Today In Space

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

There was A LOT of space news happening the last 2 weeks while we were adventuring in Scotland! (more on that soon) Our first episode back is dedicated to the Boeing Starliner news and reports of the astronauts being “stranded” on the ISS. We break down why that click-bait headline isn’t true but also how NASA is dealing a double standard with Boeing's test flight status.  We review the latest from what’s been shared by NASA/Boeing leadership, the tests underway, and what to expect for a timeline for when Astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore could return home on Starliner. We also discuss the possibility of another spacecraft bringing the Astronauts home, as well as the “worst-case” scenario from all of this.  But in the meantime - we want to know what YOU think! Email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com, or DM us on social media! Topics from the episode:  astronauts, spacex, boeing, spacecraft, space, thrusters, nasa, teleconference, stranded, testing, helium leaks, space shuttle, iss SOURCES: Internat

On this episode we dive into the Human Factor where we talk about what it means to be human, and how ALL of our traits & skills matter (good and bad). This week we're discussing what it means to be DEDICATED and why 'the Mission' is so important to a person like myself, especially after 10 years of podcasting about all-things space! We want to thank ‪@veefriends‬ for making these AWESOME Character Caps, and while I wasn't 100% sure which Cap I was going to relate to at first the DEDICATED Dragonfly hit home. Great time to reflect on the hard-work, challenges, and sacrifices it takes to make it happen. We'd love to know what YOU think in the comments! S upport the podcast: MAGIC MIND You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code TODAY20 at checkout You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/TODAY20

The first week of June went HARD for Space - and for Human Spaceflight it was fully loaded! So many launches, including the success of Boeing's CFT Starliner that brought Astronauts Sunita Williams & Butch Wilmore! We break down what happened, why it was a success, and our thoughts on the Crew Test Flight. We really can't stress how important having TWO human-rated spacecraft for the US to launch from our own soil - and we do our best to tell that story with this episode. For those wondering - this is a good review of my thoughts on EVERYTHING Starliner CFT - so buckle up. Best of luck to Astronauts Suni & Butch on their return trip on 'Calipso' - their Starliner! Let us know what YOU thought about Boeing's Starliner Crew Test Flight - email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com! Topics from the episode: spacecraft, astronauts, space, boeing, spacex, space station, orbit, launch, nasa, program, humans, leaks, space shuttle, test, iss, experienced, decisions, united launch alliance, crew, team We'd love

Last week was some of the most exciting and jam packed space events I've seen in a while. So many launches, including the success of SpaceX's Starship Test Flight 4! We break down what happened, why it was a success, and our thoughts on Flight Test 4, 5, and beyond. We really can't stress how much progress was made with IFT4 - and we do our best to tell that story with this episode. For those wondering - this is a good review of my thoughts on EVERYTHING test flight 4 - so buckle up. Let us know what YOU thought about IFT4 and Starship - email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com! Topics from the episode: starship, spacex, spacecraft, rocket, flaps, flight, booster, test, launch pad, humans, faa, launch, space, landing, orbit, land, reentry, artemis, experienced, starships We'd love to know your thoughts and questions!  Email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com SOURCES: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1798689697184764071 https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1799458854067118450 https://x.com/SpaceX/status/179879222274312216

On this episode we speak NASA Astronaut Don Pettit about his Astronaut Origin Story and the 'maker mentality'. Don is preparing for Expedition 71/72 which will launch to the International Space Station aboard a Soyux (MS-26) from Baikonur Cosmodrome later this year. We were grateful for the NASA teams for helping us set up time with Don to chat all-things space. Welcome our first Astronaut to the podcast! Don Pettit's origin story encapsulates that of a Maker - always wondering if things can be done better and making things to adjust a long the way. From his early days in junkyards, his time as a Rookie Astronaut, and helping create the first off-world patented item (the Zero-G cup), Don has had an amazing career. We discuss what's to come on Expedition 71/72, how "the crew" is the most important aspect of human space travel, and what the future could hold for us in space. Thank you to Don, Garrett, and the NASA teams for helping us make this happen! Topics from the episode: space, astronaut, spacecraft, miss

