Delian Asparouhov, Partner at Founders Fund and Co-Founder at Varda Space brings together Tom Mueller, Founder at Impulse Space, and Congressman Ken Calvert (R-CA) to discuss the urgency of why we are diving into the second space race. In 1996, the United States developed the ramjet engine for the first hypersonic missiles reaching Mach 9. In the summer of 2021, China demonstrated a production-ready boost glide hypersonic missile system. In conjunction, reports have stated that Russia is preparing to place a 1-megaton bomb in low earth orbit. This conversation covers the forces shaping the second space race, America’s lunar ambitions, and the critical technologies enabling space commerce and defense.

This session was recorded live at The Hill & Valley Forum in 2024, a private bipartisan community of lawmakers and innovators committed to harnessing the power of technology to address America's most pressing national security challenges. The Hill & Valley podcast is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

LINKS:

The Hill & Valley Forum https://www.thehillandvalleyforum.com/

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Lunar Ambitions

(00:37) The new space race

(01:49) Identifying key players in the space race and the role of China

(02:48) The future of space: propulsion, AI, and the economy

(05:38) Government and commercial sector collaboration in space

(07:07) Addressing threats: Russia's space ambitions and global security

(09:23) The Importance of space for military and civilian life

(10:24) Boosting U.S. space capabilities

(15:16) The Moon: the ultimate high ground in space

(22:22) Collaboration and competition: shaping the future of space

(26:31) Regulatory challenges and the future of space exploration