A discussion of historical space policy with Stephen Garber and Glen Asner, co-authors of “Origins of 21st Century Space Travel,” which examines the formation of NASA’s Decadal Planning Team, the tragic Columbia accident, and the direction of NASA after the accident, which they argue shapes how the agency is laid out today. HWHAP Episode 112.
Benji Reed, director of Crew Mission Management for SpaceX, talks about the SpaceX Crew Dragon, the testing and training thus far including an uncrewed mission to the station, and the exciting future for the commercial crew vehicle. HWHAP Episode 111.
Acquired dives into the history behind storied venture firm Sequoia Capital and its legendary founder, Don Valentine. Part 1 tells Don’s story, starting from humble beginnings born to uneducated parents in Yonkers, NY, through shaping the fabric of Silicon Valley first as head of Sales & Marketing at both Fairchild and National Semiconductor, and then for generations to come via his pioneering concept of “company building” at Sequoia Capital. No matter where you sit in the ecosystem today, Don and the companies he helped build laid the foundation for nearly everything technology has become over the past 60 years.
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NASA Astronaut Jessica Meir talks about her path to becoming an astronaut, her education in biology and space, her research studying marine mammals and birds in Antarctica, and her training to prepare for her first space mission. HWHAP Episode 110.
Women Excelling in Life & Leadership (WELL) and the Human Systems Integration ERG hosted a panel discussion highlighting the legacy of women in spaceflight with panelists who worked at NASA during Apollo and current employees who carry on that legacy today. HWHAP Episode 109.
Tony Castilleja and Celena Dopart, Boeing engineers, talk about the Boeing Starliner spacecraft and all the testing and training happening to get the vehicle and crew ready for the first missions. HWHAP Episode 108.
Space philosopher and author Frank White discusses the impact of looking down at the Earth from above, and how it can create a shift in the way astronauts view and think about our planet and life itself. HWHAP Episode 107.
Ben and David cover the series of three 2004 Google acquisitions that formed the core of Google Maps as we know and love it today: Where 2 Technologies, Keyhole and ZipDash. From nearly zero adoption between the three companies at the time of acquisition to well over 1 billion users today, does Google Maps merit admission to the hallowed Acquired A+ pantheon? Tune in to find out!
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Bob Zeek and Stacy Hale talk about how students can build and fly hardware to the International Space Station as part of a program called HUNCH. Students in over two hundred schools across the country are doing hardware manufacturing, soft goods training, software development, culinary science and creating videos for station. HWHAP Episode 106.
Laura Shaw, the International Space Station Program Lead for Exploration Life Support Systems, discusses the systems on the station that create a livable and comfortable space for astronauts and cosmonauts. Shaw describes how improving these systems will be critical for exploring the Moon and Mars. HWHAP Episode 105.