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In the next seven days there will be two attempts by commercial space companies to land on the moon, tariffs slapped on goods from Canada, Mexico, and China, and U.S. President Donald Trump will deliver a speech to a joint session of congress. While Europe reels over the Oval Office incident with the Ukraine's head of state, what's the view from the Indo Pacific of Trump's policies? Laura Winter speaks with Namrata Goswami, an independent scholar on space policy and great power politics and co-author of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”; Malcolm Davis, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute focusing on space policy, security, strategy, and capability development.
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Brian Hamel discusses his 2023 Army Command and General Staff Theses entitled: Reframing the Special Operations Forces-cyber-space triad: Special Operations' contributions to space warfare. Brian delves into the complex and evolving landscape of modern warfare, focusing on the intersection of Special Operations Forces (SOF), cyberspace, and space. The "Triad" emphasizes the synergistic relationship between these domains to achieve strategic objectives. Those interested in military strategy, national security, and the future of warfare will enjoy this one. Recording Date: 16 Dec 2024 Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #124 Dean Cheng on China, Space, and Information Operations #130 Teasel Muir-Harmony on Spaceflight, Foreign Policy, and Soft Power Command and General Staff Thesis: Reframing the Special Operations Forces-cyber-space triad: Special Operations' contributions to space warfare by Brian Hamel Army University Press Article: Reframing the Special Operations Forces-Cyber-Space Triad by Brian Hamel Supporting Warfare in the Indo-Pacific Through Space-Based Sustainment by Maj. Brian E. Hamel Bowen, Bleddyn E. War in Space: Strategy, Spacepower, Geopolitics. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2020. Carlson, Joshua P. Spacepower Ascendant: Space Development Theory and a New Space Strategy. Independently Published, 2020. Drew, Jerry: The Battle Beyond Gallegos, Frank. “After the Gulf War: Balancing Space Power's Development.” In Beyond the Paths of Heaven: The Emergence of Space Power Thought, edited by Bruce M. DeBlois, 63–102. Maxwell AFB, AL: Air University Press, 1999. Klein, John J. War in Space: Strategy, Spacepower, Geopolitics. New York: Routledge, 2006. Klein, John J. Understanding Space Strategy: The Art of War in Space. London: Routledge, 2019. Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space by Namrata Goswami and Peter A. Garretson Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio: Maj. Brian E. Hamel is a space operations officer assigned to the United States Army Special Operations Command at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. He is a graduate of the School of Advanced Military Studies, the Information Advantage Scholars Program, and the Red Team Leader course. Brian has multiple rotations to the Middle East and South America with special operations units. He has a Master of Art from Northeastern University, and recently wrote a thesis detailing special operations' contributions to space warfare as part of the Information Advantage Scholars Program at the Command and General Staff College, Kansas. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Space Competition: China Launches Broadband Competitor Network To SpaceX's Starlink Aiming to compete with SpaceX's Starlink, China just launched the first tranche of its broadband Gouwang constellation, and the Department of Defense this week submitted its annual report on the P.R.C.'s military and security developments to Congress. To understand what Beijing has accomplished in space in the past 12 months and what to expect in 2025, Laura Winter speaks with Namrata Goswami, an independent scholar on space policy and great power politics and co-Author of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”. But first, Winter gets a year-end update on the Space Force Association's activities from the organization's Founder, CEO, and President, Bill “Hippie” Woolf.
Space Competition: Great Power Strategy, “America First”, and The Mars-shot This week U.S. President-elect Donald Trump continued to shape his incoming government, naming cabinet nominees, including two authors of the controversial governance plan “Project 2025”, and enlisting adherents to the “America First” political philosophy. To understand how this plan, treatise, and talk of going to Mars, together will affect the space domain, Allies, partners, and adversaries, Laura Winter speaks with Namrata Goswami, an independent scholar on space policy and great power politics and co-author of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”; Malcolm Davis, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute focusing on space policy, security, strategy, and capability development; and Hermann Ludwig Moeller, Director of the European Space Policy Institute.
