Space4U

Jason Held – Saber Astronautics

In this episode:

 

We meet Jason Held, CEO of Saber Astronautics, a mission control operations software and services company, with locations in Sydney, Australia, and Boulder, Colorado, USA. Prior to founding Saber, Jason was a Major in the U.S. Army's USSTRATCOM (Space Command) during which time he served as an active-duty engineer at Army Space and Missile Command Battle Lab. Later, as a civilian, he wrote flight software for the Hubble Space Telescope and testing for the International Space Station. He has lectured for the IRS Space Station Design Workshop, the University of New South Wales, and the International Space University. He also led a research expedition in the high Canadian Arctic, and he has served on the Australian government's Expert Reference Group designing their space agency.

 

In this conversation Jason explains how his passion for space began in childhood, yet he felt space jobs were inaccessible due to his academic struggles. He details how he believes that the perceived hurdles to space jobs can be overcome to achieve the democratization of space. He also discusses the capabilities of Saber's PIGI satellite tracking software, and how Saber partnered with an Australian craft brewery to create a recipe and drinking vessel that allows beer to be consumed in space.

 

In describing his feelings about the democratization of space, Jason says, “Space is something that anybody can do. You know, if someone like myself, with the history I had on the academic side can pull into it, I think anybody can... So, the more exposure that you have to it at a young age, the more you’re going to be ready for the markets that are going to come up, and the space jobs that are going to come up in 10 to 20 years’ time.”

 

To learn more about Saber Astronautics, visit saberastro.com.

 

Introductory and closing music: Paint the Sky by Hans Atom (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/hansatom/50718 Ft: Miss Judged

Danielle Dallas Roosa – Back to Space

In this episode:

 

We meet Danielle Dallas Roosa, Co-Founder & Chief Communications Officer of Back to Space, a transmedia organization aiming to inspire more interest in space, science, and technology among young people. The granddaughter of Apollo 14 astronaut Stuart Roosa and daughter of F-16 fighter pilot Jack Roosa, Danielle graduated from UMass Amherst, interning at NASA headquarters, MTV, and Premier PR in London. After graduating, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting and producing aspirations, and in the last several years she has written and produced several films that have won awards at film festivals nationwide. Danielle created the Back to Space concept to bridge her passions for space and the entertainment industry, and she is currently pitching a Back to Space TV show to major networks.

 

In this conversation, Danielle talks about how her family history inspired her and influenced her outlook, her internship at NASA working with the Mars Curiosity rover team, her strong belief that there is a place for people of all backgrounds and strengths in the future of space exploration, and also how the idea for Back to Space was born and has evolved since.

 

Discussing the speeches that Apollo astronauts have given as part of the Back to Space program, Danielle says, “I think that, the Apollo astronauts, when they talk it is an emotional thing. Looking at the Earth from space and looking back, it transforms you. And too, a lot of astronauts talk about how they don’t understand the internal conflict we, as humans, have — because when you’re out there looking back, we’re all humans — that’s all that matters.”

 

To learn more about Back to Space, visit backtospace.com.

 

Introductory and closing music: Paint the Sky by Hans Atom (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/hansatom/50718 Ft: Miss Judged

Jill Johnson and Allen Platek — Tempur-Pedic

In this episode:

 

We meet Jill Johnson, Vice President of Brand Management for Tempur-Pedic and Allen Platek, who leads the New Product Development team at Tempur Sealy — companies that apply a NASA-developed technology to their sleep products, and that are Space-Certified through the Space Foundation.

 

Jill serves as a senior leader on the company’s marketing team, drawing on her tech and business backgrounds to oversee brand and product strategy across Tempur-Pedic’s premium range of mattresses, adjustable bases, pillows, and toppers. Jill began her tenure at Tempur Sealy as a New Products Program Manager, and over the past decade has served in a range of brand and marketing management positions, helping to bring new sleep solutions to life across the company’s portfolio of brands.  

 

Allen leads the New Product Development team at Tempur Sealy with a focus on bringing innovation to each product development cycle across all brands for the company. In his current role, Allen not only runs the New Product Development group, but also the Innovation Office, Analytical Labs, Prototype Labs, and Product Test Labs, overseeing all major product development efforts from product concept phase through commercialization.

 

In this conversation, Jill and Allen discuss the backstory on the space technology that the company adapted to improve sleep, some of the science behind how Tempur-Pedic foam works, how the technology has evolved over the years, the broad range of products they now produce using the technology, and the award the company recently received from Popular Science.

 

In discussing Tempur Sealy’s approach to their sleep technology Allen says, “Climate research — in much the same way that space exploration is approached — we do it through scientific method and through experimentation. We don’t leave it to chance. And, I believe we’re the only people in the industry that are approaching sleep science this way.”

