In this episode, Peter Garretson hosts Dr. Fred Kennedy, CEO of Dark Fission. Fred discusses his career and vision for space exploration, emphasizing the importance of developing nuclear thermal propulsion technology to enable more ambitious missions beyond low Earth orbit. He explores the historical challenges and delays in nuclear thermal propulsion development, while advocating for investment in all forms of nuclear propulsion and power systems to maintain U.S. competitiveness in space.

They conversation covers a number of advanced nuclear propulsion ideas and explores the story behind ROAR and DRACO at DARPA, including the unfortunate recent demise of DRACO. They also discuss the Space Development Agency’s (SDA) original ‘deterrence layer,’ including an Advanced Maneuvering Vehicle. The episode concludes with discussions about funding strategies, potential partnerships, the need to remove regulatory barriers to allow American ingenuity to drive space exploration forward, and a grand strategy discussion about humanity’s expansion into the solar system.

In this episode Peter Garretson speaks with Senior Master Sergeant Benjamin Johnis, a Personnel Recovery Program Manager and former Air Force veteran, about rescue and personnel recovery in space. The discussion focused on space rescue capabilities and requirements. Benjamin presents his research on space rescue operations and discusses the challenges of developing a dedicated space rescue program, including his AFIT study on Lunar Search and Rescue (see related discussion). 

The conversation covered technical aspects of space rescue vehicles, including the Dream Chaser and various existing systems, while addressing the geopolitical implications of space rescue capabilities and the need for international cooperation, particularly regarding China's advanced space programs. Benjamin emphasized the importance of establishing a Space Rescue Professional capability and outlined a 10-year plan for developing search and rescue capabilities in Cislunar space, while advocating for a Presidential Policy Directive to guide and coordinate government efforts in space rescue operations. 

Related reading: Read his Constellation Design Evaluation for Lunar Surface Navigation, and examination of Commercial Space Rescue Vehicle Reentry Concepts. Look for his forthcoming publications in Air & Space Operations Review on developing USSF Space Rescue Professionals, and his AFIT PhD dissertation “The Space Rescue Blueprint: An Engineering Guide for In-Space Contingencies.”

American Foreign Policy Council Space Policy Initiative co-directors Richard M. Harrison and Peter A. Garretson are taking a break from their original interview series to bring listeners something special—a free audio version of their co-authored book, The Next Space Race: A Blueprint for American Primacy.

In this series, they’ll take you chapter-by-chapter through the book, exploring the critical strategies America must adopt to maintain its leadership in space.

In this final chapter, the authors present a comprehensive agenda for ensuring American primacy in space, detailing specific recommendations for NASA, the Department of Defense, Congress, and the National Space Council to foster space development and security. The chapter emphasizes the urgent need for a unified American space vision to counter China's ambitions, advocating for public-private partnerships, space infrastructure investment, and a restructured Space Force to extend "the blessings of liberty" beyond Earth and secure America's economic and strategic advantages in the space domain. 

American Foreign Policy Council Space Policy Initiative co-directors Richard M. Harrison and Peter A. Garretson are taking a break from their original interview series to bring listeners something special—a free audio version of their co-authored book, The Next Space Race: A Blueprint for American Primacy.

In this series, they’ll take you chapter-by-chapter through the book, exploring the critical strategies America must adopt to maintain its leadership in space.

In this episode, they shift to an international focus in Chapter 6 – Shaping the Global Rules-Based Order of Space. As more nations and private companies expand into space, setting clear rules and norms becomes critical. They explore the role the U.S. can play in establishing a rules-based order that promotes peace, security, and responsible behavior in orbit and beyond.

Next, in Chapter 7 – Charting the Dimensions of Space Competition, they review the full spectrum of space competition—from military capabilities and economic opportunities to soft power and diplomatic influence. They discuss how the U.S. can leverage its strengths to outpace rivals and secure its leadership role in the space domain.

American Foreign Policy Council Space Policy Initiative co-directors Richard M. Harrison and Peter A. Garretson are taking a break from their original interview series to bring listeners something special—a free audio version of their co-authored book, The Next Space Race: A Blueprint for American Primacy.

In this series, they’ll take you chapter-by-chapter through the book, exploring the critical strategies America must adopt to maintain its leadership in space.

In this episode, they’re exploring a critical question: Is American space primacy slipping away? Chapter 4 takes a hard look at the warning signs—from lagging investments to bureaucratic inertia—that threaten to erode U.S. leadership in space. They discuss the policies and investments required to reverse this trend and ensure that America remains the dominant power in orbit and beyond.

Next, in Chapter 5– The Future of the U.S. Space Force, they unpack the mission and challenges of America’s newest military branch, examining its role in defending space assets and deterring adversaries. They also examine the reforms and resources needed to make the Space Force a capable guardian of U.S. interests in space.

American Foreign Policy Council Space Policy Initiative co-directors Richard M. Harrison and Peter A. Garretson are taking a break from their original interview series to bring listeners something special—a free audio version of their co-authored book, The Next Space Race: A Blueprint for American Primacy.

In this series, they’ll take you chapter-by-chapter through the book, exploring the critical strategies America must adopt to maintain its leadership in space.