Space Competition: Threats and Trends A Year After October 7th In the year since Hamas launched its brutal attack in Israel, tactics, techniques, and procedures, as well as technologies, and security alliances have evolved in the space domain of operations. Laura winter speaks with Namrata Goswami, an independent scholar on space policy and great power politics and co-author of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”; and Hector Falcon, Space and Cyber Intelligence Integrator, Space-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Space-ISAC).
In this episode of DISINFORMATION WARS, host Ilan Berman speaks with Col. Peter Garretson, AFPC Senior Fellow in Defense Studies and former chief futurist for the U.S. Air Force, regarding China's recent strides forward in space internet, and what it might mean for the unfolding “great power competition” between Washington and Beijing. BIO: Peter Garretson is a Senior Fellow in Defense Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council and a strategy consultant who focuses on space and defense. He is the coauthor of Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space and the host of AFPC's Space Strategy Podcast. Prior to joining AFPC, Col. Garretson spent over a decade as a transformational strategist for the Department of the Air Force, where he served as a strategy and policy advisor for the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, as Division Chief of Irregular Warfare Strategy Plans and Policy, and as the Chief of the Future Technology Branch of Air Force Strategic Planning. As an instructor of Joint Warfare at Air University, he laid critical foundations for the future of American and allied spacepower, initiating the Schriever Scholars (America's premier program to develop space strategists), the Space Horizons Task Force (America's think tank for space), and developing the rationale for a U.S. Space Force. He taught courses in war theory, joint planning, and national security implications of artificial intelligence. MATERIALS REFERENCED IN THIS EPISODE: — Richard M. Harrison and Peter Garretson, The Next Space Race: A Blueprint for American Primacy (Praeger Security International, 2023), https://www.amazon.com/Next-Space-Race-Blueprint-International/dp/1440880808/ref=sr_1_1?crid=UFE24YXJ64RY&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.U5jc8fFfd3tUDF3jfbDynL9Nuq9BLl_DkRXTRmNuvtM76WLNhBJZaoe0LEhH22OR8D_kBygP0ixcMFkPOGTkc1oBimuINW2JB20AeEYleaWJNzMgO-S-zrz2EEtnDy1NnoxVCNxzUTBDnCNN0Peg2OjrzjVZtN3LlliApM3LuFnUTGrhiRdcBHpx1sf6ahlcExyjdN2OH56fXcxfoyN4tLDnSrzVpGoyQvZ1JgxF0Dw.XqO3ZsBLh237M-t_eWtecmX8EF7h1Jfrq6IyoMNBlrg&dib_tag=se&keywords=the+next+space+race&qid=1725217225&sprefix=the+next+space+race%2Caps%2C89&sr=8-1. — Peter Garretson and Richard M. Harrison, “Reacting to Major Space Events at or Below Geostationary Orbit - After Action Report 1,” AFPC Special Report, July 5, 2024, https://www.afpc.org/publications/special-reports/reacting-to-major-space-events-at-or-below-geostationary-obit-after-action-report-1.
Space Competition: Geo-Strategic Questions Over NASA's Plan to Destroy the ISS This is part 2 of a deep dive into NASA's plan to destroy the 420-metric-tonne International Space Station by de-orbiting. This episode is about the geo-strategic consequences and risks associated with de-orbiting and alternative ideas for the space station after 2030. Part 1, “Space Technology: Holes Bubble Up In NASA's Narrative On And Plan To De-Orbit The Space Station”, posted in July. Laura Winter speaks with Kazuto Suzuki, a member of the National Space Policy Committee of the Cabinet Office, the Government of Japan, Professor at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Tokyo, Japan, and Director of the Institute of Geoeconomics at International House of Japan; and Namrata Goswami, an independent scholar on space policy and great power politics and co-author of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”.
