Space 3D Podcast

This is part 3 and the conclusion of our interview with Travis Thompson.Travis Thompson was the former Orbital Vehicle Close-Out Lead—or OVCC—for the space shuttle at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Travis and his team assisted astronauts into the launch vehicle and were the last humans to physically be in contact with the crew prior to launch.Travis has plenty of stories to tell as I hope you appreciated from the first 2 installments of his interview!In the conclusion to our interview, Travis continues to delight us with his Shuttle stories. Be sure to listen for his recollection of Ellison Onizuka and John Young, along with a few other entertaining anecdotes. Please kindly note that we recorded our interview with Travis via phone, so the audio quality is not pristine. However, we have done our best to clean it up, so we appreciate your indulgence while listening.

We had the pleasure of meeting with Lee Grant Irons and his daughter, Morgan Irons, during Season 5 of the Space 3D podcast. We've invited Lee Grant back this season to continue our discussion. This is part 3 and the conclusion of our latest interview.Lee Grant Irons is a scientist and engineer, with experience in the fields and industries of space plasma and computational physics, nuclear power design and operations, radioactive and hazardous waste management, environmental remediation, and large-scale engineering and construction projects.In this episode, cohosts Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers continue learning about the key elements of Pancosmorio Theory put forth in Lee's article recently published in Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences entitled, Frontiers | Pancosmorio (world limit) theory of the sustainability of human migration and settlement in space (frontiersin.org).Briefly, Pancosmorio Theory draws on ecological thermodynamics theory and the methodology of abductive reasoning to consider the consequences of humans leaving Earth's life-sustaining regenerative systems behind. The paper argues that human growth beyond Earth will be limited by the absence of these systems and the implications of leaving them behind.While the prospect of what lies ahead for humankind in establishing a permanent presence in space is daunting, Lee's paper lays the groundwork for defining the prerequisite foundation for that bootstrapped settlement to flourish.

We had the pleasure of meeting with Lee Grant Irons and his daughter, Morgan Irons, during Season 5 of the Space 3D podcast. We've invited Lee Grant back this season to continue our discussion. This is part 2 of our latest interview.Lee Grant Irons is a scientist and engineer, with experience in the fields and industries of space plasma and computational physics, nuclear power design and operations, radioactive and hazardous waste management, environmental remediation, and large-scale engineering and construction projects.In this episode, cohosts Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers begin to delve into the foundational elements of Pancosmorio Theory with Lee, who just published an article on this subject with his daughter, Morgan Irons: Frontiers | Pancosmorio (world limit) theory of the sustainability of human migration and settlement in space (frontiersin.org)Briefly, Pancosmorio Theory draws on ecological thermodynamics theory and the methodology of abductive reasoning to consider the consequences of humans leaving Earth's life-sustaining regenerative systems behind. The paper argues that human growth beyond Earth will be limited by the absence of these systems and the implications of leaving them behind.While this episode ends on what might be perceived as a bit of a pessimistic tone regarding the future of space settlement, we promise that there is a more positive message when we air part 3 of our interview, so make sure to tune in to that!

We had the pleasure of meeting with Lee Grant Irons and his daughter, Morgan Irons, during Season 5 of the Space 3D podcast. We've invited Lee Grant back this season to continue our discussion. This is part 1 of our latest interview.Lee Grant Irons is a scientist and engineer, with experience in the fields and industries of space plasma and computational physics, nuclear power design and operations, radioactive and hazardous waste management, environmental remediation, and large-scale engineering and construction projects.In this episode, cohosts Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers get an update on Morgan Irons' continued work on soil aggregates and their effects on soil organic carbon sequestration under Earth gravity and microgravity. Then, we transition to a discussion of Lee's role as Executive Director of the non-profit Norfolk Institute (Research in Human Resiliency | Norfolk Institute) where he helping to foster funding for various projects focused on the existential challenges of human sustainability on Earth and in space. We will also preview Lee's latest publication on Pancosmorio Theory, which we'll explore in detail in part 2 of this interview.

Recently, we were honored to speak to Travis Thompson. Travis Thompson was the former Orbital Vehicle Close-Out Crew Lead—or OVCC Lead—for the Space Shuttle at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Travis and his team assisted astronauts into the launch vehicle and were the last humans to physically be in contact with the crew prior to launch.Travis has plenty of stories to tell, and we are excited to bring them to you!In Part 2 of our interview, Travis beings to share some memories from the shuttle program, including his favorite astronauts, how Lake Ochoa got its name, and the Columbia tragedy.Please kindly note that we recorded our interview with Travis via phone, so the audio quality is not pristine. However, we have done our best to clean it up, so we appreciate your indulgence when listening.

This is the kickoff to our Season 6 of the Space 3D podcast and we were honored to speak to Travis Thompson, which will span the next several episode installments.Travis Thompson was the former Space Shuttle close-out lead at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Travis and his team assisted astronauts into the launch vehicle and were the last humans to physically be in contact with the crew prior to launch.More about Space Shuttle close-out: NASA - Closing the HatchTravis has plenty of stories to tell, and we are excited to bring them to you!In Part 1 of our interview, we get acquainted with Travis, starting with how he wound up working for NASA and how he eventually assumed his primary position as launch pad close-out lead.Please kindly note that we recorded our interview with Travis via phone, so the audio quality is not pristine. However, we have done our best to clean it up so we appreciate your indulgence when listening.

