Episode Details

Filling in for Dave Weekley, Coop welcomes author and This Week in Space co-host Rod Pyle for a sweeping conversation on why 2025 may be the most pivotal year in modern space history. Pyle reflects on witnessing iconic moments like Apollo 11 and Viking 1, then breaks down how SpaceX’s rapid-fire launches have transformed the industry — even as frustration mounts over Starship delays threatening NASA’s Artemis moon return. The two explore lunar congestion, China’s aggressive moon strategy, private-sector spaceflight, and the growing need to manage cislunar traffic and space debris as humanity prepares for a permanently crowded path back to the Moon.