Category Archives: Activism

Space policy roundup – Apr.12.2021

A sampling of links to recent space policy, politics, and government (US and international) related space news and resource items that I found of interest (find previous space policy roundups here):

International space

Webcasts:

** NSS Space Forum – A Conversation with Scott PaceNational Space Society

On April 8, 2021, NSS conducted a space forum with Scott Pace, hosted by Greg Autry.

As the Executive Secretary of the National Space Council, Scott Pace provided the day-to-day leadership and coordinated issues across the many departments and agencies that were involved in space to ensure the president’s agenda was enacted. With experience at NASA, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Dr. Pace has been involved in the decisions that have shaped the US space program. Along with his professional experience, Dr. Pace’s early membership in the L5 Society and the OASIS chapter of NSS in Los Angeles, plus chairing the NSS policy committee after the L5/NSI merger helped shape and inform his time on the National Space Council.

Host Greg Autry, NSS Board of Directors, engaged in a dialog with Dr. Pace on a range of topics including his experiences on the Council, at NASA, space activism, the current state of the space program and his role as the Director of the Space Policy Institute. …

** Chinese Space from a US Perspective (feat. Ian Christensen & Rob Ronci) – – Dongfang Hour – YouTube

1) Information asymmetry….
2) Competition is not the same in all sectors. …
3) There is willingness, and indeed encouragement, by US companies to compete with Chinese companies, but under well-defined terms.  …

For a separate summary, see #SpaceWatchGL Column: Dongfang Hour Episode 8 – Chinese Space from a US Perspective – SpaceWatch.Global

** Moon Dialogs #11: Peaceful Moon Salon: International Collaboration for Lunar Bases — MoonDialogs.org ☾

“How can the space community learn from important precedents such as the ISS, support continued collaboration and development of shared norms, and ensure that “diversity” results in a rich plurality of flourishing lunar activities. This salon will inform and be informed by our 2021 themes “Peaceful Moon” and “Access.”

** Andrew Aldrin – What Direction Does The Space Economy Need To Move In? – Cold Star Project S03E16Cold Star Technologies – YouTube

Dr. Andrew Aldrin is back on the Cold Star Project and this time we’re diving into the funding sources and direction for the space economy. What needs to happen and what should we be looking at? Does the Silicon Valley investment model fail in the space industry? Are there obvious next steps, or do we need to continue to guess what’s on the horizon? Andy shares his valuable experience and perspective in this open discussion with Cold Star Project host Jason Kanigan. We also touch on the ISU Center for Space Entrepreneurship’s Graduate Certificate Commercial Space Program. Info on the program: https://www.fit.edu/isucse/

** Space Café WebTalk REGIONAL RUSSIA – Olga Volynskaya – 5. March 2021spacewatch. global – News Room – YouTube

Elina Morozova in conversation with Dr Olga Volynskaya, an independent Russian space law and policy expert with a very unique background, holder of industry awards and commendations, corresponding member of the Russian Tsiolkovsky Academy of Cosmonautics, an individual member of the International Institute of Space Law.

Olga Volynskaya has spent the last 15 years working in the field of international and Russian space law and the development of space policy and legislation. Having gained practical experience and industry knowledge in Roscosmos and its subordinate organizations, she subsequently moved to the Legal Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. Olga’s track record includes a few successfully prepared sessions of the COPUOS Legal Subcommittee, at which she participated as part of the Russian delegation and coordinated the most topical issues on the agenda. Since the end of 2020, Olga has been engaged in academic research and international projects on a freelance expert basis. …

** Webinar Replay | SPACs in Space: A New Frontier for Investment – SpaceNews

Advances in space technologies were largely invisible to the public equity markets until July 2019, when Virgin Galactic announced its intent to go public through a merger with Social Capital Hedosophia, a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC). Since then, seven space-related technology companies have announced SPAC transactions to take them public in 2021 (with more on the way). Does this represent a tipping point for the new space economy, or is this trend a flash in the pan?

