Shows
Kathy Sullivan ExploresEncore: Pathways to Space with Charlie BoldenCharles Frank Bolden Jr. is a retired US Marine Corps Major General and former NASA astronaut. After flying on four space shuttle missions—STS-61-C, STS-31, STS-45, and STS-60—Charlie was appointed by former President, Barack Obama, to serve as the 12th Administrator of NASA from 2009 to 2017, making him the first African American to head the agency permanently. Today, Charlie is the Founder and CEO Emeritus of the Charles F. Bolden Group, a consortium of accomplished leaders founded in 2017 to foster international collaboration in making life better for all humanity. Charlie joins me today to discu...
2025-01-0727 min
Kathy Sullivan ExploresEncore: The Birth of the New Space Age with Charlie Bolden Part 2Charles F. Bolden Jr. is the Founder and CEO Emeritus of the Charles F. Bolden Group, a consortium of accomplished leaders founded in 2017 to foster international collaboration in making life better for all humanity. Appointed by the former president, Barack Obama, Charlie served as the 12th Administrator of NASA from 2009 to 2017, making him the first African American to hold the position permanently. Charlie is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General and former astronaut who has flown on four Space Shuttle missions. Charlie speaks with Kathy about his perspective on NASA’s transition from spa...
2024-12-3156 min
Kathy Sullivan ExploresEncore: The Life of a Visionary with Charlie Bolden Part 1Charles Frank Bolden Jr. formerly served as the 12th Administrator of NASA from 2009 to 2017. He was the first African American to head the agency permanently. In addition to being a retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General, Charlie is a former astronaut who has flown on four Space Shuttle missions. He is the Founder and CEO Emeritus of the Charles F. Bolden Group, a consortium of accomplished leaders founded in 2017 to foster international collaboration in making life better for all humanity. Charlie joins us today to describe what it was like growing up in the s...
2024-12-2453 min
Kathy Sullivan ExploresEncore: Who Is the Science Guy? with Bill NyeBill Nye “the Science Guy” is an American science educator, engineer, comedian, television presenter, author, and inventor with a mission to help foster a scientifically literate society and to help people everywhere understand and appreciate the science that makes our world work. Making science entertaining and accessible is something Bill has been passionate about his entire life. Bill is a seven time Emmy Award winner and was involved in placing the first sundial on Mars.Today, Bill joins me to share his story. We talk about the young Bill Nye and the people and events that acted as h...
2024-12-171h 03
Kathy Sullivan ExploresAngola’s Ascent into Space with Zolana JoaoMy guest on this episode is Zolana Joao, a distinguished engineer and dynamic leader from the Angola National Space Program Management Office. In this episode, we explore Zolana’s profound journey from his challenging early years in war-torn Angola to his instrumental role in advancing Angola’s aspirations in space exploration. With his deep commitment to education and his strategic vision, Zolana has been a driving force in launching Angola’s first satellites, significantly impacting his country’s development and representation in the global space community.This episode was recorded at the Inter Astra Re...
2024-07-0237 min
Kathy Sullivan ExploresAmbitions of an Aspiring Astrobiologist with Stella MarcyThis episode was recorded at the Inter Astra Retreat just outside Washington DC last November (2023). I sat down with Stella Marcy, a high school freshman from upstate New York with big dreams of becoming an astrobiologist.Stella’s passion for exploring the origins of life on other planets and her curiosity about the universe is truly inspiring. In our conversation, we discussed what it means to be an astrobiologist, the tools scientists use to search for life beyond Earth, and how high school student Stella can prepare for her career.In this episode, you’ll disc...
2024-06-1417 min
Kathy Sullivan ExploresTRAILER: Astronauts compare notes on life in space - AstranotesA brand-new inspirational space podcast featuring Astronauts from different generations comparing notes on everything from their moment of selection, training, mission, and legacy.Listen to this exclusive trailer featuring conversations from the first two episodes:1. Dr. Kathy Sullivan, a three-time NASA astronaut and the first American woman to walk in space speaks with Christina Koch, a serving NASA astronaut set to be the first woman to reach the moon.2. General Charles F. Bolden, a four-time NASA astronaut, and the first black NASA administrator, speaks with Victor Glover, a serving NASA...
2024-05-0101 min
Kathy Sullivan ExploresOcean Depths to Space Frontiers with Lisa MarrocchinoThis episode was recorded at the Inter Astra Retreat just outside Washington DC last November (2023) where I had the pleasure of sitting down with Lisa Marrocchino, the CEO of Proteus Ocean Group. Starting in the world of Wall Street, Lisa has a profound passion for advancing our understanding of the ocean through innovative technologies. Proteus, is being designed as the 'International Space Station of the Ocean,' aiming to revolutionize our approach to sustained underwater research. In this episode, Lisa shares the inspiring origins of Proteus, conceived by co-founder Fabien Cousteau, Grandson of Jacq...
2024-04-1938 min
Kathy Sullivan Explores[Your Business In Space] Environmental IntelligenceYour Business: In SpaceEnvironmental Intelligence in Space with Dr. Kathy SullivanDr. Kathy Sullivan is a distinguished scientist, astronaut, and explorer who has contributed to our understanding of space and the Earth’s oceans. As the first American woman to walk in space and a veteran of three NASA space shuttle missions, Dr. Sullivan has reached both the heights of outer space and the depths of our oceans. As an accomplished geologist, she has explored the complexities of marine geology and geophysics, and her tenure as the head of the National Oceanic and...
2024-03-1913 min
Kathy Sullivan ExploresFarewell for Now Dear Explorer, On June 10, 2021, I launched the Kathy Sullivan Explores podcast. Many of us were under some form of a lockdown back then, and the podcast has helped me connect in ways that were previously impossible to imagine. Through our journey together, we’ve explored science, art, space, and memorable moments in my life all while speaking to brilliant guests. It has truly been an incredible privilege to share stories, insights, and inspiring conversations with you all. In this episode, I want to express my deepest gratitude to you all f...
2023-08-0309 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Life of a Participatory Adventurer and Journalist with Jim ClashJim Clash is an American participatory adventure and business journalist, author, and fellow and director of Explorers Club. Since joining Forbes as a staff writer in 1993, Jim has skied to the South Pole, flown in a MiG-25 at Mach 2.6 to the edge of space, and climbed the Matterhorn. His other adventures include driving the Bugatti Veyron at its top speed of 253 miles per hour and, most recently, flying with the US Navy Blue Angels in their F-18 fighters. He is the author of Forbes to the Limits and The Right Stuff. Jim holds a Master of Business Administration degree...
