Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 25:08 — 18.2MB) | Embed
The Apollo 13 mission never landed on the moon; they only swung around it. They had a little problem when part of their spacecraft decided to explode. We also salute Michael Collins, Astronaut for the Gemini and Apollo programs, who died last week at the age of 90.
…
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 19:40 — 14.0MB) | Embed
In celebration of our 300th episode, we do a nice relaxed mostly unstructured episode. We talk about space, and robots, and movies for some reason.
…
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 14:02 — 10.1MB) | Embed
We talk about the “Lunar Surveyor” program, and Apollo 12. For our second mission to the moon, almost everything went perfectly. Which is much more than I can say about Monday.
…
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:17 — 15.1MB) | Embed
We talk about Apollo 1 through 11, take a little time to look at the Apollo program’s onboard computers, and finally finish with the first human footsteps on the moon.
…
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 31:30 — 22.0MB) | Embed
In honor of April fools’ day, we start with real science and then go off into wild speculation. We talk about the possibility of faster than light, and time travel. Not to be taken seriously, but fun!
…
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 24:19 — 17.3MB) | Embed
To go to the moon, you need the right equipment. This includes the giant Saturn V rocket, and the escape system to get you away from your giant rocket when something goes wrong. Join us for a look at the hardware of the Apollo program.
…
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:23 — 16.0MB) | Embed
We talk about the people of the Mercury and Gemini programs. Over and over again, the astronauts saved the mission went things went wrong. They also played a few silly jokes on one another, and we go along for the ride.
…
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 17:20 — 12.2MB) | Embed
Before humans went into space, animals were sent. We talk about some animal and human astronauts, a little about rockets and a side trip to using nuclear explosions for thrust.
…
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:55 — 14.8MB) | Embed
At the end of world war II, nuclear weapons had been used for war. By 1949, the USSR had successfully tested their own atom bomb. Everyone scrambled to build rockets that could launch their terror weapons at any part of the globe, especially at each other. The same rockets being built for war were used to reach into space.
…
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 20:19 — 14.5MB) | Embed
After world war II, the world became very interested in super sonic flight, and high altitude research. Along with a side trip to how jet engines work, we take a look at rocket planes—the first manned vehicles to reach the edge of space.
…