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Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

The Planetary Society

Planetary Radio brings you the human adventure across our Solar System and beyond. We visit each week with the scientists, engineers, leaders, advocates, and astronauts who are taking us across the final frontier. Regular features raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Join host Sarah Al-Ahmed and Planetary Society colleagues including Bill Nye the Science Guy and Bruce Betts as they dive deep into space science and exploration. The monthly Space Policy Edition takes you inside the

science

All Episodes

59:57

First images from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/07/09

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has shared its first public images, revealing millions of galaxies, stars, and asteroids in stunning detail. Stephanie Deppe, astronomy content strategist at Rubin Observatory, joins us to explain what makes these images so revolutionary, how the observatory works, and what’s coming next as Rubin prepares for its ten-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time. Later in the show, we reflect on the life and legacy of the observatory’s namesake, Vera Rubin, the

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59:57

Space Policy Edition: Are Democrats falling behind on...

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/07/04

Have Democrats ceded leadership in space policy? That’s what Mary Guenther believes. She’s the Director of Space Policy at the Progressive Policy Institute and the author of an editorial that claims Democrats have ceded their leadership. She traces the party’s arc from Obama-era reforms to recent data showing that Democrats introduced a third fewer space bills than Republicans in recent years, and proposes ways that the party should embrace this forward-looking field while tying it

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69:28

Space science and the Artemis Accords: Highlights...

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/07/02

Recorded at the 2025 Humans to the Moon and Mars Summit (H2M2) in Washington, D.C., this episode features two powerful conversations about the future of human space exploration. Hosted by Mat Kaplan, senior communications adviser at The Planetary Society, these panel discussions explore the scientific and diplomatic foundations guiding humanity’s journey beyond Earth. The first panel, Space Science: A Vital National Interest, features James Green, former NASA chief scientist and chair of the

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67:51

Space Policy Edition: NASA’s 2026 budget

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/06/27

Alicia Brown from the Commercial Space Federation and Brittany Webster from the American Geophysical Union join the show to discuss NASA’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal, which aims to slash the agency’s funding by nearly 25%, cut science by 47%, and reduce staffing to levels not seen since 1960. Discover more at:https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/fy2026-nasa-budget-discussionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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60:25

The Giant Magellan Telescope takes its next big step

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/06/25

The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) is poised to become one of the most powerful ground-based observatories ever built. On June 12, 2025, the U.S. National Science Foundation announced that the GMT will enter its Major Facilities Final Design Phase, bringing it one step closer to full construction. This week on Planetary Radio, host Sarah Al-Ahmed speaks with Rebecca Bernstein, Chief Scientist for the Giant Magellan Telescope Organization and astronomer at the Carnegie Institution for Science, about

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62:54

The human stories behind the science: Dava Sobel...

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/06/18

Few writers have captured the wonder of science through storytelling as powerfully as Dava Sobel. In this episode, we celebrate her remarkable career and her recent honor as the recipient of The Planetary Society’s 2025 Cosmos Award for Outstanding Public Presentation of Science. Mat Kaplan, senior communications advisor at The Planetary Society, sits down with Sobel for a conversation about the human lives behind great scientific discoveries, from Galileo and Copernicus to the women of the

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56:20

Making space matter: A space journalist’s journey

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/06/11

What does it take to turn a love of space into a global career in science journalism? Sarah Cruddas has done just that. With a background in astrophysics and a passion for storytelling, she’s become a leading voice in space media, covering rocket launches, interviewing astronauts, and writing books that bring the Cosmos down to Earth. In this episode, Sarah shares her path from the U.K. to the front lines of space communication and why she believes storytelling is essential to the future of

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74:51

Space Policy Edition: What does NASA need with an...

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/06/06

Former NASA Chief Economist Akhil Rao explains why NASA needs economic expertise to navigate the complex—and often misunderstood—market forces that will determine the success or failure of its private partnerships. As NASA relies ever more on commercial companies to enable its own exploration efforts, it is imperative, Rao believes, to provide clear-eyed perspectives that highlight the challenges and solutions required to reach success. And why NASA puts itself at risk for pursuing

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59:17

The dark age of NASA science? Analyzing the FY 2026...

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/06/04

The White House has released its Fiscal Year 2026 congressional budget justification for NASA, and the implications are staggering. If enacted, this proposal would slash NASA’s science program funding by nearly half, cancel dozens of active and upcoming missions, and reduce the agency’s workforce by one-third. Sarah Al-Ahmed is joined by Jack Kiraly, The Planetary Society’s director of government relations, to examine what’s in the nearly 500-page document, what it means for

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56:39

Volcanic worlds across the Solar System

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/05/28

Volcanoes aren’t just an earthly phenomenon. They’re found all across the Solar System. In this compilation episode of Planetary Radio, we explore volcanic and geothermal activity on planets, moons, and distant dwarf planets. You’ll hear from Rosaly Lopes, Nick Schneider, Rae Paoletta, Robbie Herrick, Scott Hensley, and Christopher Glein as they share insights into everything from lava flows on Venus and eruptions on Io to the mysterious heat signatures of icy bodies like Eris and

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59:08

Space science under fire: Your questions answered

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/05/21

As debates over NASA's future heat up, questions about the value of space exploration are popping up everywhere. This week on Planetary Radio, we're tackling the tough questions head-on with The Planetary Society's staff, including Casey Dreier, chief of space policy, and Ambre Trujillo, digital community manager. They break down the biggest misconceptions about space science, public versus private investment, and why exploration still matters in an ever-changing world. Then Jack Kiraly, director of

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52:29

Kosmos 482: The Soviet-era Venus probe that fell to...

