July 27, 1999: Space Travel - Robert Bigelow #124; Madalyn Murray O'Hare - James Napier

Robert Bigelow discusses private space travel initiatives while James Napier examines the disappearance of atheist activist Madalyn Murray O'Hair. Bigelow presents his vision for commercial space development and how private enterprise might lead humanity's expansion beyond Earth when government programs stagnate. His business ventures focus on developing space habitats and how orbital facilities might serve research, manufacturing, and eventually tourism as launch costs decrease. The conversation covers the economics of space development and how breakthrough technologies might make orbital access affordable enough for commercial viability. Napier shifts to investigating Madalyn Murray O'Hair's disappearance and the mystery surrounding the prominent atheist's vanishing along with family members. He examines theories about what happened to O'Hair, from financial crimes leading to flight to foul play involving her organization's assets and bitter disputes within the atheist movement. The discussion covers O'Hair's activism including her successful lawsuit removing prayer from public schools and her decades of promoting atheism and church-state separation. Napier explores the investigation into her disappearance and why someone so prominent could vanish without resolution despite media attention and law enforcement involvement. Both topics reveal how individuals pursuing ambitious visions or controversial activism face challenges from technical obstacles to personal threats while attempting to transform society through private space development or challenging religious influence in American culture.