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.
Events Category: Podcasts
Aerospace Insider Podcast: Episode 3 (Biomedical Research)
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 laboratory has proven to be such a draw, particularly for pharmaceutical and other researchers, and what should become of this research in the post-ISS era.
Space Policy Pod: Episode 20 (Omran Sharaf, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre)
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.
Space Policy Pod: Episode 19 (Peter Crabtree, New Zealand Space Agency)
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 Chief Executive, System Strategy and Policy at the Ministry of Science and Innovation. He has held other senior roles government roles as well.
Space Policy Pod: Episode 18 (Christian Davenport, The Washington Post)
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 is the author of two books, and he won the Peabody Award in 2010. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in American Studies from Colby College.
Space Policy Pod: Episode 17 (Ann Devereaux, NASA JPL)
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 the initial design phase of the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover. She has over 25 years of experience with both technology demonstrations and flight programs, designing and building custom high-reliability electronics for radios and instruments.
Aerospace Insider Podcast: Episode 2 (Creating Ingenuity)
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 Hofacker spoke to Bob Balaram, the chief engineer for Ingenuity.
Space Policy Pod: Episode 16 (Marcia Smith, SpacePolicyOnline.com)
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 Board and of the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
Among her professional activities, Ms. Smith is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society (AAS), and the North American editor of the quarterly journal Space Policy. A graduate of Syracuse University, Ms. Smith is the author or co-author of more than 220 reports and articles on space, nuclear energy, and telecommunications.
Space Policy Pod: Episode 15 (Karl Rodrigues, Australian Space Agency)
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 25 years of experience in innovation, venture investment, research, development and commercialization of technology. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied Computing Science from the University of Technology in Sydney, an MBA with Distinction from Griffith University in Queensland, and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Since the recording, the Australian Government has announced that Virgin Galactic’s Chief Operating Officer, Enrico Palermo will be the new Head of the Australian Space Agency from January 2021.
Space Policy Pod: Episode 14 (Dale Nash, Virginia Space)
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 industry. He headed the Kodiak Launch Complex in Alaska for six years prior to joining VA Space. He has also served in senior management positions working Space Shuttle launch operations and program development on the Orion program with United Space Alliance, Lockheed Martin, and Thiokol Corp.
Mr. Nash has a bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the University of Utah and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida.