Today In Space

This week, on Today In Space...our first 'Tech Talk' about AI & Business (with some aspirational takes on the role of AI in Humanity's future on Earth and in Space). Our guest David Hirschfeld, CEO of Tekyz, shares the knowledge of his 35-year career in software, including his origin story founding a vending machine software company that grew to 800 customers in 22 countries! We discuss business and AI; including Tekyz's take on the importance of product-market fit and early customer engagement given that "95-98%" of startups fail. David introduced "Launch First," a strategy for pre-launch sales to validate market demand, sharing success stories of securing $70,000 in 60 days for a real estate product and $250,000 for clinical trial software. Long story short - David was a wealth of knowledge and practical expertise, and we talked about almost anything and everything tech, AI, and even philosophy and business along with some laughs! With the way 2025 is shaping up, AI and technology will continue to make

On this episode, in the wake of Blue Origin’s maiden launch of New Glenn and SpaceX’s fascinating Starship Flight 7 it’s time to take a step back and tell the tale of Two Heavy Lift Rockets. After a decade of space progress from both companies, they each took different engineering approaches to building a rocket. Depending on when you look at their progress, it might feel like one approach is better than the other.  But is there a real answer to the “right approach” to building a rocket? Or is success only measured by how well that rocket flies and sends payloads into orbit? The race between the Tortoise (Blue Origin) & the Hare (SpaceX) is in full swing now that New Glenn is orbital. Is there an end to the race? We hope not anytime soon - and that the American Space Program continues to grow thanks to these two innovative companies and the thousands of people that make it happen behind the scenes. This was a hard episode to put together, especially given the timing. While I think it came out better than

In 2025, we’re predicting a BIG year for human space progress! In this episode we’re breaking down what we’re looking forward to, and adding some of our own predictions as well. It’s going to be a wild year with so much to follow, like SpaceX, Starship, NASA Artemis, the New pick for NASA Administrator, Crew Dragon, Boeing Starliner, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, space stations and more! Not to mention our thoughts on other Global space programs, including Russia, India, and China. This year will be one for the record books, we can feel it. Let’s enjoy history as it’s happening and dive into 2025 the year of human space progress! Happy New Year & May you find Mental and Physical Wealth this year Get 45% off the Magic Mind bundle with with my link: https://www.magicmind.com/SPACEJAN #magicmind #mentalwealth #mentalperformance Alex G. Orphanos Topics: human space progress, SpaceX Starship, stainless steel, orbital refueling, mental wealth, NASA Artemis, Crew Dragon, Boeing Starliner, Virgin Galactic, Blue O

On this Christmas Eve episode, we are honored to be joined by Emily Carney and Bruce McCandless III, authors of "Starbound: A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program". Emily Carney is a space historian, podcaster with Space & Things, and the creator of the 'Space Hipsters' Facebook group. She shares her early fascination with space, sparked by the STS-2 launch in 1983. Bruce McCandless III, whose father was Astronaut Bruce McCandless II, shares his journey of becoming a writer and what it was like being the son of an Astronaut. We discuss all things space, including a friendly debate on the evolving definition of "astronaut" in the context of commercial space travel. We also discuss the Space Shuttle's legacy, the importance of space exploration on culture, and the potential of SpaceX, Artemis, and the pick for NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman. They also express optimism about the future of space exploration despite current political challenges and the "Space Conundrum" of progress in the space in

This week we have a triple header of space topics! We start by highlighting a potential end of year maiden launch of Blue Origin's New Glenn heavy-lift rocket, and our thoughts on the selection of Jared Isaacman as the pick as the next NASA Administrator. We share some NASA history, discuss Jared's background in commercial spaceflight, and his potential influence on NASA's future direction. We also share an AG3Dprinting Lab update for our recently successful JWST Model - 3D printed in three colors, and is now available in our Etsy Shop at ag3dprinting.etsy.com! What did you think? Email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com or DM us on social media! Topics: Blue Origin, New Glenn, maiden launch, NASA Administrator, Jared Isaacman, SpaceX comparison, reusable rockets, payload capacity, 3D printing, Part Detective, James Webb Telescope, multi-color printing, Space Force, commercial space, space policy Sources: Ars Technica Article on Jared Isaacman https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/12/12/jared-isaacman-makes-first

