The Journal of Space Commerce Podcast

The United States is launching more rockets than ever before — but is it enough? With U.S. orbital launch demand already surpassing 180 launches per year and a pipeline of satellite constellations, government missions, and proposed space-based data centers that could push that number into the thousands, America’s launch infrastructure is facing a stress test it was never designed to handle. In thi...

In the span of roughly twelve months, NASA’s Commercial LEO Destinations program — CLD — has been restructured, redirected, walked back, and redirected again. That’s not normal. It’s worth talking about why. The CLD program was created in March 2021 under the Biden administration. The idea was straightforward: NASA would invest in privately built space stations, then become one of several paying c...

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman faced tough questions from both chambers of Congress last week over the Trump administration’s proposed twenty-three percent cut to the agency’s budget. But behind the bottom-line numbers lies a more specific debate — one with real stakes for the commercial space industry and the supply chains that keep American rockets flying. The Artemis II mission may have capt...

One of the long-standing advocacy groups for space is Space Foundation , which was established in 1983 with a mission to advance the global space community through education, collaboration, and information. “We know that there are going to be some obstacles, but we know together we can get there. Artemis II proved that when you have all of the various pieces that came together and it all worked pe...

Interested in what happened at Space Symposium? Here’s a quick recap of some of the main topics at the show in Colorado Springs from Rich Cooper, VP of Strategic Communicaitons and Outreach at Space Foundation . This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.exterrajsc.com/subscribe

The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) released a white paper last month focused on the supply chain for the commercial space industry, and the findings may have been something of a wake-up call for the industry. According to the report, “Strengthening America’s Space Supply Chain: Built for yesterday, igniting momentum for tomorrow”, the U.S. space industrial...

At its March meeting, the FCC unanimously approved a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comments on a proposal to make additional spectrum available for command and control of spacecraft supporting emergent space operations, but which do not use spectrum as part of any radiocommunications services provided to the public. The NPRM was dubbed “Weird Space Stuff” by the commission. On this...

Space has become a critical warfighting domain, requiring an approach to training that prepares warfighters to use new technology. AI is redefining space warfare training, and is becoming vital for deterrence and national security. Slingshot Aerospace is a U.S.-based space data and analytics company focused on making space operations more safe, sustainable, and secure through satellite tracking, s...

AE Industrial Partners is a private investment firm focused on technologies and services considered critical to aerospace and national and economic security. Founded in 1998 by father-son team Brian and David Rowe, AEI manages $7.2 billion in assets from their headquarters in Boca Raton, FL. “(W)ithout space as a backbone of that infrastructure our modern day economy sort of collapses at this poin...

Space Ocean Corp is an emerging pre-revenue space logistics startup headquartered in Brownsville, Texas. Founded in 2021, the company is developing what amounts to the “gas station in space” infrastructure—providing critical on-orbit refueling and resource transfer services that enable satellites to operate longer, travel farther, and reduce launch costs. “And if you could get refueled out there i...

No one knows precisely how many objects there are in Earth orbit. Estimates range from NASA’s 31,000 to just over 40,000, according to ESA. But at some point, it just becomes a large number. The bottom line is there are a lot of satellites, defunct spacecraft, parts of spacecraft and outright junk orbiting the Earth, and any one of them could cause a catastrophe. One company that is working to cat...

LUMA … The Lunar Museum of Art … is a digital museum and archival initiative focused on the intersection of art, space, and technology. It presents curated exhibitions, immersive galleries, and projects that explore humanity’s cultural expansion beyond Earth. LUMA is also a leader in integrating NFTs and digital storytelling into space-themed experiences. "From a practical point of view, we're the...

The Institute of Space Commerce is a nonprofit think tank headquartered in Austin, TX focused on expanding and enhancing the economic and commercial dimensions of the space industry ... what many call Space 2.0. It operates as an intellectual hub for policy, research, and global dialogue. "Eutelsat was a monopoly, Inmarsat was a monopoly. And then you see the emergence, and now we have those very...

There is a lot of work that goes into getting an idea off the drawing board and into space, and often, that process begins with a pitch to potential investors or government granting institutions. Orbital Velocity has won over $2 billion for previous clients, customers, and employers to bring their ideas to fruition. "The secret for a space proposal is to know what they want before they do.” Jeff N...

On this edition of The Journal of Space Commerce Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Mary Glazkova, CEO of Mission Space . A hardware and software company that is an emerging player in space weather intelligence, Mission Space is developing real-time monitoring and forecasting solutions that safeguard both Earth-based and space-based infrastructure. "Space weather has measurable and very immediate effe...

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.exterrajsc.com (Ex Terra Extra is premium content offered first to paid subscribers. You can help keep The Journal of Space Commerce independent by becoming a paid subscriber.) On this edition of Ex Terra Extra, Ex Terra Media's Mike Turner and Tom Patton take a deep dive into the data included in the Satellite Industry Association...

The ISS National Laboratory is a research and development hub aboard the International Space Station (ISS), managed by a non-profit organization, the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), under a cooperative agreement with NASA. They provide access to the unique microgravity environment of low Earth orbit for scientific experiments, medical research, and technological innovation....

The Aurelia Institute is a nonprofit organization based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, dedicated to advancing humanity's future in space through research, education, and policy development. Their mission focuses on creating scalable space habitats, fostering public engagement with space exploration, and addressing the ethical and societal implications of life beyond Earth. "Once they're in space the...

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) is a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce responsible for producing economic statistics that provide insight into the U.S. economy. In March 2025, it released a significant revision and update to its Space Economy Satellite Account (SESA), offering detailed data from 2012 through 2023. "I think one of the stronger trends that we've seen in this new time...

On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Dr. Don Platt, Director of The Spaceport Education Center at the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). "I had a mentor who liked to say that the 20th century was the age of the specialist, and the 21st century was going to be the age of the generalist. Especially in a small company you're going to have a variety of different responsib...

Marcantonio Global is a company that is dedicated to bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and critical defense needs. "I think that the lines between commercial space and the defense sector is blurring, with private innovators and innovations. If you're looking at rapid launch and surveillance that's been deployed to protect troops and national interest." Nino Marcantonio, Marcantonio...

There has been a lot of political change since we last talked with Dr. Namrata Goswami , both domestically and on the world stage. “Overall, the analysis would be that 'well, this would mean that their space programs might also suffer'. But the data does not support (that)." Dr. Namrata Goswami Uncertainty over tariffs is roiling the stock market, and international relations are shifting like an o...

No matter the industry, cybersecurity, IT modernization and systems integration are critical to success, and space is no exception. On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Victoria Da Poian, Lead Data Scientist, and Peter O'Donoghue, Chief Technology Officer at Tyto Athene . "Everything is a set of either always connected or ephemerally connected things that actually produce...

Multiple companies are either actively, or working towards, recovery of rocket boosters on barges in the ocean. SpaceX, of course, pioneered the technique, and both Blue Origin and Rocket Lab are developing similar maritime landing platforms. "What we're designing is a platform that can be constructed modularly, and gives us an easier way to adjust the design to accommodate more than one user.” Mi...

Goodman Technologies is a rapidly growing Nanocomposite Ecosystem Platform Company specializing in advanced materials technology. The company focuses on advanced materials and nanocomposite technology, resulting in products that have potential applications across various industries including aerospace, automotive, defense, energy, and electronics. "A human hair is about 100 microns in diameter ......