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Today In Space: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Alex G. Orphanos, Science Communicator
The award-winning space science podcast about all things space! Hosted by Alex G. Orphanos, science communicator, maker, and aerospace engineer. Our mission: to spread love and spread science!
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- 6 days ago12 min
Make It So | What Patrick Stewart & Captain Picard Meant to This Aerospace Engineer
This week we lost Sir Patrick Stewart, at 86. For a lot of us he was the "measure of a man". And it's safe to say that without Captain Picard I would not have gone to school for an aerospace engineering degree, would not love space as much as I do, and this podcast wouldn't have started — never mind run regularly for over a decade now. This episode is about what Sir Patrick Stewart and Captain Picard meant to me. Audio version of this episode of @TodayInSpacepod is available below. Video (link also below) premieres tonight at 8PM ET Picard never led by the tip of the spear. He wasn't Kirk. There's a real business book about exactly this, "Make It So: Leadership Lessons from Star Trek: The Next Generation," t was the first time I understood that a fictional character could change how you run a business and how you live your life. Affiliate link for the book is here if you are interested (https://link.amazon/B0au0xffL) I talk about the leadership dynamics of the "Ready Room", the optimistic view of a Humanities AI future from Gene Roddenberry and Captain Picard, and how Partrick Stewart made me want to strive for creativity and was a pillar in my family. I close the episode with three quotes of his that really hit me. I'd love to hear what he meant to you. Put it in the comments and let's honor his memory together — or email me at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com if you'd rather. May his memory be eternal. Be well, stay safe, and stay curious. SPREAD LOVE, SPREAD SCIENCE, AND STAY CURIOUS. CHAPTERS 00:00 We lost Sir Patrick Stewart 01:13 Tell me what he meant to you 01:51 A pillar of leadership 02:16 Picard doesn't lead by the tip of the spear 02:43 "Make It So" — the leadership book 03:21 My first engineering job, and the mentor who made the connection 04:05 The Ready Room 05:06 Grunts, red shirts, and respect 05:37 How Picard handled conflict 06:49 Shakespeare, Ian McKellen, and the arts 07:35 The Starfleet mentality: become more human 08:33 Why this matters more as AI grows 09:49 My dad's VHS collection 10:43 Rest in peace, Sir Patrick 10:58 Three quotes that stayed with me 11:49 Go live life THE THREE QUOTES, AND WHERE THEY'RE FROM "We have powerful tools: openness, optimism, and the spirit of curiosity." — Picard, Star Trek: Picard, S1E8 "Broken Pieces" (2020) "Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives. I'd rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey, and reminds us to cherish every moment, because it will never come again." — Picard, Star Trek Generations (1994) "What we leave behind is not as important as how we lived." — Picard, Star Trek Generations (1994)\ Youtube ID: https://youtu.be/3_NYSHs098A THE BOOK I MENTION Make It So: Leadership Lessons from Star Trek: The Next Generation — Wess Roberts, Ph.D. and Bill Ross, Pocket Books, 1995. Amazon Affiliate link - https://link.amazon/B0au0xffL CORRECTIONS A few things I want to get right. The leadership book came out in 1995, not 1994 — Pocket Books ran the first hardcover that September. And when I introduced the three quotes I said they were all Next Generation. The second and third are Picard in Star Trek Generations, which is the TNG cast, so that one's close enough. But the first — openness, optimism, and the spirit of curiosity — is from Star Trek: Picard, season one. Same captain, different log entry. GET MY FIRST BOOK The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing is out now in hardcover and on Kindle: https://ag3dlabs.com/book MORE TODAY IN SPACE https://todayinspace.net What did Sir Patrick Stewart mean to you? Tell me in the comments. #patrickstewart #captainpicard #startrek #thenextgeneration #makeitso #leadership #startrekpicard #spacepodcast #todayinspace
