There's Something Human About Stargazing | Bortle 1 Skies & Perspective | EP418
Release Date: 08/24/2026
NASA Is Starting a U.S. Space Academy? Orbital Dogfighting and Starship Flight 14
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This week, we're covering what's been trending in Space News for the last 5 days...and NASA HAS BEEN TASKED WITH BUILDING A U.S. SPACE ACADEMY! But how serious is this executive order and it's create a presidential commission? Could this be the start of our own Starfleet Academy or just the Presidents Legacy piece? We also get into the first U.S. military live-fly exercise in orbital dogfighting, and updates on where Starship Flight 14 stands. Gathered by our AI Assistant SKYE and reported by your human host Spaceman Alex! I'm Alex G. Orphanos, your space science podcast host and your favorite...
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A German Commercial Rocket Reached Orbit From Norway | Swift's Rescue Failed, New Horizons Faces Cuts
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This week, we're covering what's been trending in Space News for the last 8 days...and EUROPE FINALLY HAS ITS OWN RIDE TO ORBIT! A German company launched a commercial rocket to orbit from Norway — and almost nobody covered it, including SKYE on its first pass. We also get into NASA's failed rescue of the Swift telescope, and a nuclear-powered spacecraft at the edge of the solar system that's on the chopping block. Space News gathered by our AI Assistant SKYE and reported by your human host Spaceman Alex! I'm Alex G. Orphanos, your space science podcast host and your favorite mad...
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A Falcon 9 Upper Stage Hit the Moon | The Crater, Artemis III, and NASA's Roman
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This week, we're covering what's been trending in Space News for the last 10 days...and IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MOON! Starting up a new weekly segment where we gather the biggest stories and launches from the last week, gathered by our AI Assistant SKYE and reported by your human host Spaceman Alex! I'm Alex G. Orphanos, your space science podcast host and your favorite mad scientist. Tell me what you think of the SKYE Report, and which segments to dig deeper into. Don't forget to catch the NASA Roman Telescope mission - join us live Sunday August 30th! LIVE Launch Hangout link...
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There's Something Human About Stargazing | Bortle 1 Skies & Perspective | EP418
Today In Space
There's something human about stargazing. You don't even need to know what you're looking at. I just got back from Maine and about the most perfect dark skies you could ask for — a Bortle 1 or 2, against the Bortle 6 or 7 we get at Today In Space HQ outside Boston. Dark, clear skies like that makes you wonder what the night sky was to the early humans like the ancient Greeks & their Mythologies. These deep moments allow for some deep perspective. like what it's like a year since I was laid-off aka "terminated" and why the more AI work I do, the more I want to go do human things. Great...
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Artemis Origin, Moon Flashes, and Artemis III! Space Talkers Artemis 2 RECAP PT2
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The Space Talkers are back for part TWO, for a discussion about how Artemis was created, and some round-table talk about our favorite moments of Artemis II! We get into the space toilet that froze, the mental health protocols behind a crew locked in a capsule for days, the East Coast fireballs, why NASA canceled planned correction burns, and what all of it means for Artemis III. Along the way we talk telescopes, dark skies, Cherry Springs, and how this little community of space people found each other in the first place. Thank you to Matt, Caitlin, and Andrew for joining us live for this back...
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Artemis, AI, and Stargazing | Space Talkers RETURN! Artemis 2 RECAP PT1
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The Space Talkers joined forces again to breakdown the Artemis II mission. Anything Artemis Program-related means lots of excitement, and so naturally AI, Technology, and Stargazing come up as we unwrap this mission and what it means as we move towards the next Artemis mission (III) Today in Space brings the team together to recap Artemis II. This discussion is for anyone following NASA moon mission progress. We analyze the key milestones and what the upcoming flight path means for the future of lunar exploration, and what's happening here on Earth in the meantime. Thank you to Matt, Caitlin,...
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I Wrote & Published a Book in 10 Months After Being Laid Off | The Return of Spaceman Alex
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I got LAID OFF from my Engineering/Tech Day Job. 10 Months later, I've written and published my first book on 3D Printing. It's time to share that story... It's the Return of Spaceman Alex & Today in Space podcast! I share the process behind writing & publishing "The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing". If you are interested in how I managed to complete this project while navigating a major career change, this video is for you. Whether you follow my 3D printing advice or are just curious about my author journey, I hope this video provides some motivation. Writing a book taught me a lot...
