The DownLink Podcast

Australia and the United States have been close allies for more than seven decades, but with the old rules-based world order disappearing, Australia needs to shape and fund its national defense and space ambitions to fit the times. Laura Winter speaks with Malcolm Davis, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, who focuses on space policy, security, strategy, and capability development.

Todd Harrison, AEI senior fellow and defense budget expert, breaks down the first year of the Golden Dome missile defense push. He recounts initial momentum that then stalled. He explains missing spending plans, impossible cost and schedule targets, congressional reporting pressures, and how architecture and interceptor choices drive huge cost differences.

Traders and investors are feeling whipsawed this week, but those who hold notes in space companies are seemingly immune. Space companies, especially infrastructure business cases, are seeing steady and huge gains in value. Laura Winter speaks with The DownLink regulars Chris Quilty, founder of Quilty Space; and George Pullen, Partner and Chief Economist at MilkyWayEconomy.

Ground stations, built by proxies of China’s People's Liberation Army and Russia’s Roscosmos, can be found across Latin America, including three on Venezuelan military bases. Recent operations in and around Venezuela demonstrate that these strategically important adversarial space assets are now in the cross-hairs of the Trump Corollary. Laura Winter speaks with Namrata Goswami, Professor of Space Security, Schriever and West Space Scholars Program, Johns Hopkins University, and co-Author of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”.

Peter Garretson, a Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council and author of multiple books on space policy, delves into the recent executive order reshaping the U.S. national space strategy. He discusses its emphasis on securing space interests, the need for planetary defense against asteroids, and establishing behavioral norms in space. Garretson also addresses the push for lunar infrastructure and a commercial ISS replacement by 2030, raising questions about the future direction of Space Force and whether this initiative can serve as a lasting North Star for space policy.

Charles Galbraith, a retired U.S. Space Force Colonel and director at the Mitchell Institute, shares insights from the recent Space Power Conference. He discusses the significance of Secretary of the Air Force Troy Mink's presence and how it reflects a commitment to space initiatives. Galbraith emphasizes a unique opportunity for acquisition reforms amidst changing military culture and evolving warfare strategies. He predicts new space weapon systems based on current naming conventions and highlights the importance of integrating operations with acquisition roles.

Jonny Dyer, CEO of Muon Space and former leader at Google, discusses the revolutionary potential of AI and laser communications in satellite technology. He highlights how lasers could streamline data-intensive Earth observation, likening current satellite communications to dial-up compared to the 'broadband' future ahead. Dyer also shares insights on Muon’s partnerships, the Firesat project funded by Space Force, and how advanced data models could democratize weather forecasting and local insights. Leadership lessons from baseball add a unique twist to his approach in managing his growing team.

In this engaging discussion, Torsten Kriening, CEO of SpaceWatch.global and host of the Space Cafe podcast, shares insights on Germany's newfound commitment to space defense. He sheds light on Germany's historic €35 billion strategy to develop offensive and defensive capabilities in orbit. Kriening explores geopolitical factors driving this shift, including tensions with Russia, and discusses the urgency behind preparing for a potential conflict by 2029. He also covers European cooperation and ESA's evolving role in defense.

In a captivating discussion, retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Steven Shirley, former Executive Director of the DoD Cyber Crime Center, delves into the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and its implications for the defense industrial base. He highlights the necessity of verified assessments to combat cybersecurity risks and the challenges faced by small companies in compliance. Shirley also outlines the phased rollout of CMMC and the importance of contract flow-down from primes to subcontractors, emphasizing the intersection of cybersecurity and acquisition reform.

While the U.S. government remains shut and the NASADQ is getting hammered, Chad Anderson of Space Capital, a seed-stage venture capital firm that invests exclusively in space-based technologies, says the space market “has fundamentally matured”. Laura Winter speaks with Chad Anderson, CEO, Founder, and Managing Partner of Space Capital.