Podcast · Tech & Science

EVSN: Escape Velocity Space News

by Dr. Pamela Gay, Erik Madaus, Ally Pelphrey · English · Tech & Science

Get your weekly dose of all that's new in space and astronomy with Escape Velocity Space News. The sky is not the limit, as we bring you the latest scientific discoveries and rocket launches. EVSN is brought to you by the team behind CosmoQuest at the Planetary Science Institute and features hosts

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 28 min
Latest: 24 Sep 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

24 Sep 2026 · 21 min

Cloudy with a Chance of Brown Dwarfs: Terrestrial, Exo & Space Weather

This week we're doing a weather check.

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

S5 · E1 · 17 Sep 2026 · 25 min
No Good, Very Bad News and Some Planetary Palate Cleansers
Join us as we bounce between the geology behind the recent landslide in Nepal and Tibet, the joy of Saturn's south pole forming a decagon, the frustration of both US and Russian space programs having launch capacity issues, and the good news of BepiColombo getting ready to enter Mercury's orbit.
1 Sep 2026 · 11 min
On Background: The Anatomy of a Comet
In this special episode, funded by the National Science Foundation, we're taking a break from the headlines to study the changing anatomy of a comet.
13 Aug 2026 · 49 min
After Hours: Making Moons and Getting Cratered with William K Hartmann
Across a long career, Dr William Hartmann has done everything from innovating how the Moon was formed to founding the Planetary Science Institute to defining space art for a new generation; a generation that included host Pamela Gay. Tune in to hear about science, art, and how they can mix as individuals both make new discoveries, and the illustrations to accompany them!
30 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 1 min
After Hours: Doing Big Science with Light Tools with guest Dr Danny Jacobs
Science comes from many corners, and there is a need for both 600-m radio telescopes made on a great plain (Like the RATAN-600) and 60cm radio dishes built in a living room. In this After Hours, we talk with ASU professor Danny Jacobs about how he engages students of all kinds in space sciences through educational tools like the cardboard radio telescope (https://astrochart.github.io), and in space telescope operations with the SPARCS small sat (https://sparcs.asu.edu/)
23 Jul 2026 · 58 min
After Hours: International Moon Day 2026 with guest Jekan Thanga
On July 20, the world celebrates International Moon Day. This UN designated holiday marks the anniversary of humanity's first landing on the Moon. The Apollo 11 landing in 1969 is now only a distant memory or a date from history for most people, but it is worth thinking about as the world prepares to return humans to the Moon in the coming decade. Joining us to discuss International Moon Day is Dr. Jekan Thanga, the head of the Space TREx Laboratory at the University of Arizona. Come learn how his interdiciplinary team is taking a page from the past as we plan for a Lunar future.
16 Jul 2026 · 51 min
After Hours: Space Rocks Collected for Science with guest Dr Rhonda Stroud
Our solar system readily provides us with free samples of other worlds in the form of meteorites. The trick comes in first recognizing them, and then in understanding what science is locked in their minerals. One major center for collecting and studying these space rocks is Arizona State University's Buseck Center for Meteorite Studies which houses the Carleton B Moore Meteorite Collection. Join us as we discuss the collection with Director Rhonda Stroud.
9 Jul 2026 · 46 min
After Hours: Exploring Physics Through Spaceflight Missions with author Trisha Muro
The physics behind modern spaceflight explores everything from aerodynamics to thermodynamics with a lot of kinematics playing a role along the way. We welcome on guest Trisha Muro to discuss her new book, "It's (Just) Rocket Science", which explores how we can learn physics through spaceflight missions.
S4 · E22 · 2 Jul 2026 · 18 min
Astronomy Asks: How did you get there?
How is this the last episode of the season? July snuck up on us. We'll be back Sept 2 with Season 5! For now, we've got astronomers asking questions; questions like "Did you eat a planet?" and "How did you get there?" Expect the unexpected with a side of rockets.
S4 · E21 · 25 Jun 2026 · 18 min
Tracing the hidden and revealing the past
