Space Policy Edition: What a NASA Authorization bill actually does

Space Policy Edition: What a NASA Authorization bill actually does

Author: The Planetary Society February 6, 2026 Duration: 1:00:35
Chief of Space Policy Casey Dreier and Director of Government Relations Jack Kiraly break down what NASA authorization bills actually do and why these laws matter for long-term U.S. space policy, from science missions to human spaceflight and planetary defense.

Every week, Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science charts the human adventure from our own Solar System out to the distant cosmos. This isn't just a recap of headlines; it's a direct conversation with the people making discovery happen. Host Sarah Al-Ahmed guides these discussions, sitting down with the engineers plotting spacecraft trajectories, the scientists interpreting data from alien worlds, and the astronauts who have experienced orbit firsthand. The Planetary Society's own advocates and experts, like Bill Nye and Bruce Betts, frequently join in to offer their unique perspective, making complex topics both accessible and genuinely exciting. You'll hear the latest on robotic missions to Mars, the search for exoplanets, and the technology pushing our boundaries. Alongside these deep dives, the podcast includes lighter, regular segments designed to inform and entertain, turning abstract concepts into engaging stories. It’s a comprehensive audio journey for anyone curious about our place in the universe, offering both the grand vision of exploration and the detailed human stories behind it. Tune in to let your curiosity roam as far as the subjects covered in each episode of this essential science podcast.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science
Podcast Episodes
Silicate clouds and a dusty ring: JWST looks at YSES-1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:45
JWST has uncovered silicate clouds and a dusty circumplanetary disk in the YSES-1 system. Kielan Hoch and Emily Rickman from the Space Telescope Science Institute join us to explore what these surprising findings reveal…
Book Club Edition: Exploring the Overview Effect with Frank White [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:29
Frank White is the author of “The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution. “ Now in its fourth edition, the book has crystallized and expanded on the profound sense of wonder and oneness experienced by nea…
A “Star Trek” future: Your place in space [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:32
Star Trek actors Robert Picardo and Tim Russ join Planetary Society staff members Ambre Trujillo and Andrew Pauly at STLV, a “Star Trek” convention, to explore how “Star Trek” inspires real-world space advocacy.
3I/ATLAS: The third interstellar object ever found [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:03
Astronomers have discovered a new interstellar comet, 3I/ATLAS, the third object ever seen entering our Solar System from another star. We speak with Bryce Bolin, research scientist at Eureka Scientific, about what makes…
The science of sleep in space [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:03
Erin Flynn-Evans, director of the Fatigue Countermeasures Laboratory at NASA Ames Research Center, shares how sleep science is helping astronauts stay healthy in space and prepare for future missions to Mars.
New Horizons: Celebrating a decade since the Pluto flyby [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13:21
New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern joins us to celebrate the Pluto flyby’s 10th anniversary, with updates from planetary scientist Adeene Denton and Planetary Society Director of Government Relations Jack Kir…
Book Club Edition: Andy Weir and Project Hail Mary [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:49
Bestselling science fiction author Andy Weir joins The Planetary Society’s Mat Kaplan for a deeply fascinating and very entertaining conversation about his #1 bestselling novel, Project Hail Mary, soon to be a major moti…
Mat Kaplan’s first flight in zero-G [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:29
Former Planetary Radio host Mat Kaplan joins Space for Humanity and Zero-G for a flight that brings weightlessness and wonder to a diverse group of space dreamers. Hear voices from the flight and reflections on what it m…
First images from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:50
The Rubin Observatory releases its first public images, revealing millions of celestial objects. We explore the science with Stephanie Deppe, astronomy content strategist at Rubin Observatory.