The United Arab Emirates Space Agency is working on its next ambitious spacecraft, the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt. It will visit seven asteroids, ultimately rendezvousing with Justitia, the reddest object in the main asteroid belt. We'll get an update on their team's progress from Mohsen Al Awadhi and Hoor Al Hazmi, the director and science team lead for the Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt. Then, our chief scientist at The Planetary Society, Bruce Betts, joins host Sarah Al-Ahmed for What's Up and a new random space fact.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-uae-asteroid-belt

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Presidential elections in the United States don’t just shape the country’s future — they set the course for space exploration. This week, Casey Dreier, the chief of space policy at The Planetary Society, analyzes what the incoming Trump administration could mean for NASA’s funding, human spaceflight, and its Science Mission Directorate. Meanwhile, budget cuts have triggered another round of layoffs at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Jack Kiraly, Planetary Society director of government relations, explains why it happened, and what U.S. residents can do to help. Plus, Bruce Betts is back with What's Up and another fascinating Random Space Fact.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-election-nasa

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Morgan Cable and Hiro Ono from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory join Planetary Radio to discuss the Exobiology Extant Life Surveyor (EELS) robot concept, a snake-like AI-enabled device designed to navigate the vents of Enceladus. This technology could tell us more about the habitability of Enceladus' subsurface ocean. But first, Kate Howells, The Planetary Society's public education specialist, shares how you can participate in The Planetary Society Best of 2024 Awards. Stay tuned for Bruce Betts, our chief scientist, for What's Up and a new Random Space Fact about Enceladus.

Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2024-eels

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