Radio Saxa Vord: Recent Episodes
Radio Saxa Vord
On this weeks episode Bryden and Emily speak to the CEO of the SaxaVord Spaceport, returning guest Frank Strang, to talk about all the exciting things going on, including the spaceport license.
In this first episode of Radio Saxavord in 2024, join Emily and Bryden as they recap SaxaVord Spaceport's 2023 highlights, covering operations, events and cosmic milestones. Get a quick dive into the year's stellar moments with this bite-sized space update!
Music at the end of the episode by Jim Salestrom.
In this episode of Radio SaxaVord we chat with Robin Brand, a space enthusiast with a remarkable history and a profound influence on the space exploration landscape. Robin shares his personal space odyssey, starting from his early years living in Unst during the late 1950's, including a unique stay at the RAF SaxaVord compound to his dynamic involvement with the British Interplanetary Society (BIS) in 2009.
This week we hear from Alice Matthewson and Alec Priest from the Unst Tunnel Action Group. You will be able to learn all about the amazing campaigning and fundraising going on in the north isles of Shetland to get fixed links to the mainland. Follow the link below if you would like to support their fundraising.
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/unst-yell-tunnel-action-groups-fundraiser-1?fbclid=IwAR3gJqtqAavmgAyWuwcRKPSXYI_sUJ2VaiDBY2hWBS3cRWkBYbTwVOizdmo
This week Bryden chats to Ruaraidh Galbraith from SaxaVord Spaceport about the recent Tall Ships events in Shetland. The Tall Ships visited Shetland at the end of July and a large festival was put on to showcase the best of Shetland talent, industry and produce. SaxaVord Spaceport were delighted to have stand showing off all we have to offer.
In this weeks episode Emily and Bryden discuss SaxaVord Spaceport's time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This is an annual motorsport festival which is held on the Goodwood estate in the south of England. Our team were honoured to be invited to exhibit in the FutureLab exhibition at the event.
This week we have a talk from Archaeologist, Katie O'Connell. This talk happened during SaxaVord Spaceports open day during UnstFest, following a very exciting press release that reports a Bronze age burial site to have been found at the SaxaVord Launch site. Music this week is by Emily Strang.
This week Emily and Bryden take you to the Unst Fest live talk from Chris Dyer, an archaeologist and military historian. He takes us through the times of the vikings all the way through to when the site was taken over by the RAF in a very detailed talk in front of an audience of over 100 people in SaxaVord Spaceport's very own Supply Building.
The music this week is 'The love of the isles' by Willie Hunter, performed by Bryden Priest and Peter Wood.
This week Bryden and Emily speak to Emma Miller the Tall Ships Races Project Manager. Emma gives us the low down on what to expect at this years Tall Ships Races in Lerwick, she also tells us what this festival means to Shetland as well as a bit of background into the races themselves. Music from Steven Spence.
In this week's episode Emily and Bryden chat to Christian Schmierer from Hyimpulse. Christian discussed the ongoing engine tests being carried out in Shetland. Music from Peter Wood.
This week Bryden and Emily talk to Debbie Strang, SaxaVord Spaceport's Chief Operating Officer. This is the second time Debbie has been on the podcast and so we hear about all the updates from her side of the job since she was last on - events that she's been to, people that SaxaVord have hosted recently and what she's looking forward to over the next few months. The music this week is by Jim Salestrom.
This week Emily and Bryden are joined by Visit Scotland Island Manager, Steve Mathieson. Steve talks about the tourism industry in Shetland and what makes it unique. We also hear from Steve about the impact that he believes SaxaVord Spaceport will have on the Shetland tourism industry and why this is a very exciting time in his role. Music by James Salestrom.
This week Emily and Bryden chat to Andrew Nairn from Bright Ascension. This company offer mission ready software in space and on the ground and are based in Dundee. We will hear why it is important to have small businesses offering unique services like this to create a successful space eco-system in Scotland. Music from Peter Wood.
In this weeks episode, we hear from returning guest - Dr Mason Robbins. Mason is SaxaVord Spaceports Education Officer and will be chatting to us about the recent 'Space 102 Day' and what he and Bryden got up to whilst down in England for a week. Music is by Steven Spence.
In this week's episode Emily and Bryden have a discussion with Hina Khan, Executive Director of Space Scotland. Hina chats about the role Scotland has to play in the global space industry and how important the work at SaxaVord Spaceport really is. Music this week is by Ben Page.
In this weeks episode, Emily and Bryden talk to Russ Webster who is the Range Safety Manager at SaxaVord Spaceport. Russ joined the team in November 2022 and tells us about his experiences prior to joining the company and what a day in his life looks like now. The music this week is a set of reels from Steven Spence.
This week Bryden and Emily talk all things Up Helly Aa. Bryden talks about his experiences with the festival and what it meant to him growing up. We also get to hear from Unst locals to learn what this event means to them and the community. Music is the Up Helly Aa Song performed by Peter Wood.