- 2 weeks ago25 min
Just Solve The Next Problem: Lessons from my 5-Week Comic Con Cosplay Gauntlet
On this week's episode, it's storytime after a very fun but also challenging NYCC trip. My third cosplay was my most ambitious yet, and with that ambition came complexity and things out of control! I'll tell you about the challenges I went through getting to the Cosplay showcase last Saturday, but more importantly I'll share how the wisdom of Mark Watney from the Martian kept me grounded. I'll talk about the Engineer's mindset I used to stay calm, focus on the next problem, and science the shit out of this ambitious cosplay! Never give up, never surrender! Subscribe for more space, science, & stem mindset content, and let us know your thoughts on this flight in the comments below. Timestamps: 00:00 The Five Week Cosplay Challenge 03:41 Unexpected Project Obstacles 06:18 Adapting the Build Plan 11:10 The Hotel Room Crunch 14:12 Comic Con Showcase Results 16:41 Lessons in Engineering Mindset Pick up a copy of my first book "The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing" out now in hardcover and on Kindle: https://ag3dlabs.com/book MORE TODAY IN SPACE https://todayinspace.net. SKYE is free space news & mission tracking, and it runs every 30 minutes: https://todayinspace.net
- Oct 1, 20261h 35m
SpaceX Starship Flight 14 Live Launch Condensed Replay
Starship Flight 14 launched successfully! Watch the condensed replay of the liftoff and orbital insertion from our LIVE launch hangout. Subscribe and hit the bell to get notified the next time we go live and hangout with us in the chat. This recap covers the latest Starship launch, showcasing the flight from initial liftoff through to the vehicle reaching orbit and deployed 26/26 Starlink Satellites that joined the Constellation. For those following modern space exploration, this condensed sequence offers a clear look at the progress made by SpaceX. Seeing the vehicle reach its intended orbital flight goal and is a moment in modern space history. Next: More testing into orbit, more starlink deployments, and eventually the first orbital refueling demonstration! Subscribe for weekly space updates, and let us know your thoughts on this flight in the comments below. Starship Flight 14 Timestamps: Overview Launch and Initial Ascent Booster Landing and Ship Status Orbital Insertion Decision Starlink V3 Payload Deployment Re-entry and Splashdown Mission End THE BOOK The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing is out now in hardcover and on Kindle: https://ag3dlabs.com/book MORE TODAY IN SPACE https://todayinspace.net. SKYE is free space news & mission tracking, and it runs every 30 minutes: https://todayinspace.net
- Sep 15, 202615 min
NASA Is Starting a U.S. Space Academy? Orbital Dogfighting and Starship Flight 14
This week, we're covering what's been trending in Space News for the last 5 days...and NASA HAS BEEN TASKED WITH BUILDING A U.S. SPACE ACADEMY! But how serious is this executive order and it's create a presidential commission? Could this be the start of our own Starfleet Academy or just the Presidents Legacy piece? We also get into the first U.S. military live-fly exercise in orbital dogfighting, and updates on where Starship Flight 14 stands. Gathered by our AI Assistant SKYE and reported by your human host Spaceman Alex! I'm Alex G. Orphanos, your space science podcast host and your favorite mad scientist. Tell me what you think of the SKYE Report, and which segments to dig deeper into. Drop it in the comments or email us at todayinspacepodcast@gmail.com Be well, stay safe, and stay curious. SPREAD LOVE, SPREAD SCIENCE, AND STAY CURIOUS. THE BOOK The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing is out now in hardcover and on Kindle: https://ag3dlabs.com/book MORE TODAY IN SPACE https://todayinspace.net SKYE is free and it runs every 30 minutes: https://todayinspace.net CHAPTERS 00:00 What SKYE is, and this week's report 01:13 The rundown — Sep 7 to 11 02:14 The big story: NASA tasked with a U.S. Space Academy 04:12 My take — a legacy piece until the funding shows up 05:00 Why there's still no real school for space 06:44 So many astronauts, so few seats 07:15 Starfleet Academy in San Francisco? 