Since 2002, Planetary Radio has visited with a scientist, engineer, project manager, advocate, or writer who provides a unique perspective on the quest for knowledge about our solar system and beyond. The full show archive is available for free.

Search Planetary Radio

Two Years of Hope: Celebrating the Emirates Mars Mission

Join us as we celebrate the accomplishments of a truly inspiring space mission - the United Arab Emirates' Hope probe, which has spent two amazing years orbiting Mars!

Space Policy Edition: The Tricky Ethics of Space Settlement

Dr. Erika Nesvold, astrophysicist and author of the new book Off-Earth: Ethical Questions and Quandaries for Living in Outer Space explores the ethical challenges facing our species as it dips its toe into living beyond our home planet.

Martian rock collecting: From meteorites to Mars Sample Return

Meenakshi Wadhwa, principal scientist for Mars Sample Return at NASA JPL, updates us on the missions that will bring bits of the red planet back to Earth.

More on Mars’ Watery History

Mars expert Tanya Harrison shares the details on some of the newest discoveries about Mars’ history, including potential megatsunamis and the discovery of opals in Gale Crater.

Martian Mic Drop

Jason Achilles, a musician who partnered with NASA’s JPL to help put one of the first microphones on Mars, shares his journey and the joy of listening to the sounds of the red planet.

One Last Blast: Author of ‘The Martian’ Andy Weir with JPL Chief Engineer Rob Manning

Outgoing Planetary Radio host Mat Kaplan realizes a dream by getting Rob Manning and Andy Weir together for one of the most entertaining conversations in our show’s two decades.

DART smacked an asteroid! So what’s next in planetary defense?

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test was a brilliant success. The leaders of NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office tell us what’s next in the quest to protect Earth.

Pieces of Mars: How We’ll Get Them to Earth

Getting precious Mars rocks into Earthbound labs is an unprecedented challenge. We'll learn how a lander, a rocket, a big solar-powered transfer vehicle and two helicopters will take on this task.

Citizen Science: Join the search for Martian clouds

Scientists need your help identifying clouds high above the surface of the red planet. The goal is to figure out where Mars’ water went.

Planetary Radio at the Humans to Mars Summit

Mat Kaplan helped host the Humans to Mars Summit in Washington D.C., where much of the community that is working to get us to Mars gathered.

Perseverance Perseveres: A Mars rover update from Ken Farley

The Mars 2020 rover has rolled into an ancient river delta on the Red Planet. Will we find evidence of past life there?

Water, water everywhere with Bethany Ehlmann

Water may have flowed on Mars for a billion more years than was previously thought, giving possible life an extra billion years to thrive.

Worlds of snow and ice

New research shows that the giant plumes of Saturn’s moon Enceladus may not be coming from the warm ocean deep below the icy surface.

Curiosity rolls on: Mars Science Laboratory project scientist Ashwin Vasavada

The Curiosity rover’s lead researcher reviews the latest findings and images from Mars’ Gale Crater.

Discovering Mars with Jim Bell and William Sheehan

Discovering Mars is the new chronicle of humanity’s long relationship with the Red Planet, assembled by space historian William Sheehan and Mars explorer Jim Bell.

The DART asteroid impact mission begins, with Nancy Chabot

The DART mission begins its journey that will end when it smashes into an asteroid, demonstrating how we might save Earth from a devastating impact.

Amazing technology at the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts symposium

Here’s our sampling of the leading edge research presented by NIAC Fellows at NASA’s 2021 virtual gathering.

Mars Beckons: The 2021 Humans to Mars Summit

Highlights of the annual gathering of leaders and experts who are building toward humans walking on the Red Planet.

An ESCAPADE to Mars, on the cheap

Can NASA send robotic explorers to Mars for a tiny fraction of what most missions cost?

Liquid water under the Martian polar ice? Maybe not

New research indicates that what appeared to be liquid water hiding under Mars’ polar ice may actually be a form of clay.

12 ... 11 >