Podcast appearances and mentions of anne mcclain

From combat missions in the F-22 Raptor to more than five months aboard the International Space Station, Lt. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers '11 has seen it all. SUMMARY In this episode of Long Blue Leadership, Col. Ayers reflects on mentorship, teamwork and building the next generation of warriors and astronauts.   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK     TOP 10 TAKEAWAYS 1. Leadership is fluid: sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow. On Dragon and the ISS, command shifted between Anne McClain and Takuya Onishi. Everyone alternated between being commander and flight engineer, showing that strong teams normalize moving between leading and supporting roles. 2. Team care starts with self‑care. Vapor repeatedly links sleep, rest, hydration, and health to leadership performance. You can't be present for others if you're exhausted or burned out; taking care of yourself is a leadership duty, not a luxury. 3. People first, mission second (to enable mission success). Whether on deployment with 300 personnel or in space with 7, she focuses on taking care of the human—family issues, logistics, burnout, and emotions—trusting that performance and mission execution follow from that. 4. Trust is built long before the crisis. ISS emergency training with all seven crew, plus years of joint training in multiple countries, builds shared understanding and trust. When emergencies happen, the crew isn't figuring each other out for the first time. 5. Quiet, thoughtful leadership can be incredibly powerful. Takuya Onishi's style—observant, calm, speaks only when it matters, and brings thoughtful items for others—shows that you don't need to be loud to command respect. When he spoke, everyone listened. 6. Leadership means being fully present, especially on others' hard days. In both combat and space, you can't “hide” when someone's struggling. Being reachable, attentive, and emotionally available is a core leadership behavior, not a soft add‑on. 7. Normalize mistakes and share lessons learned. From F‑22 sorties to NASA operations, it's expected that you openly admit errors and pass on lessons so others don't repeat them. A culture where “experience is what you get right after you need it” only works if people share that experience. 8. Plan for “seasons” of intensity, not permanent balance. She frames life as seasons: some are sprints (deployments, intense training, big trips); others are for recovery. Wise leaders anticipate these cycles, push hard when needed, then deliberately create room to reset afterward. 9. Model the behavior you want your team to adopt. If the commander is always first in, last out, everyone else feels pressure to match that. By visibly protecting her own rest and home life, she gives permission for others to do the same and avoid burnout. 10. Lean on—and be—a support system. Her twin sister, long‑term friends, and professional peers form a lifelong support network she turns to when she fails, doubts herself, or hits something “insurmountable.” Great leaders both rely on and serve as those trusted people for others.     CHAPTERS 0:00:00 – Introduction & Vapor's Journey (Academy, F‑22, NASA) 0:00:38 – Launch Scrub, Second Attempt & What a Rocket Launch Feels Like 0:03:33 – First Moments in Space, Floating & Seeing Earth (Overview Effect) 0:06:11 – Leadership & Teamwork in Space: Roles, Trust, and Small-Crew Dynamics 0:10:19 – Multinational Crews & Leadership Lessons from Other Cultures 0:14:47 – No‑Notice F‑22 Deployment & Leading a Squadron in Combat 0:18:14 – Managing Burnout: Scheduling, Human Factors & “Crew‑10 Can Do Hard Things” 0:19:46 – Self‑Care as Team Care: Seasons of Life, Rest, and Being Present 0:26:02 – Family, Being an Aunt, and Balancing a Demanding Career 0:28:14 – Life After Space: Mentoring New Astronauts & Evolving as a Leader     ABOUT NICHOLE BIO U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Nichole "Vapor" Ayers is a trailblazing pilot, leader and astronaut whose journey began at the United States Air Force Academy, where she graduated in 2011 with a degree in mathematics. An accomplished F-22 Raptor pilot, Ayers is one of the few women ever to fly the world's most advanced stealth fighter — and she's one of even fewer to command them in formation for combat training missions. Col. Ayers earned her wings through years of training and operational excellence, logging over 200 flight hours in combat and playing a critical role in advancing tactical aviation. Her exceptional performance led to her selection in 2021 by NASA as a member of Astronaut Group 23, an elite class of 10 chosen from among 12,000 applicants. As a NASA astronaut candidate, Col. Ayers completed intensive training at Johnson Space Center, which included spacewalk preparation, robotics, survival training, systems operations and Russian language. Now qualified for spaceflight, she stands on the threshold of a new chapter that led her to the International Space Station. Throughout her career, Col. Ayers has exemplified the Academy's core values of Integrity First, Service Before Self and Excellence in All We Do. Her journey from cadet to combat aviator to astronaut is a testament to resilience, determination and a passion for pushing boundaries.   LEARN MORE ABOUT NICHOLE NASA Astronaut Nichole Ayers   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LINE PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org   Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org     ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Host: Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99 Guest: Lt. Col. Nichole "Vapor" Ayers '11   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 0:00 Vapor, welcome to Long Blue Leadership. We are so thrilled you're here. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 0:11 Thank you. Thanks for having me. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 0:12 Absolutely. So the cadets get to spend some time with you at NCLS. Here the Long Blue Line is going to get to hear from you. And you know, we can actually go through the list. You know, F-22 pilot, USAFA 2011 graduate, you've been in combat, you're a NASA pilot. The list is probably shorter what you haven't done. But, frankly, I'm just excited that you're here on Earth with us, because the last time we spoke, you called me from outer space. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 0:35 Yeah, that was a lot of fun. That was a lot of chat with you then too. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 0:38 So let's just jump right in. So if we can just kind of catapult you, and let's do it in the way that they that NASA does, into space, maybe starting with the countdown, and then the Gs you take, what is that experience like? And maybe, what are some things you were thinking about in those moments? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 0:53 Oh, yeah. So, you know, we launched on March 14. First attempt was March 12, and we actually scrubbed the first launch. So we got all the way down to T minus 42 minutes right before we armed the launch escape system. So that's kind of a big milestone on the countdown. We were having issues with some hydraulics in the clamp that actually holds on to the rocket wall and then let's go. We weren't quite sure whether it was gonna let go, so they scrubbed the launch then, and it was a fascinating — you don't feel like you've got a ton of adrenaline going, but, you know, you feel kind of like you're in a sim. We do some really phenomenal training. And so when you're sitting on top of the rocket, it feels like you're in a simulator, except it's breathing and living, and the valves are moving, and you can hear the propellant being loaded and all of that. And so there's a very real portion to launch date. But then, coming down off of that adrenaline, we got a day off, thankfully. We could just kind of rest and relax and then go again. So everything went smoother the second try. Of course, you know, everybody's nerves are a little less, and everything was — it just felt calmer the whole way out. But, yeah, when that countdown hits zero, I like to say you're being slingshotted off the Earth. That's how it felt. You know, in that moment, you're going. There's over a million pounds of thrust, and it's going. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 2:10 I mean, that sounds like a lot. I can't really fathom in my mind what that feels like. Can you describe it? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 2:17 You know, so I talked about in an F-22 and an afterburner takeoff, which is the most thrust that we have basically in any airplane on Earth. You know, you get set back in your seat really far. And, if you think of an airliner takeoff, you kind of get set back in your seat a little bit. Multiply that by, like, 10 or 20, and then that happened for nine minutes straight on a rocket. You're just being forcefully set back in your seat for nine minutes straight and just thrown off of the Earth, and in nine minutes, you're in orbit. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 2:49 So when you had your practice, did you experience that level for that long as well? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 2:54 For the simulators? So they can't that. We can't necessarily simulate the Gs in the sim. So that's like the one part that, you know, we go through the whole launch, but you're sitting at one G the whole time, and throughout the launch, you know, the Gs build, then we back off the thrust and the Gs build again, and then you have an engine cut off. And I like to explain, like, if you could visualize, like an old cartoon, and everybody's in the car driving, and Dad slams on the brakes, and everybody hits the windshield. And then he slams on the gas again, and everybody goes back to their seats. Like, that's what it felt like when the engine cut off and, you know, main engine cuts off, and then within a few seconds, the second engine lights, and you're set back in your seat again. So I like to give that visual. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 3:33 That's really helpful, actually. Wow. OK, so you're there, you're in space. And I guess my first question would be, what's something that, in that moment, you're either thinking or you're just, are you still just orienting yourself? What is that like? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 3:45 Oh, man, you know, we're still in the seats for the first few moments in space, and we have to open the nose cone. There's some other things that are happening on the spacecraft, and getting ready for a burn, for a phasing burn, to get up to and catch up with the International Space Station. But, you know, then eventually you get to unbuckle and get out of your seat and floating for the first time. I got out of my seat and I'm floating there. It felt like, you know, Captain Marvel when she's, like, hanging out. Yeah, that's, that's how I felt. And, you know, I like to give the visual, because it's like, it's just nothing you've ever experienced in your life, you know. And then you look out the window and the view is something, it's indescribable. You know, I don't think we have the right words in the English language to describe what it feels like to look back at Earth from space. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 4:35 Was there a moment when you're looking out at Earth — did you kind of play back just different things in your life? Did you think about, you know, significance of things, or, like, scope of things, or even just the vantage point? Did it kind of just change things or were you just in awe at the moment? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 4:49 No, I think, you know, we talked about the overview effect, when astronauts specifically look back at Earth, and it hits everybody kind of differently. And for me, I think the biggest thing you know, when you look at a map of the states or a map of the world, you know, every country is a different color, or every state's a different color, and there are lines that describe the borders, right? And those don't exist in in space. Those don't exist like when you can't see different colored states, right? But you can see the Grand Canyon, and you can see the mountains, and you can see the Amazon, and you can see the desert in Africa. And you get to, you know, you get to learn the world geography by colors and terrain. And it's just a really good reminder that, you know, we're all humans, and we're all on this little fragile marble, just trying to take care of each other and trying to take care of Earth. And so I think that's what hit me the most, was just there are no borders, and we're all the same. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 5:44 Gosh, well, it's a unique and probably highly impressive team that you're with. I mean, we know the road to get to becoming a NASA astronaut is certainly one that is very difficult. Starts from many, many, in the 1000s, down to 10. And so, you know, when we think about leadership, and I've heard you share this before with others, you talk about teamwork and leadership, maybe explain a little bit what that's like in space when you're all so highly effective leaders. You know, what does that look like? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 6:12 That's a great question. You know, I think for us, it is a very fluid movement, right? You lead one day; you follow the next. And you know, I'll give you an example. So Anne McClain was the commander of SpaceX Crew-10 for NASA. So she was in charge of Crew-10 is our ride up to the space station, and our ride home, right? It's the capsule, the rocket and the capsule. And then we were on Expedition 73 aboard the International Space Station, where Takuya, who it was, Takuya Onishi, who was our mission specialist on Dragon, soon as we crossed into the hatch and he took command. He is now the commander of the Space Station, and Anne and I are flight engineers, and so it's a pretty fluid movement in terms of leading and following. But ultimately, you know, it's just about being a good team and taking care of each other. And I think that being a good leader is taking care of other people. And, you know, we talk about team care — self-care, and team care are like the huge parts that we actually train and learn about at NASA as we go through our training, because you're on this really small space in the vacuum of space for five-plus months at a time, and it's — there are only seven people up there and everybody's going to have a bad day. We're all humans, and you can't, there's no hiding.   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 7:30 What's a bad day like in space?   Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 7:32 People make mistakes, right? We're all human. You might make a mistake on something, you might mess up a procedure. You hope that it's not something that causes a safety incident, right? The main goal for me, at least, was, I know I'm going to make mistakes. As long as I'm not unsafe, I'll be happy. And I think that a lot of us have that conscious decision-making process. But I think that we're also humans and have Earth lives, and your Earth life doesn't stop when you go to space. And so bad days could be something going on at home. Bad days could be something going on in space. Could be an interaction that you had with somebody on the ground that, you know, there's a lot of communication that happens between us on the ground. There are thousands of humans on the Earth that keep the Space Station running. So that day could be anything but it's tough to hide up there. Here, you can kind of like, duck and cover and maybe you just spend the day in an office. But it doesn't happen up there. We have to continue to work and continue to function. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 8:32 So you mentioned that there are seven of you in this tight space. Now, when you go up there, your crew, is it the same seven?   Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 8:38 For the majority of the time. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 8:42 OK, excellent. So one of the things we think about whenever we're leading or we're working with teams is trust, and obviously you have a great amount of trust with the crew that you're going up there with. But then you mentioned you went on to the ISS and you're working with others. What does that look like when it's someone maybe you haven't worked as closely with in a really important mission? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 9:03 So for the seven expedition members, we actually do train together for a little bit of it, not nearly as closely as, you know, the four of us training for Dragon mission. But because the most dynamic parts are launch and landing, we do a lot of training together, just as the four of us, but we train all over the world. So we go to Japan and Germany and Canada, and we go to, you know, Hawthorne, California, and we go to Russia, and we train with them, and we learn about the Russian segment, and we train with our fellow cosmonauts there. And we do emergency training specifically all together, because it takes all seven of us in an emergency doing the right thing and knowing everybody's roles. And so we train that together as well. And then anytime you're in the same country or same city together, then you get to spend the time outside of the training to get to know each other. And so you actually know your crew fairly well. But obviously, everybody's from a different nation. And we had Americans, we had a Japanese astronaut, we had Russians, so you learn everybody's culture, and it's actually, you know, to your point on being in that small — and not necessarily knowing everybody. There's also a cultural aspect; we get to know each other. We get to learn about other people's cultures and figure out how to communicate and live and work, even across the whole world. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 10:19 What was something that you learned from another culture of astronaut, maybe in the leadership realm, or just something that you took away, that's really something that surprised me, or like to emulate? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 10:30 I love Taku's leadership style. So Takuya Onishi — he's one of those more quiet humans, and he's super kind, but he is the most intelligent human I've ever met, and he is super-efficient with everything he does, and he pays attention to all of the little things. And so he only speaks up when he thinks something needs to be changed, or when he thinks that, like, we need to go in a different direction, otherwise, he's pretty happy to let you go, like, let you go as far as you want to go on something. And then when he thinks you're gonna run off a cliff, he pulls you back. So when he speaks, everybody listens. And I love that. I think some of that is cultural, obviously, him being from Japan, but I think it's also just his personal leadership style, but I learned a ton from him in terms of how to interact with people, how to let people be themselves, but also how to run a ship, and everybody knew exactly who was running the ship. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 11:22 Wow. And it shows that respect lens that you're just kind of talking about when he spoke. Everybody listens. Is that something that you feel you already had that kind of leadership style or is that something that you've kind of evolved in yourself? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 11:37 I like to think that that's the way that I lead. That's kind of how I try to be a leader. But we're not perfect, right? Nobody's perfect. And watching him, you know, taking notes from how he interacted with everybody, the things that he thought of, the things that he brought with him for us on station, you know, we get a very limited amount of stuff, personal things that we get to bring with us. And he brought things for the crew that were like, huge milestones for professional careers. You know, just the attention to detail on the human beings around him was pretty phenomenal. So it's one of the things I'm working on to be better at, because I like to think I'm good at it. But I saw the master work. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 12:18 I love that. And something you said about him, he always has attention to detail, and he saw the little things. He paid attention to the little things. I remember a past conversation we had. You had a little nugget from Col. Nick Hague, also USAFA — '98 I believe. And I think he said to you, something about, you know, “Nicole, don't forget that you're squishy,” or something like that. And so have you had more of those moments in there where they're like little nuggets or little moments that actually give you a big return or big lessons in your life? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 12:46 Oh, definitely, yeah, that one's a funny one, because the space station is metal. Everything is metal, and it's hard and so we still have weight, well, mass. We still have mass. We don't have weight, right, because we're in microgravity. But if you're cooking around a corner and you run into a handrail, it's gonna hurt, you know, if you imagine going 10 or 15 mph into something metal, it's gonna hurt — you're squishy. So that was a great lesson in slowing down and making sure you're watching your surroundings. But one of the things that Anne McClain says that cracks me up, but every time it happens, like, “Yep, this is definitely—," she says, “Experience is that thing you learn right after you need it.” And so we had a lot of those moments where you learn a lesson and you're like, “Ah, I wish I knew that five minutes ago.” And so that's something that applies everywhere. Experience is that thing you always needed right before that happened. But we also like to say Crew-10 can do hard things. That's another thing that was just kind of our motto, whether it's training — some of the training can be really physically demanding. It's really mentally demanding. And it's a lot of travel. When you get assigned to a mission, it's probably a year and a half to two years of training, and then you're gone for six months. So out of that two to two and a half years, you're not home for over a year. So you're all over the world, traveling to train and work. And like I said, we're all humans. We have Earth lives, we have homes, you get situations back home. And so navigating personal lives, navigating professional lives, navigating tough training. Crew-10 can do hard things. We like to say that. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 14:22 I like that. It also talks a bit about your grit. Crew-10 grit. So, talking about hard things, I'd like to take us to the time when you've been piloting the F-22 and you've seen combat. I heard you speaking a little bit before about a no-notice deployment. Let's visit that time in your life. What were you doing? What was your role, and what was something you experienced? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 14:47 Sure. So I was actually flying the day that we got notified. And, you know, just a standard training sortie — had landed, and some of the maintainers were like, “Hey, have you heard what's happening?” And I was like, “No, what's happening?” And then we had a big squadron meeting, and that's when we got notified, like, “Hey, we're deploying.” We were on the GRF, is what it was called at the time, Global Response Force, and I think some of that structure has changed since I left that squadron, but we knew that once we were on the GRF, there was a chance that we would get activated and get moved somewhere. Didn't necessarily expect it to be quite that quick. I think it was like the next week we got this deployment. So we got notified on a Thursday, I think, and then on Monday, I was taking off.   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 15:31 Oh, really no notice.   Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 15:33 Yeah, so, four days later, we were taking off, and then seven days later, we were flying missions from — we were stationed at Al Udeid Air Base, so we're flying out of Al Udeid within a week. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 15:45 How many with you?   Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 15:47 So when we deploy, we actually deploy with our maintenance squadrons, 300 people. Twenty to 30 of them are the pilots, and then the rest are the maintainers. And so it's the entire squadron. We morph into an expeditionary squadron. And so there are 300 people that head out. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 16:03 So I imagine, you know, on top of the fact that it was such a rapid movement, there's probably things that people had to obviously work through family. This needs to happen. But what were some things that you experienced in that deployment, or even in just that transition? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 16:21 Again, I go back to taking care of people. I was a flight commander at the time. We had two flight commanders, so I'm in charge of basically half the squadron, and we had a really wonderful commander who gave us the authority and the autonomy to leave the squadron. So, you know, it's about saying, like, “How are you guys doing at home?” Half our squadron didn't even have tan flight suits. You know, we're trying, we're working with logistics. We're trying to get everything ready. Like, does everybody have a go bag? Does everybody even know what a go bag is? Do you have the things you need? So working all of that. And then do you have the childcare figured out? Do you have the — how is all your family doing? Are you ready for this? And then we had to do a bunch of last-minute training before we left. And so it's a really busy time, but it was one of the first times where I felt like I had an influence on the people that were under me, that I had supervised. And so it was a really great experience to solve those problems, figure it out and help people get off the ground in four days successfully, and leaving something, some semblance of structure at home. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 17:24 So you said it was the first time where you kind of really felt that you had that impact. What would you say kind of maybe crystallized within yourself in learning that? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 17:36 I think it really solidified. I think I said, “I try to lead by taking care of people,” right? I truly believe if you take care of the human, they're going to do a really great job. You don't have to ask much of people at work and in their professional life, if their personal and the human side of them is taken care of and so that's kind of what I mean when I say that solidified it for me, like, make sure that the humans are good to go, and they'll go do anything you want to do. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 18:04 Wow. So while on that deployment, you're leading half of that squadron. What were some of the challenges maybe that you experienced, and how did you grow as a leader during that timeframe? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 18:14 Scheduling is definitely a tough one. So we flew daytime and nighttime. We basically had an F-22 airborne for almost 24 hours a day for the entire six months, six and a half months. We left and we were told it might be two- or three-month deployment, and then it turned into six months. And then we got delayed up coming home. And so then we stayed through Christmas. And those are the things that really are tough for people. But we have a limited number of jets that we took. We have a limited number of pilots; we have a limited number of maintainers and parts. And so I think for us, managing a schedule between me and the other flight commander, managing a schedule, managing quality of life for everybody, and make sure that we're not burning people out, or that they're not —we're flying eight-, nine-, 10-hour sorties, right? And that's exhausting. It's just you and that airplane with your wingman and a different airplane. And so you have to manage, again, that human factor. The human capital is probably the toughest thing to manage. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 19:15 Wow, and you talked about how the deployment kind of got extended. What were some things, because many of our listeners and our viewers are leaders, and at different levels of leadership and different times in their lives where they're doing that. When you were leading, and you had some of those subordinates, or those that were working with you that really experienced some troubles, through emotions, through some of that. How did you help navigate them through that when you were all in that as well? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 19:46 Right. You know, I think at NASA especially, we talk about self-care being a huge part of team care. And so making sure I do this in my regular life too, but, you know, making sure that you're getting enough rest, making sure that you're taking care of yourself and your personal life, so that you can truly be present for the other people that need you. And I think being present for others is one of the biggest things that you can do. You know, they may not need a ton of help, or they may not need the solution, but being there, being available and being present for people is really important. But you can't do that unless you're good to go yourself. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 20:18 Did you see that from someone? Did you learn that from someone you saw doing that? Or just, how did, I mean NASA's — you said, NASA, but did you see that at the Academy? Or where did you kind of gather that? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 20:28 You know, I think one of the things that hit me hard about showing up and being present was actually more professional. I kind of skated through the Academy on minimal sleep, and I was able to manage everything. But I wasn't flying a $143 million airplane. And so, in pilot training, we started to talk about crew rest and pilot rest. That's the first time that I had heard this concept of, “You need to go home and get rest so that you can be on your game.” Because flying airplanes, your decisions have real consequences, right? And you have to be present and available, and you have to be on your game to fly airplanes and do well in airplanes. And then the faster and the higher and the better the airplane gets, the more on your game you have to be. So I think it's something that has just kind of evolved in me. And then, as a leader, I realized, if you don't have any gas in the tank, you cannot help somebody else. And so for me, it's just kind of been, over the last decade and a half, of, wow, I need my sleep. I need to make sure I'm good to go. I need to make sure my human is good, so that way I can help other humans. And yeah, when your decisions have real consequences, it's important that you're present and you're ready to go. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 21:43 Have you seen some of the fact that you prioritize that for yourself, for you as your own human? Have you seen others kind of like see that, view that, and actually take that on as well themselves. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 21:53 Yeah, I think they do. And I think, as a leader, it's really important to set that example. The commander cannot be the first one in last one out. Like, you just can't do that, because everybody's going to stay until you leave. So setting the example, setting the example of having a good home-life balance as well. Like, home and work have to be balanced. Sleep has to be balanced. Again, self-care is the biggest part of team care, I think. And if you model that, people start to realize it's important. You know, the younger people that might burn themselves out trying to get somewhere, trying to get to the next step, or trying to impress somebody, or whatever the case may be, if they see you taking a step back and they see your success, maybe then they can start worrying about themselves too. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 22:34 I think that's a great lesson, leading by example. For sure. There are probably moments that you experience both at the Academy, while flying the F-22 or as an astronaut, where you don't have the luxury of balance. How do you navigate that and how do you help others get to that space maybe quicker? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 22:53 I think of everything as a season in life. It might just be a busy season, and you might just have to put some time in but making sure that you are planning ahead and know that you're gonna be able to take some time and reset. And that could be anything, right? That could be personal life, professional life. That could be the four-week training trip that we've got is going to be rough, and its multiple time zones, and it's a ton of training, it's a ton of information. You just have to get through it. But then, that week, when we got home, I made sure my schedule was a little lighter. Whatever the balance is, I think of things in seasons. Crew-10 can do hard things, right? And that came from — you can get through this next training session, right? But we're gonna do a mask-to-suit transition, which is like in a fire, you've got a mask on. You have to get from that mask into your spacesuit. It's a significant physical event. And there's limited oxygen; there's limited ability to breathe in the suit when in that specific environment. And so how do you slow down, take the breaths you need to get in there to not then get to a point where you're panicking, right? Or that you're too exhausted or too hot or overdid, or whatever it is, right? So I think even just that, that is a season. We're going to do two hours of this. That's my season, and then we'll get out of the simulator, we'll take a break, right? And if it happened on orbit, it would be like, “We're going to get through this. We're going to solve the problem. We're going to manage the emergency, and then once things are set, we'll have a moment to breathe.” So that's kind of how I think of it. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 24:21 Did seasons come something, a term that you kind of realized maybe at the Academy, you were a volleyball athlete at the Academy, and so volleyball has a season. But my question is, like, how did you come to that realization? Like, “Oh, I can get through this, and I put it in a bucket of time.” Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 24:35 You learn a lot of time management at the Academy, and when you're in the fall, you're really busy, spring season is less busy, and so you kind of learn early how to manage. Like, “OK, I've got to run. I gotta sprint,” right? “And then I can jog later, or I can walk later.” So, I think you learn that growing up in school, and you know, if you play sports or you do extracurricular activities or other things like that, or even just seasons in life at home, life ebbs and flows. I don't even know when I started saying it, but my sister and I started saying “seasons of life” to each other a long time ago. You know, she's got three kiddos, so she's been in all sorts of seasons. But, yeah, it's just, you know, I think I started to time block things, or block things off and just, and that's the only way you're going to get through life, is if you focus on what you need to do right now, be good at it, and then move to the next thing. You can have an idea of what's coming next, but you have to be present and do what you're doing there. Yes, so, yeah, seasons, time, blocks, whatever you want to call it. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 25:39 I like that. Well, you brought up your sister, and so you're an auntie of three. Let's talk about your personal life and leadership, some experiences you've had navigating your schedule. You're on the road so much. How do you prioritize? I guess the things that are important to you when you have such a heavy schedule, yeah, being on the road and the people that are important to you, right? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 26:03 Man, I think that for me, my family has been a huge support system my whole life. My twin sister — built in best friend.   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 26:13 And who is older? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 26:14 She is. She's got me by a minute. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 26:18 OK. Does she hold that over you?   Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 26:20 Yes, of course she does. We've just always supported each other 100% and everything. She's been my biggest cheerleader through all of my life, and I've been her biggest cheerleader through all of her life. And you know, my main goal in life is to be the coolest auntie, like the best auntie, and I would die happy. And they're a huge priority to me. I see them every couple two to three months — since my oldest has was born. So for the last 14 years, just made it a priority, even if it's like, leave late on a Friday night and then get home late Sunday night, I make the effort to go see them and to interact with them. And you know, to help foster them. You know they're growing up. And I love watching kids grow up and experience the world and see what can be done. Their dad's a Marine, their mom's this really successful real estate agent, their auntie' a pilot-slash-astronaut. You know, they've got, like, all these no family that's really not doing very much. Yeah, you know, they've got all these really great role models. And my goal is to just show them that it doesn't matter who you are, like they only ever know me as auntie. Like they know I'm an astronaut, and they love that. Their friends know that I'm an astronaut. Anti vapor, no, no, yeah. But, you know, like, they're always gonna get a big hug from auntie, like, that's, that's what's important to me. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 27:36 Well, you mentioned, going into space, being an auntie. So, would you describe your time and space is, it's probably out of this world. I mean, that's, wow, that's terrible. That's terrible I said it that way. But I think you've mentioned it is kind of the best time in your life. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 27:52 Yeah. Best five months my life. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 27:56 Best five months of your life, and it's passed. Now, when we think about our evolution, whether personally, professionally, as leaders, etc., we have these ideas in our mind, like, this is the pinnacle. How do you navigate what's next after you've experienced that pinnacle? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 28:14 Yeah, that's a great question, and I think it's something that a lot of us struggle with when we come home. What's next? We get six months, some time to think and kind of get reintegrated. And you don't necessarily have to go back to work right away. I was able to spend a ton of time with my sister and her kiddos. Yeah, what's next. And I think for me, like the drive out to the launch pad, I was like, “Man, I've made it.” You know, the first time I looked out the window from Dragon, “I've made it.” First time we crossed the hatch, and I went and looked out the glass like, “Wow. The hard work paid off.” And I still feel like that to this day. I would have spent four more months in space if they had asked me to, and I would have turned around and launched right back then the day that we landed, and it was because of the crewmates that I spent it with and the fulfillment that I got from the mission. But I think you can find fulfillment in a lot of ways. And you know, my job, now that I've been back, I'm going to be working with the new class of astronauts and their training for spacewalk. So in the Neutral Buoyancy Lab, our big pool, like, my job is to be their mentor as they go through the spacewalk training. And you know, like, I cannot wait. I'm so excited. I cannot wait to have an impact and try to help teach this next generation of spacewalkers, this next generation of astronauts, to be better than us. I find a lot of fulfillment in making the next generation better. So I think, however the fulfillment shows up for people, I think as long as you can find something, there you'll be happy. Going to space was great, but teaching and instructing and mentoring is also really fulfilling for me. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 29:54 And that will be 10 of them? How many will that be? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 29:55 Ten.   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 29:56 Ten. So then you'll have 13. You'll be auntie to 13. Oh, that's wonderful. What have you learned about yourself since then? You know, you've evolved as a leader through different situations, high threat, high risk. Safety is paramount. All of those different experiences. And now you're back on Earth and you're about to, you know, mentor. How have you evolved your leadership, and where would you say you're trying to go? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 30:23 Where am I trying to go? I think, for me, leadership is also about being vulnerable and being open and honest with people about failures or hardships and so, you know, like in the flying community, if you make a mistake, you're immediately like, “Hey, I messed this up. Here's how we fix it.” And that's something that we do at NASA as well, especially on a grand scale, right? Thousands of employees and everybody like, that's the only way that we get to space is by admitting when we've made mistakes, talking to each other about how we fix it and sharing those lessons learned. And so I think that especially when you get into the higher roles of leadership, it's important to go, “Hey, I messed up,” or, “Hey, I don't know the answer.” And being transparent with the people that you're working with. And if you don't know it, but you know where to go find it, like, “I'll get that answer for you,” instead of making up an answer, trying to figure out how to look like you're in charge, right? It's really important to me to also show that we don't know everything. We're human. We make mistakes, and it's OK to make mistakes, as long as you share it, and you share the lessons learned, and you make the next person better. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 31:32 Did you experience that personally? Did you have a moment in which you had to say, “Hey, I made a mistake,” and that's helped you realize that being vulnerable is really important or is that just something you've seen done really well? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 31:40 Oh, I've admitted a lot of mistakes. You know, I made a couple pretty big mistakes in the Raptor. Everybody's gonna make a big mistake at some point in their life. And, you know, I think that that was something that was modeled really well in the flying community early on. And it's something that's not tolerated if you're not willing to share your lessons learned. It's not tolerated in that community. That's a really good thing. I learned that in pilot training, right? If your buddy in your class makes the same mistake the next day that you made, you get in trouble because you didn't tell them how to how to prepare. And so it's fostered early on, especially in the flying community. I can't speak to any other community because I grew up there, but it's fostered early on, and so it's just something that comes naturally. I think eventually, because you just, you've seen it done so many times, and if you want other people to succeed, you're going to do it. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 32:29 All right. Well, we have two questions left. The first one is, what's something you do every day to be a better leader? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 32:37 That's a good one. This is gonna sound silly, but I sleep. Like, I'll go back to the self-care thing, right? Like, I put a lot of attention into being healthy, being hydrated, sleeping well. Like, if you take care of your body, your mind is going to do way more for you. And so I think you can show up as a better leader if you show up, rested, hydrated, fed, worked out whatever you need to do to be the best human you can be. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 33:09 That's what I try to do. OK. I like that a lot, and I think that's a good indication for me that six hours is probably not enough. Naviere needs a little bit more. And it's truth, because you told me, though I'm gonna do that. The second one is, if you could go back in time, maybe what's something you would have told yourself — your younger self — or maybe, as our cadets are listening, that you've learned and what they can be doing now to be a better leader down the road. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 33:34 If you run into a hardship or you fail at something, or something feels insurmountable, or you don't feel like you're ready, good enough, or whatever the case may be, doubt starts to seep in, right? I would say, rely on the support system that you have. Rely on the people around you. Talk about it. Figure out, you know, “Hey, I failed this GR, like, man, this kind of sucks.” And you know, maybe you just need to hear me say it out loud, and maybe I just need to get it off my chest, or maybe I need help trying to figure out the solution for whatever the case may be. So, you know, I had a built-in team on the volleyball team. I had a built-in friends and teammates that I could lean on. Maybe that's your squadronmates or your classmates, or whoever it is, right? And I think finding the friends that you can rely on for the rest of your life. Professionally, I've got a friend here that I met in the F-22 community. We've been friends for almost a decade now, and he's still one of the first people that I call when something happens, like, “Oh, I messed this up today. Help.” So, you know, finding a support system. My sister's the other person that I call first off. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 34:38 She probably knows you're gonna call when you call. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 34:39 Yeah, we talk way too much. But, you know, having that support system around you and finding people that really bolster you and get you across that line and help you find the courage to take the next step, I think that's really important. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 34:54 I know I said there was only two, but as I've listened to you, I just think you're just you're just remarkable, and maybe what's something that you're proud about yourself as a leader. I would really love to hear that in your, you know— Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 35:05 I think the thing that makes me the most proud as a leader is when somebody succeeds and it's something that I helped them do. I've had somebody come back and say, “Thanks for saying that.” That pushed me out the edge, you know, like, I'm really into building the next generation and make them better than us. And so if I see somebody succeeding, that's good. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 35:27 Well, this has been incredible. Is there anything that we didn't cover that you would love to share with the Long Blue Line in our community? Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 35:33 Oh, man, the community is great. I think I would just say thank you to the community. I've gotten so much love and support from Coloradans, but also the Long Blue Line and the Air Force in general. You know, I love the community that we have. It goes right back to what I just said, right, finding a community that supports you and pushes you to do better and be better. And this is that community. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 35:55 Well, Vapor, I promise I'm gonna get more sleep, and I just want to thank you for being such an incredible leader and guest here on Long Blue Leadership. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers 36:03 Thanks for having me back. Absolutely.   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 36:05 Thanks. You know, this conversation was really incredible with Vapor. I think some of the things that really stood out to me is just how incredible as a human she is. She brings humanity into leadership. She puts people first. She thinks about the team. She works hard. Don't forget to prioritize sleep. But I think really, some of the lessons that we can all take away can hit us all personally, because if you think about people first and taking care of them, and the fact that you have to take care of yourself too, you can go really far in leadership. So I really appreciate her today on Long Blue Leadership. And I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. Until next time.   KEYWORDS Joel Neeb, Long Blue Leadership, Air Force Academy leadership, USAFA leadership, military leadership podcast, leadership development, leadership lessons, character-based leadership, leadership under pressure, leading with integrity, decision making in leadership, mentorship and leadership, values-based leadership, service before self, leadership mindset, leadership podcast interview, military leadership stories, leadership for professionals, leadership for entrepreneurs, how to be a better leader, leadership growth.       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation        

