Are We There Yet?

The catastrophic implosion of a submersible visiting wreckage of the Titanic that left all five people on board dead is raising questions about regulation in the high-risk tourism industry, including space.

We dig into the science of the sun as we approach the summer solstice. Plus, a look at how rocks on Mars get their names.

A security company found malware on an unnamed aerospace company's computers — what's the risk for the industry at large? And kids ask question about puking in space.

Seeds adapt to grow in the harsh environment of space. Do they pass along these changes to the next generation? Researchers hope to soon find out.

Astronaut and Ax-2 mission pilot John Shoffner speaks with WMFE from orbit about art, food, and the future of commercial space travel.

At the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona Beach, a new exhibit gives patrons a new way to view and interact with images from the Webb Space Telescope.

Author Ashlee Vance's new book explores the people and companies reshaping the commercial space industry.

Carbon dioxide is generally a bad thing when it comes to space travel. But what if you could harness it for good?

Shoffner is piloting the SpaceX Crew Dragon that will carry Axiom Space's second private space mission to the International Space Station

A research institute is leveraging a surge in private space missions to collect critical data on how space travel affects the human body

We'll hear from one investor in the private space sector on what's driving this industry upward despite economic uncertainty.

NASA announced the next crew to head to the moon, the first in more than 50 years. Plus, a conversation with retired astronaut Eileen Collins.

The proposal includes funding for NASA’s human missions like trips to the moon and maintenance of the International Space Station and science missions like a Mars sample return and probe heading to Venus.

Firefly Aerospace is flying a mission to the far side of the moon for NASA, paving the way for astronauts and other companies to explore the lunar surface. And, we'll talk about efforts to keep astronauts' brains sharp.

For Women's History Month, we revisit conversations chronicling the inclusion of female astronauts at NASA.

Relativity Space plans to launch its first 3D printed rocket this week, joining a growing number of commercial launch companies. We'll hear from CEO Tim Ellis about the compnay's plans and industry analyst Caleb Henry about its place in this market.

The SETI Institue has been searing for extraterrestrial life for decades. Now, the organization is closer than ever to hearing from life outside our planet.

NASA's Artemis I launch was really loud. That's according to new research by physicists hoping to better understand the behavior of rocket sounds. Plus, boy band superstar Lance Bass talks about his new podcast "The Last Soviet."

SpaceX completed a critical test of its Super Heavy booster. NASASpaceflight.com's Chris Gebhardt explains what's next for the massive vehicle that will take us to places like the moon and Mars? Plus, a look at this history of space mission patches with CollectSpace's Robert Pearlman.

A look at the latest robotic explorer on Mars and a conversation about efforts to send humans to the red planet.

As NASA develops nuclear thermal propulsion rockets for human exploration in our solar system, some astrobiologists say the technology could help us answer the age-old question: Are we alone?

From missions to the moon, a heavy metal asteroid, and findings outside our solar system, it's going to be a busy year for space science.

Last year was the fifth warmest on record, according to new data released by NASA and the NOAA. How is NASA tracking out warming planet?

Is there life out there? Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson says the answer to that question could come from our own solar system.

Fourteen disabled crew members took trip on a Zero-G flight, conducting research with the hope of making space accessible for all.

Inflatable habits could be the future of space exploration. But before they leave this planet, they have to explode.

NASA's newest moon mission appears to be a success. So what's next for the agency's lunar ambitions.

The Webb Space Telescope has captured weather on Titan, one of the moons of Saturn.

NASA's Artemis I mission is a big step in the agency's plans for permanent presence on the moon. Just how close is the agency to that goal, and what is left to be done?

NASA's Artemis I mission has made it to the moon. We check in with the mission and preview what's ahead. Plus, the new documentary "Goodnight Oppy" chronicles a planned 90 day mission on Mars that lasted 15 years.

NASA’s next moon mission could take flight this week. Artemis I is poised to launch from Kennedy Space Center as early as Wednesday morning. The mission has faced a handful of obstacles, from engine issues, a gas leak, to riding out a hurricane.

We’re getting a fresh new look at this cosmic nursery thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope.

What’s it like to feel weightless, like the astronauts on the International Space Station?

A look at a new documentary which highlights the people behind the scenes that kept the Space Shuttle program flying. Plus, and update on SpaceX's Starship plans.

People in the path of Hurricane Ian are still dealing with its aftermath. Before and during the storm, residents rely on forecasts from meteorologists to track the storm and plan to prepare. Many of the tools these forecasters use come from space.

