NASA’s Artemis II mission has captured the imaginations of a new generation of space enthusiasts, young and old.

Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen are  due to splash down in the Pacific Ocean around 8 p.m. EST Friday, April 10 near San Diego. 

When they do, they will step foot on Earth with an extraordinary credential: they’ve been further from Earth than any humans in history, traveling over 250,000 miles and back again.

The 4-person crew will have spent a little over one week in space, with a lunar fly by that produced captivating images of the moon, including a solar eclipse and an earth rise.

The crew was in radio communication with mission control when they broke the record. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, alongside his crew members, took the opportunity to name two craters on the moon’s surfaces that had not been named yet. The first, they called Integrity, the name they had given their shuttle. The second name was deeply personal. The crater “Carroll” was dedicated to the late wife of the mission commander, Reid Wiseman.

In 2028, NASA plans to execute the first crewed lunar landing since Apollo 17, with the goal of establishing a lunar base on the moon.

Ed Cackett is a professor of astronomy at Wayne State University and the Michigan Science Center’s astronomer in residence. He joined The Metro to discuss the gravity of the moment, and the benefits of space exploration.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

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What does it take to start over?

For thousands of people leaving Michigan prisons every year, it can come down to one piece of plastic: A photo ID.

This month, the Michigan Department of Corrections hit a milestone, having distributed thirty thousand government-issued IDs to incarcerated people since 2020.

That matters, because without an ID, you can’t get a job, sign a lease, open a bank account — you can’t even prove you’re you.

One in five people who leave Michigan prisons end up going back. The state says that’s the lowest it’s ever been. But what does a second chance actually look like when you walk out the door with so little?

Rick Speck knows this firsthand. He was released in 2014 after 15 years in prison. He didn’t have an ID. Now, he’s the deputy director of Nation Outside — a Michigan reentry nonprofit run by those who were formerly incarcerated.

He spoke with Robyn Vincent about his experiences and what our state and culture would look like if we believed more deeply in second chances.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Shaking off the gray and settling into the afternoon with a far-reaching mix that moves from the heart-worn soul of Bobby Womack and the gravelly wisdom of Tom Waits with psychedelic touchstones from The Beatles and George Harrison.

Also, we go into deep-pocket grooves from D’Angelo and the Vanguard, luminous soul from Lianne La Havas and Michael Kiwanuka, all flowing together in a set that feels reflective, rhythmic, and quietly expansive as the day moves forward. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above. 

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for February 17, 2026 

• “Please Forgive My Heart” – Bobby Womack 

• “..THUS IS WHY ( I DON’T SPRING 4 LOVE )” – Saya Gray 

• “It’s a Mirror” – Perfume Genius 

• “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up (2023 Remaster)” – Tom Waits  

• “Northern Shuffle” – Julian Lage 

• “It’s All Too Much” – The Beatles 

• “Wah-Wah (2014 Remaster)” – George Harrison 

• “Someone I Know” – Margo Guryan 

• “Detroit ‘67” – Sam Roberts 

• “Highway” – Lewis Ofman & Empress Of 

• “Tokyo Midnight” – Sababa 5 & Yurika Hanashima 

• “Khayal” – Kazdoura 

• “I Had a Dream She Took My Hand” – James Blake 

• “Bittersweet” – Lianne La Havas 

• “Ideal Woman” – Celeste 

• “A Couple Minutes (A COLORS SHOW)” – Olivia Dean 

• “Blues for Monday” – The Emanon “4” 

• “Sugah Daddy” – D’Angelo and The Vanguard 

• “Life’s a Gas” – T. Rex 

• “Listen2me” – Foxwarren 

• “Kingdom of Rust” – Doves 

• “So Says I (2023 Remaster)” – The Shins 

• “Knife” – Grizzly bear 

• “Love and Hate in a Different Time (Original)” – Gabriels 

• “Floating Parade” – Michael Kiwanuka 

• “Someone to Love You” – Sault 

• “Last One Standing (Instrumental)” – Monophonics & Kelly Finnigan 

• “Baby” – Brittany Howard 

• “I Feel for You (Acoustic Demo)” – Prince & The Revolution 

• “Harlem” – Bill Withers 

• “It Only Takes 2” – Thandii 

• “Burn” – Afriqua 

• “In My Life” – The Beatles 

• “Thinking Bout You” – Flea 

• “Someone Great” – LCD Soundsystem 

Listen to In The Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org. 

