Best Geek Astronaut Podcasts (2024)

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230: Imagineering the Future: Disney Innovation and Space Exploration 35:27

6d ago35:27

35:27

This week, in our ongoing summer series, “Summer-ease,” we meet at the intersection of innovation, Disney, and space exploration. Our returning and always insightful guest (and Disney insider), Hannah Stanley, joins us to discuss Disney's innovative culture and its profound influence on space-related endeavors. Why Disney? Disney shares the same pi…

1
EP 28: A.I. Is becoming a Nuisance 17:23

6d ago17:23

17:23

In this episode, I talk about how A.I. has changed in the last few months and how it has becoming annoying to your fellow Astronaut of Eternity. Check out my Instagram here: instagram.com/nemy16santos also, check me out on Twitter and TikTok as @nemy16santos. If you want your music to be featured in my podcast (100% FREE), send me a DM on my Instag…

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229: Is There Such a Thing as a “Bad” Space Movie? 27:13

14d ago27:13

27:13

Have you ever been captivated by a moment from a space movie? Did that movement make you laugh, learn, or even lean in a little further into the science or story? In this third summary (summer-ease) episode of Casual Space, Chad and I plunge into the whimsical world of space movies, from makeshift force fields to mutant monsters born from nuclear w…

1
EP 27: Is Instagram Dying? 16:35

14d ago16:35

16:35

In this episode, I talk about my experience and thoughts with Instagram and how the most recent changes don't seem the best for artists. Check out my Instagram here: instagram.com/nemy16santos also, check me out on Twitter and TikTok as @nemy16santos. If you want your music to be featured in my podcast (100% FREE), send me a DM on my Instagram or s…

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228: Casual Space Podcast SUMMER Series: Summaries (Summer-ease): Professional Grace 29:49

20d ago29:49

29:49

What does grace look like in a high-performance workplace like the space exploration industry? Why is grace in the workspace important? Can someone have professional grace if they don’t necessarily have a lot of experience? On this 2nd summaries (summer-ease) episode, Beth welcomes her colleague, media host and longtime Disney cast member Hannah St…

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EP 26: Is A.I. The killer of All Artists? 36:47

21d ago36:47

36:47

In this episode, I talk about about A.I. and how it may or may not be a danger to artists today. Check out my Instagram here: [instagram.com/nemy16santos](http://instagram.com/nemy16santos) also, check me out on Twitter and TikTok as @nemy16santos.

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227: Casual Space Podcast SUMMER Series: Summaries (Summer-ease): Staying Curious 14:11

27d ago14:11

14:11

Welcome to the first episode in our new series, “Summaries” (Summer-ease) where host Beth Mund provides a shortened, easy- going, “summary” for your listening enjoyment. Every week, you’ll find themes within space exploration of course, and related topics. Guests will occasionally stop by, and we’ll keep the conversation light and non-technical (we…

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226: Congratulations, Explorers! 24:54

1M ago24:54

24:54

Last spring, Beth Mund delivered the commencement speech at her alma matter, Loras College. Here is the recording of her speech, never before released. It's one of life long exploration and curiosity- Beth draws examples from her own experiences and from her colleagues in the space industry to help inspire the next generation of explorers.…

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225: Open Your Binder and Work the Crisis. Featuring Communications Expert Sean Wilson 1:02:16

2M ago1:02:16

1:02:16

Sean Wilson is a strategic communications and crisis communications expert who has worked extensively within the space industry. Sean currently works as the Director of Communications for the Aerospace Corporation and has also worked as the Director of Media and Public Relations for Northrop Grumman and the Director of Strategic Communications for …

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224: You’re Never Too Old to Chase Your Dreams- Just Ask Danny Jaques 36:16

2M ago36:16

36:16

Returning guest Danny Jaques has taken students to Space Camps for the past 32 years! He’s been a certified space geek since he watched the last flight of Project Mercury with Gordon Cooper in Faith 7 on May 15, 1963, with his Dad. Danny started his career in education teaching science and was invited to tour the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Hunts…