An astronaut. A bitter divorce. A bank account accessed from orbit. When decorated NASA astronaut Anne McClain was accused of committing the first crime aboard the International Space Station, headlines exploded around the world. But investigators soon uncovered something far more deliberate and exceptionally false. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE) Before 2019, no crimes had been committed in space (that we know of). After poring over records, the New York Times could only come up with three things: (1) damage to a Russian satellite that was allegedly China's fault; (2) a lawsuit seeking to recover a deposit somebody put down for a space-tourism trip; and (3) a U.S.-government sting operation aimed at recovering a moon rock. Only one of those happened in space, though, and none of them are crimes.  That is, until an ex-wife of a NASA astronaut decided to play petty. Reb launches us into two cases: (1) a bad break up and (2) a horrific moon-rock-related detention by federal agents of a Granny in a diner parking lot. This is Summer Heather Worden v. Anne McClain (2019) (2025) and Joann Davis v. United States (2017). *** MERCH STORE IS LIVE! Shop Reb Masel and Rebuttal Pod merch: https://rebmasel.shop/ *** ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠CLICK HERE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to PREORDER Reb's book: The Book They Throw At You—A Sarcastic Lawyer's Guide* To The Unholy Chaos of Our Legal System, *God No, Not Actual Legal Advice *** Follow @RebuttalPod on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Follow @Rebmasel on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! *** 0:00 - Intro / MERCH IS LIVE 3:37 - Cases begin / Antarctica is our best comparison to Space 14:20 - CASE 1 (A Colonel and a Liar) 30:43 - CASE 2 (A Widow and the Worst Federal Agents Ever) 58:20 - Reb's Rebuttal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lt. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers '11 joins us from orbit! SUMMARY From cadet to astronaut, she shares how the U.S. Air Force Academy prepared her for life aboard the International Space Station, the lessons space learned in the space program about leadership and how viewing Earth from 250 miles up re-shapes one's call to serve.   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK   COL. AYERS' TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS  - Seeing Earth from space changes your perspective on leadership.  - The fragility of Earth inspires a desire to protect it.  - A lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut requires hard work and dedication.  - Teamwork at the Air Force Academy prepared me for life in space.  - Daily routines on the ISS are structured and focused on science and maintenance.  - Astronauts are normal humans, not just heroes in space.  - Quick thinking and calm leadership are crucial during space missions.  - Community support is vital for success in unconventional paths.  - Inspiring the next generation is a key part of my mission.  - Curiosity and exploration should be fostered in young people.   CHAPTERS 00:00 Journey to the Stars: Becoming an Astronaut 03:32 Life Aboard the ISS: Daily Routines and Responsibilities 07:23 Lessons in Leadership: Quick Thinking in Space 10:54 Observations from Above: Humanity and Resilience 12:10 Inspiring the Next Generation: A Sense of Purpose 13:17 The Long Blue Line: Community and Support     ABOUT NICHOLE BIO U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers is a trailblazing pilot, leader, and astronaut whose journey began at the United States Air Force Academy, where she graduated in 2011 with a degree in mathematics. An accomplished F-22 Raptor pilot, Ayers is one of the few women ever to fly the world's most advanced stealth fighter—and she's one of even fewer to command them in formation for combat training missions. Col. Ayers earned her wings through years of training and operational excellence, logging over 200 flight hours in combat and playing a critical role in advancing tactical aviation. Her exceptional performance led to her selection in 2021 by NASA as a member of Astronaut Group 23, an elite class of 10 chosen from among 12,000 applicants. As a NASA astronaut candidate, Col. Ayers completed intensive training at Johnson Space Center, which included spacewalk preparation, robotics, survival training, systems operations, and Russian language. Now qualified for spaceflight, she stands on the threshold of a new chapter that led her to the International Space Station. Throughout her career, Col. Ayers has exemplified the Academy's core values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do. Her journey from cadet to combat aviator to astronaut is a testament to resilience, determination, and a passion for pushing boundaries.   LEARN MORE ABOUT NICHOLE NASA Astronaut Nichole Ayers     ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS   TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest, Lt. Col. Nichole "Vapor" Ayers '11  |  Host, Lt. Col. (ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   NASA  00:00 Station, this is Houston. Are you ready for the event?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  00:05 Houston, Station, I'm ready for the event.   NASA Air Force Academy, this is Mission Control, Houston. Please call Station for a voice check.   Naviere Walkewicz  00:13 Station, this is Lt. Col. Naviere Walkewicz. How do you hear me?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  00:17 Hi, ma'am. I've got you loud and clear. Welcome to the International Space Station.   Naviere Walkewicz  00:20 Welcome to a special presentation of the US, Air Force Academy, Association and Foundation's, Long Blue Line Podcast Network. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. I was honored recently to speak with a true pioneer, United States Air Force Academy graduate, accomplished fighter pilot, 2022 Young Alumni Excellence Award recipient and now NASA astronaut, Lieutenant Colonel Nicole “Vapor” Ayers, Class of 2011, Vapor joined us from the International Space Station orbiting about 250 miles above Earth. Her journey from Cadet to astronaut embodies the pursuit of excellence and the spirit of exploration that distinguishes the Long Blue Line. For this conversation Vapor and I explored what it means to be a human in the vastness of space, how one's perspective shifts when Earth shows up as a distant blue marble, and what her journey can tell us about courage, connection and the Future. Lieutenant Colonel Ayers, this is such an honor. So excited. Seeing Earth from space forever changes your perspective. How was the experience for you? And how has it changed the way you view your role as a leader?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  01:32 Yeah, you know, I think for everybody, the experience is slightly different. For me, seeing the earth from the Dragon window for the first time was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. And then seeing the Earth every day from the cupola and then the lab window that we have here, you know, you don't see country or state lines on the Earth, right? There's not like each state has a different solid color, right? There's just geography and just terrain. And so you get to learn the world all over again in terms of colors and textures and geography and water. You know, there's so much water on this earth, and it's hard to put it into perspective until you're actually looking at the Earth, and it's, it's something that has really hit me, because the Earth is so fragile. You know, we see these beautiful auroras, we see thunderstorms, we see different natural disasters, and it's really kind of made me want to take better care of this earth. And you know, when I get home, I want to just do things a little bit better and just take that extra step, to take my make my part in taking good care of this earth.   Naviere Walkewicz  02:38 That makes amazing sense. And, you know, I think it takes us to kind of your path to becoming an astronaut. Can you walk us through what that was like?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  02:47 Yeah, sure. So, you know, I was, I've been saying that I wanted to be an astronaut since I was little kid. And, you know, I always had an affinity for space and for the sky. And growing up in the Shuttle era, you know, as soon as I learned that you could fly the shuttle be the pilot. I was like, “Ooh, that's what I want to do.” And so, the very serious little Nichole set my goals really high and started working towards that path. And, you know, grew up right there in Colorado Springs, watched the Air Force Academy graduation, you know, and the Thunderbirds fly over every year. And it just kind of seemed like a natural path for me to go to the Air Force Academy, become a pilot and try to pursue the astronaut dream from the pilot's perspective. So you know, I worked really hard, set my goals really high, and never got bumped off that path and was able to apply and actually get selected. And now here I am talking to you from the International Space Station.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:36 And it's pretty incredible being able to see you weightless there, and you're here in its full glory. It's pretty amazing. Can you, talk about your time at the Air Force Academy? Specifically, what foundational experiences would you say have really kind of played a part with your life in space right now?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  03:54 Yeah you know, I think the Air Force Academy, for me, the biggest part was just being on teams. You know, I played volleyball there. And, you know, I would say every Squadron is its own little team. And you know, as a four degree, you're there with all of your classmates, and you're going through training sessions together. And so being on these teams in different environments, and some austere environments and high pressure situations, and learning how to take care of other people in those moments, I think, has been huge in my path to getting here. You know, those, all those words speak truth here on the International Space Station, you know, we're in an austere environment. Sometimes we're under pressure situations, and it's just a few of us up here working together with the ground to make this International Space Station stay in orbit, to execute all of the science and the maintenance and keep it running and continue to learn everything we possibly can, both about space and about Earth in order to inform how we do life on Earth and how we get to the moon and Mars.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:47 Thank you. So maybe, can you share with us what your daily routine aboard the ISS is like...   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  04:53 Yeah, you know, it's not unlike yours. Potentially. You know, our schedule is pretty set to the ground team figures out about, you know, what science and what maintenance needs to be done, and who's going to go do it. We are scheduled from about 7:30 in the morning to 7:30 in the evening, and we get, you know, two to two and a half hours of exercise time so that we can maintain our bone and muscle and cardiovascular health up here. And then when we're not working out, we're, like, I said, executing science. You know, I'm surrounded just here in this module, every single rack has some sort of payload or science experiment going on, so we just kind of follow the schedule. We work with the ground team to figure out where the things are that we need, and the procedures and all of that. But it's not unlike life on Earth...   Naviere Walkewicz  05:37 Maybe a little bit different. What's the biggest misconception people have about life on the ISS, you think? And what's something that surprised you while you're being there?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  05:48 Man, you know, I've been asked this question before. I'm not sure if I know the biggest misconception. You know, I think that often people kind of put astronauts up on a pedestal, but, you know, we're just humans who like to do, like the work that we do. We're really passionate about what we do. We're good teammates. So we're just normal humans, and it's not the most glamorous job, you know, we do, you know, often wear diapers, or we're working really hard, or things like that. So, you know, just normal humans up here. I think one of the things that surprised me the most, I'll see if I can do this without bumping the Astrobee off the wall here. But for me, it took my brain a while to, you know, get used to seeing people on the wall, or, you know, our treadmills on the wall, or seeing people upside down, and there's no up and down in space. And so it took a while for me to get used to that, and for my brain to kind of remap what I consider up, down, left and right in space. And you know that people are just floating, and we get a float every day, I can let go the mic and talk to you.   Naviere Walkewicz  06:46 So we have a lot of cadets and young officers that listen to us. What advice would you give them in the dream of following in your footsteps?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  06:56 Yeah, that's a great question. You know, I love to preach hard work and teamwork. You know, find something that you really enjoy doing. You know, NASA needs, I studied math, right? I'm a pilot, but we need doctors. We need scientists, we need engineers. So figure out what you really enjoy doing, work really hard at that thing, and then go find a team you can be on, and figure out how to take care of other people, and figure out how, how you mesh in this world, and how you can and thrive in these small environments or austere environments with other people. So I love to just say, you know, work hard, be a good teammate, and everything will work out in your favor. I think.   Naviere Walkewicz  07:30 Can you share if you've received any valuable insights or advice from other Air Force Academy grads who were astronauts?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  07:37 Oh, yeah, I think tons, is what I would say, you know, Eric Kjell, and specifically Nick and Roger, who just recently flew and came back, you know, I think that there's been a ton of advice just in terms of of how we do life here on the International Space Station and how, you know, we're going to continue to explore on the Moon and Mars, and how we can share our story, and how we can share all of the science that we're doing. But I think one of the most practical things that I got was from Nick during the handover, when we, we had a couple days up here together, and he said, “Don't forget, you're still squishy.” You know, we're surrounded by a bunch of metal up here. Nothing is very soft. And so if you, if you get moving too quick, or you get too confident, it's very easy to stub a toe or hit something. And so we're still just squishy humans. And you know, if you take that one step further metaphorically, I think, you know, we're still just humans, and we make mistakes, and that's okay, as long as you can bounce back, and as long as you're not going too fast when you hit a handrail too hard.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:31 Absolutely. Well, you talked a little bit about the austere environment. What do you hope your mission and your story inspiring the next generation of Academy grads, especially those who feel called to serve in bold and unconventional ways.   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  08:46 Yeah, you know, I think the bold and unconventional part really hits me, because, you know, growing up during the shuttle era, and then I was at the Air Force Academy when the last shuttle flight flew. And you know, as you grow up, you say you want to be an astronaut, people often say like, Wow, that's awesome. And then when you become an adult, sometimes you don't quite get the same response, you know, sometimes you get a laugh. And so, you know, I would say that even if people don't believe you, or they don't necessarily support what you want to do, if you've got a goal or a dream, just continue to, like I said, work hard at it, you know, put your nose to the grinder. Get really good at whatever it is that you want to go do, and don't let the naysayers get you. You know, there will always be someone there who thinks it's silly, but you will always find someone who supports you. My old commander, Robin, again, he was the one who supported me and got me here, and he said, “Are you silly?” Like, why would you ever think that's silly, or hesitate to tell me what you want to do? So, keep talking about your goals, keep working towards it. And yeah, like I said, maybe someday you could be up here with us.   Naviere Walkewicz  09:44 Absolutely bold and unconventional, for sure. And speaking of such space missions demand precision under pressure. Can you share a moment, whether in training or on the ISS where quick thinking and calm leadership made a difference for you?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  09:57 Yeah, definitely. I think that I.... Actually, a great example is our space walk that Anne McClain and I did about a month and a half ago. You know, right in the middle of the space walk, the priorities changed and the game plan changed. And if you were just an onlooker watching, sitting at home watching, you may not have even noticed that. And I think that's a huge testament to our ground team and our flight director, Deanna Trujillo, for the day, you know, her ability to lead that ground team and change the game plan on the fly, and then get those words up to us through some calm loss and some other hardships that we were working through, and then for us, for Anna and I, to work together, both just the two of us out outside the space station and the vacuum of space, but also us with the ground to make that all look very seamless. We're very proud of how that space walk went, and our ability to kind of change the plan on the fly, execute, come up with new ways of doing things, and figuring out how we're going to leave the station in a good state, and also achieve all those objectives. So think that was we're actually really proud of the way that we, you know, manage all of those changes, and hopefully to the onlooker like yourself. It looks seamless.   Naviere Walkewicz  11:04 Absolutely and it kind of talks a little bit to what you said earlier about, you know, seeing Earth from a different vantage point and wanting to protect it. I'd like to actually ask you more about that. So can you share, from your vantage point what you've observed about humanity and the resilience as you, as you look on it, from us, from our perspective here on Earth, and you being up there,   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  11:24 Yeah, you know, I think that one of the biggest things that, you know, I mentioned the natural disasters that we see and, you know, and I feel a sense of duty to photograph and to try to document the things that just humans endure on a daily basis. You know, I talked about thunderstorms or landslides, forest fires, all sorts of things. You know, we see it from such a different vantage point up here. And, you know, knowing that there are people down there who are trying to survive, and knowing that those people will survive, and that we have an entire community that's going to rally around those people in those instances. And you know, just trying to do our part from up here and give, you know, that unique vantage point and give as much data and as much help as we possibly can. I think that's one of the biggest things that our world does well, is, you know, helping each other when we're in need.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:09 And Lieutenant Colonel Ayres, maybe you can share what's been the impact of this mission on your sense of purpose, and how do you think it will shape your next chapter when you come back on Earth?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  12:22 This is a great question. I've done a lot of thinking about this, you know, you know, finally achieving your childhood dream. What's next? You know, what do you do next? And I think for me, the biggest thing that I want to continue to do is just inspire the next generation. You know, all those little kids who say they want to be astronauts, and then they get laughed at as adults. You know, I think that's it's so important to just foster that curiosity and foster that sense of exploration. And really, you know, encourage the next generation to go do what they're passionate about, because we will always need someone in that niche thing that you're passionate about. And so helping people get there is, is really what I want to do next. And, you know, helping the next youth get to their dreams and their goals and continue to just build this society that continues to explore and as you know, especially as we go to the moon and onto Mars and we commercialize low earth orbit, I think there's so much that we can do. And it's I feel, again, a sense of duty to help the next generation do that?   Naviere Walkewicz  13:21 Well, we talk about the next generation and the long blue line being enduring. Is there anything else you'd want to share with Air Force Academy grads in general?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  13:30 Yeah, you know, I think it might be a dead horse that I'm beating at this point, but the teamwork is so important. You know, just, just take care of the people around you. Make sure that you're always looking out for each other. You know, the long blue line is a very special thing to be a part of. And, you know, like yourself, you know, I met you a couple years ago, and it feels like I could just go, you know, hang out with you, have dinner, and we could pick up like old friends. And that's what the long blue line is all about. You know, having friends all over the world who can help you. You know, I got to hang out with Nick Hague in space, another member of the long blue line who told me I was going to be squishy. You know, things like that are just the unique moments that we have as Academy grads. You know, there's always going to be someone there who supports you and who loves you and who wants to see you be successful,   Naviere Walkewicz  14:15 Wonderful. Thank you so much for this time. There's probably so many more questions we could ask you, but I think the biggest one is just, you know, we would leave you with it's such an honor and a privilege to see you out there. We're proud of everything that you're doing, and we can't wait to see more of what you're able to accomplish while you're in space and when you come back.   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  14:34 Thank you so much. Like I said, so excited to talk to you today and to just share the experience and also, you know, have a have an influence on the AOG. I'm excited that the AOG is interested in space and interested in all of us who are out here. You know, again, the Long Blue Line is a really cherished and unique group to be a part of. So honored and proud to be a part of that group, and excited that I got to share a little bit of what we do up here with you guys today.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:02 Thank you so much for the time. Naviere Walkewicz  Well, before I close, I'd like to share what happened after the podcast. My cell phone rang, and I had a call from government, and I said, “Who could be calling me?” Well, I answered, and wouldn't you know 250 miles above the Earth, Vapor Ayers was calling me on my cell phone just to say what an amazing conversation we had. What technology we have, that she sounded like she was next door. It was an incredible opportunity for us to talk a little bit more about the podcast and highlight what you might hear in an upcoming Checkpoints article. So for now, I'll sign off. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. Thank you for listening. This has been a special presentation of the US, Air Force Academy, Association and Foundation's Long Blue Line Podcast Network. You can listen to this and all our podcast network programming at LongBlueLinePodcast.org once more, that's LongBlueLinePodcast.org   NASA  16:03 Station, this is Houston. ACR, thank you. That concludes our event.   KEYWORDS NASA, astronaut, International Space Station, Air Force Academy, leadership, resilience, teamwork, space exploration, inspiration, Earth       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation      

