Episode 024 – Son of Apollo – Christopher Roosa Episode Summary Christopher Roosa is a retired colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and a combat veteran. He is also the son of Apollo 14 Command Module pilot Stuart Roosa. In his book “Son of Apollo: The Adventures of a Boy Whose Father Went to the Moon,” He tells the story of his father’s humble beginnings growing up in Oklahoma. From there the elder Roosa became a smoke jumper, fighter pilot and test pilot before being chosen to become an astronaut in 1966.  In this episode of The Launch Pad Space Podcast, host Paul Ring talks to Ch ..read more

Episode 023 – First Mom – Anna Fisher Episode Summary  Anna Fisher is one of the first women chosen by NASA to become astronauts. She flew on STS-51A, one of the most technically demanding missions in the Space Shuttle program. She also helped develop the International Space Station and the Orion spacecraft that will return astronauts to the Moon. In this episode of The Launch Pad Space Podcast, host Paul Ring talks to Anna Fisher about her career and her contributions over 40 years to NASA’s human space exploration program. Show Notes Anna Fisher 1978 Astronaut Class Harbor UCLA Medical ..read more

Episode 022 – The New Guys – Meredith Bagby Episode Summary Meredith Bagby is the author of an incredible new book, “The New Guys: The Historic Class of Astronauts That Broke Barriers and Changed the Face of Space Travel.” This new release has been the talk of space aficionados, as Bagby tells the story of the first group of Space Shuttle astronauts. She focuses on the first 10 minority astronauts, while telling the story of all 35 “new guys.” In this episode of The Launch Pad Space Podcast, host Paul Ring talks to the author about her investigation into this lightly studied era of spaceflight ..read more

 Episode 21 – The Astronaut’s Wife – Stacey Morgan Episode Summary Stacey Morgan may never go into space, but she’s an important as any engineer when it comes to ensuring her husband, NASA Astronaut Drew Morgan, is successful as astronaut. For the first time, Stacey Morgan, the wife of an active astronaut, has written about her experiences, both good and bad. Recently, I had the pleasure of talking with her about her book “The Astronaut’s Wife: How Launching My Husband into Outer Space Changed the Way I Live on Earth.” Show Notes Stacey Morgan’s Website Drew Morgan at NASA.gov Drew Morgan ..read more

Episode SP01 – Space Adventure Boston Episode Summary Recently, I got a sneak preview of the new Space Adventure Boston exhibit in Chelsea. It will be in town through February 2023 and will move on to either Chicago or Atlanta once it's done. I spoke with one of the producers, David Rosenfield, as we walked through the exhibit. In this video we talk about some of the amazing artifacts on display. The immersive video portions of the event you’ll have to experience for yourself. I highly recommend visiting if you're in the Boston area. For more tickets and scheduling information, go to www.space ..read more

Episode 20 – Space Craze – Margaret A. Weitekamp Episode Summary Margaret A. Weitekamp is the Smithsonian’s Space History Department chair and curator of the museum’s Cultural History of Spaceflight Collection. In this episode of the Launch Pad Space Podcast, I talk with her about the intersection of fictional space flight and the real-life adventures of explorers during the space race. Her new book “Space Craze: America’s Enduring Fascination with Real and Imagined Spaceflight,” offers a deep dive into a history that aspires to the better angels of our society, while still reflecting the prob ..read more

Episode 017 – Frank and Susan – Liisa Jorgensen Show Notes In this episode, author Liisa Jorgensen stops by to talk about her book “Far Side of the Moon: Apollo 8 Commander Frank Borman and the Woman Who Gave Him Wings.” She and host Paul Ring discuss the strength of astronaut wives during the 1960s, and the toll it took on their lives and their marriages through the lens of Frank Borman and his wife Susan. Their marriage lasted 71 years, but their love story is timeless. Further Reading: Far Side of the Moon website Far Side of the Moon Spotify playlist Buy Far Side of the Moon at Amazon Fran ..read more

Episode 016 – The Sky’s No Limit – Eileen Collins and Jonathan Ward Episode Summary In this episode, Launch Pad host Paul Ring talks to retired astronaut Eileen Collins and writer Jonathan Ward, authors of “Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission.” They discuss Collins’ career a U.S. Air Force pilot and Space Shuttle commander that is documented in her autobiography. Show Notes In this episode, Launch Pad host Paul Ring talks to retired astronaut Eileen Collins and writer Jonathan Ward, authors of “Through the Glass Ceiling to th ..read more

Episode 015 – In Good Hands – Jennifer Levasseur Episode Summary In this episode, Launch Pad host Paul Ring sits down with Jennifer Levasseur a Smithsonian curator with the enviable job of caring for and interpreting the Space Shuttle Discovery. She and Paul talk about the different aspects of her job, how she got there, and their common affection for the grande dame of the orbiter fleet. Show Notes In this episode, Launch Pad host Paul Ring sits down with Jennifer Levasseur a Smithsonian curator with the enviable job of caring for and interpreting the Space Shuttle Discovery. She and Paul tal ..read more

Episode 014 – Never Panic Early – Bill Moore Episode Summary Launch Pad host Paul Ring sits down with Bill Moore, co-author of “Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s Journey,” the autobiography of Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise. They discuss how that mantra, “Never panic early, “ played a key role in Haise’s  life from his time growing up in Biloxi, Mississippi, to the critical design work he did on the Space Shuttle and the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests.. Show Notes Launch Pad host Paul Ring sits down with Bill Moore, co-author of “Never Panic Early: An Apollo 13 Astronaut’s J ..read more