A “Star Trek” future: Your place in space

Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science

The Planetary Society

Technology, Science

4.8 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 13 August 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Star Trek actors Robert Picardo and Tim Russ join Planetary Society staff members Ambre Trujillo and Andrew Pauly at STLV, a “Star Trek” convention, to explore how “Star Trek” inspires real-world space advocacy.

Transcript

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0:00.0	What do Star Trek, space advocacy, and the fight to save NASA science have in common?
0:07.9	We'll talk about it. This week on Planetary Radio.
0:15.4	I'm Sarah al-Ahmed of the Planetary Society, with more of the human adventure across our solar system and beyond.
0:22.5	Today, we're taking a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, for a very special panel recorded live
0:27.9	at Creation Entertainment's STLV Trek to Vegas 2025 convention.
0:33.4	This annual Star Trek event draws thousands of fans from around the world.
0:41.3	We'll hear from some of the Planetary Society supporters who starred in Star Trek Voyager, Robert Picardo and Tim Russ, alongside members of our communications team,
0:46.3	our own Andrew Polly and Amber Trujillo.
0:48.3	They all joined together for a panel called A Star Trek Future, Your Place and Space.
0:53.3	They share some of the stories of how science fiction inspired their real-life love of astronomy
0:58.1	and space exploration, and how we can all turn that inspiration into action.
1:03.5	Later in the show, we'll be joined by Jack Corelli, our director of government relations.
1:07.8	He'll discuss a concerning trend.
1:09.9	Nearly 20% of NASA's workforce has left the agency this year.
1:14.2	What does that mean for the future of space science? And of course, we'll wrap things up with
1:18.6	what's up with our chief scientist, Bruce Betts, including a look at the end of NASA's Lunar Trailblazer
1:23.8	mission. If you love planetary radio and want to stay informed by the latest space discoveries,
1:29.6	make sure you hit that subscribe button on your favorite podcasting platform.
1:33.2	By subscribing, you'll never miss an episode filled with new and awe-inspiring ways to know
1:37.7	the cosmos and our place within it.
1:41.6	Every year, fans of the Star Trek franchise gather in Las Vegas to celebrate the past, present, and future of Star Trek.
1:49.1	With over 100 celebrity guests, cosplay competitions, panels, and parties, Creation Entertainment's STLV, Trek to Vegas is one of the biggest events in Star Trek fandom.
	...

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