On America at Night with McGraw Milhaven, Craig Sumner, retired NASA aerospace engineer and former Artemis II propulsion manager, joined the program to discuss the long road that led to NASA’s Artemis II mission. Sumner explained the history of the Artemis program, the technological progress behind NASA’s return to human deep-space missions, and how decades of engineering and testing are paving the way for astronauts to once again travel around the Moon.

Next, Nikki Gerber, co-organizer for Ohio Residents for Responsible Development, discussed growing opposition to the construction of large data centers in parts of Ohio. Gerber explained concerns from residents about energy consumption, environmental impact, and the strain that large-scale tech infrastructure could place on local communities.

Later, Dr. Bruce Betts, Chief Scientist and LightSail Program Manager for The Planetary Society, joined the show to talk about the Artemis II splashdown and what it means for the future of space exploration. Betts discussed how Artemis missions are setting the stage for Artemis III and eventually human missions to Mars, and why the success of these missions is critical for the future of human spaceflight.

Finally, Theo Lewis Clark, the show’s Hollywood Executive for a Day, returned for the weekly movie trivia segment, challenging McGraw and listeners with film questions and pop culture trivia.

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