Airspace

In the lead up to Season 10 we're reviving some of our favorite episodes. Today we bring you Matt's favorite, Smoke from a Distant Fire.Wildfire season is getting longer, according to the US Forest Service, making firefighting a bigger, more vital operation each year. In this episode, Emily, Matt, and Nick take a look at how the pros fight wildfires with everything from large water-carrying airtankers and helicopters to daring smokejumpers who parachute into the blaze equipped with axes, shovels, and chainsaws. We’ll introduce you to a few of the people who put their lives on the line to keep us and our forests safe and discuss how changes in technology, climate, and communication are impacting aerial firefighting.We’ll hear from Chelsea Cough, a smokejumper based in Missoula, Montana, about what it’s like to parachute into forest fires too remote to reach over land. And Matt travels out to Utah to the site of an active wildfire where over 1000 people were involved in coordinated air and ground efforts to con

We were devastated when we heard of Nikki Giovanni's passing earlier this week. Her poetry evokes life on Earth and in the universe in such a beautiful, thoughtful and inclusive way. We are in the process of sharing our favorite episodes from the past and felt it was fitting to bring you back our QueerSpace episode featuring Nikki among other futurist artists.  When researching QueerSpace, we repeatedly saw creators blending themes of space and themes of queerness in their art. Many of these artists use their art to envision new futures. Futurist thinking uses the experience of the past and present to contextualize and reimagine what the future could be, often creating a future that’s more equitable and radically different than what we have now.Thanks to our guests in this Episode: Nikki Giovanni, Futurist Artist Lola Flash, Futurist Artist Stamatina Gregory, Chief Curator and Director of Exhibitions and Collections at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art AirSpace Season 10 is just around the corner! Stay tuned th

Hey Y'all! Since we've made it to season 10 (!!!) we thought we'd take the opportunity to re-introduce ourselves. In this episode you can hear a little more about Hosts Matt and Emily as well as a little bit about the rest of the team behind your favorite pod (we hope).We reference a lot of past episodes, here's some links for your listening pleasure:AirSpace, Live at South by SouthwestRock on the Moon (Matt interviews Ian Anderson)Smoke from a Distant Fire (Matt gets to meet wildfire fighting pilots)My Mom the Rocket Scientist (We get to talk to Jack Black)Voyages to Mars QueerSpaceAeroEspacialSay My Name (Amy's fav, for all the Greek Mythology Girlies)Satellite Hart (Erika's fav #1)Birds of a Feather (Erika's fav #2)Fly Girl (Jen's fav history episode, about the WASPs)

While we get Season 10 ready we're bringing you this episode from our friends at the Federal Aviation Administration's Podcast, The Air Up There.Find our transcript here.Did you know that airplanes have two black boxes and they are actually orange? Or that airplanes have closets? Or that one of the tools used to fix an airplane’s auxiliary power unit is referred to as a fishing rod? In this episode we’re talking with Max, aka Airplane Facts With Max, an aircraft mechanic who hosts social media videos that cleverly blend airplane fact with fantasy fiction. Tune in as Max shares his favorite airplane facts and takes us behind the scenes of his career as an aircraft mechanic, where safety is at the forefront with little margin for error. You will find out what it takes to be an aircraft mechanic, a trade skill career that offers unique hands-on experiences, excellent compensation, and plenty of job prospects. Plus, hear the story behind the inception of Airplane Facts With Max.Whether you're an AvGeek, a fantasy

As we wait for season TEN (!!!) we're looking back on this season six favorite.Every day, satellites orbit Earth taking pictures. These images are used for everything from intelligence to weather prediction and even today’s topic – archaeology. When you hear the term “space archaeology” you might envision a khaki-clad astronaut excavating the Moon. But these space archaeologists are actually Earth-bound researchers who use satellite and other aerial imagery to assist in archaeological applications right here on our home planet. This imagery is used to find new archaeological sites, track changes on already discovered ones, and even helps fight looting. On today’s episode, we hear from a researcher using this technology in Central America to see below the trees and assess where ancient structures may have been. And we talk to a Smithsonian scholar who uses satellite data for cultural heritage preservation.Thanks to our guests in this episode: Dr. Kelsey Herndon, University of Alabama in Huntsville. Researcher-

