209 - Mars Life Pushers (with Chris Temby and Jan Špaček)

Jake and Anthony are joined by Eric Berger, Senior Space Editor at Ars Technica, to talk about the fight to be NASA Administrator, and to provide the lander for Artemis 3.TopicsOff-Nominal - YouTubeEpisode 216 - Golden Llama (with Eric Berger) - YouTubeWhy did NASA’s chief just shake up the agency’s plans to land on the Moon? - Ars TechnicaElon Musk just declared war on NASA’s acting administrator, apparently - Ars TechnicaHow America fell behind China in the lunar space race—and how it can catch back up - Ars TechnicaActually, we are going to tell you the odds of recovering New Glenn’s second launch - Ars TechnicaGEORGE SANTOS reviewing NASA space suit 🚀🚀🚀 - YouTubeFollow EricAuthor: Eric Berger - Ars TechnicaEric Berger (@SciGuySpace) / XReentry: SpaceX, Elon Musk, and the Reusable Rockets that Launched a Second Space Age | West Houston's Neighborhood BookshopFollow Off-NominalSubscribe to the show! - Off-NominalSupport the show, join the DiscordOff-Nominal (@offnom) / TwitterOff-Nominal (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow JakeWeMartians Podcast - Follow Humanity's Journey to MarsWeMartians Podcast (@We_Martians) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | TwitterJake Robins (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow AnthonyMain Engine Cut OffMain Engine Cut Off (@WeHaveMECO) | TwitterMain Engine Cut Off (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo) | TwitterAnthony Colangelo (@[email protected]) - jawns.club 🐘Off-Nominal MerchandiseOff-Nominal Logo TeeWeMartians Shop | MECO Shop

Jake and Anthony are joined by Craig Baerwaldt and Sarah Freese to talk about Space Happy Hour and the upcoming Sally’s Night event, honoring Sally Ride and celebrating women in aerospace.TopicsOff-Nominal - YouTubeEpisode 215 - Gainesville-on-Ocala (with Craig Baerwaldt and Sarah Freese) - YouTubeSally's Night | Space Happy Hour Global Women's Night November 13, 2025Space Happy Hour | Space Industry Networking EventsSpace Happy Hour: Overview | LinkedInFollow Off-NominalSubscribe to the show! - Off-NominalSupport the show, join the DiscordOff-Nominal (@offnom) / TwitterOff-Nominal (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow JakeWeMartians Podcast - Follow Humanity's Journey to MarsWeMartians Podcast (@We_Martians) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | TwitterJake Robins (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow AnthonyMain Engine Cut OffMain Engine Cut Off (@WeHaveMECO) | TwitterMain Engine Cut Off (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo) | TwitterAnthony Colangelo (@[email protected]) - jawns.club 🐘Off-Nominal MerchandiseOff-Nominal Logo TeeWeMartians Shop | MECO Shop

Jake and Anthony do a good ol’ news roundup—Jared Isaacman may be back as NASA Administrator, Stoke Space raises a ton of money, New Glenn gets ready for its next launch, and we have thoughts about the communication of phasing orbits.TopicsOff-Nominal - YouTubeEpisode 214 - Blasting Through the Pork Chop - YouTubeTrump, Billionaire Isaacman Said to Meet About Top NASA Job - BloombergStoke Space gives us another reason to take it very seriously - Ars TechnicaPentagon contract figures show ULA’s Vulcan rocket is getting more expensive - Ars TechnicaActually, we are going to tell you the odds of recovering New Glenn’s second launch - Ars TechnicaESCAPADE trajectory design creates new options for Mars smallsat missions - SpaceNewsHow America fell behind China in the lunar space race—and how it can catch back up - Ars TechnicaWe’re about to find many more interstellar interlopers—here’s how to visit one - Ars TechnicaFollow Off-NominalSubscribe to the show! - Off-NominalSupport the show, join the DiscordOff-Nominal (@offnom) / TwitterOff-Nominal (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow JakeWeMartians Podcast - Follow Humanity's Journey to MarsWeMartians Podcast (@We_Martians) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | TwitterJake Robins (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow AnthonyMain Engine Cut OffMain Engine Cut Off (@WeHaveMECO) | TwitterMain Engine Cut Off (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo) | TwitterAnthony Colangelo (@[email protected]) - jawns.club 🐘Off-Nominal MerchandiseOff-Nominal Logo TeeWeMartians Shop | MECO Shop

