The Space Show by Dr. David Livingston

John and I spoke with Doug Messier for a single Hotel Mars segment focused on recent SpaceX launches and the latest developments with Starship, including efforts to troubleshoot recent launch failures. Doug discussed costs, testing, technical challenges, and the projected timelines for key SpaceX and Starship-related programs. He also reviewed the progression of Super Heavy Block 1, 2, and 3, noti...

We began our discussion with Dr. Bae with a focus on nuclear fusion power and space propulsion. The conversation covered Dr. Bae’s research career, the challenges in developing fusion technology, and potential applications for space. We aimed to conclude with a consensus that both fusion and thorium-based fission could play key roles in future space propulsion, while fission would likely remain th...

Casey Dreyer, Director of Space Policy at the Planetary Society, joined us in our Space Show Zoom room to discuss the proposed 2026 NASA budget. He criticized the budget as unprecedented, “unstrategic,” and damaging—highlighting a historic 25% cut that could cancel numerous missions and projects. Casey stressed that the budget breaks the Artemis consensus, cuts scientific research, and threatens N...

Please note that both the video and the audio of this program are archived on our Substack page, doctorspace.substack.com. I strongly recommend you watch the video version. We introduced Dr. Ersilia Vaudo, an astrophysicist and author from Paris with a 30-year career at ESA, including roles overseeing relations with NASA. He mentions her book and asks about her background in space and her motivati...

The Space Show hosted a discussion with Dr. Saralyn Mark, focusing on space medicine, human spaceflight, and the challenges of long-duration space travel. The conversation covered topics such as the impact of space on human health, advancements in space technology, and the potential for space research to benefit medical treatments on Earth. Dr. Mark emphasized the importance of international colla...

Please note that there were audio and technical difficulties with this program My apologies. Dr. Karen Lloyd, author of INTRATERRESTRIALS: Discovering The Strangest Life On Earth , was our guest for this 63-minute program. We explored a variety of strange life forms that she has studied using deep-sea submersibles such as ALVIN. Although we did touch on some land-based life later in the program, m...

We welcomed Dr. Robert Bishop of Texas A&M University to The Space Show for a wide-ranging discussion on space exploration, technology, and education—highlighting Texas A&M’s expanding leadership in space science, engineering, and research. After introducing the program and reminding listeners that The Space Show is a nonprofit, listener-supported initiative, I welcomed our guest, Dr. Robert Bisho...

John and I welcomed Dr. Enrique Gaztañaga from the University of Portsmouth in the UK. Dr. Gaztañaga presented an alternative theory of the universe that challenges the established Big Bang model. Since the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) came online, observations have raised questions about the standard Big Bang theory—questions that Dr. Gaztañaga has been at the forefront of addressing through...

Bill Gowan joined us on this program to share his experience participating in The Planetary Society’s annual Day of Action on Capitol Hill. This year’s event took place in March and included training sessions, group feedback meetings, and visits to numerous congressional offices, primarily engaging with staffers from both the Senate and the House. While the Day of Action had its own structured age...

John and I welcomed back Eric Berger of Ars Technica to Hotel Mars for a one-segment update and discussion on SpaceX, Elon Musk, and Starship. We began by asking Eric what successful Starship testing would look like for SpaceX. He acknowledged that it's difficult to define clear success metrics at this stage. We then discussed the upcoming Demo Test #10, potential hardware and assembly issues, plu...

We welcomed Dave Barnhart, CEO and Co-founder of Arkisys, Inc., back to the program to share updates since his last appearance on May 2, 2023. The conversation focused on developments in the growing field of space servicing and the evolving commercial space industry. Dave provided a comprehensive update on Arkisys’s Port project, highlighting increased interest from the U.S. Space Force, the Space...

The Space Show welcomed award-winning author and former Caltech radio astronomer Marcus Chown to discuss his latest book, A Crack in Everything: How Black Holes Came in from the Cold and Took Cosmic Center Stage . Chown shared his journey from early inspiration—thanks to a childhood astronomy book and the moon landing—to his current career as a science writer/journalist. He also noted the success...

My initial question to guest Jim Meigs focused on the ongoing conflict between Elon Musk and Donald Trump and its potential implications for U.S. space policy and programs, particularly NASA’s future leadership and priorities. Together with our guest, listeners explored the challenges and uncertainties facing NASA’s human spaceflight efforts, including budget constraints, shifting mission timeline...