We recently had the opportunity to interview individuals who conducted research, operated, or who served as research volunteers on the old Johnsville Centrifuge—aka the Dynamic Flight Simulator—which was located on the now closed Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, Pennsylvania.Why, you may ask, is Space 3D talking centrifuges? Well, there is a space connection! NASA used the Johnsville Centrifuge for training X-15, Project Mercury, Project Gemini and Apollo astronauts-- and a handful of Space Shuttle pilots!In the conclusion of our series on the Johnsville Centrifuge, we'll discuss researcher gratitude for volunteers willing to endure some not-so-pleasant things while riding in the centrifuge. We'll also discuss ensuring volunteer safety during acceleration exposures on the centrifuge, and we'll round robin with funny stories recalled from working on the centrifuge research projects. Finally, we'll briefly recall an interesting experiment on near-death experiences that made our interviewees TV stars in several documentaries.

We recently had the opportunity to interview individuals who conducted research, operated, or who served as research volunteers on the old Johnsville Centrifuge—aka the Dynamic Flight Simulator—which was located on the now closed Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, Pennsylvania.Why, you may ask, is Space 3D talking centrifuges? Well, there is a space connection! NASA used the Johnsville Centrifuge for training X-15, Project Mercury, Project Gemini and Apollo astronauts-- and a handful of Space Shuttle pilots!In Part 3 of our interview, we'll continue our discussion on the Johnsville Centrifuge by delving into the work done with female test subjects to evaluate their G tolerance. Much of this work was done as a prerequisite to female jet pilots entering active duty. We'll also discuss some other programs, including important work on validating instrumentation exposed to high G, verifying the feasibility of night vision goggle removal from pilots' helmets prior to aircraft ejection, and creating and validating contingencies for pilots and copilots who entered into a flat-spin in the F-14 Tomcat. Then we'll delve into how centrifuge test subjects were monitored (mostly non-invasively!), whether anyone got sick riding the centrifuge—and whether any deaths have occurred during centrifuge research through the years.

Welcome to Space 3D!We recently had the opportunity to interview individuals who conducted research, operated, or who served as research volunteers on the old Johnsville Centrifuge—aka the Dynamic Flight Simulator—which was located on the now closed Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, Pennsylvania.Why, you may ask, is Space 3D talking centrifuges? Well, there is a space connection! NASA used the Johnsville Centrifuge for training X-15, Project Mercury, Project Gemini and Apollo astronauts-- and a handful of Space Shuttle pilots!In Part 2 of our interview, human factors researcher Barry Shender will discuss what acceleration- or G- induced loss of consciousness is, what the human tolerance is to G before losing consciousness, and how it was measured in the Johnsville centrifuge. Once again, we'll also hear some first-hand accounts of what it was like to experience G in the centrifuge from human research subjects Linda Lips and Steve Cloak. Finally, we'll discuss some of the many research accomplishments that helped us to better understand the effects of acceleration on the human body – all of which were conducted at the Johnsville Centrifuge.

Welcome to Space 3D!We recently had the opportunity to interview individuals who conducted research, operated, or who served as research volunteers on the old Johnsville Centrifuge—aka the Dynamic Flight Simulator—which was located on the now closed Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, Pennsylvania.Why, you may ask, is Space 3D talking centrifuges? Well, there is a space connection! NASA used the Johnsville Centrifuge for training X-15, Project Mercury, Project Gemini and Apollo astronauts-- and a handful of Space Shuttle pilots!In Part 2 of our interview, human factors researcher Barry Shender will discuss what acceleration- or G- induced loss of consciousness is, what the human tolerance is to G before losing consciousness, and how it was measured in the Johnsville centrifuge. Once again, we'll also hear some first-hand accounts of what it was like to experience G in the centrifuge from human research subjects Linda Lips and Steve Cloak. Finally, we'll discuss some of the many research accomplishments that helped us to better understand the effects of acceleration on the human body – all of which were conducted at the Johnsville Centrifuge.

During our next few episodes to round out Season 5, we had the opportunity to interview individuals who conducted research, operated, or who served as research volunteers on the old Johnsville Centrifuge—aka the Dynamic Flight Simulator—which was located on the now closed Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, Pennsylvania.Why, you may ask, is Space 3D talking centrifuges? Well, there is a space connection! NASA used the Johnsville Centrifuge for training X-15, Project Mercury, Project Gemini and Apollo astronauts-- and a handful of Space Shuttle pilots!In Part 1 of our interview, we'll hear from human factors researcher Barry Shender, who will provide a broad overview of the history of the Johnsville Centrifuge as well as the primary purpose for conducting acceleration work. Then, John Yannaccone will provide some additional background on the operation of the centrifuge and why it was built in Warminster, Pennsylvania. Then, we'll hear from Steve Cloak, Linda Frattone, and Linda Lips on their experiences with riding the centrifuge as human research subjects.

