863-Space Elevator

863-Space Elevator

Author: Albert D. Grauer August 22, 2025 Duration: 2:01
In a recent study Dr. Lynnane George and her co-authors investigate Space Elevator technology to remove materials from Ceres and deliver them to orbital depots around the solar system.  The tiny gravity of Ceres, nano-fiber technology, and different water propulsion systems are utilized by Dr. George and her team to construct theoretically possible systems which would extract raw materials from Ceres and deliver them to low Earth orbit and other locations within the solar system.  These researchers estimate such a transport system could reduce fuel costs by up to 60% compared to transport from the Earth’s surface. 

Each episode of Travelers In The Night feels like a quiet, personal conversation under a dark sky. Hosted by astronomer Dr. Albert D. Grauer, this podcast brings the distant cosmos into sharp, intimate focus. Dr. Grauer isn't just an observer; he's an active participant in the hunt, working with the Catalina Sky Survey team that has consistently discovered near-Earth asteroids for years. In these brief and engaging segments, you'll hear firsthand accounts of what it's like to track these ancient celestial travelers-the asteroids and comets that silently pass by our world. The discussions move beyond simple facts to explore the real-world implications of these discoveries, from planetary defense to the sheer wonder of our dynamic solar system. Accompanied by the contemplative music of John Lyell's "Eternity," each installment offers a moment of calm reflection on humanity's place in the universe. It’s a perfect blend of grounded science and cosmic curiosity, making complex astronomical concepts accessible and deeply fascinating. For anyone who has ever looked up and wondered what's out there moving in the dark, this podcast provides a direct line to the front lines of discovery.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 1000

Travelers In The Night
Podcast Episodes
519-Greg's Comet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The discovery of a Jupiter family comet whose fate is to become a garden variety main belt asteroid.
6E- 15-Suppose An Asteroid Is On A Collision Course With Earth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Over geologic times, the impacts of objects from space have produced significant changes to our planet's biosphere. Earth threatening asteroids present a complicated challenge due to the wide range of compositions, sizes…
518-Busy Night [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
On Halloween night while observing with the Catalina Sky Survey's 60 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon, Arizona I discovered 21 space rocks streaking through the night sky. The most interesting one could be the destination of…
5E-13-The Tunguska Event [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The Tunguska [ Tun·gu·ska] event occurred on June 30, 1908. It appears to have been caused by a small asteroid or comet which exploded 3-6 miles above the Earth's surface. It is the largest impact event in recorded histo…
517-Close Again [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
As asteroid hunters equipment and skills continue to improve we will be able to find and track some of these tiny impactors and perhaps be able to suggest where to find pieces of one of them on the ground.
4E-8-A Bad Day for the Dinosaurs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Scientific evidence suggests that it was a bad day for non-avian dinosaurs when a large asteroid or a comet crashed into the Earth about 66 million years ago. Some species, including mammals, flourished under the changed…
516-Space Weather [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Space is not all that far away. If a powerful solar eruption in 2012 had happened a week earlier, the blast of radiation would have caused wide spread power blackouts disabling everything that plugs into a wall socket as…
3E-3-Finding Earth Approaching Objects [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Using 2 telescopes near Tucson Arizona, the NASA funded, Catalina Sky Survey searches for Earth Approaching Objects. The method is to take 4 images of the same part of the sky spaced out over 45 minutes. These images are…
515-Dust Moons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The discovery of two large ghostly neighbors approximately 65,000 by 45,000 miles in size at the L4 and L5 sites approximately 250,000 miles from both the Earth and Moon.
2E-Voyager I's Baby Step [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Looking into the sky on a clear-dark night, have you wondered what it would be like to travel in deep space?