Cooling shelters open during mini heat wave, college grads are entering a workforce with fewer internships, and Spokane astronaut Anne McClain talks to students from space. It’s our daily roundup of top stories from the KUOW newsroom, with host Paige Browning. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S04E46In this episode of Astronomy Daily, host Anna takes you on an exciting journey through the latest advancements and discoveries in space exploration. From the preparations for SpaceX's Crew 10 mission to groundbreaking insights into supernovae, this episode is packed with captivating stories that will ignite your curiosity about the cosmos.Highlights:- SpaceX's Crew 10 Mission Preparations:Join us as we explore the significant milestones achieved by the Crew 10 astronauts at Kennedy Space Center. Discover how NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nigel Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov are gearing up for their journey to the International Space Station, including crucial equipment testing and training.- European Space Breakthrough: Learn about the remarkable achievement of German startup Isar Aerospace, which has successfully completed static fire tests of its Spectrum rocket. This milestone positions Europe closer to establishing its own private orbital launch capabilities, enhancing the continent's space sovereignty.- NASA's NEO Surveyor Mission: Delve into NASA's ambitious Near Earth Object Surveyor mission, set to launch in 2027. This $1.2 billion project aims to detect potentially hazardous asteroids, significantly upgrading our planetary defense capabilities and ensuring the safety of our planet.- PUNCH Mission Insights: Explore the innovative PUNCH mission, scheduled for launch in 2025, which will provide unprecedented observations of the Sun's corona and solar wind. This mission promises to revolutionize our understanding of space weather and its impact on Earth.- China's AI-Driven Deep Space Exploration: Discover China's bold plans to send spacecraft to the edges of our solar system by 2049, utilizing artificial intelligence to navigate and manage resources autonomously. This groundbreaking approach could redefine deep space exploration and pave the way for future missions.- Massive Supernovae Data Release: Uncover the monumental collection of 3,628 Type Ia supernovae observations from the Zwicky Transient Facility. This unprecedented dataset could reshape our understanding of the universe's expansion and provide new insights into dark energy.For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, and TikTok. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.00:00 - Welcome back to Astronomy Daily01:05 - SpaceX Crew 10 mission preparations07:30 - Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket tests12:15 - NASA's NEO Surveyor mission18:00 - PUNCH mission overview22:30 - China's AI-driven deep space exploration27:00 - Supernovae data release and implications32:00 - Conclusion and upcoming content✍️ Episode ReferencesSpaceX Crew 10 Mission[SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com)Isar Aerospace's Spectrum Rocket[Isar Aerospace](https://www.isaraerospace.com)NASA's NEO Surveyor Mission[NASA TV Surveyor](https://www.nasa.gov/neo-surveyor)PUNCH Mission Details[NASA PUNCH](https://www.nasa.gov/punch)Zwicky Transient Facility Supernova Data[ZTF](https://www.ztf.caltech.edu)Astronomy Daily[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-discoveries--5648921/support.