Co-hosts Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers had the opportunity to interview Rich Overbeck, who is currently wintering over at South Pole Station!As many of our listeners may know, expeditions to our planet's polar regions are considered to be extreme environmental analogs, not unlike what would be encountered on the surface of Mars, for example. Indeed, as Rich will tell us, part of his motivation for wintering over in Antarctica was because it's the closest he can come to traveling to Mars in this lifetime.This is part 3 and our conclusion of our conversation with Rich Overbeck. We'll chat about astronaut visits to the Pole, whether missions have patches or service medals associated with them, searching for elusive Martian meteorites in the ice, and some surprisingly interesting “mundane” details regarding the water supply and dealing with waste disposal. We'll conclude with Rich's final thoughts on Antarctica and his time “on the ice.”This episode was recorded via Zoom on February 12, 2022. Rich will remain in Antarctica until November, 2022. By the time this episode goes live in late May 2022, Rich will experience full darkness, something which he has been eagerly anticipating because of the incredible views of the night sky that he will be able to enjoy.

Co-hosts Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers had the opportunity to interview Rich Overbeck, who is currently wintering over at South Pole Station!As many of our listeners may know, expeditions to our planet's polar regions are considered to be an extreme environmental analog not unlike what would be encountered on the surface of Mars, for example. Indeed, as Rich will tell us, part of his motivation for wintering over “on the ice” was because it's the closest he can come to traveling to Mars in this lifetime.In Part 2 of our conversation with Rich Overbeck, we'll explore more insights regarding life on the Ice, including the number of showers one is permitted to take weekly and what Rich likes to do during downtime. Then, we'll explore some broader aspects of Ice Life, including whether there are animals at the South Pole, what storms are like, how COVID was prevented at the Pole, and the duration of time one is permitted to serve down there. We'll also delve into what Rich looks most forward to when his time at the South Pole draws to a close.This episode was recorded via Zoom on February 12, 2022. Rich will remain in Antarctica until November, 2022.

Co-hosts Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers had the opportunity to interview Rich Overbeck, who is currently wintering over at South Pole Station!As many of our listeners may know, expeditions to our planet's polar regions are considered to be an extreme environmental analog not unlike what would be encountered on the surface of Mars, for example. Indeed, as Rich will tell us, part of his motivation for wintering over “on the ice” was because it's the closest he can come to traveling to Mars in his lifetime.In Part 1 of our interview, we'll get to know Rich and what it takes to qualify for supporting winter missions to the South Pole. We'll learn about Rich's typical day at the Pole, how long he'll be down there, what the most challenging aspects of life at the Pole are for him and his fellow crewmates. We'll also discuss what surprised Rich the most when he travelled there for the first time about twenty years ago. We'll have the opportunity to dispel at least one myth about life at the Pole, and gain insight to a surprising benefit from hydroponics—aside from a supply of fresh greens-- that has never been mentioned by planetary scientists and researchers, to our knowledge.This episode was recorded via Zoom on February 12, 2022, so by the time this episode is posted in April, the pole is nearly enveloped in 24-hour darkness, something which Rich is actually looking forward to. As Rich says, the night sky… is just incredible.

Welcome to Space 3D!Two well respected aerospace organizations had experience making high altitude pressure suits, but only a couple of engineers from a relatively unknown company known as ILC Dover had set their sights set on developing a true space suit with high mobility for the Apollo program.In his book, Lunar Outfitters: Making the Apollo Space Suit, Ayrey tells the people story of ILC and documents the technical details of the various models of the Apollo suit, including pre-Apollo suits.Bill retired in May 2019 from ILC Dover after 41 years of service. He was responsible for managing the test laboratories for the company where the space suits made for the Space Shuttle than the International Space Station were tested prior to delivery. He also represented the company as their historian.Join us in this podcast for the conclusion of our interview with Bill Ayrey. In this episode, we'll hear about Bill's experiences with trying on pressure suits over the years—including a certain Apollo astronaut's training suit. We'll also learn about ILC Dovers ongoing work with the Air Force to product aerostats. Finally, we'll conclude with some reassurance from Bill that the ILC historical archives of the Apollo suits will be in good hands for perpetuity.

Welcome to Space 3D!Two well respected aerospace organizations had experience making high altitude pressure suits, but only a couple of engineers from a relatively unknown company known as ILC Dover had set their sights set on developing a true space suit with high mobility for the Apollo program.In his book, Lunar Outfitters: Making the Apollo Space Suit, Bill Ayrey tells the people story of ILC and documents the technical details of the various models of the Apollo suit, including pre-Apollo suits.Bill retired in May 2019 from ILC Dover after 41 years of service. He was responsible for managing the test laboratories for the company where the space suits made for the Space Shuttle than the International Space Station were tested prior to delivery. He also represented the company as their historian.In part 3 of our interview with Bill Ayrey, we'll start out with discussing the curiosity of Space Shuttle “rescue balls” and then explore some other interesting anecdotes- including assisting the sound engineer for the movie First Man to record actual sounds of an Apollo suit and his work assisting the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum with preservation efforts for Neil Armstrong's Apollo suit. We'll conclude this episode by turning to Bill's work on space suits at the close of his career with ILC Dover, with comments on where the future lies with new space suits, and what might be Elon Musk's role in driving innovation in design.

