Explore every episode of the podcast Casual Space
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 279: The Everyday Adventure That Changes Everything with Jessica DeAngelo | 07 Nov 2025 | 00:45:19 | |
This week on the Casual Space Podcast, I'm joined by my friend, adventurer, and all-around visionary Jessica DeAngelo — founder of Hike to Become®, author of the international bestseller The Wild Advantage, and the leader behind a movement that encourages us to step outside (literally) to find the clarity, creativity, and calm we keep trying to chase indoors. Jessica works with leaders from companies like Amazon, Nike, and Uber to help them break out of the boardroom mindset and reconnect with the part of themselves that already knows the answer. Her 31-day outdoor awareness challenge and executive nature-based retreats have helped hundreds of professionals solve complex problems, unlock breakthrough ideas, and return to their work with purpose (and joy!). In our conversation, we talk about:
This isn't just a conversation about hiking. As someone who has hiked with Jessica, learned from her, and taken the Hike to Become challenge myself, I can tell you this:
She lives in Boise with her husband and two spirited kiddos who remind her that adventure is always within reach — especially when you're holding a granola bar.
Where to find with Jessica Website: www.jessicadeangelo.com
If today's conversation inspires you to get outside — even just for five minutes — then you're already on your way.
Let's go find what's waiting for you out there. | |||
| 278: From Spacewalks to Service: Astronaut Mike Foreman on a Career of Service and Exploration | 31 Oct 2025 | 00:40:23 | |
What does life after space look like for an astronaut? For Mike Foreman, it looks like community, connection, and continuing to serve — just a little closer to Earth. Mike is a retired NASA astronaut, a U.S. Navy veteran, and the current Mayor of Friendswood, Texas. Over the course of two Space Shuttle missions — STS-123 and STS-129 — Mike logged more than 637 hours in space and completed five spacewalks (that's over 32 hours working outside the spacecraft!) helping to deliver and assemble parts of the International Space Station (ISS). Today, he's using those same lessons from space and service to inspire students, encourage future explorers, and remind us that curiosity, teamwork, and resilience aren't just mission-critical in orbit — they matter right here at home, too.
Mike's story is one of lifelong curiosity and service — from flying jets and fixing the ISS to leading a city and mentoring the next generation. His message? Never stop learning, serving, or looking up. About Mike Foreman:
Why You'll Love This Episode: If you've ever wondered how astronauts translate their experiences beyond NASA — or how one person can move from exploring the cosmos to improving their own community — this conversation will leave you inspired. Mike reminds us that exploration doesn't end when you come home from space. It just changes direction.
WATCH this episode and more Casual Space Podcast conversations on You Tube! https://www.youtube.com/@casualspacepodcast83
Want to share your story with us, so we can send it to space? The deadline for submitting your original story to STORIES of Space MISSION 03 has been extended! Don't miss this last opportunity to launch your story to space in 2025! www.storiesofspace.com | |||
| 269: Mark O'Connell, Author of The Year Science Changed Everything | 06 Jun 2025 | 00:58:38 | |
Mark O'Connell returns to Casual Space to discuss one of the most extraordinary scientific collaborations in human history: the 1957 International Geophysical Year. With his signature wit and storytelling style, Mark takes us on the journey behind his NEW book, The Year Science Changed Everything, revealing how 6,000 scientists from 66 nations put aside political differences to study Earth's greatest mysteries—from the depths of the ocean to the edge of space. Beth and Mark explore the ripple effects of this global effort, including the formation of the Antarctic Treaty, the surprising roots of the Artemis Accords, and what IGY can teach us about tackling today's climate crisis. You'll hear how a Steely Dan song sparked Mark's decades-long curiosity, how scientific rivalries shaped history, and yes—even how a penguin nap could put you in violation of an international agreement. It's part history lesson, part love letter to science, and all kinds of fun. You'll also get a behind-the-scenes look at Mark's next creative project: a comedy script about astronomers Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe—think Amadeus meets Knives Out, with a golden nose and planetary motion thrown in.
About Mark O'Connell In addition to writing books, Mark is a seasoned screenwriter with credits on Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine, and he teaches screenwriting at DePaul University in Chicago. 🎧 Explore more of Mark's work on his podcast Far-Fetched Want to learn more about how Beth connects with guests like Mark, and how her career in space began? Send Beth a note directly at beth@casualspacepodcast.com and follow the show on all the socials.
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| 179: The Moons Symphony with international composer Amanda Lee Falkenberg | 07 Oct 2022 | 01:10:41 | |
The worlds of music, art and science can symbiotically exist and share center stage together to offer a sense of awe, wonder and inspiration about moons of the solar system, and ultimately about our home planet. Award winning composer and pianist Amanda Lee Falkenberg has created THE MOONS SYMPHONY- a project 5-years in the making, consulting with planetary scientists from NASA's JPL to ensure the science was anchored in scientific accuracy. Listen to hear not only the most beautiful and incredible music, but to hear directly from Amanda how science influenced each of the moons within the symphony. THE MOONS SYMPHONY Album is available here: https://lnk.to/TheMoonsSymphony Enjoy learning more about Amanda's journey in creating this masterpiece here: https://www.moons-symphony.com/blog About Amanda Lee Falkenberg: International award-winning composer and pianist Australian born Amanda Lee Falkenberg began her journey into composition through years spent in ballet studios as an accompanist, including the Australian Ballet company in 2000. She wrote over 120 pieces to accompany ballet dancers as they trained, which led to her Moving With Music album series. In 2003 her first full-length orchestral ballet was commissioned, Edge of the World, and performed by the International Barossa Music Festival Orchestra with the prestigious Leigh Warren and Dancers, which received glowing reviews from the national press. Inspired by visual imagery, Falkenberg's natural progression led her to write for film and TV, stage plays, documentaries, animation series and feature films, including her cinematic soundtrack to the screen adaption of Wilfred Thesiger's Arabian Sands. In 2017, she conducted the world premiere of her orchestral suite Sea Trilogy with the London Film Music Orchestra at their Gala Concert. Later that year, she completed her Arabian inspired concerto for piano and orchestra, Crossing of the Crescent Moon, after which she began her next large scale project, THE MOONS SYMPHONY. Described by The Beauty of Space Art Authors Jon Ramer and Ron Miller as "…one of the most extraordinary achievements in space-inspired music, and perhaps the first to be accomplished in direct collaboration with astronomers and scientists", Falkenberg has presented the work and its scientific inspiration to global audiences including the NASA/JPL, Caltech, the Planetary Society of Los Angeles live radio show in Imperial College London 2022, the London Science Museum, COP26 in Glasgow, 2021, the Dubai Expo in 2021, the Euro Planet Science Congress EPSC in Geneva, 2019, and the TEDx Youth Conference, 2018. Falkenberg has received many nominations and won multiple international contests, including the Great American Song Contest, Marvin Hamlisch emerging film composer contest in New York, the International Composition Competition in Italy, Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA), and the Los Angeles Music Awards. Falkenberg is an artist member of the International Association of Astronomical Artists (IAAA) who organized an elaborate multimedia/visual art project in in coordination with THE MOONS SYMPHONY" More about the MOONS SYMPHONY's PERFORMANCES: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻 - 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗡𝗦 𝗦𝗬𝗠𝗣𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗬 (𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟯, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟮) The Planetary Radio Live in London was held to celebrate the historic recording of THE MOONS SYMPHONY co-hosted by the Imperial College of London and The Planetary Society. This event occurred a day after the recording was made for The Moons Symphony by the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Marin Alsop. Host and producer Mat Kaplan of the planetary Society celebrated the intersection of Art and Science through THE MOONS SYMPHONY with a panel of VIP scientists. Together Dr Linda Spilker, Dr Ashley Davies from NASA | JPL, Professor Mark Sephton of Imperial College, and Amanda Lee Falkenberg discussed the symphony's science and the inspirational data they are collecting from moons of our outer Solar System. 𝐒𝐎𝐇𝐎 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐦 (𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐) An exclusive Launch party is held for Amanda Lee Falkenberg's "The Moons Symphony" in advance of the Album's release on October 7. An evening to experience the symphony in Dolby Atmos surround sound followed by a Q and A with Amanda and British Astronaut Helen Sharman OBE. 𝐋𝐔𝐍𝐀𝐑 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 (𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐞𝐜.𝟐, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐) ＬＵＮＡＲ (Learning Under New Artistic Regimes) a new education series that forms part of Falkenberg's "Companion Guide to the moons symphony" which takes inspiration from MOONS of our outer solar system. A new education platform designed to enthral, engage and inspire. This co-pilot event is a collaboration between THE MOONS SYMPHONY and IMPERIAL COLLEGE for students to experience a new way of learning through a symphonic lens the scientific stories of moons of our outer solar system. They are communicated through a dynamic musical canvas to evoke awe and wonder and ignite curiosity to capture the imaginations of the next generation of space explorers. Amanda recommends we check out David W. Brown - author of THE MISSION: A true story. https://www.amazon.com/Mission-True-Story-David-Brown/dp/006265442X A brilliant book that shares the evolution of THE EUROPA CLIPPER —NASA's flagship mission which is sending a Spacecraft to investigate the icy moon of Jupiter "Europa" that contains an ocean two and a half times the size of all of Earths oceans combined and could hold the right conditions to support microbial life. | |||
| 178: 20+ Years of Science from the International Space Station and more with science communicator Erin Winick Anthony! | 30 Sep 2022 | 00:49:23 | |
Erin grew up in Florida watching shuttles launch and shake the windows of her house on reentry. She has always had a passion for making things, leading to her degree in mechanical engineering. Erin works at NASA's Johnson Space Center as a science communication specialist for the International Space Station at NASA's Johnson Space Center. She shares the amazing stories of research on the space station with the world through writing and social media. Today on the Casual Space Podcast, Erin shares with Beth specific examples of space station spinoffs that have benefited humanity (20+ years of science has been conducted aboard the space station) and the impact it's made for all of us back on Earth- all captured in the new book, The ISS Benefits for Humanity 2022. AND, Beth congratulates Erin on a very prestigious, and much- deserved award for her work as a space communicator. "Its a joy to be able to now work in the space industry as a senior science communications specialist telling the stories of International Space Station Research."- Erin W. Anthony From the book (You're going to want to read this book) The ISS Benefits for Humanity 2022 book; It's DIGITAL, and it's FREE to download!!!!! https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/news/benefits-2022-book The International Space Station is a modern marvel. Only 400 kilometers (250 miles) above our heads, it streaks spectacularly across the sky at 28,200 kilometers (17,500 miles) per hour, orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes. The station carries an impressive array of research facilities supporting hundreds of experiments at any given time across every major science discipline. It can host up to eight visiting vehicles and accommodate 11 crew—all while providing an amazing view featuring 16 sunrises and sunsets per day. But what is so special about an orbiting lab? What makes scientists willing to tackle the significant challenges of planning and scheduling research, designing and building hardware, and committing extraordinary time and effort to complete experiments? It's all about location. An orbiting laboratory provides researchers with the unique features of low-Earth orbit (LEO): long-duration microgravity, exposure to space, and a unique perspective on our planet. These attributes enable scientists to conduct innovative experiments that cannot be done anywhere else…
And find Erin on Twitter at: @ISS_Research More about Erin: Erin works at NASA's Johnson Space Center as a science communication specialist for the International Space Station. She shares the amazing stories of research on the space station with the world through writing and social media. | |||
| 177: "Normentum" with space policy and space strategy expert Robin Dickey | 25 Sep 2022 | 00:50:45 | |
Space is hard and complicated. Space norms are even harder and even more complicated. SO, in order to develop successful space norms, we will need creativity, perseverance, and a large and inclusive range of participants in the process. On today's episode, Robin Dickey discusses an approach towards space exploration that examines what's responsible to do, what is feasible to do, and what can be done to make space more safe and more sustainable for all in the future. About Robin: Robin Dickey is a member of the technical staff at The Aerospace Corporation's Center for Space Policy and Strategy. She focuses on space policy and strategy issues related to national security, geopolitics, and international relations. Her experience prior to Aerospace includes risk analysis, legislative affairs, and international development. She earned her bachelor's degree in international studies at Johns Hopkins University and her master's degree in international studies, concentrating in strategic studies, at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. You're going to want to read Robin's latest paper: https://csps.aerospace.org/papers/commercial-normentum-space-security-challenges-commercial-actors-and-norms-behavior From the paper: Concerns about the potential for conflict in space are not limited to traditional security actors such as states and militaries. Commercial actors also have a stake in security-related space norms, and this stakeholder relationship may translate to new forms of commercial participation in the norm development process. Other papers from Robin: July 2021 paper "Building Normentum: A Framework for Space Norm Development," August 2022 paper "Commercial Normentum: Space Security Challenges, Commercial Actors, and Norms of Behavior," George Washington University's Space Policy Institute and the Aerospace Corporation's Center for Space Policy and Strategy August 2022 event on "After the KE-ASAT Moratorium: What's Next?" And find Robin on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/Robin_M_Dickey | |||
| 176: The First Commercial Mission to Mars, with Barry Matsumori from Impulse Space | 16 Sep 2022 | 00:29:59 | |
Impulse Space is partnering with Relativity Space to perform the first ever commercial landing on the red planet! Places in space, like Mars, are being viewed as potential destinations that can support the expansion of human presence in the inner solar system. Impulse Space and Relativity Space's mission to Mars is a step forward for the entire community interested in the benefits that space can bring to humans on Earth. Today, Impulse Space's COO and industry leader Barry Matsumori explains how Impulse is working to make this history-making mission possible, and deliver the first commercial payload to the surface of another planet by 2024! About Barry Matsumori: Barry Matsumori is an industry veteran that has been an executive leader at SpaceX, Virgin Orbit, and most recently as CEO at BridgeComm. Currently, Mr. Matsumori serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Impulse Space. In his own words, Mr. Matsumori shares, "I started my career in space at General Dynamics Space Systems in 1985 and worked on early satellites in the late 1980s. In 1993, I started at Qualcomm and worked on the ground side of Globalstar for a few years before moving into cellular communications. At Impulse Space, Mr. Matsumori serves as the Chief Operating Officer, and is responsible for all the operating functions including business development, people, finance and mission management. More about Impulse Space and the designed mission to partner with Relativity Space: https://www.impulsespace.com/ The integrated Cruise Vehicle, Entry Capsule, and Mars Lander developed by Impulse Space will launch in 2024 on the Relativity Terran R launch vehicle. After traveling through interplanetary space for over half a year, the Cruise Vehicle will inject the Entry Capsule into the correct landing trajectory and detach. The Entry Capsule will use the proven combination of heatshield and parachute to slow down enough to safely deploy the Mars Lander into freefall. The lander will then perform a propulsive landing using purpose-built engines developed in-house at Impulse Space, completing the first commercial payload delivery to the surface of another planet. | |||
| 175: Catching Up with Industry Expert Robert Feierbach | 09 Sep 2022 | 01:05:38 | |
Robert Feierbach returns as our special guest this week on the podcast and announces his new endeavors as President of Maritime Launch USA, Inc., the US affiliate of the Canadian commercial spaceport based in Nova Scotia, and, Robert unveils his new business, 0-G Launch, a Washington-DC based company deploying a fleet of specially-modified commercial aircraft to provide high-precision microgravity flights and horizontal air-launch services to the fast-growing aerospace industry, and shares his plans as the Founder and CEO. Robert Feierbach, is a FOTH (friend of the show) and known as a well-recognized space industry expert! He has an impressive track record in groundbreaking satellite technologies and services around the world. During the past 25 years, he held CEO/CCO/VP leadership positions at Echostar in the Netherlands, SES Global in Luxembourg, various Eutelsat / ViaSat partnerships in France, Italy and the USA, Hughes Network Systems' International Division, Space Systems Loral (Maxar), and SpaceX, the private rocket company, for which he was instrumental in acquiring $600M in early launch contracts. Woah. Mr. Feierbach holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science Applications from the University of Utah, and an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management. Robert speaks seven languages fluently and has lived and traveled across the Planet. Yep. 7 languages, and a very interesting love for a very specific kind of music… find out more in this episode of Casual Space! Where to find Robert: www.maritimelaunch.com | |||
| 174: Will Green is making your Space Suit | 02 Sep 2022 | 01:09:21 | |
"We are in a space renaissance right now, but with that comes new challenges. This is especially true for spacesuits." Will Green is a Ph.D. student at the University of North Dakota. He is collaborating on research with NASA that is centered on applying breakthrough technologies to push the boundaries of what is possible with spacesuits. Will has taken part in analog missions at UND's Inflatable Lunar/Martian Analog Habitat as a mission commander and an EVA ground control officer. Follow Will and his work on Instagram at: spacesuit_will And enjoy this clip: Beth and Will talk about how claustrophobic wearing spacesuits can be… and we loved watching this BBC reporter "have a moment" with his spacesuit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3AXhN3Wo0g | |||
| 173: Space business leaders, space convention organizers and space entrepreneurs Nicholas Chinchaladze and Martynas Fedotovas | 25 Aug 2022 | 01:00:15 | |
Martynas Fedotovas and Nika Chinchaladze are space entrepreneurs and CEOs of Altair Enterprises LLC - a space education & research organization that enables people to pursue careers in the space industry - and the organizers of the International Space Convention 2022 - the biggest space industry business event in the Caucasus region. They also Co-authored the book - Space Business 101: 7 Steps to Position Yourself in the Next Trillion Dollar Industry. On this episode, Beth and Nicholas and Martynas discuss what it's like to be a space startup, what it takes to succeed, and why ethics should always be at the heart of the work as you go and grow. Where to find Nicholas and Martynas: www.altairenterprises.com BONUS: Nicholas and Martynas would like to give Casual Space Podcast listeners free online tickets to ISC 2022! When registering use this 100% discount coupon code: CASUALSPACE Apply your special code at this link: https://www.altairenterprises.store/product-page/attendee-experience About International Space Convention 2022: ISC 2022 is a hybrid event where you can attend in-person or online and get an exclusive 3-day access to over 95 lectures from over 100 world-renowned space industry speakers and experts, ranging from government space agencies to private space companies discussing everything from new rising trends to advances and concepts in space industry, including: Earth and Deep Space Observation, SatCom and Data Analysis, Human Space Missions, Space Law and Regulations, Commercial Space Travel, Financial Outlook of the Space Industry, Funding Opportunities for the Emerging Space Start-Ups and many more great topics.
CEOs and Founders of Altair Enterprises - Space Education Company. | |||
| 172: STORIES of Space Project | 20 Aug 2022 | 00:18:25 | |
Do you have a story? A story about space that you've been thinking about for some time? Your story has the potential to change the way we explore space, but opportunities to share your story have been limited, challenging, and undiscovered. Until today. Today, a simple story will fly to space, changing how we explore it. Your story. Right here, right now. www.storiesofspace.com Listen to this episode as Beth personally invites you to fly your story to space. Humans have imagined what space exploration might look like for years and put their imagination into stories – from science fiction books to movies. These stories sparked the actual development of space transportation systems, stations, and exploration missions. Even the constellations we enjoy at night have their own unique tales. The Stories of Space Project™ collects your story and carries it on a satellite launched from historic Cape Canaveral, FL, in June 2023. The satellite will deliver this unique payload to the International Space Station, where it will be exposed to the harshness of space for six months and then returned to Earth. The STORIES Project™ (Story SD cards Testing and On-board Research on the International Space Station Experiment and Survey) will not only fly stories to space but will also help determine ideal data storage hardware for future commercial space applications. The Stories of Space Project™ is a rare opportunity for you to share your personal space narrative. Each week, one of the submitted pieces flown in space will be selected and debuted worldwide on the Casual Space Podcast, where we will read your entire story. This experience makes space accessible to everyone and will change how we explore space—one story at a time. Learn more and submit your story at www.storiesofspace.com FOLLOW updates and more at all the STORIES of Space socials! Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/company/stories-of-space-project/about/?viewAsMember=true Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/storiesofspaceproject/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Stories-of-Space-Project-105943768899733 Also, check out Aegis Aerospace from episode 164: https://www.bethmund.com/casual-space-podcast/category/EPISODE+146 | |||
| 171: NASA's SLS= Space Launch System | 06 Aug 2022 | 00:40:49 | |
This week, NASA has announced that they are moving towards the first launch attempt for the Artemis I mission with the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft currently in the Vehicle Assembly Building at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA is currently targeting launch for no earlier than Monday, Aug. 29, at 8:33 a.m. EDT during a 2 hour window!!!!! So, Dean and Beth dig right in to the who, what, where, when, why and how of NASA's Space Launch System on this week's episode of the Casual Space Podcast! NASA's SLS (Space Launch System) is the world's most powerful rocket and the backbone of NASA's human lunar exploration program (check out this reference guide ASAP: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/sls_reference_guide_2022_v2_508_0.pdf). No other rocket can send astronauts and the Orion spacecraft directly to the Moon for the Artemis missions. SLS provides an unmatched capability to deliver greater mass and volume than any current launch vehicle for both human and robotic exploration of the Moon, Mars, and the outer planets. SLS was established by the NASA Authorization Act of 2010. The program was created at Marshall in 2011 and received funding in FY2012. SLS is the world's first exploration-class launch vehicle since the Apollo Program's Saturn V. Along with SLS, NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate in the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate is developing the EGS and the Orion spacecraft for crew. Orion, managed at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, is a spacecraft designed to carry astronauts on exploration missions into deep space. EGS has converted facilities at Kennedy into a next-generation spaceport capable of supporting launches by multiple types of vehicles. More about NASA's SLS: https://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/sls/index.html | |||
| 170: Space Camp: Part 2- We Make the Next Movie | 28 Jul 2022 | 01:10:11 | |
Big dreams start at Space Camp.
The kids and family recipients from the Cosmic Odyssey scholarship program are joined by Inspiration4 astronaut Chris Sembroski in this creative conversation. Together, we discuss how our experiences can be put into the next Space Camp movie! From who's in mission control and on the rocket to where we're going to explore- we giggle through creating our own space exploration adventure based on our training at Space Camp! We feel our team would be qualified- we've got the Top Gun award-winning recipient aviator, 5 former Space Camp attendees (including two trainers, two Hall of Fame recipients, a former VP of Space Camp and one astronaut) and several of the most brave, strong and impressive cancer-surviving kids and their families. Your heart will soar listening to the Kent and Herbert family share their special memories of experiencing Space Camp together in this episode of Casual Space.
Here's more info about the Auston Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer: https://www.hatcherfoundation.org/ And here's more about the Cosmic Odyssey Scholarship: https://www.hatcherfoundation.org/spacecamp
About Space Camp: www.spacecamp.com Space Camp opened on June 13, 1982, launching what is now an internationally recognized STEM camp with more than one million alumni from all 50 states and 150 international locations. While in Huntsville, Beth and hundreds of alumni and Space Camp supporters will gather to celebrate AND witness the induction of the next class of Space Camp Hall of Fame members. These alumni have made significant contributions in their fields and we look forward to honoring them, featuring outstanding alumni and a fireside chat with members of the Inspiration4 team, the first all-civilian space flight, led by Jared Isaacman, a 1995 Aviation Challenge graduate. Jeffrey Kluger, Editor at Large for TIME magazine, moderating the discussion. Learn more at: https://rocketcenterfoundation.org/about/
About Space Camp Hall of Fame Inductees: https://www.spacecamp.com/about/halloffame
About the Inspiration4 Team: https://inspiration4.com/crew Jared Isaacman (Aviation Challenge Mach I, 1995) Chris Sembroski (Space Camp counselor 2001) Hayley Arceneaux (Friend of Space Camp) Dr. Sian Proctor (Friend of Space Camp)
About the Zero-G Flight experience: www.gozerog.com | |||
| 268: Stargazing, Friendship & Following Your Curiosity — with Kevin Rehberg of ClearSky Events | 31 May 2025 | 00:46:11 | |
Have you ever looked up at the stars and wished someone could walk you through the wonders above your head — without needing a PhD for confusing telescope parts? Well, you're in luck. In this episode, I'm thrilled (and honestly, a little misty-eyed) to reconnect with my lifelong friend and kindred curiosity-seeker, Kevin Rehberg! Kevin is the founder of his newly- launched company, ClearSky Events, providing a truly magical mobile stargazing experience for people looking to ENJOY the simple wonders of stargazing. Kevin's love of the night sky began at age 10 with a clunky plastic telescope and a whole lot of imagination. I was lucky to watch Kevin fall in love with the night sky - Kevin was one of my very first friends growing up, when playing with friends meant playing outside. From climbing trees to looking at stars, Kevin has always had a spirit of exploration. I'll never forget how excited he was to assemble & peer through his first telescope and share it with all of us kids in the neighborhood... Fast forward to today, and he's transformed that passion into something extraordinary: bringing the awe of Saturn's rings, the surface of the moon, and deep-sky galaxies to your backyard — no astronaut suit required. We talk about:
It's rare to have a friend who shares your dreams as a kid and grows up to build something that lets others dream bigger. I couldn't be more grateful for Kevin, for his heart, and for this full-circle conversation under the stars. If you're planning an event, looking for the perfect way to wow your guests, or just need a little wonder in your week — discover ClearSky Events in this week's episode. Contact Kevin and host your very-own, memory-making event TODAY! https://www.clearsky.events/
About Kevin: Founder Kevin Rehberg's fascination with the night sky began when he was 10 years old. Armed with a comically bad department store telescope and a budding lifelong curiosity, he would venture into shin deep snow to discover the dynamic visual wonders of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, the moon, and beyond. He quickly realized that the most rewarding part of exploring the night sky was sharing it with friends. A couple equally horrible telescope purchases later, he gifted himself the college graduation present of a state of the art observatory-grade computerized telescope.
From day one with his new telescope, Kevin envisioned a time when future versions of it would be smart enough to make the night sky accessible to even the most casual stargazer. That day arrived with the very recent mainstreaming of smart telescopes.
