No one deserves more credit for enabling the new era of commercial space development than former NASA deputy administrator Lori Garver. That includes the commercial crew program that brings astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Mat welcomes Lori back for a conversation about her excellent new memoir that tells the inside story of this achievement. You’ll get the chance to win “Escaping Gravity” in this week’s What’s Up space trivia contest. There’s more to discover at https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2022-lori-garver-escaping-gravity-book

No one deserves more credit for enabling the new era of commercial space development than former NASA deputy administrator Lori Garver. That includes the commercial crew program that brings astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Mat welcomes Lori back for a conversation about her excellent new memoir that tells the inside story of this achievement. You’ll get the chance to win “Escaping Gravity” in this week’s What’s Up space trivia contest. There’s more to discover at <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2022-lori-garver-escaping-gravity-book">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2022-lori-garver-escaping-gravity-book</a>

Planetary Radio brings you the human adventure across our Solar System and beyond. We visit each week with the scientists, engineers, leaders, advocates, and astronauts who are taking us across the final frontier. Regular features raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Join host Sarah Al-Ahmed and Planetary Society colleagues including Bill Nye the Science Guy and Bruce Betts as they dive deep into space science and exploration. The monthly Space Policy Edition takes you inside the DC beltway where the future of the US space program hangs in the balance. Visit planetary.org/radio for an episode guide and much more.

Planetary Radio brings you the human adventure across our Solar System and beyond. We visit each week with the scientists, engineers, leaders, advocates, and astronauts who are taking us across the final frontier. Regular features raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Join host Sarah Al-Ahmed and Planetary Society colleagues including Bill Nye the Science Guy and Bruce Betts as they dive deep into space science and exploration. The monthly Space Policy Edition takes you inside the DC beltway where the future of the US space program hangs in the balance. Visit planetary.org/radio for an episode guide and much more.

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

Planetary Radio brings you the human adventure across our solar system and beyond. We visit each week with the scientists, engineers, leaders, advocates, and astronauts taking us across the final frontier. Regular features raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Join host Sarah Al-Ahmed and Planetary Society colleagues including Bill Nye, the Science Guy, and Bruce Betts, chief scientist for The Planetary Society, as they dive deep into the latest space news. The monthly Space Policy Edition takes you inside the DC beltway with Casey Dreier and Jack Kiraly to discuss the politics of space exploration in the US and advocacy actions you can take to support the missions that matter. Visit planetary.org/radio for the space trivia contest, an episode guide, and much more.

Planetary Radio brings you the human adventure across our solar system and beyond. We visit each week with the scientists, engineers, leaders, advocates, and astronauts taking us across the final frontier. Regular features raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Join host Sarah Al-Ahmed and Planetary Society colleagues including Bill Nye, the Science Guy, and Bruce Betts, chief scientist for The Planetary Society, as they dive deep into the latest space news. The monthly Space Policy Edition takes you inside the DC beltway with Casey Dreier and Jack Kiraly to discuss the politics of space exploration in the US and advocacy actions you can take to support the missions that matter. Visit planetary.org/radio for the space trivia contest, an episode guide, and much more.

Lori Garver went up against powerful forces inside and outside NASA to create the hugely successful commercial cargo and crew programs.

A Hero of the New Space Age: Lori Garver and Escaping Gravity

Join Sarah Al-Ahmed and Casey Dreier for a special live recording of Planetary Radio at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., immediately following The Planetary Society’s Day of Action. In this episode, we explore the complex geopolitical landscape NASA faces as it works toward returning humans to the Moon and exploring other worlds. With growing influence from commercial space companies, potential budget cuts, and changes in committee leadership, this pivotal moment in space exploration is shaping NASA’s future.

We’re joined by Bill Nye (CEO, The Planetary Society), Nancy Chabot (Chief Scientist, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory), Rep. George Whitesides (Representative, CA-27), Rep. Judy Chu (Co-chair, Congressional Planetary Science Caucus, Representative, CA-28), and Antonio Peronace (Chief Executive, Space for Humanity). Together, we explore how evolving national priorities, key lawmakers, and the rapid growth of the commercial space sector could reshape U.S. space policy, potentially redefining the motivations that have driven space exploration since the Apollo era.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-live-from-dc

