Episodes

  • Are Democrats falling behind on space policy?

    Are Democrats falling behind on space policy?
    Jul 4 2025
    Our guest, Mary Guenther, argues that the Democratic Party is ceding leadership in space policy, and how linking space to jobs, supply chains, and climate could help refocus the party’s relationship with the Cosmos.
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    1 hr
  • NASA’s 2026 budget

    NASA’s 2026 budget
    Jun 27 2025
    Alicia Brown from the Commercial Space Federation and Brittany Webster from the American Geophysical Union join the show to discuss NASA’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • What does NASA need with an economist?

    What does NASA need with an economist?
    Jun 6 2025
    Former NASA chief economist Akhil Rao explains why NASA needs economic expertise to navigate the complex — and often misunderstood — market forces that will determine the success or failure of its private partnerships.
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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • How NASA remembers—and forgets

    How NASA remembers—and forgets
    May 2 2025
    No one person knows how to build a spaceship. What happens to NASA’s collective knowledge when thousands of employees lose their jobs?
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    1 hr and 19 mins
  • Lies, damned lies, and space data

    Lies, damned lies, and space data
    Apr 4 2025
    The space sector is data-rich but insight-poor. Jack Kuhr of Payload talks about how he turns raw numbers into real narratives.
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    1 hr and 10 mins
  • Locke, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (in space)

    Locke, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (in space)
    Mar 7 2025
    Can classical liberalism provide fresh insights to guide humanity’s activities in space? Philosopher Rebecca Lowe explains how it can.
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    1 hr and 18 mins
  • Mars Sample Return, but at what (fixed) price?

    Mars Sample Return, but at what (fixed) price?
    Feb 7 2025
    Rocket Lab CEO Peter Beck outlines a $4B fixed-price plan for Mars Sample Return — and reveals new Venus mission details — before VP Richard French explains how a single, integrated team cuts costs and ensures success.
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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • The Challenges of Change at NASA

    The Challenges of Change at NASA
    Jan 3 2025
    Marcia Smith, founder of Space Policy Online, joins the show to discuss the motivations and risks of pursuing change at NASA - and how much change can ultimately happen with Congress holding the purse strings.
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    1 hr and 8 mins