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The Space Above Us The Space Above Us

1997

Episode 174: STS-87 - Stranded SPARTAN (USMP-4, SPARTAN mishap)
On STS-87 we’ve got a bunch of material science in the payload bay, a free-flying satellite, a camera that fell out of Star Wars, and 645,500 friends! We also get to the bottom of a significant mishap. [Click for more..]
Episode 173: NASA-6 Part 2 - Stuck Between a Hatch and a Cold Place (Wolf on Mir)
As Dave Wolf wraps up his stint on Mir we try to be efficient with our comms, try not to spill too much caffeine, and try not to get locked outside the station! [Click for more..]
Episode 172: NASA-6 Part 1 - Infinite Job List (Wolf on Mir)
After much deliberation on the ground, the verdict is that Dave Wolf will indeed remain on Mir for his full mission! So what does he do while he’s up there? And who’s that in the window? [Click for more..]
Episode 171: STS-86 - Does He Stay Or Does He Go Now? (Wolf to Mir)
Dave Wolf didn’t think he was going to Mir for another six months, but when Russia decides Wendy Lawrence is too short, schedules change. Though if Congress has anything to say about it, Wolf might not be going anywhere after all. [Click for more..]
Episode 170: STS-85 - The World’s Biggest Birthday Candles (SPAS, Small Fine Arm)
It’s Kent Rominger’s birthday, so what better way to celebrate than launching into space? Along the way we’ll send CRISTA-SPAS out for one last adventure, try out a Japanese robot arm, take pictures of comets, and try to avoid Blue Screens of Death. [Click for more..]
Episode 169: STS-94 - Deja Crew (MSL-1 Reflight)
The crew, payload, and orbiter of STS-94 have unfinished business in low earth orbit thanks to a busted fuel cell on STS-83. Let’s kick the tires, light the fires, and then light around 200 more fires, but carefully. [Click for more..]
Episode 168: NASA-5 Part 2 - The Specter of Progress (Foale on Mir)
New episode! In part 2 of our NASA-5 coverage, we’ll find out what the crew did next after surviving the immediate crisis following the Progress M-34 collision. Also, we’ll wonder why there’s so much water in Mir’s walls. [Click for more..]
Episode 167: NASA-5 Part 1 - A Crash Course in Long Duration Spaceflight (Foale on Mir)
New episode! Mike Foale’s stay on Mir for NASA-5 ended up being so eventful that I had no choice but to break it up into two parts. Thankfully, the same cannot be said for Mir after Progress M-34 comes knocking. [Click for more..]
Episode 166: STS-84 - Where Things Are Bright and Sunny (Linenger/Foale Swap)
On STS-84 we’ll deliver Mike Foale to Mir and bring Jerry Linenger back to Earth. We’ll also wonder how much Elektron really weighs, enjoy the music in the base block, and contemplate the mystical powers of a shouting Marine. [Click for more..]
Episode 165: STS-83 - Substack Attack (MSL-1)
New episode! The crew of STS-83 is ready for a 16 day flight aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, with Spacelab packed full of materials science experiments. So why did the flight end up only being 4 days long? [Click for more..]
Episode 164: STS-82 - No Trouble with Hubble (HST Servicing 2)
On STS-82 we’ve got another ground-up rendezvous on our hands. But instead of flying to Mir, we’ll be visiting our old friend the Hubble Space Telescope. It’s been a few years since STS-61 fixed its optical flaw, and it’s due for an upgrade! [Click for more..]
Episode 163: NASA-4 Part 2 - Close Call, Ethylene Glycol, and Secret Alcohol (Linenger on Mir)
When we last left Jerry Linenger, we still had most of his mission to cover! On this episode we’ve got space-bound contraband, a LEO version of ‘crisscross crash’, and a historical EVA. [Click for more..]
Episode 162: NASA-4 Part 1 - A Candle-lit Dinner (Linenger on Mir)
Jerry Linenger’s long duration mission on Mir was so action-packed that I had to break it up into two parts! Even with two parts, this is a pretty long episode, so enjoy! [Click for more..]
Episode 161: STS-81 - Space Deli (Linenger to Mir)
On STS-81 we’ll deliver Jerry Linenger to his new orbital home, bring John Blaha back to Earth, throw some meat and cheese around in weightlessness, and try not to get lost in Mir’s darkened twist and turns. [Click for more..]