Max-Q: The Podcast

Artemis II has taken flight and there are now 4 people of their way around the moon!! On this episode Iain and Ethan break down the near flawless launch of SLS and highlight some funny and highly relatable issues the crew has faced in space. They also discuss some financial stuff regarding terrible budget cuts to NASA as well as the filing for IPO that SpaceX gave.

NASA Budget cuts

SpaceX IPO

Starlink Breakup

SpaceX files FCC complaint against Amazon

NASA Artemis II tracker

Call your congressional representatives and tell them to say "Hell no!" to NASA budget cuts! Heres how!

This week Iain and Ethan discuss everything around New Glenns second flight including a genius way of keeping the booster stable of the droneship. We also have a few updates to Firefly's mishap from September, the Baguette one is going orbital, and SES gave Relativity a contract. We wrap the week up with our launch roundup with the final non Amazon or Starliner Atlas V launch.

Blue Origin Launches Escapade

Shenzou 20 has safely returned to earth

Relativity has signed a multi launch agreement with SES

Firefly shares information on their test failure

RocketLab Q3 2025 financial results

Kuiper now Amazon Leo

Raytheon and Lockheed Martin parter with Avio to provide solid rocket booster production in the US

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Have a question, a tip, or just want to chat about the latest in aerospace?

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This week Iain and Ethan discuss all things IAC which, shockingly, isnt much. They also talk about firefly's mishap during a test, a new reusable vehicle Avio is designing, and they discuss everyones favorite company Vantor!

• https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/09/after-another-fiery-setback-it-seems-fireflys-alpha-rocket-is-still-in-beta/
• https://europeanspaceflight.com/avio-wins-e40m-esa-contract-to-design-reusable-upper-stage-demo/
• https://vantor.com/
• https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/02/dismantling_discovery/
• https://www.australiandefence.com.au/news/news/australian-space-institute-launches-at-iac-2025

Our Links:

⁠max-q-news.space⁠

⁠Bluesky Social⁠

⁠Twitter/X⁠

⁠Youtube⁠

⁠TikTok⁠

Have a question, a tip, or just want to chat about the latest in aerospace?

For general inquiries, press releases, or feedback, drop us a line at [email protected].

This week Iain and Ethan discuss all the happenings at NASA, and boy was there a lot to talk about! First we congratulated the new class of astronaut candidates, then we discuss the Artemis two timeline. Blue Origin also got the VIPER contract and SpaceX could be the biggest delay in the Artemis program. Iain then goes on a lengthy rant about NASA leadership that he will someday regret. Then, to cap off the show they discuss some issues surrounding DreamChaser.

• NASA 2025 astronaut class -press release
• Artemis II gets a launch date -SpaceNews
• Blue Origin receives VIPER contract -press release
• NASA safety panel concludes that HLS is "significantly challenged" -SpacePolicyOnline
• Joseph Pelfrey resigns as the director of Marshal Space Flight Center -WHNT
• Dream Chaser no longer allowed to dock to ISS -ars Technica

Our Links:

max-q-news.space

Bluesky Social

Twitter/X

Youtube

TikTok

Have a question, a tip, or just want to chat about the latest in aerospace?

For general inquiries, press releases, or feedback, drop us a line at [email protected].

Show Notes:

https://www.spacecom.mil/Newsroom/News/Article-Display/Article/4308024/press-release-us-and-uk-demonstrate-partnership-in-first-ever-on-orbit-operation/https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/09/rocket-lab-eyes-mto-nasa-revives-mission-concepthttps://www.blueorigin.com/news/blue-origin-mars-telecommunications-orbiterhttps://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2025/09/crs-ng-23https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/esdmd/common-exploration-systems-development-division/space-launch-system/nasa-artemis-ii-moon-rocket-ready-to-fly-crew

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The Website: https://max-q-news.spaceMax-Q News on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/maxqnews.bsky.socialMax-Q News on Twitter/X: https://x.com/MaxQ_production%E2%81%A0Max-Q: The Discord: https://discord.gg/JTgxuvjY7e- ‎

Max-Q: The Podcast is a Max-Q News production, owned by the Kaidem Group LLC. Any views expressed in this podcast are not necessarily that of either Max-Q News or our parent company and should not be interpreted as such unless expressly stated.

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/firefly-granted-faa-clearance-resume-alpha-rocket-launches-2025-08-26/

https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-astronaut-megan-mcarthur-retires/

https://rocketlabcorp.com/updates/rocket-lab-opens-launch-complex-3-a-critical-milestone-on-the-path-to-neutrons-first-launch/

https://www.exploration.space/blog/the-exploration-companys-nyx-earth-capsule-receives-phase-1-iss-safety-approval

In this weeks show Iain and Ethan discuss all the various new contracts and missions that got announced this past week, and boy, there are some very interesting things to note here!!

Amentum secures a 4 billion dollar contract to revamp the range systems by the space force

The UK Space Agency has been shut down and absorbed by the DSIT

ESA announced a mission to asteroid Apophis

SpinLaunch raised $30 million to develop their satellite communication network

Firefly announced that they would be adding a new launch site in japan

In homage to one of our past episodes, entitled "Nothing Went Boom", we talked about a very important boom this week. For a while. Actually, we talked about a couple of booms. What booms are those? Well, tune in and find out!

Also, Beagle goes on a whole rant about funky astrophysicist naming schemes. They're... weird.

This week Ethan and Iain discuss the politics surrounding NASA and the pulled nomination of Jared Isaacman. We also discuss the fallout between Musk and Trump and what that means for SpaceX contracts. After the political bit we talk about the Hakuto R mission and StarShip's ninth test flight.

Our Links:Max-Q News website: ⁠https://max-q-news.space/%E2%81%A0Max-Q News X (formerly Twitter): ⁠https://twitter.com/MaxQ_production%E2%81%A0Max-Q News Discord: ⁠https://discord.gg/JTgxuvjY7e

In this interesting episode Iain is on his own and he is less than enthused, however the news is very exciting so that helped.

Over the past month a lot has happened and we cover it all, which shockingly took only 20 minutes.

RocketLab had their quarterly review and it went quite well

IM-2 investigation is complete and it shows exactly what we expected

Dragonfly defies expectations and passes its CDR

The first satellite internet video call has been made

Stratolaunch completes the second flight of the Talon-A2

Varda completes their third mission

StarBase is now its own town despite the public backlash of six total people

StarShip granted 20 launches per year out of starbase