded at the ISS!!”, “Space-X To Rescue Starliner Crew!!!” These were the various outrageous headlines being thrown around by various space media outlets this week, concerning the Boeing Starliner Mission and its progress. None of these sensational headlines are true, the ship and crew are in good condition but the media claims that the Starliner mission is in a grave situation, remain.    In this special edition of Talking Space, Gene Mikulka and Heather Smith take the time to sort through the chaff that is out there about the mission and offer insight into what is going on. We explore why it is not just the usual social media suspects perpetuating the myth about a broken spacecraft and a “crew in peril” but mainstream media has been jumping on the same bandwagon. There have been some exceptions to the rule the social media rule: the YouTube channel Overlook Horizon released a fairly good video explaining some of the mission details that we also touch on, in this installment. The video does speculate what a Dragon rescue might look like, however, our show does not examine that possibility. Given the information that NASA and Boeing have presented in thier joint press conferences, such speculation on our part was not needed or required.  As of this writing, Starliner remains docked to the ISS, in a good, healthy state, ready to support crew return. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams continue to support the balance of the Expedition 71 crew in their ISS science and maintenance duties. Our usual format picks up next time with an upcoming deep dive into the GOES-U launch and more! Host Gene Mikulka Panel Member: Heather Smith

A quick special report on the status of the joint NASA/Boeing Starliner Mission based on a Blog Post prepared by  NASA and Boeing for our listeners. 

After years of development, testing, disappointment, and perseverance,  NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Willams took Boeing's CST 100 Starliner to the International Space Station for its first flight with a human crew. The team discusses all facets of the launch, rendezvous, docking (not without its moments of drama), and public reaction to the mission thus far. Also this week, the fourth test flight of the SpaceX Starship Super-Heavy booster and a re-entry test of the Starship vehicle itself. The super-heavy vehicle is critical for NASA's Artemis lunar landing program, and a derivative of Starship was selected by NASA to be the human lunar lander used on Artemis III. The team puts the fourth Starship test into perspective. Starship development was also critical for the SpaceX/ Yusaku Maezawa dearMoon program, which was to take Maezawa and eight invitees into orbit around the Moon. However, Maezawa announced that since a 2023 launch had become "unfeasible" and lacked a "clear schedule," he was canceling the program. The announcement drew some ire in the space community, and we examine the fallout. One of The Hubble Space Telescope's three gyroscopes used to point the telescope to distant objects has failed. We look at a Media Telecon where NASA's astrophysics leader, Dr. Mark Clampen, indicated the agency will continue to utilize Hubble in a "one gyro mode" so the iconic telescope can still deliver good science with only a 20% loss of capability. The orbiting telescope is in overall good health and should continue to operate until 2035. At the same teleconference, Dr. Clampen announced that NASA has no intention of launching a Hubble servicing or re-boost mission in the foreseeable future. This news ends the SpaceX/Polaris plan to launch a possible servicing mission to the telescope. A May 2024 NPR article by Nell GreenfeldBoyce also reported NASA's concerns about the unsolicited proposal.  Sadly, the past few episodes have ended in obituaries, and that trend continues. The team takes a  few moments to remember NASA Apollo 8 Astronaut William Anders, who died in a plane crash this past weekend. All this and more in this edition of Talking Space! UPDATE ONE:  During the show, we reported that the new undock date for Starliner was on 22 June. After we published, NASA and Boeing decided to do some more analysis on the thruster issues experienced during last week's docking to the ISS. To understand the Starliner Service Module more, ( the service module does not return ) NASA and Boeing have now indicated that Starliner will undock from the ISS  at 10:10 PM EDT on Tuesday, June 25th with a landing planned at the White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico at 4:51 AM EDT on June 26th.  UPDATE TWO: In A Blog Post Today (21 June 2024)  NASA and Boeing Space announced that they are waiving the return date of 26 June for Starliner, with a new date to be announced at a later time. To quote the NASA blog post: " The move off Wednesday, June 26, deconflicts Starliner’s undocking and landing from a series of planned International Space Station spacewalks while allowing mission teams time to review propulsion system data." Steve Stitich, NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager said “We are strategically using the extra time to clear a path for some critical station activities while completing readiness for Butch and Suni’s return on Starliner and gaining valuable insight into the system upgrades we will want to make for post-certification missions.” NASA Reports that Starliner remains healthy and that CFT Crew Members Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams continue to support the Expedition 71 Crew with their activities on the International Space Station.  Talking Space will continue to follow the story as it develops.  Host: Gene Mikulka Panel Members: Mark Ratterman, Heather Smith  

