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NASA’s two Boeing Starliner astronauts are still in space with no definite return date
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AirTalk Tile 2024
Aug 7, 2024
Listen 1:40:15
NASA’s two Boeing Starliner astronauts are still in space with no definite return date

Today on AirTalk, the latest on the delays and challenges facing the return of the Boeing Starliner crew. Also on the show, we learn about a new peanut allergy treatment that’s been introduced in Australia; we preview the newest episode of LAist’s podcast ‘Imperfect Paradise;’ we check-in with SoCal school districts ahead of the new school year; California State Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas talks about the new self-checkout bill; and more.

NASA astronauts  Butch Wilmore (L) and Suni Williams, wearing Boeing spacesuits,  depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center
Two months after launching, NASA's Boeing Starliner crew are still waiting to return home from the International Space Station.
(
MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images
/
AFP
)

NASA’s two Boeing Starliner astronauts are still in space with no definite return date

Listen 14:57
NASA’s two Boeing Starliner astronauts are still in space with no definite return date

NASA is delaying its next astronaut launch to buy more time at the International Space Station for Boeing’s troubled new crew capsule. The space agency said Tuesday it’s bumping SpaceX’s four-person flight from this month to next. Officials said that will give them more time to analyze thruster and leak problems that hit Boeing’s Starliner capsule after its June liftoff, its first with a crew on board. Tuesday marked the two-month point at the space station for Starliner’s test pilots, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who should have been back by mid-June. NASA is weighing all its options for returning the two veteran astronauts, including a ride home in a SpaceX capsule. Over the past several weeks, Boeing has conducted thruster test firings on the ground as well as in space to better understand why five thrusters failed ahead of Starliner’s June 6 arrival at the space station. All but one came back online. Helium leaks in the capsule’s propulsion system also cropped up. Citing the testing, the company late last week said: “Boeing remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew.”

Joining us to discuss is Frank Slazer, former president and CEO of the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration.

With files from the Associated Press

Australia launches a new program to treat peanut allergies. Could it work in the US?

Listen 19:21
Australia launches a new program to treat peanut allergies. Could it work in the US?

Getting the news that your baby has a food allergy can be pretty scary for parents. It might mean eliminating certain foods from the home, declining invitations to eat at restaurants, or packing an EpiPen everytime you leave the house. Extra precautions are required everywhere you go. Fortunately, medical advancements are providing hope for parents. Australia has introduced a new treatment aimed at building immunity for babies with peanut allergies. Parents are also trying oral immunotherapy to help desensitize children to allergens. This is a big shift from medical advice from years ago that advised keeping children away from potential allergens until a certain age. Joining us now to discuss updates on allergy treatments is Dr. Corrine Keet, a professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill School of Medicine and an attending physician in the Allergy/Immunology division at UNC Children’s Hospital. She is a specialist in the field of allergy and immunology.

Tell us your wildest wildlife encounter

Listen 15:54
Tell us your wildest wildlife encounter

The first deadly black bear attack in California’s history was confirmed recently in a small mountain town in Northern California. While wildlife officials say fatal bear attacks are rare, this recent death and growing encounters between bears and people underscore how high the stakes are as wild and urban worlds merge. Increasing encounters, the history of black bears in the region and solutions are all examined in a new episode of the latest installment of LAist's podcast, Imperfect Paradise. LAist Climate Emergency Reporter, Erin Stone, reports the episode and she joins us now to talk about it. Plus, we ask listeners to share their wildest wildlife encounters. If you have a story, call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.

With files from LAist

From learning loss to staffing: how are SoCal districts preparing for the school year?

Listen 26:17
From learning loss to staffing how are SoCal districts preparing for the school year?

This academic year follows an interesting trend for schools nationwide, as learning loss is an ongoing problem that’s still being addressed and teacher turnover becoming an issue in the years following the pandemic. In having to address these issues, local Southern California schools have had to find ways of keeping students engaged and teachers committed… but how’s that being accomplished across districts? To get a better sense of that, today on AirTalk we’ll have a panel of superintendents joining us. Our guests include: Mauricio Arellano, superintendent for San Bernardino City Unified School District; Maribel Garcia, superintendent for El Monte City School District; and Jesus Chavarria, superintendent for Anaheim Elementary School District.

From myspace to tiktok, how our society became 'extremely online'

Listen 16:52
From myspace to tiktok, how our society became 'extremely online'

TikTok may be the social media app du jour with its endless feed of algorithmically curated videos just for you, but its existence and power to make everyday people into famous content creators wouldn't be possible without predecessor platforms like Myspace, Vine, Blogger and others that paved the way for the social media ecosystem we know and use today. In her book "Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet," Washington Post Columnist Taylor Lorenz charts the brief but rich history of how apps like those, and others, have molded the business and art of content creation, changed the definition of fame, and ultimately changed how the internet influences what we want (and how we get it).

Today on AirTalk, Austin reprises his conversation with Taylor where they talk about her book, the ways content creation has evolved in the 21st century as social media platforms have come and gone and how that's changed the way we see fame and popularity.

Checking back in on new self-checkout with CA senate co-author

Listen 6:40
Checking back in on new self-checkout with CA senate co-author

On Monday’s episode of AirTalk, we took time to discuss Senate Bill 1446, a bill that would establish some regulations for self-checkout stations across California's retail grocery and drug stores. The bill includes regulatory processes like having one employee monitoring every 2 self-checkout stations, as well limit their use to customer with no more than 15 items. So, on the State Assembly’s Appropriations Committee is set to have a hearing on the bill, we speak to Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, bill’s lead author and state senator representing California’s 28th district.

Listen to our prior segment on the topic by clicking here.

Credits
Host, AirTalk
Host, Morning Edition, AirTalk Friday, The L.A. Report Morning Edition
Senior Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Producer, AirTalk with Larry Mantle
Associate Producer, AirTalk & FilmWeek
Associate Producer, AirTalk
Apprentice News Clerk, AirTalk
Apprentice News Clerk, FilmWeek