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NASA Moon Base Update & New Glenn Pad Anomaly for Blue Origin
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NASA’s Moon Base plans just got a major update — and then Blue Origin had a serious New Glenn pad anomaly at LC-36 that could shake up the timeline for upcoming lunar missions. In this episode of Today In Space, we break down NASA’s latest Moon Base update, including new awards for lunar landers, terrain vehicles, lunar drones, and the next phase of Artemis-related infrastructure. We also react to the New Glenn pad anomaly during static-fire preparations, what it could mean for Blue Origin, the Artemis architecture, and the broader push to build a permanent human presence on the Moon....
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Starship Flight 12 Is Coming — And Falcon Heavy Just Reminded Us What SpaceX Can Do
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On this week’s episode, we break down what to expect for Starship Flight 12 coming up next week & we share the moments from our last live stream hanging out during another falcon heavy launch! There’s a lot going on in the world and the space industry and we want to get you amped up for the next big rocket launch Starship flight 12 success is success for future Artemis missions and NASA;s journey to the moon again. So wish the team’s luck and get caught up on everything since flight 11 in EP413! I'm Writing My First Book and Making My First AI! Sign up for our newsletter to follow...
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Artemis 2 Returns! Thoughts After Splashdown | One Week RECAP Since Crew Returned
Today In Space
It's been a week since the Artemis 2 Crew returned home from their Moon Mission! It feels like the world has changed since this heroic adventure around the Moon and back. We still have plenty of problems here on Earth, but hope and Moon Joy seem to be in the air. An entire generation is now growing up with an Artemis Campaign and the Moon Landings are in sight. Let's recap the incredible cultural moment where we found some humanity following these 3 heroes around the moon and back! In the age of AI and global wars, it was the hope and humanity we were all looking for... Let us know what YOU...
info_outlineThere's something human about stargazing. You don't even need to know what you're looking at.
I just got back from Maine and about the most perfect dark skies you could ask for — a Bortle 1 or 2, against the Bortle 6 or 7 we get at Today In Space HQ outside Boston. Dark, clear skies like that makes you wonder what the night sky was to the early humans like the ancient Greeks & their Mythologies.
These deep moments allow for some deep perspective. like what it's like a year since I was laid-off aka "terminated" and why the more AI work I do, the more I want to go do human things. Great summer nights with a dark sky and great company. Who could ask for a better end to the Summer? My advice? Grab 20 minutes and a patch of sky. Even the patch above you.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Welcome — the close of summer, and Maine
00:44 There's something human about stargazing
01:19 The Bortle scale: Bortle 1 in Maine, Bortle 5 at HQ
01:37 Cherry Springs next, with the Space Talkers
01:53 The night sky as humanity's first story map
02:37 How many satellites you can actually see up there
03:01 Mosaic mode: filtering satellite and plane streaks out
03:43 One year since the layoff 05:03 chat3DP — where the build is right now
05:44 The more AI I do, the more human things I want
06:51 The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing
07:22 I still don't identify as an author
08:00 A dock in Maine, and skies astronomers chase
08:42 How did anyone sleep before cities?
09:10 Greek ancestry, the mythologies, the Odyssey
10:03 What stargazing does to a conversation
10:46 Find the 20 minutes. Look up.
11:03 Clear skies
THE BOOK
The Book of Uncommon-Sense 3D Printing is out now in hardcover and on Kindle:
https://ag3dlabs.com/book
MORE TODAY IN SPACE
https://todayinspace.net
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I'm Alex G. Orphanos, your favorite mad scientist, wishing you clear skies and great conversations with great people as we build a fantastic future for all of us. Be well, stay safe, and stay curious.
SPREAD LOVE, SPREAD SCIENCE, AND STAY CURIOUS. What's the darkest sky you've ever stood under? Tell me in the comments.
#stargazing #astrophotography #bortlescale #lightpollution #spacepodcast #vaonisvespera #darksky #milkyway #3dprinting #todayinspace
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