The Space Hour

Space and defense spending are at record levels, but meeting that demand requires more than money—it requires the ability to scale production quickly. From strengthening domestic supply chains to using software to streamline manufacturing, the industry is looking for ways to move faster. I recently discussed the challenges of scaling up space and defense production and what it will take to keep pace with growing demand with Laura Crabtree. She’s the CEO of Epsilon3.

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As commercial space activity accelerates, companies are looking for new ways to build spacecraft and infrastructure faster and more efficiently. Artificial intelligence is becoming an increasingly important part of that process, helping developers automate routine tasks while also raising new questions about oversight and security. I recently had the chance to talk to Brian Butcher Software Group Lead at Intuitive Machines, along with Dami Alugo, the company’s Lead DevSecOps Engineer about how AI is changing the way spacecraft are developed, and where the technology could take the industry next.

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More than half a century after Apollo 11 put humans on the moon, the mission remains one of the great achievements of American history. Now, an effort is underway to make July 20 a federal day of observance, giving Americans a chance to celebrate that achievement while inspiring the next generation to pursue science, technology, engineering, the arts and space exploration. I spoke to the man behind the idea, Bob Slater.

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Getting spacecraft to orbit is only part of the challenge. Once satellites are up there, they can need repairs, relocation or eventual removal—and there’s no tow truck in space. A new government-backed effort aims to demonstrate technology that could help move and service spacecraft in orbit, while also helping keep space accessible as the number of objects in orbit continues to grow. To find out more, we welcomed back to the program Troy Morris, co-founder and CEO of Kall Morris.

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The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope combines the image quality of Hubble with a field of view that's dramatically larger. That will allow scientists to map vast portions of the sky, search for distant planets, and study some of the biggest unanswered questions in astronomy. Prior to the recent launch, I got more details from Matthew Bolcar, senior optical systems engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

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What if the future of AI isn't in a massive data center on Earth, but orbiting hundreds of miles above it? One company is developing rockets, satellites, and space-based data centers designed to tackle the growing energy demands of artificial intelligence. We got to take a closer look at the vision and the challenges ahead with Cowboy Space Corportation's chief operating and legal officer, Joseph Yaffe.

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When you think aerospace engineering, glue probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. But advanced structural adhesives are becoming a critical part of building everything from spacecraft to aircraft. We sat down with Click Bond's Bill Perez to learn why bonding technology is gaining ground in some of the world's most demanding environments. 

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Imagine a telescope so powerful it can create the most detailed, time-lapse map of the universe ever assembled. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory has begun The 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time, a groundbreaking project that will scan the entire night sky every few days, capture billions of changing objects, and generate an unprecedented "movie" of the cosmos over the next decade. I got the chance to speak with person in charge of this endeavor, astronomer Dr. Željko Ivezić to learn more about how this remarkable project could transform our understanding of everything from asteroids near Earth to the largest structures in the universe.

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GPS had become something we relied on every day—from navigation and deliveries to financial networks, utilities, and communications. But that dependence also created vulnerabilities. I recently had the chance to speak with Renee Gregory, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs for the company NextNav. We discussed the need for a more resilient GPS system, the emerging technologies that could provide a backup, and the roles of federal agencies in making that happen.

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Space has become essential to everyday life, from GPS and communications to weather and national security. But as our reliance on satellites grows, so do the cybersecurity risks—and protecting that infrastructure means looking beyond the satellites themselves to the systems, networks and users connected to them. To learn more about how the space industry is adapting to those threats, and why a common language for space cybersecurity could be key to staying ahead of them. We spoke with Sean MacKirdy, area vice president of defense at Elastic.

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