Who is Elon Musk? What role does he play in the Space Industry of tomorrow and how has all of this Space Progress happened recently? Is SpaceX the true cause? Elon Musk alone? Well, if it were that easy to explain this podcast wouldn't be 365 episodes long and Brad Bergan would not have written two wonderfully detailed books about the Space Race 2.0 and the history and people behind it! We hope you enjoy this in depth and deep conversation with Brad Bergan, the author of "SpaceX: Elon Musk and the Final Frontier". It's conversations like these, with people truly following along to the space progress over the past decade that remind me how special a time we are in. Brad Bergan was an incredible guest and we are grateful this Thanksgiving Week that he joined us to share about his new book, his space origin story, and more about a truly influential character in Elon Musk. This was recorded back in the middle of October, just after Starship Flight Test 4 and the US Elections. LEARN MORE about Brad Bergan: https:/

Starship performs their 6th Test Flight a month after their 5th - and it was.....BANANAS! That's right we are breaking down IFT6, with our (almost) LIVE reaction to the launch! We started recording during Starship's Reentry, so you catch our reaction live to that. It was a great day for data! The Starship team's have pulled off the practically impossible and soft landed both the Super Heavy Booster & Starship. We're not quite sure what survived, but that's space development! The world's most powerful rocket took another big step forward - expect more of these launches soon! We also share our thoughts on the Space Economy, Lowering the cost to Access Space, Space Progress, and Heat Tile Protection required for the insanity of atmospheric reentry for spacecraft with human crew. We'd love to hear about your reaction to Starship IFT6 - email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com or DM us on social media! Otter.AI's Summary of the episode: "The Starship IFT6 test flight successfully lifted off at 5 PM Central Ti

Welcome back for another episode of Today In Space! This week we're exploring the next phase of AG3D, our 3D printing lab where we bring ideas into reality. Enter - the Part Detective, where you can book us on the case of your next 3D printed part mystery! What if the crew of Apollo 13 were able to 3D print the square filter adapter for the round hole of the spacecraft's CO2 Filtration system? There's so much that 3D printing can do in our near Space Future, and we've been training to be a part of that team! In the meantime - you can take advantage of our almost decade of experience in 3D printing challenging parts successful.  From novice to seasoned engineer - we're here to help you bring your parts into reality with 3D printing! Book a 30 minute meeting with us today at ag3d-printing.com & let's solve your next 3D printing mystery together Keywords: 3D printing, part detective, AG3D printing, space industry, Apollo 13, custom logo holder, fidget spinner, engineering component, 3D printing challenges, s

Welcome to another episode of the podcast! On this episode, I'm sharing my thoughts on AI. Specifically, the tools I actually use with some practical-use metrics to show how it's helping me (the individual) do more and spend more time in my creative zone and less time doing things I dont like. I also share my thoughts on AI, and some fundamental beliefs I use to guide my adoption of it. The idea of this episode to give you some real world examples of how AI benefits me, in the hopes it helps you look at AI as a tool and not the enemy. Then I'll close out with my how I think people should use it and when NOT to use AI. At the end, I share thoughts on how AI could be used in Space to help humanity travel the final frontier Keywords: AI tools, creativity enablement, AI metrics, AI future, AI understanding, AI benefits, AI challenges, AI productivity, AI transcription, AI editing, AI brainstorming, AI cost-benefit, AI integration, AI limitations, AI potential Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to AI and Personal Use

This week, we welcome Ethan Siegel on the podcast! Our guest, author of "Infinite Cosmos," discusses his STEM origin story from a curious child with a telescope to a renowned astrophysicist and science communicator. He recounts his educational path, including his PhD from the University of Florida and postdoctoral work at the University of Arizona. Siegel emphasizes the importance of curiosity and overcoming crises in career choices. He highlights the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) as a revolutionary tool for understanding the universe's early stages. Siegel's book, "Infinite Cosmos: Visions from the James Webb Space Telescope," explores JWST's discoveries, including the earliest galaxies and the formation of supermassive black holes. He calls for continued investment in space telescopes to uncover more cosmic mysteries. For all you Big Bang Theory fans (the theory, not the show) Ethan showcases just how JWST & Hubble have helped us understand how the universe looks and now, thanks to Webb, how the ear