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/05/14

This week on Planetary Radio, we explore the decades-long journey of Kosmos 482, a Soviet-era Venus probe that spent 53 years orbiting Earth before its dramatic return on May 10, 2025. Ben Fernando, a postdoctoral researcher in seismology and planetary science at Johns Hopkins University, joins us to explain the history of Kosmos 482 and how seismology and acoustic sensors are helping scientists detect and locate objects impacting Earth. Then Bruce Betts, our chief scientist, joins us for What's Up,

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59:30

TOI-270 d: Unveiling the secrets of a sub-Neptune

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/05/07

TOI-270 d is revealing secrets about the most common type of planet in our galaxy, sub-Neptunes. Sarah Al-Ahmed is joined by planetary geochemist Chris Glein from the Southwest Research Insitute to discuss his team’s new analysis of its atmosphere, using data from JWST and insights from Earth analogs. Then, The Planetary Society’s Director of Government Relations, Jack Kiraly, breaks down the historic budget cuts proposed for NASA in the U.S. President’s “skinny” budget

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76:58

Space Policy Edition: How NASA remembers—and forgets

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/05/02

No one person knows how to build a spaceship. Dr. Janet Vertesi has seen this firsthand. She’s spent years embedded in NASA science teams, not as a participant, but as an observer. She’s a sociologist who studies the team dynamics of NASA missions. She is alarmed at the prospect of indiscriminate firings at the agency, and at the potential loss of institutional knowledge that won’t easily be rebuilt. Discover more

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59:28

From backyard telescopes to global reach: Astrokobi...

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/04/30

How does someone go from stargazing in a rural Australian backyard to inspiring millions around the world about space science? This week, Sarah Al-Ahmed sits down with Kobi Brown, better known as Astrokobi, to explore how his passion for the Cosmos and a knack for short-form storytelling launched his science communication career. They discuss the evolution of space outreach in the digital age, the power of social media to ignite curiosity, and how a new generation of space communicators is reshaping

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59:56

Celebrating 45 years of The Planetary Society at the...

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/04/23

Join us aboard the historic RMS Queen Mary for a celebration of The Planetary Society’s 45th anniversary. In this special episode of Planetary Radio, we bring you highlights from our Cosmic Shores Gala, where members, scientists, space advocates, and special guests came together to honor the past and look boldly to the future. You’ll hear from CEO Bill Nye, Board President Bethany Ehlmann, Executive Director Jennifer Vaughn, founding Executive Director Lou Friedman, and Congresswoman

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59:51

Passback budget breakdown: A 47% cut to NASA science

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/04/16

NASA’s science programs are facing the largest proposed budget cut in more than 40 years. This staggering 47%reduction could cancel missions, waste billions in U.S. taxpayer investments, and unravel decades of discovery. In this episode of Planetary Radio, host Sarah Al-Ahmed is joined by Casey Dreier, The Planetary Society’s Chief of Space Policy, and Jack Kiraly, Director of Government Relations. Together, they break down what the “passback” stage of the federal budget

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54:56

Why is Mars red? A new clue to the history of...

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/04/09

For decades, scientists hypothesized that Mars’ reddish color came from hematite, an iron oxide thought to have formed through dry oxidation after Mars lost its water. But new research suggests the story is more complex—and more watery—than we once imagined. In this episode, planetary scientist Adomas (Adam) Valantinas from Brown University joins host Sarah Al-Ahmed to discuss his team’s discovery that Mars’ iconic red dust is likely dominated not by hematite but by a

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69:34

Space Policy Edition: Lies, Damned Lies, and Space Data

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/04/04

The space sector is data-rich but insight-poor. Jack Kuhr, head of research at Payload Space, joins the show to unpack how business, budgeting, and performance data—not spacecraft science—can shape investments, drive growth, and influence policy. Is there a data crisis in the space industry? What gets measured, what gets missed, and how does that shape the decisions we make about space? Kuhr shares his approach to surfacing the real story behind the numbers—and why clarity,

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73:53

Live from Washington, D.C.: The future of space politics

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and... ·

2025/04/02

Join Sarah Al-Ahmed and Casey Dreier for a special live recording of Planetary Radio at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., immediately following The Planetary Society’s Day of Action. In this episode, we explore the complex geopolitical landscape NASA faces as it works toward returning humans to the Moon and exploring other worlds. With growing influence from commercial space companies, potential budget cuts, and changes in committee leadership, this pivotal

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1,290 results

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