International Space Station and Beyond

Dr. Gary Kitmacher, communications and education mission manager for the International Space Station program, returns to the podcast to discuss the design, assembly, and evolution of the International Space Station, and how this orbiting laboratory informs future spacecraft designs. HWHAP Episode 133

Early Space Stations

Dr. Gary Kitmacher, communications and education mission manager for the International Space Station program, talks through the early concepts of space station design and introduces us to the astronomers, authors, and engineers that contributed to modern-day space travel and the International Space Station. HWHAP Episode 132

Train Like an Astronaut

Kathy Bolt, chief training officer and CAPCOM, gives us a peek inside the world of training as an astronaut, how it has evolved, and how we are training our astronauts for future missions. HWHAP Episode 131.

Mission Patches

Sean Collins, lead graphic designer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, discusses the history, design and symbolism that goes into creating the iconic NASA mission patches. HWHAP Episode 130.

Art and Spaceflight

Retired astronaut Nicole Stott, an artist who uses painting to express the feelings and emotions she experienced on station, talks about her spaceflight experience and the importance of art as a form of expression and inspiration. HWHAP Episode 129.

Space Radiation

Jason Weeks and Steve Platts discuss the ways NASA is collecting radiation data to better understand the risks and possible mitigation strategies for humans traveling through deep space. This is the last in a six part series on NASA’s Human Research Program. HWHAP Episode 128.

Making It Work in Space

Brandon Vessey and Cherie Oubre discuss how they integrate and manage all the human research work in areas such as human performance, health, and radiation for research on the International Space Station, on Earth, and for future space exploration. This is part five of a six part series on NASA’s Human Research Program. HWHAP episode 127.

Fighting Space Effects

Laura Bollweg and Peter Norsk detail the effects that the microgravity environment has on human health, what we’re doing to counteract some of these effects, and the studies taking place to better understand how the Moon and Mars may have different impacts. This is part four of a six part series on NASA’s Human Research Program. HWHAP Episode 126.

Deep Space Healthcare

Nancy Fleming and Kris Lehnhardt describe the challenges of providing the necessary medical capabilities to astronauts traveling deeper into space. This is part three of a six part series on NASA’s Human Research Program. HWHAP Episode 125.

The Human Element

Aaron Allcorn and Tom Williams discuss NASA’s efforts to understand the optimal spaceflight environment that maximizes human performance. This is part two of a six part series on NASA’s Human Research Program. HWHAP Episode 124.