Casual Space

In this two-part series, RSE Dean Mikolajczyk shares several examples of how NASA learned valuable lessons from manned spaceflight mistakes including: (Part 2 will feature manned flights and will be posted January 2020) What we learned from the Surveyer Program (the very first unmanned lunar landers) Mars Polar Lander (just a bit of a fast landing) Mars Express (this lesson really hurts) and The most recent Moon lander mission: Israel's nearly-successful, almost first-ever private moon lander "Beresheet" Show Highlights: As always, expect to enjoy the expertise and fun facts presented from Dean Mikolajczyk, the show's "Resident Space Expert" as he shares powerful examples of what makes space exploration so challenging when it comes to unmanned missions. This "back-to-school" episode is all about the most difficult kind of learning- learning from our mistakes. Even our nation's space agency, with more than 60+ years of missions, continues to learn valuable lessons from space exploration. So pay attention! There will be a quiz. About Dean: BS Technical Photography MS Astrophysics NASA MER Mars program NASA Public Relations Astronomy instructor & lecturer Where to find Dean: www.TritionCollege.edu/Cernan www.HarperCollege.edu

Ed shares with Beth: Becoming a Space Camp Hall of Fame Honoree and meeting his childhood hero astronaut Charlie Duke Details regarding the many job responsibilities the NASA Mission Control Flight Director has, getting to crew to space safely and back home safely is always the first priority. Big and small success that are worth celebrating- and learning from- during days/ nights on the International Space Station About Ed: Right Stuff" recipient Ed Van Cise knew before his trip to Space Camp® that NASA would be the where of his future. But it was Apollo 16 Moonwalker Charlie Duke's presentation at Camp that led him to the how and what. Van Cise left that week knowing that he wanted to be an Aerospace Engineer, and eventually work at Johnson Space Center in Mission Control. And not long after, that is exactly where he was. Van Cise committed to his path and is currently the 78th Flight Director in NASA's history. Since taking the call sign "Carbon Flight," Ed has worked as Lead Flight Director for several different aspects of the International Space Station. Edward Van Cise methodically pursued his dream, earning awards and commendations for leadership, as well as respect from his peers. He continues that dream, today, fully dedicated to NASA and the future of human space exploration. Where to find Ed Van Cise: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi_9j25Niv2NBm7L3pqbKrIkSdR53UeF9 and more information about NASA Flight Directors and Mission Control: https://www.nasa.gov and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8aWXJeh9R4

Beth Meets Airline Captain Mark Hardcastle and learns: How the air force academy put Mark on the path to a future in aviation. What's Mark's favorite plane? (It's the Cadillac of planes)… Mark explains "The magic of the 4th" How do we respond when things challenge us? Mark's got 60+ years of inspirational stories he's gathered and shares both on stage and in his book, The Symphony of Your Life – Restoring Harmony When Your World is Out of Tune About Mark: Mark graduated from the USAF Academy in 1982. After nine years as a pilot on active duty including multiple combat missions during the Persian Gulf War, he left the military to join a commercial airline. In addition to flying B-737s around the country, Hardcastle spends time in the Rocky Mountains and serves on the artistic staff of the Colorado Children's Chorale. He lives in Centennial, Colorado, with his wife and four children. About how Mark's book came about: Mark Hardcastle recognized years ago that patterns were developing around events in his life. Sometimes it was good stuff; often not-so-good. But in the end, everything always seemed to work out. Was that just a matter of chance? Or was it something he could rely on? After several years of journaling about that reality, Mark broke his neck in a mountain biking accident near Moab, UT. An event like that has the effect of powerfully focusing one's attentions, and today he travels around the country inspiring groups of all sizes to lives that aren't over-complicated. He teaches us to use 3 simple steps to create significance in our lives, then he shares the glue that holds it all together! His book, The Symphony of Your Life – Restoring Harmony When Your World is Out of Tune, is a 3-time 1st-place CIPA award winner, and it's available in print at Amazon.com or in your favorite e-book format. Where to find Mark: [email protected] Twitter: @SOYLMHardcastle 720.840.8361 https://www.linkedin.com/in/speakermarkhardcastle Where to find his book; "The Symphony of Your Life" https://www.facebook.com/TheSymphonyOfYourLife/ YouTube: Symphony Of Your Life Channel www.symphonyofyourlife.com

Robert explains… While the Swedes may not be very braggadocios, they've launched more than 650 balloon missions with NASA, JAXA, and others to test things in 50+ kilometer altitudes…and more than 550 rocket launches! They go straight up, 400-700 kilometers, and come right back down, (often in the snow). Launching near the polar north of Sweden allows balloons with experiments and materials to hover in very low wind environments…it's ideal for items that need to be exposed to and tested in space-like environments. Robert describes what a successful mission looks like from start to finish when a payload "flies" with the Swedish Space Corporation. Robert reminds up about the NEW space industry and how it's projected to grow from the billion dollar market ($$) to a trillion dollar market ($$$$$$$) due to cheaper, smaller satellites, and all the materials and resources that will allow for more access to space. About Robert: Robert works as a high-tech executive, expanding international markets for satellite technologies, video/IP/IoT data networks, rocket launch systems and hypersonic flight. He has extensive knowledge of the aerospace industry, and he's a satellite & space expert. Robert loves all things technology, aircraft and automobiles. By the way, Robert is fluent in English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Portuguese and Italian. ... Where to find Robert: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertfeierbach/ and https://www.sscspace.com/

This week, Beth gains a deeper understanding & appreciation on how COMPUTERS help NASA explore the cosmos with her returning guest and Resident Space Expert Dean Mikolajczyk. Here are the highlights: Dean shares his insights from his days as programmer for the MARS rovers Spirit and Opportunity! Dean explains how a democratic computer system works down to the second before a launch SAFE MODE (and why this feature on computers is so important). The reason why Space X lands on a barge… (it depends on the payload, and trajectory, and a few other things). It's a beautiful partnership between computer software and hardware. Are the computer programmers the unsung heroes of our lunar landing successes? Dean answers this and all of my Casual questions on this fun episode. Quotes from Dean here: "You can't use computers for everything, you've got to use computers and people together." "Humans are flawed. We're also three miles from the launch pad. So even with binoculars, we couldn't be able to see/ assess a problem, so let's leave it up to the 20,000+ sensors on the external tank and on the Space Shuttle itself." "I still think humans are the better judges behind the wheel." "Behind the scenes, especially with the [Mars] rovers, from my point of view, you are constantly questioning, 'did we do this, did we do that,' the nice thing about working as a programmer is that you have teams, and we worked democratically." "Data is flawed if you're human, but that's how we learn." About Dean: BS Technical Photography MS Astrophysics NASA MER Mars program NASA Public Relations Astronomy instructor & lecturer Where to find Dean: www.TritionCollege.edu/Cernan www.HarperCollege.edu

