Red Planet Live

Red Planet Live returns with host Ashton Zeth for a pre-recorded episode featuring companies of the Mars Technology Institute (MTI). James Burk, Director and co-founder of MTI, introduces the three space startup companies; Unleashed Robotics, Dynamik Orbits, and Space DIRT. 1. Quinn Morley, CEO & Co-founder of Unleashed Robotics, https://www.unleashedrobotics.com 2. Shaun Riddell, CEO of Space...

🚀 In this episode: Ashton Zeth sits down with Casey Dreier — Chief of Space Policy at The Planetary Society — joins us to dig into why the search for life should be the guiding star of U.S. space policy. Casey breaks down how advocacy actually works in Washington, how NASA’s science budget is hanging in the balance, and what space lovers can do right now to help protect the future of exploration....

Dr. Robert Zubrin returns to Red Planet Live with major updates from the Mars Society and unfiltered insight into the future of space exploration. In this wide-ranging conversation, Zubrin shares his candid perspective on incoming NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and raises serious concerns about what he describes as an ongoing assault on science—examining the implications for cornerstone mission...

🎙️ Exclusive ESCAPADE Mission Update with Rocket Lab’s Morgan Connaughton In this episode, we sit down with Morgan Connaughton , Rocket Lab’s Vice President of Communications, for a wide-ranging and inspiring conversation about storytelling in spaceflight—and she brought us an EXCLUSIVE update straight from the ESCAPADE mission to Mars . Morgan shares the behind-the-scenes excitement as Rocket Lab...

Exploring New Worlds: Dr. Sara Seager on Venus, Exoplanets, and Life Among the Clouds In this episode of Red Planet Live , MIT astrophysicist Dr. Sara Seager takes us on a breathtaking journey through the frontiers of planetary science—from the acid clouds of Venus to the icy oceans of Enceladus , and even the methane lakes of Titan . Dr. Seager reveals why Venus , often overlooked, is one of the...

🎙 Ashton Zeth sits down with James Burk, Executive Director of the Mars Society, to share updates on the newest analog station HOPE in Ladakh, India (with ISRO as partners), record participation at MDRS , plans for the upcoming 2025 Mars Society Convention at USC, the launch of the new Mars Society Research Journal , and exciting developments from the Mars Technology Institute . 🌍 Highlights: Mas...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Bhavya Lal , space policy leader, MIT alum, PhD from George Washington University, and recipient of NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal. After serving in senior leadership at NASA, Dr. Lal returned to RAND: School of Policy to continue shaping the conversation on national space strategy. Our discussion spans some of the most urgent issues in space today: the gr...

🚀 Episode: Matt Gjertsen – From the Flightline to SpaceX to Startups Matt Gjertsen has lived a life that blends military discipline, startup hustle, and a love for space. From early dreams of going to Mars, to serving as an Air Force instructor pilot, to shaping HR and training during SpaceX’s Crew Dragon era — his path has been anything but ordinary. Now, through his own leadership courses and p...

In this episode, space expert Leonard David dives into the evolving landscape of space law on the Moon, highlighting growing conflicts—especially with China—and framing it as the new space race. He shares insights from his unique background working near the historic  Atlas rocket  and discusses the impact of funding cuts during the  Trump administration  on space exploration. Leonard also breaks d...

A Stellar Chat with Ad Astra Su, Galactic Gal, and Astro Alexandra Join us for a captivating journey back to our July 15th episode, featuring an incredible trio of space communicators: Ad Astra Su , Galactic Gal , and Astro Alexandra ! This special conversation offered a unique glimpse into the world of an engineer working on lunar payloads at a top aerospace company, exploring the delicate balanc...

Join us for this fascinating episode recorded July 1st, where we sit down with Crew 315 from the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS). Our guests — 🌟 Dave Laude (Commander) 🔧 Michael Andrews (Crew Engineer) 🩺 Urban Koi (Health & Safety Officer) 🎨 Tim Gagnon (Crew Artist; also a KSC Artist — kscartist.com ) — share their personal inspirations and reflections from their two-week analog Mars m...

From Pathfinder to Perseverance: A Planetary Scientist’s Journey 🔍 Origin Story: A Spark from the Museum A childhood visit to the Air and Space Museum sparked a lifelong love of space. Inspired by the Pathfinder mission and an exhibit on the Moon . Declared: “I’m going to discover water on the Moon.” Katie determined: “I want to work on another planet.” From Caltech to JPL, now as acting project...

