© 2026 Spokane Public Radio.
An NPR member station
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Rocket to the Future, Part 2: Mission to Pluto
Fridays 6:01-6:05 p.m. on SPR News

It's "Rocket to the Future! Part 2"! In this weekly adventure serial we soar off to the space age future, 1993, with the officers and crew of the Earth Space Force! It's humanity's first mission to Pluto, but what with budget cuts and all, it's seriously underfunded!

Stay Connected
Latest Episodes
  • Lt. Schicklegruber makes his way through the ship's ventilation system, Gretchen Munch tosses Sparky McClean's fragrant space blouses and space toiletries into the corridor for Ensign Zinn to collect, and Dr. Dankmeme puts herself on an anxiety-reducing drug trial.
  • The corridors are narrow and winding on the Rocketship Vanguard, so there are a lot of opportunities for space secrets to be inadvertently shared. Meanwhile, embedded space journalist Sparky McClean has been expelled from her cabin, and Lt. Schicklegruber remains trapped in the ventilation tube.
  • Cadet Neddy pours so much space coffee into Senior Chief Advisor's cup that there's no room for space cream, and Dr. Dankmeme confesses to something that shocks her to learn!
  • Commander Train summons Dr. Dankmeme to her quarters for a mysterious conference, while Senior Chief Senior Advisor Casey tries to find a subordinate so she, Senior Chief Senior Advisor Casey, doesn't have to be the one to pour the space coffee.
  • While Gretchen Munch struggles to persuade Lt. Commander Chesterfield to expel Sparky McClean from their shared cabin, Lt. Fawna and Cadet Neddy malinger in the engine room, deliberating about whether or not to release Lt. Schicklegruber from a ventilation tube.
  • The description for episode 9 is actually the description for this episode! We made a mistake! Read last week's description for this week's episode! You'll be glad you did...
  • The android, Eugene 2000, treats Lt. Linley's abdominal wound with an electro-laser blast, and Commander Train and former Acting Captain Casey become ominous...
  • Eugene 2000, enjoying his freedom from ethical pressures, toys with Captain Major in the latter's quest for more space gin.
  • Eugene 2000, the rocket ship Vanguard's unconvincing android, explains the ethical framework behind "the four suggestions of robotics" while Cadet Billy frets about the future of humanity at the mercy of these "suggestions," and also whether he has enough cathode ray tubes.
  • Dr. Springbok again withholds medical care, this time from Lt. Linley, who has endured an accidental abdominal wound from Cadet Billy's horns. Meanwhile, embedded space reporter Sparky McClean entices Lt. Commander Chesterfield into her cabin to get extra points for their next Couple's Therapy session