Retired AV-8B Pilots Capt. Frank “Pugs” Smith and Lt. Col. Luke “Warren” Jacobs take us behind the iconic Jump Jet and its 40-year legacy.

We are back with our regularly scheduled podcast! In this episode, they discuss carrier operations, vertical takeoff and landing, the challenges of maintaining the aircraft, and how the fighter performed its missions. The Harrier remains one of aviation’s boldest experiments, paving the way for newer V/STOL platforms like the F-35B. This one is going to be cool!

Resources:

• The Harrier Jump Jet (Key Aero)
• Operation Desert Storm (Air Force Historical Support Division)
• The AV-8B Harrier II (Wikipedia)
• Retiring Wings Over the Rockies' Harrier (YouTube)

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:36) - Harrier Overview
• (02:35) - Aviation Beginnings
• (04:27) - The Jump Jet's 40-Year Journey
• (05:28) - Like Flying a Dragon
• (06:25) - The TAV-8 Trainer
• (07:01) - Flying the Harrier
• (08:18) - The A-4 Vs. The AV-8B
• (09:19) - Carrier Operations
• (10:36) - The V/STOL
• (14:47) - Vertical Take Off Challenges
• (17:10) - Dogfight Maneuvers
• (18:15) - How Loud Was the Jump Jet?
• (20:04) - Life Below Deck
• (21:05) - Operation Desert Storm
• (23:25) - Afghanistan Combat Missions
• (25:53) - How Harrier Capabilities Evolved
• (26:54) - Flying in Mixed Packages
• (28:09) - The AV-8B's Legacy
• (30:00) - Frank and Luke's Advice
• (32:35) - Outro

How OSIRIS-REx's journey to Asteroid Bennu could reveal clues to the origins of life on Earth.

Welcome to the finale of our 4-part bonus podcast miniseries on the making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7!

In this episode, Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy LaTourrette share stories from filming around the U.S. to learn more about OSIRIS-REx's journey to Asteroid Bennu. Join us as we discuss how meteorites helped launch the O-REx idea, designing the spacecraft, touring the asteroid testing wall, and solving problems millions of miles from Earth. This one is going to be cool!

Check out the full-length video on PBS or our YouTube channel on November 27. We can't wait to show you what we've been working on!

As we conclude our miniseries, our regular podcast returns on November 24 with a conversation about the Harrier aircraft. Tune in to hear inside stories on flying the Jump Jet and its hovering ability!

Full Season Premiere Schedule:

PBS:
Episode 1 – The Hurricane Hunters: November 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 2 – Building the International Space Station: November 6, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT
Episode 3 – 50 Years of the F-16: November 13, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 4 – Unlocking Asteroid Secrets: November 13, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT

Wings’ YouTube Channel:
Episode 1 – The Hurricane Hunters: November 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 2 – Building the International Space Station: November 13, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 3 – 50 Years of the F-16: November 20, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT
Episode 4 – Unlocking Asteroid Secrets: November 27, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:27) - OSIRIS-REx Overview
• (01:28) - A 20-Year Mission
• (03:23) - The Antarctic Asteroid Team
• (04:53) - Why Bennu?
• (05:52) - The TAG System
• (07:50) - The Backup Plan
• (09:20) - Landing Site
• (09:53) - Collecting the First Samples
• (10:50) - Bringing Material Back to Earth
• (13:14) - Bennu Tea
• (13:52) - The Next Generation's Research
• (14:12) - OSIRIS-REx's Future
• (14:55) - Outro

How the F-16 became a combat legend around the world, and what it takes to build them.

Welcome to Part 3 of our 4-part bonus podcast miniseries on the making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7!

In this episode, Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy LaTourrette share stories from filming around the U.S. to learn more about the history behind the Fighting Falcon. Join us as we discuss the dangerous first flight, touring the only manufacturing plant, technical upgrades, and test-flying the Viper fresh off the production line. This one is going to be cool!

Check out the full-length video on PBS or our YouTube channel. We can't wait to show you what we've been working on!

