by TWiT
The new space age is upon us, and This Week in Space leaves no topic untouched. Every Friday, join Editor-in-Chief of Ad Astra magazine, Rod Pyle and Managing Editor of Space.com, Tariq Malik as they explore everything related to the cosmos. New episodes posted every Friday.
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April 25, 2025
Astronaut Dr. John Grunsfeld discusses his experiences servicing the Hubble Space Telescope and its scientific contributions with hosts Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik in this interview episode.
April 18, 2025
Chief Master Sergeant John Bentivegna discusses the U.S. Space Force's founding, its mission to monitor orbital assets, and its future role in space, in an interview with Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik.
April 11, 2025
<p>In this episode of This Week in Space, hosts Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik welcome Dr. Phil Metzger from the University of Central Florida to discuss the dangerous realities of rocket plumes when landing spacecraft on the Moon and Mars. Before diving into the main topic, the hosts talk about Jared Isaacman's NASA administrator confirmation hearing, Katy Perry's upcoming Blue Origin spaceflight, and a newly discovered comet.</p> <p>Headlines:</p><ul> <li>Jared Isaacman's NASA Administrator Confirmation Hearing - The billionaire Shift4 CEO and astronaut faced intense questioning about his independence from Elon Musk, with senators repeatedly asking if Musk was present during his meeting with Trump. Isaacman confirmed he'll continue with Artemis missions and the ISS through 2030.</li> <li>Katy Perry's Space Flight - The pop star will join the world's first all-female crew aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard, scheduled for April 14. The crew includes Gayle King and other accomplished women, though the flight has received criticism for being extravagant during tough economic times.</li> <li>New Comet Discovered - Comet C/2025 F2 Swan was discovered on March 29 by a Ukrainian skywatcher and is currently visible to the naked eye in dark skies, though it will soon only be visible from the Southern Hemisphere.</li></ul> <p>Main Topic - Rocket Plume Effects with Dr. Phil Metzger:</p><ul> <li>Rocket Plume Dangers - Dr. Metzger explains how rocket exhaust can propel lunar soil at speeds up to 3 km/second (above lunar escape velocity), potentially damaging equipment far from landing sites and even ejecting material entirely off the Moon.</li> <li>Apollo 12 Evidence - The Surveyor 3 spacecraft, visited by Apollo 12 astronauts, showed significant sandblasting damage from the lunar module landing 160 meters away, with paint surfaces scoured and peppered with holes from high-velocity particles.</li> <li>SpaceX Starship Launch Analysis - Dr. Metzger studied the first Starship test launch and found concrete chunks traveling at 90 meters per second, with sand carried 6 miles away in raindrops formed within a rotating cloud of hot exhaust.</li> <li>Landing Pad Solutions - Various approaches for building lunar landing pads include microwave sintering of lunar soil, bringing polymers from Earth as binders, creating rock beds, and baking pavers in ovens—all requiring robotic construction methods.</li> <li>Future of Space Industry - Dr. Metzger advocates moving computing and energy production to space to reduce Earth's industrial burden. He estimates it could take 20-30 years to reach a tipping point where space industry becomes self-sustaining, potentially accelerated by billionaire investment or government support.</li> <li>Lunar Mining Potential - Dr. Metzger discusses surface mining approaches versus underground operations, noting the Moon's surface has been bombarded for billions of years with bedrock lying 10 kilometers deep.</li> <li>Science Budget Concerns - The hosts and Dr. Metzger express concerns about reported cuts to NASA's science budget, particularly affecting Earth science programs, with Dr. Metzger warning this could harm America's leadership in scientific research.</li></ul> <p><strong>Hosts:</strong> <a href="https://twit.tv/people/rod-pyle">Rod Pyle</a> and <a href="https://twit.tv/people/tariq-malik">Tariq Malik</a></p> <p><strong>Guest:</strong> <a href="https://sciences.ucf.edu/physics/person/phillip-metzger/" target="_blank">Dr. Phil Metzger</a></p> <p>Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at <a href="https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space">https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space</a>.</p> <p><strong>Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts!</strong><br /> Support what you love and get ad-free shows, a members-only Discord, and behind-the-scenes access. Join today: <a href="https://twit.tv/clubtwit" rel="payment">https://twit.tv/clubtwit</a></p>
Fraser Cain
365DaysOfAstronomy.org
The Planetary Society
Professor Fred Watson and Andrew Dunkley
Stuart Gary
Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay
Central Florida Public Media
The Royal Astronomical Society
Paul M. Sutter
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Anthony Colangelo
iHeartPodcasts
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