Two well respected aerospace organizations had experience making high altitude pressure suits, but only a couple of engineers from a relatively unknown company known as ILC Dover had set their sights set on developing a true space suit with high mobility for the Apollo program.In his book, Lunar Outfitters: Making the Apollo Space Suit, Ayrey tells the people story of ILC and documents the technical details of the various models of the Apollo suit, including pre-Apollo suits.Bill retired in May 2019 from ILC Dover after 41 years of service. He was responsible for managing the test laboratories for the company where the space suits made for the Space Shuttle than the International Space Station were tested prior to delivery. He also represented the company as their historian.Join cohosts Tom Hill and me, Eleanor O'Rangers, for part 2 of our interview with Bill Ayrey on the history of US spacesuits. In this episode, we'll discuss how ILC tackled the development of the Apollo spacesuits with some particular emphasis on the special and indispensable role the seamstresses played in the creation of specialized equipment which never suffered a failure during the lunar program. Bill will also share some interesting anecdotes about the astronauts who visited ILC for suit fittings as well.

Welcome to Space 3D!Two well respected aerospace organizations had experience making high altitude pressure suits, but only a couple of engineers from a relatively unknown company known as ILC Dover had set their sights set on developing a true space suit with high mobility for the Apollo program.In his book, Lunar Outfitters: Making the Apollo Space Suit, Ayrey tells the people story of ILC and documents the technical details of the various models of the Apollo suit, including pre-Apollo suits.Bill retired in May 2019 from ILC Dover after 41 years of service. He was responsible for managing the test laboratories for the company where the space suits made for the Space Shuttle than the International Space Station were tested prior to delivery. He also represented the company as their historian.Join cohosts Tom Hill and me, Eleanor O'Rangers, for part 1 of a discussion of the history of US spacesuits from Apollo, the Space Shuttle, International Space Station and beyond with Bill Ayrey.

This is part 3 and the conclusion of our interview with with Morgan and Lee Grant Irons on sustainable environmental systems and terraforming.Morgan is a Soil and Crop Sciences Ph.D. candidate in the Lehmann Lab at Cornell University, where her research focuses on microbial-adhesion mechanisms and organo-mineral, organo-organic interactions in soil aggregates and their effects on soil organic carbon sequestration under Earth gravity and microgravity.Lee Grant Irons is a scientist and engineer, with experience in the fields and industries of space plasma and computational physics, nuclear power design and operations, radioactive and hazardous waste management, environmental remediation, and large-scale engineering and construction projects. As the Executive Director of the non-profit Norfolk Institute, he is working on the existential challenges of human sustainability on Earth and in space.In this episode, cohosts Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers conduct a “lightning round” of questions and answers with their guests. While the answers were much more involved than a typical lightning round… that's OK—because we had the opportunity to discuss the Martian, musings on a Biosphere 3… and the subject of… biosolids.+++++++++++++++++++++++Additional links of interest related to our interview with Morgan and Lee Grant Irons:Link to the paper referred to during the interview: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2021.789563/abstractMorgan's social media where you can follow her research:Instagram: astroecologistTwitter: @Astroeco_MorganFacebook: www.facebook.com/astroeco.morgan/Research Gate profile links for even more supplemental material related to the podcast:www.researchgate.net/profile/Lee-Ironswww.researchgate.net/profile/Morgan-IronsNorfolk Institute: www.norfolkinstitute.org

We continue our conversation with Morgan and Lee Grant Irons on everything you wanted to know about the intricacies of terraforming. In short: it's complicated!Morgan is a Soil and Crop Sciences Ph.D. candidate in the Lehmann Lab at Cornell University, where her research focuses on microbial-adhesion mechanisms and organo-mineral, organo-organic interactions in soil aggregates and their effects on soil organic carbon sequestration under Earth gravity and microgravity. In 2018, Morgan was also awarded US Patent 9,970,208; ""Ecological system model for a self-sustaining and resilient human habitation on the Moon and Mars and for food security and climate change mitigation anywhere on Earth."Lee Grant Irons is a scientist and engineer, with experience in the fields and industries of space plasma and computational physics, nuclear power design and operations, radioactive and hazardous waste management, environmental remediation, and large-scale engineering and construction projects. As the Executive Director of the non-profit Norfolk Institute, he is working on the existential challenges of human sustainability on Earth and in space.In part 2 of our interview, we'll discuss the challenges of conducting research on real and simulated soil samples in space, the long-term goal of creating an independent ecosystem on another planetary body that does not rely on an earth supply chain for sustainability, and lessons we can take from sustainable eco-practices on earth. Finally, we'll consider whether there is any role for genetic modification of humans to address some of the limitations and risks associated with the creation of adaptive, sustainable ecosystems for interplanetary settlement.+++++++++++++++++++++++Additional links of interest related to our interview with Morgan and Lee Grant Irons:Link to the paper referred to during the interview: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2021.789563/abstractMorgan's social media where you can follow her research:Instagram: astroecologistTwitter: @Astroeco_MorganFacebook: www.facebook.com/astroeco.morgan/Research Gate profile links for even more supplemental material related to the podcast:www.researchgate.net/profile/Lee-Ironswww.researchgate.net/profile/Morgan-IronsNorfolk Institute: www.norfolkinstitute.org