2023-07-2050 minKathy Sullivan ExploresCelestial Visions You’ve probably heard or read something about the “new space age” unfolding around us. While this new era of space exploration is raising important questions—like who sets the rules and who owns what—it’s also inspiring grand visions of the future. I don’t have a crystal ball or some super secret source of insider intelligence, but it’s clear that two grand visions are strongly influencing a lot of the enterprises involved in the new space age: one of preserving humanity and the world, and one of escaping it all. In t...
2023-06-2907 minKathy Sullivan ExploresUnlocking the Secrets of the Ocean with Chris Scholin Christopher A. Scholin is the President and CEO of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) and has been a driving force behind groundbreaking research since 2009. He started his professional journey as a research assistant professor at the University of South Carolina at Columbia. Driven by a passion for merging molecular biology and ecology, Chris joined the esteemed Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (MIT/WHOI) Joint Program in Biological Oceanography. In 2021, he was honored with the Lockheed Martin Award for Ocean Science and Engineering from the Marine Technology Society. Chris holds a B...
2023-06-221h 07Kathy Sullivan ExploresMaking Magic Happen On-Stage with Katy Psenicka Katy Psenicka is the Chief Choreographer and Chief Operations Officer of Shadowbox Live, America’s largest resident ensemble theater company based in Columbus, Ohio. Since joining Shadowbox Live in 1994, Katy has made choreography the anchor of her professional career, cultivating over 600 character-driven performing art pieces that tell stories through contemporary dance. A versatile performer herself, Katy has also been featured in several lead and supporting roles. Her most recent work includes the conceptualization and choreography of Madness and Lust and Broken Whispers, both of which won The Columbus Dispatch’s Best Show of 2016 award. Katy...
2023-06-151h 02Kathy Sullivan ExploresThe Man Who Carried Space Shuttles with Charles JustizCharles Justiz, Ph.D., is a pilot, risk & safety consultant, and author of the sci-fi thriller, Specific Impulse. He is the founder and Managing Director of JFA Inc. and formerly served as the Chief of Aviation Safety at the NASA Johnson Space Center, where he established a crew resource management program, a safety management system, and a just culture approach. All of which have become industry standards.During his 30-year-long career at NASA, Charlie has flown over 16,000 flight hours in over 100 different types of aircraft, chased Space Shuttles returning from orbit, trained every astronaut wh...
2023-06-0858 minKathy Sullivan ExploresBeing in the Moment When was the last time you watched people at a sporting event, ceremony, or concert—having the experience of a lifetime, yet mainly holding their phones or cameras up to film it all? It’s as if capturing pictures and videos is more valuable or important than the experience itself, and so they live everything through their camera screens. While certain moments in our lives prompt us to reach for our phones or cameras to capture that unfolding event and immortalize it into a visual memory, doing so comes with a cost. It takes us ou...
2023-05-2508 minKathy Sullivan ExploresSuccessfully Building and Repairing the Hubble Space Telescope with Sue Rainwater Susan Rainwater is the former Chief of the EVA, Robotics, and Crew Systems Operations Division at NASA and a linchpin in the Hubble Space Telescope repair mission. After graduating from Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree, Sue served at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in the late 1980s. She then came to the Johnson Space Center in Houston to work with the Hubble Space Telescope under the Mission Operations Directorate prior to the STS-31 deployment mission. Sue later played such a pivotal role in the first Hubble servicing mis...
2023-05-1847 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Small Self Effect “Awesome” is used so often these days—at least in the US—that it has almost lost its meaning. It seems that it hardly has a bigger impact than saying “Oh, that’s nice.” But, for astronauts, the truly awesome experience of seeing the Earth from space with our own eyes is transformative—an experience that catalyzes the profound shift in the way we think about ourselves, our lives, and our home planet Earth. In 1987, Frank White coined the term “overview effect” to describe this experience. But there’s something with the “overview” label that never sat well with me...
2023-05-1107 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe New Wild WestThere’s a ton of content in the media about what some people are calling the “new space age”: the era in which space is becoming more democratized—and more commercialized. At a minimum, media coverage about this new space age has been about Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and space tourism. While it’s clearly an exciting time to be in the business of space or to start a career in the space sector, peeling back all that fancy, sizzly coverage reveals a ton of unresolved questions you may not be hearing about unless you...
2023-04-2708 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Flight of New Shepard 21 with Victor VescovoVictor Vescovo is a private equity investor, retired naval officer, undersea explorer, and space tourist. He is the founder, Chief Executive, and Chief Submersible Pilot at Caladan Oceanic, a private marine research organization. As an adventurer, Victor has reached the North and South Poles, climbed the Seven Summits, and visited the deepest points of all the Earth’s oceans during the Five Deeps Expedition of 2018-2019. In 2022, Victor flew to space as a space tourist aboard New Shepard—a reusable suborbital launch vehicle developed by Blue Origin—as part of the Blue Origin NS-21 mission, and was afterward regarded by For...
2023-04-2043 minKathy Sullivan ExploresOut of Your BubbleI started dreaming about living abroad when I was around 12 years old, figuring that I would achieve that by attending a university that had a junior-year abroad program. This dream was realized as I became an exchange student at the University of Bergen in Norway, where I had the opportunity to learn another language through an immersive summer program that involved living on a small farm at the heart of the country, near the cabin of one of our teachers. But it wasn’t just a new language that I learned from that experience—it taught me something fundamental abou...
2023-04-1311 minKathy Sullivan ExploresLife Lessons from the RoadI recently had a great chat here on the Kathy Sullivan Explores podcast with Alastair Humphreys, an adventurer, blogger, author, speaker, and filmmaker. Alastair is a prolific communicator who—through his website, speaking, and range of books and blogs—passionately advocates for getting more adventures into our lives. His book, Ten Lessons from the Road, brims with inspirational advice for life, hard-won during his four-year, round-the-world journey by bike. In this episode, I share two key takeaways from reading Ten Lessons from the Road. I also discuss how novels can teach us lessons about life, elabo...
2023-03-3005 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Best Part of Being a NASA Astronaut with Megan McArthur BehnkenMegan McArthur Behnken is an American oceanographer, engineer, NASA astronaut, and the last person to be hands-on with the Hubble Space Telescope via the Canadarm. Throughout her career, Megan has served as a Capsule Communicator for both the Space Shuttle and International Space Station; she has flown one Space Shuttle mission—STS-125, the final Space Shuttle mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope aboard Atlantis—and one SpaceX mission, the SpaceX Crew-2 aboard the Crew Dragon Endeavour. She has also served as the Deputy Division Chief of the NASA Astronaut Office and the Assistant Director of Flight Operations for the...
2023-03-2357 minKathy Sullivan ExploresWhen My Boots Melted in Iceland“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only poor equipment.”You have, no doubt, heard this adage. I have lived the truth of it many, many times in my life as an explorer. One of the strangest of such experiences happened in 1974. It all started with me visiting Iceland to attend a conference in Reykjavík and ended with me hunting for a pair of sturdy hiking boots I couldn’t really afford on my shoestring budget as a starving Ph.D. student.In this episode, I discuss how I learned a lesson...
