PODCAST · science
SPEXcast
by SPEXcast
SPEXcast is a weekly podcast diving into a variety of space topics. Come with us as we discuss the cutting edge of spacecraft engineering, potential future missions to outer space, and exciting scientific discoveries in the field of astrophysics.
Episodes
-
84: Inspiration4
The first all-civilian crew space mission is set to launch as Inspiration4. SPEXcast sits down to discuss the importance of this mission in the context of American space flight, commercial space flight, and private space flight. We discuss the crew selection and inside peeks into the SpaceX…
more -
82: NASA Selects SpaceX for HLS
After 10 months of exploratory work, NASA has selected SpaceX's Starship to return humans to the Moon. We analyze NASA's announcement and break down NASA's own Source Selection Document to understand how Blue Origin and Dynetics stacked up against SpaceX's proposal.
-
81: The ISS gets new wings
23 years after the first module of the International Space Station was launched into space, the station is getting another major upgrade! On January 11th, NASA announced 6 new advanced solar panels will be installed on the ISS starting later this year. These panels are much more efficient than…
more -
80: Rethinking Aerospace Design Tools with nTopology
On this episode, nTopology CEO Brad Rothenberg walks us through how generative design techniques and new engineering tools are changing the way we design spacecraft.
-
79: Talking Starlink and Fiber Internet with Stealth Communications
SpaceX's Starlink constellation claims to serve low-latency, high-bandwidth internet access to anyone in the United States with a Starlink base station. In New York, another company has a head start connecting businesses with high-speed internet. Shrihari Pandit is the CEO of Stealth...
-
78: Virgin Orbit's Will Pomerantz
This week on SPEXcast, Vice President of Special Projects & Brand at Virgin Orbit, Will Pomerantz, talks about the origins of Virgin Orbit, mentorship, and diversity in today's aerospace industry. You can check out additional links and references at...
-
77: SpaceX Starship SN4 explosion
This week on SPEXcast, we discuss SpaceX's historic Demonstration Mission 2 for NASA as part of the Commercial Crew Program. We dive into how this mission will change NASA going forward, as well as the challenges and achievements SpaceX worked through over the past 10 years. Finally we look…
more -
76: SpaceX DM-2 and the Impact of Commercial Crew
This week on SPEXcast, we discuss SpaceX's historic Demonstration Mission 2 for NASA as part of the Commercial Crew Program. We dive into how this mission will change NASA going forward, as well as the challenges and achievements SpaceX worked through over the past 10 years. Finally we look…
more -
75: SPHEREx with Dr. Michael Zemcov
This week on SPEXcast, we discuss the Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization, and Ices Explorer (or SPHEREx). It is a two year science mission designed to survey the cosmos in 96 color bands, mapping the whole sky once every 6 months, and all this data will be...
-
74: NASA Human Landing System Selection
This week on SPEXcast, we discuss NASA's announcement of Human Landing System contracts for three companies: Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Dynetics. We dive into the details behind NASA's decision, breaking down each proposal by technial merit, management organization, and price.
-
73: Can the Space Industry survive Coronavirus?
This week on SPEXcast, we analyze the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on the space industry. OneWeb files for bankruptcy, Bigelow Aerospace fires all employees, and small launcher startups face an uncertain future.
-
72: 2019 Recap and Looking Forward to 2020 in Space
This week on SPEXcast, we kickoff the year by recapping 2019 in space. Faris joins the team as an episode regular, and we also discuss what we anticipate will be the biggest stories and missions of 2020.
-
71: In-Space Refueling with Orbit Fab's James Bultitude
This week on SPEXcast we sit down with James Bultitude, Lead Engineer at Orbit Fab. Orbit Fab aims to build 'gas stations' in space, allowing spacecraft to refuel when they would otherwise be discarded. He talks through the challenges of in-space refueling as well as what it is like going from a...
-
70: SpaceX Starlink Takes Flight
This week on SPEXcast we recap Space'x first operational Starlink launch. SpaceX plans to build and launch thousands of Low Earrth Orbit satellites to provide satellite internet around the world. We break down the unique design considerations of the Starlink satellite and talk about the...
