Asteroseismology is the study of the internal structures of stars by means of their intrinsic global oscillations.
https://tess.mit.edu/followup/asteroseismology/

Asteroseismology

This degree focuses on planets, moons, asteroids, and comets, along with geological and geophysical processes in the Solar System.Planetary science (or more rarely, planetology) is the scientific study of planets (including Earth), celestial bodies (such as moons, asteroids, comets) and planetary systems (in particular those of the Solar System) and the processes of their formation.
https://eaps.mit.edu/

Planetology

An exoplanet is any planet beyond our solar system. Most orbit other stars, but free-floating exoplanets, called rogue planets, orbit the galactic center and are untethered to any star.
https://www.space.mit.edu/research/exoplanets/

Exoplanetology

A planetary science discipline concerned with the geology of the celestial bodies such as the planets and their moons, asteroids, comets, and meteorites.
https://eaps.mit.edu/academic-programs/geology-geochemistry-geobiology/

Exogeology

Astrobiology is the study of life in the universe. The search for life beyond the Earth requires an understanding of life, and the nature of the environments that support it, as well as planetary, planetary system and stellar interactions and processes.
https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/

Astrobiology

iNaturalist helps you identify the plants and animals around you. 
Get connected with a community of over a million scientists and naturalists who can help you learn more about nature! What’s more, by recording and sharing your observations, you’ll create research quality data for scientists working to better understand and protect nature. 
iNaturalist is a joint initiative by the 
California Academy of Sciences 
And
the National Geographic Society.
https://www.inaturalist.org/blog

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Artemis Mission Manager Mike Sarafin discusses Artemis I and NASA's increasingly complex Moon to Mars missions.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 101: Artemis Missions

NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Rob Grant discusses the agency’s Black History Month theme: Building a Legacy of Achievement, Connection, and Knowledge.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 102: Legacy of Connection

NASA Human Spaceflight Historian Jennifer Ross-Nazzal discusses how careers for women have changed over the past 50 years as the workforce has become more diverse.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 103: Legacy of Inspiration

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, and Associate Administrator Bob Cabana discuss the importance of a strong safety culture.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 104: Workplace Safety Culture

Mars Sample Return Deputy Lead Scientist Lindsay Hays discusses plans to bring the first samples of Mars material to Earth.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 105: Samples from Mars

Surface Water and Ocean Topography Project Manager Parag Vaze discusses the first global survey of Earth's surface water.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 106: Surface Water and Ocean Topography

NASA Research Electrical Engineer Lyndsey McMillon-Brown discusses development of perovskite solar cell technology for Moon and Mars exploration.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 107: Perovskite Solar Cells

NASA Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory Critical Systems Engineer Jim Sarafin discusses training astronauts for spacewalks.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 108: Underwater Training for Astronauts

NASA Engineering and Safety Center Director Tim Wilson discusses the NESC's contributions to NASA mission success.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 109: NASA Engineering and Safety Center

NASA Chief Knowledge Officer and APPEL Knowledge Services Director Tiffany Smith discusses knowledge sharing and learning and development.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 110: APPEL Knowledge Services

NASA Flight Opportunities Program Manager Danielle McCulloch discusses rapid demonstration of technologies and capabilities for NASA missions and commercial spaceflight.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 111: Flight Opportunities

NASA TechLeap Nighttime Precision Landing Challenge Manager Greg Peters discusses the lunar landing challenge.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 112: TechLeap Nighttime Precision Landing Challenge

OSIRIS-REx Mission Systems Engineer Ron Mink discusses preparation for the return of the United States' first asteroid sample from space to Earth.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 113: OSIRIS-REx Sample Return Preparation

NASA Langley Research Center Retired Chief Scientist Dennis Bushnell discusses highlights of his 60-year NASA career and the future of the agency.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 114: Last Stop Before Retirement

NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Engineering Technicians Jason Nelson, Kyle Whitfield, and Alex Zamora discuss their essential contributions to NASA missions.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 115: NASA Trade and Technical Professionals, Part 1

NASA Technicians Scott Bartram, Eric Bentley, Maria Salinas, and Phil Steele discuss their hands-on work on a variety of projects and technologies.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 116: NASA Trade and Technical Professionals, Part 2

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Engineering Technicians John Hood, Amy Meekham, and Mark Sloan discuss details of their work on the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 117: NASA Trade and Technical Professionals, Part 3

NASA is certainly facing an aging workforce that has been rapidly retiring or nearing retirement, and it’s really encouraging to see the impact that this program specifically has had in developing the next generation of engineers.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 118: Center Innovation Fund and Early Career Initiative

