SideBar Advisors Mike Gold: Bridging Law and the Final Frontier, Space Policy, Innovation, and the Artemis Accords
In this episode, we speak with Michael Gold, Executive Vice President of Redwire Space and a trailblazer in space policy and law. Michael shares how he leveraged his legal expertise to pursue his passion for space, proving that you don’t need to excel at math to make a profound impact in STEM fields. He delves into his pivotal role in the Artemis Accords, a set of international agreements that establish cooperative principles for lunar exploration and the sustainable development of space resources.
Michael also discusses his dynamic work in the private sector with Redwire Space, highlighting cutting-edge advancements such as cloning human meniscus tissue in microgravity, pioneering solar technology, and developing computer chips for use in space. He offers insights from his experiences testifying before Congress and collaborating with global leaders to ensure space exploration benefits humanity as a whole.
For aspiring legal professionals, Michael provides invaluable advice on breaking into the growing field of space law, illustrating how creativity and adaptability can open doors to success in unexpected industries. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about blending law, innovation, and the final frontier.
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Mike Gold is the Chief Growth Officer at Redwire. In this role, Mr. Gold leads Redwire’s civil, commercial, and national security business development; marketing and communications; and government relations activities.
Prior to joining Redwire, Mr. Gold was NASA’s Associate Administrator for Space Policy and Partnerships, Acting Associate Administrator for the Office of International and Interagency Relations, and Senior Advisor to the Administrator for International and Legal Affairs. At NASA, Mr. Gold led the development and implementation of the Artemis Accords, which establish norms of behavior to ensure a peaceful and prosperous future in space for all of humanity. Mr. Gold also successfully led the negotiations to develop and execute the binding agreements for the lunar Gateway, the development and implementation of the first lunar resource purchase by NASA and updating planetary protection regulations. Due to this trailblazing policy work, Mr. Gold was awarded NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Medal in 2021.
Before joining NASA, Mr. Gold was Vice President of Civil Space at Maxar Technologies and General Counsel for the company’s legacy Radiant Solutions business unit. Additionally, Mr. Gold spent thirteen years at Bigelow Aerospace, where he established the company’s Washington office, oversaw the launches of the Genesis 1 and 2 spacecraft, and was a recipient of a NASA Group Achievement award for the development and deployment of the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module onto the International Space Station.
Mr. Gold is currently the Vice Chair of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation and has previously served as Treasurer. Mr. Gold is also a member of the Committee on Space Research’s (COSPAR) Planetary Protection Panel, representing the Committee on Industry Relations. Additionally, in 2022, Mr. Gold was appointed by the NASA Associate Administrator for the Science Mission Directorate to serve on the Agency’s Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Independent Study Team which was subsequently given the NASA Silver Group Achievement Award for their collective efforts to advance the understanding of this phenomena. Moreover, Mr. Gold was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to Chair the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee from 2012 – 2019 and was appointed by the NASA Administrator to serve on the NASA Advisory Council and chair its Regulatory and Policy Committee in 2018.
Mr. Gold has authored numerous law review articles and editorials addressing commercial space issues. He has also testi