Flash Forward is a show about possible (and not so possible) future scenarios. What would the warranty on a sex robot look like? How would diplomacy work if we couldn’t lie? Could there ever be a fecal transplant black market? (Complicated, it wouldn’t, and yes, respectively, in case you’re curious.) Hosted and produced by award winning science journalist Rose Eveleth, each episode combines audio drama and journalism to go deep on potential tomorrows, and uncovers what those futures might really be like. The future is going to be weird, so let's get ready for it together.
https://www.flashforwardpod.com
episode 7: The Space Roomba
This episode we take on a future where space junk has gotten so bad, that active spacecraft are constantly having to maneuver around it, which wastes fuel and cuts down on operation time. And humans decide to finally do something about it. But what?
Guests:
Loren Grush, science reporter at The Verge
Lisa Ruth Rand, historian of science technology and the environment.
Tiago Soares, systems engineer for ESA’s Clean Space program
Andrew Wolahan, systems engineer for ESA’s e.deorbit program
Alice Gorman, space archaeologist at Flinders University
Jill Stuart, space policy & law expert at the London School of Economics
Further Reading:
Tracking Space Junk
How can humans clean up our space junk?
The Space Junk Problem is About to get a Whole Lots Gnarlier
Orbital Decay: Space Junk and the Environmental History of Earth’s Planetary Borderlands
The Forgotten Cold War Plan That Put A Ring Of Copper Around The Earth
Project West Ford, NASA Repository
Japanese mission to clear up space junk ends in failure
This is what happens when a tiny piece of flying space debris hits the ISS
ESA Envisat
ESA Clean Space
ESA e.deorbit
Space Age Archaeology
What is Space Archaeology?
The Outer Space Treaty has been remarkably successful – but is it fit for the modern age?
Flash Forward is produced by me, Rose Eveleth. The intro music is by Asura and the outtro music is by Hussalonia. The space dispatcher from the top of the episode was played by Andrew Hackard. The episode art is by Matt Lubchansky. If you want to suggest a future we should take on, send us a note on Twitter, Facebook or by email at info@flashforwardpod.com. And if you think you’ve spotted one of the little references I’ve hidden in the episode, email us there too. If you’re right, I’ll send you something cool.
And if you want to support the show, there are a few ways you can do that too! Head to www.flashforwardpod.com/support for more about how to give. But if that’s not in the cards for you, you can head to iTunes and leave us a nice review or just tell your friends about us. Those things really do help.
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