Space Strategy

In this episode Peter Garretson talks with Dr. Kurt "Spuds" Vogel , NASA Director of Space Architectures, about NASA's Moon to Mars Objectives and NASA's just-released Blueprint for Sustained Human Presence and exploration throughout the Solar System. They discuss the NASA organization, the difference between an objective vs capabilities based approach, what it means to 'arch...

In this episode, Peter Garretson hosts  Dr. Avi Loeb , Director of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics’ Institute for Theory and Computation, head of the  Galileo Project , and Chair of the Breakthrough Starshot Initiative Advisory Committee. They discuss recent discoveries of extraterrestrial objects ( Oumuamua ,  Comet Borisov , and 2 meteors). Avi provides insights into the big idea...

In this episode, Senior Fellow Peter Garretson interviews Lieutenant General John E. Shaw, Deputy Commander of United States Space Command (USSPACECOM). They begin by explaining the role and responsibilities of USSPACECOM. They examine Gen. Shaw's new article,  Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Space as a Military Area of Responsibilities (AOR) , including its key propositions: t...

In this episode, Senior Fellow Peter Garretson interviews best-selling author Howard Bloom and founder of the Space Development Steering Committee. They discuss fundamental motivations for developing and settling space—humanity's destiny—and the roles that NASA and the Space Force are called to play to support that purpose. They focus on how to balance near-term threats and priorities vs. the...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Dennis Wingo, CEO of SkyCorp, Inc. and author of  Moonrush . They discuss the strategic rationale for space development and industrialization, the strategic importance of the Moon, the grand strategy consequences of failure, and the proper division of labor between government and the private sector. Dennis...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Henry Sokolski, Executive Director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, about their recent China-U.S. wargame. They discuss the impetus for the game, who was involved, the force structure, how the game unfolded, the surprises, and the key takeaways. Key takeaways included the need for bodyguard...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Jean-Jacques Tortora, Director of the European Space Policy Institute in Vienna.  They talk about European space policy, the organization and roles of the European Space Agency (ESA), European Commission (EC), NATO, and member states. They discuss changes in how Europe is thinking about the security dimension of spac...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Wayne White, author of the Space Pioneer Act. They discuss the utility of real property rights in space, consistence with the Outer Space Treaty, and how national legislation can help set norms and enable U.S. leadership. They outline the contents of the Space Pioneer act and the next steps for the draft legislation....

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Dean Cheng, a Senior Research Fellow with the Heritage Foundation on Chinese political and security affairs. They discuss modern China, whether it is a peer or near-peer, whether it is totalitarian or a dictatorship, what are its national interests, and how the regime thinks about space. They examine China'...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Kevin O'Connell, Founder and CEO of Space Economy Rising, and former Director of the Office of Space Commerce. They discuss the Kevin's time at Commerce, including the three types of entrepreneurs: the disruptors, the inventors, and the infrastructure builders. Kevin details the history and future of the Office of Sp...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Todd Harrison, Director of Defense Budget Analysis, Director of the Aerospace Security Project, and Senior Fellow with the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS). They discuss the role of thinking tanks in helping policymakers ask the right questio...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews General Steve "Bucky" Butow, Director of the Space Portfolio at the Defense Innovation Unit.  They discuss the recently released State of the Space Industrial Base Report 2021 and its findings, with particular emphasis on the commercial sector, its importance and needs. Gen. Steve Butow: https://www.linkedin.com/in/s...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews George Pullen, Chief Economist of Milky Way Economy, a Fifth Industrial Revolution think tank and boutique consultancy based in Washington, DC. They discuss alternate markets, the space industry, and the space economy—its size and how it is expected to grow to exceed $4T, and why it is important to US national securi...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews General John Olson from Headquarters Space Force. They discuss the new 2021 State of the Space Industrial Base Report and its findings and recommendations, including the hybrid space architecture, JADC2, space mobility and logistics, and the space super highway, and the need to build a Cislunar Econosphere and e...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Tim Chrisman, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Foundation for the Future (F4F). They discuss the need for space infrastructure and logistics and associated financing. Tim describes the Foundation for the Future's Space Corporation concept, efforts by the Foundation to create a broader conversation about space...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Theresa Hitchens, space pundit, NATO and nuclear war expert, former UN diplomat, and now space reporter for Breaking Defense. They discuss her essay, "How ‘The Expanse’ Is A Cautionary Tale For Real World Space Commercialization," exploring its parallels to current commercial space development and regulation, and par...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Dr. Scott Pace, Director of the Space Policy Institute at the George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs and former Deputy Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary of the National Space Council from 2017-2020. They discuss the criticality of broad and bipartisan co...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Col. Eric Felt, Director of Air Force Research Lab Space Vehicles Directorate--The Space Force's Lab. Col. felt provides an overview of the role of the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), Space Vehicles, its size, budget, and relation to the Space Force. They discuss how AFRL cooperates with funding agencies and...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Tyler Bates, a Captain in the USSF about his article in The Space Force Journal about Cislunar Mission Concepts for the Department of Defense.  They discuss the strategic importance of the Moon, China's activities, and potential U.S. Space Force roles in enabling and securing commerce.  They delve into specific...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Dr. Bhavya Lal, senior advisor to the NASA Administrator on Budget and Finance. They discuss NASA's Artemis Lunar Program, the Chinese Space Program and Commercial Sector, why the Moon and human presence is important, the promise of nuclear power and propulsion, and NASA's relevance to the Climate Change task force.&...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Mandy Vaughn, founder and CEO of GXO, and former CEO of VOX Space. They discuss the return of the National Space Council with its new Secretary, Chirag Parikh, and Vice President Kamala Harris, the User's Advisory Group, and continuities that will likely remain a priority. They also highlight the recent State of the...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Victoria Samson, Washington Office Director for Secure World Foundation.  They discuss 'space sustainability,' The Consortium for Execution of Rendezvous and Servicing Operations (CONFERS), the problem of space debris, the construction of international norms through unilateral precedent, bilateral and multilateral fo...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Bill Bruner, CEO and co-founder of New Frontier Frontier Aerospace.  They discuss New Frontier Aerospace's vision of a reusable rocket-based mach-8 hypersonic suborbital cargo system. The discussion covers the Space Force doctrine, X-15, DC-X, seams in air and space power projection, Space Tourism's recent succe...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Dr. M.V. "Coyote" Smith, a leading intellectual father of the Space Force, spacepower advocate, and professor of strategic studies at the Department of Spacepower's Schriever Scholars, where he educates America's Future Space Strategists. They discuss the Schriever Scholars Strategy Seminar, the increasing strat...

In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews General James Cartwright, Harold Brown Chair in Defense Policy Studies for the Center for Strategic and International Studies, former commander of USSTRATCOM, and former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. They discuss the Atlantic Council's The Future of Security in Space report, and why a 30-year vision and stra...