Airspace

Just two more weeks until a brand new season of AirSpace! But today, we’re excited to bring you a special bonus drop from our friends at the National Portrait Gallery’s podcast PORTRAITS. George Takei went boldly where no man had gone before when he broke racial stereotypes to play Mr. Sulu on Star Trek. But he's also lent his celebrity to a stack of social causes. George traces his activism to a single, searing injustice-- his internment, along with thousands of other Japanese-Americans, during WWII. He was five years old. Look for more episodes of PORTRAITS wherever you get your podcasts!

Season 7 of AirSpace is just around the corner, but today we have a special bonus drop from our friends at the Sidedoor podcast! You’ve likely seen recent awe-inspiring images from the James Webb Space Telescope, but this episode focuses on its predecessor: the Hubble Space Telescope. Sidedoor explores how America's first large space telescope went from a "billion-dollar blunder" to one of history's most important scientific instruments. Look for more episodes of Sidedoor wherever you get your podcasts!

Picture this: it’s Halloween eve, 1938, and you’re gathered with your family around the radio to listen to the evening programs. All of a sudden, the broadcast is interrupted by a breaking news bulletin. First, a report of explosions on Mars, then news of a meteorite landing in New Jersey, and suddenly a correspondent is attacked live on air by a Martian heat ray! Obvious spoiler: there was no Martian attack that night. But there was a radio play — a performance of Orson Welles’ adaptation of “War of the Worlds” by H.G. Wells. If you’ve heard of this production before, it’s likely due to the widespread panic it supposedly caused — radio listeners running out of their homes, jamming the interstates, and tying up the phone lines all in a frenzy about what they presumed to be a real Martian attack on Earth. But… is that really what happened? Learn what really went down on today’s episode of AirSpace! Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous suppor

On October 4, 1957 the Soviet Union successfully launched the first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik. This early Space Race milestone sparked a lot of reaction – it was unsettling for some, but for others it inspired an interest in rocketry and brought many scientists into the space industry. One of those people was Homer Hickam, a high schooler in a small West Virginia mining town who would go on to work for NASA, write a memoir, and inspire a movie. On today’s episode we unpack that film – October Sky. If you went to high school in the last 20 years, there’s a chance you saw it in a chemistry or physics class. But, turns out, that wasn’t the case for Matt, Emily, or Nick! It’s rare for these three to unpack a space movie after all seeing it for the very first time. Tune in to hear their initial impressions, what was mispronounced, and what could have been better! Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

You can’t fly really fast without a big boom. In 1964 continual sonic booms spelled a tremendous headache for the residents of Oklahoma City. For six months the US Air Force flew an airplane at supersonic speeds over the annoyed midwestern metropolis, often multiple times a day, in a series of tests called Project Bongo. The tests were part of the United States’ research into developing supersonic transport (civilian passenger aircraft that go faster than the speed of sound). Huge spoiler – things did NOT go well. Think: damages, lawsuits, and a general disturbance of the peace. Ultimately, Project Bongo was one of the reasons the US never developed supersonic transport like Britain and France’s Concorde. The story of how and why the tests happened is a wild ride, and we’re breaking it down for you today on AirSpace. Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

Sleeping in space goes back almost as far as there have been people in space (specifically, a cosmonaut who caught some shuteye in 1961). Astronauts have slept in capsules, shuttles, space stations, and even on the Moon. Sleep is an important part of an astronaut’s health, particularly for longer duration missions. But from noisy crewmates to spaceship sounds and even the sheer excitement of it all, sleeping in space hasn’t always been easy. To find out what it’s really like we speak with former astronaut Mike Massimino who relates his shuttle sleeping experience to a big slumber party.  We’re catching Zs in zero-G, today on AirSpace. Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

