Food keeps us alive — but it also keeps us human.

In this Everyday Mars episode, Joe talks with Dr. Flávia Fayet-Moore, or Dr. Flav, a scientist, entrepreneur, and space nutritionist who’s making the future of food exciting again — on Earth and beyond it.

Dr. Flav is the founder and CEO of FOODiQ Global, co-founder of Food is Cool, and an alum of the International Space University’s Space Studies Program. Her work blends nutritional science, genomics, sustainability, and a serious passion for making food fun.

Together, Joe and Dr. Flav dig into what astronauts are eating right now (spoiler: lots of pouches), why nutrition gets weird in microgravity, and how long-duration Mars missions will push us to rethink how we grow, store, and enjoy food. They also explore how what we learn for Mars could make eating better and living healthier easier for everyone here on Earth.

So whether you’re a future Martian farmer or just someone trying to keep your plants alive — this one’s for you.

A huge thank you to Dr. Flav for joining me today and sharing her insights on nutrition in space, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Fcebook group, and to my family for always supporting this mission — even when the kitchen experiments start looking a little too astronaut-ready.

For our episode on Pets on Mars: https://www.aspiringmartians.com/episodes/everyday-mars-pets-on-mars

Check out some more weird sheep facts in our Clothing on Mars episode: https://www.aspiringmartians.com/episodes/everyday-mars-fashion

Dr. Flav's paper "A food "lifeboat": food and nutrition considerations in the event of a pandemic or other catastrophe": https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18072916/

This week on Aspiring Martians, we’re doing something special.

Just before the government shutdown, NASA worked with us to make sure we could sit down with members of the CHAPEA 2 crew — and two days after the hatch sealed, those interviews are now here.

The CHAPEA 2 mission officially began on October 19, 2025, when four volunteers — Ross Elder, Ellen Ellis, Matthew Montgomery, and James Spicer — entered NASA’s Mars Dune Alpha habitat at Johnson Space Center in Houston. For the next 378 days, they’ll live and work as though they’re on Mars, facing communication delays, isolation, limited resources, and simulated spacewalks — all to help NASA understand how humans might live and thrive on the Red Planet.

In this exclusive double episode, Joe speaks first with Matthew Montgomery, CHAPEA 2’s Science Officer — a hardware engineer from Los Angeles whose work spans robotics, lighting systems, and controlled environment agriculture. Then, in part two, Joe talks with James Spicer, the mission’s Flight Engineer — a technical director with deep experience in spacecraft systems, satellite communications, and aerospace design.

Together, they discuss how their love of science and exploration began, what it’s like to commit to a full year of isolation, how they see the future of Mars exploration, and what keeps them motivated when the sky overhead is simulated and Earth is just a signal delay away.

It’s an inspiring look at the people helping pave the path to Mars — from inside a habitat built for the future.

A huge thank you to Matthew and James for joining me today and sharing their insights and imagination, to Kelsey over at NASA for coordinating all of this, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the FB group, and to my family for always supporting this journey — even when the dinner table becomes a Mars landing debate.

This week on Aspiring Martians, Joe talks with Dr. Dianne McGrath — explorer, sustainability expert, and one of the final 100 Mars One astronaut candidates.

Dianne grew up in the wide open stretches of the Australian Outback, where curiosity was her first compass. That same spirit carried her from studying environmental engineering and food sustainability to applying for a one-way mission to Mars — and, just for good measure, sailing around the world in the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.

In their conversation, Joe and Dianne talk about what it means to grow up surrounded by vastness, the power of curiosity to guide a life, and what Mars One taught her about humanity’s limits and hopes. They also explore the strange, beautiful parallels between being alone in the middle of the ocean and being alone in space — where your closest neighbors might be the crew of the International Space Station passing silently overhead.

A huge thank you to Dianne for joining me today and sharing her incredible journey and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the FB group, and to my family for always supporting this mission—even when it involves talking about imaginary space monsters over dinner.

This week on Aspiring Martians, Joe talks with Alejandro Perez — a biomedical engineer turned space educator whose energy is strong enough to replace your morning espresso.

