Space Policy Edition: Is there really a space race between the US and China?

Is the United States really in a new space race with China? Or is that framing missing the bigger picture? In this Space Policy Edition of Planetary Radio, Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, sits down with Patrick Besha, former NASA strategic advisor on China, to explore…

Artemis update: NASA reshapes the road back to the Moon

NASA has announced a major restructuring of the Artemis program, reshaping the roadmap for returning humans to the Moon. At a February 27 press conference, agency leadership addressed the rollback of Artemis II following post–wet–dress–rehearsal testing and unveiled significant changes to upcoming…

Did an impact trigger cryovolcanism on Umbriel?

Could a single ancient impact have briefly transformed one of the Solar System’s darkest moons into a cryovolcanic world? When Voyager 2 flew past Uranus in 1986, it captured the only close-up images we have of Umbriel, a heavily cratered, charcoal-dark satellite long considered geologically inact…

Book Club Edition: Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts’ latest for kids

They informed and entertained together throughout the first 20 years of Planetary Radio. Listen in as the Society’s chief scientist and book club edition host Mat Kaplan share the mic once again for a delightful conversation about Dr. Betts’ two new space books for young people. “Are We Alone?” int…

A new chapter at The Planetary Society: Jennifer Vaughn becomes CEO

This week on Planetary Radio, we mark a major leadership transition at The Planetary Society. Host Sarah Al-Ahmed sits down with Bill Nye, outgoing chief executive officer and newly appointed chief ambassador of The Planetary Society, and Jennifer Vaughn, incoming chief executive officer and former…

Where did Earth’s water come from? Clues hidden in Apollo Moon dust

Where did Earth’s water come from? In this episode of Planetary Radio, we explore how scientists are answering that question by studying a remarkably well-preserved record of the early Solar System: lunar samples brought back by the Apollo missions. Host Sarah Al-Ahmed is joined by Tony Gargano, po…

Space Policy Edition: What a NASA Authorization bill actually does

What does a NASA authorization bill actually do, and why does it matter? In this episode of Space Policy Edition, we dig into one of the most misunderstood but powerful tools Congress uses to shape the future of U.S. space exploration. Host Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Soci…

Europa’s quiet seafloor

What if Europa’s seafloor isn’t alive with activity after all? This week on Planetary Radio, host and producer Sarah Al-Ahmed explores new research that reframes how scientists think about one of the Solar System’s most intriguing ocean worlds. Sarah is joined by Paul Byrne, associate professor o…

Artemis II and III: The science that brings us back to the Moon

Humans are preparing to return to the Moon. On this episode of Planetary Radio, host Sarah Al-Ahmed is joined by Kelsey Young and Noah Petro, two of the scientists helping turn humanity’s return to the Moon into reality. Kelsey Young is a research space scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Cente…

NASA science saved: Inside the 2026 budget victory

After months of uncertainty, NASA science has been spared from the largest proposed budget cuts in the agency’s history. In this episode of Planetary Radio, host Sarah Al-Ahmed unpacks how Congress moved to restore near-full funding for NASA science and what that victory really means for missions, …