For the past six years, Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen has led NASA’s science division. From the deployment of the James Webb Space Telescope to landing a robot on Mars, Dr. Z has been at the helm for some of NASA’s most complex and critical science missions. At the end of this year, he’s leaving the agency.

As Florida prepares for Hurricane Ian, NASA is hoping to deflect another natural disaster -- an asteroid.

How will NASA's lunar missions help get humans to Mars? And a look at an intriguing finding by NASA's newest Martian explorer in the search for signs of ancient life on Mars.

Two attempts to launch NASA’s new moon rocket SLS and deep space capsule Orion have been waived off -- facing a handful of issues including a hydrogen leak. Now, engineers are working on fixing the issues for an attempt as soon as the end of this month as NASA faces pressure to get this long-delayed and over-budget rocket to the moon.

NASA is heading back to the moon and some of our youngest listeners have some really important questions about the future of exploration.

A historian discusses how NASA's new moon missions differ from the Apollo flights of the 1960s and 70s. Plus, a look at the criticism of the Artemis program and why it's worth the cost.

A look back at Curiosity's decade of exploring Mars and what's ahead for the red planet rover. Plus, the Space Coast braces for at least 100,000 spectators as NASA launches Artemis I.

As more countries and companies leave the planet, governing space is getting increasingly more complicated.

How can the James Webb Space Telescope help us spot other Earth-like worlds? Plus, a conversation with Planetary Radio's Mat Kaplan about his two decades hosting the show.

Commercial companies are setting ambitious goals and heading into deep space.

It’s been a week since the first James Webb Space Telescope images captivated scientists and the general public alike.

They’re here. The first images from the James Webb Space Telescope are out, revealing thousands of ancient galaxies, nebulae, and a close-up look at a planet outside our own solar system.

Lori Garver served as NASA deputy administrator, its second in command, during the Obama administration. It was a tumultuous time for the agency. The Space Shuttle was retiring, Obama canceled NASA’s costly Constellation program, and the agency was at odds with Congress on how to move NASA forward. Garver was there for all of those conversations and takes a critical look back at what happened during her time at NASA in a new memoir.

Thursday marks World Asteroid Day, a U.N.-sanctioned campaign to raise awareness of the scientific opportunities, and planetary threats, posed by asteroids. So we’re taking this week’s episode to explore asteroids.

From filling the gap left by a retiring International Space Station to a possible solution to a unique supply chain issue, commercial space leaders weigh in on the future of the industry.

A team of researchers received approval for a $35 million dollar mission to the moon. The group will explore an uncharted portion of the moon, which scientists say was formed by magma below the surface.

NASA needs new space suits. The agency wants to put people back on the moon in the 2020s, and to do it safely, it needs brand new space suits for use on the lunar surface. NASA is working with two private companies to design, develop and build the new suits -- at a price of up to $3.5 billion.

From MegaCon Orlando -- the science of NASA’s next moon missions.

What’s it like plummeting from space and landing…alive? We'll talk with Inspiration4 astronaut Chris Sembroski about the power of parachutes and how the technology helped get him back on the planet.

Boeing’s Starliner is set for yet another test mission, a critical step before NASA lets its astronauts fly to space in it. So what’s at stake for Boeing? And why is having two providers so important for NASA?

At the center of our galaxy lies a supermassive black hole. It’s a region of space where gravity is so strong nothing can escape it, not even light. While the name supermassive might make it seem like these things are easy to spot -- they’re really not.

With the first all-private space mission in the books, what's ahead for the commercial space economy? Plus, a look at the impacts to SpaceX after found Elon Musk announced plans to buy Twitter.

Every 10 years, the National Academies submits a report, outlining what it thinks NASA should focus on when it comes to planetary science efforts. Uranus came out the big winner.

It’s a busy week for space news. The first all-private crew is set to depart the space station after spending more than a week on board, a new crew of NASA astronauts is set to launch to the station this weekend, and the agency’s next mega moon rocket experienced some troubles during a test at its launch pad, prompting more delays. We’ll speak with NASA administrator Bill Nelson about these stories

It’s been a busy few weeks on the space beat. We’ll chat with Anthony Colangelo, he covers spaceflight and the aerospace industry on his podcast Main Engine Cutoff.

Some nine billion light years away, a pair of black holes are on a collision course. It’s a cosmic waltz that could come to an end in 10,000 years which will shake space and time. It’s now the second possible observation of two massive black holes colliding -- and scientists are eager to watch the destruction.

SpaceX is set to launch another crew of private astronauts from Kennedy Space Center, this time on a ten-day mission to the International Space Station. Researchers are taking advantage of the increased access to space -- and human subjects -- thanks to these private space missions.