Use this link for a video to learn more about Up Helly Aa - https://youtu.be/xLsccAXlURQ
This week Bryden is joined by SaxaVord Spaceport's Client Liaison, Callum Ward. Callum offers the perspective of a young person who has moved to Unst to start working in this exciting industry and shares his story of how he got there. Music this week is from Steven Spence.
A New Era! In this first episode of the new Radio Saxa Vord format, we are joined by Adrien Bourasseau from Latitude. Latitude have been doing some exciting work in Unst over the last few months and will be returning soon to continue. We will also have music from Steven Spence to finish the episode.
The Radio Saxa Vord Christmas special is back! This year we are joined by SaxaVord Spaceport CEO - Frank Strang who gives us an overview of the busy year that 2022 has been. We will also welcome Mark Turnbull who is the Manager Distiller of Shetland Reel Gin to talk about his involvement in the company and his journey since moving up to Shetland over 10 years ago. This episode features original music from Emily Strang and some festive favourites from Peter Wood.
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This weeks episode Bryden and Emily talk all about what's to come for SaxaVord Spaceport and what we can expect from the future of the podcast! We will also have music from Peter Wood.
In this episode, Emily and Bryden welcome back our first ever returning guest - Scott Hammond. Scott is Deputy CEO and Operations Director at SaxaVord Spaceport and will be giving us an update on how the project is progressing and what we should expect to see happening in the coming months. Music this week is from Leonard Brown.
This week, we join Bryden as he speaks to SaxaVord Domestic Site Manager - Steve Carter. Steve has worked at Saxa Vord Resort and now SaxaVord Spaceport for 10 years and will discuss the change he has seen on site over this time. Steve shares his thoughts on what makes the SaxaVord Spaceport team work so well together. This week we have music from Peter Wood.
In this episode, Emily and Bryden chat to Saxavord Spaceport Operations Manager, Duncan Swainston. Duncan joined the team full-time at the start of October after a career as an aircraft pilot. Duncan shares anecdotes about growing up in Shetland, his previous work and what his new job will entail. We will also have music from Nell Hammond.
In this week’s episode, Emily and Bryden will introduce you to two of the newest members of the SaxaVord Spaceport team - Mason ‘Doc’ Robbins (Education Officer) and Sorcha Leavey (Sustainability Officer). Mason and Sorcha joined the team in January 2022 and have been working on some very exciting projects since then.
Info on how to help Ukraine - https://supportukrainenow.org/
In this week’s episode, we join Emily as she chats to SaxaVord Spaceport’s chief operating officer - Debbie Strang. Debbie discusses her role and the trip she took to Pacific Spaceport Complex - Alaska (PSCA) earlier this year. PSCA is a commercial and military spaceport located on Kodiak Island where the team carry out both sub-orbital and orbital launches.
Welcome back to Radio Saxa Vord! In this long-awaited return of the podcast, we hear from Emily and Bryden who update us on the most recent developments at SaxaVord Spaceport. We will hear about Farnborough Space-Comm Expo, the beginning of construction and the inaugural Unst Show Rocket competition!
Join us for a Radio Saxa Vord Christmas Special! We are joined by CEO of the UK Space Agency, Paul Bate who describes his first few months on the job and what next year is going to look like for the UKSA. We are also joined by Emmy award winning musician and member of Dolly Parton’s band Jim Salestrom who tells us about his connection with Shetland and observations when visiting whilst sharing a few anecdotes about Dolly herself. Music this episode is our very own Emily Strang's Christmas Song and 'Colorado Home' by Jim Salestrom.
In this final episode of season 2 we recap some of the highlights from the last 6 episodes. This week Bryden and Emily are also joined by Matjaz Vidmar, lecturer in engineering management at the University of Edinburgh. We hear Matjaz talk about his work with SaxaVord Spaceport and his thoughts on the project. The music this week is a song written especially for the SaxaVord Spaceport called 'Satellites of SaxaVord' by Jim Salestrom.
In this week's episode of Radio Saxa Vord, we are joined by Nik Smith - Director of Lockheed Martin Space UK. Nik talks all about Lockheed's work with SaxaVord Spaceport and tells us what the next few months have in store. Music this week is 'The Stone of Destiny' by Paul Anderson.
This week's episode of the Radio Saxa Vord podcast is brought to you from Cape Canaveral, Florida and Braemar, Scotland. Emily and Bryden begin by hearing from Mike Mongo who was present at the recent Inspiration 4 launch on the 16th of September, 2021. We also have live interviews from the New Enlightenment Summit which took place at the start of September. Interviews including politician, Craig Harrow, Nick Halfhide, theoretical cosmologist Claudia De Rahm, Professor & presenter Hannah Fry and Lord Rees, the Astronomer Royal. This week we hear a piece written especially for SaxaVord Spaceport by Peter Wood (who was performing at the Summit!) called 'Unstronauts'.
