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Astrophysicist Erika Hamden spent 10 years building FIREBall, a telescope that reaches the stratosphere and looks for clues to how stars form. Launching it was more challenging than she ever imagined.

100 years ago, Booker T. Washington's autobiography, Up from Slavery was published. Soon after that, another dominant black intellectual of the day, W.E.B. DuBois offered a differing view on how African-Americans should define their new role in society. Liane Hansen speaks with historian Douglas Brinkley and DuBois biographer David Levering Lewis about the legacy of Up from Slavery.

Liane speaks with Fred Barnes, executive editor of the Weekly Standard and Doyle McManus, Washington bureau chief of the Los Angeles Times, about President Bush's agenda. This past week, foreign policy issues, tax cuts, the enviornment and the economy commanded the President's attention.

Alex Van Oss profiles William Kentridge, a South African artist whose work focuses on the brutalized society left behind in the wake of apartheid. He uses puppetry, works for theater and makes films, all of which are based on his unique charcoal drawings. The first retrospective of his work is currently at the Hirshorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC.

Liane presents a sound montage from the 35th annual Smithsonian Kite Festival from yesterday's event on The Mall in Washington, DC.

NPR's David Welna reports on the two very different proposals for U.S. energy policy being put forth by Republicans and Democrats.

Liane speaks with NPR's Julie McCarthy from London about concerns over foot and mouth disease in Europe. Scientists are predicting a large increase in the number of cases in England by this summer, and there are estimates that the country could lose half its livestock.

Host Lisa Simeone talks with jazz musician Paul Horn about his recordings inside buildings around the world. His most famous recording inside the Taj Mahal became a best seller in 1969. He went back twenty years later and recorded again and for the first time the two recordings are now available on the same cd. We also go with Paul Horn to the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle in Washington DC for a short concert. (For more information, visit www.transparentmusic.com. This site will open in a new browser window.)

A sound montage of some of the voices in this past week's news, including Major Perry Newis, Spokesman, U.S. Space Command; Marc Herring, a member of the Mir reentry observatory expedition; Phil Condit, CEO, the Boeing Company; Mark Blondin, a local president of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; Secretary of State Colin Powell; Kirk Hartman, Chief Investment Officer, Fixed Income, Bank of America Capital Investment; Bob Knight's introduction as the new basketball coach at Texas Tech; the theme from The Flintstones, created by William Hanna, who died this week at age 90; Senator Mitch McConnell (Republican, Kentucky); and Joan Claybrook, President, Public Citizen.

Liane speaks with NPR's Guy Raz from Tetevo, Macedonia, where Macedonian security forces launched an offensive against rebel positions this morning. This marks the first time the government and guerillas have engaged in direct ground fighting during the recent conflict.

Commentator Paul Kvinta has double vision this weekend -- one eye on the NCAA college basketball tournament and the other on the Best Actress race at the Oscars.

As state and local governments face up to the possibility of budget deficits in the coming year, many are tightening their belts by cutting programs. One of those to face the budget axe is recycling. In Wisconsin, Gov. Scott McCallum wants to cut the state's subsidy for local recyling programs by $10 million. Host Lisa Simeone speaks with John Reindl, Recycling Manager for Dane County, Wisconsin.