In “SPACs in Space: A New Frontier for Investment,” thought-leading analysts, investors, and space companies will provide a unique perspective. Rather than focusing on the SPAC vehicle itself, this event will explore the trends and developments in the space technology ecosystem that have “suddenly” made space an investable ecosystem — and the longer-term implications for a range of interested stakeholders.

Expert Insights:
Chris Quilty, Partner, Quilty Analytics
Guillermo Söhnlein, Advisor, New Vista Acquisition Corp.

Host and Moderator:
Jeff Foust, Senior Staff Writer, SpaceNews
Jason Rainbow, Senior Staff Writer, SpaceNews

Speakers:
Abel Avellan, Chairman and CEO, AST & Science
Chris Kemp, CEO, Astra
Brian O’Toole, CEO, BlackSky
Peter Beck, CEO, Rocket Lab
Peter Platzer, CEO, Spire
Tess Hatch, Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners

** Tear Down the Wall | SCFVideo7Space Court Foundation – YouTube

Breaking the silos that divide the global space community Today, there are numerous emerging challenges in space that raise a wide spectrum of threats, from undermining the long-term sustainability of human space activities to causing an escalation among nuclear powers. As such, world leaders, industry experts, academia and even celebrities are all adding their voices to the discussions on space safety and security. However, many of the different space communities do not often speak beyond their own niches. Indeed, even at the UN, safety and security issues are clearly demarcated, with unique competencies assigned to specific bodies. Yet as the world has seen over the last few years, space activities and the challenges they cut across many boundaries. Solving them will require cooperation and coordination among all the different space communities and beyond.

Join the Space Court Foundation for a detailed discussion on the impact of silos among the space community and how the disparate communities might come together to develop a responsive governance framework for space.

Moderator:
Theresa Hitchens | Breaking Defense
Experts:
Andre Rypl | Brazilian Mission to the UN Organizations in Vienna
Dr. Rajeswari Pillai Rajagopalan | Observer Research Foundation
Dr. Peter Martinez | Secure World Foundation
Mari Eldholm | Norsk Industriforum for Romvirksomhet (Norwegian Industrial Forum for Space Activities, NIFRO)
Daniel Porras | Secure World Foundation – UNIDIR

** Space Policy Edition: Biden Names His NASA Administrator – The Planetary Society

** April 6, 2021 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast

** April 9, 2021 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast

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This image shows an artist’s impression of winds in Jupiter’s stratosphere near the planet’s south pole, with the blue lines representing wind speeds. These lines are superimposed on a real image of Jupiter, taken by the JunoCam imager aboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft. Jupiter’s famous bands of clouds are located in the lower atmosphere, where winds have previously been measured. But tracking winds right above this atmospheric layer, in the stratosphere, is much harder since no clouds exist there. By analysing the aftermath of a comet collision from the 1990s and using the ALMA telescope, in which ESO is a partner, researchers have been able to reveal incredibly powerful stratospheric winds, with speeds of up to 1450 kilometres an hour, near Jupiter’s poles.

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Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days
That Launched SpaceX

Space policy roundup – April.5.2021

A sampling of links to recent space policy, politics, and government (US and international) related space news and resource items that I found of interest (find previous space policy roundups here):

International space

Webcasts:

** Episode 33: Lawfare and Outer Space, Part 2Space Thoughts (YouTube) – Space Law & Policy Solutions/Michael Listner

** Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition – North American Finals – Space Court Foundation – YouTube

Results of the North America Regional Rounds:
18 schools
40 judges

Team Winner: George Washington University Law School @gwlaw

Final’s Judges:
Dennis Burnett @HawkEye360
@RandySegal @HoganLovells
Gabriel Swiney @Monkeybane_DC @StateDept

** China Private Launch Companies Forging Ahead, Expace Liquid-Fueled Rockets, Geely in Nansha – Ep 27Dongfang Hour – YouTube

1) Significant week from Chinese commercial launch companies …
2) TV Report from Hubei News on Wuhan space projects, and exclusive takeaways for Xingyun and Expace  …
3) Geely plans group-level space headquarters in Nansha, Guangzhou …

See also the program summary at Dongfang Hour China Aerospace News Roundup 29 March – 4 April 2021 – SpaceWatch.Global.