2023-03-1609 minKathy Sullivan ExploresI'm a Centurion?In the past 100 episodes of the Kathy Sullivan Explores podcast, I’ve explored rich and diverse life lessons from people of varying ages, ethnic backgrounds, and fields of endeavor. It has truly been a joy to explore people's lives—from their childhoods and journeys to where they are now—through genuine conversations. After over 100 chats with you through solo episodes or with our brilliant guests, I thought it would be a great time to reflect on this enterprise by returning to how it all started.In this episode, I explore the conception of the idea t...
2023-03-0208 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Joyous Wonder of the OceanHelen Scales is a British marine biologist, writer, and broadcaster. Her passion for underwater exploration started when she learned to scuba dive as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award program. She has worked with the World Wide Fund for Nature, TRAFFIC International, and Natural England throughout her illustrious career. Helen is also the author of The Brilliant Abyss: Exploring the Majestic Hidden Life of the Deep Ocean and the Looming Threat That Imperils It, which explores the majesty and mystery of an underwater world few are privileged to see.Helen joins me to...
2023-02-231h 22Kathy Sullivan ExploresS'pose She Dies?In October 1984, I became the first American woman to walk in space. But, before this became possible, I had to face and overcome a hurdle that presented itself the moment I was given the assignment: NASA’s medical research team saw a problem that not only could have stopped me from the assignment—it could have ruled out all women from spacewalking.In this episode, I describe how I became the first woman to walk in space and how bias in medical reporting almost prevented all women astronauts from spacewalking. You’ll learn what an alt...
2023-02-1613 minKathy Sullivan ExploresTraining NASA Astronauts with Robert TrevinoRobert Trevino serves as the Deputy Project Manager of the EVA Technology Development Project at NASA. He is a long time friend and the colleague I worked with on the Hubble Space Telescope before it was taken into orbit. He attended the University of Texas and graduated with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. Today, Robert is working on projects that include developing a new lunar rover for NASA’s Artemis program.Robert joins me today to discuss his role in training NASA astronauts. He describes his life growing up in San Antonio, Texas, and wh...
2023-02-0953 minKathy Sullivan ExploresSurtsey IslandHave you ever been curious about how islands are formed?Whenever we look at typical maps like the ones on Google or in atlases, we assume that islands are simply land masses separated by some body of water. But, when you consider their geological underpinnings, you find that not all islands are the same. Islands like Madagascar and England, for example, are part of the continents they’re adjacent to. Some islands, like Surtsey Island, located south of Iceland, are formed by something awe-inspiring: volcanic eruption.In this episode, yo...
2023-02-0234 minKathy Sullivan ExploresCarrots vs Sticks (John's Story)You’ve probably encountered a variety of leadership styles in your life. Which ones brought out the best in you? Which ones produced excellent results for your team? Many people believe that the way to get outstanding results from people and projects is to use the competitive and antagonistic style of leadership—the style that involves hand-to-hand combat if not verbal sparring. John, a fellow oceanographer and longtime friend of mine, used to think so. For a period of time in his life as a scientist on research ships, he figured that a competitive atmosphere was crucial for exceptional resu...
2023-01-1909 minKathy Sullivan ExploresBecoming Bill Nye the Science GuyBill Nye “the Science Guy” is an American science educator, engineer, comedian, television presenter, author, and inventor with a mission to help foster a scientifically literate society and to help people everywhere understand and appreciate the science that makes our world work. Making science entertaining and accessible is something Bill has been passionate about his entire life. Bill is a seven time Emmy Award winner and was involved in placing the first sundial on Mars. Today, Bill joins me to share his story. We talk about the young Bill Nye and the people and events that...
2023-01-121h 03Kathy Sullivan ExploresThe Night I Wore a Baked PotatoOne of my favorite stories from my career as a NASA astronaut is about the night I attended a formal Air Force dinner in 1987. A fellow NASA astronaut, Joe Engle, had been invited to give a talk at the dinner but couldn’t go and suggested that I stand in for him—I did. What started as a night where I gave a talk about my career as an astronaut ended in a hilarious moment—me, wearing a baked potato. But here’s the thing about stories: people have different versions of them. While I can retell the events that led...
2023-01-0516 minKathy Sullivan ExploresFrom Analog Astronaut to Spacecraft Pilot with Astronaut Sian ProctorDr. Sian Proctor is a geoscientist, explorer, space artist and poet, and astronaut. She was a finalist for the 2009 NASA Astronaut Selection Program and, in 2021, served as the mission pilot for the SpaceX-operated, all-civilian orbital mission, Inspiration4. She is an analog astronaut who has completed four analog missions and was one of the all-women participants of the SENSORIA Mars 2020 analog mission at the Hawai’i Space Exploration Analog Simulation Habitat. An esteemed science communicator and educator, Sian worked as a geology professor for over 21 years before her career as an astronaut, teaching sustainability and planetary science at South Mountain Co...
2022-12-2951 minKathy Sullivan ExploresExploring the High Arctic: An Audio AdventureMy latest grand expedition was back in September in the Arctic. I spent most of the month with Lindblad-National Geographic exploring several of my favorite places: Norway, Greenland, and Iceland. Oddly enough, although I grew up in Southern California, I’ve always been drawn to higher latitudes—the Arctic in the north and Antarctica in the south—and my expedition with Lindblad-National Geographic was a great opportunity to go far north again and get back to some of those favorite places. In this episode, you’ll hear about my voyage in the High Arctic with Lindblad...
2022-12-2215 minKathy Sullivan ExploresFamily Afloat: Life Lessons of 2-Year Sailing Adventure with Jim ToomeyJim Toomey is an American cartoonist. His daily comic strip, Sherman’s Lagoon, combines his lifelong passion for art and the sea and has been syndicated to over 150 newspapers in 20 countries and six languages. In partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme, Jim has repurposed his cartooning skills into animation and created a series of short films on ocean conservation. He is the author of Family Afloat: Two Years Sailing the World with Two Kids and Two Captains, which chronicles the 22-month sailing odyssey he took with his wife, Valerie, visiting 32 countries, crossing an ocean, and homeschooling their two ch...
2022-12-1550 minKathy Sullivan ExploresPathways to Space: Becoming an Astronaut in the New Space Age with Dave LeestmaDavid Cornell Leestma is a retired Captain of the U.S. Navy and former astronaut. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy first in his class in 1971 and completed his flight training in 1973. In 1980, Dave was selected by NASA to become an astronaut and would go on to log a total of 532.7 hours in space. He served as a mission specialist on STS-41-G (1984), STS-28 (1989), and STS-45 (1992)—in the STS-41-G and STS-45 missions, he was aboard with Kathy Sullivan. Dave currently serves as the Manager for the Technology Transfer and Commercialization Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Cent...
