This Week in Space 190: Holiday Special 2025

Date: December 19, 2025
Hosts: Rod Pyle (Editor-in-Chief, Ad Astra magazine) & Tarek Malik (Editor-in-Chief, Space.com)
Theme: A festive look back at 2025’s biggest space stories, key developments in policy and exploration, and a spirited discussion of where spaceflight is headed in 2026.

Main Theme & Purpose

Rod and Tarek celebrate the year in space, combining playful holiday banter with in-depth discussion of the most significant space stories and trends of 2025. The episode covers everything from the latest U.S. executive orders to discoveries on Mars, private astronaut intrigue, new moons, and the fate of iconic spacecraft.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Space Superiority Executive Order

[04:32 – 09:23]

• Overview: Hot off the presses, a new executive order—'Ensuring American Space Superiority'—mandates bold steps for NASA and U.S. space leadership.
• Details:
  • Jared (Isaacman) is tasked as NASA Administrator to fix Artemis by 2028, get "nukes on the moon" by 2030, increase commercial launch investment by $50B by 2028, and implement a missile defense shield ("Iron Dome for America").
  • The order aims to maintain seamless human presence in space, with a replacement ready for the ISS by 2030.
  • The document overtly ties civilian and military goals, including defending U.S. interests from LEO through cislunar space.
• Conversation Tone: Sober, slightly sardonic disbelief about expected timelines and budgets.
• Quote:
  • Rod: “In my world, that's asking a lot from a decimated NASA that barely knows what's happening next week versus 2028 these days.” (05:06)

2. Starlink Satellite “Explosion” and SpaceX Challenges

[17:01 – 20:13]

• News: A Starlink satellite suffered an anomaly, vented its propulsion tanks, and shed some debris—an unexpected failure versus planned reentries.
• Bigger Picture: With ~3,000 Starlink satellites launched this year and commercial constellations crowding LEO, unplanned debris is a real concern.
• Quotes:
  • Tarek: “The thing exploded, it exploded in space. But they don't want to say it.” (18:42)
  • Rod: “When you're on the cusp of perhaps trying to announce that you're going public… it just means it's time to get serious.” (19:12)

3. Isaacman Begins NASA Administrator Role

[24:45 – 31:18]

• Confirmation: Jared Isaacman confirmed as NASA head on December 17, receiving a 67-30 Senate vote.
• Project Athena: His widely discussed 62-page plan recommends risk-taking, commercial partnerships, and a “leaner, meaner” NASA but faces skepticism given recent layoffs and budget constraints.
• Perspective: Both hosts are cautiously optimistic; they note a need for balanced private and public sector participation.
• Quote:
  • Rod: “I hope he doesn't place undo… reliance on private space. Because honestly... it hasn't been amazing yet.” (29:23)
• Visuals: Isaacman’s first day at NASA HQ featured cheers and social media posts.

4. 2025’s Cosmic Visitor: Interstellar Comet ATLAS

[10:54 – 16:45]

• About: Comet 3I/ATLAS made its closest approach (~1.8 AU) and sparked viral fascination—including celebrity interest and conspiracy theories about “spaceships.”
• Media Moment: Planned livestreams were rained out, pushing the story even more online, feeding conspiracies during government shutdown “radio silence.”
• Avi Loeb’s Role: The Harvard professor continued to provoke the scientific establishment by flirting with alien probe hypotheses for such objects.
• Quote:
  • Rod: “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Thank you, Carl Sagan.” (15:22)

5. Mars Sample Return Saga

[34:57 – 39:02]

• History: Mars Sample Return has been a goal since the ‘60s; delays and ballooning costs threaten its future.
• Current Situation: Original $7B price tag has inflated to $11B—prompting NASA’s “back to the drawing board” moment. Lockheed Martin claims a $3B solution may be possible.
• Industry Involvement: Rocket Lab and SpaceX making moves; some optimism that commercial approaches can revive the dream.
• Quote:
  • Tarek: “At least there's a robust discussion going on about how to do this more affordable... I think we will probably get there.” (38:32)