Space Money: Risk of Second Boots vs First Base China's Communist Party has notched another victory in its campaign to build by 2035 a manned International Lunar Research Station near the moon's south pole with this Saturday's successful landing of the Chang'e 6 spacecraft. This episode is about what is at risk if the United States fails to be first in establishing its manned moon base. This episode is coming from Albuquerque, New Mexico, from the stage of the State of the Space Industrial Base Conference and Workshop, organized and hosted by NewSpace Nexus, a non-profit that supports the launch of new technologies for the space economy and for national defense. Laura Winter speaks with Namrata Goswami, an independent scholar on space policy and great power politics and co-author of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”; Lee Steinke, Chief Operating Officer, CisLunar Industries; George Pullen, Chief Economist at MilkyWay Economy; and Chris Quilty, founder of Quilty Space.
Space Competition: The PLA May Not Be Ready To Fight In Space China President Xi Jinping has instituted a major military reorganization to support joint warfighting, with space operations under the newly constituted Aerospace Forces. Laura Winter speaks with Namrata Goswami, an independent scholar on space policy and great power politics and co-author of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”; and Lin Ying-Yu, an Assistant Professor at the Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies, Tamkang University.
SPACE TECH: Is NASA Surrendering The Promise of Space-Based Solar Power to China, ESA, Britain And Japan? Jeers and scorn greeted NASA's “Space-Based Solar Power” report, which if taken at face value, experts argue, could strategically disadvantage U.S. efforts to deliver cheap renewable energy, while competitors in the sector move forward. While the document confirms that Space-Based Solar Power is technologically attainable and would deliver electricity at a fraction of the cost to consumers, this episode's guests say NASA's assumptions are wildly out of date, do not take into account the current state of space technology, and ignore commonly-held industrial economic principles. Laura Winter speaks with John Mankins, a former NASA physicist, now President of Artemis Innovation Management Solutions, who designed the Solar Power Satellite concept, Alpha – Mark 3; Peter Garretson, an American Foreign Policy Council Senior Fellow, coauthor of the book “Scramble for the Skies The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”; and Ed Tate, Co-Founder and CTO of Virtus Solis, a U.S Space-Based Solar Power company.
Hey smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2023. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2024 and beyond. Give now to support Make Me Smart. Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. Today, we’re talking about two topics near and dear to our hearts: space and economics. Over the last several years, NASA’s Artemis program and the commercialization of space have given rise to a large and growing space economy. How large? “It’s about $400 billion. By 2030 it is estimated to become about $1 trillion,” said Namrata Goswami, a scholar on space policy and co-author of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space.” “We also include a space economy to come in the next 20 to 30 years which includes the ‘in-space economy,’ so the economy that would be developed in space itself, which would result in a trillion-dollar economy by 2040.” On the show, Goswami explains the state of the space economy, how the space industry has evolved, and the need for updated international space regulations if we’re really serious about going to Mars. Plus, why retiring on the moon in Kimberly’s lifetime might not be such a far-fetched idea. In the News Fix: In the first few months of the year, the largest U.S. banks wrote off billions of dollars in bad consumer loans. While not unusual, it could it be a sign of a slowing economy. And could we be nearing the end of the barcode as we know it? Later, listeners share the many ways they use ChatGPT. And this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question got us thinking about the images (or lack thereof) in our heads. Note: Fox News reached a settlement in the defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems after this show was recorded. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Among the goals of Artemis I: launching the lunar economy” from Marketplace “The Commercial Space Age Is Here” from Harvard Business Review “QR-style ‘2D barcodes’ will revolutionize retail as we know it” from Axios “Fox News, Dominion reach settlement” from The Washington Post “Fox News and Dominion reach a settlement” from NBC News “Biggest US banks write off $3.4 billion in bad consumer loans” from Bloomberg “More US consumers are falling behind on payments” from Reuters Got a question for our hosts? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org. Or leave us a voice message at (508) 827-6278 or (508) U-B-SMART.
