Program Archives

PLANETARY SOCIETY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LOU FRIEDMAN ON SOLAR SAILS IKAROS AND LIGHTSAIL-1
May 17, 2010
Guests: Louis Friedman
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Japanese solar sail testbed IKAROS may already be in space as you read this. Lou Friedman salutes this ambitious project and looks forward to the launch of the Planetary Society's more »

SATURN UPDATE FROM CASSINI PROJECT SCIENTIST LINDA SPILKER
May 10, 2010
Guests: Linda Spilker
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Linda Spilker now heads the Cassini science team, and her mission has been extended yet again. She rejoins us to review the latest news from the ringed planet. Bill Nye answers Stephen Hawking's...  more »

PLANETARY RADIO LIVE!
May 3, 2010
Guests: Jeff Richichi, James Burke
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PlanRad goes before a live audience to talk rockets with Bill Nye, Jeff Richichi of SpaceX, and JPL pioneer James Burke.  more »

PAUL DAVIES, AUTHOR OF "THE EERIE SILENCE"
April 26, 2010
Guests: Paul Davies
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After 50 years of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, could it be that we are not listening for the right signal? Or are we alone? Cosmologist and prolific writer Paul Davies makes a...  more »

CONFERENCE ON THE FUTURE OF THE AMERICAN SPACE PROGRAM WITH BILL NYE
April 19, 2010
Guests: Bill Nye
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Bill Nye the Science Guy reports on last week's conference about the future of the US space program.  more »

IT'S MARS ROVER OPPORTUNITY, ONLY SMARTER
April 12, 2010
Guests: Daniel Gaines
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JPL engineer Daniel Gaines helped develop new software that has enabled Opportunity to autonomously select objects for close-up imaging as she races across Mars. Emily Lakdawalla is thrilled by...  more »

THIS IS GLOBAL ASTRONOMY MONTH
April 5, 2010
Guests: Mike Simmons
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Mike Simmons is president of Astronomers Without Borders. He returns to Planetary Radio to tell us how we can be part of this new month-long celebration. Emily Lakdawalla gains a new title and...  more »

ALAN STERN: THE BUSIEST MAN IN SPACE EXPLORATION?
March 29, 2010
Guests: Alan Stern
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The Principal Investigator for the New Horizons Pluto Mission returns to talk about some of his new adventures, including prep for his own trips into space. Bill Nye gets a kick out of a turf...  more »

SAVING THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE IN IMAX 3D
March 22, 2010
Guests: Scott D. Altman, Toni Myers
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An IMAX 3D camera watched last year as astronauts aboard Atlantis repaired the famous space telescope. We talk with Mission Commander Scott D. Altman and the just released film's producer/director,...  more »

YOUR PERSONAL PHOTOSHOOT ON MARS?
March 15, 2010
Guests: Alfred McEwen
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HiRISE Principal Investigator Alfred McEwen returns with a report on Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's super sharp camera and the new HiWish program that lets anyone suggest sites on the Red Planet for...  more »