** Space Café WebTalk – Blaine Curcio – 2. March 2021spacewatch. global – News Room – YouTube

Torsten Kriening in conversation with China space analytics expert, self-proclaimed “#ChinaSpaceGuy” and founder of Orbital Gateway Consulting – a boutique market research and consulting firm focusing on the business of space and satellite telecommunications – Blaine Curcio. Blaine Curcio was born in the US and has spent the last 14 years working and studying in the international space industry. Having previously worked in China and the Netherlands, he is currently based in Hong Kong, where in 2018 he founded space market research and consulting firm, Orbital Gateway Consulting.

** Space Café Podcast Episode 024 Featuring Lin Kayser Is Now Available – SpaceWatch.Global

Lin Kayser is a German entrepreneur who wants to revolutionize the way we make products with his company Hyperganic. 3D printing has advanced to the point where it can really take us where we’ve long been in science fiction. And, he wouldn’t be with us here at Space Cafe if he didn’t want to rethink space travel as well. PS: The good man may have the right DNA for such great thoughts. Crazy and world-changing thoughts run in the Kayser family.

** The Space Show – Friday, April.2.2021Bruce Pittman talked about his education proposal, “Spacecraft Nation: A Toolkit for Building Back Better Using Space” (Spacecraft Nation.docx):

Spacecraft Nation is envisioned as a $500 million/year, 5 year national investment program, operating in all 50 states, with the goal of upgrading America’s technical skills and technical toolkits to solve the many multidisciplinary problems inherent in space development and apply those skills to terrestrial and space challenges. Space is a fascinating and unforgiving environment with vast resources that will challenge, inspire, and train to excellence the next generation of scientists, engineers, technologists and entrepreneurs in high-tech tools, problem solving, teamwork and innovation.

** Hotel Mars  – The John Bachelor Show/The Space Show – Wednesday, Apr.1.2021 – Purdue professor Dr. Haym Benaroya spoke with John Batchelor and Dr. David Livingston about the “Russia China plan for a lunar South Pole base, future lunar settlement development, lunar mining economic value and more“.

** How satellite images are helping one country hand out cash – BBC News

Togo has found a high-tech way to identify people who need financial help in the pandemic and send them emergency cash.

They use computers to search for clues in satellite images, then distribute money through mobile phones.

** March 30, 2021 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast

** March 31, 2021 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast

** April 2, 2021 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast

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A Man on the Moon:
The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts

The Space Show this week – April.5.2021

The guests and topics of discussion on The Space Show this week:

1. Tuesday, Apr. 6, 2021; 7 pm PDT (9 pm CDT, 10 pm EDT): No program today due to David’s eye surgery.

2. Wednesday, Apr. 7 2021: No Hotel Mars due to David’s eye surgery.

3. Friday, Apr.9, 2021; 9:30-11 am PDT (11:30 am-1 pm CDT, 12:30-2 pm EDT): No show due to David’s eye surgery and recovery.

4. Sunday, Apr.11, 2021; 12-1:30 pm PDT (3-4:30 pm EDT, 2-3:30 pm CDT): We welcome Erasmo Acosta, retired engineer, to discuss rotating space habitats and space resource development and usage.

Some recent shows:

** Friday, April.2.2021Bruce Pittman talked about his education proposal, “Spacecraft Nation: A Toolkit for Building Back Better Using Space” (Spacecraft Nation.docx):

Spacecraft Nation is envisioned as a $500 million/year, 5 year national investment program, operating in all 50 states, with the goal of upgrading America’s technical skills and technical toolkits to solve the many multidisciplinary problems inherent in space development and apply those skills to terrestrial and space challenges. Space is a fascinating and unforgiving environment with vast resources that will challenge, inspire, and train to excellence the next generation of scientists, engineers, technologists and entrepreneurs in high-tech tools, problem solving, teamwork and innovation.

** Hotel Mars – The John Bachelor Show/The Space Show – Wednesday, Apr.1.2021 – Purdue professor Dr. Haym Benaroya spoke with John Batchelor and Dr. David Livingston about the “Russia China plan for a lunar South Pole base, future lunar settlement development, lunar mining economic value and more“.