Have you ever wondered how astronauts on the ISS or elsewhere in space vote? It turns out there's a whole Texas law about it. We'll tell you exactly how to cast a ballot from 250 miles up in orbit on AirSpace.Thanks to our guest in this episode:Katherine Schaur - NASA Near Space NetworkFind the transcript here.Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter

I don't think we're in Kansas anymore! There are so many things that fly in Oz, from broomsticks to monkeys to bubbles. With the Wicked movie coming out this November, we thought we'd look back on all things flight in the land of Oz and tell you all about how those effects were made for the screen and the stage. Thanks to our guest in this episode:Ryan Lintelman - Entertainment Curator, Smithsonian National Museum of American HistoryFind the transcript here.Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter

During WWII one plane survived more missions than any other in Europe. Named 'Flak-Bait,' this medium bomber was saved from the scrap heap after the war and immediately donated to the Smithsonian. However, public display and outdated restoration techniques have taken a toll on the plane. We're taking you inside our restoration hanger to learn all about how the Museum's conservators are reversing damage and conserving Flak-Bait so visitors can learn about her contributions for many years to come.Thanks to our guests in this episode: Lauren Horelick - Object Conservator, National Air and Space Museum. Head conservator working on Flak-Bait  Dr. Jeremy Kinney - Associate Director of Research, Collections, and Curatorial Affairs, National Air and Space Museum. Curator in charge of Flak-Bait Find the transcript here.Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter

What if there are intelligent lifeforms elsewhere in the universe? And what if all we need to do to find them is to listen to the right radio frequency at the right time? That's what the scientists of SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) have been working on for decades. And that research got the Hollywood Glow-Up back in 1997 with Contact, starring Jodie Foster as SETI researcher Dr. Ellie Arroway. Because if we were alone in the Universe, wouldn't that be such a waste of space?Find the transcript here.Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter

It's a bird? It's a plane? Its a guy pretending to be a bird?? We have a very odd aircraft in the collection. It's an ultralight. Small, highly maneuverable and based off the wings hang gliders use to jump off mountains, this particular ultralight was used to help birds migrate. And it starred in the movie in the '90s! When we heard that we were like, say more please. Thanks to our guest in this episode:Russ Lee - curator and chair of the Aeronautic Department, National Air and Space MuseumFind the transcript hereSign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter

Back in the 'Golden Age' of air travel in the 50s, 60s and 70s going on a trip in an airplane was an event. On those flights you would often get a little souvenir of your air travel; a deck of cards, a little toy, a trading card, captain's wings and a hat for your little tyke. It was a way for you to show off to your friends and for the airline to keep themselves top of mind for your next airline purchase. Like a lot of things from the era, deregulation came along in 1978 and completely changed the flight experience. Now that an airline can offer you a cheap ticket, they're not trying to get your business through tchotchkes. But! There are still some airlines giving out swag. Some of it you have to pony up for first class and some of it you have to ask for. We asked for it (because the AirSpace budget sadly doesn't include first class tickets).Thanks to our guest in this episode:Bob Van der Linden — Curator of Air Transportation, National Air and Space MuseumFind the transcript hereSign up here for the monthl

Over six missions, the Apollo astronauts collected and brought back 842 pounds of Lunar samples. Most of those Moon rocks were put aside for science, but some were earmarked for things like touch rocks (like we have at NASM) or educational disks (which you might have seen if you had a particularly cool science teacher growing up) and to countries and states as diplomatic gifts. But who decides what rocks go where? And how in the heck did the National Cathedral get a rock to put in a stained glass window??Thanks to our guests in this episode: Dr. Ryan Zeigler-Lunar Sample Curator, NASA Johnson Space Center Dr. Cari Corrigan- Curator of Antarctic Meteorites, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Elody Crimi - Photo Curator, Washington National Cathedral Archives  Find the transcript hereSign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter

Our conversation with Jack Black and his brother Neil Siegal about their Mother, Judith Love Cohen was too good just to give you just the taste from the end of our Star Search episode. Here's the extended producers cut with everything from Jack's birth story, to being an engineer in the 70s, to Judy's 2nd career as a book publisher.Thanks to Jack Black and Neil Siegal for sharing their memories about their Mom.Find the transcript hereSign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter

There are a lot of air and space celebrities; pilots, astronauts, engineers, etc etc. But there's another category of celebrities that are famous for other things but also have surprising ties to air or space. Today we're talking about three of those; a famous tv chef who also helped create a shark repellant for aviators and spacecraft, an actor from Hollywood's golden years who invented the basis for wifi, and an aerospace engineer who worked on Apollo and more--and also has a pretty famous kid. Stay tuned to the end for a special celebrity guest. Thanks to our guests in this episode: Paula Johnson, Curator of Food History-Smithsonian's National Museum of American History Dr. Andrew Meade McGee, Curator of Computing-National Air and Space Museum Dr. Teasel Muir Harmony, Curator of the Apollo Program-National Air and Space Museum Dr. Neil Siegal and his brother, Jack Black Find the transcript hereSign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter

When the Chandra X-Ray Observatory launched 25 years ago, it showed us our universe in a whole new light (literally). From the remnants of exploded stars to Jupiter's auroras, Chandra has shown us so many beautiful and scientifically important sights. Even after a quarter decade this unique telescope is still giving us new data about black holes and whirling neutron stars and all the things out in space that give off x-rays. Thanks to our guest in this episode: Dr. Daniel Castro - Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Megan Lin - Chandra X-Ray Observatory Flight Operations Team Lead Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter

The city of Roswell, New Mexico is kind of in the middle of nowhere. Out in the dessert west of Texas, this small oasis in the dessert was first home to indigenous peoples, then cowboys, ranching and farming and then the military before becoming the crash site of a possible UFO in 1947. That story took on a life of it's own and by the time the Army came out with an official explaination in 1997, the myths had stuck. Today, Roswell is still a farming and ranching community but 'the incident' as it's known bred a tourism economy based on aliens. From the flying saucer McDonalds, to the International UFO Museum and Research Center, and the annual UFO festival; Roswell is a unique space-y destination all its own.We're joined by Dr. Emily Margolis, Curator of Contemporary SpaceflightThanks to our guests in this episode: Jan Dunnahoo- Roswell historian Juliana Halvorson- Roswell City Councilor Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletterAirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

Sci-fi is full of giant ships full of humanity living and dying and reaching out to new places far far away. Usually, these are called generations ships. And they rely on well, generations. But today in science-fact there's so much more about reproducing in space that we don't know than the small amount that we do. And as we get closer to commercial space travel that might include honeymooning on the moon, we kind of need to figure out what's going to happen with pregnancies that are a little extra-terrestrial in origin. Space sex ed is now in session!Thanks to our guest in this episode:Dr. Alex Layendecker, Director-ASRISign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletterAirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

Georgia "Tiny" Broadwick was 15 years old when she first jumped out of a hot air balloon with a parachute in 1908. Over the next 14 years she would make over 1,000 jumps, first out of balloons and then as the first woman to jump from an airplane. Her talent and skill was sought after by the Army in WWI when they first started training their balloon and airplane pilots to use parachutes as a safety device. Tiny even accidentally invented the ripcord that's a staple in parachute design today. Her legacy stretches long, even if she's not as well known of a name as some in early aviation. We're exploring her life and legacy today on AirSpace. Thanks to our guest in this episode:Dr. Alex Spencer, Aeronautics Curator - National Air and Space MuseumSign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletterAirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

In the 1930s, rocketry was basically a joke among the scientific establishment in the U, but that didn't stop a rag tag group out of Pasadena from trying to build rockets. That group would first be known as The Suicide Squad (for all the dangerous experiments they conducted on campus) and later as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Over its first decade, the JPL story includes funding challenges, communist intrigue, brushes with the occult, building weapons, building engines and ultimately--building rockets. Buckle in, this one's a wild ride. Thanks to our guests in this episode: Fraser MacDonald, Author, Escape from Earth: A Secret History of the Space Rocket Erik Conway, JPL Historian Interview with Frank Malina from the Caltech Archives and Special Collections Sign up here for the monthly AirSpace newsletter AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

AirSpace will be back in two weeks with brand new epsiodes. In the meantime, enjoy this episode from our friends at the podcast, This is Love. When twin rovers named Spirit and Opportunity landed on Mars twenty years ago, they were only supposed to last 90 Martian days. But years passed, they were still alive, and engineers kept taking care of them. “I remember telling myself, ‘Please don’t die, Opportunity. Please don’t die.’” Find more information about this episode here. AirSpace is from the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.