On this episode, we're recapping last weeks Aurora Extravoganza that the internet was a buzz about! We got pictures from folks like you that whole weekend, which was all we needed to survive a weekend of cloud-filled New England nights. But one thing many curious folks were thinking - what are Auroras? How can we know when the next one is coming? Why do Auroras happen? What impacts do solar weather pose to planets, spacecraft, and humans in space? ALL of these answered on this week's episode.  Thank you to everyone who reached out with questions - and shoutout to Anne Bagg (@theannebagg on X/@annebagg on Instagram) for sending her question about predicting Auroras! Let us know if you captured the Auroras - we'd love to share your astrophotography! Email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com or DM us @todayinspacepod on Instagram & Today In Space podcast page on Facebook. Topics from the episode: space, sun, atmosphere, happening, aurora, earth, weather, solar, noaa, particles, mars, sunspot, solar storm, co

On this episode, we dive into the Human Factor - which is all about learning about what it is to be a human and how that can help us grow and succeed in life. Because regardless of what we do, we are all human beings - even scientists and engineers. This week, I talk about one of my earliest passions - trading cards! Pokemon, YuGiOh, Dragon Ball, Magic the Gathering - all a MASSIVE part of my childhood and where I found the passion that is behind this podcast. It's an origin story of what made me who I am today...a big ole nerd!  While I was preparing for the Total Solar Eclipse, my trading card game days started to come back to me. I got myself into the VeeFriends Trading card world - an intellectual property created by Gary Vaynerchuck (aka Gary Vee). Right before my trip to Maine I got LAUNCHED into the VeeFriends TCG universe after winning two gift goats! These are some of the rarest cards in the series with only 555 in what I believe is 2.8 million cards in circulation. But the fun didn't stop there - le

In this episode, we prepare for next week's human space launch of Boeing's Starliner, the first Crewed mission for Altas V & the CST-100 spacecraft! This is the culmination of the investment NASA & US taxpayers put into the Commercial Crew Program. Two human-rated spacecraft were given contracts to test & evenutally fly human beings to the ISS. SpaceX Crew Dragon already flies to the ISS regularly with Astronauts & supplies, and Boeing's Starliner is ready to have its first crewed mission! It's been a long road, and much controversy over the years - even beginning at the start of Commercial Crew when only two companies were chosen there was a rift that unfolded in the space industry. I share my thoughts on the whole endeavor in the hopes that we can learn something and be better off for the future. It's also a good time to contemplate how grateful we should be that the US is close to having full redundency for human launch capability to the ISS. In a world where not long ago we relied fully on

On this episode we have some Astronomer friends on to discuss our thoughts from the Total Solar Eclipse! Matt Schricker (@Bostronomy), Andrew Abban (@aa.astro01), and Thorne Ransom (@ransomobservatory) join us to share their Astronomy Origin Stories and their experience during the Total Solar Eclipe. For some it was our first, and others were looking for redemption from 2017. But all of us were close to speechless when it happened, until we had this mega podcast for some Eclipse Talk. Maine was one of the best places in the country to see the Total Solar Eclipse, given the cloud coverage on the day of the eclipse. Even us New Englanders were shocked that out of the 13 states in the US - Maine would be the place to be. But, as you'll hear and see from the images taken...we had the best seats in the solar system that day! Thank you to our guests and new friends for such a fun Eclipse Talk - make sure to follow them online for awesome astrophotography! Let us know if you were able to watch the total solar eclips

On this episode we talk about the North American Total Solar Eclipse happening on April 8th, 2024! We break it down into three parts: (1) What to Expect, (2) What to do during the Eclipse, and (3) Our Telescopes Vespera and our newest Vaonis device - Hestia. We close out the episode with an unboxing and first demo with Hestia practicing for the Total Solar Eclipse. There is always lots of excitement around any eclipse, but you want to be as present as possible to soak in this wild phenomena! So let this episode act as a guide to make the most of it, with some tips on what to look for during the eclipse and some tools you can use. While it will be my third solar eclipse, it's my first chance to watch a Total Solar Eclipse and catch the Corona during totality. And there's a chance we might even see something else during totality - a comet tail! But more on that in the episode... Let us know where you'll be watching the eclipse and whether it's your first or your 50th! We'd love to hear from you. Email us at tod

