Podcast · Tech & Science

This Week in Space (Video)

The new space age is upon us, and This Week in Space leaves no topic untouched. Every Friday, join Editor-in-Chief of Ad Astra magazine, Rod Pyle and Managing Editor of Space.com , Tariq Malik as they explore everything related to the cosmos. You can join Club TWiT for $10 per month and get

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 9 min
Latest: 9 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

9 Oct 2026 · 58 min

TWiS 231: Sailing the Stellar Seas - Our Favorite Space Sci-Fi!

From the earliest works of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells to the best of contemporary space science fiction, Tariq and I dive deep into our favorite space si-fi across the ages! And our challenge to you for some of the most obscure titles we know. Headlines: Remembering Apollo Era Legends Margaret Hamilton and Milt Windler Soviet Meteor 27 Satellite Breaks Up, Raising Space Debris Concerns Elon Musk Receives National Science Award Amid NASA Science Cuts Main Topic: Space Science Fiction Books and Media Influential Childhood Sci-Fi Classics and Lesser-Known Gems H.G. Wells, Ray Bradbury, and the…

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Earlier episodes 19 most recent

E230 · 2 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
TWiS 230: Living on Lava Worlds - Atmospheres on Lava-Covered Exoplanets
Think you're having a hot summer? Try living on 55 Cancri-e, a super-Earth with daytime temperatures above 4000 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of these super-Earths orbit frighteningly close to their host stars and have long since had their atmospheres scraped away, leaving them baked, parched rocks. But some, like 55 Cancri, still have dense envelopes of air. How is that possible, when the planet is 20 times closer to its star than our own planet Mercury? Dr. Laura Schaefer explains how molten lava worlds defy the odds. Plus: Starship update, the first orbital data centers, and a new year on…
E229 · 25 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
TWiS 229: Is It Starship's Time? - Test Flight 14 to Orbit
This week it's Rod and Tariq working through the most important space headlines. The big story: Starship could launch test flight 14 as early as Monday the 28th. We've seen lots of tests, but this is the first attempt at an orbital flight, the success of which is necessary for the lunar landing system and eventual retirement of the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon. Also: Vast starts up a lunar division, Isaacman's relief over delays to China's lunar program, concerns over announced discontinuation of SpaceX's Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon, and yet more money for Boeing's troubled Starliner. This and more…
E228 · 18 Sep 2026 · 58 min
TWiS 228: What's a HOTOL? - Britain in Space
In the 1980s, as the US space shuttle was just starting operations, the UK embarked on an ambitious project called HOTOL—short for Horizontal Take Off and Landing, a radical, air-breathing spaceplane design. Political and funding shifts in the UK ultimately derailed the project, despite the promising technologies it pioneered. The idea was later restarted as Skylon, with key individuals and refined technologies at its core. This project, too, struggled, ultimately shuttering in 2024. Despite this, the promise of rapid, reusable spaceplanes that can launch and land at airports is still…
E227 · 11 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
TWiS 227: TrekMania - Michael Okuda Talks LCARS, Easter Eggs, and Sci-Fi Innovation
Hold onto your phasers, but it's been 60 years since Star Trek 's debut, and the franchise is still going strong. For 40 of those years, Mike Okuda, working with a gifted team that included his wife Denise, has been central to the look, feel, and substance of the Star Trek universe. From the LCARS computer graphical system to alien languages to the designs and color schemes, and even the digital effects remastering of the original series, Mike has been the Cardinal of Canon when it comes to all things Trek . He has also been involved with many more space-related shows, books, and NASA…
E226 · 4 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 13 min
TWiS 226: Who Owns the Moon? - Capitalism and Property Rights in Space
Capitalism—and a strong profit motivation—has driven enterprise for centuries. Two notable examples are the East India Company and the US transcontinental railroad, and the various tycoons who built it. In neither case, by today's standards, were the operations fair or ethical on a number of fronts. Can we do better in space? Dr. Rainer Zitelmann joins us to discuss capitalism and the importance of extraterrestrial land ownership as an enabler of human expansion off-Earth. He's got a lot to say, and not all of it is what you might expect. Join us for this fascinating and informative look at…
E225 · 28 Aug 2026 · 1 hr
TWiS 225: Get a Grip! - New Technologies for Orbital Salvage
