The Planetary Society Live

STEP Grant Update, with Planetary Society Chief Scientist Bruce Betts STEP is Science and Technology Empowered by the Public. These grants, made possible by Planetary Society members and donors, have funded four very diverse projects that advance space science, the search for life, and our ability to someday send humans to Mars. As we prepare for a new round of grant applications, Mat Kaplan and Bruce Betts welcome past STEP grant recipient Jacob Buffo and two of his former students to a review of the program's success, and a look at its future.

The Planetary Society Book Club: "The Martians" Author David Baron It was common knowledge at the turn of the 20th century that an advanced civilization on Mars had built stupendous canals, and might be trying to contact Earth. None of this was true, but authorities ranging from Alexander Graham Bell to Nikola Tesla believed. Much of this mass delusion came from the well-meaning efforts of amateur astronomer and spellbinding speaker Percival Lowell, though he was aided by the best and worst media powers of the day. David Baron spent 7 years researching this wonderful chronicle. He reveals stories and documents never before published. Mat Kaplan welcomed David for an utterly fascinating conversation about this very human tale.

September 2025 NASA Budget Update The Planetary Society's Space Policy team provides a detailed update on the status of NASA's 2026 budget, the cuts proposed by the White House, how Congress reacted, and the potential fate of science missions during a stopgap spending bill.

The Planetary Society Book Club: Author and historian Margaret Weitekamp on "Space Craze" Rockets, spaceships, ray guns, exotic worlds, alien creatures! We're crazy for these hallowed tropes of science fiction. Then there's the more recent adventure of actual human spaceflight. The National Air and Space Museum's Weitekamp curates a growing collection of over 5,000 items that reflect our ongoing fascination with space travel, both real and imagined. She shares a small, charming sample of these cultural artifacts with the Society's Mat Kaplan in this great conversation drawn from her book.

Planetary People: JPL Flight Ops Lead Engineer Dave Doody It all started when his father built 6-year-old Dave a 16-foot plywood spaceship. In his over 40 years at the Jet Propulsion Lab, this celebrated engineer and designer has been a key contributor to the success of spacecraft including Voyager, Magellan, and Cassini. He's now part of the Europa Clipper mission that will arrive at Jupiter in 2030. Dave has also been an active member of The Planetary Society almost from the beginning. He created the scale model of our LightSail solar sail that went on display at the Smithsonian Institution. Join Mat Kaplan for an engaging, entertaining conversation with this veteran explorer of the Solar System.

The Planetary Society Book Club: Cosmos Awardee Dava Sobel She is only the sixth person to receive the Society's prestigious award for outstanding achievement as a science communicator. Dava was Mat Kaplan's guest many times on Planetary Radio. She joins him once again to answer questions from our members about her life's work, including New York Times #1 bestseller Galileo's Daughter, and her most recent wonderful chronicle, The Elements of Marie Curie.

FY 2026 NASA budget proposal update Casey and Jack give the latest updates on NASA's FY 2026 Budget Proposal.

The Planetary Society Book Club: The Overview Effect with author Frank White By the time author and space philosopher Frank White published the expanded, fourth edition of his book in 2021, the Overview Effect had become how many astronauts returning from space described the profound and very personal changes in their thinking and goals. Now, nearly forty years since the appearance of the first edition, Frank joins the Society's Mat Kaplan for an intriguing and inspiring conversation about this hypothesis that has taken on a life of its own.

Live with The Planetary Society Book Club: "Mars: Photographs from the NASA Archives" Host Mat Kaplan welcomed three contributors to this stunningly-beautiful book: Former NASA Chief Scientist James Green, planetary scientist and author Emily Lakdawalla, and Jet Propulsion Lab Chief Engineer Emeritus Rob Manning. You'll see their favorite images as these great storytellers salute the Red Planet in front of a live Pasadena audience.