ClearSky Events is the progression of that eleven year old's passion for sharing the night sky with a jiggly plastic telescope to today's ability to connect the deepest sky wonders with new friends the world over. Kevin is married to Regina and together they have two wonderful daughters who share that same curiosity for everything big and small in our universe. A long time coming to arrive at ClearSky Events, but worth every minute of the wait. Share that same passion with the guests of your next event. Want to learn more about how Beth connects with guests like Kevin, and how her career in space began? Send Beth a note directly at beth@casualspacepodcast.com and follow the show on all the socials.
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| 169: Easy to Find and Enjoy Summer Constellations with Astronomer John Read | 22 Jul 2022 | 00:40:41 | |
Author and astronomer John Read is back with a BEAUTIFUL new book, Learn to Stargaze for Kids https://www.learntostargaze.com/books, and we're talking about what's within the James Webb images, and comparing some of them against Hubble. As always, there's a lot to learn (so much fun)! During the second half of our conversation, John helps walk us through all of the super-easy ways we can find some specific constellations in our summer night sky. Enjoy John's stargazing tips here on the Casual Space Podcast, along with his amazingly resourceful site, https://www.learntostargaze.com/.
About John Read: Shortly after receiving his pilot's license as a Royal Canadian Air Cadet, John dropped out of Aerospace Engineering at Carleton University to pursue a degree (and career) in Corporate Finance. A few years later, his wife bought him a twelve-inch Dobsonian Telescope for Christmas (to be fair, she got leather boots). He joined the Mount Diablo Astronomical Society, volunteering as many as four nights per week under California's cloudless skies. John is the host of the Learn To Stargaze YouTube channel and a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. In 2020, he graduated with a degree in astrophysics from Saint Mary's University and was presented with an RASC award for Excellence in Science Communication. He is currently a student at Johns Hopkins University, working on his Master's in Space Systems Engineering. | |||
| 168: Twin Orbit Study with participants Brent and Brad West and Chris Mason | 16 Jul 2022 | 00:54:25 | |
Brad West will have to eat the same food, do the same exercise, contain and restrict his social circles, conduct similar experiments, tasks, and basically copy everything his twin brother Brent will do…while in space…for more than 500 days… simulating the same amount of time it will take for humans to get to Mars- and helping to prepare humans to explore Mars. Why would Brad and Brent do this? It's all part of the proposed "Twin Orbit Study" that you're about to discover right here, on the Casual Space Podcast. The commercialization of space (SpaceX, Axiom Space, Blue Origin) brings new opportunities to study astronauts, including identical twins, on industry‐led space stations with unprecedented detail. Extremely long‐duration microgravity will be the new normal when we travel into deep space, starting with Mars, and our success will be a test of health endurance in several respects. First, given the great distances, there will be very limited support from Earth once the mission begins. Second, the space weather (and radiation) is an order of magnitude more challenging. Third, the behavioral and cognitive challenges for such long missions will place an unprecedented strain on the crew. Although NASA, ESA, JAXA, ROSCOSMOS, and others are building a large knowledge base to address these challenges through missions on the International Space Station, very few crew have been studied in weightlessness for durations over six months, and more data from longer missions is critically needed.
Which makes for a perfect opportunity for The Twin Orbit study team, who are proposing a brand new, long‐duration Twins Study (building from the NASA Twins Study), and will work to accomplish four main goals:
Learn More About Twin Orbit here: https://www.twinorbit.com/
About Brent West, in his own words: "It was the Cosmos TV series that initially captured my interest...I saw the first episode in high school in the late 1980's, and since that time I have always been fascinated with all-things space. I knew I wanted to be an astronaut after I saw the movie Apollo 13 in the summer of 1995. I focused on my purpose and what I wanted to do and be involved with. At the time, I was a young LTjg (Lieutenant Junior Grade) onboard my first submarine, USS PINTADO (SSN-672). Brent West, Commander, U.S. Navy, earned his master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from University of Michigan in 2001 and worked in the Space Physics Research Laboratory as a student research assistant to help design a small student-led satellite project. Brent also worked as a flight controller at Johnson Space Center from 2001 – 2003 in ECLSS (Environmental Control and Life Support Systems and earned his PhD in Physics from George Mason University in 2012, studying X-ray pulsars.
About Brad West: Brad West graduated from Winnebago High School in Winnebago, Illinois in 1990. He attended Illinois State University where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in sociology in 1994 and a Master of Science degree in education administration in 1996. Soon after receiving his master's degree, Brad moved to Richmond, Virginia to work as a Career Systems Manager/Advisor at Virginia Commonwealth University. He moved to Orlando, Florida in the spring of 1998, at the behest of a best friend who was working at Disney, and took employment in information technology at the Universal Orlando Resort. He loved the atmosphere and the energy of Universal and Orlando and worked there until the spring of 2004.Brad was accepted into the Doctor of Philosophy program in Higher Education Administration at the University of Florida in 2004. Upon starting the program, he worked as a graduate assistant in the Graduate School under the supervision of Associate Dean of the Graduate School. There, he became enamored with the many fields of graduate and doctoral education. After finishing program coursework, he worked several years in information technology at the University of Florida. Doctoral candidacy followed, and ultimately obtained a PhD in Higher Education Administration in 2013 with a focus on factors that influence doctoral time-to-degree in graduate education. Today, Brad is living in Southern Florida and working in information technology for a large national health care system. He enjoys traveling, visiting friends in the Florida keys, music, sports, anything NASA, and meeting new people.
About Chris Mason Dr. Christopher E. Mason is a geneticist and computational biologist who has been a Principal Investigator and Co-investigator of many NASA missions and projects. He is a Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine, with affiliate appointments at the Meyer Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Information Society Project (ISP) at Yale Law School, and the Consortium for Space Genetics at Harvard Medical School.
Here's what to do next:
Check out Chris's new book; The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds
Reach out here with questions; info@twinorbit.com | |||
| 167: James Webb Space Telescope with RSE Dean Mikolajczyk… Part 2 | 11 Jul 2022 | 00:43:29 | |
In just DAYS (July 12, 2022), NASA will release the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope for the WORLD to enjoy …and Dean and Beth are on the edge of their seats (making bets on what we're about to see) and what it will mean for space exploration when we look further into the universe than ever before. The world's largest and most complex space science observatory will now begin six months of commissioning in space! At the end of commissioning, Webb will deliver its first images. Webb carries four state-of-the-art science instruments with highly sensitive infrared detectors of unprecedented resolution. Webb will study infrared light from celestial objects with much greater clarity than ever before. The premier mission is the scientific successor to NASA's iconic Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, built to complement and further the scientific discoveries of these and other missions. AT THE TIME OF THIS RECORDING, THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS NOT YET RELEASED FROM NASA, but check out what NASA has planned to look at in the universe! HERE IS THE LIST! NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, a partnership with ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency), will soon reveal unprecedented and detailed views of the universe, with the upcoming release of its first full-color images and spectroscopic data. Below is the list of cosmic objects that Webb targeted for these first observations, which will be released in NASA's live broadcast beginning at 10:30 a.m. EDT Tuesday, July 12. Each image will simultaneously be made available on social media as well as on the agency's website. These listed targets below represent the first wave of full-color scientific images and spectra the observatory has gathered, and the official beginning of Webb's general science operations. They were selected by an international committee of representatives from NASA, ESA, CSA, and the Space Telescope Science Institute.
About James Webb Space Telescope The James Webb Space Telescope's revolutionary technology will study every phase of cosmic history—from within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe. Webb's infrared telescope will explore a wide range of science questions to help us understand the origins of the universe and our place in it. Webb will directly observe a part of space and time never seen before. Webb will gaze into the epoch when the very first stars and galaxies formed, over 13.5 billion years ago. Ultraviolet and visible light emitted by the very first luminous objects has been stretched or "redshifted" by the universe's continual expansion and arrives today as infrared light. Webb is designed to "see" this infrared light with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity. Webb will also be a powerful tool for studying the nearby universe. Scientists will use Webb to study planets and other bodies in our solar system to determine their origin and evolution and compare them with exoplanets, planets that orbit other stars. Webb will also observe exoplanets located in their stars' habitable zones, the regions where a planet could harbor liquid water on its surface, and can determine if and where signatures of habitability may be present. Using a technique called transmission spectroscopy, the observatory will examine starlight filtered through planetary atmospheres to learn about their chemical compositions.
ALL THE JWST Resources: https://webb.nasa.gov/index.html And at the end of the show, we talked about LIGO. Here's a great explanation of what LIGO is: https://fb.watch/aOmq7h_PkW/ About Dean BS Technical Photography MS Astrophysics NASA MER Mars program NASA Public Relations Astronomy instructor & lecturer Where to find Dean: | |||
| 166: Get Ready for Gitika Gorthi | 01 Jul 2022 | 00:41:43 | |
Starting a non-profit, serving on a board of directors, conducting medical research, and speaking at space exploration conference has been some of the activities for Gitika Gorthi. Oh, and recently graduating from HIGH SCHOOL! Gitika is busy working toward a career in aerospace medicine, and she knows exactly where she wants to be, what she wants to study and what problems she wants to solve in the aerospace industry. Whew! So, get ready to meet the incredibly impressive Gitika Gorthi in this episode of Casual Space! Gitika Gorthi is the Founder and CEO of Ignited Thinkers, a non-profit organization she founded in the 8th-grade to spread space education and her love for aerospace to students across the world. She is an incoming freshman at Columbia University in their College of Engineering and Applied Science as a Davis Scholar. Gitika is an aspiring aerospace physician, medical researcher, and astronaut. Conducting medical research at the Baylor College of Medicine Space Medicine Center, researching wind turbines at the University of Central Florida at Raghavan Research Group, working with professor Dr. Prasanta Pal from Brown University to develop telemedicine technology, student researcher at Columbia Medical School Center for Radiological Research, and interning last summer at NASA Ames Research Center at GeneLab, Gitika is diligently working on her interest in aerospace medicine research. Gitika is extremely excited about the new understanding studying humans in space will bring to treat diseases here on Earth and the medical technological advancements with the utilization of telemedicine for deep-space exploration missions. Most recently, Gitika was named one of the Top 100 Women in Aerospace and Aviation Professionals to Follow on LinkedIn in 2022. The future of aerospace is exciting, and Gitika is working to make it a more diverse and equitable environment for everyone! Gitika is a 2021-2022 Teen Board of Director of the Girl Scout Nation's Capital and 2020-2022 Girls Advisory Board Member for Girl Scouts USA. She provides strategic advice to help make the scouting program more diverse, equitable, and inclusive for all girls. Learn More about Ignited Thinkers here: www.ignitedthinkers.org Through IgnitedThinkers, Gitika is working towards breaking the glass ceiling for minorities in the aerospace industry, incorporating more hands-on research space science-based activities into elementary education curriculums, and igniting the passions of all students by providing them the opportunity to explore and create. IgnitedThinkers' mission and vision statement are simple: to ignite, inform, and inspire students across the world. Connect with and follow Gitika on her journey! Twitter: @IgnitedThinkers and @GitikaGorthi Instagram: @IgnitedThinkers and @Gitika Gorthi LinkedIn: @IgnitedThinkers and @Gitika Gorthi | |||
| 165: Space Camp 40th Anniversary Celebration Part 1 | 23 Jun 2022 | 01:01:39 | |