Charles Pappas shares with Beth details from the stories within his new book, including; What kind of sandwich was snuck on board an early Gemini mission!! How Charles always wanted to be an astronomer, and got to meet astronaut Gus Grissom as a young boy What one historic item Charles would select from all the possible spaceflight memorabilia About Charles Pappas: Charles Pappas is a senior writer at Exhibitor magazine, where for the last 15 years he has researched and written the Archive column, which explores the unique history of exhibiting. His new book, "Flying Cars, Zombie Dogs, and Robot Overlords," shows how, when the world wants to see what the future will bring, it looks to world's fairs and trade shows. Pappas is also the author of "It's a Bitter Little World," a collection of the most go-for-the-jugular quotes from film noir. If you want to know the meaning of life, don't study Shakespeare, don't peruse Plato. Everything you need to know in life you can learn from film noir. About One Giant Leap: On July 20, 1969, Americans had their eyes and ears glued to their TVs and radios. This moment inspired inventors and engineers across the nation. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1969 moon landing, we share with you 20 patents that were inspired by the space race and how they reshaped the world. Featuring the original patent schematics from the US Patent and Trademark Office, blast off with inventions inspired by the moon landing including: Memory foam, freeze-dried food, firefighting equipment, cordless tools, protective paint, cochlear implants, image sensors, carbon nanotubes, pocket calculators and more! Where to find Charles Pappas: Where to find One Giant Leap: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-giant-leap-charles-pappas/1130879993#/

Friend of the show Rod Pyle returns to discuss his latest book, and all things Apollo with Beth AND… Receiving the foreword from Buzz Aldrin himself! Rod's impressions and insights from speaking with the Apollo 11 astronauts' children (now grown adults) Combing through the NASA archives to find incredible, never before shared documents, photos and stories from the Apollo era And what the future of space can be, returning to the Moon, on to Mars, and beyond… Quotes from Rod here: "You get the sense of an eternal restlessness with Buzz (Aldrin)… he demands that we move further and faster and beyond in space exploration, and he has not stopped thinking about that since the day he returned." "One thing that always impressed me from my years of training at the Johnson Space Center, I would walk along the Saturn V rocket, and share the experience with several executives who would start crying because it's such a powerful experience as you walk from one end to the other, where you see what a massive accomplishment it all was…and I take them to the top of the rocket and explain that 'all this is just to get the astronauts to the moon,' and they are astonished." "What I always try to do in my books is to both give the quotes of numbers, details about the missions, how many pounds of thrust the Saturn V rocket uses, etc., but that's not speaking to our hearts, and that's the conversation we need to have with people. The last time I saw this done well was when Elon Musk launched his Tesla from a Falcon Heavy into space, looking back on the Earth." "On Apollo 12, Pete Conrad and Allan Bean were very serious and they were setting down the LEM, and there was this easy banter between two brothers sharing a common goal and landing right on target. He (Conrad) came down right on the money, and when they landed, it was like party time inside the LEM, they were slapping each other's backs and it like listening to the "Throughout the [Apollo12] moonwalks, and there were two (Pete Conrad and Allan Bean), they were so overjoyed not just to be there and to be there on the moon, but to be in each other's company; there was this warmth, and this joy, this kind of excitement and this almost child-like thrill." About Rod Pyle: Rod Pyle is a space author, journalist and historian who has authored 15 books on space history, exploration and development for major publishers that have been released in ten languages. He is the Editor-in-Chief for the National Space Society's quarterly print magazine Ad Astra, and his frequent articles have appeared in Space.com, LiveScience, Futurity, Huffington Post, Popular Science, Caltech's E&S magazine, and WIRED. He has written extensively for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Caltech, including Technology Highlights for NASA'S Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Rod co-authored and lectured for the Apollo Executive Leadership Program for NASA's Johnson Space Center and The Conference Board. New book releases for 2019 include Space 2.0 (with a foreword by Buzz Aldrin), Interplanetary Robots, Heroes of the Space Age, and First on the Moon (also with a foreword by Aldrin), which is currently in its fifth printing. Rod's previous Apollo books Missions to the Moon (foreword by Gene Kranz) and Destination Moon are being republished for 2019. Rod appears on national radio and television, with regular slots on KFI/Los Angeles, and WGN/Chicago (both market leaders), as well as popular podcasts and radio in numerous other markets. Rod hosts a podcast called Cool Space News on iHeart Radio, and appears on PBS's Between the Lines and C-SPAN's Book TV regularly. He holds an MA from Stanford University and a BFA from the Art Center College of Design, and lives in Alhambra, California. Where to find Rod Pyle: Ad Astra: https://space.nss.org/ad-astra-the-magazine-of-the-national-space-society/ Cool Space News Podcast: https://kfiam640.iheart.com/content/2019-07-12-cool-space-news-with-rod-pyle/ First on the Moon: https://www.amazon.com/First-Moon-Apollo-Anniversary-Experience/dp/1454931973

"Eight Years to the Moon" with Nancy Atkinson

Introducing our RSE; Resident Space Expert Dean! Beth and Dean enjoy; Reminiscing about what each of thought when we looked through a telescope for the first time, and last year's Great American Solar Eclipse! Understanding the difference between seeing something in the night sky and looking at something in the night sky Highlighting all the many types of telescopes, places to look through a telescope FOR FREE, and where BIG observatories can be found if you really want to see deep into space! What are some of the objects we can expect to see in the next couple of summer months…STAR PARTIES!!!!! "I want to teach the art of seeing an object. Any one can look, but when you're interested, you're seeing (an object) for what it is." "Once you see Saturn, you'll be hooked. It's just majestic. The crazy thing for us astronomers, is that it IS that exciting every time you look. And the more you look, the more you learn." About Dean: BS Technical Photography MS Astrophysics NASA MER Mars program NASA Public Relations Astronomy instructor & lecturer Where to find Dean: www.TritionCollege.edu/Cernan www.HarperCollege.edu

On this episode of Casual Space, Beth meets Ed Finn! Ed shares his origin story for how the Center for Science and Imagination got started at ASU when a great question is presented to the college president We review some of Ed's favorite movies that opened his mind to merge Hollywood with space and science exploration… We touch upon the recent The Boeing 737 Max as an AI story; what it means to trust the machine over the human "Storytelling is one of our best tools for dealing with complexity."- Ed Finn [At the Center for Science and the Imagination] We do this through story telling. We bring people together with many different backgrounds engineers, social science managers, ask them to come up with technically grounded compelling exciting stories about the world that we might live in… we do this in different media- theater, comic books, etc. …. From all over the world. "The best thing about (reading/ writing) science fiction is not inhabiting other worlds, but inhabiting other people's lives." "We're confronted with impossible situations all the time…We all confront these impossible things from time to time, this is how we learns, where we demonstrate our resilience, and adapt to something we never thought was going to be possible." Great links to find more related to Ed Finn, his essays and books, and The Center for Science and the Imagination www.edfinn.net Why Exploration Matters; "Why do we go to Space Now? Not about technical challenges, but now the question is about, what are we going to do there, who's going to get to go, WHY are we going to go, and what is our global relationship to the things that are happening off of planet Earth? When you start to think about space in that way, you can start to recognize what's meaningful. We will always want to explore, but what about all the other stuff…what about how we're going to LIVE in space? How are we going to have careers? All of these questions are economic, they're social, and they're about how we make meaning and dwell in the world and how we make our lives interesting. Space on it's own is spectacularly gorgeous (so I've heard), but it is empty. So it's what we bring, and what we make of it that will make it worthwhile. So we have to have good answers to that questions. Because if we don't, then it's never going to happen. We'll just end up staying here with all of the interesting complicated messes we have on this planet." About Ed Finn: Ed Finn is a writer, researcher, editor, speaker, and incorrigible experimentalist. He is the kind of person who writes poetry during boring meetings and always has extra snacks. He is the founding director of the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University. He is also an associate professor jointly appointed in the School of Arts, Media and Engineering (which is all one thing) and the Department of English (which is a different thing). He reads, writes, and owns a number of books, and he enjoys traveling, launching into conversation in languages he doesn't really know, and being a dad.

