Ad Astra

This week, the fellas cover some big updates on previous stories, while touching on some new ones. Space Corps makes a return, as does the NASA Reauthorization from earlier this year. Expedition 52 has arrived at the ISS, and SpaceX has become the most valuable privately held space company. NASA and Newton celebrate their birthdays, too! Tune in next week for an update on Ad Astra’s Great American Eclipse Livestream, the final vote tally for the Favorite Planet contest, and the return of Listener Submitted Queries.   Latest from Washington What is this guy even talking about? Ban for Funding Space Corps Banned from Debate What’s the future of the ISS?   Space News Highlight of the Week Happy 59th birthday, NASA!   International News Veteran 3-Man Crew Launches to International Space Station   Latest in Tech NASA Awards $14.3 Million to Small Businesses, Research Institutions to Develop Innovative Technologies SpaceX is now valued at $21.2 Billion Jeff Bezos briefly Overtakes Bill Gates To Become World's Ric

THIS WEEK, THE GUYS TACKLE THE HEALTHCARE DEBATE. Ha. Just kidding. Jack and Newton cover the latest and greatest in space, including the Mars Exploration Program, UN COPUOS's June meeting, and the new NASA budget proposed by the Senate.   Links: Latest from Washington Louis Friedman points out further problems facing NASA’s Mars Exploration Program NASA is happy with Commercial Crew schedules Jeff Bezos gets an Instagram, shows off New Glenn factory DoD gets new advisory committee Donald Rumsfeld’s Space Commission Report   Space News Highlight of the Week Senate picks $19.5B for NASA’s FY18 budget   International News Summer Update on COPUOS long-term sustainability guidelines Secure World Foundation publishes a fact sheet about these guidelines   Latest in Tech Sierra Nevada to launch Dream Chaser atop Atlas 5 rocket in 2020 Mishap to delay launch of NASA communications satellite Coming Soon to Space Astronomy On Tap   Follow Ad Astra on Twitter at @AdAstra_Podcast, on Facebook, and subscribe to t

This week, Jack and Newton cover the latest news on the future of JPSS and the National Space Council, answer a listener-submitted query on the Space Corps, asteroid mining from Luxembourg, and quantum teleportation. They also talk updates on some upcoming DC space events.   Links:   Latest from Washington House cuts NOAA Polar Follow On Program [LISTENER SUBMITTED QUERY: Why does Mike Rogers want a Space Corps?] The White House doesn’t want a Space Corps either… Peter Hays’ space power paradigm theories (page 7) Instead, White House and new NSpC should focus on integral improvements OMB likes NSpC   Space News Highlight of the Week Jack’s former professor is the Executive Secretary of the NSpC   International News Luxembourg keeps marching (slowly) towards being a hub for commercial space   Latest in Tech Chinese Scientists Just Set the Record for the Farthest Quantum Teleportation   Coming Soon to Space Local Events in DC: -Outdoor Movie Series, Star Wars: Rogue One -Astronomy of Tap, Baltimore ISSR&D C

Links: Latest from Washington Mike Pence gives a vague speech, touches things that say DO NOT TOUCH Text of Pence’s speech   Space News Highlight of the Week G20 closes with rebuke to Trump's climate change stance   International News ESA unveils BepiColombo Mercury orbiters ahead of October 2018 launch   Latest in Tech NASA Pluto Probe's Next Target May Actually Be 'Swarm' of Objects NASA's Juno Spacecraft flying over Jupiter’s Great Red Spot   Coming Soon to Space NASA planning August release of Mars robotic exploration architecture   Follow Ad Astra on Twitter at @AdAstra_Podcast, on Facebook, and subscribe to the mailing list for future updates and events!

This week, Jack and Newton talk about the latest House appropriations bill for NASA and the announcement about the new National Space Council. They then briefly touch on the June 2 failure of the Long March 5, DARPA hitching a ride with ISRO, and Dylan Taylor's thrust for diversity in space tourism.   Links: Latest from Washington Congress says ‘eff you’ to Trump NASA budget Congress says 'eff you' to Trump even more House hearing Senate hearing   Space News Highlight of the Week We now have a National Space Council!   International News China experiences an anomaly on the launchpad   Latest in Tech DARPA trying to launch smallsat experiment on an Indian rocket Space for Humanity seeks 10,000 citizen astronauts   Coming Soon to Space Future Space Leaders 2017   Follow Ad Astra on Twitter at @AdAstra_Podcast, on Facebook, and subscribe to the mailing list for future updates and events!

