On Sunday, 8th of June, The Zero Pressure podcast hosted a live panel session titled "Rocket Science and the New Space Race, a sold-out event in the Spotlight Talks at the Great Exhibition Road Festival 2025. Chaired by Helen Sharman, the event brought cutting-edge space science and engineering to a packed and enthusiastic public audience. The sess…

This time, we're diving into the rise of high-energy laser systems and the game-changing potential of their high-powered lasers. Since their invention, lasers have revolutionized science and technology, enabling precision surgeries, driving advanced manufacturing, and transforming global communications. High power lasers, once confined to science f…

In the last of our series of special bonus editions, Helen Sharman is joined by Swedish physicist and ESA astronaut, Christer Fuglesang, who spent 26 days on board the ISS, and in that time conducted 31 hours of extravehicular activities (that’s space walks).

Welcome to another special bonus edition of the Zero Pressure Podcast, presented by Imperial College London and Saab. For our recent episode on the future of space stations, we were lucky to be joined by 3 astronauts. To kick off 2025 we are releasing each of those conversations in full, bringing you even more leading insight into our future in spa…

Welcome to a special bonus edition of the Zero Pressure Podcast, presented by Imperial College London and Saab. For our recent episode on the future of space stations, we were lucky to be joined by 3 astronauts. To kick off 2025 we are releasing each of those conversations in full, bringing you even more leading insight into our future in space. To…

This is a very special edition of the Zero Pressure Podcast series as Helen Sharman is joined by 3 fellow astronauts to discuss the future of space stations. Since the 1970s, humans have been using orbiting space stations as places to live and work in microgravity. More than engineering and life support marvels, they are platforms for ground-breaki…

What does a technical roadmap to sustainable aviation look like, and what role will innovative technologies, sustainable aviation fuels, and new propulsion methods play in this transformation? We explore the costs, timelines, and infrastructure changes needed, and consider how these shifts could reshape not just the industry, but our global approac…

This time we delve into the world of asymmetric warfare, a term used to describe imbalances in conflict. From geopolitics to cutting-edge technology and even the growing divide between humans and machines, asymmetry is reshaping the battlefield of today and tomorrow. We are delighted to be joined on Zero Pressure by Paul Scharre. Paul is an author,…

This time we are exploring how the interplay between the commercial and military sectors - as well as the financial system, can foster innovation. In recent decades there has been a seismic shift in how aerospace, defence and security technologies are funded, with a drastic move from public to private investment. This surge in private funding not o…

Professor Yang Gao joins Helen Sharman in the studio for a deep dive into robotics. Professor Yang heads the Centre for Robotics Research at King's College London. We'll also be hearing excerpts from our recent Zero Pressure live event at the Great Exhibition Road Festival, where a panel discussed the technologies on Earth that may help humanity th…

This time we are focussing on the world of sensor technology that allows us to collect information at an atomic level. Improvements in quantum sensors are changing how we can detect all sorts of tiny changes in the world around us, revolutionising medical diagnostics, resource extraction and even letting us see around corners… Britain's first astro…

In today's discussion, we're delving into the transformative world of drones. From their pioneering potential in healthcare, other delivery services, disaster relief and agriculture, to disrupting defence and security, the ways drones are used are revolutionizing several sectors at an incredible rate. Much of the drone technology is not in itself r…

Kevin Czinger joins Helen to kick off the third season of Zero Pressure. Kevin is the founder, lead inventor and CEO of Divergent 3D, a company that uses some of the world's most advanced methods of design and additive manufacturing (that's 3D printing) to build vehicle structures. The Zero Pressure podcast series looks at how science and technolog…

In this special edition of the Zero Pressure podcast, we will be discussing the mapping of the Earth’s oceans. It’s been said that the ocean is the Earth’s final frontier for good reason. With telescopes, scientists can see objects in space that are 30 billion light years away from Earth. Closer to home, 90% of Mars and the entire Moon’s surface ha…

This time we are discussing emerging and disruptive technologies. From artificial intelligence to genome editing and quantum computing, industries are being reshaped and traditional norms challenged. How can policymakers stay ahead of the game in an ever-changing world? In this episode, we discuss strategies for policymakers to encourage and suppor…

