Cold Star Project

Space and defense startups frequently have a tough time "being heard" in the field. Not only that, but these small companies struggle with learning the byzantine paths to discovering and connecting with prime contractors and government organizations who could be looking for their technical help. Katie Bilek co-founded govmates in 2015 to smooth the way and assist in making teaming connections. If...

Can an artist inspire people to embrace space? This is what illustrator Peter Thorpe has been doing since the mid-1980s. Peter has typically worked as a book cover illustrator, but he has also done logos, magazine covers and posters. With a 20-year span as the Space Frontier Foundation's Creative Director, Peter has had an impact on the space industry. How has this unusual career and impact come a...

What does it take to get on the test launch schedule at Vandenberg Air Force Base? How do so many organizations unnecessarily delay their time because of unexpected but avoidable issues? Edmund Burke of Space Information Labs joins host Jason Kanigan on the Cold Star Project to explain range safety compliance - happenings, trends, success, and failure.   We discuss: The shift to Autonomous Fl...

Past Comptroller General of the United States, professor at the US Naval Academy, former Defense Business Board appointee, and author David Walker returns to the Cold Star Project--and this time we're addressing the question of whether the United States will still be a superpower by 2040. David has authored the book America In 2040: Still A Superpower? A Pathway To Success. What's wrong with Ameri...

Dr. Narayan Prasad, COO of Satsearch, is my guest on this episode of the Cold Star Project. In an industry often frustrated by lack of funding, Narayan has helped guide Satsearch into becoming a truly commercial space business. But what differences are required, both in mindset and execution? Host Jason Kanigan asks Narayan: What led you to the founding of Satsearch? What was that process like and...

The CRO of Process and Results, Phil Gerbyshak, is on the Cold Star Project to share his experiences and views on what it takes to successfully grow a business. There's a lot more to it than engineering and sales! Host Jason Kanigan asks Phil about sales, process and leadership as follows: You’ve had opportunities to lead salespeople, such as coaching 160 sales professionals and 25 or so sales lea...

Past Associate Administrator, Human Exploration and Operations at NASA and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy Douglas Loverro is on the Cold Star Project. We're discussing geopolitics, national security, and the space industry. Cold Star Project host Jason Kanigan asks Doug:    Part of your messaging is to “advocate for greater use of commercial capabilities and ma...

Dr. TS Kelso is a principle scientist behind understanding and using TLE data for identifying, tracking and predicting the orbital paths of satellites. For decades he has promoted the development of programs with increasing ability to work with TLEs. Most recently he has led the creation of CelesTrak, a data visualization tool allowing anyone online to see what satellite orbits look like. But how...

Dr. Andrew Aldrin is back on the Cold Star Project and this time we're diving into the funding sources and direction for the space economy. What needs to happen and what should we be looking at? Does the Silicon Valley investment model fail in the space industry? Are there obvious next steps, or do we need to continue to guess what's on the horizon? Andy shares his valuable experience and perspect...

Dr. Yan Song is back to complete our deep dive into operationalizing cultural development. This complex, systems thinking topic concludes with Yan's Step 4, transforming the culture. But how is this actually done?   Cultural Development with Dr. Yan Song series playlist: https://coldstarproject.com/culturaldevelopment  Slide stills:   Competence slide: https://coldstarproject.com/ya...

Dr. Yan Song and Cold Star Project host Jason Kanigan continue our exploration of what it takes to operationalize cultural development in organizations. In this deep talk we're looking at Steps Two and (unexpectedly for me, but we didn't want to leave people stranded) Three in a four-part process. I ask Yan about the following:   I had to laugh because the points on slide 7 “Enter New Territo...

Now that we've covered what operationalizing cultural development means, in the first episode of this series (CSP S04E04), Dr. Yan Song returns to the Cold Star Project to tackle the next step. How do we put this into action? What is the first step in operationalizing cultural development? With host Jason Kanigan, Dr. Song digs into systems thinking and the approach he has arrived at for taking ef...

Systems Thinking thought leader and Fortune 500 executive Yan Song is our guest on this first episode of a series on the Cold Star Project. Our series topic is about culture in organizations. The question we're asking in this episode is: How can we solve the 21st Century challenge of operationalizing cultural development? Begin with the possibility that we can build culture development right into...