This weekend, Beth's heading down to Huntsville, Alabama to help celebrate the 40th anniversary of Space Camp! Space Camp has been inspiring trainees since 1982, and has been a gateway for the future's astronauts, scientists, and engineers. On this episode, Beth shares her personal story of her very first time attending Space Camp (there would be several more throughout the years) and shares a chapter from her new book highlighting the experience that would forever change her path towards her work and success in the space exploration industry...with just one small obstacle that almost kept her from going… So, like, totally chill and let's go back to the late 80's and enjoy this episode to the max!! About Space Camp: Space Camp opened on June 13, 1982, launching what is now an internationally recognized STEM camp with more than one million alumni from all 50 states and 150 international locations. While in Huntsville, Beth and hundreds of alumni and Space Camp supporters will gather to celebrate AND witness the induction of the next class of Space Camp Hall of Fame members. These alumni have made significant contributions in their fields and we look forward to honoring them, featuring outstanding alumni and a fireside chat with members of the Inspiration4 team, the first all-civilian space flight, led by Jared Isaacman, a 1995 Aviation Challenge graduate. Jeffrey Kluger, Editor at Large for TIME magazine, moderating the discussion. Learn more at: https://rocketcenterfoundation.org/about/ About the 2022 Space Camp Hall of Fame Inductees: Camp programs continue to be a gateway for explorers on the frontiers of STEM, and as part of the anniversary celebration, a Space Camp Hall of Fame ceremony will feature these outstanding alumni, former camp staff and friends of Space Camp: Brian Dudas - Boeing 767-400 First Officer, Delta Airlines (Aviation Challenge counselor, 1992) Derek Hodgins - Strategy & Business Development, Lunar Exploration, Lockheed Martin Space (Space Academy Level I, 1994; Space Academy Level II, 1995; Space Academy Level II, 1996) Peter Marquez - Head of Space Policy at Amazon Web Services (Space Camp 1990) Mandy Vaughn - CEO & Founder at GXO, Inc. - (Space Academy Level I,1990; Space Academy Level II, 1991 and 1992) Inspiration4 Team: https://inspiration4.com/crew Jared Isaacman (Aviation Challenge Mach I, 1995) Chris Sembroski (Space Camp counselor 2001) Hayley Arceneaux (Friend of Space Camp) Dr. Sian Proctor (Friend of Space Camp) About the Auston Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer: https://www.hatcherfoundation.org/ About the Cosmic Odyssey Scholarship: https://www.hatcherfoundation.org/spacecamp Stay tuned for another Space Camp story next week, as we continue to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Space Camp on the Casual Space Podcast! | |||
| 164: UFO Hearings with Special Guest Mark O'Connell | 05 Jun 2022 | 01:00:00 | |
On Tuesday, May 17, A House Intelligence subcommittee held the first congressional hearing in more than 50 years to focus on military reports of unexplained aerial phenomena (UFOs and UAPs)! This rare event included documents, discussions, videos and testimonies from Pentagon officials, pilots and others- along with the formation of a new organization called, AOIMSG….and YOU KNOW wherever there's a long space acronym, an episode of Casual Space is sure to follow!!! Join Beth, Chad and special guest Author, podcast host and UFO researcher AND friend of the show Mark O'Connell! From the official congressional transcripts, this is how the hearing opened: "In 2017, we learned for the first time that the Department of defense had quietly restarted a similar organization tracking what we now call Unidentified Aerial Phenomena or UAPs. Last year, Congress rewrote the charter for that organization now called the Airborne Object Identification and Management. Synchronization Group or AOIMSG for short. Today, we will bring that organization out of the shadows. This hearing and oversight work has a simple idea at its core. Unidentified aerial phenomena are a potential national security threat, and they need to be treated that way. For too long the stigma associated with UAPs has gotten in the way of good intelligence analysis, pilots avoided reporting or were laughed at when they did. It's true, but they are real. They need to be investigated. And many threats they pose need to be mitigated." Here's a great article by Axios to get you all caught-up: https://www.axios.com/2022/05/17/congress-pentagon-ufo-uap-hearing and here are the actual transcripts of the congressional hearing if you really want to dig in: https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/congress-holds-historic-open-hearing-on-ufos-5-17-22-transcript About Mark: Mark O'Connell bio: Mark O'Connell got his start in television writing for Trek: The Next Generation" ("Timescape") and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" ("Second Sight," "Meridian," "For the Cause" and fan favorite "Who Mourns for Morn?"). Since then, he has had feature screenplays optioned and placed in development at Ruddy-Morgan Productions, DreamWorks Animation, and Disney. His comedy screenplay Doug and Dave was in development at Disney with the late Bill Paxton attached to direct. Mark's first book is The Close Encounters Man: How One Man Made the World Believe in UFOS, a biography of Dr. J. Allen Hynek, famed UFO researcher and inspiration behind Steven Spielberg's epic film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The Close Encounters Man was published by Dey Street Books, an imprint of HarperCollins. Mark is currently Co-Executive Producer and on-camera expert on UFO Witness, a reality show now streaming on the Discoveryplus streaming service. The second season of UFO Witness is currently in production. Mark is also on the screenwriting faculty of the College of Computing & Digital Media at DePaul University. Follow Mark on Twitter: @markoconnell_1 And be sure to listen to him on his Far-Fetched podcast: https://ococonnell.podbean.com/ GET THE BOOK: Get your copy of The Close Encounters Man: How One Man Made the World Believe in UFOS, a biography of Dr. J. Allen Hynek, https://www.amazon.com/Close-Encounters-Man-World-Believe/dp/0062484176/ref=asc_df_0062484176/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312090128349&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15632495319288089556&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy= | |||
| 163: NASA Astronaut, Author and Artist: Nicole Stott | 27 May 2022 | 00:34:41 | |
Nicole is an astronaut, aquanaut, artist, mom, and now author of her first book Back to Earth ~ What Life In Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet - And Our Mission To Protect It. She creatively combines the awe and wonder of her spaceflight experience with her artwork to inspire everyone's appreciation of our role as crewmates here on Spaceship Earth. Today on the Casual Space Podcast is Beth's conversation with Nicole recorded earlier this month, in preparation for the Analog Astronaut Conference in Tucson, Arizona, where Nicole shares a variety of thoughts about analogs, what it was like to live under the sea, and seeing our beautiful Earth from Space. More about Nicole Stott: She is a veteran NASA Astronaut with two spaceflights and 104 days as a crewmember on both the International Space Station (ISS) and the Space Shuttle. Personal highlights of her time in space include performing a spacewalk (10th woman to do so), flying the robotic arm to capture the first free-flying HTV, painting a watercolor (now on display at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum), working with her international crew on science that is all about improving life on Earth, and of course the life changing view of our home planet. She is also a NASA Aquanaut. In preparation for spaceflight she was a crew member on an 18-day saturation dive mission at the Aquarius undersea laboratory. Nicole believes that the international model of peaceful and successful cooperation we have experienced in the extreme environments of space and sea holds the key to the same kind of peaceful and successful cooperation for all of humanity here on Earth. On her post-NASA mission, Nicole is a co-founder of the Space for Art Foundation --- uniting a planetary community of children through the awe and wonder of space exploration and the healing power of art. Follow Nicole and her art here: https://www.npsdiscovery.com Back to Earth: What Life in Space Taught Me About Our Home Planet―And Our Mission to Protect It In her book, Back to Earth, Stott imparts essential lessons in problem-solving, survival, and crisis response that each of us can practice to make change. She knows we can overcome differences to address global issues, because she saw this every day on the International Space Station. Stott shares stories from her spaceflight and insights from scientists, activists, and changemakers working to solve our greatest environmental challenges. She learns about the complexities of Earth's biodiversity from NASA engineers working to enable life in space and from scientists protecting life on Earth for future generations. Ultimately, Stott reveals how we each have the power to respect our planetary home and one another by living our lives like crewmates, not passengers, on an inspiring shared mission GET THE BOOK: Get your copy of Back to Earth here: Back to Earth: https://www.amazon.com/Back-Earth-Planet_And-Mission-Protect/dp/1541675045 And, you can learn more about Analog Astronauts and our missions at: https://www.analog-astronaut.com/ | |||
| 162: Star Trek: Mission Chicago! | 16 May 2022 | 00:41:00 | |
Chad and Chris are back and reminisce about their journey into the universe (Chicago) for the official Star Trek convention! Together, Chris and Chad share the highlights from this fan experience that includes everything from the big celebrity stars to the panel discussions, memorabilia, and the tattoos? Beth jumps in at the end for the lightning round questions (is Q a bad guy, or a good guy?) and shares a few thoughts on what's going to happen next year (we will all be going back). Don't miss this fun conversation that is all Star Trek! Discover a new frontier of immersive experiences and unique encounters with fellow fans unlike anything you've seen before. Explore the past, present and future of Star Trek while embracing the ideals of a diverse and inclusive future that remains at the center of Gene Roddenberry's beloved universe. Join us as we go beyond expectation with a fan experience loaded with celebrity guests, exclusive merchandise and exciting announcements that can only be offered at Star Trek: Missions, the official fan convention brought to you by ViacomCBS and ReedPop There are still a few convention dates left to get tickets! From the Star Trek website: https://www.startrekmissions.com/ | |||
| 161: Hybrid Rockets and 3D Printing Fuel with Vaya Space | 30 Apr 2022 | 01:14:23 | |
Beth sits down with three members of Vaya Space, a hybrid rocket engine and small satellite launcher company! Mickael Buswell, Brian Ha, and Grant Begley explain how they're working to offer frequent, reliable, economical, and environmentally-friendly small satellite launch opportunities in precise orbital placement…by using hybrid rockets that are redefining the cost, performance, and safety of space access! Using their proprietary technology, STAR-3D™ hybrid rocket engines are produced by 3D printing fuel grains using thermoplastic material. It's pretty incredible, and it's all in this episode of Casual Space! Learn more about Grant Begley: Grant is the Chief Executive Officer at Vaya Space. In addition, Mr. Begley is CAPT. USN (RET, a Former Pentagon Senior Advisor for Unmanned Systems, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense. He served as the former Director of Stealth, Counter Stealth-Technology, Policy & Advance Programs for the U.S. Dept. of Defense, and a Team leader for the White House "Roadmap for U. S. Robotics 2013" project. Grant Begley also serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of Unmanned Vehicles International. Learn more about Vaya Space, their unique rockets and innovative production methods and hybrid rocket propulsion technology here: https://www.vayaspace.com/ Check out Brian Ha: Brian got his start in aerospace engineering at San Jose State University in Silicon Valley. He discovered a passion for building aerospace startups are after joining a satellite-imaging company called Skybox Imaging in 2014. There he was introduced to the relatively niche, but endlessly interesting, engineering specialty known as "Guidance, Navigation, and Control". After realizing he lacked the necessary technical depth to be a GNC engineer, he decided to leave sunny California in 2017 to pursue a Master's degree at the University of Michigan. Two brutal mid-western winters later, he earned his GNC degree and joined Northrop Grumman out in Phoenix, Arizona to build launch vehicles and missiles. After realizing that he does not like the "dry heat", he joined small-sat launch provider Vaya Space out in Cocoa, Florida. These days, Brian deals with torrential rainfall and summer thunderstorms as he leads the GNC design of Vaya's first orbital launch vehicle. Perhaps one day he'll find a climate that suits him. Mickael Buswell: Is a structural designer who's interested in applying organic design and mass optimization principles to revolutionize space structures and mechanisms, ranging from launch vehicles, to satellites, and ultimately space stations/habitats.
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| 160: Satellites & Earth Day with Exo-Space co-founder Mark Lorden | 22 Apr 2022 | 01:09:16 | |
Happy Earth Day! Satellites improve our life on Earth by providing valuable data about our incredible planet. How exactly do satellites work? What kind of data do we need to improve, save, and protect our Earth? Here's your 1-0-1 on satellites! From how they work, how they acquire power, how they navigate in orbit, and how they help us all benefit from the data they provide back to us on Earth! Mark Lorden is our expert guide as the co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer of Exo-Space, where he and his team are working to leverage their expertise in A.I., machine vision, and satellite design to offer software and hardware packages that can withstand the harsh environment of space. Together, Beth and Mark discuss roller coasters, satellite hardware, CubeSats, how satellites can help us fight fires, space startups and how the public can actively participate in space innovation! "To us, space presents the opportunity for the betterment of human society -- both on the Earth's surface, by gaining holistic awareness of activities and conditions to better inform policy and action, and in the depths of the universe, by expanding the frontiers of humankind. The development of the commercial space industry that's happening right now represents massive steps toward a better tomorrow." Learn More about Mark Lorden: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-lorden-799a9967/ Learn more about Exo-Space at: https://www.exo-space.com/ Support/ Invest in Exo-Space at Spaced Ventures here: https://www.spacedventures.com/ | |||
| 267: Susan Tate Ankeny, Author of American Fly Girl, Captures the Story of American Hero Hazel Ying Lee | 23 May 2025 | 01:10:27 | |
Hazel Ying Lee was a fearless pilot and a true aviation pioneer — the first Asian American to fly with the Women Airforce Service Pilots. But for decades, her remarkable story was left untold, until now. In this episode, author Susan Tate Ankeny tells us how she uncovers Hazel's legacy in her book, American Fly Girl. Through rich research, Susan brings Hazel's courage, wit, and determination back into the spotlight — where it belongs. This conversation is a tribute to hidden heroes and the storytellers who make sure we don't forget them. This conversion captures About Susan Tate Ankeny Through meticulous research, heartfelt storytelling, and a deep reverence for those who came before, Susan brings history to life—one remarkable story at a time. You can learn more about Susan and her work at https://susantateankeny.com. Her books are available wherever stories take flight. If you enjoyed this episode and would like to share, I'd love to hear it! Exploring space one story at a time just isn't enough? Same here. That's why I created Extra Space, a newsletter on LinkedIn with even more insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and human stories from the edge of exploration. Send your story to space, or to the sea with MISSION 05 at https://www.storiesofspace.com/ Join us in-between our episodes of Casual Space on the socials,
And finally, if you know of a great guest, topic or event you would like to hear featured on an episode of Casual Space, send me an email at beth@casualspacepodcast.com.
