Planetary Radio: Space Policy Edition

Alicia Brown from the Commercial Space Federation and Brittany Webster from the American Geophysical Union join the show to discuss NASA’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal.

Former NASA chief economist Akhil Rao explains why NASA needs economic expertise to navigate the complex — and often misunderstood — market forces that will determine the success or failure of its private partnerships.

No one person knows how to build a spaceship. What happens to NASA’s collective knowledge when thousands of employees lose their jobs?

The space sector is data-rich but insight-poor. Jack Kuhr of Payload talks about how he turns raw numbers into real narratives.

Can classical liberalism provide fresh insights to guide humanity’s activities in space? Philosopher Rebecca Lowe explains how it can.

Peter Beck, CEO of Rocket Lab, is passionate about interplanetary missions and unveils a $4B fixed-price plan for Mars Sample Return, revealing exciting new details about a Venus mission too. Richard French, Director of Business Development, discusses how an integrated team can slash costs while enhancing mission success. They dive into innovative retrieval systems and the intricate balance between commercial ventures and government projects, emphasizing the need for collaboration and efficient management to navigate the future of interplanetary exploration.

Marcia Smith, founder of Space Policy Online, joins the show to discuss the motivations and risks of pursuing change at NASA - and how much change can ultimately happen with Congress holding the purse strings.

We revisit a classic book on the limits of presidential power in setting the nation’s space agenda and explore how the increasingly powerful executive branch might be rewriting those expectations.

Norm Augustine, the distinguished aerospace industry veteran behind numerous influential studies, joins the show to discuss NASA at a Crossroads, the new report that raises alarm bells for NASA’s workforce, infrastructure, and technology capabilities.

Lori Garver, former Deputy Administrator of NASA and advocate for commercial space partnerships, dives into Kamala Harris' vision for space policy. She discusses the challenges NASA faces, including budget cuts and the rise of private companies like SpaceX. Garver emphasizes the importance of effective leadership in NASA and the need for a strategic pivot towards realistic goals. The conversation also touches on global competition and the significance of maintaining U.S. objectives in space amid evolving political landscapes.