Hey smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2023. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2024 and beyond. Give now to support Make Me Smart. Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. Today, we’re talking about two topics near and dear to our hearts: space and economics. Over the last several years, NASA’s Artemis program and the commercialization of space have given rise to a large and growing space economy. How large? “It’s about $400 billion. By 2030 it is estimated to become about $1 trillion,” said Namrata Goswami, a scholar on space policy and co-author of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space.” “We also include a space economy to come in the next 20 to 30 years which includes the ‘in-space economy,’ so the economy that would be developed in space itself, which would result in a trillion-dollar economy by 2040.” On the show, Goswami explains the state of the space economy, how the space industry has evolved, and the need for updated international space regulations if we’re really serious about going to Mars. Plus, why retiring on the moon in Kimberly’s lifetime might not be such a far-fetched idea. In the News Fix: In the first few months of the year, the largest U.S. banks wrote off billions of dollars in bad consumer loans. While not unusual, it could it be a sign of a slowing economy. And could we be nearing the end of the barcode as we know it? Later, listeners share the many ways they use ChatGPT. And this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question got us thinking about the images (or lack thereof) in our heads. Note: Fox News reached a settlement in the defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems after this show was recorded. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Among the goals of Artemis I: launching the lunar economy” from Marketplace “The Commercial Space Age Is Here” from Harvard Business Review “QR-style ‘2D barcodes’ will revolutionize retail as we know it” from Axios “Fox News, Dominion reach settlement” from The Washington Post “Fox News and Dominion reach a settlement” from NBC News “Biggest US banks write off $3.4 billion in bad consumer loans” from Bloomberg “More US consumers are falling behind on payments” from Reuters Got a question for our hosts? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org. Or leave us a voice message at (508) 827-6278 or (508) U-B-SMART.
Hey smarties! We're on a break for the holidays and revisiting some of our top episodes from 2023. We can't do this show without you and we still need your support. If you can, donate today to keep independent journalism going strong into 2024 and beyond. Give now to support Make Me Smart. Thank you so much for your generosity, happy holidays and we'll see you in the new year. Today, we’re talking about two topics near and dear to our hearts: space and economics. Over the last several years, NASA’s Artemis program and the commercialization of space have given rise to a large and growing space economy. How large? “It’s about $400 billion. By 2030 it is estimated to become about $1 trillion,” said Namrata Goswami, a scholar on space policy and co-author of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space.” “We also include a space economy to come in the next 20 to 30 years which includes the ‘in-space economy,’ so the economy that would be developed in space itself, which would result in a trillion-dollar economy by 2040.” On the show, Goswami explains the state of the space economy, how the space industry has evolved, and the need for updated international space regulations if we’re really serious about going to Mars. Plus, why retiring on the moon in Kimberly’s lifetime might not be such a far-fetched idea. In the News Fix: In the first few months of the year, the largest U.S. banks wrote off billions of dollars in bad consumer loans. While not unusual, it could it be a sign of a slowing economy. And could we be nearing the end of the barcode as we know it? Later, listeners share the many ways they use ChatGPT. And this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question got us thinking about the images (or lack thereof) in our heads. Note: Fox News reached a settlement in the defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems after this show was recorded. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Among the goals of Artemis I: launching the lunar economy” from Marketplace “The Commercial Space Age Is Here” from Harvard Business Review “QR-style ‘2D barcodes’ will revolutionize retail as we know it” from Axios “Fox News, Dominion reach settlement” from The Washington Post “Fox News and Dominion reach a settlement” from NBC News “Biggest US banks write off $3.4 billion in bad consumer loans” from Bloomberg “More US consumers are falling behind on payments” from Reuters Got a question for our hosts? Email us at makemesmart@marketplace.org. Or leave us a voice message at (508) 827-6278 or (508) U-B-SMART.
Starship's Second Flight Test and China's Reaction Happy Thanksgiving! SpaceX just attempted a second flight test of its 28-stories-tall Starship space launch system. If Starship, an American-made rocket and spaceship, becomes operational, experts believe it will open up the space domain to travel and commerce, much like the railroad did for the American West. China is not standing idly by. Laura Winter speaks with the authors of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”, Namrata Goswami and Peter Garretson.
