Space to Grow

Blaine Curcio is the Founder of Orbital Gateway Consulting and a foremost expert on the Chinese space sector. His podcast, Dongfang Hour, provides essential information on the Chinese space program from Chinese sources. Space to Grow’s Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden recently got the opportunity to chat with Blaine and talk about all things space exploration in China.Is the Chinese space program shrouded in mystery, or is this a perception issue in the West? Weeden wanted to know the facts from the cloud of misinformation.“One thing I hear a lot is this assumption that the Chinese government is omnipotent,” Curcio said. “If they say, for example, build us a 5,000 satellite LEO broadband constellation, there’s an impression that will just get done tomorrow, and there are no questions asked; at the end of the day, that’s an oversimplification in the sense that you do have in this system a lot of different competing forces, factions, and entities that have their own interests. And you have incentives that don’t make it that easy.”For the past decade, China’s made a significant investment in space, technology, resources, and funding. And they show no signs of slowing down with ambitious plans over the next several years. They plan to complete the International Lunar Research Station in the next fifteen years. “If we look at plans like that, that seems extremely ambitious,” Curcio said. “And I think the space station has some interesting potential to expand in the medium to long-term.”One difference between the Chinese space program and The United States is the coordination of efforts. The US tends to lead national efforts run by NASA, and China takes a more siloed approach with various companies working with local and provincial governments. Without a top-down coordinated attempt, Curcio said some of China’s plans for space could experience difficulties.

Peter Beck launched Rocket Lab in 2006 in New Zealand. Though his background isn’t traditional, he knew he wanted to build rickets from a young age. He quickly developed international partnerships and expanded with venture capitalists in 2014. Since 2014, the company has doubled in size every year. Today, Rocket Lab has more than a thousand employees. Beck said, “we made quite a few acquisitions last year, and we doubled that way.”Rocket Lab requires the best of the best from its partners, and some of those partnerships have led to acquisitions. After long held relationships, Beck recognized the best in class and grew the Rocket Lab family. With US Headquarters and operating in New Zealand and a couple of other countries, Beck said,  “we’ve been global since day one and we’re used to operating in various hemispheres.” In addition to expecting the best in class, Rocket Lab prioritizes sustainability. The launch company is exploring ways to make their rockets more sustainable, both by decreasing the stage times of the rockets and by transitioning elements into working satellites while in orbit. Beck knows that the entire industry has to adapt to become more sustainable. “There’s technology to sustain space, but it’s better not to get there in the first place,” said Beck.History of space exploration has accumulated dead rockets in orbit. Leaving the upper stages with huge mass in orbit, “is not cool,” said Beck. According to the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, “the Earth’s orbital space environment constitutes a finite resource that is being used by an increasing number of States, international intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental entities.” Hence, the focus on transformative elements so that Rocket Lab vehicles can lead the industry in responsible launching.The majority of the work for sustainability has to be done by governments and authorities. “As a launch provider we’re a glorified freight company,” said Beck. It’s a logistical nightmare for regulation to fall onto the freight company. “There’s not cohesive framework there, there has to be a global regulation.” According to the Secure World Foundation, space sustainability requires international cooperation, discussion and agreements designed to ensure that outer space is safe, secure, and peaceful. Addressing increasing complexity of space operations requires international cooperation.

The expanse of space, the wondrous and eerie world that very few individuals have experienced. In this episode, Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden talk to Ellen Stofan, Under Secretary of Science and Research at the Smithsonian, about the future of space exploration in the government and private sectors, the public.Stofan’s career in space was destined when she was four years old and watched a launch of the ATLAS-CENTAUR. Her father was an engineer on the rocket. However, the rocket exploded, and the vast mushroom cloud made four-year-old-Stofan remember the moment forever. The explosion was an unfortunate outcome, and it’s important to remember that a test flight that produces knowledge is not a failure.She said that launches are one of her favorite parts of her job, but to this day, she gets nervous. “It’s an overwhelming feeling when the hardware you worked on is out in space,” chimed in the host, Blackerby. “When we launched our first satellite in March of last year, [it] was so emotional.”Stofan became interested in geology and soon realized that geology and space go hand in hand. Stofan became Chief Scientist at Nasa, where her focus was getting Nasa Data into the hands of people worldwide to help combat climate change.Today, Stofan believes that this decade will be vital in determining the future of space exploration. As private investments into the expanse become the norm, the government will be able to shift its focus to further investigation, like Mars. Determining and applying something like the Leeds Standards [sustainability-focused practices in the building industry] to space building and exploration is necessary to establishing space sustainability. Sustainability will be required, from how space crafts are disposed of to entering and exiting orbit. Since space is a global common, authority is undetermined. The public will play a vital role in ensuring that sustainable practices happen immediately.

