SEDScast

Mike Kincaid is the Associate Administrator for STEM Engagement at NASA. He has served NASA for more than 30 years, having started as an intern at Johnson Space Center (JSC) in 1987. In his current role, Mike oversees strategic direction and leadership for the Office of STEM Engagement, which involves America's students, educators, and institutions in NASA's unique missions, contributing to mission success, as well as the nation's overall STEM education ecosystem. In addition, Mike is NASA's representative on the International Space Education Board (ISEB). You can check out NASA's STEM Engagement opportunities at https://www.nasa.gov/stem. Hosted by Chad Cerutti and Riley Schnee. Timestamps 00:00 - Introductions 00:48 - Guest background 02:41 - Getting interested in space 04:33 - Starting at NASA 05:37 - Day-to-day role 08:09 - Handling the different target audiences for STEM@NASA 16:42 - Effect of Artemis and commercial spaceflight on public interest in space 21:35 - Working with international partners 23:58 - Advice 29:38 - Engagement for Crew-2 mission 31:35 - Involving non-STEM majors in space

Anja Blaj is the CSO of Future Law Institute and the President of Blockchian Think Tank Slovenia. Anja works in areas of law that are rapidly advancing, such as space and blockchain applications. In this episode we discuss the current state and future challenges associated with space law and laws of other planetary bodies. We also walk through how legal precedent is established in emerging areas such as blockchain and commercial space operations. You can find Anja on LinkedIn or on Twitter @anjablaj. Hosted by Owen Marr and Badhon Tithi. Timestamps 00:00 - Introductions 01:23 - Guest background 04:45 - Getting interested in space 06:52 - State of space law 10:13 - Current work and interests 11:27 - Mining laws 13:51 - Moving towards unity 16:43 - Educating the public 20:34 - Blockchain and non nation-states 26:11 - Making changes to blockchain 33:06 - Advice 36:27 - Social media

Shaun D'Mello is the VP of Launch for Rocket Lab. In this episode, we asked Shaun all about Rocket Lab's new projects: building a new medium-launch vehicle called Neutron and becoming a publicly traded company. We also talked about Rocket Lab's rich history of success in the space industry, and how they've managed to succeed when so many others have failed. Hosted by Owen Marr and Chad Cerutti. Timestamps 00:00 - Introductions 01:04 - Guest background 03:21 - Joining Rocket Lab 06:14 - Reusable vehicles 10:26 - Rocket Lab expansion 13:18 - Other companies coming to New Zealand 14:48 - Contributors of success for Rocket Lab 17:10 - Future missions 19:03 - Neutron overview 25:06 - Competing in the small launch industry 28:04 - Company going public 30:57 - Launch naming 32:29 - Future work 33:58 - Advice 40:05 - Social media

Daniel Faber is the CEO of Orbit Fab, Inc. Orbit Fab is developing propellant infrastructure for satellites in Earth orbit. (Think gas stations in space!) Daniel has held several previous roles in the space industry, including CEO of Deep Space Industries from 2012 to 2017. In this episode, Daniel discusses his vision for the future of space and the role Orbit Fab will play in this growing ecosystem. Hosted by Owen Marr and Rupal Nigam. Timestamps 00:00 - Introductions 01:26 - Guest background 05:14 - Experiences at Deep Space Industries 08:05 - How to accomplish goals 09:48 - Details and logistics on OrbitFab 15:38 - Targeted satellites 17:04 - Standardization of parts 21:58 - Compatibility with existing satellites 23:31 - Current progress 25:28 - Minimum Viable Product specifications 26:07 - Future timeline 32:26 - Advice

Joe Barnard is the owner of BPS.space, a model rocketry component business that attempts to replicate recent innovations in the space industry at the model scale. Joe runs the BPS.space YouTube channel, where he undertakes challenges, such as VTVL (Vertical Takeoff, Vertical Landing), orbital-class model rockets, and custom build launch setups. His goal is to give the next generation of scientists and engineers hands-on experience with advanced rocketry components and show that anyone with ambition can get into model rocketry. Hosted by Chad Cerutti and Michael Messere. Timestamps 00:00 - Introductions 02:16 - Guest Background 06:35 - Starting BPS 09:57 - Challenges in landing rockets 12:14 - Current projects 19:00 - Dealing with imposter syndrome 22:14 - Future milestones 26:18 - Launch day prep 31:20 - Scariest moments 33:20 - Launch locations 35:40 - Future careers 37:30 - Advice

