Explore Worlds
Find Life
Defend Earth
Since 2002, Planetary Radio has visited with a scientist, engineer, project manager, advocate, or writer who provides a unique perspective on the quest for knowledge about our Solar System and beyond. The full show archive is available for free.
Search Planetary Radio
Opportunity reaches Endeavour Crater, Emily Lakdawalla visits a New Horizons science meeting about Pluto, Bill Nye discusses a planet made of diamond, and Bruce Betts and Mat Kaplan celebrate the award of a Parsec award to Planetary Radio.
JPL engineer Daniel Gaines helped develop new software for Opportunity to autonomously select objects for close-up imaging as she races across Mars. Emily Lakdawalla is thrilled by evidence of recently active volcanos on Venus. Bill Nye salutes three decades of service by retiring Planetary Society founder Lou Friedman.
John Callas tells us why an end to Spirit's roving does not mean the end of her work on the red planet. Emily Lakdawalla looks to the other side of Mars where Opportunity is rolling up to a baby crater, and Bill Nye is head over heels for the highest ever skydive.
John Callas reports on Spirit and Opportunity, Bill Nye debates the future of humans on the Moon, and Bruce Betts looks to the Perseid meteor shower in his What's Up review of the night sky.
Bruce Banerdt provides a status report on Spirit and Opportunity. Bill Nye has something old and something new to talk about, and Bruce Betts returns from the Planetary Defense Conference in Spain with news of Near Earth Objects and other things in the night sky.
Jim Bell and Bill Nye talk Spirit and Opportunity in celebration of 5 years on Mars. Emily Lakdawalla's Q&A looks forward to a Mars flyby by the Dawn spacecraft.
Steve Squyres gives us a status report on Spirit and Opportunity, and Bill Nye comments on the rings that appear to surround one of Saturn's small moons. Last week Emily Lakdawalla told us why objects in space are round, but this time her Q&A explains why they're not.
John Callas provides a status report on Spirit and Opportunity. Emily Lakdawalla is looking at brilliant Comet Holmes in her Q&A report, and Bruce Betts also makes room for Holmes in his What's Up! review of the night sky.
As the incredibly successful Mars Exploration Rover mission continues, Planetary Radio talks with Spirit's manager about what is being accomplished. We also hear from the second pair of Student Astronauts.
We celebrate one (Earth) year of Mars Exploration Rovers on the red planet with Principal Investigator Steve Squyres and Project Manager Jim Erickson; Emily Lakdawalla goes where no spacecraft has gone before.
Steve Squyres and Phil Christensen discuss Opportunity's latest goal, Endeavour Crater; Emily Lakdawalla knows how to find a spacecraft sailing out beyond Pluto, and Bruce Betts has a lock on a couple of comets.
This week we hear about the strategically located magnets on the Mars Exploration Rovers and how are telling us more about the red planet.
With lots to celebrate, The Planetary Society threw a party for the scientists and engineers who have made Spirit and Opportunity such amazing successes, and you're invited!
Planetary Radio talks with the developer of the Pancam on the Mars Exploration Rovers, Jim Bell. We also feature the last pair of Student Astronauts, and another visit with Astrobots Biff Starling and Sandy Moondust.
After a long hiatus, Biff Starling and Sandy Moondust return to the air. You'll also hear from Mars Exploration Rover Entry, Descent and Landing Chief Engineer Wayne Lee, and from two more of the Student Astronauts.
Opportunity is on a roll and Spirit is almost back to full health as we visit with the young Flight Director for the mission. We also hear from two more of the Student Astronauts.
Follow the incredibly exciting and finally triumphant arrival on Mars of the Mars Exploration Rover as it happened at Wild About Mars, the Planetary Society's big weekend event at the Pasadena Convention Center.
Doctor Steven Squyres talks about the challenges, human and robotic, facing the Mars Exploration Rover mission; Emily Lakdawalla is watching for shooting stars...on Mars, and Bruce Betts and Mat Kaplan attend the Planetary Society's holiday party.
Planetary Radio gets a Mars Exploration Rover status report from Deputy Project Scientist, Dr. Albert Haldemann; Emily Lakdawalla can tell how old a planet is from its surface.