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

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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New York to Paris in Under an Hour?!

July 10, 2025 • 38 mins
Venus Aerospace successfully flew the world’s first atmospheric test of a rotating
detonation rocket engine that could eventually lead to a 55 minute trip from NY to Paris. Why does the Moon have magnetic rocks? Scientists have a new strongest solar storm ever recorded. Scientists now know how the lights turned on at the bebinning of time.   

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American Hero Brigadier General David R. Scott

July 3, 2025 • 29 mins
This week we honor an American hero who walked and drove a car on the moon. 

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A Look Back to Our Interview with Al Worden

June 26, 2025 • 39 mins
Wes and Shawn interviewed Col. Al Worden in 2011. He passed away in 2020. This week we look back to that interview. 

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Studying Medicine In Space

June 19, 2025 • 33 mins
Cancer treatments and cures may come from studies done in space. Scientists are taking the mystery out of the sun's poles. Scientists have a new look at the tiny glass beads found on the Moon during the Apollo era. A new study has given us information about the Milky Way's galactic center. 

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No, the Strawberry Moon Isn't Pink

June 12, 2025 • 39 mins
The Strawberry Moon's name doesn't come from it's color but from what time of year strawberries are at peak ripeness. Japan's Resilience spacecraft has slammed into the Moon. Astronomers have dicovered an object "unlike anything we've seen before". Axiom's Ax-4 has been delayed again. Axiom has partnered with NASA to study DNA of fruit flies. 

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Jared Isaacman's Launch Aborted

June 5, 2025 • 42 mins
Jared Isaacman will not be NASA's next administrator. Active region 4100 has ended. Axiom's Ax-4 launch has been delayed to June 10. New research says the Milky Way and Andromeda won't be colliding after all. 

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China and Russia Have Big Plans for the Moon

May 29, 2025 • 50 mins
China and Russia have made a deal to build a nuclear power facility on the Moon. SpaceX has both wins and losses with its latest Starship launch. A sunspot has been visible on the Sun for 54 days and is still going strong. NASA has revived the thrusters on Voyager 1 after twenty years. 

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