Moriba Jah is an Associate Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, where he is the holder of the Mrs. Pearlie Dashiell Henderson Centennial Fellowship in Engineering. In this role, Moriba focuses on space traffic and the dangers associated with in-space collisions. He is also a TED fellow and a public advocate of space debris awareness. Learn more about Moriba and his work at flow.page/moriba. Hosted by Owen Marr and Riley Schnee. Timestamps 00:00 - Intro and Guest background 05:20 - PhD and Early career 10:55 - AstriaGraph 15:55 - Space debris accumulation 20:25 - Cleaning space debris 25:25 - Debris mitigation 29:30 - Accountability 33:45 - Public engagement 40:30 - Advice

Casey Dreier is the Chief Advocate & Senior Space Policy Adviser at The Planetary Society. He works to advance public understanding and support for planetary exploration and defense by demystifying space policy. His team recently released the Planetary Society's Recommendations for the Biden Administration. You can find this document and more information on the Planetary Society by visiting www.planetary.org. Hosted by Owen Marr and Ross Thyne. Timestamps 00:00 - Introductions 00:43 - Background 03:20 - Planetary Society Goals 5:55 - Role of Space Policy in the Industry 8:30 - Governing Bodies for Launch Vehicles 14:56 - Underdeveloped Areas of Space Policy 18:24 - Planetary Society's Recommendations for Biden Administration 18:50 - Deepening our commitment to NASA's Science Programs 22:18 - Continuing Human Spaceflight 28:57 - Taking Active Steps to Protect the Planet from Asteroids 34:31 - Advice

Swati Mohan is currently the Mars 2020 Guidance, Navigation, and Controls Operations Lead at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA. She has worked on Mars 2020 since almost the beginning of the project in 2013 and on multiple other missions such as Cassini (mission to Saturn) and GRAIL (a pair of formation flown spacecraft to the Moon). She completed her B.S. at Cornell University in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, and her M.S. and Ph.D at MIT in Aeronautics/Astronautics. Hosted by Rupal Nigam and Riley Schnee. Timestamps 00:00 - Introductions 01:00 - Background 02:45 - Mars 2020 GNC 06:50 - Mission Phases 11:05 - Hurdles 13:50 - Landing 15:55 - Getting into GNC 18:35 - What's next? 21:20 - Advice

Fernando Abilleira is currently serving as the Mars 2020 MDNAV Manager and the Deputy Mission Manager for Launch/Cruise/EDL. The Mars 2020 Project will land a rover heavily derived from the Curiosity rover configuration that is designed to investigate key questions about the habitability of Mars and the possibility of extant life on the Red planet. Fernando has supported multiple flight projects and studies such as the Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, Mars Science Orbiter, Mars Netlanders, Mars Sample Return, and preliminary crewed mission to Mars studies among others. Hosted by Rupal Nigam and Sahil Farishta. Timestamps 00:00 - Introductions 01:10 - Background 03:20 - Mars 2020 Objectives 07:40 - Milestones and Obstacles 11:20 - Landing 16:15 - Why Mars? 19:30 - Testing for the mission 23:00 - What's next? 26:30 - Advice

Dr. Lindy Elkins-Tanton is the Principal Investigator for the NASA Psyche mission, which is the first mission to explore an asteroid made of metal. The mission involves sending a spacecraft to the asteroid Psyche to study the properties of this metal world. In addition, Dr. Elkins-Tanton serves as the Vice President of the Interplanetary Institute at Arizona State University and the co-founder of Beagle Learning. Prior to her work on Psyche, Dr. Elkins-Tanton spent years in the business world as well. Timestamps 01:05 - Introductions 05:39 - Overview of the Psyche mission 08:18 - Origin of the mission and proposal process 20:04 - Progression into phase D of the development cycle 23:26 - Looking forward towards post launch operations 27:04 - Analyzing data from the spacecraft 32:05 - Student advice 36:08 - The space narrative

In this trailer, we welcome you to Season 3 and talk about some exciting updates to SEDScast going forward!

