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PODCAST

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People of Spaceflight

Orbital Briefing explores the history, technology, and future of human spaceflight. From the early days of Mercury and Apollo to the Space Shuttle era and the new generation of spacecraft being developed today, each episode dives into the missions, machines, and people that made space exploration possible. Hosted by Ron Walker, Orbital Briefing brings the stories of spaceflight to life through deep dives into historic missions, the engineers who built them, and the technologies that will carry

science astronomy

All Episodes

00:21:15

Jessica Meir — From Maine to ISS Commander

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/08/13

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir has gone from growing up in northern Maine to commanding the International Space Station.In this episode of Orbital Briefing, we explore Meir’s remarkable journey from marine biologist and Antarctic researcher to astronaut, spacewalker, Crew Dragon commander, and leader of Expedition 75 aboard the ISS.We’ll look back at her historic 2019 spacewalks with Christina Koch, her work studying animals that survive some of the most extreme environments on Earth, her first

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00:34:56

Voyager Probes: Humanity’s Message to the Stars

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/05/21

In 1977, NASA launched two spacecraft that would change our understanding of the outer solar system forever. Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 were built to explore Jupiter and Saturn, but Voyager 2 went on to visit Uranus and Neptune, becoming the only spacecraft ever to fly past all four giant planets.In this episode of Orbital Briefing, Ron Walker explores the Voyager probes, their rare planetary alignment, their groundbreaking discoveries, and their journey into interstellar space. We look at the

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00:52:38

Orion, NASA’s Deep Space Crew Vehicle

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/05/14

In this episode of Orbital Briefing, Ron Walker explores Orion, NASA’s deep space crew vehicle built to carry astronauts beyond low Earth orbit and into the Artemis era.From its roots in the post-Shuttle years to its role in NASA’s return to the Moon, Orion represents a new chapter in human spaceflight. This episode looks at the spacecraft’s architecture, including the crew module, European Service Module, launch abort system, heat shield, avionics, life support systems, and its critical role in

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00:45:45

Christina Koch: Artemis II, the ISS, and NASA’s...

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/05/07

NASA astronaut Christina Koch represents a new era of human spaceflight. From her record-setting 328-day mission aboard the International Space Station to her historic role on Artemis II, Koch’s career connects the hard-earned lessons of long-duration spaceflight with NASA’s return to deep space.In this episode of Orbital Briefing, Ron Walker explores Christina Koch’s journey from engineer and remote field scientist to ISS flight engineer, spacewalker, and Artemis astronaut. We look at how her time

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00:43:01

Apollo 13: NASA’s Near Disaster, Moon Mission Crisis,...

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/04/30

What really happened on Apollo 13? In this episode of Orbital Briefing, Ron Walker tells the full story of NASA’s most famous in-flight emergency, from the launch of the Moon mission to the oxygen tank explosion, the aborted lunar landing, the use of the Aquarius lunar module as a lifeboat, and the dramatic safe return to Earth.This deep dive explores the Apollo 13 crew, Mission Control in Houston, the carbon dioxide crisis, the power-down of the command module, the swing around the Moon, and the

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00:42:42

Mission Control: How NASA Flies Spacecraft from Earth...

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/04/23

How does NASA actually fly a spacecraft once it leaves Earth? In this episode of Orbital Briefing, Ron Walker takes you inside Mission Control, the nerve center of American human spaceflight. From Gemini and Apollo to the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, and Artemis, Mission Control has been where flight controllers monitor spacecraft, guide astronauts, solve problems in real time, and make the decisions that keep missions alive. This episode explores how NASA built one of the most

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00:59:34

Sputnik The Tiny Satellite That Started the Space Age

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/04/16

Sputnik: The Beginning of the Space Age takes you back to October 4, 1957, when Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, launched from the Soviet Union and changed history forever. In this episode of Orbital Briefing, Ron Walker explores the story of Sputnik, the start of the Space Age, the rise of the Space Race, and the moment the Cold War moved into orbit.Learn how Sputnik 1 shocked the United States, triggered fears about Soviet rocket technology, reshaped NASA history, and helped launch a new

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00:38:12

Jared Isaacman and NASA’s New Era | Artemis,...

