This Week in Space 235: Robots in Dark and Scary Places

Robots have, and always will, be the first to go to the dark and scary places in space. For many years, Dr. Jim Green oversaw these missions for NASA as their Chief Scientist. He joins us to talk about the past, present, and future of planetary exploration. Jim has always been passionate about NASA's science programs and believes we're quite likely to find life off-Earth in the near future. Join us! Headlines:

• NASA Unveils New X-70 Fractal X-Plane with Reconfigurable Tech
• Earth Gains Temporary "Mini Moon" Asteroid 2026 QQ8
• NASA Hosts First-Ever Max Power Air Show Highlighting Space Innovation
• Deep Space Nine's Iconic "Trials and Tribble-ations" Episode Turns 30

Main Topic: Planetary Exploration, Science Funding, and Planetary Defense With Dr. Jim Green

• Top Unexplored Targets: Sending a Submarine to Europa's Ocean
• How Political Changes Affect NASA's Budget and Science Programs
• Mars Sample Return: Obstacles, Funding Challenges, and Possible Human Exploration Synergy
• Science Communication: Relating New Discoveries to Everyday Life and Public Engagement
• JPL's "7 Minutes of Terror" and Changing Outreach Strategies
• Building Support for Planetary Defense and the DART Mission
• Black Swan Events: How Earth is Threatened by Rare, High-Speed Oort Cloud Comets
• Innovative Approaches to Science Education through the Metaverse and Outreach

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Dr. Jim Green

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