Vytal Sines

About Vytal Sines

You’ve found Vytal Sines. This is a podcast about stories from the edge of absurd! Each one serving as a ‘Proof of Life’ from the most extreme moments this life has to offer. Join hosts Paul Wizikowski and Ryan Cristelli as they sit down with folks who’ve pursued the absurd, survived the unexpected and learned a thing or two along the way …and we’re starting with some folks who did all the above while not on planet Earth! We’re hoping that the tales of adventure and the truths we unpack along the way, reveal the greatness inside of you and inspire a little absurd for your own journey. Vytal Sines… Proof of life lived on the edge of absurd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Vytal Sines

Category

comedy · education · history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 Apr 2026

Latest episode

1 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

7 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   1 Oct 2026

   Higher Lander

   From the peat bogs of northern Scotland to the Mojave Desert and the edge of space. In this episode of Vytal Sines, test pilot and Virgin Galactic astronaut David Mackay shares how a childhood dream, relentless work, and hard-earned resilience led him to become the first Scot in space. In this episode with David Mackay, you'll learn: • About David's upbringing, watching low-flying RAF jets in the Highlands • Learning to fly, becoming a Harrier pilot, and then a test pilot • How to manage risk when flying experimental aircraft • The 2014 Virgin Galactic test flight accident and what really happened • Processing loss, leading through tragedy, and rebuilding a program • David’s first powered flight to space and what the Earth really looks like from 50+ miles up • Why he believes almost anyone can achieve extraordinary things with the right mindset If you care about aviation, spaceflight, leadership under pressure, or inspiring the next generation, this conversation is for you. 🔔 Subscribe for more high-impact conversations on exploration, risk, and human potential. 🌐 More at: vytalsines.com Learn more about Astronaut David Mackay: • https://x.com/astro_nicole • https://www.npsdiscovery.com/book-back-to-earth Timestamps: 00:00 – From peat bogs to the Mojave: “How did I end up here?” 00:39 – Intro: First Scotsman in space & Virgin Galactic test pilot 02:46 – Childhood in northern Scotland: jets, kilts, and Sunday school 05:44 – The book Exploring Space that sparked a lifelong dream 06:47 – National Geographic, Gemini, Apollo 8 & dreaming of the Moon 08:53 – Aeronautical engineering & learning to fly at Glasgow 10:31 – Joining the RAF & discovering a love for flying 12:30 – Why the Harrier captured his imagination 13:34 – How the Harrier works: simplicity, thrust, and “seat-of-the-pants” flying 19:33 – Mentors, test pilots, and the power of not laughing at big dreams 19:35 – José Hernández: rejection, persistence, and never giving up 23:54 – The Juno mission rejection and the “locker-room” T‑shirt 31:51 – What being a test pilot is really like: risk and mitigation 37:28 – Holding the company’s future in your hands as PIC 40:02 – Neil Armstrong, manual control, and why humans still matter in spaceflight 44:01 – Early-career scare: dangerous spins in the Bulldog 48:13 – Mentally rehearsing ejection and worst‑day scenarios 48:38 – Friends who didn’t make it & facing the reality of loss 52:03 – Why aviation continues after tragedy: learning and pushing forward 55:31 – The 2014 Virgin Galactic accident: what happened and what they saw 1:07:09 – Investigation, redesign, and defining the path forward 1:13:40 – First powered rocket flights: what the acceleration feels like 1:21:59 – First full-duration spaceflight with passenger Beth Moses 1:28:42 – Seeing Earth from space: bright planet, matte-black sky, thin atmosphere 1:33:26 – Re-entry, gliding home, and landing Unity 1:44:48 – The future: Delta-class ships and Scotland’s role in space Vytal Sines is co-hosted by Paul Wizikowski & Ryan Cristelli. Recorded here on Earth with Stories from the edge of absurd. Media production by Vytal Space LLC. Have a mission that requires excellence? We often serve as an agency of record or strategic extension of internal communications and marketing teams. Please email or call us to start a conversation. go@vytalspace.com (321) 800 3789 Follow Vytal Sines on Social Media: X – https://x.com/vytalsines Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/vytalsines Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/people/Vytal-Sines/61588712127793/ YouTube – http://youtube.com/@vytalsines Website - https://www.vytalspace.com/ Add Vytal Sines to your Podcast Feed: Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/nl/podcast/vytal-sines/id1895656938 Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/1pw7msk1IsDC6dFGum9iME Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   1 Sept 2026