Today we go on a journey from grooves that make you want to dance, to songs that make you want to sit back and listen. You’ve got LCD Soundsystem, Raúl Monsalve y los Forajidos, Khruangbin, and Michael Jackson kicking things off, with fresh sounds from Clairo, Jordan Rakei, corto.alto, Theo Croker, and Nana Adjoa keeping it interesting. 

Later on, we drift into folk, indie, and singer-songwriter territory with Neko Case, Vashti Bunyan, Feist, Mitski, Elliott Smith, Fiona Apple, and Robert Johnson—a mix that’s easy to get lost in. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above. 

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for January 28, 2026 

• “Home (Tom Sharkett Edit)” – LCD Soundsystem 

• “Como el Sol” – Raúl Monsalve y los Forajidos 

• “Sunshower” – Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band 

• “Am I Your Girl (Dance Version)” – Peach Pit 

• “Speechless (feat. Magdalena Bay)” – TV Girl & George Clanton 

• “high vibrations” – Theo Croker, Malaya & D’LEAU 

• “Eye To Eye (Live From The Royal Albert Hall)” – Jordan Rakei 

• “National Song (Live at Ekko, 2021)” – Nana Adjoa 

• “Wave of Mutilation (UK Surf)” – Pixies 

• “Juna” – Clairo 

• “Time” – Ni Maxine 

• “APRIL (feat. anaiis)” – corto.alto 

• “End of Time” – Olive Jones 

• “Rock With You (Rare Strings Only Version)” – Michael Jackson 

• “People Everywhere ii” – Khruangbin 

• “Tu Amor (Your Love Spanish Version) [Mixed]” – Persona RS & Mamacita 

• “Wreck” – Neko Case 

• “I Wish I Was the Moon” – Neko Case 

• “Train Song (Columbia Single, 1966)” – Vashti Bunyan 

• “Mushaboom” – Feist 

• “My Love Mine All Mine” – Mitski 

• “Take Me To the Pilot (UK-Release Mix)” – Elton John 

• “Candy’s Room (Live at The Roxy, West Hollywood, CA – July 7, 1978)” – Bruce Springsteen 

• “Me and the Devil Blues” – Robert Johnson 

• “Across the Universe” – Fiona Apple 

• “War Isn’t Murder” – Jesse Welles 

• “A Fond Farewell” – Elliot Smith 

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Sunday marked the Winter Solstice as we celebrated the longest night of the year in Big Sonic Heaven.

We played mix of traditional and non-traditional holiday songs, along with some of your favorite shoegaze, dreampop, trip-hop, and post-punk. Check out the playlist below. 

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

• “Silent Night” – Sinead O’Connor
• “Shanty” – Slowdive
• “Garden” – Maria Somerville
• “2000 Miles” – Deary
• “Stumble” – Meena
• “Christmas Reindeer” – The Knife
• “Merry Christmas from Björk” – Björk
• “All is Full of Love” – Björk
• “Christmas Don’t Be Late” – Rosie Thomas
• “My Love” – Silk Daisys
• “Winter Wonderland” – Cocteau Twins
• “Thoughtforms” – Lush
• “White Christmas” – 93MillionMilesfromtheSun
• “Warmth” – Glazyhaze
• “Stripped” – Depeche Mode
• “Holiday House” – Beach House
• “You Look So Fine” – Garbage
• “Emo Song” – The Haunted Youth
• “Christmas Time is Here” – Mark Kozelek
• “Song to the Siren” – This Mortal Coil
• “Christmas Will Break Your Heart” – LCD Soundsystem
• “Mad About You” – Hooverphonic
• “Just Drive” – Postiljonen
• “O Holy Night” – Bien
• “Gorecki” – Lamb
• “Until You Come Back Home” – Nother and Moon Leap
• “Happy Xmas (War is over)” – Cranes
• “She Won’t Be Home” – Erasure
• “Say You Will” – Ivy
• “Spirit”- Dead Can Dance
• “White Christmas” (2010) – Iggy Pop
• “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)” (2007) – Asobi Seksu
• “Frosty the Snowman” – Cocteau Twins
• “My Christmas Prayer” – St. Etienne
• “All I Want For Christmas” – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
• “Oíche Chiún (Silent Night)” – Enya

Listen to Big Sonic Heaven with host Darren Revell Sundays from 9 p.m. to midnight ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.