Best Lunar Colonization Podcasts (2025)

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T+315: Autonomy in Space (with Simone D’Amico, DJ Bush, and Al Tadros) 1:03:06

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7d ago1:03:06

1:03:06

Simone D’Amico of Stanford and EraDrive, DJ Bush of NVIDIA, and Al Tadros of Redwire join me to talk about autonomy in space, to get into the specific details of what they’re working on and how it comes together, and what it may do for the industry in the next few years. This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 32 executive producer…

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T+314: Jockeying for the Artemis 3 Lander, and the NASA Administrator Position 34:59

17d ago34:59

34:59

Thinking through the chaos that has ensued over the NASA Administrator role, the Artemis 3 lander acceleration movement, the SpaceX Starship HLS update, and a bit on how we actually got here. This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 32 executive producers—Donald, Stealth Julian, Jan, Theo and Violet, The Astrogators at SEE, Joakim, …

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Two Days and a Half – How ESA Brought a Lost Mars Mission Back to Life 1:26:45

12d ago1:26:45

1:26:45

The Episode In March 2022, Europe’s ExoMars Rosalind Franklin mission was only weeks from launch when it was suddenly grounded. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ended years of cooperation, and left one of ESA’s most ambitious Mars projects without a ride, without partners, and without a plan. From inside ESA’s Mission Control in Darmstadt, Sara Melloni…

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T+313: Starlink, Kuiper, Project Bromo, and More (with Caleb Henry) 33:04

18d ago33:04

33:04

Caleb Henry, Director of Research at Quilty Space, joins me (in studio!) to talk about Starlink V3, Starlink satellite relay, Kuiper’s rollout, the Airbus-Thales-Leonardo merger, and the future of Iridium. This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 32 executive producers—Heiko, Joonas, Joel, The Astrogators at SEE, Russell, Joakim, Ti…

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T+312: Starship Flight 11, Space Policy, and Priorities (with Miles O’Brien) 44:18

1M ago44:18

44:18

Miles O’Brien, science correspondent for PBS News and CNN space analyst, joins me to talk about Starship Flight 11, the current space policy landscape including the ongoing government shutdown, the possible return of Jared Isaacman, and what to do about all the competing budget priorities at NASA. This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to y…

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T+311: Phil McAlister on Commercial LEO and NASA’s Human Spaceflight Budget 42:37

1M ago42:37

42:37

Phil McAlister, former Director of NASA’s Commercial Space Division, joins me to talk about the Commercial LEO Destinations program, the budgetary issues facing NASA and its human spaceflight programs, and to share his perspective on the last (and next) few years in these areas. This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 32 executive …

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Stop Chasing Ice: Why the First Moon Base Shouldn’t Be a Mine (with Pascal Lee) 1:25:26

1M ago1:25:26

1:25:26

Dr. Pascal Lee, planetary scientist, Arctic field explorer, and professor at the KSU (Kepler Space University) He’s spent his life between two extremes, the frozen frontiers of the Arctic and the conceptual edges of space exploration. Few people connect fieldwork, engineering, and philosophy like Pascal does. What We Talk About This episode begins …

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T+310: NASA’s “Prove It” Era 19:48

2M ago19:48

19:48

NASA selected Blue Origin to (maybe) deliver the once-cancelled VIPER rover, modified Sierra Space’s ISS resupply contract which likely puts the nail in the coffin of Dream Chaser, and released the draft of its new commercial space station strategy. All different stories with one message: prove it. But maybe not in a good way. This episode of Main …

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The Ocean Isn’t Flat: ESA’s gravity maps, climate facts, and Earth’s hidden shape 58:33

1M ago58:33

58:33

Guest: Robert Meisner, Earth Observation, ESA, ESRIN The Cosmic Scoop: In this eye-opening episode, Markus travels to ESRIN, ESA’s Earth Observation hub in Frascati near Rome, to sit down with Robert Meisner – a man who has spent nearly 40 years watching our planet from above. Together they dive into the hidden landscapes of the ocean surface, the …

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T+309: EchoStar’s Spectrum Sale, Starlink’s Financials (with Caleb Henry, Director of Research at Quilty Space) 43:01

2M ago43:01

43:01

Caleb Henry, Director of Research at Quilty Space, joins me to talk about EchoStar’s spectrum sales and constellation cancellation, SpaceX’s spectrum purchase, and the financials of Starlink. This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 34 executive producers—Bob, Heiko, Creative Taxi, Josh from Impulse, Russell, Donald, Will and Lars f…

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Who Needs Legs in Space? The Incredible Journey of John McFall 1:03:39

2M ago1:03:39

1:03:39

John McFall — surgeon, Paralympic medalist, father of three, and ESA parastronaut selectee — joins Markus to explore how human spaceflight changes when we design for ability, not assumptions. From winter survival in the Pyrenees to EVA realities and cosmic radiation, John shares what it takes to open space to everyone. Cosmic Timeline [00:00:00] Sq…

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Earth's Lost Rings: A 466-Million-Year-Old Warning 58:37

2M ago58:37

58:37

Guest: Dr. Andy Tomkins – Geologist, Professor at Monash University, and lead author of the groundbreaking study proposing that Earth once had a Saturn-like ring system. The Cosmic Scoop: What if Earth once had rings like Saturn? Dr. Andy Tomkins joins Markus to unravel the evidence that, 466 million years ago, a colossal asteroid breakup may have …

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T+308: Chatting with Casey Handmer 36:09

