What keeps a Mars rover running after 14 years on another planet? What fixed a juddering solar array on the International Space Station? And what tiny robot — small enough to hold in your hand — recently hitched a ride to the lunar South Pole?

The answer to all three: Castrol. And this week, Beth sits down with Chris Lockett, Global Technology Director at Castrol, to pull back the curtain on one of space exploration's most quietly essential partners.

Chris brings nearly 30 years of experience with BP and Castrol, working across the UK, China, Japan, South Africa, and beyond. His work spans Formula One racecars to Mars rovers — and now, the Moon. In this episode, he shares how Castrol's lubrication technology has been part of humanity's greatest space achievements since Apollo, and what it's taking to help us return to the lunar surface.

From "outgassing" and extreme vacuum conditions to an actual in-space oil change performed by an astronaut on a spacewalk, this conversation is packed with jaw-dropping moments. Chris also gives us a live show-and-tell — showcasing a replica Perseverance Rover and a real, working AstroAnt — the tiny MIT-designed robot that rode along on the recent mission to the lunar South Pole inside its own little garage on top of the rover.

Who thought lubrication engineering could be this fascinating?! This episode will change your mind.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How Castrol's space heritage dates back to Apollo — and has continued through the Space Shuttle, the ISS, Hubble, Mars rovers, and Artemis 2
What "outgassing" is, why it's a serious problem in the vacuum of space, and how it can blur a telescope lens
How an astronaut performed an in-space oil change on the ISS's solar array — using Castrol grease — to fix a dangerous juddering problem
Why the lunar South Pole is so important as a future staging post for deeper space exploration (ice, hydrogen, lava tubes — yes, really!)
What co-engineering means and how Castrol works in partnership with companies like Lunar Outpost to design solutions for environments no one has ever accessed before
What the AstroAnt is, how it works, and why swarms of them could be the future of spacecraft maintenance
What Chris looks for in the next generation of space innovators — hint: it starts with curiosity

Watch the Documentary: Don't miss Drive Me to the Moon — the full documentary featuring Chris, Castrol, and Lunar Outpost's mission to the lunar South Pole. It's a beautiful, emotional, and inspiring behind-the-scenes look at what it truly takes to explore the Moon. Watch it at: castrol.com — search Drive Me to the Moon

About Chris Lockett: Chris Lockett is the Global Technology Director at Castrol, part of the BP Group. With a background in chemical engineering from his university studies in the UK, Chris joined BP as a graduate and has spent nearly three decades working across engineering, strategy, and technology roles. He now leads Castrol's global team of hundreds of technologists who develop lubrication solutions for everything from Formula One to Formula E, electric vehicles, industrial applications, data centers — and space.

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Got a great guest suggestion or idea for the show? E-mail me at beth@casualspacepodcast.com