September 10, 2018 10:18 pm

Tuesday, Explore Deep Space with Astro Mike Massimino, Chuck Nice, and Matt O’Dowd.

Oh, it’s been too long since we’ve heard from our resident astronaut or, as he’s described on this episode, “the man who ripped Hubble Space Telescope to pieces so he could fix it.” Of course we’re talking about Astro Mike Massimino, two-time space shuttle veteran and Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Columbia University.

Mike is back in the hosting hot seat alongside comic co-host Chuck Nice and friend of the show Matt O’Dowd, astrophysicist and host of PBS SpaceTime. On this week’s episode of StarTalk All-Stars our trio explores deep space and the secrets of the cosmos – and what they might be hiding.

To start, Mike, Chuck, and Matt discuss my favorite subject – film! You’ll hear what constitutes a good astronaut movie for Mike and why people now think he’s able to stitch himself together if an antenna piece stabs his gut. We also talk about the new reboot of Lost in Space.

Then, it’s on to the Cosmic Queries. You’ll find out how far back you would have to go in order to see a night sky you didn’t recognize – and the answer might surprise you. We ponder how old the universe would have to be in order to reach trillions of light years across. And of course, what deep space conversation would be complete if we didn’t discuss dark energy? Matt also tells us a little bit about “The Big Rip”.

After that, we turn our attention closer to home as Mike tells us what it’s like to train, physically and mentally, to become an astronaut. You’ll hear about his experiences in the centrifuge as well as why he failed the astronaut application process two times before being accepted for an interview. We discuss how the requirements for astronauts have changed over time, the quirks of eating and drinking in space, and what snack to bring on a trip across the galaxy. We also explore the future of the ISS: will it be private, public, or decommissioned entirely?

We end this episode with a wonderful, in-depth question about life in the universe. If we search the entirety of the galaxy and beyond and don’t find life, what does that mean about us? Matt tells us about the Fermi paradox and “the great filter.” Chuck explains his theory on what would cause our ultimate demise. Mike also reminds us to stay hopeful. Lastly, find out if space tourism is on the horizon or light years away.

Please join us tomorrow night for Deep Space, with Mike Massimino & Matt O’Dowd at 7pm ET right here on our website, as well as on our All-Stars channels on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and TuneIn. And if you’re an All-Access subscriber, you can watch or listen to this episode ad-free at 7pm, too.

That’s it for now. Keep Looking Up!
–Ian Mullen