In this episode we look at the hidden and unexpected geology that may lurk beneath East Antarctica's ice sheet, evidence of past worlds and lost moons that may once have populated our solar system, and evidence of a past Supernova that today may be showering the Earth with material.
S4 · 18 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 10 min
After Hours: Our shape shifting Universe with author Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Join Pamela for an hour that looks at science and society as she talks with author and cosmologist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein. In her new book, "The Edge of Space-Time: Particles, Poetry, & the Cosmic Dream Boogie" Prescod-Weinstein weaves scientific and lyrical understandings of cosmology, bringing together the language of elders with the math of modern computational models. This combination puts our human state in a greater perspective of time and space that looks beyond western textbooks (Oh, and there is a lot of Star Trek referenced in there too!)
S4 · E20 · 11 Jun 2026 · 27 min
Tails SpaceX Fails, Heads We Lose the Earth
In this episode, we look at the SpaceX SEC initial filing and put its facts and figures in context and ask, can they do it? And can the Earth survive if they succeed?
S4 · E19 · 4 Jun 2026 · 15 min
Chasing Chemistry: Missions measure comet & planet atmospheres
In this episode, we're going to look at Psyche's success at Mars, the cool 3I-ATLAS science coming from Europa Clipper and JUICE en route to the Jupiter system:, and we also look at JWST's efforts to study exoplanetary atmospheres and the weird weather of other worlds.
S4 · 28 May 2026 · 49 min
After Hours: Crowdsourcing Innovation with Trisha Epp
Trisha Epp joins us to talking about NASA's collaboration with Freelancer, and how Innovation is now getting crowdsourced. Join in to learn how to launch your own Moonshot! Guest Trisha Epp is a Physicist, Philosopher, and Futurist with a Masters in Geophysics from CalTech and a duel bachelors in physics and philosphy from the University of British Columbia. Since 2023, she's been the Director of Innovation for Freelancer.com's "NASA Tournament Lab". This crowdsourcing innovative invites the public to help solve global problems ranging from maternal morbidity to risk prediction.
S4 · E18 · 21 May 2026 · 16 min
Astronomers: Improbability Finders
Pamela is on the road in this episode as we look at how (and why) astronomers keep finding the improbable, follow the evidence to possible sources of little red dots, study the power of big star clusters to move gas, and examine the merger history of little black holes into bigger ones.
S4 · E17 · 14 May 2026 · 19 min
Uncommon Stars
In today's episode, we look at the Voyager mission's exploration beyond our solar system, the organics Mars Curiosity Rover has discovered, the distribution of planets uncovered by the TESS mission, and how JWST measured the surface of a rocky world 50 light years away!
S4 · E16 · 7 May 2026 · 19 min
The One With the Dark Matter
In this episode, we're going to be looking back in time at how Dark Matter may have influenced the formation of Supermassive Blackholes, newly catalogued remnants of left over hydrogen, an ancient star found as part of a class observing project, and tales from the launch pad.
S4 · 30 Apr 2026 · 49 min
After Hours: Launching the small(er) things with Exolaunch CEO Robert Sproles
As commercial space becomes a more and more mature industry, we're seeing new needs emerge. Front and the center is the need for someone - or some company - to make it easy for folks in need of a launch to find the right ride share for their satellite, no matter how small. Enter ExoLaunch. In this episode we talk with ExoLaunch CEO Robert Sproles about what their company is accomplishing as the shipping company to the stars (or at least Earth Orbit).
S4 · E15 · 23 Apr 2026 · 28 min
To Artemis, With Love
This is EVSN's love letter to the Artemis II mission.
S4 · E14 · 16 Apr 2026 · 14 min
Supervolcanoes: Erupt, Refill, Repeat
This week, in the first of our new shorter and more frequent episodes, we are going to take a look at the interplay of plate tectonics, geology, climate, and life. Specifically, we're looking at the interplay between super volcanoes and us! Did you know Naples is on a supervolcano? Also, in this episode: human sperm get lost in space.
S4 · E13 · 2 Apr 2026 · 26 min
Science in Pairs & Moon Plans Redux