We are joined by Morgan and Lee Grant Irons for a discussion of everything you wanted to know about the intricacies of terraforming and more.Morgan is a Soil and Crop Sciences Ph.D. candidate in the Lehmann Lab at Cornell University, where her research focuses on microbial-adhesion mechanisms and organo-mineral, organo-organic interactions in soil aggregates and their effects on soil organic carbon sequestration under Earth gravity and microgravity.Lee Grant Irons is a scientist and engineer, with experience in the fields and industries of space plasma and computational physics, nuclear power design and operations, radioactive and hazardous waste management, environmental remediation, and large-scale engineering and construction projects. As the Executive Director of the non-profit Norfolk Institute, he is working on the existential challenges of human sustainability on Earth and in space.In part 1 of our interview, we'll get acquainted with these researchers, define what terraforming is—and which planets Morgan and Lee would choose to terraform first,And then discuss recent experiments Morgan sent up on the International Space Station and on a suborbital Blue Origin spaceflight.++++++++Additional links of interest related to our interview with Morgan and Lee Grant Irons:Link to the paper referred to during the interview: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2021.789563/abstractMorgan's social media where you can follow her research:Instagram: astroecologistTwitter: @Astroeco_MorganFacebook: www.facebook.com/astroeco.morgan/ Research Gate profile links for even more supplemental material related to the podcast:www.researchgate.net/profile/Lee-Ironswww.researchgate.net/profile/Morgan-Irons Norfolk Institute: www.norfolkinstitute.org

Welcome to Space 3D and the conclusion of our interview with space historian and policy analyst Dwayne Day.Day is a senior program officer for the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences, where he has served as a study director on studies concerning NASA's aeronautics flight research capabilities, the planetary exploration program, the size of the astronaut corps, the threat of asteroids striking Earth, NASA workforce skills, radiation hazards to astronauts on long duration spaceflights, U.S. Air Force astrodynamics standards, and other projects. He previously served as a program officer on the Space Studies Board and served as an investigator for the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. He has also written extensively on the history of American satellite reconnaissance.In this episode, we focus on two fascinating stories about the intersection of Skylab with the National Reconnaissance Office... and wrap things up with the question we've all wanted to ask: has all this work with declassified history ever resulted in a midnight visit from some Men in Black?

Welcome to Space 3D and part 2 of our wide-ranging interview with space historian and policy analyst Dwayne Day. Day is a senior program officer for the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences, where he has served as a study director on studies concerning NASA's aeronautics flight research capabilities, the planetary exploration program, the size of the astronaut corps, the threat of asteroids striking Earth, NASA workforce skills, radiation hazards to astronauts on long duration spaceflights, U.S. Air Force astrodynamics standards, and other projects. He previously served as a program officer on the Space Studies Board and served as an investigator for the  Columbia Accident Investigation Board. He has also written extensively on the history of American satellite reconnaissance. In this episode, Dwayne dashes our childhood fantasies about Bigfoot, the Bermuda Triangle and UFOs, but then we get to the story we've all been waiting for: The Origin Story of Boris the Space Chimp. We then conclude with Dwayne's thoughts on some of his priorities for the future, including finishing a plethora of manuscripts, and delving into some alt-history speculation in the spirit of our favorite Apple TV show, For All Mankind.

Over our next few episodes, co-hosts Emily Carney and Eleanor O'Rangers had the opportunity to interview space historian and policy analyst Dwayne A. Day.Day is a senior program officer for the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board of the National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences, where he has served as a study director on studies concerning NASA's aeronautics flight research capabilities, the planetary exploration program, the size of the astronaut corps, the threat of asteroids striking Earth, NASA workforce skills, radiation hazards to astronauts on long duration spaceflights, U.S. Air Force astrodynamics standards, and other projects. He previously served as a program officer on the Space Studies Board and served as an investigator for the Columbia Accident Investigation Board. He has also written extensively on the history of American satellite reconnaissance.In Part 1 of our interview, we'll discuss how Dwayne became interested in satellite reconnaissance, the process of intelligence declassification in the United States, and the value that first-hand accounts of individuals who previously worked in declassified programs brings to his historical research in this area.We'll conclude with his thoughts as a historian on how the Apple TV show, For All Mankind, has carefully crafted their alternative history tale.

This is the conclusion of our interview with physicist and space radiation expert Jeff Chancellor.Jeff is an Assistant Professor of Physics at Louisiana State University with research interests in applications of how heavy ion radiation interacts with soft and condensed matter for ground-based analogs, manned spaceflight vehicle structure, shielding, and clinical healthcare.Part 3 of our interview starts with a discussion of options for radiation shielding of astronauts during interplanetary travel and while on the surface of either the moon or Mars. We'll discuss how certain radiation risks may vary according to the solar cycle--- and then we'll transition to radiation event risk prediction…. Which at best, is an evolving and still somewhat unpredictable discipline. We'll learn about how NASA's tolerance for radiation risk is evolving, particularly in relation to short-term risks to crew, and we'll conclude with a few more provocative questions for Jeff.If you are interested in reading the open-access review on space radiation that he and his colleagues have just published, check out the April 27, 2021 issue of Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part C, pages 113-128 for the article entitled, “Everything you wanted to know about space radiation but were afraid to ask.”

Co-hosts Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers continue their interview with physicist and space radiation expert Jeff Chancellor in this podcast episode.Jeff is an Assistant Professor of Physics at Louisiana State University with research interests in applications of how heavy ion radiation interacts with soft and condensed matter for ground-based analogs, manned spaceflight vehicle structure, shielding, and clinical healthcare.During part 2 of our interview, we'll discuss the specific risks posed by space radiation to space explorers, starting with defining the types of radiation that concern us in space exploration. We'll delve into the particulars of risks specific to the lunar and Martian surface and conclude with beginning to explore issues pertaining to radiation shielding, which can be summed up simply as: easier said than done.