Developing and testing rocket propulsion systems, it’s really foundational to spaceflight and to everything that we’re trying to do with spaceflight.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 119: Rocket Propulsion Test Program

In this episode, we sit down with Jim Rostohar, Chief Knowledge Officer for NASA's Johnson Space Center, to explore the vital role of knowledge sharing within the organization.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 120: Fueling Innovation: How NASA Shares Knowledge for Progress

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Zach Pirtle, a policy analyst for NASA’s Office of Technology, Policy and Strategy about NASA’s Artemis and Ethics workshop, which explored the ethical, legal, and societal implications of its Artemis and Moon to Mars missions.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 121: The Artemis and Ethics Report Explained

In this episode, we step behind the scenes of NASA's Orion project to explore the remarkable teamwork, leadership, and communication that drive this groundbreaking endeavor. Join us as we sit down with Stu McClung, the NASA Orion Test lead, to talk about the Orion mission and the human side of space exploration.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 122: Charting New Horizons: Inside NASA's Orion Mission

Today, we look at NASA’s PACE mission, which seeks to unravel some of the mysteries of Earth’s atmosphere and the vital role played by aerosols and clouds. Join us as we delve into this fascinating journey with atmospheric scientist Dr. Kirk Knobelspiesse.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 123: Examining Earth’s Atmosphere with NASA’s PACE Mission

Dive deep into the world of in-space manufacturing (ISM) with our guest, Zach Courtright, the In-Space Manufacturing Portfolio Manager at NASA. Zach shares his perspectives on cutting-edge advancements and collaborations in the field and the potential of the technology for game-changing impacts on space exploration and resource utilization.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 124: The Game-Changing Potential of In-Space Manufacturing

Janet Karika, who retired recently from NASA after 43 years in the aerospace industry, shares career highlights and her approach to leading the Artemis I Lessons Learned process.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 125: Capstone Project: Artemis I Lessons Learned

In this episode we’ll focus on Gateway, a small space station NASA is developing to place in orbit at the Moon. We’ll speak with Mark Wiese, who leads the team that will ensure Gateway will receive the cargo, equipment, and supplies it needs to support Artemis astronauts.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 126: Gateway: The Logistics of an Outpost at the Moon

Dave Mitchell brings extensive experience as an engineer and project manager to a new position leading a small team with the broad mandate of improving acquisitions and program and project management across NASA.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 127: Chief Program Management Officer

How inflatable habitats moved from concept papers to the International Space Station, and what NASA is doing to eventually put one on the Moon.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 128: Engineering Inflatable Structures for Space

In this episode, Dr. Chelle Gentemann, Open Science Program Scientist for the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer, explains NASA’s initiative to make science more collaborative, accessible, and inclusive. Known as Transform to Open Science, or TOPS, the program encourages increased access to research and data.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 129: Accelerating Discoveries with Open Science

In this episode, Jacob Bleacher, NASA’s chief exploration scientist, tells us about the science goals of the Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle and how NASA is collaborating with industry to explore more of the Moon’s surface than ever before

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 131: The Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle

A new NASA report titled "Cost and Benefit Analysis of Mitigating, Tracking, and Remediating Orbital Debris" compares the cost-effectiveness of several strategies that could reduce the risk of collisions between spacecraft, including the space station, and orbital debris.

Episode 132: Orbital Debris: Reducing Risk with Cost-Effective Strategies

In this episode, Dr. Gioia Massa, senior Life Sciences project scientist at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, outlines the systems and processes used for growing vegetables aboard the International Space Station. The technology could one day support astronauts on long-duration missions in deep space. What we learn can benefit agriculture on Earth as well.

Episode 133: The Science of Space Gardening

The Internet of Animals, a collaborative research project with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Geological Survey, and other universities and institutions, is giving insight into the intersection of animal movement patterns and climate. By combining remote sensing data with wildlife tracking tags, experts can get a better idea of scientific needs to manage conservation at the federal level.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 134: The Internet of Animals

Cleaning scum from bathtubs and pipes can be a costly chore. It’s even more challenging aboard spacecraft. NASA researchers are looking at ways to keep astronauts from having to deal with fungal or bacterial buildup, known as biofilm.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 135: Biofilm - Dealing with the Scum off the Earth

Robots inspired by nature? A novel realm of engineering called soft robotics is being studied at NASA’s Langley Research Center. Engineers are working to understand how soft robotics could one day support space exploration, including missions to the Moon’s surface.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 136: Soft Robotics

