Searching For Aliens

We’re on the hunt for aliens. NASA astrobiologists are scanning the skies for signs of life. But will extraterrestrials look like the little green humanoids from science fiction movies, books or TV? We’ll take a look at the efforts to find signs of life outside our universe with two scientists. First,NC State associate professor of planetary science Paul Byrne brings us up to speed on the current methods to look for alien life on other worlds — and what those life-forms might look like. Then, NASA astrobiologist Laurie Barge talks about the importance of habitability and why the search for alien life actually starts here on Earth. And later in the show, we’ll talk with science fiction author Jeff VanderMeer about the evolution of aliens in fiction and how science fact has shaped our imaginative speculation about aliens. We’re talking aliens this week on Are We There Yet? here on America’s Space Station.

Terry Virts & The Space Toilet: Exploring The Human Side Of Space Exploration

There’s a lot about space travel that doesn’t get talked about — like how do astronauts shower or go to the bathroom? Retired NASA astronaut Terry Virts is hoping to shed some light on the often unmentioned things about space travel that are uniquely human in his new book How to Astronaut: An Insider’s Guide to Leaving Planet Earth. We’ll speak with Virts about the lifetime of training that goes into becoming an astronaut and the lessons we all can learn about space travel. Then, speaking of toilets, the International Space Station just got a brand new commode. We’ll talk with NASA engineer Melissa McKinley about the upgraded toilet and how it will help astronauts on future missions to the moon. That’s ahead on Are We There Yet? here on WMFE – America’s Space Station.

Ancient Asteroid Dust & Deep Space Delivery

After launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida back in 2016, OSIRIS-REx is about to execute one of its most critical mission objectives — suck up some dust on a far away asteroid. The spacecraft has been orbiting the asteroid Bennu since arriving back in 2018, uncovering all sorts of interesting things about this ancient space rock. On October 20th, it will perform a TAG maneuver, sucking up a small sample of dust to send back home. This dust, once back here on Earth, could help us understand how life formed in the solar system. It’s a question scientists like NASA’s Jason Dworkin have spent their careers unpacking. We’ll speak with Dworkin about this mission and how he hopes to unlock the secrets of life here on Earth. Then, NASA’s gateway is a mini space station set to orbit the moon. But what’s a space station without supplies? Kennedy Space Center’s Mark Wiese heads NASA’s deep space logistics program. We’ll talk about the plan to ship food, water and space suits to the m...

Mars Opposition & Worried Astronomers

This week Mars is set to come closer to Earth than it has been in more than a decade. The Mars Opposition is when the red planet becomes a visible bright red spot in the night sky. We’ll talk with Seminole State College planetarium director Derek Demeter about the opposition and how to experience it from home. Then, SpaceX launched another batch of its Starlink Satellites this week — but the orbital constellation is causing some worry in the observational astronomy community. How are these tiny satellites impacting the future of night-sky observations? Our panel of expert scientists from UCF weigh in. And, we speak with NASA Astronaut Shannon Walker ahead of her mission to the International Space Station, hitching a ride on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.

Inclusion And Diversity In Space Exploration

NASA and other space and science agencies are striving to diversify their workforces, but there’s still a long way to go. As the country grapples with racial inequality, so do these organizations. Are We There Yet’s Nelly Ontiveros speaks with NASA scientist Geronimo Villanueva during Hispanic Heritage month to talk about efforts to get a more diverse group of STEM students and professionals and what the future corps of deep space explorers might look like. Then, when talking about future exploration ambitions, language matters. The Atlantic’s Marina Koren writes about the language of space policy leaders, and how it shapes the direction of programs and the perception of space exploration. We’ll talk with Koren about her latest piece which examines the Trump administration’s language of ‘manifest destiny’ and its effects on space policy.

Life On Venus? What A Stinky Gas Means For The Search For Life In Our Universe

Last week, scientists announced the finding of phosphine gas in the atmosphere of Venus, one of our closest planetary neighbors. This stinky gas is linked to life here on Earth — could that be the case on Venus? We’ll talk with two scientists about this extraordinary finding. First, NC State planetary scientist Paul Byrne will break down the finding and what it means for our understanding of the Venus atmosphere and the possibility of life there. Then, MIT quantum astrochemist Clara Sousa-Silva, who has studied this stinky molecule, explains how scientists can use this finding at Venus to track down possible signs of life in our universe.

Fixing Arecibo & Tracking Near-Earth Asteroids

It’s been more than a month since an asteroid-hunting telescope in Puerto Rico has gone dark. The Arecibo Observatory’s dish is broken after a piece of scaffolding fell, damaging the surface. So what will it take to fix it? We’ll speak with observatory director Francisco Cordova about the efforts to bring Arecibo back online. Then, an asteroid is heading our way — right on election day. Does the cosmic flyby pose any risk to us here on Earth? We’ll speak with our science experts on this week’s I’d Like to Know segment about the possible fly-by and the sensational headlines that get us all looking toward the sky.

Humans To Mars & A Supernova Extinction

Last week, scientists, engineers and visionaries met at the annual Humans to Mars summit, outlining current challenges and technological breakthroughs in developing a plan for how to live on the red planet. WeMartian’s podcast host Jake Robins attended the virtual summit and joins us to talk about his takeaways from the conference — like conversations about diversity and inclusion in deep space exploration and the expanded role robots will play in getting us to Mars. Then, is an supernova to blame for one of Earth’s earliest extinction events? We’ll chat with our panel of expert scientists from UCF this week to talk about a new paper that argues a star’s death could have had some collateral damage here on Earth.

A Space For Curiosity & An Observatory Goes Dark

Public interest in space exploration is on the rise, partly due to high-profile missions like SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, returning to human launches from the U.S. and excitement around the launch of three missions to Mars this summer. With new interest comes questions from amateur space fans…like how did the International Space Station get built or how do astronauts go to the bathroom in space. A new podcast from WKMG’s space reporter Emilee Speck aims to answer those questions submitted by listeners. We’ll talk with Speck about the curious nature of space exploration and how public outreach is helping diversify the space industry. Then, an observatory has gone quiet. After suffering a snapped cable, the Arecibo observatory in Puerto Rico is offline. We’ll chat with our panel of expert scientists from the University of Central Florida about Arecibo’s role in astronomy and what it means to have such an important piece of equipment temporarily out of action.

Assembling NASA’s Deep Spacecraft & Heavy Metal Asteroids

NASA’s Orion spacecraft is the next deep-space vehicle designed to take humans to the moon. We’ll talk with NASA’s Amy Marasia about the process and what it will take to get humans back to the moon in the 2020s. Then, scientists have their eyes set on a metallic asteroid called Psyche. NASA is moving forward with plans to send a probe to the intriguing asteroid. So what can we learn from a metal asteroid? We’ll ask our panel of expert physicists on this week’s I’d Like to Know segment. Assembling NASA’s Next Deep Space Vehicle Nelly Ontiveros, WMFE NASA’s Orion spacecraft is scheduled to launch next year from the Kennedy Space Center on an uncrewed test flight around the moon. Work on NASA’s next deep-space vehicle reached a critical milestone with the addition of an adapter that attaches it to NASA’s SLS rocket. In a conversation with NASA’s Amy Marasia, Orion Spacecraft Assembly Branch Manager, we explore the assembly of a vehicle that takes us one step closer to puttin...