Casual Space

The folks at Kepler are on a mission to build the Internet in space. Diane Burchett always loved math and science and was curious about how things worked. From taking apart the family vacuum to materials engineering, and watching sci-fi shows featuring bioengineering, they've all be a part of her journey towards working in the space industry- along with a Summer Session Program at International Space University in 2003, and her qualification and application of additive manufacturing in space. Today, Diane is the Vice President of Engineering at Kepler Communications! On this episode, Diane chats with Beth about the people, inspiration and adventures she's come to find along the way, and what the future brings for all of us on Earth and in space… About Kepler: Kepler Communications are on a mission to build the internet in space. They are working to provide real-time communication to other satellites, space stations, launch vehicles, habitats and any other space-borne assets. They are actively building what will be known as the ÆTHER network and currently have 19 satellited in orbit. To learn more about Kepler, check them out here: https://kepler.space/about-us/ Jobs and Internships at Kepler! https://kepler.space/careers/

UPDATE! Since this posting, the New York Times has reported that Pete Davidson may NOT be going to space, after all: Pete Davidson, the "Saturday Night Live" comedian and actor, will no longer travel to the edge of space on the next Blue Origin spaceflight, the company said late Thursday. The company had announced this week that its New Shepard rocket would launch on Wednesday, March 23, with Mr. Davidson and five other passengers. But the launch, the company's fourth with human passengers, has now been rescheduled for March 29, Blue Origin said on Twitter. The company, founded by Jeff Bezos, said that Mr. Davidson, 28, was "no longer able to join" the mission and that a replacement sixth crew member would be announced soon. No further details were given. Pete Davidson is heading to space. The Saturday Night Live star is among the six passengers on the next launch of Jeff Bezos' space travel venture Blue Origin, the company announced Monday. The launch is scheduled for March 23, and Davidson will be the third celebrity on a Blue Origin flight. Beth didn't tell her friends Chris and Char about this podcast topic discussion until they (willingly?) sat down with Beth and Chad to chat about Pete, and some other fun questions together, including, "Who gets to go to space?" "Should the first private space explorers be required to have a charitable component tied to their mission?" "What can Pete Davidson bring to a space mission," and "Which celebrity would YOU like to see fly in space?" Answers to all of these questions and more casual conversation on episode #155 of the Casual Space Podcast! About the mission: From the New York Times reporter, Johnny Diaz: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/14/science/pete-davidson-blue-origin.html About Pete Davidson: Peter Michael Davidson (born November 16, 1993) is an American comedian and actor. He has been a cast member on the NBC late-night sketch comedy Saturday Night Live since 2014. Davidson has also appeared on the MTV shows Guy Code, Wild 'n Out, and Failosophy.[1][2] He has performed stand-up comedy on Adam DeVine's House Party, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Comedy Underground with Dave Attell, and guest-starred in Brooklyn Nine-Nine.[3] In 2020, he co-wrote and starred in the semi-autobiographical comedy-drama film The King of Staten Island. You're going to want to watch this: Saturday Night Live Skit featuring "Chad" aka Pete Davidson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuaDWyCnJxs

As more and more people head into the great frontier of space, it's going to take a community of passionate people finding new approaches to look at problems and discovering solutions to fuel the growing space economy. Working in space will need EVERYONE. That's where Spacely comes in- and today, CEO Tom Cooke joins Beth to explain how Spacely helps match talent and companies with projects within the aerospace industry, all in the pursuit of "Getting Space Work. Done." About Tom Cooke Tom was a member of the United States Air Force for 24 years- flying in everything from gliders to jets- working in space systems development and operations for 16 of those 24 years. "Having this incredible opportunity and experience has resulted in me looking at the sky differently. When you get to be part of the sky in your own unique way, you start to believe you belong up there in some way." – Tom Cooke, CEO and Co-Founder of Spacely About Spacely https://www.spacely.work/home From the website~ Spacely is a social networking platform and opportunity marketplace for those passionate about space. Our mission is to connect those passionate about space regionally and globally while enabling them to be more productive and successful. To achieve our mission, we provide services to help communities find and connect with other like-minded communities and/or affiliated businesses, promote community interaction by allowing users to release news, exchange ideas, identify opportunities, maintain photo galleries, calendars, events and invitations using public or private settings. The Spacely platform allows members to discover and connect with one another through a shared interest in space and our vertical communities enable further engagement around specific subjects or activities. We provide an interest-based platform that encourages meaningful new relationships, relevant conversations and promotes opportunities for our members and partners to be successful in these endeavors. Other Items of Note: Spacely is a subcontractor to Tech7 on the NASA Open Innovation Contract (NOIS2) where NASA utilizes expertise from open talent marketplaces like ours at Spacely to support crowdsourcing, challenges and now microtasks and micropurchasing to gain access to talent, skills and solutions that exist outside of NASA's organizational boundaries The MIT article Tom referenced on breaking roles down into tasks reframes the talent problem from one of supply to one of demand: https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/cant-fill-jobs-deconstruct-them/

Normal people can and should be able to fly to space. Deborah Sass and Thomas Reemer have set out to prove this in a very unique and entertaining way. Today on the Casual Space Podcast, Beth talks with Deborah and Thomas from Space Hero; the world's first-ever global competition series where contestants compete for a $55-million, 10-day trip to Space; the biggest prize ever awarded on TV. The competition for this once-in-a-lifetime journey will open to anyone over 18 who speaks English. This is the remarkable journey of heroes from all over the World to be elected by the global public as their representative of humankind in Space. About Deborah Sass, Co-CEO Space Hero Deborah is a seasoned entertainment industry executive with a unique global perspective on doing business in today's ever-interconnected world. Throughout the years she has worked with some of media and technology's biggest names, TV & Radio channels in Australia. After returning back to the UK she secured roles working in Digital & Entertainment with clients such as Amazon, iTunes, Shazam, and Spotify. Deborah has structured many international strategic partnerships with global brands. Deborah is also the founder of Five Hundred Female Founders. About Thomas Reemer, Co-CEO Space Hero Thomas is a leader in the information technology and media industries with over 25 years of experience. Initially, as a music manager and event organizer, he then moved on to work as an entrepreneur for artists such as Prince and George Clinton, as well as clients such as Sony and Universal. He was a co-founder and CEO at the first e-commerce platform for musicians, Artists First. With 88tc88 he created the first legal distribution platform for digital media publishers and labels in China. Learn more about Space Hero and apply at www.spacehero.org or https://tdgaholdings.com/

The Planetary Society has been on a mission: To empower the world's citizens to advance space science and exploration. It's the place for people who want to be involved in space exploration by sharing their passion with other like-minded people. Chief Development Officer of the Planetary Society, Richard Chute, joins Beth today on the podcast and explains how a hobby became a full-time job(s), and how enabling citizens of planet Earth to explore space together is one of the most remarkable adventures ever imagined- first by Planetary Society founders Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman, and continues today with Bill Nye and Richard Chute! Throughout this episode, you'll be INVITED to become a member of the Planetary Society! So don't wait, join now! https://www.planetary.org/about/our-story More About Richard Chute: "The decade ahead promises to be the greatest decade for space exploration since the Apollo era--but only if we all work to make it so through our actions and support." An interest in science and astronomy, bolstered by a love for science fiction, began at an early age for Richard Chute, the Chief Development Officer for the Planetary Society. From watching Star Trek in its original run on TV, seeing Saturn through a telescope for the first time in 5th grade, joining the rocketry club in 6th grade, getting a first-edition copy of Star Wars for Christmas, to watching Cosmos as a young college student, Richard has always been fascinated by space exploration. Richard seeks to make a difference by creating effective fundraising programs for causes and organizations that support his passions. "When I began, I thought I was going to be asking people for something. What I found through the course of my career is that instead, it's about giving people opportunities to be connected to something that they already love and want to be involved with." -Richard Chute, Casual Space Podcast Contact Richard at richard.chute@planetary.org and find him on LinkedIn More about the Planetary Society: www.planetary.org From the Planetary Society website: "Our story begins with an observation. Planetary Society founders Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman saw that people of all walks of life are fascinated by the cosmos—yet space exploration budgets waned. This disconnect sparked the idea for a movement that would unite and represent people from around the world in support of space science and exploration. This is how The Planetary Society came to be. For over 4 decades, our members have made strides in advancing planetary exploration, planetary defense, and the search for life beyond Earth. We have delivered tens of thousands of petitions to the United States Congress. We have funded groundbreaking technological advancements in solar sailing. We have united researchers from around the world to work together on asteroid defense. Today we are the world's largest and most influential independent space-interest organization."

