In 1999, an archived speech was discovered that had been written for US President Richard Nixon 30 years before in case a disaster on the Apollo 11 mission left the astronauts with no hope of recovery.

Thankfully, that speech never had to be given – but what if it had? What if some key component on the lunar lander had failed, stranding Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon, to slowly run out of oxygen as the world watched in horror?

It’s a question asked by author David Dyer in his new novel, This Kingdom of Dust, which provides a fictionalised look at just such a scenario.

In this Space Connect podcast, he talks to Jake Nelson about NASA’s concerns with the Apollo program, how the world might have reacted, and whether the enthusiasm for space travel so prevalent in the 1960s can be recaptured.

In October, Scott Morrison was surprisingly unveiled as the new chairman of Space Centre Australia, the planned spaceport in Far North Queensland.

The move has the potential to hugely disrupt Australia’'s launch sector, which already has four spaceports scattered around the country.

Now, a few weeks later, the former prime minister joins Robert Dougherty in our studio in North Sydney.

The pair discuss the new government’s cuts to the space sector, whether the industry will recover, and how Australia can take advantage of its geographical advantages to become a leader in launch.

In 2013, Swedish researchers discovered that beetles used the Milky Way to navigate at night, realising its fixed point in the sky could help them roll dung balls in a straight line.

Now, a decade later, researchers at the University of South Australia (UniSA) are using that breakthrough as inspiration for a new project aimed at improving navigation for satellites.

They have developed a computer vision system that reliably measures the orientation of the Milky Way, which could one day lead to a back-up method of stabilising satellites in low light.

Here, Professor Javaan Chahl, who oversaw the initiative, discusses how the plan works.

The iLAuNCH trailblazer is a partnership between academic institutions and more than 20 industry partners that aims to accelerate the development of the space manufacturing sector.

This week, we’re joined by Dr Joni Sytsma, the chief technology officer overseeing iLAuNCH at the University of Southern Queensland.

Sytsma trained at the University of Florida over 20 years ago and has had an amazing career as an aerospace engineer, with spells working at high-profile companies such as Gilmour Space Technologies and Department 13.

Here, Sytsma discusses the best recent iLAuNCH projects, including a Fitbit-style wearable for astronauts and a plan to film blast-offs in Australia.

A recent study by RMIT has suggested that the isolated environment of the International Space Station, rather than just a lack of gravity, is behind reports from astronauts that food tastes blander in space.

It’s an important development because if we’re going to send humans to Mars and beyond, we’ll have to consider their diet and psychology.

On this episode, Dr Julia Low, an RMIT senior lecturer, talks to host Adam Thorn about the study’s results.

The pair discuss how they replicated the ISS on Earth, how its findings can be used to tailor meals for astronauts, and where the research goes next.

As commercial space missions increase, it is important to be able to simulate space conditions to ensure equipment is up to the task.

Components need to withstand not only a high vacuum but also extreme temperatures, high radiation, and other harsh conditions not found on Earth.

Ezzi Vision has supplied scientific vacuum and thin film technology to sectors, including the space industry, for more than 18 years.

Jake Nelson spoke to Dr Adil Adamjee, CEO and managing director of Ezzi Vision, on how and why space simulation on Earth is done.

Last year, LeoLabs Australia opened its pioneering West Australian Space Radar (WASR) near Collie in the southwest.

When it began operating, the site could already track tens of thousands of satellites in low-Earth orbit, but it has since been upgraded to improve its coverage further.

In this episode, the company’s president and managing director, Terry van Haren, talks about WASR’s progress and how it works with the company’s network of global radars.