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    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    What could the next space suit look like?

    NASA wants to send astronauts back to the moon, to Mars, and beyond. But their existing space suits are too bulky and from the 1970s.

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    By Madeleine Brand • Aug 2, 2018 • 48m Listen

    NASA wants to send astronauts back to the moon, to Mars, and beyond. But their existing space suits are too bulky and from the 1970s. Dava Newman is a former NASA Deputy Administrator, and she and her team at MIT have come up with a relatively lightweight, custom fit “Bio-Suit.”

    2008 Silver BioSuit™ Mock-up. Credit: Professor Dava Newman, MIT: Inventor, Science and Engineering Guillermo Trotti, A.I.A., Trotti and Associates, Inc. (Cambridge, MA): Design Dainese (Vincenca, Italy): Fabrication Douglas Sonders: Photography.

    In this episode

    4 stories
    1. 0:00

      Feds want to end California's power to set higher fuel efficiency standards

      Today, the White House said it will roll back Obama-era rules that required vehicles to average more than 50 miles per gallon by the year 2025. They also want to end California’s waiver that allows it to set even higher fuel efficiency standards.

      Read the story
      8 min
    2. 8:25

      How we missed the chance to address climate change

      Scientists, politicians, teachers, and even kids knew more than 50 years ago that carbon emissions were changing the planet. We had a chance to change course and repair the damage, but failed to do so.

      Read the story
      17 min
    3. 25:22

      Designing a new space suit -- customized to each wearer

      NASA wants to send astronauts back to the moon, to Mars, and beyond. But their existing space suits are too bulky and outdated -- from the 1970s.

      Read the story
      10 min
    4. 35:22

      Remembering 'An American Family'

      Last week, the patriarch of the Loud family of Santa Barbara died. He was 97. Don’t know the name? Well, back in 1973, Bill Loud was famous. His family was the focus of a 12-part documentary series on PBS, called “An American Family.”

      Read the story
      12 min
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Sarah Sweeney

      Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW

    • KCRW placeholder

      Michell Eloy

      Former Producer/Line Editor, Press Play

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Amy Ta

      Digital News & Culture Editor

      News

    In this episode

    4 stories
    1. 0:008 min

      Feds want to end California's power to set higher fuel efficiency standards

    2. 8:2517 min

      How we missed the chance to address climate change

    3. 25:2210 min

      Designing a new space suit -- customized to each wearer

    4. 35:2212 min

      Remembering 'An American Family'

    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand