There are NASA Administrators, and then there are NASA Administrators—all are very accomplished individuals, but some stand out for their unique backgrounds and on-the-job successes, and Jim Bridenstine is one of the latter. Entering service as the new NASA Administrator in 2017 with a background as a Navy pilot, Congressman, and museum director, he was an unconventional choice, and faced some headwinds in the appointment—but Jim turned out to be exceptional in the job, especially given the state of NASA when he took it on. Join us to hear his experiences with our favorite space agency and what he's doing today.

Headlines:

• SpaceX Shatters Records with Largest IPO Ever
• NASA Faces Backlash Over Artemis 3 Diversity
• Scientists Propose Magnetosphere Shield Against Solar Storms

Main Topic: Jim Bridenstine & Quantum Space

• Jim Bridenstine's Unconventional Path to NASA Leadership
• Overcoming Political Challenges as NASA Administrator
• Launch and Evolution of the Artemis Moon Program
• Securing Bipartisan Support and Budget for Artemis
• Reflections on Artemis 2 Success and Artemis 3's Challenges
• The Need for a Robust Lunar Lander Solution
• NASA's Global Influence and Soft Power
• The Role of Private Investment in Space Exploration
• Bridenstine's Leadership at Quantum Space
• Quantum Space's Ranger Spacecraft and Military Space Tech
• National Security and Distributed Satellite Architectures
• Small Satellites and Future Space Warfare
• Quantum Space's Move to Go Public via SPAC
• Vision for Moon Bases and Lunar Resource Utilization
• Geopolitics of the New Moon Race and First Mover Advantage
• Quantum Space's Ambitions in Cislunar and Lunar Operations

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Jim Bridenstine

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Recorded live from the International Space Development Conference in McLean, Virginia, Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik are joined by Apollo legend and former Johnson Space Center director Gerry Griffin. Griffin takes us on a journey through his extraordinary career, from his appointment as a flight director in the wake of the Apollo 1 fire, through the audacious decision to send Apollo 8 around the moon, all the way to the nail-biting rescue of Apollo 13. We also venture behind the scenes of Ron Howard's Apollo 13 film, where Griffin reveals the real story behind some of Hollywood's most famous dramatic liberties. It's a rare, firsthand account of the golden age of human spaceflight — from one of the few people who was there for all of it.

Headlines:

• Space Station Faces Recurring Air Leak Crisis

Main Topic: Jerry Griffin's Legacy in Space Exploration

• Transition from Fighter Pilot to Mission Control
• Gemini and Apollo Era Engineering Breakthroughs
• The Apollo 1 Fire: Lessons and Safety Changes
• Fast-Tracking from Apollo 7 to Apollo 8 Lunar Orbit
• Insights From the Apollo 11 Moon Landing
• Apollo 13 Crisis Management Onscreen and in Reality
• The Evolution and Importance of Mission Control Teams
• Reflections on NASA's Culture and Training Through Decades
• Preparing Future Generations for Artemis and Beyond

(Note: Apologies for the video flickering that occurs in the podcast.)

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Gerry Griffin

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What a wild week in space news! We were all set to discuss Starship Test Flight 12 and NASA's recent press conference updating their lunar base plans, when on Thursday night, Blue Origin lost a New Glenn rocket on the pad during a static test. The explosion appears to have severely damaged the launch structure, LC36, along with the loss of the rocket. Fortunately, there were no casualties. But this does throw NASA's schedule for returning American astronauts to the moon into question, given that the agency had recently signaled their choice of Blue Origin's Blue Moon lander for Artemis 4 in 2028. It's now a toss-up between the US and China, with the competition hotter--and closer--than ever. And of course, we'll still discuss Starship and the latest lunar base plans! Space.com's Mike Wall joins us.

Headlines:
• Blue Origin's New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Static Fire Test
• Manhattanhenge Aligns City Streets with the Sunset

Main Topic: NASA's Artemis Moon Base and Lunar Exploration Plans
• SpaceX Starship Flight 12 Performance and Booster Mishap Investigation
• Starship's Role in Artemis and Competitive Moon Race with China
• Moon Base Contract Awards: Landers, Rovers, and Robotics
• National Security and Legal Implications of Lunar "Territory"
• China's Push for a 2030 Lunar Landing and US Response Strategy

Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik

Guest: Mike Wall

Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space.

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