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223: How to Live an Outer Space Lifestyle with Dr. Kirby Runyon 50:31

2M ago50:31

50:31

Dr. Kirby Runyon is completely qualified to be your outer space lifestyle guide and science consultant. What makes him qualified, you ask? He’s a Planetary Geologist at The Planetary Science Institute, a Creative Space Science Consultant, his research has flown on a recent Zero-G flight(s), he hosts tours of the Kennedy Space Center, offers astroge…

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222: Lisa, Karly, and the 40th Anniversary of the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation 46:03

2M ago46:03

46:03

40 years ago, the six surviving Mercury 7 Astronauts (Scott Carpenter, Gordon Cooper, John Glenn, Walter Schirra, Alan Shepard, and Deke Slayton), Betty Grissom, William Douglas, M.D., and Henri Landwirth established the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF). Since its inception, the ASF had the mission of retaining the United States' world leader…

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221: Maritime Launch and Mission 03 with Stephen Matier 40:21

3M ago40:21

40:21

Stephen Matier is the President and CEO of Maritime Launch Services. He is also the visionary behind Spaceport Nova Scotia, a world-class commercial space complex that will launch Canada into the global space industry. Steve and his team at Maritime Launch will carry the next set of stories about space INTO space later this summer (Mission 03, curr…

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220: Get Ready for the Solar Eclipse with Astronomer & Artist Tyler Nordgren 40:48

3M ago40:48

40:48

Are you ready for the April 8 solar eclipse? Don’t worry, Tyler Nordgren is THE perfect guide, and he’s here to walk us through what to expect on the upcoming solar eclipse, along with other celestial events- Tyler is an artist, astronomer, and night sky ambassador. So tune in, and get ready for this incredible event with our friend and returning g…

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219: Dr. Maureen Gibbons 39:56

3M ago39:56

39:56

Maureen Gibbons, MD, (known on social media as Dr. Moe), is a practicing physician, sports nutritionist and life coach who also held athletic trainer and triathlon coach credentials for many years. Her board certification is in emergency medicine, obesity medicine and lifestyle medicine. Dr. Moe founded and runs a remote lifestyle medicine practice…

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218: Agricultural and Environmental Scientist and Former Space Settlement Skeptic Turned Space Inventor Daniel Tompkins 50:02

3M ago50:02

50:02

Why is space agriculture important, possible, and necessary? Daniel Tompkins believes the present and future of agriculture can be reimagined. Daniel Tompkins is an expert in plant medicine and agriculture, with a unique doctorate from the University of Florida that combines practical problem-solving with a focus on agriculture- a perfect mixture t…

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217: A City on Mars with Kelly and Zach Weinersmith 51:29

4M ago51:29

51:29

Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through? Kelly and Zach Weinersmith make their triumphant return to Casual Space sharing their new book, “A City on Mars.” Beth asks Kelly and Zach to spill the beans about everything they’ve learned and extensively researched regarding space settlements. In doing their re…

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216: Engineer, Astronaut and Artist Karen Nyberg 47:47

4M ago47:47

47:47

Dr. Karen Nyberg is an engineer, astronaut, and artist who, through nearly thirty years of experience in human spaceflight, has gained an appreciation for the value of working within and across diverse political ideologies, cultural values, and world views to advance critical missions. In this episode of Casual Space, Beth and Karen delve into Kare…

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215: Space Solar Power with Author and Physicist John Mankins 39:36

4M ago39:36

39:36

Our future in space is going to be radically different with the implementation of space solar power. According to John Mankins, space solar power is an energy application that’s going to happen in the coming decade(s); the only question is, who will build it? John Mankins has made his case. It’s a case for space solar power. John’s more than qualif…

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214: Space Bites with NASA Food Scientist Vickie Kloeris 57:19

4M ago57:19

57:19

We’re talking tacos on the shuttle. Pizza on the ISS. And we’re washing it down with a big glass (that’s not made of glass, but rather, a well-engineered pouch) of Tang on this episode of Casual Space with NASA food scientist Vickie Kloeris! What I enjoyed most about talking with Vickie was her career journey that she’s shared in her book, “Space B…

