Podcasts
1. “Wings over the Rockies”, Behind the Wings: Season 3, Episode 21, “Apollo’s Legacy on Human Spaceflight”. In celebration of the 54th anniversary of Apollo 11 (July 20) and the Apollo Program, this 43 minute podcast features Dr. Teasel Muir Harmony, curator of the Apollo artifacts collection of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (first 23 minutes) and Dr. Harrison H. Schmitt, Apollo 17 Astronaut (last 20 minutes). Dr. Harmony discusses how she became interested in the Apollo Program, and the geopolitical significance of how President Kennedy initiated the program. Dr. Schmitt talks about his experience in the program; what it was like to walk on the Moon (a question he must have answered thousands of times since); how he was selected to fly on Apollo 17; the significance of the 842 lbs. of returned lunar samples; and the forthcoming Artemis Program and its impact on the future of spaceflight. Readers can access the podcast at the “Behind the Wings” website.
Videos
1. Fox Business Channel: Are Moon settlements feasible? Former NASA astronaut weighs in. With Stuart Varney: July 20, 2018 – 2:55 min – Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt discusses the possibilities of permanent settlements on the moon and emphasizes the necessity of a strong, robust space program to counter similar Chinese plans. Click here to view or download the 14 Mb mp4 file (right click in player window and choose “save video as” to download the file).
2. Fox Business Channel: America back to the Moon: Apollo astronaut weighs in. With Stuart Varney: Dec. 12, 2017 – 3:30 min – Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt on President Trump vowing Americans will return to the moon. Click here to view or download the 20 Mb mp4 file.
3. Fox Business Channel: Is Global Warming Real? With Stuart Varney. Topics: A discussion of temperature fluctuations; ocean contributions to CO2 increases vs. burning fossil fuels; and observational scientists vs. computer model makers. June 2, 2009, 3:51 min. To view or download a 20 Mb copy in mp4 H.264 with no commercials: [Click Here].
4. Fox News Channel: Much Left to be Discovered on the Moon. With Rick Folbaum. Topics: 40th Anniversary of Apollo 11; singing on the Moon; Moon vs. Mars; He-3 on the Moon; current Administration has no future space policy of note. July 17, 2009, 4:36 min. To view or download a 14 Mb copy in mp4 H.264 with no commercials: [Click Here].
5. Fox News Channel: Former Astronaut wants New Space Agency. With Uma Pemmaraju. Topics: Reasons to dismantle NASA and to replace it with a National Space Exploration Administration (NSEA). May 28, 2011, 3:19 min. For online viewing at FNC (requires Flash plug-in): [Click Here]. To view or download an 11 Mb copy in mp4 H.264 with no commercials: [Click Here].
6. Fox News Channel: What’s Next For NASA? With Uma Pemmaraju. Topics: A dead end course for American human spaceflight; dependence on Russia to get to the ISS; China’s aggressive moves to dominate space; the real definition of “commercial” space. July 16, 2011, 4:21 min. For online viewing at FNC (requires a Flash plug-in): [Click Here]. To download a 14 Mb copy in mp4 H.264 with no commercials: [Click Here].
Radio
1. The Space Show: Returning to the Moon for Helium-3, Special Edition. With Dr. David Livingston, September 1, 2006, 28 Mb mp3 download file (01:59:59): [Click Here]. Topics: A detailed discussion of Dr. Schmitt’s book, Return to the Moon. An outline of some of the reasons for returning to the Moon for commercial purposes and to utilize lunar resources is given. In particular, the importance of Helium-3 (He-3) as an alternative source of energy—specifically as a fuel for terrestrial fusion power plants—is noted. The types of fusion processes are also discussed, as is mining (extracting) He-3 from the lunar regolith (topsoil) in terms of financing, capital acquisition, and project management. Dr. Schmitt also discusses the Constellation Program and management. [This interview was aired 3 years before President Obama cancelled Constellation and America’s planned return to the Moon. In view of China’s recently stated goal (December 2011) of sending taikonauts to the Moon sometime around 2020 and that country’s expressed interest in exploiting He-3, as well as Russia’s recent statements (January 2012) about sending cosmonauts to the lunar surface in a similar time frame for similar reasons, this interview has become all the more relevant to the geopolitical interests and concerns of American space policy. It is also important to the ongoing political debate in this country about a return to the Moon and the establishment of a permanent human presence on the lunar surface.–Editor’s note.]
2. The Space Show: Climate Change Special Edition. With Dr. David Livingston, March 19, 2009, 16 Mb mp3 download file, (01:33:40): [Click Here]. Topics: Climate control (Nature vs. human); CO2 (sources and sinks); realists vs. modelers (observations of climate parameters vs. computer modeling capability); returning to the Moon (a very comprehensive discussion with caller questions). A similar comprehensive discussion is given in Climate and the Constitution available on the Downloads page. Later in the show, Dr. Schmitt talks about returning to the Moon rather than first going to Mars, He3 fusion as an alternative to fossil fuels, and maintaining the Constellation program (now canceled by the Obama Administration). A much more comprehensive discussion of the latter is given in Space Policy and the Constitution (with a Foreword by Dr. Michael Griffin, NASA Administrator (2005-2009)), also available on the Downloads page.
3. WGN Radio: Abandonment of the Moon Mission and Cancellation of Constellation. With Milt Rosenberg, April 19, 2010. 9.8 Mb mp3 download file, (00:42:04): [Click Here].
4. Salem Radio Network: Cancellation of Constellation. With Janet Mefferd, May 6, 2010. 6.7 Mb mp3 download file, (00:18:42): [Click Here].
5. America’s Radio News Network: Asteroid 2005YU55, use of Saturn V in the 60’s-70’s or modern heavy lift launch vehicles to deflect asteroids, and lunar resources. With Ernie Brown; Mid-Morning Edition, November 8, 2011. 1.9 Mb mp3 download file, (00:05:30): [Click Here].
6. WGN Radio: Wall Street Journal Letter by 16 Scientists Disclaiming the Need for Global Warming Panic. With Mike McConnell, January 30, 2012. 4.5 Mb mp3 download file, (00:19:19): [Click Here]. Topic: Sixteen internationally known scientists led by Professor William Happer, a specialist in fusion physics at Princeton University, published a letter to the editor of the Wall Street Journal on Jan. 27, 2012, disclaiming the need for a panic that global warming is caused by humans (AGW). One of the signatories was Harrison H. Schmitt, who is interviewed here by Mike McConnell on the letter’s contents in a perceptive 20 minute discussion with caller queries at the end. [Click here for an online published copy of the letter], if you subscribe to the WSJ.
Editing of downloadable files by Colin Mackellar, with thanks.