In this bonus episode, the SEDScast team discusses the origins of SEDScast, lessons learned while creating the platform, favorite moments along the way, and a compilation of advice that guests have shared over the course of the year. Timestamps Introductions: 2:05 SEDScast Origin Story: 11:50 Lessons from Producing SEDScast: 25:35 Favorite Moments: 34:02 Advice from S1 & S2 Guests: 48:40

George Sarkodie is a Systems Engineer at Raytheon Missiles & Defense. George graduated from the University of North Texas in 2020 with a degree in Biomedical Engineering. During college, George served as the SEDS USA Vice Chair. Obi Anyadiegwu is a Project Engineer at Lockheed Martin Skunkworks. Obi graduated from the University of North Texas in 2020 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. As a student, Obi served on the SEDS USA Board of Directors as Secretary and Member at Large. George & Obi are founding partners of the Zed Factor Fellowship. ZFF empowers aspiring aerospace professionals from underrepresented backgrounds through practical experiences and community outreach. For more info, visit zedfactorfellowship.org.

Steve Isakowitz is the President and CEO of The Aerospace Corporation. The Aerospace Corporation is a federally funded nonprofit corporation that provides technical guidance to government and commercial entities pursuing space endeavours. Prior to this position, Steve served as President of Virgin Galactic, Deputy CFO of NASA and a variety of other roles throughout the years. Steve also founded the Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship in memory of his son. The Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship is a mentorship and internship program for students interested in commercial spaceflight. Timestamps 4:40: Early Career 19:30: Virgin Galactic 21:00: The Aerospace Corporation 26:00: Matthew Isakowtiz Fellowship 28:30: Student Advice

Janet Ivey is the creator and CEO of the award-winning children's show “Janet's Planet,” the President of Explore Mars, Inc, and a Citizen Astronaut Candidate for Space For Humanity. Janet is committed to enriching the lives and education of children around the world through live performances, TV, and online programming covering topics such as science, space, history and health.

Jeff Manber is the Chief Executive Officer of NanoRacks. NanoRacks was the first company to develop and operate commercial space in the US National Lab aboard the ISS. They have assisted with the transport and deployment of over 1,000 space payloads to date, and their new Bishop Airlock is scheduled to launch to the ISS in December 2020. Prior to NanoRacks, Jeff contributed to a variety of space firsts such as leading MirCorp when they sent the first human to space without government funding. Timestamps: MirCorp: 5:30 NanoRacks: 17:30 Student Advice: 42:00

Dr. Alec D. Gallimore is the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering at the University of Michigan. He is a leader in the field of advanced spacecraft propulsion and heads a laboratory that is developing the plasma drive system that may ultimately propel humans to Mars. Dean Gallimore has served on a number of advisory boards for NASA and the Department of Defense, including the United States Air Force Scientific Advisory Board (AFSAB). Timestamps: Electric Propulsion: 03:00 Michigan Engineering: 26:00 Student Advice: 39:00

Cathrin Machin is an award-winning contemporary artist. She started painting in 2016 and is known for using huge, black canvases with unique glow-in-the-dark paints. Cathrin has dedicated her life to helping people to see the stars and ask the biggest questions about our existence and purpose through her cosmic art. You can see her work on Twitter and Instagram @cathrinmachin or on her website at catmachin.com.

Michael Sheetz is a space reporter at CNBC. He focuses on tracking and reporting financial aspects of the commercial and governmental space. Michael began at CNBC in 2017 and was appointed as CNBC's dedicated space reporter in early 2020. You can find Michael's articles on Twitter @thesheetztweetz or on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/michaeljsheetz/.

Peter Diamandis is an entrepreneur, engineer, physician, author, and so much more. He is a cofounder of SEDS, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary on October 30th, 2020. Peter joined us for a conversation on the founding of SEDS and his subsequent ventures. For Peter's full biography visit www.diamandis.com. Timestamps: 00:00 Founding SEDS 10:00 ISU 16:30 XPrize 26:00 COVAXX 34:00 Future of Space 42:30 Student Advice

Elizabeth Barrios is a NASA Space Technology Research Fellow and PhD candidate at the University of Central Florida. She has worked as a materials engineer at NASA under the Pathways program since 2015 and is set to complete her PhD at the end of 2020. Outside of her research, Elizabeth is the SGAC regional coordinator for North and Central America, as well as being on the SEDS USA board of advisors.

Andrew Sloan is the Founder and creative director of Cosma Schema. Cosma Schema is a branding and design agency dedicated to working with space companies. They have developed logos, websites, and much more for some of the most popular new space companies, including a few that have been featured on SEDScast!

Danielle Wood is a Professor at the MIT Media Lab with a joint appointment from the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department. She is also the leader of the Space Enabled Research Group at MIT, which works to advance justice on Earth using designs enabled by space. Dr. Wood completed her PhD at MIT in 2012 and went on to work at NASA and Johns Hopkins before returning to MIT as a Professor. Danielle is on the Board of Advisors for SEDS USA and a mentor for the Brooke Owens Fellowship. Timestamps: 02:45 MIT & Space Enabled Research Group 17:20 Satellite Programs in Developing Countries 26:40 NASA and Johns Hopkins 33:20 Advice for Students

Charles Miller is the CEO of Lynk Global, Inc. Lynk is a space startup focused on developing satellite technology that can connect directly to mobile phones. In February of 2020, Lynk became the first company to send a text message directly to a normal cell phone. Prior to Lynk, Charles was a senior advisor in NASA's Commercial Space division. Charles has also co-founded a series of space organizations including NanoRacks LLC and ProSpace. Timestamps: 02:25 Education and Career 17:00 Lynk 57:00 Student Advice

Richard French is the Director of Business Development and Strategy for Space Systems at Rocket Lab. Richard was recently promoted to this role after serving as Rocket Lab's Director of Global Government Launch Services. Prior to his time at Rocket Lab, Richard spent 12 years at NASA JPL and HQ. Richard holds his bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering and master's degree in Space Systems from the University of Michigan. Timestamps: 00:00 Introductions & Education 05:00 NASA JPL & HQ 13:30 Rocket Lab 39:30 Student Questions & Advice

Negar Feher is the Vice President of Business Development at Momentus Space. Momentus is a space startup that provides last mile services for satellites, providing their customers with the exact orbit needed for their satellites to succeed. Negar is responsible for running the customer side of Momentus, including sales, marketing and business expansion. Prior to joining, Negar worked at Space Systems Loral, which is now part of Maxar, and Lockheed Martin. She holds a master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from Stanford. Timestamps 00:00 Education & Early Career 22:20 Momentus & Future of the Space Industry

Aaron Burnett is the founder of Spaced Ventures which is a public equity investment platform for space companies. Aaron comes from a finance and marketing background, and is also a self-pronounced “lifelong space geek.” He was spurred by the first Falcon Heavy launch in 2018 to get involved in the space industry. Aaron created Spaced Ventures to enable public investment in space and help more space startups succeed.

Reuben Sorensen is the cofounder and CEO of R2 Space. R2 is a smallsat company that develops and operates SAR satellites for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Reuben has a long history of working in ISR. His first job following his PhD was technology officer for Navy Seal teams. Reuben then spent several years working on radar and space technology for the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Planet Labs before founding R2 Space. Timestamps: 04:40 Navy Seals Technology 10:50 Joint Chiefs of Staff 15:10 Planet Labs 19:37 R2 Space 33:20 Student Questions and Advice

Justus Kilian is Principal at Space Capital and Founder of Space Talent. Space Capital is a space-focused venture capital firm in Manhattan. Space Talent is a web platform designed to connect people with space companies. Justus has a deep background in investment, having worked as an analyst at Merrill Lynch and then as an impact investor in Africa and Asia. Justus holds an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. Timestamps: 5:28 Space Capital 12:07 Space Talent 21:14 Space Industry Outlooks 43:00 Student Advice