In this episode, they dive into Chapter 2: Competing with the Chinese Space Vision. As China accelerates its ambitions in space—from Lunar bases to space-based solar power—the United States faces a strategic challenge like never before. We’ll explore how China's space vision is not just about exploration, but a calculated effort to reshape the global balance of power. 

Next, in Chapter 3: Challenges to U.S. Space Security, they examine the growing threats from anti-satellite weapons, cyber vulnerabilities, and the potential for a new kind of arms race in orbit. As rivals like China and Russia develop capabilities to disrupt or destroy U.S. assets in space, maintaining American security requires a bold and forward-thinking strategy. We’ll break down these threats and discuss the measures needed to safeguard America's interests in the final frontier.

American Foreign Policy Council Space Policy Initiative co-directors Richard M. Harrison and Peter A. Garretson are taking a break from their original interview series to bring listeners something special—a free audio version of their co-authored book, The Next Space Race: A Blueprint for American Primacy.

In this series, they’ll take you chapter-by-chapter through the book, exploring the critical strategies America must adopt to maintain its leadership in space.

In this episode, they start with the introduction, laying out why space is not just a new frontier of exploration but a crucial domain for U.S. national security, economic growth, and global influence. The discussion emphasizes how the stakes are higher than ever, with China rapidly advancing its capabilities and challenging American leadership in space.

Then, they dive into Chapter 1: Space Is an Untapped Resource. The chapter explores the immense potential of space-based resources—from energy and minerals to manufacturing—and what that means for America's economic future. The chapter addresses the strategic importance of tapping into these resources before rivals like China can capitalize on them, and why failing to act now could have long-term consequences for U.S. dominance on the global stage.

In this episode, Peter Garretson speaks with Christopher Stone, Senior Fellow for Space Deterrence at the National Institute for Deterrence Studies, and former Special Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy. Stone, author of Reversing the Tao: A Framework for Credible Space Deterrence and host of the host of Real Space Strategy Podcast joins Garretson for a wide-ranging discussion on space policy and defense. The conversation begins with an analysis of the new administration’s space-focused appointees and their potential impact, before diving into 'Space Warfare 101.' This comprehensive overview covers Earth-to-space weapons, space-to-space weapons (including the rationale and strategic importance of co-orbital counterspace and maneuver capabilities), and space-to-Earth weapons. The discussion then explores arms control, deterrence strategy, and the implications of the President's "Iron Dome for America" executive order, including its impact on space-based missile defense, potential bureaucratic 'failure modes,' and potential challenges for the Space Force. The episode concludes with an examination of strategic objectives and threats in Cislunar space area of responsibility (AOR).

In this episode Peter Garretson talks with Christopher Mason, a Professor of Genomics, Physiology, Biophysics, and Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medicine and Director of the WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, and principal investigator for the NASA Twins Study. The conversation explores the ideas in his book, The Next 500 Years: Engineering Life to Reach New Worlds. The episode opens with Chris' thought experiment for long-term thinking, and the realization that the span of life on Earth is finite and its implications. The discussion delves into key concepts from his book such as his "deontogenic ethics," the human purpose as shepherds of life, the duty to engineer, the 'metaspecies,' engineering astronauts, settlers, and their companion microbes, terraforming, and the nuts and bolts of his 500 year plan to engineer ourselves, the biospheres of planets in our solar system and settling new Earths, setting sail for second Suns. Mason shares insights from the NASA Twins Study, and highlights work in his lab such as creating radiation resistant cells by transplanting tardigrade DNA into human cells. The conversation covers planetary protection, longevity, synthetic biology, functional genomics, reproduction in space, AI & biological digital twins, and science fiction. Together, they explore what it means to codify such purpose in national policy, and how to encourage US leadership in the new space race in science and technology policy. Chris ends on a note of high optimism for the future of humanity.

In this episode Peter Garretson talks with Jim Keravala, co-founder and CEO of OffWorld, inc. The conversation opens with the truly grand scale of ambition in space, beginning with interstellar migration before working back to Cislunar development. This leads into an exploration of political and environmental pressures, highlighting the need to double or quadruple our energy inputs through Space Solar Power. Jim shares his past efforts with Shacketon energy to create an $18B sovereign wealth fund for developing Lunar infrastructure and building solar power Satellites. The conversation shifts to examining the genesis of OffWorld, its success in terrestrial mining, and plans for swarm mining of end-of-life mines. The dialogue emphasizes the criticality of Cislunar space, establishing how U.S. economic prosperity is absolutely tied to our Cislunar competence. This opens up a broader conversation about why Cislunar development is urgent today and how to catalyze it in alignment with the Oil & Gas industry. The focus then turns to Cislunar's importance for national security and the future roles of the Space Force. As the conversation progresses, attention shifts to the opportunity of building and leading the foundation of expansion into Cislunar space during this era of unprecedented technological advancement—comparable to the discovery of fire and the invention of the wheel. The discussion expands to cover starship, self-replication, synbio, AI, AI ethics, and the incredible opportunity facing the new administration. The episode concludes with a compelling scenario of what we're likely to see unfold if we make the right decisions.