The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has shared its first public images, revealing millions of galaxies, stars, and asteroids in stunning detail. Stephanie Deppe, astronomy content strategist at Rubin Observatory, joins us to explain what makes these images so revolutionary, how the observatory works, and what’s coming next as Rubin prepares for its ten-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time.

Later in the show, we reflect on the life and legacy of the observatory’s namesake, Vera Rubin, the groundbreaking astronomer who provided the first convincing evidence of dark matter. Jess Soto, STEM Strategies Coordinator at Mount Wilson Observatory and creator of Science Women Shirts, reflects on Rubin’s efforts to open up opportunities for women in space science.

Then we close out the show with Bruce Betts in our regular What’s Up segment, featuring the discovery of a brand-new interstellar object, 3I/ATLAS, the third known object to travel through our Solar System from interstellar space.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-first-images-rubin-observatory

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Have Democrats ceded leadership in space policy? That’s what Mary Guenther believes. She’s the Director of Space Policy at the Progressive Policy Institute and the author of an editorial that claims Democrats have ceded their leadership. She traces the party’s arc from Obama-era reforms to recent data showing that Democrats introduced a third fewer space bills than Republicans in recent years, and proposes ways that the party should embrace this forward-looking field while tying it to their core issues of job creation, supply chains, and climate science.

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Recorded at the 2025 Humans to the Moon and Mars Summit (H2M2) in Washington, D.C., this episode features two powerful conversations about the future of human space exploration. Hosted by Mat Kaplan, senior communications adviser at The Planetary Society, these panel discussions explore the scientific and diplomatic foundations guiding humanity’s journey beyond Earth.

The first panel, Space Science: A Vital National Interest, features James Green, former NASA chief scientist and chair of the Explore Mars advisory board, James Garvin, chief scientist at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Britney Schmidt, astrobiologist and associate professor at Cornell University, and John Mather, Nobel Prize–winning astrophysicist and senior scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope. They discuss how space science drives innovation, strengthens U.S. national priorities, and deepens our understanding of the universe, especially in the face of proposed funding cuts.

In the second panel, Artemis Accords: International Collaboration in Deep Space, Mike Gold of Redwire, Marc Jochemich of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Adnan Mohammad Alrais of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, and Sohair Salam Saber of The Hague Institute for Global Justice explore how diplomacy and shared values are shaping global participation in lunar exploration. The conversation also highlights the Washington Compact, an effort to bring shared values and responsible behavior in space to commercial companies and other non-governmental organizations.

We wrap up the show with a new What’s Up segment with Bruce Betts, where we talk about what could happen if the Gateway lunar space station is canceled, and how that would impact humanity’s dreams for Mars.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-H2M2

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Alicia Brown from the Commercial Space Federation and Brittany Webster from the American Geophysical Union join the show to discuss NASA’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal, which aims to slash the agency’s funding by nearly 25%, cut science by 47%, and reduce staffing to levels not seen since 1960.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/fy2026-nasa-budget-discussion

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The Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) is poised to become one of the most powerful ground-based observatories ever built. On June 12, 2025, the U.S. National Science Foundation announced that the GMT will enter its Major Facilities Final Design Phase, bringing it one step closer to full construction. This week on Planetary Radio, host Sarah Al-Ahmed speaks with Rebecca Bernstein, Chief Scientist for the Giant Magellan Telescope Organization and astronomer at the Carnegie Institution for Science, about the groundbreaking technology behind GMT and how it will transform our understanding of the Cosmos.

Later in the show, Casey Dreier, chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, returns to discuss his new op-ed in Space News on the White House’s controversial Mars plan, and why a bold vision without political consensus is unlikely to succeed.

As always, we wrap up with What’s Up with Bruce Betts, chief scientist at The Planetary Society.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-gmt

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Few writers have captured the wonder of science through storytelling as powerfully as Dava Sobel. In this episode, we celebrate her remarkable career and her recent honor as the recipient of The Planetary Society’s 2025 Cosmos Award for Outstanding Public Presentation of Science. Mat Kaplan, senior communications advisor at The Planetary Society, sits down with Sobel for a conversation about the human lives behind great scientific discoveries, from Galileo and Copernicus to the women of the Harvard Observatory and Marie Curie’s lab.

Later in the show, Jack Kiraly, our director of government relations, joins us with an encouraging update on our public advocacy campaign to save NASA science. And don’t miss What’s Up with Bruce Betts, where we reflect on the role of science communicators and share a fresh Random Space Fact.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-cosmos-award

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What does it take to turn a love of space into a global career in science journalism? Sarah Cruddas has done just that. With a background in astrophysics and a passion for storytelling, she’s become a leading voice in space media, covering rocket launches, interviewing astronauts, and writing books that bring the Cosmos down to Earth. In this episode, Sarah shares her path from the U.K. to the front lines of space communication and why she believes storytelling is essential to the future of exploration. She also reflects on the challenges of breaking into the field, the power of listening, and how space can unite people across the globe. Plus, Bruce Betts joins us for What’s Up, where we talk about what makes a great space journalist.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-making-space-matter

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Former NASA Chief Economist Akhil Rao explains why NASA needs economic expertise to navigate the complex—and often misunderstood—market forces that will determine the success or failure of its private partnerships. As NASA relies ever more on commercial companies to enable its own exploration efforts, it is imperative, Rao believes, to provide clear-eyed perspectives that highlight the challenges and solutions required to reach success. And why NASA puts itself at risk for pursuing faith-based program investments after dissolving the strategy and economics team at the agency a few months ago.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/space-economy-akhil-rao

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