Explore every episode of the podcast Spacepower Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| He Enlisted to Get Out of Town. Now He's the Space Force's #2. The Story of VCSO Gen. Bratton | 20 août 2026 | 00:51:54 | |
He joined at eighteen because he wanted the tech school that would get him out of town the longest. This is the season finale of Spacepower Podcast. Thank you for watching, listening, and sharing episodes. We are taking a short break, and we will be back with a new season soon. We cannot wait. Forty years later, he is the Vice Chief of Space Operations, the number two officer in the United States Space Force. There was no plan. There was no map. There was a recruiter and a string of people who kept opening doors as he was ready to walk through them. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Gen. Bratton, Vice Chief of Space Operations, to close out the season with the question every young person asks when they look at this service: is there a path for me? The answer, as Gen. Bratton tells it, is that there are a hundred of them. He was an E-1. He was a staff sergeant in the Arizona Air National Guard fixing ground radars. He was a captain who walked into his commander's office and asked for a job earmarked for a lieutenant colonel. He flew high altitude balloons over the Nevada ranges. He volunteered for a deployment to Baghdad. He found out he was going to build STARCOM in a four car parking garage. In this conversation, Gen. Bratton discusses:
Want to be in the room for the conversations that come next? Tickets for Spacepower 2026 are available now at https://attendspacepower.org. Hosted by Bill Woolf Guest: Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| The Mayors Building America's Next Launch Corridor | 13 août 2026 | 00:53:21 | |
Two American cities had land, airspace, and a hunch. Neither had a guarantee. This is the story of what it actually took to turn that hunch into reality, and a bet that's still being placed. The commercial and national-security space economy has outgrown its old coastal footprint, and the launch, testing, and infrastructure demand it's generating has nowhere left to go but inland. That shift is landing in city halls that never expected to be part of the space conversation, and the mayors making the call are becoming the model for how it gets done. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Mayor Lori Blong of Midland, Texas, and Mayor Douglas Nicholls of Yuma, Arizona, to unpack what it actually took to turn two very different cities into space and defense hubs, and why the decision came down to local leadership, not geography.
Space development isn't happening to these cities from the outside anymore, it's being decided by them. Midland and Yuma make the case that a city's place in the space economy has less to do with geography and more to do with whether its leadership will hold a bet through the years before it pays off. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Mayor Lori Blong, Mayor of Midland, Texas Mayor Blong has led Midland for three-plus years as the city built out the Midland Spaceport Business Park, now home to AST SpaceMobile and a growing base of defense and aerospace testing companies including Firehawk, Castelion, LeoLabs, and Starfighters. Mayor Douglas Nicholls, Mayor of Yuma, Arizona Mayor Nicholls has led Yuma's push to add a commercial launch site alongside Yuma Proving Ground and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, including a binational aerospace development agreement signed with the state of Sonora, Mexico. Learn more about Midland's spaceport development: midlandspaceport.com Learn more about the City of Yuma: yumaaz.gov Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| Gen. Saltzman & Jennifer Saltzman: The Partnership Behind the Space Force | 10 août 2026 | 00:58:42 | |
Nobody handed them the answers. When Chance Saltzman got engaged, two weeks before shipping out for missile training, neither he nor Jennifer knew what military life would demand. When he chased a brand-new weapons school, the personnel office told him it was "a terrible idea, an unproven path." So he did it. The through-line of a 35-year career and marriage turned out to be four words: we'll figure it out. | |||
| Maj. Gen. Keener: The Layer Between Capability and Combat | 31 juil. 2026 | 00:52:31 | |
There is a version of ready where the hardware works. There is another version where the people, the doctrine, the joint playbooks, and the partner relationships all hold under the pressure of an actual conflict. Building the second one is a full-time job, and almost none of it is visible from the outside. The Space Force organizes, trains, and equips. U.S. Space Command employs. The layer in between, the exercises, the wargames, the training architecture, and the doctrine that tells the joint forceMaj. Gen. "Bull" Keener: Inside Space Command's Exercise and Wargaming Architecturehow to operate together in a contested domain, belongs to the J7. As adversary counterspace capability moves from projection to fielded reality, that layer is where readiness is either proven or exposed. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Maj. Gen. Samuel "Bull" Keener, Director of Exercises, Training, Wargames, and Experimentation (J7) at U.S. Space Command, to walk through how a combatant command builds itself into a warfighting organization.
Capability delivered is not capability employed. The distance between the two is measured in exercises, in wargames, and in the honesty of the models you train against. That distance is the J7's work, and it is where the Space Force's investment either becomes joint warfighting readiness or does not. Editor's note: this conversation was recorded several months before U.S. Space Command published the Space Warfighting Environment 2040 on July 28, 2026. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday | |||
| How the Space Force is Delivering Launch at the Speed of Need - SYD80 | 20 juil. 2026 | 00:25:06 | |
Earlier this year, a finished GPS satellite was sitting in Florida ready to fly. The rocket assigned to it needed more time. The warfighters waiting on that satellite could not. So System Delta 80 moved it. Different rocket. Full recertification. On orbit in about six weeks. What normally takes two years happened in a month and a half, and it was the fourth time the team had pulled off something like it. Nothing in national security space gets off the ground without System Delta 80. Every satellite this series has covered, the SATCOM links, the GPS constellation, the systems certified by OTTI, all of it begins at the launch pad. This episode is the capstone: how the Space Force gets its most critical capabilities to orbit, what it takes to keep multiple launch providers viable, and what becomes possible when satellites are no longer constrained by the fuel they launched with. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. Ryan Hiserote, Commander of System Delta 80 at Space Systems Command, to discuss the National Security Space Launch program, the GPS rocket swap that made headlines, and the on-orbit servicing mission that could fundamentally change how the Space Force operates in space. In this conversation, Col. Hiserote discusses: - Why System Delta 80's claim — that nothing in national security space gets off the ground without it — is literal, not rhetorical - How the dual-lane NSSL structure works: Lane 1 for competition and capacity, Lane 2 for no-fail missions with complex requirements - What it actually takes to certify a new rocket for national security missions — and why that process takes years - How the GPS 3-8 rocket swap worked, why it happened, and what it signals about the Space Force's willingness to move at the speed of need - Why Rocket Lab and Stoke Space were added as Lane 1 providers in early 2025 — and what the service is looking for as it evaluates more - The on-orbit servicing mission: what Starfish Space's Otter vehicle and Astroscale's refueling demo are designed to prove - Why Gen. Whiting at U.S. Space Command has been calling for a maneuver warfare strategy in space — and how on-orbit refueling enables it - What it means for a satellite to be "no longer constrained by its gas tank" — and how that changes tactics - Why Col. Hiserote describes launch as a team sport — and who all the players are - Why he calls this the most exciting time to be in the launch business since the Apollo days The Space Force can build the most advanced satellites in the world. They mean nothing until they reach orbit. This is the mission that starts everything else — and it's about to get a lot more capable. Hosted by Bill Woolf Guest: Col. Ryan Hiserote, Commander, System Delta 80, Space Systems Command Col. Hiserote commands System Delta 80, the Space Systems Command unit responsible for space access — launch, range operations, and on-orbit servicing. He also serves as dual-hatted program manager for the National Security Space Launch program, the largest dollar-value program in the Space Force. A certified mission director, Col. Hiserote personally served as mission director for the two most recent GPS launches. Learn more about Space Systems Command: https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| The Space Force's Invisible Battlefield: Why Test and Training Infrastructure Changes Everything | 09 juil. 2026 | 00:49:35 | |
