WeMartians Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

NASA's InSight mission landed in 2018 and completed its primary mission two years later. From there it pursued an extended mission, gathering as much scientific data as it could before ultimately ending late last year as dust on the solar panels starved it of energy. Dr. Bruce Banerdt, the Principal Investigator for the mission, joins Jake to talk about its legacy and successes, and where we go from here.

• Bruce at JPL

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NASA's Space Launch system finally got the job done, that trusty old steed. Do you like horses as much as I do? If so, try on the new t-shirt design at the WeMartians shop today! Sometimes, a horse works just fine (space programs may or may not be included).

After seven years of exploring the solar system, Jake is ready to move on to new projects. Hear his final thoughts on WeMartians.

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Curiosity landed on Mars ten years ago and has been exploring Gale Crater ever since. After achieving its primary mission, it's embarked on a series of extended missions to continue to unravel mysteries in the rocks. Deputy Project Scientist for the mission Abigail Fraeman joins Jake to talk about her favourite moments and to discuss what comes next for the impressive rover.

• Curiosity Mission Updates

• Abby’s Twitter (@abbyfrae)
• Curiosity Mission Updates
• Where is Curiosity

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Learn about time on Mars! See live mission clocks, learn about sols and Mars years and solar longitude, and discover your Martian birthday! Visit Marsti.me, a new site from Jake.

Lean in to the jokes and stand behind the Decadal Survey's recommendation to probe Uranus by picking up the new design at the WeMartians shop today! You can get it in a t-shirt or on a coffee mug. Explore the mysteries of Uranus today.

There’s a serious Global Dust Storm happening right now on Mars. Several regional storms have kicked up a tremendous amount of dust into the skies, blocking out the sun and jeopardizing the Opportunity rover’s safety. But despite the threat, this is a great chance to do some science on Mars weather. Jake is joined by Space Science Institute’s Mark Lemmon to discuss these storms formation and what we’re learning from them.

• Most recent JPL news release on the Global Dust Storm
• Curiosity, starting at the Sun through the dust
• A look out across Gale Crater through the Storm
• The last photo taken by Opportunity on June 10th

• The Space Science Institute

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WeMartians music is “RetroFuture”, “Electrodoodle”, and “On My Way” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The storm may be huge and terrible, but it’s time is limited. If you’ve listened to the episode, you’ll know it’ll be over…soon! Get the shirt on our shop! Or, support Opportunity as she hunkers down through the worst of it in her typical, extra-nominal way.

We’ve got plenty of evidence of liquid on the surface of Mars today. Lakes and channels indicate a past life abundant with water. But despite the evidence, scientists have had trouble modelling an ancient Mars climate warm enough to support the theory. Was the past warm and wet like the geology shows, or was it cold and icy like the climate models suggest? Brown University’s Ashley Palumbo, a Martian climatologist, joins Jake to talk weather, rain and mathematical models of the Red Planet’s mysterious history.

• Ashley’s LPSC Abstract

• Ashley’s Website
• Brown University’s Planetary Science Website

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• The Off-Nominal Podcast

WeMartians music is “RetroFuture”, “Electrodoodle”, and “On My Way” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Evidence of Mars’ past is plainly visible thanks to the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter creepin’ over every inch of its surface. Now you can be that creepy, too! Get the shirt on our shop!

Before sending people in to space, space agencies like NASA or commercial companies like Boeing & SpaceX must take stock of risks to crew and vehicle and do their best to mitigate them. But how does this process actually work? How do you quantify risks to people? And most importantly, how do you determine that the risk is acceptable before you fly? Jake is joined by Holly Griffith, an engineer on the Safety team for NASA’s Orion Spacecraft, to talk about risks and to have a candid conversation about what’s at stake when making these kinds of decisions.

• CAIB Report (NASA.gov)

• Episode 24 – Risks and Rewards (feat. Leonard David)

• Twitter (@absolutspacegrl)

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• The Off-Nominal Podcast

WeMartians music is “RetroFuture”, “Electrodoodle”, and “On My Way” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

NASA’s InSight mission, a lander to study the interior of Mars, lifted off from California on May 5th, 2018. For the scientists working on this geophysics mission, it’s been a long time coming. Jake travels down to Vandenberg to “see” the launch, and gets behind the scenes to hear the true story of this mission, thirty years in the making. Jake is joined by InSight Principal Investigator Bruce Banerdt, SEIS instrument Principal Investigator Philippe Lognonné, and Lockheed Martin Deputy Project Manager for InSight, Tim Linn.

