For decades, sending humans into space meant a handful of government astronauts in low Earth orbit. Now reusable rockets, private companies and renewed ambitions for the Moon and Mars are reshaping what's possible — and raising hard questions about cost, risk and purpose. This episode surveys where human spaceflight really stands and where it might realistically be heading.

You'll come away understanding why reusability changed the economics, what a return to the Moon involves, the genuine obstacles to reaching Mars, and how to tell grounded plans from hype.

Talking Science is sponsored by Kinsoft. Visit www.kinsoft.com.au

Further reading: NASA – “Artemis” program; ESA – human and robotic exploration; National Academies – human spaceflight reports. ...