Space NOW!

Are you smarter than a space expert? 2025 Quiz!

Calling all SPACE NERDS and QUIZ GEEKS: join David and the Space NOW! gang for a Christmas space quiz 🎄 Test your general knowledge and recap what happened this year in Space
 
🚀 MERCH
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Want to keep quizzing? ➡️ https://www.spacecentre.co.uk/news/sp...
 
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What's happening in Space? 2025 Highlights & 2026 Predictions

Join David and Josh as they share their SPACE highlights from 2025 and predictions for 2026.
 
Get your own Space Centre tee ➡️ https://spacecentre.teemill.com/
 
LINKS
Barwell Meteorite Event: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk/whats-o...
   • From PARALYMPIAN to ASTRONAUT: A Conversat...  
   • Are Space Tourists "Astronauts"? | Space N...  
 
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Visit the National Space Centre: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk
Send us your space question! Email podcast@spacecentre.co.uk
 
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Threads: threads.com/ @Spacecenter191 ​

Is this the end of missions to Venus?

The end of Japan's Akatsuki mission means the end of humanity's missions to Venus - for now! But what have we learned from our missions to Venus and should we return? Dhara and Ed spill all the details about the history of missions to Earth's "toxic twin".
Also: new Euclid images.
LINKS
Space Lates: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk/whats-o...
Latest Euclid Image: https://www.esa.int/Science_Explorati...
 
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Visit the National Space Centre: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk
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The Most TERRIFYING Space Stories (Halloween Special)

Fires, disasters, near-misses and strange occurrences... The SCARIEST and SPOOKIEST space stories with David and Dhara.
 
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uttHce5YkNQ
 
GET IN TOUCH
Visit the National Space Centre: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk
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Can you play video games on the ISS?

David and Josh are back answering your questions about Space!
Plus: comet-spotting, "Super-puff" planets and how to spot a Supermoon.
 
00:00 Welcome to Space NOW!
00:44 Space WOWs: Comets & Super-puffs!
06:08 Your Questions
06:29 If you planted a seed on Mars, would it grow?
09:35 Could you watch a supernova happen?
13:52 What would happen to water on the moon?
16:11 Is there a 'Wall of Fire' at the edge of the Solar System?
20:31 Can you play video games on the ISS?
24:02 Could you grow plants upside-down on Earth?
27:29 What are ESA's greatest hits?
31:58 Would you rather: alien or astronaut?
34:33 Spot a Supermoon!
35:38 Thank you for watching
 
Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/nEeTVi3iufU 
 
GET IN TOUCH
Visit the National Space Centre: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk
Send us your space question! Email podcast@spacecentre.co.uk
 
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From PARALYMPIAN to ASTRONAUT: A Conversation with John McFall

We were delighted to sit down with John McFall: Paralympian, Orthopaedic Surgeon, and now the first person with a physical disability to be certified for space flight.
 
We talk about John's extraordinary journey, the hardest parts of astronaut training, the weird science experiments he'd like to try out in space and his experience with the ESA Fly! study, which proved that a physical disability need not be a barrier for the astronauts of the future.
 
ENGAGE WITH SPACE!
Mission X - Train Like an Astronaut https://trainlikeanastronaut.org/
Watch John's Keynote at UK in Space Festival:    • John McFall: the WORLD'S FIRST Astronaut w...  
 
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Visit the National Space Centre: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 John McFall: Paralympian, Surgeon & Astronaut
00:44 Who is John McFall?
02:17 Interview Starts
04:58 Does he ever stop!?
05:50 Journey to the Paralympics
11:10 From Paralympian to Astronaut
13:50 Fly! Feasibility Study
18:42 International Collaboration
20:35 The Hardest Part of Astronaut Training
22:44 John's Favourite Space Experiments!
26:26 Osteoporosis in Space?
29:18 Upcoming Space Missions
30:53 Mission X: Train Like an Astronaut
32:26 "Do Something that Interests You"
33:22 Behind the Scenes

NASA might have discovered life on Mars

This is not a drill: NASA have discovered a new biosignature and it's on Mars!
 