Fighter pilots don't go to war on day one. First comes Red Flag, the punishing mock combat over the Nevada desert designed to be harder than anything a pilot will ever face in actual conflict, so that when the real moment comes, it isn't the first time. For most of the space mission's history, that rehearsal didn't exist. Guardians operated systems that had only ever been tested in benign environments. The capabilities were real. The training wasn't. System Delta 81 is the unit changing that. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. Corey Klopstein, Commander of System Delta 81 at Space Systems Command, to discuss the Operational Test and Training Infrastructure, OTTI, the Space Force's answer to Red Flag, and why building it is one of the most consequential things SSC is doing right now. In this conversation, Col. Klopstein discusses: - Why the Space Force went this long without a Red Flag equivalent, and what changed in the threat environment to make OTTI urgent - The three layers of space test and training infrastructure: digital simulation, physical on-orbit assets, and the data architecture connecting them - Why a simulation is only as honest as the live data feeding it, and what it takes to build a physical lane that validates the digital one - What a range-as-a-service contract looks like in practice, and how a commercial satellite's on-orbit maneuver became a live Guardian training event - Why SYD 81 pairs with multiple commands simultaneously, Space Training and Readiness Command and Combat Forces Command, rather than a single Mission Delta - How the Joint Simulation Environment, already used by F-35 pilots, is being extended for space - What Gen. Saltzman told Col. Klopstein about delivering an F-22 without a training infrastructure, and why that analogy captures exactly what OTTI solves - Why "when I say football and you say football, we need to mean the same thing", and what that has to do with building a shared operational language across commands and allies - What ruthless prioritization looks like for a mission area with more requirements than people and more requirements than money You can build the most advanced satellite in the world. If the Guardian operating it has never trained against a thinking adversary, you haven't delivered combat power. This episode is about the infrastructure that closes that gap, before the conflict starts. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Col. Corey Klopstein, Commander, System Delta 81, Space Systems Command Col. Klopstein commands System Delta 81, the Space Systems Command unit responsible for developing and delivering the Operational Test and Training Infrastructure for the Space Force. On his 13th year at Los Angeles Air Force Base, he serves as both the SYD 81 commander and the Portfolio Acquisition Executive and Program Acquisition Executive for infrastructure. SYD 81 works across Space Training and Readiness Command and Combat Forces Command to ensure delivered capabilities are tested against real threats and Guardians are trained to operate them before the first flag event. Learn more about Space Systems Command: https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| The Signal the World Runs On: GPS with SYD 831 | 25 juin 2026 | 00:35:11 | |
Your phone knows where you are right now. Your bank recorded the exact millisecond of your last transaction. The plane you flew on landed safely in low visibility. The farmer who grew your food planted rows one to two centimeters apart. Every one of those things runs on a signal broadcast from twelve thousand miles overhead, a signal the United States Space Force has guaranteed to the entire world, by law, since way before its inception, 1978. GPS is the closest thing the planet has to a shared utility. It is also something the Space Force has to defend, every single day, against adversaries who cannot out-engineer it and are actively trying to deny it. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. Neil Barnas, Commander of System Delta 831 at Space Systems Command, to discuss what makes American GPS the global gold standard, what it takes to keep a 31-satellite constellation running against active threats, and what the next generation of GPS will be able to do that the current one cannot. In this conversation, Col. Barnas discusses: - The three pillars that make American GPS the global gold standard, accuracy, transparency, and a legally guaranteed service level - Why GPS is certified for human flight operations, and what that standard means in practice - How the signal has been continuously broadcast since 1978, and why the satellites being launched today are designed to serve for 15 years or more - What GPS Space Vehicle 10, the final GPS III satellite, means for the constellation and the warfighters waiting on it - The GPS III-F upgrade: a 1,200-kilometer spot beam capable of up to 63 times the baseline M-code signal power, focused on exactly the area of the Earth where it's needed most - How 63 international partners integrate GPS user equipment into their own aircraft, ground vehicles, and munitions - Why agriculture is one of the most GPS-dependent industries on Earth, and what differential GPS does at the centimeter level - How AI tools are now processing eleven hundred pages of technical documentation to accelerate acquisition decisions - What the System Delta construct means for a mission area as globally consequential as position, navigation, and timing GPS is often called a gold standard. This episode explains what that standard actually requires to maintain, and what happens to the joint force if it degrades. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Col. Neil Barnas, Commander, System Delta 831, Space Systems Command Col. Barnas commands System Delta 831, the Space Systems Command unit responsible for developing, fielding, and modernizing the GPS constellation and the ground and user equipment systems that deliver positioning, navigation, and timing to the joint force and to civilian users worldwide. SYD 831 is paired with Mission Delta 31, which operates the GPS constellation daily. Learn more about Space Systems Command: https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| On Our Worst Day, These Links Have to Hold: Inside Military SATCOM with SYD 88 | 18 juin 2026 | 00:38:00 | |
On the worst day imaginable, the day a nuclear decision has to be made, the President of the United States needs to talk to commanders and allies anywhere on Earth. That conversation runs through space. And the people responsible for delivering it just did so two full years ahead of schedule. But this episode isn't just about a single acquisition win. It's about a fundamental shift in how the Space Force thinks about buying capabilities. For decades, a cultural wall separated the people who acquired systems from the people who fought with them. Requirements passed over a fence. Timelines drifted. By the time a capability arrived, the threat had sometimes already moved. System Delta 88 exists to make that model obsolete. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. A.J. Ashby, Commander of System Delta 88 at Space Systems Command, to discuss how the Space Force is rewiring military satellite communications acquisition and what it looks like when acquisition becomes a warfighting function. In this conversation, Col. Ashby discusses:
Military satellite communications is invisible on a good day. It has to be invisible, reliable, and unjammable on the worst one. This episode is about the team building it and the reform changing how the Space Force buys for war. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Col. A.J. Ashby, Commander, System Delta 88, Space Systems Command Col. Ashby commands System Delta 88, the Space Systems Command unit responsible for developing and delivering military satellite communications capabilities to the joint force. Under his command, SYD 88 received the 2025 David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award for delivering a critical nuclear command, control, and communications capability two years ahead of schedule. It was the largest source selection in Space Force history across a $24 billion portfolio. Learn more about Space Systems Command: https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| Small Force, Big Mission: Jennifer Saltzman on the People Behind the Space Force | 10 juin 2026 | 00:27:55 | |