We don’t yet know what dark matter is, yet it makes up 85% of all the matter in the universe. The Roman Space Telescope will aim to unravel the mystery. With a field of view 100 times wider than the Hubble Space Telescope’s, Roman will study in near-infrared light the atmospheres of planets orbiting other stars, making other exoplanet discoveries along the way. The mission is named after Dr. Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first chief of astronomy and advocate for the development of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 137: The Roman Space Telescope - Uncovering the Dark Universe

The Sun is the ultimate source of life in our solar system, a radiant powerhouse that bathes Earth in the energy necessary for everything from photosynthesis to weather patterns. Its warmth and light sustain us. However, the Sun’s influence isn't always benign. Its solar wind—a stream of charged particles—can disrupt our technology, causing communications blackouts and GPS glitches. In this episode, Dr. Joseph Westlake, director of NASA’s Heliophysics Division, joins us to shed light on why the Sun is such a critical focus for space research.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 138: The Sun, Star of Our Cosmic Show

NASA has a long history with AI, using it in various applications like autonomous Mars rover navigation and detecting planets in other solar systems. Today, NASA is embracing AI for more members of the workforce, enabling innovation.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 140: Artificial Intelligence at NASA

Ever wondered how NASA monitors asteroids? In our latest episode, we go behind the scenes with Dr. Kelly Fast, NASA’s acting planetary defense officer, to discuss efforts to detect, track, and mitigate threats from near-Earth objects, or NEOs. From asteroid early warning systems to a new spacecraft that will find and track NEOs, learn how NASA’s Planetary Defense Coordination Office is at the forefront of keeping Earth safe from cosmic hazards.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 141: Planetary Defense at NASA

Europa Clipper is NASA’s first mission dedicated to studying an icy ocean world. Launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket on October 14, 2024, from Kennedy Space Center, the spacecraft is set to arrive at Jupiter in April of 2030 to conduct sweeping flybys of Europa. Europa is one of Jupiter’s four large Galilean moons. It’s roughly the size of our moon, but what’s most intriguing is that it may harbor the conditions for life in the massive ocean beneath its frozen surface. What we learn could open up the science floodgates to other ocean worlds across the solar system.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 142: Europa Clipper: Voyage to a Water World

Before leaving the ground, astronauts prepare for spaceflight by immersing themselves in life-like training simulators. This is done with the help of NASA’s Simulation and Graphics Branch. Branch Chief Michael McFarlane leads a team of experts who use cutting edge technology to create digital environments, tools and visualizations that support nearly every aspect of human spaceflight. In this episode, we discuss how simulations help us better understand how spacecraft behave in space, the role of immersive technology like virtual and augmented reality, and the importance of mentorship.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 143: NASA Training Simulators

What does it take to mine the Moon? Engineers behind NASA's ISRU Pilot Excavator, or IPEx are digging into the answers. The robotic excavator is designed to unearth lunar regolith and extract oxygen for fuel. In this episode, Jason Schuler, IPEx principal investigator, and Drew Smith, IPEx lead design engineer, explore the engineering challenges, innovative solutions, and the groundbreaking implications of IPEx for future lunar missions. Plus, they share what helped their idea go from paper to full-on demonstration.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 144: Mining the Moon with NASA’s IPEx Robot

We’re kicking off 2025 with NASA’s deputy administrator Pam Melroy, who wraps up her tenure at NASA this month. As a former astronaut with three space shuttle flights under her belt – including one flight as commander – Pam has made lasting contributions to human spaceflight. She’s also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force as a retired colonel. In her most recent role, Pam helped shape the NASA’s focus on long-term strategies, including Moon to Mars exploration, space sustainability, and a long-term vision for NASA’s future as an organization. Now, as she prepares to pass the torch, Pam joins us to reflect on her NASA career and share insights from her time as a pilot, astronaut, and public servant.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 145: Pam Melroy: Behind the Strategy

What if we could get rid of lengthy waitlists for organ transplants? Well, imagine 3-D printing a kidney from your own stem cells. That would reduce the chances your body rejects it. That’s the sort of groundbreaking medical research astronauts are conducting aboard the International Space Station. Other research includes understanding the stress spaceflight places on not just the body, but also the mind. There’s a plethora of human factors to consider as humanity prepares to embark on deep space missions. What we learn from spaceflight medicine could also transform lives here on Earth. Dr. J.D. Polk, NASA’s chief health and medical officer, tells us what’s on the horizon in space medicine.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 146: Space Medicine - Body and Mind

