Bonus: Happy Holidays from NASA!

In this special season five finale episode, join NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, self-proclaimed “rock nerd” on a journey to the stars. 

Spacesuits are more than just garments – in the airless vacuum of space or on the freezing surface of the moon, they keep astronauts alive. Explore how NASA engineers like Amy Ross and Paromita Mitra have contributed to the development of the next generation of spacesuits. 

Tropical rainforests, snowy mountain peaks, even the Australian outback – NASA experts travel to a wide range of environments right here on Earth to better understand our universe. Miles Hatfield, NASA heliophysics science writer, recaps a recent reporting trip to cover a soundin ... Show More

In this special season five finale episode, join NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins, self-proclaimed “rock nerd” on a journey to the stars. 

There’s no better way to celebrate our 200th episode than with our own shining star: the sun! In this episode we speak with Dr. Nicola Fox, who leads a team of NASA scientists that sent a probe to collect data and zoom by the sun. We also hear some great listener suggestions on w ... Show More

Astronomy Cast Ep. 710: NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Program by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 26, 2024. In the olden days, NASA developed its missions using a variety of in-house engineers and external suppliers. As more commercial companies ... Show More

We’re headed back to Mars – Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice explore NASA’s Perseverance rover and its red planet mission with NASA Chief Scientist Jim Green. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here: https://www.startalkradio ... Show More

Kat is an esteemed astrophysicist, who is struggling to come to terms with the reality that her dream of being an astronaut is over. She volunteers at the local planetarium and is paired up with by-the-book David to work on an exhibit opening right before Christmas. Will the star ... Show More

For our holiday show, Neil and his comedian co-hosts discuss the constellations of the winter sky, the star of Bethlehem, and the physics of Santa. Seth MacFarlane and other special guests call in to comment on the science of the season.