Podcast appearances and mentions of bob zimmerman

Bob Zimmerman details SpaceX's expanding Starlink reach, including a $17 billion deal to acquire Echostar's FCCspectrum licenses, ensuring Echostar's survival by partnering rather than competing. He also reports on Starship Super Heavy's 10th test flight, where metal thermal tiles failed but significant lessons were learned, with plans for an 11th flight and version three development. NASA's Dragonfly mission to Titan is vastly over budget and behind schedule, risking failure. China's technological exports, including drones and EVs, pose surveillance risks due to government control. 1945

CONTINUED Bob Zimmerman details SpaceX's expanding Starlink reach, including a $17 billion deal to acquire Echostar's FCCspectrum licenses, ensuring Echostar's survival by partnering rather than competing. He also reports on Starship Super Heavy's 10th test flight, where metal thermal tiles failed but significant lessons were learned, with plans for an 11th flight and version three development. NASA's Dragonfly mission to Titan is vastly over budget and behind schedule, risking failure. China's technological exports, including drones and EVs, pose surveillance risks due to government control. 1959

PREVIEW 6: Investigating Mysterious Martian Slope Streaks John Batchelor speaks with Bob Zimmerman about unexplained geological features on Mars called slope streaks. These features resemble stains or avalanches but do not alter topography and lack debris. They sometimes even flow uphill. Theories suggest causes like dust or brine, but the exact mechanism is unknown. The Curiosity rover recently captured an image of a potential slope streak, offering a unique opportunity to study them closely and understand their origin. 1954

Bob Zimmerman Space Policy, Launches, and Astronomical Discoveries Bob Zimmerman criticizes the over-budget Artemis lunar program while praising SpaceX's increased launches from Cape Canaveral. He discusses the politically-driven Space Force HQ relocation and NASA's efforts to reduce reliance on Russia for ISS orbit-raising. Global space startups are booming, Starlink cuts prices, and new astronomical discoveries are made. 1960

CONTINUED Bob Zimmerman Space Policy, Launches, and Astronomical Discoveries Bob Zimmerman criticizes the over-budget Artemis lunar program while praising SpaceX's increased launches from Cape Canaveral. He discusses the politically-driven Space Force HQ relocation and NASA's efforts to reduce reliance on Russia for ISS orbit-raising. Global space startups are booming, Starlink cuts prices, and new astronomical discoveries are made. 1958

Preview: This file contains a conversation between John Batchelor and Bob Zimmerman about 3i Atlas, the third interstellar object discovered. Bob Zimmerman explains that 3i Atlas is a comet originating from another solar system, currently moving quickly through our solar system and expected to leave soon. Telescopes worldwide are observing it, including the Gemini South telescope in Chile, which captured new images showing its tail is growing. Despite its interstellar origin, Bob Zimmerman reports that its characteristics are largely comparable to other comets known to us, though some components like its carbon dioxide coma and water nucleus are somewhat unique. He has posted more information about this comet on "Behind the Black". 1958

Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, the First Manned Flight to Another World Author: Bob Zimmerman Segment 4: NASA's Daring Gamble: Responding to Soviet Failures NASA's decision to send Apollo 8 on a circumlunar mission was a bold, aggressive move spurred by the Soviet Zondprogram. While the lunar module was behind schedule, George Low, manager of the Apollo program, proposed sending Apollo 8 to the moon after observing Soviet progress and knowing a simple Earth orbit repetition was a waste. The Soviets experienced failures with Zond 4 (self-destructed), Zond 5 (ballistic re-entry), and Zond 6 (lost atmosphere), which canceled their manned lunar mission. Low and Sam Phillips made the decision, informing a furious but ultimately supportive James Webb, NASA's head. This "gamble" was driven by the desire to prove American capabilities in the space race. 1957 SPUTNIK

Book Title: Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, the First Manned Flight to Another World Author: Bob Zimmerman Segment 8: Perilous Return: Navigation Glitch, Double Skip, and Ocean Landing Following the Christmas broadcast, the critical Trans Earth Injection (TEI) burn occurred behind the moon, relying solely on the SPS engine for their return. Jim Lovell famously announced, "I want to report that there is a Santa Claus," confirming the successful burn. However, Lovell later accidentally "cleared the gimbal," resetting the navigation. He expertly used a sextant and stars like Rigel and Sirius to reorient the craft, showcasing the astronauts' remarkable ability to correct errors. The return also involved a risky "double skip trajectory" re-entry into Earth's atmosphere at 25,000 mph, a maneuver only successfully performed twice before. They landed within three miles of recovery ships, though the capsule was top-heavy and flipped upside down upon splashdown. The mission was a testament to the risks taken, with NASA having been chastened by the Apollo 1 fire that killed Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee in 1967, and the Soviets by Vladimir Komarov's death on Soyuz 1.  DECEMBER 19688