Emily Carney is an award-winning writer, editor, and public speaker specializing in spaceflight history. She's also the co-host of the Space & Things podcast, and she's the founder of the Space Hipsters Facebook group. Today on the show, Beth asks Emily how her love for space and talents as a writer began, how and when she's most effective at writing, and what advice she may have for future space writers. AND, Emily shares a couple of classic astronaut adventures, too. About Emily: Emily Carney is a spaceflight enthusiast and author hailing from Saint Petersburg, Florida. Her first vivid space memory was seeing Columbia launch in late 1981 (STS-2). Even though she was very young (three years old) and the launch was 140 miles away from where she stood, she'll never forget it. From then on, she was obsessed with the space shuttle, and spaceflight in general. In 1997, Carney enlisted in the United States Navy, and at one point worked as a nuclear propulsion mechanical operator aboard the USS George Washington (CVN 73). When she was honorably discharged in 2003, she went back to college and earned a degree in education. She only taught for a brief time, but after she left the education field, her passion for spaceflight was reignited. Carney worked as a freelance writer from 2008 to 2011, and during that time she started a spaceflight blog, This Space Available (accessible via https://space.nss.org/category/this-space-available/). Fun fact: the late Gene Cernan (Gemini 9A, Apollo 10, and Apollo 17 astronaut, also known as "The Last Man on the Moon") once asked her, "What the hell is a space blog?" Read and enjoy Emily's work Emily has written for online and print publications including AmericaSpace, Ars Technica, Quest magazine, The Space Review, and the National Space Society's Ad Astra magazine. Emily's articles with National Space Society: https://space.nss.org/category/this-space-available/ Space Hipsters Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/spacehipsters The Space and Things Podcast https://spaceandthingspodcast.com/ In 2011, Carney wanted to start a Facebook group for space enthusiasts, but was struggling to find a good name. Her husband, Steve, suggested "Space Hipsters" as sort of a sarcastic placeholder, but the name stuck. The group grew more quickly than she could imagine, and at present time it totals over 27,800 members. Space Hipsters boasts members from all around the world, and includes space enthusiasts, writers, artists, scientists, engineers, aspiring astronauts, and even a few actual astronauts.

"There is no Earth vs Space. They live together." Daniel Fox is the author and photographer of FEEL THE WILD, founder of THE FUTURE OF SPACE, and SPACE 100.10. Daniel believes that it is nature's goal to venture into space. This episode of Casual Space is one filled with wisdom, as Daniel reflects on how nature lives within us, around us, and beyond us- in space. "We are ambassadors for life and it is our responsibility to share Earth's knowledge and gift so that we can support the Universe's goal to connect." – Daniel Fox FIND Daniel here: https://danielfox.co/about/ and at www.danielfox.co https://www.instagram.com/thewildimage/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/spaceape/ I've really enjoyed reading Daniel's new series, The Future of Space, a weekly dose of space thinking, interviews and reflections- and you can find it here: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-future-of-space-6882171911019868160/ You may want to bookmark this website for updates on Daniel's new project, Space 100.10 https://space10010.com/ Books: Order Daniel's Book, FEEL THE WILD here- https://danielfox.co/book/ And during the commercial, I mentioned Dr. Sian Proctor's New Book, Space2inspire: The Art of Inspiration and you can get it here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1733765417/