Will Coogan is the Chief Engineer of Space Systems at Firefly Aerospace. Will is responsible for the technical development of the Genesis lunar lander and the Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV). Prior to joining Firefly, Will obtained a PhD from Princeton focusing on electric propulsion systems. Timestamps: 00:00 Background & Early Education 06:14 Princeton PhD 15:27 Firefly OTV 18:32 Firefly Lunar Lander 43:30 Student Questions and Advice

Tess Hatch is a Vice President at Bessemer Venture Partners. BVP is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm which manages over $5 billion in its fund. Tess invests primarily in frontier technologies, including commercial space. BVP has investments in Rocket Lab and Spire Global, which Tess helps oversee. Our discussion with Tess is largely based on the role of traditional VCs and how they can enable space companies to achieve their visions. Timestamps: 2:55 Education & Background 6:35 Venture Capital 25:12 Rocket Lab 32:00 Future of Space 45:00 Student Advice

Amanda Stiles is the Director of Mission Management and Integration at Rocket Lab. Amanda is also the Rocket Lab Moon Program Director, which will see its first lunar launch in early 2021 as part of the CAPSTONE mission. Prior to joining Rocket Lab, Amanda worked at SpaceX and XPrize. She holds a bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Washington and a master's in Space Management from the International Space University. Timestamps: 4:20 Education & Early Career 16:00 SpaceX 30:00 Rocket Lab 32:30 Capstone Lunar Mission 54:00 Student Advice

Adam Wuerl is the Director of Advanced Concepts and Strategy at Blue Origin. Adam's team is responsible for developing concepts relevant to Blue Origin's mission as defined by owner Jeff Bezos. Prior to joining Blue Origin, Adam worked on a number of projects at Spaceflight Industries and Lockheed Martin. He holds a master's degree in Aerospace from Stanford and a bachelor's degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Washington. Timestamps: 3:30 Background 7:52 Early Career 22:10 Blue Origin 47:00 Student Questions & Advice

Sian Proctor is an analog astronaut and STEM educator who is passionate about the future of space. She has participated in a variety of research missions on Earth that examine how humans will live and work in space. In addition to being an analog astronaut and professor, Sian is a prolific public speaker. She talks to people of all ages and backgrounds to get them excited about space! Sian holds a master's degree in Geology and PhD in Science Education, both from ASU. Timestamps: 04:08 Introductions & Background 11:33 STEM Education 15:40 Analog Astronauts 36:40 Preparing for Lunar & Martian Missions 47:00 Student Questions & Advice

Jeff Foust is a distinguished space journalist and Senior Writer at SpaceNews. He has been covering the space industry as a journalist since the 1990s and has built an impressive portfolio of work over his career. Jeff holds an undergraduate degree in Geophysics from Caltech and a PhD in Planetary Sciences from MIT. Jeff also serves as a Board Advisor for SEDS USA! Timestamps: 02:35 SEDS 10:28 Early Career 21:24 SpaceNews and Journalism 43:15 Industry Discussion

John Kraus is an award-winning rocket launch photographer based in Cape Canaveral, Florida. John began photographing rocket launches in high school and has quickly become one of the most prominent figures in the field. Although he is only 20 years old, John has already gained public recognition and won several awards including the 2018 AviationWeek “Best of the Best” photography contest. You can see more of John's work on Twitter and Instagram (@johnkrausphotos) or by visiting his website (johnkrausphotos.com).

