June 4, 2018 9:58 pm

Tuesday, Travel the Solar System and Beyond with Emily Rice, Jana Grcevich and Harrison Greenbaum

Want to go kayaking on the dry riverbeds of Mars? Want to stand in awe of the geysers on Europa? How about a weekend away to Pluto? This week on StarTalk All-Stars we discuss interplanetary space tourism with host and astronomer Emily Rice, comic co-host Harrison Greenbaum, and astronomer and science educator Jana Grcevich.

Jana is the co-author of the recent book Vacation Guide to the Solar System: Science for the Savvy Space Traveler! published in part by the Intergalactic Travel Bureau:

“The Intergalactic Travel Bureau started as a live, interactive experience exploring the incredible possibilities of space tourism through personalised space vacation planning experiences. Think the Jetsons meets Mad Men, with a dash of Virgin Galactic and SpaceX. The project brings together space scientists, astronomers, science educators, actors and the general public, popping up all over the UK and the US since 2011.”

On this episode, find out how this book came about and how the Intergalactic Travel Bureau functions in order to bring science to people in surprising ways. Hear Jana’s favorite space vacation spot – actually her two favorites – and all the sights and sounds one might experience.

We also answer fan-submitted Cosmic Queries on a range of topics. Explore the future of space tourism (and safety) and if kids will ever be included in those who get to travel the stars. Ponder the best spot for a space prison – which is probably not the moon (an obscure Men in Black III reference for those paying attention). We also discuss which advancements in space tourism might happen in the near future, like seeing the Earth from space, or taking a loop around the moon. Learn about planetary protection: if we explore these places, how can we make sure we aren’t harming them in the process?

If I had my choice to go anywhere in the solar system I think I would pick a trip to the rings of Saturn. I can only imagine how epic the ride would be as we zeroed in on the rings themselves. However, if we advance space tourism enough in the near future so that I can see the Earth from space, that wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize.

Please join us tomorrow night for The Intergalactic Travel Bureau, with Emily Rice at 7pm EDT 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