The mitigation of orbital debris is an increasingly serious problem that has not gotten enough attention, but this is changing. Commercial companies are addressing orbital debris, and one of them, KMI Space, has flown its experiments aboard the International Space Station, performing over 170 individual rendezvous-and-grab operations. The results are very promising, and the company is moving ahead with ever more ambitious designs. Adam Kall of KMI joins us to discuss their work on the ISS, the goals of the company, and how nature—via the humble octopus and gecko lizards—may have provided the…
E224 · 21 Aug 2026 · 1 hr
TWiS 224: The Science of Artemis - What We'll Do on the Moon
It has been said that the Moon is a harsh mistress, and nowhere is this more apparent than at the lunar south pole. That is, however, where the Artemis program is headed, and we need to figure out how to best explore the region. Dr. David Kring of the Universities Space Research Association's Lunar and Planetary Institute joins us to explore the where, whys, and hows of the Artemis Program's lunar exploration plans, and the answers--and risks--that await us. Headlines: Starship Flight 12 Survives Indian Ocean Landing nd Long Sea Journey China's Chang'e 7 Lunar Hopper Mission Targets…
E223 · 14 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
TWiS 223: The Lunar Domain - Our Future on the Moon with Dr. Scott Pace
We're headed for a space renaissance, and it will be focused on the Moon. The US, China, and international partners of both are vying to land people there and construct a permanent lunar base. Meanwhile, NASA is evolving to embrace commercial enterprise unlike any time in its past, and American lunar efforts are lagging. What are the stakes? Does it matter who returns humans there first? What does the future of lunar commerce look like? Dr. Scott Pace, the Director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, joins us. Main Topic: The Evolving Lunar Domain and US Space…
E222 · 7 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 8 min
TWiS 222: How to Invade Earth in 22 Easy Steps - With Rich Edwards
We've all seen the movies... the aliens come to Earth, the aliens overcome the inferior humans, and the aliens fall prey to something dumb they overlooked, like microbes, Windows 95, or most absurdly, water. From the 1950s through yesterday, some of the best movies we've seen were about the invasion of our planet. They can be clever, scary, or even downright dumb, but they are all fun. Veteran space writer Rich Edwards joins us to give advice on how to repel the invaders! Headlines: Department of Defense drops new batch of UFO/UAP files Blue Origin traces New Glenn rocket explosion to faulty…
E221 · 31 Jul 2026 · 57 min
TWiS 221: Starship Can Float? - Roman Space Telescope Ready to Launch!
Rod Pyle is out this week, so Rick Jenet of the National Space Society joins Tariq Malik this week to talk about SpaceX's Starship Flight 13, which deployed new Starlink V3 satellites and stunned viewers when the ship survived reentry intact enough to float in the ocean for days afterward. They also discuss NASA's Roman Space Telescope, now just a month from launch, and an in-progress emergency effort to save the ailing Swift Space Observatory using a servicing spacecraft that is itself now experiencing technical trouble. Finally, they look into Boeing's continued Starliner delays and…
E220 · 24 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 17 min
TWiS 220: First on Mars - The 50th Anniversary of Viking 1
This week, we cover how Starship Flight 13 finally prepares to launch amid a legal battle over SpaceX's proposed land swap at Starbase, plus a Chinese Long March 3B rocket gets struck by lightning during liftoff, yet still delivers its satellite safely. Then, guests Dr. Pascal Lee and astrobiologist Dr. Penny Boston join the show to mark the 50th anniversary of Viking 1's landing on Mars and revisit the mission's groundbreaking life-detection experiments and the decades-long controversy over what they actually found. The conversation traces Mars exploration from the earliest Mariner flybys…
E219 · 18 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 13 min
TWiS 219: SpaceX Goes to War! - And Other Space Headlines
This week we're jumping into the space headlines for the past few weeks. It's been busy, and some exciting things are happening! A couple of companies are moving into the space solar power arena--something we've long advocated--and that's welcome progress. Starship is set to fly Starship test number 13, and a lot is riding on this--the system is overdue for some proof of concept to keep up with NASA's HLS contract. An exoplanet spotted a decade ago has shown signs of a potentially habitable atmosphere; there are landslides--big ones--on Pluto, and evidence of "space candy" sugars in an…
E218 · 10 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 11 min
TWiS 218: Which Way to the Moonbase? - With Dr. Pascal Lee
We've been hearing a lot about NASA's new moonbase plans, and they are ambitious. Starting with Artemis V (so far), the US plans to begin preparations for a permanent base situated in the south polar regions of the moon. Details are somewhat fluid, but one thing stands out: the poles are likely to be the most challenging places to set up shop in an already hostile environment. Planetary scientist Dr. Pascal Lee joins us to discuss moonbase siting options and why the poles may not be the best choice at first. Headlines: China Demonstrates Impressive Rocket Landing and Catch Mechanism New…
