The Space Show by Dr. David Livingston
The Space Show® focuses on timely and important issues influencing the development of outer-space commerce and space tourism, as well as other related subjects of interest to us all. doctorspace.substack.com
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The Space Show Presents Dr. Andrew Fraknoi
<p>The Space Show Presents Dr. Andrew Fraknoi, Sunday, March 1, 2026</p><p>Quick Summary:</p><p>The Space Show presented an in-depth discussion with astronomer Dr. Andrew Fraknoi about the upcoming total lunar eclipse on March 3rd, which will be visible in the early morning hours across North America. Our discussion explored how ancient Greeks used lunar eclipses to prove Earth’s spherical shape and covered modern astronomical topics including the Vera Rubin Observatory’s 10-year sky-mapping project and the James Webb Space Telescope’s capabilities for observing distant galaxies. The discussion also touched on the debate between active and passiv...
The Space Show Presents Karen Jones on spaceports!
<p>The Space Show Presents Karen Jones re “SPACEPORTOPIA” Thursday, 2-26-26</p><p>Quick Summary:</p><p>This Space Show program focused on spaceport development and launch forecasting, featuring Karen Jones from Aerospace Corporation to discuss her paper “Spaceportopia: A Primer for Successful Launch Site Planning.” The discussion explored the economic challenges of spaceport development, including demand forecasting, regional compatibility, and the risks of irrational exuberance in space industry projections. The Space Show Wisdom Team panel examined several failed spaceport initiatives like Spaceport Michigan and Spaceport Camden, while also discussing the current state of launch infrastructure and the potential for offs...
Hotel Mars with Doug Messier on Starliner.
<p>Hotel Mars, Doug Messier, Weds, 2-25-26</p><p>Doug joined John Batchelor and myself to discuss the plight of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. He went over the recent problems with the capsule that stranded astronauts on the ISS until SpaceX could bring them safely home using Dragon. Doug described the problems, issues in quality control and engineering with Boeing in recent times and probably solutions or ways to salvage Starliner for both NASA and Boeing. This was a one segment Hotel Mars program for approximately 10 minutes.</p><p></p><p>Special thanks to our sponsors:American Institute of...
The Space Show Presents Trisha Epp, Director of Innovation at Freelancer.com, to discuss NASA's open innovation challenges and Freelancer's role in facilitating these competitions.
<p>The Space Show Presents Trisha Epp. Sunday, 2-22-26</p><p>Quick Summary:</p><p>The Space Show hosted Trisha Epp, Director of Innovation at Freelancer.com, to discuss NASA’s open innovation challenges and Freelancer’s role in facilitating these competitions. Trisha explained how Freelancer works with NASA’s Tournament Lab to run innovation challenges that attract solutions from around the world, with prize money awarded for successful ideas. The discussion covered the differences between Freelancer’s approach and traditional government RFP processes, highlighting cost savings and broader participation as key advantages. Trisha shared that Freelancer has helped NASA ach...
The Space Show Present Dr. Siamak Hesar and Araz Feyzi of Kayhan Space On LEO Orbital Debris
<p>The Space Show Presents Dr. Siamak Hesar and Araz Feyzi on the Shenzhou-20 Debris Scare, Tuesday, 2-20-26.</p><p>Quick Summary:</p><p>The Space Show hosted a discussion on the orbital debris problem, focusing on the recent Shenzhou 20 debris scare and its implications for space safety. Araz Feyzi and Siamak Hesar from Kayhan Space explained the challenges of tracking and mitigating space debris, highlighting the need for better coordination between satellite operators and advancements in debris removal technology. They discussed Kayhan Space’s role in providing space traffic coordination services and their recent collaboration with SpaceX’s Star...
Hotel Mars welcomes Dr. Kishalay De of Columbia regarding "disappearing stars."
<p>Hotel Mas with Dr. Kshalay De, Wednesday, 2-18-26</p><p>John Batchelor and Dr. David Livingston welcomed Dr. Kishalay De of Columbia University discuss a star collapsing into a black hole without a supernova, challenging established theories about the minimum mass required for such cosmic events. Dr. De of Columbia University outlined future astronomical surveys using advanced telescopes to identify more “disappearing” stars, aiming to create a comprehensive population road map for black hole formation.</p><p></p><p>Special thanks to our sponsors:American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corp...
Welcome to The Space Show Open Lines Discussion.
<p>The Space Show Presents OPEN LINES, Sunday, 2-15-26</p><p>Quick Summary</p><p>The Space Show Wisdom Team discussed Elon Musk’s decision to pivot SpaceX’s focus from Mars to the Moon, examining both technical and business reasons for the shift. Ajay presented technical arguments against Starship’s capability to achieve significant payload delivery to orbit, while others debated whether this pivot represented a permanent shift away from Mars colonization goals. The discussion explored potential business motivations, including the need for a public IPO to secure funding for ambitious lunar projects like orbital data centers, and consid...
The Space Show Presents Frank Pietronigro on art, space and more at the intersection of human creativity and space.
<p>The Space Show Presents FRANK PIETRONIGRO, a visionary interdisciplinary artist, astronaut, polymath, educator, and author whose work, in part, explores the intersection of human creativity and space, Friday, 2-13-26</p><p>Quick Summary:</p><p>The Space Show featured a discussion with Frank Pietronigro, an interdisciplinary artist and artronaut who presented his vision for the Xenian node, a biologically living space habitat that would represent universal hospitality and integrate living biological systems. Frank shared his concept of the BioPixel, which would replace traditional flat screen pixels with living, biological units of information that could reflect light and video...
The Space Show presents Hotel Mars with Rick Fisher on China's lunar program
<p>Hotel Mars with Rick Fisher, Weds, 2-11-25</p><p>Our special Hotel Mars guest was Rick Fisher who returned to discusses China’s recent Long March 10 A test which was a very important test for the development of their lunar rocket. The Long March 10 A is planned to be a reusable rocket for China’s lunar missions. The development of the Long March 10 A illustrates China’s evolving moon architecture compared to U.S. efforts. Our guest, Rick Fisher who is a national security China watcher on all fronts, including space, explained China’s ambitious “Tiangong Kaiu” 100-year plan to esta...
The Beyond Earth Institute Presents A Space Show Program CEO Steve Wolfe & Tyler Bender.
<p>The Space Show Presents Steve Wolfe, Tyler Bender, & The Beyond Earth Institute, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026</p><p>Quick Summary:</p><p>This Space Show program focused on promoting the upcoming Beyond Earth Symposium, scheduled for February 24-25 in Washington, D.C., which will explore creating a clear pathway to a space town and discuss Artemis program developments. The discussion covered NASA’s authorization bill, commercial space station development, and the need for infrastructure to support a sustainable lunar presence. Key speakers included Steve Wolfe and Tyler Bender from Beyond Earth, who explained their organization’s focus on policy and strategic thin...
