Casual Space

What a fun conversation! Beth and Alan combine all of the space topics you love in one incredibly entertaining episode, including: Astrochicks, George Lucas, hyphenated astronauts and tickets to the moon offered from former airlines company PanAm. See You in Orbit? Our Dream of Spaceflight is the book Alan presents that will guide you on a historical, personal, irreverent, and often-humorous tour of the promises, expectations, principal personalities, and milestones regarding the goal individuals have to fly in space. At the end of the tour we'll assess whether we are getting closer to the day when we can greet fellow dreamers with the joyful salutation: See You in Orbit!Where to get your copy of the book, See You in Orbit https://www.amazon.com/See-You-Orbit-Dream-Spaceflight/dp/1733265708 "Their letters inspired me- they were so heartfelt. Look no further! I'm your man/ woman! This would bring meaning to my life! Why a teacher? Why not a plumber? How about Journalists? Nurses? Everyone wanted to go." -Alan Ladwig about being the manager of space flight participant program at NASA and receiving letters from people wanting to fly to space (from the Casual Space Podcast ). Where to find Alan Ladwig: https://toorbitproductions.com/about-me On Twitter @SpaceArtAl Here's more about Alan: Alan has been recognized for his leadership and contributions in the field of policy, communications, and STEAM education in the aerospace sector. He is especially known for playing a leading role in developing and managing programs to directly engage the general public in space research and space-related outreach opportunities. He is Chief of To Orbit Productions, an independent company that provides consulting services and lectures on space policy as well the creation of art projects based on space themes. Ladwig is also serving as the Chief of Communications and a member of the Board of Directors of the Star Harbor Space Training Academy, a startup company with plans to offer astronaut training for the general public. During his career Ladwig received NASA's Distinguished Service Medal, the Exceptional Achievement Medal, two Exceptional Service Medals, the Outstanding Leadership Medal, and was a member of six Group Achievement Awards. He is a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society. In 2014 Ladwig received the Distinguish Alumni Award for both Elgin Community College and the Illinois Community College Trustees Association. He served in U.S. Army with the 558th Artillery Group, stationed in Athens, Greece from 1972-1974. Ladwig received a Masters in Higher Education (1976) and Bachelors in Speech (1970) from Southern Illinois University. He received an Associates degree in Business from Elgin Community College (1968).

The overview effect is a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some astronauts during spaceflight, often while viewing the Earth from outer space (Wikipedia reference) The term and concept were coined in 1987 by Frank White, who explored the theme in his book The Overview Effect — Space Exploration and Human Evolution. Since 1987, there's been a recently series of interviews done at the Johnson Space Center with a new group of Astronauts in a series that's been produced called, "Down to Earth" (you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L6eqgnmlPo) It is the experience of seeing firsthand the reality of the Earth in space, which is immediately understood to be a tiny, fragile ball of life, "hanging in the void", shielded and nourished by a paper-thin atmosphere. From space, national boundaries vanish, the conflicts that divide people become less important, and the need to create a planetary society with the united will to protect this "pale blue dot" becomes both obvious and imperative.[5] The thing that really surprised me was that it [Earth] projected an air of fragility. And why, I don't know. I don't know to this day. I had a feeling it's tiny, it's shiny, it's beautiful, it's home, and it's fragile. — Michael Collins, Apollo 11[7] Astronauts Michael Collins, Ron Garan,[8] Rusty Schweikart,[5] Edgar Mitchell,[5] Tom Jones,[5] Scott Kelly,[9] James Irwin,[10] Mike Massimino,[11] Chris Hadfield,[13] Sally Ride, and Anne McClain[14] are all reported to have experienced the effect.[5] Frank White 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." Once you are done enjoying this episode, the hope is that you find yourself asking, "How can we bring the overview effect down to Earth? How can I use the Overview Effect to address inequality? Conflict resolution? How can we apply it to Psychotherapy? Basically, I hope this conversation inspires you to look at how we can be better humans, and look at things with a different perspective. What the Overview Effect is from Frank's own words: "It's a message from the universe via the astronauts and then through me. And it's not a one-time message, it's a continuing message." What is the Overview Effect? "I was searching for a way into space exploration without a technical bio. The moment the Overview Effect came to me was when I was flying across the country and looking out the window. I was obsessing about living off the planet, and I was looking down and I just had