In 1971 an Apollo 14 astronaut took about 500 tree seeds into orbit around the Moon. When he got back, those seeds were distributed, germinated, and planted all around the United States. And then… they were mostly forgotten about, even by NASA. That is, until the mid-1990s when a teacher at a Girl Scout camp in Indiana wondered what was up with this “Moon Tree” at her local camp. On this episode, we speak with the NASA planetary scientist who received her question, and as a result, started a database to track down the Moon Tree locations. Today, there are 67 known, living, first generation Moon Trees all over the United States – maybe even in your town! AND JUST THIS WEEK NASA announced more tree seeds will fly with the Artemis 1 mission, continuing the Moon Tree legacy started in the Apollo era. We’re giving lunar Johnny Appleseed vibes, this week on AirSpace. Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

Skywriting is something you might witness at the beach, or a sporting event, or an outdoor concert. A popular form of aerial advertising and even the occasional marriage proposal, skywritten messages can have a BIG impact (and with letters approximately 1500 feet tall… we mean that quite literally).  But maybe you didn’t know that it originated with the military and dates wayyy back to the early days of aviation in 1910. This episode will be your exhaustive look into everything you’d want to know about skywriting – how it works, who does it, the most popular examples, and even its code of conduct. And to learn all about it, we speak to a skywriting pilot whose family has been in the business since nearly the beginning. Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

Every day, satellites orbit Earth taking pictures. These images are used for everything from intelligence to weather prediction and even today’s topic – archeology. When you hear the term “space archeology” you might envision a khaki-clad astronaut excavating the Moon.  But, space archeologists are actually Earth-bound researchers who use satellite and other aerial imagery to assist in archeological applications right here on our home planet. This imagery is used to find new archeological 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. Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

It’s been nearly 50 years (!) since humans last walked on the Moon.  But NASA’s upcoming Artemis missions will soon return astronauts to the lunar surface. Artemis isn’t just about going back – it’s about science! So to answer all of our burning questions about what Artemis astronauts will do, where they will go, and what makes this all different from Apollo, we spoke to the Artemis science lead, Dr. Sarah Noble. Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

A decade ago it was pretty rare to see an all-electric car on the road. Now that you see them all. the. time. we wondered – what about electric vehicles in the *sky*? Several companies are working to overcome the challenges of all-electric flight, and it’ll likely be a long time before your commercial plane goes electric. But smaller, shorter-distance applications of all-electric air transport might be just around the corner. In this episode, we speak to Dr. Martine Rothblatt to learn how her company is working towards using electric helicopters to deliver the ultimate precious cargo -- transplantable human organs. Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

Happy Pride Month! Today, we’re bringing you a special installment of QueerSpace, our limited series featuring stories and people at the intersection of aviation, space, and LGBTQ+ history and culture. Seven years ago this month, the Supreme Court ruled in Obergefell v Hodges that same-sex couples have the fundamental right to marry under the constitution. If you dig into an amicus brief for Obergefell, you’ll see mention of another case, Norton v Macy. This case set the first precedent ruling that the federal government can’t fire an employee for being gay. We talk a lot about pilots and astronauts who’ve made history, but today’s aerospace trailblazer was a humble NASA civil servant and petitioner named Clifford Norton. In this episode of QueerSpace, attorney Paul Thompson, lawyer for the Mattachine Society of Washington, DC, and writer of that Obergefell amicus brief, walks us through Norton’s case and explains how its impacts are still seen in our legal system today. QueerSpace is made possible by the g

In 1859 the Sun threw a temper tantrum directed at Earth.  It spewed magnetized plasma into space, which made its way here and triggered effects that *literally* shocked telegraph operators (not to mention knocking down telegraph lines and causing aurora to be seen near the equator). If a geomagnetic storm of this size happened today, it could cause a widespread electrical and communications blackout. Events of that magnitude are rare but the Sun’s activity affects us all the time – from static on the radio to a diverted commercial flight or a wonky GPS app. The good news is scientists are monitoring the Sun to predict when and where effects will be felt. On today’s episode, we speak to experts from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center to learn how and why they stare at the Sun (for science!). Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

Brr… it’s cold in here. There must be some thickness to this at-mo-sphere. On today’s episode, we’re cheering for the fraternal twins of the outer solar system. You might know them as the Ice Giants, but really they’re big mush-balls: Uranus and Neptune. And like most siblings, these two planets have plenty in common: both discovered by telescope, both have ring and moon systems, and both were studied by Voyager 2. Scientists have learned a ton about Uranus and Neptune over the last few decades, but since these planets are hard to see and even harder to get to, many questions remain. It’s all about the coolest planets of the solar system today on AirSpace. Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