2022-12-0836 minKathy Sullivan ExploresRejected!Somebody else got the job. You didn’t win the game. The gallery won’t show your art.We’ve all felt the sting of rejection in our personal and professional lives. And when we watch it happen on TV—when the cameras show the faces of actors who didn’t get the Oscar or Olympians who didn’t take gold—we sympathize with the grim faces on our screens. We know from our own experiences just how painful those moments can be. After getting rejected, it’s easy to fall into regret and negative, counterfactual thinking. How do you prope...
2022-11-1007 minKathy Sullivan ExploresApproaching a New Career PathHow often have you had to explain to a potential employer or partner that your earlier jobs and experiences equipped you to work in an organization? One might think that this is a challenge only college graduates face but in today’s world, many of us find ourselves constantly shifting from one line of work to another. And unless we’re starting our business alone, we have to figure out how we can take our previous skills, experiences, and education and translate them into something relevant for the next chapter of our career.In this...
2022-10-2708 minKathy Sullivan ExploresPivoting Careers: From Litigation to Nonprofit with Mimi DaneMimi Dane is the CEO of the Belford Family Charitable Fund and former CEO of Flying Horse Farms. Mimi completed her undergraduate degree at St. Norbert College and graduated with a Master’s in English at Western Michigan University. After graduating from Ohio State University - Moritz College of Law, Mimi served as a law clerk for the Honorable Louis Pollak. She then began a 21-year career with Squire Patton Boggs, where she eventually became a partner. At Squire Patton Boggs, Mimi handled the legal strategy for the case of Butch Reynolds, an athlete. He was suspended after the In...
2022-10-201h 08Kathy Sullivan ExploresThe Ocean’s Deep Regions with Tim MacDonaldTim MacDonald is the Engineering and Operations Manager and Submersible Pilot for scientific and commercial charters at Caladan Oceanic. Tim earned his degree in Offshore Engineering from the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania and recently became the first Australian to dive to the deepest point in the sea: the Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench. Tim’s enduring goal is to help marine scientists develop the tools to achieve their research objectives and expand the realm of what’s possible. He achieved this goal as a design engineer for Triton Submarines, where he played a role in building the worl...
2022-10-0656 minKathy Sullivan ExploresHow Do You Top That?In our celebrity-crazed world, the term “one-hit wonder” is commonly used to refer to an athlete, musician, or author who earned an Olympic gold, a Grammy, or a best-seller with their first work, and never repeated. Sometimes, I wonder what life was like after the games for a swimmer or gymnast who earned gold at the ripe age of 16 or 20. They had achieved something they had dreamed of for most of their lives—now what? Was that really their peak, the best thing that had ever happened to them? I certainly had the same questions for mys...
2022-09-2906 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Heart of a Public Servant with Renee WynnRenee Wynn is an Independent Board Member with over three decades of leadership experience in environmental policy, global information technology, and cybersecurity operations. She has spent over 25 years of her career working in information services at the Environmental Protection Agency before becoming the Chief Information Officer at NASA, a post she served for five years. In addition to serving on the advisory boards of Palo Alto Networks and Interos Solutions, Renee also sits on the board of The Women’s Center, a non-profit dedicated to improving the community’s mental health and well-being.Renee join...
2022-09-221h 02Kathy Sullivan ExploresSecret Astronaut Sauce?When I was young, I wasn’t one to utter the sentence “When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut!” I was fascinated by other things—geography, maps, and languages—and studied foreign languages, oceanography, and geology in college and beyond. You might think that sounds like an odd background for an astronaut, but astronauts come from a wider range of professional experience than most people recognize. So, how exactly did I go from being a marine biologist by trade to joining the NASA Astronaut Corps?In this episode, I outline my journey fr...
2022-09-1514 minKathy Sullivan ExploresSherman’s Lagoon and the Art of Cartooning with Jim ToomeyJim Toomey is a cartoonist, global ocean advocate, and the creator of Sherman’s Lagoon, a daily comic strip syndicated to over 150 newspapers in 20 countries and six languages. Sherman’s Lagoon tells the story and misadventures of the great white shark Sherman, his wife Megan, and their friends in the fictional Kapupu Lagoon. Jim completed his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering at Duke University’s Pratt School of Engineering and his Master of Arts in Liberal Studies at Stanford University. He later received a Master of Environmental Management degree from the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences.
2022-09-0852 minKathy Sullivan ExploresCold War Cat & Mouse - American Astronauts Meet Soviet CosmonautsAs NASA’s best ambassadors, astronauts do so much more than just train and fly. They also do public appearances and media interviews around the country, in addition to occasionally being deployed on foreign soil to represent the United States. My first such foreign assignment came in the summer of 1985—but it turned out to have an unexpected, spy-novel-like dimension. In this episode, you’ll hear about my first foreign assignment as an astronaut and the cat-and-mouse intelligence game between the United States and the USSR. I describe the growth of NASA’s space shuttle program i...
2022-09-0111 minKathy Sullivan ExploresWe're Just a Speed BumpAstronauts spend months, even years, waiting for the day they get to fly. And when it’s their turn, they can feel on top of the world—but it certainly didn’t work that well on my third mission, STS-45. We were taken for granted, to say the least. We were but a speed bump on the road to another telegenic space mission. But, dear explorer, there are a few insights from the experience you might ponder. In this episode, you’ll hear about my experience before our flight for the STS-45 mis...
2022-08-1808 minKathy Sullivan ExploresA Home out of This World with Susan HelmsLt. Gen. Susan J. Helms is Commander, 14th Air Force, Air Force Space Command and a NASA astronaut. Gen. Helms was selected by NASA in 1990, became an astronaut in 1991, and became NASA’s first US military woman in space when she joined the Space Shuttle Endeavour crew in 1993. Other missions she participated in include STS-64 in 1994, STS-78 in1996, and STS-101 in 2000. In 2001, Gen. Helms served as a crew member of the ISS Expedition 2 and relocated to the International Space Station to live and work for over five months. While participating in the expedition, Gen. Helms, along with fellow flight en...
2022-08-111h 01Kathy Sullivan ExploresThe New Era of Astronomy: from Hubble to James WebbIn November of 1990, Toby Goodman received a gift from his father for his 10th birthday. It was a telescope: an item with a purpose and capacity for evoking awe that no other toy had. It was no surprise that telescopes filled the shelves of toy stores in London: a few months before receiving the gift, Toby explains, the Hubble Space Telescope had launched, captivating the wonder of people from all walks of life. On July 12, 2022, a new era in astronomy dawned. The first full-color images and spectroscopic data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope wer...