Hey there Space Fam we’re back for another episode of Today In Space! We need to review SpaceX’s historic success of Starship’s Flight Test 5, which happened just this past Sunday on October 13th, 2024. They made the impossible possible and gave us a glimpse of what our future looks like going back to the Moon, on to Mars in 2026, and beyond in the future of human space travel. Let's dive right in! This week we review some of the top facts from the mission in a lightning round, and then share a launch and landing breakdown! We close with some thoughts after Flight Test 5 showed us the impossible is quite possible, and this had me thinking about the first humans to touchdown on Mars and how Starship will change how we think about the crew selected for such an adventure. Topics: Starship launch, super heavy booster, liquid oxygen, methane plumes, hot stage separation, Mechazilla catch, 33 Raptor engines, propellant load, Starbase Texas, regulatory approval, boost back burn, lifting lugs, stainless steel, Mars m

We're back to start October for a Space Update!  This week on Episode 359:  Crew-9 successfully docked with the space station, marking a significant milestone for the Commercial Crew Program as Crew Dragon acts as backup to bring Suni & Butch home in Early 2025 Astronomy news | Comet C/2023-A3 Atlas is now visible, with its brightness increasing as it approaches perihelion (best time might be the last two weeks of October!)  SpaceX's Starlink is aiding hurricane-affected areas (Hurricane Helene) with free internet services. Starship is assembled for Test Flight 5 and awaiting FAA approval for its fifth test flight.  My thoughts on SpaceX & the FAA Heading to NYCC to compete in Veefriends TCG Championship! Topics: Crew 9, Starliner drama, Commercial Crew Program, visible comet, Comet a3, Starlink satellites, Hurricane Helene, SpaceX Starship, FAA approval, Mars mission, New York Comic Con, VeeFriends TCG, trading cards, cosplay, space update Sources: https://earthsky.org/space/comet-c-2023-a3-sep

On this week's episode we are joined by John Conafay, the CEO & Co-Founder of Integrate to share his STEM Origin story and chat with us about the company. Integrate is touted as the only program management tool built specifically for multi-team hardware development. Another way of saying it could be that Integrate is bringing all of the various hardware teams involved in launching a rocket to space under one platform. The overlapping timelines of each piece of hardware on that rocket is a daunting task, especially when more than one thing goes wrong. Going to space is not just technically hard, it's a web of decisions that all need to go right - and it's not being looked at as fully or strategically as even the most Space Hardcore might think! John and his team at Integrate are working to solve this problem by bringing all of these hardware teams into one program management tool. One timeline, everyone's needs, one source of truth. Which, if done well, could help reduce many potential mistakes and stressf

On this episode, we're breaking down the Polaris Dawn Mission after the Crew of 4 has returned safely from their 5-Day mission & 1st Commercial Spacewalk! If you wanted a quick catch up of everything Polaris Dawn - we got you covered. We'll start with a mission overview, and discuss the Human Spaceflight records broken, the scientific research done, the details of the spacewalk, reentry & splashdown recovery, and what we think are the significance and impact of the mission! A great episode to get caught up! Let us know what you think in the comments or email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com Topics: spacex, space, crew, astronauts, polaris dawn, spacewalk, spacesuit, EVA, nasa, human spaceflight, earth, launch,, science, research, falcon 9, crew dragon Sources: https://polarisprogram.com/dawn/ https://x.com/PolarisProgram Timestamps: 00:00 Polaris Dawn Mission Overview  02:34 Breaking Human Spaceflight Records  04:51 Scientific Research and Spacewalk Details  06:47 Re-Entry and Recovery Process  08:

On this week's episode Matthew Onassis and Luca De Caneva, co-founders of NAVXCOM, join us to discuss their company's mission to develop a Lunar Positioning System (LPS) for autonomous navigation and communication on the moon. Matt & Luca share their STEM origin story which includes meeting at NASA identifying a gap in lunar infrastructure. NAVXCOM won a contract with NASA Marshall Space Flight Center to establish the first proof of concept by the end of the year. The NAVXCOM team aims to support autonomous lunar operations, including rover deployment and habitat preparation. Leaning into AI & collaboration in the space industry, NAVXCOM has big plans for dual-use technologies for Earth and Space Applications! We'd love to know what YOU think! Let us know in the comments below or by emailing us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com. Topics: ai, nasa, companies, space, system, rovers, idea, lunar, proposal, talk, started, today, industry, terms, develop, people, satellites, moon, working, operations, navxco

