Ars Technicast, Episode 30: How to ruin a NASA capsule with a sandwich

In this episode of the Ars Technicast we talk about NASA in light of next week’s 44th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. We are excited to welcome special guest Amy Shira Teitel, a journalist who specializes in the history of NASA. According to Teitel, the Apollo 11 trip warped our perception of space travel. The mission set up the expectation that space travel was only limited by our imaginations, but the facts and requirements of actual space travel tell a different story, Teitel says.

We also cover many historical events and controversies in NASA’s history, from the roles of women in NASA missions and space travel to the story of how a contraband sandwich might make history in outer space. Join hosts Social Editor Cesar Torres and Ars Contributor Casey Johnston, who are joined by Senior Science Editor John Timmer and special guest Amy Shira Teitel.

By the way, if you like what you hear on the Ars Technicast, please leave us a review in the iTunes store or leave us a comment below.

Related links

·         Amy Shira Teitel’s blog

·         Letters NASA sent to girls when they asked how they could become astronauts

·         Sandwiches in space

·         NASA’s rejection letter to a woman from 1962

·         The beginnings of women in space

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