this idea that, gosh- if I lived in a place like this, I would see the Earth as a whole system and the connectedness and the unity of our planet and of ourselves would not be a discussion, it would just be obvious. When we landed, I was thinking, how can we pursue this? It didn't start out with astronauts, it was about space settlements and space communities, and there were not any people I could interview [to speak about these things] so I interviewed astronauts as a proxy. I was thinking about it as something ordinary- there's the Earth, from the sky. When I started talking to astronauts, they saw the Earth from a distance was extraordinary. So that shifted the dialogue for a bit and it's been shifted for a while where people are far more focused on 'how do we apply this to create a better life on Earth. How do we bring the overview effect down to Earth. And I'm glad. The overview effect is a theory yet to be proven in it's original form." -Frank White Where to get your copy of the book, Overview Effect and more books by Frank White: https://www.amazon.com/Overview-Effect-Exploration-Evolution-Library/dp/162410262X The Overview Effect Movie: https://www.google.com/search?q=the+overview+effect+vinmo&rlz=1C1DVJR_enUS852US863&oq=the+overview+effect+vinmo&aqs=chrome..69i57j0.7670j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 Where to find Frank White: www.FrankWhiteAuthor.com "What I really want to do is to create a movement or support a movement that has the overview effect as it's core philosophy…as it's basic understanding of who we are, where we are in the universe, and that means supporting other people." -Frank White on the Casual Space Podcast Other podcasts with more Frank White and the Overview Effect: NASA's Houston, We Have a Podcast: Episode 107 https://www.nasa.gov/johnson/HWHAP/the-overview-effect

On this inspirational episode, Beth talks with former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver about the Brooke Owens Fellowship. Created to honor the legacy of a beloved space industry pioneer and accomplished pilot, Dawn Brooke Owens (1980 – 2016), the Brooke Owens Fellowship is designed to serve both as an inspiration and as a career boost to capable young women and other gender minorities who, like Brooke, aspire to explore our sky and stars, to shake up the aerospace industry, and to help their fellow people here on planet Earth. This incredible organization matches up to forty students per year with purpose-driven, paid internships at leading aerospace companies and organizations and with senior and executive level mentors. Join Beth and Lori as they share this sincere conversation about a friend, a desire, and a mission to turn promising students into thriving leaders. What is the Brooke Owens Fellowship? PAID INTERNSHIPS & EXECUTIVE MENTORSHIP FOR EXCEPTIONAL UNDERGRADUATE WOMEN AND GENDER-MINORITY STUDENTS IN AEROSPACE Learn More about Brooke Owens and the Brooke Owens Fellowship at : http://www.brookeowensfellowship.org/ About Dawn Brooke Owens: Brooke was a beloved friend and colleague to many in the aerospace industry. Coming from humble beginnings in a small mining company town (population: ~2,750) just outside of Death Valley National Park, Brooke managed to make a lasting impact on the industry through talent, character, and sheer determination. Always an excellent student – she was valedictorian of her high school class… though she was always quick to point out that there were only two students in her class! – Brooke was an alumna of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the International Space University. Professionally, she worked at the NASA's Johnson Space Center, the non-profit XPRIZE Foundation, the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation, and the White House Office of Management and Budget. Brooke also committed herself to whole-hearted service. Supporting organizations such as AidChild and Mercy's Village International, Brooke was passionate about making her world a better place by supporting children orphaned by the HIV/AIDS crisis, ending human trafficking, fighting poverty, and empowering girls and women. Outside of work and her philanthropic efforts, Brooke was a caring, warm, and adventurous spirit. She was an accomplished pilot, and spent many of her happiest moments flying. She found time to go kayaking, run triathlons, become a party DJ, perform at spoken word events, and a million other things. Brooke was the sort of person for whom no amount of time on this Earth would have been enough to do all that she wanted to do. Thankfully, she was also the sort of person who lived life to its fullest, and found joy in every moment. About Lori Garver: Lori Garver is the former Deputy Administrator of NASA. Prior to her Senate confirmation, she headed the NASA transition team and was the lead space policy advisor to Senator Clinton and Senator Obama during the 2008 presidential campaign. Lori is currently the CEO of Earthrise Alliance - a philanthropic initiative established to fully utilize Earth science data to combat climate change. Earthrise Alliance funds fellowships and awards grants to partner organizations that engage and activate educators, journalists, voters and decision makers.

