This Week in Space (Audio)

At this point, can anyone compete with SpaceX? Love him or hate him, Elon Musk and his cadre of very talented employees and partners have built the most remarkable launch service in history, increasing the US launch rate from a handful to over 100 per year in less than a decade. Eric Berger--Senior Space Editor at Ars Technica and author of "Liftoff" and "Reentry," two books about Musk and SpaceX--joins us. We discuss the rise of SpaceX, Musk's future in US politics and the market, and what to expect from SpaceX in the next decade. We also look at the possible competitors to SpaceX's dominance in the market. Join us! Get "Reentry" (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4fe4f5s Headlines: - The 2024 US presidential election results are in, with Donald Trump set to become the 47th President. Trump has shown a keen interest in space, name-dropping Elon Musk, SpaceX, and Starlink during his victory speech. - SpaceX conducted its first ISS reboost mission using a Dragon cargo ship, showcasing a new capability for the company. - NASA issued a statement addressing tabloid rumors about astronaut Sunita Williams' health, affirming that all astronauts aboard the ISS are in good health and undergo routine medical evaluations. Main Topic - SpaceX Ascendant: - The Trump administration is expected to embrace SpaceX's Starship vision, potentially fast-tracking the company's progress by reducing regulatory hurdles. - SpaceX has a significant lead in the space industry, with no other company having achieved reusable rocket technology. The closest competitors are Blue Origin and Chinese companies, which are still years behind. - The US government has become increasingly reliant on SpaceX for launches, satellite internet, and the Artemis program, with no viable alternatives currently available. - SpaceX's success can be attributed to Elon Musk's relentless drive and vision to make humanity a multi-planetary species, as well as the company's willingness to take risks and innovate. - Starship is seen as the key to making widespread space access possible, with the potential to drastically reduce the cost of space travel and enable missions to Mars. - The future of space exploration is uncertain, with the potential for significant changes under the new administration and Elon Musk's growing influence as an advisor to the President. Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Guest: Eric Berger Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: uscloud.com

On this episode, we take a look at how the space workforce of the future will be educated and, perhaps more importantly, engaged with Dr. Rick Jenet of Expanding Frontiers. Located in Brownsville, Texas, just a stone's throw away from SpaceX's Starbase, expanding Frontiers works with underprivileged communities to bring them into 21st-century space-related trades and to encourage individual entrepreneurship. Dr. Jenet has a fascinating history as well, attending MIT as an undergraduate and earning his PhD in astrophysics from Caltech, then progressing through his work at various places, including NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, before founding Expanding Frontiers. Join us! Headlines: - Voyager 1 spacecraft uses backup radio system from 1977, and last utilized in 1981, to phone home after a recent glitch - China aims to conduct a Mars sample return mission before NASA, potentially launching in 2028 - Boeing considers selling its space division, excluding SLS contracts, as part of a restructuring effort Main Topic - The Spacer Pipeline with Dr. Fredrick Jenet: - Dr. Jenet's journey from MIT and Caltech to founding Expanding Frontiers in South Texas - The importance of giving back to the community and fostering a culture of innovation - Stargate: The first building at SpaceX's Boca Chica facility, a collaboration with Dr. Jenet's team - Expanding Frontiers' programs for students and aspiring entrepreneurs: - Space Entrepreneur Summer Academy: Introducing high school students to space entrepreneurship - Space Settlement Design Tournament: Industry simulation for students to design space settlements - Space Coders: Internship program focused on coding for space industry projects - Tech Trek: Developing programming for entrepreneurs working on space-related technology - Expanding Frontier Space Tech Pitch Competition: Showcasing startups utilizing NASA technology - The role of funding from local, state, and federal sources, as well as sponsorships, in sustaining non-profit organizations like Expanding Frontiers - Future plans for Expanding Frontiers, including the development of a space innovation corridor from Brownsville to Houston - The importance of continued support and funding for programs that promote STEM education and entrepreneurship in the space industry Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Guest: Fredrick (Rick) Jenet Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: veeam.com