This week on the Radio Saxa Vord podcast we are joined by Mike Mongo and Manik Foreman who will be giving us an update on their summer in Unst. Mike and Manik delivered the Astronaut Job Camp and workshops in every single school in Shetland! We also hear a review from Grace Wood who is a space super-fan and attended the Astronaut Job Camp. The music for this episode is 'Daddy's Song' by Jim Salestrom.
This week Bryden and Emily speak to Jimmy Slaughter to talk to him about what it's like being the range operations manager for SaxaVord Spaceport. We learn about what launch day will look like from his perspective and about what lead up to him taking the job. The music this week is 'Julie and Graham's Silver Wedding Waltz' by Megan Nisbet from the island of Yell.
This week Bryden and Emily speak to Wild Skies Shetland about how they started, their projects during the pandemic and their plans for the future, as well as their interactions with the SaxaVord Spaceport. The music for this episode is some traditional Shetland tunes performed by Angela Fraser and our very own Bryden Priest.
To kick off Season 2 of Radio Saxa Vord, Bryden and Emily speak to Frank Strang, the head of SaxaVord Spaceport. We learn more about how the space centre started, the changes in branding and about Frank's background before the spaceport. Frank chose 2 songs for this episode, starting with 'What Would You Say?' performed and written by our very own Emily Strang and her brother Tom and finishing with 'Ponies' written by John Denver and performed by Jim Salestrom.
That’s a wrap folks! In the final episode, our young hosts Emily and Bryden Recap the Season and share some laughs with Yvette Hopkins of the Shetland Space Centre.
Music by Jim Salestrom (Dolly Parton band member)
Artwork by Vaila Gunn
In this special edition of the Radio Saxa Vord Podcast, Emily and Bryden are joined by Mike Mongo from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Mike is in Unst this summer working on the Astronaut Job Camp. We learn more about Mike's journey to becoming an Astronaut Teacher and what his camp will look like. Mike and Bryden also discuss Mike's experience in Shetland so far and why it is important for this camp to take place live from Unst.
Artwork © MIKE MONGO
Music: Golden Goals at the Gibby - Steven Spence
This week's episode of the Saxa Vord podcast is all about local history through the eyes of people living in Shetland.
George Jamieson is an Unst resident and former head teacher of the Anderson High School in Lerwick, the largest school in the islands. Now retired, he recounts some memories of growing up in Unst, his school days during World War II and leaving the island to study and work. He has seen a lot of change over the years.
Emily and Bryden also interview Chris Dyer, archaeologist and military historian, who has made Shetland his home. He has a tremendous knowledge of historical sites in Shetland, including the headland at Lamba Ness, home to our launch site and to RAF Skaw during WWII.
Artwork © Rashik Saravanan – category runner up of a Space Art competition run by Shetland Space Centre in 2020
Music: Royal Air Force Music Services. UK Ministry of Defence © Crown copyright
In the latest episode of our podcast, Emily and Bryden talk to Davie Gardner, who is a music promoter and journalist. Shetland has a long history of producing world class musicians and is probably best known for its traditional music. Davie tells us about the wide diversity of music in Shetland and the opportunities musicians have to perform in Shetland through its varied calendar of festivals. To hear some of the musicians mentioned in this episode, head for YouTube.
Aly Bain https://youtu.be/6nbOaPN5toM
Ross Couper https://youtu.be/eaT520u7aVA
Catriona Macdonald https://youtu.be/vBh1jBla0TU
Artwork © Connie Dickie - category runner up in a Space Art competition run by Shetland Space Centre in 2020
This week's episode features Ruth Fain of ITP Energised, who was heavily involved in carrying out the very detailed environmental impact study prepared as part of Shetland Space Centre's planning application. The discussion centres on spaceport and all the steps that will be taken to minimise its impact on birdlife and sealife.
This week's podcast features special guest Drew Garrick, a Shetlander studying for his PhD in Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. Hosts Emily and Bryden hear about Drew's experience growing up in a remote part of Shetland, his transition to life in Glasgow, how he ended up choosing his career path and his dreams for opportunities in the space sector in Shetland.
This week Emily's and Bryden's guest is Jim McConnachie of NHS Shetland, and he'll be talking about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Shetland and the space industry. Music is from James Salestrom, renowned US musician and son of Jim Salestrom, guitarist for Dolly Parton. Both visited Unst for the Shetland Reel Festival in 2015.
In episode two, our young hosts Emily and Bryden speak to Scott Hammond, Chief Operating Officer of Shetland Space Centre. They hear about the plans to turn Unst into the UK’s spaceport of choice, the development of the company, the plans for the future, the Scottish space industry, and why Unst is the best location for a space centre.
Welcome to Shetland Space Centre’s very own podcast, Radio Saxa Vord. In the first episode of Season 1, young hosts Emily Strang and Bryden Priest introduce themselves, Shetland and Unst, which is set to become the home of space launch in the UK next year. And there’s music from Aly Bain. There will be eight episodes in all in the first Season.