On this episode, Beth and Astrobiologist Dr. David Warmflash discuss his new book, Moon: An Illustrated History; From Ancient Myths to the Colonies of Tomorrow. Here are some highlights from both the book and the Casual (Space) conversation: This new and different book about the moon includes images on every left side of the page, and illuminating text on every right side! Moon: An Illustrated History chronologically presents 100 milestones in the Moon's development and exploration. Starting 4.5 billion years ago when the Moon formed, David walks through hypotheses of the Moon's formation to sixth-century BCE predictions of solar eclipses, from the twentieth-century Space Race between the US and the Soviet Union to private space companies and possible future lunar colonies. Did you know there were lunar calendars as well as solar calendars? David shares how lunar brightness was used to estimate stellar distances; how advancing telescopes in the seventeenth century allowed us to eye the Moon more closely; how author Jules Verne inspired the Father of Astronautics; the originals of the Saturn V Moon Rocket and we bring it all back to the Apollo missions. The Moon formed billions of years ago, and humans have been enthralled with the Moon throughout history. The moon has a lot of resources that we can mine- silicon dioxide and we can genetically engineer opportunities to mine for water (ice) for all kinds of things- fuel, oxygen, etc. Now is the time for the Moon! There's the 50th anniversary of the first human landing on the moon, so we are all reminiscing. In his book, David highlights how the moon effected humanity before any technology was applied to the moon. The Moon meant a lot of different things to many ancient people. We take our best guess when we find ancient structures that help line up the lunar year and solar year. People worshiped the moon as a goddess. Agricultural societies would use a lunar calendar to help successfully plant and harvest during the year. "Going to the moon will help everyone on Earth. The new mission to go back to the moon is named Artemins (the sister to Apollo). We can get energy from the moon and make things [on Earth] more sustainable." Dr. David Warmflash About David Warmflash: Dr. David Warmflash is an astrobiologist and prolific science writer. He was in the first cohort of NASA astrobiology postdoctoral trainees and served as a member of NASA's Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter Science Definition Team. He has collaborated with The Planetary Society on three experiments that have flown in space, including "the peace experiment" that involved an Israeli and a Palestinian student working with Dr. Warmflash as co-investigators. He has published in scientific journals and popular science publications including Wired UK, Scientific American, Discover, Air and Space, Astronomy Magazine, and others. He contributed to the book George and the Blue Moon by Lucy Hawking and Stephen Hawking, and was interviewed for an article in the Kansas City Star concerning the accuracy of the science in the sci-fi TV series Orphan Black.

Show Notes for Lance Bush In the aftermath of the Challenger accident, the crew's families came together, firmly committed to the belief that they must carry on the spirit of their loved ones by continuing the Challenger crew's educational mission. Their efforts resulted in the creation of Challenger Center for Space Science Education. Challenger Centers use space-themed simulated learning and role-playing strategies to help students bring their classroom studies to life and cultivate skills needed for future success, such as problem solving, critical thinking, communication and teamwork. A not-for-profit 501(c)(3) education organization, Challenger Center reaches hundreds of thousands of students, and tens of thousands of teachers every year. In his own words, Challenger Center CEO Lance Bush explains what a Challenger Center is, and how each center provides inspiration, in memory and in celebration of the Challenger crew, to students all over the world. With over 40 Challenger Centers throughout the United States and in 4 countries around the world, more than 5 million students have been encouraged and inspired to pursue STEM careers. Students who attend range from pre-K up to adult, but focus mainly on middle school students. When a student attends a center, they have to work together as a team and as individuals to "overcome anomalies" during their "missions" in order to achieve success… Alumni often write to the centers sharing their professional STEM career success based on their experiences that began at a Challenger Center. Some alumni are part of the biggest space companies in the US including Lockheed Martin, Blue Origin, and NASA, and they pay it back- even as young professionals- come back to volunteer at their local Challenger Centers to impact future generations. Christa McAuliffe's lesson plans (Teacher in Space Mission) were recently flown on board the International Space Station, where NASA Astronauts Ricky Arnold and Joe Acaba completed her lessons, filmed them and are now currently available to download and implement for any classroom! https://www.challenger.org/challenger_lessons/christas-lost-lessons/ Key Takeaways: You never know where inspiration can be found for young students, who may be the next people on the Moon and Mars. The impact of the Challenger crew; Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judy Resnik, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Michael Smith and Ellison Onizuka continues through the work of the Challenger Center. Classroom Adventures take the mission experience from the Challenger Centers and bring them directly into the classroom, and will be available in 2020! https://www.challenger.org/what-we-do/#classroomAdventures "I think I have one of the best jobs in the world, all because we (the Challenger Center team and staff) get to see the mission fly, and experience seeing the students come out of a mission high-fiving, then hearing teachers say they're much more motivated and engaged in the related STEM topics presented in the classroom as a result" -Lance Bush, Challenger Center CEO About The Challenger Center(s): About Challenger Center As a leader in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, Challenger Center provides more than 260,000 students annually with experiential education programs that engage students in hands-on learning opportunities. These programs, delivered in Challenger Learning Centers and classrooms, increase engagement in STEM subjects and inspire students to pursue careers in these important fields. Challenger Center was created by the Challenger families to honor the crew of shuttle flight STS-51-L. Casual Space Show BONUS Links & Resources: Website: Challenger.org Facebook: @ChallengerCtr Twitter: @ChallengerCtr Christa's Lessons: Challenger.org/christa STEM Resources: Challenger.org/stem-resources

Brian is an experienced test engineer in our nation's space and defense industry. He's worked to test and improve space suits, parachutes, and F-14's. Which makes Brian pretty damn cool. Beth and Brian enjoyed talking: Star Wars talk & who is the best villain (Emperor) Brian remembers the theater he saw Star Wars in. Working in air traffic control software in Dallas, working on F-16 program at Lockheed Martin (just like his grandmother). His grandmother also worked at Lockheed Martin, and could name cars on the road as well as planes in the sky. Worked flight controls for Orion program at NASA and then moved into flight integration and test, and working the software side and vehicle testing The opportunity to see either a test of the project you've been working on, or seeing shuttle launch live is an easy decision to make…. Beth and Brian discuss what a good day is in the world of testing spacecraft… Close does count when you get within 500 feet to landing on the moon, in our opinion. Brian explains why simply changing out spacesuits, or getting a new one for a spacewalk is complicated… Key Takeaways: Testing is a critical and necessary part of preparing for a mission to space, and even crashing into the surface of Mars can be a test result we can study and learn from Life support systems for spacesuits are pretty basic, and yet so complicated. Just like the life support systems in your home, you want everything to work for you (waste, air, water) at the touch of a button, so you can focus on other things. Spacesuits were designed and built decades ago, and we're still using them today. Testing and designing the new spacesuits is a fun and exciting part of Brian's job that we will get to see the results of in the next few years! Doing an EVA (Extracurricular Vehicle Activity=spacewalk). "All the talk about going to the south pole (of the moon) in a few years...the people at the forefront of building another lunar EMU are US, at the Johnson Space Center! It's great!" -Brian Neuman "A suit is really a little spaceship." About Brian Neumann: On paper, Brian is a Avionics Integration Systems Engineer for the Portable Life Support Systems. This means he works on NASA's spacesuits! Like most talented engineers, Brian's work is varied and extends to numerous cool projects. He's an experienced test engineer with a demonstrated history of working in the Defense & Space industry. Skilled in Integration and Test, Systems Engineering, and Flight Test.

