Space Boffins, from the Naked Scientists

Richard Hollingham, Sue Nelson
  • 4.8 (13)
  • ASTRONOMY
  • UPDATED BIMONTHLY

Publishing monthly, Space Boffins brings you cutting edge conversation and debate about the past, present and future of space science.

  1. Apollo 1, Frank De Winne, and Moon Museum

    12/03/2025

    Apollo 1, Frank De Winne, and Moon Museum

    It's the bumper end of year edition featuring the first European Commander of the International Space Station (ISS), Frank De Winne. He joins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham to chat about his two missions, working together in space and the future of space exploration. We also meet Mark Craig, the director of the new Apollo 1 movie, visit a Moon museum in Pittsburgh and get emotional in a Wally Funk themed exhibition. All that plus Wes Anderson chat, and a postcard competition. And we'll be back in 2026!Contact us via @spaceboffins... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    1h 10m
  2. How to build a Moon lander, Eileen Collins, and space quilts

    11/05/2025

    How to build a Moon lander, Eileen Collins, and space quilts

    Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham get up-close with a Moon lander taking shape at Astrobotic in Pittsburgh. The first woman to pilot and command the Space Shuttle, Eileen Collins, discusses a new film about her life: Space Woman. Plus, two new space quilts, complete with UFOs, at the Royal Astronomical Society... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    1h 17m
  3. Life on White Mars, and a new space

    10/03/2025

    Life on White Mars, and a new space

    One of the most isolated places on Earth is helping us understand how to live on a moon or another planet. Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham spoke to Nina Purvis, at the Concordia Station in Antarctica, about life on 'White Mars'. Former ESA advisor Mark McCaughrean discusses his new book, 111 Places in Space That You Must Not Miss, and companies ClearSpace, Astroscale and Orbit Fab explain their plans to clean up in space... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    1h 12m
  4. Jim Lovell, space selfies and UK launch

    09/04/2025

    Jim Lovell, space selfies and UK launch

    We celebrate Apollo legend Jim Lovell in this month's Space Boffins as we mine the archives to look back on his extraordinary space career. Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham talk to Andy Saunders, NASA photography expert and author of Gemini and Mercury Remastered. We also hear from rival UK rocket companies Skyrora and Orbex, plus Emily Dineley from the UK Space Agency on plans for the first UK vertical launch. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    1h 7m
  5. UK Astronaut, ESA DG and the Forge Awakens

    08/06/2025

    UK Astronaut, ESA DG and the Forge Awakens

    Fresh from the UK Space Conference, Space Boffins Richard Hollingham and Sue Nelson hear from UK astronaut Rosemary Coogan on life at the European Space Agency (ESA), and waiting for her first mission. ESA boss Josef Aschbacher talks about Europe's space game and NASA's budget squeeze. Plus, jet packs with the Smithsonian's Jennifer Lavasseur and a Sat Cave update from Space Forge... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    56 min
  6. NASA cuts, water mission and Skylab

    06/28/2025

    NASA cuts, water mission and Skylab

    Will China now get to the Moon first? NASA's former head of science, Thomas Zurbuchen, joins Space Boffins to discuss the proposed cuts to NASA's science budget. Richard visits SSTL to see an innovative European Space Agency mission, HydroGNSS, that uses satellite navigation signals to measure water from space. And authors Bruce McCandless III and Emily Carney share stories and songs from their new book, Star Bound, and talk Gemini, Skylab and an angry NASA memo. Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    1h 14m
  7. Factories in space, ET, and a space paraglider

    05/29/2025

    Factories in space, ET, and a space paraglider

    Could factories in space be the future of manufacturing? Space Boffins Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham meet the head of the UK company, Space Forge, about to launch a (very small) factory into orbit. Sue also visits a new exhibition at the Natural History Museum in London exploring whether life could exist elsewhere in the universe, and the weird 1960s design that could have seen astronauts return to Earth on a paraglider... Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    49 min
  8. Two astronauts and a Shuttle

    05/10/2025

    Two astronauts and a Shuttle

    Dinner chat on the space station, landing in the Shuttle and flying with William Shatner! Hosts Sue Nelson and Richard Hollingham chat to NASA astronaut Nicole Stott about painting in space and whether we should send politicians into orbit! They also visit Space Shuttle Discovery in Washington to meet curator Jennifer Levassuer, Sue talks to Blue Origin astronaut Chris Boshuizen who pioneered phones in space, and the proposed NASA budget and what that means for Europe goes under the microscope...Contact us @spaceboffins and podcast@spaceboffins.com Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

    1h 9m
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4.8
out of 5
13 Ratings

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Publishing monthly, Space Boffins brings you cutting edge conversation and debate about the past, present and future of space science.

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