Cold Star Tech founder Jason Kanigan speaks at Brown University's Space Horizons 2021 event. [**NOTE: the first few seconds are indeed silent... in the video version there is a title slide.] The topic is space entrepreneurship, particularly on the commercial side. Jason covers what he has found in interviewing over 150 space industry academics, experts and founders, and the state of commercial spa...

Atul Vashistha, globalization & outsourcing author and business founder, is on the Cold Star Project to explain how the Defense Business Board works. With considerable experience on the board, serving three presidents, Atul offers the perspective of vice chair and having managed board task forces. Host Jason Kanigan asks Atul to detail the process by which the Defense Business Board learns wha...

Marty Waldman's space career has spanned over 44 years and counting. He worked on missile defense, the space shuttle, and many other space projects through the US Navy and Air Force. He is the principal associate at Space Information Labs and president of United Horizons. Also, Marty founded the Southern Nevada chapter of the National Defense Industry Association and is active in the American Inst...

David Walker is a past Comptroller General of the United States, professor at the US Naval Academy, former Defense Business Board appointee, and author. He's on the Cold Star Project to discuss the role of culture in government operations, including with his own experience in the Government Accountability Office and on the Defense Business Board. Host Jason Kanigan asks:   // Defense Business...

Space Ventures Investors co-founder, managing director and partner Simon Drake is heavily involved in bringing the ability for regular people to invest in space companies. In his role as a space sector venture capitalist, he is able to pull data and see trends that help realizing this vision. In this episode of the Cold Star Project with host Jason Kanigan, Simon discusses: - What is your vision o...

Bleddyn Bowen, PhD, is the author of War In Space: Strategy Space Power, Geopolitics. He has a different point of view on space warfare than the typical one we see from fanboys and mechanistic white papers. On this episode of the Cold Star Project, host Jason Kanigan asks Bleddyn: How do you operationally define space power? What are the “levers and dials”? What does “winning” mean in this environ...

State of Readiness author Joseph Paris is the inaugural guest on Season Four of the Cold Star Project. Joseph is also the founder of the Operational Excellence Society and Readiness Institute, and is the go-to expert for OpEx executives of large civilian and military organizations. In this conversation with fellow OpEx pro and Cold Star Project host Jason Kanigan, we discuss: why the typical OpEx...

Captain David Buehler of the Air Force Research Lab's Space Vehicles Directorate is on the Cold Star Project to talk about the CHPS program. The CHPS program will monitor cislunar space, extending to 272,000 miles and beyond: a 10X reach in range and 1000X increase in volume. With host Jason Kanigan, Capt. Buehler discusses: Why is cislunar space of interest to the AFRL? What is CHPS? Why has the...

The Australian Space Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Control Complex (SpAARC) in Perth is opening, and Dr. Ben Kaebe is its Technical Interface Manager. What will SpAARC do, and how will it help space startups? Join host Jason Kanigan on the Cold Star Project to find out. Jason asks Dr. Kaebe:  how he ended up in Australia, having been born in Germany the vision for the compl...

Commander Tim Anderson is not only a US Naval Reserve officer with responsibilities in war planning, but is also in a defense contractor role managing ship repairs and modernization. In this interview hosted by Jason Kanigan of the Cold Star Project, Commander Anderson discusses how government and Department of Defense makes up its mind on spending, and how you can make use of that process.  ...

Col. Eric Felt is the Director at Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate. He is also one of 49 Air Force Research Lab, Phillips Research Site officers selected to join the United States Space Force. With host Jason Kanigan on the Cold Star Project, Col. Felt discusses: Regarding the State of the Space Industry 2020 Report that you were one of the four main signatories of, what we...

Gibson Professional Search founder Nigel Gibson is on the Cold Star Project. With host Jason Kanigan he's sharing how his executive search firm helps space companies grow faster and with fewer hiring mistakes.    Nigel had a sales & marketing executive career in broadcasting, satellite communications and telecom prior to starting his own satellite communication, telecom and media exe...