Dr. Roden brings his Texas tales to share: His assessment whether or not Beth could be medically qualified for space flight Why increased exercise helps space travel How growing up on a west Texas ranch allowed him to become the perfect medic for the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Australia How he works to support "rock star" NASA astronaut Christina Koch's 11-month mission on the International Space Station Key Takeaways: Every astronaut can call their physician directly on the phone if needed- and every astronaut gets space sick (the space "funnies"). Getting the astronauts back home and with their family is the main priority once they return from space The twin study results may predict one's (human) ability to travel to Mars or farther **Internships within the space industry are available NOW- go find one! "If I can do it, anybody can do it. To go from cowboy to NASA flight surgeon- just don't give up! I failed multiple times! It was not an easy road. When opportunities arise, take advantage of them!" NASA Flight Surgeon Dr. Sean Roden Show Notes Bonus Links: Dr. Sean Roden's Bio on Texas Flying Doctors https://www.texasflyingdoctors.com/biography/ About Dr. Sean Roden: Dr. Roden is a unique physician who cares about his patients' overall health. Dr. Roden is a world-renowned physician who has provided health care to many unique individuals, with adventurous lifestyles and done so in austere locations. Best known for his work as a NASA flight surgeon, he helped support and train many astronauts for both short and long duration missions to the NASA International Space Station. Early in his career, he worked with the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the Northern Territory Rural Health Department. He was selected as the expeditionary physician for the Admunson –Scott South Pole station for the austral summer of 2012-2013.He returned to UTMB/Wyle laboratories as a flight surgeon in 2013. He supported expedition 42 as deputy flight surgeon then was selected to be a NASA flight surgeon in clinical medical operations in 2015.

In this episode, Brian shares with Beth How his father took him to air shows, space museums and started the foundation of an influence in air and space exploration. Then Star Wars came out and changed everything. What it was like to work with Marvel and DC Comics right out of college! What it would look like if all the planets in the Star Wars universe had their own luggage tags!? Brian's favorite ride at Disney ever (it's NOT Space Mountain)... Key Takeaways: Brian's art is inspired by travel posters, mission patches, and even NASA-based projects along with conversations he shares with Star Wars, Disney & aerospace fans that results in a multi-dimensional perspective reflected within his work. "The story that compels [me] is that sense of exploration, that sense of what could be..what's just beyond our grasp, and I'd like to think that other people are inspired by that as well. I like to pay homage to Gemini, Apollo and the space shuttle missions that look back into the past, too. Many of the innovations we enjoy now were from those previous programs. If anything I do inspires anyone to go into the spaceflight or aviation field, that could be the best compliment that could ever be paid to my artwork." "My job as an illustrator is to fill in between the lines, which in Star Wars means to fill in the stories that happen between the stories we've already seen. The what-if's. The things that happen off film. That's what I enjoy dreaming up, and (I believe) we can all enjoy the shared secret." -Brian Miller SHOW NOTE BONUS LINKS! Brian Miller's Art can be found at Oktopolis.com CASUAL SPACE LISTENERS can use the discount code BLASTOFF20 to save 20% off all Space Exploration artwork*. *Thanks, Brian! Learn About Disney's Role in the Space Race: https://io9.gizmodo.com/how-walt-disney-helped-promote-the-space-race-to-americ-1834585175 About Brian Miller Brian Miller is the creator behind Oktopolis. Best known for his pop culture propaganda artwork Brian currently illustrates artwork for Star Wars, Doctor Who, The X-Files, Rick & Morty, Archer, and GI Joe as well as other popular characters from comics, film, television, and video games. Brian's illustrations can be found featured at major events like Star Wars Celebration, Epcot's International Festival of the Arts, San Diego Comic-Con International, and Disney's D23 Expo. Brian has also illustrated cover art for publishers like Disney, IDW, & Titan UK for graphic novels & comics. Brian's love of spacecraft has lead to the launch of his Space Exploration series of posters inspired by NASA and historic space missions. Brian's fondness for adventure travel is reflected in his new International Parks Poster series where exotic destinations are reimagined in the style of vintage parks and travel posters.

Nick and Beth talk space specifics in this episode, including: Nick's fascinating job working on composite structures- inner stage and the fearing (nose cone) and payload attachment structures How quality control plays such a major part of the rocket creation process, and how much is hand made! Nick's interpretations on the culture of SpaceX, and how new ideas are tested & encouraged Key Takeaways: SpaceX works to make us become a multi-planet species, so ideas, rockets and most things need to be big. The process of developing with engineers and technicians at SpaceX has allowed anyone with the experience to take the instructions & implement them... you don't necessarily have to be the most accredited What's next for SpaceX and Nick's future?! "We want to make a giant rocket that will get us to Mars, and become a multi-planet species." SpaceX Engineer Nick Hansen SHOW NOTES & Bonus Links! About SpaceX: https://www.spacex.com/about SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket: https://www.spacex.com/falcon-heavy SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket: https://www.spacex.com/falcon9 What's inside the fearing of a SpaceX Rocket? THIS IS ONE OF BETH's MOST FAVORITE VIDEOS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0FZIwabctw The Case for Mars (according to SpaceX): https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=18&v=Ndpxuf-uJHE

Professor Kristen Thompson and Loras College student Audrey Miller share with Beth: Why there was a need to improve the Hientkamp Planetarium at Loras College How a select group of honors students raised funding for a new projector Why the planetarium is an important part of both the college and the community How a man traveled all the way from Israel on the coldest day of the year to install the new projector Key Takeaways: Never judge a planetarium by it's outside appearance… people are astonished when they come inside! The story of the stars can be told through history, different cultures, and from different perspectives Planetariums & observatories can be found everywhere- you don't have to go far to be inspired! "[From the outside] you see such a different shape, and then you step inside and you feel like you're in a TARDIS and there's no limit to where we can go! We can visit Saturn, we can stand under the rings and look up at the rings. You can watch a sunset on Mars, we can go anywhere in the galaxy we have data for, and with the dome, we have our own IMAX theater!" Loras College Professor Kristen Thompson SHOW NOTE BONUS LINKS! Facebook page for the Loras College Planetarium: Heitkamp Planetarium at Loras College Loras College Magazine feature article about the planetarium and project: https://www.loras.edu/news/a-stellar-honors-project/ About the NASA National Space Grant and Fellowship Project:https://www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/spacegrant/home/index.html About Kristen Thompson and Audrey Miller: Audrey Miller is a senior in the Loras College honors program, and looks forward to studying astrochemistry or astrophysics in grad school soon! Kristen Thompson, Ph.D is the Associate Professor of Engineering at Loras College. Dr. Thompson earner her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin Madison where she studied Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV). Before attending graduate school she worked at IBM as a Manufacturing Engineer processing printed circuit boards. She earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and is originally from the far west suburbs of Chicago. Her research interests continue to lie within the field of virology. We all think she should rename a popular physics class "Powerful Ideas for Physical Science" to "Physics for Poets."