07:28 Isaacman's case for the academy 09:06 A first: orbital dogfighting in a live-fly exercise 10:28 Why Starlink matters to the military 11:48 My take — war, space, and who drives the conversation 12:24 Starship Flight 14 — no confirmed date yet 13:00 What to watch this week 13:33 Close WATCH THIS WEEK (Eastern) Mon Sep 14, 9:21pm — Vega-C with Sentinel-3C and FLEX Tue Sep 15, 9:00pm — Falcon 9 with USSF-259 Wed Sep 16, 9:33am — Soyuz with Progress MS-35 to the station, docking Sat Sep 19 — live on NASA+: https://plus.nasa.gov/scheduled-video/progress-96-cargo-ship-docking/ Fri Sep 18, 8:15am — Starship Flight 14, the earliest date on the board, not yet confirmed CORRECTIONS I said Vega-C launches Tuesday and USSF-259 on Wednesday. Those are the UTC dates — in Eastern they fly Monday night and Tuesday night. And no source we could read calls Starship Flight 14 "the first orbital flight"; Launch Library 2 describes it as the first Starship flight to deploy satellites into stable low Earth orbit. Update: O3b mPower 11-13, underway as I recorded, launched successfully on Sunday. SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE U.S. SPACE ACADEMY NASA — President Trump signs executive order to create U.S. Space Academy https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/president-trump-signs-executive-order-to-create-us-space-academy/ NASA — NASA answers President's call to establish United States Space Academy https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-answers-presidents-call-to-establish-united-states-space-academy/ Jared Isaacman on X — the post I read from on air https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2098842327947317525 ORBITAL DOGFIGHTING Space.com — US military practices orbital dogfighting in 1st-ever 'live fly' exercise in space https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/us-military-practices-orbital-dogfighting-in-1st-ever-live-fly-exercise-in-space STARSHIP NASASpaceflight — Starship Flight 14 Nears — So Where Is The Rocket? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIrpJvrgEvs IMAGES: Alex G. Orphanos · NASA (U.S. Space Academy RFI cover) · U.S. Space Command / Christopher DeWitt Youtube ID: https://youtu.be/YVDyFDBgFuE #spaceacademy #nasa #spaceforce #starship #spacenews #isaacman #spacepodcast #todayinspace
- Sep 7, 202614 min
A German Commercial Rocket Reached Orbit From Norway | Swift's Rescue Failed, New Horizons Faces Cuts
This week, we're covering what's been trending in Space News for the last 8 days...and EUROPE FINALLY HAS ITS OWN RIDE TO ORBIT! A German company launched a commercial rocket to orbit from Norway — and almost nobody covered it, including SKYE on its first pass. We also get into NASA's failed rescue of the Swift telescope, and a nuclear-powered spacecraft at the edge of the solar system that's on the chopping block. Space News gathered by our AI Assistant SKYE and reported by your human host Spaceman Alex! I'm Alex G. Orphanos, your space science podcast host and your favorite mad scientist. Tell me what you think of the SKYE Report, and which segments to dig deeper into. If the New Horizons segment lands with you, the ask at the end is real — it worked last year. SAVE NEW HORIZONS: https://www.science.org/content/article/nasa-s-new-horizons-mission-may-shut-down-two-instruments-over-lack-funding WATCH our LIVE Launch Hangout for Roman Space Telescope: https://www.youtube.com/live/V3pipbUu3X0?si=5yUMqzM-kcf6O_2K Be well, stay safe, and stay curious. SPREAD LOVE, SPREAD SCIENCE, AND STAY CURIOUS. THE BOOK The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing is out now in hardcover and on Kindle: https://ag3dlabs.com/book MORE TODAY IN SPACE https://todayinspace.net SKYE is free and it updates every 30 minutes: https://todayinspace.net Youtube Video: https://youtu.be/QoLvWnAq8sw CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome — what SKYE is and what this report does 00:35 The hook: Isar reaches orbit, and how it nearly got missed 01:10 The rundown — Aug 30 to Sep 6, six launches, six successes 01:31 SKYE's trends — lunar at 1.6x, down from last week's 11x 01:54 Roman Space Telescope launches, and our live hangout 