The JP AstroCast By cover art

The JP AstroCast

By: Janet Ivey Catherine Holder Janet's Planet
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  • Summary

  • Don’t be surprised if you find yourself signing up for Space Camp after listening to Janet’s Planet's first podcast for kids, The JP AstroCast. Hosted by Janet Ivey, creator of Janet’s Planet, Janet’s Alien SideKick, Eyezak, and a revolving cast of kid interviewers. Prepare to hear out of this world conversations with the most incredible space experts, all upcoming space missions, and the latest space news. Each episode kicks off with a series of questions about space exploration. For example, “How do astronauts go to the bathroom in space? How will we grow food on Mars? How much do I weigh on Jupiter?” Offering a universe of possibilities and galactic inspiration, come and travel at the speed of thought with the JP AstroCast.
    2021- The JP AstroCast
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Episodes
  • JP AstroCast_Episode 2_Astronaut Don Thomas_How To Become An Astronaut

    JP AstroCast_Episode 2_Astronaut Don Thomas_How To Become An Astronaut
    Mar 21 2022
    Full Transcript: Captain Janet:Welcome to The JP AstroCast, where we are traveling at the speed of thought. Today's episode is brought to you by Hunt Brothers Pizza. Eyezak, can you come help me tidy up our hologram stage for our guest today?Eyezak:Oh, I'm kind of in the middle of something. Can you come here for just a sec?Captain Janet:Oh, well sure Eyezak, how can I help?Eyezak:Well, captain Janet, after hearing Dr. John Grunsfeld speak about being an astronaut, going out for spacewalks, and fixing things in space, I decided that I want to be an astronaut. (Singing).Captain Janet:That's wonderful Eyezak, but as an alien, aren't you already an astronaut?Eyezak;Not the official NASA kind. I'm just looking for where to start.Captain Janet:Well, maybe let’s use the search words, 'Apply to be a NASA astronaut.'Eyezak:Wow, This is the link. I'm going to send my information in. Oh, a master's degree in engineering? I don't have that. Oh, but I am a pretty good pilot. Well, not really, but I am very good on my PlayStation 4. Any special talents? Well, I am an alien that ought to put me way ahead of the pack.Captain Janet:Well, certainly you have some interesting qualities for sure. I'll tell you what, help me get the hologram stage ready and you can ask our guest astronaut Don Thomas, some questions about how he became an astronaut.Eyezak:Perfect. And then I'll become an astronaut for sure.Captain Janet:Well becoming an astronaut can take years of preparation and applying.Eyezak:Years? Like how many years? I'm not getting any younger in alien years, or human years, or dog years.Captain Janet:Let's talk about that later. I think I hear the kids coming.Kids:Eyezak:Captain Janet, the crew is here. We can work on my astro thing later.Captain Janet:Perfect Eyezak! Sounds good. All right my JP space crew, happy to have you gather here at our hologram stage to hear from astronaut Dr. Don Thomas. We have some great snacks for you, so please help yourself, get cosmically comfy and then we'll beam up Astro Don, and talk about his experiences as an astronaut.Eyezak:Hunt Brothers Pizza is proud to support the JP AstroCast, with over 8,000 locations in convenience stores near you, finding a Hunt Brothers Pizza is easy as pie. Choose between Hunt Brothers Pizza's original crust or thin crust, and top your pizza with any of our 10 toppings at no extra charge. With that many options, there's sure to be a topping combo for everyone to enjoy a Hunt Brothers Pizza.Captain Janet:All right, everyone allow me to introduce our guest today. What an honor it is to have Dr. Don Thomas beam up today. Astronaut Don Thomas first got interested in becoming an astronaut when he watched the early astronauts like Allen Shepherd, John Glynn, and Neil Armstrong blast off into space and that made him want to follow in their footsteps, and 33 years later, he would do exactly that.Captain Janet:Don started his professional career as a senior member of the technical staff at the Bell Laboratories Engineering Research Center in Princeton, New Jersey, working on materials issues and semiconductor devices. Ooh, he's super smart. From there, he joined Lockheed's Sciences and Engineering in Houston, Texas as an engineer, working on the space shuttle program. Selected as a mission specialist astronaut in NASA's 13th group of astronauts in 1990, he is a veteran of four space shuttle missions, three aboard Columbia, and one aboard discovery.Captain Janet:He has spent 44 days in space, completing almost 700 orbits of the earth, and traveling 17.6 million miles in the process. After retiring from NASA in 2007, Don became the director of the Hackerman Academic of mathematics and science at Towson University, working to encourage and inspire young Maryland students about the wonders of STEM. Since 2015, Don has been engaged in public speaking, continuing his efforts to excite and inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and astronauts and encouraging all students everywhere to reach for the stars. Most wonderfully astronaut Don Thomas always says yes to speaking to the students of Janet's planet. Welcome Astro Don, thank you for being here today.Kids:Hello Dr. Don!Dr. Don Thomas:Oh, that's the way to do it there.Captain Janet:Eyezak has a question. Eyezak, can you ask about how one becomes, what you want to become?Eyezak:Yeah. How do you become an astronaut?Dr. Don Thomas:Yeah, that's a great question, Eyezak. I wanted to do this since I was just six years old, and when I was six years old, back in 1961, that's when we launched the first American into space and I watched the launch at my kindergarten class there. And as soon as our astronaut was in space, I knew I wanted to do that as well. So this was the dream my whole life, and one thing I recognized early on was, it was going to be really difficult to do this. I knew there was a lot of competition, thousands of people apply to be astronauts and then just a small handful gets selected. So...
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    27 mins
  • JP AstroCast_Episode 1_Dr. Grunsfeld_New Beginnings_