Alejandro’s path started in Connecticut, where he grew up obsessed with how both nature and machines worked. He’s studied tissue engineering, led human stress experiments, worked on Martian regolith and plant genetics research with NASA’s CASIS division, built agricultural robotics for Mars, and now teaches kids and visitors about space at the Kennedy Space Center.

In this conversation, Joe and Alejandro talk about inspecting diesel tanks, emotional Milky Way moments, and what it really means to be a shark. They dive into the value of good mentors, driving your dream forward even when no one’s cheering you on, harnessing the “radiation power of a black hole,” and how Mars might just help us make life better back on Earth.

A huge thank you to Alejandro for joining me today and sharing his incredible energy and curiosity, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the FB group, and to my family for always supporting this journey, even when it means making me avgolemono to chase this stupid cold away.

In this Everyday Mars special, Joe explores a question that’s equal parts science and heart: which pets might one day travel with us to Mars?

Last month we looked at dogs and cats, and why they’re unlikely to be early spacefarers. This month we turn to everything else — from goldfish that bred successfully in orbit to quail chicks hatched on Mir, from cockroaches conceived in space to tortoises that circled the Moon. We trace the long history of animal spaceflight and consider what it tells us about companionship, resilience, and wellbeing for future settlers.

To make sense of it all, Joe is joined by Dr. Jamie Foster, Full Professor at the University of Florida’s Department of Microbiology and Cell Science. Dr. Foster has conducted multiple experiments on the Space Shuttle and ISS, studying how microgravity impacts microbes and their animal hosts, and how engineered microbes could help keep astronauts healthy during long missions. She also leads initiatives that connect research, startups, and commercial launch providers to bring the benefits of space biomanufacturing back to Earth.

Together, they explore why pets aren’t just cute companions, but potentially powerful tools for stress relief and mental health during the most extreme journey humanity has ever attempted.

A huge thank you to Dr. Jamie Foster for joining me today and sharing her expertise, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the FB group, and to my family for always supporting this mission—even when it means hearing me get excited about sea monkeys on Mars.

This week on Aspiring Martians, Joe talks with Rachel Lyons — aerospace engineer, leadership coach, and former Executive Director of Space for Humanity. Today, she runs EarthRise Leadership, where she fuses her background in aerospace and economics with a passion for helping people step into who they want to be — on Earth and beyond.

Rachel’s work has been featured on CNN, NPR, and stages around the world, but her story goes deeper than the résumé. In our conversation, she opens up about taking the reins of leadership at a young age, the spark she found watching Cosmos, and the lessons she’s learned about team cohesion, self-care, and forging ahead even when support isn’t guaranteed. We also dig into why humility will shape our future on Mars — and how preparing to live off-world is really about becoming more than we are right now.

A huge thank you to Rachel Lyons for joining me today and sharing her incredible perspective, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining he FB group, and to my family for always supporting this journey—even when the topic at the table becomes fossilized microbial leftovers.

This week on Aspiring Martians, Joe talks with Sergii Iakymov — aerospace engineer, Mars One 100 finalist, and the Director of the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah.

Born in Germany, raised in Ukraine, and now splitting his time between Utah and California, Sergii has spent over 15 years designing, testing, and leading in aerospace and exploration. He’s managed crews in the Utah desert, joined a 45-day HERA mission in Houston, and helped shape some of the most active Mars analog projects in the world.

In our conversation, Sergii shares what it was like to be part of the Mars One 100, how his background in aviation and cosmonautics led him to analog research, and what he’s learned about human resilience from both directing missions and serving as crew. We also dive into the lessons from living in confinement, why international collaboration matters, and how Martian settlement isn’t only about surviving on another world — it’s about building better ways to live right here at home.

A huge thank you to Sergii Iakymov for joining me today and sharing his remarkable story, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for adminin the FB group and to my family for always supporting this mission—even when I pitch Utah vacations to them at the dinner table.

This week on Aspiring Martians, Joe talks with Josh Richards — a physicist, former Australian Army and UK Royal Marine commando, cave diver, writer, and one of the most visible Mars One finalists.

Josh’s background is extraordinary: growing up in a military family, serving in multiple branches of the armed forces, and even turning to comedy as a way of processing the scars of service. In our conversation, he shares candidly about his PTSD, why he walked away from the military, and how he found healing through comedy, storytelling, exploration, and a vision of humanity among the stars.

