WeMartians Podcast
by Jake Robins
The WeMartians Podcast delves into all aspects of the exploration of Mars, including robotic/human spacecraft and rocket engineering, planetary science, astronomy and other upcoming technology. Our episodes are research-supported and feature topical audio clips and special guests.
Episodes
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135 - A Farewell to InSight (feat. Bruce Banerdt)
NASA's InSight mission landed in 2018 and completed its primary mission two years later. From there it pursued an extended mission, gathering as much scientific data as it could before ultimately ending late last year as dust on the solar panels starved it of energy. Dr. Bruce Banerdt, the...
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Goodbye, for now
After seven years of exploring the solar system, Jake is ready to move on to new projects. Hear his final thoughts on WeMartians. Stay in Touch Patreon (https://www.wemartians.com/support) WeMartians Shop (shop.wemartians.com) Mailing List (https://wemartians.com/signup) Twitter (@we_martians)...
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134 - Blood, Sweat, and Rockets (feat. MG Lord)
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has a storied history of exploration, but if you go back far enough the stories get pretty wild. Its early days feature a gutsy team of rocket engineers blowing up engines in the hills around Pasadena while moonlighting as communists and occultists. This "Suicide...
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133 - The State of the Moon (feat. Brendan Byrne and Emilee Speck)
Last year saw a successful Artemis 1 flight, the launch of multiple lunar robotic missions, and the continued development of the CLPS program. What's ahead for 2023? Will it continue this string of exciting progress in lunar exploration? Friends of the show and space reporters Brendan Byrne and...
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132 - Artemis Ahead (feat. Eric Berger)
The Artemis I Orion capsule splashed down in the Pacific this week, a triumphant finale to a mission that faced so many challenges getting to launch. With Artemis I behind us, what's ahead for the Artemis program and the road to a lunar landing? Ars Technica journalist Eric Berger joins Jake to...
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131 - Juno at Europa (feat. Scott Bolton)
Juno has been exploring the Jupiter system since 2016, and has taught us a lot about the clouds, the magnetosphere, and the origin of the largest planet in our solar system. Now in its extended mission, it's exploring the Jovian moons in a series of flybys, including a recent pass by Europa. The...
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130 - Voyager at 45 (feat. Linda Spilker)
Voyagers 1 and 2 have been exploring our solar system for over 45 years now. Despite the age of their instruments and computers and power source, they continue to deliver scientific data and contribute to present day discovery. Dr. Linda Spilker, who worked on Voyager since its launch, joins Jake...
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129 - Sailing the Clouds of Venus (feat. Paul Byrne)
The clouds of Venus have long been a dream of humans to explore, and at last a mission concept called Phantom could be here to do it! But the road ahead for this idea is neither straight nor easy. Paul Byrne joins Jake to talk about how it will help us understand the solar system, and why it…
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128 - Time Travelling
NASA's SLS rocket has been in development for over a decade and at last was ready to take off from the Space Coast. But leaks and other technical problems thwarted it on its first attempts. Jake travelled to Florida to see it and reports on how it went, and how weaknesses in the program's...
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127 - Checking in on CLPS (feat. Anthony Colangelo)
The Commercial Lunar Payload Services Program (CLPS) began in 2018 with the promise of bootstrapping a new, inexpensive lunar delivery economy; it was to be a pathway for lunar science to the Moon's surface. Since then, a handful of companies have been racing to get the first launches off, but it...
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126 - Ten Years of Being Curious (feat. Abigail Fraeman)
Curiosity landed on Mars ten years ago and has been exploring Gale Crater ever since. After achieving its primary mission, it's embarked on a series of extended missions to continue to unravel mysteries in the rocks. Deputy Project Scientist for the mission Abigail Fraeman joins Jake to talk…
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125 - Spiralling Down to Mercury (feat. Lina Hadid)
BepiColombo, a joint mission between ESA and JAXA, is on a long meandering journey to Mercury. Last month, it made its 2nd of six flybys of the innermost planet, spiralling its trajectory down to a place where it can enter orbit. Lina Hadid, a space plasma physicist from the Laboratoire de…
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124 - The Future of the Mars Program (feat. Scott Hubbard)
For two decades, the modern Mars program has been sending spacecraft almost every launch window to Mars, and we have Scott Hubbard to thank for much of that. As the first director of the Mars Program, he instituted much of the paradigm we have today. But with Mars Sample Return on the horizon,...