We're back for another Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test update! NASA has finally made the decision to return the Starliner uncrewed, leaving the Crew 9 mission with two empty seats so that SpaceX can bring Astronauts Suni Williams & Butch Wilmore back to Earth in February 2025. It's been a summer full of human spacflight and enough chaos to go with it! We share the top 3 press questions from the conference that truly encapsulates the whole situation. But this was a truly special day in Human Spaceflight History that I think will be given more appreciation in the future when we look back at it. In the meantime, the press will have a field day with Boeing. And while NASA will have some flack, they truly represented the best of human spaceflight today with this decision and how they held themselves in leadership positions. We need more of that. I'm very excited and optimistic for the future of space and humanity after today! We'd love to know what YOU think! Let us know in the comments below or by emailing

On this episode we are breaking down the next exciting human spaceflight mission: Polaris Dawn! The mission will be the 1st Commercial Spacewalk at 700km/435 miles above the Earth. Aside from breaking human spaceflight records, there will be an incredible amount of research, science, and technology demonstrations as well! The new SpaceX EVA (Spacewalk) suit, Crew Dragon spacecraft, and Falcon 9 rocket are ready - and so is the crew! Preparations for launch NET April 27th 03:38AM ET are underway! We dive into the original of the Polaris Program, Inspiration 4 - which was the 1st Commercial Orbital Mission before it. It's commander - Jared Isaacman, is leading the Polaris Dawn crew to the next adventure of attempting the highest ever Human-flown Earth orbit & EVA! Meet the crew and hear the story of what to expect for this 5-day mission and why it might be the most underrated human spaceflight mission of 2024! A great episode to get caught up before the launch - and some thoughts on why its important, as we

We're back for the next update of Boeing's Starliner's Crew Flight Test (CFT) and the subsequent delays in the flight readiness review meeting. Coupled with reported internal NASA concerns related to the Starliner's Reaction Control System (RCS) thrusters - it's clear there isn't 100% confidence & more options needs to be considered. That means engineering is involved! So let's dive into the world of an Engineer: Using a nuanced approach to understanding all of the physics involved that ultimately guides your decision-making for managing risk in bringing these adventurous human beings home. Human Spaceflight is as real as it gets!  On this episode we put you in the Engineer's seat as we consider multiple viewpoints and the importance of gathering accurate data to inform your decision-making (aka being a good engineer). We also discuss the difference between a healthy & toxic STEM environment as well as how dissenting opinions can be voiced and addressed in combination with rigorous testing and data an

In this week's episode Alex breaks down his thoughts on the connections between Space & Sea Travel! It's amazing what being on an adventure in a beautiful place like Scotland can do for your imagination and deep thinking. All the island (isle) hopping we did, along with hiking the highlands and the lowlands, made me see just how similar sea travel is with space travel! The same small crews of professionals taking us to from island to isle in Scotland will be taking humans to low Earth Orbit, the Moon, and eventually Mars!  The first days (years) of regular, continuous human spaceflight will be adventurous, and will require small, highly dedicated teams of trained Astronauts. Adventuring through Scotland brought that time to my imagination - so let's talk about how we get there! So buckle up, and get ready for a ride as we venture to the potentially near-future of human spaceflight. We want to hear what YOU think about what's to come in our near future with human spaceflight! So make sure to COMMENT below,

We got an update from the NASA & Boeing teams about Starliner CFT on July 10th, 2024. We wanted to share the TOP 4 Press & Media Questions and the NASA/Boeing team answers for us to all gain more INSIGHT into this Crew Test Flight for Boeing. I think we learned a lot about the problem and how the Boeing & NASA teams think about this. As most revealing things, it brings up more questions. So buckle up - and let's dive into the top 4 questions & answers from the July 10th Update with a short breakdown from me with my thoughts (from an engineer) after each one! We want to hear what YOU think too! So make sure to COMMENT below, EMAIL us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com, or FOLLOW US on social media. SOURCES: Media Briefing: NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test (July 10, 2024): https://www.youtube.com/live/PAIZHhrGqBM?si=v9gCtlaLOJkYIN2s Topics:  thruster, spacecraft, flight, deorbit burn, boeing, question, astronauts, white sands, test, return, pulses, space station, crew, mission, undocking, space, tes