Ten thousand Guardians. That's it. The entire United States Space Force fits inside a mid-sized college campus. And yet the domain they protect underpins every GPS route, every weather forecast, every financial transaction, every call you made today. Jennifer Saltzman has been part of that community since before the Space Force existed, since before most people had heard the word "Guardian," since the uniforms were still being designed and the swag hadn't been invented yet. As the spouse of Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, she has traveled to bases and installations across the country and around the world, meeting families in places where a handful of Guardians are embedded in a much larger military community, sometimes feeling invisible, always doing critical work. Thank you to CXAL (Connected Alliances) for sponsoring this episode of Spacepower Podcast. To learn more about CXAL, visit https://cx-al.com In this conversation with SFA Founder Bill Woolf, a decades-long friend, Jennifer talks candidly about what military family life actually looks like inside the Space Force, why "deployed in place" is harder to explain than it sounds, and what it means to build a community from scratch inside the newest branch of the U.S. military. In this episode:
This episode doesn't talk about orbital mechanics or acquisition strategy. It talks about the people holding the community together while Guardians do work most Americans will never see. That story matters too. Hosted by Bill Woolf / Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Jennifer Saltzman is the spouse of Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force. She is an advocate for Guardian families, military spouse programs, and public awareness of the Space Force mission. Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://linktr.ee/ussfa | |||
| What the School That Trains Space Warfighters Has Built, and What Comes Next | 04 juin 2026 | 00:55:57 | |
Space has been a contested domain for years. The doctrine, the training, and the culture needed to fight and win in it have been built, mostly quietly, at a squadron at Nellis Air Force Base. Most people who care about the Space Force have never heard of it. Most of the people shaping how space warfare is conducted today came through it. This year, the 328th Weapons Squadron turns 30. Three decades after the Space Division was stood up at the Air Force Weapons School in 1996, the institution that started by teaching fighter pilots how to integrate space support into their missions now graduates the tactical and operational leaders who will contest the domain against peer adversaries. The transformation is real. And according to the officer commanding the 328th right now, it's far from finished. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Lt. Col. Brian "Knuckles" Peterson, Commander of the 328th Weapons Squadron, to talk about what the space weapons officer community has built, where it's going, and what the next 30 years demand. In this conversation, Lt. Col. Peterson discusses:
The Space Force of 2045 is being built right now at Nellis. The 328th turns 30 this month and the celebration isn't just about what's been accomplished. It's about what the weapons officer community owes the joint force in the next three decades. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Lt. Col. Brian "Knuckles" Peterson, Commander, 328th Weapons Squadron, Space Delta 1, Space Training and Readiness Command Lt. Col. Peterson commands the Space Force's weapons school at Nellis Air Force Base — the institution responsible for producing the Space Force's tactical and operational warfighting experts. He brings a background in missile warning, three combat deployments, and time in the Space Force's futures division to the role. Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| The Space Force Trains Guardians. Delta 13 Teaches Them Why They Fight. | 29 mai 2026 | 00:17:41 | |
Most people who know the Space Force exists assume it trains operators. People who know how to run satellites, track threats, and execute missions. What fewer people understand is that operating a system and understanding why that system matters are two entirely different things. One is a skill. The other is the foundation of a warfighter. Space is no longer a peaceful backstop for GPS and weather. It's a contested domain, one that underpins every instrument of American power, from diplomacy to the economy to combat operations. The Space Force didn't just need people who could do the job. It needed people who could explain why the job exists in the first place, and then teach that to the entire joint force, allied partners, and eventually the American public. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. Alison Gonzalez, Commander of Space Delta 13, the Space Force's dedicated education command under Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM), to explore why building a force of strategic thinkers is just as important as building a force of trained operators.
Education is the why behind everything the Space Force does. Without it, you have operators. With it, you have Guardians who understand what they're protecting and why it's worth fighting for. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday AV by Redwire Production Support by Emily Honhart and Omar Mahmoud Col. Alison R. Gonzalez Commander, Space Delta 13, Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) Col. Gonzalez assumed command of Delta 13 in July 2025, taking charge of the Space Force's education enterprise headquartered at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Her career spans satellite operations, the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Space Defense Center, and Headquarters U.S. Space Force, where she served as Director of Staff for the Office of the Chief of Human Capital prior to taking command. Learn more about Space Delta 13: https://www.starcom.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Units/Space-Delta-13-Education/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| CMSSF Bentivegna: The Space Force Needs to Double, and Here's Exactly How It Happens | 21 mai 2026 | 00:50:27 | |
The Space Force needs to double in size. That's not a talking point, it's a legislative ask, a budgetary argument, and a warfighting requirement all at once. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force, CMSSF John Bentivegna, to break down exactly what it would take to grow the Space Force from roughly 11,000 to 25,000 Guardians by 2031, and why the threat environment leaves no room for delay. Most people hear the headline and assume it is a budget conversation. It's much more specific than that. Congress controls how many people each military service can have. That ceiling is set in the National Defense Authorization Act every year. Raising it requires requirements, justification, infrastructure, and a pipeline, and the Space Force is building all of it simultaneously. In this conversation, CMSSF Bentivegna discusses:
The Space Force was built for this moment. The question is whether it will be built big enough, fast enough, to meet it. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force, CMSSF John Bentivegna The senior enlisted leader of the United States Space Force, responsible for the health, welfare, development, and utilization of all enlisted Guardians. Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| The Lab Behind the Force: How Military Research Becomes Space Warfighting Capability | 15 mai 2026 | 00:31:34 | |
Most people have never heard of the Air Force Research Laboratory. The Space Force couldn't exist without it. Dr. Andy Williams has been at AFRL since 2003, long enough to watch the space domain go from what he calls a "relatively benign environment" to a fully contested warfighting domain. He now serves as AFRL's Deputy Technology Executive Officer for Space: the single point of contact between the lab and the U.S. Space Force, responsible for making sure the science that starts on a whiteboard at Kirtland actually ends up in a Guardian's hands. He's the conductor. And in this conversation, recorded live on the Redwire Stage at the 41st Space Symposium, he and SFA Founder Bill Woolf trace the full pipeline, from basic research to operational capability, and don't flinch on where it breaks. In this episode:
Recorded at the Redwire Stage at the 41st Space Symposium. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday AV by Redwire Production Support by Omar Mahmoud & Emily Honhart Dr. Andrew "Andy" Williams is the Deputy Technology Executive Officer for Space at the Air Force Research Laboratory. He serves as AFRL's primary point of contact for the U.S. Space Force, integrating and executing the lab's space science and technology investment strategy and leading engagement across DoD, the Intelligence Community, NASA, industry, and academia. He has been at AFRL since 2003. Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Learn more about AFRL: https://www.afrl.af.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| The China Space Problem: What Congress Knows, What Americans Don't, and What Happens If We Lose | 13 mai 2026 | 00:57:58 | |
