Planetary Radio Extra: LightSail Update
The Planetary Society's Bruce Betts and Jason Davis join host Mat Kaplan for a status report on LightSail 2, the Society's next solar sail, now being prepared for launch as soon as late this year.Lear...
9 Feb 201621min
Planet 9 From Outer Space!
Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin fully expect a new and undemotable ninth planet will be found in the outer reaches of the solar system. The Caltech researchers talk about their findings and much mor...
9 Feb 201649min
NASA’s New Planetary Defense Office
Lindley Johnson has just been named NASA's first Planetary Defense Officer. He's joined on this week's PlanRad by astronomer Kelly Fast, the new manager of the Near Earth Object Observation Program.Le...
2 Feb 201650min
Civilizations Among the Clustered Stars?
New research indicates that globular clusters—collections of up to a million stars—could provide stable environments for life, along with opportunities for interstellar civilizations. Lead author Rosa...
26 Jan 201641min
Marc Rayman’s Dawn Mission Update
The Dawn Mission Chief Engineer Marc Rayman returns for another report on the ion-engine powered mission, now orbiting 240 miles above dwarf planet Ceres in the Asteroid Belt.Learn more about your ad ...
19 Jan 201630min
Master of the Moon Rocks: NASA Astromaterials Curator Francis McCubbin
Francis McCubbin is the new Astromaterials Curator at NASA's Johnson Space Center, where the priceless collection includes the Apollo moonrocks. Join host Mat Kaplan's visit.Learn more about your ad c...
12 Jan 201638min
Ad Astra Builds “The Martian’s” Rocket Engine
Mat Kaplan visits the Ad Astra Rocket Company in Texas where they are perfecting the VASIMIR electric rocket engine. Emily Lakdawalla has created a comprehensive timeline tracing missions throughout t...
5 Jan 201634min
Planetary Radio Extra: Ad Astra Rocket Company Audio Tour
Ad Astra's Mark Carter took Planetary Radio Host Mat Kaplan on a great tour of the company's facility in mid-November of 2015. Space and science geeks are going to love this mostly unedited audio reco...
5 Jan 201636min