NASA’s mega-rocket the Space Launch System has left the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center and made its way to a launch pad, ahead of an uncrewed mission around the moon and back later this year. It’s the first time a moon-class rocket has seen Launch Complex 39B since the days of Apollo and marks the start of NASA’s newest moonshot missions called Artemis.

Next week, Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket is set to take 6 people to the edge of space and back. Central Florida married couple Sharon and Marc Hagle will be on the flight from West Texas. Sharon Hagle is the founder and CEO of SpaceKids Global, a non-profit organization aimed at getting kids, especially girls, interested and excited about STEM learning. She hopes to share her experience in space with future explorers -- and highlight all the different career paths that lead to space.

It seems like a lot more people are going to space these days. Commercial companies are not only sending NASA astronauts into space, they’re giving ordinary people with the right amount of cash the chance to fly in space, too.

Tensions between the U.S. and Russia are high as the U.S. imposed strict sanctions in the wake of the Russian military’s invasion of Ukraine, but some 150 miles above Earth an important partnership between the U.S. and Russia remains: the International Space Station. Historically, the partnership between the two countries has transcended political tension here on Earth. But how long will that last?

Dr. Sian Proctor was one of four civilians to head to space last year thanks to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule. The mission called Inspiration 4 sent the crew on a three-day orbital trip and back.

NASA’s Perseverance rover is celebrating one year on Mars. The robot explorer arrived last year after a seven month journey from Cape Canaveral in Florida. It’s on the hunt for evidence of ancient life on Mars and is tasked with selecting and preparing samples of Martian rocks to send back to Earth.

NASA’s Orion space capsule will soon head on a mission to the moon and back, launching from Kennedy Space Center later this year. There won’t be a crew on board, but there will be a familiar voice. Lockheed Martin partnered with Amazon to install Alexa voice assistance on the capsule.

This past year, all eyes have been on NASA’s Perseverance rover as it explores Mars during its first year on the red planet. But a robotic explorer that landed there nearly a decade ago has made a curious finding -- carbon.

Back in 2006, a science organization changed the classification of Pluto as a planet, sparking a debate in both the astronomical community and pop culture. More than 15 years later, a new paper is reigniting that debate.

NASA is focusing on climate change -- specifically, observing our changing climate from space. But NASA’s focus on climate isn’t new. It has been observing the Earth’s climate for more than 50 years.

It was a very busy year for space exploration. In 2021 we saw the arrival of three missions to Mars, multiple human launches -- from suborbital space flights to commercial NASA missions -- two missions to asteroids and a massive space telescope took flight. And there’s no signs of slowing down in 2022. From moon missions to a busy launch schedule, there’s a lot to look forward to when it comes to space exploration.

NASA’s Mission Control Center is responsible for the safety of its astronauts and space hardware.It takes a special kind of person to take on that responsibility.

After decades of development, the James Webb Space Telescope takes flight. Scientists have been thinking about this moment since the 1990s -- a new set of eyes that will see father into our universe than ever before.

Meet new astronaut candidate Luke Delaney and hear from "Main Engine Cut Off" host Anthony Colangelo about the new commercial rockets in development.

What's ahead for space policy under a Biden administration? And how can we ethically explore space?

NASA’s DART mission is set to launch tonight from Vandenberg in California, on a 10-month mission that ends when it smashes into a tiny rock in space. The spacecraft is part of NASA’ planetary defense plan -- figuring out ways to save our own Earth should an asteroid threaten to hit us.

Astrophysicist, author and science communicator Neil deGrass Tyson says space enthusiasts are delusional. Exploration is aspirational, and the reality of geopolitics, economy and culture are huge challenges keeping us planted firmly on the ground.

Blue Origin sued NASA over its selection of SpaceX to build the agency's next moon lander. With the lawsuit behind it, what's ahead for NASA's Artemis program?

NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars and Juno spacecraft at Jupiter are helping us better understand our solar system.

Astronaut Nicole Stott spent more than 100 days in space. Her view of the planet up there changed the way she thinks about it now that she’s down here. We’ll talk with Stott about her motivation to write the book, and her rules for us here on this planet to treat it like our own spaceship and what we can do to be better crew mates.

Sembroski and the Inspiration4 crew are now back here on Earth. So what was the experience like? We’ll speak with Sembroksi about the mission and what’s next after leaving the planet.