   Spaceship Earth

   Former NASA astronaut and artist Nicole Stott joins Vytal Sines with Paul Wizikowski and Ryan Cristelli for a deeply human conversation about life on the International Space Station, the space shuttle, the overview effect, and why we must embrace our role as crew aboard Spaceship Earth. Across two ISS missions and a spacewalk, Nicole shares vivid stories of launch, living and working in orbit, emergency alarms, EVA surprises, and watching the world turn below. She unpacks how art, storytelling, and mentorship shape explorers, why international cooperation on the ISS is a model for Earth, and how she’s using the Space for Art Foundation, ocean expeditions, and projects like 11th Hour Racing to inspire the next generation of “crewmates, not passengers.” If you care about space exploration, human stories, and protecting our home planet, this conversation will move you—and might just change how you see Earth. In this episode with Nicole Stott, you’ll learn: • How Nicole went from Kennedy Space Center engineer to NASA astronaut • What it’s really like to live and work on the ISS for months at a time • Inside stories from the space shuttle era (Discovery, Atlantis, STS‑128, STS‑129, STS‑133) • A tense night when a depressurization alarm triggered with spacewalkers in the airlock • What a spacewalk (EVA) actually feels like—finding handrails, seeing Earth under your boots • How the overview effect changed her view of Earth and humanity • Why international cooperation on the International Space Station is a blueprint for peace • How art in space (painting, music, quilting, poetry) reveals “the human in human spaceflight” 🔔 Subscribe for more high-impact conversations on exploration, risk, and human potential. 🌐 More at: vytalsines.com Learn more about Astronaut Nicole Stott: • https://x.com/astro_nicole • https://www.npsdiscovery.com/book-back-to-earth Timestamps: 00:00 – Training Like You Fly & Midnight Alarm in Space 00:45 – Welcome to Vytal Sines: Introducing Nicole Stott 02:40 – Crew‑1 Launch Memories & the “Blue Dragons” Story 05:30 – A New Era: Dragon Flights, Artemis, and the Moon 08:45 – Would You Go to Space? Ryan’s Honest Fears & Hopes 13:00 – Human Side of Artemis II and Real‑Time Storytelling 15:40 – Two Shuttle Flights, Two Vehicles, One Long First Mission 18:40 – Falling in Love with the ISS: Crew, Food, and Flying 22:50 – From Airport Kid to KSC Engineer to Astronaut 29:30 – Mentors, Applications, and “There’s a Solution to Every Problem” 35:40 – Post‑Challenger NASA: Learning Hard Lessons the Right Way 41:10 – Shuttle vs. Station: Complexity, Elegance, and Peaceful Cooperation 47:00 – Getting “The Call” and Joining the Astronaut Corps 54:00 – Imposter Feelings, Gratitude, and What Makes a Good Crewmate 1:01:30 – Flight Assignments, Final Shuttle Missions, and Ego Checks 1:18:40 – Real Risk: Fire, Toxic Leaks, and the Depressurization Alarm Story 1:30:10 – First Spacewalk: Handrails, Headlamps, and Earth Under Your Boots 1:53:30 – Life After NASA: Art, Kids, and the Space for Art Foundation 2:05:20 – Mission Patches and Robert McCall’s Iconic STS‑133 Design 2:12:30 – Overview Effect, Ocean View Effect, and Becoming Crewmates on Earth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   1 Aug 2026