Today, we’re talking about two topics near and dear to our hearts: space and economics. Over the last several years, NASA’s Artemis program and the commercialization of space have given rise to a large and growing space economy estimated at $400 billion. We’ll talk with Namrata Goswami, co-author of “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space,” about the state and evolution of the space economy. In the News Fix: Are we seeing signs of a slowing economy? And bye-bye barcodes. Then, this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question sent Kimberly down a rabbit hole. Note: Fox News reached a settlement in the defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems after this show was recorded. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Among the goals of Artemis I: launching the lunar economy” from Marketplace “The Commercial Space Age Is Here” from Harvard Business Review “QR-style ‘2D barcodes’ will revolutionize retail as we know it” from Axios “Fox News, Dominion reach settlement” from The Washington Post “Fox News and Dominion reach a settlement” from NBC News “Biggest US banks write off $3.4 billion in bad consumer loans” from Bloomberg “More US consumers are falling behind on payments” from Reuters “Make Me Smart” has been nominated for a Webby Award! We are honored, but we can't win without your support. You can vote for “Make Me Smart” until Thursday by going to marketplace.org/votemms.
Today, we’re talking about two topics near and dear to our hearts: space and economics. Over the last several years, NASA’s Artemis program and the commercialization of space have given rise to a large and growing space economy estimated at $400 billion. We’ll talk with Namrata Goswami, co-author of “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space,” about the state and evolution of the space economy. In the News Fix: Are we seeing signs of a slowing economy? And bye-bye barcodes. Then, this week’s answer to the Make Me Smart question sent Kimberly down a rabbit hole. Note: Fox News reached a settlement in the defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems after this show was recorded. Here’s everything we talked about today: “Among the goals of Artemis I: launching the lunar economy” from Marketplace “The Commercial Space Age Is Here” from Harvard Business Review “QR-style ‘2D barcodes’ will revolutionize retail as we know it” from Axios “Fox News, Dominion reach settlement” from The Washington Post “Fox News and Dominion reach a settlement” from NBC News “Biggest US banks write off $3.4 billion in bad consumer loans” from Bloomberg “More US consumers are falling behind on payments” from Reuters “Make Me Smart” has been nominated for a Webby Award! We are honored, but we can't win without your support. You can vote for “Make Me Smart” until Thursday by going to marketplace.org/votemms.
The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, George Pullen discusses the space economy through a national security lens. Along the way, he answers some basic economic questions like: what is an economy, and what is GDP and why does it matter? Research Question: George Pullen believes the following questions should be studies more: How does space-based solar power plays into our energy future? What are the impacts of economic activities happening in and around space ports? How does blockchain fit into the space economy? Resources: George Pullen's MilkyWayEconomy Website https://www.milkywayeconomy.com/ Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space by Namrata Goswami and Peter Garretson The United States Space Force: Space, Grand Strategy, and U.S. National Security by Lamont C. Colucci Tailoring Deterrence for China in Space by Krista Langeland, Derek Grossman Spacepower Ascendant: Space Development Theory and a New Space Strategy by Joshua Carlson Blockchain and the Space Economy by George Pullen Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-141 Guest Bio: Prof. George Pullen is a free-market economist, who for the last decade has been refining his economic philosophies as a Senior Economist at the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission in Washington, DC. Previous to that he worked as a trader, portfolio manager, and banker. He is driven by a curiosity and passion for convergence, connecting people and ideas across diverse disciplines and finding new questions that need answers. He is the author and co-author of six books on economic topics related to deep tech and a Partner and Chief Economist for MilkyWayEconomy. - Forecasting and Strategy for the 5th Industrial Revolution of the Space Economy. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Join Josh and Jason as they discuss resources in space and great power competition with Peter Garretson, a Senior Fellow in Defense Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council, where he co-directs the organization's space policy initiative. Material referenced in this episode: Namrata Goswami and Peter Garretson - Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space Richard Harrison and Peter Garretson - The Next Space Race: A Blueprint for American Primacy Space Strategy Podcast Artemis Program Chang'e 4 Lander Space-Based Solar Power Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research Project (SSPIDR) Dennis Wingo - Moonrush: Improving Life on Earth with the Moon's Resources Stanley Schmidt and Robert Zuberin - Islands in the Sky: Bold New Ideas for Colonizing Space John Lewis - Mining the Sky: Untold Riches From the Asteroids, Comets, and Planets John Lewis - Astroid Mining 101: Wealth for the New Space Economy John Mankins - The Case for Space Solar Power Mike Snead - Astroelectricity For All Mankind The Expanse Fanfare for Space Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) "Blue Sizzle" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