Book Title: Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, the First Manned Flight to Another World Author: Bob Zimmerman Segment 7: Christmas Eve in Lunar Orbit: Earthrise and a Genesis Reading On Christmas Eve, Apollo 8 entered lunar orbit, firing its SPS engine behind the moon with no communication. The crew initially found the moon's surface disappointing, describing it as "a skull" or a "sandbox." However, they captured the iconic "Earthrise" photograph; Frank Borman took a black and white image, while Bill Anders took the famous color one after scrambling for film. During a historic Christmas Eve telecast—the first from lunar orbit, broadcast in black and white—the astronauts, after much deliberation, read the first twelve verses of Genesis from the Old Testament, aiming to share a message of goodwill to the world.

Book Title: Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, the First Manned Flight to Another World Author: Bob Zimmerman Segment 6: Trans-Lunar Journey: Primitive Tech and a Shrinking Earth Apollo 8 launched on December 21, 1968, the first day of its six-day window. After testing systems in Earth orbit, Capcom Mike Collins gave the "go" for Trans Lunar Injection (TLI), firing the upper stage engines to propel them towards the moon. The spacecraft's computer systems were primitive, inferior even to a Casio digital watch calculator; ground control dictated long strings of numbers for manual entry. As they left Earth, Jim Lovell described the view as "like being in a tunnel," with Earth shrinking rapidly from 25,000 miles per hour. Crucially, the SPS engine, essential for lunar orbit and return, had no redundancy, making its firing behind the moon a tense moment of Loss of Signal (LOS) for Earth-bound observers. 1851

  Book Title: Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, the First Manned Flight to Another World Author: Bob Zimmerman Segment 5: The Mighty Saturn V: A Tested Giant for Lunar Travel The Saturn V rocket, designed by Wernher von Braun, was crucial for Apollo 8. Despite having only two prior test flights—one successful, one with engine problems and "pogo" vibrations—NASA decided to use it for the manned lunar mission. Von Braun's team at Huntsville meticulously fixed the issues, ensuring confidence in its reliability. The launch of Saturn V was surprisingly smooth for the astronauts, contrasting with the rougher Titan rocket used on Gemini 7. Its immense power meant that once in Earth orbit, the energy needed to reach the moon or even other planets was considered minimal. 1966 APOLLO 1

Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, the First Manned Flight to Another World Author: Bob Zimmerman Segment 2: The Elite Crew of Apollo 8: Dedication, Exploration, and Speed Frank Borman, an "old-fashioned American," was known for his honesty, deep sense of duty, and commitment to America. A West Point graduate and aeronautical instructor, he led the Apollo 1 investigation, ensuring meticulous preparation for Apollo 8. Jim Lovell, a "space cadet" and naval test pilot, desired space exploration, famously later commanding Apollo 13. His first mission with Borman, Gemini 7, proved humans could live in space for two weeks. William Anders, a rookie and military jet pilot, was driven by a love for speed and holds the human speed record from the Apollo 8 return. All three were relentlessly committed military veterans. 1929 MILANO

Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, the First Manned Flight to Another World Author: Bob Zimmerman Segment 3: The Unsung Heroes: Wives' Sacrifices Under Public Scrutiny The wives of the Apollo 8 crew—Susan Borman, Marilyn Lovell, and Valerie Anders—were central to the mission's story, facing intense media attention akin to being "under siege" in their "NASA village." Despite the financial strains of middle-class incomes and Valerie Anders raising five children under eight, all three women gave their husbands permission to go. Susan Borman, though supportive, was convinced Frank Borman would die in lunar orbit, needing reassurance from Chris Kraft that the mission had "a 50/50 chance" of success. 1870

Genesis: The Story of Apollo 8, the First Manned Flight to Another World Author: Bob Zimmerman Segment 1: Setting the Stage: The Cold War and the Genesis of Apollo 8 In late 1968, Apollo 8 was poised for a mission amidst the global Cold War, a period where both sides held apocalyptic views of each other. President Kennedy had tasked Vice President Lyndon Johnson with the goal of reaching the moon, driving NASA's efforts. This race against Roscosmos, the Soviet program, was a battle of ideologies. The mission's crew, Frank Borman, William Anders, and Jim Lovell, were introduced as men with military backgrounds, ready to embark on what both sides believed was a critical moment for a circumlunar mission or moon landing. 1868 Jules Verne. "Aound the Moon."