Jake and Anthony are joined by Adam Wuerl and Rob Davis, creators of Apogee Board Games (and longtime anomalies!), to talk about their new game, Scoundrels and Pirates Affiliated with Criminal Enterprises.TopicsOff-Nominal - YouTubeEpisode 213 - This is Why We Playtest (with Adam Wuerl and Rob Davis) - YouTubeS.P.A.C.E. - Scoundrels and Pirates Affiliated with Criminal Enterprises by Apogee Board GamesRocket Tier List Rebuttal ※ veridical.netFollow AdamAdam Wuerl (@[email protected]) - Mastodon※ veridical.netFollow RobThoughts of RobFollow Off-NominalSubscribe to the show! - Off-NominalSupport the show, join the DiscordOff-Nominal (@offnom) / TwitterOff-Nominal (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow JakeWeMartians Podcast - Follow Humanity's Journey to MarsWeMartians Podcast (@We_Martians) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | TwitterJake Robins (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow AnthonyMain Engine Cut OffMain Engine Cut Off (@WeHaveMECO) | TwitterMain Engine Cut Off (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo) | TwitterAnthony Colangelo (@[email protected]) - jawns.club 🐘Off-Nominal MerchandiseOff-Nominal Logo TeeWeMartians Shop | MECO Shop

A guest scheduling snafu, a sickness at Anthony’s house, and a great idea from a future guest leads to an old school late night Off-Nominal where the boys have some fun making a tier list of rockets.TopicsOff-Nominal - YouTubeEpisode 212 - Subcontractor Voltron - YouTubeNASA Selects Blue Origin to Deliver VIPER Rover to Moon’s South Pole - NASANASA, Sierra Space Modify Commercial Resupply Services Contract - NASASierra’s Dream Chaser is starting to resemble a nightmare - Ars TechnicaArtemis II Crew Members Name Their Orion Spacecraft - NASANASA targeting early February for Artemis II mission to the Moon - Ars TechnicaFollow Off-NominalSubscribe to the show! - Off-NominalSupport the show, join the DiscordOff-Nominal (@offnom) / TwitterOff-Nominal (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow JakeWeMartians Podcast - Follow Humanity's Journey to MarsWeMartians Podcast (@We_Martians) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | TwitterJake Robins (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow AnthonyMain Engine Cut OffMain Engine Cut Off (@WeHaveMECO) | TwitterMain Engine Cut Off (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo) | TwitterAnthony Colangelo (@[email protected]) - jawns.club 🐘Off-Nominal MerchandiseOff-Nominal Logo TeeWeMartians Shop | MECO Shop

Jake and Anthony are joined by Christian Davenport of The Washington Post to talk about his new book, Rocket Dreams: Musk, Bezos, and the Inside Story of the New, Trillion-Dollar Space Race.TopicsOff-Nominal - YouTubeEpisode 211 - The International Team (with Christian Davenport) - YouTubeRocket Dreams: Musk, Bezos, and the Inside Story of the New, Trillion-Dollar Space Race: Davenport, Christian: 9780593594117: Amazon.com: BooksThe Space Barons: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos: Davenport, Christian: Amazon.com: BooksChristian Davenport on X: “So some personal news, as they say. I’m joining the amazing team @CBSNews as a contributor. So grateful they had me on to discuss Rocket Dreams.”Elon Musk Interview: Why the Starship Is Built of Stainless SteelFollow ChristianChristian Davenport - The Washington PostChristian Davenport (@wapodavenport) / XFollow Off-NominalSubscribe to the show! - Off-NominalSupport the show, join the DiscordOff-Nominal (@offnom) / TwitterOff-Nominal (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow JakeWeMartians Podcast - Follow Humanity's Journey to MarsWeMartians Podcast (@We_Martians) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | TwitterJake Robins (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow AnthonyMain Engine Cut OffMain Engine Cut Off (@WeHaveMECO) | TwitterMain Engine Cut Off (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo) | TwitterAnthony Colangelo (@[email protected]) - jawns.club 🐘Off-Nominal MerchandiseOff-Nominal Logo TeeWeMartians Shop | MECO Shop