What happens to the American economy, not just the American military, if China wins the space race? In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Randy Schriver, Chair of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, and Mike Kuiken, its Vice Chair, joined by co-host Dillon "Brick" Cox, Chair of SFA's National Spacepower Center Committee. Together they work through one of the most important questions in national security that most Americans aren't asking: what does contested space actually cost us? The Commission's 2025 Annual Report to Congress was approved unanimously by all twelve commissioners, six Republicans, six Democrats. In a Washington where almost nothing gets bipartisan agreement, that consensus is the story. Randy Schriver served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs. He describes returning to government, getting his clearances back, and walking into his first briefing: "My mind exploded." General Saltzman called China's space advancement "mind-boggling." That's not a phrase you hear from a four-star general. Mike Kuiken spent nearly 23 years in the U.S. Senate, over a decade on the Armed Services Committee and then as Senate Majority Leader Schumer's National Security Advisor. He led the legislative strategy to pass the CHIPS Act. In this conversation, Randy, Mike, and Brick discuss:
Hosted by Bill Woolf Co-hosted by Dillon "Brick" Cox Produced by Ty Holliday Randy Schriver, Chair, U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Previously served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs. Mike Kuiken, Vice Chair, U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Nearly 23 years in the U.S. Senate, including over a decade on the Armed Services Committee and as Senate Majority Leader Schumer's National Security Advisor. Led the legislative strategy to pass the CHIPS and Science Act. Read the 2025 Annual Report to Congress: https://www.uscc.gov/annual-report/2025-annual-report-congress Learn more about SFA's National Spacepower Center: https://ussfa.org/national-space-center/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| Can America Build Fast Enough to Win in Space? | 08 mai 2026 | 00:25:23 | |
The best technology doesn't matter if you can't build enough of it. That's the industrial base challenge facing national security space right now, and it's the central argument Matt Magaña made during a conversation at the 41st Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. Magaña is the President of Defense and National Security at Voyager Technologies and a board member of the Space Force Association. He's spent his career on both sides of the defense acquisition equation: managing billion-dollar portfolios at Raytheon, leading high-rate small satellite production at Blue Canyon Technologies, and now building the infrastructure to scale mission-ready systems at volume. In this episode, he and SFA Founder Bill Woolf discuss: - Why manufacturing capacity, not technology, is now the defining variable in space superiority - The two supply chain choke points keeping defense leaders up at night: electronics and propulsion - What Golden Dome demands from the industrial base, and why no single company can deliver it alone - How acquisition reform is shifting the government-industry relationship from vendor to partner - What the "minimum viable product" concept actually means for how industry responds to requirements - Why transparency from the government side is the single most important thing for small companies right now - What Space Force Guardians should understand about their relationship with commercial industry - How to build a company capable of inserting technology at the speed relevance demands Recorded at the Redwire Stage at the 41st Space Symposium. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday AV By Redwire Production Support by Emily Honhart and Omar Mahmoud Matt Magaña is President of Defense and National Security at Voyager Technologies. He previously served as President and CEO of Blue Canyon Technologies and held executive roles at Raytheon overseeing billion-dollar portfolios in electronic warfare, space control, and missile defense. Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| Beyond the Artemis Accords: The Case for a Space Treaty Organization | 06 mai 2026 | 00:39:46 | |
The Artemis Accords brought dozens of nations together around shared principles, but principles without structure aren't policy. In a domain where commerce, exploration, and national security increasingly overlap, non-binding norms aren't enough. And the window to act is narrowing. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Dr. Eric Sundby, CEO of TerraSpace, SFA Board Member, and now the first maritime space officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, to make the case for something more formal: a Space Treaty Organization. Drawing on his PhD dissertation, published op-eds, and direct experience working across the civil, commercial, and national security space sectors, Sundby argues that the United States needs to move from bilateral handshakes to binding multilateral frameworks, before China and Russia fill the vacuum. This conversation covers:
From the South China Sea to the lunar surface, the patterns are already clear. The question is whether the United States and its allies will build the framework that keeps the space domain free, or wait until the other side has already poured the sand. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Dr. Eric Sundby, CEO, TerraSpace | SFA Board Member | U.S. Navy Reserve (Maritime Space Officer) Dr. Sundby holds a PhD focused on space governance and international cooperation frameworks and is the author of the op-ed "America Needs a Space Alliance." Read Dr. Sundby's Op Ed: https://spacenews.com/america-needs-a-space-alliance/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| Our Space Future Depends on What We Teach Kids Today | 28 avr. 2026 | 00:34:04 | |
What does it take to turn today's elementary school students into tomorrow's space workforce? | |||
| No Integration, No Mission: Col. Strizzi on Making Space Systems Fight Together | 23 avr. 2026 | 00:40:17 | |
What does it take to turn a collection of space systems into a unified warfighting capability?In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. Strizzi, Director of Enterprise Integration at the Space Systems Integration Office, to unpack one of the most critical—and often overlooked—challenges in modern space operations: integration.Space is a system of systems. Satellites, sensors, networks, and ground infrastructure all feed decisions across the joint force. But as the Space Force grows, adds partners, and fields new capabilities, those systems don’t automatically work together. And in a contested domain, adversaries are actively trying to break those connections.Integration is no longer a background function. It’s a warfighting imperative.In this conversation, Col. Strizzi discusses:What the Space Systems Integration Office actually does—and why it was createdWhy integration is foundational to delivering real operational effectsThe challenge of connecting legacy systems with rapidly emerging technologiesHow the Space Force is breaking down silos across organizations and mission areasWhat it means to build a truly “enterprise-level” space architectureThe role of partnerships across the joint force, industry, and alliesWhy integration must be continuous, not a one-time effortHow success is measured when the mission is making everything else work togetherFrom stitching together complex architectures to enabling faster, more informed decision-making, this episode explores how the Space Force is moving beyond individual capabilities to deliver integrated combat power in orbit.Hosted by Bill WoolfProduced by Ty HollidayGuest: Col. Strizzi, Director of Enterprise Integration, Space Systems Integration OfficeHe leads efforts to ensure that the Space Force’s diverse systems, technologies, and mission partners operate as a cohesive, effective enterprise capable of delivering mission-critical outcomes.Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/Learn about Space Systems Command Integration Office: https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/SSC-Command-Offices/Space-Systems-Integration-OfficeJoin SFA: https://ussfa.org/Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| The Blueprint: Gen. Saltzman on the Future of the Space Force | 15 avr. 2026 | 00:37:05 | |
In this exclusive episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, for his first and only interview on two landmark documents released today: the Future Operating Environment and the Objective Force. These aren't talking points. They're the blueprint, the Space Force's clearest public statement yet on where the service is headed, what it's building, and why it matters. And General Saltzman chose to break it down here first. From force design to future budgets, from allied partnerships to Guardian readiness, this episode goes further than any public statement has gone before, straight from the CSO himself. Thank you to CXAL (Connected Alliances) for sponsoring this episode of Spacepower Podcast. To learn more about CXAL, visit https://cx-al.com Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: General B. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force As CSO, General Saltzman sets the direction for the entire service, its doctrine, its forces, and its future. The Future Operating Environment and Objective Force represent his vision for what the Space Force must become to meet the demands of the most contested and crucial domain. Read the Future Operating Environment: https://www.spaceforce.mil/Portals/2/Documents/SAF_2026/Future_Operating_Environment_2040.pdf Read the Objective Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/Portals/2/Documents/SAF_2026/OFD_2040_Baseline_Final.pdf Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ See the accompanying blog post: https://ussfa.org/exclusive-cso-objective-force/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ For inquiries: publicaffairs@ussfa.org Follow for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| The Space Force Might Get Its Biggest Budget Ever. Now What? | 09 avr. 2026 | 01:00:49 | |