In this episode, Beth and Chad geek out about: Impressions from the Star Wars Celebration event in Chicago- what it IS and what it was like to be among the 70,00+ attendees Chad shares an amazing story of how storm trooper fans in costume made it into a real Star Wars production Collectibles! Art! Costumes! Comics! Tattoos? AND What Star Wars tattoo Chad would get.. Presentations! Panel and breakout discussions! Chad shares highlights from the artists, producers, and creators who gave behind-the scenes perspectives! Find out who Beth selects when she goes out with her "girls" from the galaxy STAR WARS EPISODE 9: The Rise of Skywalker PREVIEW! We weigh in on the FIRST time the trailer was ever released LIVE Key Takeaways: What's the secret to a 40+ year success? Star Wars is a timeless narrative for everyone. Everyone can relate to a Star Wars character. May the force be with you! "Everyone who sees Star Wars sees something of themselves within the story." Beth SHOW NOTE BONUS LINKS https://www.starwarscelebration.com All things official Star Wars: https://www.starwars.com/ Star Wars YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/starwars Star Wars KIDS YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/starwarskids My favorite Star Wars podcast, "Collider Jedi Council" https://www.podcastone.com/collider-jedi-council and on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLBBpy2HHCU&list=PLayt6616lBcnqEWU6U0D8I95SUiqVU3DR About Beth and Chad: Beth & Chad have seen every Star Wars movie in addition to several animated series and select comics. They never really lived, however, until they attended the Star Wars Celebration. If you were to visit Beth and Chad on December 20, 2019…don't. They will be in the theater. Watching Episode 9. Maybe the next day, too.

In this episode, Beth and Stuart laugh about: The stories from his family that helped inspire him to write "hard sci-fi" Why going to the moon was really expensive and incredible How writing allows you to learn about people and about yourself Key Takeaways: Becoming an award-winning sci-fi writer didn't happen overnight, but when it happened… wow! Science can't answer everything, but reality is the standard "All stories are about people. I look for what fits my technical knowledge, but mostly I look for characters." "Anybody who can't take rejection, should not be in a creative field." "As a science fiction author, my primary goal in a story is to reveal the reader, and learn something about yourself." About C. Stuart Hardwick: Stuart Hardwick is a winner of the prestigious Writers of the Future contest and the Jim Baen Memorial Short Story Award. His work regularly appears in Analog Science Fiction & Fact, as well as Galaxy's Edge, Forbes.com and Mental Floss, among others. A southerner from South Dakota, Stuart grew up creating radio dramas and animated shorts before moving on to robots and ill-conceived flying machines. He's worked with the creators of the video game Doom, married an aquanaut, and trained his dog to pull a sled. Stuart studied writing at U.C. Berkeley, lives in Houston, and has been known to wear a cape. For more information and a free signed e-sampler, visit www.cStuartHardwick.com.

In this episode, Beth and Stu discuss: The differences between the retired Space Shuttle and NASA's (new) Orion spacecraft* What it was like to work as an engineer for the B52 bomber, the NASA shuttle program, and now NASA Orion program How a horrible commute turned into a 30+ successful NASA career Key Takeaways: NASA's work with international and commercial partners has played a large role in building this new vehicle Returning to the moon is a process with a lot of moving parts Every (Orion) launch is an opportunity to learn "So we're building this new thing, with new capability, and at the same time, we're figuring out new ways to do it differently, and do it better. And it keeps (you) coming back." About Mr. McClung: Since 2006, Mr. McClung has worked at NASA Johnson Space Center in the Orion Crew/Service Module Office. He is currently the Chief of Staff in the Program Planning and Control Office Mr. McClung recently completed his 1 year assignment to NASA Headquarters as the Orion Program executive, representing the Orion Program to internal and external stakeholders. Prior to that assignment, he served as the Functional Area Manager for Mechanical and Pyrotechnic systems and lead for Orion Production and Assembly. a focusing on engineering and supply chain management. Mr. McClung spent seven months in 2010 at the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans as the Orion Ground Test Article vehicle manager. He also served as the Orion Production Operations Deputy Manager for Exploration Flight Test -1 for nine months at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida... Mr. McClung joined NASA in 1989 in the Orbiter Project Office at Johnson Space Center. He served as project manager through 2005 for orbiter hardware upgrades and safety improvements, including the orbiter docking system, external airlock, and the main landing gear. In 1992, Mr. McClung spent one year at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. where he served as the space shuttle orbiter liaison in the Office of Space Flight About Orion: NASA's Orion spacecraft is built to take humans farther than they've ever gone before. Orion will serve as the exploration vehicle that will carry the crew to space, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during the space travel, and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. Orion will launch on NASA's new heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System. Social Media Accounts Orion on the NASA Website: www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/orion Facebook: www. facebook.com/NASAOrion Twitter: @NASA_Orion Instagram: www.instagram.com/explorenasa https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ johnson/home/orion_mcclung_ profile.html

In this episode, Beth and Stephanie discuss: Helping the astronauts communicate (and educate) through social media What happened when Stephanie gets a phone call direct from the International Space Station What responsibilities come with the title, "Social Media Coordinator for the Astronaut Office" How NASA found Stephanie Key Takeaways: Posts that have the most engagement are the most human. Astronaut words are their own "Follow your arrow. If it's something you're interested in, keep following that passion. It just takes the right opportunity." "Sometimes, I have to take a minute to absorb what the astronauts are sending to us." — Stephanie Fernandez About Stephanie Fernandez: Stephanie serves as the Astronaut Office Social Media Coordinator for NASA at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. After graduating from the University of Houston in 2017, and after completing her internship with NASA, Stephanie was hired full time in February in 2018. As social media coordinator, Stephanie helps provide proxy posting for on-orbit crew, serves as an account manager for NASA astronauts on social media, and works closely with NASA headquarters, legal office, imagery groups, and the public affairs office. Social Media Accounts Active astronauts - https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/active NASA Astronauts Twitter: https://twitter.com/NASA_Astronauts Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NASAAstronauts/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nasaastronauts/ 'Best Of' on social media + great stories behind the projects: Komrade's Fidget Spinner in Space video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82t9Tk9dUHs Komrade's Go-Pro Spacewalk footage - https://www.facebook.com/AstroKomrade/videos/372427559845072/ ISS 20th Anniversary: Astronaut memories - https://www.facebook.com/ISS/videos/582395498860290/ 2Fish's Pudding in space video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYV4gl558xc Ricky's Earth shot of Indonesia - https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg8zE55FZ1X/ About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] Website: bethmund.com/casualspace Facebook: @Casual Space Podcast

