Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition

Latest Episodes:

Space Policy Directive 2—This Time it's Commercial Jun 01, 2018

Show notes

President Trump just signed a new space policy directive targeting the regulations surrounding commercial spaceflight. Casey Dreier, Jason Callahan, and Mat Kaplan dive into the implications of the new directive and what it means for the relationship between government and space. They also break down all of the good news in the House's new funding bill for NASA, and highlight NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine's turnaround on climate change.

A Commercial Future for the Space Station? May 04, 2018

Show notes

After announcing it intends to divest from the International Space Station in 2025, NASA quietly released a new report on its transition plans, laying out a series of principles that will set the future of U.S. astronauts in low-Earth orbit. Can a private entity really take over the space station? Where did this idea come from anyway?

Lori Garver on what a NASA Administrator (and Deputy) actually does Apr 06, 2018

Show notes

Lori Garver, former Deputy Administrator of NASA, talks with Casey about what the Deputy and Administrator jobs are like day-to-day, how decisions actually get made at the top, and why the current lack of confirmed leadership hurts the space agency.

Space Policy Edition #23 - Blitzing Congress: Planetary Society volunteers visit Capitol Hill Mar 02, 2018

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Society members from 21 states descended on the U.S. capitol for a

Space Policy Edition Special: The 2019 President’s Budget Request Unveiled Feb 17, 2018

Show notes

As promised, Casey Dreier and Jason Callahan are back with a special review of the just-released FY 2019 President’s Budget Request (PBR) for NASA. It contains good news, bad news and odd news. What is likely to stand? What will Congress ignore, going its own way? NASA’s new lunar ambitions, Mars Sample Return, WFIRST and more hang in the balance. Let the debate begin.

Space Policy Edition #21: Bill Nye and the State of the Union Feb 02, 2018

Show notes

Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye attended the State of the Union address on January 30th, he also spent the day meeting with sixteen different members of Congress to promote science on Capitol Hill. In this special abbreviated show, Casey Dreier and Mat Kaplan welcome their colleague Matt Renninger, who joined Bill on Capitol Hill, to discuss the goals of The Planetary Society and the reasons why it was important for Bill to attend.

Space Policy Edition #20: Looking back on the year in space policy. Also, your questions! Jan 05, 2018

Show notes

It’s the space policy guys’ turn to look back at a year that saw great achievements in space. Were they matched by events in Washington DC?

Space Policy Edition #19: When did the private space age begin? Much earlier than you think. Dec 01, 2017

Show notes

Elon Musk. Jeff Bezos. Richard Branson. These are the names we tend to associate with the current era of private space exploration. But what about John Quincy Adams, James Lick, or Charles Yerkes? Space economist and historian Dr. Alex MacDonald joins us to discuss his book,

Space Policy Edition #18: Jim Bridenstine vs. the Senate and First Meeting of the National Space Council Nov 03, 2017

Show notes

The likely next Administrator of NASA, Jim Bridenstine, appeared before a somewhat skeptical Senate committee to defend his nomination. Casey and Jason recap the hearing and assess Congressman Bridenstine’s chance of moving forward.

Space Policy Edition #17: The 75th Anniversary of the Rocket Age, with Dr. Michael Neufeld Oct 06, 2017

Show notes

Fifteen years before Sputnik, on a bright 1942 afternoon in northern Germany, a thundering machine of metal and fire pierced the sky, ultimately touching the edge of space for the first time in history. It opened a new era of opportunity and terror with rocket technology. Dr. Michael Neufeld joins us discuss the significance of this test and how it happened.

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