About this episode
Former US Air Force and NASA Flight Surgeon Dr. Gregory Rodgers discusses first-hand experiences with the NASA space shuttle program. Among his efforts, he helped change NASA procedures that endangered shuttle crews. Among his efforts to improve space safety, Dr. Rogers tried to convince NASA to add a repair kit to Shuttle missions to deal with the ongoing issue of protective heat-resistant tiles being damaged during missions. Part of his effort was to write the book "Impact," a fictional novel about a shuttle that was severely damaged and unable to return to Earth. The book was published in 1995. The shuttle in the book was Columbia, which was lost in 2003 due to heat shield damage sustained shortly after liftoff. He also shares details of a flight test of a disc-shaped vehicle with USAF markings that displayed extraordinary flight characteristics. He kept this 1992 experience to himself for over 30 years until speaking publicly about it in May 2025. John Goglia adds his experience at the NTSB investigating a possible collision between either an unknown exotic aircraft or a UAP and a general aviation aircraft off the coast of Florida. The wreckage had paint transfer marks that could not be associated with any known aircraft. Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel , listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website . Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety. Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to fsdsponsors@gmail.com . Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.