Slow space news week? We got you covered. This week, the guys cover the latest news, including SpaceX flying twice in one weekend, NASA (not) finding life, and the chair of the Congressional drama caucus - Mike Rogers - beefing with the Air Force. Listen to the latest podcast by Elemental.fm, Straight Up, with Newton Campbell   Links: Latest from Washington Mike Rogers is beefing with the Air Force over space Blue Origin is building a rocket factory in Bama     Space News Highlight of the Week No. NASA has not found alien life     International News Arianespace is building a reusable rocket engine   Latest in Tech They’re launching rockets like crazy! 2 Million Free Eclipse Glasses Coming to US Libraries Coming Soon to Space Newton on Women In Tech Panel   Follow Ad Astra on Twitter at @AdAstra_Podcast, on Facebook, and subscribe to the mailing list for future updates and events!

Announcing a brand new show for the Elemental.fm podcast network! The Straight Up podcast is an unbiased source of news in today's Internet age. Tune in to hear audio readings of the raw source material for the latest news stories, without any added spin or analysis. No opinions, no bias. Just the straight-up facts. Coming soon to Elemental FM.  

This week, the guys welcome all of our new followers from Awesome Con (hi everyone!) with an episode all about new exoplanets, the AWESOME Bill Nye: Science Guy documentary, and how France is trying to make the planet great (again?).   Links: Latest from Washington Awesome Con NASA closing out Asteroid Redirect Mission Go see the Bill Nye documentary. Seriously. National Academies of Science just released a Planetary Protection report   Space News Highlight of the Week Kepler finds 219 new exoplanets   International News Emmanuel Macron wants to make our planet great again   Latest in Tech French startup raises $1.9M for SmallSat electric propulsion   Coming Soon to Space NASA Briefings on Total Solar Eclipse More info about the eclipse   Follow Ad Astra on Twitter at @AdAstra_Podcast, on Facebook, and subscribe to the mailing list for future updates and events!

This week, Jack and Newton talk infrastructure, Outer Space Treaty, and why everyone dislikes Ted Cruz. They also touch on fires in space, India's space program, and shooting down ICBMs.   Links: Latest from Washington Infrastructure Week: President Trump Announces Air Traffic Control Reform Initiative Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Traffic Management (UTM) Cruz out of step with industry, lawyers A hearing on the American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act of 2017 will follow the budget hearing in the House SS&T subcommittee. Text of the draft bill can be found here Results of the briefing   Space News Highlight of the Week NASA’s Newest Astronaut Candidates   International News COPUOS met in Vienna last week (if this is for our guest, this should probably be a highlight) Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) launched their biggest rocket yet China replaced its space agency administrator...quietly   Latest in Tech NASA is going to set a fire in space US shows they can shoot down ICBMs   Coming Soon to

This week, Jack and Newton are joined by comedienne and special guest Rubi Nicholas! They talk about the importance of studying humor for missions to Mars and beyond, the ability for robots to both understand and create humor, and ways that the public is becoming involved.   Links: Comedy and Humor in Space Robonauts, Natural Language Understanding, and the role of Computational Humor for Human Spaceflight How NASA Will Keep Astronauts From Going Stir-Crazy on Long Space Missions Astronauts with a Sense of Humor will go to Mars   Coming Soon to Space Surviving Mars: The Space Simulation With A Sense Of Humor   Latest from Covfefe Land Two hearings coming up on Thursday about the NASA Budget CJS Hearing SS&T Hearing NASA and Pence will be announcing the newest class of astronauts   Other Links Surviving Mars game by Paradox Interactive Rubi Nicholas on Twitter   Follow Ad Astra on Twitter at @AdAstra_Podcast, on Facebook, and subscribe to the mailing list for future updates and events!