In this Space 3D episode, co-hosts Eleanor O'Rangers and Tom Hill had the opportunity to interview physicist and space radiation expert Jeff Chancellor.Jeff is an Assistant Professofr of Physics at Louisiana State University, with research interests in applications of how heavy ion radiation interacts with soft and condensed matter for ground-based analogs, manned spaceflight vehicle structure, shielding, and clinical healthcare.During part 1 of our interview, we'll get to know Jeff Chancellor a bit better, including how he got interested in space radiation research. We'll share some mutual admiration For All Mankind, including "nerding" out on a recent season 2 episode involving his favorite topic, and then we'll get back to learning about Jeff's involvement in the Red Bull Stratos mission, his patents in the space radiation field, and whether any of the monitoring hardware he has helped to develop has flown in space. We'll ask whether Jeff had any words of wisdom on space radiation for his wife, Astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor, prior to her flight to the International Space Station, and we'll end with defining the difference between the terms space radiation and space weather. Continuing in part 2 of our interview, we'll begin to explore the specific risks posed by space radiation to space explorers.

Welcome to Space 3D and the conclusion of our interview with co-host, Emily Carney, about the life and times of futurist Gerard K. O'Neill.In this episode, we discuss O'Neill's enduring legacy and how the upstarts of commercial space, including Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, are helping to realize his prescient vision of space settlement for the masses.

Co-hosts Eleanor O'Rangers and Tom Hill continue their interview of fellow co-host Emily Carney about Gerard K. O'Neill, theoretical physicist and space futurist who she has written about in her National Space Society blogs. First, we'll discuss O'Neill's entrepreneurial ventures into space solar power and pioneering work in GPS that lead to the launch of Geostar satellites. Then, we'll conclude the episode with a transition to the origins of the Space Studies Institute and L5 Society.

In our next series of episodes, co-hosts Eleanor O'Rangers and Tom Hill had the opportunity to interview their fellow co-host Emily Carney about Gerard K O'Neill, theoretical physicist and space futurist who she has written about in her National Space Society blogs. In Part 1 of our interview, we'll discuss what sparked Emily's interest in GKO, and then we'll explore O'Neill's protracted journey to space settlement stardom.

Welcome to Space 3D and part 2 of our interview with aerospace engineer and amateur astronomer, Scott Gauer.Originally from Danville, PA, Scott is a graduate of Penn State University with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and a minor in Astrophysics. Since 2017 he has been employed at Space Exploration Technologies Corp. in Hawthorne, CA as a propulsion engineer on both the Dragon ISS cargo resupply spacecraft, and most recently, the Falcon 9 2nd stage engine (Merlin 1D Vacuum). He has been doing astronomy & astrophotography in his free time since 2010, and enjoys public outreach & education.In this episode, Tom Hill, Emily Carney and Eleanor O'Rangers get into some of the nitty gritty with Scott on telescope design considerations, enhancements for added deep sky viewing, including cameras, and how computers have become an essential companion to many budding astronomers, particularly for post-image processing. Scott's FLICKR astrophotography page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/scott_gauer/

Welcome to Space 3D and our second interview for season 4 with aerospace engineer and amateur astronomer, Scott Gauer.Originally from Danville, PA, Scott is a graduate of Penn State University with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and a minor in Astrophysics. Since 2017 he has been employed at Space Exploration Technologies Corp. in Hawthorne, CA as a propulsion engineer on both the Dragon ISS cargo resupply spacecraft, and most recently, the Falcon 9 2nd stage engine (Merlin 1D Vacuum). He has been doing astronomy & astrophotography in his free time since 2010, and enjoys public outreach & education.In part 1 of our interview with Scott, well delve into his insights on getting started in astronomy and astrophotography. We'll discuss Scott's recommendations on telescopes and other options, such as binoculars, his favorite targets, post-imaging processing, and working around the challenges of urban light pollution. Finally, we'll touch on some options for networking, including connecting to local astronomy clubs, participating star parties, and attending the Northeast Astronomy Forum.Scott's FLICKR astrophotography page: https://www.flickr.com/photos/scott_gauer/Northeast Astronomy Forum: http://www.rocklandastronomy.com/neaf.html

Welcome to Space 3D!In this episode, co-moderators Emily Carney, Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers continue discussing recent space dramas and documentaries, including For All Mankind on Apple TV, The Real Right Stuff on Disney Plus, and Challenger: The Final Flight, on Netflix. We conclude the episode recalling our memories of Challenger and Columbia and what their legacies meant to each of us.

Welcome to Space 3D!It's hard to believe it, but we're actually kicking off Season 4 of our little podcast adventure.In this episode, co-moderators Emily Carney, Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers briefly catch up following the hiatus from Season 3's conclusion and then dive into discussion on current television shows featuring a retro space theme. First up: The Nat Geo/Disney Plus version of The Right Stuff.Also—make sure to check out Emily's other podcast she started recording recently with fellow space enthusiast Dave Giles called “Space and Things”-- another podcast devoted to the exploration of space—also available on your favorite podcast listening platform.

We conclude our conversation with X-15 historian, Michelle Evans, author of the book, “The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space”.In this episode, Michelle discusses some exciting news about technical consulting work she has been involved in with the upcoming National Geographic reboot of “The Right Stuff.” We make sure to ask her if there are any untold stories about the X-15, since we had a feeling there might still be a few tales to tell. Finally, Michelle discusses a once and future topic for a book… that we hope she'll still decide to pursue one of these days.Michelle Evans is the founder and president of Mach 25 Media (www.Mach25Media.com) and is a writer, photographer, and communications specialist in aerospace.