A crew of four is set to launch to the International Space Station at the end of the month, starting a six month mission on the orbiting lab. One of those astronauts is Kayla Barron and she tells us the first rocket launch she’ll ever see in person will be the one she’s sitting on top of. We’ll speak with Barron about her rookie mission to space, and what she expects to do when she gets to the ISS.

Trouble brewing at Blue Original and the search for extraterrestrial life.

Looking back at Inspiration 4’s launch and the future of commercial astronauts.

We’re just a day away from the launch window opening of SpaceX’s Inspiration-4 mission. It’s the first all-civilian space mission to orbit, taking four people on a three-day trip to space and back. It’s also unlike any launch from the U.S. People are leaving the planet, and they’re not NASA astronauts.

An inside look at Virgin Galactic as the FAA investigates a recent "mishap" and a conversation with the photographer documenting the all-civilian SpaceX mission Inspiration4.

An all-civilian space mission is set to take flight in about two weeks. the crew of four will fly in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule mission on a three day trip to low-Earth orbit and back. But it’s not all about fun and games for this private mission. The crew will be performing crucial science experiments that will help get humans to farther places in our solar system like the moon and Mars and survive longer in the harsh environment of space.

It’s a new chapter in space flight history -- so how did we get here? Axios space reporter Miriam Kramer explores the mission’s origin and purpose in a new podcast for Axios. We’ll speak with her about her reporting and what’s ahead for the Inspiration 4 crew.

Fight and flight -- the battle over NASA’s lunar lander and new software for the agency’s moon rocket.

Can you print things on the moon? Redwire Space wants to find out using a 3D printer installed on the International Space Station.

The soundtrack of space. From Gustov Holtz’s suite "The Planets" to Kubrick’s choice of "Blue Danube" in 2001: A Space Odyssey, certain pieces of music are just cosmic. Now, a new project by a space entrepreneur and musician is building upon the soundtrack of space by beaming songs into the cosmos, starting from the International Space Station.

Boeing’s Starliner is set to launch on an uncrewed mission from Cape Canaveral to the International Space Station later this week on a critical test mission to certify the vehicle to fly astronauts. It’s a redo of a previous test attempt in late 2019 that failed to reach the space station. We’ll speak with Michelle Parker, Boeing’s space and launch chief engineer about the mission and what the team learned from the previous attempt.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos has reached a life-long goal of flying in space. His company Blue Origin launched its first mission with passengers Tuesday morning from West Texas, ushering in a new era of private space tourism. But with a high price tag can only the wealthy fly?

Astronauts rarely get the comforts of home. Fresh food is scarce, a hot shower is unheard of, and they’re asked to wear their clothes multiple times before tossing them to the trash. Laundry is something missing from human space exploration, but scientists at Proctor and Gamble are hoping to change that.

On July 8, 2011, Atlantis launched from Kennedy Space Center, the final mission of the shuttle program. We’ll revisit the Space Shuttle program with two time astronaut Bruce Melnick, who was a mission specialist on both Space Shuttle Discovery and Endeavour. Then, we’ll speak with Space Florida’s Dale Ketcham about the Space Coast plan post-Shuttle and how commercial companies are filling in the void left by the program.

When we think of the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, we focus much on the Apollo program and the U.S. astronauts who crossed that finish line. But the space race began earlier than that and was far more perilous than we thought.

Why NASA is joining the inquiry into Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP), how a tiny mic on Mars is beaming back bigs sounds and a profile of a launch photographer capturing rockets leaving the planet.

A seat on Blue Origin’s first crewed New Shepard flight went for $28 million at auction. It marks the start of a new chapter of space tourism. So what’s the future of this burgeoning market?

NASA selected two missions to head to Venus by the end of the 2020s. VERITAS and DAVINCI+ will be the first U.S. mission to Venus in decades. So why study Venus?

NASA’s Perseverance rover is sending back some of the clearest and most dramatic images of the Martian surface ever. It landed earlier this year, and since then has been beaming back detailed panoramics, up close images, even sound and video of one of our closest celestial neighbors.

Every 10 years, NASA tasks the science community to chart the course for the next decade of discovery and exploration. As NASA and other agencies push forward looking for signs of life in our universe, what’s the path ahead? We'll also talk with ERAU's Terry Oswalt about techniques to uncover the age of stars.

The next space-based telescope is almost ready to head into orbit. The James Webb Space Telescope aims to look deeper into the history of the universe, piggy-backing off the incredible observations of the Hubble Space Telescope.

NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter had a Wright Brothers moment on Mars after performing the first powered flight on another planet. It’s the first in many planned helicopter missions to other worlds. So what are engineers learning from the test? And -- an aerial telescope is getting some new hardware to peer deep into the universe.