Rachel Lyons is a key advocate in the advancement of space technology and exploration. Rachel is the former Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space – USA, a non-profit that empowers young people to make an impact in space exploration. She is a former public radio host. She holds a BSc. in Aerospace Engineering and Economics from the University of Miami. Astronauts return from space with a new understanding of life on earth — from the environment to politics, resources to energy, to humanitarian issues. Rachel believes this perspective is essential in addressing the challenges we face globally, as well as creating a connection to each other and our home planet earth. She is committed to providing opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds to expand their perspective – both for the futuristic vision of humanity, and for our world today. About Space For Humanity: https://www.spaceforhumanity.org/

Joe Cassady is Executive Director of Space Programs in the Washington DC Operations for Aerojet Rocketdyne. Joe and the AR team help to plan human missions to the Moon and Mars, helping to develop the strategy and architectures for future space and launch systems. Joe and Beth met at the NASA Stennis Space Center and the NASA Michoud Assembly Center in New Orleans for the NASA Artemis Day celebration. Together, Beth and Joe geek out about rocket engines and what it takes to get us to the Moon and Mars and beyond. They discuss the different types of rockets, types of propulsion systems, how building rocket engines is a kind of architecture, and working to shorten the transit time of getting to the places we want to go in space. Learn what the GREEN RUN test is coming up, and why it's another HUGE milestone in our journey toward our return to the moon. What surprises people most when it comes to rocket engines? Find out all this and more on this episode with Joe! Beth's favorite quote from Joe on the podcast: "Literally, tens of thousands of people and hundreds of companies are involved- many are small companies that are our suppliers…they're the real lifeblood of things like this and they are very proud of it. Being able to go out, and go across the country and say to people, 'The road to Mars and the road back to the Moon starts here, in your town. You're part of this'. It's really exciting. More great stuff from Joe: "We're able to use what we learned on the Space Shuttle Program- some of the very engines themselves on a fleet of orbiters that flew three of the RS-25s that gave us an inventory of engines! Rather than keeping them on the orbiters that went to museums, they removed the flight engines and we'll be using them for the first few Artemis missions! We went back an equipped them with a new brain, and electronic controller…it's really neat to see them be available to the nation to get us on this path in an accelerated way. "I'm looking forward to the day we put those boots back on the Moon, and I'm really really looking forward to seeing the first steps taken on the surface of Mars." About Joe Cassady is Aerojet Rocketdyne's Executive Director for Space in the company's Washington Operations. He is responsible for strategy and capture activities related to many of the company's NASA programs, including: the Space Launch System (SLS);the propulsion system for the Orion deep space capsule; Commercial Crew propulsion and power systems; advanced electric propulsion; International Space System (ISS) power system, as well as AFRL and DARPA programs. He also is involved with research activities for next-generation space technology, including additive manufacturing, advanced materials, non-toxic propellants, modular propulsion for small satellites, and nuclear propulsion and power technology efforts. Joseph Cassady joined Aerojet in 1985 and was appointed to his present position in June 2013. Previously, he served in various Engineering and Business Development positions related to advanced propulsion for missiles and spacecraft. He began his career at the Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory at Edwards AFB, where he performed research into the acceleration mechanisms of Magneto Plasma Dynamic (MPD) thrusters as part of an AFOSR graduate program. After graduation, Joseph Cassady continued his research at the AFRPL, where he helped to create the in-house Electric Propulsion Laboratory (EPL). He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the Purdue University. He is the recipient of several technical awards from Aerojet Rocketdyne and outside organizations. Joseph Cassady has authored or co-authored more than 50 papers dealing with mission design, space architectures, and propulsion technology and its applications and holds four patents for electric propulsion technologies. His professional affiliations included the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, where he is an Associate Fellow; the American Astronautical Society; and the Electric Rocket Propulsion Society, where he serves as Vice President. He also serves on the board of ExploreMars, Inc., an organization dedicated to education, STEM activities and outreach related to the exploration of Mars. Videos and more from this rocket engine conversation: State of NASA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRvLuM8ZzGc What is the Green Run test mentioned? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebzxYAIOb-w What is Artemis Core Stage? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWkBeOqvtWA What is a rocket and how does it work? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jI-HeXhsUIg About AeroJet Rocketdyne: https://www.rocket.com/ "Aerojet Rocketdyne is a world-recognized aerospace and defense leader providing propulsion and energetics to its space, missile defense, strategic, tactical missile and armaments customers throughout the world. Aerojet Rocketdyne's strategic and tactical missile programs defend America, our troops and our allies." More about Joe and where to find him: Twitter: @MarsJoe Joe obtained his BS and MS in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University as well as a Graduate Certificate in Systems Engineering from the George Washington University. He has nearly 40 years of experience in various forms of rocket propulsion and mission and systems analysis and has authored more than 60 technical papers dealing with electric propulsion, power and attitude control systems, space architectures and mission analysis. Recently, Mr Cassady collaborated with three Purdue University professors to co-author a new textbook for university level studies entitled Rocket Propulsion. He also serves on the Board of the non-profit Explore Mars, Inc.

Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides is a public speaker, co-creator of Yuri's Night, and an author on space exploration. Whitesides received a bachelor's degree in biology from Stanford and a master's from Caltech, with a particular interest in astrobiology. She accumulated over five hours of weightless time as a Flight Director for Zero-G Corporation, and plans to travel to space as a "Founder Astronaut" on Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo with her husband George T. Whitesides.[1] Beth's favorite quote from Loretta on the podcast: "I've been to a Hollywood movie premier! I've been to the bottom of the ocean! I've partied with Buzz Aldrin! I've done all of these fancy, glitzy, amazing, check-the-box-I'm-a-successful-person-things, and I can assure you, IT DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING. At the end of the day and on my deathbed, what's going to matter most is, Do I love myself? Am I proud of myself? Am I proud of who I am? Am I proud of the relationships that I've maintained? Have I restored integrity? Have I forgiven people? Have I let go of resentment? That's what important and that's what life is really made of, and what I hope people attend to." "My religion is Jedi." About wanting to be princess Leia: "She was so courageous, and she was so powerful. I was like, yeah, that's obviously like what women are! That's obviously what women should do in the universe, and that's obviously like what I'm going to be when I grow up." "We talk about being "successful and miserable" and the transformational journey of being honest. We discuss the many Star Wars references and the influences books and movies and art had on Loretta from a very young age. I ask Loretta if we're really meant to leave this planet, and if we can afford to make mistakes in space. "When we go to space, we will have to learn how to live sustainably in a closed ecosystem, and how and take care of everyone in our community and to care for ourselves so we are all honored, nurtured, and will help us back on our home world. Space is not s silver bullet. It does not fix us, but it IS an opportunity. I'm saying the most precious resource is the opportunity we have in space is to hit that restart. We can either squander that resource, and we can just do things the way we've always done them, or we can take advantage of that opportunity. We have one chance to restart fresh when we go to space. And I want to make sure we've done the thinking before we go, and that we make the most of it. About Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides Having dreamed of space since she was a little girl, Loretta wants to use the power of space to shift our perspectives, connect us with each other and our home planet