John and I welcomed Casey Dreier from The Planetary Society to the program to discuss the proposed NASA space and science budget cuts and the elimination of several key projects. Casey suggested that the direction for these cuts likely originated from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), with minimal input or guidance from the space policy experts. He highlighted several affected programs, i...

This was a special 2-hour, 16-minute Zoom program. On The Space Show website, the program is available in the audio-only format. Both video and audio are available on this Substack page. Our discussion focused on the development and evolution of GPS and the recently declassified PARCAE satellite technology. We explored their origins, technical challenges, historical context, and how they interconn...

Jess Sponable Returns: A Call for Entrepreneurial Leadership in Aerospace and Defense, Friday Space Show, May 30, 2025 Jess Sponable returned to the program to discuss his recent Op-Ed, co-authored with retired Air Force General Steve Kwast, published on April 7, 2025, in The Washington Times (www.washingtontimes.com/news/2025/apr/7/time-build-culture-entrepreneurs-nasa). The piece emphasizes the...

Dan Adamo Returns for Part 2 on Interplanetary Synodic-Resonant Waypoints Dan Adamo returned to the program for Part 2 of his discussion on “Interplanetary Synodic-Resonant Waypoints” for Earth-Mars spaceflight. To follow the conversation effectively, please refer to the PDF document associated with his first appearance on May 18, 2025. The link to that document is also included in the blog post f...

We welcomed Clay Mowry, the new CEO of AIAA, to the program to discuss the "new" AIAA and the overall health of our space industry. The 66-minute conversation kicked off with an in-depth look at AIAA’s dynamic new logo and the story behind it, as told by Clay. Make sure you are looking at the new logo when Clay tells its story. Check it out at www.aiaa.org. First things first: First, visit AIAA.or...

John and I had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Robin Andrews from the UK to discuss planetary defense. Robin introduced us to the term “City-Killer,” which refers to an asteroid large enough to cause devastating damage if it were to strike a populated area. While such an impact would result in severe local destruction, it wouldn’t pose a global threat. Robin explained that a "City-Killer" asteroid t...

We’re pleased to welcome Coyote Smith back to the program for a wide-ranging and insightful discussion covering topics such as the Grissom Space Seminar, the Space Force's 5th anniversary, great power competition in space, and the evolving nature of space warfare. Toward the end of our 65-minute conversation, Coyote also provided an update on space-based solar power. We spent 90 minutes talking ab...

Please review/download Dan’s PDF document which you can find at www.thespaceshow.com/show/18-may-2025/broadcast-4374-dan-adamo. We welcomed Dan Adamo back to the program to discuss his recent work, presented to AIAA, on human spaceflight travel between Earth-Mars waypoints. The PDF of Dan’s presentation is available on the blog page for this episode. We began by reviewing key definitions and termi...

Please see Dr. Bhavya Lal’s full bio and photo at www.thespaceshow.com/guest/dr.-bhavya-lal-0 . Dr. Bhavya Lal joined us as our guest on this Friday’s edition of The Space Show to discuss her significant March 17, 2025 Space Review article, “Is the Moon in America's Future?” Early in the interview, Dr. Lal also referenced several of her other important articles published in The Space Review —all o...

John and I welcomed Anatoly Zak of RussianSpaceWeb.com to discuss the recently revealed Soviet-era mission to explore Venus — the Vener-72 program. This mission has resurfaced in the news following the unexpected reentry of one of its probes into Earth’s atmosphere on May 10, 2025, after spending over 50 years in orbit. In this two-part program, Anatoly takes us through the fascinating history of...

Welcome to our ISDC 2025 Preview Program! Aggie Kobrin and Rod Pyle joined us to share an exciting look at what you can expect at this year’s International Space Development Conference (ISDC), happening in Orlando. For full details, visit https://isdc.nss.org. Aggie and Rod walked us through a stellar lineup of keynote speakers and program track participants—including the likely next NASA Administ...

Dr. Bae returned to the program to discuss his new book, Photonic Laser Propulsion . He explained the underlying technology, answered numerous listener questions, and explored topics such as development timelines, implementation strategies, lunar and Martian missions, comparisons with chemical rockets, and the broader economics of space exploration. Throughout the discussion, we also examined how...