On this episode we speak with Dr. Masha Petrova, the CEO of Nullspace, Inc. a company creating simulation software for electromagnetic applications in the Academic, Commercial, Aerospace, and Defense Industries. Masha shares with us her STEM origin story from a childhood love of Soviet Space SciFi to becoming a PhD Simulation Engineer in the US, which led to her "aha" moment of realizing she was actually an "Extroverted Engineer". Dr. Petrova is an experienced executive with a passion for leading multi-disciplinary global teams toward successful results by focusing on operations and creating a unified vision. After receiving her PhD in aerospace engineering, Dr. Petrova spent 15+ years in the engineering simulation and design software industry, including holding global marketing executive roles at Ansys, Altium, LLC, and  IncMSC Software (during acquisition by Hexagon MI) as well as 3 simulation software start-ups all acquired by Ansys, Inc. in the last 10 years. Thank you to Masha for joining us on the podca

In episode 339, we are talking all about Starship's 3rd Test Flight after a VERY exciting launch on March 14th, 2024 a.k.a. Pi Day. The massive Starship made lightspeed progress from the last two tests but the question is: Was IFT3 a success? Did SpaceX have a successful test flight? Don't worry - if you are new to Starship and need a quick review we got you covered! This is a great episode for anyone who was too busy to watch the flight live on Pi Day, or you want to dive a little bit deeper into what SpaceX is doing with this game-changer of a space launch system. We have our reaction to the test flight at the end of the episode (but who are we kidding, the whole episode is me reacting to this AWESOME day in space!) Let us know what YOU think in the comments, DM us on social media, or email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com! We'd love to keep the conversation going and want to hear from you. SOURCES: IFT3 - SpaceX Recap https://x.com/spacex/status/1765037578343121372?s=46&t=CTA3xJCHFoY9hV9qgrj4Jw IFT3

In this week's episode, Alex shares some of his Florida vacation and the 'magic' of branding and storytelling at both Disney and Universal Studio Themeparks. Alex also shares his rotten luck with catching Rocket launches while in Florida...and its not for a lack of launches either! It's also been over a year with our Vespera Telescope so it's time for a recap on what we've learned and what's stuck out so far. This week's Thought from an Engineer is: Why do Nebulas in my telescope appear SO BIG while the galaxies appears SO SMALL?  Here's to building a fantastic future, for all of humanity!  Topics from the episode: telescope, space, podcast, florida, learned, galaxies, great, launches, nebulas, supernova, mind, whirlpool galaxy, galaxy, engineers, picture, scrubs, rocket launch, star, share, magic We'd love to know your thoughts and questions!  Email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com SOURCES: https://www.britannica.com/place/Canis-Major-Dwarf-Galaxy The 'Topics from the episode' above and the timestamps bel

This episode was recorded live while watching the Intuitive Machines-1 (IM-1) moon landing on February 22, 2024 around 6PM. Alex shares his live reaction and thoughts while the NOVA Command team in Houston, TX intiates landing sequence and then troubleshoots the signal after the landing attempt. Is the lander ok? Will the signal get better? That's for the future. Right now, we were just excited to be able to watch the first Lunar landing attempt by the US since 1972 for Apollo 17. It's been a while, but one thing is for sure - it's the new Moon Era and the is finally making large strides at lunar activity.  Alex shares his thoughts at the end of the broadcast about how the original Space Race and this new Space Race (2.0?) are the same and very different. Can we use the last space race and what came from it, as an example for what we can expect with a thriving space program? Can we expect as much change in private companies as we saw with NASA after Apollo 11? All we know is we're excited to be living in the

