In this special edition of Science Studio, Dr. Keith Panell speaks with Dr. Jose Hurtado about how scientist prepared questions for astronauts and what they learned from their responses, especially about the reported flahses on the Moon's surface. Multitple crew members observed there brief, bright events at the same time, strongly suggesting they were meteorite impacts. These observations could help scientists better understand how often these impacts occur and ehat they mean for future space missions.
The conversation also explores unexpected details, including subtle colors observed on the moon's surface - challenging the idea od the Moon as simply gray and offering new insight into its composition and how humans perceive it in space.
Dr. Hurtado is a UTEP professor in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences. He is assisting with mission simulations at the NASA Johnson Space Center, and during the mission itself, Hurtado will work in NASA’s Science Evaluation Room and help provide real-time communications and feedback to astronauts, which can maximize scientific return during the short mission.
This was originally recorded April 8th, 2026 11AM (MDT)