Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists

Richard Hollingham, Sue Nelson
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May 10, 2025 • 1h 9min

Two astronauts and a Shuttle

Dinner chat on the space station, landing in the Shuttle and flying with William Shatner! Hosts Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham chat to NASA astronaut Nicole Stott about painting in space and whether we should send politicians into orbit! They also visit Space Shuttle Discovery in Washington to meet curator Jennifer Levassuer, Sue talks to Blue Origin astronaut Chris Boshuizen who pioneered phones in space, and the proposed NASA budget and what that means for Europe goes under the microscope...Contact us @spaceboffins and podcast@spaceboffins.com Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Apr 7, 2025 • 54min

HALO, Gateway and Vigil

It's all about returning to the Moon and protecting the Earth this time with Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham. Sue goes to Thales Alenia Space in Italy to see HALO (Habitation and Logistics Outpost) - the first completed module for NASA's orbiting lunar space station, Gateway and a mock up of Europe's planned lunar IHAB module. We also hear about the ESA mission Vigil to improve space weather forecasts... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Feb 26, 2025 • 60min

Biomass, living on Mars, and incoming asteroids!

Incoming! NASA's acting head of planetary defence, Kelly Fast, discusses asteroids, YR2 and how to protect our planet. The UK Space Agency's head of Earth Observation and Climate, Beth Greenaway, and chief scientist, Shaun Quegan, discuss the upcoming European Biomass mission to measure how much carbon is being stored in tropical forests. And Kelly Weinersmith - co-author of A City On Mars - explains why living on the red planet will be much harder than anyone thought... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Jan 27, 2025 • 1h 10min

NASA, the BBC and the Soviet spacecraft on the Isle of Man

This month, recently-retired BBC space correspondent, Jonathan Amos, and former NASA employee Herb Baker, author of From Apollo to Artemis: Stories from my 50 years with NASA, discuss reporting from a rocket launch, growing up with classmates whose dads are Apollo astronauts, and how material Herb's mother used to fix an aircon unit at home helped her save a Skylab mission. Plus, Richard sees a Soviet-era VA space capsule in the Manx Motor Museum on the Isle of Man... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Dec 3, 2024 • 54min

UFOs... Is the truth out there?

Have we been visited by space aliens? This month space boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham delve into the history and science of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). They discuss UFOs with Pennsylvania State College professor and author of After the Flying Saucers Came, Greg Eghigian. They also talk to Thomas Zurbuchen, the longest ever serving head of science at NASA who commissioned an official report on UFOs. What does he believe? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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Oct 2, 2024 • 55min

Off to Europa, and life on Mars

NASA's Europa Clipper mission is about to head off on a five year mission to explore one of Jupiter's largest moons. Planetary geologist mission scientist Cynthia Phillips joins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham to discuss why this icy body could potentially be habitable. Plus, engineer, author and president of the Mars Society, Robert Zubrin, on his book The New World on Mars, and how societies and cities will emerge on the red planet once colonisation is underway... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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17 snips
Aug 28, 2024 • 1h 3min

John McFall, Tim Peake and how to build a spaceport

Scott Hammond, operations director at Saxa Vord, keeps launch sites running. Frank Strang, CEO of the Shetland spaceport project, leads development and licensing. Tim Peake, retired ESA astronaut and Axiom advisor, discusses commercial UK missions. John McFall, surgeon and ex-Paralympian, shares work on ESA’s Fly study for people with lower-limb disabilities. They talk building a spaceport, polar launches, commercial missions and accessibility testing.
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Jul 11, 2024 • 49min

Challenger, and Space Barbie

Was the Space Shuttle fundamentally flawed? Richard Hollingham talks to Adam Higginbotham, author of a new book on the Space Shuttle to discuss the design, the dream, and the wishful thinking that led to the Challenger and Columbia disasters. Sue Nelson visits London's Design Museum to visit a new Barbie exhibition and talk "Space Barbie". Also, discussions on the future of the International Space Station, Star Trek: The documentary, and betting on smarties. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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May 31, 2024 • 49min

Victor Glover, Starliner and Blue Origin

NASA astronaut and pilot of the Artemis II mission to the Moon, Victor Glover, joins Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham to discuss the first Starliner launch, SpaceX, Artemis, Orion, NASA's mojo and his upcoming mission around the Moon. Plus space investor Mason Angel, crew of the recent Blue Orion sub-orbital flight, shares his experiences and what it was like to be to share the ride alongside 90 year-old Ed Dwight, NASA's first Black astronaut candidate... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists
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12 snips
Apr 29, 2024 • 45min

EarthCARE, Starliner and NASA's George Abbey

Susie Imber, planetary scientist working on BepiColombo and X-ray studies of Mercury. Robin Hogan, expert on clouds and co-chair of the EarthCARE advisory group. They discuss EarthCARE’s laser, radar and instruments for studying clouds and aerosols. They cover how its data will aid weather forecasting and engineering challenges before launch. They also preview BepiColombo science and a tribute interview with NASA’s George Abbey.

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