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“Truer, but also darker.” This is the real origin story behind America’s decision to go to the moon.
The Shapeshifter
The Shapeshifter

A German rocket scientist with a secret mission and dark past. A science fiction editor under the watch of the FBI. In the third chapter of Moonrise, weapons of war lay the groundwork for space travel.

Tuesday, August 6, 2019
The Shapeshifter
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The Shapeshifter
The “Moonrise” podcast is written and hosted by Lillian Cunningham. Production and sound design by Bishop Sand. Editing by Dennis Funk. Project coordination by Allison Michaels. Audio direction by Jessica Stahl. Logo design by Courtney Kan. Page design and development by Courtney Kan and Matthew Callahan. Thanks to the Adler Planetarium for hosting the“Moonrise” launch event. 

Guests: 
Kimbriell Kelly is a deputy editor with the Los Angeles Times
Science fiction historian Alec Nevala-Lee
Dr. Michael J. Neufeld of the National Air and Space Museum

Archival audio:
The Commonwealth Club of California
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's collection
Fred Lerner
Tom Lehrer
The Danish Broadcasting Corporation

Resources:
“Astounding” by Alec Nevala-Lee 
“Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War” by Michael Neufeld

Related Reading:
  • How did NASA put men on the moon? One harrowing step at a time.
  • How imperialism shaped the race to the moon

Photos by Associated Press and AFP/Getty Images
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The Shapeshifter
The Shapeshifter

A German rocket scientist with a secret mission and dark past. A science fiction editor under the watch of the FBI. In the third chapter of Moonrise, weapons of war lay the groundwork for space travel.

Tuesday, August 6, 2019
The Shapeshifter
Loading...
The Shapeshifter
The “Moonrise” podcast is written and hosted by Lillian Cunningham. Production and sound design by Bishop Sand. Editing by Dennis Funk. Project coordination by Allison Michaels. Audio direction by Jessica Stahl. Logo design by Courtney Kan. Page design and development by Courtney Kan and Matthew Callahan. Thanks to the Adler Planetarium for hosting the“Moonrise” launch event. 

Guests: 
Kimbriell Kelly is a deputy editor with the Los Angeles Times
Science fiction historian Alec Nevala-Lee
Dr. Michael J. Neufeld of the National Air and Space Museum

Archival audio:
The Commonwealth Club of California
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's collection
Fred Lerner
Tom Lehrer
The Danish Broadcasting Corporation

Resources:
“Astounding” by Alec Nevala-Lee 
“Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War” by Michael Neufeld

Related Reading:
  • How did NASA put men on the moon? One harrowing step at a time.
  • How imperialism shaped the race to the moon

Photos by Associated Press and AFP/Getty Images
Previous Episode
Visionaries of the Void

Visionaries of the Void

A tiny New York office fills with big ideas. A group of sci-fi writers bring space travel into popular culture. American rocketry begins to take flight. On this episode of Moonrise, the dream of the moon starts to become reality.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019
Visionaries of the Void
Next Episode
Inside the Gulag

Inside the Gulag

A Russian rocket dreamer is sent to a Siberian prison. And the road to redemption stretches more than 5,000 miles. On this episode of "Moonrise," a look at the maestro behind the Soviet space effort.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Inside the Gulag
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