The FY27 President's Budget request for the U.S. Space Force comes in at $71.24 billion, more than double the prior year, and the largest budget request in the service's history. But what does a number like that actually mean, and will Congress fund it? Read Shawn Barnes Full Op-Ed: https://ussfa.org/shawn-barnes-pbr-response/ In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with two guests who've lived this process from the inside: Shawn Barnes, who spent years walking space budgets to Capitol Hill as the Department of the Air Force's primary liaison to the Appropriations Committee, and SFA CEO Brig. Gen. (ret.) Damon Feltman, who helped build the Space Force budget structure from inside the Pentagon as Deputy Director of the S-5. Together, they break down what this request really says about the administration's commitment to space, and what stands between this budget and becoming law.In this conversation, they discuss:
Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guests:Shawn Barnes, Former Department of the Air Force Primary Liaison to the Appropriations Committee and Former Chief of Space Policy, Joint Staff. One of the most experienced voices in navigating the intersection of space investment and congressional politics. Brig. Gen. (ret.) Damon Feltman, CEO, Space Force Association. Former Deputy Director of the Space Force S-5 (budget) and former Numbered Air Force Vice Commander. Feltman helped build the Space Force's budget architecture from inside the Pentagon before retiring from civil service. Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Read Shawn Barnes Full Op-Ed: https://ussfa.org/shawn-barnes-pbr-response/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. Views and opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the views of the U.S. Government, Department of War, or their respective organizations. | |||
| Building Combat Power in Orbit: Lt. Gen. Gagnon on Training Space Operators | 07 avr. 2026 | 00:50:53 | |
What does it take to build combat power when the domain itself is still being defined?In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf speaks with Lt. Gen. Greg Gagnon, Commander of Combat Forces Command, about how the Space Force is preparing Guardians to operate in the most contested environment humanity has ever tried to control.Space is no longer a benign domain. As adversaries develop capabilities designed to contest U.S. operations on orbit, the mission is shifting from support to warfighting. And that shift demands operators who can do more than execute technical tasks. It demands resilience, judgment, and the ability to adapt under pressure.In this conversation, Lt. Gen. Gagnon discusses:What "training like we fight" actually means in space operationsHow realistic, integrated exercises prepare Guardians for degraded environmentsWhy integration with the joint force isn't optional—it's the missionHow Combat Forces Command builds readiness through immersive, scenario-based trainingThe cultural shift needed to move from compliance to initiativeWhy leadership expects operators to think critically, not just follow checklistsHow after-action reviews focus on learning, not blameWhat it takes to sustain combat readiness in a domain defined by speed and competitionFrom training operators to integrating with combatant commanders, from building culture to delivering effects under pressure, this episode explores how the Space Force is turning technology into combat power through the people who operate it.Hosted by Bill WoolfProduced by Ty HollidayGuest: Lt. Gen. Greg Gagnon, Commander, Combat Forces Command, U.S. Space ForceHe leads the training, readiness, and force presentation for space operations, ensuring Guardians are prepared to deliver effects in contested environments across the joint force.Learn more about Combat Forces Command: https://www.ussf-cfc.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/About-Combat-Forces-CommandLearn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| The Fight for Space Is Already Here: Lt. Gen. Miller | 31 mars 2026 | 00:52:38 | |
What does it take to achieve space superiority when the fight is already underway?In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf speaks with Lt. Gen David N. Miller Jr., Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Requirements, about how the Space Force is building a warfighting force in real time to meet a rapidly evolving threat.As adversaries expand their capabilities on orbit and develop systems designed to deny U.S. access to space, the domain is no longer benign. From supporting ongoing operations to preparing for future conflict, the Space Force must ensure freedom of action in, from, and to space, while denying that same advantage to its competitors.In this conversation, Lt. Gen. Miller discusses:• What “space superiority” actually means in a warfighting context• How adversary capabilities, particularly from China, are reshaping the domain• Why the Space Force is not yet sized for the fight it must prepare for• The shift from a support function to a contested warfighting domain• How the “objective force” is guiding future design, investment, and growth• Why acquisition, requirements, testing, and fielding are all being fundamentally reworked• How training and readiness are evolving to prepare Guardians for real-world conflictFrom missile warning to targeting, from resilience to orbital defense, this episode explores how spacepower is being transformed from an enabling capability into a decisive element of modern warfare.Hosted by Bill WoolfProduced by Ty HollidayGuest:Lt. Gen. David N. Miller Jr., Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Requirements, U.S. Space ForceHe leads the development of the Space Force’s long-term strategy, force design, and capability requirements, translating emerging threats into the systems and structures needed to ensure space superiority for the joint force.Learn more about the U.S. Space Force:https://www.spaceforce.mil/Join SFA:https://ussfa.org/Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. | |||
| Spacepower in the Western Hemisphere: Insights with Col. Brandon Alford | 24 mars 2026 | 00:47:33 | |
Episode Recorded March 5th, 2026 How is spacepower actually shaping operations across the Western Hemisphere? In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf speaks with Col. Brandon Alford, Commander of U.S. Space Forces Southern, about how space-enabled capabilities are integrated into day-to-day operations across Central and South America. From satellite communications and GPS to space-based sensing, these capabilities quietly enable coordination, precision, and awareness across a region defined by complex humanitarian challenges, maritime operations, and multinational partnerships. As space becomes more contested, U.S. Space Forces Southern plays a critical role in ensuring these capabilities remain available while strengthening collaboration with allies and partners across the region.In this conversation, Col. Alford discusses: • How U.S. Space Forces Southern integrates space capabilities into regional operations • The role of space domain awareness in addressing emerging threats • Why partnerships across the Western Hemisphere are essential to security • How commercial technologies are augmenting military space capabilities • Real-world examples of how spacepower supports operations on the ground Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest:Col. Brandon Alford, Commander, U.S. Space Forces Southern He leads efforts to integrate space capabilities across U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility, enhancing regional security through partnerships, operational support, and space domain awareness. His work focuses on ensuring freedom of action in space while enabling joint and coalition forces across Central and South America. Learn more about U.S. Space Forces Southern: https://www.spaceforcesouth.spaceforce.mil Join SFA:https://ussfa.org/ | |||
| Inside Space Systems Command with Deputy Commander Col. Menschner | 18 mars 2026 | 00:39:00 | |
