Periods on Mars with Manju Bangalore

We’re going somewhere humanity hasn’t quite been willing to go yet… not physically, but conversationally.

Because if we’re serious about building a future on Mars, we have to ask a simple question: are we designing that future for everyone?

This week, I’m joined by Manju Bangalore — engineer, researcher, astronaut-in-training, and founder of Operation Period — to explore one of the most overlooked gaps in human spaceflight: menstruation.

From her work at NASA and in science policy to launching a pioneering effort to study periods in microgravity, Manju is helping redefine what it means to build truly human-centered systems in space.

This is a conversation about science, stigma, autonomy, and design — and why something that affects billions of people has been treated like an afterthought in space exploration.

If Mars is going to be home… this is part of the blueprint.

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