On Christmas morning, NASA presented (launched) an incredible gift people of the WOLRD will be able to enjoy …The James Webb Space Telescope. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope launched at 7:20 a.m. EST Saturday, December 25 on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, South America. On this episode of Casual Space, Beth and (resident space expert) Dean geek out on all things JWST! The world's largest and most complex space science observatory will now begin six months of commissioning in space! At the end of commissioning, Webb will deliver its first images. Webb carries four state-of-the-art science instruments with highly sensitive infrared detectors of unprecedented resolution. Webb will study infrared light from celestial objects with much greater clarity than ever before. The premier mission is the scientific successor to NASA's iconic Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, built to complement and further the scientific discoveries of these and other missions. About James Webb Space Telescope The James Webb Space Telescope's revolutionary technology will study every phase of cosmic history—from within our solar system to the most distant observable galaxies in the early universe. Webb's infrared telescope will explore a wide range of science questions to help us understand the origins of the universe and our place in it. Webb will directly observe a part of space and time never seen before. Webb will gaze into the epoch when the very first stars and galaxies formed, over 13.5 billion years ago. Ultraviolet and visible light emitted by the very first luminous objects has been stretched or "redshifted" by the universe's continual expansion and arrives today as infrared light. Webb is designed to "see" this infrared light with unprecedented resolution and sensitivity. Webb will also be a powerful tool for studying the nearby universe. Scientists will use Webb to study planets and other bodies in our solar system to determine their origin and evolution and compare them with exoplanets, planets that orbit other stars. Webb will also observe exoplanets located in their stars' habitable zones, the regions where a planet could harbor liquid water on its surface, and can determine if and where signatures of habitability may be present. Using a technique called transmission spectroscopy, the observatory will examine starlight filtered through planetary atmospheres to learn about their chemical compositions. ALL THE JWST Resources: https://webb.nasa.gov/index.html And at the end of the show, we talked about LIGO. Here's a great explanation of what LIGO is: https://fb.watch/aOmq7h_PkW/ 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 https://www.linkedin.com/in/dean-mikolajczyk-63125389/

Erin Sembroski didn't know her husband Chris had entered a contest to fly to space. Then he won the Generosity seat on the Inspiration4 on a SpaceX, rocket and had to tell her the news. On this episode of the Casual Space Podcast, Erin shares her experience -from learning that Chris' would be going to space as part of the first all-civilian crew- to how she worked to navigate the intensity of the obligations and emotions as an astronaut's spouse. This is Erin's story, told along side her husband Chris, to Beth and Chad. Their adventure together will warm your heart, and it's one that's only just begun. Inspiration4 was a human spaceflight mission in 2021, operated by SpaceX on behalf of Shift4 Payments CEO Jared Isaacman.[3] The mission launched the Crew Dragon Resilience on 16 September 2021 from the Florida Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A atop a Falcon 9 launch vehicle, placed the Dragon capsule into low Earth orbit,[4] and ended successfully on September 18 when the Resilience splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean. About Erin Sembroski Erin was born and raised in Montana. She grew up with a love for all things outdoors: hiking, camping, floating the river with her brother and sister…She attended Montana State University graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education. Erin's first teaching position was in Great Falls, MT, where she met Chris while he was stationed at Malmstrom Air Force Base. After three years, they decided to move to the Pacific Northwest (PNW) for the water, outdoors, and Seattle life. Erin went on to attend University of Washington and graduated with a Masters in Teaching. She has taught north of Seattle for over 8 years now, and loves her smart, sarcastic, and big-hearted middle schoolers. Her proudest accomplishment is being Mom to two brave, strong, and brilliant girls and best Beagle buddy, Franklin. Erin and Chris have been married for 12 years, and she couldn't be any prouder than to see him live his dream of flying in space. About Chris Sembroski, Inspiration4 astronaut Chris Sembroski grew up with a natural curiosity about outer space. Stargazing late at night on the roof of his high school and launching high-powered model rockets in college cemented this passion. As a U.S. Space Camp counselor, he conducted simulated space shuttle missions and supported STEM-based education designed to inspire young minds to explore these areas and find their passions. As a college student, Sembroski volunteered with ProSpace, a grassroots lobbying effort that promoted legislation in Washington, D.C., to help open space travel and allow companies like SpaceX to exist. He then served in the U.S. Air Force, maintaining a fleet of Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles and deploying for service in Iraq before leaving active duty in 2007. Following his education from the Air Force, Sembroski earned a B.S. in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. In his career, Sembroski has sought innovative, industry-disrupting methods to monitor and maintain mechanical equipment, making everything from data centers to hospitals more efficient. He now resides in Seattle, WA, and works in the aerospace industry. Chris held the Generosity seat on the Inspiration4 launch on September 16, 2021. About Inspiration4 https://inspiration4.com/ Inspiration4 is the world's first all-civilian mission to orbit. The mission is commanded by Jared Isaacman, the 38-year-old founder and Chief Executive Officer of Shift4 Payments and an accomplished pilot and adventurer. Inspiration4 launched from Earth from Kennedy Space Center's historic Launch Complex 39A, the embarkation point for Apollo and Space Shuttle missions, and traveled across a low earth orbit on a 3-day journey in space. Named in recognition of the four-person crew, the mission raised more than 210 million in funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a milestone that represents a new era for human spaceflight and exploration.