🎙️ New Episode: CEO CJ Jannette of BlackStar Orbital – Building the Future of Personal Space Access In this electrifying episode, we sit down with CJ Jannette , CEO of ⁠BlackStar Orbital⁠ , live from Los Angeles and fresh off Space Tech Expo in Long Beach. With deep roots in SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy and NASA’s hydraulics systems, CJ is now pioneering a new frontier: making space accessible for everyo...

Join us for a powerful 60-minute episode of Red Planet Live featuring trailblazing women in STEM—Janet Ivey, Janeya Griffin, and Amy Imhoff—as we dive into the complex realities of building careers in science, space, and technology. In this episode, we’ll unpack the recent public reaction to Blue Origin’s announcement of an all-women spaceflight crew, and what it reveals about gender dynamics in t...

In this episode of Red Planet Live, Ashton Zeth interviews Dr. Oleg Demidov of Beyond Earth Ventures, a space-focused VC firm backing cutting-edge startups like Lunar Outpost and Xeno Power. Dr. Demidov shares insights from his own entrepreneurial journey, the growing role of robotics in the space economy, and what it takes to launch and lead a venture capital firm investing in the next generation...

Life on the ISS with Astronaut Tracy Dyson 🚀 | Red Planet Live What’s it really like to live and work aboard the International Space Station? In this special episode, host Ashton Zeth sits down with veteran astronaut Dr. Tracy Dyson , who shares unforgettable stories from her three space missions—including helping build the ISS and her recent journey alongside Butch and Sunni. We explore the rhyt...

In this compelling episode of Red Planet Live , we sat down with Dr. Luther Beegle, Principal Investigator of the SHERLOC instrument aboard NASA’s Perseverance rover. While we originally set out to explore SHERLOC’s role in detecting organic compounds and signs of past habitability on Mars, our conversation took us even further. We discussed the Allan Hills 84001 (ALH84001 ) Martian meteorite disc...

Inside MDRS: The Latest from the Mars Desert Research Station Get an exclusive update from one of the world’s premier Mars analog research facilities — the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS). Host Ashton Zeth sits down with three key leaders shaping the future of MDRS: James Burk, Executive Director of The Mars Society; Kay Radzik, Director of Refits; and Sergii Iakymov, MDRS Director. They dive...

Dr. Robert Zubrin joins us to discuss his latest article in The New Atlantis, "The Mars Dream is Back—Here’s How to Make it Actually Happen." In this episode, Zubrin outlines the fastest and most practical path to getting humans to Mars, including the formation of a NASA Tiger Team and the introduction of the Starboat—a Starship-based vehicle designed to serve as a more efficient Mars Ascent Vehic...

Red Planet Live – Jim Cantrell on SpaceX, Startups, and Lessons from Failure In this episode of Red Planet Live , we sit down with Jim Cantrell , a space industry veteran, founding member of SpaceX , and CEO of Phantom Space . Jim shares fascinating stories from his time working alongside Elon Musk in the early days of SpaceX, discussing the challenges, near-misses, and how close to failure SpaceX...

Ashton Zeth interviews Shelli Brunswick, a globally recognized leader in space innovation and former Chief Operating Officer of Space Foundation, shares her insights on leadership and the future of space exploration in the latest episode of Red Planet Live. Shelli also discusses her book, 'What's Space Got to do With it?: Ten Life Lessons for Personal Growth" and future space books under developme...

Drilling Into the Future of Space Exploration with Kris Zacny (Honeybee Robotics) In this episode, Kris Zacny from Honeybee Robotics takes us on a journey into the boldest frontiers of space exploration. We discuss the possibility for the largest hole ever drilled on the Moon with the Blue Ghost Mission 1, planned to happen in under 40 days, and the groundbreaking Prime-1 mission aiming to jackham...

Interviews with Flashline Crew 16, featuring participants Tiffany Swarmer and Michael Andrews. Flashline Mars Arctic Research Station on Devon Island—the world’s largest uninhabited island, located 900 miles from the North Pole. https://fmars.marssociety.org/

In the latest episode of Red Planet Live, host Ashton Zeth interviews Rod Pyle, managing editor of Ad Astra , for an engaging discussion about space exploration. The conversation spans a variety of exciting topics, including the incoming NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, the potential for an orbital commodity exchange, updates on Starship, and much more! Rod Pyle is a prominent space author, jour...

Ashton Zeth interviews Dr. Steven Benner about all things about extant life on Mars. About Dr. Benner Steven Benner, renowned American chemist, has taught at Harvard, ETH Zurich, and the University of Florida. Founder of TWIST, the Foundation for Applied Molecular Evolution, EraGen Biosciences, and Firebird BioMolecular Sciences, Benner's work bridges academia and innovation in molecular science....