We continue our conversation with X-15 historian, Michelle Evans, authors of the book, “The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space”.We start out part 3 of our interview with a discussion of Mike Adams, the only pilot fatality in the X-15 program—and the creation of a memorial to him that sits adjacent to the site of the X-15 #3 crash site north of Edwards AFB in the high desert of southern CA. We turn our attention to the legacy of the X-15 program, and round out this episode with a discussion of the how the X-15 was capable of atmospheric and spaceflight… which naturally led to another story of that badass X-15 and Space Shuttle pilot, Joe Engle.Michelle Evans is the founder and president of Mach 25 Media (www.Mach25Media.com) and is a writer, photographer, and communications specialist in aerospace.

We continue our conversation with X-15 historian, Michelle Evans, author of the book, “The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space”.In Part 2 of our interview, we get into why the X-15 program was such an important milestone in the history of aviation while we focus on some of the more “gee whiz” aspects of the spaceplane. We ask Michelle to recount any favorite pilot stories—and one about Neil Armstrong might just surprise our audience. We'll get into details on pilot selection, how Scott Crossfield was the first to fly the X-15…. And then we'll conclude the episode with a couple of stories about the 8th X-15 pilot—and later astronaut—Joe Engle.Michelle Evans is the founder and president of Mach 25 Media (www.Mach25Media.com) and is a writer, photographer, and communications specialist in aerospace.

We conclude Season 3 of our podcast with an interview with X-15 historian, Michelle Evans, author of the book “The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space”.In Part 1 of our interview, we discuss how her father inspired her interest in the X-15 and aerospace more broadly. Following time in the Air Force and a stint overseas working with Space Camp Turkey, we explore the journey Michelle took over nearly 30 years that eventually led to the publication of “The X-15 Rocket Plane, Flying the First Wings into Space” in 2012. Finally, Michelle recalls some of her favorite communications with a rather large fan base she has amassed since the publication of the book.Michelle Evans is the founder and president of Mach 25 Media (www.Mach25Media.com) and is a writer, photographer, and communications specialist in aerospace.

Al Worden, the astronaut who served as Command Module Pilot on the Apollo 15 lunar mission in 1971, passed away on March 18, 2020 at the age of 88. As a tribute to him, Space 3D will be airing multiple interviews with individuals who knew Al over the years. We hope that these will bring a smile to our listeners. Al was truly unique, and will be missed by his family and the space community.This final tribute episode to Al features engineer and space artist, Michelle Rouch.NASA information page for Al Worden: https://www.nasa.gov/alworden

Al Worden, the astronaut who served as Command Module Pilot on the Apollo 15 lunar mission in 1971, passed away on March 18, 2020 at the age of 88. As a tribute to him, Space 3D will be airing multiple interviews with individuals who knew Al over the years. We hope that these will bring a smile to our listeners. Al was truly unique, and will be missed by his family and the space community.This episode features space historian James Hansen, who authored the official biography of Neil Armstrong, First Man.Dr. Hansen has some fun stories about Al, who was a technical consultant on the movie, First Man, based on Hansen's biography.NASA information page for Al Worden: https://www.nasa.gov/alworden

Welcome to Space 3D!In this episode, co-hosts Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers continue their conversation with engineer Tim Walsh, who currently supports the Joint Polar Satellite System weather satellite program —a collaborative effort between NOAA and NASA that deliver key observations for severe weather events and environmental hazards.In part 3 of our interview with Tim, we'll discuss how timelines for the development and deployment of new satellite platforms is rapidly shrinking from a typical decade-long process to one where currently deployed instrumentation is being applied in new ways—such as for space weather prediction--- and that future satellite design is evolving into smaller, simpler platforms that have reduced times for design, testing and deployment.Tim—and Tom—will also share some anecdotes about their experiences with satellite launches and adventures of working in a repurposed hospital as launch headquarters.And... with all this focus on satellite technology, we'll be sure to find out whether we can give up on the use if more local observations of atmospheric phenomena, such as Doppler radar…. Or even the famous P-3 Orion Air Force Hurricane Hunters.

Welcome to Space 3D!In this episode, co-hosts Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers continue their conversation with engineer Tim Walsh, who currently supports the Joint Polar Satellite System weather satellite program —a collaborative effort between NOAA and NASA that deliver key observations for severe weather events and environmental hazards.In part 2 of our interview, we'll learn about the satellites Tim has worked on during his career—starting with an interesting connection to Mercury Astronaut Deke Slayton.We'll discuss the challenges associated with the demands for more rapid deployment of new on-orbit instrumentation and the evolution in satellite design that has enabled a faster cadence for launching that new equipment. We'll learn what it means to be a good orbital steward when decommissioning satellites. Finally, we'll discuss the interplay between DOD technology and the commercial satellite industry, and how international collaboration in the world of satellites is commonplace.

