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PODCAST

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists

Richard Hollingham, Sue Nelson

Publishing monthly, Space Boffins brings you cutting edge conversation and debate about the past, present and future of space science.

science astronomy

All Episodes

00:53:00

New space telescope, and celebrating Wally Funk

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2026/09/25

We're back! The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has been launched to investigate exoplanets and the 'dark forces' that make up the universe. Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham are joined by Astropartigirl Dr Sophia Gad Nasr to give an insight into the new mission. They also speak to the UK's new space minister, Liz Lloyd, and Sue reports from Wally Funk's celebratory remembrance service in Dallas with guests including astronaut Eileen Collins. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the

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01:10:50

Asteroids, Ariel 1 and Beagle 2

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2026/07/27

The Space Boffins are on holiday in Bavaria, so where better to hang out than an asteroid impact crater?! The team visit the ReisKrater Museum to find out about the massive asteroid impact that devastated Central Europe 15 million years ago and now serves as an astronaut training ground. They also celebrate Wally Funk; mark 15 years of the Space Boffins podcast; celebrate the Beagle-2 Mars Lander, and an exclusive archive find: a film about the UK's first satellite, Ariel-1... Like this podcast

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00:57:45

Virgin flight, rocket engines and a Moonbase

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2026/05/30

Space traveller Trevor Beattie joins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham to describe his obsession with space and flight in Virgin Galactic's space plane. The Space Boffins also discuss NASA's new Moonbase plans and Richard chats to rocket scientist Helen Lewin about the incredible RS-25 rocket. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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00:56:03

Artemis II launch and two Sians

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2026/04/05

Richard Hollingham is at the Kennedy Space Center for the (historic) launch of Artemis II to the Moon. Sue Nelson joins him from Space Boffins HQ to hear Richard's launch day audio diary and interviews with astronaut Sian Proctor and Artemis engineer Sian Cleaver from Airbus. Plus Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman answers a listener question, and NASA (or Nasa) head Jared Isaacman answers Richard's question on Earthrise. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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01:01:44

Mission Control, Starliner and Space Factories

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2026/02/26

How do you control a spacecraft on the way to the Moon? NASA flight director, Fiona Antkowiak, shares plans for the Artemis II mission and reveals the secrets of Mission Control. We also hear what goes on in the Orion Mission Evaluation Room (MER) from MER lead Trey Perryman; Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham discuss the 'type A mishap' that befell the Starliner mission, and Sue talks to UK companies Space Forge and Bio Orbit about the future of factories in space. Like this podcast? Please help us

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01:17:11

How to build a Moon lander, Eileen Collins, and space...

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2025/11/05

Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham get up-close with a Moon lander taking shape at Astrobotic in Pittsburgh. The first woman to pilot and command the Space Shuttle, Eileen Collins, discusses a new film about her life: Space Woman. Plus, two new space quilts, complete with UFOs, at the Royal Astronomical Society... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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01:12:13

Life on White Mars, and a new space

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2025/10/03

One of the most isolated places on Earth is helping us understand how to live on a moon or another planet. Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham spoke to Nina Purvis, at the Concordia Station in Antarctica, about life on 'White Mars'. Former ESA advisor Mark McCaughrean discusses his new book, 111 Places in Space That You Must Not Miss, and companies ClearSpace, Astroscale and Orbit Fab explain their plans to clean up in space... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked

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01:06:38

Jim Lovell, space selfies and UK launch

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2025/09/04

We celebrate Apollo legend Jim Lovell in this month's Space Boffins as we mine the archives to look back on his extraordinary space career. Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham talk to Andy Saunders, NASA photography expert and author of Gemini and Mercury Remastered. We also hear from rival UK rocket companies Skyrora and Orbex, plus Emily Dineley from the UK Space Agency on plans for the first UK vertical launch. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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00:48:48

Factories in space, ET, and a space paraglider

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2025/05/29

Could factories in space be the future of manufacturing? Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham meet the head of the UK company, Space Forge, about to launch a (very small) factory into orbit. Sue also visits a new exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London exploring whether life could exist elsewhere in the universe, and the weird 1960s design that could have seen astronauts return to Earth on a paraglider... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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00:53:52

HALO, Gateway and Vigil

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2025/04/07

It's all about returning to the Moon and protecting the Earth this time with Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham. Sue goes to Thales Alenia Space in Italy to see HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) - the first completed module for NASA's orbiting lunar space station, Gateway and a mock up of Europe's planned lunar IHAB module. We also hear about the ESA mission Vigil to improve space weather forecasts... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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00:59:57

Biomass, living on Mars, and incoming asteroids!