We cover everything from what it was like to grow up thinking space was out of reach for an Australian kid, to how a single song in a London flat reignited his childhood dream, to the philosophy that drives him to keep exploring — whether that’s signing up for Mars or crawling through flooded caves in South Australia.

This is a conversation about space, yes — but more than that, it’s about resilience, visibility, and what it means to keep moving forward after hardship.

A huge thank you to Josh Richards for joining me today and sharing his energy and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook Group, and to my family for always supporting this journey—even when the dinner table turns into a Mars trivia contest.

For more information on the Soggy Wombats, check out their YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@soggywombat

This week on Aspiring Martians, I talk with Olanrewaju Paul Oladunni — a pioneer in Africa’s space advocacy movement and the Founder and Regional President of Space Tourism Society Africa.

Paul’s journey started with a simple dream: bringing people closer to the stars. From founding one of Nigeria’s first space clubs in the early 2000s to representing Africa at the global level with Space Renaissance International, he’s worked tirelessly to make sure the continent isn’t just a passenger in humanity’s journey to space — but a leader.

In this conversation, Paul shares how he connects the vision of a spacefaring Africa with the fight against poverty, how grassroots movements can transform lives, and why he believes the cosmos belongs to everyone.

A huge thank you to Paul Oladunni for joining me today and sharing his incredible perspective, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the FB group, and to my family for always supporting this journey—even when it turns into late-night research on Martian maps.

Dogs have been humanity’s companions for thousands of years—guardians, workers, comforters, and beloved family members. But what about Mars?

In this special Everyday Mars episode, released in honor of International Dog Day, I sat down with Dr. Clive Wynne, ethologist at Arizona State University and author of Dog Is Love: Why and How Your Dog Loves You. Dr. Wynne is one of the foremost experts on the behavior of dogs and their wild relatives, and together we explored the question: will humans one day share life on Mars with their canine companions?

We talked about the history of dogs in space—over 50 launched through the Soviet program, with names like Squirrel, Little Arrow, and Laika the “barker.” Then we turned to the practical and ethical questions of taking dogs to Mars: Could they adapt to the conditions? Would their companionship help future settlers thrive? And what does our bond with dogs say about the kind of society we’ll build off Earth?

This episode is part science, part philosophy, and part love letter to our best friends—and what role they might play in humanity’s Martian future.

A huge thank you to Dr. Clive Wynne for joining me today and sharing his insight into the human-canine bond, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the FB group, and to my family for always supporting this journey—even when it takes a detour into Cold War dog tales.

This week on Aspiring Martians, I spoke with Rahaf Adi, the first Syrian woman to graduate with a space engineering degree. Rahaf’s journey has taken her from childhood dreams of building rockets to designing real experiments bound for space, including work at Purdue’s legendary Zucrow Labs on thrust-vectored engines. She was even chosen as the Banner Bearer for Purdue’s College of Engineering, leading the graduation procession with well-earned pride.

We talked about breaking new ground for women in aerospace, designing for spaceflight, the grit it takes to carve a path when none seems available, and how she’s motivated by the idea of not wanting to disappoint her future mentees—which pushes her to strive for her very best today.

This conversation is about determination, identity, mentorship, and the long view of what it means to chase Mars while inspiring those who will come after you.

A huge thank you to Rahaf Adi for joining me today and sharing her vision and voice, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the FB group, and to my family for always supporting this journey—even when the dinner table turns into a planetary history lesson.

Mohammed Sallam’s path to becoming one of the 100 finalists in the Mars One program started in Cairo in the 1980s, with a love of sci-fi films and the quiet wonder of staring at the night sky. Decades later, a news article calling for Mars settlers in the wake of the Arab Spring set him on a course that would change his life.

In this episode, Mido shares what it’s like to grow up in Egypt dreaming of the stars, how a period of upheaval led him to buy his first telescope, and the ways he now inspires students through his Saturn V Space Club and other educational projects. We talk Arab diversity in space, the realities of preparing for a one-way trip, and his hopes for humanity’s future on Mars. Along the way, you’ll hear stories about late night Mars study sessions, preparing for his pilot license, losing and finding purpose, and why he’s ready to plant an Egyptian badge—if not an actual flag—on the Red Planet.

