If the United States is indeed in a space race with China, then we cannot abandon space science. That’s the claim made by Maxwell Zhu and The Planetary Society’s chief of space policy, Casey Dreier, in a recent op-ed in Payload Space. Their piece contrasted the growing ambitions of China’s coming space science program against the draconian cuts proposed by the White House in 2026. The results are stark: where China is pursuing new missions, the United States is abandoning them. Casey and Maxwell explore why this is the case, whether China sees this investment as part of a competition at all, and the structural challenges of integrating space science into a geopolitical context.


Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/maxwell-zhu-on-chinas-space-science-ambitions

If the United States is indeed in a space race with China, then we cannot abandon space science. That&rsquo;s the claim made by Maxwell Zhu and The Planetary Society&rsquo;s chief of space policy, Casey Dreier, in a recent op-ed in Payload Space. Their piece contrasted the growing ambitions of China&rsquo;s coming space science program against the draconian cuts proposed by the White House in 2026. The results are stark: where China is pursuing new missions, the United States is abandoning them. Casey and Maxwell explore why this is the case, whether China sees this investment as part of a competition at all, and the structural challenges of integrating space science into a geopolitical context.
 Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/maxwell-zhu-on-chinas-space-science-ambitions">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/maxwell-zhu-on-chinas-space-science-ambitions</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.

If the United States is indeed in a space race with China, why are we abandoning space science programs across the Solar System? This question, posed by guest Maxwell Zhu in a recent op-ed co-authored by The Planetary Society’s chief of space policy, reveals the current myopia around human spaceflight and the missing focus on a growing and ambitious new entrant into space science in the 21st century.

Space Policy Edition: China’s growing space science ambitions

NASA’s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft have finally launched on their journey to Mars. Designed to study how the solar wind interacts with Mars’ patchy magnetic fields and drives the loss of its atmosphere, ESCAPADE is NASA’s first dual-spacecraft mission to the Red Planet and a major milestone for the SIMPLEx program’s small, low-cost planetary explorers. The mission began its voyage aboard Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket after several weather and space weather delays, marking the vehicle’s first science launch.

We begin with Ari Koeppel, AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow and Space Policy Intern at The Planetary Society, who was at Cape Canaveral for the prelaunch activities. Ari shares what it was like to navigate repeated scrubs and even a powerful solar storm, along with the emotional experience of watching a spacecraft carrying an instrument he helped build begin its voyage to Mars.

Next, we are joined by Dr. Rob Lillis, ESCAPADE’s Principal Investigator and Associate Director for Planetary Science at UC Berkeley’s Space Sciences Laboratory. Rob explains how ESCAPADE aims to unravel Mars’ complex space environment using two coordinated orbiters, why its measurements are key to understanding atmospheric escape, and how its innovative trajectory made the mission possible after the loss of its original rideshare opportunity.

Finally, Dr. Bruce Betts, Chief Scientist of The Planetary Society, returns for What’s Up to talk about why Mars produces aurora even without a global magnetic dynamo.


Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-escapade

NASA&rsquo;s twin ESCAPADE spacecraft have finally launched on their journey to Mars. Designed to study how the solar wind interacts with Mars&rsquo; patchy magnetic fields and drives the loss of its atmosphere, ESCAPADE is NASA&rsquo;s first dual-spacecraft mission to the Red Planet and a major milestone for the SIMPLEx program&rsquo;s small, low-cost planetary explorers. The mission began its voyage aboard Blue Origin&rsquo;s New Glenn rocket after several weather and space weather delays, marking the vehicle&rsquo;s first science launch.
We begin with Ari Koeppel, AAAS Science &amp; Technology Policy Fellow and Space Policy Intern at The Planetary Society, who was at Cape Canaveral for the prelaunch activities. Ari shares what it was like to navigate repeated scrubs and even a powerful solar storm, along with the emotional experience of watching a spacecraft carrying an instrument he helped build begin its voyage to Mars.
Next, we are joined by Dr. Rob Lillis, ESCAPADE&rsquo;s Principal Investigator and Associate Director for Planetary Science at UC Berkeley&rsquo;s Space Sciences Laboratory. Rob explains how ESCAPADE aims to unravel Mars&rsquo; complex space environment using two coordinated orbiters, why its measurements are key to understanding atmospheric escape, and how its innovative trajectory made the mission possible after the loss of its original rideshare opportunity.
Finally, Dr. Bruce Betts, Chief Scientist of The Planetary Society, returns for What&rsquo;s Up to talk about why Mars produces aurora even without a global magnetic dynamo.
 Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-escapade">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-escapade</a>

NASA’s ESCAPADE mission is on its way to Mars to study how the solar wind interacts with the planet’s magnetic fields and atmosphere. This week, we talk with Ari Koeppel and PI Rob Lillis about the mission’s launch and science goals, and examine Martian aurora in What’s Up.

ESCAPADE begins its journey to Mars

This week on Planetary Radio, we’re sharing a special conversation from our friends at the Smart Girl Dumb Questions podcast. Host Nayeema Raza sits down with The Planetary Society’s Chief of Space Policy, Casey Dreier, to explore one of the most common questions in space exploration: Why does space matter, and is it really worth the cost?

Casey breaks down how space exploration impacts daily life, from GPS and weather forecasting to cutting-edge technologies and scientific discoveries that could reshape our future. Together, Nayeema and Casey unpack the big ideas behind NASA’s ~$25 billion budget at a moment when U.S. national priorities are shifting.

Stick around after the interview for a special U.S. Thanksgiving-week edition of What’s Up with Chief Scientist Bruce Betts.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-smart-girl-dumb-questions

This week on Planetary Radio, we&rsquo;re sharing a special conversation from our friends at the Smart Girl Dumb Questions podcast. Host Nayeema Raza sits down with The Planetary Society&rsquo;s Chief of Space Policy, Casey Dreier, to explore one of the most common questions in space exploration: Why does space matter, and is it really worth the cost?
Casey breaks down how space exploration impacts daily life, from GPS and weather forecasting to cutting-edge technologies and scientific discoveries that could reshape our future. Together, Nayeema and Casey unpack the big ideas behind NASA&rsquo;s ~$25 billion budget at a moment when U.S. national priorities are shifting.
Stick around after the interview for a special U.S. Thanksgiving-week edition of What&rsquo;s Up with Chief Scientist Bruce Betts.
Discover more at:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-smart-girl-dumb-questions">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-smart-girl-dumb-questions</a>

Planetary Radio shares Casey Dreier’s appearance on Smart Girl Dumb Questions, where he and host Nayeema Raza explore why space exploration matters and whether NASA’s budget is worth the cost.

Smart Girl Dumb Questions: Casey Dreier answers why space is worth it

There was a time when almost everyone, from Alexander Graham Bell to the Wall Street Journal, believed there was a supremely intelligent civilization on Mars, one that was probably trying to talk to Earthlings. Most of this belief could be traced to an amateur astronomer and charismatic speaker named Percival Lowell. David Baron tells this story in “The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze that Captured Turn-of-the-Century America,” the product of seven years of research into this strange chapter of history. He shares many of the most surprising, fascinating, and very entertaining details, including much that had been lost to history, in this book club conversation with Mat Kaplan.


Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/book-club-david-baron

There was a time when almost everyone, from Alexander Graham Bell to the Wall Street Journal, believed there was a supremely intelligent civilization on Mars, one that was probably trying to talk to Earthlings. Most of this belief could be traced to an amateur astronomer and charismatic speaker named Percival Lowell. David Baron tells this story in &ldquo;The Martians: The True Story of an Alien Craze that Captured Turn-of-the-Century America,&rdquo; the product of seven years of research into this strange chapter of history. He shares many of the most surprising, fascinating, and very entertaining details, including much that had been lost to history, in this book club conversation with Mat Kaplan.
 Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/book-club-david-baron">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/book-club-david-baron</a>

Author David Baron has written the definitive, true story of a time when nearly everyone in America was utterly convinced there was a supremely intelligent civilization on the Red Planet, and they wanted to talk with us! 

Space Policy Edition: China’s growing space science ambitions

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