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213: Jan Spacek - Searching for Life in the Universe 26:54

4M ago26:54

26:54

Jan Spacek is an explorer both on Earth and beyond. He has worked in the fields of astrobiology, electrochemistry, nanoscience, genomics, and proteomics searching for life within our solar system. Jan is an astrobiologist working with renowned scientist Steven Benner on expanding the genetic alphabet. In this episode of Casual Space, Jan discusses …

1
212: Snow, School and Stargazing with John Read 56:18

5M ago56:18

56:18

Astronomer and friend of the show John Read is back for our first episode of 2024! John may be working on a capstone course for his Master’s Degree, but John joins us for what John does best- helping space explorers of ALL AGES learn and be easily inspired! Have you seen his latest YouTube Channel video, “How to use ANY telescope?” Discover John’s …

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221: UFO Culture with Author Sarah Scoles 55:58

6M ago55:58

55:58

Whenever we talk about UFO’s, there’s a lot we can unpack. An entire UFO culture, really. And we’ve got just the expert journalist and author to help us better understand why we see saucers. Returning guest and friend of the show Sarah Scoles is back to discuss her new book, “They Are Already Here.” Join us and let’s unpack Sarah’s trip out to Area…

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210: Virgin Galactic Astronaut and Space Educator Ron Rosano 47:23

6M ago47:23

47:23

Ron Rosano recently flew into space with Virgin Galactic on the #Galactic04 mission! But commercial space flight with Virgin Galactic is just the beginning for Ron. He’s got plans to fly with Blue Origin, Space Perspective, and World View in the near future, and believes OUR time in space is just around the corner… Listen as Ron describes his recen…

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209: Discussing Science and the Future with Isaac Arthur 56:58

7M ago56:58

56:58

Isaac Arthur is the creator of the wildly successful “Science & Futurism with Isaac Arthur,” an award-winning weekly science education and entertainment show with over 700,000 subscribers and over 400 episodes on YouTube. His show covers a wide range of futuristic concepts including space technology, development, and exploration, and focuses on how…

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208: Two Generations in Flight with NASA Astronaut Dr. Jan Davis 50:31

7M ago50:31

50:31

NASA Astronaut Dr. Jan Davis flew on the Space Shuttle for the first time in 1992- on the first joint Shuttle mission with the Japanese during an eight-day mission on Space Shuttle Endeavour. She would fly again in 1994 on the first joint Shuttle mission with the Russians on Space Shuttle Discovery. Today on the show, we discuss her space career …

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207: Laura Crabtree from Epsilon3 50:33

7M ago50:33

50:33

Laura is the CEO and Co-Founder of Epsilon3. Among the initial members of the operations team for SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, she helped put the US back in the human space flight business. Laura wants to continue to revolutionize the space industry, beginning with operational tools. She believes that no matter what your specialty, no matter where y…

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206: The Artemis Accords- A Discussion with Dale Skran 1:10:51

8M ago1:10:51

1:10:51

The Artemis Accords- A Discussion with Dale Skran What are the Artemis Accords? Are countries starting to “pick sides” as they decide to sign the Artemis Accords? What do the Artemis Accords mean for our future of space exploration, space settlement and space economy? Will the future of space exploration invite us into a collaborative market in spa…

1
205: Henk Rogers 20:05

8M ago20:05

20:05

Henk Rogers is on a mission. Several missions, actually, and each one is as bold and audacious as the next. When we explore space, Henk wants to take nature with us. It’s just one of the many goals that Henk has set out to accomplish, and there’s plenty of reason to believe he’s going to, based on his previous work within the space industry, his co…

1
204: Space Race 2.0 with Author Brad Bergan 47:02

9M ago47:02

47:02

By Beth Mund

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203: Adriana Blachowicz is Guarding the Galaxy 54:09

