# Are we still going to Mars? Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-briefing-room-1106985/are-we-still-going-to-mars Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-briefing-room-1106985/are-we-still-going-to-mars.md Podcast: [The Briefing Room](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-briefing-room-1106985) Published: 2026-05-07T13:45:00+00:00 Episode link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002vykq Audio file: http://open.live.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/6/redir/version/2.0/mediaset/audio-nondrm-download-rss/proto/http/vpid/p0njwhj6.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-briefing-room-1106985/episodes/are-we-still-going-to-mars Duration seconds: 1683 ## Resource A month ago the Artemis II crew landed safely in the Pacific Ocean, completing their historic space mission to the far side of the moon. It’s been several decades since the last human mission to the moon - although this time there was no landing. However, the 4 astronauts travelled further from earth than any human ever has so far. David Aaronovitch asks his guests whether space exploration is back in fashion and if so what’s next? And are we any closer to a human mission to Mars and what would we hope to achieve there? Guests: Dr Julia Balm, Research Associate, Freeman Air and Space Institute in the School of Security Studies, King’s College London Professor Andrew Coates, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London Libby Jackson, Head of Space, Science Museum, London Presenter: David Aaronovitch Producers: Caroline Bayley, Sally Abrahams, Kirsteen Knight Production Co-Ordinator: Maria Ogundele Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-briefing-room-1106985/episodes/are-we-still-going-to-mars/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-briefing-room-1106985/are-we-still-going-to-mars.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.