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123 - A Moon-Sized Opportunity (feat. Brett Denevi)
NASA is headed to the Moon in more ways than one. A coalition of human spaceflight, planetary science, and commercialization advocates stand to make an exciting decade of Lunar exploration. But such a collaboration does not come easy, and there's lot of work to get done before we execute it....
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122 - Uranus Awaits (feat. Amy Simon)
Last month, the new Planetary Science Decadal Survey was released and recommended as its top flagship mission a Uranus Orbiter and Probe. It's been 36 years since we last visited the Ice Giant, and now the science community is ready to take a closer look. Dr. Amy Simon from NASA's Goddard Space...
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121 - The Decadal Survey Part 2 (feat. Casey Dreier)
Every ten years, the National Academies convenes an extraordinary survey of the planetary science community to produce a recommendation for NASA on what to prioritize in planetary exploration for the next decade. It's a remarkable endeavour to scientifically and democratically determine a…
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120 - The Decadal Survey Part 1 (feat. Casey Dreier)
Every ten years, the National Academies convenes an extraordinary survey of the planetary science community to produce a recommendation for NASA on what to prioritize in planetary exploration for the next decade. It's a remarkable endeavour to scientifically and democratically determine a…
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119 - Cryovolcanism on Pluto (feat. Kelsi Singer)
New Horizons flew past Pluto in 2015 but work continues on discovering its secrets. One area of study is the activity of so called cryovolcanoes, icy mounds spewing liquidy water and reshaping Pluto's surface. Dr. Kelsi Singer, deputy project scientist for New Horizons, joins Jake to talk about…
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118 - Planetary Exploration at Rocket Lab (feat. Peter Beck)
Rocket Lab is about more than just rockets. With their Photon bus, they can provide an end to end platform service to enable low-cost planetary exploration to multiple destinations. With flights coming up to the Moon, Venus and Mars, they've become an important player in the planetary exploration...
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117 - Back to Venus (LPSC 2022)
Since the last time the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference was held in person, the Venus community went from 0 to 3 missions on the books. Their energy at the conference was electric, and Jake catches up with people working on all three of the missions to find out how they're preparing for…
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116 - China and the Planets (feat. Andrew Jones)
China has recently released a white paper outlining the next five years in spaceflight and it includes some interesting plans for the exploration of the planets. From lunar ambitions to Martian ones, Jupiter and beyond, China has big sights set. Andrew Jones returns to the show to talk about…
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115 - Pieces of Mars (feat. Avi Okon)
The Perseverance rover has been exploring Mars for over a year now, and in that time it has collected six different rock cores. But these cores did not come easy, and Mars has thrown more than a couple curveballs at the rover operations team during this time. JPL's Avi Okon joins Jake to talk…
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114 - New Beginnings for MAVEN (feat. Shannon Curry)
NASA's MAVEN spacecraft is about to embark on its 5th extended mission observing the atmosphere of Mars, at a time when the sun's activity reaches a peak. The new PI for the mission, Dr. Shannon Curry, joins Jake to talk about this new mission, why it's so exciting, and how the work MAVEN is…
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113 - What Makes a Planet (feat. Phil Metzger)
In 2006, the IAU voted to define "Planet" in a way that had a profound impact on planetary science, most notably with regards to Pluto. But what is the story behind this decision, and why is it important to the field of exploration? Dr Phil Metzger joins Jake to talk about his new paper covering...
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112 - Artemis in 2022 (feat. Brendan Byrne and Emilee Speck)
NASA's flagship human spaceflight program Artemis got through a tough 2021 and has a challenging 2022 ahead of it. Space reporters Brendan Byrne and Emilee Speck join Jake to talk about these challenges, and what we're excited to cover in the year to come. We talk Artemis, SLS, Starship, and...
