Casual Space

Jesse Forte was NOT originally scheduled to be on the M4 Lunares X team. A crew member that could not attend the mission left an opening for a new, "first-time" analog astronaut to come and participate in our lunar simulation this July. Enter Jesse Forte, who said YES to this opportunity, and joined the crew with all the positive energy one could ever ask for- as he often does. On today's episode, Jesse invites you to do the same- to say YES to the interesting events that come across your path. He'll tell us how (an incredible vision board) and what's next for this inventor, author, musician, creator, entrepreneur, and now- analog astronaut, Jesse Forte. Where to find Jesse and all his work- https://www.youngrevminds.com/flawless-forte Listen to the M4 Music Album Here: https://linktr.ee/JFORTE

My conversation with author and philosopher of the Overview Effect Frank White continues - including the announcement of the Overview Effect Film Festival- on this episode of Casual Space. What is the Overview Effect? From Frank's book, The Overview Effect, page 2, edition 3 (I've ordered my NEW addition, and so should you): The Overview Effect is a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some astronauts and cosmonauts during spaceflight, often while viewing the Earth from orbit, in transit between the Earth and the moon, or from the lunar surface. It refers to the experience of seeing firsthand the reality that Earth is in space, a tine, fragile ball of life, "hanging in the void," shielded and nourished by a paper-thin atmosphere. The experience often transforms astronaut's perspective on the planet and humanity's place in the universe. Some common aspects of it are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility of taking care of the environment. About Frank White Frank has authored or coauthored numerous books on topics ranging from space exploration to climate change to artificial intelligence. His best-known work, The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution, is considered by many to be a seminal work in the field of space exploration. A film called "Overview," based largely on his work, has had nearly 8 million plays on Vimeo. Since the first edition of his book on the subject was published in 1987, "the Overview Effect" has become a standard term for describing the spaceflight experience. The fourth edition of The Overview Effect, including original interviews with 31 astronauts, is scheduled for publication in 2019. White considers himself to be a "space philosopher," and has long advocated developing a new philosophy of space exploration. His book on this topic, The Cosma Hypothesis: Implications of the Overview Effect, has just been published. In it, he asks the fundamental question, "What is the purpose of human space exploration? Why has the evolutionary process brought humanity to the brink of becoming a spacefaring species?" In the book, he shares the idea of "the Human Space Program" as a "central project" that will engage all of us in the process of becoming "Citizens of the Universe." To Learn More about Frank and his work: frankwhiteauthor.com ORDER YOUR COPY OF THE Overview Effect HERE: https://frankwhiteauthor.com/books And check out the Overview Effect Film Festival… premiering in November 2021~ https://filmfreeway.com/OverviewEffectFilmFestival

Frank White returns to Casual Space: Author, space philosopher and consultant joins Beth to share a lot of news! A new edition of the Overview Effect is out- and Frank announces a new project coming to you in November! We discuss non-professional space explorers (astronauts?), the need to migrate off Earth, and examine the many interpretations of the Overview Effect. What is the Overview Effect? From Frank's book, The Overview Effect, page 2, edition 3 (I've ordered my NEW addition, and so should you): The Overview Effect is a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some astronauts and cosmonauts during spaceflight, often while viewing the Earth from orbit, in transit between the Earth and the moon, or from the lunar surface. It refers to the experience of seeing firsthand the reality that Earth is in space, a tine, fragile ball of life, "hanging in the void," shielded and nourished by a paper-thin atmosphere. The experience often transforms astronaut's perspective on the planet and humanity's place in the universe. Some common aspects of it are a feeling of awe for the planet, a profound understanding of the interconnection of all life, and a renewed sense of responsibility of taking care of the environment. About Frank White Frank has authored or coauthored numerous books on topics ranging from space exploration to climate change to artificial intelligence. His best-known work, The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution, is considered by many to be a seminal work in the field of space exploration. A film called "Overview," based largely on his work, has had nearly 8 million plays on Vimeo. Since the first edition of his book on the subject was published in 1987, "the Overview Effect" has become a standard term for describing the spaceflight experience. The fourth edition of The Overview Effect, including original interviews with 31 astronauts, is scheduled for publication in 2019. White considers himself to be a "space philosopher," and has long advocated developing a new philosophy of space exploration. His book on this topic, The Cosma Hypothesis: Implications of the Overview Effect, has just been published. In it, he asks the fundamental question, "What is the purpose of human space exploration? Why has the evolutionary process brought humanity to the brink of becoming a spacefaring species?" In the book, he shares the idea of "the Human Space Program" as a "central project" that will engage all of us in the process of becoming "Citizens of the Universe." To Learn More about Frank and his work: frankwhiteauthor.com ORDER YOUR COPY OF THE Overview Effect HERE: https://frankwhiteauthor.com/books And check out the Overview Effect Film Festival… premiering in November 2021~ https://filmfreeway.com/OverviewEffectFilmFestival

