As debates over NASA's future heat up, questions about the value of space exploration are popping up everywhere. This week on Planetary Radio, we're tackling the tough questions head-on with The Planetary Society's staff, including Casey Dreier, chief of space policy, and Ambre Trujillo, digital community manager. They break down the biggest misconceptions about space science, public versus private investment, and why exploration still matters in an ever-changing world.

Then Jack Kiraly, director of government relations, joins us for a space policy update. We discuss the growing movement to save NASA science, how community action is ramping up, and what’s happening behind the scenes on Capitol Hill.

And in What's Up with Bruce Betts, we explore some of the most recent NASA spinoffs, technologies developed for space that are making life better here on Earth.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-space-science-under-fire

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This week on Planetary Radio, we explore the decades-long journey of Kosmos 482, a Soviet-era Venus probe that spent 53 years orbiting Earth before its dramatic return on May 10, 2025. Ben Fernando, a postdoctoral researcher in seismology and planetary science at Johns Hopkins University, joins us to explain the history of Kosmos 482 and how seismology and acoustic sensors are helping scientists detect and locate objects impacting Earth. Then Bruce Betts, our chief scientist, joins us for What's Up, where we look back at the largest human-made objects ever to crash back to Earth.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-kosmos-482

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TOI-270 d is revealing secrets about the most common type of planet in our galaxy, sub-Neptunes. Sarah Al-Ahmed is joined by planetary geochemist Chris Glein from the Southwest Research Insitute to discuss his team’s new analysis of its atmosphere, using data from JWST and insights from Earth analogs. Then, The Planetary Society’s Director of Government Relations, Jack Kiraly, breaks down the historic budget cuts proposed for NASA in the U.S. President’s “skinny” budget request, including a 47% reduction to its science program funding. We close out with Bruce Betts and What’s Up.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2025-toi-270-d

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.