E217 · 3 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 18 min
TWiS 217: America in Space - 250 Years of Bold Firsts & Our Favorite Missions!
Since 1958, the United States has been part of the spaceflight adventure, and since the mid-1960s has led in just about any category that counts. In this episode, we discuss the progression of American space efforts, review which flights launched or landed on July 4, and relive some of our very favorite US space missions of all time! "Headlines: • NASA's Swift Boost Mission Aims to Rescue Swift Space Telescope • Astronomer Avi Loeb Tapped to Chair White House UAP Panel • Celebrating 30 Years of the Film Independence Day Main Topic: 250 Years of America in Space • American Flags Across the…
E216 · 26 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 11 min
TWiS 216: Dark Matter Intelligence - With Physicist Dr. Daniel Whiteson
We've had endless conversations about aliens and first contact--but what if a conversation with other intelligences is beyond our scope? Dr. Daniel Whiteson, particle physicist at CERN's Large Hadron Collider and professor at UC Irvine, joins us to explore less conventional thoughts on first contact. We look at the challenges of communicating with extraterrestrial intelligences, potential difficulties of communicating via non-terrestrial mathematics and physics, and the possibility that extraterrestrials might actually be terrestrial... but existing as denizens of the dark energy universe.…
E215 · 19 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
TWiS 215: Disclosure Day - With Dr. David Brin
If you've seen "Disclosure Day" or "Age of Disclosure," you're going to want to join us for this fascinating discussion with famed bestselling sci-fi/sci-fact author Dr. David Brin. Long known for his universe-spanning visions, storytelling skills, and occasionally contrarian viewpoints, this episode will not disappoint! Our discussion ranged from reactions to Spielberg's "Disclosure Day" to why people believe in AI and more. This week's guest co-host is ace science journalist Susan Karlin. Headlines: Spielberg's "Disclosure Day" Premieres to Mixed Reviews Alien Lore and the Evolution of…
E214 · 12 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
TWiS 214: Moon Man - With Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine
There are NASA Administrators, and then there are NASA Administrators—all are very accomplished individuals, but some stand out for their unique backgrounds and on-the-job successes, and Jim Bridenstine is one of the latter. Entering service as the new NASA Administrator in 2017 with a background as a Navy pilot, Congressman, and museum director, he was an unconventional choice, and faced some headwinds in the appointment—but Jim turned out to be exceptional in the job, especially given the state of NASA when he took it on. Join us to hear his experiences with our favorite space agency and…
E213 · 5 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 23 min
TWiS 213: Live From ISDC With Gerry Griffin - NASA Flight Director Breaks Down the Realities of Spaceflight
Recorded live from the International Space Development Conference in McLean, Virginia, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik are joined by Apollo legend and former Johnson Space Center director Gerry Griffin. Griffin takes us on a journey through his extraordinary career, from his appointment as a flight director in the wake of the Apollo 1 fire, through the audacious decision to send Apollo 8 around the moon, all the way to the nail-biting rescue of Apollo 13. We also venture behind the scenes of Ron Howard's Apollo 13 film, where Griffin reveals the real story behind some of Hollywood's most famous…
E212 · 29 May 2026 · 1 hr 3 min
TWiS 212: Kabooms, Starship, and a Moon Base - What New Glenn's Explosion Means for NASA's Moon Base
What a wild week in space news! We were all set to discuss Starship Test Flight 12 and NASA's recent press conference updating their lunar base plans, when on Thursday night, Blue Origin lost a New Glenn rocket on the pad during a static test. The explosion appears to have severely damaged the launch structure, LC36, along with the loss of the rocket. Fortunately, there were no casualties. But this does throw NASA's schedule for returning American astronauts to the moon into question, given that the agency had recently signaled their choice of Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander for Artemis 4 in…

About This Week in Space (Video)

This Week in Space (Video) is a English tech & science podcast from TWiT. 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: TWiT
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 1 hr 9 min
Latest episode: 9 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1676696187
Rights: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License - Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International -…

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