02:23 Isar Aerospace — the launch from Andoya, and what ESA said 02:56 The Spectrum vehicle and its payload 03:07 My take — why Europe needs its own launch capability 04:12 How the story got buried, and the fix in SKYE 05:04 SKYE picks — Pallas-1's debut, and the Venus mission still grounded 05:48 What's next — Progress MS-35, MS-33, Long March, USSF-153 06:41 The Swift Observatory and the failed rescue 07:00 The Swift timeline, Aug 9 to Aug 31 07:28 Isaacman and Domagal-Goldman on taking smart risks 08:42 New Horizons — a nuclear spacecraft on the funding chopping block 09:20 What New Horizons is and where it is now 10:56 The ask — call your representatives 12:36 Close WATCH THIS WEEK Progress MS-35 docks with the station Friday the 11th at 18:37 UTC, and NASA is carrying it live. https://plus.nasa.gov/scheduled-video/progress-96-cargo-ship-docking/ SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE ISAR AEROSPACE ESA — Isar Aerospace achieves first launch to orbit from continental Europe https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Boost/Isar_Aerospace_achieves_first_launch_to_orbit_from_continental_Europe Ars Technica — German company is first in Europe to launch a fully commercial orbital rocket https://arstechnica.com/space/2026/09/german-company-becomes-first-in-europe-to-launch-fully-commercial-orbital-rocket/ Via Satellite — PLD Space, Isar and RFA land ESA Launcher Challenge contracts https://www.satellitetoday.com/launch/2026/08/27/pld-space-isar-aerospace-and-rocket-factory-augsburg-land-esa-contracts-in-launch-challenge/ SWIFT Via Satellite — Katalyst LINK mission is unable to rescue NASA's Swift observatory https://www.satellitetoday.com/technology/2026/08/19/katalyst-link-mission-is-unable-to-rescue-nasa-swift-observatory/ Space.com — Swift restarts science work after the rescue mission fails https://www.space.com/space-exploration/missions/nasa
- Aug 29, 202612 min
A Falcon 9 Upper Stage Hit the Moon | The Crater, Artemis III, and NASA's Roman
This week, we're covering what's been trending in Space News for the last 10 days...and IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MOON! Starting up a new weekly segment where we gather the biggest stories and launches from the last week, gathered by our AI Assistant SKYE and reported by your human host Spaceman Alex! I'm Alex G. Orphanos, your space science podcast host and your favorite mad scientist. Tell me what you think of the SKYE Report, and which segments to dig deeper into. Don't forget to catch the NASA Roman Telescope mission - join us live Sunday August 30th! LIVE Launch Hangout link for Roman here: https://www.youtube.com/live/V3pipbUu3X0?si=TdaEN9pN-SCkFH-P Be well, stay safe, and stay curious. SPREAD LOVE, SPREAD SCIENCE, AND STAY CURIOUS. THE BOOK The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing is out now in hardcover and on Kindle: https://ag3dlabs.com/book MORE TODAY IN SPACE https://todayinspace.net - We just updated the site! Check it out SKYE is free and it runs every 30 minutes: https://todayinspace.net CHAPTERS 00:00 A new segment, and why I built SKYE 00:26 todayinspace.net: the mission clock and live space news 01:49 The brief — 514 items, 49 stories, 18 sources, 9/9 launches 02:58 The Moon is trending: 24% of the week, 11x its normal share 03:43 Twenty days from impact to peer-reviewed paper 03:57 Artemis II crew receive the Congressional Space Medal of Honor 05:00 Artemis III: shuttle-veteran RS-25 engines, and the crew 05:31 Zeno Power books a nuclear payload to the Moon 06:22 THE TAKE — the outrage, the fake news, and what we owe the science 09:38 What's next: the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope 10:00 What Roman will actually do 10:40 SpaceX's $100B Louisiana spaceport 11:09 SKYE is the machine. I'm the human. 12:09 Clear skies WATCH ROMAN LAUNCH LIVE Falcon Heavy from LC-39A, no earlier than 7:26am ET, Sunday August 30. NASA coverage opens 6:20am ET, post-launch conference 9:30am. We'll be live on Today In Space. LIVE Launch Hangout link for Roman here: https://www.youtube.com/live/V3pipbUu3X0?si=TdaEN9pN-SCkFH-P SOURCES FOR THIS EPISODE THE LUNAR IMPACT <div data-line="52" data-line-type="conte
- Aug 24, 202611 min