   Lucky

   What does it really take to become a NASA astronaut, stare down failure, lose friends in flight, and still strap back onto a rocket? In this episode of Vytal Sines, NASA astronaut Michael “Mike” Fincke (4 spaceflights, ISS veteran, Crew-11 pilot) unpacks the mindset, data-driven decision-making, and resilience required to push human exploration forward. From flunking out of pilot training on his birthday to flying Soyuz, Space Shuttle Endeavour, and Crew Dragon, Mike walks through: How “luck favors the prepared” What it’s actually like to dogfight in an F‑16 and test-fly Japan’s XF-2 Training and flying with Russian cosmonauts and living on the ISS Processing Challenger and Columbia, and why we must keep flying The real story behind the Crew‑11 medical incident and emergency return How today’s hard lessons feed directly into Artemis and our return to the Moon If you care about spaceflight, test pilots, high-stakes decision-making, resilience, and Artemis, this conversation is a masterclass. 🔔 Subscribe for more high-impact conversations on exploration, risk, and human potential. 🌐 More at: vytalsines.com Learn more about Astronaut Mike Fincke: • https://x.com/AstroIronMike • https://www.nasa.gov/people/edward-michael-mike-fincke/ Timestamps 0:00 – Astronaut Mike Fincke on risk, resilience & “luck favors the prepared” 0:39 – What Vytal Sines is about + Mike’s spaceflight resume (Soyuz, Shuttle, Dragon) 5:35 – Origin story: blue-collar Pittsburgh, big dreams & becoming resilient 8:50 – Failing out of pilot training on his birthday & building a Plan B to NASA 14:59 – Test pilot school, first F‑16 flights & falling in love with flight test 20:29 – Learning Japanese, Japan exchange & flying/engineering the XF‑2 fighter 34:29 – Soyuz, ISS, Columbia, and how the U.S.–Russia partnership kept station alive 45:00 – Crew‑11 medical scare: coming home early, data-driven decisions & safety 50:28 – What ISS teaches us for Artemis, lunar bases & future exploration 52:15 – Family, traditions, and life after your last spaceflight Vytal Sines is co-hosted by Paul Wizikowski & Ryan Cristelli. Recorded here on Earth with Stories from the edge of absurd. Media production by Vytal Space LLC. Have a mission that requires excellence? We often serve as an agency of record or strategic extension of internal communications and marketing teams. Please email or call us to start a conversation. go@vytalspace.com (321) 800 3789 Follow Vytal Sines on Social Media: X – https://x.com/vytalsines Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/vytalsines Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/people/Vytal-Sines/61588712127793/ YouTube – http://youtube.com/@vytalsines Website - https://www.vytalspace.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

4. 

   1 Jul 2026

   Walk Off

   In this episode of Vytal Sines, Paul Wizikowski and Ryan Cristelli sit down with Michael López-Alegría (MLA) – U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame inductee, former NASA astronaut, and Axiom Space Chief Astronaut – to unpack a lifetime of extreme moments: Surviving the “nightmare scenario” of free-flying in space with only a SAFER pack 10 spacewalks building the International Space Station (and why Russian EVAs are “single A vs. the majors”) The Overview Effect and how seeing Earth from orbit permanently changes you What it was really like living through Mir’s fires and collisions in Russia’s Star City How he went from being against commercial human spaceflight to commanding AX‑1, the first private astronaut mission on SpaceX Dragon Why commercial partners like Axiom Space, SpaceX, Blue Origin, Virgin Galactic are now essential to NASA’s future The future: commercial space stations, moon missions, AI companions in deep space, and maybe even testing a new spacesuit on orbit If you care about space exploration, ISS, Artemis, commercial crew, Axiom Space, and real astronaut stories—this is your episode. Learn more about Michael Lopez-Alegria: • https://x.com/CommanderMLA • https://www.axiomspace.com/team/michael-lopez-alegria Timestamps 00:00:00 – Cold open: “Nightmare of all nightmares” EVA scenario 00:00:25 – Intro: What is Vytal Sines & who is Michael López-Alegría? 00:03:38 – Apollo 11 on the beach: the childhood spark for spaceflight 00:04:59 – From Naval Academy to test pilot: the path to NASA 00:07:11 – Not selected the first time: why “rejected” astronauts may be better 00:10:33 – Flying the U‑2 and seeing Earth’s curvature in a pressure suit 00:16:01 – First shuttle mission lessons: lens caps, time pressure, and humility 00:28:09 – The Overview Effect: how space changes how you see humanity 00:31:37 – Mir, fires, collisions, and living on a former “enemy” base 00:36:25 – NASA vs. Russian spacewalks: “Single A vs. the majors” 00:39:30 – SAFER jetpack: testing the rescue system and IMAX shot from orbit 00:47:01 – Life on ISS: weekends, movies, family calls, and future Mars isolation 01:01:40 – Leaving NASA & fighting for commercial crew in Washington, D.C. 01:04:37 – Building Axiom & commanding AX‑1: the first private astronaut mission 01:18:48 – The future: commercial stations, the Moon, suits, and “feeling lucky” Vytal Sines is co-hosted by Paul Wizikowski & Ryan Cristelli. Recorded here on Earth with Stories from the edge of absurd. Media production by Vytal Space LLC. Have a mission that requires excellence? We often serve as an agency of record or strategic extension of internal communications and marketing teams. Please email or call us to start a conversation. go@vytalspace.com (321) 800 3789 Follow Vytal Sines on Social Media: X – https://x.com/vytalsines Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/vytalsines Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/people/Vytal-Sines/61588712127793/ YouTube – http://youtube.com/@vytalsines Website - https://www.vytalspace.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

5. 

