Deep Space Podcast

This week, we are excited to welcome Frank Slazer, the Coalition’s very own President and CEO, to the Deep Space Podcast’s Leadership in Space Series. In this episode, Slazer shares his vision for the organization moving forward and speaks about how he sees it changing to a more robust advocacy model. Our guest also speaks about the traits that he considers to be crucial in a leader and what he’s learned about leadership in the space field after over 40 years of work in the sector. 

We are thrilled to welcome Robert Curbeam to the Deep Space Podcast. A former astronaut and test pilot, Curbeam has held several leadership roles in the industry, and is currently the Senior Vice President for Space Capture at Maxar Technologies. This week, he joins the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration’s Christen Kapavik and Jamil Castillo for a conversation about what it means to be a leader in the space sector, leadership traits he learned from his time as an astronaut, why we should continue to pursue human space exploration, and more. 

This week, the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration is excited to welcome Barbara Slayton, Leidos’ VP and strategic account executive for NASA, NOAA, and NSF, to the Deep Space Podcast. Barbara joins Coalition team members Christen Kapavik and Jamil Castillo for a discussion about leadership and what it means to lead a team working in the space sector. Our guest also shares insight into what motivated her to become a leader in the space industry, what she would like her legacy to be, and why exploring space is so crucial for humanity. 

We are launching our Deep Space Podcast’s Leadership in Space series. This week, United Launch Alliance President and CEO Tory Bruno joins the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration’s Christen Kapavik and Jamil Castillo for a conversation about the qualities that he considers to be fundamental in a leader, especially when working in a challenging and visionary field such as space. Tory also touches on what he would like his and his company’s legacy to be, and highlights the importance of developing humanity’s potential in space as well as of using space to be better custodians of our own planet.

This week, we're releasing a special edition of the Deep Space Podcast, A Roadmap for Space Exploration. In this new episode, the former CEO of the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration, Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar, joins Coalition team members Christen Kapavik and Jamil Castillo for a discussion about NASA’s Moon-to-Mars initiative, national programs and public-private partnerships for space, thoughts on a strategy for a permanent human presence in low Earth orbit in the future, and the ways in which space science and exploration help our home planet. These topics are also discussed in our recently released policy paper, “A Space Exploration Roadmap for the New Administration”, which you can find here: https://bit.ly/3iW39Pj 

Join us for Episode 3 of the Deep Space Podcast’s Workforce of the Future Series, featuring Ty Lee, a systems engineer at Maxar and Sapna Rao, a systems engineer at Lockheed Martin. From museums to science fiction to astronauts, Ty and Sapna tell us about their sources of inspiration to pursue careers in space. Sapna and Ty also dive into the importance of space exploration for our planet and for humanity, and explain how the Orion next-generation spacecraft and the Gateway will contribute to sustainable missions to the Moon and future crewed trips to Mars. 

This week, we are launching Episode 2 of our Deep Space Podcast’s Workforce of the Future series. Join young professionals Beverly Case of Jacobs Space Operations Group and David Vaughn of Northrop Grumman as they share insights into their careers and what it has taken for them to thrive in aerospace. David and Beverly provide details about the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket booster production at the Northrop Grumman facilities in Utah and stacking at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, as well as the wide range of activities of NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems.

This week, we are launching the first episode of our Deep Space Podcast’s Workforce of the Future series. Young professionals Amanda Gertjejansen, a senior production manager at Boeing, and Kevin Chau, a Project Component Engineer at Aerojet Rocketdyne, join us to share their experience working on the hardware that will enable human deep space exploration again. Part of the teams working on the NASA Space Launch System’s (SLS) rocket core stage and RS-25 engines, our guests speak about the Green Run test campaign currently underway at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. Amanda and Kevin also offer thoughts on the future of deep space exploration and share their experience working and growing within big aerospace companies.

The Space Policy series of our Deep Space Podcast features Jared Stout, who has served in various space policy positions in Congress, the National Space Council, and the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Commercial Space Transportation. Having worked on multiple space-related legislative initiatives and participated in the development of several Space Policy Directives, Jared shares his thoughts on what has changed in the space field over the last decade, what has remained the same, and the road ahead. Drawing on his experience, Jared also speaks about the relationship between Congress and NASA, and the importance of balancing the different factors that play a role in the development of the space sector, such as international partnerships and commercial space interests.

Joining us in this week’s episode of The Deep Space Podcast is Pam Melroy, former NASA astronaut, U.S. Air Force colonel (retired), and current space consultant. Melroy joins the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration’s CEO and President Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar for a candid conversation about the human side of spaceflight, in which she reflects on the most memorable times in her astronaut career and walks listeners through the journey of flying to space. Having spent extended periods of time in quarantine and away from her family as an astronaut, Melroy also shares thoughts and ideas on how to adapt to our current way of life resulting from a global pandemic, and the role of technology in keeping people united. 

Joining us in this episode of the “Human Exploration and Science” series of our Deep Space Podcast is Dr. Ellen Stofan, John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Air and Space Museum, and former NASA Chief Scientist.  
 