In this episode, Beth and Chad review two astronaut lectures they attended this week: Working at NASA with astronaut coworkers. Captain Mark Kelly and Colonel Frederick Gregory. Following a mission checklist. Being adventurous and curious. Key Takeaways: Cpt. Kelly's experience as a test pilot helped shape him for his time as an astronaut, as did Col. Gregory's experience as a career pilot. NASA astronauts are primarily trained in operational procedures, they already know how to handle the missions and distractions. You aren't done with a mission when the mission is over – there are always lessons learned. Know who you are surrounding yourself with and spending your time with. "Every mission is a new lesson that gets moved forward. Lessons learned were a big thing at NASA." — Chad Mund About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] Website: bethmund.com/casualspace Facebook: @Casual Space Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Michael Wall joined Space.com in 2010 as a senior writer reporting on Mars exploration, exoplanet discoveries, astrophysics and space technology. For Space.com, Mike has wandered through California's Mojave Desert with scientists on NASA's Mars rover Curiosity mission and helped launch balloon missions through Earth's auroras in Alaska. He's based in San Francisco, where he chronicles the space tech revolution in Silicon Valley. Prior to joining Space.com, Mike was a science writer for the Idaho National Laboratory and interned with Wired.com, The Salinas Californian newspaper and the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Mike has also worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He has a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a bachelor's degree from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. In this episode, Beth and Michael discuss: New discoveries, the Fermi Paradox, and his new book, "Out There" What METI is and what it is means for scientists Space books and movies that inspired Michael Digging deep and learning new things to write for Space.com Key Takeaways: We don't know about alien life, but we do have informed speculation We can only explore space with the technologies that we know. Because of this, what we may find in the future are unlimited There is so much happening with space and space exploration right now it's exciting! Time is a precious commodity and effects how we do things on earth and in space "It's just starting. What we are seeing is a ramp up to some really exciting stuff. There is definitely going to be a lot of cool stuff happening in 2019." — Michael Wall Connect with Michael Wall: Twitter: @MichaelDWall Website: Space.com Book: Out There: A Scientific Guide to Alien Life, Antimatter, and Human Space Travel (For the Cosmically Curious) Book Recommendation: Confessions of an Alien Hunter: A Scientist's Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence by Seth Shostak About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] Website: bethmund.com/casualspace Facebook: @Casual Space Podcast Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

Born in 1955, James Vaughan grew up in the idyllic surroundings of a small town near Akron, Ohio. His father was a scientist and director of research for one of America's largest corporations. His mother was an artist and a poet. Vaughan completed high school a year ahead of his classmates and in 1972 left for Chicago and college. He studied both photography and journalism and, while still a student, his freelance work appeared in many of the city's major magazines and newspapers. After he earned his degree, Vaughan took a job as an assistant with a large commercial studio. Then in 1977, during a long and cold Chicago Winter, he converted an entire floor of an old factor into his first studio. Over the next twenty-five years, he worked at the forefront of Chicago's advertising and fashion industry and was commissioned for a wide variety of advertising and editorial assignments. "My original training in photo-journalism served me well," says Vaughan. "It brought a sense of realism and sincerity to my work. I have always thought of myself as a storyteller. That's what the word 'photography' really means – 'to write with light.'" "I can't say I was much of a financial success," laughs Vaughan. "Most of the money went to new ideas and experiments. We were all mad-scientists back then, pushing the envelope in search of the next break-through image." With the arrival of the 21st Century, and its limitless digital technology, James Vaughan has been able to return to his small-town roots. Now back in Ohio, he has taught at nearby Kent State University and built a new state of the art studio. "This is the most important time for my work. Away from the demands and distraction of the big city I can be even more creative," he says. "After all these decades, I finally have the skill and technology to catch-up to my imagination!" In this episode, Beth and James discuss: James' background in photography and his youth during the space race. The power of aesthetics in the space program. Where James finds his inspiration as a space illustrator. The modern mythology that is the new space exploration. The role art has always played in new scientific endeavors, including space exploration. Key Takeaways: Illustrators, artists, and creative talents are needed in the space program. When we apply our imagination, we help to share and interpret ideas. You can do anything…if you love it, you will find a way. "Surprise! We live in space. Right now, all the time. The idea that we won't go farther than our front yard is sort of silly. I know there will be ups and downs and trials and tribulations, but it's inevitable that the human race will expand further and further out into the universe." — James Vaughan Connect with James Vaughan: Website: JamesVaughanPhoto.com About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] Website: bethmund.com/casualspace Facebook: @Casual Space Podcast Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

In this episode, Beth and Leroy discuss: Changing technology: how far we've come and the exciting changes in our future. What we need to master (on the moon) before we go to Mars What it was like to fly on board the International Space Station for more than 6 months. How do you eat in space? What was it like to be weightless? Kids questions and astronaut Chiao answers!! Key Takeaways: A successful space mission is a success for all of humanity. The moon is only 3 days away and is similar to Mars with reduced gravity and atmosphere. Being weightless in a plane does not fully prepare you for continuous weightlessness in space. Some of the most desolate areas are some of the most beautiful. "The moon is the perfect place to develop and test all of your hardware. You want to make sure all of the stuff's going to work before you send it to Mars. You probably even want to train crews on the moon." — Leroy Chiao Connect with Leroy Chiao: Website: LeroyChiao.com & OneOrbitCDR.com Book: One Orbit About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] & [email protected] Website: bethmund.com Facebook: @BethMund Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

In this episode, Beth discusses: Movies and Shows! Star Wars Episode IX countdown! Highly controversial new shows along with classics to inspire Books! 9 books that you simply MUST read & enjoy Podcasts! Stay up to date with the latest space news, technology, missions, and explorations with some of Beth's favorites Experiences! Hands-on interactive space-themed experiences for ALL AGES Key Takeaways: There're so many great ways to be inspired by space and space exploration in 2019 Be the smartest person at the water cooler when you "talk space" with this helpful preview of what's ahead in the industry… Heroes, authors, producers, artists, actors, reports, NASA civil servants, and contractors will all work to inspire our love of space exploration this year! "Go see a launch! There will be more launches this year than ever before! And, we'll be launching from locations across the US, not just at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida." — Beth Mund WHAT TO WATCH: « Ad Astra « Star Wars Episode IX « Cosmos: Possible Worlds « Ancient Aliens « Project Blue Book WHAT TO READ: « The Case for Space: How the Revolution in Spaceflight Opens Up a Future of Limitless Possibility « Shoot for the Moon: The Space Race and the Extraordinary Voyage of Apollo 11 « Come Fly With Us: NASA's Payload Specialist Program (Outward Odyssey: A People's History of Spaceflight) « Space 2.0: How Private Spaceflight, a Resurgent NASA, and International Partners are Creating a New Space Age « Infinite Wonder: An Astronaut's Photographs from a Year in Space « Out There: A Scientific Guide to Alien Life, Antimatter, and Human Space Travel (For the Cosmically Curious) WHAT TO LISTEN TO: « Star Talk « Planetary Radio « Houston: We Have a Podcast « This Week @Nasa WHAT TO EXPERIENCE: « Space Camp « Talk to an Astronaut « Your Local Space or Science Museum « See A Launch About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] & [email protected] Website: bethmund.com Facebook: @BethMund Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

