Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

The Planetary Society
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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.

  1. Book Club Edition: Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts’ latest for kids

    3H AGO

    Book Club Edition: Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts’ latest for kids

    They informed and entertained together throughout the first 20 years of Planetary Radio. Listen in as the Society’s chief scientist and book club edition host Mat Kaplan share the mic once again for a delightful conversation about Dr. Betts’ two new space books for young people. “Are We Alone?” introduces the search for life across the Universe, while “The Size of Space” collects many of Bruce’s brilliant and hilarious ways to cut our Solar System down to human size. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/book-club-bruce-betts See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    57 min
  2. A new chapter at The Planetary Society: Jennifer Vaughn becomes CEO

    2D AGO

    A new chapter at The Planetary Society: Jennifer Vaughn becomes CEO

    This week on Planetary Radio, we mark a major leadership transition at The Planetary Society. Host Sarah Al-Ahmed sits down with Bill Nye, outgoing chief executive officer and newly appointed chief ambassador of The Planetary Society, and Jennifer Vaughn, incoming chief executive officer and former chief operating officer, for a candid conversation about this long-planned transition. Together, Bill and Jenn reflect on how the organization, under their shared leadership, grew into the world’s largest and most effective nonprofit dedicated to advancing the scientific exploration of space. Then, Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, joins Sarah for What’s Up. They discuss an upcoming planetary alignment on and around February 28, 2026. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-jennifer-vaughn-ceo See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1 hr
  3. Where did Earth’s water come from? Clues hidden in Apollo Moon dust

    FEB 11

    Where did Earth’s water come from? Clues hidden in Apollo Moon dust

    Where did Earth’s water come from? In this episode of Planetary Radio, we explore how scientists are answering that question by studying a remarkably well-preserved record of the early Solar System: lunar samples brought back by the Apollo missions. Host Sarah Al-Ahmed is joined by Tony Gargano, postdoctoral fellow at the Lunar and Planetary Institute with the University Space Research Association and a research affiliate at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Gargano studies lunar rocks and regolith to understand how planets form, evolve, and acquire key ingredients like water over time. By analyzing subtle chemical fingerprints preserved in Apollo-era lunar regolith, his work helps constrain how much water meteorites could have brought to Earth and what that means for our planet’s path to habitability. The episode also features a short bonus segment with actor George Takei, recorded at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures during a screening of “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.” Takei reflects on the enduring legacy of “Star Trek,” its influence on generations of scientists and explorers, and why he is excited about humanity’s return to the Moon in the Artemis era. He connects science fiction’s hopeful vision of the future with the real science helping us understand our origins today. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-earth-water-apollo-moon-dust See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 2m
  4. Space Policy Edition: What a NASA Authorization bill actually does

    FEB 6

    Space Policy Edition: What a NASA Authorization bill actually does

    What does a NASA authorization bill actually do, and why does it matter? In this episode of Space Policy Edition, we dig into one of the most misunderstood but powerful tools Congress uses to shape the future of U.S. space exploration. Host Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, is joined by Jack Kiraly, the Society’s director of government relations, for a deep dive into how NASA authorization bills work, how they differ from appropriations, and why they can have decades-long consequences for science missions, human spaceflight, and planetary defense. The discussion also reflects on a major recent win for space advocates: Congress’s bipartisan decision to protect NASA science funding. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/spe-what-is-a-nasa-authorization-bill See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 1m
  5. Europa’s quiet seafloor

    FEB 4

    Europa’s quiet seafloor

    What if Europa’s seafloor isn’t alive with activity after all? This week on Planetary Radio, host and producer Sarah Al-Ahmed explores new research that reframes how scientists think about one of the Solar System’s most intriguing ocean worlds. Sarah is joined by Paul Byrne, associate professor of earth, environmental, and planetary sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. Paul is the lead author of a new study suggesting that the seafloor beneath Europa’s global ocean may be geologically quiet today, potentially lacking the hydrothermal activity often associated with habitable environments on Earth. Together, they discuss how scientists investigate places we can’t yet observe directly and why Europa remains a compelling world to explore regardless of what we find. Then, Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, joins us for What’s Up to explain why Saturn’s moon Enceladus shows strong evidence for active hydrothermal vents beneath its icy crust, offering a fascinating contrast between two ocean worlds. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-europas-quiet-seafloor See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 3m
  6. Artemis II and III: The science that brings us back to the Moon

    JAN 28

    Artemis II and III: The science that brings us back to the Moon

    Humans are preparing to return to the Moon. On this episode of Planetary Radio, host Sarah Al-Ahmed is joined by Kelsey Young and Noah Petro, two of the scientists helping turn humanity’s return to the Moon into reality. Kelsey Young is a research space scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and serves as the Artemis Science Flight Operations Lead. She also leads the Lunar Observations and Imaging Campaign for Artemis II, defining what astronauts will observe, document, and study as they fly around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years. Noah Petro is the lab chief of the Planetary Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Laboratory at NASA Goddard and the former Project Scientist for the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. He also serves as the Project Scientist for Artemis III, helping shape the science behind humanity’s first lunar footsteps of the 21st century. Together, they discuss how Artemis II and Artemis III build on decades of lunar science, how astronauts are being trained to observe the Moon like geologists, and why the Moon’s south pole is such a compelling destination for future exploration. Then, we wrap up with What’s Up, where Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, shares the story of the first and so far only professional geologist to walk on the Moon. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-artemis-ii-and-iii See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 4m
  7. NASA science saved: Inside the 2026 budget victory

    JAN 21

    NASA science saved: Inside the 2026 budget victory

    After months of uncertainty, NASA science has been spared from the largest proposed budget cuts in the agency’s history. In this episode of Planetary Radio, host Sarah Al-Ahmed unpacks how Congress moved to restore near-full funding for NASA science and what that victory really means for missions, researchers, and the future of space exploration. Sarah is joined by Jack Kiraly, director of government relations at The Planetary Society, and Ari Koeppel, an AAAS science & technology policy fellow at The Planetary Society, to break down what passed in the FY 2026 budget, why the details matter, and how bipartisan support helped protect science programs across planetary science, astrophysics, Earth science, and heliophysics. The conversation also takes an honest look at the costs of the past year, from lost jobs and disrupted missions to shaken morale, and why rebuilding NASA’s scientific workforce will take time, even after this hard-won win. We also look ahead to what comes next as the FY 2027 budget process begins, and why sustained public engagement remains essential to protecting space science. Plus, Bruce Betts, chief scientist of The Planetary Society, joins us for What’s Up, where we discuss the recent early return of astronauts from the International Space Station, what’s known about the situation, and what it means for station operations. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-nasa-science-saved See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 1m
  8. Book Club Edition: The Little Book of Aliens by Adam Frank

    JAN 16

    Book Club Edition: The Little Book of Aliens by Adam Frank

    Famed astrophysicist and science communicator Adam Frank shares his sense of wonder and humor in a live conversation about his excellent new book, “The Little Book of Aliens.” Join Adam and host Mat Kaplan as they explore the origin of life, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, and whether all those UFO sightings are worthy of deeper investigation. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/book-club-adam-frank See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    44 min
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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.

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