It's sad, but the next show will be awesome...

Sorry everybody, but if you’re listening in to Astroengine Live for your weekly space news updates, you’ll notice a recording is currently being re-broadcast on WPRT Radio (thank you Jack!). Due to unforeseen circumstances I am currently stuck in Palm Desert and can’t return to LA in time for the show. Very frustrating, as I had a lot of Christmas goodies for you… however, they can wait until next week!

I will keep you posted about what I have planned for next week in the next couple of days. For now, check out the Astroengine Live pages, and remember, if you have any topics you want to be discussed on the show, please drop a message to astro@wprtradio.com.

Sorry for the break in service, but I’ll be back next week… For now, have a wonderful Christmas with your families and stay warm!

Cheers, Ian

Turns out cable and live radio do not mix...

I went into today’s show a little disorganized after tending to a flood in the garage. I was a little rushed to prepare all my notes, so I thought I’d do a more informal show, running through the Carnival of Space, and ending up discussing the recent Obama-NASA funding debate. Alas, things got a little worse than just wet socks. The microphone died in the first 15 seconds of the show and then my Internet connection went completely AWOL, ripping Astroengine Live from the airwaves (I was even broadcasting across Central Texas via KVMP Radio, 99.9FM!). According to my cable company, due to the adverse weather (i.e. rain. Yes, rain. Not snow, blizzards or electrical storms. Rain), cable was “patchy” in some regions.

So, no more live radio shows in the rain, then. Fortunately this is California where rain is a fleeting feature.

Anyhow, I am currently editing the show that did record my end to remove the ominous silent patch. Alas I wasn’t able to get to the meat of my discussion, and fell back on my backup instead. Oh well, more to discuss next week. Regardless of the technical issues, I hope you enjoyed this week’s show, next week will be far more polished. Thanks for tuning in!

Cheers, Ian

Sorry for the late post on today’s Astroengine Live, running woefully behind schedule. However, the show will be going live at 4pm PST/7pm EST (that’s about 2 hours from when I post this). I have some assorted news from the week’s goings on in space, so be sure to tune in. However, if you miss the live broadcast, you can catch up with all the archives soon after I’m off air, so be sure to keep an eye on the nifty radio player on the Astroengine Live pages. A special thanks goes to John Greenewald at Black Vault Radio for hosting my shows and making my archives a reality!

There isn’t a specific theme for today’s show, but no doubt I’ll be having a rant about NASA funding, so I’ll be discussing the recent articles I’ve written on the subject. There is actually a live teleconference today at 4pm EST at NASA HQ discussing the progress of Constellation, so I’ll try to bring you updates from that if and when I get them… why do I get the feeling it’s not going to be pretty…?

Anyhow, I’ll give a rundown of all the space news, plus the Carnival of Space. I’ll also be giving a rundown of the activities of the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) who are doing an astounding job keeping their eyes on those variable stars. I hope to do an interview with Mike Simonsen who has been a member of the AAVSO for many years in the future to get an idea about what his job entails…

Get Involved!

Have any articles or stories you want to contribute? Have an opinion on anything in the world of space? Email me on astro@wprtradio.com and I’ll be sure to give it a mention. Eventually, I hope to have telephone call-ins, but for now, email will do.

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