Looking up and ahead: What's next for space exploration and research?

From Nicolaus Copernicus in the Renaissance era to the space race of the Cold War years, the public has gone through cycles of fascination and boredom with space. Now the cycle is swinging back toward interest, in a big way.

According to a study by the Pew Research Center, 72 percent of Americans say it's essential that the United States remain a world leader in space exploration.

Guest host Tiffany Hanssen was joined by Amy Shira Teitel, a spaceflight historian and author, and Nicole Gugliucci, an astronomer, to talk about what's next for space exploration and what astronomers are interested in right now.

To listen to the full conversation you can use the audio player above.