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Science & Medicine

Small Steps, Giant Leaps

Katie Konans

NASA’s technical workforce embodies the spirit of Neil Armstrong’s immortal words from the surface of the Moon, boldly pushing the envelope of human achievement and scientific understanding....

Episodes

20 of 182 episodes

State Hubs: Opening Doors for Technical Students

NASA, through the Office of STEM Engagement, has launched the State Hubs Initiative, awarding $10.5 million to seven institutions with the g...

17:59Oct 14, 2026

Human Factors: Designing Systems with People in Mind - Part 2 of 2

Dr. Cynthia Null, NASA Technical Fellow for Human Factors, discusses the myths of human limitations and how she got involved in the scientif...

21:37Sep 30, 2026

Human Factors: Designing Systems with People in Mind - Part 1 of 2

Dr. Cynthia Null, NASA Technical Fellow for Human Factors, discusses how understanding human capabilities and limitations can help engineers...

18:59Sep 16, 2026

Passing Down Knowledge

Heather Koehler, NASA Technical Fellow for Flight Mechanics, explains how knowledge at NASA is passed from person to person, program to prog...

16:36Sep 2, 2026

The X-59 Goes Supersonic: What's Next?

NASA’s experimental X-59 airplane went supersonic for the first time on June 5, 2026. What's next for the mission that aims to reopen the sk...

15:45Aug 25, 2026

Life Support Systems: From Space Station to Orion

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station depend on life support systems that provide clean air, drinkable water, and a safe, livabl...

14:34Aug 5, 2026

Science Takes a Village (in Alabama)

Ground teams connect with astronauts aboard the International Space Station to help them carry out research and experiments. Kassandra Steph...

14:50Jul 22, 2026

Transformative Aeronautics

A NASA research program collaborates with universities to revolutionize the way we design, build, and operate aircraft. Angela Surgenor, dep...

17:10Jul 10, 2026

Calibrating Satellite Image Data

Before scientists can use those satellite imagery for research, the data must be carefully calibrated to ensure measurements are accurate an...

19:39Jun 26, 2026

Space Nuclear Propulsion

Space nuclear power and propulsion engineering could play a key role in sending robots and humans to deep space, enabling faster and farther...

22:44Jun 15, 2026

Test Like You Fly

The “test like you fly” approach is an engineering philosophy that means testing hardware, software, and flight operations as close to reali...

23:31May 27, 2026

Soft Skills for Tough Missions

So-called “soft skills” like good teamwork and communication can become just as valuable as technical skills to advance exploration.

16:24May 13, 2026

Tracking Launches: Views from a NASA Pilot

NASA pilots play a critical role in launch and recovery operations. Shannon Gregory, chief of flight operations at Kennedy Space Center, sha...

17:11Apr 29, 2026

How NASA's Pandora Mission Unboxes Distant Worlds

Studying planets in other solar systems isn’t easy, especially when their host stars keep stealing the spotlight. NASA’s Pandora mission wil...

12:07Apr 19, 2026

Choreographing Astronaut Recovery

For any crew returning to Earth from space, the journey home includes a carefully choreographed recovery effort to bring them safely back on...

14:41Mar 18, 2026

Dragonfly: Mission to Titan

NASA's Dragonfly spacecraft, a rotorcraft the size of a small car, is set to explore Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Rich in organic compounds...

20:44Mar 4, 2026

Designing the Roadmap to Mars

Nujoud Merancy, NASA's deputy associate administrator for the Strategy and Architecture Office, talks about how NASA is developing the roadm...

14:04Mar 4, 2026

The Many Hats of NASA Engineer Jennifer Lu

From her experience working with the Commercial Crew Program, which sends astronauts to the International Space Station aboard commercial sp...

16:13Feb 4, 2026

Bringing Back Supersonic Flight

Currently, flying faster than the speed of sound over land is prohibited for commercial flights because it creates disruptive sonic booms. N...

25:59Jan 21, 2026

Sailing the Solar System

A solar sail uses light particles from the Sun to move through space without needing a single drop of fuel. NASA is demonstrating the lightw...

13:22Dec 17, 2025