The Space Policy Show

A successful commercial space sector will depend on a modern regulatory environment that can “keep up” with innovative technology and geopolitical reality.  The US space regulatory regime has evolved, but what’s been so hard about finding the right mix?  When it comes to US leadership in commercial space, how can insight into the Great Power Competition be leveraged for national security? In this...

Over the past four years the world has witnessed significant change – from covid to conflict.  The next US administration will need to make some big muscle movements in order to be both responsive and proactive in the years ahead.  Strategic foresight is one way to frame that out, and ask the right questions on where our attention needs to be.  In this episode Kara Cunzeman, Systems Director for S...

Space as a domain crosses all geopolitical borders which is why solutions from space to Earth must be international and sustainable over the long-term.  “Responsible Space” was the theme of this year’s International Astronautical Congress (IAC) held in Milan, Italy.  The Space Policy Show’s Colleen Stover , Center for Space Policy & Strategy, went on-location to learn more. In this episode we...

The importance of space safety spans the lifetime of an entire effort – from design and launch to operations and demise.  The International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS) brings together experts from across the world to explore technical and governance solutions to better maintain and sustain space activities on Earth, in orbit, and beyond. In this episode Colleen Stover o...

How does space sustainability drive research in policy and strategy from both sides of the Atlantic? What are the trades between the good space brings to all of humanity and how do we protect that for future generations?  How will success be measured and what are the upcoming key decision points?  On location at the 75th annual International Astronautical Congress in Milan, Italy this episode feat...

The weaponization of space can be worrisome.  What is a space weapon and how could the “security dilemma” lead to an arms race in space? For the space environment to be resilient it must be protected, what are the alternatives to weaponization?  In this episode, Jennifer Cannon from Aerospace Corporation’s Government Relations, explores these questions with Dr Nola Haynes, expert in space security...

Japan is situated in the Asia Pacific Region (APAC), considered “a rough neighborhood” when it comes to national defense and security. Recent developments have meant Japan is moving from a strategic posture to a more operational one, and the partnerships with the U.S. and others in space will be key to regional and global security. To talk about this and more, Sam Wilson , Systems Director CSPS, t...

How can Australian space efforts integrate and compliment US efforts in both the defense and commercial sectors?  What makes the geographic perspective from Australia unique when it comes to deterrence and China? What are some barriers to building a more robust Australian space sector? In this episode Dr Mick Gleason , Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Space Policy and Strategy, talks to the Austr...

How can developments in rocket capabilities and in the way we launch reinforce resiliency and national security? For a future cislunar economy what will be the key drivers from a business standpoint? If we can maneuver space assets more responsively, how does that benefit deterrence and space sustainability? In this episode Aerospace’s Randy Kendall, Vice President of Launch, Missiles, and Mobilit...

As launches to space become more frequent and private spaceports are planned across the globe, how do launchers and regulators work to ensure both range safety and public safety? What are competing authorizing bodies in vastly different environments like US government-owned complexes versus Rocket Lab ’s private orbital launch range in Mahia New Zealand? Responsive launch is innovative but at what...

The need for in-space rescue of astronauts and other space participants may not be far off.  What do current space laws say, and not say, about space rescue? What are analogies in other domains? What technological challenges exist, and what could be done in the meantime? In this episode, Colleen Stover from The Center for Space Policy & Strategy chats with experts thinking about these question...

Space debris is a growing problem, so what are space actors doing about it?  Active Debris Removal is a technology currently being demonstrated and strengthened.  The Zero Debris Charter from the European Space Agency is a voluntary, community-led initiative that aims to reduce the conditions that lead to more debris. In this episode, space debris expert and The Aerospace Corporation Technical Fel...

 Safety and sustainability go hand in hand when it comes to protecting the orbital environment for continued use. The Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) has been informing policymakers and regulators, and performing technical research in this area for the past three decades.  In this episode Colleen Stover (Aerospace) talks to Andrew Ratcliffe , Chief Engineer of the United Ki...

Space safety might start and finish with human safety, but how does safety run across the entire value chain – from launch to operations to reentry? How do norms of behavior, or technology advancements and economic prosperity play into maintaining the orbital environment?  How is The Aerospace Corporation’s Space Safety Institute responding to these challenges?  In this episode, Aerospace's D...

 What’s the science behind how space weather affects our satellites and the services they provide? What design and operations options protect satellites and humans in space? Can we really predict space weather and the next “solar maximum”?  To find answers to these questions and more, Aerospace's Colleen Stover chats with space weather experts Juha-Pekka Luntama, Head of ESA’s Space Weather O...

What does the concept of dynamic space operations (DSO) mean and how might it impact the future of space operations and the way wars are fought? What are the mutual benefits of this type of sustained maneuver for other domains and for other sectors? What needs to be done to make DSO a reality technologically, politically, and operationally?  In this episode, The Aerospace Corporation's Senior...

Which commercial ISAM technologies offer military utility? How do these change the arena of contested space and deterrence? How will the future of Space Access, Mobility & Logistics (SAML) for national defense play into USSF’s competitive endurance framework?  Learn more in this episode with Aerospace Corporation's   Margaux Hoar  as she talks to Colonel Elvert Gardner, USSF , Director of...

According to the Outer Space Treaty, authorization or certification for launch is the responsibility of each launching nation, as well as continuing supervision in space. What are the competing national and international frameworks for this?  How do standards and interoperability play into these policies specifically for in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM)?  What’s the significa...

US leadership off-world is not guaranteed. What strategies are being employed at the national level to support in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) industry and technology?  How is civil space working with commercial and defense space sectors to develop – and test – technology? What are the commonalities between it all and how is risk managed? In this episode Greg Richardson from...

In the world of ISAM (in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing) what should we use humans for and what should we use robotics for?  What have we learned from decades of their partnership and what can we bring forward into the future? Do we always need humans-in-the-loop? In this episode experts Martha Hess and Jerry Miller from the Aerospace Corporation’s Human Exploration & Space Fligh...

Why do we want to service satellites rather than deorbit them? What do we and could we assemble and manufacture in space? What technologies exist and what are the biggest challenges to expanding a viable in-space servicing assembly and manufacturing (ISAM) economy? In this episode Colleen Stover hosts Aerospace experts Dr. Shannon Zirbel (Vehicle Engineering Department) and Brianna Andrus (Human E...

CONFERS is an international consortium of industry and government stakeholders in the global satellite servicing sector aiming to set standards and best practices to grow the commercial space sector.  Think satellite maintenance, refueling and repair and how that could lead to life extension and less debris.  Think manufacturing and assembly in space, and infrastructure-as-a-service from low Earth...

The National Cislunar Science & Technology Strategy was released by the White House in November 2022.  What progress has been made? How does this visionary strategy lean into the interests of the US, our international partners, and industry?  In creating the strategy, what were historical precedents and what is the role of government in the cislunar ecosystem?  In this episode Jamie Morin , Ex...

The expansion of space activities to new space actors in LEO and into the cislunar regime, has challenged policymakers to ask the right questions to continue bringing benefits to life on Earth, support commercial innovation and investments, and protect the environment for all users, including our international partners.  This episode features Dr Ezinne Uzo-Okoro , Assistant Director for Space Poli...

How does the US Space Force attract the right talent?  In addition to STEM, what other skills are needed in our Guardians? What’s unique about the defense space workforce and how does it compete? Aerospace’s Colleen Stover (Center for Space Policy & Strategy) and Lina Cashin (National Security Space Programs Policy & Oversight) speak to Col Stuart Pettis, USAF (Ret), Director of STEM Educa...