Planetary Radio
Planetary Radio
Each week, Planetary Radio visits with a scientist, engineer, project manager, astronaut, advocate or writer who provides a unique and exciting perspective on the exploration of our solar system and beyond. We also showcase regular features that raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Host Mat Kaplan is joined by Planetary Society colleagues Bill Nye the Science Guy, Bruce Betts, and Emily Lakdawalla. We hit the road now and then to produce a Planetary Radio Live show in front of an audience. Drop us a line or enter the weekly space trivia contest at planetaryradio@planetary.org.
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Recent Shows
Kindred Spirits: Alison Gibbings and Carolyn Shoemaker at the Planetary Defense Conference
04/29/2013 | 28:50
Guests
- Alison Gibbings, Laser Bees Researcher, University of Glasgow
- Carolyn Shoemaker, Astronomer
Our special coverage of the PDC continues with two planetary scientists separated by almost 60 years in age, but with similar dedication and enthusiasm for saving the planet.
Listening Once Again to Amateur Astronomy Pioneer John Dobson
01/07/2013 | 28:50
Guests
- John Dobson, Astronomer and designer of telescopes, The Sidewalk Astronomers
A reprise of our very popular conversation with the delightful 97-year old John Dobson, inventor of the Dobsonian telescope that brings the universe within everyone’s reach.
Celebrating Carl Sagan With Lou Friedman, Lynda Obst, Kip Thorne and More
11/12/2012 | 30:39
Guests
- Chas Beichman, Executive Director, NExScI
- Louis D. Friedman, Secretary-Treasurer of the Board of Directors, The Planetary Society
- Emily Lakdawalla, Senior Editor and Planetary Evangelist, The Planetary Society
- Bill Nye, Chief Executive Officer
- Lynda Obst, Film and television producer, Lynda Obst Productions
- Kip Thorne, Richard Feynman Emeritus Professor of Theoretical Physics, CalTech
- Melissa Rice, MSL Science Team Collaborator, Caltech
November 9 was Planetary Society founder Carl Sagan's birthday, so we gathered a few of his close friends and several young scientists he inspired in front of a live audience. They also helped us celebrate Planetary Radio's 10th anniversary!
A Conversation With Telescope Inventor John Dobson
09/10/2012 | 28:50
Guests
When John Dobson invented the Dobsonian telescope he changed the face of amateur astronomy. The 96-year old pioneer talks with Mat Kaplan. Emily Lakdawalla loves Curiosity’s self-portraits. Bill Nye the Science Guy is in London to host a youth webcast with International Space Station astronaut Sunita Williams. Bruce Betts keeps us from getting Lost in Space and helps Mat give away a cool Curiosity bumper sticker in What’s Up.
Remembering Neil Armstrong/ChemCam is Zapping Martian Rocks!
08/27/2012 | 32:11
Guests
- Roger Wiens, Genesis Mission Team Member
Emily Lakdawalla and Bill Nye the Science Guy join Mat Kaplan for a special remembrance of Neil Armstrong. Then we visit with the principal investigator for the first ray gun on Mars. Roger Wiens leads the ChemCam team that is using its powerful laser to zap and analyze Martian rocks. It’s just one of the Curiosity Rover success stories. Win a ChemCam bumper sticker and a Planetary Radio t-shirt in the weekly What’s Up space trivia contest!
More From Planetfest With Andrew Chaikin and Scott Hubbard
08/20/2012 | 1:00:02
Guests
- G. Scott Hubbard, Board of Directors, The Planetary Society
- Andrew Chaikin, Author, Speaker, Space Historian
- Bill Nye, Chief Executive Officer
Our Planetary Radio Live celebration of Mars rover Curiosity at Planetfest continues with more from space historian Andrew Chaikin, former NASA Mars czar Scott Hubbard and Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye the Science Guy. Emily breaks the news about NASA’s choice for a Discovery mission, and Bruce Betts joins Mat Kaplan for a What’s Up look at the night sky and a new space trivia contest.
Planetary Radio Live at Planetfest 2012!
08/13/2012 | 29:46
Guests
- G. Scott Hubbard, Board of Directors, The Planetary Society
- Andrew Chaikin, Author, Speaker, Space Historian
- Bill Nye, Chief Executive Officer
PlanRad Live welcomes space historian and writer Andrew Chaikin, former NASA Mars Czar Scott Hubbard, and Bill Nye the Science Guy to a live conversation at Planetfest: Curiosity Knows No Bounds, just a few hours before the triumphant landing of the big new rover on Mars. Host Mat Kaplan is also joined by Emily Lakdawalla, Bruce Betts and award-winning barbershop quartet Hi-Fidelity.
Astronaut Tom Jones at SETIcon
08/06/2012 | 43:01
Guests
- Tom Jones, Astronaut
Skywalker, scientist and author Tom Jones joins us in a fireside chat about Near Earth Objects and much more. Emily Lakdawalla tours the Applied Physics Lab in Maryland. Bill Nye the Science Guy put high value on the mission of Curiosity, the MSL Rover, even if it had not landed successfully. What’s Up in the night sky.
Lockheed Martin CTO Ray Johnson
07/02/2012 | 28:50
Guests
- Ray O. Johnson, Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President, Lockheed Martin
The Chief Technology Officer for the world's largest aerospace company wants more young people to consider careers as engineers.
06/11/2012 | 28:50
Guests
- Ray Bradbury, Author, poet, and visionary
- Chris McKay, Famed planetary scientist, NASA Ames Research Center
- David Brin, Science Fiction Author
- Kim Stanley Robinson, Science Fiction Author
We look back to the Planetary Society's 2003 birthday party for Ray Bradbury, with tributes from distinguished fans and eloquent words from the master himself.
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