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There's More to Explore
Jake talks about the decision to start covering more than just Mars in 2022. Follow Jake & WeMartians WeMartians.com Patreon (https://www.wemartians.com/support) WeMartians Shop (shop.wemartians.com) Mailing List (https://wemartians.com/signup) Twitter (@we_martians) Jake’s Twitter (@JakeOnOrbit)...
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Red Planet Review - Jan 1, 2022
In this free episode of Red Planet Review, Jakes keeps you up to date on Perseverance's new sample, Curiosity's holiday break, and the regulatory process for SpaceX big new rocket. Headlines FAA delays Starship Environmental Review Completion Perseverance Update Blog on the Jezero Geology 2021 in...
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2021 Holiday Content
Hi there, Martians! The holidays are here and we're on our break until the new year, but I don't want you to be without content! Listen in to some info about two other shows you can check out: Off-Nominal and Red Planet Review. Content Off-Nominal Red Planet Review Follow Jake & WeMartians...
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111 - Space Genes (feat. Chris Mason)
Space is a dangerous and challenging environment for the human body, but we're not completely helpless against it. One way to adapt ourselves to space is to unlock the power of the human gene. Geneticist Dr Chris Mason joins Jake to talk about his book The Next 500 Years where he lays out the...
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110 - The Ancient Floods of Mars (feat. Tim Goudge)
Mars' river valleys are an iconic feature, formed billions of years ago in a different climate. Planetary Scientist Tim Goudge joins Jake to talk about how they were formed, and how one such formation method may have been more important than we once thought. We talk Mars river valley network…
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109 - Remembering Mariner 9 (feat. William K. Hartmann)
Fifty years ago this month, the Mariner 9 mission became the first spacecraft to orbit another planet beyond Earth. It created the first global map of Mars and set the course for Martian exploration for the next five decades. Dr. William K Hartmann was a co-investigator on the mission and wrote…
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108 - Space, UAE, and the World (feat. Sarwat Nasir)
The UAE started their space agency in 2014 and have accelerated at a remarkable pace since then, including putting their first orbiter around Mars this year. The work continues with new mission announcements, astronaut selections and more. Dubai-based space journalist Sarwat Nasir joins Jake to...
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107 - Perseverance in Conjunction (feat. Vivian Sun)
The Perseverance Rover has been operating for over 200 sols already. It's travelled far with the help of the Ingenuity helicopter and is already delivering great science, including acquiring its first rock sample. NASA JPL's Vivian Sun joins Jake to talk about the mission's successes and…
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106 - Sulfate Curious (feat. Ashwin Vasavada)
Curiosity recently celebrated its 9th birthday on Mars and is exploring a new area of Gale Crater rich in sulphates. NASA JPL's Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity's project scientist, joins Jake to talk about this new area, the dramatic landscapes it holds, and what it can tell us about past life on Mars...
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105 - Icy Flows of Arcadia Planitia (feat. Shannon Hibbard)
Arcadia Planitia has attracted a lot of attention because of its potential as a human landing site on Mars. It's hidden water reserves, under the surface, are one of many reasons it may be ideal. Geologist Shannon Hibbard joins Jake to talk about the ice underground, and some of the interesting...
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104 - The Gooey Centre of Mars (feat. Simon Stähler)
Over two years ago, NASA's InSight lander touched down on Mars and began listening for mars quakes. Now, scientists have used these data to reveal the interior structure of Mars. ETH Zurich's Simon Stähler joins Jake to talk about these results, how they help us understand Mars, and what we can…
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103 - Space Lasers on Mars (feat. Nina Lanza)
With the arrival of Perseverance at Jezero Crater, NASA now operates two space laser instruments - ChemCam and SuperCam. Together, they are exploring Mars' past by understanding the chemistry and mineralogy of the rocks. ChemCam's principal investigator Nina Lanza joins Jake to discuss the both...
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102 - Bus Stops to the Moon (feat. Paul Bookout)
The Orion spacecraft isn't the only payload flying on the Artemis 1 launch. NASA's new SLS rocket is also taking 13 secondary payloads to deep space, from science missions to tech demonstrations. Paul Bookout from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center joins Jake to talk about these payloads and how...
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101 - SmartSuit (feat. Ana Diaz Artiles)
Today's space suits get the job done, but come with drawbacks that slow astronauts down, cause fatigue and injury, and introduce risks to the mission. Engineer Ana Diaz Artiles joins Jake to talk about her NASA-funded SmartSuit concept, which could solve many of these problems for future...
