Space Minds

In this episode of Space Minds, host Mike Gruss is joined by SpaceNews journalists Jason Rainbow, Sandra Erwin, Jeff Foust and Debra Werner for a wide-ranging conversation on the space stories that will define the year ahead.The panel examines intensifying competition in satellite broadband and direct-to-device connectivity, the future of NASA and Artemis under new leadership, rising defense and security demands, and the growing influence of artificial intelligence across space systems. Together, they offer their insight into the policy, commercial, and technological shifts shaping the global space economy.

In this episode of Space Minds, host David Ariosto speaks with Juan Alonso — CTO and Co-founder of Luminary Cloud and professor at Stanford University — about the rapid transformation underway in aerospace engineering.Alonso breaks down how advances in computational fluid dynamics and physics AI are enabling designers to simulate complex aerodynamic behavior in seconds, dramatically accelerating how rockets, aircraft, and hypersonic systems are conceived and tested.

In this episode of Space Minds, host Mike Gruss talks with Dr. Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo about what he calls "almost a watershed year" for the Space Development Agency. Sandhoo breaks down SDA’s major technical breakthroughs in 2025—ranging from successful hypersonic missile tracking in low Earth orbit to demonstrating space-based Link 16 tactical communications and completing the first-ever optical space-to-air laser link.

In this episode of Space Minds, host Mike Gruss moderates a timely panel discussion at the Spacepower conference on how commercial space capabilities are reshaping national security, civil space, and military decision-making.Joined by Luke Fischer (CEO and co-founder, SkyFi), Bob Pavelko (Intuitive Machines), and Bradley Cheetham (CEO and co-founder, Advanced Space), the conversation explores what “speed” really means in today’s space environment—and why delivering usable capability now often matters more than waiting for perfect solutions later.

In this episode of Space Minds, host Sandra Erwin sits down with former NASA astronaut and Space Force leader Brig. Gen. Nick Hague for a wide-ranging conversation on how the U.S. Space Force is shaping its culture, training Guardians, and preparing for future conflict in space.Hague reflects on his journey from the International Space Station to the Pentagon, where he now helps oversee operations, readiness, and policy for America’s newest military service. The discussion explores what “test” really means in the Space Force, how risk and speed are balanced, and why continuous learning is essential to maintaining space superiority.

In this episode of Space Minds, host Mike Gruss sits down with Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy, one of the U.S. Space Force’s most influential acquisition leaders and recipient of the SpaceNews Icon Award for Military Space Achievement.Purdy discusses how 2025 is shaping up to be a defining year for Space Systems Command (SSC) and why this past year represented a major shift toward the “ground game”—software, training systems, and modernized infrastructure. He describes how Guardians are driving adoption of AI tools, how SSC is integrating commercial innovation at unprecedented speed, and why this current wave of acquisition reform may finally stick.

In this episode of Space Minds, host Mike Gruss sits down with Matt Magaña, president of space, defense and national Security at Voyager Technologies, to explore one of the most consequential national security space stories of 2025: Golden Dome.Magaña lays out why this initiative represents a major inflection point for U.S. missile defense, requiring a truly integrated system-of-systems approach to track, target and defeat emerging threats such as hypersonic weapons.

In this episode of Space Minds, former NASA commercial space division chief Phil McAlister sits down with host David Ariosto for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of human spaceflight, NASA’s internal culture, and the explosive growth of the commercial space sector.McAlister spent nearly 20 years inside NASA, helping spearhead programs like Commercial Crew and COTS, which paved the way for SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, and a new era of public-private partnerships. He shares stories about internal resistance, political battles, and what it took to shift NASA away from cost-plus contracting after decades of inertia.We also dive into:• Whether the U.S. is really in a “space race” with China• Why the moon’s South Pole may not be first-come, first-served• The sustainability crisis facing SLS, Orion, and Artemis• The role of commercial companies in deep space—not just LEO• How Starship, New Glenn, and private human spaceflight change everything• Whether NASA is destined to become more like the FAA• What the next 50 years in space might actually look like

In this episode of Space Minds, Senior Staff Writer Jeff Foust moderates a panel at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center, the next installment of the Center’s Discovery Series.The panel brings together leaders from Astrobotic, Apex, Johns Hopkins APL and Stoke Space to explore how ideas once confined to the pages of science fiction are rapidly becoming reality. From commercial lunar landers and factory-scale satellite production to nuclear-powered rotorcraft bound for Titan and fully reusable rockets designed to fly daily, the space industry is undergoing a transformative moment.The panel discusses the technologies driving this surge—lower-cost launch, advanced autonomy, shrinking spacecraft, and the rise of a vibrant commercial ecosystem. They also examine the future of lunar infrastructure, in-orbit manufacturing, national security needs, and the growing competitive pressure from China. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about innovation, challenges, and the new frontiers emerging as space becomes more accessible than ever.

In this engaging discussion, Marshall Smith, CEO of Starlab Space and a former NASA engineer with extensive experience in spacecraft programs, shares his vision for the future of commercial space stations. He highlights the shift towards independent commercial capabilities and how market demand has surged, with over half of Starlab's capacity already reserved. Smith also emphasizes the importance of continuous human presence in space, the role of AI in operations, and innovative design strategies to make space more habitable—setting the stage for a new era of exploration and manufacturing.