This time we're talking about microchips and the world of microelectronics. Microchips are the bedrock of modern technology and are vital in everything from fighter jets to mobile phones. The United States and more recently, Taiwan have been dominant leaders in the global markets of new chip technology. But massive investment in China might change …

This time, we're delving into the world of materials science. In the English-speaking world, the word 'material' is often confused with 'cloth', but in the context of material science, and this podcast, we mean any physical substance. And as one set of chemical elements can be combined in multiple ways to produce quite different materials, there is…

This time we are talking about the future of speed in the air. What is the difference between supersonic and hypersonic travel, what speeds might we reach in the future and how can engines achieve this? Since the grounding of Concorde there has been no supersonic commercial air travel – but with new start-ups appearing globally, is that all about t…

In this episode, we are talking about connectivity, in particular 5G and 6G technology. How will these upcoming new technology standards for cellular networks transform the way we live and work? What are the implications for aerospace, defence and security? How will the technology affect positioning, navigation and timing services on which we are b…

In this episode we are talking about PNT – that’s Positioning, Navigation, and Timing – systems, their use within many aspects of critical national infrastructure, and their extensive impact on our daily lives. We are joined by Professor Washington Ochieng, Head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, as well as Chair in Positioni…

In this episode we are talking about ‘moving to a hydrogen society.’ We will discuss the role hydrogen has to play in generating clean energy, as well as potential challenges and misconceptions around hydrogen production. This time we are joined by Dr Andy Palmer, an automotive executive and engineer who is currently CEO of electric vehicle manufac…

In the second episode of Season 2, Helen Sharman, Britain's first astronaut, explores how science and technology help us plan for and mitigate Black Sky Events. Modern day systems are so interdependent that serious disruption of any major service or supply network could cascade into them all and create a so-called Black Sky Event. So how can scienc…

In the first episode of Season 2, Helen Sharman, Britain's first astronaut, explores how science and technology can help us to manage the polar regions, as melting ice due to climate change opens up shipping lanes, makes resource extraction increasingly viable and throws up environmental and geopolitical issues that affect the whole planet. Helen i…

In this episode, Helen Sharman, Britain’s first astronaut, explores the New Space Economy. But what exactly is "New Space"? To find out, Helen is joined by Professor Andy Koronios, CEO and Managing Director of the Australian SmartSat Co-operative Research Centre, and Pekka Laurila, co-founder of Finnish New Space satellite technology company ICEYE.…

Helen Sharman, Britain’s first astronaut, explores how humans are building working relationships and trust with machines. From the oceans to the skies, this episode considers the current capabilities and potential future applications of human-machining teaming. Helen is joined by Captain Michael Brasser, commander of the 59th task force and air tra…

Helen Sharman, Britain’s first astronaut, explores quantum computing. What are these machines, how are they created and how can their calculations potentially change the world? Helen is joined by quantum computing experts professor John M. Martinis from University of California, Santa Barbara and Provost of Imperial College London, Professor Ian Wa…

Helen Sharman, Britain’s first astronaut, discusses the future of AI, its uses in today’s world and the ethics surrounding its ever-expanding applications. Helen is joined by Finnish AI expert Tero Ojanperä and Dr Karen Haigh an expert in AI and machine learning. Zero Pressure is a podcast from Imperial College London and Saab. A relaxed conversati…

Helen Sharman, Britain’s first astronaut, hosts an expert-led discussion on autonomous systems and the ethics surrounding their use and development. How can autonomous systems help not just with dull or dangerous tasks but also improving decision-making? What about the serious ethical questions related to some of the decision making in autonomous s…

30 years after becoming the first Briton in space, Helen sits down with Christer Fuglesang, the first Swedish astronaut. The two pioneers discuss their experiences in space, how humans will live on Mars, the potential threats we face from space, and what the future of space exploration may look like in the year 2050. Zero Pressure is a podcast from…

Introducing Our Host - Britain's First Astronaut Helen Sharman