Podcasts

7 January 2021

Members of NRO’s workforce cadre give us a rare behind-the-scenes account of what it’s like to work at the secretive agency that acquires and operates U.S. imaging and signals intelligence satellites. Hear about their motivations, career paths and why they wouldn’t choose to work anywhere else.

20 April 2021

The International Space Station won’t last forever. Over time, the modules will become more expensive to maintain, and the political will to do so is likely to falter, despite the promising research that happens up there, including aboard the ISS National Lab. Aerospace Insider spoke to microbiologist Michael Roberts about why this unique, space-borne national

7 April 2021

Omran Sharaf is Project Director of the Emirates Mars Mission at the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre. He and his team are responsible for developing, launching, and operating the Hope Probe, the spacecraft of the mission.

24 March 2021

Peter Crabtree is the General Manager Science, Innovation, and International at the New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment. He is responsible for enterprise policy, science and innovation policy, international science partnerships, trade and regulatory cooperation, and international strategy. He also heads the New Zealand Space Agency. Prior to this role, Crabtree was Deputy

10 March 2021

Christian Davenport is a reporter covering the defense and space industries for The Washington Post’s Financial desk. He joined The Post in 2000 and has had an array of assignments. Before joining the Financial staff, Christian was an editor on the Metro desk, overseeing coverage of local government and politics. He has also worked at Newsday, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Austin American-Statesman. Christian

22 February 2021

Ann Devereaux is Division Manager for Systems Engineering for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Systems Engineering Division, which includes both project and spacecraft systems engineering from proposal formulation and initial design through integration, test, and launch operations. Ann served as lead spacecraft systems engineer for Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover as well as most recently for

17 February 2021

Although NASA’s Perseverance rover landed on Mars, it can’t begin its task of analyzing and caching samples of Martian rocks and soil until it dispatches the little hitchhiker in its belly, known as the Mars Helicopter Ingenuity. This tiny rotorcraft could point the way toward a whole new way to explore the red planet. Cat

9 December 2020

Marcia Smith is President of Space and Technology Policy Group, LLC and founder and editor of the website SpacePolicyOnline.com. A veteran space policy analyst, Ms. Smith spent 31 years as a science and technology policy expert specializing in space activities at the Congressional Research Service. After leaving CRS, she was Director of the Space Studies

18 November 2020

Episode 15 features Karl Rodrigues, Executive Director for International and National Engagement at the Australian Space Agency. Mr. Rodrigues is responsible for developing relationships with international space agencies. He also engages with Australian industry, start-ups, domestic agencies, research institutions, and state and territory governments to help grow the Australian space sector. Mr. Rodrigues has over

4 November 2020

This episode features Dale Nash, CEO and Executive Director of Virginia Commercial Spaceflight Authority. Also known as Virginia Space, the authority owns and operates the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) including three Launch Pads and a Payload Processing Facility, as well as the MARS UAS Airfield. Mr. Nash has 38 years of experience in the aerospace

21 October 2020

This podcast discussion features Kelvin Coleman, the FAA’s deputy associate administrator for commercial space transportation. His office is responsible for licensing commercial operators for space launch and re-entry. Prior to joining AST more than 20 years ago, Mr. Coleman worked for the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command as both a systems engineer, and as a

14 October 2020

This podcast discussion features Alex Macdonald, NASA’s chief economist. He also serves as program executive of the International Space Station National Lab. He was previously the Senior Economic Advisor in the Office of the Administrator and was the founding program executive of NASA’s Emerging Space Office. Dr. Macdonald is a former executive staff specialist on

30 September 2020

This podcast discussion features Conner Prochaska, chief commercialization officer for the Department of Energy and director of the Office of Technology Transitions. His office advances the economic, energy, and national security interests of the United States by expanding the commercial impact of the department’s research and development portfolio. Prior to his current roles, Mr. Prochaska

9 September 2020

This podcast discussion features Dr. Douglas Terrier, NASA’s chief technologist. In this role, Terrier serves as the agency’s principal advisor and advocate on technology policy and programs, helping plot the strategic direction of the agency’s space technology program. Prior to his current position, Terrier was the chief technologist of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. He also

24 August 2020

This episode features Kevin O’Connell, Director of the Office of Space Commerce at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Mr. O’Connell leads an office with responsibility as a space industry advocate within the Executive Branch of the U.S. government. Previously, Mr. O’Connell served as the CEO of Innovative Analytics and Training, a professional services firm focused

12 August 2020

This podcast discussion features Erin Miller, VP of Operations for Space ISAC, National Cybersecurity Center. Erin has over a decade of experience building meaningful tech collaborations and has formed hundreds of formal partnerships between government, industry and academia to solve problems for warfighters and national security. Currently Erin is building a Public-Private Partnership (P3), called

29 July 2020

This podcast discussion features Tommaso Sgobba, Executive Director and Board Secretary of the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS). Until 2013, Mr. Sgobba was head of the Independent Safety Office at the European Space Agency (ESA), including human-rated systems, spacecraft re-entries, space debris, use of nuclear power sources, and planetary protection. He

15 July 2020

This podcast discussion features Shawn Barnes, a member of the Senior Executive Service, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Space Acquisition and Integration. Mr. Barnes is responsible for carrying out Air Force space missions and integrating space policy, guidance, coordination and synchronization of space-related activities, and issue resolution for the Department of the Air Force.

1 July 2020

This podcast features an engaging discussion with IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute expert Dr. Bhavya Lal. Dr. Lal leads strategy, technology assessment, and policy studies and analyses at the IDA Science and Technology Policy Institute for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the National Space Council, and federal space-oriented organizations including

17 June 2024

This podcast takes an inside look at the intelligence community space enterprise with senior executive John Paul (JP) Parker. Mr. Parker is a Senior National Intelligence Service officer serving as Intelligence Community Space Executive, a newly formed office designed to increase collaboration, integration and innovation throughout the IC space enterprise. Previously, Mr. Parker was Special

3 June 2020

This episode features an in-depth discussion on space and national security with Stephen L. Kitay, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy. Kitay, a member of the Senior Executive Service, is responsible for establishing policy and guidance to assure U.S. and allied warfighters the benefits of space capabilities and to help guide the Department’s

20 May 2020

This episode features a discussion on cybersecurity with Matthew Scholl of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Scholl is the Chief of the Computer Security Division in the Information Technology Laboratory at NIST. He is responsible for the development of cryptographic standards used by the U.S. Government and internationally, cybersecurity research and development

6 May 2020

This episode features an engaging conversation with Dr. Scott Pace, covering a range of key topics impacting the future of space exploration and commercial development. Dr. Scott Pace currently serves as the Deputy Assistant to the President and Executive Secretary of the National Space Council. Pace was formerly the Director of the Space Policy Institute at the

1 March 2023

adGuests: Paul Bevilaqua, a former chief engineer of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Haithem Taha, an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at University of California, Irvine   Do you think you know how planes fly? Believe or not, scientists are still learning about the fundamental principles behind aerodynamic lift. Two experts from different corners

26 May 2021

Episode 21 features former NASA administrator Sean O’Keefe.

1 March 2023

With Paul Bevilaqua, a former chief engineer of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, and Haithem Taha, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at University of California, Irvine

Do you think you know how planes fly? Believe or not, scientists are still learning about the fundamental principles behind aerodynamic lift. Two experts from different corners of the industry discuss the topic.