   1 Jun 2026

   Rocket Emergency

   His first launch ended in catastrophic failure. At 30 miles up and traveling 4,000 mph he reached the edge of space only to come crashing down. And then he launched two more times! In this episode of Vytal Sines, we go inside the Pentagon to sit down with U.S. Space Force Brigadier General Nick Hague — former NASA astronaut, International Space Station veteran, and survivor of one of the most dramatic Soyuz launch aborts in history. From Kansas farm country to the edge of space, Hague walks us through: The moment the cockpit flashed "Rocket Emergency" at 30 miles up What it really feels like to be ripped off a failing rocket and slam back to Earth How his family endured 20 minutes not knowing if he was alive Getting a second chance to reach orbit and serve aboard the International Space Station The overview effect: seeing the world as one fragile, borderless home Launching once again as commander of NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 'Rescue' mission What Space Force Guardians actually do—GPS, missile warning, and tracking deadly orbital debris This is a masterclass in resilience, risk, leadership, and calling—from a man who has stared down failure, gone back to the launchpad, and now helps shape the future of space and national security. If you care about human spaceflight, courage under pressure, or leading through uncertainty, this story will stay with you. Learn more about Brigadier General Nick Hague: • https://x.com/astrohague • https://www.spaceforce.mil/Biographies/Display/Article/4236061/nick-hague/ Timestamps 0:00 – Rocket Emergency at 4,000 mph 0:42 – Welcome to Vytal Sines from Inside the Pentagon 3:01 – From Kansas Night Skies to the Edge of Space 7:31 – Turning a Childhood Dream into a Real Flight Plan 10:54 – Chasing NASA and Getting Rejected Three Times 18:25 – How to Fail Forward: Checkrides, Humility, and Asking for Help 23:06 – The Call from NASA That Changes Everything 27:45 – Day One at NASA: You’re Not a Hero, You’re a Rookie 32:33 – Inside the Soyuz: Anatomy of a Russian Rocket 39:23 – Riding a Fueled Soyuz for the First Time 48:19 – 7 Gs, No Altimeter, and Hoping the Chutes Open 53:36 – Shock, Survival, and Letting the Emotions In 1:00:21 – 20 Minutes of Not Knowing: His Family’s Side of the Story 1:03:58 – “You’re Going to Get Your Chance”: Why Matters More Than Risk 1:07:33 – Resetting for Round Two and Flying Again in Five Months 1:23:14 – What Space Teaches You About Humanity 1:25:02 – From Soyuz to SpaceX Dragon: Two Very Different Paths to Orbit 1:32:55 – Operating Dragon as a “Single‑Crewed” Launch 1:36:09 – EVAs with Crowbars: Fixing Stubborn Hardware in Space 1:37:57 – Splashdown, Dolphins, and Coming Home 1:38:45 – Becoming the First Space Force Guardian in Orbit 1:40:23 – What Do Space Force Guardians Actually Do? 1:52:26 – Final Reflections: You Don’t Do This Alone Vytal Sines is co-hosted by Paul Wizikowski & Ryan Cristelli. Recorded here on Earth with stories from the edge of absurd. Media production by Vytal Space LLC. Have a mission that requires excellence? We often serve as an agency of record or strategic extension of internal communications and marketing teams. Please email or call us to start a conversation. go@vytalspace.com (321) 800 3789 Follow Vytal Sines on Social Media: X – https://x.com/vytalsines Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/vytalsines Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/people/Vytal-Sines/61588712127793/ YouTube – http://youtube.com/@vytalsines Website - https://www.vytalspace.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

6. 