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| 159: Humans to Mars Summit Preview with Chris Carberry | 15 Apr 2022 | 00:26:41 | |
How will Humanity Return to the Moon by the Mid-2020s and Go to Mars by the Mid-2030s? How Can Innovations that Enable Human Missions to the Moon and Mars Benefit Humanity? If we find life on Mars, what happens next? These are just a few of the fascinating topics that will be explored at the 2022 Humans to Mars Summit (H2M) that is taking place on May 17-19, 2022, at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, D.C. https://www.exploremars.org/summit/ The Human to Mars Summit is the annual conference of Explore Mars, Inc., and is the largest annual conference in the world dedicated to the goal of a sustainable human presence on Mars starting no later than the 2030s. "We are entering the golden age of space exploration," stated Explore Mars CEO, Chris Carberry. "H2M 2022 will not only examine how humans will return to the surface of the Moon by the mid-2020s and then travel to Mars by the mid-2030s but will also consider the extraordinary opportunities and innovations expected to materialize over the next decade." JOIN US! REGISTER HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-2022-humans-to-mars-summit-registration-170778130987 Learn more about Explore Mars here: https://www.exploremars.org/ | |||
| 158: Become Off-Worldly with Laura Forczyk | 08 Apr 2022 | 00:49:38 | |
Try to keep up with Laura Forczyk! At the time of this conversation, Laura has a new NEW baby, a new business and just a few new multiple things that she's working on. All at the same time. You may want to sit down and buckle in- because Laura and Beth have a LOT to discuss together in this episode, including space camp, working for NASA, writing books, getting women to the Moon, hiring talented people for jobs in the space industry, *whew* (let's pause for a baby snuggle) work-life balance and more… About Laura: Laura Forczyk is the owner of space consulting firm Astralytical specializing in space science, industry, and policy, offering space career coaching services, and publishing industry reports. Learn more about Astralytical here: https://www.astralytical.com/about She is the author of Rise of the Space Age Millennials (2020) and Becoming Off-Worldly (2022). She runs the private online community Becoming Off-Worldly Together. She serves as an advisor for Cislunar Space Development Company and For All Moonkind. She is the VP of Research and Analytics for the Beyond Earth Institute. She serves as a mentor for the Brooke Owens Fellowship program. She is a NASA Subject Matter Expert for astrophysics and planetary science missions. Prior to forming her own company, she ran the Florida office of international startup working to establish parabolic and suborbital flight at Kennedy Space Center and globally. She has also worked as a scientific analyst for a nonprofit facilitating over 50 experiments on the International Space Station for the benefit of life on Earth. She has researched astrophysics and planetary science at three NASA centers, flown two parabolic "Zero G" campaigns, conducted geological research in a meteor crater, and earned National Aerospace Training and Research (NASTAR) suborbital astronaut wings in ground training. She is a six-time U.S. Space Camp alumna, a NASA Academy alumna, a former NASA Student Ambassador, and a previous NASA Graduate Student Researchers Program fellow. She earned a bachelor of science degree in astrophysics from Florida Institute of Technology. She earned a master of science degree in astrophysics from the University of Alabama in Huntsville researching high-energy emission from gamma-ray bursts. She conducted doctoral studies in planetary science at the University of Central Florida researching low-energy impacts and regolith (dust) dynamics on the Moon, Mars, and asteroids. Find Laura's Books here: Becoming Off-Worldly: Learning from Astronauts to Prepare for Your Spaceflight Journey And Rise of the Space Age Millennials: The Space Aspirations of a Rising Generation https://www.amazon.com/Laura-Forczyk/e/B083XQS24C%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share | |||
| 157: An Astronaut's Support Team: Family & Friends Chris Proctor and Brian Riehle | 03 Apr 2022 | 01:13:13 | |
Last March, family and friends learned of Dr. Sian Proctor's selection for the SpaceX Inspiration 4 mission and were able to join her along many parts of her incredible journey to space. On this episode, Chris and Brian join Beth to reminisce-and share wonderful moments from this recent adventure- from hearing the exciting news to watching the launch and landing. Here are the personal stories and sincere impressions from Sian's support team! About Chris: Chris Proctor and his wife Pattie and live outside of Phoenix, AZ. Chris has worked for Progressive Insurance for 28 years! Chris has two sons (Chase 21, & Maverick 18) and 2 stepdaughters (Alex 32, & Nicole 27). Chris loves spending time with his family, hiking, golfing, and traveling. Chris and his entire family enjoyed Sian's extraordinary adventure to space and the opportunity to reunite with old friends and to meet many new friends, too! About Brian: Mr. Riehle has 35 years' experience in computer systems, including 21 years in Air Traffic Control (ATC) automation systems with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of which 13 years were in a management position. Prior to entering the Federal Civil Service, he was a field engineer with Sperry Univac, and worked on the ARTS 3 Terminal Automation program. While employed with Sperry Univac, he worked in the ARTS 3 development labs in St. Paul, MN, and installed the ARTS 3 systems at Detroit, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and the FAA Technical Center (FAATC). Before going to Sperry Univac, he worked for the Bendix Field Engineering Corporation on the NASA Manned Space Flight Network, and supported 5 Apollo lunar missions as the computer supervisor and data systems supervisor at the Guam and Corpus Christi, TX, Apollo tracking stations. Before that, he was employed by North American Rockwell and worked on the development of the Navy Tactical Data Systems (NTDS). He has held numerous FAA technical management positions in Airway Facilities including the positions of Branch Manager, Assistant Division Manager, Division Manager, and Deputy Director of the Operational Support Program. Don't forget to listen to previous episodes featuring Sian and Brian! Sian Episode #108 https://www.bethmund.com/casual-space-podcast/2021/2/11/108-mund-on-mars-6 Brian Episode #144 https://www.bethmund.com/casual-space-podcast/20211111/144-brian-riehle | |||
| 156: The Internet in Space with Kepler's Diane Burchett | 25 Mar 2022 | 00:46:48 | |
The folks at Kepler are on a mission to build the Internet in space. Diane Burchett always loved math and science and was curious about how things worked. From taking apart the family vacuum to materials engineering, and watching sci-fi shows featuring bioengineering, they've all be a part of her journey towards working in the space industry- along with a Summer Session Program at International Space University in 2003, and her qualification and application of additive manufacturing in space. Today, Diane is the Vice President of Engineering at Kepler Communications! On this episode, Diane chats with Beth about the people, inspiration and adventures she's come to find along the way, and what the future brings for all of us on Earth and in space… About Kepler: Kepler Communications are on a mission to build the internet in space. They are working to provide real-time communication to other satellites, space stations, launch vehicles, habitats and any other space-borne assets. They are actively building what will be known as the ÆTHER network and currently have 19 satellited in orbit. To learn more about Kepler, check them out here: https://kepler.space/about-us/ Jobs and Internships at Kepler! https://kepler.space/careers/ | |||
| 155: Pete Davidson Is Going To Space | 20 Mar 2022 | 00:49:09 | |
UPDATE! Since this posting, the New York Times has reported that Pete Davidson may NOT be going to space, after all: Pete Davidson, the "Saturday Night Live" comedian and actor, will no longer travel to the edge of space on the next Blue Origin spaceflight, the company said late Thursday. The company had announced this week that its New Shepard rocket would launch on Wednesday, March 23, with Mr. Davidson and five other passengers. But the launch, the company's fourth with human passengers, has now been rescheduled for March 29, Blue Origin said on Twitter. The company, founded by Jeff Bezos, said that Mr. Davidson, 28, was "no longer able to join" the mission and that a replacement sixth crew member would be announced soon. No further details were given. Pete Davidson is heading to space. The Saturday Night Live star is among the six passengers on the next launch of Jeff Bezos' space travel venture Blue Origin, the company announced Monday. The launch is scheduled for March 23, and Davidson will be the third celebrity on a Blue Origin flight. Beth didn't tell her friends Chris and Char about this podcast topic discussion until they (willingly?) sat down with Beth and Chad to chat about Pete, and some other fun questions together, including, "Who gets to go to space?" "Should the first private space explorers be required to have a charitable component tied to their mission?" "What can Pete Davidson bring to a space mission," and "Which celebrity would YOU like to see fly in space?" Answers to all of these questions and more casual conversation on episode #155 of the Casual Space Podcast! About the mission: From the New York Times reporter, Johnny Diaz: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/14/science/pete-davidson-blue-origin.html
About Pete Davidson: Peter Michael Davidson (born November 16, 1993) is an American comedian and actor. He has been a cast member on the NBC late-night sketch comedy Saturday Night Live since 2014. Davidson has also appeared on the MTV shows Guy Code, Wild 'n Out, and Failosophy.[1][2] He has performed stand-up comedy on Adam DeVine's House Party, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Comedy Underground with Dave Attell, and guest-starred in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.[3] In 2020, he co-wrote and starred in the semi-autobiographical comedy-drama film The King of Staten Island. You're going to want to watch this: Saturday Night Live Skit featuring "Chad" aka Pete Davidson | |||
| 154: Getting Space Work Done with Tom Cooke | 13 Mar 2022 | 01:04:19 | |
As more and more people head into the great frontier of space, it's going to take a community of passionate people finding new approaches to look at problems and discovering solutions to fuel the growing space economy. Working in space will need EVERYONE. That's where Spacely comes in- and today, CEO Tom Cooke joins Beth to explain how Spacely helps match talent and companies with projects within the aerospace industry, all in the pursuit of "Getting Space Work. Done." About Tom Cooke Tom was a member of the United States Air Force for 24 years- flying in everything from gliders to jets- working in space systems development and operations for 16 of those 24 years. "Having this incredible opportunity and experience has resulted in me looking at the sky differently. When you get to be part of the sky in your own unique way, you start to believe you belong up there in some way." – Tom Cooke, CEO and Co-Founder of Spacely About Spacely https://www.spacely.work/home From the website~ Spacely is a social networking platform and opportunity marketplace for those passionate about space. Our mission is to connect those passionate about space regionally and globally while enabling them to be more productive and successful. To achieve our mission, we provide services to help communities find and connect with other like-minded communities and/or affiliated businesses, promote community interaction by allowing users to release news, exchange ideas, identify opportunities, maintain photo galleries, calendars, events and invitations using public or private settings. The Spacely platform allows members to discover and connect with one another through a shared interest in space and our vertical communities enable further engagement around specific subjects or activities. We provide an interest-based platform that encourages meaningful new relationships, relevant conversations and promotes opportunities for our members and partners to be successful in these endeavors. Other Items of Note:
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| 153: Space Hero with Deborah Sass and Thomas Reemer | 03 Mar 2022 | 00:43:13 | |
Normal people can and should be able to fly to space. Deborah Sass and Thomas Reemer have set out to prove this in a very unique and entertaining way. Today on the Casual Space Podcast, Beth talks with Deborah and Thomas from Space Hero; the world's first-ever global competition series where contestants compete for a $55-million, 10-day trip to Space; the biggest prize ever awarded on TV. The competition for this once-in-a-lifetime journey will open to anyone over 18 who speaks English. This is the remarkable journey of heroes from all over the World to be elected by the global public as their representative of humankind in Space. About Deborah Sass, Co-CEO Space Hero Deborah is a seasoned entertainment industry executive with a unique global perspective on doing business in today's ever-interconnected world. Throughout the years she has worked with some of media and technology's biggest names, TV & Radio channels in Australia. After returning back to the UK she secured roles working in Digital & Entertainment with clients such as Amazon, iTunes, Shazam, and Spotify. Deborah has structured many international strategic partnerships with global brands. Deborah is also the founder of Five Hundred Female Founders. About Thomas Reemer, Co-CEO Space Hero Thomas is a leader in the information technology and media industries with over 25 years of experience. Initially, as a music manager and event organizer, he then moved on to work as an entrepreneur for artists such as Prince and George Clinton, as well as clients such as Sony and Universal. He was a co-founder and CEO at the first e-commerce platform for musicians, Artists First. With 88tc88 he created the first legal distribution platform for digital media publishers and labels in China.
