Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition

The Planetary Society

NASA

Apollo Program

Lunar Exploration

Sublime Experience

Space Policy

Space Exploration

NASA Artemis Program

Cultural Significance Of the Moon

Cremains On the Moon

Mars Sample Return

Space Shuttle Program

Historical Perspectives On the Moon

American South

Role Of Literature In Science

U.S. Government Investment

China

Human Spaceflight

Spacex

Artemis Program

John Logsdon

The politics, policy, and history behind space exploration.

32 ratings

Publishes	Monthly	Episodes	114	Founded	6 years ago
Number of Listeners		Categories	NewsSciencePolitics

Listen to this Podcast

Guests Host Reviews Charts Talking Points

Latest Episodes

China’s growing space science ambitions

If the United States is indeed in a space race with China, why are we abandoning space science programs across the Solar System? This question, posed by guest Maxwell Zhu in a recent op-ed co-authored by The Planetary Society’s chief of space policy,... more

3 Oct 2025 • 48 min

Does the rise of Elon mean the fall of NASA?

Atlantic writer Franklin Foer joins the show to discuss how NASA enabled the rise of Elon Musk, and, in doing so, sowed the seeds of its own decline.

5 Sep 2025 • 1 hr

Is this the moment for in-space nuclear power?

Dr. Bhavya Lal argues that the 2020s are a decisive decade for in-space nuclear power. Without nuclear, humans may never be more than visitors on Mars or the Moon.

1 Aug 2025 • 1 hr 10 min

Are Democrats falling behind on space policy?

Our guest, Mary Guenther, argues that the Democratic Party is ceding leadership in space policy, and how linking space to jobs, supply chains, and climate could help refocus the party’s relationship with the Cosmos.

4 Jul 2025 • 59 min

Key Facts

Accepts Guests

Contact Information

Podcast Host

Number of Listeners

Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Main Engine Cut OffAnthony Colangelo

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and ScienceThe Planetary Society

Astronomy CastFraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay

Houston We Have a PodcastNational Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion

Recent Guests

Maxwell Zhu

Graduate student at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs, co-author on China's space science project

Yale University

Episode: China’s growing space science ambitions

Franklin Foer

Staff writer at The Atlantic

The Atlantic

Episode: Does the rise of Elon mean the fall of NASA?

Dr. Bhavya Lal

Professor of Policy Analysis at the Rand School of Public Policy and co-author of the report on in-space nuclear power.

Rand School of Public Policy

Episode: Is this the moment for in-space nuclear power?

Mary Guenther

Inaugural director of space policy at the Progressive Policy Institute, former professional committee staff member in the US Senate covering space and science.

Progressive Policy Institute

Episode: Are Democrats falling behind on space policy?

Alicia Brown

Executive Director of the Commercial Space Federation

Commercial Space Federation

Episode: NASA’s 2026 budget

Brittany Webster

Assistant Director of Science Policy and Government Relations for AGU

American Geophysical Union

Episode: NASA’s 2026 budget

Akhil Rao

Former Chief Economist at NASA, Professor of Economics

Rational Futures

Episode: What does NASA need with an economist?

Janet Vertesi

Associate Professor of Sociology at Princeton University, who has studied NASA's robotic spacecraft and team dynamics.

Princeton University

Episode: How NASA remembers—and forgets

Marcia Smith

Founder and editor of Space Policy Online

Space Policy Online

Episode: The Challenges of Change at NASA

Host

Casey Dreier

Chief of Space Policy

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 32 ratings

Are Democrats Falling Behind
Such a good episode, not just for this show but in terms of space podcasts in general. Bookmarking this one for repeated listens and some deep thinking.
Apple Podcasts
5
Oak Galaxy
Australia3 months ago

Embed These Reviews on a Website

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the insightful discussions on space policy and find the analysis of current events in space exploration highly relevant. They commend the blend of expert guests, delivering rich, informative content that contributes to their understanding of complex topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts	#174	Canada/Science
Apple Podcasts	#112	Taiwan/Science
Apple Podcasts	#127	Japan/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

China’s growing space science ambitions

Q: Can you tell me how you came to this in terms of space policy in particular?

Maxwell Zhu discusses the challenge of justifying space science funding amidst competing geopolitical pressures and highlights the need for hard data to underscore the importance of China's space science growth.

Does the rise of Elon mean the fall of NASA?

Q: Do you believe then through that experience that human spaceflight functionally then defines NASA to the broader public?

Foer asserts that human spaceflight defines NASA largely due to its presence in popular culture, as it has produced dramatic, memorable moments that connect more significantly with the public compared to other aspects of NASA's work.

Does the rise of Elon mean the fall of NASA?

Q: What was your idea and conception of NASA and the US space program before you started reporting this piece?

Foer reflects on growing up with a fascination for human space exploration, as embodied by figures like Neil Armstrong, but recognized that he wasn't a space enthusiast.

Is this the moment for in-space nuclear power?

Q: Do you think that in space, nuclear is fundamentally related to terrestrial nuclear?

Yes, nuclear is seen as connected but it shouldn't be subject to the same regulatory frameworks as Earth-based nuclear due to the different risks involved.

Is this the moment for in-space nuclear power?

Q: What drew you to nuclear engineering?

Dr. Lal was influenced by brilliant nuclear engineers she met during her youth, which inspired her to pursue the field despite its complexities.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition

What is Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Content primarily revolves around space exploration, focusing on the interplay of politics, policy, and history. Recent episodes discuss significant topics like NASA's budgetary challenges, the influence of private companies like SpaceX, the implications of in-space nuclear power, and Democratic engagement in space policy. Each episode features a mix of expert guests from academia, industry, and policy-making circles, highlighting nuanced discussions about the future of space exploration and its societal impacts. Overall, the content is highly informative for those interested in the intersection of science and politics, particularly in aerospace contexts.

Where can I find podcast stats for Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition:

1. Main Engine Cut Off
2. Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science
3. Astronomy Cast
4. Houston We Have a Podcast
5. The Ezra Klein Show

How many episodes of Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition are there?

Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition launched 6 years ago and published 114 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition?

Recent guests on Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition include:

1. Maxwell Zhu
2. Franklin Foer
3. Dr. Bhavya Lal
4. Mary Guenther
5. Alicia Brown
6. Brittany Webster
7. Akhil Rao
8. Janet Vertesi

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.

Try it free for 7 days