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A podcast about the history of NASA human spaceflight. New episodes every other Thursday. (ish)
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Mission-by-mission storytelling makes NASA's shuttle era legible through engineering, operations, institutional mishaps, and the human texture of spaceflight.
The Space Above Us reconstructs NASA missions flight by flight, pairing narrative history with the alert, slightly amused voice of someone who notices both orbital mechanics and missing batteries.
The LiDAR has no batteries, and you're about to understand orbital rendezvous anyway.
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Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A quiet but pivotal shuttle mission that makes orbital work feel concrete and earned.
STS-74 reads as a mission story about infrastructure more than spectacle. The shuttle delivers a docking module to Mir and turns a difficult first step into something that feels repeatable.
A delayed launch settles into a focused laboratory flight built around steady science.
STS-73 gives Columbia's quieter shuttle role its due, framing the flight as a working microgravity lab rather than a headline mission. The episode tracks the crowded crew and the delayed path to orbit, where a false fire alarm and a range-safety signal issue hold the launch…
STS-69 ties solar-wind instruments, a second-chance experiment, and the dog crew into one tidy mission story.
STS-69 works best as a compact story of orbital persistence, built around hardware that had to prove its value in flight. The shuttle carries Spartan toward a clearer reading of the solar wind, while the Wake Shield Facility gets another chance to run its tests.
A smooth shuttle mission becomes a lively mix of exact engineering, orbital oddities, and dry humor.
STS-70 frames a notably smooth shuttle flight as a compact, textured look at the oddities that can collect around reliable engineering. Discovery's July 13, 1995 launch, TDRS deployment, and steady mission tempo sit alongside the stranger details in its orbit: plastic owls at…
Norm Thagard's Soyuz launch gives this Mir episode a tactile view of NASA's early work with Russia.
Norm Thagard's March 14, 1995 Soyuz launch gives the episode its cleanest anchor: an American astronaut lifting off from the same pad Yuri Gagarin used.
A long-awaited shuttle mission reaches Mir through orbital precision, missing batteries, and a human margin for error.
STS-71 brings a major spaceflight milestone down to the practical work of making two spacecraft meet. The episode tracks Atlantis on its way to Mir, where the first shuttle docking with the Russian station depends on exact orbital timing, a LiDAR unit that cannot power on…
Combative politics at talk-radio speed.
Phoebe Judge narrates true crime history and interviews the authors who uncovered it.
Dramatized deep dives into American history, from the Galveston hurricane to Harper Lee's Mockingbird.
Dana Schwartz narrates the violent lives of monarchs, warlords, and queens.
Tracy Wilson and Holly Frey narrate overlooked history, from Courbet's realism to IUD regulation.
This episode covers Space Shuttle mission STS-87 in 1997, focusing on its microgravity research, a practice EVA, and the crew including commander Kevin Kriegel and pilot Steve Lindsey.
This episode of The Space Above Us covers Space Shuttle mission STS-99, focusing on its crew and context as one of the few shuttle flights not visiting Hubble or the ISS.
This episode introduces Expedition 1, the first long-duration crew of the International Space Station, focusing on commander Bill Shepard and flight engineer Yuri Gidzenko.
This episode explores the complex NASA mission nomenclature for Space Shuttle flights like STS-106 and ISS resupply missions, explaining the cryptic title '2A or not 2B' through historical context and expert insights.
This episode explores the STS-83 space shuttle mission, focusing on the Microgravity Science Laboratory 1 (MSL-1) aboard Space Shuttle Columbia and the crew's efforts to maximize scientific research despite unexpected challenges.
This episode discusses Space Shuttle mission STS-88, which launched the first American ISS module Unity to connect with the Russian module Zarya, while reflecting on the evolution of human spaceflight from John Glenn's Mercury missions.
This episode discusses NASA's STS-94 mission, a reflight of the MSL-1 materials science experiments after the STS-83 mission was cut short due to a faulty fuel cell.
This episode introduces the first part of a two-part series about NASA-4 astronaut Jerry Linenger's perilous five-month mission aboard the Mir space station, drawing from his firsthand account in the book 'Off the Planet'.
