NASA

Rod is back with the latest in space news. This week, we saw a moon rocket get stacked for the first time since 1972. The Orion 2 uncrewed test mission will launch and fly around the moon to test Orion's lunar capabilities. The launch is expected in February of next year. The mission is expected to last a month to six weeks. By contrast, Apollo only lasted a few days on the moon. Why? Because NASA is building a lunar gateway, a smaller version of the International Space Station, to be in orbit around the moon. So it's exciting. We're about to go back to the moon! 

Rod joins Leo to talk about Mars news. Perseverance finally managed to get a sample of a rock, which will be kept for a return mission at a later date. They're hoping by 2027-28, they'll be able to launch a new mission to return it. The less good news is that NASA's relationship with Russia's Space Agency is getting strained due to political issues. Russia feels slighted that they aren't part of NASA's return to the moon. Now they're talking to China, and that leaves the ISS in a state of limbo.

Rod returns to catch us up on what's happening on Mars. The Chinese Rover has had its mission extended past its original 90 days. Road says it's very impressive for a first mission. Meanwhile, the US Perseverance rover had its first drilling attempt to grab a sample to return home in a future mission. But the soil was so powdery; they have to move to another location and try again. 

Rod joins Leo to talk about the latest in Space News. The big news was the Chinese Long March booster rocket, which put up the first module of China's space station and then reentered the atmosphere in an uncontrolled fashion. It ended up breaking up and crashing somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Rod says that China has had a cavalier attitude towards what happens to their rockets, and they are fast-tracking their space station with a damn the torpedos full steam ahead outlook, which Rod says is concerning. 

Johnny Jet joins Leo to talk about the Space X DM2 launch. App of the week - Apollo AR. Experience the Apollo Moon Landings in augmented reality. iOS and Google Play.