John Batchelor 09-03 segment 12.mp3 Guest: Bob Zimmerman who keeps the website Behind the Black. NASA Unionization and SpaceX Milestones Bob Zimmerman addresses the recent executive order by President Trumpeliminating unions at NASA and other agencies, arguing that government unions are inefficient and costly. He then praises SpaceX's achievements, including a Falcon 9 first stage completing its 30th flight—a new reuse record. Zimmerman notes SpaceX is significantly reducing launch costs and enabling new space technologies like Starlink, also mentioning the reuse of a Starship super heavy booster 1958.

John Batchelor 09-03 segment 11.mp3 Guest: Bob Zimmerman who keeps the website Behind the Black. New Discoveries in Space and Planetary Science Bob Zimmerman highlights new solar research using the European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter probe, improving predictions of solar events that impact Earth's technology. He discusses the uniqueness of stars, Juice's Venus flyby en route to Jupiter, and Mars' chaotic mantle structure. Zimmermanemphasizes Mars' ample near-surface ice, making it attractive for colonization, and presents an exoplanet found in an accretion disc, challenging planetary formation theories. 1957

PREVIEW: COSMOS: Colleague Bob Zimmerman comments on the Webb image of the birth of a star system. More. 1958

SpaceX: Test No. 10 success. Bob Zimmerman BehindTheBlack.com

Webb: Analysis interstellar comet 3I/Atlas. Bob Zimmerman BehindTheBlack.com 1952

Preview: Interstellar. Colleague Bob Zimmerman comments on the splendid results of Comet 3I/Atlas. More later.

Webb: More black hole mysteries. Bob Zimmerman BehindTheBlack.com 1825 CAMBRIDGE

SpaceX: Launching X-37B. Bob Zimmerman BehindTheBlack.com 1941

SPACEX: STARSHIP 10 FOR 9-24. BOB ZIMMERMAN BEHINDTHEBLACK.COM 1953

ASTEROIDS: BENNU AND RYUGU - BOB ZIMMERMAN, BEHINDTHEBLACK.COM

Saving Swift by commercial rendezvous by 2026. . Bob Zimmerman BehindTheBlack.com

SpaceX: 100 launches in '25. Bob Zimmerman BehindTheBlack.com 1957

Preview: Trump in LEO. Colleague Bob Zimmerman comments on the ambition of the Trump administration to deregulate space-related endeavors, especially startups. More later. 1950

Kuiper launching. Bob Zimmerman BehindTheBlack.com 1958

Interstellar comets unknowns. Bob Zimmerman BehindTheBlack.com

Preview Rockets Worldwide. Colleague Bob Zimmerman rejects the notion of top-down global management of rocket startups and veterans. More later. 1952

Sunspots: No predicted pattern. Bob Zimmerman, behindtheblack.com 1957

SpaceX: Joined by Firefly and Rocket Lab on monetizing LEO. Bob Zimmerman, behindtheblack.com 1959

SHOW SCHEDULE 8-6-25 The show begins in the Cold War: the "Dead Hand" scenario... 1900 MOSCOW CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR FIRST HOUR 9-915 #UKRAINE: Medvedev threatens dead hand. Colonel Jeff McCausland, USA (Retired) @MCCAUSLJ @CBSNEWS @DICKINSONCOL 915-930 #UKRAINE: PRC bolsters struggling Putin. Colonel Jeff McCausland, USA (Retired) @MCCAUSLJ @CBSNEWS @DICKINSONCOL 930-945 Russian oil and Delhi. Michael Bernstam, Hoover 945-1000 Big Pharma America. Jonathan Miltimore, Civitas SECOND HOUR 10-1015 EU and PRC. Theresa Fallon, Gordon Chang 1015-1030 ROK and DPRK. Gordon Chang 1030-1045 PRC and Russia. Blaine Holt 1045-1100 Globalization failed. Alan Tonelson THIRD HOUR 1100-1115 India tariffs 50%. Sadanand Dhume 1115-1130 India and AI. Sadanand Dhume 1130-1145 SpaceX TOSS. Bob Zimmerman, behindtheblack.com 1145-1200 Curiosity 2012. Bob Zimmerman, behindtheblack.com FOURTH HOUR 12-1215 Plums ripe, copper crashed. Simon Constable 1215-1230 Migrant hotels and Labour. Joseph Sternberg 1230-1245 Russia and Trump, 2007. Craig Unger 1245-100 AM Russia and Trump, 2007. Craig Unger continued