This week, the boys discuss everyone's favorite topic: the President's budget request. They also delve into the intricacies of regulations for space, the future of commercial space exploration, and updates on international stories from previous weeks.   Links: Latest from Washington Court Ruling: The FAA Can't Make You Register Your Drone Ruling can be found here God, do we really have to keep talking about how awful this budget is? All 66 programs cut in the Trump budget   Space News Highlight of the Week New Juno Science JunoCam It's a gag 400 years in the making   International News Congrats to Rocket Lab for their mostly successful first test of the Electron rocket Astronauts Restore Space Station to Full Health in Quick Repair Spacewalk     Latest in Tech Boeing and DARPA revisit the oldest spacecraft design in new contract   Coming Soon to Space Founder Institute calls for 500 new space startups by 2025 Seth MacFarlane Is Headed to Space with 'The Orville' on Fox   Follow Ad Astra on Twitter at @AdAstra

Net neutrality on a space podcast? Sure, why not? This week, Jack and Newton really dive into the policy side to discuss net neutrality in the context of space broadband, NASA's cuts in the president's FY2018 budget, and the need to revamp the Outer Space Treaty. They also talk about an emergency on ISS, folding robots, and the winner of our David Grinspoon book giveaway!   Links: Latest from Washington Cruz announces hearing on updating the Outer Space Treaty Outer Space Treaty text Robert Zubrin is a Lunartic...for Mars   Space News Highlight of the Week White House releases FY2018 Budget Request 2018 Budget Proposal to Spread Cuts Across NASA Programs   International News Hurriedly planned ‘contingency’ spacewalk on tap Tuesday Rocket Lab gets ready to launch from New Zealand   Latest in Tech NASA Tests Origami-Inspired Robot That May One Day Explore Mars Softbank-backed OneWeb increases offer for Intelsat Leads into Net Neutrality Discussion -- Paid Prioritization and Its Impact on Net Neutrality

Enter to win a copy of "Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet's Future", autographed by David Grinspoon, aka Dr. FunkySpoon, author, astrobiologist, and host of StarTalk All Starts with Neil deGrasse Tyson at www.elemental.fm/win   This week, the guys are fresh from the Humans to Mars Summit in Washington, DC, and are here with special guest Jeremy to discuss and reflect on the events that took place this year at H2M. This episode includes several interviews recorded on location at the summit with Astronaut Abby, Saeed Al Gergawi of the UAE Space Agency, and Janet of JanetsPlanet.org. All of us at Ad Astra would like to extend a huge thank you to all the volunteers who offered their time to this year's Humans To Mars Summit. It wouldn't have been possible without you.    Links: Mohammad Bin Rashid Space Centre- UAE Space Agency Janet's Planet Astronaut Abby Buzz Aldrin's Mars Cycler The Space Review by Jeff Foust   Follow Ad Astra on Twitter at @AdAstra_Podcast, on Facebook, and subscribe to the ma

Enter to win a copy of "Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet's Future", autographed by David Grinspoon, aka Dr. FunkySpoon, author, astrobiologist, and host of StarTalk All Starts with Neil deGrasse Tyson at www.elemental.fm/win   This week, the guys prepare for the annual Humans to Mars Summit by tying up all of the loose stories from previous weeks. Updates on multiple stories included, as well as some new information on state space policies and ethernet cables in space. Tune in next week for full coverage of H2M.   Links:   Latest From Washington Governor signs Georgia Space Flight Act California might tax space launches Senate passes space weather bill   Space News Highlight of The Week X-37B lands after record-setting mission   International News Arianespace launches for first time since French Guiana protests ended (2nd article by spaceflightinsider)   Latest in Tech Space Ethernet! Finally!     Coming Soon to Space Humans 2 Mars Preview!   Follow Ad Astra on Twitter at @AdAstra_Podcast, on Facebook

Enter to win a copy of "Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet's Future", autographed by David Grinspoon, aka Dr. FunkySpoon, author, astrobiologist, and host of StarTalk All Starts with Neil deGrasse Tyson at www.elemental.fm/win In this episode, Jack and Newton discuss NASA's 2017 budget, the 2017 climate march, and delays in Exploration Mission 1. They also touch on China's plans for a manned space station and an impending problem with American manned spaceflight.   Links: Latest from Washington House Science held a panel on astrobiology and the Search for Life While the Senate has a hearing on something a little closer to home Climate March on Washington Crowds of 200,000 estimated NASA receives more than $19.6 billion in 2017 omnibus spending bill   Space News Highlight of the Week GAO Expects EM-1 to slip into 2019 NASA agrees International News  China to begin construction of manned space station in 2019   Latest in Tech  NASA is running out of spacesuits The space ethernet physical layer trans