Full Season Premiere Schedule:

PBS:
Episode 1 – The Hurricane Hunters: November 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 2 – Building the International Space Station: November 6, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT
Episode 3 – 50 Years of the F-16: November 13, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 4 – Unlocking Asteroid Secrets: November 13, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT

Wings’ YouTube Channel:
Episode 1 – The Hurricane Hunters: November 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 2 – Building the International Space Station: November 13, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 3 – 50 Years of the F-16: November 20, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT
Episode 4 – Unlocking Asteroid Secrets: November 27, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:35) - Tracy's F-16 Background
• (02:28) - Why We Chose the Viper
• (03:37) - Aircraft Maintenance and Improvements
• (04:47) - The Last Manufacturing Plant
• (06:48) - Touring the Production Line
• (08:51) - Test Flying Fighting Falcons
• (09:47) - The Aircraft Design
• (13:22) - The Dangerous First Flight
• (14:17) - F-16 Legacy
• (16:32) - Outro

How the world's largest spacecraft taught us to live and work in space.

Welcome to Part 2 of our 4-part bonus podcast miniseries on the making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7!

In this episode, Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy LaTourrette share stories from filming around the U.S. to learn more about building the International Space Station. Join us as we discuss astronaut training in the enormous Neutral Buoyancy Lab pool, assembling the ISS in orbit, life on board, and how mission control helps solve disasters in real time. This one is going to be cool!

Check out the full-length video on PBS or our YouTube channel. We can't wait to show you what we've been working on!

Full Season Premiere Schedule:

PBS:
Episode 1 – The Hurricane Hunters: November 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 2 – Building the International Space Station: November 6, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT
Episode 3 – 50 Years of the F-16: November 13, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 4 – Unlocking Asteroid Secrets: November 13, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT

Wings’ YouTube Channel:
Episode 1 – The Hurricane Hunters: November 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 2 – Building the International Space Station: November 13, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 3 – 50 Years of the F-16: November 20, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT
Episode 4 – Unlocking Asteroid Secrets: November 27, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:32) - The Idea Behind Space Stations
• (01:11) - Forming International Partnerships
• (01:45) - Assembling the ISS
• (04:51) - Living Onboard the Station
• (05:59) - Mission Control
• (07:15) - The Neutral Buoyancy Lab
• (10:36) - The Vehicle Mockup Assembly Building
• (12:00) - Looking Towards the Future
• (12:44) - Retiring the ISS
• (13:57) - Outro

What does it take to fly into a hurricane, and why is it important?

Welcome to Part 1 of our bonus podcast miniseries on The Making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7. In this episode, Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy LaTourrette discuss stories they heard while filming The Hurricane Hunters. Join us as we explore the dare that started it all, the modified aircraft and its technology, and how the team saves millions of lives every year. This one is going to be cool!

Check out the full-length episode on PBS or our YouTube channel on November 6. We can't wait to show you what we've been working on!

Full Season Premiere Schedule:

PBS:
Episode 1 – The Hurricane Hunters: November 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 2 – Building the International Space Station: November 6, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT
Episode 3 – 50 Years of the F-16: November 13, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 4 – Unlocking Asteroid Secrets: November 13, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT

Wings’ YouTube Channel:
Episode 1 – The Hurricane Hunters: November 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 2 – Building the International Space Station: November 13, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 3 – 50 Years of the F-16: November 20, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT
Episode 4 – Unlocking Asteroid Secrets: November 27, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (00:56) - Why Pick This Topic?
• (02:01) - The Hurricane Hunters' Origin Story
• (03:11) - A Personal Story
• (04:20) - The Flight Crew
• (06:27) - Why Fly Into a Hurricane?
• (07:57) - How the Information Is Used
• (08:53) - The Aircraft
• (09:54) - The Pilot's Perspective
• (10:25) - The Equipment
• (11:14) - The Flight Brief
• (12:25) - Why Propellers Are Better than Engines
• (13:20) - The Missions
• (14:16) - The Future
• (15:10) - Advice
• (16:16) - Outro

University of Arizona Professor and OSIRIS-REx Principal Investigator Dr. Dante Lauretta explains how asteroids could reveal the origins of life on Earth.

In this episode, we celebrate the fifth anniversary of the asteroid sample collection on October 20 and explore the spacecraft’s design, the daring Touch-And-Go maneuver, challenges the team overcame, and what we’ve learned so far from the materials returned from Asteroid Bennu. Our knowledge of space is rapidly evolving, and we still have so much more to learn.

This special release features the full-length conversation with Dante from our upcoming Season 7 of Behind the Wings on PBS. To dive deeper into the OSIRIS-REx mission, watch the video premiere on November 27 on our YouTube page. This one is going to be cool!