Many of us have visited the various displays of space shuttles around the US, and it's always a spectacular sight. The shuttle orbiter was huge, and seeing in any configuration is inspirational. Notably, the California Science Center is completing a display of the Endeavor in a launch configuration, which is unique among shuttle installations. But the very first shuttle mockup ever constructed will soon go on public display in its birthplace in Southern California, the city of Downey. This is where North American Rockwell, the builder of all the shuttles, was located until they were absorbed by Boeing decades ago. It was in the Rockwell facility that the first wood-and-aluminum mockup of the shuttle was built, and it's been stored until this day under the control of the Columbia Memorial Space Center. Of special interest: besides its uses as a technical simulator, this mockup was what closed the deal between NASA and Rockwell to build the shuttles and inspired many in Congress to support the program. The museum's Executive Director and President, Ben Dickow, joins us to talk about this magnificent, full-sized shuttle mockup, its history, and future plans. Headlines: • SpaceX's Crew-8 mission returned to Earth after a record-breaking 235 days in space, but one crew member remains in the hospital for additional medical checks • Boeing's Intelsat satellite broke up in geosynchronous orbit, creating around 5,000 pieces of space debris, posing potential long-term threats to other satellites • India announced plans for Chandrayaan-4, a lunar sample return mission targeting the Moon's south pole in 2027-2028 • Chinese company Deep Blue Aerospace aims to start offering space tourist flights by 2027 on a suborbital rocket and capsule that resembles a hybrid of SpaceX's Dragon and Blue Origin's New Shepard Main Topic - Interview with Ben Dickow: • The Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey, California houses Inspiration, a full-scale wooden mock-up of the space shuttle built by Rockwell International in 1972 • Inspiration was used as an engineering tool and to help secure the shuttle contract for Rockwell, impressing both NASA and Congressional leaders who visited • The mock-up features highly detailed interiors, including a crew cabin, flight deck, and cargo bay • After being mothballed for years, Inspiration was recently moved to the Columbia Memorial Space Center for display in a new building • Southern California will soon have the first and last space shuttles on display, with Inspiration in Downey and Endeavour in Los Angeles • Ben emphasizes the importance of preserving the shuttle's history and using it as an educational tool to inspire future generations of engineers and scientists • The emotional power of seeing a space shuttle up close and the human stories behind its creation are key to the exhibit's impact Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Guest: Ben Dickow Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsor: uscloud.com

This week, we're taking a broad look at the progress of America's Artemis lunar landing program, space science in general, and the challenges to Western space plans posed by a fast-rising Chinese space program. Joining us is the uniquely qualified Dr. Greg Autry--the Associate Provost for Space Commercialization and Strategy at the University of Central Florida, visiting Professor at Imperial College London, former NASA transition team member, and author of "Red Moon Rising." We'll also highlight the recent launch of SpaceX's Starship and the amazing catch of the booster by the Mechazilla Launch tower, Michael Bloomberg's recent article condemning the slow progress of the Artemis program, and this weekend's Orionids meteor shower! Headlines: - SpaceX's successful Starship flight test 5, featuring the Super Heavy booster's impressive catch by the "Mechazilla" tower - Michael Bloomberg's critical op-ed on the SLS rocket and the Artemis program, highlighting delays and overspending - The upcoming Orionids meteor shower, peaking on October 21st, 2024, and the Hunter's Moon, the biggest supermoon of the year Main Topic - The State of the US Space Program with Greg Autry: - Greg's lifelong passion for space was ignited by watching Apollo missions as a child; he later got involved in the commercial space industry and served on the NASA transition team in 2016 - US human spaceflight is in both the best and worst of times - there is bipartisan support for Artemis and returning to the Moon, but the program is behind schedule and over budget on almost every element - Lack of top-level political leadership and sense of urgency compared to the Apollo era is hurting Artemis' progress; the US needs a leader willing to provide direction and funding, and hold people accountable - Competition with China could help spur the US, but the public may not be as motivated as during the Cold War; still, it's important for the US to get back to the Moon first to initiate fair use of resources - Artificial intelligence will play a critical role in future space operations, especially on Mars and the Moon; AI can enable more flexible and capable spacecraft - The US needs to rebuild its aerospace manufacturing and production workforce to execute ambitious space goals; STEM education and hands-on skills are lacking - In 10 years, Autry hopes to see a diverse on-orbit ecosystem with compatible, specialized vehicles; regular Moon missions laying the groundwork for resource extraction; and an influential space tourism industry - He believes that a dual-track lunar architecture with both Starship and a more conventional system for redundancy would be wise; Starship is great but very complex with many potential failure points, especially in a lunar mission that requires multiple refueling flights and a crewed SLS launch in close timing - Greg is the Associate Provost for Space Commercialization and Strategy at the University of Central Florida and is standing up new academic programs to train the next generation of commercial space workforce - His book "Red Moon Rising" examines the history of the space industry, China's space ambitions, and the current state of play - an engaging read for anyone interested in space Get "Red Moon Rising": https://amzn.to/3YxmJab Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Guest: Dr. Greg Autry Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit