Libsyn Directory

281: STORIES of Space is Going to the Moon with Uplift Aerospace

Release Date: 12/12/2025

290: Back to the Moon Pool: Reuniting at Jules Undersea Lodge

Casual Space

Back to the Moon Pool: Reuniting at Jules Undersea Lodge This week on Casual Space, Beth heads back to familiar waters, and to some very familiar faces! Longtime listeners will remember the STORIES of Space crew lived and worked inside Jules' Undersea Lodge for MISSION 05. Now Beth checks in with the Sea Star crew, living about 20 feet underwater in that very same habitat. This crew is something of a reunion. Paul Bakken was Beth's crewmate at Jules on STORIES of Space MISSION 05. Dr. Michaela Musilova and Dr. Brandy Nunes served with Beth on her 2020 analog mission in Hawaii. And Jen Pint...

289: Frank White (“The Overview Effect”) on Turning Research into Reality

Casual Space

What happens to your mind when you leave the planet? Frank White has spent decades asking astronauts, and now it's his turn to find out… On this episode of Casual Space, Beth welcomes back Frank White, the space philosopher and author who coined the term "the overview effect." Beth and Frank explore what actually produces the overview effect and why its deepest lesson is connection rather than scenery. Frank shares how his work with MoonDAO began, how the mission has evolved from rocket plans to stratospheric balloon options, and why the goal is research, not a joy ride. Find out how...

288: FLIP-ing Out at Astrolab: A Moon Rover, a Clean Room, and Thousands of Your STORIES

Casual Space

This week on Casual Space, it's just Beth, a clean room, and one very real Moon rover. Beth takes you behind the scenes at Astrolab in Hawthorne, California, where she came face to face with FLIP, the rover getting ready to carry thousands of human stories to the lunar surface. Yes, she geeked out. No, she's not sorry. Beth walks through why landing on the Moon is only half the job (you still have to get around once you're there), what FLIP is built to demonstrate, and how it fits into Astrolab's bigger FLEX rover vision. Then comes the moment that made it all real: spotting the 5D crystal,...

287: Drive Me to the Moon with Chris Lockett of Castrol

Casual Space

What keeps a Mars rover running after 14 years on another planet? What fixed a juddering solar array on the International Space Station? And what tiny robot — small enough to hold in your hand — recently hitched a ride to the lunar South Pole? The answer to all three: Castrol. And this week, Beth sits down with Chris Lockett, Global Technology Director at Castrol, to pull back the curtain on one of space exploration's most quietly essential partners. Chris brings nearly 30 years of experience with BP and Castrol, working across the UK, China, Japan, South Africa, and beyond. His...

286: Eyes to the Stars with Dr. Steve Hawley, NASA Shuttle Astronaut

Casual Space

What does it take to go from studying the universe… to flying through it? On this episode of Casual Space, Beth welcomes Dr. Steven A. Hawley—NASA astronaut, space shuttle veteran, and author of his new book, Eyes to the Stars, A Memoir for the Space Shuttle Generation. Listen to enjoy the remarkable journey of a young astronomer from Kansas who never expected to become an astronaut—and what happened when he said “yes” anyway. Steve shares the quiet but powerful decisions that shaped his career: staying open to opportunity, embracing uncertainty, and trusting preparation when timing...

285: Did the "Project Hail Mary" Film Stick the Landing? / ft. Dr. Danny Jaques

Casual Space

An earlier version of this episode got corrupted on export, so the audio cut out part of the way into the episode. That has been fixed in this version. Apologies for the inconvenience! - Dr. Danny Jaques, a 36-year veteran science educator, Space Camp Hall of Famer, and founder of Danny's Rocket Ranch, joins Beth for a review of the Project Hail Mary film adaptation. A lifelong educator who has taken nearly 600 students to Space Camp and spent decades bringing science to life in the classroom, Danny brings a perspective to this conversation that you simply cannot get anywhere else. Beth and...

284: Etched in Crystal: Putting 3,237 Stories Onto a Lunar Rover

Casual Space

Josh Hanes, whose work at Uplift Aerospace focuses on expanding access to space through student-centered education and immersive experiences, returns to the show with major updates on what's happened since STORIES of Space submitted its community database at the end of 2025. https://www.upliftaerospace.com Beth and Josh celebrate two landmark achievements: the successful laser engraving the story database from STORIES of Space into a 5D crystal along with over 3,000 messages from students, teachers, and community storytellers around the world, an extraordinary archival medium capable of...

283: How Will Project Hail Mary Make the Leap from Book to Silver Screen?

Casual Space

Have you read “Project Hail Mary,” by Andy Weir? No spoilers in this episode, as Beth reviews three of the main characters, and wonders how they will make the leap from page to the silver screen.

282: Five STORIES Going to the Moon

Casual Space

The deadline for submitting stories to the Moon on MISSION 06 with STORIES of Space has been extended to December 28! In this episode, Beth selects & shares five recently submitted stories that will be sent to the Moon. Hundreds more will be sent to the moon along with these inspiring stories. Will yours be one of them? You have until December 28 to submit your story at About STORIES of Space Stories of Space is a non-for-profit organization that collects personal narratives about space, and sends them into space. MISSION 06 will take stories to the lunar surface,...

281: STORIES of Space is Going to the Moon with Uplift Aerospace

Casual Space

This week on Casual Space, Beth is joined by two extraordinary guests: Josh Hanes, CEO of Uplift Aerospace and Dr. Sian Proctor, astronaut, artist, educator, and founder of Space2Inspire to share an announcement that’s truly out of this world. Josh, whose background spans physics, advanced propulsion concepts, and aerospace leadership with a mission to expand access to space for all through innovative education and immersive experiences, explains how Uplift’s journey has grown from astronaut training to student-centered lunar missions. Dr. Proctor, best known as the first African-American...

More Episodes

Josh, whose background spans physics, advanced propulsion concepts, and aerospace leadership with a mission to expand access to space for all through innovative education and immersive experiences, explains how Uplift’s journey has grown from astronaut training to student-centered lunar missions. https://www.upliftaerospace.com

Dr. Proctor, best known as the first African-American woman to pilot a commercial spacecraft on the Inspiration4 mission and a celebrated science communicator and artist, shares how her experiences have shaped her work in space, art, and education. https://space2inspire.art

Together with Beth, they unveil STORIES of Space MISSION 06, a groundbreaking initiative that is taking human-written stories and student messages to the Moon aboard Astrolab’s FLEX rover. This mission blends creativity, STEM learning, and legacy, preserving voices and visions from classrooms and communities in laser-engraved crystal time capsules and symbolic artwork.

You’ll hear how this collaboration unites awe, imagination, and education, inspiring students to think bigger and dream longer, and how this mission invites listeners to send their story to be embedded onboard a rover that will help explore the lunar surface!

This episode is a must-listen (and watch on YouTube) for anyone curious about how storytelling, art, and space exploration intersect—and how your own story might find its way to the lunar surface. Visit storiesofspace.com to submit your original work before the December 16 deadline and become part of this historic lunar journey.

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