The Future of Human Spaceflight, with Mike Massimino

About This Episode

Where should we go next on our journey to the stars? Explore the future of human spaceflight with former astronaut and host Mike Massimino, comic co-host Maeve Higgins, and their guests: principal investigator on NASA’s New Horizons mission and chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation Alan Stern, Grammy-award winning composer Eric Whitacre, and former STS and ISS astronaut Sandy Magnus, recorded live at “Space Stories” at The Explorers Club in NYC. First, join Mike and company as they examine the United States’ success in long term robotic space travel, the lessons learned by early engineers, and how the computing power of early satellites differs from today. Sandy – who served on STS-112, Expedition 18, and STS-135 –discusses her time in space: how she “moved” to space, what it felt like to be on the last shuttle mission, what music she listened to on the ISS, and more. You’ll learn about Eric’s “Deep Field” project, an orchestral composition meant to represent the sounds and feelings of the universe inspired by images taken by the Hubble Telescope. You’ll also hear our panel ponder sending artists into space to contextualize the “mood” of space travel. Sandy explains why time has no meaning during a mission, and how she felt “disconnected” from Earth while on the ISS. Alan and Sandy then debate the future relationship of government and private space companies, where the innovation will come from, and what will be the greatest challenges of commercial spaceflight. All that, plus, you’ll explore high-powered ion propulsion, the importance of electronic microminiaturization, interplanetary flight, and much, much more!

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