In this Space Café Radio - SpaceWatch.Global publisher Torsten Kriening spoke with Peter Garretson, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies with the American Foreign Policy Council and co-director if its Space Policy Initiative, and host of the Space Strategy Podcast. He was previously the director of Air University's Space Horizons Task Force, an Air Force think tank for space, and was a founder and deputy director of the U.S. Space Force's Schriever Scholars Strategy Seminar, America's premier military space strategy program. We spoke after the Munich Security Conference 2023 about the current global powerplay in space and his book Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space.Space Café Radio brings you talks, interviews, and reports from the team of SpaceWatchers while out on the road. Each episode has a specific topic, unique content, and a personal touch. Enjoy the show, and let us know your thoughts at radio@spacewatch.global!Please visit us at SpaceWatch.Global, subscribe to our newsletters. Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter!
Happy Birthday, Space Force… And Happy New Year This week is the U.S. Space Force's third birthday. While a lot has been accomplished over the past 12 months, there is a lot more yet to do to make the service branch truly independent and first for purpose. This episode's guests also reveal what they think were the biggest developments for space, in space, or from space for earth in the past year. Laura Winter speaks with Peter Garretson, a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, coauthor of “Scramble for the Skies The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”; Chris Stone, a senior fellow for space studies at The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, and the author of “Reversing the Tao: A Framework for Credible Space Deterrence”; and Stephen Melvin, who has been involved military space operations in a variety of roles inside and outside of the government for years.
The Pentagon on Friday released a readout of a close-hold classified meeting of the Defense Policy Board that illustrates a growing concern that China and Russia are likely developing weapons systems for the space domain that “could impact U.S. deterrence and strategic stability” and a need to develop options to counter those systems. And that's in addition to the release of multiple defense policies on space and the Biden Administration's second convening of the National Space Policy Board. To unpack all of these developments, Laura Winter is joined by Peter Garretson, a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, coauthor of “Scramble for the Skies The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”, and the host of AFPC's Space Strategy Podcast; and Christopher Stone who is a senior fellow for space studies at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, and the author of “Reversing the Tao: A Framework for Credible Space Deterrence”.
The European Space Agency's Director General Josef Aschbacher this week announced on LinkedIn that the agency will “propose a Space-Based Solar Power preparatory programme to Member States called #SOLARIS.” That means Europe is getting primed to move forward with its own proprietary SBSP program, independently. Put another way, this is not going to be another exercise in admiring the problem. Laura Winter speaks with Sanjay Vijendran, ESA's Mars Exploration Strategy Team Leader and Future Mars Studies (MarsX Team) Coordinator, and the lead for the agency's Space-Based Solar Power efforts; John Mankins, a former NASA physicist, now President of Artemis Innovation Management Solutions, who designed the Solar Power Satellite concept, Alpha - Mark 3; and Peter Garretson, an American Foreign Policy Council Senior Fellow, coauthor of “Scramble for the Skies The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”. To get a grounding in just what Space-Based Solar Power is, please go here first: https://defaeroreport.com/2022/08/15/the-downlink-aug-14-22-space-based-solar-power-and-the-u-k-s-bet-that-science-fiction-may-become-science-fact/
Is this sci-fi? Or could there be a space-based solution to securing reliable, renewable, and affordable energy and stop making awkward trips and payments to the petro-dollar-funded authoritarians, like that guy in the Kremlin? This week Laura Winter explores Space-Based Solar Power, or SBSP, with Martin Soltau, Co-Chair of Britain's Space Energy Initiative and Frazer-Nash Business Manager; and Peter Garretson, a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, coauthor of “Scramble for the Skies The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”, and the host of AFPC's Space Strategy Podcast.
The U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. John “Jay” Raymond said Sunday that China “enjoys the same space capabilities and the same advantages that we currently enjoy.” That sounds a lot like parity. Congress is including inflation in its calculus, but what about what's needed for deterrence in the space domain? To take a closer look at the numbers and what they mean, Laura Winter is joined by Peter Garretson, a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, coauthor of “Scramble for the Skies The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space”, and the host of AFPC's Space Strategy Podcast; and Christopher Stone who is a senior fellow for space studies at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, and the author of “Reversing the Tao: A Framework for Credible Space Deterrence”.
Retired US Air Force Colonel Peter Garretson is an independent strategy and policy consultant and a Senior Fellow in Defense Studies at the American Foreign Policy Council. His book is titled; Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space *Follow him on Twitter: @GarretsonPeter
Two meaty and divisive subjects are in the queue. First the U.S. Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General released its report on whether the 2021 decision to locate Space Command in Huntsville, Alabama ticked all the legal and policy boxes. And Second, California's Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a senior Democrat, and Florida's Republican Sen. Marco Rubio introduced the Space National Guard Establishment Act with 10 co-sponsors, but the Biden Administration is not among the proposed bill's supporters. Laura Winter hosts a discussion with Peter Garretson, a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, coauthor of Scramble for the Skies The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space, and the host of AFPC's Space Strategy Podcast; Christopher Stone who is a senior fellow for space studies at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, and the author of Reversing the Tao: A Framework for Credible Space Deterrence; and spacepower expert Col. M.V. “Coyote” Smith, USAF (Ret.), who is an Associate Professor and Director at the Air Command and Staff College, at Maxwell Air Force Base.
Too bold? Or not bold enough? The U.S. Secretary of the Air Force revealed how the Biden Administration intends to shape the U.S. Space Force's mission and future this week at Space Symposium. Laura Winter hosts a discussion with Peter Garretson, a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, coauthor of Scramble for the Skies The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space, and the host of AFPC's Space Strategy Podcast; Christopher Stone who is a senior fellow for space studies at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, and the author of Reversing the Tao: A Framework for Credible Space Deterrence; and Makena Young is an associate fellow with the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
The Biden Administration's FY 2023 budget request dropped this last week, with $24.5 billion for the U.S. Space Force. Laura Winter hosts a discussion with Charles Beames, who before becoming, the chairman of the board for York Space Systems and the SmallSat Alliance, was a Pentagon insider responsible for all space and intelligence acquisitions; Peter Garretson, a senior fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council, coauthor of "Scramble for the Skies The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space", and the host of AFPC's "Space Strategy Podcast"; Christopher Stone who is a senior fellow for space studies at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, and the author of "Reversing the Tao: A Framework for Credible Space Deterrence".
Though it may not seem like there is a direct correlation, the Ukraine invasion by Russia does potentially have far-reaching consequences for space commerce. On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, host Tom Patton talks with Dr. Namrata Goswami about the implications presented to the industry by the Ukraine invasion. Dr. Goswami is a strategic analyst and consultant on Great Power Politics, Space Policy, Alternate Futures, and Frameworks of Conflict Negotiation and Resolution. She grew up in Northeast India, and completed her Ph.D. in international relations in 2005. In 2006, she launched her professional career in academic research, studying Great Power Politics, International relations, and ethnic conflicts. She is also the co-author with Peter Garretson of the book “Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space" On the podcast, Dr. Goswami discusses the relationship between China and Russia in the area of space exploration. The two countries have agreed to cooperate on the establishment of a permanent lunar base with a goal of being operational before the end of this decade, as well as potential tensions between the U.S. and Russia related to operation of the International Space Station. Other topics include the use of commercial satellite imagery during such a conflict, and the possibility that Russia might view the deployment of Starlink technology in Ukraine as a hostile act. Dr. Goswami also looks at the relationships between India, Russia and China, and how the Ukraine invasion might change that dynamic. How does what happens in space affect your everyday life? The Ex Terra podcast is dedicated to introducing you to many of the interesting people involved in the commercial space industry, and taking you behind the scenes with many of the companies making significant contributions to the new space economy. The podcast is available on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Overcast, Pocketcasts and Radio Public.