This episode covers Space Shuttle mission STS-76, focusing on delivering astronaut Shannon Lucid to the Mir space station and marking a milestone in using the shuttle as a logistics vehicle.
This episode discusses the Galileo spacecraft's six-year journey to Jupiter after its 1989 deployment from Space Shuttle Atlantis, contrasting it with shorter human spaceflight missions.
This episode covers Space Shuttle Flight STS-78, focusing on its Space Lab mission to study microgravity effects and crew physiology, while introducing the commander, pilot, and mission specialists.
This episode covers STS-79, a Space Shuttle mission to the Russian space station Mir, focusing on the crew swap between Shannon Lucid and John Blaha and the experiences of veteran astronauts.
This episode discusses the STS-93 space shuttle mission, which deployed the Chandra X-ray Observatory to study the distant universe.
This episode discusses STS-96, a Space Shuttle mission to resupply the International Space Station, covering its delays and historical context.
This episode covers Space Shuttle mission STS-102, which delivered a new crew and cargo to the International Space Station while returning the Expedition 1 crew, highlighting the logistical complexities of managing simultaneous shuttle and station operations.
This episode begins exploring NASA astronaut Dave Wolf's four-month mission on the Russian Mir space station, following the STS-86 shuttle flight that delivered him there.
This episode discusses the STS-86 mission, focusing on the MAPS payload's history and its connection to Mir, while providing updates on previous space shuttle flights.
This episode introduces NASA-5 astronaut Mike Foale's mission to the Russian Mir space station, focusing on high-stress events during long-duration spaceflight.
The host apologizes for a schedule delay due to a cruise and shares a filler episode about his second rocket launch and early SpaceX history.
This episode covers Space Shuttle mission STS-82, focusing on the Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and the return of Discovery after 12 flights.
This episode continues the story of astronaut Jerry Linenger's 1997 NASA mission to the Mir space station, focusing on the aftermath of a catastrophic fire and ongoing challenges.
This episode discusses Space Shuttle mission STS-81, which involved swapping astronauts John Blaha and Jerry Linenger on the Russian space station Mir and delivering supplies.
This episode features an interview with astronaut Dan Tani, focusing on his early career experiences, including applying to NASA's Astronaut Group 16 and life before being assigned to a mission.
The host shares a personal update about his father's recent death and explains the podcast's sporadic schedule, reflecting on his father's life lesson 'don't force it' as he navigates grief and plans future episodes.
This episode features an interview with former NASA flight surgeon Dr.
This episode explores the STS-75 space shuttle mission, focusing on the unusual Tethered Satellite System (TSS) payload and its deployment via a long tether in space.
This episode explores the second half of astronaut Dave Wolfe's NASA-6 mission on the Mir space station, covering daily life adaptations, a challenging EVA, and interactions between American astronauts and Russian support teams.
This episode of The Space Above Us covers Space Shuttle mission STS-85, highlighting its diverse payloads including free-flying experiments, telescopes, and observations of Comet Hale-Bopp, with a focus on the crew and mission details.
This episode discusses STS-90, the final SpaceLab mission, highlighting its focus on scientific research and its role in transforming the space shuttle into a temporary orbital laboratory.
This episode covers Space Shuttle mission STS-92, focusing on the installation of the Z1 truss and PMA-3 to the International Space Station, while also addressing production delays and research efforts.
This episode explores how Andy Thomas unexpectedly became the last American astronaut to live and work on the Russian Mir space station as part of NASA-7, detailing the crew changes that led to his mission.
This episode discusses Space Shuttle mission STS-97 (ISS-4A) and explains the podcast's approach to covering shuttle missions versus ISS crew activities in the context of International Space Station assembly.
This episode discusses the STS-101 mission, which marked the return of the Space Shuttle Atlantis to operational status and focused on resupplying and stabilizing the International Space Station during its early, problematic phase.
This episode provides a retrospective overview of the Shuttle-Mir program, covering its five-year duration, 44 American astronauts involved, and the host's personal journey in creating 21 episodes about it.
