Casual Space
Let's talk SPACE, and let's keep it casual. Nothing too technical. Stories that inspire. As a former NASA Public Affairs Officer, let me serve as your guide. I'll provide conversations that are both interesting and fun. Each weekly episode brings a new, fresh discussion on a variety of space topics & stories. The universe is pretty big, so there's always something new to discover! Join me and find YOUR inner space geek on Casual Space!
Episodes
What happens to your mind when you leave the planet? Frank White has spent decades asking astronauts, and now it's his turn to find out…
On this episode of Casual Space, Beth welcomes back Frank White, the space philosopher and author who coined the term "the overview effect." Beth and Frank explore what actually produces the overview effect and why its deepest lesson is connection rather than...
This week on Casual Space, it's just Beth, a clean room, and one very real Moon rover. Beth takes you behind the scenes at Astrolab in Hawthorne, California, where she came face to face with FLIP, the rover getting ready to carry thousands of human stories to the lunar surface. Yes, she geeked out. No, she's not sorry.
Beth walks through why landing on the Moon is only half the job (you still have to get a...
What keeps a Mars rover running after 14 years on another planet? What fixed a juddering solar array on the International Space Station? And what tiny robot — small enough to hold in your hand — recently hitched a ride to the lunar South Pole?
The answer to a...
What does it take to go from studying the universe… to flying through it?
On this episode of Casual Space, Beth welcomes Dr. Steven A. Hawley—NASA astronaut, space shuttle veteran, and author of his new book, Eyes to the Stars, A Memoir for the Space Shuttle Generation. Listen to enjoy the remarkable journey of a young astronomer from Kansas who never expected to become an astronaut—and ...
An earlier version of this episode got corrupted on export, so the audio cut out part of the way into the episode. That has been fixed in this version. Apologies for the inconvenience!
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Dr. Danny Jaques, a 36-year veteran science educator, Space Camp Hall of Famer, and founder of Danny's Rocket Ranch, joins Beth for a review of the Project Hail Mary film adaptation.
A lifelong educator who has taken nearly 600 students to Space Ca...
Josh Hanes, whose work at Uplift Aerospace focuses on expanding access to space through student-centered education and immersive experiences, returns to the show with major updates on what's happened since STORIES of Space submitted its community database at the end of 2025. https://www.upliftaerospace.com
Beth and Josh celebrate two landmark achievements: the successful laser engraving the story database ...
Have you read "Project Hail Mary," by Andy Weir? No spoilers in this episode, as Beth reviews three of the main characters, and wonders how they will make the leap from page to the silver screen.
The deadline for submitting stories to the Moon on MISSION 06 with STORIES of Space has been extended to December 28! In this episode, Beth selects & shares five recently submitted stories that will be sent to the Moon. Hundreds more will be sent to the moon along with these inspiring stories. Will yours be one of them?
You have until December 28 to submit your story at storiesofspace.com
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This week on Casual Space, Beth is joined by two extraordinary guests: Josh Hanes, CEO of Uplift Aerospace and Dr. Sian Proctor, astronaut, artist, educator, and founder of Space2Inspire to share an announcement that's truly out of this world.
Josh, whose background spans physics, advanced propulsion concepts, and aerospace leadership with a mission to expand access to space for all through innovative education and immersive experi...
This week on Casual Space, Beth welcomes back a very special guest: Stephen Matier, President & CEO of Maritime Launch Services, to celebrate Canada's history-making commercial suborbital launch completed at the end of November. Fresh from the launch pad in Canso, Nova Scotia, Beth and Steve sit down to reflect on the extraordinary milestone for Canad...
This week on the Casual Space Podcast, I'm joined by my friend, adventurer, and all-around visionary Jessica DeAngelo — founder of Hike to Become®, author of the international bestseller The Wild Advantage, and the leader behind a movement that encourages us to step outside (literally) to find the clarity, creativity, and calm we keep trying to chase indoors.
Jessica works with leaders from companies like Amazon, Nike, and Ub...
What does life after space look like for an astronaut? For Mike Foreman, it looks like community, connection, and continuing to serve — just a little closer to Earth.
Mike is a retired NASA astronaut, a U.S. Navy veteran, and the current Mayor of Friendswood, Texas. Over the course of two Space Shuttle missions — STS-123 and STS-129 — Mike logged more than 637...
In this exciting new episode of Casual Space, Beth is joined by Alex Martin to share all the details about STORIES of Space MISSION 03, launching soon from Canada's first commercial spaceport in beautiful Nova Scotia!
Together, Beth and Alex talk about what it takes to prepare for this historic suborbital mission — from planning and partnerships to payloads and the people who make it all possible. Lis...
This week on Casual Space, Beth is joined by Alex and Chad for a lively and candid conversation about their unforgettable underwater MISSION 05 STORIES of Space adventure!
Together, Paul, Alex, Chad and Beth took STORIES of Space to new depths—literally—by bringing human stories into an underwater research habitat.
Join us as we swap stories, laughs, and lessons learned from this one-of-a-kind mission. F...
What if Walt Disney's real magic wasn't perfection…but persistence?
In this episode, Beth takes you behind the myths of creative genius to explore how Disney built through failure, loss, and uncertainty—and why those moments became the foundation for his greatest successes.
From bankruptcy to Mickey, from "Disney's Folly" to Disneyland, Walt's story reminds us that the impossible often starts in the middle of adversit...
It's that time of year for back-to-school! What does that mean for grown-ups and space explorers like us? For me,it means diving into the stack of books that keep me learning, curious, and inspired. As the host of Casual Space Podcast, I'm fortunate enough to receive books from our incredible guests, so sometimes I choose what to read, and other times the stories find their way to me.
Right now, I'm re-reading two standouts s...
Something magical happens when you bring the right people, the right purpose, and one wild idea together — and then take it 30 feet below the ocean's surface.
In this episode, we're celebrating STORIES of Space MISSION 05, where our crew lived for four days in the world's only underwater habitat, Jules' Undersea Lodge. We didn't just bring gear… we brought hundreds of YOUR stories — the same ones that h...
In this episode, Beth introduces and personally invites you to join MISSION 05: STORIES of the Sea, the latest adventure from STORIES of Space — and it's unlike anything she's done before. Beth and her crew are heading to Jules' Undersea Facility, to live, work, and explore from beneath the ocean's surface, bringing YOUR stories along with!
Why? Because space and sea have more in common than you might think. Confined en...
Ever feel like you can't take a break because there's always one more thing to do?
In this heartfelt episode in the abbreviated Summer-ease (summeries) series, host Beth Mund explores the myth of "earning" your time off — and how a much-needed family vacation almost didn't happen because of it.
Tune in as Beth shares:
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The chaotic lead-up to pressing pause on work, life, and laundry
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How her family rediscovered...
John A. Read is no stranger to reaching for the stars—both figuratively and literally. Fresh off earning his Master's in Space Systems Engineering from Johns Hopkins (without an undergrad in engineering—yes, really), John joins Beth to explore his fascinating journey from finance to astrophysics, and from a $15 pharmacy telescope to founding Stargaze Nova Scotia, a public dark-sky observatory.
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