   26 Apr 2026

   Another Fire

   In this electrifying episode, Dr. Peggy Whitson – record-shattering astronaut, biochemist, and ISS commander – takes us from a tiny Iowa farm town to the very edge of uncertainty in space. She reveals how Apollo 11, Star Trek, and stubborn grit turned a “flash in the pan” dream into nearly 700 days off the planet. From tense negotiations in bugged Russian rooms to a violent ballistic Soyuz reentry, Peggy breaks down what it really takes to lead, to get the job done when everything goes sideways, and to persevere when the experts tell you you’re wrong. This is human spaceflight, unfiltered. Learn more about Dr. Peggy Whitson: • https://x.com/astropeggy • https://www.nasa.gov/people/peggy-a-whitson/ Timestamps 00:00 – You've Found Vytal Sines 00:06 – Introducing Peggy Whitson: The Record-Breaking Astronaut 02:40 – Apollo 11, Star Trek, and a Farm Kid’s Space Dream 04:04 – Chickens for Flight Time: Earning a Pilot’s License 08:32 – Iowa Roots: Hard Work, Improvisation, and Getting It Done 11:31 – First Steps at NASA and the Shuttle-Mir Assignment 13:21 – Bugged Rooms and Russian Respect: Learning to Negotiate 17:20 – Culture Shock in Russia and Standing Your Ground 21:39 – Walking Out of Negotiations and Doubling the Science 25:30 – Ten Years of Rejection and Finally Getting “The Call” 35:13 – Astronaut Training: EVA Suits, Russian, and Orbital Mechanics 45:28 – Riding the Space Shuttle: 4.4 Million Pounds of Thrust 51:29 – Comparing Launches: Shuttle vs Soyuz vs Dragon 54:04 – Complex ISS EVAs and Sporty Repairs in the Dark 1:00:40 – Soyuz Goes Sideways: The Start of a Ballistic Reentry 1:05:39 – 8+ Gs After Six Months in Space 1:12:22 – Crash, Fire, and Kazakh Locals at the Capsule 1:29:05 – Leaving NASA, Then Returning via Axiom Space 1:57:10 – Spaceship Earth: How Space Changes the Way You See Us All Vytal Sines is co-hosted by Paul Wizikowski & Ryan Cristelli. Recorded here on Earth with stories from the edge of absurd. Media production by Vytal Space LLC. Have a mission that requires excellence? We often serve as an agency of record or strategic extension of internal communications and marketing teams. Please email or call us to start a conversation. mailto:go@vytalspace.com (321) 800 3789 Follow Vytal Sines on Social Media: X – https://x.com/vytalsines Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/vytalsines Facebook – https://facebook.com/vytalsines YouTube – http://youtube.com/@vytalsines Website - https://www.vytalsines.com/ Add Vytal Sines to your Podcast Feed: Get our RSS Feed – to be updated Apple Podcasts – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/vytal-sines/id1895656938 Spotify – to be updated For more on our hosts follow them at: Paul Wizikowski Facebook - https://facebook.com/wizikowski (https://facebook.com/wizikowski) Ryan Cristelli Instagram - @rynosu Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ryan.cristelli.1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

7. 

   26 Apr 2026

   Vytal Sines Trailer

   Hello and welcome! My name is Paul Wizikowski and I am a storyteller at heart. But my good friend Ryan Cristelli, he’s the real talent. For the better part of a decade he and I worked at the same ad agency and found ourselves chasing stories and highlighting the humanity around this planet. We’ve wandered through the rainforests of South America, stumbled through the frozen tundra of, well, mostly North Dakota, and navigated miles of highway in between. At the end of our run together, I accepted an appointment at NASA and Ryan opened the doors to his own creative agency. Today we find ourselves surrounded by incredibly talented folks who live fast, seek truth, and make those around them better …and we’d like to share some of that goodness with you. This is an endeavor to see the two of us get back in the saddle, poke holes in each other’s alibi and share a new season of life seeking out moments of humanity in the most unlikely of situations… we’re calling it Vytal Sines! Why Vytal Sines?! Well, naturally it's a great term for ‘Proof of Life’ but also my company Vytal Space is bootstrapping this whole thing. So, there’s some connective tissue there… But in all honesty… this is a new video podcast series where we sit down with those who’ve pursued the absurd, survived the unexpected and learned a thing or two along the way …and we’re starting with some of my friends in human spaceflight! Ryan and I believe we all, each of us, have greatness in us. That there is a potential in you… that can be unlocked and sharpened through these conversations. If you like what we’re doing please consider subscribing! As much as I enjoy a good side quest with my buddy Cristelli we’re really doing this for you. Hoping that the tales of adventure and the truths we unpack along the way, add a little pepper to your world and stick with ya for what ever’s on the horizon. This is Vytal Sines… Proof of life lived on the edge of absurd. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

7 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

6 ratings

Contact Vytal Sines

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.