Ed and Dhara dive into all the nerdy details of this latest discovery, and explore why humans have always been obsessed with the red planet.
 
Plus: a quasi-moon, solar shifts and a chance to sleep-over at the National Space Centre!
 
ENGAGE WITH SPACE!
Help scientists by cloudspotting on Mars: https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/m...
Events at the National Space Centre: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk/whats-on
 
GET IN TOUCH
Visit the National Space Centre: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk
Send us your space question! Email podcast@spacecentre.co.uk
 
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Facebook: facebook.com/@NationalSpaceCentre
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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Welcome to Space NOW!
00:40 Space Wows!
00:59 The Sun is waking up and scientists don't know why
04:44 Earth has a new moon?
07:33 Is there life on Mars?
08:00 Observing Mars in human history
12:30 The First Missions to Mars
16:06 The new findings!
24:00 Other missions to find life
27:38 Life on Mars: our Hot Takes!
29:40 Engage with Space
30:34 Next time on Space NOW!

Is this the end of the UK Space Agency?

Join Zoe and Josh to explore the latest space headlines. The UKSA has been scrapped - or has it? In this episode we dig into what the UK does in Space and what the future looks like for the industry. *Send this to someone who wants a career in space!*
The UK in Space Festival: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk/whats-on/uk-in-space-festival/ 
Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/wcIQ5JfFGKc 
 
GET IN TOUCH
Visit the National Space Centre: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk
Send us your space question! Email podcast@spacecentre.co.uk
 
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Debunking Moon Landing Conspiracies!

How do we know we landed on the moon? Well, because it happened and there's loads of evidence.
On this episode, Ed and Dhara tackle some of the major conspiracies about the moon landing head on and ask what the future holds for conspiracy theories as we approach the Artemis landings.
We also celebrate the life of Apollo astronaut Jim Lovell.
Watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/QZm2fpaZAH8 
 
LINKS
Can a flag wave on the moon? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65S9M0Jlv8c
 
GET IN TOUCH
Visit the National Space Centre: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk Send us your space question!
Email podcast@spacecentre.co.uk
 
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Welcome to Space NOW!
00:32 Remembering Jim Lovell
05:32 Where do Moon Conspiracies come from?
09:24 Why we're talking about this
10:37 Getting into the Conspiracies
11:09 Where are the stars?
14:39 Who filmed Neil Armstrong?
17:50 The Van Allen Belt
21:06 How did a flag wave on the Moon?
24:13 Diverging shadows
26:34 Labelled rock?
27:12 Can we see the landing sites?
28:24 Neil Armstrong's name
28:50 Why haven't we been back (yet)?
36:08 See you in two weeks!

This asteroid is worth $100,000,000,000,000,000,000

You find an asteroid rich in natural resources. Do you: a. leave it be? b. explore it scientifically (like NASA's Psyche mission)? c. strip it for parts and bring those parts back home?
If we can mine much needed minerals from space, should we?
In this episode, Josh and David explain the feasibility and thorny ethics of asteroid mining. Plus: the first female Astronomer Royal, the Voyager Declaration, and how to spot a meteor shower.
NB: at 02:15 Josh refers to the JUNO mission when he means JUICE.
Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/cTAxlRLWq5M 
 
LINKS
The Voyager Declaration https://www.standupforscience.net/nasa-voyager-declaration
All About the Psyche Mission https://www.spacecentre.co.uk/news/space-now-blog/psyche-mission/
 
GET IN TOUCH
Visit the National Space Centre: https://www.spacecentre.co.uk
Send us your space question! Email podcast@spacecentre.co.uk
 
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Threads: threads.com/@spacecentre
 
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Introduction
00:34 First Female Astronomer Royal
03:58 The Voyager Declaration
09:37 Asteroid Mining
27:00 Perseids Meteor Shower
29:29 Conclusion