SR 147: Simulating Mars Habitats with Kai Staats

Space Radio

This week on Space Radio I had the opportunity to catch up with my good friend Kai Staats. Kai joined us from the grounds of the University of Arizona's Biosphere 2 as we talked about his newest project, Space Analog for the Moon and Mars. Among other topics, we discussed the removal of perchlorates from the Martian soil and how Methane could potentially be used.

Kai is an avid lover of all things out-of-doors and off-line, reminders that we are analog creatures using digital tools to enhance our understanding of the world around us. As a researcher, speaker, filmmaker, and entrepreneur he find connections, builds bridges, and brings people into common spaces and times.

At the Arizona State University School of Earth & Space Exploration, Kai contributed to the design of off-world human habitats as project lead for an Interplanetary Initiative Pilot Project (2017-19).

Kai is Principal Manager at Over the Sun, LLC, developer of platforms for research and science education. His last film series, funded in part by the NSF, chronicled the first direct detection of gravitational waves in 2015 by LIGO where he served as a Visiting Scientist.

In 2017, Kai and Paul collaborated to produce Song of the Stars, a film of the one-time live performance of a modern dance that tells the story of the first stars in the universe.

You can keep up with Kai by visiting his website: https://www.kaistaats.com/

To learn more about Biosphere 2, visit the project's website: https://biosphere2.org/research/projects/space-analog-moon-and-mars

To learn more about SAM2, visit the project's website: https://samb2.space/

Special shoutout to Russell Neitzke for his SuperChat tonight! THANKS RUSSELL!

Our Dom's Cheese of the week was Raw Cheddar Goat Milk Cheese from LaClare Family Creamery in Wisconsin. https://www.laclarefamilycreamery.com/raw-cheddar