Episodes

What happens when you've spent your life chasing a dream that still feels just out of reach? For Andrew Parris, the answer is simple: you keep going. From supporting NASA's Space Shuttle and International Space Station programmes to experiencing weightlessness aboard zero-gravity flights, Andrew has built an extraordinary career around his passion for space exploration. His ultimate dream of becoming an astronaut remains alive, and he's determined to keep pursuing it, no matter how long the jour...

For more than twenty years, Andrew Gordon helped bring some of Pixar's most beloved characters to life, contributing to films including A Bug's Life, Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles. Behind those iconic stories is a career shaped by rejection and imposter syndrome, as well as experimentation and a determination to keep getting better. In this episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir is joined by filmmaker, animator, and creative leader Andrew Gordon to talk about the power of storytelling, and what is req...

Mike Mongo has spent nearly two decades telling young people something he wishes someone had told him growing up: you have permission to imagine an extraordinary future. Today on A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir welcomes author and self-described “Astronaut Teacher” Mike Mongo for an energetic conversation about childhood dreams, unconventional careers, and inspiring the next generation to see themselves as part of humanity's future in space. Mike shares how watching the Moon landing trans...

Cinematographer Kevin Curran has captured extraordinary stories through his lens for close on three decades. But when COVID brought the world—and his career—to a sudden pause, Kevin began reconsidering what he wanted to do with the time he had left. A lifelong fascination with aerospace provided the answer: use his skills as a filmmaker to document this remarkable chapter in human spaceflight. In this episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir sits down with Kevin for a conversation about finding purpose in c...

For years, Shantanu Rai built his life around medicine, caring for patients in underserved communities while witnessing firsthand the challenges facing both doctors and patients within the American healthcare system. But beyond the exam room, another ambition was taking shape: telling the stories that medicine alone couldn't fully capture. In today's conversation, Dr. Eiman Jahangir sits down with physician and author Shantanu Rai to discuss the intersections of medicine and storytelling, explo...

Born in Nigeria and raised in Connecticut from the age of six, Blessing Offor's journey has been shaped by change and an unwavering love of music. After losing much of his vision as a child, years spent sitting still while recovering from eye surgeries gave him something unexpected: time at the piano. What began as one of the few things he could fully do eventually became the pursuit that would define his life. In this episode of A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir is joined by two-time GRAMM...

A cheap, pharmacy telescope changed the course of John Read's life. After years spent building a successful career in corporate finance, John pointed that telescope toward what he thought was a yellow star—and saw Saturn. The experience reignited a fascination with the night sky and eventually gave him the courage to leave behind a stable career, return to university, and build an entirely new life around astronomy. In this episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir is joined by bestselling astronomy author a...

For nearly four decades, Frank White has helped give a name to one of the most profound experiences in human spaceflight. His groundbreaking book, The Overview Effect, transformed countless astronauts' descriptions of seeing Earth from space into a concept that continues to shape how we think about exploration, humanity, and our place in the universe. Today on A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir is joined by author, space philosopher, and Overview Effect pioneer Frank White for a fascinating ...

As a child watching the Apollo 11 Moon landing from his home in New York, Ron Garan knew he wanted to become an astronaut. That dream eventually led him from flying F-16 combat missions during the Gulf War to spending 178 days in space aboard both the Space Shuttle and Soyuz spacecraft. But it wasn't reaching orbit that changed him most, it was looking back and seeing Earth as one interconnected, fragile home. In this episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir welcomes retired NASA astronaut, fighter pilot, a...

What does it take to pursue an impossible dream? In this special bonus episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir reflects on the lessons that have shaped his own journey—from medicine and spaceflight to leadership, resilience, and innovation. Through personal stories and practical insights, he explores why setbacks and uncertainty are often the foundation of success, and why the courage to take the next step can change the course of your life. Whether you're a student, healthcare professional, leader, entre...

At age eight, Scott watched Apollo 9 launch from the surf off Cocoa Beach—and his course was set. Decades later, he would become the only person to have both flown in space and summited Mount Everest. In this episode, Dr. Eiman Jahangir sits down with Scott Parazynski—physician, retired NASA astronaut, and CEO of OnwardAir—for a conversation that spans five space missions, seven spacewalks, and two of the most demanding summits a human being can attempt. Scott opens up about the phone call that...

The Leap That Built TaskRabbit: An Interview with Founder Leah Solivan In this episode of A Heart For Space, host Dr. Eiman Jahangir sits down with his sister-in-law and the visionary founder of TaskRabbit, Leah Solivan. Together, they delve into the pivotal leap of faith that sparked the creation of TaskRabbit and the unconventional journey required to achieve entrepreneurial success. Leah Solivan, an engineer by training, shares the profound internal struggle of leaving the secure and st...

This week on A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir embarks on an exploration of the power of curiosity, perseverance, and lifelong learning with explorer and former Explorers Club president Richard Wiese. Richard shares how a childhood filled with outdoor adventure and scientific curiosity helped shape a life dedicated to discovery. From climbing Mount Kilimanjaro at age eleven to producing award-winning television and leading one of the world's most renowned exploration organizations, he refle...

Dr. Eiman Jahangir is joined today by motivational speaker, author, and Guinness World Record holder Jon Pritikin to discuss the power of perseverance, self-worth, and the courage needed to move beyond the limitations others may place on us. Jon shares how growing up with speech and learning challenges led many people to underestimate his potential, including a teacher who told him he would never read, write, speak well, or graduate. Rather than allowing those words to define his future, Jon ref...

In this episode of A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir sits down with Inspiration4 astronaut Chris Sembroski to discuss the life-changing experience of seeing Earth from space, the unexpected journey that led him there, and the deeper perspective he returned home with. Chris shares how a childhood fascination with rockets and astronomy eventually led him through the U.S. Air Force, aerospace engineering, Blue Origin, and ultimately into orbit aboard Inspiration4—the first all-civilian missi...

In today's episode of A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir is joined by his sister-in-law Leah Solivan as they engage in a deeply personal conversation about the experiences, relationships, and ambitions that have shaped Eiman's extraordinary journey. Moving beyond headlines and accomplishments, Eiman reflects on his upbringing as the child of immigrants and the early influences that drew him toward medicine, as well as his lifelong fascination with space that continued to pull at him even w...

In this debut episode of A Heart for Space, Dr. Eiman Jahangir introduces the story behind his book and subsequent podcast—and the journey that led him here. A cardiologist by profession and the 704th individual to travel to space, Dr. Jahangir has spent his life navigating two very different paths: one defined by structure, the other by uncertainty. In this opening conversation, he reflects on what it meant to pursue a lifelong dream without a clear roadmap, and the resilience required to keep...

Welcome to A Heart for Space, a podcast hosted by cardiologist, astronaut, and speaker Dr. Eiman Jahangir that explores the journeys of those who push beyond conventional limits to inspire you to pursue your own extraordinary dreams. Drawing from his own path—from immigrating to the United States as a young child to pursuing the astronaut dream for more than two decades—Dr. Jahangir leads thoughtful conversations with remarkable guests about perseverance, ambition, and the mindset required to a...