Universe Today podcasts with Fraser Cain

Episode 534: Q&A 90: How Do We Know What The Milky Way Looks Like? And More...

July 3rd, 2019  |  19 mins 29 secs

astronomy, space, space exploration

In this week's questions show, I explain how astronomers know what the Milky Way looks like, what would happen in a catastrophic impact on the International Space Station, and who is the team who works with me on Universe Today?

Episode 533: Earth To Mars In 100 Days? The Power Of Nuclear Rockets

July 1st, 2019  |  11 mins 59 secs

astronomy, space, space exploration

The Solar System is a really big place, and it takes forever to travel from world to world with traditional chemical rockets. But one technique, developed back in the 1960s might provide a way to dramatically shorten our travel times: nuclear rockets.

Of course, launching a rocket powered by radioactive material has its own risks as well. Should we attempt it?

Episode 532: Q&A 89: Why Didn't NASA Build More Hubbles? And More...

June 21st, 2019  |  19 mins 28 secs

astronomy, space, space exploration

In this week's questions show, I explain why NASA decided to build James Webb and not more Hubble Space Telescopes, what would happen if you opened up a jar in space, and do we know of any stars without planets?

Episode 530: 386: Planetary Protection: What If We Destroy Life Before We Even Find It?

June 18th, 2019  |  10 mins 41 secs

astronomy, space, space exploration

Explorers have always brought stowaways with them on board. Thanks to our travels around the world, hardy creatures like rats, goats, pigs and starlings and more have found their way to every corner of the globe. Not to mention our plants, microbes and viruses.

Wherever we go, life goes with us, whether we want it to or not. And when we travel to other worlds, it looks like the most extreme life Earth has ever cooked up is ready and willing to make the journey with us.

Now that the big flybys are over, it’s time to dig into the regolith, search for life in underground lakes and oceans, return samples back to Earth. We’re going to give life every opportunity to contaminate other worlds.

What can we do to prevent it?

Episode 531: Open Space 41: Seeing Jupiter At Opposition, And More...

June 18th, 2019  |  1 hr 1 min

astronomy, space, space exploration

In this week's penultimate episode of Open Space before our summer hiatus, I give tips and tricks on seeing Jupiter, what's a good starting telescope, updates on LIGO, why rockets launch straight up, and more...

Episode 528: Q&A 88: How Could We Cool Down Venus? And More...

June 6th, 2019  |  21 mins 55 secs

astronomy, space, space exploration

In this QA, I explain why only gas giants have rings, if it would be possible to cool down Venus, what would it take to build a generational ships and more...

Episode 527: Just How Tough Is Earth Life? Tough Enough To Go Space And Still Thrive

June 4th, 2019  |  8 mins 35 secs

astronomy, space, space exploration

Every time we send a spacecraft to another world, our Earth-based lifeforms are going with us. No matter how well we try to keep them clean, a few stowaways will always come along for the ride.

You’d think that years in the cold hard vacuum of space, suffering extreme temperature changes, and receiving brutal doses of radiation would be all it takes to sterilize any life caught on the outside of a lander or rover headed to Mars or Europa.

Well, think again. Life just demonstrated that it’s surprisingly ready to make the journey, and happy to get back to work the moment conditions improve.

Episode 526: Q&A 87: Why Is Starlink So Bright? Is It Right For Starlink To Provide Internet? And More...

May 31st, 2019  |  22 mins 16 secs

astronomy, space, space exploration

In this week's questions show, I give my personal experience of how bright the Starlinks are, and I wonder if companies like SpaceX have the right to provide internet to the planet. Who asked them? Why do people think black holes are so cool? They're scary!

Episode 525: SpaceX Just Launched the First 60 Satellites for Starlink. What About Space Junk?

May 28th, 2019  |  10 mins 33 secs

astronomy, space, space exploration

On Thursday, May 23rd, 2019, SpaceX launched one of its most important payloads in the history of the company - 60 satellites that will begin the constellation of their Starlink internet satellite system.

Episode 524: Space Junk Podcast - Interview with Fraser about the Fermi Paradox and the Great Filter

May 27th, 2019  |  1 hr 12 mins

astronomy, space, space exploration

Tony and Dustin brought me back for round two on the Space Junk Podcast. This time to talk about my favorite topic: The Fermi Paradox. Was I able to convince Dustin that we're probably the only intelligent life in the observable Universe? Subscribe to their podcast at: https://anchor.fm/spacejunk