• The InSight website
• The Verge Science Launch Video
• 1991’s Mars Global Network Mission Paper (incl author Banerdt)
• 1992’s Intermarsnet (incl authors Banerdt and Lognonné)
• 1999’s Netlander (incl author Lognonné)
• 2003 Planetary Sciences Decadal Survey
• 2010 Mission Concept Study, Mars Geophysical Network
• 2010 MGN Options Study (InSight was originally option “G”)
• 2013 Planetary Sciences Decadal Survey
• 2011 Discovery Finalists Announced (incl. GEMS, which became InSight)
• 2011 JPL Changes name of GEMS to InSight
• 2012 InSight selected as Discovery 12
• 2015 SEIS leak delays launch of InSight

• Episode 2: Every Twenty Six Months (covers InSight’s delay from 2016)
• Episode 36: Systems Engineering InSight (feat. Farah Alibay, Payload Systems Engineer)

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  • New InSight design GOOD VIBES
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WeMartians music is “RetroFuture” and “On My Way” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Mars One captured the world’s attention when it announced its intentions to colonize Mars by 2023. But since that milestone announcement back in 2012, the organization has faced funding difficulties, delays, and accusations of fraud and misdirection. Meanwhile, the Mars 100, the hundred candidates currently hoping for a seat on the first mission, are left waiting and wondering. Cambridge University PhD student and Mars 100 candidate Ryan MacDonald joins Jake to discuss his experience, the money situation, and Mars One’s future.

• Original Mars One Press Release (March 2012)
  • All Mars One Press Releases
• Ryan’s Application Video
• The Mars One Indiegogo Crowdfunding Campaign
• MIT Press Release for Feasibility Study
• Elmo Keep’s Piece on Josh Richards
• Elmo Keep’s Piece on Joseph Roche
• Rae Paoletta’s Piece on Mars One
• Mars One Revenue Projections Document

• Twitter (@MartianColonist)
• YouTube (MartianColonist)

• Episode 1: The Waxing Interest in Mars (January 2016)

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  • Learn about the Orbiter Level ($1/month)
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  • New InSight design GOOD VIBES
• Twitter (@we_martians)
• Jake’s Twitter (@JakeOnOrbit)

WeMartians music is “RetroFuture” and “On My Way” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Every year, upwards of 2,000 planetary scientists descend upon a suburb of Houston to discuss the latest findings, share the work, and learn something new at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC). A lot of Mars happens at these conferences, so WeMartians decided to attend it in person! Jake catches up with old friends, makes some new ones, and explores Mars like never before. This year, we explore the fascinating use of Earth Analogs to help us better understand the science happening on Mars.

• What a Sinuous Ridge looks like on Earth
• What a Sinuous Ridge looks like on Mars
• Ben Cardenas’ Abstract for his LPSC talk
• Dante Lauretta’s Abstract – Pretending Earth was another world
• Jordan Knuth’s abstract on Cold Springs in Utah
• Paul Knightly’s abstract for his poster on Mars 160 experiments
• Paul tours the Mars Society Habitat in Devon Island Canada (FMARS) VIDEO
• Apollo 17 45th Anniversary Live Stream
• NASA BASALT Video
• Catheryn Ryan’s Poster Abstract on LIFS

• Episode 21: LPSC2017 (March 2017)

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WeMartians music is “RetroFuture” and “On My Way” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Behind every successful space mission is a talented team of support staff back on Earth, guiding the astronauts along the way. When we go to Mars, it will be much the same. But how can we practice these valuable skills? Mars analogues are a great way, and recently, the Austrian Space Forum completed a three week simulation called AMADEE 18. Project Manager Sophie Gruber and Flight Director Reinhard Tlustos join Jake to talk about the mission to the Oman Desert, and what it takes to get the astronauts to succeed.

• The Austrian Space Forum
  • Twitter 
  • Instagram
• AMADEE 18 Website
• AMADEE 18 Press Kit

• Episode 7 – Sitting in a Tin Can (feat. Casey Stedman), covering the NASA HERA Analog mission
• Episode 12 – Mission to sMars (feat. HISEAS IV), covering the NASA HISEAS IV year-long mission in Hawai’i

• Opportunity’s 5000 sols celebration design, EXTRA NOMINAL
• The Falcon Heavy TWENTYSEVEN design, now in a pullover hoodie!

• Website (www.wemartians.com)
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  • Learn about the Orbiter Level ($1/month)
  • Learn about the Lander Level ($3/month)
  • Learn about the Rover Level ($5/month)
• WeMartians Shop (shop.wemartians.com)
• Twitter (@we_martians)
• Facebook (@wemartians)
• Instagram (@wemartians)
• Jake’s Twitter (@JakeOnOrbit)

WeMartians music is “RetroFuture” and “On My Way” by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/