In this episode, Beth and Mark discuss: What MUFON is and Mark's years as a "certified" field investigator for MUFON. Dr. J. Allen Hynek and Mark's book The Close Encounters Man. The 1966 Michigan Swamp Gas Case, how it affected Hynek, the UFO community, and Hynek's career. Close encounters of the first, second, and third kind. IGY, the global tracking network, and Sputnik. Key Takeaways: Most people report their sightings because they want to know what it was and if anybody else has ever seen the same thing to connect with them. There was no one moment where Dr. Hynek changed his mind about UFOs. A good scientist just wants to find out more. "Ridicule is not part of the scientific method, and the American public should not be taught that it is." -Dr. J. Allen Hynek. The great thing about writing for Star Trek, is Star Trek is forever. — Mark O'Connell Connect with Mark O'Connell: Website: HighStrangenessUFO.com Book: The Close Encounters Man: How One Man Made the World Believe in UFOs Blog: High Strangeness Book Recommendation: The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry by J. Allen Hynek About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] & [email protected] Website: bethmund.com Facebook: @BethMund Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

In this episode, Beth and Rod discuss: How Rod interviews the space experts and writes stories for us all Is there a renewed space race, and is that how reporters should frame the story? The "thing" Rod collected from the Saturn Cassini folks, and the Mars Lander folks at NASA It took Rod years to write a book WITHOUT a bias towards a particular commercial space company What Rod thinks about the recently proposed "Space Force" Key Takeaways: Telling the stories about space are both a challenge and a privilege There's a strong argument to look closely at our military presence in space Rod has a great collection of space books available for reference, with four more coming out in 2019 The 11/26/18 Insight Landing on Mars from Rod's perspective from BEING IN THE ROOM "Don't just tell us how the mission works, tell us a story." — Rod Pyle Connect with Rod Pyle: Website: RodPyleBooks.com Book: Amazon Author Page - Rod Pyle Show: Cool Space News About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as an corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] & [email protected] Website: bethmund.com Facebook: @BethMund Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

After beginning to read about astronomy, Joseph DalSanto wanted to observe the night sky himself. So, he purchased a telescope as a freshman in high school and, during the past 40 years, has developed an in-depth knowledge and familiarity with the night sky due to hundreds of evening observations. "I've used and built numerous telescopes and observed thousands of objects from my home observatories as well as from locations in such places as Florida, New Mexico, Indiana, Wisconsin and California," he said. DalSanto first worked as an IT support professional for Hewlett Packard, where he worked on onsite and remote system hardware support for 15 years and then moved into IT project management. In this role, he helped lead HP's early system web support. But it was his love of the sky that eventually led DalSanto to the classroom. He began making presentations to astronomy clubs and groups and was invited to perform public outreach and oversee the observatory at Waubonsee Community College. His growing love for teaching led to the pursuit of a master's degree in astronomy, and he began teaching credit classes part-time at Waubonsee. When a full-time astronomy position opened up at College of DuPage in 2012, he left HP to pursue his passion. He teaches two rigorous courses on planetary astronomy and stars and galaxies as well as honors versions of each. "I set high standards for my students, but I want them to enjoy learning about our amazing universe," DalSanto said. "I put tremendous planning and effort into my courses and I want them to walk out with not just knowledge but also appreciation for what we know and how we know it through the process of science. "I've been told repeatedly that my passion for astronomy shows. I want to share that passion and so I take great interest in my students' success. I'm especially proud of the quality of the research projects done by my honors students, with several going on to pursue careers in astronomy." DalSanto continues his deep appreciation for the universe and wants others to experience it. "I have never lost my love for standing under a truly clear, dark sky and experiencing the universe first hand personally," he said. "I am thrilled with new discoveries but also in how we discover things and how new knowledge either fits into what we know or forces us to adjust what we know. "We can have an exciting future exploring the solar system and universe, and one of my favorite quotes captures this: 'The human adventure is just beginning.'" In this episode, Beth and Joe discuss: Some of the major firsts in astronomy. How astronomy changed between Ptolemy and Copernicus. The invention of the telescope and its rise to popularity. How women played a role in the early days of astronomy. Studying the universe at different wave lengths. Key Takeaways: William Herschel's son John was the one to catalog the Southern night sky. How parallax allows us to find an estimate of the distance of the stars. All of science, especially in this field, is a global effort, not just small groups in one country or another. How seemingly small discoveries and basic research can lead to massive growths in science. "I really think with Herschel, and probably with most early astronomers, it was just their love of astronomy, their curiosity. They wanted to understand our universe, and that continues today." — Joe DalSanto Connect with Joe DalSanto: http://www.cod.edu/spotlights/faculty/dalsanto.aspx About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as an corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] & [email protected] Website: bethmund.com Facebook: @BethMund Be part of the Juno Mission! Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

In this episode, Beth and Mark discuss:· Mark's life of service.· Being nervous versus being excited - defining our energy before we're in front of audiences What inspired the "Heel Kick Around the World" pictures · The Mark J. Lindquist Big Band announcement! Key Takeaways:· If you are going to Hawaii and want to learn to surf, go to Waikiki and learn from Hawaiian Fire.· Your creative genius comes out most when you are comfortable.· You won't get nervous if it's familiar. Once you're prepared, it's no longer nerves, it's excitement. "To know that once you have that line in you, that script in you, and it's as comfortable as breathing, that's when creative genius comes." — Mark J. Lindquist Connect with Mark Lindquist: Website: MarkJLindquist.com About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as an corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] & [email protected]: bethmund.comFacebook: @BethMund Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

In this episode, Beth discusses: NASA Lands on Mars (earlier this week) with InSight The who, what, where, when and why this Mars mission, and what it means for us on Earth. The excitement of landing in "the most boring place on Mars." Key Takeaways: Entry and decent are the most critical parts of any landing mission. Each landing tells us what we can do new. When we understand what's around us, it helps us understand our place in space. Happy 20th Birthday, International Space Station! "Looking at Mars planetary history helps define our planetary history." — Beth Mund About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] & [email protected] Website: bethmund.comFacebook: @BethMund Show notes by podcastologist: Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie

In this episode, Beth and Mark discuss: The unique behind the scenes perspective as witnessed by a NASA photographer The opportunity Mark created when he didn't fit "traditional pre-defined roles" in school Watching space movies without a bias (is this even possible)? Some of the most memorable moments NASA gave us, and how we share them with the world Key Takeaways: Mixing art with science is not only possible, it greatly benefits our perspective. Documenting the good days can be rewarding, and documenting the difficult days can share a true perspective. Space exploration is for everyone, and NASA has made all images shared available to explorers big and small! About Mark Sowa: https://www.annenbergphotospace.org/person/mark-sowa/ Photographer Mark Sowa is the supervisor of NASA's Imagery Acquisition Group at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. He has photographed 45 crew portraits, countless individual astronaut portraits, documented engineering and astronaut training aboard NASA's reduced‑gravity aircraft, and dived over 1,300 times while photographing suited extravehicular training underwater in NASA's Water Environment Training Facility and later in NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Training Facility. He has logged many hours flying aboard NASA's reduced gravity aircraft. Operating eight different camera systems, the NASA photography team captures images, HD video, high speed digital motion picture, time‑lapse and spherical 360 panoramas as a record of research and development at NASA. The wide range of multimedia products produced by Sowa's team not only record humankind's efforts in space exploration but inspire the public. Connect with Mark Sowa: Twitter: @marksowa Website: https://www.annenbergphotospace.org/person/mark-sowa/ About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as an corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] Website: bethmund.com Facebook: @BethMund Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Laura Gray

