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Science

Off-Nominal

Jake Robins, Anthony Colangelo

Two friends, two beers, and a casual conversation about space. Landing monthly in your podcast feed.

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  • 255 episodes
  • Updated Friday
  • Explicit

Episodes255

Newest first
  • Mar 28, 2025 · 1 hr

    190 - Poolonauts (with Jason Snell)

    Jake and Anthony are joined by writer and podcaster Jason Snell, to talk about Jared Isaacman’s nomination to lead NASA, what’s been up in the NASA CFO scene, what astronauts really want to be doing, and so much more. Also, this episode completes the Lifoff-Nominal crossover spectacular, AND makes 10 year old Anthony very happy that he’s podcasting with Jason friggin’ Snell.

  • Mar 20, 2025 · 58 min

    189 - Glow in the Dark Plants (with Awais Ahmed)

    Jake and Anthony are joined by Awais Ahmed, Founder and CEO of Pixxel, to talk about building a constellation of hyperspectral imaging satellites. Honestly, we mostly try to help Jake get his head around the electromagnetic spectrum.

  • Mar 14, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min

    188 - Barry Up the Street (with Jonathan McDowell)

    Jake and Anthony are joined by Jonathan McDowell, astrophysicist at Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and the namesake of the McDowell Line at 80 kilometers, to talk about his fundraiser to move his epic space library to a new, permanent home.

  • Mar 7, 2025 · 59 min

    187 - Amazon Basics Lunar Lander

    Jake and Anthony talk about the Moon lander mania this week has been—Firefly’s Blue Ghost 1 and Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 missions.

  • Feb 28, 2025 · 1 hr 5 min

    186 - It’s Like the Cinnamon Challenge (with Casey Dreier)

    Jake and Anthony are joined by Casey Dreier, Chief of Space Policy at The Planetary Society, to talk about the current era of Executive action, Congressional pushback (or not) against it, and the upcoming Day of Action.

  • Feb 14, 2025 · 59 min

    184 - Trickle Down Space News

    Jake and Anthony catch up on some news, stories they haven’t covered yet like Rocket Lab’s Mars Sample Return architecture, and discuss the glory of Super Bowl LIX. It’s Anthony’s birthday, so he will not be stopped by Jake. Go Birds.

  • Jan 17, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min

    181 - Down-Suggest (with Swapna Krishna)

    Jake and Anthony are joined by Swapna Krishna to talk about the Mars Sample Return non-update…since they only gave it about 5 minutes of last week’s show. And hey, there are some big rockets on launch pads right now.

  • Jan 10, 2025 · 1 hr 1 min

    180 - Murgers Back on the Menu

    Jake and Anthony take a look back at their 2024 predictions, make a few for 2025, and check in on Mars Sample Return announcements.

  • Dec 12, 2024 · 59 min

    178 - Weirdest Midlife Crisis (with Tim Fernholz)

    Jake and Anthony are joined by journalist and author Tim Fernholz to talk about the election aftermath, the nomination of Jared Isaacman to be NASA Administrator, and whether Anthony is a space warmonger.

  • Nov 15, 2024 · 59 min

    175 - Hijinks on the Moon

    Jake and Anthony sit down for an election-week palate cleanser and explore some fun discussion prompts from Anomalies just like you!

  • Nov 8, 2024 · 59 min

    174 - Burning Bridges Together (with Eric Berger)

    Jake and Anthony are joined by Eric Berger, Senior Space Editor at Ars Technica and author of Reentry: SpaceX, Elon Musk, and the Reusable Rockets that Launched a Second Space Age, to talk about the 2024 US elections, the return of President Trump, Musk’s role in the next administration, and what space policy looks like over the next four years.

  • Oct 31, 2024 · 1 hr 1 min

    173 - A Bigger Diaper (with Scott “Kidd” Poteet)

    Jake and Anthony are joined by Scott “Kidd” Poteet, Mission Pilot of Polaris Dawn, retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, and former Thunderbird #4 Demonstration Pilot, to talk about his recent flight to space.

  • Oct 25, 2024 · 1 hr 2 min

    172 - Culberson Always Talked About Shrimp

    Jake and Anthony are joined by Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, Former Associate Administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate and leader of ETH Zurich Space, to talk about some of the big stories in science at NASA—Mars Sample Return, cost growth in missions across the board, and more. Note: Dr. Z cited the Europa Clipper solar arrays at 100 yards across, as in one football field, but clarified via email that they are actually 100 feet. He is European, so the football field mix up is understandable