Planetary Radio

Series produced by Mat Kaplan

Series image

The Planetary Society's travel show that takes you to the final frontier, featuring commentary by Society CEO Bill Nye the Science Guy.

For over 20 years, we've been proud to bring Planetary Radio to our dedicated listeners. However, after careful consideration, we discontinued our traditional broadcast distribution on Aug. 2, 2023. We invite Radio stations to continue airing the extended podcast version of the show, along with any of our previous episodes. You can find the extensive archive of our broadcasts and our new podcast MP3s here: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/radio-episodes-files For more information about Planetary Radio, visit our website at https://www.planetary.org/radio. For inquiries or support, contact Sarah Al-Ahmed, the host and producer of Planetary Radio, at planetaryradio@planetary.org. Thank you again for being an integral part of the Planetary Radio family. We look forward to continuing our cosmic journey together through the wonders of our podcast and beyond. Hide full description

For over 20 years, we've been proud to bring Planetary Radio to our dedicated listeners. However, after careful consideration, we discontinued our traditional broadcast distribution on Aug. 2, 2023. We invite Radio stations to continue airing the extended podcast version of the show, along with any of our previous episodes. You can find the extensive archive of our broadcasts and our new podcast MP3s here: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/radio-episodes-files For more information about Planetary Radio, visit our website at https://www.planetary.org/radio. For inquiries or support, contact Sarah Al-Ahmed, the host and producer of Planetary Radio, at planetaryradio@planetary.org. Thank you again for being an integral part of the Planetary Radio family. We look forward to... Show full description


519 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: OSIRIS REx departs for asteroid Bennu atop an Atlas V, Credit: Jason Davis/The Planetary Society
In two years a Near Earth Asteroid now known as Bennu will have a visitor from Earth. OSIRIS REx Principal Investigator Dante Lauretta reports on h...

Bought by KRZA, KMUD, KFCF FM, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR and more


  • Added: Sep 12, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Saturn and Cassini, Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The great Cassini spacecraft has a year to go before it plunges into the ringed planet. Project Scientist Linda Spilker returns with more amazing m...

Bought by KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, WMUU-LP, KRZA, WXAV 88.3FM Chicago and more


  • Added: Sep 19, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Jason Davis at business end of the SLS RS-25 rocket motor., Credit: Casey Dreier
Planetary Society Digital Editor Jason Davis returns with the story of the ten-day trek across the South he just completed with two Society colleag...

Bought by KWMR, KMRE-LP Bellingham, Wash., KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, WXAV 88.3FM Chicago, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Sep 27, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Comet 67P/Churyumov/Gerasimenko, Rosetta’s final resting place., Credit: ESA / Rosetta / MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS / UPD / LAM / IAA / SSO / INTA / UPM / DASP / IDA
The European Space Agency’s magnificent Rosetta mission ended last week as the spacecraft gently touched down on the comet it has revealed. You’ll ...

Bought by KMUD, KWMR, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, WMUU-LP, KMRE-LP Bellingham, Wash. and more


  • Added: Oct 03, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: One of many illustrations from "Star Trek, The Official Guide to Our Universe", Credit: CBS
The Night Sky Guy, Andrew Fazekas, talks about his beautiful new, Star Trek-inspired guide to the real wonders of astronomy. Emily Lakdawalla has ...

Bought by KMUD, KFCF FM, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Oct 10, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: James Blinn (l.) and a young Charley Kohlhase (r.) working at JPL on pioneering computer animations of the Voyager flybys., Credit: Charley Kohlhase
How did the Voyager spacecraft manage to weave their magnificent way through the outer planets of our solar system? Mission Design Manager Charley...

Bought by KMRE-LP Bellingham, Wash., WMUU-LP, and KRZA


  • Added: Oct 17, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 3
Caption: New Horizons enhanced color image of Pluto, Credit: NASA/JHUAPL
Alan Stern of the New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond was in Pasadena for the annual meeting of the American Astronomical Society’s Division f...

Bought by KMRE-LP Bellingham, Wash., KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, WMUU-LP, KRZA and more


  • Added: Oct 24, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Rosetta Mission Manager Patrick Martin and Project Scientist Matt Taylor simulate the spacecraft touchdown at Planetary Society HQ., Credit: Mat Kaplan
Last year it was New Horizons at Pluto. In 2016, the thrilling end of the Rosetta comet mission generated the greatest public interest and enthusia...

