The Space Show

Our program covered vertical takeoff and landing technology, tracing its evolution from science fiction to modern concepts and exploring various engineering challenges and potential solutions. The discussion concluded with updates on space travel innovations, including rocket designs, propellant considerations, and the importance of collaboration between private sector and government agencies in advancing space exploration. We also talked Moon and Mars. Read the full summary at www.thespaceshow.com for this date, Tuesday, 8-5-25 and at doctorspace.substack.com.

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John and I introduced Megan to our Hotel Mars program for a discussion of her work with dormant blackholes and more. Megan presented research on tidal disruption events (TDEs) observed using the James Webb Space Telescope, which has revealed previously dormant black holes becoming active and providing insights into their environmental effects. The discussion covered the physics of TDEs, including their impact on surrounding gas and dust, as well as the challenges of studying dormant black holes and their relationship with galaxy size. The conversation concluded with a discussion about the limitations of current telescopes, the importance of time-domain astronomy, and the potential impact of the Golden Dome project on the space industry. Read the full summary at www.thespaceshow.com for this date, Wednesday, July 30, 2025. The same summary will be posted on our Substack page for the same day and date at doctorspace.substack.com.

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Our Space Show Advisory board focused on NASA's proposed budget cuts and current funding discussions in Congress, where the Senate has approved a $24.9 billion NASA budget while the House is still working on its version. The group discussed NASA's budget allocation and space policy, including concerns about potential cuts to key programs and the need for balanced government-commercial space exploration efforts. Our program concluded by discussing planning and advocacy strategies plus communication approaches to influence space policy decisions, particularly regarding budget allocations and program priorities. Please read the full summary at www.thespaceshow.com for this program and date, Sunday, July 27, 2025. You can also read it and see the video as well as hear the audio on our Substack page, doctorspace.substack.com.

Drs. Krylov and Pierce were with us to discuss the challenges in funding science for NSF, NASA & other groups. Our guests focused on challenges in science funding and peer review processes, with discussions about budget cuts, public pushback, and the need for advocacy and reform. Together we explored issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in scientific research and academia, including their impact on merit-based evaluations and graduate admissions. The conversation concluded with discussions about the role of private versus public funding in scientific research, the potential risks and benefits of AI in proposal evaluation, and the importance of maintaining funding for NASA and NSF research. Read the full summary for this program for this date at www.thespaceshow.com. You can also read the summary on our Substack page for the same date, July 25, 2025, doctorspace.substack.com.

Rand discussed various updates, including changes in NASA funding and personnel. The conversation covered topics such as space policy, lunar missions, commercial space ventures, and the challenges facing NASA and private companies in space exploration. The discussion also touched on the need for leadership in space policy, the potential for future missions to Venus and Mars, and the importance of public and congressional support for space initiatives. Read the full summary at www.thespaceshow.com for this date, Sunday, July 20, 2025.

This program covered various aspects of space research, technology, and exploration, including the role of the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) in advancing these fields. Discussions focused on challenges in human spaceflight, the importance of government investment in space research, applications of AI in space-related activities, and the development of nuclear technology for space missions. The meeting also addressed workforce development in the space program, the significance of satellite data in weather and climate modeling, and the balance between competition and cooperation in technological advancements. Please read the full summary at www.thespaceshow.com for this date, Friday, July 18, 2025. You can also read the summary at doctorspace.substack.com for the same day and date.

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John, David and Dr. Haym Benaroya discussed the progress and ongoing challenges of human exploration and habitation on the Moon and Mars. Since 2002, significant advancements have been made in data collection and our understanding of Martian and lunar environments. These improvements were contrasted with earlier speculative or fictional portrayals of space colonization. Professor Benaroya, a mechanical and aerospace engineering expert from Rutgers University, emphasized that while technological progress has been substantial, fundamental obstacles—such as low gravity and abrasive regolith—continue to pose major challenges for sustained human presence. Please read the full summary at www.thespaceshow.com for this day and date, Wednesday, 7-9-25. In addition, it is on our Substack page for this day and date, doctorspace.substack.com.

We welcomed guest Bryant Cruz, founder of New Sapience, a company developing artificial intelligence technology that processes language in a fundamentally different way from traditional models such as ChatGPT and GROK. New Sapience’s approach involves building internal models of the world that mirror human knowledge, allowing their AI to reason and understand more like a person rather than relying on statistical language patterns.As we started the interview, I offered Bryant a quick summary of the key difference in New Sapience’s technology compared to a traditional AI company in that New Sapience does not rely on statistical word associations like current mainstream AI models. Instead, as then explained by Bryant, their system creates an internal, structured representation of knowledge—more akin to how humans comprehend and retrieve information. He emphasized that while models like ChatGPT often produce plausible responses, their accuracy can be misleading, and users should be cautious when relying on them for critical tasks. Read the full summary of this program at www.thespaceshow.com for this program on this date, July 11, 2025. You can also read the summary on our Substack page, doctorspace.substack.com.

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John and I welcomed Dr. Marchi from the SWRI in Boulder, CO to discuss his work pertaining to "The shaping of terrestrial planets by late accretions." You can review his Nature Review paper at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08970-8. Briefly, he and his co-author examine the "disproportionate role of the last approximately 1% of planetary growth, or late accretion, in controlling the long-term evolution of the Earth and other terrestrial planets. Late accretion may have been responsible for shaping Earth’s distinctive geophysical and chemical properties and generating pathways conducive to prebiotic chemistry." During our discussion with Dr. Marchi he explained why the last 1% was so vital in the formation of Venus, Mars and Earth. Also Mercury but his comments on Mercury were a bit different. We talked about impacts being similar in nature but since each rocky planet was different, the consequences of the impacts were different. He said they were random, atmospheres made a difference and even shaped some of the consequences. Don't miss his comments about the dinosaurs and their extinction event, the role of luck, and the fact that we need to be looking for exoplanets not just for an Earth twin but also a similar impact history to Earth. When asked about our TRL for being able to do that, well, we have much to learn. In the second half John asked his usual question about having an unlimited budget. don't miss what he had to say about Venus as a priority in this four minute segment. Read the full version of this summary at www.thespaceshow.com and doctorspace.substack.com.

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John and I talked with Doug Messier for a single Hotel Mars program on SpaceX launches, the latest with Starship, including troubleshooting recent launch failures. Doug also talked costs, testing, technical problems, and timelines going forward for essential SpaceX and Starship related programs. Doug reviewed Block 1,2, and 3 for Super Heavy though he said things were not yet clear fro Block 3. Doug was asked about an ongoing risk for debris falling on populated areas. Don't miss his comment on this potential risk factor given he said they had a very thin and narrow needed to fly through over the Gulf. See the review on TSS site for this show and on our Substack page, doctorspace.substack.com.

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We welcomed Casey Dreier of The Planetary Society to discuss what is termed the Skinny Budget cutting NASA programs and science. Casey went through the issues and concerns in detail. You can hear the audio archives on our website and our Substack page, doctorspace.substack.com. The video will also be archived on our Substack page.

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