Universe Today Podcast

There’s a problem with Psyche’s propellant fuel lines. Have astronomers found the first hint of Planet 9? How Kerbal Space Program could help space agencies design real missions, and gold from magnetars. And on our longer Space Bites+ edition on Patreon, a soviet Venus mission will be re-entering the atmosphere in May.

Can we protect Mars from solar radiation? What happens in the cosmic voids? Would we have different astronomy if we lived in another part of the galaxy? And in our Q&A+ edition, Can we use the energy of the Apophis flyby to launch an interstellar probe? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

Is gravity infinite? Did the dinosaurs feel the effects of the asteroid before it crashed? How long would the ISS survive without support? Would potential life on K2-18b be trapped in their gravity well? And in our Q&A+ edition, is Vera Rubin telescope DOGE-proof? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

Finding extraterrestrial life is a goal for a lot of space missions. Telescopes are analysing distant planets in search of biosignatures. We've spent a lot of time thinking about what it will be like to find life on other planets. But what if we don't? What happens then? Finding out in this interview.

Lucy’s close up images of another asteroid, why Mars has a lopsided magnetic field, Chinese engineers rescue a pair of satellites with gravitational slingshots, and new hints about where Mars’s carbon dioxide atmosphere went. In our longer Space Bites+ on Patreon, a proposed human mission to both Mars and the asteroid Ceres.

Why am I so pessimistic about the progress of humanity? Which kilonova did all our heavy elements come from? What's the deal with the dark stars? And in our free Q&A+ on patreon, can a single nation realistically have a Moon outpost? Answering all these questions and more in this question show.

Should we really be renaming Uranus and stop making fun of its name? How will astronomers deal with the floods of data when Vera Rubin comes online? Do little red dots found by Webb solve the mystery of supermassive black hole formation? And in our free Q&A+ on patreon, what are my personal space obsessions right now? Answering all these questions and more in this question show.

Creating realistic images for space movies is tough. Often little details like the interfaces on the screens matter a lot even though you barely notice them. How is it done? Finding out in this interview.

🟣 Guest: Marti Romances, https://territorystudio.com/

We’ve got more details about upcoming NASA cuts, the first evidence of life on an exoplanet? is the entire Universe spinning? how global warming could reduce room for satellites, and in our free Patreon edition of Space Bites+, a new way to search for life as we don’t know it.

Did we ever find out which star Oumuamua came from? Will there be a space station made of Starships? Why is Venus rotating upside down compared to all other planets? And in our free Q&A+ version on Patreon, does life on Earth require the Moon? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A.

What is the international protocol for a potential large asteroid striking the Earth? Will China's space program soon surpass NASA? Can we feasibly mine the Moon for Helium-3? Also, in our free Q&A+ version on Patreon, what will be my next favorite telescope after Gaia is gone? I will answer all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

Solar sails aren't only good for getting to Mars and beyond. In fact, they can be more efficient when going towards the Sun. This new mission concept even suggests going to Mercury using a solar sail, providing the best observations of the planet we have ever had.

🟣 Guest: Dr. Stephen Parman https://vivo.brown.edu/display/sparman

We finally know exactly how long it takes Uranus to turn once; there’s a Type 1a supernova in the making, and it’s really close; how much total life could be on Titan? and a new comet could brighten in the coming weeks. And in our Space Bites+ on Patreon, how our understanding of the physical properties of galaxies could be wrong.

What's the current state of development of artificial gravity with spinning space stations? Do I trust SpaceX to get us to Mars? Will China be the first to get there? And in the free edition of [Q&A+] on Patreon, why won't NASA just launch upgraded versions of Voyagers? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

What consequences would Astronomy face if JWST had failed? Does SETI still do good work? Does our Universe live inside of a giant black hole? And in the free addition of [Q&A+] on Patreon, can there be an experiment that would provide proof of alien life? Answering all these questions and more in this Q&A show.

Webb discovers auroras on Neptune, and measures the exact size of Asteroid 2024 YR4, the first Private Mission to carry humans on a polar orbit, a mission that could reach and explore Mercury using only a solar sail. And in our bonus story on Patreon, what would it take to build a sample return mission to Io?