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/04/09

In this episode of Orbital Briefing, Ron Walker takes a deep dive into Jared Isaacman, the 15th Administrator of NASA, exploring his path from entrepreneur and pilot to Inspiration4 commander, commercial spaceflight pioneer, and the man now helping shape the future of Artemis, lunar exploration, and America’s road to Mars. We break down Isaacman’s background, his ties to the modern commercial space era, what his leadership means for NASA, and why this moment could mark a major turning point in the

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00:45:36

Apollo 8: The First Lunar Orbit | NASA’s Christmas...

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/04/02

In this episode of Orbital Briefing, we dive into Apollo 8, the groundbreaking NASA mission that became the first crewed flight to leave Earth orbit, the first to reach the Moon, and the first to orbit another world. Learn how Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders helped change history in December nineteen sixty eight, from the tense journey into deep space to the unforgettable Earthrise photo and the iconic Christmas Eve broadcast from lunar orbit.If you love stories about NASA history, Apollo,

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00:11:17

NASA IGNITION Explained: Artemis Update, Moon Base...

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/03/27

NASA just reshaped the future of human spaceflight. In this special Orbital Briefing update, Ron Walker breaks down the biggest announcements from NASA’s IGNITION event, including the new Artemis roadmap, the shift toward building long-term lunar infrastructure, the growing focus on Mars, and what it all means as Artemis II approaches launch. If you want a clear, accessible breakdown of NASA’s latest Moon and Mars strategy, this episode brings together the headlines, the context, and the bigger

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00:38:12

The Space Shuttle Heat Shield: How NASA Survived...

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/03/26

How did the Space Shuttle survive the most dangerous part of every mission?During reentry, the shuttle slammed into Earth’s atmosphere at over seventeen thousand miles per hour. Temperatures outside the spacecraft soared into the thousands of degrees, hot enough to melt the aluminum structure of the orbiter in seconds.The only thing standing between the astronauts and that inferno was one of the most remarkable engineering systems NASA ever built: the Space Shuttle’s thermal protection system.In

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00:34:01

Artemis: Returning to the Moon | NASA’s Plan for a...

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/03/19

After more than fifty years, humanity is preparing to return to the Moon.In this episode of Orbital Briefing, Ron Walker takes a deep dive into NASA’s Artemis program — the missions, the astronauts, the technology, and the long-term vision to build a lasting human presence beyond Earth.From Artemis I and the upcoming Artemis II crewed mission, to the evolving plans for Artemis III, Artemis IV, and Artemis V, this episode explores how NASA is laying the groundwork for a moon base, sustainable lunar

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00:21:52

Deke Slayton: The Astronaut Who Chose the Astronauts...

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/03/13

Deke Slayton helped decide who would fly some of the most important missions in the history of human spaceflight.In this episode of Orbital Briefing, host Ron Walker explores the remarkable story of Deke Slayton, one of the original Mercury Seven who became one of the most powerful figures inside NASA.Grounded early in his career due to a heart condition, Slayton never left the astronaut corps. Instead, he became Director of Flight Crew Operations and helped assign crews for Project Gemini, the

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00:17:03

Saturn V: The Rocket That Took NASA to the Moon |...

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/03/13

The Saturn V rocket was the most powerful launch vehicle ever successfully flown — the machine that carried NASA’s Apollo astronauts to the Moon.Standing more than three hundred sixty feet tall and producing seven and a half million pounds of thrust, the Saturn V remains one of the greatest engineering achievements in human history. Built during the height of the space race, this three-stage rocket launched every crewed Apollo Moon mission, including the historic flight of Apollo Eleven.In this

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00:19:18

The Dream of the Space Shuttle | NASA’s Reusable...

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/03/13

After the Apollo Moon landings, NASA faced an uncertain future. The Saturn V rockets were retired, the Space Race had been won, and funding for space exploration was shrinking.What came next would become one of the most ambitious spacecraft ever built.In this episode of Orbital Briefing, Ron Walker explores how NASA moved from the Apollo program to the development of the Space Shuttle — a revolutionary reusable spacecraft designed to launch like a rocket, land like an airplane, and fly again and

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00:01:17

Welcome to Orbital Briefing (Trailer)

Orbital Briefing: The Missions, Machines, and People... ·

2026/03/12

Welcome to Orbital Briefing — the podcast exploring the missions, machines, and people of spaceflight.From the earliest days of the space race to the spacecraft now preparing to carry humans back to the Moon and beyond, Orbital Briefing dives deep into the history and future of space exploration.In this trailer episode, host Ron Walker introduces the show and previews the kinds of stories you’ll hear in upcoming episodes — from legendary missions like Apollo and the Space Shuttle to the engineers,

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