Casual Space podcast to host live event, raising money for STORIES of Space Project
Join the first live audience recording of the "Casual Space" podcast, a fundraising event to benefit the nonprofit "Stories of Space" project.
Space enthusiasts and space experts can share in a fun and casual conversation about humans returning to the moon in 2024.
Special guests will be author Nancy Atkinson; voice of Chicago Wayne Messmer; and College of DuPage Earth science and astronomy professor Joe DalSanto.
The "Casual Space" live audience recording will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 12, at the Moonlight Theater in St. Charles. Tickets are $45, $25 for seniors, or $15 for ages 18 or under. Tickets can be purchased via moonlighttheatre.com.
The weekly "Casual Space" podcast makes space accessible for the general public and provides inside information for serious space enthusiasts.
Hosted by Beth Mund, a keynote speaker, analog astronaut, and former public affairs officer for NASA Johnson Space Center, "Casual Space" mixes entertainment and education, and introduces audiences to space-related careers beyond traditional STEM careers.
With over 200 episodes, Mund has invited three podcast guests to help celebrate with a podcast recording with an interactive program and in front of a live audience/
Three special guests will share why we're racing to return to the Moon:
• Nancy Atkinson, author of "Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions," shares behind the scenes stories from NASA Apollo-era missions. Nancy is a science journalist with Universe Today, and writes for The Planetary Society and Ad Astra, the magazine of the National Space Society.
• Joe DalSanto, associate professor of Earth science and astronomy at the College of DuPage, who teaches courses on planetary astronomy, stars, and galaxies. As an avid space lecturer, he has been presenting to local astronomy groups for decades.
• Wayne Messmer, national anthem singer for the Chicago Cubs and voice of the Chicago Wolves hockey team, is the featured voice behind the weekly "Casual Space" podcast introduction and closing signoff. A keynote speaker and entrepreneur, he is a Chicago area legend, on and off the field.
Ticket sales benefit the "Stories of Space" project, an opportunity for people to share their story in space. By sharing written stories in orbit, the project asks the question, "Can a story can change the way we explore space?"
More than 300 human written stories are currently orbiting on the International Space Station as part of a Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft payload launched Aug. 1, 2023 on an Antares rocket. The stories will remain in orbit through February 2024, providing humans back on Earth the knowledge that part of themselves - their stories - are a part of space exploration.
Submissions are now open for the next mission that is scheduled to fly in 2024. With a goal of collecting 3,000 human stories, the 2024 "Stories of Space" payload will give even more people a free opportunity to help advance space science. Submissions are now being accepted at www.storiesofspace.com.
Corporate sponsorships are also available to support the nonprofit "Stories of Space" project. Helping to raise visibility about space exploration while also offsetting the cost of the physical materials and human power needed to launch stories, corporate sponsorships range from $500 to $5,000 and custom sponsorships are available.