NASA’s next moon rocket has reached its final destination before launching from Kennedy Space Center. The massive 212-foot tall rocket will carry the Orion space capsule on an uncrewed mission around the moon and back, possibly launching at the end of this year.

Later this week, a new crew will launch to the International Space Station from Kennedy Space Center here in Florida. When the four astronauts arrive in SpaceX’s Dragon capsule about a day after launch, they’ll join the seven already on board bringing the total number of people on the station to 11. Where will they all sleep?

NASA’s Perseverance rover is hard at work, exploring Jezero crater since landing back in February. But the dune-buggy sized rover is about to get upstaged by a tiny helicopter.

Before he died, Einstein was working on a theory of everything. It aims to combine all the forces in the universe into one beautiful, mathematical equation to explain everything. That equation remains incomplete, but physicists like Michio Kaku are charging ahead using new scientific observations from gravitational wave detectors and particle accelerators.

Scientists are on the hunt for exoplanets, planets that exist outside our solar system. So far, they’ve found thousands of planets orbiting other stars and some that might be like our own world.

This podcast and radio show is celebrating its five year anniversary. To celebrate this milestone event we invited frequent guests for a virtual conversation last week -- Charlie Bolden, a former NASA administrator under President Obama and retired astronaut, and Nicole Stott, a retired astronaut who spent more than 100 days in space.

At 10 years old, Hayley Arceneaux was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. Now at age 29 she's a physician's assistant at St. Jude Children’s research hospital and about to launch to space.

Small satellites plus small rockets equals big business.

From booster landings to astronaut launches, it’s hard to imagine a time when SpaceX struggled. But once it seemed like the company may never get off the ground. Eric Berger, journalist and Ars Technica’s senior space editor, chronicles the company’s desperate first years in his new book Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days That Launched SpaceX, starting with the company's founding 2002 and ending with the successful launch of Falcon 1 in 2008.

After a seven month journey hundreds of millions of miles through our solar system, NASA’s Perseverance rover safely landed on the surface of Mars. Now, the science campaign begins.

Getting to Mars isn’t easy, but so far this month two space agencies have delivered payloads to the red planet’s orbit -- China and the United Arab Emirates. A NASA mission is also on course for Mars.

The first of three robotic explorers has arrived at the red planet. The United Arab Emirates Hope probe successfully entered the orbit of Mars Tuesday, marking the UAE's first mission to the red planet.

On the outer edges of our solar system, beyond the orbit of Neptune, objects cluster in weird ways. This clustering led some scientists to search for something that could be acting as a gravitational shepherd, moving and modifying their orbits. That something could be Planet 9, a hypothetical planet at the edge of our solar system that could be tugging and clustering these far-out objects.

NASA’s administrator Jim Bridenstine stepped down last week as a new presidential administration took office. President Biden will now select the next leader of the civilian space agency -- could that mean a new direction for NASA?

After spending about a month on the International Space Station, SpaceX’s new Cargon Dragon capsule splashed down off the coast of Florida. It’s a departure from previous versions of the vehicle which splashed down in the Pacific. The new splash zone means scientists can get their hands on their returning equipment faster, meaning they can make critical observations of experiments quicker and opening up more opportunities for space-based science.

When it comes to how dirt on the moon behaves, scientists are still in the dark. Moon sand, also called regolith, is pretty mysterious -- but one team of University of Central Florida scientists want to shed some light on lunar dust clouds...by shooting lasers at it.

NASA announced the first group of astronauts who will train for a mission to the moon. We’ll talk with one of those astronauts, Kayla Barron, about the selection and what the mission means for women in the astronaut corps.

For the last three decades, the Hubble Space Telescope has peered deep into our universe, exploring the origins of the cosmos and capturing stunning views of stars, clusters and galaxies. Now, NASA is releasing a catalogue of some of its most dazzling images -- some you can see yourself from your own backyard.

A new company plans to launch small satellites from the belly of a drone. It joins the growing number of small launch companies popping up to send tiny payloads into space. So what’s the market for these small satellites?

A 305-meter radio telescope in Puerto Rico collapsed after sustaining damage earlier this year -- sending 900 tons of radio equipment crashing into the dish.

For nearly six decades, a 1,000 foot dish in a Puerto Rican forest has led the charge in searching for far away planets, alien life and tracking near-Earth asteroids. It’s also had cameos in television and film including the 1995 James Bond movie Goldeneye. Now, that dish is going dark.

