Casual Space

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: askbeth@casualspacepodcast.com 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: askbeth@casualspacepodcast.com 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: askbeth@casualspacepodcast.com 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: bethisbeth@me.com & askbeth@casualspacepodcast.com 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: bethisbeth@me.com & askbeth@casualspacepodcast.com 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: bethisbeth@me.com & askbeth@casualspacepodcast.com 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: bethisbeth@me.com & askbeth@casualspacepodcast.com 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: bethisbeth@me.com & askbeth@casualspacepodcast.com 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: bethisbeth@me.com & askbeth@casualspacepodcast.comWebsite: 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: bethisbeth@me.com & askbeth@casualspacepodcast.com Website: bethmund.comFacebook: @BethMund Show notes by podcastologist: Chelsea Taylor-Sturkie