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: Jupiter’s south pole imaged by the Juno spacecraft from 52,000 km above the planet., Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Betsy Asher Hall/Gervasio Robles
Have you seen its stunning image of Jupiter’s south pole? The Juno orbiter is surpassing expectations and delivering surprising science. Scott Bo...

Bought by KVSC, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, WTJU, KWMR, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Jun 07, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Apollo astronaut and engineer Buzz Aldrin, Credit: Gage Skidmore
He walked with Neil Armstrong on the moon, but that may not be his greatest legacy. Buzz Aldrin was joined by other space stars at the recent Human...

Bought by XRAY.fm, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, WTJU, KWMR, WXAV 88.3FM Chicago and more


  • Added: May 31, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Artist concept of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner and the SpaceX Crew Dragon approaching the International Space Station., Credit: NASA
Astronauts may soon ride on US rockets and in US spaceships for the first time since the last Space Shuttle flight. Jon Cowart of NASA is working w...

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


  • Added: May 24, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Mat Kaplan leads a discussion at the 2017 Humans To Mars Summit with NASA Associate Administrators (l to r) Thomas Zurbuchen, William Gerstenmaier and Stephen Jurczyk, Credit: Christina Korp @Buzzs_xtina
The human journey to the Red Planet is long and hard, but Mat’s conversation with three NASA Associate Administrators at the Humans to Mars Summit ...

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  • Added: May 17, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Planetary scientist Bonnie Buratti's new book, Credit: Cambridge University Press
Veteran Jet Propulsion Lab planetary scientist Bonnie Buratti talks with Mat about the wonder of our solar neighborhood that she explores in Worlds...

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


  • Added: May 09, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Astronomer and artist Tyler Nordgren’s poster for SIU Carbondale’s Eclipse Celebration, Credit: Tyler Nordgren/SIU Carbondale
Our ongoing coverage of preparation for the Great American Eclipse takes us to Southern Illinois University Carbondale where a huge celebration is ...

Bought by KISU, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, KWMR, WTJU, KRZA and more


  • Added: May 03, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Bill Nye at the March for Science in Wasington, Credit: Navid Baraty/Planetary Society
It was a big week for the Science Guy, and for science. Bill Nye served as honorary co-chair of the March for Science in Washington DC. His new ...

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


  • Added: Apr 25, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: McDonald Observatory Hobby-Eberly Telescope, Credit: Mat Kaplan
The University of Texas at Austin’s observatory is high in the hills of west Texas. In this special episode, Mat Kaplan joins the tens of thousands...

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


  • Added: Apr 19, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Artist’s concept of Brane Craft about to wrap itself around space debris. The paper-think spacecraft will then slow and deorbit the potentially dangerous object., Credit: The Aerospace Corporation
The Aerospace Corporation has been innovating since 1960. Now it’s headed by a former leader of “New Space” company Virgin Galactic. President and...

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


  • Added: Apr 12, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Artist’s concept of MAVEN orbiting Mars with Earth in the background (not to scale!), Credit: NASA/GSFC
Mars was once a warm and wet world. Then its dense, protective atmosphere mostly vanished. Learning why was one of the greatest mysteries in planet...

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


  • Added: Apr 04, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Nancy Atkinson's Incredible Stories From Space, Credit: Page Street Publishing
The longtime editor of outstanding online space news source Universe Today has just written about nine robotic missions of exploration in Incredibl...

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


  • Added: Mar 29, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Artist concept of LightSail in space, Credit: The Planetary Society
The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 solar sail spacecraft is ready to be packed away for its ride to orbit on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. Mat Kap...

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


  • Added: Mar 22, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 5
Caption: Solar eclipse, Credit: NASA
It’s coming! Will you be in the path of totality? Astronomers Without Borders President Mike Simmons says be there if you can. He also tells us ...

Bought by WJSU, Kansas Public Radio, KISU, KSVR Studios: Skagit Valley Radio, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Mar 15, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Enhanced-color image of planet (?) Pluto, Credit: JHUAPL/SWRI/NASA
Planetary geologist Kirby Runyon is lead author of an abstract that proposes a new, geophysical definition of what a planet is. It would grant our...

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


  • Added: Mar 08, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Artist concept of the surface of TRAPPIST-1f, Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
The discovery of seven, Earth-sized planets in a nearby solar system was announced last week. Astrophysicist and planetary scientist Sara Seager wa...

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


  • Added: Mar 01, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Comet 67P compared to Los Angeles
Leaders of the quest to find, understand and protect ourselves from the asteroids and comets called Near Earth Objects gathered with host Mat Kapla...

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


  • Added: Feb 22, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Declassified artist's concept of the 1960s Manned Orbiting Laboratory, Credit: National Reconnaissance Office
Rod Pyle reveals bizarre yet fascinating space projects of the past in his new book. Pyle also exposes previously classified information about mis...

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  • Added: Feb 15, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Bacteria samples in the Pegasus Mars chamber., Credit: University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas grad student Rebecca Mickol and her team have demonstrated that some Earth bacteria can survive in the extremely thin atmosp...

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  • Added: Feb 07, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Cassini was able to capture its closest-ever view of Daphnis toward the end of its mission, during its F-ring orbit phase, when it passed between the F and G rings once per orbit. Daphnis is only about 8 kilometers across., Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SSI / Ian Regan
Planetary Radio’s most frequent guest, Project Scientist Linda Spilker, returns with another update on the Cassini mission that is approaching its ...

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  • Added: Jan 31, 2017
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
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