Jake and Anthony are joined by Greg Gillinger of Integrity ISR to talk about what Russia and China are up to lately with their space assets.TopicsOff-Nominal - YouTubeEpisode 210 - Hufflepuff Ships (with Greg Gillinger) - YouTubeIntegrity ISR: Forged by Service. Proven in Action.Integrity Flash Newsletter | ISR UniversityHome - ISR UniversityThe Space Review: Developing and testing China’s Guowang constellationChina’s Shijian-21 towed dead satellite to a high graveyard orbit - SpaceNewsChinese spacecraft prepare for orbital refueling test as US surveillance sats lurk nearby - SpaceNewsCOMSPOC_OPS on X: “Recent observations from @OurSkyAI and @ObservableSpace, supported by COMSPOC’s optical network, reveal several significant activities in GEO between 6–8 June 2025. SHIJIAN-25 (SJ-25) performed four maneuvers between 6 June 01:50 UTC and 7 June 16:51 UTC, using a total delta-v”Follow Off-NominalSubscribe to the show! - Off-NominalSupport the show, join the DiscordOff-Nominal (@offnom) / TwitterOff-Nominal (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow JakeWeMartians Podcast - Follow Humanity's Journey to MarsWeMartians Podcast (@We_Martians) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | TwitterJake Robins (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow AnthonyMain Engine Cut OffMain Engine Cut Off (@WeHaveMECO) | TwitterMain Engine Cut Off (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo) | TwitterAnthony Colangelo (@[email protected]) - jawns.club 🐘Off-Nominal MerchandiseOff-Nominal Logo TeeWeMartians Shop | MECO Shop

Chris Temby and Jan Špaček join Jake and Anthony to talk about the Agnostic Life Finding Association and the search for life on Mars.TopicsOff-Nominal - YouTubeEpisode 209 - Mars Life Pushers (with Chris Temby and Jan Špaček) - YouTubeALFA MarsAgnostic Life Finding Association, Inc. (@alfamarsinc) / XALFA Mars - YouTubeFollow Off-NominalSubscribe to the show! - Off-NominalSupport the show, join the DiscordOff-Nominal (@offnom) / TwitterOff-Nominal (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow JakeWeMartians Podcast - Follow Humanity's Journey to MarsWeMartians Podcast (@We_Martians) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | TwitterJake Robins (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow AnthonyMain Engine Cut OffMain Engine Cut Off (@WeHaveMECO) | TwitterMain Engine Cut Off (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo) | TwitterAnthony Colangelo (@[email protected]) - jawns.club 🐘Off-Nominal MerchandiseOff-Nominal Logo TeeWeMartians Shop | MECO Shop

Jake and Anthony talk about Starship Flight 10, what the future holds for the Starship program, and the Chinese lunar program.TopicsOff-Nominal - YouTubeEpisode 208 - 1-0 Freedom - YouTubeSpaceX - Starship's Tenth Flight TestAfter recent tests, China appears likely to beat the United States back to the Moon - Ars TechnicaFollow Off-NominalSubscribe to the show! - Off-NominalSupport the show, join the DiscordOff-Nominal (@offnom) / TwitterOff-Nominal (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow JakeWeMartians Podcast - Follow Humanity's Journey to MarsWeMartians Podcast (@We_Martians) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | TwitterJake Robins (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow AnthonyMain Engine Cut OffMain Engine Cut Off (@WeHaveMECO) | TwitterMain Engine Cut Off (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo) | TwitterAnthony Colangelo (@[email protected]) - jawns.club 🐘Off-Nominal MerchandiseOff-Nominal Logo TeeWeMartians Shop | MECO Shop

Jake and Anthony are joined by Randy Riddle, retired small rocket chief engineer and long time anomaly (it’s LeonRunningMan, himself!), to talk about his career in the Air Force, how appropriated money actually works from the government side, and to tell a ton of stories.TopicsOff-Nominal - YouTubeEpisode 207 - Replacement Money (with Randy Riddle, LeonRunningMan!) - YouTubeNational Air and Space Intel CenterAir Force Issues RFP For OSP-3 Launch Services - Defense DailyUSSF awards OSP-4 contract to emerging Small Launch providers > Los Angeles Air Force Base > Article DisplaySpace and Missile Systems Center awards $4.9 million Small Rocket Program-Orbital contract for Agile Small Launch Operational Normalizer (ASLON)-45 mission > Los Angeles Air Force Base > Article DisplayFollow Off-NominalSubscribe to the show! - Off-NominalSupport the show, join the DiscordOff-Nominal (@offnom) / TwitterOff-Nominal (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow JakeWeMartians Podcast - Follow Humanity's Journey to MarsWeMartians Podcast (@We_Martians) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | TwitterJake Robins (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceFollow AnthonyMain Engine Cut OffMain Engine Cut Off (@WeHaveMECO) | TwitterMain Engine Cut Off (@[email protected]) - Spacey SpaceAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo) | TwitterAnthony Colangelo (@[email protected]) - jawns.club 🐘Off-Nominal MerchandiseOff-Nominal Logo TeeWeMartians Shop | MECO Shop