Red Planet Live

Life on the ISS with Astronaut Tracy Dyson 🚀 | Red Planet Live
What’s it really like to live and work aboard the International Space Station? In this special episode, host Ashton Zeth sits down with veteran astronaut Dr. Tracy Dyson, who shares unforgettable stories from her three space missions—including helping build the ISS and her recent journey alongside Butch and Sunni.

We explore the rhythms of daily life in orbit: from drinking coffee in microgravity and squeezing in vital exercise, to performing constant experiments and winding down during “PreSleep.” Tracy also offers meaningful advice on staying curious and persevering through tough times—on or off the planet.

We even watch a clip of her floating aboard the ISS during the show and answer thoughtful audience questions. Whether you're a space enthusiast or just ISS-curious, this episode brings humanity and humor to life in orbit.

🎧 Hosted by Ashton Zeth. Tune in and get inspired—Tracy brings space down to Earth.

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NASA - Tracy Dyson

In this compelling episode of Red Planet Live, we sat down with Dr. Luther Beegle, Principal Investigator of the SHERLOC instrument aboard NASA’s Perseverance rover. While we originally set out to explore SHERLOC’s role in detecting organic compounds and signs of past habitability on Mars, our conversation took us even further.

We discussed the Allan Hills 84001 (ALH84001) Martian meteorite discovered in Antarctica as an inspiration to Luther's career, discussed key missions across the solar system, and explored why a Mars Sample Return mission is critical before sending humans to the Red Planet. Dr. Beegle also offered behind-the-scenes insights into the challenges of planetary exploration and the innovative technology propelling Mars science into the future.

🔴 Tune in for an eye-opening journey into the science, strategy, and wonder of Mars exploration and beyond!

Inside MDRS: The Latest from the Mars Desert Research Station

Get an exclusive update from one of the world’s premier Mars analog research facilities — the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS). Host Ashton Zeth sits down with three key leaders shaping the future of MDRS: James Burk, Executive Director of The Mars Society; Kay Radzik, Director of Refits; and Sergii Iakymov, MDRS Director.

They dive into the latest missions, ongoing upgrades, and how you can support the continued modernization of MDRS through their current crowdfunding campaign.

Support the future of Mars exploration: mars-desert-research-station.raisely.com/

Dr. Robert Zubrin joins us to discuss his latest article in The New Atlantis, "The Mars Dream is Back—Here’s How to Make it Actually Happen." In this episode, Zubrin outlines the fastest and most practical path to getting humans to Mars, including the formation of a NASA Tiger Team and the introduction of the Starboat—a Starship-based vehicle designed to serve as a more efficient Mars Ascent Vehicle. He also makes the case for why a Mars mission must become a national goal—one that unites all Americans in support of exploration, innovation, and a bold future beyond Earth. Tune in for an inspiring and strategic conversation on how we can make the dream of Mars a reality.Read the full article by Dr. Robert Zubrin: https://www.thenewatlantis.com/public...

Red Planet Live – Jim Cantrell on SpaceX, Startups, and Lessons from Failure

In this episode of Red Planet Live, we sit down with Jim Cantrell, a space industry veteran, founding member of SpaceX, and CEO of Phantom Space. Jim shares fascinating stories from his time working alongside Elon Musk in the early days of SpaceX, discussing the challenges, near-misses, and how close to failure SpaceX really came.

He dives into the valuable lessons failure has taught him over the years, shedding light on the tough realities of space entrepreneurship. Jim also discusses his latest venture, Phantom Space, and its mission to revolutionize space access .

This episode is packed with audience Q&A, where Jim answers burning questions about the future of space exploration, the commercial space race, and what it really takes to build a successful space startup.

If you're into space, startups, or the raw, unfiltered truth about what it takes to change the world, this is an episode you don’t want to miss! 🚀🔥

🔴 Listen now on Red Planet Live!

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https://www.jimcantrell.com/bio

Phantom Space

Ashton Zeth interviews Shelli Brunswick, a globally recognized leader in space innovation and former Chief Operating Officer of Space Foundation, shares her insights on leadership and the future of space exploration in the latest episode of Red Planet Live. Shelli also discusses her book, 'What's Space Got to do With it?: Ten Life Lessons for Personal Growth" and future space books under development. She offered invaluable career advice, inspiring listeners with her expertise and passion for advancing opportunities in the space industry.

https://shelli-brunswick.com/

What's Space Got to Do With It? - by Shelli Brunswick

Drilling Into the Future of Space Exploration with Kris Zacny (Honeybee Robotics)

In this episode, Kris Zacny from Honeybee Robotics takes us on a journey into the boldest frontiers of space exploration. We discuss the possibility for the largest hole ever drilled on the Moon with the Blue Ghost Mission 1, planned to happen in under 40 days, and the groundbreaking Prime-1 mission aiming to jackhammer lunar ice a meter below the South Pole's surface. Could Firefly and Intuitive Machines both be landing on the Moon at the same time?

We also explore JAXA’s Phobos mission, set for 2026, where a mere seconds-long operation on the Martian moon could result in the first-ever Mars sample return—an incredible twist in the race for interplanetary exploration.

Kris dives into the Sentinel Mission, focusing on Earth observation to track climate change, including ocean rise, snowpack, and ice thickness. We also hear about the power of AI in accelerating space discoveries and the competitive but highly effective internship programs shaping the future of space innovation.

Finally, Kris shares his dream of drilling 10-20 meters below Mars' surface, his thoughts on NASA’s Viper mission (he’s willing to eat his hat if it doesn’t go to the Moon). This episode is packed with visionary ideas, like the space shotgun, and includes the engineering of cutting-edge space missions.

Don’t miss it!

Honeybee Robotics

Interviews with Flashline Crew 16, featuring participants Tiffany Swarmer and Michael Andrews. Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island—the world’s largest uninhabited island, located 900 miles from the North Pole.

https://fmars.marssociety.org/

In the latest episode of Red Planet Live, host Ashton Zeth interviews Rod Pyle, managing editor of Ad Astra, for an engaging discussion about space exploration.

The conversation spans a variety of exciting topics, including the incoming NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, the potential for an orbital commodity exchange, updates on Starship, and much more!

Rod Pyle is a prominent space author, journalist, and historian, known for his significant contributions to space studies and development

Ashton Zeth interviews Dr. Steven Benner about all things about extant life on Mars.

About Dr. Benner

Steven Benner, renowned American chemist, has taught at Harvard, ETH Zurich, and the University of Florida. Founder of TWIST, the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, EraGen Biosciences, and Firebird BioMolecular Sciences, Benner's work bridges academia and innovation in molecular science.

Ffame -- Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution

Ashton interviews Sergii Iakymov, director of Mars Society's Mars Desert Research Station in Hanksville, Utah. Sergii also talks about his recent mission at HERA -- NASA's human exploration research analog.

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/hera/

https://mdrs.marssociety.org/

Ashton Zeth interviews Eric Berger, Senior Space Editor at Ars Technica. Eric Berger, author of the highly acclaimed "Liftoff" and his new book "Reentry", has an insightful conversation about the space industry, SpaceX, and about the future of space travel.

Ashton Zeth interviews speakers from the 2024 Mars Society Convention at the University of Washington in Seattle. Includes interviews with: - Dr. Pete Worden of Breakthrough Initiative - Howard Hu, Orion Program Director at NASA - Anna Wadhwa on microgravity experiments - Bryan Versteeg, space concept artist - Edwin Kite on Martian atmosphere terraforming - Dr. David Caitling Filmed August 8-11 in Seattle Washington at 'The Hub' on the University of Washington's campus during the annual Mars Society Convention. #MarsSociety2024 #MarsExploration #SpaceInnovation

Ashton Zeth and Alan Boyle interview Dr. Robert Zubrin, founder of the Mars Society, about the new Mars Exploration Act. The legislation proposal mandates NASA to put humans on Mars in under 10 years.

#MarsExplorationAct

#MarsSociety

ChatGPTAshton sits down with Kirsten Whittingham, President of Max Space, to discuss her remarkable career, the groundbreaking inflatable modules being developed at Max Space, and how she stays inspired in a dynamic industry. If you're passionate about learning from trailblazing women in space and want a deeper dive into the future of inflatable space habitats, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

https://getmaxspace.com

Joining this panel are Nicole Willett, Education Director of the Mars Society, and Jen Carver-Hunter from NASA’s Spaceward Bound Utah program. Together, we explore Nicole's Mars Engineering Design competition and Jen's K-12 STEM initiatives, both of which are dedicated to invigorating and inspiring the next generation of students!

https://www.marssociety.org/education/intl-mission-to-mars-design-course-competition/

https://www.marssociety.org/news/2023/02/28/teachers-as-learners-the-impact-of-spaceward-bound-utah/

Ashton Zeth, the newly appointed director of the Ambassador Program, interviews our Mars Society Ambassadors. This panel includes James Melton, Nasir Rizwan, Jonathan Nalder, and Emmanuel Kyei Twumasi.

In this episode, we dive into the world of analog space missions with our guest, Michaela Musilova, the former director of HI-SEAS. With a remarkable track record of organizing over 40 Moon and Mars analog missions, she shares her extensive experience and insights. Discover more about HI-SEAS and the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) as we explore their unique contributions to space research.

She also discusses her participation in the 2024 Analog Astronaut Conference held at Biosphere 2 in Arizona. Tune in as she recounts her two impactful missions at MDRS, and her journey from leading a satellite launch team to teaching astrobiology and founding a space technology company in Slovakia.

https://michaelamusilova.com

Ashton Zeth hosts a senior NASA panel with Nujoud Merancy & Dr. Lindsay Hays about Mars & Moon Exploration.

Featured Panelists:

• Nujoud Merancy, Deputy Associate Administrator, Strategy and Architecture Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center, will discuss technical aspects of exploration architectures, focusing on returning astronauts to the Moon, establishing a lunar presence, and landing humans on Mars.

• Dr. Lindsay Hays, Lead Scientist Mars Sample Return, Program Scientist in the Planetary Science Division at NASA Headquarters, and Deputy Program Scientist for the Astrobiology Program, will discuss the Mars Sample Return Mission and research on exobiology and habitable worlds.

Ashton interviews James Burk, Executive Director of the Mars Society. They talk about the new mission at Flashline Mars Arctic Station, James' mission at MDRS in Utah, and many updates of the Mars Society.