This episode follows astronaut John Blaha's four-month stay on the Russian Mir space station after being transferred from space shuttle Atlantis during the STS-79 mission, while also warning listeners about a problematic book called Dragonfly.
This episode discusses the STS-103 mission, a Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission that occurred around the Y2K era, highlighting its significance and context within NASA's spaceflight history.
This episode covers STS-80, the longest Space Shuttle mission, detailing its crew, objectives including satellite operations and spacewalks, and connecting it to previous missions.
The host shares a personal story about his father's life after the Vietnam War while introducing an episode about NASA's STS-91 mission that marked the final Shuttle-Mir docking.
This episode continues the story of astronaut Mike Foale's mission on the Mir space station, focusing on the aftermath of the Progress M34 collision and the crew's efforts to recharge batteries and restore normal operations.
This episode covers Space Shuttle mission STS-84, focusing on the crew swap between astronauts Jerry Linenger and Michael Foale at the Mir space station in 1997.
This episode covers Space Shuttle mission STS-89, which delivered the final NASA astronaut to the Russian Mir space station using Endeavour after its maintenance period.
This episode introduces Astronaut Group 17 (the Penguins) while transitioning from coverage of the Mir space station to the International Space Station, as part of a series on Space Shuttle flight STS-95.
The host explains the delay in podcast episodes due to being accepted into an Aerospace Engineering master's program at Purdue University, which has significantly increased their workload, particularly from a demanding class called AAE 532 Orbit Mechanics.
This episode introduces Space Shuttle mission STS-77 and details NASA's Astronaut Group 16, known as the Sardines, including their pilots and mission specialists.
This episode follows astronaut Shannon Lucid's six-month stay on the Mir space station, focusing on her personal experiences and insights from her book Tumbleweed rather than scientific details.
This episode explores Space Shuttle mission STS-98, which delivered and installed NASA's Destiny laboratory module to the International Space Station, marking the first permanent U.S.
This episode features an interview with astronaut Tom Jones about his experience on the STS-80 mission, focusing on a cancelled spacewalk due to a mechanical issue with a screw in the hatch.
The host narrates his personal experience of attending his first rocket launch at Kennedy Space Center, sharing insights and advice for others, while reflecting on the end of the space shuttle program and his own procrastination.
The host addresses unauthorized ad insertions in the podcast distribution, explains how listeners can avoid ads by using direct methods like RSS feeds, and encourages support through Patreon or donations instead.
This episode covers STS-74, where Space Shuttle Atlantis delivered a docking module to Mir to simplify future shuttle visits.
The Space Above Us covers STS-73, Columbia's USML-2 mission, a 15-day flight centered on microgravity materials science and telescience.
STS-69 covers Endeavor's September 7, 1995 flight, which deployed Spartan 201, retrieved it after 24 hours and 33 minutes, and then worked the Wake Shield Facility.
STS-70 on Discovery was delayed after Northern Flickers drilled 71 holes into the external tank foam, prompting plastic owl decoys, a rollback to the Vehicle Assembly Building, and a repaired tank.
["The Space Above Us episode 144, \"NASA 1 - Comrades and Cognac,\" follows Norm Thagard\u2019s 115-day Mir mission from Soyuz TM-21 launch to the Atlantis handoff.", "Host JP draws on Thagard\u2019s 1998 oral history and Clay Morgan\u2019s Shuttle-Mir book to describe Mir\u2019s layout, Star City training, and Baikonur launch customs.", "The episode tracks specific pressures on the flight, including 42-minute communication windows, a failed freezer, a strict food log, and a 17.5-pound weight loss.", "It ends with Spectre arriving, Atlantis docking, and the crew floating a bottle of cognac between American and Russian astronauts in SpaceLab."]
STS-71 Reunion is The Space Above Us episode on the first Space Shuttle docking with Mir and the opening move of Shuttle-Mir Phase 1.
The Space Above Us presents Allan McDonald's complete February 25, 1986 testimony to the Rogers Commission, running over 90 minutes with host framing at the start.