 

To learn more about Tempur-Pedic, visit tempurpedic.com.

 

Introductory and closing music: Paint the Sky by Hans Atom (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/hansatom/50718 Ft: Miss Judged

Paul Lockhart – Former NASA Astronaut

In this episode:

 

We meet Paul Lockhart, U.S. Air Force Colonel (retired) and former NASA astronaut. Spanning his career, Lockhart has served numerous duty assignments worldwide, has logged 5,000-plus flying hours piloting more than 30 aircraft, and has also piloted two space shuttle missions to the International Space Station — STS-111 and STS-113 — both in 2002, aboard Space Shuttle Endeavor. More recently, Paul has written a book called Virtus Adventures and runs a website and blog to promote it. He also does public speaking engagements with school children to inspire an early interest in STEM subjects and space exploration. 

 

In this conversation, Paul discusses how he first became interested in space as a child during the dawn of the space age, the skills he had — and the skills he wished he had — when he first became an astronaut, how mentors helped him to achieve his goals, the realities about being an astronaut that most people don’t know about, and how important a person’s character is in achieving their goals. 

 

Explaining his thoughts on what he wants people to take away from his public speaking engagements, Paul says, “I want every young person, and even adult that I speak to in the U.S. to understand that we, the United States, sit at a unique position in that we should feel very proud that we have a space program that is respected and revered around the world.” 

 

To learn more about Paul’s Virtus Adventures, visit virtusadventures.com.

 

Introductory and closing music: Paint the Sky by Hans Atom (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/hansatom/50718 Ft: Miss Judged

Rachel Lyons – Space for Humanity

In this episode:

 

We meet Rachel Lyons, Executive Director of Space for Humanity, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of expanding access to space, training the leaders of tomorrow, and cultivating a movement towards a more harmonious world. Rachel is also a former public radio host, and the former Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for Students for the Exploration and Development of Space USA (SEDS), a nonprofit that empowers young people to make an impact in space exploration. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering from the University of Miami.

 

In this conversation, Rachel discusses how, despite not having an early interest in space, she was inspired to pursue her chosen field of study in college, and the importance of SEDS and how it connects students to the space industry. She also explains the mission of Space for Humanity, its aspirations to get more people to experience what’s known as “the overview effect,” and their webinar series To Space, for Earth.

 

Explaining her thoughts on Space for Humanity’s goals of diversity in space travel, Rachel says, “We need to actually live with that understanding that we all share this planet together. So, like I said, we’ll be sponsoring diverse people, not just that very small demographic, to have this experience.”

 

To learn more about Space for Humanity, visit spaceforhumanity.org.

 

Introductory and closing music: Paint the Sky by Hans Atom (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/hansatom/50718 Ft: Miss Judged

Peter Beck – Rocket Lab Founder

In this episode:

 

We meet Peter Beck, the founder and chief executive of Rocket Lab, a space technology company and global leader in dedicated small satellite launches. Since founding the business in 2006, Peter has grown Rocket Lab to become a globally recognized industry leader in space, and a billion-dollar company employing hundreds of world-class engineers and technicians.

 

In this conversation, Peter discusses how he first became interested in space as a child, what led him to establish Rocket Lab, some of the company’s most challenging and memorable launches, how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the company and its workplaces, and Rocket Lab’s foray into designing interplanetary missions to Venus and beyond.

 

Explaining his thoughts on the future of space exploration, Peter says, “If we stay on the same trajectory of ... exponential development, then in 50 years’ time — man, we probably will be ... in another solar system somewhere.”

 

To learn more about Rocket Lab, visit rocketlabusa.com.

 

Introductory and closing music: Paint the Sky by Hans Atom (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/hansatom/50718 Ft: Miss Judged

Kevin DeBruin – The Fit Rocket Scientist

In this episode:

 

We meet Kevin DeBruin, a space educator who brings space down to Earth for all of us in a creative and entertaining way. A former NASA JPL rocket scientist, Kevin is also the author of To NASA and Beyond: Perseverance to Achieve the Impossible, a TEDx speaker, American Ninja Warrior, and CuriosityStream’s brand ambassador for all things space and science. 

 

Kevin shares with us the obstacles he faced as a student, including struggles with mathematics. He tells us about securing his dream job working with NASA, and why he left after discovering a passion for teaching and inspiring others about space. Kevin tells about his techniques for bringing space down to Earth and making the learning process fun and engaging. He also shares a little about his time competing as an American Ninja Warrior. 

 

Learn more about Kevin at https://www.kevinjdebruin.com/

 

Introductory and closing music: Paint the Sky by Hans Atom (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/hansatom/50718 Ft: Miss Judged

Peter Freer & Rita McKinnish – Play Attention

In this episode:

We meet Peter Freer and Rita McKinnish.