2022-08-0458 minKathy Sullivan ExploresI Serve At the Pleasure of the PresidentWhile my work with the NOOA was a complex and generally fun job, it was one that fully demanded full intensity. It left me pretty tired after four years. So, when I left the country’s preeminent climate and ocean agency in 2017, I planned to slow down—maybe travel some, enjoy the flexibility that comes with retirement, and have time to get a dog. I eventually got my pup and, for several years, did a pretty good job at saying no to claims for my time that didn’t inspire me. But everything changed when I received a call that o...
2022-07-2820 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe History of the American West with Patricia Nelson LimerickPatricia (Patty) Nelson Limerick is a historian, author, lecturer, and teacher. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She also completed her Ph.D. in American Studies at Yale University, where she also taught as a graduate teaching assistant. She served as an assistant professor at Harvard University from 1980 until she joined the University of Colorado in 1984, where she currently serves as a professor of history. One of the leading historians of the American West, Patty was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 1995 and, in 2016, was appointed as the Colorado...
2022-07-211h 04Kathy Sullivan ExploresPlaying Global War GamesDoes the daily news ever make you wonder how the government actually works? Civics classes used to teach us how our country’s laws and constitution work. Today, in the US, most students don’t have a single civics class in school. What amazes me is not how so few people know how the government works, but how few seem curious about how it works—despite how much it impacts lives. There are so many things we can learn about other countries’ governments, and we can apply those lessons to ourselves. In this episode, I discuss w...
2022-07-1409 minKathy Sullivan ExploresDressing for Space with Amy RossAmy Ross is an advanced spacesuit designer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. She is the daughter of astronaut Jerry Ross—who has set two US records by flying in space seven times and conducting nine spacewalks—and Karen Ross, a dietician who worked with shuttle crews. Amy completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University while simultaneously participating in NASA’s Cooperative Education Program. One of the world’s leading experts in spacesuits, Amy works at the cutting edge of NASA’s enterprise to build new spacesuits for the Artemis expeditions to the moon and...
2022-07-0759 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Princess and the Space ShuttleWhile I have never met the Queen of England, I did have a brush with British royalty during my career at NASA. In 1989, when news spread that a British princess wanted to visit NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston—where I was based—for her grand tour of the US, it caused a lot of excitement in my world. Royal visits to the United States are rare, but royal visits to the NASA Houston base are a lot rarer.Today, you’ll hear about the time a colleague and I gave a tour of the F...
2022-06-3015 minKathy Sullivan ExploresYou Should Do A Podcast About ThatIt’s been quite a journey since I launched the Kathy Sullivan Explores podcast, to say the least. From exploring the power of mythology and leadership styles to delving into the commercial space industry and the advent of the new space age, I’ve certainly had a lot of fascinating conversations in my first year of podcasting—and what’s a better way to celebrate my first podcasting anniversary than to reflect on the journey thus far? Toby is the author of Narrow Podcasting: Make Profitable Connections and Grow your Business, Without Paid Ads, Sponsors, or Thousa...
2022-06-161h 09Kathy Sullivan ExploresThe Birth of the New Space Age with Charlie Bolden Part 2Charles Frank Bolden Jr. is the Founder and CEO Emeritus of the Charles F. Bolden Group, a consortium of accomplished leaders founded in 2017 to foster international collaboration in making life better for all humanity. Appointed by the former president, Barack Obama, Charlie served as the 12th Administrator of NASA from 2009 to 2017, making him the first African American to hold the position permanently. Charlie is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General and former astronaut who has flown on four Space Shuttle missions. Charlie joins us today to share his perspective on NASA’s transition fro...
2022-06-0955 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Life of a Visionary with Charlie Bolden Part 1Charles Frank Bolden Jr. formerly served as the 12th Administrator of NASA from 2009 to 2017. He was the first African American to head the agency permanently. In addition to being a retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General, Charlie is a former astronaut who has flown on four Space Shuttle missions. He is the Founder and CEO Emeritus of the Charles F. Bolden Group, a consortium of accomplished leaders founded in 2017 to foster international collaboration in making life better for all humanity. Charlie joins us today to describe what it was like growing up in the s...
2022-06-0253 minKathy Sullivan ExploresToe to Toe with Catherine DeneuveIn the late spring of 1985, two colleagues and I were invited to a dinner in France. While it was all well and good to be invited to an evening event—in France, no less—it did raise a few concerns. The thing is, it wasn’t a usual dinner: it was the Paris Airshow of that year, held at a chateau. My colleagues didn’t know how to rent tuxes in Paris, I didn’t know what to wear, and I was one of two featured guests for the evening. The other was a top-tier film star and model who’s as r...
2022-05-2619 minKathy Sullivan ExploresGetting Gold in Sports, Career, and Life with Katie SmithThree-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Smith is a coach, public speaker, and basketball icon. Katie attended Ohio State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Life and Human Sciences and, during her freshman year, led the Buckeyes to the Big Ten Championship and the NCAA title game. In 2014, Katie earned her Master’s degree in Medical Dietetics. She won two WNBA Championships with the Detroit Shock and two ABL Championships with the Columbus Quest. Katie was also a seven-time WNBA All-Star and is named among the WNBA All-Decade team. Katie was Head Coach of the WNBA Ne...
2022-05-1951 minKathy Sullivan ExploresAn Unidentified Flying Object?One of the coolest assignments I had back in my early astronaut days was being the science equipment operator aboard NASA’s WB-57F aircraft. It was 1982 when I flew an unusual mission not only because of the sinister feel of the WB-57F or the assignment’s details, but also because of what came after it—and the foreboding I felt that night seems confirmed by recent events far too often. In this episode, you’ll hear about the UFO sighting that defined one of my early missions as an astronaut. I discuss NASA’s WB-57F ai...
2022-05-1208 minKathy Sullivan ExploresNever Believe Your Own PRHave you ever wondered what it’s like to be a celebrity? Have you ever dreamed of getting all that attention and what you’d make of the fuss about you? From a very young age I’ve been skeptical of celebrity status and aware of the warning to not believe your own PR—and this warning was proven right and wise when I was an astronaut, a role where using your image and position is part of the job. In this episode, you’ll hear about a hilarious experience that exemplifies why you shouldn’t believe in...
2022-04-2807 minKathy Sullivan ExploresA Trailblazing Path in the Luxury World with Marty WikstromMarty Wikstrom is a founding partner of Atelier Fund, an organization that specializes in the acquisition and development of luxury brands. She is a seasoned brand and retail executive with over three decades of experience in executive roles. She serves as a board director for the World Wide Web Foundation, Fortnum & Mason, Johnstons of Elgin, the Rug Company, Farrow & Ball, and Harrys of London, Ltd. Marty has also served as the Managing Director and Interim Chief Executive Officer of Harrods, making her their only female director in 182 years of business. Marty joins us today to s...