Four astronauts successfully launched and docked to the International Space Station this week, flying on the first commercially designed and built spacecraft -- SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.

All eyes have been on the Presidential race, but the 2020 election will also have an impact on the U.S. space program. From Congressional funding to NASA leadership -- what’s ahead? Then, black holes have captured the attention of the masses with breakthroughs in imaging, gravitational wave detection and Nobel Prize recognition. What’s spurring this new dawn of black hole discovery?

We’ll speak with co-creators, writers and stars of the new show Moonbase 8, John C. Reilly, Tim Heidecker and Fred Armisen about the inspiration and research behind the series.

We’re on the hunt for aliens. NASA astrobiologists are scanning the skies for signs of life. But will extraterrestrials look like the little green humanoids from science fiction movies, books or TV?

There’s a lot about space travel that doesn’t get talked about -- like how do astronauts shower or go to the bathroom?

After launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida back in 2016, OSIRIS-REx is about to execute one of its most critical mission objectives -- suck up some dust on a far away asteroid.

This week Mars is set to come closer to Earth than it has been in more than a decade. The Mars Opposition is when the red planet becomes a visible bright red spot in the night sky.

NASA and other space and science agencies are striving to diversify their workforces, but there’s still a long way to go. As the country grapples with racial inequality, so do these organizations.

Last week, scientists announced the finding of phosphine gas in the atmosphere of Venus, one of our closest planetary neighbors. This stinky gas is linked to life here on Earth -- could that be the case on Venus?

It’s been more than a month since an asteroid-hunting telescope in Puerto Rico has gone dark. The Arecibo Observatory’s dish is broken after a piece of scaffolding fell, damaging the surface. So what will it take to fix it?

Last week, scientists, engineers and visionaries met at the annual Humans to Mars summit, outlining current challenges and technological breakthroughs in developing a plan for how to live on the red planet.

Public interest in space exploration is on the rise, partly due to high-profile missions like SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, returning to human launches from the U.S. and excitement around the launch of three missions to Mars this summer. With new interest comes questions from amateur space fans and a new podcast from WKMG’s space reporter Emilee Speck aims to answer those questions submitted by listeners

NASA’s Orion spacecraft is the next deep-space vehicle designed to take humans to the moon.

It’s been a busy year for the private space company SpaceX -- from launching and landing two NASA astronauts in its Crew Dragon Capsule, to the deployment of hundreds of tiny satellites to blanket the globe with internet access. Now, SpaceX is pushing ahead with development of its Starship spacecraft, with ambitious plans to send humans to the moon and Mars.

NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover launched last week carrying a stow-away -- a tiny helicopter named Ingenuity. If it works, it will be the first helicopter on another world and engineers and scientists are eagerly awaiting the results of the test flight, calling it Mars’ Wright Brother moment. Ingenuity might be the first, but it certainly won’t be the last. Work is underway on another off-planet helicopter named Dragonfly, with a plan to send it to Saturn’s moon Titan in 2027.

Astronaut splash downs, Martian missions and a new Mission:Impossible movie shot in space -- there’s a lot going on up there. We’ll dive into the space news headlines this week with WKMG’s space reporter Emilee Speck and take a look at the missions and events on the horizon.

The next Mars rover will have something no other Mars rover has ever had – a microphone. When the Mars Perseverance rover lands next February, scientists will get the chance to hear the red planet.

It’s the summer of Mars. Three spacecraft are heading to the red planet. Rovers from NASA and China, as well as an orbiter from the United Arab Emirates.

Commercial space is booming -- fueled by fresh cash, lots of new rockets and a change in how NASA works with private companies. What’s ahead for this new chapter in private space business?

As early as next year, space tourism company Space Perspective will ferry humans to the edge of space using a giant hydrogen-filled balloon. The capsule will have all the comforts of home – like a bar and a bathroom – and promises breathtaking views of the curvature of the Earth and blackness of space. As more and more space tourism ventures come online, how will greater access to space change how humans perceive this planet?

Protests across the country have highlighted systemic racism and turned the national conversation towards equality and justice. So how does racial inequality affect space exploration?

NASA is relying more and more on the private sector to help its exploration efforts -- from building the next moon lander to transporting astronauts to the International Space Station. So what does the future look like for this new dawn of commercial exploration?

The James Webb Space Telescope is nearing the finish line, with a campaign of full systems tests on the horizon. The mega space-based telescope is an incredible machine -- with a sunshield that once deployed in space will be the size of a tennis court.

