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  • “Exploration is in our nature.” - Carl Sagan

Buzz Aldrin, Ray Bradbury and Bill Nye Highlight Planetary Society Program on National Public Radio

For Immediate Release
August 23, 2000

Contact
Mat Kaplan
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1-626-793-5100

The Planetary Society invites listeners to jump start their imaginations when they tune in to a fascinating new radio documentary, "Human Exploration of Space: Fact & Fiction," distributed to National Public Radio stations across America.

"Human Exploration of Space: Fact & Fiction" will feature interviews with a variety of guests well known in the worlds of science and science fiction, including:

  • Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 astronaut
  • Ray Bradbury, science fiction author
  • F.X. Feeney, movie critic and science fiction scholar
  • Louis Friedman, Executive Director of The Planetary Society
  • Bruce Murray, President of The Planetary Society
  • Bill Nye, The Science Guy
  • Majel Barrett Roddenberry, wife of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, Nurse Christine Chapell from the original series, and the voice of the starship Enterprise computer
  • Donna Shirley, former JPL Mars Program Manager during Pathfinder mission, now at University of Oklahoma

Larry Mantle of KPCC-FM will host "Human Exploration of Space: Fact & Fiction," which is presented by The Planetary Society, in conjunction with KPCC-FM; Southern California Public Radio; and KMA, the Ken Mills Agency of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

This innovative program explores the relationship between science fiction and science fact during the past century's breakthrough exploration of space. Major themes include human destiny, risk, Mars in fiction and fact, Apollo 11 and the impact of fiction on actual space exploration, ranging from Jules Verne to Ray Bradbury, to "Star Trek" and beyond.

"We want to live forever. If we stay on earth, eventually the sun will die. So, that being true, we have to move out through the universe as a witness to the miraculous," said Ray Bradbury in "Human Exploration of Space: Fact & Fiction."

In Southern California, the program will be heard on KPCC-FM 89.3 on Labor Day, Monday, September 4, at 9:00 am. Contact local NPR stations for additional program air dates.

About The Planetary Society

With a global community of more than 2 million space enthusiasts, The Planetary Society is the world’s largest and most influential space advocacy organization. Founded in 1980 by Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman and today led by CEO Bill Nye, we empower the public to take a meaningful role in advancing space exploration through advocacy, education outreach, scientific innovation, and global collaboration. Together with our members and supporters, we’re on a mission to explore worlds, find life off Earth, and protect our planet from dangerous asteroids. To learn more, visit www.planetary.org.

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