In this episode, Beth and Wayne discuss: Going to Mars and surviving those space rations. The joys of building and sinking a boat. Tomfoolery as an expansive art. What it's like to watch a live launch. The power of hope. Key Takeaways: Everyone wants to see how far they can go, to test the limits of life. The wonders of the world are as real as you let them be. There is nothing in the world that can keep you from following your dreams. Even when you have accomplished all you dreamed of, there is still more to experience. "I am constantly dreaming with my eyes open." — Wayne Messmer About Wayne Messmer: Wayne Messmer grew up as a "city kid" on Chicago's Southwest Side. Always practicing "opportunity management" he positioned himself in the right place at the right time for 99% of his life. As the volunteer P.A. Announcer for the Loyola University Hockey Team, the tape recording of the National Anthem broke before a game was about to start, so Wayne stepped up and took the challenge, and the microphone and sang it himself. Messmer's extraordinary singing career started that very day at a college hockey game… and the rest was history. As the celebrated National Anthem soloist with the Chicago Blackhawks at the old Chicago Stadium, for 13 seasons in the NHL, and subsequently with the Chicago Wolves, Chicago Cubs and formerly the Chicago White Sox, he became known nationally as, "Chicago's Voice of the National Anthem." His signature ending note on the word, "brave," (on the 5th) has been recognized as his trademark since the 1980's, and has frequently been copied by other singers ever since. In 1994, he faced his biggest life challenge after an incident left him with his life and voice in peril. No one knew then if he would survive that fateful spring night, let alone speak or sing again. But his courage, conviction and perseverance brought him to his triumphant performance as "The Voice of Victory" at the 2016 World Series. Connect with Wayne Messmer: Twitter: @WayneMessmer Website: waynemessmer.com LinkedIn: @waynemessmer Youtube: @WayneMessmer About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as an corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] Website: bethmund.com Facebook: @BethMund Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Laura Gray

In this episode, Beth and Laurie discuss: The benefits of personal retreats and how it opens your personal insight. Surviving the bathroom in space. Customers service with space travel! Knowing your expectations and knowing how to communicate them. The best way to present learning material. Key Takeaways: Getting in tune with yourself during a retreat or a stay-cation lets you unwind and refocus. Don't let your body's limits stop you from reaching for the moon. Always be clear on your expectations and on the expectations of the places you are going. Break your learning into episodes so that you can digest the information. "I don't have the answers, I have the right questions." — Laurie Guest About Laurie Guest: Entrepreneur, author and motivational keynote speaker. Owner of Guest Enterprises, a speaking and training firm founded in 1997. The firm focuses on customer service and staff development topics presented in an entertaining format. Member of the National Speakers Association and a Certified Speaking Professional, a designation held by less than 12% of speakers worldwide and one of only 204 women to currently hold the honor. Top-rated keynote speakers for corporate events association meetings and business retreats. Author of Wrapped in Stillness: A Personal Retreat Guide. Graduated from Palmer College 1983 Certified Ophthalmic Technician from 1986-2001 Assistant Administrator for a regionally known ophthalmic surgery center. Responsible for sales, marketing, volunteer programs and referring physician relations. Community hospital marketing team member. Award-winning columnist on the topic of customer service for an industry trade publication. A Midwest farmer's daughter from Northern Illinois with a passion for people and with a sarcastic sense of humor. Wife, mother, golfer, board game lover, autograph collector, sea glass gatherer, metal detecting fan, geocaching hobbyist and Netflix binge watcher. Connect with Laurie Guest: Twitter: @laurieguest Website: laurieguest.comLinkedIn: @laurieguest About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] Website: bethmund.comFacebook: @BethMund Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Laura Gray

About Joseph DalSanto: After beginning to read about astronomy, Joseph DalSanto wanted to observe the night sky himself. So he purchased a telescope as a freshman in high school and, during the past 40 years, has developed an in-depth knowledge and familiarity with the night sky due to hundreds of evening observations. DalSanto first worked as an IT support professional for Hewlett Packard, where he worked on onsite and remote system hardware support for 15 years and then moved into IT project management. In this role, he helped lead HP's early system web support. But it was his love of the sky that eventually led DalSanto to the classroom. He began making presentations to astronomy clubs and groups and was invited to perform public outreach and oversee the observatory at Waubonsee Community College. His growing love for teaching led to the pursuit of a master's degree in astronomy, and he began teaching credit classes part-time at Waubonsee. When a full-time astronomy position opened up at College of DuPage in 2012, he left HP to pursue his passion. He teaches two rigorous courses on planetary astronomy and stars and galaxies as well as honors versions of each. Connect with Joseph DalSanto: Faculty page: http://www.cod.edu/spotlights/faculty/dalsanto.aspx Astronomy programs at DuPage: http://cod.edu/programs/earth_science/astronomy/index.aspx About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected]: bethmund.com Facebook: @BethMund Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Laura Gray

About Izolda Trakhtenberg: Born in Moldova, Izolda learned how to communicate in multiple languages through a year-long immigration process. Today, Izolda facilitates workshops that help people tap into and master their leadership, creativity, and communication skills. She worked as an educator for the National Geographic Society. Later, she traveled the world as a NASA trainer. Additionally, she is the author of five books, including, Speak From Within, Engage, Inspire, and Motivate Any Audience. She is also the host of the Tell Your Story Better podcast. Izolda, her husband, and their dog and two cats live in Maryland, USA. Connect with Guest: Instagram: @IzoldaTTwitter: @IzoldaTLinkedIn: IzoldaTFacebook: @IzoldaTSpeakerTell Your Story Better Podcast: https://izoldat.com/tysb/ About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker - inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast, and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected]: bethmund.com Facebook: @BethMund Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Laura Gray

In this episode, Beth and Chad discuss the Joe Rogan interview with Elon Musk, including: What it must be like to live, and think so differently The many different companies Elon owns and runs What makes people like Elon so driven? The long and awkward pauses between Joe's questions and Elon's answers... And a deep discussion about where we came from and if we might be an interplanetary species About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. She's the host of the Casual Space Podcast and a self-proclaimed space geek. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] Website: bethmund.com Facebook: @BethMund Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Laura Gray

Welcome to Casual Space, a podcast about the wonders of space. Beth brings us space as it really and truly is, every day in our lives. Beth is a former NASA public affairs officer and shares with us her dream job and its experiences. Beth and her guests explore how space affects your daily life. She tells us the stories and adventures of space that she learned during her time at the Johnson Space Center. In each episode, we will learn about the different jobs that are available right now, and how those jobs will open your world to wonderful intergalactic adventures. About Beth Mund: Beth's love for space started as a Space Camp attendee at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, where she would return years later as an instructor. After grad school, Beth worked as a journalist, a technical writer for Motorola, and then went on to serve as a Public Affairs Officer for the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. In addition, Beth worked to support the International Space Station program as a communication specialist. In Chicago, Beth worked as a corporate communication advisor to Fortune 50 companies including Allstate and United Airlines. She's worked as a college instructor, a political advisor, and public relations manager for her hometown city. Beth recently founded Stellar Communications, LLC and travels the country as a keynote speaker- inspiring audiences with her lessons learned from our nation's space program. Connect with Beth Mund: Email: [email protected] Website: bethmund.com Facebook: @BethMund Show notes by show producer/podcastologist: Laura Gray