** Tuesday, Mar.30.2021Michelle Evans discussed “her discovery and the subsequent expansion of her Mach25media.com website regarding the X-15 rocket plane. Many additional topics were discussed.

** See also:
* The Space Show Archives
* The Space Show Newsletter
* The Space Show Shop

The Space Show is a project of the One Giant Leap Foundation.

The Space Show - David Livingston
The Space Show – Dr. David Livingston

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Liftoff: Elon Musk and the Desperate Early Days
That Launched SpaceX

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The Space Barons: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos,
and the Quest to Colonize the Cosmos

Space policy roundup – Mar.29.2021

A sampling of links to recent space policy, politics, and government (US and international) related space news and resource items that I found of interest (find previous space policy roundups here):

International space

Webcasts:

** Episode 32 – Lawfare and Outer Space, Part 1Space Thoughts (YouTube) – Space Law & Policy Solutions/Michael Listner

My February 9, 2020 appearance on The Space Show talking about lawfare can be found here: https://thespaceshow.com/show/09-feb-…

** Jilin-1 EO Constellation Deployment Plan, Xingyun Quality Control, Tianwen-1 & Haisi-1 Shots – Ep 26Dongfang Hour – YouTube

1) An ambitious deployment plan laid out by CGSTL …
2) Media report on the quality control at Xingyun …
3) Daxing aerospace base …
4) Haisi-1 Ever Given Shot …
5) 2 New Tianwen-1 Mars Shots

** In Conversation with the UK’s Leading Space CommandersWar Studies KCL

The Freeman Air and Space Institute, King’s College London, in partnership with Airbus, were delighted to host the first ever in conversation event between the UK’s leading space commanders.

It was a unique first opportunity to hear from Air Vice-Marshal Paul Godfrey, the inaugural commander of the newly established Space Command, launching on 1 April 2021, as he discussed with Air Vice-Marshal Harvey Smyth, Ministry of Defence Director Space, their vision for the future of UK military in space.

A panel of experts on space from industry, politics, the military and research, put their questions to the two commanders.

** SCFV6 The Fate of the Outer Space TreatySpace Court Foundation – YouTube

After nearly 60 years, the Outer Space Treaty continues to hold one of the only explicit arms-control provisions for space in international law: Article IV prohibits the placement in orbit of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction.

Today, however, there is a growing probability that conflict will emerge in space with conventional weapons, potentially in destructive or catastrophic ways. Will the Outer Space Treaty be sufficient to prevent conflict in space? Will the absence of greater prohibitions lead to the placement of conventional weapons in orbit? What paths are available to prevent the degradation of space through war?

Moderator and panelists:

    • Daniel Porras , Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications at the Secure World Foundation, Non-resident Fellow at the UN Institute for Disarmament Research
    • Paul Meyer, Canadian Ambassador and Permanent Representative (retired) to the United Nations and to the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva , International Security and Adjunct Professor of International Studies at Simon Fraser University
    • Andrei Belousov, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations Office at Geneva
    • Patricia Lewis, Director of the International Security Programme and Research Director of Conflict, Science & Transformation at Chatham House
    • Carine Claeys, EU Special Envoy for Space in the European External Action Service (EEAS)

** SCFV6 Tear Down the Wall | 5 March 2021Space Court Foundation – YouTube

From Secure World Foundation:

SWF Executive Director Peter Martinez and Director of Strategic Partnerships and Communications Daniel Porras spoke on a panel, hosted by the Space Court Foundation, on the various “silos” that exist within the space community and how these groups might come together to develop a responsive governance framework for space.

** E55 – Getting Active on Debris in SpaceAerospace Corp Space Policy (Vimeo) – Center for Space Policy & Strategy (CSPS)

** Space Café WebTalk – Nikolai Khlystov – 23. February 2021 – supported by CYSAT – DAVOS 2021spacewatch. global – News Room – YouTube

In this week’s Space Cafè WebTalk, Nikolai Khlystov, Lead, Shaping the Future of Mobility and Space at World Economic Forum, Geneva, Switzerland talked about ways and initiatives that support sustainable peace in space.