-
69: Improving the Spaceport America Cup for 2019
The Spaceport America Cup provides students from around the world a safe opportunity to practice the art of high-powered rocketry. University teams descend to the New Mexico desert for the week to present their technical achievements and battle the elements and plain-old rocket science problems…
more -
68: Space Policy with SpacePolicyOnline.com's Marcia Smith
Whether it be NASA directives, FCC regulations or military operations in space, there's no doubt that policy has a significant impact on industry at every turn Today on SPEXcast we will take a closer look at space policy with Marcia Smith, the founder and editor of spacepolicyonline.com . You can...
-
67: NASA's AWEsome Atmospheric Waves Experiment and DALI Awards
This week on SPEXcast we dive into the scientific instruments that drive new discoveries. NASA’s Development and Advancement of Lunar Instrumentation (DALI) selected 5 finalist projects for continued development. From neutron generators that can determine the composition of planets to lasers that...
-
66: Robotic Exploration with SpaceIL and Hayabusa2
This week on SPEXcast, we dive into the exciting advancements and discoveries robotic science vehicles are making across the solar system. SpaceIL launched the first commercial lunar lander on a SpaceX Falcon 9. Also JAXA’s Hayabusa2 landed on its target asteroid Ryugu, shooting it with a bullet…
more -
65: Commercial Crew Takes Flight to LEO and Beyond
This week on SPEXcast, we dive into NASA's manned spaceflight initatives. Commercial Crew is finally flying, albeit uncrewed. NASA also announced its follow up to the Commercial Crew development program with NextSTEP-2, a proposal to build manned lunar landers to support future Moon landings. You...
-
64: SpaceX Raptor Breathes Fire and Virgin Galactic Takes Flight
This week on SPEXcast, we kick of 2019 with some of the biggest space stories of the year, so far. SpaceX has radically redesigned their BFR/ITS Mars rocket into the gleaming Starship and Super Heavy. Virgin Galactic reached space for the first time, and Stratolaunch backs out of the rocket...
-
63: Student Innovation at Spaceport America Cup 2018
On June 19th, 2018 SPEXcast headed down to Las Cruces, New Mexico for the Spaceport America Cup. We were able to speak with the organizers of the event, student teams, and key space industry figures. This episode is part one of three, covering our overall experience at the competition, how it...
-
62: On-Demand Satellite Constellations with York Space Systems' Charles Beames
This week on SPEXcast, we sit down with Charles Beames, CSO of York Space Systems, a New Space startup that provides full service satellite development and operations to companies seeking to utilize the space environemnt. We discuss the unique challenges of offering end-to-end service to…
more -
61: Unlocking the Potential of Synthetic Aperture Radar with ICEYE's Pekka Laurila
This week on SPEXcast, we sit down with Pekka Laurila, Co-Founder of ICEYE, a New Space startup trying to revolutionize the business of space-based, synthetic aperture radar imagery. We talk about the challenges of building microsatellite constellations capable of imaging the entire planet and…
more -
60: SpaceX Flight Control, CRS-15 Payloads, and Chinese Lunar Missions
This week on SPEXcast, we dive into the recent announcements by SpaceX on their new launch complex, the exciting new research and technology demonstrations on NASA's CRS-15 mission to the International Space Station, and some of the unique payloads launched by global launch providers including...
-
59: Copenhagen Suborbitals with Mads Wilson
This week on SPEXcast, we sit down with Mads Wilson, communications lead for Copenhagen Suborbitals, a volunteer space program based in Denmark with the ambitious goal of launching a human into orbit. We delve into the history of CopSub with Mads, reflecting on the engineering process for their...
-
58: Terraforming Mars: Challenges and Misconceptions
This is the last part of our four part 'Mars May' series where we discuss the missions and technologies enabling Mars exploration.Mars is a tantalizing goal for the next step in human exploration. However, the fourth, rocky planet from the Sun is a harsh world to live on. Terraforming offers the...