In this episode, Senior Fellow in Defense Studies Peter Garretson interviews Vice President of Operations Richard M. Harrison about AFPC's new Space Policy Initiative. They discuss the impetus and goals for the initiative and podcast, and touch on the recent publication of the book Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space. Links to the material discussed: AFPC Space Policy Initiative - https://www.afpc.org/programs/space-policy-initiative Scramble for the Skies: https://www.amazon.com/Scramble-Skies-Competition-Control-Resources/dp/1498583113 Follow the authors: @GarretsonPeter @namygoswami AFPC Internships: https://www.afpc.org/about/internships For questions and comments email: spacepod@afpc.org
AFPC director for external relations Annie Swingen talks with senior fellow for defense studies Peter Garretson regarding space policy options and opportunities for the Biden Administration. Related reading: Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space (Lexington Books, 2020) - Co-authors: Namrata Goswami and Peter Garretson. Biden's space policy: One giant leap for climate change - Politico, 10/28/2020
China's Space Ambitions: Dr. Namrata Goswami On this edition of The Ex Terra podcast, Dr. Namrata Goswami discusses the Chinese space program and China's space ambitions, which are extensive. Dr. Goswami is a strategic analyst and consultant on Great Power Politics, Space Policy, Alternate Futures, and Frameworks of Conflict Negotiation and Resolution. Dr. Goswami grew up in Northeast India. She completed her Ph.D. in international relations in 2005. In 2006, she launched her professional career in academic research, studying Great Power Politics, International relations, and ethnic conflicts. She has served as Senior Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace, and as a Fellow at the Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. She continues her research on Great Power Politics in the realm of Grand Strategy as well as ethnic conflicts. She recently co-authored a new book with Peter Garretson titled "Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space". The book examines the economic ambitions of the second space race with a focus on China, the United States, and India. The authors argue that space ambitions are informed by a combination of factors, including available resources, capability, elite preferences, and talent pool. She is currently working on a book project on "China's Grand Strategy and The Notion of Territoriality and Resources" and a second project on conceptualizing a space power matrix answering a key question: what makes a country a space power? She was one of the presenters at the recent virtual AFWERX conference. In part two of a two-part series, Dr. Goswami talks with Ex Terra's Tom Patton about China's space program and ambitions. China plans to launch an indigenous space station in the coming years with an eye towards landing humans on the moon in the next two decades. We discuss those plans, and get an insider's assessment of their chances for success. The ExTerra mission is to explore and discuss the business of space, and its effect on the national and global economy as well as life on Earth.
Dr. Namrata Goswami Discusses International Space Commerce On this edition of The Ex Terra podcast, Dr. Namrata Goswami discusses some of the international aspects of space commerce. Dr. Goswami is a strategic analyst and consultant on Great Power Politics, Space Policy, Alternate Futures, and Frameworks of Conflict Negotiation and Resolution. Dr. Goswami grew up in Northeast India. She completed her Ph.D. in international relations in 2005. In 2006, she launched her professional career in academic research, studying Great Power Politics, International relations, and ethnic conflicts. She has served as Senior Fellow at the United States Institute of Peace, and as a Fellow at the Institute for Defense Studies and Analyses. She continues her research on Great Power Politics in the realm of Grand Strategy as well as ethnic conflicts. She recently co-authored a new book with Peter Garretson titled "Scramble for the Skies: The Great Power Competition to Control the Resources of Outer Space". She was one of the presenters at the recent virtual AFWERX conference. In part one of a two-part series, Dr. Goswami talks with Ex Terra's Tom Patton about the relationships between spacefaring nations, how the U.S. should prepare for competition in space commerce, the implications of the establishment of the U.S. Space Force and other topics. The ExTerra mission is to explore and discuss the business of space, and its effect on the national and global economy as well as life on Earth.