Enter to win a copy of "Earth in Human Hands: Shaping Our Planet's Future", autographed by David Grinspoon, aka Dr. FunkySpoon, author, astrobiologist, and host of StarTalk All Starts with Neil deGrasse Tyson at www.elemental.fm/win This week, the guys discuss what they took away from the March For Science that took place on April 22, and how we can keep the momentum going in the future. Trump wants the US to go to Mars by the end of his first term, updates on the ISS crew, and we get ready for the finale of the beloved Cassini mission. Links: Latest from Washington Trump Statement on Earth Day March for Science initial estimates In March for Science, Earth and Space Take Center Stage Trump called the ISS, gets schooled   Space News Highlight of the Week Astronaut Peggy Whitson breaks new space record   International Updates French Guiana accord sets stage for Arianespace to resume launches How a handful of South American protestors took Europe’s space program hostage Two New Crew Members Arrive at Internatio

This week, the boys stray from their usual format (gasp!) to discuss the upcoming March for Science on April 22nd. Please join the DC March with Jack and Newton at 9am at the Federal Triangle Metro Stop in downtown DC. But that's not all. Jack and Newton also bring up everyone's favorite upcoming film, The Last Jedi. Fan theories abound.   Links: March For Science Star Wars: The Last Jedi Teaser Star Wars Meme

In this week's episode, we honor the great John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth. Jack and Newton discuss recent news regarding the future of the Air Force in space, a major milestone in exoplanet discovery, and a suite of newly approved NASA programs that will turn theoretical physics into practice. They answer listener-submitted queries and talk about the upcoming March for Science on April 22.   Links: Latest from Washington/Colorado Rep. Rogers calls for a Space Corps House thinks AF is too timid Moon AND Mars??? (Jack might have to apologize) JICSpOC is now NSDC     Space News Highlight of the Week Atmosphere discovered on Earth-sized planet   International Updates China's Yulong Tian elaborates more China’s 2016 Space White Paper (sorta) Europe commits to a minimum launch cadence of (5) Ariane 6, (2) Vega C Latest in Tech NASA invests in 22 visionary exploration concepts   Listener-submitted Queries Joanne asks: “how do we store food for a Mars mission?” Earth Indepen

This week, Jack and Newton highlight recent policy news on climate change, SpaceX's "Kitty Hawk" moment, and the plans for the NASA Deep Space Gateway and Transport. They also answer a listener query and talk about the 33rd Space Symposium.   Links: Latest from Washington: Polling data of climate change beliefs in the US Trump signs EO to roll back environmental protections House Science Committee held a hearing on climate change consensus in the scientific community Lamar Smith doesn't think 'Science' is objective   Space News Highlight of the Week: SpaceX lands a rocket, changes the course of human history NASA announces the Deep Space Gateway Concept timetable for SLS launches, in context of DSG (screenshots courtesy of Jess Foust) Article breaking down the DSG   International Updates: At 33rd Space Symposium, China's space program Administrator Yulong Tian says that their space station will be ready by 2020   Latest in Tech: PACE Satellite, slated for cancellation under Trump budget, passes next m

***correction! SpaceX launch is scheduled for 6pm on Thursday March 30, not 8:30pm***   Latest from Washington: Text of the NASA Transition Authorization of 2017 President signs authorization. Musk says 'meh'. Pence says that the National Space Council is coming back... just maybe not so soon And Cruz wants ANOTHER authorization... House Science Committee holds hearing on the ISS after 2024 Trump gives weekly address on NASA, continuing the tradition of using space exploration as the justification for American ingenuity   Space News Highlight of the Week: Space is going to reuse a first stage rocket on Thursday   International Updates: Ariane 5 Launch strikes World Water Day   Latest in Tech:   World Water Day leads into ESA's Copernicus program Sentenial 2 was launched on March 7   Listener-submitted Queries: Moon vs. Mars NASA NextSTEP Program NextSTEP towards Mars   Coming Soon to Space:  Public lecture in DC on Europa   Follow Ad Astra on Twitter at @AdAstra_Podcast, on Facebook, and subscribe to th