As the private space industry races to colonize space for profit, where does NASA fit in to the equation?
Laurie Leshin is just the person to answer that question. She's the Director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the first female director in JPL's storied history. To her, NASA's future is defined by its mission — exploring the cosmos for the greate ... Show More
Aug 25
How to Trust Yourself When Everyone Has an Opinion with Love Thy Nader's Mary Holland Nader
Maybe this sounds familiar: you finally get the opportunity you've been waiting for, and the voice in your head says, "I'm not ready, I don't belong here." Now imagine hearing that voice with millions of people watching. Mary Holland Nader has lived it. She never dreamed of fame, ... Show More
58m 7s
Aug 18
What Happens When You Bet on Yourself with Ted Lasso’s Brendan Hunt
Maybe you know the feeling: everyone around you seems to be getting ahead, and every hour you spend on something "frivolous" — the hobby, the detour, the game on a Sunday afternoon — feels like falling behind. Brendan Hunt's career is proof those hours are never wasted. The detou ... Show More
1h 1m
Jan 2023
Cosmic Queries – The Future of the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab with Laurie Leshin
<p>Could there be life under the icy surface of Europa? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic Chuck Nice explore interplanetary missions, asteroid mining, and other exciting launches with the Director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Laurie Leshin.</p><p>NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can list ... Show More
49m 52s
Jan 2023
Space Policy Edition: JPL Director wants "every brain" to have the chance to work in space exploration
<p>After the delay of the Psyche mission, an independent review board faulted management and workforce problems at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as one of the causes. This month we feature the JPL Director, Dr. Laurie Leshin, to discuss what the lab is doing in response to the ... Show More
1h 3m
Jun 2022
Cosmic Queries – NASA v. Billionaires with Lori Garver
<p>Mining on the moon? Owning an asteroid? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comic co-host Chuck Nice answer questions about the private space industry, the role of NASA, and the future of space law with former Deputy Administrator of NASA, Lori Garver. </p><p>NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can w ... Show More
47m 39s
Jan 2025
Space Policy Edition: The Challenges of Change at NASA
<p dir="ltr">How does change happen within NASA, and what prevents it? Marcia Smith, founder of Space Policy Online, joins the show to discuss the opportunities and pitfalls faced by incoming presidential administrations and how NASA has—and hasn’t—changed over ... Show More
1h 8m
May 2020
Liz Seward and the dream of spaceflight
Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to Liz Seward, Senior Space Strategist for Airbus Defence and Space. Liz's young interest in Science Fiction led to a career designing spacecraft and robots for exploring our own earth, other planets, and the stars.From a library in the US where the ... Show More
29m 58s
Dec 2021
Moon missions and space junk
2021 was another year of firsts in the ever-expanding industry around space, as we moved towards space tourism as a reality. But what about NASA, and its plans to return to the moon? We hear all about it, and the space agency’s ambitious plans for not just the moon, but mars; fro ... Show More
17m 28s