A huge thank you to Mohammed Sallam for joining me today and sharing his vision and story, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the FB group, and to my family for always supporting this mission—even if it means eating dinner on Mars time.

In 2006, more than 36,000 South Koreans applied to become the nation’s first astronaut. After a grueling selection process that tested everything from physical endurance to scientific reasoning, just two were chosen to train in Russia. One of them was Dr. Yi Soyeon—an engineer, a pioneer, and ultimately, the woman who would make history aboard the Soyuz in 2008.

In this conversation, Soyeon shares what it was like growing up in a culture that didn’t traditionally encourage girls to dream of space. We talked about the power of saying "let's try it," about the similarities between dorm room life and Russian military bases, and the mental resilience it takes to be a trailblazer. We also dove into how her mission reshaped her outlook on Earth, how she answers young girls' questions about space, and her hopes for humanity’s future on Mars.

A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Yi Soyeon for joining me today and sharing her powerful story as a pioneer, scientist, and dreamer, to Nick Thorburn for our uplifting theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining he FB group, and to my family for supporting this project—even when it turns into late-night Mars rabbit holes.

When we dream of Mars, we often picture the big stuff: rockets, habitats, astronauts planting flags. But what about the day-to-day grind of running a business on another planet? In this special Everyday Mars episode, I spoke with aerospace veteran Jim Cantrell—one of the original team members at SpaceX and now the CEO and co-founder of Phantom Space Corporation—about what it’s going to take to build not just a civilization, but an economy, on Mars.

Jim brings decades of experience launching real ventures, from moon landers to microsats, and now he’s turning his entrepreneurial gaze toward the Red Planet. We explore what kinds of businesses will come first, what investors need to understand about Martian logistics, and what lessons we can borrow from Earth's startup ecosystem. We also dig into launch windows, robotic middle class, quitting our job after being at sea for a month, Martian bakeries, the importance of the frontier, Jim's tips to future Martian entrepreneurs, why building a business might be harder than building a satellite, and how walking the walk is more important than talking the talk.

A huge thank you to Jim Cantrell for joining me today and bringing his trailblazing perspective to the conversation, to Nick Thorburn for our high-flying theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this vision—even when my browser tabs are full of asteroid mining articles.

This week on Aspiring Martians, I speak with Anastasia Medvedeva—a Moscow-based space communicator, event organizer, and the force behind Yuri’s Night Russia. Anastasia’s story begins with a childhood spark: a signed book from Valentina Tereshkova and the poetic notion that if a seagull can go anywhere, so can she. That metaphor turned into a mission—using media, parties, and pop culture to bridge the gap between the space industry and the everyday dreamers it should serve.

We talk about the moment she realized space needs storytellers just as much as scientists, how she crafted a version of Yuri’s Night for a wider audience, and why space events should be equal parts education and celebration. Anastasia also opens up about the challenges of inspiring people in tough times, how to explain Mars without PowerPoints, and why building community might be humanity’s greatest preparation for the stars. Along the way: rainstorms in Milan, space debris awareness before it was cool, the ethics of colonization, and what it means to stay fascinated—even when the universe is complicated.

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Jonathan Buzan, an atmospheric physicist and planetary habitability researcher whose journey to Mars science started not with a telescope, but with a well-worn copy of SolarQuest which was this epic monopoly style board game where players would travel around the Sun acquiring monopolies of planets, moons, and space structures trying to knock their opponents out of the game through bankruptcy, as well as the occasional laser blast. That early spark led to video games like SimEarth, a fascination with climate extremes, and eventually, a PhD in atmospheric physics and biothermophysics from Purdue University. Since then, he’s held research positions at institutions like the University of New Hampshire, the University of Bern, and now Aalborg University in Denmark, where he works at the intersection of computational physics, sustainability modeling, and planetary systems science.