Join Sarah Al-Ahmed and Casey Dreier for a special live recording of Planetary Radio at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., immediately following The Planetary Society&rsquo;s Day of Action. In this episode, we explore the complex geopolitical landscape NASA faces as it works toward returning humans to the Moon and exploring other worlds. With growing influence from commercial space companies, potential budget cuts, and changes in committee leadership, this pivotal moment in space exploration is shaping NASA&rsquo;s future.
We&rsquo;re joined by Bill Nye (CEO, The Planetary Society), Nancy Chabot (Chief Scientist, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory), Rep. George Whitesides (Representative, CA-27), Rep. Judy Chu (Co-chair, Congressional Planetary Science Caucus, Representative, CA-28), and Antonio Peronace (Chief Executive, Space for Humanity). Together, we explore how evolving national priorities, key lawmakers, and the rapid growth of the commercial space sector could reshape U.S. space policy, potentially redefining the motivations that have driven space exploration since the Apollo era.
Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-live-from-dc">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-live-from-dc</a>

Join Sarah Al-Ahmed and Casey Dreier for a special live recording of Planetary Radio at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., immediately following The Planetary Society’s Day of Action.

Live from Washington, D.C.: The future of space politics

The Apollo program put humans on the Moon, but behind that historic achievement were engineers whose stories have gone largely untold. In this episode, “LA Made: The Other Moonshot” host Joanne Higgins joins Planetary Radio to share the powerful history of Charlie Cheatham, Nate LeVert, and Shelby Jacobs, three Black engineers in Los Angeles who helped make Apollo possible while navigating racism and exclusion. We discuss how their technical brilliance shaped the space program, why their stories were left out of the history books, and how telling them now can help create a more equitable space community for the future.

Plus, Casey Dreier checks in from Washington, D.C., during The Planetary Society’s Day of Action, where advocates from across the U.S. gathered to support NASA science. And in What’s Up, Bruce Betts and Sarah explore the Apollo-era technologies still in use today.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-the-other-moonshot

The Apollo program put humans on the Moon, but behind that historic achievement were engineers whose stories have gone largely untold. In this episode, &ldquo;LA Made: The Other Moonshot&rdquo; host Joanne Higgins joins Planetary Radio to share the powerful history of Charlie Cheatham, Nate LeVert, and Shelby Jacobs, three Black engineers in Los Angeles who helped make Apollo possible while navigating racism and exclusion. We discuss how their technical brilliance shaped the space program, why their stories were left out of the history books, and how telling them now can help create a more equitable space community for the future.
Plus, Casey Dreier checks in from Washington, D.C., during The Planetary Society&rsquo;s Day of Action, where advocates from across the U.S. gathered to support NASA science. And in What&rsquo;s Up, Bruce Betts and Sarah explore the Apollo-era technologies still in use today.
Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-the-other-moonshot">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-the-other-moonshot</a>

Joanne Higgins joins Planetary Radio to share the untold stories of Black engineers who helped make the Apollo program possible. We explore their legacy, the challenges they faced, and how their stories can inspire a more inclusive future in space.

The Other Moonshot: The untold stories of Apollo’s Black engineers in Los Angeles

We take you inside the Mars Innovation Workshop, hosted at the SETI Institute’s headquarters and produced by Explore Mars. Planetary Society Senior Communications Advisor Mat Kaplan shares highlights from the event, exploring how cross-disciplinary collaboration is shaping the future of Mars exploration and creating solutions for challenges here on Earth.

Meanwhile, major changes are happening at NASA. In a move that has raised concerns in the space community, NASA leadership has dissolved key advisory offices, including the Office of the Chief Scientist and the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy. Jack Kiraly, our director of government relations, explains what these cuts mean for the agency’s future and why space advocates should be paying attention.

Then Bruce Betts shares his favorite Mars innovations and a new Random Space Fact, in this week’s What’s Up!

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-mars-innovation-workshop

We take you inside the Mars Innovation Workshop, hosted at the SETI Institute&rsquo;s headquarters and produced by Explore Mars. Planetary Society Senior Communications Advisor Mat Kaplan shares highlights from the event, exploring how cross-disciplinary collaboration is shaping the future of Mars exploration and creating solutions for challenges here on Earth.
Meanwhile, major changes are happening at NASA. In a move that has raised concerns in the space community, NASA leadership has dissolved key advisory offices, including the Office of the Chief Scientist and the Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy. Jack Kiraly, our director of government relations, explains what these cuts mean for the agency&rsquo;s future and why space advocates should be paying attention.
Then Bruce Betts shares his favorite Mars innovations and a new Random Space Fact, in this week&rsquo;s What&rsquo;s Up!
Discover more at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-mars-innovation-workshop">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-mars-innovation-workshop</a>

We explore bold ideas from the Mars Innovation Workshop and uncover why NASA’s decision to dissolve key advisory offices is raising concerns across the space community. 

A Hero of the New Space Age: Lori Garver and Escaping Gravity

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