Anne McClain is many things: a NASA astronaut, a global icon, an inspiration to many, a pro rugby player. She's also an active duty Army Soldier.   Anne joins host Joe Buccino for episode 74 of the 18th Airborne Corps podcast. She tells her story and describes her journey from Spokane, Washington to West Point to the Army and to outer space. The life of an astronaut is, as you'd imagine, incredibly rewarding but it's not easy as life. Anne describes her training, her studies, and her close-knit team.   Anne also describes the responsibility she feels to all the women and girls who look up to her and see her as a role model.   This is a truly enlightening, inspirational episode, one with value for leaders, teachers, and parents all across our Nation.   Recorded on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the 18th Airborne Corps podcast is the official podcast of the United States military. New episodes are released every Tuesday. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Spotify so you won't miss an episode.   Please leave a 5-star rating and a review. This helps others find the program.

NASA recently announced the astronauts who will be taking part in the Artemis missions, and among them is Anne McClain, who has spent 203 days in orbit and conducted two spacewalks on the ISS. With the space industry looking nothing like it did 10 years ago and new spacecraft and technologies on the rise, McClain […]

The Moon. What is it? How'd it get there? Why is she so beautiful? Micaela and Lex attempt to explain. This episode's featured hot astronaut is Anne McClain. Who is she? How'd she get to space? Why is she so beautiful? Micaela attempts to explain that too.

Original release date: June 1, 2019. Astronaut Anne McClain sits down with Cameron to discuss her time in the military, being better at molding yourself than being yourself, and what she's learned from being an astronaut who has spent 6 months in space!

Astronaut Anne McClain sits down with Cameron to discuss her time in the military, being better at molding yourself than being yourself, and what she's learned from being an astronaut who has spent 6 months in space!

Astronaut David Saint-Jacques knows a thing or two about isolation. A year ago, before the world was in pandemic lockdown, Saint-Jacques was mid-way through a 204-day mission on the International Space Station, in orbit around the earth with two other colleagues, American astronaut Anne McClain and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko. Saint-Jacques says he enjoyed the experience, and even found it monastic and Zen-like. “We did a lot experiments, a lot of maintenance tasks. But every day was like you are just trying to do the same thing a bit better,” he said. “Every day you wake up, here is your schedule, talk to the ground, talk to the scientists, talk to the engineers, the controllers, gather equipment, do an experiment, repair something that is broken, exercise, talk to your family, look at the earth, rinse and repeat, for months and months. And you get very good at it. It’s very gratifying, that experience.”