Episode Recorded March 5th, 2026How are space systems actually built, delivered, and sustained for the joint force?In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf speaks with Col. Menschner, Deputy Commander of Space Systems Command, about the realities of space acquisition, innovation, and the future of space-enabled warfighting.From GPS and missile warning to SATCOM and ISR, Space Systems Command is responsible for delivering the capabilities that underpin modern military operations. As demand for resilient and responsive space systems grows, SSC is evolving how it acquires, integrates, and fields those capabilities at speed.In this conversation, Col. Menschner discusses:• How Space Systems Command delivers capabilities to the joint force• The shift toward faster, more agile acquisition models• Why integrating operations and acquisition is critical to success• How partnerships with commercial industry and allies are shaping the future• What the next 5–10 years hold for space systems, including NAVWAR and resilient PNTHosted by Bill WoolfProduced by Ty HollidayGuests:Col. Andrew Menschner, Deputy Commander, Space Systems Command.He leads more than 15,000 military, civilian and contractor personnel worldwide and an annual budget of $15.6 billion, while managing the research, design, development, acquisition, launch, and sustainment of satellites and the associated command and control systems. Space Systems Command’s extensive portfolio includes military satellite communication, missile warning, navigation and timing, space-based weather, space launch and test ranges, space superiority, responsive space and other emerging evolutionary space programs. See the blog post: https://ussfa.org/col-menschner/ Join SFA at https://ussfa.org/ | |||
| Guardians at War: How the Space Force is Enabling Operation Epic Fury | 13 mars 2026 | 00:54:10 | |
Views and opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the views of the U.S. Government, Department of War, and their respective organizations.In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf discusses the pivotal role of space in modern warfare with SFA CEO Brig. Gen. (ret.) Damon Feltman and NSPC Committee Chair Dillon Cox.This episode is essential for understanding how space superiority shapes future conflicts. Operation Epic Fury showcases how U.S. Space Force capabilities disrupted adversary networks, highlighting the necessity of space control for joint operations.Key topics include:The integration of space and cyber effects in combat strategy The importance of space-enabled sensing and navigationTraining pipelines that prepare Guardians for rapid response Updates on Operation Epic Fury: https://www.centcom.mil/OPERATIONS-AND-EXERCISES/EPIC-FURY/Documents discussed: https://www.starcom.spaceforce.mil/resources/digital-library/SFA National Spacepower Center: https://ussfa.org/national-space-center/ Hosted by Bill WoolfProduced by Ty HollidayGuests:SFA Ceo Brig. Gen. (ret.) Damon FeltmanNSPC Comittee Chair Dillon CoxJoin SFA at ussfa.org | |||
| Navigating Space Command's Future: Insights with Gen. Stephen Whiting | 11 mars 2026 | 00:43:34 | |
Episode Recorded Friday, Febuary 27th, 2026 In this episode of the Spacepower, host Bill Woolf sits down with Gen. Stephen Whiting, Commander of U.S. Space Command, to discuss the growing importance of space in the Indo-Pacific and how the United States is preparing for an increasingly contested space domain. From missile warning and satellite communications to precision navigation and intelligence, space systems underpin nearly every aspect of modern military operations. As strategic competition intensifies, ensuring those capabilities remain resilient and available to the joint force has become a central mission for U.S. Space Command. Gen. Whiting shares insights on the evolving counterspace environment, the role of international partnerships in maintaining a stable space domain, and how the command is thinking about deterrence and readiness in the years ahead. This conversation is part of the newly upgraded Spacepower Podcast, bringing deeper conversations with the leaders, operators, and thinkers shaping the future of national security in space. Listen in for a thoughtful discussion on how spacepower is shaping the strategic landscape today and what it means for the future of global security. | |||
| Ep 40: Interview with John F Plumb, Head of Strategy at K2 Space | 03 mars 2026 | 00:43:39 | |
John F. Plumb serves as Head of Strategy at K2 Space, where he focuses on advancing next-generation satellite capabilities designed to deliver greater scale, resilience, and affordability to national security space missions.Plumb previously served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy, where he was responsible for overseeing U.S. Department of Defense space strategy, policy, and international engagement. In that role, he helped shape national security space priorities during a period of rapid evolution in the space domain, including strengthening allied cooperation, advancing responsible space behavior, and guiding policy for resilient space architectures in an increasingly contested environment.Before his Pentagon leadership, Plumb held senior policy roles on Capitol Hill and within the executive branch, including serving on the National Security Council staff and as a professional staff member on the Senate Armed Services Committee. Across government and industry, his career has centered on aligning strategy, technology, and policy to ensure the United States maintains a competitive edge in space.At K2 Space, Plumb brings that strategic depth to the commercial sector — helping bridge national security requirements with innovative satellite manufacturing approaches built for scale. | |||
| Ep 39: Interview with Rob Mitrevski, President, Golden Dome Strategy and Integration at L3Harris | 24 févr. 2026 | 00:23:34 | |
Rob Mitrevski serves as President, Golden Dome Strategy and Integration at L3Harris Technologies, where he leads strategic integration efforts focused on advancing next-generation missile defense and space-enabled capabilities in support of national security missions.With more than three decades of experience in aerospace and defense, Mitrevski has held senior executive roles spanning space systems, missile defense, air and missile integration, and advanced mission solutions. Prior to his current role, he served as President of Space and Airborne Systems at L3Harris, overseeing a broad portfolio of space payloads, missile warning systems, resilient communications, ISR technologies, and classified national security programs.Throughout his career, he has led large-scale engineering and integration organizations responsible for delivering complex, mission-critical systems to the U.S. Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, civil agencies, and international partners. His expertise spans strategic planning, systems engineering, operational integration, and scaling advanced technologies from concept to deployment.Mitrevski holds degrees in engineering and business and has built his career at the intersection of technical innovation and strategic execution — aligning industry capabilities with evolving national security priorities.On this episode of Spacepower, Rob joins us to discuss the strategic importance of integrated missile defense architectures, the role of industry in accelerating resilient space capabilities, and what it will take to align technology, policy, and partnerships to meet emerging threats in an increasingly contested domain. | |||
| Ep 38: Interview with Lt. General (Ret.) David Buck, President, BRPH Mission Solutions | 18 févr. 2026 | 00:39:47 | |
Lt. General (Ret.) David J. Buck is the President of BRPH Mission Solutions at BRPH, a technically focused architecture, engineering, and construction firm supporting mission-critical clients in aerospace, defense, national security, and advanced manufacturing.Lt. General (Ret.) David J. Buck is a retired U.S. Air Force officer whose distinguished military career spanned more than three decades in space, nuclear, and cyberspace operations. He earned his commission as a distinguished graduate of Officer Training School in 1986 and went on to command at the squadron, group, and wing levels throughout his service. His operational experience included strategic missile operations, space launch and range operations, satellite command and control, and advanced space mission areas.Buck culminated his Air Force service as Commander of the 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) and Commander of the Joint Functional Component Command for Space under U.S. Strategic Command at Vandenberg Air Force Base. In that capacity he led more than 19,500 personnel responsible for providing strategic missile warning, nuclear command and control, space situational awareness, position/navigation/timing, and other critical space effects in support of national security objectives. He retired from the Air Force in 2018.In his current role at BRPH, Buck applies his operational leadership and strategic expertise to help organizations navigate complex mission requirements, develop innovative capabilities, and accelerate growth across defense, aerospace, national security, and manufacturing sectors.His awards include multiple Defense and Air Force distinguished service decorations, including the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, and Bronze Star Medal, reflecting both his leadership and impact over decades of service. | |||
| EP37: Interview with Christopher Fedele, Business Development Director, L3 Harris | 10 févr. 2026 | 00:33:59 | |
Spacepower Podcast – Propulsion Trends & Maneuverability with L3Harris’ Chris FedeleIn this episode, host Bill Woolf speaks with Chris Fedele, a senior leader in propulsion and national security space at L3Harris. With over 30 years supporting land, sea, air, and space missions, Chris discusses how propulsion technologies are rapidly evolving to meet today’s contested space environment.Chris highlights how propulsion enables agility, survivability, and resilience for U.S. space systems. He explains the shift from predictable, long-duration orbits to highly maneuverable systems capable of avoiding threats, repositioning quickly, and sustaining operations in increasingly hostile environments.Key technologies discussed include electric propulsion, high‑performance propellants, VLEO maneuverability, and L3Harris’ leadership in nuclear thermal and nuclear electric propulsion — capabilities that will not only reshape national security space but accelerate NASA’s path to Mars.Chris also emphasizes cultural transformation inside L3Harris: empowering engineers, fostering innovation, challenging old assumptions, and embracing speed. He offers advice for early‑career space professionals: be bold, question the status quo, and contribute new ideas.The episode closes with a discussion about future collaboration, innovation hubs, and how industry and government must work together to outpace adversaries and secure the space domain. | |||
| EP36: Interview with Brig Gen (ret) Damon Feltman, CEO, The Space Force Association | 03 févr. 2026 | 00:31:26 | |
Damon brings 30+ years of leadership across defense and commercial space sectors—including senior roles with the U.S. Space Force, U.S. Space Command, and the Space Development Agency. In his role as President of the SFA Huntsville – Rocket City Chapter, Damon has been instrumental in building regional engagement, fostering collaboration between military and industry leaders, and expanding awareness of SFA’s mission throughout the southeastern U.S. | |||
| EP35: Interview with Dr. Jason "JW" Womack, Strategist, Leader Development for Operational Readiness, DAF | 27 janv. 2026 | 00:53:30 | |
In This Episode of the Spacepower Podcast, Dr. Jason Womack argues that mission readiness in the Space Force is inseparable from how leaders think, connect, reflect, and learn. Connection is operational. Reflection is strategic. Leadership is not about answers—but about building environments where better questions, better decisions, and better people emerge over time.Mission‑Ready Leadership with Dr. Jason “J.W.” WomackSpace Power Podcast | Host: Bill “Hippie” Woolf 1. Mission‑Ready Leadership Is a Daily DisciplineDr. Womack defines leadership not as inspiration but as an operational practice. Readiness shows up in daily thinking, acting, and adapting—especially when margins for error are thin.Mission‑ready leaders demonstrate:Mastery of Craft: Deep domain knowledge and continuous learning across disciplines.Effective Management & Advocacy: Ability to articulate needs, anticipate requirements, and build sound business cases.Understanding People: Awareness of multi‑generational motivations and adult‑learning principles.2. Reflection Drives GrowthHigh‑performing organizations often rush forward without pausing to learn.Womack stresses structured reflection using three questions:What happened?What happened as a result?What should we do more of—or stop doing—next time?Like the Weapons School model, meaningful debrief time is essential to improvement.3. Connection Is an Operational SkillConnection is not social activity—it’s a deliberate leadership behavior.People need connection to:Self (value & purpose)Mission (why their work matters)Each other (trust)Context (operational picture)Proximity alone doesn’t create trust. Leaders must intentionally connect people to meaning, information, and each other. | |||
| EP34: Col (ret) Keith Balts, PhD, speaks about leadership | 19 janv. 2026 | 00:41:45 | |
Col (ret) Keith Balts, PhD, is the Director of the Leadership Signature Program and Kramer Family Leadership Faculty Fellow at Clemson University. Educational BackgroundPh.D. Engineering and Science EducationClemson University 2024Master of National Security and Strategic StudiesNaval War College 2010Master of Arts in Military Operational Arts and ScienceAir Command and Staff College 2005B.S. MathematicsUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison 1992Keith Balts, Colonel (Retired), USAF, earned his Ph.D. in Engineering and Science Education at Clemson University in 2024. He is a professor of practice and currently serves as the Director of the Leadership Signature Program and Kramer Family Leadership Faculty Fellow in the Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business at Clemson University. Prior to his current position, he served as the commander of Clemson’s Air Force ROTC detachment, dual-hatted as the department chair for aerospace studies. He served for twenty-eight years as an Air Force space operations officer after earning a B.S. degree in Mathematics from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. He has deployed four times to southwest Asia and has served as a squadron commander, vice wing commander, wing commander, inspector general, and the Director of Space Forces for the Middle East region. Keith has also earned a Master of Engineering degree in Space Operations from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and two additional master’s degrees related to national security and leadership from Air University and the Naval War College. He is also graduate of the United States Air Force Weapons School.His volunteer service includes Chair responsibilities for two University military-connected alumni clubs and two local Scouting-related committees. He also served as the Vice Chair for the three-county Scout District Committee in the upstate. In this episode: Conversation Timeline – Space Power Podcast w/ Col. (Dr.)Keith Balts 00:00 – 05:00 05:00 – 12:00 12:00 – 20:00 20:00 – 30:00 30:00 – 40:00 40:00 – 50:00 50:00 – 70:00 70:00 – 85:00 85:00 – End | |||
| EP33: Col (ret) Dean Bellamy, Executive Vice President, National Security Space, Redwire | 05 janv. 2026 | 00:28:12 | |
Redwire Corporation (NYSE:RDW) is an integrated space and defense tech company focused on advanced technologies. We are building the future of aerospace infrastructure, autonomous systems and multi-domain operations leveraging digital engineering and AI automation. Redwire’s approximately 1,300 employees located throughout the United States and Europe are committed to delivering innovative space and airborne platforms transforming the future of multi-domain operations. | |||
| EP31: Interview with 2Lt Hannah Davis Mangum and MSgt Matt Davis | 23 déc. 2025 | 00:36:44 | |
In this episode of The Spacepower Podcast, host Bill “Hippie” Woolf sits down with siblings Master Sergeant Matthew T. Davis and Lieutenant Hannah Mangum for an inside look at Space Force recruitment, training, and life as a Guardian.Master Sergeant Davis shares insights from his 16-year career in recruiting, breaking down what it really takes to join the Space Force—from qualifications and career paths to the service’s highly selective process, which evaluates roughly 1,000 enlisted applicants each year.Lieutenant Mangum offers a fresh perspective as a newly commissioned officer, reflecting on her transition from civilian life and into the Space Force. She highlights the value of STEM education, leadership potential, preparation, and a willingness to learn for anyone aspiring to serve.Whether you're curious about Space Force opportunities, considering a military career, or simply fascinated by the newest branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, this conversation delivers clarity, candor, and plenty of inspiration.🎧 Tune in to learn:- What Space Force recruiters look for - How enlisted and officer pathways differ - Why leadership and adaptability matter as much as technical skills - What new Guardians can expect on their journey | |||
| EP30: Interview with Tory Bruno, President and CEO, United Launch Alliance | 19 déc. 2025 | 00:37:34 | |
About ULA: Mission: Save Lives, Explore the Universe, Connect the WorldFocus on our customer’s mission. The technologies we enable protect our country and troops in the battlefield, enable search and rescue, provide a backbone for business and connect families across the globe. They help us explore our city and learn about our solar system and places beyond.Create value through certainty. We deliver the most dependable ride to space by combining our unrivaled legacy, tireless drive to improve and commitment to the extraordinary. | |||
| EP29: Interview with Space Machines | 04 déc. 2025 | 00:53:32 | |
Space Machines Company (SMC) is an Australian space startup founded in 2019 that provides orbital logistics, in-space servicing, and space resilience solutions. Its mission is to act as “roadside assistance in space,” offering rapid response capabilities to protect and support satellites in Earth orbit and beyond.
