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This Week in Space (Audio)

TWiT 10 Episodes Jul 3, 2026

This Week in Space explores the new space age with hosts Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik. Each Friday, they discuss the latest news and developments in space exploration, from rocket launches to cosmic discoveries. The podcast is part of the TWiT network and offers ad-free options for subscribers.

Episodes

TWiS 217: America in Space - 250 Years of Bold Firsts & Our Favorite Missions! Jul 3, 2026 1:18:05 Since 1958, the United States has been part of the spaceflight adventure, and since the mid-1960s has led in just about any category that counts. In this episode, we discuss the progression of American space efforts, review which flights launched or landed on July 4, and relive some of our very favorite US space missions of all time! "Headlines: • NASA's Swift Boost Mission Aims to Rescue Swift

TWiS 216: Dark Matter Intelligence - With Physicist Dr. Daniel Whiteson Jun 26, 2026 1:10:55 We've had endless conversations about aliens and first contact--but what if a conversation with other intelligences is beyond our scope? Dr. Daniel Whiteson, particle physicist at CERN's Large Hadron Collider and professor at UC Irvine, joins us to explore less conventional thoughts on first contact. We look at the challenges of communicating with extraterrestrial intelligences, potential difficu

TWiS 215: Disclosure Day - With Dr. David Brin Jun 19, 2026 1:06:22 If you've seen "Disclosure Day" or "Age of Disclosure," you're going to want to join us for this fascinating discussion with famed bestselling sci-fi/sci-fact author Dr. David Brin. Long known for his universe-spanning visions, storytelling skills, and occasionally contrarian viewpoints, this episode will not disappoint! Our discussion ranged from reactions to Spielberg's "Disclosure Day" to why

TWiS 214: Moon Man - With Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine Jun 12, 2026 1:09:08 There are NASA Administrators, and then there are NASA Administrators—all are very accomplished individuals, but some stand out for their unique backgrounds and on-the-job successes, and Jim Bridenstine is one of the latter. Entering service as the new NASA Administrator in 2017 with a background as a Navy pilot, Congressman, and museum director, he was an unconventional choice, and faced some he

TWiS 213: Live From ISDC With Gerry Griffin - NASA Flight Director Breaks Down the Realities of Spaceflight Jun 5, 2026 1:22:34 Recorded live from the International Space Development Conference in McLean, Virginia, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik are joined by Apollo legend and former Johnson Space Center director Gerry Griffin. Griffin takes us on a journey through his extraordinary career, from his appointment as a flight director in the wake of the Apollo 1 fire, through the audacious decision to send Apollo 8 around the moon

TWiS 212: Kabooms, Starship, and a Moon Base - What New Glenn's Explosion Means for NASA's Moon Base May 29, 2026 1:02:33 What a wild week in space news! We were all set to discuss Starship Test Flight 12 and NASA's recent press conference updating their lunar base plans, when on Thursday night, Blue Origin lost a New Glenn rocket on the pad during a static test. The explosion appears to have severely damaged the launch structure, LC36, along with the loss of the rocket. Fortunately, there were no casualties. But th

TWiS 211: Oysters in Space - With Jacob Scoccimerra of Monolith Space May 22, 2026 1:08:58 When one ponders the diet of Mars-bound astonauts, oysters don't often come to mind... but they should. As it turns out, the plucky bivalves have much to offer space voyagers, including water filtration and a ready source of protein. Jacob Scoccimerra, formerly of Nanoracks and now with Monolith Space, initiated a research project with students from the Harrisburg University of Science and Techno

TWiS 210: ESCAPADES at Mars - Dr. Robert Lillis of the Mars ESCAPADE Mission May 15, 2026 57:21 Poor Mars. After a warm, wet childhood, the planet dried out and became cold and arid. And why? Mostly because it lost most of its atmosphere, scraped away by solar radiation. NASA's Maven mission studied the phenomenon of atmospheric loss for years, but has now gone silent. Enter Mars ESCAPADE—the Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers—twin orbiters that will study the loss of Mar

TWiS 209: Astronauts for America - The Best of the Best Speak Out May 8, 2026 1:09:41 Many of us grew up idolizing astronauts as the best of the best that America—and other nations—have to offer. After leaving NASA, many of them go on to relatively routine careers in business or academia, but some stay "on mission" and continue striving to improve the human condition. The 100-plus astronauts behind Astronauts for America, led by Garrett Reisman and Steve Lindsey—a Democrat and Rep

TWiS 208: Lander, Lander, Who's Got a Lander - Will SpaceX or Blue Origin Touch Down First? May 1, 2026 1:06:26 Lander, lander... who's got a lander? With NASA planning orbital tests of the Artemis landers in 2027 and a crewed landing in 2028, the pressure is on for SpaceX and Blue Origin to make good on their Human Landing System contracts. Who's actually going to put American astronauts back on the Moon first? This week's episode digs into the high-stakes race between the companies, surfacing new details

This Week in Space (Audio)

Episodes

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