On Saturday, SpaceX successfully launched two NASA astronauts from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a mission to the International Space Station. It’s the first time humans have launched from the U.S. since the end of the space shuttle program in 2011. We’re going to talk about the long-lasting impact of this launch -- from the inspiration it delivered to the innovation it paves the way for.

It’s finally here. The launch of American astronauts from American soil is happening this week with the launch of NASA’s Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on a SpaceX rocket.

In a little over a week, SpaceX will attempt to launch two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station from Florida -- the first human launch from the United States in nearly a decade.

For the past 25 years, CBS radio correspondent Peter King has covered human launches from Florida -- including the last Space Shuttle launch in 2011. Later this month, SpaceX will launch two NASA astronauts atop a Falcon 9 rocket. It will be the first human launch in nearly a decade. We’ll talk with Peter about his experience covering astronaut launches from Kennedy Space Center.

This summer, NASA will launch a 2,000 pound robot to the surface of Mars. The Perseverance rover will search for ancient signs of life and prep samples of Martian rocks to send back home.

The Mercury 7 might have had the right stuff and made the headlines, but behind the scenes 13 women were being tested to become astronauts.

With most of NASA teleworking to prevent the spread of coronavirus, missions exploring our solar system continue. NASA’s Curiosity rover is no exception. The team members responsible for driving and operating the rover are now all working from home.

Some seniors at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland, Florida are learning about the night sky and the universe they live in thanks to their astronomy teacher Kyle Jeter.

While many of us are struggling with the new normal of quarantining and self-isolating, for NASA astronauts — it’s a part of the job. We’ll catch up with retired NASA astronaut Mike Massimino about the importance of quarantining for space travelers, and the lessons he learned while isolated from his family during his two missions to service the Hubble Space Telescope.

There’s a new generation leading the charge when it comes to space exploration -- millennials.

Since our podcast and radio show 'Are We There Yet?' is celebrating its 4th birthday -- and many of us are quarantined at home with lots of free time -- our host Brendan Byrne is sharing his favorite conversations with astronauts.

There are now two new spacecraft zooming around the sun exploring our closest star. Is this a new chapter in sun science?

Back in 1967, Dr. Jocelyn Bell Burnell observed a curious set of radio pulses from a new type of telescope. Her findings would lead to a new type of star -- a pulsar -- and begin a new chapter of astronomical discovery.

The race to deep space is on. NASA has its eyes set on the moon then Mars, and other private companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin have ambitious plans to send humans into deep space. So just how close are we to breaking the bonds of Earth’s gravity once more and exploring other worlds?

Space is open for business. NASA is loosening restrictions on the use of the space station for commercial companies, paving the way for new business opportunities in orbit.

this week we’re talking with Alan Ladwig about his new book “See You in Orbit.”

Companies like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic are on the brink of launching a new class of astronauts into space -- ordinary people. The experiences promise to give space tourists a new perspective on the world and experience the feeling of weightlessness. How will space tourism change the way we think about space and our planet?

A new mission to study the sun launched this week from Cape Canaveral. For the first time, scientists will get a look at the poles of the sun, thanks to the Solar Orbiter spacecraft. The mission is a joint venture between the European Space Agency and NASA and will join other spacecraft studying the sun like the Parker Solar Probe.

The House is moving through a new authorization bill. While these pieces of legislation are usually unremarkable, this one is getting a lot of attention.

A spacecraft more than 160 million miles away is about to suck up some asteroid dust -- then send it back to Earth. The OSIRIS-REx mission will collect the sample from Bennu this summer and mission managers are carefully planning the maneuver.

Space travel could cause a leaky gut. A new medical study found that microgravity reduces an important barrier in the stomach which could mean nasty germs could get inside Astronaut’s bodies on deep-space missions.

Alcohol has long been a staple of our cultures and civilizations but is there a place for it in space?

Over the last decade, there’s been a change in how things get to space. Since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011, NASA has been looking to commercial companies to fill the void.

Astronomers have their eyes on a rare comet zooming 100,000 miles per hour through our solar system. The Hubble space telescope captured stunning images of Borisov, the first confirmed interstellar comet.

For future missions to the moon or Mars, astronauts are going to need a new suit. Engineers like MIT’s Dava Newman are hard at work -- but it’s a big ask. Designing a suit that protects astronauts while still allowing them the mobility to work in space or on another planet is tough.

Exploration is hardwired into our DNA. From early humans in sub-Saharan Africa to the Apollo moon walkers, humans have always had a thirst for knowledge and the need to understand the world around them.

Scientists are hard at work looking for signs of life here in our solar system and beyond. But what will we say to those extraterrestrials when we find them?

