Are We There Yet?

SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft broke apart during a test flight. The debris from the rapid unplanned disassembly prompted the ground stoppage of many airline flights from Florida, highlighting the relationship between air traffic and space traffic. Plus, NASA is closing several of its offices in an attempt to reduce its forces—a reaction from new policy changes under the Trump administration.

NASA and other international partners are tracking an asteroid the size of a football field as it approaches Earth. Plus, one company sent a data center to the moon to preserve Earth's data and help advance the lunar economy.

The podcast “The Other Moonshot” explores the stories of three Black engineers and their contributions to the Apollo program. Plus, a look ahead at three missions that are launching this year that will help us understand and study our universe like never before.

Boeing is a contractor for NASA’s SLS rocket that will take astronauts on the moon, but Boeing recently announced plans to lay off over 400 employees from its SLS team. Plus, one professor’s experiment went for a spin on Blue Origin’s recent launch of New Sheppard that mimicked lunar gravity.

Researchers have uncovered evidence that Pluto may have found one of its moons through what they call the “kiss and capture method.” Plus, a centaur named Chiron has characteristics of both a comet and an asteroid; making scientist wonder what else makes this celestial body unique.

After almost three decades of science, research and exploration, the International Space Station is set to retire by the end of 2030. Once the station is decommissioned, commercial companies like Axiom Space will establish new orbiting platforms.

The new Trump administration has ended DEI programs for all federal organizations–how will this affect NASA? Plus, a look at the efforts to bring Mars rocks back to Earth.

Exoplanets, or planets orbiting another star, were originally confirmed in 1992. New telescopes and technological advancements have aided in the discovery of thousands of exoplanets. Now, astronomers wonder if worlds like our own could exist.

This year could be transformative for the space economy with new rockets, AI technology and upcoming missions to the moon. Plus, NASA and NOAA scientists found that 2024 was the hottest year on record since the 1850’s.

The Parker Solar Probe is the first man-made spacecraft to get closer to our sun than ever before. Plus, Firefly aerospace is launching its Blue Ghost Lunar Lander to deliver payloads to the moon.

The book, Star bound, A Beginner's Guide to the American Space Program, from Goddard's Rockets to Goldilocks Planets and Everything in Between (Outward Odyssey: A People's History of Spaceflight) explains America’s space history while highlighting the nation’s social and cultural contexts in space. Plus, a glimpse into the major space news from this past year.

How an astronaut celebrated holidays at the International Space Station with festive foods, decorations and traditions.

SpaceKids Global’s founder Sharon Hagle launched into space for the second time and eight kids from the organization’s Press Squad contest watched her journey while getting experience as space journalists. Intuitive Machines unveiled its new lunar rover after being selected by NASA to create the vehicle for Artemis astronauts to use on the moon.

December skies will bring stargazer delights. Plus, a look at the growing tension between the U.S. and Chinese space programs.

One astronaut helped build a bridge between space and birds. New UAP hearings are leading to public conversations.

Exoplanets are planets that exist outside our solar system. As a relatively new field of study, there’s much to learn about these newly discovered worlds.

Space policy in Florida and the potential for private companies on Mars, plus the ISS begins to show its age.

During the last Trump administration there were big moves in space exploration like pushing for human landings on the moon and launching astronauts on commercial rockets, plus a look at some of JWST’s incredible images of stars exploding and galaxies deep in our universe.

Europa Clipper may open doors on the grander questions on life beyond Earth. Plus, Mars scientists found that Mars might not be so different than Earth as research suggests life could exist in signs of water on the red planet.

UCF physicist and co-host of the podcast “Walkabout the Galaxy”, shares spooky cosmic occurrences. Stephen Eikenberry, UCF professor of applied optics and professor of physics, explains the humanlike pulses from the darkest vacuums in our universe.