In a conversation with the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration CEO and President Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar, Dr. Stofan speaks about the rationale behind space science and human deep space exploration. For Stofan, who has spent time studying the behavior and composition of volcanoes on Mars, Venus and Saturn’s moon Titan, what really drives space science is understanding how the Earth works. As a geologist and planetary scientist, Stofan also explains why it is critical to not only focus on space science, but to send humans into deep space to explore in the field, and why Mars is our horizon goal for human space exploration. Dr. Dittmar and Dr. Stofan also touch on the diversity challenges we still face in the space field, and why space exploration is worth the world’s effort and investment, even as we go through a global crisis. 

In this week’s episode of the Deep Space Podcast, Nanoracks CEO Jeffrey Manber, a true pioneer of space entrepreneurship, joins the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration CEO and President Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar to discuss how the space sector has evolved from having mostly government actors to having both governmental and private players working together to advance exploration.

Nanoracks has provided cost savings to private individuals wanting to use the International Space Station (ISS) for various technological and scientific purposes. The company has also enabled commercial use of the U.S. side of the ISS to international customers. Manber explains what it took for Nanoracks to become the very first company in the world to own and market their own hardware on the ISS, discusses the ISS legacy, and shares his thoughts on returning to the Moon.

Learn more about Nanoracks:
@Nanoracks
nanoracks.com

In this week’s episode of the Deep Space Podcast, Axiom CEO Mike Suffredini walks us through his transition from being NASA’s International Space Station manager to being a space entrepreneur, and what it takes to be in the space business. A firm believer in the immense importance of space exploration in the life of Earthlings, he speaks to the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration CEO and President Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar about how his vision fits NASA’s plans for deep space exploration. 

Just this year, Axiom was awarded a NASA contract to provide at least one habitable commercial module to be attached to the International Space Station (ISS), as the agency opens the orbiting laboratory for commercial use and ramps up deep space exploration. Suffredini discusses the different ways in which private companies can support a presence in low Earth orbit. 

Learn more about Axiom:
@Axiom_Space
axiomspace.com


Follow the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration:
@XploreDeepSpace
www.exploredeepspace.com 

The second episode of our podcast premiere features Made In Space’s President Andrew Rush. In this episode, Rush speaks with the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration CEO and President Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar about the role of on-orbit manufacturing and assembly in space exploration. Our guest also discusses Made In Space joining the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Made In Space was founded about ten years ago with a focus on enabling people to live permanently in space. So far, the company has printed about 200 objects aboard the International Space Station. But their vision goes further, as the Made In Space team is using lessons learned to support future sustainable deep space exploration. Andrew Rush discusses potential future activities, including manufacturing lunar surface habitats or Gateway components in orbit, making missions safer by building and fixing tools locally in real time, and using their new Archinaut facility to manufacture and assemble satellites in space for critical activities. 

Learn more about CDSE member company Made In Space:
@MadeInSpace
MadeInSpace.com

Follow the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration:
@XploreDeepSpace
www.exploredeepspace.com 

Our “Entrepreneurs in Space” series’ first episode features John Thornton of Astrobotic, who talks with the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration (CDSE) CEO and President Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar about developing a completely new business model and knocking on doors until people started believing in the project. Thornton speaks about Astrobotic’s vision for making the Moon accessible to the world, which for him and his team starts with transportation. 

Astrobotic is developing commercial lunar landers. That’s right: for the first time in history, private Moon landers will take science experiments and technology to the lunar surface. The company’s first lander, Peregrine, is launching next year and will enable testing of various technologies that are key for Artemis, NASA’s program to return humans to the Moon in this decade. Another one of their landers, Griffin, will be launching VIPER, NASA’s water-seeking Moon rover.

Learn more about CDSE member company Astrobotic:
@astrobotic
www.astrobotic.com

Follow the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration:
@XploreDeepSpace
www.exploredeepspace.com 

Introduction to the Deep Space Podcast's first series, Entrepreneurs in Space

It’s the dawn of a new era in space exploration. With NASA moving beyond low Earth orbit in a sustainable manner, a new wave of entrepreneurs can help with modern space goals. Going to deep space sustainably means that NASA and its commercial partners need to save on the cost of maintaining a presence in low Earth orbit, develop mechanisms to lower launch expenses, and think of ways to use space resources to be able to travel farther in the next decades. From developing habitable modules for the International Space Station, to advancing on-orbit 3D printing, entrepreneurs are playing an important role in space. The small steps that government and industry are taking now, together, will shape the next fifty years of exploration.

The first series of the Deep Space Podcast focuses on space entrepreneurship. In each episode, the Coalition for Deep Space Exploration’s CEO and President Dr. Mary Lynne Dittmar digs into the role of the smaller space companies that are making a big impact in space innovation. Four space entrepreneurs join Dr. Dittmar to talk about how their companies went from concept to reality, how they developed their business models, and how their innovative ideas fit into the bigger exploration picture. 

The four companies featured in the first series of the Deep Space Podcast are Coalition members Astrobotic, Made In Space, Nanoracks, and Axiom. Executives from these companies walk listeners through some fascinating details about their businesses’ journeys. Tune in to the first two episodes featuring Astrobotic and Made In Space when the podcast premiers on Tuesday, July 7.