Voyager 2 punched a hole through our heliosphere sending it into interstellar space. The space probe launched more than 40 years ago along with its twin, Voyager 1, on a mission to visit the outer planets. Now the two have exited the boundary of our solar system and are beaming data back to scientists here on Earth.

There have been 221 spacewalks at the International Space Station and 37 have included women. But overall, there have only been 15 female spacewalkers. Retired NASA astronaut Nicole Stott is one of them and we chat with her about the historic milestone and what that means for gender equality in the astronaut corps.

The International Astronautical Congress was last week in Washington D.C. It’s a global assembly of movers and shakers in the space industry -- from government agencies to private partners.

Private company Relativity Space is designing and manufacturing 3D printed rockets to launch from Cape Canaveral but one day hopes to see the technology building parts on places like the moon or Mars.

NASA is going back to the moon but before it does, it has to figure out how to work with the dirt on the lunar surface.

Hardware for SpaceX’s Commercial Crew program and NASA’s SLS rocket have arrived at Kennedy Space. Elon Musk continues work on his Starship rockets. It’s been a busy few weeks in space news.

Scientists have captured an image of a black hole swallowing a star. The findings are shedding light on the mystery of black holes. How does this event help us better understand our universe?

If you want to live on Mars, you’ll have to eat bugs. That’s according to new research published by a team of University of Central Florida scientists in the journal New Space.

India’s attempt to land a rover on the moon appears to have ended in failure. The Indian space agency lost contact with the lander during a touchdown attempt earlier this month. It follows the landing failure of another mission -- SpaceIL’s attempt to land the Beresheet spacecraft on the moon earlier this year. So what makes these lunar missions so hard?

Last week, the Space Command came online. It’s what’s known as a combatant command group within the U.S. military and serves as a way to streamline the nation’s space military assets. We speak with Republican Congressman Mike Waltz about the Command and the future of warfare in space.

A spacecraft the size of a passenger van is orbiting an asteroid nearly 100 million miles away. As the OSIRIS-REx mission sends back images and data, scientists are learning the asteroid is not what they expected.

It’s been a busy few days for space news. We’re unrolling a new segment on the podcast this week -- a round table of space journalists based here in Florida to break down the latest headlines and offer insight and analysis of all the top space news stories.

NASA’s planet hunting satellite has completed its first year of science in space. The spacecraft searched the southern sky for signs of so-called exoplanets. The mission seeks to answer one of science’s age-old questions: are we alone in the universe? To talk about the spacecraft’s first year of science, we’re joined by Mark Clampin. He’s the Director of the Sciences and Exploration Directorate and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.

In the 1960’s, NASA’s Apollo program spurred growth and development on Florida’s SpaceCoast. Fifty years later, the lasting impact of the program can still be seen.

When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon, millions tuned in live to watch the event. The moon landing inspired many to pursue an education and career in aerospace in what is now called the Apollo effect.

After launching from Kennedy Space Center, controllers in Houston, Texas took over the operation of the Apollo missions -- keeping a watchful eye on the crew and vehicle as it made the nearly quarter-million mile trip to the moon.

Two senior NASA officials have been ousted from their positions to help meet the challenge of landing humans on the moon by 2024. Will this streamline the effort or cloud the mission with uncertainty?

MaryLiz Bender and Ryan Chylinski didn’t know it at the time, but they were both embarking on a similar mission -- selling all their stuff, hoping in a camper and touring the country documenting the latest space events.

Astronauts on the International Space Station use a specialized suit called the Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or EMU, to work outside the space station safely. The suits were delivered to the station in the 1980s and are in need of an upgrade.

As opportunities grow, space philosopher Frank White says it's time to start thinking about issues arising out of the human expansion into our solar system.

It has been a busy few weeks for moon news. Just last week, the Israeli non-profit SpaceIL attempted to land on the surface on the moon -- a first for a private group. Last month, the Trump administration charged NASA with putting humans on the moon in the next five years.

An asteroid some 50 million miles away is spewing pebble and rock-sized debris — and scientists don’t know why. The findings are the latest from a robotic spacecraft on a mission to visit the asteroid.

For the past three years, WMFE's podcast has asked "when it comes to putting humans on Mars, are we there yet?" As the program reaches its third year, host Brendan Byrne asks the question to planetary scientist Phil Metzger and journalist Emilee Speck.

SpaceX successfully launched its Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station, docked it to the orbiting outpost, and returned it safely to Earth. So what's ahead for NASA's partnership with SpaceX and Boeing to launch astronauts from U.S. soil?