9M ago54:09

54:09

Adriana Blachowicz may just have one of the MOST IMPORTANT JOBS on our planet… and perhaps one of the coolest! Adriana is a planetary protection scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory where she works to prevent microbial transfer between the Earth and other planets. So how can we protect as we explore? Why should we care about planetary prot…

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202: Exploring Antarctica with Tara Sweeney 1:06:09

9M ago1:06:09

1:06:09

Tara Sweeney is a United States Air Force Academy graduate, a Space Camp Hall of Fame inductee, a corporate leader in advanced technology test and evaluation events, a former crew member on parabolic research flights, a private pilot, and a graduate of SpaceKind training. She has been instrumental in establishing and executing the Cosmic Odyssey Sc…

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201: Honoring the Legacy of Robert Goddard with Charles Slatkin 49:39

9M ago49:39

49:39

Who was Robert H. Goddard? His theories on space exploration were so ahead of his time that they were mocked and ridiculed by colleagues and by the New York Times… but Robert Goddard persisted, and with very little resources, he overcame adversity and launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket, ushering in the space age. In 1903, the Wright br…

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200: NASA’s Sew Sister Jean Wright 1:10:46

10M ago1:10:46

1:10:46

Did you know that the white material on the outside of space shuttles was not metal or glass but actually fabric? Specialized quilts, two inches thick, covered the space shuttles and protected the astronauts from deadly heat and radiation. Jean Wright was one of the eighteen “Sew Sisters” who crafted these thermal blankets, mostly by hand, with inc…

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199: Mark O’Connell 1:02:08

10M ago1:02:08

1:02:08

UFO’s. New books. A movie script with a character who has a gold nose, and a beaver dinosaur. Star Trek, Yerkes Observatory, and of course, aliens. Mark O’Connell brings the best stories and big news to the show this week- everything you would expect from a Star Trek writer, screenplay writer, UFO book author, podcast host…. All around awesome frie…

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198: The Big Book of Mars and More! Fun with Marc Hartzman 58:35

10M ago58:35

58:35

Mars. Mars has fully invaded pop culture, inspiring its own day of the week (Tuesday), an iconic Looney Tunes character, and many novels and movies, from Ray Bradbury’s Martian Chronicles to The Martian. It’s this cultural familiarity with the fourth planet that continues to inspire advancements in Mars exploration, from NASA’s launch of the Mars r…

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197: AR, VR and XR in Space Exploration with Don Balanzat 1:07:22

11M ago1:07:22

1:07:22

Augmented Reality. Virtual Reality. Artificial Intelligence. Physics, Immersive Technology, Cognitive Science and Human Factors. What happens when you have a highly immersive technology tool (XR) that can integrate with our space exploration efforts? Perhaps a truly incredible experience. As we learn about a world we have yet to (personally) explor…

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196: We’re BACK and Ready to Launch! 28:38

11M ago28:38

28:38

Casual Space is BACK with all new episodes, casual conversations with amazing guests! The summer break is just about coming to an end, but don’t worry- the next 200 episodes of the Casual Space Podcast is just about to START! This week, Beth welcomes you back with a preview of some upcoming guest conversations that include AI, Antarctica, and of co…

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195: Dr. Kirby Runyon, Space Explorer, Planetary Geologist, Zero Gravity Coach and Tour Guide 38:28

1y ago38:28

38:28

Want to learn more about the rocky and icy worlds in the solar system? Dr. Kirby Runyon can serve as your guide- from earth or from space! Kirby can remember being fascinated with space since he was three years old! His parents brought him to a space museum, and soon after gave him a telescope for Christmas, securing a passion for space exploration…

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194: Danny Jaques: How Space Salsa Sends Students to Space Camp 37:36

1y ago37:36

37:36

Danny was born and raised on a ranch near Ignacio, Colorado — the Rocket Ranch — to a farmer and his wife. Instead of farming, Danny dreamed of being an astronaut as he watched the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo space flights and knew his future would include his love for space exploration. Danny started his career in education teaching science, and w…

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193: A Look Back: Examining NASA’s Apollo 13 1:09:18