That famous photo- the one we're all familiar with- an astronaut in a bright white suit flying untethered – floating, really, above the Earth with the dark contrast of space in the background… that photo has an incredible backstory… and it's been captured perfectly in an awesome new book by author Bruce McCandless III. Astronaut Bruce McCandless III is perhaps best remembered as the subject of a famous NASA photograph (below right), flying alongside the space shuttle in the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) -- the first astronaut to fly untethered from his spacecraft… His time as an astronaut encompassed much more than that mission, including serving as the Mission Control communicator for Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's moonwalk on the Apollo 11 mission. There's so much more to this iconic photo- and now we can enjoy the story behind the moment from Bruce's son, Bruce McCandless III in his new book, Wonders All Around. On this episode, Bruce shares his perspective with Beth on what it was like growing up with an astronaut Dad and more right here on this week's Casual Space Podcast. Both the book -and this conversation- is really good. About Bruce McCandless III Bruce McCandless III grew up in the shadow of Houston's Johnson Space Center during the Apollo and Skylab eras, watching Batman and Buzz Aldrin with equal enthusiasm. He graduated from the Plan II Honors Program of the University of Texas and went on to earn an M.A. from the University of Reading in England and a J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law. After teaching at Saint David's School in New York City, he returned to Austin to practice law and retired in 2019 as general counsel of Superior HealthPlan, the Texas affiliate of Fortune 100 company Centene. In addition to Wonders All Around: The Incredible True Story of Astronaut Bruce McCandless II and The First Untethered Flight in Space, Bruce is also the author of the science fiction novel Sour Lake (2011), the modern fairy tale Beatrice and the Basilisk (2014), and, with his daughter Carson, a book of light verse for middle schoolers titled Carson Clare's Trail Guide to Avoiding Death (And Other Unpleasant Consequences) (2017). He has published poems, stories, and essays in a variety of journals, including the Texas Observer, The Seattle Review, The Asian Wall Street Journal, Pleiades, and Consequence, and his book of poems, All of This is Ours, will be published in the summer of 2021 by Kelsay Books. Bruce is an avid runner and mountain biker who spends most of his free time on Central Texas trails. He is also a board member of the Worthy Garden Club—an Oregon-based environmental organization working to plant a million trees in the Pacific Northwest—and the Austin Library Foundation. Bruce and his wife, Pati McCandless, live in Austin To Learn More about Bruce and his work: First, check out the famous photo here: Bruce McCandless III from the NASA website: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/astronaut-bruce-mccandless-on-first-ever-untethered-spacewalk And Bruce III, the author, the attorney, the teacher and more: https://brucemccandless.com. ORDER YOUR COPY OF THIS GREAT BOOK Wonders All Around HERE: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1626348650/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

Awesome! Join the growing community of scientists, researchers, innovators, writers, artists and explorers working to enhance space exploration efforts. Now that Beth is back from her latest analog, Chad's got some questions. On this episode, learn the who, what, where, when and why analogs are helping humans to better explore the universe! NASA's official definition of an analog, with additional notations from Beth: Analog missions are field tests in locations that have physical similarities to the extreme space environments. NASA engineers and scientists work with government agencies, academia, and industry to gather requirements for testing in harsh environments before they are used in space. Analogs often look to test and research: new technologies, robotic equipment, vehicles, habitats, communications, power generation, mobility, infrastructure, design, and storage. Behavioral effects – such as isolation and confinement, team dynamics, menu fatigue, and others are also observed. Past generations used analog missions to prepare for leaving Earth's atmosphere, landing on the moon, and permanently orbiting our planet. In keeping with this concept, NASA is using analog missions to actively prepare for deep space destinations, such as an asteroid or Mars. Analogs provide NASA with data about strengths, limitations, and the validity of planned human-robotic exploration operations. Analogs can help define ways to combine human and robotic efforts to enhance scientific exploration. Analog locations can be found all over the world, including the Antarctic, oceans, deserts, arctic and volcanic environments! About Beth & Chad Beth and Chad still implement the lessons and experiences they learned from their work at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Chad has officially been named Beth's favorite co-host, and joins Beth on the podcast to share his wisdom, unique perspective, and to add humor. Beth recently returned from her latest analog mission in Poland at the LunAres Research Station, where she spent the month of July in an isolation study with her LunAres X crew mates. What's next for Beth (and Chad)? Tune in to find out! To Learn More about Analog Astronauts: From the NASA website: https://www.nasa.gov/analogs/what-are-analog-missions And http://www.analogastronaut.com/ And, check out all of the Mund on Mars and Mund on the Moon podcast series right here on Casual Space! Enjoy interviews from each crew member- learn about their goals & experiments on the analog… and why their work on each mission matters.