May 6th was going to be the date that Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunni Williams were going to take the Boeing CST 100 Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station for the first time with astronauts on board. Starliner has undergone a rather stormy development period and is several years behind schedule as a result but NASA, Boeing, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) teams after the earlier flight readiness review were confident that the spacecraft was ready for crewed flight. The mission also marked the first time since Leroy Gordon Cooper’s Mercury-Atlas 9 on May 15th, 1963, that a human was going to ride to orbit on the “shoulders” of an Atlas launch vehicle. Even the weather for the attempt on May 6th was 95 percent “go.” Unfortunately, the May 6th date was not to be. A cranky valve on board the Second Stage (Centaur Stage) of the ULA Atlas V kept Starliner on the ground. We explore what exactly happened, put the event in context, and gauge public reaction on various social media outlets. We also take a look at a rather explosive claim from a New York-based NASA contractor, ValveTech, about the component in question and debunk the Company’s claims. If you live in North America, did you catch the aurora this past weekend? A Class 4 Geomagnetic storm was the cause, the first Class 4 solar storm warning issued by NOAA since 2005. NOAA called a press conference about potential impacts on Friday, May 10th, calling the event “potentially historic.” What were the impacts here on Earth or did it pose issues for the International Space Station? We discuss. The  US Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved the FAA Reauthorization Act which extends the period where the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) would be limited from regulating the safety of commercial human spaceflight, more commonly known as the “learning period.” Also, the FAA announced public meetings to occur next month to get public comments on an Environmental Impact Study on allowing Starship Super Heavy launches from NASA's Launch Complex 39A. All comments should be submitted by one of the methods listed under "ADDRESSES" in the linked document no later than June 24, 2024. We examine both stories. Tokyo’s Astroscale announced that it had conducted the first rendezvous with a spent rocket upper stage in Earth Orbit. The idea is to understand how such an object behaves as a prelude to determining how to dispose of such an object properly. We take a brief look at their plans. All this and more in this edition of Talking Space! Please be sure to let us know your thoughts on the topics we discuss. You can always reach us at mailbag@TalkingSpaceOnline.com. You now also have a way to easily send us a voice recording that we may use on the show: just click on the blue microphone icon at the bottom right of any page at TalkingSpaceOnline.com. Show recorded 05-12-2024. Host: Larry Herrin Panelist(s):  Gene Mikulka, Heather Smith (Mark  Ratterman, Dr. Kat Robison and Sawyer Rosenstein will return) Podcast Editor: Larry Herrin Space Debris – website photo credit: Astroscale  Aurora Borealis -- website photo credit: Dr. Kat Robison NOTE: As of the recording date of the episode, the next launch attempt for Starliner was May 17th. That has since been changed. Due to a stubborn helium tank system leak, the latest date: NET May 25th at 3:09 PM EDT (1909 UTC). This new date is tentative as of this writing, and is subject to change.  

Welcome to another episode of Talking Space, where we bring you the latest updates on space exploration and technology. In this episode, we're excited to introduce our new team member, Heather Smith, who brings her passion for space to our discussions. Welcome, Heather! The episode kicks off with news about Slovenia signing the Artemis Accords. These accords outline best practices for sustainable space exploration and Slovenia is the third European country to sign them in less than a week, closely following Switzerland and Sweden. Next, we delve into the Mars Sample Return Mission. This ambitious mission aims to bring back samples from Mars to Earth. However, escalating costs and potential impacts on other missions have presented challenges. What will the mission team do to cope with a much lower budget and still retrieve the samples? The answer lies within this episode. We also bring you updates on the upcoming crewed flight test of the Boeing Starliner. The spacecraft, aptly named Calypso, has already participated in the first two orbital flight tests. We eagerly look forward to its launch, planned for May 6th. Talking Space plans to be there! Wrapping up the episode, we present an enlightening interview with Rosa Banuelos, a Boeing Senior Communications Specialist for the Starliner program,  and Steven Siceloff, NASA's Commercial Crew Program and ISS Program Lead Public Affairs Officer at Kennedy Space Center. Steven and Mark also provide interesting insights into the Atlas V rocket, the vehicle that will carry Starliner to space. Please be sure to let us know your thoughts on the topics we discuss. You can always reach us at mailbag@TalkingSpaceOnline.com. You now have a way to easily send us a voice recording that we may use on the show: just click on the blue microphone icon at the bottom right of any page at TalkingSpaceOnline.com.   Show recorded 04-21-2024.   Host: Larry Herrin Panelist(s):  Mark Ratterman, Heather Smith (Gene Mikulka, Dr. Kat Robison and Sawyer Rosenstein will return) Podcast Editor: Larry Herrin Delta 4 Heavy NROL-70 poster – website photo credit: NRO  