There's Something Human About Stargazing | Bortle 1 Skies & Perspective | EP418
There's something human about stargazing. You don't even need to know what you're looking at. I just got back from Maine and about the most perfect dark skies you could ask for — a Bortle 1 or 2, against the Bortle 6 or 7 we get at Today In Space HQ outside Boston. Dark, clear skies like that makes you wonder what the night sky was to the early humans like the ancient Greeks & their Mythologies. These deep moments allow for some deep perspective. like what it's like a year since I was laid-off aka "terminated" and why the more AI work I do, the more I want to go do human things. Great summer nights with a dark sky and great company. Who could ask for a better end to the Summer? My advice? Grab 20 minutes and a patch of sky. Even the patch above you. CHAPTERS 00:00 Welcome — the close of summer, and Maine 00:44 There's something human about stargazing 01:19 The Bortle scale: Bortle 1 in Maine, Bortle 5 at HQ 01:37 Cherry Springs next, with the Space Talkers 01:53 The night sky as humanity's first story map 02:37 How many satellites you can actually see up there 03:01 Mosaic mode: filtering satellite and plane streaks out 03:43 One year since the layoff 05:03 chat3DP — where the build is right now 05:44 The more AI I do, the more human things I want 06:51 The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing 07:22 I still don't identify as an author 08:00 A dock in Maine, and skies astronomers chase 08:42 How did anyone sleep before cities? 09:10 Greek ancestry, the mythologies, the Odyssey 10:03 What stargazing does to a conversation 10:46 Find the 20 minutes. Look up. 11:03 Clear skies THE BOOK The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing is out now in hardcover and on Kindle: https://ag3dlabs.com/book MORE TODAY IN SPACE https://todayinspace.net We just updated the site! Check it out I'm Alex G. Orphanos, your favorite mad scientist, wishing you clear skies and great conversations with great people as we build a fantastic future for all of us. Be well, stay safe, and stay curious. SPREAD LOVE, SPREAD SCIENCE, AND STAY CURIOUS. What's the darkest sky you've ever stood under? Tell me in the comments. #stargazing #astrophotography #bortlescale #lightpollution #spacepodcast #vaonisvespera #darksky #milkyway #3dprinting #todayinspace Youtube ID vTAoT8x5mfo
- Aug 4, 20261h 7m
Artemis Origin, Moon Flashes, and Artemis III! Space Talkers Artemis 2 RECAP PT2
The Space Talkers are back for part TWO, for a discussion about how Artemis was created, and some round-table talk about our favorite moments of Artemis II! We get into the space toilet that froze, the mental health protocols behind a crew locked in a capsule for days, the East Coast fireballs, why NASA canceled planned correction burns, and what all of it means for Artemis III. Along the way we talk telescopes, dark skies, Cherry Springs, and how this little community of space people found each other in the first place. Thank you to Matt, Caitlin, and Andrew for joining us live for this back in June. Whether you are a dedicated space enthusiast or just catching up on current events, this episode is a great one to jump in. Follow Today In Space for grounded space science, exploration updates, and honest conversations about the future of humanity beyond Earth. Stay curious. Spread love. Spread science. Want to buy a copy of my NEW Book? Find your favorite book buy here: https://ag3dlabs.com/book Support the podcast: Starship Development Comic Infographic by Alex G Orphanos SPACEMAN COMICS: Digital ($2) https://stan.store/AG3Dlabs/p/space-comic-poster-01-by-spaceman-comics Physical (starting at $23) https://ag3dreplicator.com/products/starship-development-comic-poster-matte-vertical-spacex-inspired-infographic • Buy a 3D printed gift from our shop - http://ag3dprinting.etsy.com • Get a free quote on your next 3D printing project at http://ag3d-printing.com • Today In Space Merch: James Webb Space Telescope Model (3DPrinted) https://ag3dprinting.etsy.com/listing/1839142903 • SpaceX Starship-Inspired Rocket Pen (3DPrinted) https://ag3dprinting.etsy.com/listing/1602850640
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