Planetary Radio
Planetary Radio is the weekly adventure on the final frontier produced by the Planetary Society and it's CEO, Bill Nye the Science Guy. Listen to host Mat Kaplan's conversations with the scientists, engineers, dreamers and leaders at the forefront of space exploration. You'll also hear our regular segments with Bill, "Planetary Evangelist" Emily Lakdawalla, and Director of Science and Technology Bruce Betts. Enter the weekly space trivia contest for your chance to win out-of-this-world prizes!
- Update frequency
- every 6 days
- Average duration
- 51 minutes
- Episodes
- 589
- Years Active
- 2014 - 2023
Space Policy Edition #15 – Congressman Rick Larsen, Could Russia Exit the ISS?
New U.S. sanctions against Russia have reignited speculation that global politics could undermine cooperation in the International Space Station. Could Russia cut off rides for US astronauts to the I…
01:23:08 |
Fri 04 Aug 2017
An Eye on the Sun (In the Middle of a Lake)
The world’s most powerful solar telescope has just been renamed for the man responsible for its creation. We’ll meet astrophysicist and helioseismologist Phil Goode, and we’ll enjoy a tour of the Go…
00:52:29 |
Wed 02 Aug 2017
Planetary Radio Live! Living on Mars
Will humans live, work and thrive on Mars? What challenges must be met before we can become Martians? On July 20th, the anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Mat Kaplan welcomed an outstanding …
01:26:44 |
Wed 26 Jul 2017
Emily Lakdawalla on the Last Orbits of Cassini
The Cassini Mission has less than two months to go before it ends with a spectacular plunge into the beautiful ringed world. Planetary Society Senior Editor Emily Lakdawalla has prepared a guide to …
00:28:51 |
Wed 19 Jul 2017
20 Years on Mars with Matt Golombek
When the Pathfinder lander reached Mars 20 years ago it began a Martian renaissance that has never paused. JPL scientist Matt Golombek was the mission’s Project Scientist. He looks back and to the …
00:49:45 |
Wed 12 Jul 2017
A Cosmic Voyage with Astronomer Sandra Faber
Veteran astronomer and cosmologist Sandra Faber has just been awarded the Gruber Prize for Cosmology, honoring more than forty years of pioneering work. She talks with Mat Kaplan on this week’s show.…
01:04:13 |
Wed 05 Jul 2017
Space Policy Edition #14 – Ice Giants and Ocean Worlds Beckon
A new report builds the case for long overdue returns to Uranus and Neptune, while another proposal calls for exploration of the many bodies in our solar system that hide vast water oceans. Jason Ca…
01:04:41 |
Wed 05 Jul 2017
Happy Asteroid Day!
Asteroid Day, June 30th, marks the anniversary of the great Tunguska impact that leveled a Siberian forest. It reminds us that a Near Earth Object can destroy a city or even a civilization. Former Mi…
00:39:09 |
Wed 28 Jun 2017
Thomas Edison, Eclipse Chaser!
Former NPR science reporter David Baron discusses the stories of men and women who made their way across the American West to view and document the total solar eclipse of 1878.
01:02:39 |
Wed 21 Jun 2017
Julie Webster and the Art of Spacecraft Endurance
How do you keep a dazzlingly complex spacecraft in good health after 20 years in space? That’s the challenge for Julie Webster and her team of engineers supporting the Cassini mission at Saturn. Ja…
00:47:54 |
Wed 14 Jun 2017
Spectacular Jupiter!
Have you seen its stunning image of Jupiter’s south pole? The Juno orbiter is surpassing expectations and delivering surprising science. Scott Bolton, the mission’s Principal Investigator, is back …
00:42:47 |
Wed 07 Jun 2017
Space Policy Edition #13 – The 2018 White House Budget and Is Mars Exploration in Retrograde?
The Trump Administration released its proposed FY2018 budget just days ago. Casey Dreier, Jason Callahan and Mat Kaplan dive deep into what this controversial plan means for NASA and how it has been …
01:10:29 |
Fri 02 Jun 2017
Buzz Aldrin and Other Martians
He walked with Neil Armstrong on the moon, but that may not be his greatest legacy. Buzz Aldrin was joined by other space stars at the recent Humans To Mars Summit. Bill Nye returns with his sense of…
00:58:28 |
Wed 31 May 2017
Human Spaceflight: Coming Back to America
Astronauts may soon ride on US rockets and in US spaceships for the first time since the last Space Shuttle flight. Jon Cowart of NASA is working with SpaceX toward the first launch of a Dragon space…
00:47:39 |
Wed 24 May 2017
NASA Leaders on Getting Humans to Mars
The human journey to the Red Planet is long and hard, but Mat’s conversation with three NASA Associate Administrators at the Humans to Mars Summit was filled with cautious optimism. Emily Lakdawalla…
01:04:30 |
Wed 17 May 2017
Visiting Worlds Fantastic with Bonnie Buratti
Veteran Jet Propulsion Lab planetary scientist Bonnie Buratti talks with Mat about the wonder of our solar neighborhood that she explores in "Worlds Fantastic, Worlds Familiar—A Guided Tour of the So…
00:56:10 |
Wed 10 May 2017
Space Policy Edition #12 – Is Space Policy Stagnant? With Special Guest Marcia Smith
Moon or Mars? Should NASA depend on private companies? What’s the goal of human spaceflight? These questions were debated three decades ago, yet are just as relevant today. Does that mean space polic…
01:27:26 |
Fri 05 May 2017
Be There! The Great American Eclipse
Our ongoing coverage of preparation for the Great American Eclipse takes us to Southern Illinois University Carbondale where a huge celebration is planned.
00:54:00 |
Wed 03 May 2017
Bill Nye Saves the World…With Space
It was a big week for the Science Guy, and for science. Bill Nye served as honorary co-chair of the March for Science in Washington DC. His new Netflix series, Bill Nye Saves the World, premiered …
00:34:54 |
Wed 26 Apr 2017
McDonald Observatory and the Quest for Dark Energy
The University of Texas at Austin’s observatory is high in the hills of west Texas. In this special episode, Mat Kaplan joins the tens of thousands who visit it each year. The occasion was the dedic…
00:48:21 |
Wed 19 Apr 2017
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