After the delay of the Psyche mission, an independent review board faulted management and workforce problems at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as one of the causes. This month we feature the JPL Director, Dr. Laurie Leshin, to discuss what the lab is doing in response to these critiques, how NASA can compete with the private sector for top talent, and why our society needs to improve the diversity of its workforce to ensure every brain possible can work in space exploration.

After the delay of the Psyche mission, an independent review board faulted management and workforce problems at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory as one of the causes. This month we feature the JPL Director, Dr. Laurie Leshin, to discuss what the lab is doing in response to these critiques, how NASA can compete with the private sector for top talent, and why our society needs to improve the diversity of its workforce to ensure every brain possible can work in space exploration.

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.

Jet Propulsion Lab director Laurie Leshin joins the Planetary Society's Casey Dreier for a conversation about challenges faced by the famous lab and the entire aerospace industry.

Space Policy Edition: JPL Director wants "every brain" to have the chance to work in space exploration

Humanity is going back to the Moon, and Europe is already playing a critical role in making it happen. This week, Planetary Radio brings you voices straight from the 18th European Space Conference in Brussels, Belgium, where more than 2,000 of the world’s top space leaders gathered to shape the future of European space exploration.

We begin with conference co-organizer Tomas Dimitrov of Logos and Business Bridge Europe, who sets the stage for the conversations ahead. From there, we hear from European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, French Minister Delegate for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad, and Germany’s Federal Space Minister Dorothee Bär.

We also take you inside the Moonlight Initiative panel, bringing you the full conversation as scientists and engineers from ESA, NASA, and industry lay out their vision for building GPS and communications infrastructure around the Moon, and wrestle with what it will really take to support a permanent human presence there.

Then, Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts joins us for What’s Up to tackle one of the most fascinating and unexpected challenges of lunar exploration: what time is it on the Moon?

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-european-space-conference 

Humanity is going back to the Moon, and Europe is already playing a critical role in making it happen. This week, Planetary Radio brings you voices straight from the 18th European Space Conference in Brussels, Belgium, where more than 2,000 of the world&rsquo;s top space leaders gathered to shape the future of European space exploration.
We begin with conference co-organizer Tomas Dimitrov of Logos and Business Bridge Europe, who sets the stage for the conversations ahead. From there, we hear from European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, French Minister Delegate for European Affairs Benjamin Haddad, and Germany&rsquo;s Federal Space Minister Dorothee B&auml;r.
We also take you inside the Moonlight Initiative panel, bringing you the full conversation as scientists and engineers from ESA, NASA, and industry lay out their vision for building GPS and communications infrastructure around the Moon, and wrestle with what it will really take to support a permanent human presence there.
Then, Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts joins us for What&rsquo;s Up to tackle one of the most fascinating and unexpected challenges of lunar exploration: what time is it on the Moon?
Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-european-space-conference">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-european-space-conference</a>&nbsp;

As humanity heads back to the Moon, Europe is stepping up. We bring you voices from the European Space Conference and take you inside the Moonlight Initiative panel building the Moon’s future.

The 18th European Space Conference: Dreaming of European boots on the Moon

Gentry Lee spent nearly five decades at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and in that time he helped shape some of the most ambitious missions in the history of space exploration. A new documentary, “Starman,” chronicles his career and the big question that runs through it: is there life beyond Earth? Lee worked on every NASA mission to land on Mars, helped Carl Sagan bring the Universe to living rooms around the world with “Cosmos,” and oversaw dozens of active missions as Chief Engineer for the Solar System Exploration Directorate at JPL. Few people have had a front-row seat to the Space Age quite like him.

In this episode, host Sarah Al-Ahmed sits down with Gentry at Planetary Society headquarters just one day after his retirement from JPL. He reflects on the colleagues who shaped him, the missions that changed our understanding of the Solar System, and why the search for life beyond Earth remains the most profound endeavor humanity has ever undertaken.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-starman

Gentry Lee spent nearly five decades at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and in that time he helped shape some of the most ambitious missions in the history of space exploration. A new documentary, &ldquo;Starman,&rdquo; chronicles his career and the big question that runs through it: is there life beyond Earth? Lee worked on every NASA mission to land on Mars, helped Carl Sagan bring the Universe to living rooms around the world with &ldquo;Cosmos,&rdquo; and oversaw dozens of active missions as Chief Engineer for the Solar System Exploration Directorate at JPL. Few people have had a front-row seat to the Space Age quite like him.
In this episode, host Sarah Al-Ahmed sits down with Gentry at Planetary Society headquarters just one day after his retirement from JPL. He reflects on the colleagues who shaped him, the missions that changed our understanding of the Solar System, and why the search for life beyond Earth remains the most profound endeavor humanity has ever undertaken.
Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-starman">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-starman</a>

Gentry Lee, the subject of the new documentary “Starman,” reflects on nearly five decades at JPL, the missions that defined the Space Age, and the search for life beyond Earth.

Starman: Looking back on a life exploring the Solar System

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 the realities behind China’s rapidly advancing space program. They discuss how China’s political system shapes its long-term space strategy, why the rhetoric about a “space race” may be misleading, and how competition between the United States and China in space is likely to unfold over the coming decades.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/spe-us-china-space-race

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 the realities behind China&rsquo;s rapidly advancing space program. They discuss how China&rsquo;s political system shapes its long-term space strategy, why the rhetoric about a &ldquo;space race&rdquo; may be misleading, and how competition between the United States and China in space is likely to unfold over the coming decades.
Discover more at: <a href="https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/spe-us-china-space-race">https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/spe-us-china-space-race</a>

Space Policy Edition: JPL Director wants "every brain" to have the chance to work in space exploration

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