and become the kind of species we would be proud to send to the nearest star. About The New Right Stuff book: (Taken from the website)This book was written for you. It was created to support you in fulfilling what you came to Earth to do. It will take you on a hero's journey, to find your calling, to face your dark side, to be the person you have always wanted to be, to capture your dream and to return home to share the wisdom you have gained from your journey with others. We use space as a backdrop for the whole adventure. Why? Because I love space, many of you love space, and space is a powerful reminder of what we are capable of as a species. Space is also an inspiration for us each fulfilling our piece in creating what Buckminster Fuller called, "a world that works for everyone." I invite you to continue your training here. We each have a unique mission. If you don't fulfill your mission, no one else can. More about Loretta: Having studied astrobiology at Stanford and Caltech, Loretta has worked in the Astronaut Office in Houston Texas, done research on plant life in the Canadian Arctic with NASA, dove to the bottom of the ocean with Titanic Director James Cameron to film the IMAX "Aliens of the Deep," floated weightless hundreds of times as a Flight Director for Zero Gravity Corporation, studied terraforming Mars with Dr. Chris McKay of NASA Ames, worked for the X Prize Foundation during the $10M winning Ansari X Prize flights in 2004, helped launch the Space Generation Advisory Council in 1999, and Co-Created Yuri's Night, The World Space Party in 2001. Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides has been a Future Astronaut with Virgin Galactic since 2005. She currently lives in the desert outside Los Angeles with her husband George and their two kids and leads leadership development training for Virgin Galactic staff as well as continuing to give talks and write to help people fulfill on what they came to Earth to do! MORE with Loretta: Space Kind: http://www.spacekind.org/?fbclid=IwAR3EBZt3CpQSqONtOjiEd8tBPVyzkJeSlYgLXkTg5mZIsL4uNkZiJrKUze0 Yuri's Night: https://yurisnight.net/ "The New Right Stuff" "The World Space Party: TMRO Interviews Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides - March 25, 2017" "It's Up To Us: GeekDad Interviews Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides" "Cuppa and chat with Loretta Whitesides from Galactic Unite" Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides on LinkedIn Loretta Hidalgo Whitesides on IMDb "10% Happier Podcast with Dan Harris - February 13, 2019" TED Talks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdJlJ0V-UaA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8p6QuNf0DE

Dr. Andrew Aldrin is Director of the Aldrin Space Institute at Florida Institute of Technology. ASI is a multidisciplinary institute created to advance commercial space development. On the podcast, Andy tells Beth and the Casual Space listeners about the Graduate Certificate in Commercial Space Studies. It's a partnership between the International Space University and Florida Tech. Beth and Andy also discuss seeing the Falcon Heavy Launch in person last summer, why communicating what's happening in the space industry effectively is so important, and Andy tells Beth where he would like to go in space, and what he would pay a significant amount of money to do in space! About the Graduate Certificate in Commercial Space Studies: This space-focused, multidisciplinary program is only graduate-level certificate of its kind in the U.S., and provides rigorous, practical training in the nuances of space finance, policy, management, technology and entrepreneurship. Master's students and young professionals from around the world will gain valuable academic and real-world insight to spark economic innovation in the fast-emerging commercial space industry. ISU (International Space University) Center for Space Entrepreneurship: https://www.fit.edu/isucse/ About International Space University: https://www.isunet.edu/ About Andy Aldrin: Prior to FIT, Dr. Aldrin was President of Moon Express, responsible for day to day operations for the company. Dr. Aldrin also held executive positions in more traditional aerospace industry, serving as Director of Business Development and Advanced Programs at United Launch Alliance where he oversaw development of corporate strategies, business capture, senior customer relations and advanced program development for civil space markets. Before ULA, Dr. Aldrin headed Business Development and Advanced Programs for Boeing's NASA Systems, and Launch Services business units. He has also served on the professional research staff of the RAND Corporation and the Institute for Defense Analyses.