Learn more about Space Hero and apply at www.spacehero.org or https://tdgaholdings.com/ | |||
| 152: Planetary Society "Invitations" with Richard Chute | 25 Feb 2022 | 00:45:52 | |
The Planetary Society has been on a mission: To empower the world's citizens to advance space science and exploration. It's the place for people who want to be involved in space exploration by sharing their passion with other like-minded people. Chief Development Officer of the Planetary Society, Richard Chute, joins Beth today on the podcast and explains how a hobby became a full-time job(s), and how enabling citizens of planet Earth to explore space together is one of the most remarkable adventures ever imagined- first by Planetary Society founders Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman, and continues today with Bill Nye and Richard Chute! Throughout this episode, you'll be INVITED to become a member of the Planetary Society! So don't wait, join now! https://www.planetary.org/about/our-story More About Richard Chute: "The decade ahead promises to be the greatest decade for space exploration since the Apollo era--but only if we all work to make it so through our actions and support." An interest in science and astronomy, bolstered by a love for science fiction, began at an early age for Richard Chute, the Chief Development Officer for the Planetary Society. From watching Star Trek in its original run on TV, seeing Saturn through a telescope for the first time in 5th grade, joining the rocketry club in 6th grade, getting a first-edition copy of Star Wars for Christmas, to watching Cosmos as a young college student, Richard has always been fascinated by space exploration. Richard seeks to make a difference by creating effective fundraising programs for causes and organizations that support his passions. "When I began, I thought I was going to be asking people for something. What I found through the course of my career is that instead, it's about giving people opportunities to be connected to something that they already love and want to be involved with." -Richard Chute, Casual Space Podcast Contact Richard at richard.chute@planetary.org and find him on LinkedIn More about the Planetary Society: www.planetary.org From the Planetary Society website: "Our story begins with an observation. Planetary Society founders Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman saw that people of all walks of life are fascinated by the cosmos—yet space exploration budgets waned. This disconnect sparked the idea for a movement that would unite and represent people from around the world in support of space science and exploration. This is how The Planetary Society came to be. For over 4 decades, our members have made strides in advancing planetary exploration, planetary defense, and the search for life beyond Earth. We have delivered tens of thousands of petitions to the United States Congress. We have funded groundbreaking technological advancements in solar sailing. We have united researchers from around the world to work together on asteroid defense. Today we are the world's largest and most influential independent space-interest organization." | |||
| 151: Writing about Space with Emily Carney | 12 Feb 2022 | 00:48:58 | |
Emily Carney is an award-winning writer, editor, and public speaker specializing in spaceflight history. She's also the co-host of the Space & Things podcast, and she's the founder of the Space Hipsters Facebook group. Today on the show, Beth asks Emily how her love for space and talents as a writer began, how and when she's most effective at writing, and what advice she may have for future space writers. AND, Emily shares a couple of classic astronaut adventures, too. About Emily: Emily Carney is a spaceflight enthusiast and author hailing from Saint Petersburg, Florida. Her first vivid space memory was seeing Columbia launch in late 1981 (STS-2). Even though she was very young (three years old) and the launch was 140 miles away from where she stood, she'll never forget it. From then on, she was obsessed with the space shuttle, and spaceflight in general. In 1997, Carney enlisted in the United States Navy, and at one point worked as a nuclear propulsion mechanical operator aboard the USS George Washington (CVN 73). When she was honorably discharged in 2003, she went back to college and earned a degree in education. She only taught for a brief time, but after she left the education field, her passion for spaceflight was reignited. Carney worked as a freelance writer from 2008 to 2011, and during that time she started a spaceflight blog, This Space Available (accessible via https://space.nss.org/category/this-space-available/). Fun fact: the late Gene Cernan (Gemini 9A, Apollo 10, and Apollo 17 astronaut, also known as "The Last Man on the Moon") once asked her, "What the hell is a space blog?" Read and enjoy Emily's work
In 2011, Carney wanted to start a Facebook group for space enthusiasts, but was struggling to find a good name. Her husband, Steve, suggested "Space Hipsters" as sort of a sarcastic placeholder, but the name stuck. The group grew more quickly than she could imagine, and at present time it totals over 27,800 members. Space Hipsters boasts members from all around the world, and includes space enthusiasts, writers, artists, scientists, engineers, aspiring astronauts, and even a few actual astronauts. | |||
| 150: Space IS Nature with Daniel Fox | 04 Feb 2022 | 01:16:21 | |
"There is no Earth vs Space. They live together." This episode of Casual Space is one filled with wisdom, as Daniel reflects on how nature lives within us, around us, and beyond us- in space. "We are ambassadors for life and it is our responsibility to share Earth's knowledge and gift so that we can support the Universe's goal to connect." – Daniel Fox FIND Daniel here: https://danielfox.co/about/ and at https://www.instagram.com/thewildimage/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/spaceape/ I've really enjoyed reading Daniel's new series, The Future of Space, a weekly dose of space thinking, interviews and reflections- and you can find it here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-future-of-space-6882171911019868160/ You may want to bookmark this website for updates on Daniel's new project, Space 100.10 https://space10010.com/
Books: Order Daniel's Book, FEEL THE WILD here- https://danielfox.co/book/ And during the commercial, I mentioned Dr. Sian Proctor's New Book, Space2inspire: The Art of Inspiration and you can get it here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1733765417/ | |||
| 266: Michelle Lucas on Launching Dreams: From NASA Flight Controller to Higher Orbits Founder | 09 May 2025 | 00:58:19 | |
Michelle Lucas knows what it means to chart your own course—especially when the stars aren't clearly mapped. In this heartfelt conversation, Michelle recounts her unexpected trajectory from a third-grader dreaming about rockets in a refrigerator box "space station" to becoming a NASA flight controller and the founder of Higher Orbits, a nonprofit bringing students' experiments to actual space. Beth and Michelle explore how childhood curiosity, persistent grit, and a few key mentors launched Michelle into the heart of space exploration—and how she's now using that same passion to light the path for others. Beth and Michelle unpack the realities of navigating NASA's culture, what safety really looks like behind the scenes, and how working in space changed Michelle's approach to life on Earth. Oh, and don't miss a fun connection Beth and Michelle laugh about: a wax-molded space shuttle from Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. More About Michelle Lucas: If you're in the Chicagoland area, you can meet Michelle at the Galactic Golf Outing on May 13—a fundraiser where you can literally tee off with astronauts to support Higher Orbits' mission. (Bonus: It's hosted at the Glenn Club, once home to Neil Armstrong's naval station.) Connect with Michelle and support student STEM dreams at higherorbits.org. If you enjoyed this episode and would like to share, I'd love to hear it! We're sending stories to space AND sea! Launching MISSION 05 this week, and you'll want to make sure you have a place on board- www.storiesofspace.com Join me and our guests for all of our conversations and stories at:
or email me at beth@casualspacepodcast.com.
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| 149: James Webb Space Telescope with RSE Dean Mikolajczyk | 28 Jan 2022 | 01:11:53 | |
On Christmas morning, NASA presented (launched) an incredible gift people of the WOLRD will be able to enjoy …The James Webb Space Telescope. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope launched at 7:20 a.m. EST Saturday, December 25 on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, South America. On this episode of Casual Space, Beth and (resident space expert) Dean geek out on all things JWST! The world's largest and most complex space science observatory will now begin six months of commissioning in space! At the end of commissioning, Webb will deliver its first images. Webb carries four state-of-the-art science instruments with highly sensitive infrared detectors of unprecedented resolution. Webb will study infrared light from celestial objects with much greater clarity than ever before. The premier mission is the scientific successor to NASA's iconic Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, built to complement and further the scientific discoveries of these and other missions. About James Webb Space Telescope The James Webb Space Telescope's revolutionary technology will study every phase of cosmic history—from within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe. Webb's infrared telescope will explore a wide range of science questions to help us understand the origins of the universe and our place in it. Webb will directly observe a part of space and time never seen before. Webb will gaze into the epoch when the very first stars and galaxies formed, over 13.5 billion years ago. Ultraviolet and visible light emitted by the very first luminous objects has been stretched or "redshifted" by the universe's continual expansion and arrives today as infrared light. Webb is designed to "see" this infrared light with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity. Webb will also be a powerful tool for studying the nearby universe. Scientists will use Webb to study planets and other bodies in our solar system to determine their origin and evolution and compare them with exoplanets, planets that orbit other stars. Webb will also observe exoplanets located in their stars' habitable zones, the regions where a planet could harbor liquid water on its surface, and can determine if and where signatures of habitability may be present. Using a technique called transmission spectroscopy, the observatory will examine starlight filtered through planetary atmospheres to learn about their chemical compositions.
ALL THE JWST Resources: https://webb.nasa.gov/index.html And at the end of the show, we talked about LIGO. Here's a great explanation of what LIGO is: https://fb.watch/aOmq7h_PkW/
About Dean
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| 148: Inspiration from Erin and Chris Sembroski | 24 Dec 2021 | 01:05:31 | |
Erin Sembroski didn't know her husband Chris had entered a contest to fly to space. Then he won the Generosity seat on the Inspiration4 on a SpaceX, rocket and had to tell her the news. On this episode of the Casual Space Podcast, Erin shares her experience -from learning that Chris' would be going to space as part of the first all-civilian crew- to how she worked to navigate the intensity of the obligations and emotions as an astronaut's spouse. This is Erin's story, told along side her husband Chris, to Beth and Chad. Their adventure together will warm your heart, and it's one that's only just begun. Inspiration4 was a human spaceflight mission in 2021, operated by SpaceX on behalf of Shift4 Payments CEO Jared Isaacman.[3] The mission launched the Crew Dragon Resilience on 16 September 2021 from the Florida Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A atop a Falcon 9 launch vehicle, placed the Dragon capsule into low Earth orbit,[4] and ended successfully on September 18 when the Resilience splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean. About Erin Sembroski Erin was born and raised in Montana. She grew up with a love for all things outdoors: hiking, camping, floating the river with her brother and sister…She attended Montana State University graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. Erin's first teaching position was in Great Falls, MT, where she met Chris while he was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base. After three years, they decided to move to the Pacific Northwest (PNW) for the water, outdoors, and Seattle life. Erin went on to attend University of Washington and graduated with a Masters in Teaching. She has taught north of Seattle for over 8 years now, and loves her smart, sarcastic, and big-hearted middle schoolers. Her proudest accomplishment is being Mom to two brave, strong, and brilliant girls and best Beagle buddy, Franklin. Erin and Chris have been married for 12 years, and she couldn't be any prouder than to see him live his dream of flying in space. About Chris Sembroski, Inspiration4 astronaut Chris Sembroski grew up with a natural curiosity about outer space. Stargazing late at night on the roof of his high school and launching high-powered model rockets in college cemented this passion. As a U.S. Space Camp counselor, he conducted simulated space shuttle missions and supported STEM-based education designed to inspire young minds to explore these areas and find their passions. As a college student, Sembroski volunteered with ProSpace, a grassroots lobbying effort that promoted legislation in Washington, D.C., to help open space travel and allow companies like SpaceX to exist. He then served in the U.S. Air Force, maintaining a fleet of Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles and deploying for service in Iraq before leaving active duty in 2007. Following his education from the Air Force, Sembroski earned a B.S. in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In his career, Sembroski has sought innovative, industry-disrupting methods to monitor and maintain mechanical equipment, making everything from data centers to hospitals more efficient. He now resides in Seattle, WA, and works in the aerospace industry. Chris held the Generosity seat on the Inspiration4 launch on September 16, 2021. About Inspiration4 https://inspiration4.com/ Inspiration4 is the world's first all-civilian mission to orbit. The mission is commanded by Jared Isaacman, the 38-year-old founder and Chief Executive Officer of Shift4 Payments and an accomplished pilot and adventurer. Inspiration4 launched from Earth from Kennedy Space Center's historic Launch Complex 39A, the embarkation point for Apollo and Space Shuttle missions, and traveled across a low earth orbit on a 3-day journey in space. Named in recognition of the four-person crew, the mission raised more than 210 million in funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a milestone that represents a new era for human spaceflight and exploration.
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| 147: The Creation Story of ThinkOrbital with Sebastian Asprella and Vojtech Holub | 17 Dec 2021 | 01:10:57 | |
This episode is an amazing story about the Commercialization of Cislunar Space by a company named ThinkOrbital. It's also the story of how two talented people were bold enough to share their innovative idea to design something…different, better, and for all space explorers. Co-Founders Sebastian Asprella and Dr. Vojtech Holub met on Discord during COVID, and soon found that by applying their interests and talents together in a big way, a big idea for a single-launch space station could become a reality. And thus, ThinkOrbital was born! One of Beth's favorite ThinkOrbital long-term objectives is that they look to explore customers beyond "traditional" space users, promoting the quality of business, research and recreational scope available in space! Today on this Casual Space Podcast episode, Sebastian and Vojtech walk us through their concept to create a novel space station that is scalable, modular and can be deployed with a single launch to be assembled on-orbit. Wow. About Sebastian Asprella: Think Orbital Co-Founder, CEO Sebastian brings 25 years of leadership and intrapreneurship experience across business management and IT sectors. With a background in electromechanics and business administration, Sebastian has been working for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) since 2001 starting from business administration to heading complex multinational digitalization programs. Sebastian has previously consulted on business development for EnergyX, while his early career experience ranges across telecom and oil and gas sectors. About Vojtech Holub, Ph.D.: Think Orbital Co-Founder, CTO Vojtech brings 13 years of research and development and software engineering experience, along with research expertise in aerospace engineering. Vojtech holds over 20 patents and has published 17 conference and journal papers. His paper published in the AIAA's Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets has served as a founding thesis for ThinkOrbital's Commercial Space Station design.
About ThinkOrbital https://thinkorbital.com/ ThinkOrbital is designing and delivering the premier commercial low Earth orbit destination with a mission to accelerate exploration of cislunar space. They have developed a concept based on mature technologies available today, to create a novel space station that is scalable, modular and can be deployed with a single launch to be assembled on-orbit.
Other Happenings: James Webb Space Telescope?!?! Here's a great video about JWST launch and deployment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6ihVeEoUdo Launch Schedules! https://www.space.com/32286-space-calendar.html Dylan Taylor launches on Blue Origin! Here's my conversation with Dylan from earlier this year; https://www.bethmund.com/casual-space-podcast/2020/12/17/101-dylan-taylor And here's another great conversation with Dylan and Frank White! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlU76UuDxjA | |||
| 146: Sending Science to the Lunar Surface with Aegis Aerospace Principal Owner Stephanie Murphy | 03 Dec 2021 | 01:01:26 | |
When you need to send payloads to space, you call upon the expertise of Stephanie Murphy, because Ms. Murphy and her newly merged company is (and has been) perfectly practiced at providing on-orbit testing for government and commercial customers. Today on the show, you'll enjoy getting to know the impressive Stephanie Murphy- how she's overcoming obstacles as a female principal owner in the competitive commercial space industry, what it takes to fly payloads in space, her team's ability to champion challenging flight schedules (from concept to flown in 3 years!) and what it feels like to receive a new contract from NASA to be the first woman-owned company that will land testing equipment on the moon!!
