Shows
Art Astra Podcast16 The Art and Design of Space Suit Replicas with Ryan Nagata Join us as we chat with artist and prop maker Ryan Nagata about his work replicating space suits and making props for movies. Ryan Nagata is based in Los Angeles and has made spacesuit replicas for various collectors and museums. You may have seen his work with Adam Savage of Mythbusters and tested.com, as well as on movies such as First Man and Fly Me to the Moon. His website is www.ryannagata.com and you can find him on Instagram @RyanNagata.
2026-03-1358 minArt Astra Podcast15 Science Communication for International Audiences with Dr. Elizabeth TaskerJoin Emily and Alexa as they speak with Dr. Elizabeth Tasker about her trajectory in science communication for international audiences. Dr. Tasker is an associate professor at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, where she also serves on the outreach team. She originally founded and continues to write on the Institute's blog, Cosmos, and supports the English translation of press releases and social media feeds. Dr. Tasker also does international outreach for several space missions, including Hayabusa2, and is the international outreach lead for the Martian Moons Exploration Mission, MMX. Her...
2026-02-0641 minArt Astra Podcast14 A Unique Career at NASA and Mentorship with Herb BakerJoin Emily and Alexa as they chat with Herb Baker whose career spanned five decades working with NASA. Herb shares incredible stories from his recent memoir, From Apollo to Artemis, and insights he has earned from his work in the broader space community. Please see the Art Astra website (artastra.space) for this episode's transcript and show notes. -- Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2026-01-231h 00Art Astra Podcast13 Design and Music in Space with Sands FishJoin Emily and Alexa as they chat with experience designer Sands Fish about designing for life in outer space, inventing a musical instrument specifically for zero-g environments, and his work with MIT's Space Exploration Initiative. Please see the Art Astra website (artastra.space) for this episode's transcript and show notes. -- Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2026-01-0941 minArt Astra Podcast12 Space2Inspire with Dr. Sian Proctor Join Emily and Alexa with their guest Dr. Sian "Leo" Proctor. Dr. Sian Proctor is a visionary poet, artist, explorer, and geoscience educator. In 2021, Dr. Proctor made history as the first woman commercial spaceship pilot and the only African-American woman to be a mission pilot. Her motto is "Space 2 Inspire," and her mission is to bridge the gap between art and science, encouraging everyone to let their Earthlight shine. Please see the Art Astra website (artastra.space) for this episode's transcript and show notes. -- Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2025-12-1955 minArt Astra Podcast11 Mars Photography and Finding Your Way in Space with Dr. Tanya Harrison Join Emily and Alexa as they chat with planetary scientist and space industry strategist Dr. Tanya Harrison about Mars, science communication, and finding your path in the space industry. Please see the Art Astra website (artastra.space) for this episode's transcript and show notes. -- Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2025-11-1452 minArt Astra Podcast10 Security in Space with Schuyler Towne What challenges does physical security face in outer space? Would it be possible to pick a lock in space? Join Emily, Alexa, and their guest, historian of security Schuyler Towne, as they discuss how the history of security may help inform the security of the future. Please see the Art Astra website (artastra.space) for this episode's transcript and show notes. -- Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2025-10-311h 17Art Astra Podcast09 Space History Auctions with Cassandra Hatton Have you ever wondered about what goes into planning and executing a space history auction? Emily and Alexa talk to Cassandra Hatton, Global Head of the Science & Popular Culture department at Sotheby's auction house. Cassandra has set market records in space exploration, history of science and technology, natural history, and popular culture markets worldwide. Please see the Art Astra website (artastra.space) for this episode's transcript and show notes. -- Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2024-11-2743 minArt Astra Podcast08 Space in Visual Design with Deborah Johnson Have you ever wondered how concert sets and visual effects are designed? This week, Emily and Alexa talk with Deborah Johnson, aka Candy Stations, who designed the visual effects for Sufjan Stevens' space-inspired "Planetarium" and "Age of Adz" album tours, and has collaborated with several other artists and musicians for performances across the country. Please see the Art Astra website (artastra.space) for this episode's transcript and show notes. -- Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2024-10-3051 min
Art Astra Podcast07 Space Pinball with Erin Winick Anthony Whether you're a pinball champion, an avid enjoyer of the old virtual Space Cadet pinball games, or a complete newbie to the pinball world - you may be surprised at just how much overlap there is with spaceflight and pinball game design over the ages. Join Emily and Alexa in conversation with Erin Winick Anthony, a science communicator, engineer, and one of the top 100 ranked women's pinball players in the world, as we dive into the world of space pinball! The Art Astra Podcast is nominated for a Women in Podcasting Award! Listen to the e...