Bought by KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, KMUD, KMRE-LP Bellingham, Wash., KRZA and more


  • Added: Nov 01, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Enrico Palermo and host Mat Kaplan pose in front of the “feathered” VSS Unity, SpaceShipTwo, Credit: Enrico Palermo for The Spaceship Company
Host Mat Kaplan traveled to California’s Mojave Desert for a tour of Virgin Galactic’s The Spaceship Company, where the second SpaceShipTwo was bu...

Bought by KWMR, KMUD, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, WMUU-LP, KRZA and more


  • Added: Nov 08, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: The liquid methane lakes of Titan, Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SWRI
Back to the annual meeting of the AAS Division for Planetary Sciences this week, where Mat Kaplan visited with experts on worlds of ice including T...

Bought by KMUD, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, WXAV 88.3FM Chicago, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Nov 15, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: “Mars” is the new docudrama miniseries airing on the National Geographic Channel, Credit: National Geographic Channel
The National Geographic Channel’s “Mars” miniseries has begun. Mat Kaplan attended a kickoff for the ambitious docudrama last summer. You’ll hear ...

Bought by KMUD, KWMR, KMRE-LP Bellingham, Wash., KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Nov 21, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: The SETI Institute's Allen Telescope Array, Credit: SETI Institute
The SETI Institute is about much more than the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. President and CEO Bill Diamond of the Institute explains. ...

Bought by KMUD, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, KRZA, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Nov 28, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Astronomer and author Jay Pasachoff, Credit: Jay Pasachoff
No one is more excited about eclipses than famed solar astronomer and author Jay Pasachoff. He looks forward to the total solar eclipse in August ...

Bought by KMUD, KFCF FM, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Dec 06, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: John Glenn on his historic Friendship 7 orbital mission., Credit: NASA
Space historian John Logsdon remembers American hero John Glenn. Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye was a big fan of the Friendship 7 astronaut. Then w...

Bought by KMUD, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, WMUU-LP, KRZA and more


  • Added: Dec 13, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Space artist Marilynn Flynn's "Titan's Southern Summer", Credit: tharsisartworks.com
Marilynn Flynn, Simon Kregar and Rick Sternbach are masters of space art. They talk about how their work furthers science and captures the imagina...

Bought by KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, WMUU-LP, KMUD, KMRE-LP Bellingham, Wash. and more


  • Added: Dec 20, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Artist's concept of MAVEN orbiting Mars, Credit: Lockheed Martin
MAVEN, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution orbiter, has gone a long way toward solving the mystery of the Red Planet’s missing water and air...

Bought by KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, KMUD, WMUU-LP, KRZA and more


  • Added: Dec 27, 2016
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Artist’s concept of IOS Neptune 5 rocket carrying Team SYNERGY MOON’s Google Lunar X PRIZE spacecraft, Credit: Bryan Versteeg
CEO Randa Milliron introduces us to Interorbital Systems, which wants to put your payload in orbit for as little as $8,000. Can they do it? Emily L...

Bought by KMUD, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, WXAV 88.3FM Chicago, KRZA and more


  • Added: Jan 03, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Ben Miller's The Aliens are Coming, Credit: The Experiment Publishing Company
British physicist turned comedian and actor Ben Miller has written The Aliens are Coming-- The Extraordinary Science Behind our Search for Life in ...

Bought by KRZA, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, WMUU-LP, KMUD and more


  • Added: Jan 10, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Outgoing NASA Chief Scientist Ellen Stofan, Credit: NASA
For well over three years, planetary scientist Ellen Stofan has worked directly with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden to help coordinate and expan...

Bought by KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, WMUU-LP, KRZA, KMRE-LP Bellingham, Wash. and more


  • Added: Jan 17, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Rosaly Lopes on the slopes of Antarctica's Mt. Erebus, Credit: Michael Carroll
Earth’s southernmost active volcano may also be its most remote. Rosaly Lopes and Michael Carroll recently spent a few frigid days on the slopes o...

Bought by KVSC, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, WMUU-LP, KMRE-LP Bellingham, Wash. and more


  • Added: Jan 24, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6