2022-04-2158 minKathy Sullivan ExploresLet's Talk LeadershipWhat are the elements of leadership? How can you develop an environment where everyone can blossom and collaborate toward mission success? Such were the questions I considered as Dr. Trevor Brown—Dean of the John Glenn College of Public Affairs at Ohio State University—turned the tables on me. A few months ago, Dr. Brown asked me to be a guest on his podcast, where we discussed what it means to be a leader in a complex organization. In this episode, you’ll hear about my conversation with Dr. Brown where we discussed leadership and public...
2022-04-1433 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Honor of Measuring Time with Raynald Aeschlimann (Part 2)Raynald Aeschlimann is the President and CEO of Omega Ltd., a company of The Swatch Group. Raynald began his career in Omega in 1996 as a Sales and Marketing Project Manager. He served as the Brand Manager of Omega and Blancpain Spain in 2000 before becoming the Vice President and International Director of Sales, Retail, and Distribution in 2001. Today, in addition to his role as President of Omega, Raynald oversees Swatch Group France and Swatch Group Monaco Les Boutiques while serving as a member of the Extended Group Management Board of the Company. Raynald joins me today t...
2022-04-0529 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Cooperative Model of Business with Raynald Aeschlimann (Part 1)Raynald Aeschlimann is the President and CEO of Omega Ltd., a company of the world’s leading watch manufacturer, The Swatch Group. Raynald joined the organization in 1996 as its Sales and Marketing Project Manager and later became Vice President and International Director of Sales, Retail, and Distribution before ultimately becoming CEO. Prior to joining Omega, Raynald worked at Longines and Complementa AG from 1992 to 1996. In addition to his work with Omega, Raynald serves on the Executive Board of the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry FH. Raynald joins us today to discuss the cooperative model of...
2022-03-3137 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Apollo 13 Mission with Gerry GriffinGerald Griffin is the former Director of the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston. During NASA’s Apollo Program, Gerry was the Flight Director in Mission Control and served in this capacity for all the Apollo manned missions. He was the Lead Flight Director for the lunar landing missions Apollo 12, 15, & 17. Gerry also led one of the teams of flight controllers who were responsible for the safe return of the astronauts of Apollo 13, which was canceled after an oxygen tank explosion. Many years later, Gerry was selected by Ron Howard to be the technical adviser for the film, Ap...
2022-03-241h 02Kathy Sullivan ExploresThe Night I Wore a Baked PotatoIn 1987, I attended a formal Air Force dinner that ended in a hilarious moment—me wearing a baked potato on my dress. But there’s an old saying about stories: there’s your version, my version, and the truth. Ray Belz, the pilot who flung the potato in question, remembers the events of the evening differently. Yet, whatever the truth of the matter is, the big things remain inconvertible: Ray scored a direct hit, I started it—and we both love telling the story. In this episode, I share the story of how I ended up wearin...
2022-03-1716 minKathy Sullivan ExploresWaking Up with Robin WilliamsHave you ever been so ecstatically happy about something that you just couldn’t contain your excitement? I sure have. And on that occasion, the legendary comic and actor, Robin Williams, helped me express my joy. The year was 1988, and the source of my glee was the impending launch of the space shuttle mission STS-26. The seventh flight of the orbiter Discovery was an event that would mark the end of two of the darkest and hardest years for every astronaut and their families. In this episode, I share how Robin Will...
2022-03-0312 minKathy Sullivan ExploresAt the Oscars with George LucasI never missed an episode of Star Trek when I was young. I grew up watching Captain James T. Kirk and his crew aboard the Starship Enterprise while they explored the universe and defended the Federation. I also loved the Star Wars films and distinctly remember watching the starfighter combat and how Luke Skywalker destroyed the Death Star with photon torpedoes. But never had I imagined while watching them that I would someday fly in space, much less that one of my missions would involve photon torpedoes and presenting an Oscar to George Lucas himself. W...
2022-02-1710 minKathy Sullivan ExploresS'pose She Dies?In October of 1984, I became the first American woman to walk in space. But, before this became possible, I had to face and overcome a hurdle that presented itself the moment I was given the assignment: NASA’s medical research team saw a problem that not only could have stopped me from the assignment—it could have ruled out all women from spacewalking. In this episode, I describe how I became the first woman to walk in space and how bias in medical reporting almost prevented all women astronauts from spacewalking. You’ll learn what an alti...
2022-02-0313 minKathy Sullivan ExploresHow I Spent My Winter HolidayI hope all of you had a wonderful holiday season with your loved ones, finding warmth during the coldest time of year. In my case, I found warmth in the coldest place on Earth: Antarctica. It wasn’t my first time in this icy cold desert, but it never ceases to make me in awe of its sights and experiences. There\'s just something about this place that keeps me coming back. Happy New Year to you all, and thank you for listening to this episode. In this episode, I share how I spent my win...
2022-01-2011 minKathy Sullivan ExploresBeing a Black Man in the '70s with Manson BrownManson Brown became the first African American Vice Admiral in the US Coast Guard in May 2012. Despite not knowing how to swim, Manson set his sights on the Coast Guard. Utilizing his tenacity and passion, he became the first African American student body leader in 1977. After he retired from the Coast Guard in 2014, President Barack Obama appointed him to the NOAA and he served as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Environmental Observation and Prediction until his retirement in 2017. Manson joins me today to share his experience being an African American in the ’70s and how...
2022-01-1354 minKathy Sullivan ExploresAsk Me AnythingThis past year has been more or less better than its predecessor. Looking at the silver linings, 2021 opened many doors to people who didn’t know those doors even existed. In that same light, the previous year was when I became a podcast host, allowing me to interview amazing people who do extraordinary things that benefit society and the world. With that in mind, I figured the best way to start this new year is by turning the tables and answering the questions some of my beloved guests asked me. In this episode, I reflect on...
2022-01-0615 minKathy Sullivan ExploresAstronaut Training and Space Tourism with Homer Hickam (Part 2)Homer Hickam is an author and war veteran who has helped train and prepare astronauts for real space missions and exercises. One of his books, Rocket Boys, was adapted into the Hollywood film, October Sky. He continues to entertain and relate with stories of struggle and fulfillment in Don’t Blow Yourself Up, a book about his life as a budding writer. In Part 2 of my interview, you’ll hear Homer describe his career as an astronaut trainer, what astronauts should know regarding their spacesuits, and the time he trained a late-night talk show host for a...
2021-12-3049 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Gift of CareSometimes, all we need is a small gesture of kindness to open the doors to incredible opportunities. Being on the receiving end of generosity always feels good, but we also have to remember that giving kindness is just as gratifying as receiving it. This brings me back to when a small favor I did someone wound up being one of the best things to ever happen to them. In this episode, you’ll see how one small act of kindness can be someone’s window of opportunity for something greater. You’ll learn about Ron Sheffie...
2021-12-2312 minKathy Sullivan ExploresWell Oiled Machinery and TeamsSome say trust is rarely given twice, but every day we trust people to do their roles—whether in public transportation or keeping the internet stable—so our daily tasks aren’t interrupted. You shouldn’t give your trust to anyone, let alone a group of strangers, but sometimes you have no other choice. How do you know if the people you work with are trustworthy? Today, I recall the story of Space Shuttle Discovery, mission STS-31, and how it made me recognize the elite group I’m part of. I describe the kind of people astr...
2021-12-0912 minKathy Sullivan ExploresConnecting to Nature with Craig FosterCraig Foster is a leading natural history filmmaker and the Co-founder of the Sea Change Project, which seeks to remind people of their place in nature, especially the sea. They raise awareness through storytelling rather than figures and analytics, resulting in a stronger focus on ocean protection. Craig’s film, My Octopus Teacher, was nominated for an Oscar and won the Golden Panda, Grand Teton, and PGA. The film tells the story of the year he spent with a wild octopus and what he learned from this magnificent creature. In today’s episode, Craig shares his p...
2021-12-0254 minKathy Sullivan ExploresReframing & Going RogueSociety requires a certain degree of compliance from people to avoid a collapse into anarchy and chaos. However, it’s critical to go rogue every now and then and do the unexpected, especially when it means achieving a higher purpose. How do you become a constructive rogue? What are some of the ways you can reframe a situation to achieve your goals? In this episode, I recount a moment in my life when I swam against the tides and went rogue. You’ll hear about mission STS-93, the names of critical political guests, and when the F...
2021-11-2515 minKathy Sullivan ExploresBest EverJob Search HackNot many realize this, but having your life meticulously planned can be a source of comfort and reassurance. There’s a sense of security in having a map for your future and knowing what happens next. So, you can just imagine how confusing it was for me when the most recent phase of my life ended and I had to decide on what my next phase would entail. Luckily, I had a friend who went through the same phase and, in her journey, she found the best-ever job search hack—I simply had to copy it. In...
2021-11-1109 minKathy Sullivan ExploresMarrying the Economy and the Environment with Tim DunnTim Dunn is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer at Terra Alpha Investments, an employee and investor-owned investment management firm. Unlike traditional investment firms, Terra Alpha Investments finds companies with the potential to bring long-term, sustainable returns. Having worked almost 20 years in the professional investing space, Tim learned about the limits of our natural systems and the problems being created by our current economic system. In this episode, you’ll hear about Tim’s childhood experiences. He talks about his interests in foreign service and learning about the world. He describes why he chose to pursu...
2021-11-041h 11Kathy Sullivan ExploresWho Is That Masked Man?Sometimes, we can unknowingly be an inspiration to other people. We can inspire them through our work, philosophies in life, or level of success. Most of the time, it can be difficult to believe that there are people who would look up to us, so we don’t notice it. Though we may go a while without realizing our impact on someone’s hopes and dreams, that moment of realization can be profoundly warm and uplifting. In this episode, I divulge how astronauts train for spacewalks and the ways safety divers are involved. You’ll hear ab...
2021-10-2810 minKathy Sullivan ExploresRespectfully Correcting a Moonwalker on National TVEvery one of us has someone we look up to—someone whose qualities and achievements we could only hope to replicate. We respect these people, so it’s difficult to tell them when they get something wrong. Now, imagine that exact situation except you’re live on TV with millions of people watching and listening to every word you say. That happened to me on April 12, 1981, when the Space Shuttle (STS-1) was scheduled to launch for the very first time. In this episode, you’ll hear about the time I was asked to correct one of the co...
2021-10-1414 minKathy Sullivan ExploresMomentary MentoringTeaching as a career means you get to meet hundreds to thousands of faces, eager to get a few steps closer to their dreams. Through no fault of your own, you may have trouble remembering every single one of those faces, let alone names. As a potential role model for your students, however, you may be one of the most influential people in their lives. This is why it’s critical to make sure you always try to be authentic, present, and generous. In this episode, I share the story of an unexpected email I rec...
2021-09-3008 minKathy Sullivan ExploresShe's an Impostor!Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. When people live their lives according to yours, it means you’ve made a name for yourself. However, there is a crucial difference between someone imitating you and blatantly attempting to con people using your name—I have firsthand experience of the latter. Twice. It was funny the first time, and then the FBI got involved. In this episode, you’ll hear about the time someone pretended to be me to ride an F-16. I share my reaction and how my superiors were quick to catch the impostor. You’ll...
2021-09-1608 minKathy Sullivan ExploresChasing a Very Speedy BlackbirdOne of the best parts of life is witnessing unique events for the first time and remembering them forever. As an astronaut, I have seen many things I am sure I will never forget, even if I tried. However, one of the most exciting memories I have is of the time when I was part of a crew tasked to chase a speeding Blackbird. You don’t always get told to run after one of the fastest planes on Earth, and it wasn’t even the most memorable part of the mission. In this episode, I des...
2021-09-0210 minKathy Sullivan ExploresThe Lady Astronaut's Toiletries KitLiving in a male-dominated society means you’ll likely work in a male-dominated field. That was the situation I was in at NASA, before the first women flew to space. Naturally, many of the decisions concerning what astronauts needed in space were made based on men. This made for an exciting story regarding what men thought were the basic needs of a woman in space. In this episode, I share the story of how NASA initially made the lady astronaut’s toiletries kit. I describe what women would need in space and what the men back...
2021-08-1907 minKathy Sullivan ExploresYou Call Yourself an Astronaut?There is a difference between getting a title and earning it, that being the time and effort spent along the way. Recently, billionaires Jeff Bezos and Sir Richard Branson effectively went up to space, and some are calling them astronauts. It appears we’ve arrived at a point in time when people can simply buy their way into a rocketship. Understandably, NASA has had to revisit the definition of the term “astronaut” in the face of this dilemma. In this episode, I share my thoughts on the word “astronaut” and the different hurdles we had to jump ove...
2021-08-0507 minKathy Sullivan ExploresModesty in SpaceSocially accepted norms change with time. What was standard in the past may be taboo now. Likewise, the taboos of the past may be normalized today. What doesn’t change, however, is our concept of modesty—especially when changing clothes in front of other people. While some people are comfortable with this idea in a professional setting, others would rather walk out of the room. Regardless of their feelings about the situation, what matters in the end is that both parties respect each others’ personal space. In this episode, I share the story of a spacewa...
2021-07-2207 minKathy Sullivan ExploresMid-Ocean Ridges and Interesting Deep Sea Creatures with Cindy Van DoverCindy Van Dover is an oceanographer, explorer, and deep-sea biologist who has traversed the deepest parts of the ocean since 1985. She specializes in the ecology of deep-sea vent communities, especially vent invertebrates, food webs, and the taxonomy of newly discovered species. She is the first female pilot of the deep-diving submersible ALVIN and has commanded 48 dives. Cindy is also the author of the book, Octopus’s Garden: Hydrothermal Vents And Other Mysteries Of The Deep Sea, where she dissects how hydrothermal vents paved the way for marine life to thrive in the bottom of the ocean. C...
2021-07-151h 04Kathy Sullivan ExploresLeadership & CultureEvery one of us has personal goals, but we all share similar ways to achieve them. Just like having different takes on everyday events, the tools we use to get to the finish line may not sit well with other people. The kind of attitude that is normal for us - what we use as motivation - may come out as too aggressive or rude to someone else. This is why being a leader involves understanding the culture of those around you. We have to make sure we see their perspective before jumping to conclusions. In...
2021-07-0806 minKathy Sullivan ExploresDiversity, Inclusion & Politics with Yvette McGee BrownYvette McGree Brown is a Partner at Jones Day, a law practice that provides formidable legal talent with over 2,500 lawyers in 42 offices across five continents. She has 11 years of experience as a jurist, highlighted by her service as a Justice on the Ohio Supreme Court. She specializes in Business and Tort Litigation and Issues and Appeals. Yvette is also Jones Day’s Partner-in-Charge for the firm’s Diversity, Inclusion, and Advancement, where she assists clients with their diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies. Yvette joins me today to discuss her experience in politics, the wisdom she recei...
2021-07-011h 09Kathy Sullivan ExploresMy Crazy Christmas ListWe all have our quirks and personal interests. Our likes and dislikes are what keeps us unique from the billions of other people on this planet. For the most part, this is fine. People will rarely bat an eye at something harmless or trivial such as enjoying foreign films and music. However, some particular interests and hobbies may not be someone’s cup of tea - especially when you’re five years old and your Christmas wish list has one too many guns. In this episode, I share what it was like being a five-year-old child...
2021-06-2406 minKathy Sullivan ExploresVivid Memories of Viewing EarthIt’s one thing to pour over photos of Earth from space but having the opportunity to observe Earth with my own two eyes is something I will always cherish. I want you to know what it was like to witness this event. In this episode, I share two stories about the most vivid memories I have about being in space and being able to see the Earth. I talk about going on a spacewalk and having to “do a handstand” while looking down as the earth passes by. I also share the experience I felt wa...
2021-06-1010 minKathy Sullivan ExploresAstronauts as Answering MachinesIt’s always fun getting to play silly tricks on fellow teammates. Sometimes they get a laugh out of everyone, and sometimes they cause a company phone line to be overloaded with phone calls! In this episode, I share the story of how my co-astronaut, Sally Ride, decided to play a bit of a joke on mission control during our wake-up call. I share what happened when the joke caused people to call into a mission control landline and eventually crashed it. I also explain how I helped Marc Garneau, the first Canadian in space, to h...
2021-06-1007 minKathy Sullivan ExploresChildren, Writing, and Elephants with Kim FrankKim Frank is an adventurer, writer, and storyteller. She is constantly terrified of almost everything but never lets her fear stop her from going any less than all the way. Today, she shares her story. She talks about her parents’ first attempt to buy a house and the struggle to realize that she was intelligent. She shares how her experience working in a daycare led her to study the policy of early childhood education. She muses on the experience of adopting a baby and explains why she doesn’t regret leaving her career to raise her c...
2021-06-101h 18Kathy Sullivan ExploresBeing Scolded by the Royal Air ForceOn October 5, 1984, after much preparation, I launched for the first time. Only two of the training preparations had run smoothly, so I was nervous. Today, I talk about that flight. I share the experience of taking off and of seeing the earth from above. I also tell the funny story of how, when flying over London, we accidentally barged in on the Royal Air Force’s frequency, but were over Africa by the time we came up with a good response for the man who angrily scolded us. “The first two and a...
2021-06-1007 minKathy Sullivan ExploresFrom Rodeo Queen to Marine Biologist with Emily NewtonEmily Newton is a marine biologist who grew up spending most of her time on a horse in the mountains of central Oregon. She discovered the fusion of scuba and science while pursuing her undergraduate degree and has parlayed this fusion into research and her work as an undersea specialist with Lindblad Expeditions. Today, Emily joins me to talk about what has led her to where she is today. She shares her experience as a rodeo queen and how she pivoted from horse-related activities to marine science. She discusses how she overcame a bad scuba d...
2021-06-1049 minKathy Sullivan ExploresMeeting Neil Armstrong and Mike CollinsDuring your first year as an astronaut, you’re an astronaut candidate, or ASCAN. This is your year of preparation--basically, it’s grad school for astronauts. During this time, you have a briefing with the previous class of astronauts, or, in my case, Neil Armstrong and Mike Collins. Today, I talk about the incredible experience of meeting these two men. I talk about hearing about Apollo 11 from them and what they told us. I discuss why it was perhaps the most impactful day of my life, and I share details of the whole day.
2021-06-1009 minKathy Sullivan ExploresWho Is the Science Guy with Bill NyeBill Nye “the Science Guy” is an American science educator, engineer, comedian, television presenter, author, and inventor with a mission to help foster a scientifically literate society and to help people everywhere understand and appreciate the science that makes our world work. Making science entertaining and accessible is something Bill has been passionate about his entire life. Bill is a seven-time Emmy Award winner and was involved in placing the first sundial on Mars. Today, Bill joins me to share his story. We talk about the young Bill Nye and the people and events that acted...
2021-06-101h 02Kathy Sullivan ExploresThe Time We Swapped NamesDuring your first year as an astronaut, you’re an astronaut candidate or ASCAN. This is your year of preparation--basically, it’s grad school for astronauts. During this time, you have a briefing with the previous class of astronauts, or, in my case, Neil Armstrong and Mike Collins.Today, I talk about the incredible experience of meeting these two men. I talk about hearing about Apollo 11 from them and what they told us. I discuss why it was perhaps the most impactful day of my life, and I share details of the whole day.
2021-06-1008 minKathy Sullivan ExploresWeaving Myths with Morgan SmithMorgan Smith is a writer, model, and producer who produced two original off-Broadway shows before graduating college, becoming the youngest playwright to have two off-Broadway pieces running in one season. Morgan studied at Bryn Mawr, Juilliard, Yale, MIT, and NYU. They are studying to become a human rights lawyer, doing pro-bono work for the queer community. Morgan is also the creator of Averno, which some have described as the Marvel universe of musicals. Morgan is a self-described myth weaver.Today, Morgan joins me to share her unique experience as a young writer. They talk about the power o...
2021-06-1059 min