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Episode graphic showing an illustration of a gamma-ray burst. It's depicted by a bright, purple burst of energy shooting from a point in space. The text above reads "159: StarBurst: Gamma-ray Hunter." Credit: NASA
Podcast Episode 159: StarBurst: Gamma-ray Hunter

StarBurst, a satellite the size of a washing machine, aims to detect the initial blast of gamma-rays, the most powerful bursts of energy in the universe. These huge explosions can occur when dense neutron stars collide, forging metals like gold and platinum. These metals are some of the building blocks of planets — like Earth.

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Thumbnail image for the podcast episode with text that reads Small Steps, Giant Leaps. #158: Hubble an Engineering Marvel. All in white lettering. The right third of the image is an image of the Hubble Space Telescope in space. Credit: NASA
Podcast Episode 158: Hubble: An Engineering Marvel

The Hubble Space Telescope has changed humanity’s understanding of the universe. Now in orbit for 35 years, it remains a remarkable feat of engineering.

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Photo from below of a drone flying against a deep-blue sky. The drone is white with a pointed red nosecone. Credit: Don Richey
Podcast Episode 157: Fighting Wildland Fires with Drones

Fighting wildland fires by air at night is especially hazardous. NASA’s ACERO Project aims to make firefighting safer – day or night – with drones and smarter airspace management.

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Podcast episode graphic showing a composite image of a supernova remnant in purple coloring. The text above it says #156: A New Era of X-ray Astronomy with IXPE
Podcast Episode 156: A New Era of X-ray Astronomy with IXPE

IXPE, or the Infrared X-ray Polarimetry Explorer, is NASA’s first space telescope dedicated to studying X-ray polarization from extreme objects like black holes and quasars.

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Podcast title graphic with the text that reads #155: Risk Management at NASA. Illustration of Europa Clipper spacecraft above Jupiter's icy moon Europa. The surface is blue and icy. Jupiter, partially lit, looms in the background. The spacecraft reflects the Sun's light. Credit: NASA
Podcast Episode 155: Risk Management at NASA

Big or small, we all take risks nearly every day. But how does NASA manage it? Dr. Mary Skow, NASA’s first agency risk management officer, explains.

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Credit: NASA
Podcast Episode 154: NASA’s Air Traffic Management-eXploration Project

NASA’s Air Traffic Management-eXploration Project aims to accommodate the growing demand of traditional and emerging aircraft that share the friendly skies. 

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Podcast graphic showing the name of the podcast and the episode title in white text. The text says #153: The Universe in Living Color with SPHEREx. Credit: NASA
Podcast Episode 153: The Universe in Living Color with SPHEREx

NASA’s SPHEREx Observatory will use 102 color filters to collect data on more than 450 million galaxies along with more than 100 million stars in the Milky Way in order to explore the origins of the universe. It will also study the abundance of water ice and organic molecules throughout the galaxy.

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Podcast episode graphic showing the title of the podcast on the left third of the image. The rest of the graphic is an illustration of the EZIE mission, showing one of the three suitcase-sized satellites orbiting above Earth's green aurorae.
Podcast Episode 152: EZIE Does It

What can the auroras tell us about our planet’s relationship with the Sun? NASA’s EZIE mission looks into it. 

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Illustration of three small satellites scanning Earth's aurorae from above. The aurora is depicted as green. Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben
EPISODE 152: EZIE DOES IT

What can the auroras tell us about our planet’s relationship with the Sun? NASA’s EZIE mission looks into it.

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