Once again, we're going to attempt to get you up to date with what is going down at NASA. In addition to NASA updates, we have stories of science that comes in twos. From 2 planets forming in a disk to 2 stars coming together to shine brightly, to two asteroids that together orbit the Sun a bit faster, to two planets that collided, … it is a week for pairs.
26 Mar 2026 · 14 min
On Background - Comets, the basics
In this special episode, funded by the National Science Foundation, we're taking a break from the headlines to share the background story of comets. Today, we'll focus on the origin of comets and their basic anatomy, and in future episodes, we'll dive deep into how comets are discovered, what we can learn from them, and how they can literally and figuratively impact our world.
S4 · E12 · 19 Mar 2026 · 34 min
Pretty Pictures & Ugly Artemis News
This episode went through a lot of rewrites as breaking news kept breaking our hearts. Artemis is still on, but there are delays and cancellations. Before we face that, let's look at some pretty pictures and remember the universe is pretty even when our Earthly-timeline is not.
S4 · E11 · 26 Feb 2026 · 27 min
Glaciers: Going, Going…Gone
The glaciers are melting, the volcanoes are erupting, and earthquakes are shaking things up. Let's discuss.
S4 · E10 · 13 Feb 2026 · 28 min
The sky is falling! Space Junk 411
In this episode, we take a closer look at how the increasing number of rockets and satellites going up mean there is also an unfortunate increase in the space junk coming down. We also cover dramatic weather, stars dying and disappearing, and update you on Maven and Paranal Observatory.
S4 · E9 · 29 Jan 2026 · 30 min
JWST Makes Sense of the Early Universe
In this episode we look at highlights from the latest American Astronomical Society Meeting. An accidental theme came out: with each new telescope and each improved instrument we can look more closely at our universe - we can and do learn more and understand more even about the things we thought we knew best. In this episode, Rubin Observatory brings rapidly rotating asteroids, and JWST peers at objects thriving in the first 2 billion years of our universe. Observatory after observatory brings us new science.
S4 · E8 · 8 Jan 2026 · 32 min
Astronomy Answers: What's that light?
In this episode, we're pleased to say we get to focus on science, as we bring you hot Jupiters, a tear-drop shaped Jupiter massed… something…? - and news of objects getting torn apart and other objects getting merged together as our universe lights up our night.
S4 · E7 · 25 Dec 2025 · 28 min
When Science Results Rhyme: Exoplanets, Supernovae, and Relativity
In this week's episode, we look at planets younger than fossils, celebrate relativity repeatedly working as expected, and peer at previously only theorized 1st generation stars using JWST. We celebrate the completion of the construction of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, and look in on all the recent launches. All this and more is coming to you right here, and right now.
S4 · E6 · 4 Dec 2025 · 31 min
Never trust a volcano & other geology tales
The world we live on today has undergone dramatic change since it first formed, and time hasn't necessarily been kind. Earth has gained some weight (and a Moon) after a chance collision. A leaky gut led to some confusing internal structures. Here on the surface, mountains keep finding new ways to pop off and destroy surroundings. But scientists are helping us understand all these factors. Learn how in this episode of EVSN, and also hear about our latest tales from the launch pad.
S4 · E5 · 20 Nov 2025 · 26 min
Climate Change Follows the Water
We live on an ever-changing world, and by studying the past, we can better understand our potential futures. In this episode, we follow the water and look at how past periods of glacial melt changed water levels, look into the water and see how pond and sea life add greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, and reflect on a glacier that shrank by 24 km in just 2 years. Oh, and there are also tales from the launch pad!

About EVSN: Escape Velocity Space News

EVSN: Escape Velocity Space News is a English tech & science podcast from Dr. Pamela Gay, Erik Madaus, Ally Pelphrey. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Dr. Pamela Gay, Erik Madaus, Ally Pelphrey
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 28 min
Latest episode: 24 Sep 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1479137502
Rights: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International

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