Burke Allen's Big Time Talker Podcast — by SpeakerMatch

Beyond the Stars: A Conversation with Dr. Joe Kerwin

·49 min·4 clips

Kerwin describes the eerie silence in mission control when Apollo 13 went quiet during re-entry.

The episode begins with host Burke Allen introducing Dr. Joe Kerwin, highlighting his background as a physician and the first American doctor in space. Kerwin recounts his early life in Chicago, education at Holy Cross College and Northwestern Medical School, and how the launch of Sputnik sparked his interest in space. He describes being drafted into the Navy, becoming a flight surgeon, and eventually applying to NASA's scientist astronaut program in 1964. Kerwin details his involvement in Apollo 13 as a Capcom, sharing the tense moments in mission control when the mission faced critical failures and the crew's safe return. He talks about his own Skylab mission in 1973, including a spacewalk to fix a solar panel and living in space for a month. The conversation shifts to Kerwin's medical perspective on long-duration spaceflight, discussing physiological risks like vision changes and bone density loss for astronauts on the ISS. He comments on NASA's conservative decision-making regarding recent spacecraft issues. Kerwin compares Skylab's conditions to the ISS, noting improvements in exercise equipment and living space. The latter part focuses on Kerwin's new book 'Finding Eden', a prehistorical novel that blends his Christian faith with a story about a tribe searching for the Garden of Eden 10,000 years after Adam and Eve. He explains the book's themes of good versus evil and avoids the evolution debate. Kerwin reflects on how his faith influenced his life as an astronaut and physician, sharing personal stories like a scary night landing in a T-38. The episode concludes with Kerwin discussing his family life, retirement from flying, and a quote from G.K. Chesterton about Christianity.

As heard by us

A calm, authoritative interview that works best when it shifts from biography to the risks of living in space.

Joseph Peter Kirwan stands out as an unusual mix of physician, astronaut, Navy veteran, and author, and the conversation is at its best when it moves from his Chicago background and NASA path into the practical risks of long stays in space.

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Why you'd press play

Hear an astronaut-physician explain spaceflight risk with calm authority.

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