On the scale of thrilling aviation activities, hot air balloon rides normally rank pretty low. But how would you feel if one balloon ride was your ticket to a better life? AND what if you had to not only pilot the balloon yourself, but build it from scratch, in secret? What started with a magazine article about the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta ended with a thrilling aerial escape from East Germany in 1979. On this episode of AirSpace, we hear what it was like from someone who lived it firsthand. And we talk to a modern-day balloonist to learn just how difficult it is to create your own air-worthy balloon. Did you know AirSpace has a monthly newsletter? Sign up here! AirSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay.

Anyone who’s observed the Milky Way or has seen a beautiful Hubble image can understand how space and space imagery can be a source of creative inspiration. 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. In this episode of QueerSpace, Stamatina Gregory from the Leslie-Lohman Museum helps to contextualize the origins of this intersection of space, queerness, and futurism in art. And we hear from photographer Lola Flash and poet Nikki Giovanni on their art, inspiration, and visions of the future. QueerSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay. Did you know we have a monthly AirSpace newsletter? Sign up here!

Historically, queer-identifying people in the U.S. military have been forced out or forced to hide who they are. It wasn’t until 2011 that gay, lesbian, and bisexual servicemembers could serve openly, and only in the last few years that trans servicemembers could serve at all. And while there’s still a ways to go, last year the Air Force and Space Force formed a working group specifically for LGBTQ+ issues. On this episode of QueerSpace, we speak to the Director of the LGBTQ Initiative Team (LIT), Maj. Gen. Leah Lauderback, to hear how LIT is working to change policy, change minds, and create opportunities for LGBTQ+ members of the military. QueerSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay. Did you know we have a monthly AirSpace newsletter? Sign up here!

In science fiction, the possibilities are seemingly endless. Sci-fi writers often create entirely new civilizations where our social constructions can be upended and examined, or just thrown out entirely. They can literally rewrite a world in terms of gender, sexuality, and culture, making something that is more inclusive and often more interesting.  In this episode, we talk to bookseller Hannah Oliver Depp of Loyalty Books about the history of queer worldbuilding in sci-fi literature and get some book recommendations that are headed to the top of our to-read lists. QueerSpace is made possible by the generous support of Olay. Did you know we have a monthly AirSpace newsletter? Sign up here!

We’re working on the next season of AirSpace as we speak, but today, we’re excited to bring you QueerSpace — a limited series from the creators of AirSpace, featuring stories and people at the intersection of aviation, space, and LGBTQ+ history and culture. For the next two months, we’re highlighting the scope and diversity of queer experiences found across human flight and space science. The first episode spotlights the history and community built by male flight attendants. You may think that the role of flight attendant has always been a women-dominated profession. But that wasn’t always the case. Very early on in commercial aviation, all flight attendants (or stewards as they were then known) were men.  But in the mid-20th century, that changed as airlines began exclusively hiring women for the role. When, in the 1970s, a court case forced airlines to hire men and women on equal terms and more men became flight attendants, gay men created a community within the industry that was uniquely supportive and we

We’re hard at work on Season 6 (and a super special project coming in just a few weeks!!). But today, we’re revisiting one of our favorite episodes from last year. They’re incredibly dense, super cool, and mind-bendingly-mysterious -- BLACK HOLES! But how do you imagine – let alone study—the unseeable? And seriously—what happened at the end of “Interstellar?” The concept of black holes isn’t new—scientists first theorized their existence in the early 20th century. But in the last few years our knowledge of black holes has expanded – from confirmation of a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way (it really ties the galaxy together) to the first-ever image of a black hole captured by the Event Horizon Telescope. We’re now making direct observations that prove their existence. And scientists even released an image of a black hole in polarized light, with signs of magnetic fields around the event horizon. And if you don’t understand what that means, you’re not alone!! We’re all on this magic schoo