The DownLink Podcast

President Donald Trump issued a course-setting presidential executive order on Thursday that looks more like the national space strategy for which many, in and out of government and across a myriad of space-related sectors, have been waiting. Laura Winter speaks with Peter Garretson, a Senior Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, who is also the author of three books, the latest of which is “Space Shock: 18 Threats That Will Define Space Power”.

At the Space Force Association’s Space Power Conference, major announcements were few, but there were clues pointing to imminent strategic developments. Laura Winter speaks with U.S. Space Force Col. (ret.) Charles Galbreath, Director and Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies at the Mitchell Institute’s Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE).

The CEO of Muon Space predicts that artificial intelligence coupled with laser communications “ could ultimately become entirely transformative on blowing open things like the earth observation market.” Laura Winter speaks with Jonny Dyer, CEO and co-Founder of Muon Space.

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.

The Department of Defense roll-out of the new Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Program has far-ranging implications for the defense industrial base, including the space sector, that includes all prime contractors and sub-contractors. Laura Winter speaks with US Air Force Retired Col. Steven Shirley, the Executive Director of the National Defense ISAC, and former Executive Director of the DoD Cyber Crime Center (DC3).

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.

This week’s guest says, “ The purpose of science and technology research, in the military, is to make the fight unfair.” So what’s standing in our way? Laura Winter speaks with Richard Joseph, the 36th Air Force Chief Scientist, who has a CV that includes the Strategic Defense Initiative, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and NASA.

Could pre-positioning mission-critical cargo in Low Earth Orbit, to be summoned and sent to a place and time of the U.S. military’s choosing, in under an hour, solve logistical bottlenecks in times of need? Inversion Space and its investors are betting on it. Laura Winter speaks with Justin Fiaschetti, Inversion Space’s Co-Founder and CEO.

Antje Nötzold, a senior researcher focused on military space policy, and Torsten Kriening, CEO of SpaceWatch.Global, dive into Germany's staggering €35 billion military investment in space. They discuss the strategic implications of this funding, especially in response to global threats from nations like China and Russia. The guests explore how Germany's defense posture is evolving, the specific space threats faced, and the potential benefits for the German industry. This significant shift highlights a renewed focus on capabilities and collaborative efforts in the space domain.

Space investing is enjoying “positive sentiment”, with many publicly traded space stocks enjoying higher valuations. What’s behind these financial and economic trends and where are the weak points? Laura Winter speaks with The DownLink regulars Chris Quilty, founder of Quilty Space; and George Pullen, Partner and Chief Economist at MilkyWayEconomy.