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2025/02/26

Incoming! NASA's acting head of planetary defence, Kelly Fast, discusses asteroids, YR2 and how to protect our planet. The UK Space Agency's head of Earth Observation and Climate, Beth Greenaway, and chief scientist, Shaun Quegan, discuss the upcoming European Biomass mission to measure how much carbon is being stored in tropical forests. And Kelly Weinersmith - co-author of A City On Mars - explains why living on the red planet will be much harder than anyone thought... Like this podcast? Please

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00:54:54

Off to Europa, and life on Mars

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2024/10/02

NASA's Europa Clipper mission is about to head off on a five year mission to explore one of Jupiter's largest moons. Planetary geologist mission scientist Cynthia Phillips joins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham to discuss why this icy body could potentially be habitable. Plus, engineer, author and president of the Mars Society, Robert Zubrin, on his book The New World on Mars, and how societies and cities will emerge on the red planet once colonisation is underway... Like this podcast? Please help

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00:48:41

Challenger, and Space Barbie

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2024/07/11

Was the Space Shuttle fundamentally flawed? Richard Hollingham talks to Adam Higginbotham, author of a new book on the Space Shuttle to discuss the design, the dream, and the wishful thinking that led to the Challenger and Columbia disasters. Sue Nelson visits London's Design Museum to visit a new Barbie exhibition and talk "Space Barbie". Also, discussions on the future of the International Space Station, Star Trek: The documentary, and betting on smarties. Like this podcast? Please help us by

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00:53:19

America's return to the Moon and UK lunar ambitions

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2024/02/28

After the first soft Moon landing from the US in over 50 years, Ken Kremer shares his excitement for Intuitive Machine's Odysseus lander, NASA's ongoing lunar ambitions, and his concerns over China stealing a lunar edge. Also UK Space Agency Head of Space Exploration, Libby Jackson on Artemis 2 and 3, Gateway and the all-British Axiom mission. Plus the decisions going into de-orbiting a satellite... (Image IM-1 lunar descent, courtesy Intuitive Machines). Like this podcast? Please help us by

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00:44:51

Moonwalkers, and NASA flight director Gerry Griffin

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2024/01/29

Legendary NASA flight director Gerry Griffin and award-winning filmmaker Chris Riley join Space Boffins after a showing of London's immersive Moonwalkers exhibition. Gerry discusses working on the Apollo missions and that infamous SCE to AUX switch as well as his thoughts on Artemis and a verdict on Moonwalkers. We also hear how Chris co-wrote the show with Tom Hanks, who played Jim Lovell in the Apollo 13 movie. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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00:49:04

Frank Borman - Apollo Legend

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2023/12/18

It's a seasonal special from Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham with a previously unbroadcast interview with Apollo-era legend Frank Borman. Commander of Gemini 7 and Apollo 8, Colonel Borman passed away in November 2023 aged 95. His Apollo 8 mission was the first manned mission to the Moon, where the crew captured the famous Earthrise image and read from the Book of Genesis on Christmas Eve 1968. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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01:03:04

Brits in Space!

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2023/10/30

With the announcement of a planned all-UK astronaut mission, hosts Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson chat to ESA reserve astronaut Meganne Christian about astronaut selection, life in Antarctica and commercial space stations. Tim Peake - the possible commander of the Axiom mission - talks about his new book, Space The Human Story, which covers the history of human spaceflight from an astronaut's perspective. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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00:58:34

Shuttle Blankets and Space Burials

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2023/10/08

A Shuttle emergency you may not have heard of, sending your DNA into space, and a scientist studying the samples from asteroid Bennu. Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham meet Natural History Museum meteorites curator, Natasha Vasiliki Almeida, and talk to Celestis founder, Charles Chafer, about sending your remains into space. Plus Sue chats to Jean Wright about sewing the blankets for the Space Shuttle, and a space repair reminiscent of Apollo 13. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the

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00:42:22

Gui Bluford, and the end of ESA's Aeolus

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2023/08/28

We celebrate the 40th anniversary of the flight of the first black astronaut, Gui Bluford and speak to Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Lisa Cortes, directors of The Space Race, which tells the story of the men who should have become astronauts in the 1960s - Ed Dwight and Bob Lawrence. Also, India's landing on the Moon and the demise of the European Space Agency's ESA Aeolus satellite in music. Plus, ever wondered how to pronounce Space Boffins in Persian? Like this podcast? Please help us by

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00:46:31

Space junk, giant claws and dark skies

Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists ·

2023/07/28

This month it's all about the space environment - how do you remove space debris from orbit and make space more sustainable? The Earth Space Sustainability Initiative's (ESSI) Stuart Clark discusses missions to remove dead satellites, and Nick Shave of Astroscale and Clearspace's Rory Holmes explain their missions. Plus, light pollution problems: night skies so bright, some people never see the Moon... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

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