How would it be different flying on Mars? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Matt Kirshen explore aeronautics, aerodynamics, airplanes and more with NASA aerospace engineer and author Wendy Okolo, PhD. What does the first A in NASA stand for? What does it mean to be an engineer? Wendy breaks down how engineers think and what her role at NASA is. Discover how systems of systems surround our lives. What are the main challenges of moving through the air? We discuss aerodynamics, what flying on Mars would be like, and the impact of climate change on aeronautics. Why don’t we fly commercial planes higher? What is a blended wing aircraft? We explore optimization, propulsion, how to achieve aircraft stability, and Wendy’s book Learn to Fly: On Becoming a Rocket Scientist. Could you one day get a license for flying like you do for driving? What is the future of flying cars? Could we one day have self-driving space vehicles? We also discuss autonomy in flight and the safety concerns of handing over aircraft to artificial intelligence. Are computers safer than humans? Thanks to our Patrons David Hemsath, Becky Basmadijian, Etopirynka aka. Kate, Jaime Parker, Liuba Tereshko, Jeremy Seeman, and Carol Flynn for supporting us this week. NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free. Get the NEW StarTalk book, 'To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery' on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3PL0NFn Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/startalkradio FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE to StarTalk: Twitter: http://twitter.com/startalkradio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StarTalk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/startalk About StarTalk: Science meets pop culture on StarTalk! Astrophysicist & Hayden Planetarium director Neil deGrasse Tyson, his comic co-hosts, guest celebrities & scientists discuss astronomy, physics, and everything else about life in the universe. Keep Looking Up! #StarTalk #NeildeGrasseTyson 00:00 - Introduction: Aeronautics 3:54 - Intelligent Systems Division 5:38 - System of Systems & Engineering 8:45 - What is the Challenge Moving Through Air? 13:30 - The Impact of Climate on Aeronautics 16:40 - Why Don’t We Fly Higher? 21:28 - Aircraft Wing Variations 27:39 - Learn to Fly: On Becoming a Rocket Scientist 31:45 - The Era of Flying Cars 36:19 - Self Driving Aircraft & Artificial Intelligence 38:00 - Do We Need Human Pilots