1y ago1:09:18

1:09:18

Many dates in history stand out in human space flight and exploration. From the first airplane flight to the first man in space, much has been accomplished. Many of our significant milestones were not without danger. On this podcast Beth & our Resident Space Expert (RSE) Dean Mikolaiczyk revisit our historic 3rd trip to the moon. *Actual conversati…

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192: Humans to Mars Summit Preview and Yuri’s Night Space Coast Wrap-Up 39:49

1y ago39:49

39:49

Do you want to see humans on the surface of Mars by the mid-2030s? Explore Mars, Inc.’s annual conference, the 2023 Humans to Mars Summit (H2M) takes place on May 16-18, 2023 at the National Academy of Sciences Building in Washington, D.C. This event is already shaping up to be the largest H2M yet, featuring leaders from NASA, innovators, policy ex…

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191: Shelli Brunswick 47:24

1y ago47:24

47:24

Shelli Brunswick is the COO of Space Foundation, overseeing Center for Innovation and Education, Symposium 365, and Global Alliance. This week on the Casual Space Podcast, we learn more about Shelli’s distinguished career as a space acquisition and program management leader and congressional liaison for the U.S. Air Force, her perspective of the gl…

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190: Dr. Janet Kavandi 49:47

1y ago49:47

49:47

Dr. Janet L. Kavandi is an American scientist and NASA astronaut, a veteran of three Space Shuttle missions who has logged more than 33 days in space and traveled more than 13.1 million miles in 535 Earth orbits! During her time in the Astronaut Office, Janet supported ISS payload integration, capsule communications, and robotics. While at NASA, Dr…

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189: State of NASA 2023 & Budget Discussion with Dean Mikolajczyk 53:58

1y ago53:58

53:58

Artemis Generation Exploration. International Space Station Crewed Missions. SLS Test Crew Announcement. MARS Sample Return, Satellite Missions to obtain more of Earth’s Climate Data, Asteroid Detection and Protection, “Green” Aircraft, and a 7.1% increase in the NASA budget to accomplish it all. Last week, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson presented …

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188: Let’s celebrate Space with Yuri’s Night 39:41

1y ago39:41

39:41

Casual Space Podcast is BACK in a BIG way, so let’s celebrate! Beth is joining Tim Bailey to extend YOUR personal invitation to celebrate space exploration with Yuri’s Night! Yuri's Night is a World Space Party. Every year on or around April 12th, Yuri’s Night activities and parties celebrate all that humanity brings with us as we explore the cosmo…

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EP 25: What I've Learn from my First Semester as an Art Teacher 33:24

1+ y ago33:24

33:24

In this episode, I talk about my experience with my first semester as an art teacher, and the good and the bad moments. Check out my website! nemysantosart.com Check out my Instagram here: instagram.com/nemy16santos also, check me out on Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok as @nemy16santos. If you want your music to be featured in my podcast (100% FREE),…

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187: StoryBrand Guide Beth Carr 43:41

1+ y ago43:41

43:41

Beth Carr is a formally trained performer and brand communications designer, who became passionately obsessed with figuring out how she could elevate storytelling for a brand creating authentic, long-lasting relationships with their ideal audiences and how that could be expressed through all their design, branding, messaging, and marketing. And whe…

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EP 24: The way how you talk to yourself, it's affecting you more than you think 15:51

1+ y ago15:51

15:51

In this episode, I talk about how talking negatively to ourselves can affect us more than we think and how to solve this problem Check out my website! nemysantosart.com Check out my Instagram here: instagram.com/nemy16santos also, check me out on Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok as @nemy16santos. If you want your music to be featured in my podcast (10…

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EP 23: Teaching Art in High School for the First time! 31:59

1+ y ago31:59

31:59

In this episode, I talk about the big news that I have to unveil! I start my career as an Art Teacher! Check out my website! nemysantosart.com Check out my Instagram here: instagram.com/nemy16santos also, check me out on Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok as @nemy16santos. If you want your music to be featured in my podcast (100% FREE), send me a DM on …

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