Alpha Space leads the commercial space industry through its Space Testing as a Service (STaaS) offerings. Alpha Space owns and operates the MISSE – an orbiting commercial science and testing facility permanently installed on the exterior of the International Space Station. MEI Technologies is a nationwide company providing innovative technical services and solutions including Space Access, Engineering Services & Solutions, Modeling and Simulation and IT/Cyber Services & Solutions, and Stephanie Murphy is the woman who formed the merger between Alpha Space and MEI Technologies!
About Stephanie Muñiz Murphy: Stephanie Muñiz Murphy a Hispanic-American woman who owns Aegis and serves as Chair of the Board. Through a new contract with NASA, Aegis will be the first woman-owned company that will land testing equipment on the Moon! Stephanie is working closely with Mark Gittleman, the CEO of Aegis, which was formed in August 2021 through the merger of Alpha Space and MEI Technologies. Gittleman's background is rich with hardware development in the commercial space industry.
About AEGIS AEROSPACE https://www.aegisaero.com (pronounced ējis) is a woman-owned space and technology company that provides turn-key solutions to government and commercial customers in the space and defense industries. Formed through the merger of Alpha Space and MEI Technologies, Aegis Aerospace offers 30 years of success and innovation in the areas of commercial space services, technology and engineering services, and related products.
About Alpha Space https://www.alphaspace.com/about-alpha-space.html Unparalleled Commercial On-Orbit Testing and Data Collection Services Alpha Space Test and Research Alliance, LLC (Alpha Space) is a minority-woman-owned commercial space company serving the space R&D and testing markets. It is an ISS National Laboratory Implementation Partner and Commercialization Partner. Alpha Space provides turnkey on-orbit technology testing services utilizing its unique, external flight facility, MISSE. Alpha Space makes it easy to get your science or technology to orbit and into the actual space environment, providing confidential testing and data collection for both passive and active tests and experiments for about 6 months at a time. When the test period is over, Alpha Space returns your hardware to you. The Alpha Space team has the experience and skills needed to provide its customers with services that include:
About the MISSE Facility https://www.alphaspace.com/about-misse-ff.html Affordable, Unparalleled Access for Space Environment Technology Demonstration Testing Instrument Validation | Material Science | Solar Cell Testing The MISSE test platform consists of a flight facility that is permanently installed on an ISS truss and modular technology/experiment carriers. The flight facility provides structural mounting and utility distribution to up to twelve technology/experiment carriers at a time. The modular carriers are rotated about every six months with a new set of customer technologies. | |||
| 145: Author Patrick Mullane and Astronaut Mike Mullane | 20 Nov 2021 | 01:15:45 | |
Mike Mullane is a NASA astronaut who has written several award-winning and popular books detailing his space exploration experience. Years later, his son, Patrick Mullane, would also write a popular book about his own unique experience watching his father become an astronaut. Both accomplished veterans, Mike and Patrick sit down with Beth on Veteran's Day to share some of their (hilarious) stories and (sincere) reflections, and even make a few predictions about the future of space exploration (Dad jokes in space?) on this episode of Casual Space. Don't miss this one- Mike and Patrick are some of the best storytellers you've ever heard!
About Mike Mullane: https://mikemullane.com/ Colonel Mullane was born September 10, 1945 in Wichita Falls, Texas but spent much of his youth in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he currently resides. He was a child of the space race and in the late 1950's embarked on his own rocket experiments in the deserts near his home. Upon his graduation from West Point in 1967, he was commissioned in the United States Air Force. As a Weapon Systems Operator aboard RF-4C Phantom aircraft, he completed 134 combat missions in Vietnam. He holds a Master's of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology and is also a graduate of the Air Force Flight Test Engineer School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Mullane was selected as a Mission Specialist in 1978 in the first group of Space Shuttle Astronauts. He completed three space missions aboard the Shuttles Discovery (STS-41D) and Atlantis (STS-27 & 36) before retiring from NASA and the Air Force in 1990. Mullane has been inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame and is the recipient of many awards, including the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit and the NASA Space Flight Medal. Since his retirement from NASA, Colonel Mullane has written an award-winning children's book, Liftoff! An Astronaut's Dream, and a popular space-fact book, Do Your Ears Pop In Space? His memoir, Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut, has been reviewed in the New York Times and on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. It has also been featured on Barnes and Noble's recommended summer reading list.
About Patrick Mullane: https://www.pjmullane.com/ Patrick Mullane is the Executive Director of Harvard Business School Online. He brings over 20 years of management experience across several industries to the position. As Executive Director, he is responsible for managing HBS Online's growth, expansion in global markets, and long-term success. HBS Online leverages Harvard Business School's reputation for excellence and impact in business education and the broader business community, as well as the vast intellectual property, academic pedagogy, and faculty talent of the School to be the premier provider of high-quality digital business education. Prior to joining HBS Online, Patrick was the CEO of Fabrico, Inc., an industrial manufacturing company that was purchased by Technetics, Inc. in 2014. Subsequent to the sale of Fabrico, he served as vice president and general manager in Technetics' industrial turbine portfolio. Before earning his MBA, Patrick served as a captain in a U.S. Air Force intelligence organization. He has also been an early employee of a technology startup, managed Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions' Washington DC market, and worked for a telecommunications equipment company. | |||
| 144: Tracking Apollo from Guam with Brian Riehle | 11 Nov 2021 | 00:53:21 | |
Built in 1966 to support the Apollo space missions, the NASA tracking station in Guam (GWM) was equipped with a 30-foot USB antenna and VHF Air-Ground Voice and Telemetry capabilities. Guam was the first dedicated Apollo station built, and it's where Brian Riehle and his team helped to track and communicate with 5 Apollo missions, including Apollo 11! Beth had the privilege of meeting Brian at the Inspiration4 Mission launch, thanks to family friend and astronaut, Dr. Sian Proctor!
About Brian: Mr. Riehle has 35 years' experience in computer systems, including 21 years in Air Traffic Control (ATC) automation systems with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of which 13 years were in a management position. Prior to entering the Federal Civil Service, he was a field engineer with Sperry Univac, and worked on the ARTS 3 Terminal Automation program. While employed with Sperry Univac, he worked in the ARTS 3 development labs in St. Paul, MN, and installed the ARTS 3 systems at Detroit, Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and the FAA Technical Center (FAATC). Before going to Sperry Univac, he worked for the Bendix Field Engineering Corporation on the NASA Manned Space Flight Network, and supported 5 Apollo lunar missions as the computer supervisor and data systems supervisor at the Guam and Corpus Christi, TX, Apollo tracking stations. Before that, he was employed by North American Rockwell and worked on the development of the Navy Tactical Data Systems (NTDS). He has held numerous FAA technical management positions in Airway Facilities including the positions of Branch Manager, Assistant Division Manager, Division Manager, and Deputy Director of the Operational Support Program.
Here's more info about the Guam NASA tracking stations:
Here are all the Apollo tracking stations; https://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/alsj-DSNLocations.html
Here's a great story about a little boy who helped saved Apollo from Guam: https://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/space/07/20/apollo11.irpt/index.html
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| 143: Next Generation of Lunar Landing Space Suits with Dan Klopp | 05 Nov 2021 | 00:52:26 | |
What kind of space suit will we need to go back to the moon? How long does it take to make a space suit? Why are space suits white? What's the first thing that could kill you in space? (It's not what you think). Dan Klopp's division at ILC Dover has been making space suits for NASA for over 50 years, so he's perfectly positioned to provide us with a space suit tutorial in this episode of Casual Space!
About Dan Klopp : Dan Klopp is a business leader with an extensive background in technology and strategic marketing. Dan is currently the Director Of Marketing And Business Development Space Systems Division at ILC Dover Dan holds a BS in Physics (with minors in Chemistry and Mathematics) from Millersville State University, along with an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. Additionally, he has done post graduate work in marketing theory at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business. Dan has worked in marketing, product development and business leadership positions for
THIS IS GREAT INFORMATION about Space Suite Technology and Spinoffs: https://spinoff.nasa.gov/Spinoff2005/ch_1.html Here's just a part of the article:
Originating Technology/NASA Contribution Space is a hostile environment where astronauts combat extreme temperatures, dangerous radiation, and a near-breathless vacuum. Life support in these unforgiving circumstances is crucial and complex, and failure is not an option for the devices meant to keep astronauts safe in an environment that presents constant opposition. A space suit must meet stringent requirements for life support. The suit has to be made of durable material to withstand the impact of space debris and protect against radiation. It must provide essential oxygen, pressure, heating, and cooling while retaining mobility and dexterity. It is not a simple article of clothing but rather a complex modern armor that the space explorers must don if they are to continue exploring the heavens. Partnership In 1947, before people successfully left the Earth's atmosphere, ILC Dover, Inc., of Frederica, Delaware, the governmental supply branch of the International Latex Corporation, was manufacturing high-strength rubber rafts for U.S. Navy Seals. This product proved the basis for a succession of increasingly complex projects in the high-strength textile market. In the next decade, the company's production of pressurized textiles brought it into the realm of creating pressurized flight suits and helmets for American U-2 spy plane pilots, who flew in extreme altitudes. ILC Dover's success with pressurized flight suits led to its bidding and winning the space\ suit contract for the Apollo mission in 1965 with its AX5L suit—a modified, pressurized suit with woven restraints, air bladders, and wrist cuffs that still is used by astronauts today. Since the early Apollo contract, ILC Dover, in conjunction with Hamilton Standard, of Windsor Locks, Connecticut, has designed and produced space suits for NASA. These suits have flown on every mission, and ILC Dover maintains a staff of 15 full-time employees at the Johnson Space Center dedicated to fitting, assembling, and repairing the space suits for the entire astronaut corps. ILC Dover's partnership with NASA to create the space suits resulted in mastery of life-critical applications, quality workmanship, and testing for high reliability and safety in extreme conditions, as well as the repeated analysis of processes and inspection. ILC used these skills and the NASA-honed expertise to create a handful of spinoffs, including work in the medical, pharmaceutical, personal protection, and aerospace markets. NASA also called upon ILC Dover's skills recently, providing the company's engineers the opportunity to spin some of their technical talents back into the Space Program. They designed and manufactured the Mars landing space inflatables for the Pathfinder and Mars Explorer Rover (MER) Missions. These large airbags cushioned the drop onto the surface of the Red Planet. In addition, they manufactured the landing ramps and continue to provide suits to support the construction of the International Space Station. | |||
| 142: Commercial Space Stations! Orbital Reef, Axiom Space, and Starlab | 29 Oct 2021 | 00:36:47 | |
A mixed-use business park. In space. That's the description of the newly introduced Orbital Reef Commercial Space Station. More good news, this is not the ONLY commercial space station proposed, there are BIG plans on the LEO horizon… listen as Beth and Chad examine a future of orbiting laboratories providing solutions on, off and for planet Earth.
About Orbital Reef: https://www.orbitalreef.com/ Orbital Reef will be the premier mixed-use space station in low Earth orbit for commerce, research, and tourism by the end of this decade. "Designed for use cases and ideas never before possible, Orbital Reef unlocks LEO by reducing cost and complexity for new kinds of customers. We provide end-to-end services, standard interfaces, and technical support needed by space flight novices: planning, payload development, training, transportation, data analysis, and security for your people or payloads (or both)." Commercially developed, owned, and operated, Orbital Reef opens doors to new markets and catalyzes the growth of a vibrant space ecosystem. It provides an "address on orbit" for use, lease, or ownership that is international and open to all.
Through this giant inspirational and representative Artemis themed Earthwork created by artist Stan Herd, we will honor and recognize African American astronaut Stephanie Wilson who is not only a pioneer but also in the current NASA Artemis group. She could be the first women to set foot on the Moon.
About Starlab: https://nanoracks.com/starlab/ The First Ever Free-flying Commercial Space Station Nanoracks spent the last decade mastering the commercial operation of space stations, meeting customer demand, charting market growth, and self-investing in private hardware on the ISS. Based on this experience, we are excited to introduce Starlab, a continuously crewed commercial platform supporting a business designed to enable science, research, and manufacturing for customers around the world.