3M ago36:09

36:09

Casey Handmer, Founder of Terraform Industries, joins me to talk about the state of NASA in 2025, talent acquisition and retention, productivity, and so much more. This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 34 executive producers—Kris, Joakim (Jo-Kim), Creative Taxi, Heiko, Joel, Frank, Josh from Impulse, The Astrogators at SEE, David…

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T+307: Executive Order on Regulatory Reform (with Tom Marotta) 30:47

3M ago30:47

30:47

Tom Marotta of The Spaceport Company joins me to talk about the executive order this week focused on commercial space regulatory reform, what problems it seeks to solve, his experience on both sides of those issues, and how we should understand the positioning of the order. This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 34 executive produ…

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Solar Lets You Visit. Nuclear Lets You Stay. A delicate conversation. 1:04:34

3M ago1:04:34

1:04:34

Guest: Dr. Bhavya Lal – Former NASA Chief Technologist, MIT-trained nuclear engineer, and architect of U.S. space nuclear policy. The Cosmic Scoop: Nuclear power’s bad Earthly reputation hides its potential as a lifeline beyond our planet. Space is already radioactive—and if we want to stay and build on the Moon, Mars, or Europa, nuclear offers “po…

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T+306: Lunar Outpost (with Michael Moreno, VP of Strategy) 41:56

3M ago41:56

41:56

Michael Moreno, VP of Strategy at Lunar Outpost, joins me to talk about what they’ve been up to at the company, the NASA Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract, the idea of services as a business on the Moon, and more. This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 35 executive producers—Lee, Russell, Fred, The Astrogators at SEE, David,…

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Planet Earth, Digitized: Can ESA’s Virtual Twin Save Us? 47:17

3M ago47:17

47:17

This week, Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programs at the European Space Agency (ESA), joins Markus to dive into one of the most ambitious and groundbreaking projects of our time: building a digital twin of our planet. Through Destination Earth (DestinE), ESA is creating a dynamic, real-time model of Earth—a tool designed to simulat…

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Former Space Agency Head: The Real Reason We Aren't on the Moon (It's Not Technology) 1:14:35

5M ago1:14:35

1:14:35

Giorgio Saccoccia – former President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), propulsion engineer, and lifelong “space fan.” From lunar outposts and electric thrusters to space-as-diplomacy, Saccoccia brings four decades of insight into turning quick “flags-and-footprints” missions into a permanent human presence beyond Earth. Key Moments ⏱ Time Topic | …

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T+305: The Starship 36 Explosion, and ESA Policy (with Adrian Beil, NASASpaceflight) 1:06:14

5M ago1:06:14

1:06:14

A special simulcast of this week’s Off-Nominal—the other show I do, if you somehow haven’t heard of it!—because it’s exactly the topic list with exactly the guest I had up next on my list. I’m joined by Adrian Beil of NASASpaceflight to talk about the recent mayhem at Starbase, and to kick around European space policy topics in the run up to the ES…

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Forget Mars: Blue Origin Wants Earth as a National Park! 52:04

5M ago52:04

52:04

Heather Nelson, Director of the Club for the Future at Blue Origin, is at the forefront of inspiring the next generation to dream boldly about humanity’s role as an interplanetary species. In this expansive conversation, Heather provides a rare peek behind the curtain of Blue Origin’s ambitious plans and philosophical vision for the future of human…

Lunar Colonization Podcasts

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Space Café Podcast - Navigating Our Interplanetary Ambitions

Markus Mooslechner

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Main Engine Cut Off

Anthony Colangelo

1
T+315: Autonomy in Space (with Simone D’Amico, DJ Bush, and Al Tadros) 1:03:06

1
T+314: Jockeying for the Artemis 3 Lander, and the NASA Administrator Position 34:59

1
Two Days and a Half – How ESA Brought a Lost Mars Mission Back to Life 1:26:45

1
T+313: Starlink, Kuiper, Project Bromo, and More (with Caleb Henry) 33:04

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T+312: Starship Flight 11, Space Policy, and Priorities (with Miles O’Brien) 44:18

1
T+311: Phil McAlister on Commercial LEO and NASA’s Human Spaceflight Budget 42:37

1
Stop Chasing Ice: Why the First Moon Base Shouldn’t Be a Mine (with Pascal Lee) 1:25:26

1
T+310: NASA’s “Prove It” Era 19:48

1
The Ocean Isn’t Flat: ESA’s gravity maps, climate facts, and Earth’s hidden shape 58:33

1
T+309: EchoStar’s Spectrum Sale, Starlink’s Financials (with Caleb Henry, Director of Research at Quilty Space) 43:01

1
Who Needs Legs in Space? The Incredible Journey of John McFall 1:03:39

1
Earth's Lost Rings: A 466-Million-Year-Old Warning 58:37

1
T+308: Chatting with Casey Handmer 36:09

1
T+307: Executive Order on Regulatory Reform (with Tom Marotta) 30:47

1
Solar Lets You Visit. Nuclear Lets You Stay. A delicate conversation. 1:04:34

1
T+306: Lunar Outpost (with Michael Moreno, VP of Strategy) 41:56

1
Planet Earth, Digitized: Can ESA’s Virtual Twin Save Us? 47:17

1
Former Space Agency Head: The Real Reason We Aren't on the Moon (It's Not Technology) 1:14:35

1
T+305: The Starship 36 Explosion, and ESA Policy (with Adrian Beil, NASASpaceflight) 1:06:14

1
Forget Mars: Blue Origin Wants Earth as a National Park! 52:04