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: Brad Pitt in the new science fiction film, Ad Astra., Credit: 20th Century Fox
Brad Pitt sets out across the solar system to save Earth in the new space epic. Host Mat Kaplan enjoys a far-reaching conversation with the co-scre...

Bought by KIYU-FM, KDNK, KCNP, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR and more


  • Added: Sep 24, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Science fiction author David Brin made a presentation at this year's Starship Congress in San Diego, California, Credit: Icarus Interstellar
Science fiction writer and futurist David Brin is one of our favorite guests. Finding him at the just-completed Starship Congress in San Diego, Cal...

Bought by KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR, KRZA, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Sep 18, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Artist concept of a black hole emitting gamma-ray bursts., Credit: NASA
This US research center has been part of more than 200 space missions, but it’s not a NASA facility! The Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexi...

Bought by KDNK, WXAV 88.3FM Chicago, KWMR, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Sep 11, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, pictured with the European Space Agency's Rosetta orbiter and Philae lander, Credit: ESA
First we return to JPL for an update on the Mars Helicopter that has just been attached to the belly of the 2020 Mars Rover. Then it’s across the p...

Bought by KIYU-FM, CI Dolphin Radio, KCNP, KDNK, KWMR and more


  • Added: Sep 04, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 10
Caption: Artist concept of the Astrobotic Peregrine lander on the lunar surface., Credit: Astrobotic
Astrobotic is one of several companies that are building small, robotic landers to take commercial payloads to the surface of the Moon. With a new ...

Bought by KIYU-FM, CI Dolphin Radio, KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR and more


  • Added: Aug 27, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: Artist concept of humans exploring Mars, Credit: NASA/Pat Rawlings, SAIC
Rick Davis is the perfect person to co-lead NASA’s Mars Human Landing Sites Study. No one is more devoted to putting human bootprints on the Red Pl...

Bought by KDNK, KWMR, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KRZA, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Aug 21, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Buzz Aldrin is protected by his fabric moonsuit in this classic photo by Neil Armstrong., Credit: NASA
Host Mat Kaplan in a long and fascinating conversation with Nicholas de Monchaux, author of Spacesuit: Fashioning Apollo. This great book is about ...

Bought by KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR, WMUU-LP, KRZA and more


  • Added: Aug 13, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye with host Mat Kaplan during Planetary Radio Live show at Science Museum Oklahoma., Credit: Science Museum Oklahoma
Join Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye and host Mat Kaplan as they visit Oklahoma City’s outstanding public science museum. You’ll meet University of...

Bought by KVSC, KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR, KRZA and more


  • Added: Aug 07, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: First hi-res image returned by LightSail 2 after deployment of its sails reveals Baja California far below., Credit: The Planetary Society
It will be the first flying machine on another world. Mars Helicopter Project Manager MiMi Aung shares her plans. There’s big news about The Planet...

Bought by KDNK, WXAV 88.3FM Chicago, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR, KRZA and more


  • Added: Jul 31, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: The LightSail 2 mission operations team moments before the cubesat's big sail was deployed., Credit: Mat Kaplan
Join us as the little cubesat successfully unfurls its solar sail. You’ll hear from members of the LightSail 2 mission team on the morning of July ...

Bought by KVSC, KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR, KRZA and more


  • Added: Jul 24, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Poppy Northcutt in Apollo Mission Control, circa 1969., Credit: TRW
Poppy Northcutt was a pioneer—the first woman to work as an engineer in Apollo Mission Control. The program she helped to create got the astronauts...

Bought by KIYU-FM, KVSC, KVLU, KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo. and more


  • Added: Jul 17, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 10
Caption: Artist concept of Dragonfly over the surface of Saturn's moon Titan., Credit: NASA/JHUAPL
NASA has given the go-ahead for Dragonfly, a flying rotorcraft that will explore Saturn’s mysterious moon Titan. Mission Principal Investigator Eli...

Bought by KVSC, KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Jul 10, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Launch attendees look up in wonder at the ascending SpaceX Falcon Heavy, carrying LightSail 2., Credit: Navid Baraty/The Planetary Society
A giant SpaceX Falcon Heavy lifted off in the early hours of June 25th. One week later, the LightSail 2 solar sail was released to begin its epic m...

Bought by KDNK, WXAV 88.3FM Chicago, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR, KRZA and more


  • Added: Jul 03, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: A false-color image mosaic shows Daphnis, one of Saturn's ring-embedded moons, and the waves it kicks up in the Keeler gap. Images collected by Cassini's close orbits in 2017 are offering new insight into the complex workings of the rings., Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
It has been many months since the great Cassini spacecraft plunged into Saturn’s atmosphere and fiery death. Yet the mission lives on as the reams...

Bought by KVSC, KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., WXAV 88.3FM Chicago, KWMR and more


  • Added: Jun 26, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Artist concept of the LightSail 2 spacecraft sailing over Earth, Credit: The Planetary Society/Josh Spradling
The day is almost here. With the launch of a Falcon Heavy rocket, The Planetary Society will begin its mission to prove that a tiny, orbiting space...

Bought by KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR, WMUU-LP, KRZA and more


  • Added: Jun 19, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Mat Kaplan (far left) at UC San Diego with guests David Brin, Brian Keating, Andrew Friedman and Jason Gallicchio, Credit: Mat Kaplan
Even though his own work led to it, Albert Einstein never cared for quantum mechanics concepts like entanglement, which he called “spooky action at...

Bought by KIYU-FM, KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: Jun 12, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: •	The Williams College Eclipse Expedition was in Salem, Oregon, for the total solar eclipse that occurred on August 21, 2017., Credit: •	Jay Pasachoff and the Williams College solar Eclipse Expeditions
Jay Pasachoff visits Planetary Society headquarters for a conversation about the latest edition of his and Alex Filippenko’s monumental textbook Th...

Bought by KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR, WMUU-LP, KRZA and more


  • Added: Jun 04, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Artist's concept of humans exploring Mars, Credit: NASA/JPL-CALTECH
This year’s Humans to Mars Summit in Washington DC once again ended with a panel of Martian all-stars talking about their hopes for a future that i...

Bought by KVSC, KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: May 29, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, Credit: NASA
The former Oklahoma congressman and Navy aviator stepped into the leadership role barely a year ago. Now he wants to see humans back on the Moon by...

Bought by KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., KWMR, WMUU-LP, KRZA and more


  • Added: May 22, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: LightSail 2 in the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo clean room, Credit: Mat Kaplan
Mat Kaplan visits Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for a last, clean room visit with LightSail 2, the Planetary Society’s solar sailing cubesat. While the...

Bought by KDNK, KBUT Crested Butte, Colo., C89.5 - KNHC Seattle, KWMR, WMUU-LP and more


  • Added: May 14, 2019
  • Length: 28:50
  • Purchases: 7