Is the NASA Advisory Council (NAC) system becoming unglued? During the NAC Science Committee meeting on March 21st, there were significant questions about the Primary NAC and its ability to deliver recommendations to NASA's leadership expeditiously so they can be acted upon by NASA Leadership. That wasn't the only thing on the minds of NASA's scientists and advisors. The Hubble Space Telescope and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory are profoundly impacted by NASA's austere FY 24 and FY 25 budget constraints, and one of the two missions may face cancellation. Also, the significant demands placed on NASA's Deep Space Network were of major concern. We report on what was said and offer analysis.   The Intuitive Machines IM-1 mission was officially declared completed when, as predicted, the robotic Odysseus lunar lander did not respond to a "wake-up" call on March 23rd. Larry Herrin and Mark Ratterman talked with Chantelle Baier, CEO of 4Space, who facilitated one of the commercial payloads on the IM-1 mission, to wrap up her experiences on the flight and discuss future endeavors. See Jeff Koons Moon Phases web site to explore the details of his art, exploring themes of connectivity and acceptance. NASA extended its call for new astronaut applications through April 16th and Mark Ratterman highlights what the US Army is doing to encourage applicants in its ranks.  After the joint Boeing Space/NASA press conferences last week highlighting the upcoming first crewed flight test of the CST 100 Starliner, some words were put out on social media by some prominent individuals in space advocacy berating Boeing Space. In a commentary, Gene Mikulka poses a question: Can't we wish Butch Wilmore and Sunni Williams well and forget about wearing our corporate t-shirts for a little while? Finally, Space exploration lost two giants this past week, and we look back on the lives and contributions of former astronaut General Thomas P. Stafford and former Johnson Spaceflight Center Director  George W.S. Abbey.  All this and more, on this episode of Talking Space! Host: Larry Herrin Panel Members: Gene Mikulka &  Mark Ratterman - Dr. Kat Robison and Sawyer Rosenstein will return.  

We’re giving up on new ways to describe how busy it is now in the world of space-related news. Nonetheless, we still have a Starship Flight 3 recap, a look at the next (and last) Delta IV Heavy launch, and we also focus on the upcoming total solar eclipse. But first, in the News Roundup, even more, including: Crew 7 returns from the ISS; RocketLab’s Electron booster launches the “Owl Night Long” mission for Japan-based Synspective; Japan-based Space One launch vehicle explodes during first launch; SpaceX’s controversial land-swap deal in Texas; The White House releases NASA 2025 budget on the heels of the final fiscal year 2024 spending bill for NASA, NOAA and FAA; NASA network of small moon rovers gets ready for work on IM-2 mission; The Post-Delta-IV-Heavy Future of Launch Complex 37 Next, the team discusses some possible alternatives for the future of Space Launch Complex 37 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The USAF conducted a public hearing (both in-person and online, which Gene attended) to discuss the two options. One is for SpaceX to take over LC-37 and convert it for use by the Starship Super Heavy. The other is to establish a new LC-50, to be located between SpaceX’s LC-40 and ULA’s LC-41.  Charles Boyer from “Talk of Titusville” outlines the entire plan here.  How to Safely Enjoy the Upcoming Solar Eclipse According to the site TimeandDate , the first sign of a partial eclipse in North America is to start at 15:42 UTC (that's 11:42 AM EDT) on April 8, 2024, and will end about 20:52 UTC or 4:52 PM EDT.  NASA has a good site as well if you are looking for when to look in your area, NASA’s Eclipse Explorer can give you information about your town to see if you are in the path of totality. So can a moving map animation at greatamericaneclipse.com. And if you get rained out or clouded over? Never fear, NASA TV will be providing coverage. Starship Flight 3 Recap Finally, the team recaps their impressions of the third test flight of Starship Super Heavy. While both booster and ship were prematurely lost (which, by regulation, requires that SpaceX conduct another Mishap Investigation), there were a number of notable achievements to highlight on this test flight. There were a number of lowlights as well. We discuss it all.   Please be sure to let us know your thoughts on the topics we discuss. You can always reach us at mailbag@TalkingSpaceOnline.com. You now have a way to easily send us a voice recording that we may use on the show: just click on the blue microphone icon at the bottom right of any page at TalkingSpaceOnline.com. Show recorded 03-17-2024. Host: Larry Herrin Panelist(s): Gene Mikulka and Mark Ratterman (Dr. Kat Robison and Sawyer Rosenstein will return) Podcast Editor: Larry Herrin   TalkingSpaceOnline.com episode page photo credits: CADRE Mars Yard Tests: NASA/JPL-CalTech