Preview: LEO: Colleague Bob Zimmerman explains the difference between a space tug and a de-orbiter satellite. More later. 1957

SpaceX TO ISS. Bob Zimmerman, behindtheblack.com

Curiosity 2012. Bob Zimmerman, behindtheblack.com

Preview: Kuiper constellation: Colleague Bob Zimmerman asks why Australia chooses the rudimentary Bezos Kuiper over the developed Musk Starlink? 1954

PLANNING FOR AN IMMINENT NASA moonshot.  Bob Zimmerman BehindTheBlack.com 1941

Preview: Europa: Colleague Bob Zimmerman reports all well with the Europa Clipper NASA probe to the Jupiter satellite Europa in 2030. More. 1955

FIREFLY: RAISING INVESTORS. BOB ZIMMERMAN BEHINDTHEBLACK.COM JUNE 1953

TMT: CANARY ISLAND BID.   BOB ZIMMERMAN BEHINDTHEBLACK.COM APRIL 1959

 SHOW SCHEDULE  7-30-25 THE SHOW BEGINS IN THE AIR WAR OVER EURASIA...1931 CBS EYE ON THE WORLD WITH JOHN BATCHELOR FIRST HOUR 9:00-9:15 Jeff McCausland 9:15-9:30 Jeff McCausland 9:30-9:45 Lance Gatling 9:45-10:00 Lance Gatling SECOND HOUR 10:00-10:15 DPRK agitprop aggression. David Maxwell, Gordon Chang 10:15-10:30 USN: No easy fix. Rebecca Grant, Gordon Chang 10:30-10:45 Taiwan: What is the Trump policy? Steve Yates, Gordon Chang 10:45-11:00 PRC: Addiction to exports. Charles Ortel, Gordon Chang THIRD HOUR 11:00-11:15 PRC: No peacekeeper. Victoria Herczegh, @GPFUTURES 11:15-11:30 Budapest: Orban complains of the EU deal. Victoria Herczegh, @GPFUTURES 11:30-11:45 CNMI: PRC soft power in the Marianas. Grant Newsham 11:45-12:00 AI and FTC: The pursuit of bigness. Jessica Melugin, Civitas Institute FOURTH HOUR 12:00-12:15 France plums and blackberries. Simon Constable 12:15-12:30 UK: POTUS asks after North Sea. Simon Constable 12:30-12:45 Raising investors. Bob Zimmerman, BehindTheBlack.com - Firefly 12:45-1:00 TMT: Canary Island bid. Bob Zimmerman, BehindTheBlack.com

SPACEX: WATER'S FOR FIGHTING. BOB ZIMMERMAN BEHINDTHEBLACK.COM 1958

MARS: PURE WATER. BOB ZIMMERMAN BEHINDTHEBLACK.COM 1958

PREVIEW: MARS Colleague Bob Zimmerman reports the major discovery on Mars that can solve colonies. [MORE] 1956

NASA: LAYOFFS AND PROTESTS. BOB ZIMMERMAN BEHINDTHEBLACK.COM HG WELLS 1926

MARS: AND EYESIGHT.  BOB ZIMMERMAN BEHINDTHEBLACK.COM

PREVIEW: EYESIGHT IN LEO Colleague Bob Zimmerman reports what NASA has learned of the changes in eyesight from long stays in space. [MORE] MAY 1953

AXIOM: AND TICKET PRICES. BOB ZIMMERMAN BEHINDTHEBLACK.COM OCTOBER 1957

INTERSTELLAR. 31/ATLAS BOB ZIMMERMAN BEHINDTHEBLACK.COM SUMMER 1940