Greg Johnson is a former NASA astronaut and USAF test pilot. Greg was the Space Shuttle Pilot for the STS-123 and STS-134 missions to the International Space Station. His test pilot career was focused primarily on variants of the T-38 and F-15 aircraft. Greg also served as the Executive Director of CASIS from 2013-2018. There he was in charge of leading half of the science conducted by NASA in the ISS National Lab. Today Greg sits on a variety of boards for companies and nonprofits focused on space. Timestamps: 00:00 Introductions 3:05 Education 6:26 USAF Test Pilot 15:10 NASA Astronaut 48:14 Current Projects 53:46 Student Questions

Grant Bonin is the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Spaceflight Industries. SFI acts as an intermediary between launch providers and customers wishing to launch satellites. In this episode, Grant walks us through his time at Deep Space Industries, Rocket Lab, and SFI. We also talked through the recent acquisition of SFI by Mitsui, and how the company is continuing to improve space accessibility. Timestamps: 00:00 Introductions 5:48 SEDS & Education 15:56 Deep Space Industries 25:54 Rocket Lab 32:30 Spaceflight Industries 49:42 Student Questions and Advice

Tanya Harrison is a planetary scientist and the Manager of Science Programs at Planet Labs. She leads the effort to use Planet Labs earth imagery data for science missions. Tanya is also a longtime Mars enthusiast, earning her the title of “Professional Martian.” She has worked on a variety of Martian missions and is heavily involved with Mars outreach projects. Tanya holds a PhD in geology with an emphasis in planetary sciences. Timestamps: 00:00 Introductions 5:48 Mars Missions 15:24 Planet Labs 29:00 Martian Outreach 33:49 Student Questions & Advice

Kris Lehnhardt is a medical doctor working at NASA JSC in the Human Research Program. Kris leads the science side of the XMC team, which develops medical systems that enable future human exploration beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). In our discussion, we cover the fundamentals of designing human-rated spacecraft, how NASA has changed its approach over the years, and what we need to do to keep humans healthy when going beyond LEO for long durations. Timestamps: 00:00 Introductions 01:34 Education & SEDS 11:15 Space Medicine and Designing Spacecraft for Humans

Ryan McLinko is the cofounder and CTO at Astranis. Astranis develops small GEO communications satellites which provide internet to remote areas. Astranis is set to bring their first customer satellite online over Alaska by the summer of 2021. Ryan holds a bachelor's and master's degree in astronautics, both from MIT. He also serves on the SEDS USA Board of Advisors. Timestamps: 00:00 Introductions 03:10 Education & SEDS 24:33 Astranis 50:10 Student Questions

Therese Jones is the Senior Policy Director at the Satellite Industry Association. SIA is a trade association which represents most of the major satellite manufacturers. Therese works with SIA members to develop policy positions and communicates these positions to federal bodies, such as the FCC and lawmakers. Therese holds a PhD in Policy Analysis from RAND and a Master's degree in Astrophysics from UC Berkeley. She is also the founder of the AIAA Diversity Scholarship and holds a seat on the SEDS USA Board of Advisors. Timestamps: 00:00 Introductions 03:40 Education 14:45 Satellite Industry Association 26:49 Space Policy Questions 52:04 Advice for Students

Will Pomerantz is Vice President of Special Projects at Virgin Orbit. He is also a prominent figure within SEDS, serving as chair to the Board of Advisors and as a trustee to the endowment fund. In addition to those positions, Will co-founded the Brooke Owens Fellowship and remains deeply involved as an advisor and mentor. Timestamps: 00:00 Introductions 05:38 SEDS 17:23 Career 25:57 Virgin Galactic & Virgin Orbit 1:03:03 Brooke Owens Fellowship 1:13:25 Student Questions

Rob Meyerson is a longtime leader in the space industry, serving as the President and Chief Executive of Blue Origin from 2003 to 2017. During this time, Rob was responsible for growing the company from 10 people to over 1,500 and fulfilling the vision of company owner Jeff Bezos. Prior to joining Blue, Rob worked on space shuttle parachutes at NASA JSC and reusable launch vehicles at Kistler Aerospace. Today, Rob runs space consulting firm Delalune Space, which works with companies in the technology and financial sectors that are entering the space economy. Rob also serves on the Board of Advisors for Hermeus, and he is the executive producer of the AIAA ASCEND Conference. Timestamps: 00:00 Introductions 01:40 Education and Early Career 19:56 Blue Origin 47:36 Delalune 57:15 Student Questions