-
57: Mars Rover Operations with Doug Klein
The third installment of SPEXcast's "Mars May" leads us to a part of interplanetary missions that doesn't get much attention. We often discuss the capabilities of rovers, their designs and objectives, and all the science learned from years spent on the surface of Mars. But what about the…
more -
56: Mars Cube One, the first interplanetary CubeSats with Joel Steinkraus
This week on SPEXcast we continue 'Mars May' with Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) engineer Joel Steinkraus to discuss two CubeSats hitching a ride with the InSight mission, which launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base on May 5th. Mars Cube One (MarCO) is comprised of a pair of 6U CubeSats which...
-
55: Digging into Mars with InSight's Troy Hudson, Instrument Systems Engineer
This week on SPEXcast, we sit down with Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) engineer Troy Hudson to discuss NASA's Mars InSight mission. InSight is scheduled to launch May 5th from Vandenburg Air Force Base on its journey to the surface of Mars. We discuss several of the instruments on InSight and go...
-
54: SpaceX's New Mars Rocket Factory and a Fully-Reusable Falcon 9
This week on SPEXcast, we dive into this developments and give the inside scoop on SpaceX’s recovery efforts. On April 9th, Elon Musk shared a photo of a large mandrel to be used to manufacture the Big Fucking Spaceship (BFS). This unveil comes along side the confirmation that the Port of LA will...
-
53: NASA's New Administrator, OmegA, and Europa Clipper
This week on SPEXcast we talk about news from the 34th Space Symposium, political intrigue behind Europa Clipper, and the admission of defeat by the Russian space company ILS. You can check out additional links and references at...
-
52: HAB4 - RIT Space Exploration's latest mission
This week on SPEXcast, we sit down with Dan Mitchell and Matt Glazer, two RIT students and alumni who worked on RIT Space Exploration's High Altitude Balloon program. We talk about some of the scientific payloads that go onto the balloon platform, as well as the history of prior launches and past...
-
51: NOAA Controversy, New Glenn Evolution, and Tiangong-1 Re-entry
This week on SPEXcast, we discuss the recent Iridium-5 launch and fairing recovery efforts. We also dive into Tiangong-1 re-entry and the history of space station deorbits. Blue Origin announced their decision to focus on BE-3 for their upper stage on New Glenn. You can check out additional links...
-
50: CRS-7 Public Report and Satellite 2018
This week on SPEXcast, we discuss the recent release of the public report on the CRS-7 incident. We also cover the exciting new from Satellite 2018, including updates from key space industry executives. Orbital ATK also unveiled their Mission Extension Vehicle, which they intend to use to provide...
-
49: Christian Davenport Interview
This week on SPEXcast, we interview Christian Davenport, staff writer for The Washington Post, and author of the new book, 'Space Barons: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos'. We ask him what inspired him to tell this story now, and for his insight into industry trends…
more -
48: MIT New Space Age Conference and SXSW
This week on SPEXcast, we delve into illegal cubesats, Blue Origin's plan for a cislunar economy, as well as Elon's thoughts on Starman and the Falcon Heavy launch. Show notes and references can be found at our blog, https://blog.spexcast.com/mit-new-space-sxsw-conference
-
47: GOES-S, StarLink, and the Challenges of Space Engineering Programs
Engineering space to be useful to humans is hard work. Today on SPEXcast we sit down to discuss two space satellite networks, GOES and StarLink, and how they help humanity during our day to day lives. But we’re also covering two examples of the challenges of space engineering, the VA241 anomaly…
more -
46: 2 Years of SPEXcast
It's SPEXcast's birthday! Two years ago, some college students released their first ever podcast. 45 episodes later, SPEXcast reminisces on the start of the show, our top 3 favorite episodes, and the process that goes into each episode.
-
45: Holly Griffith - Space Shuttle Flight Controller and Orion Safety Engineer
SPEXcast sits down with Holly Griffith, Vehicle Systems Engineer for ECLSS on Orion Program in Safety and Mission Assurance and a former Shuttle flight controller. We ask her about her experiences sitting in on the return to flight launch of the Shuttle in 2005, her most stressful day on the job,...
