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Small Steps, Giant Leaps
by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
NASA’s technical workforce put boots on the Moon, tire tracks on Mars, and the first reusable spacecraft in orbit around the Earth. Learn what’s next as they build missions that redefine the future with amazing discoveries and remarkable innovations.
Episodes
NASA's Flight Dynamics Facility
28 Oct 2026 · 17 min
The Flight Dynamics Facility provides tracking data on spacecraft including the Orion crew capsule and the Roman Space Telescope. The facility’s history stretches back to the earliest days of Mercury, Gemini and Apollo.
State Hubs: Opening Doors for Technical Students
14 Oct 2026 · 18 min
NASA, through the Office of STEM Engagement, has launched the State Hubs Initiative, awarding $10.5 million to seven institutions with the goal of getting more students into highly skilled manufacturing jobs in the aerospace industry.
Human Factors: Designing Systems with People in Mind - Part 2 of 2
30 Sept 2026 · 22 min
Dr. Cynthia Null, NASA Technical Fellow for Human Factors, discusses the myths of human limitations and how she got involved in the scientific discipline of human factors.
Human Factors: Designing Systems with People in Mind - Part 1 of 2
16 Sept 2026 · 19 min
Dr. Cynthia Null, NASA Technical Fellow for Human Factors, discusses how understanding human capabilities and limitations can help engineers reduce risk and design safer, more successful missions from the start.
Passing Down Knowledge
2 Sept 2026 · 17 min
Heather Koehler, NASA Technical Fellow for Flight Mechanics, explains how knowledge at NASA is passed from person to person, program to program.
The X-59 Goes Supersonic: What's Next?
25 Aug 2026 · 16 min
NASA’s experimental X-59 airplane went supersonic for the first time on June 5, 2026. What's next for the mission that aims to reopen the skies to quiet commercial supersonic flight?
Life Support Systems: From Space Station to Orion
5 Aug 2026 · 15 min
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station depend on life support systems that provide clean air, drinkable water, and a safe, livable environment. These systems are what make long-duration spaceflight not only possible, but comfortable. Today, some of these space station technologies have…
Science Takes a Village (in Alabama)
22 Jul 2026 · 15 min
Ground teams connect with astronauts aboard the International Space Station to help them carry out research and experiments. Kassandra Stephens, payload communications manager at the Payload Operations Integration Center at Marshall Space Flight Center, works with space station crews to get…
Transformative Aeronautics
10 Jul 2026 · 18 min
A NASA research program collaborates with universities to revolutionize the way we design, build, and operate aircraft. Angela Surgenor, deputy program director of the Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program, explains.
Calibrating Satellite Image Data
26 Jun 2026 · 20 min
Before scientists can use those satellite imagery for research, the data must be carefully calibrated to ensure measurements are accurate and consistent over time. Julia Barsi, NASA calibration scientist, explains.
Space Nuclear Propulsion
15 Jun 2026 · 23 min
Space nuclear power and propulsion engineering could play a key role in sending robots and humans to deep space, enabling faster and farther journeys.
Test Like You Fly
27 May 2026 · 24 min
The “test like you fly” approach is an engineering philosophy that means testing hardware, software, and flight operations as close to reality as possible. Erika Alvarez, deputy director of NASA's Space Systems Department, explains.
Soft Skills for Tough Missions
13 May 2026 · 17 min
So-called “soft skills” like good teamwork and communication can become just as valuable as technical skills to advance exploration.
Tracking Launches: Views from a NASA Pilot
29 Apr 2026 · 18 min
NASA pilots play a critical role in launch and recovery operations. Shannon Gregory, chief of flight operations at Kennedy Space Center, shares how his team supports crewed launches from the air, capturing real-time imagery, and staying ready for the unexpected.
How NASA's Pandora Mission Unboxes Distant Worlds
19 Apr 2026 · 13 min
Studying planets in other solar systems isn’t easy, especially when their host stars keep stealing the spotlight. NASA’s Pandora mission will cut through the noise, revealing what the atmospheres of these distant worlds are really made of.
Choreographing Astronaut Recovery
18 Mar 2026 · 15 min
For any crew returning to Earth from space, the journey home includes a carefully choreographed recovery effort to bring them safely back on dry land after splashing down in the ocean. Christine St. Germain, NASA recovery director for the Commercial Crew Program, tells us about this critical phase…
Dragonfly: Mission to Titan
4 Mar 2026 · 21 min
NASA's Dragonfly spacecraft, a rotorcraft the size of a small car, is set to explore Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Rich in organic compounds, Titan offers a rare window into the kinds of chemical conditions that may have existed on Earth long before life began.
Designing the Roadmap to Mars
4 Mar 2026 · 15 min
Nujoud Merancy, NASA's deputy associate administrator for the Strategy and Architecture Office, talks about how NASA is developing the roadmap for Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond.
The Many Hats of NASA Engineer Jennifer Lu
4 Feb 2026 · 17 min
From her experience working with the Commercial Crew Program, which sends astronauts to the International Space Station aboard commercial spacecraft, to the Artemis missions to the Moon, aerospace engineer Jennifer Lu shares how working with a variety of teams — including circus performers before…
Bringing Back Supersonic Flight
21 Jan 2026 · 26 min
Currently, flying faster than the speed of sound over land is prohibited for commercial flights because it creates disruptive sonic booms. NASA's experimental X-59 plane will research how to turn those booms into "sonic thumps," about as loud as a slamming car door. Lead pilot Nils Larson explains…