To learn more about the business and policy of space, check out Payload: https://payloadspace.com/ To BID on Dr. Sian Proctor's space art, "Seeker" go here before November 5th: https://www.charitybuzz.com/catalog_items/auction-live-bid-seeker-space-flown-world-traveling-2285701?preview=1 More about the IAC (International Astronautical Congress)https://www.iafastro.org/events/iac/iac-2021/ Article about the 2020 space economy: https://www.statista.com/statistics/662231/space-economy-breakdown-globally-by-sector/ | |||
| 141: Aim Higher with Christina Korp | 22 Oct 2021 | 00:56:33 | |
Christina Korp has traveled the world as a singer, producer, tour manager and as an Astronaut Wrangler. She's produced groundbreaking, mass participation experiential artworks and event that focus on inspiring people and giving back to the planet. Today on the podcast, Christina shares with Beth her latest #AimHigher project success that recently completed on Monday, October 11, where Christina organized an incredible event in Woodruff Park in Atlanta, Georgia where a giant 6,300 square foot Earthwork portrait of NASA Astronaut Stephanie Wilson created by crop artist Stan Herd was unveiled. The frame and wording of #AimHigher was made from 1500 tiles of space art created by kids from 14 Atlanta Schools and 3 children's hospitals. Astronauts Nicole Stott, Susan Kilrain and Dr. Sian Proctor (who only just returned to Earth from the Inspiration4 Mission where she became the first black woman to pilot a spacecraft) participated in this historic event. Each astronaut spoke about the importance of representation to inspire the next generation to aim higher for their dreams. Stephanie Wilson was the second Black woman to go into space. She's flown in three missions — her first in 2006 — and she's also one of 18 astronauts on the NASA Artemis team, which is set to go to the moon in 2024.
About Christina Korp: https://christinakorp.com/ Christina Korp is an astronaut manager, space advisor and the president of Purpose Entertainment. For ten years she managed Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin and launched his education foundations – ShareSpace and the Aldrin Family Foundation. She produced the last five galas at Kennedy Space Center celebrating Apollo 11 and the Webby winning and Emmy nominated, "Cycling Pathways to Mars" VR experience. She is passionate about promoting ways space benefits the planet and people every day and promoting women's issues. She spearheaded projects in 2020 to celebrate the Women's Vote Centennial in the USA. She leads SPACE For a Better World producing events and experiences that raise money for partner charities. She currently works with Apollo 16 moon walker Charlie Duke and NASA astronaut and aquanaut Nicole Stott.
The Apollo missions, the first Moon landing that inspired a generation. It spurred on innovation and ignited a spark in kids to aim high for their dreams. Those kids of yesterday turned into adults who are changing the world today. We want to light the spark in today's generation to empower them to be the ones to change the world tomorrow. We'll encourage them to aim higher for their dreams than ever before. Through this giant inspirational and representative Artemis themed Earthwork created by artist Stan Herd, we will honor and recognize African American astronaut Stephanie Wilson who is not only a pioneer but also in the current NASA Artemis group. She could be the first woman to set foot on the Moon.
Article from Mission: AstroAccess from Space.com: https://www.space.com/astroaccess-disability-ambassadors-zero-g-flight | |||
| 140: William Shatner and Filming Movies in Space | 14 Oct 2021 | 00:50:10 | |
Does filming in space change the way in which we view space? How will filming in space change our perspective? When actors, directors, and artists go to space, can they help us see ourselves, and our planet Earth in a different way?
Last week, a Soyuz spacecraft carrying a Russian film crew docked at the International Space Station to begin a movie shoot in orbit. The Soyuz ferried a Russian actress and a film director to the station alongside a veteran cosmonaut, who commanded the capsule. Their goal? To spend 12 days shooting scenes for a space film called "The Challenge" on the station. This week, William Shatner, also known as Captain Kirk, will travel to space on the Blue Origin New Shepard capsule. Actors are traveling to space, and movies are being made in space, so Beth, Chad and new friend of the show, Chris Byars are ready to celebrate how exciting these events are and what it means for humanity's future!
Join in on this episode as Beth, Chad and Chris attempt to answer questions about movies in space, including: How many movies have been filmed in space? How many actors have flown to space? (This answer has since changed from today's historic Blue Origin flight, by the way) What movie SHOULD have been made in space? Tune in for a very casual conversation with lots of laughs and a couple of great ideas in this week's Casual Space Podcast!
More miscellaneous stuff discussed: The "female friendly" space toilet on the ISS: https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2020/10/space-toilet-nasa-women/616686/ Tom Cruise will be making movies on the ISS: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-52556699 Beth references this article from the Chicago Tribune of the top 50 movies about space- here is the list: https://www.chicagotribune.com/featured/sns-stacker-best-space-movies-all-time-20210331-ls6z5ha6ubekdgyov76fxs7tam-photogallery.html A film made in space, Apogee of Fear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKOK0VzTix4 Wally Funk's previous Blue Origin flight: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wally-funk-blue-origin-space-travel-oldest-astronaut/
Want to know more about job opportunities in the space industry? Don't miss this free webinar, hosted by Space Nation on October 22, Beth mentioned during the show break. You can check it out and register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/space-jobs-and-astropreneurship-opportunities-are-launching-now-tickets-191110435457?aff=bm. | |||
| 265: Shawn Linam: Training Astronauts, Launching a Business, and Finding Her Orbit | 02 May 2025 | 00:40:53 | |
Shawn Linam, Aerospace Entrepreneur & Host of In Her Orbit Podcast Shawn Linam's journey didn't start with a telescope or dreams of rockets—it began with candy striping, biomedical engineering, and a resilient heart that would eventually take her to NASA. Listen for a candid conversation about the challenges and joys of being a woman in the space exploration industry, raising kids while growing a company, and navigating a professional trajectory that's anything but linear. Shawn shares the behind-the-scenes truths of her extraordinary career: from training astronauts at Johnson Space Center to co-founding her own company after a surprise layoff (while on maternity leave!). Together, Beth and Shawn reflect on NASA culture, building confidence in male-dominated fields, and why mentoring the next generation—especially girls in STEM—is the legacy that matters most. About Shawn Linam: 🚀 Explore her podcast In Her Orbit wherever you listen to podcasts Follow Casual Space Podcast, share and subscribe at
or send me an email at beth@casualspacepodcast.com Thanks for listening to Casual Space!
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| 139: Space Marketing with Izzy House | 07 Oct 2021 | 01:05:35 | |
"How can you change the world if no one knows you exist?" – Izzy House
When it comes to marketing, Izzy knows a thing or two. And when it comes to marketing for space, Izzy House wrote the book on it- literally! Her new book, Space Marketing aims to empower companies within the space industry promote space, generate excitement, and implement marketing strategies and tactics to help companies thrive. The space business model is changing, and the companies that are successful right now do ONE THING CONSISTENTLY. On this week's episode, Izzy shares with Beth one of the simplest marketing strategies that works, yet so many companies just don't do…
Here's more about the book Space Marketing: https://izzy.house/space-marketing-book/ From Izzy's website: Since the 2015 SPACE Act opened the doors for commercial companies, the space sector has exploded with activity. There are thousands of new players. As of 2018 data, over 72 countries have launched new governmental space agencies. As a result, unprecedented competition levels grow as countries ramp up their programs and the cost for entry into the industry reduces. Subsequently, Many of the space industry professionals have not had to maneuver in these waters before now. NASA's not the only game in town anymore. ESA, India, Israel, China, United Arab Emirates, and many other countries are going into space. Therefore, it is going to get even more competitive as these counties pour funds into their space programs and their country's businesses as they reach for a piece of this powerful industry. Marketing will become a necessity if you want to run in the space race.
About Izzy: Izzy House utilizes creativity and her extensive marketing experience to help her business partners grow. The marketing strategies that she creates are attractive, produce results, and create income streams that have benefited 600+companies for over 20 years. From websites to print to video, her award-winning campaigns connect companies to their audience. With an extensive marketing background, she turns the lens of marketing onto the space industry. Armed with experience in public affairs, outreach, and marketing, she aims to empower space companies and further their dreams of space exploration. | |||
| 138: Zero-G and Yuri's Night with Tim Bailey | 30 Sep 2021 | 01:21:09 | |
You could say Tim Bailey is a space celebration connoisseur. As the Executive Director for Yuri's Night- THE biggest space party in the world…Tim is qualified to rate and review the Inspiration4 "splashdown" party held just a week ago when the crew returned safely to Earth. (Acrobats? Star Wars bands? Flying astronauts? COLLECTIVE SOUL?!) Today on the show, Beth and Tim say they're "still buzzing" from the EPIC SpaceX celebration, then discuss how space travel is basically available to everyone, right now.
About Tim Bailey: Tim Bailey is space enthusiast, an Eagle Scout, a former counselor for Space Camp Florida, and a graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Tim never thought he'd be a Flight Attendant on his way to becoming an Astronaut, yet he's celebrated 18 years on the job and is still loving it! In addition to his part-time work with Zero Gravity Corporation, Tim is the Executive Director for Yuri's Night, a nonprofit best known for the self-named annual world space parties in April. I've done an assortment of other project management jobs for organizations including NSS, Space Generation Advisory Council to the UN, Kennedy Space Center, the Department of Energy, the US Marine Corps, and DARPA. Want to learn more about Tim and his work? Check out his website at www.NovaBailey.com
About Zero G Gravity Corporation: Zero Gravity Corporation is a privately held space entertainment and tourism company whose mission is to make the excitement and adventure of space accessible to the public. The experience offered by Zero-G is the only commercial opportunity on Earth for individuals to experience true "weightlessness" without going to space.
About Yuri's Night: Launching parties around the world every year on or around April 12th, in commemoration of Yuri Gagarin becoming the first human venture into space on April 12, 1961, and the inaugural launch of the first Space Shuttle on April 12, 1981. We use space to bring the world together, to empower the greatest parts of who we are, and give vision to where we are going. https://yurisnight.net/ | |||
| 137: Insights and Impressions from the Inspiration4 Launch | 25 Sep 2021 | 01:03:01 | |
On Sept 15, 2021, our friend and colleague Dr. Sian Proctor achieved her life-long dream of launching into space and becoming an astronaut on the Crew Dragon as part of the SpaceX Inspiration4 mission! My fellow analog astronauts Dr. Brandy Nunez and Makiah Eustice share our impressions and insights of this historic flight in an intimate conversation together- 24 hours after witnessing the launch live from the Kennedy Space Center at historic Launch complex 39-A. Together, we discuss what this means for a new generation of space explorers, what this flight means for women, and what Dr. Sian Proctor brings to every interaction she has. Buckle in, because THIS episode allows us to showcase, from our own perspectives, the journey our friend has been on, and why we're oh-so-proud and can't contain our excitement for Sian's successful mission, and her many future endeavors!!!
About Dr. Sian Proctor: Sian is an American geology professor, science communicator, and commercial astronaut. She was launched into Earth orbit, on September 15, 2021, as the pilot of the Crew Dragon space capsule. This mission is the Inspiration4 private orbital spaceflight. She served as the pilot on the Inspiration4 mission, the first Black woman to serve as the pilot of a spacecraft.
Share your Support for Dr. Proctor and her Artwork Here: https://myspace2inspire.com/
About Inspiration4 Inspiration4 is the world's first all-civilian mission to orbit. The mission will be commanded by Jared Isaacman, the 38-year-old founder and Chief Executive Officer of Shift4 Payments and an accomplished pilot and adventurer. Inspiration4 will leave Earth from Kennedy Space Center's historic Launch Complex 39A, the embarkation point for Apollo and Space Shuttle missions, and travel across a low earth orbit on a multi-day journey that will continually eclipse more than 90% of the earth's population. Named in recognition of the four-person crew that will raise awareness and funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, this milestone represents a new era for human spaceflight and exploration. https://inspiration4.com/
About Dr. Brandy Nunez: Dr. Brandy Nunez is a practicing small animal veterinarian, a modular synth musician and an aspiring astronaut. She is also Director of outreach for the Sensoria Program (www.Sensoria.space), dedicated to making space accessible to all. She applied to NASA in 2020 for the Astronaut candidate program and has completed two analog simulation missions at the HI-SEAS habitat on Mauna Loa. She hopes to continue her research on future missions and eventually in low earth orbit. Her love and appreciation of the cosmos infiltrates her work in both the scientific and creative realms.
About Makiah Eustice: Makiah is an aerospace engineer, songwriter, and Officer in the US Air Force. She's been on 3 analog missions, the latest with Sian as part of the first all-women Sensoria crew at HI-SEAS. You can find her on twitter and instagram at @Astro_Eustice
About Beth Mund: Beth Mund is an Analog Astronaut, Podcast Host, and Space Communications Evangelist. Beth has 20+ years of speech writing and executive coaching for Fortune 50 companies including Motorola, Allstate and United Airlines. Beth began her NASA career as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center, and later served as a Communications Officer for the International Space Station program. She received her Master's Degree in Journalism at Marquette University, and served an adjunct professor at Elgin Community College. She is the CEO of Stellar Communications, providing speech writing, narrative discovery & design, voice overs, communication workshops & training, and keynote speaking.
Beth served as the host and emcee of the 2020 Space Com Expo global space commerce event. She currently serves on the Space Camp Alumni Board, and is a founding member of the Loras College Women's Leadership Board, and the Space Drinks Association Board. Beth's analog adventures include a MARS simulation mission at the HI-SEAS research facility on the Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii, and most recently a LUNAR simulation and space isolation study at the LunAres Space Research Facility in Pila, Poland. Her latest projects, analog missions and podcast episodes can be found at www.BethMund.com
How to continue the mission and donate to St. Jude: https://www.stjude.org/get-involved/other-ways/inspiration4.html | |||