A six-year old “honorary astronaut” has his wish come true - to meet a real-life astronaut, Anne McClain, from his hometown, Spokane, Washington. Listen to this podcast episode to learn how the power of a tribe made crowdsourcing work to make a hometown wish happen for Matty’s son in less than 24 hours. Matty shares how her son, Matthew, has become an “honorary astronaut” since he got a bi-pap shortly after his diagnosis with congenital muscular dystrophy. Find Two Rare Mama Bears on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter: 2raremamabears

Un numéro très particulier. Bon ok, tous les numéros de CVT sont toujours particuliers, mais là on bat le record du membre de l'émission le plus éloigné avec 10 019,36km avec Amandine, du podcast La librairie Yokai (aka Francine de la PodNuit). Un numéro particulier également parce qu'un membre fête sa première année dans CVT. Un an, de Patrick Roy, de Georges, de réponses à des questions qui n'étaient même pas posées, d'anecdotes, d'objets incongrus, et de drôles d'imitations d'animaux, un an de thérapie plus ou moins efficace, de bons moments partagés et d'autres aussi, de tâches sur les murs etc. Enfin c'est aussi un numéro unique. Ce n'est pas une reprise. On en fait juste un, là, comme ça, par envie. Parce que ça doit marcher comme ça le podcast. Ce numéro sera pour Halloween. Tout le monde a son petit verre ? Ses petits bonbons ? Alors on y va. Le (long) roman-photo de l'émission : http://camillemilka.free.fr/rp/poursui1.htm Les actus de l'émission : https://www.rtl.fr/culture/cine-series/le-decors-d-une-scene-de-l-exorciste-bientot-monument-historique-7795391422 https://belgium-iphone.lesoir.be/ https://www.nextinpact.com/brief/ultraviolet-fermera-ses-portes-le-31-juillet--quid-des-films---7594.htm https://people.bfmtv.com/series/le-createur-de-helene-et-les-garcons-assure-avoir-inspire-friends-1773216.html#page/contribution/index https://www.rtl.fr/actu/bien-etre/halloween-qu-est-ce-que-l-operation-citrouille-turquoise-7795310814 https://www.numerama.com/tech/462607-jo-2020-le-japon-a-presque-reussi-son-pari-de-creer-des-medailles-avec-des-smartphones-recycles.html https://www.actualitte.com/article/lecture-numerique/audiolivre-l-outil-de-sous-titres-d-audible-limite-aux-livres-du-domaine-public/96819 https://people.bfmtv.com/actualite-people/jacques-chirac-sa-marionnette-des-guignols-volee-au-lendemain-de-sa-mort-retrouvee-sur-leboncoin-1781773.html https://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2019/08/18/l-islande-erige-le-premier-monument-en-l-honneur-d-un-glacier-disparu_5500462_3244.html https://www.courrierinternational.com/dessin/le-dessin-du-jour-anne-mcclain-delit-en-apesanteur http://www.leparisien.fr/societe/la-premiere-sortie-100-feminine-dans-l-espace-aura-lieu-le-21-octobre-07-10-2019-8168070.php https://www.rtl.fr/sport/football/halloween-un-joueur-du-bayern-choque-en-se-deguisant-en-poseur-de-bombe-arabe-7795414444 https://www.rtl.fr/actu/debats-societe/halloween-un-costume-d-anne-frank-fait-polemique-sur-un-site-de-deguisements-7790562622 A Tango, l'être le plus innocent du monde, qui me manquera beaucoup. Pardonne-moi, mon chéri. Excuse-moi de ne pas avoir été à la hauteur.

This week we were honored to have incredible comic Ricky Velez for part 2 of our Crime In Space series. Tune in! He’s funny as fuck. Instagram: @rickyvelez

Space law is defined as the body of law governing space-related activities, encompassing both international and domestic agreements, rules, and principles. Recently, NASA astronaut Anne McClain was accused of illegally accessing her wife’s bank account during her stay on the International Space Station, bringing up a variety of legal issues and questions as to how to litigate a crime committed in space. NASA is currently investigating the matter. On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, host Craig Williams is joined by Michelle Hanlon, president of For All Moonkind, Inc. and Mark Sundahl, director of the Global Space Law Center at Cleveland State University, to discuss pertinent case law, what legal frameworks exist for crime committed in space, and other legal issues associated with space law. Special thanks to our sponsors, Clio and Blue J Legal.

Welcome to Ep 17! CRIME IN SPACEThis is the first of an ongoing mini series on Space: What the F**k, Dude?! (Cue dramatic music)Whoa! We've created our own sub genre with the genre of NSFW Astronomy Podcasts (a genre we, like, created). Listen in to the real life, current crime drama involving a US astronaut on the International Space Station. Not even joking. You can check it out for yourself below.But more importantly, check out our first Crime in Space episode! We think it's pretty solid. Article link: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/23/us/nasa-astronaut-anne-mcclain.html

NASA astronaut Army Lt. Col. Anne McClain, is accused of spying on her ex-wife's finances by logging into her bank account ... from Outer Space! What? They have wifi in space? Reporters Abbie Bennett, Eric Dehm, and Host, Phil Briggs dig deeper into this story and share a few stories about the crazy s#%! their ex's have done.   

Round 1: Marriage troubles on deployment is no new issue for the troops. This story is different though because Anne McClain is accused of identity theft WHILE IN MOTHER FUCKING SPACE!Round 2: A Marine-Turned-Teacher is in hot water for telling his students that he'd be the best school shooter. You heard me right.Round 3: Two Montana men got the greatest sentencing of all time after a judge found out that they tried to steal valor in order to reduce their sentences.Round 4: The Navy's top SEAL says the force must return to normal discipline practices. Haircuts! Get your haircuts here. Ice collllldddd hair cuts. Shaves too! One free shave with a haircut!Round 5: Last week I spit out a phrase that might have some legs. Finding your “and.” Some veterans in West Virginia are finding their and in an unusual way. Honey, you wont believe it.Round 6: President Trump reportedly wanted to use nuclear bombs to destroy hurricanes. We don't believe the story is true but we are gonna act like it is because that's fucking awesome.

Some incredibly wild stories have come out of the year 2019 and it’s not over yet. “Decorated NASA astronaut Anne McClain allegedly hacked into her wife’s bank account from space — over a nasty custody battle happening down on earth, her estranged spouse said in an interview published Monday.” That’s not something you hear everyday. Maxwell, Christian, and Alyssa delve into the world of space related issues, including space sex (obviously), spiting your ex using a NASA computer, death by empty vacuum outside of earth and more.

Anne McClain has been accused of committing the first-ever recorded space crime after she allegedly accessed the bank account of her estranged spouse, Summer Worden, from the International Space Station. But first, the HRC and ACLU are among a growing list of LGBTQ civil rights groups that are calling for GLAAD to put the brakes on an Equal Rights Amendment to the US Constitution. This comes as the Trump administration believes companies have the right to fire employees for being LGBTQ. Apple Podcasts: apple.co/1WwDBrC Spotify: spoti.fi/2pC19B1 iHeart Radio: bit.ly/2n0Z7H1 Tunein: bit.ly/1SE3NMb Stitcher: bit.ly/1N97Zqu Google Podcasts: bit.ly/1pQTcVW YouTube: bit.ly/1spAF5a Also follow Tim and John on: Facebook: www.facebook.com/focusgroupradio Twitter: www.twitter.com/focusgroupradio Instagram: www.instagram.com/focusgroupradio

NASA Astronaut Anne McClain Refutes Space Crime Claim by Spouse as Divorce Details Emerge Link: https://www.space.com/astronaut-anne-mcclain-refutes-space-crime-claim.html NASA astronaut Anne McClain on Saturday (Aug. 24) refuted claims that she inappropriately accessed the bank account of her estranged spouse after details of their divorce were made public in the New York Times this week. While in the middle of their separation process, McClain's spouse Summer Worden has claimed that McClain accessed her bank account from a NASA-affiliated computer network, according to a report from the New York Times on Friday (Aug. 23). Worden has accused McClain of identity theft and claimed the astronaut accessed the account from aboard the International Space Station during a recent space mission, and that the agency's Office of the Inspector General is looking into the matter. Today, McClain said in a Twitter statement that there's "unequivocally no truth to these claims." "We've been going through a painful, personal separation that's now unfortunately in the media," McClain continued. "I appreciate the outpouring of support and will reserve comment until after the investigation. I have total confidence in the IG [Inspector General] process." Russian Soyuz Spacecraft Carrying Humanoid Robot Aborts Docking at Space Station Link: https://www.space.com/soyuz-aborts-space-station-docking-ms-14.html An uncrewed Russian Soyuz spacecraft was forced to abort an attempted docking at the International Space Station early Saturday (Aug. 24) due to rendezvous system malfunction. The Roscosmos Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft, which is carrying supplies and a humanoid robot called Skybot F-850, was on its final approach to the space station when its automated docking system failed to lock on to its intended docking port: a space-facing module called Poisk. Cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, the station's commander, triggered an abort command for the Soyuz at 1:36 a.m. EDT (0536 GMT) after multiple attempts to make the rendezvous with primary and backup systems failed. "At no point was the crew in any danger," NASA spokesperson Rob Navias said of the station's six-person Expedition 60 crew during live commentary. The Soyuz is now trailing the space station at a safe distance away in a so-called "race track orbit" that can allow additional docking attempts every 24 hours, Navias said. The next attempt will occur no earlier than overnight Sunday or early Monday (Aug. 25-26). Show Stuff UBR Alien Hunter : Chapter One Beta - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.UBR.UBRRobotron The Dark Horde, LLC – http://www.thedarkhorde.com Twitter @DarkHorde TeePublic Store - Get your UBR goodies today! http://tee.pub/lic/2GQuXxn79dg UBR Truth Seekers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216706068856746 Manny Moonraker: https://www.facebook.com/MannyMoonraker/ UFO Buster Radio: https://www.facebook.com/UFOBusterRadio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA To contact Manny: manny@ufobusterradio.com, or on Twitter @ufobusterradio Call the show anytime at (972) 290-1329 and leave us a message with your point of view, UFO sighting, and ghostly experiences or join the discussion on www.ufobusterradio.com For Skype Users: bosscrawler