In this episode, we dove into his experience as the GreenHab Officer for Crew 218 at the Mars Desert Research Station, the surprising emotional highs and lows of simulation life, how heat stress and planetary climates shape our understanding of habitability, the scandanavian huddling mindset, controlling for randomness, the importance of redundancy, taking the bad with the good, connections to the past, dehydrated cuisine, the absolute workout of preparing an exquisite Martian beshumel sauce, and why space research still feels like play—even when it’s deadly serious.

A huge thank you to Dr. Jonathan Buzan for joining me today and sharing his insight and curiosity, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the FB group, and to my family for supporting this adventure—even when the house turns into a sound lab for Martian acoustics.

This week on Aspiring Martians, I sat down with Linh Vu—also known as Quoc Anh—the only Vietnamese finalist among the Mars One program’s top 100. With degrees from the National University of Singapore and Columbia University, Linh blends curiosity, ambition, and a deep desire to explore what lies beyond Earth. Today, he lives in Hanoi and proudly calls himself a Martian-in-waiting.

We talk about the realities of pursuing a dream that most people consider impossible. Linh shares how he balances startup life with space dreams, how he’s navigated public perception, and why he's not trying to convince anyone—he’s just focused on doing. From hydroponic vegetables to Vietnamese pride, CV drop-ins to emotional goodbyes, it’s a conversation about bold moves, quiet confidence, and preparing for the long journey ahead.

A huge thank you to Linh Vu for joining me today and sharing his thoughtful, daring perspective, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting this mission—even when it wanders into 18th-century star maps.

This week on Aspiring Martians, I’m joined by Dr. Saeed Ghandhari, a former Mars One 100 finalist, community builder, refugee advocate, martial artist, and aspiring astronaut originally from Iran and now based in Auckland, New Zealand. Saeed’s journey is a remarkable blend of public service and personal ambition—he’s worked for over a decade in Iran’s parliament, helped countless migrants and Māori navigate life in New Zealand, and holds a PhD in International Relations. Not one to slow down, he recently applied for a six-year medical science degree—because... why not?

In this conversation, we explore what it means to never give up on your dream, even when the path takes unexpected detours. We talk about the value of being unpredictable, his paper on black holes, waiting on Roscosmos, and building hope through Mars One. Also: team dynamics, asteroid indecision, dinosaur contingency plans, space soldiers, Martian toilet innovation, and the importance of keeping a packed Mars bag—just in case.

A huge thank you to Dr. Saeed Ghandhari for joining me today and sharing his powerful story and perspective, to Nick Thorburn for our stellar theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the beautiful graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for always supporting this journey—even when it detours into orbital trivia.

In this month’s Everyday Mars episode, I sat down with one of the most influential voices in Mars advocacy—Dr. Robert Zubrin, founder of The Mars Society and author of The Case for Mars, The Case for Space, and The New World on Mars. For decades, Zubrin has been championing the idea that humans not only can go to Mars, but should. And in this conversation, we ask a simple but profound question: What is The Right Martian Stuff?

We dig into the character traits, skill sets, and cultural mindsets he believes the first Martian settlers will need—not just to survive, but to thrive. Spoiler: it’s less about military order and more about maverick spirit, humor under pressure, and a healthy dose of DIY ingenuity. We also talk about what kind of society might grow out of that environment—and what lessons Earth might learn in return.

Thank you to Dr. Zubrin for making the time for this chat and for his expertise, to Nick Thorburn for the theme music, to Ceci Giglio for the graphics, to RDan, Leila, Inka, and Carl for admining the Facebook group, and to my family for supporting all of this.

In this episode of Aspiring Martians, I’m joined by Sharife Gacel, a licensed therapist, analog astronaut, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and the creator of The Space Therapist and the Blue Marble Project. Sharife’s work brings together psychology, art, and space exploration to help people build emotional resilience here on Earth—and someday, on Mars. She believes that the perspective shift astronauts feel when seeing Earth from space can be a healing force, and she’s spent years helping others connect to that feeling through outreach, therapy, and awe-driven storytelling.

We talk about the emotional challenges of space travel, what representation looks like in the space world, and how something as simple as looking through a telescope can rewire your whole sense of purpose. We also cover her underwater origin stories, the wonders of astronomy clubs, exploration genes, spacesuit cardboard cutouts, Martian domes in Hawaii, representing by showing up, and finding motivation through the lens of a telescope.