Ever wondered what it takes to capture NASA’s most breathtaking moments? From rocket launches to behind-the-scenes astronaut training, Bill Ingalls, senior contract photographer for NASA Headquarters has spent decades framing history through his lens. In this episode, we dive into his journey, how he and his team prepare for assignments, and the importance of visual storytelling.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 147: NASA Photography - Visual Storytelling

NASA engineers turn dreams into reality, solving complex challenges to push exploration forward. From landing rovers on Mars to advancing deep space missions, their ingenuity makes it all possible. This episode with Chief Engineer Joe Pellicciotti and Deputy Chief Engineer Katherine Van Hooser celebrates the innovation, dedication, and impact of NASA’s engineering community.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 148: Celebrating NASA's Engineers

This is our second episode for our March celebration we call Engineering Month: Building Mission Success at NASA. It’s a time to celebrate the problem-solvers, innovators, and builders who turn bold ideas into reality. These are the engineers who tackle some of the toughest challenges in exploration.
Like people, every spacecraft needs a good blanket, one that can withstand the extreme cold, the Sun’s intense radiation, and impacts from micrometeoroids. At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, Paula Cain is one of the skilled hands behind these essential layers of protection. As a thermal blanket technician, she works with engineers to design and fabricate the high-tech installation that keeps spacecraft safe from the harsh environments of space.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 149: Spacecraft Thermal Blankets

What if you could use an app on your phone to call up an air taxi to take you from one side of town to the other? NASA’s Air Mobility Pathfinders Project, or AMP, is working on it.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 150: Urban Air Taxis

NASA’s design labs are where engineers develop concepts for missions and scientific instruments.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Podcast Episode 151: Designing Missions

What can the auroras tell us about our planet’s relationship with the Sun? NASA’s EZIE mission looks into it.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Podcast Episode 152: EZIE Does It

NASA's SPHEREx mission will map 450 million galaxies like we’ve never seen before.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps Episode 153: The Universe in Living Color with SPHEREx

NASA’s Air Traffic Management-eXploration Project aims to accommodate the growing demand of traditional and emerging aircraft that share the friendly skies.

Episode 154: NASA's Air Traffic Management-eXploration Project

Big or small, we all take risks nearly every day. But how does NASA manage it? Dr. Mary Skow, NASA’s first agency risk management officer, explains.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 155: Risk Management at NASA

IXPE, or the Infrared X-ray Polarimetry Explorer, is NASA’s first space telescope dedicated to studying X-ray polarization from extreme objects like black holes and quasars.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 156: A New Era of X-ray Astronomy with IXPE

Fighting wildland fires by air at night is especially hazardous. NASA’s ACERO Project aims to make firefighting safer – day or night – with drones and smarter airspace management.

As wildland fires grow more intense and unpredictable, NASA is helping first responders gain the upper hand. In this episode, we explore the ACERO Project, the team developing an airspace management system to enable drones and other aircraft to safely monitor and suppress wildland fires 24 hours a day. The system will increase aerial response capabilities for responders during low-visibility conditions in a way that is not currently possible. Firefighters in California are already using this technology. We speak with Patrick Hill, chief of uncrewed aircraft systems training at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 157: Fighting Wildland Fires with Drones

The Hubble Space Telescope has changed humanity’s understanding of the universe. Now in orbit for 35 years, it remains a remarkable feat of engineering.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 159: Hubble: An Engineering Marvel

NASA’s StarBurst mission, a satellite about the size of a washing machine, is set to launch in 2027 to detect the initial blasts of these cosmic fireworks. By studying gamma-ray bursts in unprecedented detail, StarBurst will help scientists probe the extreme physics of neutron star collisions and shed light on one of the most powerful events in astrophysics. We’re talking about it today with Dr. Dan Kocevski, principal investigator for StarBurst, out of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 160: StarBurst: Gamma-ray Hunter

NASA's Zero Gravity Research Facility - A steel vacuum chamber 50 stories deep at NASA’s Glenn Research Center lets researchers simulate near-weightlessness by letting test hardware freefall for 5.18 seconds.

Small Steps, Giant Leaps: Episode 161: NASA's Zero Gravity Research Facility

6,000 Exoplanets and Counting
On September 17, 2025, NASA announced that the number of exoplanets, planets outside our solar system, tracked by NASA has reached 6,000. In the three decades since the groundbreaking detection of exoplanet 51 Pegasi b, the first confirmed planet orbiting a Sun-like star, astronomers have concluded that exotic worlds are everywhere.

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