The Planetary Society's NASA Budget Briefing The Planetary Society's Chief of Space Policy, Casey Dreier, and Director of Government Relations, Jack Kiraly, host a NASA budget briefing, offering an in-depth analysis of the NASA budget proposal and its implications for the future of space science. They also address questions from the public.

FY2026 Budget Proposal Update The Planetary Society's Chief of Space Policy Casey Dreier, and Director of Government Relations Jack Kiraly sit down to give you an in-depth breakdown of what's going on with the FY2026 budget request for NASA, and what this could mean for the future of space science.

The Planetary Society Book Club: A QUANTUM LIFE Author Hakeem Oluseyi Astrophysicist, engineer and science communicator Hakeem Oluseyi has written an inspiring coming-of-age memoir about his rise from an impoverished childhood and crime-filled adolescence to the top ranks of research physics. The Society's Mat Kaplan welcomed Dr. Oluseyi for this very entertaining conversation about the book and his amazing life.

Planetary Society Book Club: Author Nathalie Cabrol's "The Secret Life of the Universe" The Director of the Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute joined us to discuss her excellent book, subtitled An Astrobiologist’s Search for the Origins and Frontiers of Life. It traces the full spectrum of our search for answers to the two great questions: Where do we come from? And are we alone? Nathalie eloquently and passionately explores these in a bonus-length conversation with the Society's Mat Kaplan.

Day of Action Q&A The Planetary Society's Day of Action is our biggest in-person advocacy event of the year, and it's shaping up to be a major one. Watch this replay of Casey Dreier and Jack Kiraly's Q&A to learn what the Day of Action is, what to expect, and how to prepare for the experience.

February 2025 Book Club: Astronaut Nicole Stott on the Novel ORBITAL Orbital is the beautiful novel about 24 hours in the lives of six astronauts on board the International Space Station. Beautiful, yes, but is it accurate? Nicole Stott lived on the ISS. She says YES, almost without exception. Host Mat Kaplan also talks with Nicole about her own book, Back to Earth, a terrific, non-fiction complement to Samantha Harvey's fictional tale. Their conversation covers much more, including Nicole's creation of art in space.

Member Book Club Livestream: Is Anyone Listening? Author Denise Herzing How will we talk to ET if we can't talk to other intelligent species on our own world? Join Mat Kaplan as he welcomes the research director and founder of the Wild Dolphin Project for a fascinating conversation about her new book, Is Anyone Listening? What Animals are Saying to Each Other and to Us. Dr. Herzing has been studying dolphin communication in the wild for 40 years. Her book explores her work and efforts by others to uncover the surprisingly sophisticated ways in which animals communicate. Denise has also given much thought to how we may someday strike up a conversation with someone from another world.

Planetary People: Society Co-Founder Lou Friedman Dr. Louis Friedman co-created our organization 45 years ago. In this exclusive conversation with Mat Kaplan, Lou remembers his partners, Carl Sagan and Bruce Murray, and explains his belief that the work of the Society is as vital now as ever. Learn about his path from the streets of the Bronx to leading the Mars program at the Jet Propulsion Lab. He also explores the nature of exploration itself, and why it is vital to humanity's future. (Bandwidth difficulty reduced the video quality of this livestream recorded at Planetary Society HQ, but Dr. Friedman remains sharply focused!)

The Planetary Society Book Club: Project Solar Sail With David Brin Famed scientist and science fiction author David Brin and co-editor Stephen W. Potts join the Society's Mat Kaplan for a rousing, rollicking conversation about the new, 21st century version of the classic collection of essays and SF about sailing on the light of the Sun. Special surprise guest Bruce Betts, leader of the Society's Lightsail project, drops in!

Author Eric Berger on REENTRY, his book about the revolutionary rise of SpaceX Space journalist Eric Berger of Ars Technica has written REENTRY: ELON MUSK AND THE REUSABLE ROCKETS THAT LAUNCHED A SECOND SPACE AGE. He joins the Planetary Society's Mat Kaplan on a deep dive into this excellent insider chronicle. The book was the November 2024 selection for the Society's member community book club.

Stargazing 101: A Planetary People Conversation with Science Editor Asa Stahl Astrophysicist Asa Stahl is the host of The Planetary Society's new, members-only online course. It's a guide for beginning stargazers, and offers advice on sharing your love of the cosmos with others. Senior Communications Adviser Mat Kaplan also asks Asa about his own road from research to sharing the wonders of science and the sky.

What now? A Post-Election Space Policy Q&A Just two weeks after the US election, Mat Kaplan welcomes Planetary Society Chief of Space Policy Casey Dreier and Director of Government Affairs Jack Kiraly for an in-depth look ahead at what the next Trump administration may mean for space exploration and development.

Chatting About Life, the Universe and Everything: LIFE AS NO ONE KNOWS IT Author Sara Walker Mat Kaplan welcomes Professor Walker to The Planetary Society book club for an enchanting and eye-opening conversation about assembly theory, a new and potentially powerful way to consider the nature of life, how to detect it, and how it may have begun.

Planetary Society Space Policy and Advocacy Semi-annual Update Mat Kaplan hosts Chief of Space Policy Casey Dreier and Director of Government Relations Jack Kiraly in another comprehensive, engaging review of the Society's latest policy and advocacy accomplishments. What's the outlook for space exploration when a new administration takes over? You'll also hear their exclusive announcement about next year's Day of Action in Washington DC.

Live at the Mt. Wilson Observatory: A Member Community Event It was a beautiful, clear night when we brought our cameras inside the rotating dome of the 60-inch telescope that was once the largest in the world. Join host Mat Kaplan as he welcomes Star Trek's Tim Russ, a talented amateur astronomer, for a conversation under the stars. Astronomer Geo Somoza gives us a tour of the observatory and reveals Saturn! There were more nice surprises on this cosmic evening.

The Planetary Society Book Club Welcomes Chief Scientist Bruce Betts Mat Kaplan welcomed old friend and colleague Bruce Betts for this live, member community conversation about The Planetary Society's new book series for kids, "Explore the Cosmos." You'll also hear about the exciting projects Bruce leads for the Society.

Live From the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts Stage! Join Sarah Al-Ahmed and Mat Kaplan for this live Planetary Society member community event that explored one of NASA's coolest programs. You'll hear how NIAC fellowships can be applied for by anyone, and then meet three of the outstanding fellows for descriptions of their amazing projects.

Q&A with MUSIC OF SPACE author Chris Carberry Star Wars and Star Trek fans, rejoice! The author of THE MUSIC OF SPACE, our August 2024 book club selection, joined Mat Kaplan for a live conversation that traced the history of music in movies and television shows about the final frontier. The book also celebrates the real music of space performed by astronauts and carried to the stars by the Voyager spacecraft.

Planetary Scientist Rosaly Lopes on Planetary People Solar system explorer Rosaly Lopes of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab joined Mat Kaplan for a live conversation about her decades of discoveries, including 71 volcanoes on Jupiter's moon Io. Rosaly also shares the story of how she went from being a young girl growing up in Rio de Janeiro with dreams of becoming an astronaut to serving as Deputy Director for Planetary Science at JPL.

Talking with author Chris Cokinos about STILL AS BRIGHT in The Planetary Society Book Club Christopher Cokinos' monumental Still as Bright: An Illuminating History of the Moon from Antiquity to Tomorrow was the July 2024 selection in the Society's online member community book club. Mat Kaplan welcomed Chris for this enthralling and informative conversation about our closest companion in the sky that has been part of human experience and culture from the beginning. Planetary Society members watched and participated in the live event.

Q&A with "The Asteroid Hunter" author Dante Lauretta Mat Kaplan and Dante Lauretta discuss Dante's book The Asteroid Hunter in this Book Club Q&A.

Planetary People Q&A with Ambre Trujillo Mat Kaplan interviews Ambre Trujillo and delves into her journey from growing up in the South Valley of Albuquerque, New Mexico, through her non-traditional education, to her role at The Planetary Society.

Q&A with "The New World on Mars" author Robert Zubrin Mat Kaplan and Robert Zubrin discuss Robert's book The New World on Mars in this Book Club Q&A.

Planetary People Live Q&A with Garry Hunt Mat Kaplan interviews Professor Garry Hunt, a former NASA scientist who worked on the Viking mission to Mars, Voyager's Grand Tour of the outer planets and beyond, and was a co-host on BBC's The Sky at Night for over 20 years.

Q&A with "The Possibility of Life" author Jaime Green Mat Kaplan and science journalist Jaime Green discuss Jaime's book The Possibility of Life in this Book Club Q&A.

Beyond the Horizon: Every Member Campaign LIVE Stream Mat Kaplan hosts CEO Bill Nye, COO Jenn Vaughn, and very special guest and member Taner Halicioglu to discuss final phase of the Beyond the Horizon: Every Member Campaign and why this campaign is critical to our future as the world's leading citizen space advocacy organization.

Eclipse-O-Rama 2024 event livestream recording Watch the official Everyday Astronaut livestream recording of The Planetary Society's Eclipse-O-Rama 2024 member viewing event, which took place in honor of the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, in Fredericksburg, Texas.

Q&A with "Space Shuttle Stories" author Tom Jones Mat Kaplan and NASA shuttle astronaut Tom Jones discuss Tom's book Space Shuttle Stories in this Book Club Q&A.

The Best Science-y Science Fiction with Andrew Fraknoi Let's talk about the books that put the science in science fiction! Mat Kaplan and Andrew Fraknoi, an esteemed astronomer, educator, science communicator, and author discuss a curated selection of both new and classic science fiction tales that adhere to science.

NASA fiscal year 2025 budget Q&A Watch the Q&A session with our Chief of Space Policy, Casey Dreier, and Director of Government Relations, Jack Kiraly, on how the funding plans will affect our space programs. Hosted by Mat Kaplan.

Q&A with "Moon Rush" author Leonard David Mat Kaplan and Leonard David discuss Leonard's book "Moon Rush" in this Book Club Q&A.

In the Shadow of the Moon - A Planetary Society Guide to the April 8 Total Solar Eclipse Your Society is ready to help you get the most out of this rare and thrilling celestial event! Hear about our plans and the outstanding resources we’ve already put in place for the upcoming total solar eclipse. From the best eclipse map anywhere to our Eclipse-O-Rama celebration in Texas, we’ve got you covered when the Moon covers the Sun. Chief scientist Bruce Betts will be on hand to tell us how to safely enjoy this magnificent show in the sky.

Q&A with "The Six" author Loren Grush Mat Kaplan and Loren Grush discuss Loren's new book "The Six" in this Book Club Q&A.

Q&A with "A City on Mars" author Zach Weinersmith Mat Kaplan and Zach Weinersmith discuss "A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?" in this Book Club Q&A.

2023 Impact Report webinar Planetary Society members power our mission, and thanks to you, our work has been very effective in 2023, increasing discoveries in our Solar System and beyond, elevating the search for other life, and decreasing the risk of Earth being hit by an asteroid. Hear the highlights of all we have accomplished together, as well as where we're headed next!

SpaceX Starship launch November 2023 A livestream accompanying the Nov. 18, 2023, test launch of SpaceX's Starship, from Planetary Society partner Everyday Astronaut.

Q&A with "We Are Not Alone" author Marc Hartzman Mat Kaplan and writer/historian Marc Hartzman discuss Marc's book We Are Not Alone in this Book Club Q&A.

Q&A with "Life on Other Planets" author Aomawa Shields Mat Kaplan and astronomer/astrobiologist/classically trained actress Aomawa Shields discuss her newest book "Life on Other Planets" in this Book Club Q&A.