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100 - Zhurong Rover on Mars (feat. Andrew Jones)
The Chinese National Space Administration's Tianwen-1 mission made history this month when its Zhurong rover landed safely in Utopia Planitia, Mars. Space journalist Andrew Jones joins Jake to talk about the landing process, the surface operations, and what effect this mission's success will have...
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99 - A SpaceX Moon Lander for Artemis (feat. Casey Dreier)
NASA has selected SpaceX's Starship to receive the sole award to take NASA astronauts to the surface of the Moon for the Artemis program. It's a non-traditional choice for NASA, and The Planetary Society's Chief Advocate Casey Dreier joins Jake to talk about what this means going forward for NASA...
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98 - Ingenuity Takes Flight (feat. Teddy Tzanetos)
NASA made history this week as it flew Ingenuity, the Mars Helicopter, for the first time. The small technology demonstrator is the first powered aircraft to fly on another planet. JPL engineer Teddy Tzanetos joins Jake to talk about how it works, how it came together, and what he hopes its…
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97 - The Future of Mars Exploration (feat. Bruce Jakosky)
As NASA embarks on a journey to return samples from Mars, the Mars Program faces a challenge maintaining a diverse portfolio of spacecraft alongside the cost of its flagship missions. Planetary Scientist and MAVEN Principal Investigator Bruce Jakosky chaired the Mars Architecture Strategy Working...
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96 - LPSC 2021
This year, the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference goes virtual, and Jake reports "live" to catch up on mission updates and science themes. Scientists Sabrina Khan, Alyssa Pascuzzo, and Eva Scheller join Jake to report some interesting results from Mars. We talk Mars Planetary Science 2020…
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95 - Big Rocket Roundup (feat. Anthony Colangelo)
The next two years could see multiple new heavy lift rockets enter the space world, bringing with them the capability to send bigger and better payloads to the Moon, Mars and beyond. Main Engine Cut Off Podcast host Anthony Colangelo joins Jake to catch us up on the latest developments in SLS…
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94 - Guiding Perseverance to the Ground (feat. Swati Mohan)
NASA landed its 9th successful surface mission and 5th rover on Mars, Perseverance. To place is safely in the treacherous Jezero Crater, Perseverance used two new technologies: Range Trigger and Terrain Relative Navigation. Mars 2020 Guidance, Navigation and Controls Operations Lead Swati Mohan...
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93 - WeMartians Live - Mars 2020 Perseverance Lands on Mars
We talk the Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Landing WeMartians Live Video Stream JPL Raw Feed - Mission Control Audio Only Jezero Crater Mineralogy Map Landing Ellipses at Mars EDL Footage - HD Follow Tanya and our Guests Tanya Twitter (@TanyaOfMars) For All Mankind Book Debarati Twitter…
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92 - Hope Arrives at Mars (feat. Sarah Al Amiri)
The United Arab Emirates Space Agency became the first Arab nation to send an interplanetary probe to Mars this week. Minister of State for Advanced Sciences, UAE Space Agency Chair and Hope Science Lead Sarah Al Amiri joins Jake to talk about the spacecraft's arrival, what's next, and what it...
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91 - Canadarm3 (feat. Ken Podwalski)
NASA's Lunar Gateway is an international partnership that plans to put a small station in orbit around the Moon in 2024. Canada, the first country to join the program, will contribute a next-generation robotic arm to facilitate the station's work - Canadarm3. Ken Podwalski, Gateway Program…
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90 – Volcanos on Mars (feat. Davitia James)
Much like Earth, Mars is a volcanic world and is home to the largest volcanos in the solar system. But it's activity has quieted since its early eras and volcanism on Mars today is quite different than what we have here on Earth. Planetary Vulcanologist Davitia James joins Jake to talk about the...
About this show
The WeMartians Podcast delves into all aspects of the exploration of Mars, including robotic/human spacecraft and rocket engineering, planetary science, astronomy and other upcoming technology. Our episodes are research-supported and feature topical audio clips and special guests.
Hosted by
Jake Robins