    JP AstroCast_Episode 1_Dr. Grunsfeld_New Beginnings_
    Jan 15 2022
    Transcript:Captain Janet:Welcome to the JP AstroCast, where we are traveling at the speed of thought. Today's episode is brought to you by Hunt Brothers Pizza. Ah, Eyezak, what are you doing?Eyezak:Hey, Captain Janet. I'm just hanging up some pictures on these walls. New crew, new beginnings, new surroundings.Captain Janet:But Eyezak, you're using nails?Isaac:How else would I hang a picture?Captain Janet:Well, I don't know, but you don't put nails in a spaceship. That might puncture our hull, and then we would lose oxygen, and we need that to breathe.Eyezak:Oh, didn't think of that. Hmm.Captain Janet:Did you just hang that picture up with your chewing gum?Isaac:Yep. Problem fixed. Right.Captain Janet:You know, this post-it was supposed to be something entirely different, so okay.Eyezak:That ought to do it. Do you think our new crew will like my decorations?Captain Janet:I'm sure they'll love it, Eyezak.EyezakOkay. Do you think they'll like me?Captain Janet:Of course, they will. Everybody loves you.Eyezak:Usually, but these kids are super genius smart. They read lots of books and do experiments and want to do awesome things in space. What if they don't think I'm smart enough to hang out with them?Captain Janet:Eyezak,I am sure they will love you. And here they come now.Kid 1:Hello.Kid 2:Hey everybody.Captain Jane:Glad you guys are here.Captain Janet:All right, crew. Welcome to Janet's planet and happy to have you aboard. First, unpack your gear in your cabins and then meet Eyezak and me in the galley for some lunch. And then we'll beam up Dr. John Grunsfeld to speak about his work on the Hubble telescope and the newest thing in space, the James Webb Space Telescope.Maggie:That's amazing.Captain Janet:See Eyezak, was that so bad? They're really cool and super accepting kids. I know new beginnings are tough, but you're going to be just fine. And one of the esteemed JP space crew.Isaac:Oh, I sure hope so. I hope I don't ask Dr. Grunsfeld any not-smart questions.Captain Janet:Oh, Isaac. Here's the thing. There are never any not-smart questions. Now let's just go get ready for lunch. Remember it's Hunt Brothers Pizza today.Isaac:Oh, my favorite! Hunt Brothers Pizza is proud to support the JP AstroCast with over 8,000 locations in convenience stores near you, finding a Hunt Brothers Pizza is easy as pie. Choose between Hunt Brothers Pizza's original crust or thin crust. And top your pizza with any of our 10 toppings at no extra charge. With that many options, there's sure to be a topping combo for everyone to enjoy a Hunt Brothers Pizza.Captain Janet:All right, everyone. Quiet, please. I would like to introduce our guest today. He is fittingly an astronaut and astronomer. Dr. John Grunsfeld hails from Highland Park, Illinois, received a Bachelor of Science Degree in physics from MIT, a Master of Science Degree, and a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in physics from the University of Chicago. Dr. Grunsfeld has four NASA space flight medals, three NASA exceptional service medals, a NASA distinguished service medal, and many other special honors.Captain Janet:Dr. Grunsfeld was selected by NASA in March 1992 and reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1992. A veteran of four space flights, Dr. Grunsfeld has logged over 45 days in space, including five spacewalks, totaling 37 hours and 32 minutes. During STS 1 0 3, Dr. Grunsfeld and his crew installed new gyroscopes and scientific instruments and upgraded systems on the Hubble space telescope, which required three spacewalks. STS 1 0 9 successfully upgraded the Hubble space telescope, installing a new digital camera, a cooling system for the infrared camera, new solar arrays, and a new power system.Captain Janet:Those upgrades required a total of five spacewalks in five consecutive days. He's watched Hubble drift against the background of earth and stars. And he's guided new parts and instruments into the telescope and left it whole and healthy. He has helped the science missions of Hubble and envisioned science goals for the James Webb space telescope. And is now an Emeritus scientist at Godard Space Flight Center, working on Hubble observations of Jupiter's moon, Europa, and collaborating on the design of the next generation of space. serviceable telescopes. Dr. John Grunsfeld, what an honor to have you beam up today?Dr. John Grunsfeld:Well, it's absolutely a pleasure to be on. I'm excited because we are on the cusp of an astronomical revolution. And for me, my telescope is the Hubble space telescope. And what's interesting is about a third to a half of everybody who lives on planet earth has always lived in a world with the Hubble space telescope. And that's because it's been in orbit for 31 years coming up on 32. Your telescope though will be the James Webb space telescope. And you'll be learning about the new universe that the James Webb Space Telescope sees over the coming years. So thanks for having me on board.Evy:How or when did you know you wanted to ...
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    26 mins
  • JP AstroCast Welcome Episode

    JP AstroCast Welcome Episode
    Oct 22 2021

    The JP AstroCast is hosted by Janet Ivey, creator of Janet’s Planet,

    Janet: Hi everybody!

    Janet’s Alien SideKick, Eyezak,

    Eyezak: Greetings Earthlings!

    and a revolving cast of future space explorers!

    All Kids: HI! Space is Cool, Come join us!

    Prepare to hear out of this world conversations with the most incredible space experts, all about upcoming space missions and the latest space news.

    Each episode kicks off with a series of questions about space exploration. For example,

    “How do astronauts go to the bathroom in space?

    How will we grow food on Mars?

    How much do I weigh on Jupiter?”
    Show more Show less
    5 mins
Children's Audiobooks Astronomy Physics
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