Did you know that the people and environment around you that you interact with can impact and even change the inside of your gut flora? Dr. JJ Hastings has found that in many of the past analog astronaut studies, there's been a convergence- an evolution- between crew members and their environment, one that's been seen on the International Space Station as well. These studies have shown how the immune system of a particular astronaut is responding to a specific environment, and JJ is working to showcase how this strong connection between the microbiome and the microflora will impact us in while in space! JJ's work at LunAres (and in most analog missions) is to model the method of collecting and monitoring biological samples from the crew in order predict what we think will happen to us humans on long-duration space flights (like Mars). Biology + Genomics + Machine learning = Interrogating what it means for a machine to be creative with your own (biological) data- it's all in a day's work for Dr. J.J. Hastings, our LunAresX Mission Commander! On this episode, we're together INSIDE the LunAres habitat discussing what it means to gather biological data while in an isolation study- what the data has potential to be used for, and I discover what secret rations our mission commander has been keeping from us…. "When we participate in an analog, we are intrinsically in a more controlled environment. And as an analog astronaut, we represent a diverse and self-selecting crew that is looking for astronaut like or expeditionary like experiences, and while we may not necessarily represent the general public, we are contributing the science that will greatly IMPACT the general public." -JJ Hastings from the Casual Space Podcast About JJ Hastings Dr. Jaden Hastings is an extremophile in every regard. Her field research takes her to every corner of the globe from pole to pole, into caves, and across the ocean. As a Research Fellow at Cornell, JJ studies microbial flora from extreme environments- both in space and on Earth. She is also an expert in machine learning and biodesign, with roles in multiple startups that aim to make living on and off Earth more sustainable. JJ is a professional artist, with formal training in Fine Art, and has exhibited her work across the US, Europe, India, Asia and Australia. JJ served as Commander of SNESORIA M1 and as the Program Director for the SENSORIA Program.

Sorry, folks. You won't find Paul Bakken on social media. You will find him running around the LunAres habitat repairing, improving and applying his years of analog astronaut experience to our mission in the LunAres Research Station! We've been beyond grateful that Paul's been selected as one of our crew mates- in addition to his extensive background in law, community service, and analog missions, Paul happens to be an incredible chef! After enjoying this conversation with Paul, you will have a perfect understanding of what a mission generalist does, and then you'll find yourself asking, "where can I find a mission generalist to help me in my everyday life?!?!" "I like fixing things and feeding people. It's what I enjoy doing at home, so it's a natural fit for me to do it here at LunAres." -Paul Bakken from the Casual Space Podcast About Paul Paul Bakken is a native Minnesotan, husband of 28 years and a father of three children. He has served his community as an elected official for over 18 years. He serves on the Board of Directors for his local distribution cooperative. Other community experience and volunteering includes Boy Scouts, where he has earned the rank of Eagle Scout, and service as an officer in the Minnesota Army National Guard. Bakken earned a B.A. in Political Science and Classics from St. Olaf College and a M.A. from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. Paul has also earned his J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School, and has completed the FEMA/ EMI Integrated Emergency Management Course. When he's not baking up amazing food for analog astronauts, Bakken enjoys reading science fiction and tinkering. He has a long-standing interest in the exploration of space, and particularly in our exploration of the Moon and Mars. As an analog astronaut, he has served as Commander of two crew rotations at the Mars Desert Research Station, or MDRS, and as Executive Officer for NEPTUNE, a five-day underwater research mission. He's also served as the Operations Officer for Selene I, a fourteen-day lunar analog research mission at HI-SEAS. He's currently enjoying his new title of Mission Generalist on the LunAresX Sensoria mission in Pila Poland at the LunAres Research Station.

