
Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition
The politics, policy, and history behind space exploration.
Latest episodes

Jul 4, 2025 • 60min
Are Democrats falling behind on space policy?
Our guest, Mary Guenther, argues that the Democratic Party is ceding leadership in space policy, and how linking space to jobs, supply chains, and climate could help refocus the party’s relationship with the Cosmos.

Jun 27, 2025 • 1h 8min
NASA’s 2026 budget
Alicia Brown from the Commercial Space Federation and Brittany Webster from the American Geophysical Union join the show to discuss NASA’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.

Jun 6, 2025 • 1h 16min
What does NASA need with an economist?
Former NASA chief economist Akhil Rao explains why NASA needs economic expertise to navigate the complex — and often misunderstood — market forces that will determine the success or failure of its private partnerships.

May 2, 2025 • 1h 19min
How NASA remembers—and forgets
No one person knows how to build a spaceship. What happens to NASA’s collective knowledge when thousands of employees lose their jobs?

Apr 4, 2025 • 1h 10min
Lies, damned lies, and space data
The space sector is data-rich but insight-poor. Jack Kuhr of Payload talks about how he turns raw numbers into real narratives.

Mar 7, 2025 • 1h 18min
Locke, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (in space)
Can classical liberalism provide fresh insights to guide humanity’s activities in space? Philosopher Rebecca Lowe explains how it can.

27 snips
Feb 7, 2025 • 1h 20min
Mars Sample Return, but at what (fixed) price?
Peter Beck, CEO of Rocket Lab, is passionate about interplanetary missions and unveils a $4B fixed-price plan for Mars Sample Return, revealing exciting new details about a Venus mission too. Richard French, Director of Business Development, discusses how an integrated team can slash costs while enhancing mission success. They dive into innovative retrieval systems and the intricate balance between commercial ventures and government projects, emphasizing the need for collaboration and efficient management to navigate the future of interplanetary exploration.

Jan 3, 2025 • 1h 8min
The Challenges of Change at NASA
Marcia Smith, founder of Space Policy Online, joins the show to discuss the motivations and risks of pursuing change at NASA - and how much change can ultimately happen with Congress holding the purse strings.

Dec 13, 2024 • 47min
The Myth of Presidential Leadership
We revisit a classic book on the limits of presidential power in setting the nation’s space agenda and explore how the increasingly powerful executive branch might be rewriting those expectations.

Nov 1, 2024 • 56min
NASA at a Crossroads
Norm Augustine, the distinguished aerospace industry veteran behind numerous influential studies, joins the show to discuss NASA at a Crossroads, the new report that raises alarm bells for NASA’s workforce, infrastructure, and technology capabilities.