-
44: NASA Budget 2019
SPEXcast sits down with SPEX alumn, Anthony Hennig, to discuss the proposed changes in the FY2019 NASA budget. We delve into the WFIRST cancelation, the future of humanity's continued presence into space, and cuts to the Office of Education. We also delve into the Head of the ESA's reactions to…
more -
43: SpaceX Falcon Heavy Flies!
SPEXcast sits down to discuss the first launch of Falcon Heavy, the world's most powerful operational orbital rocket. The test launch was almost completely successful, with two of the three booster cores returning to Earth intact, and Elon's Tesla Roadster with Starman on its way to the asteroid...
-
42: SPEXcast Space News Recap: Winter 2018
SPEXcast returns from its winter hiatus with all new episodes on the science and technology of space exploration. We sit down to discuss the recent Rocket Labs Electron launch, commercial crew challenges, as well as two NASA exploration missions that have advanced to the next stage of development.
-
41: SPEXcast Book Club: Ignition Chapter 1 and 2
Today's episode is a new format; SPEXcast Book Club! We will be choosing a space-related book, and reading through it a few chapters at a time and giving our feedback, questions, and discussion. Our first book is called Ignition! An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants by John D. Clark.…
more -
40: Post-IAC 2017 Discussion
At this year's International Astronautical Congress, Elon Musk unveiled a new design for SpaceX's Big Falcon Rocket. We sit down with Brendan Byrne, from Are We There Yet, and Matt, from The Interplanetary Podcast, to discuss the radical and not so radical changes to a rocket that could take…
more -
39: Pre-IAC Predications 2017
Last year, Elon Musk took to the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara Mexico to unveil the Interplanetary Transport System. A year later, he is set to deliver an update on the plan, and SPEXcast sits down to discuss what potential changes we might see in the architecture.
-
38: SmallSat Conference 2017
SPEXcast sits down with Anthony Hennig, a Graduate Research Assistant at George Washington University, to record his thoughts from SmallSat 2017. We delve into how the CubeSat space has evolved over time, as well as take a look at what exciting missions and advancements we will be seeing in the...
-
37: Green Propellant Infusion Mission
SPEXcast discusses Ball Aerospace's Green Propellant Infusion Mission. This satellite will test new monopropellants that are more efficient, and less toxic, than existing fuels. We dive into this new, exciting technology and discuss its advantages and disadvantages in length. We also delve into…
more -
36: ISS Research and Development Conference and Elon Musk Keynote
SPEXcast returns with an episode delving into the stunning announcements from ISSRDC by Elon Musk. We cover the Red Dragon cancellation, Falcon Heavy Demo flight risks, and the cancellation of SpaceX's full-size Interplanetary Transport System vehicle.
-
35: NASA Authorization Bill and New Glenn
SPEXcast sits down with SPEX alumn, Anthony Hennig, a Ph.D student studying Systems Engineering at George Washington University. We discuss the recently passed NASA Authorization Act that provides the direction for all of NASA's activities. We also discuss New Glenn, which had been recently...
-
34: Rocket Reuse Revisted
SPEXcast returns after a short hiatus to discuss the biggest trend in the space industry: reusing rockets. Our first episode was on this topic just over a year ago, and things have advanced dramatically during that time. We dicuss SpaceX's SES-10 mission and post-press conference news, as well as...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
SPEXcast is a weekly podcast diving into a variety of space topics. Come with us as we discuss the cutting edge of spacecraft engineering, potential future missions to outer space, and exciting scientific discoveries in the field of astrophysics.
HOSTED BY
SPEXcast
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does SPEXcast have?
SPEXcast currently has 90 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is SPEXcast about?
SPEXcast is a weekly podcast diving into a variety of space topics. Come with us as we discuss the cutting edge of spacecraft engineering, potential future missions to outer space, and exciting scientific discoveries in the field of astrophysics.
How often does SPEXcast release new episodes?
SPEXcast has 90 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to SPEXcast?
You can listen to SPEXcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts SPEXcast?
SPEXcast is created and hosted by SPEXcast.
URL copied to clipboard!