2024-09-2644 min
Art Astra Podcast06 Space Archaeology with Dr. Justin WalshWhat is Space Archaeology? Join Emily and Alexa as they speak with Dr. Justin Walsh of the ISS Archaeological Project about what doing archaeology in space really entails, what cultural and engineering insights we can gain from it, and what the future of this field looks like with the impending decommissioning of the ISS. The Art Astra Podcast is nominated for a Women in Podcasting Award! Listen to the episode and check out our website for details on how you can support us and vote, or visit womeninpodcasting.net/art-astra-podcast to cast your vote. Please...
2024-09-1258 minArt Astra Podcast05 Alma Thomas (Part 2) with Janelle WellonsJoin Emily and Alexa as they chat with Janelle Wellons, Spaceflight Operations Engineer and Flight Director, about how the visual artist Alma Thomas' paintings resemble actual imagery from spacecraft, such as those captured by the Cassini and Mariner 4 missions. Please see the Art Astra website (artastra.space) for this episode's transcript and show notes. -- Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2024-07-1045 minArt Astra Podcast04 The Space Paintings of Alma Thomas (Part 1) Join Emily and Alexa as they discuss the visual artist Alma Thomas, her paintings inspired by outer space, and how one of those paintings ended up in the collection of the CIA. Please see the Art Astra website (artastra.space) for this episode's transcript and show notes. -- Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2024-06-2645 minArt Astra Podcast03 James Bond in Space with Amanda OhlkeJoin Emily and Alexa as they chat with Amanda Ohlke, Director of Adult Education at the International Spy Museum, about James Bond's adventures in space through the decades, and how those adventures reflected the public imagination over time. Ohlke also provides a sneak peek at the upcoming exhibition "Bond in Motion," now open and on view at the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC, until April 2025. Please see the Art Astra website (artastra.space) for this episode's transcript and show notes. -- Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2024-06-1242 minArt Astra Podcast02 Space Image Processing with Jason MajorDo you ever wonder how space and art combine to transform raw, sometimes noisy images captured by spacecraft into beautiful, clean images for us to see here on Earth? In this episode, Emily Olsen and Alexa Erdogan discuss space image processing with Jason Major, space exploration and astronomy outreach enthusiast. Jason explains how he interprets data files from various missions to make the beautiful images of celestial bodies often seen in media and online. Please see the Art Astra website (artastra.space) for this episode's transcript and show notes. -- Music credit: "Space" by...
2024-05-2942 minArt Astra Podcast01 Lunar Dust Mitigation Barbie / It's (Probably) Shark Week Somewhere in The UniverseJoin Emily Olsen and Alexa Erdogan as they discuss creative applications of space science. Alexa explains how scientists at Washington State University (WSU) used Barbie dolls in an important experiment to help solve problems humans will face on the Moon. Emily shares how an algorithm developed for the Hubble Space Telescope became key in tracking whale sharks. Emily and Alexa also discuss NASA's recently launched PACE mission. Please see the Art Astra website for this episode's transcript and show notes. -- Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2024-05-1528 minArt Astra Podcast00 Intro Episode Nice to meet you! You can learn more about us here & connect with us on socials. — Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2024-05-1509 minArt Astra PodcastArt Astra Podcast Trailer The Art Astra Podcast explores intersections of space studies and the humanities in popular culture with the aim of highlighting opportunities for people from all walks of life to participate in and get excited about space. Join Emily Olsen and Alexa Erdogan every other week as they chat with people working in a variety of industries to discuss how space and art meet and continue to inspire. Music credit: "Space" by Music_Unlimited
2024-05-0800 min