Welcome to Space 3D!Co-hosts Tom Hill and Eleanor O'Rangers chat with engineer Tim Walsh, someone who has supported three decades of weather satellite development for NASA and NOAA. Tim is currently supporting the next generation of low-earth orbiting weather satellites, called the Joint Polar Satellite System or JPSS.Satellites in the Joint Polar Satellite System constellation deliver key observations for the Nation's forecasting of severe weather events including hurricanes, tornadoes and blizzards days in advance, and assessing environmental hazards such as droughts, forest fires, poor air quality and harmful coastal waters.Prior to joining JPSS, Tim helped develop, launch and check out the first two satellites for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites-R Series program, known as GOES-R, until October 2018.In part 1 of our interview, we'll explore how the flagging automotive market in the late 1980s led Tim Walsh into his career working with weather satellites.We'll also learn how satellites, along with mathematical modelling, have greatly improved since TIROS-1.We'll also discuss how satellite technology is evolving, and how data from these platforms have imaging applications beyond the weather.

Al Worden, the astronaut who served as Command Module Pilot on the Apollo 15 lunar mission in 1971, passed away on March 18, 2020 at the age of 88. As a tribute to him, Space 3D will be airing multiple interviews with individuals who knew Al over the years. We hope that these will bring a smile to our listeners. Al was truly unique, and will be missed by his family and the space community.This is part 2 of a two-part episode featuring space history author Francis French, who collaborated with Al on the writing of his autobiography, Falling to Earth.NASA information page for Al Worden: https://www.nasa.gov/alworden

Al Worden, the astronaut who served as Command Module Pilot on the Apollo 15 lunar mission in 1971, passed away on March 18, 2020 at the age of 88. As a tribute to him, Space 3D will be airing multiple interviews with individuals who knew Al over the years. We hope that these will bring a smile to our listeners. Al was truly unique, and will be missed by his family and the space community.This is part 1 of a two-part episode featuring space history author Francis French, who collaborated with Al on the writing of his autobiography, Falling to Earth.NASA information page for Al Worden: https://www.nasa.gov/alworden

Al Worden, the astronaut who served as Command Module Pilot on the Apollo 15 lunar mission in 1971, passed away on March 18, 2020 at the age of 88. As a tribute to him, Space 3D will be airing multiple interviews with individuals who knew Al over the years. We hope that these will bring a smile to our listeners. Al was truly unique, and will be missed by his family and the space community.This episode features Dee O'Hara—well-known NASA flight nurse—and long-time friend of Al Worden.NASA information page for Al Worden: https://www.nasa.gov/alwordenOne note- apologies for the mediocre audio on this recording.

Al Worden, the astronaut who served as Command Module Pilot on the Apollo 15 lunar mission in 1971, passed away on March 18, 2020 at the age of 88. As a tribute to him, Space 3D will be airing multiple interviews with individuals who knew Al over the years. We hope that these will bring a smile to our listeners. Al was truly unique, and will be deeply missed by his family and the space community.This episode features Al Hallonquist, who served as Al Worden's agent over the years.NASA information page for Al Worden: https://www.nasa.gov/alwordenOne note- apologies for the mediocre audio on this recording.

Welcome to Space 3D! We are delighted to bring you part 4 and the conclusion of our interview with space historian Jay Gallentine.In this episode, co-moderators Emily Carney and Eleanor O'Rangers continue their discussion with Jay, delving into some fascinating backstory on his research for his second book, Infinity Beckoned: Adventuring Through the Inner Solar System, 1969–1989. Jay reveals some of the serendipitous details and sheer luck that led him to uncovering significant, scholarly additions to the historical record as it pertains to the Russian Lunokhod rover programs. Finally, we get Jay's thoughts on whether the subject of his two books—unmanned spacecraft--- are superior to humanity for exploring the universe. The answer, not surprisingly, is as thoughtfully considered as the work and creativity that went into his first two books.

Welcome to Space 3D and part 3 of our interview with Jay Gallentine. In this episode, we go on the journey of discovery and serendipity which led Jay to his first book, Ambassadors to Earth: a journey by way of DB Cooper, the planet Venus, a brief interlude with a sports car, Craig Breedlove, and ultimately, James Van Allen…

In our second interview for season 3, cohosts Emily Carney and Eleanor O'Rangers welcome Space Historian Jay Gallentine to the podcast.As described on Amazon, Jay has a reputation for stripping away technobabble to focus on the intimate human stories behind space missions. His politely uncouth, casual writing style makes the topic accessible and enjoyable, while retaining accuracy worthy of a reference tome.This is Part 2 of our interview with Space Historian, Jay Gallentine. In this episode, we continue the discussion of some interesting “bumps in the road” to publishing his first book, Ambassadors to Earth. Who knew there was going to be so much drama involved in telling the tales of unmanned space exploration?

In our second interview for season 3, cohosts Emily Carney and Eleanor O'Rangers welcome Space Historian Jay Gallentine to the podcast.As described on Amazon, Jay has a reputation for stripping away technobabble to focus on the intimate human stories behind space missions. His politely uncouth, casual writing style makes the topic accessible and enjoyable, while retaining accuracy worthy of a reference tome.Based on our interview, I would wholeheartedly concur with this assessment. In Part 1 of our interview, we ask Jay to describe what exactly is a space historian, and then delve into some interesting back story on his first award-winning book for astronomical literature, "Ambassadors to Earth", which details the turbulent early days of solar system exploration based on 5 years of original research and numerous interviews with those who did the work. This intensive research and drive to dig deep has led to some, well, interesting “bumps along the road” that might deter a less dedicated space historian.