 

Peter Freer is the founder and CEO of Unique Logic + Technology and Freer Logic, LLC. He holds a Master’s in Education from Western Carolina University, specializing in Educational Technology, and is a veteran educator of 15 years. After experiencing the poor classroom performance of his students with attention difficulties, and the lack of educational tools to help them learn, Freer adapted a feedback-based NASA technology to develop Play Attention, an interactive learning system. It is currently used in over 600 school districts in the U.S.

 

Rita McKinnish is an accomplished educator who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in early childhood from Western Carolina University, a Master’s in Middle School from Western Carolina University, and a Master’s in Media Coordination from Appalachian State University. She taught elementary school and middle school in various North Carolina locales from 1974 until 1996, and then later worked as a Media Coordinator at Asheville Middle School until her retirement in 2005.

 

In this conversation, Peter discusses how the students he taught, combined with his technological education background, and the aforementioned NASA technology he stumbled upon led him to pioneer the field of neurocognitive training in 1994. Rita relates how she started using the Play Attention software in her classrooms, how effective it was for her students, and how she uses it herself to maintain cognitive acuity and stay active in retirement.

 

Peter also explains how the technology works, how it has evolved, and how it has been further adapted to help train NASA pilots, nuclear power operators, Da Vinci robotic surgeons, and even U.S. Olympians. In discussing the unexpected reach the technology has had over the years, Peter says, “I’ve lectured at the request of NASA, I’ve lectured at the United Nations, to the International Atomic Energy Agency for using that technology to train nuclear operators, and I look at that, and I just shrug my shoulders and wonder how the heck I got here sometimes.”

 

To learn more about the Play Attention system, visit playattention.com.

 

Introductory and closing music: Paint the Sky by Hans Atom (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/hansatom/50718 Ft: Miss Judged

José Morey - Intergalactic Doctor

In this episode: 

 

We meet Dr. José Morey. José Morey, M.D., is a Fellow of the Eisenhower Foundation and the Chief Medical Innovation Officer for Liberty BioSecurity. Previously, Dr. Morey served as Associate Chief Health Officer for IBM Watson Health.  He led enterprise wide research collaborations with partners across the globe to develop AI medical breakthroughs.

 

Dr. Morey is also faculty at Singularity University where he leads exponential technology, innovation and human augmentation curricula. He also serves as a mentor for MIT Solve and IDEAS technology accelerators and is considered the first Intergalactic Doctor. 

 

José tells us about the “Intergalactic Doctor” title he has been given, and his dream to work in the STEM fields as a child. He explains his desire to give back and how technology and space make that possible. José also shares information about the work being done at Liberty BioSecurity, including a unique biological isolate LJ-321, which first developed resistance to chronic UV radiation as a result of long duration exposure to space on the exterior of an Earth orbiting satellite. Testing of LJ-321 has shown similar efficacy at shielding against UVA and UVB radiation to that of leading commercial brands of SPF 50 sunscreen.

 

LJ-321 is a Space Certified product. Learn more about it and the Space Foundation’s Space Certification process at https://www.spacefoundation.org/space_certification_/lj-321-active-ingredient-in-commercial-uv-protection/

 

To learn more about Liberty BioSecurity and its cutting edge capabilities across the life sciences, visit https://www.libertybiosecurity.com/.

 

Introductory and closing music: Paint the Sky by Hans Atom (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/hansatom/50718 Ft: Miss Judged 

Brad Poorman and Jim Hind — Clean Textile Technology

In this episode:

 

We meet Brad Poorman, CEO and owner, and Jim Hind, COO and owner of Clean Textile Technology. Clean Textile Technology applies NASA-developed technologies to smart outdoor apparel using the science of emissivity to retain heat. The company has applied this technology to clothing, outdoor gear, bedding, and footwear, and their products are Space-Certified through the Space Foundation.

 

In this conversation, Brad and Jim discuss the company’s origin story and how they adapted a coating and particle technology developed to reduce the heat buildup on spacecraft as they pass through various atmospheres. They also explain how they became aware of the science of emissivity, relate a few of the humorous challenges they encountered in their attempts to integrate the technology into fibers finer than a strand of hair, and then touch on other kinds of apparel they’d like to apply it to in the future.

 

In discussing the principle of emissivity, Jim Hind noted that, “Albert Einstein actually died [while] writing a paper on emissivity. It’s an intriguing concept between absorption and reflection that’s been around quite a while, since the early [19]50s.” 

 

To learn more about Clean Textile Technology, visit trizartechnology.com.

 

Introductory and closing music: Paint the Sky by Hans Atom (c) copyright 2015 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/hansatom/50718 Ft: Miss Judged