6. Artemis, SLS, and Delays to Lunar Return

[31:18 – 33:35]

• Artemis 2: Delays push NASA’s moon ambitions from 2022 to potentially February 2026.
• Challenges: Technical issues persist, such as problems sealing the Orion hatch, but preparations continue.
• Cultural Context: Comparison to the Apollo era’s urgency and risk-tolerance.
• Quote:
  • Rod: “We need probably to take Apollo 11 level chances.” (26:18)

7. Perseverance Rover and Martian “Biosignatures"**

[42:06 – 46:46]

• Major Announcement: In September, NASA revealed Perseverance found “possible biosignatures” (vivianite, gregite) in a Mars rock, indicating past habitability.
• Significance: NASA is cautious not to overclaim after past embarrassments (ALH meteorite, 1990s).
• Quote:
  • Tarek: “They basically went as close as you can say, ‘hey, we found some life’ without saying it because they can't be sure.” (44:10)

8. Space Shuttle Discovery Showdown

[47:15 – 54:38]

• Controversy: Provision in the “Big Beautiful Bill” may force Smithsonian to send Discovery to Houston, angering the DC community and preservationists.
• Legal Wrangling: The Smithsonian claims full ownership; the law is ambiguous, only demanding a “flown American crewed spacecraft.”
• Political Drama: Senator Cornyn claims Isaacman “assured” Discovery’s delivery; Isaacman has promised only to follow the law.
• Quote:
  • Tarek: "Can you believe this was our biggest story of the entire year?” (48:53)

9. Lighter (and Juvenile) News: Discovery of a New Moon around Uranus

[54:38 – 57:37]

• Discovery: Using JWST, astronomers find Uranus' 29th moon—rejuvenating interest and jokes about planetary nomenclature.
• Quote:
  • Tarek: “I will never… not think it's fun to say there's a new moon around Uranus.” (55:17)

10. International Space Station and Hubble Milestones

[57:37 – 58:58]

• Anniversaries: Hubble turns 35, ISS marks 25 years of continuous crew and operation (actually 27 years since launch, 25 continuous habitation).
• Legacy: ISS stands as a testament to international cooperation, deft engineering, and adaptation.
• Quote:
  • Rod: “It's the most complicated machine ever flown… most certainly flown.” (58:27)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Joke Time:

  • “Did you hear about the new Star Trek Christmas movie? It's called the Wreath of Khan.” — Rod, [03:49]

• Rod on Ongoing Delays:

  • “We were supposed to be on the Moon 2020, Rod, you know this, right? With Project Constellation. …We didn’t get any of it, any of it because they didn’t pay for it.” [31:40]

• Holiday Verse:

  • Tarek reads a playful rocket-themed Christmas poem:
    “See the rockets, big and grand
    Standing tall across the land…
    Ready for their Christmas flight…” [60:28]

Additional Highlights & Timestamps

• [20:13 – 22:13]: Tarek’s first time watching a launch from Jetty Park; describes the excitement and surprise of seeing a used rocket booster barge pass by.
• [39:14 – 41:24]: Reflection on the importance of having multiple commercial crew vehicles; Boeing’s commercial crew stumbles; SpaceX’s reliability.
• [59:36 – End]: The hosts wrap up, inviting listeners to share their favorite stories and space jokes for the new year.

Call to Action

• Listeners invited to email their favorite stories or space jokes to thisweekinspace@twit.tv.
• Submit a message to be sent to the Moon via the Stories of Space project (storiesofspace.com); deadline: December 28.

Recap & Tone

This episode delivers a spirited, often irreverent, always insightful year-in-review. Amidst laughs, holiday jokes, and Christmas verses, Rod and Tarek don’t pull punches on budget woes, policy whiplash, or the real technical challenges facing human spaceflight. The episode closes on both a celebratory and wistful note—a toast to 2025’s progress, hope for the next lunar leap, and a request for community engagement.

“Happy holidays to all, and ba humbug for me. See you next year.” — Rod [62:36]