In the first MUND ON the MOON series, meet Paul Tomko. He is our crew's Executive Officer- applying his expertise of Aeronautical & Astronautical engineering with his passion for space exploration and optimal health & performance. "I'm always looking to improve myself. I don't want to go through life just existing…become healthier, explore new things, if I have a passion or a dream that I want to pursue, then I move towards it. It may change over time, but as long as you have a goal that moves your heart and something you are excited about and you move towards it every day… to me, that's a great life." -Paul Tomko from the Casual Space Podcast About Paul Paul has a multi faceted background ranging from engineering and project management to health&fitness and business. Paul graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelors in Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering. He spent 4 years as a crew chief and project manager at the Kirsten Wind Tunnel where he led a student crew that conducted tests for a wide range of industry partners including NASA, Air Force Research Labs, and over 100 other customers. Paul was also a program manager at the National Reconnaissance Office where he led a large team of contractors to effectively design, build, and launch critical military space assets. Paul is currently a business development manager working with clients across a wide variety of industries. He is currently focused on solving the engineering challenges needed to help take humanity to Mars and beyond. In Feb 2021 Paul was selected to join the HISEAS Valoria II space analog mission. Paul has an extensive health and fitness background, in high school he focused primarily on swimming. In college Paul transitioned to rowing as a member of the NCAA UW Men's Crew team, where he continued his intense training of 3-5 hours a day, 6 days a week. Paul then transitioned into competitive bodybuilding for 5 years, winning several overall titles and his IFPA/NGA natural bodybuilding pro cards along the way. Since retiring from competitive bodybuilding, Paul has turned his attention to health, fitness and longevity and has helped train dozens of elite athletes over the years. Listen to Paul's Anti-Aging Lifestyle podcast! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/anti-aging-lifestyle-longevity-aesthetics-health-beauty/id1477656566 You can also find Paul on: Instagram: paul_tomko Facebook: /ptomko71 LinkedIn: /paul-tomko

THIS WEEK, in the news from Space.com: Nuclear-powered spaceships for fast trips to Mars may now be one step closer to reality. "NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) have teamed up to fund three design concepts for reactors that could become part of a nuclear thermal propulsion system, a next-generation technology that could make the exploration of deep space faster and more efficient." On this episode, learn how Dr. Paolo Venneri and his team help provide hardware and services for reliable energy anywhere – on Earth and in Space by providing design, licensing, and technology capabilities to develop nuclear power systems for advanced applications, including; Transportable Power Units, Nuclear Thermal Propulsion and Lunar Surface Power systems. About Dr. Paolo Venneri Dr. Paolo Venneri is the Executive Vice President of the USNC Advanced Technologies division, where he is responsible for setting company direction, managing multiple projects, and building new business and growth opportunities. He has overseen multiple successful Phase I and Phase II NASA SBIRs and leads projects related to developing fuel and reactor designs for nuclear thermal propulsion, nuclear electric propulsion, and surface fission power. His technical background includes researching the development of thermal spectrum Low-Enriched Uranium Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (LEU-NTP) systems for the past five years. He was the first to publish on LEU-NTP systems' neutronic design and is involved in the development of the LEU graphite composite, tungsten cermet, and various advanced NTP systems. More about Ultra Safe Nuclear: https://usnc.com/space/

This is the story of one amazing woman who is taking her expertise of space systems and implementing changes that will benefit us all- like making life support technologies easily accessible and affordable for terrestrial humanity. Clean and accessible water. Better air quality. And leaving the world a better place than when you found it. Brittany Zimmerman is the CEO and Chief of Innovation at Yummet, a company she's built herself from asking the big questions, including how each of us can be a catalyst for positive change. Before she built Yummet, Brittany served as Principal Investigator and Aerospace Systems Engineer developing life support systems for long-duration spaceflight and habitation. Brittany Zimmerman Brittany has spent 30 years working on expanding her breadth of skills to build a synergy of competencies to achieve her lifetime goal: organizational success through bettering the conditions of humanity. Read more about Brittany's work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brittany-zimmerman/ And learn more about Yummet at: https://www.yummet.com/