Elizabeth Howell is a space writer, science consultant and writing teacher based in Ottawa, Canada. She writes about space, science and astronauts, and has even BEEN an astronaut in a simulation on Mars!** Elizabeth writes hundreds a stories a year on the space business, from conferences, from live events and from my own home. You can see her work daily in places like Space.com, Forbes and SpaceQ. Elizabeth's notable projects include: Elizabeth journeyed to Kazakhstan twice to report on two International Space Station launches: Expedition 56 and Expedition 58. She documented living on a "Mars" base for two weeks. And, Elizabeth attended three space shuttle launches (like this one), and talked to numerous astronauts about how to prepare for spaceflight. *She participated in the Mars Desert Research Station. Run by the Mars Society- researchers go there for 2 weeks with isolated conditions to work and learn and adapt to the environment. She rocked the research. Not so much the cooking… About writing her latest book: "Canada Arm and Collaboration" about the Canadian space program, and it will be published in October. It will be my 3rd book about science that will be out earlier this year… What really made the book easy to write form me- because book writing is terrible- it's a lot of work and a lot of research- it was the result of 25 years of passion from the Apollo 13 movie just pouring out. what I really wanted to highlight was the behind the scenes work the astronauts do." – Elizabeth Howell from Casual Space About the story behind the story: "The challenge is that there's not very much coverage because there's only about 6 of us (covering space) across the country (in Canada), so I've trying to attend as much as possible trying to tell the stories of both the astronauts from the launch, but they do all of these cool things on the ground that nobody talks about! They do underwater missions! They do geological field work! They do inspirational events for children! They have conversations with our Prime Minister! I like to be there and report when they are doing things in between (missions). About being a writer: "I was quite good at writing, it just seemed to come naturally to me. I had this ability to sit down and translate complex ideas into really cool stuff!" About inspiring her students: "There are many ways to do something. If you want to be an astronaut, I tell students that I've gone and simulated being an astronaut, I've gotten a degree where I was studying astronaut behavior. I've written and talked to so many astronauts over the years, so I basically have come as close as I can!" Where to find Elizabeth and her work: https://elizabethhowell.ca/ On Twitter: @Howellspace Books: https://elizabethhowell.ca/books/ The Science of Time Travel: The Secrets Behind Time Machines, Time Loops, Alternate Realities, and More! The Search of Life On Mars: The Greatest Scientific Detective Story of All Time by Elizabeth Howell and Nicholas Booth And Canadarm and Collaboration: How Canada's Astronauts and Space Robots Explore New Worlds

Adam is an evangelist of science. From everything sci-fi to just thinking, looking and observing the world, science has always provided a sense of oneness with the universe for Adam. Adam is a theoretical/computational astrophysicist and he heads a research group that is developing new tools for simulating the cosmos. SO many great things discussed on this episode! *Beth asks Adam: Which is harder? Trying to communicate the need for a long-term investment in space exploration, or trying to change the mind of a climate denialist? *What are techno signatures, and why should we be looking for them? And why would science fiction writers help us in the search? *AI, propulsion systems to get us to Mars, exploring the universe in the next 200 years, understanding consciousness and more…. Quotes from the show: "Science is a mechanism for being exposed to the wonder." – Adam Frank on Casual Space "The universe is more creative and more imaginative than we are." – Adam "Machines can be intelligent, but can they be self-aware? My intuition is that we miss understand consciousness so profoundly. The philosophical tradition in which this question is asked (the western tradition) never had an empirical way of asking questions about the nature of consciousness. It took reason as the only way to explore questions about consciousness. Whereas in the classical Indian and Asian school of philosophy, (who also thought about consciousness for thousands of years and had contemplative practice), had a VERY different way of looking of things. I think that the west has sort of fooled itself, it thinks it can reduce consciousness to neural activity. The view that everything is made of atoms, and you can build your way up into something like consciousness….in fact, at least from my experiences, consciousness is where you start. Then you do this weird thing called science where you tell stories about the world, and then with experiments you can extend your reach of awareness. We can become sort of trapped thinking you can reduce consciousness to a bunch of wires." Where to find Adam and his work: https://www.adamfrankscience.com/about Twitter: @AdamFrank4 Adam recommends! Books: Kim Stanley Robinson (sci-fi writer) The Mandalorian Passengers Writers: Alastair Reynolds William Gibson TV Shows: Alter Carbon on Nextflix, Westworld The Expanse About Adam Frank: Adam Frank fell in love with astronomy when he was 5 years old and the affair has never cooled. Late one night in the family library, Adam found the keys to the universe sketched out on the covers of his dad's pulp-science-fiction magazines—astronauts bounding across the jagged frontiers of alien worlds, starships rising to discovery on pillars of fire. The boundless world of possibilities on those covers became the one he was determined to inhabit. Later, the love for astronomy transformed into a passion for the practice of science itself when his father's simple explanation of electric currents and sound waves turned the terror of a booming thunderstorm into an opportunity to marvel at the world's beauty. Now a professor of astrophysics at the University of Rochester, he studies the processes that shape the formation and death of stars and has become a leading expert on the final stages of evolution for stars like the sun. Adam is a theoretical/computational astrophysicist and he heads a research group that is developing new tools for simulating the cosmos. Adam also describes himself as an "evangelist of science." His commitment to showing others the beauty and power of science has led him to a second career as a popular writer and speaker on the subject. He is the co-founder of National Public Radio's 13.7: Cosmos and Culture blog as well as a regular on-air commentator for All Things Considered. He also contributes occasionally to The New York Times. Adam is the author of three books. The most recent, Light of the Stars: Alien Worlds and the Fate of the Earth, explores a new vision for climate change and the human future by placing them both in their proper "astrobiological" context. Climate change may likely be an expected consequence of any civilization on any planet developing an advanced industrial civilization. Adam's first book, The Constant Fire: Beyond the Religion and Science Debate, focuses on perspectives on science and human spirituality that went beyond the usual creationism vs. Richard Dawkins debate. About Time: Cosmology and Culture at the Twilight of the Big Bang explores the links between changing conceptions of cosmology and the human experience of time. He is also the author of a textbook Astronomy: At Play in the Cosmos. You can also sign up for his free Coursera course "Confronting The Big Questions: Highlights of Modern Astronomy".

Gary Gattis spent his entire career making video games, AI/Space was a late life industry transition. Why? When Gary decided it was time to move into the next adventure in his professional career, he asked everyone (yes, everyone) two important questions that led him to Hypergiant, where Gary and the team believes that AI is essential to secure our place in the universe via space exploration. "We started looking at ground control, and saw there was a lot of room for disruption."- Gary Gattis on Casual Space Podcast When it was time to move into the next chapter of Gary's professional journey, he went to friends and colleagues and asked everyone two questions: "1. What's the coolest stuff going on in the world, and 2. If you weren't doing what you were doing, what WOULD you be doing? That was a fascinating time in my life! I was doing 10+ coffee/ lunches a week! It was full time!" "I call it my journey of discernment. Really, three things came out of it. The first was a deeper connection to myself. I was talking to people I've known 20-30 years ago- old friends. Second, I got to see myself through other people's eyes. Third, it really helped me hone my personal brand. It took a lot of external conversations for me to validate [what my personal brand was] through other people. It was a great experience for me, and I highly recommend this experience." -Gary Oh by the way, He's been to Space Force HQ. About Gary Gattis: Gary is an Interdisciplinary leader guiding people and process to improve our world. Specialties include growth, operations, and management. Founded several companies at the intersection of technology and design, led extremely diverse teams to success.Currently CEO for Hypergiant Galactic Systems, focussed on integrating Artificial Intelligence with the commercialization of Space. More about Gary and his work and career at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garygattis/ Interesting stuff about Hypergiant from Texas Monthly: Hypergiant aims to help its clients gather and analyze vast amounts of data. You're working on improving the sensory perception of machines. You're aiming to launch a network of small satellites gathering data from above. And you're looking to empower "smart cities," stitching together data from cameras that are increasingly everywhere Hypergiant does sell—artificial intelligence-enabled software and hardware—and you'll appreciate Lamm's problem. Even many people lacking in technological savvy have heard of AI as a force with the potential to shape much of humanity's future—for better or worse. Some of those people look to get into business with Hypergiant without any real idea of what it is they're buying. They just know they want some. "It's like the most addictive drug that no one's ever had," says Lamm, who serves as the company's CEO.