** T+185: Bill Nelson Nominated as NASA Administrator – Main Engine Cut Off

President Biden nominated Bill Nelson to be the new NASA Administrator, so I check in on some of my past thoughts on NASA Administrators and Jim Bridenstine, talk about Bill Nelson’s history in space policy, and what the future may hold under a Bill Nelson NASA.

** The Space Show – Sunday, Mar.28.2021Leonard David and Barbara Sprungman-David discussed “multiple topics including space educational outreach and the impact of the pandemic on kids with Zoom learning and space“.

** The Space Show – Friday, Mar.26.2021Robert (Sam) Wilson discuss his paper on hypersonics for weapons and other purposes. Find more about the paper (pdf) at The Hypersonic Missile Debate | The Aerospace Corporation.

** Hotel Mars – The Space Show/John Bachelor Show – Wed. Mar.24.2021 – Anatoly Zak of www.russianspaceweb.com talked with John Batchelor and Dr. David Livingston about “the Perseverance on mars, the upcoming helicopter flight in the thin Martian atmosphere, Curiosity progress, plus we talked about the ISS leak in the Russian segment, the effort to repair it, the materials used in the repair, the impact of the leak on the remaining life of the ISS and related items. In the second segment, we discussed the agreement with China and Russia on establishing a lunar base together in the not too distant future.

** The Space Show – Tuesday, Mar.23.2021Robert Zimmermanreturned for a two hour plus discussion ranging from the Mars rovers, especially Perseverance, to NASA marketing policy for Mars and the rover missions, to suborbital tourism, SpaceX, Blue Origin and Virgin news plus more.

** March 23, 2021 Zimmerman/Pratt podcast

** March 23, 2021 Zimmerman/Batchelor podcast

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The Space Show this week – Mar.22.2021

The guests and topics of discussion on The Space Show this week:

1. Monday, Mar. 22, 2021; 7 pm PDT (9 pm CDT, 10 pm EDT: No program today.

2. Tuesday, Mar. 23, 2021; 7 pm PDT (9 pm CDT, 10 pm EDT): We welcome back Robert Zimmerman for updates on commercial space and other important and timely news events & stories.

3. Wednesday, Mar. 24, 2021: Hotel Mars TBA pre-recorded. See upcoming show menu on the home page for program details.

4. Thursday, Mar. 25, 2021; 7-8:30 pm PDT (9-10:30 pm CDT, 10-11:30 pm EDT): No program today.

5. Friday, Mar. 26, 2021; 9:30-11 am PDT (11:30 am-1 pm CDT, 12:30-2 pm EDT): We welcome back Robert (Sam) Wilson of the Aerospace Corp. regarding his paper on hypersonics: The Hypersonic Missile Debate, Robert S. Wilson – Center for Space Policy and Strategy/Aerospace Corp. (pdf)

6. Sunday, Mar.28, 2021; 12-1:30 pm PDT (3-4:30 pm EDT, 2-3:30 pm CDT): We welcome back both Leonard David and Barbara Sprungman-David for special news and policy insights only possible with these guests.

Some recent shows:

**  Mar.21.2021 – Open Lines program – David Livingston says, “Robert Jacobson started us out with another NewSpace Commercial Space Report plus we took several callers on various topics.

** Hotel Mars  – Wed.Mar.17.2021 – The Space Show/John Bachelor ShowJames C. Bennett spoke with John Batchelor and Dr. David Livingston about “the three heavy lift rockets being made in the US: SLS, New Glenn, and Starship. In addition, John talked about the recent joint announcement about a Russian-Chinese lunar colony to be built at the lunar South Pole in the coming decade(s).

** Tuesday, Mar.16.2021Dr. John Hunter discussed the “Green Launch Company, their technology, pros and cons, competition and more“.

** See also:
* The Space Show Archives
* The Space Show Newsletter
* The Space Show Shop

The Space Show is a project of the One Giant Leap Foundation.

The Space Show - David Livingston
The Space Show – Dr. David Livingston

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