On this episode, Alex shares his thoughts on the latest Lunar Lander attempt by NASA with the IM-1 Mission. Intuitive Machine's is providing the NOVA C lunar lander as part of the CLPS program, where NASA funded commercial contracts to build out the Artemis Infrastructure around the Moon. There's no internet on the moon yet...not even running water. So there's alot to do, and this IM-1 mission aims to help NASA and multiple commercial payloads. But first, we need a successful SpaceX Falcon 9 launch to Lunar Orbit and then a soft landing. Alex shares thoughts about how treacherous landing on the Moon is, how important it is that we build infrastructure around the Moon, and why this NOVA C lander could be a game-changer for progress in space.  It's also a rare Space Valentine's Day so we made a multicolor 3D printed Mission Patch Valentine for the IM-1 mission. We discuss the upgrade of multicolor 3D printing, and how Alex sees 3D printing playing a HUGE role in the future of human spaceflight. Including, what

On this episode, Alex opens the podcast with a quick run through (~4 min) of some of the Space Launches to look out for in February (SpaceX, Japan, India, NASA, Rocket Lab). We deep dive on NASA's PACE Mission, flying onboard a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket NET 1:33AM ET 2/8/24 (only a few hours after this podcast is released). We discuss what the mission is, what the payloads are, and why that science will be critical for understanding the water cycle on Earth and the climate changes that come from it.  Alex closes the episode out with another 'Human Factor' segment, where we discuss the deep topic of WHO ARE YOU? But more importantly, how learning about yourself you can help you find a career that fits your strengths and fills you with purpose. The lucky ones know early on what they are good at, while most of us (myself included) had to try a lot of things to know what we "don't like". I share a story of when I realized that the typical Aerospace Engineer role wasn't for me, even though that was my whole identity a

On this episode, we remember the 3 year journey of the Ingenuity Helicopter on Mars, which now has a broken rotor and is unable to fly safely anymore. We discuss how influential the Martian Helicopter was by obliterating it's original 30-day life span and providing miles of coverage inside of Jezero Crater. We discuss some facts on the first powered flight on another world, and close up with a discussion around the Wright Brothers and how influential their R&D efforts were to a young, eager to learn Engineer (me!).  Come for the Ingenuity drone talk, and stay for the Space Storytime! Thank for joining us, and welcome to Today In Space Topics from the episode: work, flying, space, ingenuity, helicopter, podcast, flight, mars, 3dprinting, drone, rover, Jezero crater, wright brothers, r&d, class We'd love to know your thoughts and questions! Email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com SOURCES: https://mars.nasa.gov/news/9540/after-three-years-on-mars-nasas-ingenuity-helicopter-mission-ends/ https://www.th

On this episode we speak with Madison C. Feehan, the founder of Space Copy and Moon Trades. She has a background in lunar instrument development, global open science programs, and is a member of Women in Aerospace Canada. She’s also been an External Peer Reviewer and Executive Panelist for NASA since she was in high school.  Topics from the episode: space, ai, industry, entrepreneurship, nasa, printing, artemis, science, lunar, moon, 3dprinting, working, process, integrate, create Madison share's her wealth of knowledge for space and entrepeneurship and its great to meet people in the industry (and at NASA) who are actually making it happen. We dive into the world of space tech, additive manufacturing, and space business with a glimspe at what our possible future holds in the final frontier (and on Earth)! Are you excited to see 3D printed habitats on the moon? What could we solve on Earth with 3D printing technology like this? We'd love to know your thoughts and questions! Email us at todayinspacepodcast@gma

In the second episode of 2024, we went hard and produced a list of the 24 things to look out for in Space this year. Is my voice sore from this recording? Yes. Am I still excited for what's to come? OF COURSE! There are 8 groups of what to expect in 2024: Lunar, Space Station, Orbital Human Spaceflight, Deep Space, Payloads/Sats, Space Flyers, Astronomy, and Rocket Technology. We even added updates to this list as we were editing, since NASA released their new Artemis plan and the Vulcan took flight with CERT-1 and the Peregrine Lander saga is underway. We'd love to know what YOU are looking forward to in Space for 2024! Let us know in the comments or by emailing us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com. REVISION (01/13/24) We have corrected our original recording where we incorrectly mentioned that NASA's VIPER Rover would be on the same Astrobotics Peregrine Lander that won't make it to the moon. VIPER will take a Falcon Heavy and Astrobotic's Griffin Lander to the moon. While delays are still possible, they are