The regular podcast will take a short mid-season break and return on November 24. In the meantime, check out our upcoming weekly mini-series: The Making of Behind the Wings PBS Season 7!

Resources:

• Dante's Bio (University of Arizona)
• Asteroid Bennu (NASA)
• Asteroid Apophis (NASA)
• OSIRIS-REx Mission (NASA)
• OSIRIS-APEX (NASA)

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (02:43) - Aerospace Beginnings
• (06:07) - Antarctic Collection Mission
• (09:36) - Why Go to an Asteroid?
• (11:57) - Designing OSIRIS-REx
• (14:16) - Earning NASA Funding
• (17:33) - Michael Drake's Passing
• (21:53) - The Challenge of Microgravity
• (24:35) - Testing the Spacecraft
• (26:51) - Launch Day
• (30:26) - Why was Asteroid Bennu Chosen?
• (31:47) - First Images
• (33:33) - Unexpected Obstacles when Landing
• (36:35) - The Touch-And-Go System
• (45:51) - Returning O-REx to Earth
• (52:06) - Removing the Samples
• (53:46) - Space Rock Testing
• (55:17) - What Have We Learned so Far?
• (57:48) - Are We Alone in the Universe?
• (59:51) - Future Missions
• (01:01:48) - Dante's Advice
• (01:03:06) - Outro

We're excited to announce our special four-part podcast miniseries featuring stories from the making of our newest Behind the Wings PBS season!

Director Cray Novick and Host Tracy "Jackie'O" LaTourrette discuss our upcoming episodes: "The Hurricane Hunters," "Building the International Space Station," "50 Years of the F-16," and "Unlocking Asteroid Secrets." Join us to hear inside tales you won't find anywhere else. This is going to be cool!

Miniseries episodes come out every Thursday starting October 23. Also, check out the new season on PBS or at our YouTube channel beginning November 6. We can't wait to show you what we've been working on!

Our regular podcast episodes will take a mid-season break after Episode 63 and return on November 24.

Full Season Premiere Schedule:

PBS:
Episode 1 – The Hurricane Hunters: November 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 2 – Building the International Space Station: November 6, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT
Episode 3 – 50 Years of the F-16: November 13, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 4 – Unlocking Asteroid Secrets: November 13, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT

Wings’ YouTube Channel:
Episode 1 – The Hurricane Hunters: November 6, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 2 – Building the International Space Station: November 13, 2025, 7:00 p.m. MT
Episode 3 – 50 Years of the F-16: November 20, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT
Episode 4 – Unlocking Asteroid Secrets: November 27, 2025, 7:30 p.m. MT

Theoretical Physicist Andrew Strominger explains what exactly black holes are and how they could tell us about the beginning of the cosmos.

In this episode, Andrew discusses the questions behind black holes, the strange physics at their event horizon, what they reveal about the nature of space and time, and how he, Stephen Hawking, and Malcolm Perry helped develop the theory that "soft hairs" may store information on black holes' surface. From leading minds like Einstein, Hawking, and Strominger, our understanding of these celestial bodies is constantly evolving, and we still have so much to learn. This one is going to be cool!

Resources:

• Andrew's Bio (Harvard)
• The Event Horizon Telescope
• Hawking team updates soft hair theory to help solve black hole information paradox (Phys.org)
• What are black holes? (NASA)
• Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity (Space.com)

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Intro
• (01:59) - Andrew's Favorite Theories
• (04:11) - Aerospace Beginnings
• (05:53) - From Commune to Harvard
• (08:24) - What Is a Black Hole?
• (12:29) - The Different Types
• (14:17) - How They Form
• (15:52) - How Far Are They from Earth?
• (16:06) - Why Should We Study Black Holes?
• (17:38) - Why Doubt Is a Valuable Tool
• (19:37) - The Information Paradox
• (22:22) - Working Alongside Stephen Hawking
• (24:12) - Soft Hairs
• (26:29) - The Holographic Principle
• (30:31) - Can Black Holes Be Used for Travel?
• (31:19) - "Interstellar" Time Dilation
• (34:14) - Why Isn't a Black Hole Considered a Vacuum?
• (35:02) - The Future of Physics
• (36:15) - Andrew's Advice
• (37:04) - Outro