Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists
Publishing monthly, Space Boffins brings you cutting edge conversation and debate about the past, present and future of space science.
- Update frequency
- every 30 days
- Average duration
- 44 minutes
- Episodes
- 153
- Years Active
- 2012 - 2025
Gui Bluford, and the end of ESA's Aeolus
We celebrate the 40th anniversary of the flight of the first black astronaut, Gui Bluford and speak to Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Lisa Cortes, directors of The Space Race, which tells the story of …
00:42:22 |
Mon 28 Aug 2023
Space junk, giant claws and dark skies
This month it's all about the space environment - how do you remove space debris from orbit and make space more sustainable? The Earth Space Sustainability Initiative's (ESSI) Stuart Clark discusses …
00:46:31 |
Fri 28 Jul 2023
Space broadcast legend and 20 years at Mars
Irish journalist Leo Enright joins us to discuss commentating on Apollo 17, an unfortunate celebrity encounter, the world's first astronomers, 20 years of Mars Express, sun angles on the Moon and the…
01:09:20 |
Mon 19 Jun 2023
Hitchin to Houston: NASA's new science head
NASA's new head of science, Dr Nicola Fox, joins Space Boffins to chat about Mars sample return, solar missions and asteroids. Also, ESA new astronaut recruit, Pablo Alvarez, and experienced astronau…
01:03:00 |
Tue 02 May 2023
Juice to Jupiter and forgotten space shuttles
European Space Agency Juice mission to Jupiter's Michele Dougherty talks about icy moons, magnetic fields and life elsewhere in the solar system, and the UK Space Agency's Caroline Harper discusses t…
01:02:59 |
Wed 22 Mar 2023
Space Toilets and the New Guys
What's the toilet like in SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft? ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer reveals what a mission in the Dragon is like, from business class seats and spacious interior, to privacy curtain a…
00:51:14 |
Wed 01 Mar 2023
Mike Massimino and Meet the Minister
Hubble astronaut Mike Massimino and UK 'Space Minister' George Freeman MP talk about inspiration from Apollo, Artemis, Hubble and what astronaut legend John Young imparted about going to the toilet o…
01:10:39 |
Mon 06 Feb 2023
NASA's Dr Z
Nasa's outgoing head of science, Thomas Zurbuchen talks about saving the James Webb Space Telescope, future missions to the Moon and Mars, and research into UFOs. The team also visit the Science Muse…
00:58:53 |
Wed 21 Dec 2022
Cute Mars Rovers
Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham celebrate the drama of the Spirit and Opportunity rover missions with NASA rover engineer Doug Ellison and JPL research scientist Abigail Fraeman from …
00:57:06 |
Mon 05 Dec 2022
Last Man on the Moon: BONUS EPISODE
In this special bonus episode - for the first time in full - we play Richard's interview with the last man on the Moon, Gene Cernan. Recorded in summer 2016, it's thought to be the astronaut's last b…
00:54:56 |
Tue 15 Nov 2022
Moon Trees
Astronaut Stuart Roosa was a real-life action hero - Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham speak to his daughter about the Apollo 14 Command Module Pilot's life, mission and the seeds he carried with him…
01:11:40 |
Sun 30 Oct 2022
Space Tyranny!
How do you design a space settlement government without it descending into tyranny? Charles Cockell shares his research with hosts Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham. And as the UK prepares for its fi…
01:02:08 |
Fri 30 Sep 2022
Apollo Remastered
In a brave move, the Space Boffins attempt a podcast about pictures without any pictures! Joining them are science writer Andy Saunders, who's spent years remastering images from the Apollo missions …
01:00:50 |
Sat 27 Aug 2022
Poppy Northcutt and Launch UK
Apollo legend Poppy Northcutt joins Richard and Sue this month The only woman in mission control for the Moon missions, Poppy talks about the challenge of getting astronauts back from the Moon, the d…
00:48:01 |
Sun 03 Jul 2022
Lessons from an Astronaut
Not one but four astronauts feature in this month's Space Boffins. Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham chat to astronaut Nicole Stott about her book Back to Earth; we hear about the drama of launch, wh…
00:48:55 |
Fri 27 May 2022
Return to the Moon
With the first Artemis mission on the launchpad, Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham look ahead to the next footsteps on the Moon. They chat to Libby Jackson from the UK Space Agency abou…
00:44:03 |
Mon 25 Apr 2022
Do we need astronauts?
It's the Space Boffins' most controversial episode yet, as Don Goldsmith talks about his new book written with Astronomer Royal Martin Rees - The End of Astronauts and why robots are the future. Also…
00:54:09 |
Tue 01 Mar 2022
Fiery Worlds and go for Mars
In a bumper new year edition, we hear the latest on the Webb space telescope, discuss volcanoes on distant worlds and look ahead to Europe's mission to Mars. ESA's Mark McCaughrean talks about what's…
00:59:54 |
Fri 28 Jan 2022
Flowers in Space
Gardeners of the Galaxy podcast host Emma Doughty discusses the challenges and joys of growing flowers, chillies and vines (for wine!) in space. Sue and Richard also chat to self-confessed space nerd…
00:52:45 |
Wed 15 Dec 2021
James Webb and astronaut Jessica Meir
ESA's senior science advisor Mark McCaughrean joins Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham to enthuse about the most powerful space telescope ever built. And NASA astronaut Jessica Meir disc…
01:11:28 |
Mon 22 Nov 2021
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