NASA Astronaut Anne McClain Refutes Space Crime Claim by Spouse as Divorce Details Emerge Link: https://www.space.com/astronaut-anne-mcclain-refutes-space-crime-claim.html NASA astronaut Anne McClain on Saturday (Aug. 24) refuted claims that she inappropriately accessed the bank account of her estranged spouse after details of their divorce were made public in the New York Times this week. While in the middle of their separation process, McClain's spouse Summer Worden has claimed that McClain accessed her bank account from a NASA-affiliated computer network, according to a report from the New York Times on Friday (Aug. 23). Worden has accused McClain of identity theft and claimed the astronaut accessed the account from aboard the International Space Station during a recent space mission, and that the agency's Office of the Inspector General is looking into the matter. Today, McClain said in a Twitter statement that there's "unequivocally no truth to these claims." "We've been going through a painful, personal separation that's now unfortunately in the media," McClain continued. "I appreciate the outpouring of support and will reserve comment until after the investigation. I have total confidence in the IG [Inspector General] process." Russian Soyuz Spacecraft Carrying Humanoid Robot Aborts Docking at Space Station Link: https://www.space.com/soyuz-aborts-space-station-docking-ms-14.html An uncrewed Russian Soyuz spacecraft was forced to abort an attempted docking at the International Space Station early Saturday (Aug. 24) due to rendezvous system malfunction. The Roscosmos Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft, which is carrying supplies and a humanoid robot called Skybot F-850, was on its final approach to the space station when its automated docking system failed to lock on to its intended docking port: a space-facing module called Poisk. Cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, the station's commander, triggered an abort command for the Soyuz at 1:36 a.m. EDT (0536 GMT) after multiple attempts to make the rendezvous with primary and backup systems failed. "At no point was the crew in any danger," NASA spokesperson Rob Navias said of the station's six-person Expedition 60 crew during live commentary. The Soyuz is now trailing the space station at a safe distance away in a so-called "race track orbit" that can allow additional docking attempts every 24 hours, Navias said. The next attempt will occur no earlier than overnight Sunday or early Monday (Aug. 25-26). Show Stuff UBR Alien Hunter : Chapter One Beta - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.UBR.UBRRobotron The Dark Horde, LLC – http://www.thedarkhorde.com Twitter @DarkHorde TeePublic Store - Get your UBR goodies today! http://tee.pub/lic/2GQuXxn79dg UBR Truth Seekers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216706068856746 Manny Moonraker: https://www.facebook.com/MannyMoonraker/ UFO Buster Radio: https://www.facebook.com/UFOBusterRadio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA To contact Manny: manny@ufobusterradio.com, or on Twitter @ufobusterradio Call the show anytime at (972) 290-1329 and leave us a message with your point of view, UFO sighting, and ghostly experiences or join the discussion on www.ufobusterradio.com For Skype Users: bosscrawler

Your hosts: Lynn, Levon, Marie-Claude, Marc (video of show at bottom) ListenEN_The_Link-20190412-WEE15 Research needed into ship noise effects on Narwhals in Nunavut FILE- In this August 2005 file photo provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a pod of narwhals surfaces in northern Canada. (Kristin Laidre/AP Photo/NOAA, files) With a mining company on Baffin Island, in the Arctic territory of Nunavut, requesting a permit for a significant increase in iron ore extraction, which would nearly double marine shipping in the area, conservation groups are saying more research is needed on the effects of underwater noise on narwhals. It is believed that underwater noise may have a detrimental effect on the marine animals ability to communicate and seek food as they spend summer in the area. At least one study shows that the ship noise overlaps some of the frequencies the narwhal use. Levon spoke to Kristin Westdal, marine biologist for Oceans North. U.K., Canada, and others consider regulating websites Social media face tough regulations coming in the U.K. (iStock) With so much controversy about social media websites and concern about extremism and hate speech, the United Kingdom has published proposals for regulating websites. From clear hate speech to postings and sites that may not be illegal, but considered harmful like disinformation or harassment, standards are being developed. An independent regulator could be created to issue fines and/or make individual website managers responsible, and close sites that don't comply. Canada is watching closely and may follow suit. Lynn spoke with Stephanie MacLellan a specialist in digital policy at CIGI, a public policy think tank. A walk in outer space Canadian David Saint-Jacques is only the fourth Canadian to "walk" in space. (NASA) Technically, it's called an EVA- extra-vehicular activity and Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques joins not only an already extremely exclusive club of astronauts/cosmonauts, but an even more exclusive group of people who have ventured outside a space vehicle. Along with American astronaut Anne McClain, he spent several hours performing maintenance tasks to the International Space Station. These EVA's are meticulously planned and practised, but even still are very risky and extreme caution is required. Marc spoke about what that experience in space is like with Canada's Steve MacLean, a former astronaut and a member of the very exclusive club of people who have walked  in space. Watch The Link April 12th 2019 Images of the week window.jQuery || document.write('

Alex is joined with Zak Trolley, Engineer and Futurist to discuss how Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques has completed his first ever spacewalk. Saint-Jacques and NASA astronaut Anne McClain accomplished the feat in six hours, 29 minutes, with no apparent issues.

In this science clip from Fueled By Death Cast, I talk about NASA's plans to send a helicopter to Mars aboard the next Mars rover in 2020. The problem with testing such a vehicle is that the gravity and atmosphere are so much different on the red planet, NASA had to virtually create the conditions in a lab. Then, the first ever all-women spacewalk was canceled due to not having the safest equipment on board the International Space Station. I break down exactly why and just how dangerous spacewalks are, and astronaut Anne McClain talks about the decision on the space station.

In light of Joy's quote in the article "NASA's spacesuit issue is all too familiar for working women" by Cara Kelly we decided to reprise the The Jumpsuit FIF! This the Unravel minisode series “Fashion in Focus” where we tell you the brief history of a garment, accessory, or textile. In this FIF, Jasmine talks about the brief history of the jumpsuit from it's practical yet avant-garde beginnings to it's journey as a chic and stylish main staple in women's wardrobes. Image: Bert Stern, A Courrèges white, sateen bunny jumpsuit with brass polka dots in Vogue, 1969. Condé Nast. Image: NASA astronaut Christina Koch assists fellow astronauts Nick Hague and Anne McClain in their spacesuits shortly before they begin the first spacewalk of their careers, aboard the International Space Station (ISS), March, 22, 2019 NASA cancelled the first all-female spacewalk which was scheduled for March 29, 2019, citing spacesuit issues. (Photo: NASA, EPA-EFE) Sources: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2019/03/28/nasa-anne-mcclain-christina-koch-all-female-spacewalk-scrapped-spacesuits-women-fashion-uniforms/3294159002/?fbclid=IwAR2yMClDpLzI2E9N67Bx3jy_bwIM9FUZIHvTv_Zu2Mgo3g79UOcKRjapI24 www.theguardian.com/fashion/2014/ma…-a-style-staple www.latimes.com/entertainment/env…8aug17-story.html The Russian Fashion Blog Constructivism in Russia in the 1920shttp://www.russianfashionblog.com/index.php/2…zz5E4aWEkg8 Website: www.unravelpodcast.com Instagram: @unravelpodcast Twitter: @unravelpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/unravelpodcast/ Pinterest: Unravel: a fashion podcast www.pinterest.com/afashionpodcast/ Stitcher: www.stitcher.com/podcast/unravel-podcast Waller Gallery Website www.wallergallery.com/ Waller Gallery Instagram: @wallergallery Jasmine's Nicaragua Instagram: @recuerdosdenicaragua

As you may have heard, astronauts Christina Koch and Anne McClain were scheduled to perform a spacewalk today. It would have been the first all-woman spacewalk in history. Based on feedback from McClain following her March 22 spacewalk, NASA decided to alter the astronaut assignments. Why the change? AirSpace hosts Emily, Matt, and Nick break down the multiple factors at play.

Descarga este episodio NO MÁS CAMBIO DE HORA EN LA UNIÓN EUROPEA. En la Unión Europea, La Cámara aprobó este martes en Estrasburgo apoyar el fin del cambio de hora para 2021 por 410 votos a favor, 192 en contra y 52 abstenciones. Eso significa que los eurodiputados quieren que los ciudadanos de la UE alteren por última vez la hora en marzo u octubre de ese año, según sus países opten por mantener el horario de invierno o el de verano. DW LEY DE COPYRIGHT APROBADA. Esa no fue la única medida tomada por el Parlamento Europeo. Pese a varios meses de luchas y protestas aprobaron el artículo 13. Esto significa que las plataformas como las redes sociales (Twitter, Facebook o Instagram, por ejemplo), van a tener que implementar filtros de copyright al contenido que en ellas se comparte. Este filtro comprobará si el contenido que se sube está sujeto a derechos de autor, y si lo está y no cuenta con permiso, será automáticamente bloqueado por la red social. ANTENA3 THERESA MAY OFRECE SU CABEZA. La primera ministra británica, Theresa May, se dirigirá hoy a sus diputados conservadores para pedirles el apoyo a su plan de salida de la UE que ya ha sido tumbado dos veces por el Parlamento, pero esta vez ofrecerá, según medios británicos como THE SUN, su cabeza para convencer a los 'brexiters' más duros. FORBES CANCELAN VIAJE ESPACIAL CON MUJERES PORQUE NO HAY TRAJES Se suponía que el 29 de marzo iba a tener lugar el primer paseo espacial de la historia compuesto exclusivamente por mujeres. Parece que al final no podrá ser, y la razón es prosaica y a la vez un poco estúpida: la NASA no tiene suficientes trajes de la talla adecuada. En una nota de prensa publicada el lunes 25, la NASA explica que solo hay una pieza de torso de la talla M a bordo de la Estación Espacial Internacional y no es posible fabricar otra a tiempo para el paseo. Anne McClain y Christina Koch era la dupla espacial. McClain ya ha realizado un paseo espacial antes, convirtiéndose en la mujer número 13 en lograrlo. Koch será la número 14, y su compañera volverá a salir el próximo 8 de abril. EL PAIS ABOGADOS DEL CHAPO GUZMÁN PIDEN NUEVO JUICIO. El narcotraficante mexicano Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzmán ha reclamado este martes ser sometido a un nuevo juicio por la conducta inapropiada del jurado, según ha argumentado la defensa en su solicitud. En una presentación ante el tribunal federal de Nueva York, los abogados de Guzmán han sostenido que creían que la conducta inapropiada del jurado había privado a su cliente de su derecho constitucional a tener un juicio justo. EL COMERCIO | CNN ESPOSA DE GUAIDÓ SERÁ RECIBIDA POR MELANIA TRUMP Y MIKE PENCE. Fabiana Rosales, esposa del líder opositor y presidente encargado de Venezuela Juan Guaidó, llega hoy a Nueva York, luego de completar una gira por Chile y Perú, donde fue recibida como “Primera Dama” oficial. Rosales tenía previsto reunirse con la comunidad venezolana en Nueva York el jueves, pero el encuentro fue adelantado para hoy martes, luego de que la oficina de Melania Trump confirmara que la recibirá en Miami el 28 de marzo, informaron voceros del partido Voluntad Popular, donde milita Guaidó. Sería el primer encuentro entre una primera dama venezolana y una de EEUU en más de 20 años, luego de la visita de los Clinton a Venezuela en 1997. Por otra parte hoy está prevista una reunión con el vicepresidente estadounidense Mike Pence. EFE EL RETIRO DE CONOR MCGREGOR. El luchador irlandés de artes marciales mixtas Conor McGregor, anunció este martes su retirada de la Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) por medio de un mensaje en su red social Twitter. McGregor aseguró que se retira del deporte conocido oficialmente como artes marciales mixtas y deseó suerte "a todos los viejos colegas para que sigan adelante en la competición". Horas más tarde el The New York Times reveló que el luchador Conor McGregor fue denunciado en diciembre por "agresión sexual" en Europa y está siendo investigado por la Policía de Irlanda, por lo que una condena podría dejarlo en prisión. DESCONECTADOS POR 48 HORAS. ‘The Disconnected Challenge’ es el reto de Discovery Channel. surgió como parte de la campaña Phone-Life Balance de Motorola y lo que busca es llegar a un punto de equilibrio. Los protagonistas son de Brasil, Argentina y México. Tres personas con actividades y personalidades completamente diferentes: y por 48 horas dejan su teléfono celular y tratan de vivir a la antigua, sin internet, Whatsapp, Google Maps y Facebook, entre otras aplicaciones. Se estrena hoy 27 de marzo para toda Latinoamérica. DISCOVERY | EL UNIVERSAL FOO FIGHTERS EN COLOMBIA Y COSTA RICA. Los Foo Fighters continúan haciendo giras en 2019, confirmando nuevas fechas de conciertos en América Latina. Ahora, la banda de rock, conocida por éxitos eternos como "Everlong", "Learn to Fly" y "My Hero", anunció que tocará en Colombia y Costa Rica "¡Colombia! ¡Costa Rica! ¿Están listos? ”, Escribió la banda en Twitter, junto con detalles de preventa y más información en ambos programas. El concierto en Colombia, presentado, tendrá lugar el 1 de octubre en el Estadio Nemesio Camacho en Bogotá. TWITTER | EFE Share on facebook Facebook Share on twitter Twitter Share on linkedin LinkedIn Share on whatsapp WhatsApp Te pedimos que te tomes un pequeño tiempo para responder a esta breve encuesta. Nos sirve para mejorar.

On the sixth episode of Russia Rising, we’ll boldly go where no podcast has gone before. The International Space Station has long been heralded as a beacon of geopolitical cooperation, where representatives from 18 countries have lived and worked together, trusting each other with their lives. And all of them, including Canada and the United States, rely on Russia to hitch a ride to the stars. But that close, interconnected relationship is now being tested, as space becomes increasingly militarized and privatized. But should we believe the hype? Are we really on the cusp on a new space race? To find out what the future of space travel really looks like, we’ll ask the spacemen and spacewomen who’ve been there and back. David Saint-Jacques, Anne McClain and their Russian commander, Oleg Kononenko, and Chris Hadfield, who has flown two space shuttle missions and served as the first Canadian commander of the International Space Station. Contact: Twitter: @JeffSempleGN Email: RussiaRising@Curiouscast.ca Guests: David Saint-Jacques - Canadian astronaut @Astro_DavidS Doug Wheelock - NASA astronaut @Astro_Wheels Chris Hadfield — Former Canadian astronaut @Cmdr_Hadfield

Desde Montreal, un saludo a todos nuestros oyentes e internautas que nos siguen en este momento en directo a través de  Facebook Live  y en nuestro canal de YouTube , y también a los que siguen a través nuestro sitio www.rcinet.ca/es. Hoy estamos en el estudio: Pablo Gómez Barrios, Leonardo Gimeno, Paloma Martínez y quien les habla, Leonora Chapman. Como siempre, les agradecemos a todos nuestros oyentes/internautas por participar en el programa a través de sus correos-comentarios en nuestro sitio web y en las redes sociales. Música  Tegan y Sara Tegan Rain Quin y Sara Keirsten Quin, conocidas como Tegan y Sara, son músicos y compositores de Calgary. (Pamela Littky) Las artistas están escribiendo su biografía que se publicará en de 2019. Tegan y Sara, una banda pop indie están escribiendo un libro sobre sus memorias. El libro, titulado High School, Escuela secundaria, se publicará el 24 de septiembre de 2019. High School compartirá la historia de las famosas gemelas idénticas e íconos LGBTQ. Tegan y Sara Quin crecieron en Calgary en el apogeo del grunge y la cultura rave en la década de 1990. Escuela secundaria se escribirá en capítulos que alternarán los puntos de vista de Tegan y de Sara. Allí explorarán cómo lidiaron con el divorcio de sus padres y también temas relacionados con el amor, las drogas, la sexualidad, la identidad queer y las presiones académicas durante sus años de escuela secundaria. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLUDxVezNes Reportajes destacados de la semana Científicos descubren bajo el hielo uno de los mayores cráteres de la Tierra causado por meteorito Un asteroide de 1,5 kilómetros, intacto o en pedazos, puede haberse estrellado contra una capa de hielo hace solo 13,000 años. ESTUDIO DE VISUALIZACIÓN CIENTÍFICA DE LA NASA Tiene 31 kilómetros de ancho, está enterrado bajo el hielo de un espesor de 1 kilómetro en Groenlandia y podría haber ocurrido solo hace 12.000 años. Sería el cráter de impacto más grande y más joven conocido en la Tierra, y significaría que el asteroide golpeó cuando los humanos modernos caminaron sobre la Tierra. Recientemente investigadores identificaron uno de los mayores cráteres bajo hielo en el Ártico, en Groenlandia, producto de una colisión  con un meteorito metálico de un kilómetro de ancho. Y creen que eso les permitirá resolver uno de los grandes misterios de la Tierra. El reportaje de Leonora Chapman Compañía quebequense fabricó camiseta biométrica utilizada por David Saint-Jacques en el espacio La ropa Hexoskin tiene tres tipos de sensores. (Foto: Hexoskin) El 3 de diciembre pasado, muchos canadienses, quebequenses en particular, siguieron de cerca el lanzamiento del cohete ruso Soyuz MS-11 en el que viajaban los astronautas David Saint-Jacques, Anne McClain y el cosmonauta ruso Sergey Prolopyev, cuyo destino era la Estación Espacial Internacional. Pero entre todos estos espectadores, se encontraban los empleados de la compañía quebequenseHexoskin de Montreal, que tenían un particular interés. Hexoskin desarrolló y fabricó una camiseta biométrica llamada Astroskin que vestirá el astronauta quebequense durante los 6 meses y medio que va a durar su estadía en le Estación Espacial Internacional. Reportaje de Pablo Gómez Barrios.  Miradas transversales, Panorama de la escena artística latino-quebequense ¿Quiénes son los artistas latinoamericanos de Québec? ¿Cómo manifiestan su arte? ¿Qué espacios ocupan en el panorama artístico de la provincia francófona? La publicación Miradas transversales, Panorama de la escena artística latino-quebequense es el resultado de una serie de investigaciones compiladas por Mariza Rosales Argonza, artista visual e investigadora originaria de México, quien también es comisaria de exposiciones en el Festival LatinArte de Montreal e investigadora sobre las relaciones entre arte y sociedad. En 2018, la Fundación LatinArte celebra su décimo aniversario.

Desde Montreal, un saludo a todos nuestros oyentes e internautas que nos siguen en este momento en directo a través de  Facebook Live  y en nuestro canal de YouTube , y también a los que siguen a través nuestro sitio www.rcinet.ca/es. Hoy estamos en el estudio: Pablo Gómez Barrios, Leonardo Gimeno, Paloma Martínez y quien les habla, Leonora Chapman. Como siempre, les agradecemos a todos nuestros oyentes/internautas por participar en el programa a través de sus correos-comentarios en nuestro sitio web y en las redes sociales. Música  Tegan y Sara Tegan Rain Quin y Sara Keirsten Quin, conocidas como Tegan y Sara, son músicos y compositores de Calgary. (Pamela Littky) Las artistas están escribiendo su biografía que se publicará en de 2019. Tegan y Sara, una banda pop indie están escribiendo un libro sobre sus memorias. El libro, titulado High School, Escuela secundaria, se publicará el 24 de septiembre de 2019. High School compartirá la historia de las famosas gemelas idénticas e íconos LGBTQ. Tegan y Sara Quin crecieron en Calgary en el apogeo del grunge y la cultura rave en la década de 1990. Escuela secundaria se escribirá en capítulos que alternarán los puntos de vista de Tegan y de Sara. Allí explorarán cómo lidiaron con el divorcio de sus padres y también temas relacionados con el amor, las drogas, la sexualidad, la identidad queer y las presiones académicas durante sus años de escuela secundaria. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLUDxVezNes Reportajes destacados de la semana Científicos descubren bajo el hielo uno de los mayores cráteres de la Tierra causado por meteorito Un asteroide de 1,5 kilómetros, intacto o en pedazos, puede haberse estrellado contra una capa de hielo hace solo 13,000 años. ESTUDIO DE VISUALIZACIÓN CIENTÍFICA DE LA NASA Tiene 31 kilómetros de ancho, está enterrado bajo el hielo de un espesor de 1 kilómetro en Groenlandia y podría haber ocurrido solo hace 12.000 años. Sería el cráter de impacto más grande y más joven conocido en la Tierra, y significaría que el asteroide golpeó cuando los humanos modernos caminaron sobre la Tierra. Recientemente investigadores identificaron uno de los mayores cráteres bajo hielo en el Ártico, en Groenlandia, producto de una colisión  con un meteorito metálico de un kilómetro de ancho. Y creen que eso les permitirá resolver uno de los grandes misterios de la Tierra. El reportaje de Leonora Chapman Compañía quebequense fabricó camiseta biométrica utilizada por David Saint-Jacques en el espacio La ropa Hexoskin tiene tres tipos de sensores. (Foto: Hexoskin) El 3 de diciembre pasado, muchos canadienses, quebequenses en particular, siguieron de cerca el lanzamiento del cohete ruso Soyuz MS-11 en el que viajaban los astronautas David Saint-Jacques, Anne McClain y el cosmonauta ruso Sergey Prolopyev, cuyo destino era la Estación Espacial Internacional. Pero entre todos estos espectadores, se encontraban los empleados de la compañía quebequenseHexoskin de Montreal, que tenían un particular interés. Hexoskin desarrolló y fabricó una camiseta biométrica llamada Astroskin que vestirá el astronauta quebequense durante los 6 meses y medio que va a durar su estadía en le Estación Espacial Internacional. Reportaje de Pablo Gómez Barrios.  Miradas transversales, Panorama de la escena artística latino-quebequense ¿Quiénes son los artistas latinoamericanos de Québec? ¿Cómo manifiestan su arte? ¿Qué espacios ocupan en el panorama artístico de la provincia francófona? La publicación Miradas transversales, Panorama de la escena artística latino-quebequense es el resultado de una serie de investigaciones compiladas por Mariza Rosales Argonza, artista visual e investigadora originaria de México, quien también es comisaria de exposiciones en el Festival LatinArte de Montreal e investigadora sobre las relaciones entre arte y sociedad. En 2018, la Fundación LatinArte celebra su décimo aniversario.

On this episode Sawyer and Mark cover a wide variety of topics and catch up on some news we promised to share like the Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture from October 2013 titled “The Chelyabinsk Meteor: Can We Survive a Bigger Impact?” http://youtu.be/Y-e6xyUZLLs   Another video to check out is one from the NASA YouTube channel titled “2013 Astronaut Class Talks STEM at Smithsonian Air and Space Museum” Don't miss what Astronaut Candidate Anne McClain (@Astroannimal on twitter) has to say about believing in yourself. The link to the video takes you to 36:38 with Leland Melvin speaking, then Anne McClain. http://youtu.be/7-iCm9S53Jo?t=36m38s  What would Google want with a NASA hanger at Moffett Federal  Airfield? #NASA continues to connect with participants with a first ever Photo #NASASocial at Goddard SpaceFlight Center.  Remember to keep up with NASASocial news at http://www.nasa.gov/connect The Great Moonbuggy Race has transitioned to something new, read more about The NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge. It's coming up at the US Space and Rocket Center April 10-14 2014 Learn more at http://www.nasa.gov/roverchallenge/home/index.html#.Uvrmsfnw8VU How about 16 Cubesat's from 9 states selected by NASA to fly from 2015-2017. Our new topic (maybe first of its type for Talking Space) is numismatist. If you are one then you already know about the collectable coin celebrating the European Space Agency and 50 years of space cooperation. They are a limited edition run from 500 to 10,000 coins depending on denomination. Leland Melvin announces his retirement and Sawyer shares a quick interview with him from an event back in July 2012. President and COO of SpaceX, Gwynne Shotwell was recently appointed to the FAA Management Advisory Council. The Astronaut Hall of Fame has selected two astronauts for induction in 2014. Congratulations to Jerry Ross and Shannon Lucid. Winding up this show is an interview with RocketSTEM Executive Director and Founder, Chase Clark. Here are the links for your convenience to vote for RocketSTEM at the FedEx web site. Your vote supports them in the competition to receive  a $25,000 small business grant from FedEx. Please vote daily through Feb 23. http://www.rocketstem.org/ https://www.facebook.com/RocketSTEM http://smallbusinessgrant.fedex.com/Gallery/Detail/7163199e-1591-4b95-9dce-18edc7725104