Made of Stars

Made of Stars

Made of Stars is a look at everything in space exploration from programs and vehicles on Earth to discoveries made just out of our atmosphere and into deep space. Space enthusiast Wes Carroll interviews executive director of CSU's Coca-Cola Space Science center Dr. Shawn Cruzen each week with new episodes published Thursday mornings. Georgia Association of Broadcasters winner for Best Podcast Series at the 2022 Gabby Awards Support the Podcast https://www.patreon.com/Wescarroll Voice Over: Joe Earl Williams Original Music: Graham Hobson Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/made-of-stars--4746260/support.

Episodes

NASA Is Getting Closer to Sending Astronauts to the Moon

November 26, 2025 • 46 mins
NASA has begun the next phase of preparations to send a crewed mission around the Moon next year. NASA has made a pivot to Starliner. Perseverance has discovered a meteorite on Mars. A nearby super-Earth could be a good place to look for life. Were Earth and Theia once neighbors?

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Aurora Aftermath

November 20, 2025 • 35 mins
Scientists say the auroas brought us milstone solar radiation. Plus NASA's possible new chief is expected to appear before Congress again next month. NASA has released some 3i/ATLAS photos and they don't show much. Plus a one of a kind triple star system has been photographed by JWST!

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CMEs Generating Excitement and Complications

November 13, 2025 • 40 mins
Solar activity gave all fifty states aurora borealis this week and there's a chance for more tonight. Blue Origin wants to launch today by the solar activity could complicate things. Astronomers have observed a CME on a star not called the Sun for the first time. And comet 3I/ATLAS is looking more like an interstellar comet that an alien spacecraft. 

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Live from CSU's Coca-Cola Space Science Center!

November 6, 2025 • 53 mins
Recorded November 1, 2025: It's Made of Stars... LIVE! How do you move a space shuttle without a shuttle mover and while preserving it? We're learning more about Jupiter's role in our solar system. Plus 3I/ATLAS and its strange behavior has scientists scratching their heads. Plus photos from the 50's have light flashes that could be UFOs. 

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Blue Origin Has Entered the Chat

October 30, 2025 • 45 mins
Blue Origin was preparing a lander for the Artemis V mission that may never happen and now it could be used for Artemis III. SpaceX has broken one of its own launch records. Venus has lost its last active spacecraft. Astronomers continue to find organic molecules everywhere they look. Is it comet or an alien spacecraft?

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Voyager Set to Make History Again

October 23, 2025 • 47 mins
NASA's voyager 1 is set to make history again. Elon Musk isn't happy with NASA's decision to re-open bidding for Artemis III's Moon landing contract. NASA has awarded Katalyst Space Technologies a contract to raise a satellite's orbit. And three of the world's wealthiest people say people will be living off planet sooner than you might think. 

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Episode 250! Isaacman, SpaceX and Breaking Bad

October 16, 2025 • 35 mins
Jared Isaacman could actually head NASA after being dropped from consideration. SpaceX successfully launched the final Version 2 Starship Super Heavy this week. A NASA payload unintentionally landed on a West Texas ranch. Aurora could be coming to the US tonight!

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Following Up on Four Stories

October 9, 2025 • 32 mins
NASA and Blue Origin are preparing to launch two spacecraft to Mars. Dream Chaser is preparing to debut as a free-flying spacecraft in 2026. ESA's TGO has gotten some slightly closer images of 3I/Atlas. And we have new evidence that Enceladus has favorable conditions for life. 

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NASA Names Their Next Ten Astronaut Candidates

October 2, 2025 • 39 mins
NASA has announced its next ten candidates for astronaut. STEVE has returned. Strong solar flares are possible over the next few days. Axiom has selected its first Project Astronaut. 

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Yes, We're Returning to the Moon

September 25, 2025 • 37 mins
NASA says the Artemis II Moon mission could happen in six months and there's a way your name can travel with it. NASA and SpaceX sent up three probes to study space weather. NASA's VIPER mission has come back to life. And stars have been spotted eating things. 

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Biggest Ever Cargo Ship Arrives at ISS

September 18, 2025 • 29 mins
Northrop Grumman's  Cygnus XL has reached the ISS. Space Weather announces upcoming solar activity. Scientists discover evidence of liquid water on Ryugu's parent asteroid. Ukraine has destroyed the RT-70 telescope.

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No, It's Not Definitely a Sign of Life on Mars, But It Could Be

September 11, 2025 • 31 mins
The Perseverance rover has given some evidence of what could be a sign of a past life on Mars, but it's too early to confirm. There's a large hole in the Sun's atmosphere and there's a chance it could impact our skies on Earth. SpaceX had a successful launch of Starship 10 and prepares for 11's launch. 

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Is the Morning Star Not Really a Star?

September 4, 2025 • 25 mins
Astronomers are using the JWST to determine if the morning star us even a star. Blue Origin is set to launch their 2nd New Glenn rocket as soon as the end of the month. New research from JWST says that the oldest known black hole is more than 13.3 billion years old. Plus the most massive black hole ever found is 36 billion times the mass of our sun. 

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Your Friendly Neighborhood Rocket Scientist Les Johnson

August 26, 2025 • 37 mins
Wes and Shawn are joined by Chief Technologist at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and author Les Johnson to talk about the symbiotic relationship of science and science fiction and his upcoming appearance at Dragon Con as both a scientist and an author. 

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X-37B Set to Launch Tonight... Weather Permitting

August 21, 2025 • 34 mins
SpaceX is set to launch the X-37B tonight if the weather allows. A fireball exploded above Japan this week lighting up the night sky. Arctic aurora season has begun. Comet 3I/ATLAS has a backward tail. 

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The Passing of a NASA Legend

August 14, 2025 • 39 mins
NASA astronaut Jim Lovell passed away at the age of 97 and his story is more than just Apollo 13. Artemis 2 is doing more preparation for a February to April launch next year. The meteorite that crashed into a Georgia home is older than Earth. And the Perseid meteor shower isn't quite done yet.  

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Hey Now, Hey Now

August 7, 2025 • 26 mins
It's a crowded house aboard the ISS with 11 crew members on board. Crew-10 is preparing to leave and make things a little less crowded. Bitch Wilmore has decided to retire from NASA after 25 years. A CME is pointed at Earth and could bring aurora to high latitudes. Plus, a dead star is sending out radio signals. 

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Skyfall on Mars?

July 31, 2025 • 39 mins
NASA's Crew 11 scheduled to launch today. NASA and JPL have announced their plans for a sequel to the Ingenuity helicopter. The recently discovered interstellar comet is massive. An asteroid that has a very small chance of colliding with the Moon could send a lot of lunar debris to Earth. It seems that the long speculated companion star to Betelgeuse has been confirmed. 

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Half of the Planet Will Go Dark? It Happens Every Night

July 24, 2025 • 42 mins
NASA's Crew-10 will hold a press conference to update their mission and talk about their return home. Scientists have discovered a new giant molecular cloud in the center of the Milky Way. A 3rd interstellar comet has been observed entering our solar system. Plus an asteroid will make a pass by the Earth but it's nothing to worry about. And there's no solar eclipse on August 2 of this year that will cause the planet to go completel...
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When You See the Southern Cross for the First Time

July 17, 2025 • 43 mins
Wes recaps stargazing in Australia before talking about the Bogong Moths that use the stars to navigate their migration patterns. Plus, Ax-4's crew is now back on Earth after making history for three countries. The DART mission has more fruit to bear. Apollo Soyuz celebrates 50 years and it's been 25 year since the Bastille Day Event. 

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