In essence: Space Machines Company is positioning itself as a critical enabler of safe, sustainable, and resilient space operations, combining orbital logistics with rapid-response servicing to protect satellites and extend their utility. Would you like me to also compare Space Machines Company with other orbital servicing startups (like Astroscale or Orbit Fab) so you can see how their approaches differ? 🚀 Company Overview🔑 Capabilities & Services🌌 Strategic Vision📊 At a GlanceAttributeDetailsFounded2019HQSydney, AustraliaGlobal OfficesAdelaide, Bengaluru, DenverFlagship PlatformOptimusKey Service“Roadside Assistance in Space” (Orbitside Assist)CapabilitiesOrbital transport, servicing, debris removal, explorationPartnershipsAUKUS, QUAD footprint for allied resilience | |||
| EP28: Interview with Maj Gen James E. Smith, Commander, Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) | 21 nov. 2025 | 00:36:04 | |
Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) exists to prepare combat-ready USSF forces to fight and win in a contested, degraded, and operationally-limited environment through the deliberate development, education and training of space professionals; development of space warfighting doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures; and the test and evaluation of USSF capabilities. The USSF has three intermediate-level Field Commands (FIELDCOMs) within its four-tiered organizational structure: Space Operations Command (SpOC), Space Systems Command (SSC), and STARCOM. In order to create a leaner, more agile force, the USSF eliminated two levels of command that exist within the Air Force and now consists of: USSF Headquarters (at the Pentagon with the other services), FIELDCOMs, Space Deltas (DELs), and Squadrons. Upon approval by the Secretary of the Air Force, the locations for STARCOM headquarters and each of the deltas, except for Delta 1, will be determined following the Department of the Air Force’s Strategic Basing Process. Delta 1 will be located at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The STARCOM HQ staff will be a combination of existing manpower transferred from SpOC and new authorizations to be added over the next several years, which requires Congressional approval.
HISTORY STARCOM was activated as the Space Force's third field command on 23 August 2021. Comprised of five subordinate DELs, STARCOM carries the organizational lineage and heritage of the Space Innovation and Development Center which was inactivated in 2013. The SIDC was initially constituted as the USAF Space Warfare Center Oct. 13 1993 and activated Nov. 1, 1993. It was re-designated the Space Warfare Center July 1, 1994 and then the Space Innovation and Development Center Mar 1, 2006. | |||
| Ep27: Interview with Tony Frazier, CEO, LeoLabs | 14 nov. 2025 | 00:38:23 | |
LeoLabs:
Find out more at: LeoLabs | Persistent Orbital Intelligence Propelling the dynamic space era | |||
| Ep 26: Col Martin, MARFORSPACE talks about his role at USSPACECOM | 22 oct. 2025 | 00:44:57 | |
Col Richard Martin is the MARFORSPACE to USSPACECOM. U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Space Command (MARFORSPACE) serves as the Marine Corps Component to U.S. Space Command (USSPACECOM). MARFORSPACE supports the USSPACECOM space superiority mission and enables the Fleet Marine Force by providing space support to operations and integrating, coordinating, and employing multi-domain capabilities in order to create competitive advantages that increase lethality, maneuverability, and survivability. MARFORSPACE represents Marine Corps capabilities and interests and advises USSPACECOM on integration with and support to U.S. Marine Corps operations. For more information on the Space Force Association, including corporate and individual membership options, please visit ussfa.org. | |||
| EP 25: Lt Gen Michael Lutton, Deputy Commander, Air Force Global Strike Command | 13 août 2025 | 00:35:57 | |
Lieutenant General Mike Lutton, Deputy Commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, discussed the critical role of space in their mission. He highlighted the evolution of space operations, from his early days as an ICBM operator to the integration of space capabilities in combat operations. Lutton emphasized the importance of space superiority, citing the first use of GPS ammunition in 1999. He also discussed the integration of space into Global Strike Command's operations, the role of VR in training, and the need for realistic training environments. Lutton underscored the decisive impact of space capabilities on deterrence and the importance of preparing airmen for future challenges. | |||
| EP 24: Interview with Jiral Shah, Vice President, Business Development, Gravitics | 23 avr. 2025 | 00:38:12 | |
Gravitics modules are built with flexible outfitting options in mind, enabling focused use cases, or the ability to host a variety of capabilities in a single pressurized spacecraft. Our products are built to support your mission whether they are attached to a commercial space station, or launched as a free flying unit. Find out more at https://www.gravitics.com | |||
| EP 23: Interview with Alexandra Hoey, CGO of SABG | 21 avr. 2025 | 00:39:00 | |
Strategic Alliance Business Group (SABG) is privately owned professional services company that is both a Service Disabled Veteran Owned and Women Owned Small Business. We provide support to both commercial and Federal Government customers in the areas of Program Management, Acquisition, and Strategic Planning; Mission Operations and Intelligence; and Logistics and Engineering. | |||
| EP 22: Interview with Col Robert Davis, Space Sensing Program Executive Officer, Space Systems Command, United States Space Force | 26 mars 2025 | 00:47:24 | |
Col. Robert Davis is the Program Executive Officer, Space Sensing Directorate, Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. In this role, Colonel Davis leads the Space Force directorate responsible for a $23 billion portfolio of persistent space sensing capabilities which span entire program lifecycle including prototyping, development, production, fielding, operational sustainment, and commercial acquisitions. Space Sensing is spearheading the U.S. Space Force’s pivot to a more diverse and resilient space architecture to prevail against the threat. | |||
| EP 20: Interview with Jason "Lil Kim" Kim, CEO, Firefly Aerospace | 27 févr. 2025 | 00:25:52 | |
Jason talks about his background, what Firefly has been doing and what they will be doing in the future. | |||
| EP 19: Discussion with Stanley Kennedy, Chairman of the Board, Space Force Cadet Corps | 12 févr. 2025 | 00:37:29 | |
The Vision of the SFCC is too educate and inspire the future leaders of the Space Age." Our program intends to provide rigorous training in space science, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, fostering a new generation of leaders prepared for the challenges of the space industry. | |||
| EP 18: Discussion with Brig Gen (ret) Damon Feltman, SFA Huntsville Chapter Lead | 04 févr. 2025 | 00:37:29 | |
Brig Gen Damon Feltman served for over 30 years in the USAF focused on space operations. This interview captures some of his thoughts on the USSF Personnel Management Act, space as a warfighting domain and SFA Huntsville Chapter activities. | |||
| EP 17: Discussion with Eric McManus, SFA TX Chapter Lead | 27 janv. 2025 | 00:36:49 | |
Eric talks about all the space activity happening in and around Texas. | |||
| EP 16: Discussion with Justin Chandler, Col, USSF (ret.), with ThinkOrbital | 20 janv. 2025 | 00:36:09 | |
SFA partner, ThinkOrbital builds products which include the ThinkToolkit, a robotic arm & end effector for in-space servicing, construction, inspection and military ops. ThinkX is the missing piece of space domain awareness offering the ability to image the inside of satellites both at distance and in fine detail in proximity as well as counterspace ops. Our vision is to build large, scalable and cost-efficient structures for the New Space economy. Our ThinkPlatforms are based on mature technologies available today, configured for single-launch, autonomous assembly in-orbit. | |||
| S5:E2 A discussion with Matt Domo, Co-Founder of AWS | 07 avr. 2024 | 00:42:58 | |
How will AI help the space industry? In this discussion with Matt Domo, he provides his perspective on the need for developing teams to help with how to integrate this technology to help shape the future space economy. | |||