This episode is an amazing story about the Commercialization of Cislunar Space by a company named ThinkOrbital. It's also the story of how two talented people were bold enough to share their innovative idea to design something…different, better, and for all space explorers. Co-Founders Sebastian Asprella and Dr. Vojtech Holub met on Discord during COVID, and soon found that by applying their interests and talents together in a big way, a big idea for a single-launch space station could become a reality. And thus, ThinkOrbital was born! One of Beth's favorite ThinkOrbital long-term objectives is that they look to explore customers beyond "traditional" space users, promoting the quality of business, research and recreational scope available in space! Today on this Casual Space Podcast episode, Sebastian and Vojtech walk us through their concept to create a novel space station that is scalable, modular and can be deployed with a single launch to be assembled on-orbit. Wow. About Sebastian Asprella: Think Orbital Co-Founder, CEO Sebastian brings 25 years of leadership and intrapreneurship experience across business management and IT sectors. With a background in electromechanics and business administration, Sebastian has been working for the European Medicines Agency (EMA) since 2001 starting from business administration to heading complex multinational digitalization programs. Sebastian has previously consulted on business development for EnergyX, while his early career experience ranges across telecom and oil and gas sectors. About Vojtech Holub, Ph.D.: Think Orbital Co-Founder, CTO Vojtech brings 13 years of research and development and software engineering experience, along with research expertise in aerospace engineering. Vojtech holds over 20 patents and has published 17 conference and journal papers. His paper published in the AIAA's Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets has served as a founding thesis for ThinkOrbital's Commercial Space Station design. About ThinkOrbital https://thinkorbital.com/ ThinkOrbital is designing and delivering the premier commercial low Earth orbit destination with a mission to accelerate exploration of cislunar space. They have developed a concept based on mature technologies available today, to create a novel space station that is scalable, modular and can be deployed with a single launch to be assembled on-orbit. Other Happenings: James Webb Space Telescope?!?! Here's a great video about JWST launch and deployment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6ihVeEoUdo Launch Schedules! https://www.space.com/32286-space-calendar.html Dylan Taylor launches on Blue Origin! Here's my conversation with Dylan from earlier this year; https://www.bethmund.com/casual-space-podcast/2020/12/17/101-dylan-taylor And here's another great conversation with Dylan and Frank White! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlU76UuDxjA