In this bonus content, hosts Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden sit down to discuss kinetic ASAT tests in space and possible silver-linings that came from the most recent test. The November 2021 Russian ASAT (Anti-Satellite) test shed unprecedented light onto the space community and is estimated to have produced almost 1700 pieces of debris in the 600km range, close to Earth, which was spread throughout other orbital regimes. Not only did this test launch international attention on debris in space, but it reaffirmed uncertainty in operating in space for many private and public space entities. Space debris, or space “junk” as it is commonly referred to, can range from outdated satellites, to tiny fragments of broken up objects, similar to what the Russian ASAT test created. The junk clogs up orbital pathways and can cause unforeseen structural damage to orbiting or launching objects. As such, many companies, including Astroscale have condemned ASAT tests in the industry as irresponsible behavior. While space debris continues to orbit, Blackerby highlighted some silver-linings on the situation, “It’s awareness…when do we see the non-space media and community get in…We had recognition by politicians around the world that this was bad.” Though not catastrophic in the near-term, the test created so much debris that the resulting awareness in the international community can be viewed as a positive aspect, but not one that the space industry wants to repeat as a normative action. On ASAT tests, Weeden was firm that we can not allow this activity to, “live in the space environment.” Space actors can not continue doing these tests and apologizing as if they do not have any future, long-term consequences.“I’m hopeful this will galvanize some sort of ASAT ban,” said Weeden. Given the international attention, the need to get rid of space trash is front and center and a ban on ASAT tests will help keep space accessible to all.

In this bonus content, hosts Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden sit down to discuss kinetic ASAT tests in space and possible silver-linings that came from the most recent test. The November 2021 Russian ASAT (Anti-Satellite) test shed unprecedented light onto the space community and is estimated to have produced almost 1700 pieces of debris in the 600km range, close to Earth, which was spread throughout other orbital regimes. Not only did this test launch international attention on debris in space, but it reaffirmed uncertainty in operating in space for many private and public space entities. Space debris, or space “junk” as it is commonly referred to, can range from outdated satellites, to tiny fragments of broken up objects, similar to what the Russian ASAT test created. The junk clogs up orbital pathways and can cause unforeseen structural damage to orbiting or launching objects. As such, many companies, including Astroscale have condemned ASAT tests in the industry as irresponsible behavior. While space debris continues to orbit, Blackerby highlighted some silver-linings on the situation, “It’s awareness…when do we see the non-space media and community get in…We had recognition by politicians around the world that this was bad.” Though not catastrophic in the near-term, the test created so much debris that the resulting awareness in the international community can be viewed as a positive aspect, but not one that the space industry wants to repeat as a normative action. On ASAT tests, Weeden was firm that we can not allow this activity to, “live in the space environment.” Space actors can not continue doing these tests and apologizing as if they do not have any future, long-term consequences.“I’m hopeful this will galvanize some sort of ASAT ban,” said Weeden. Given the international attention, the need to get rid of space trash is front and center and a ban on ASAT tests will help keep space accessible to all.

Bhavya Lal, Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy, and Strategy at NASA, joined Hosts Charity Weeden and Chris Blackerby to discuss the transition to her role at NASA.As a former employee at the Institute for Defense Analysis and the Science and Technology Institute, Lal switched from research to management. “I’m really blessed with the leadership at NASA,” she said of her role.Lal grew up in a STEM family; her father was an electrical engineer and her mother studied math. “The idea that one could be gifted was never even brought up. You did well in school because you worked hard, not because you were smart or had some advantage,” Lal said of her upbringing. “I’ve found the idea that hard work can overcome any disadvantages to be my superpower.”Daily, Lal has 10 to 15 meetings, which makes for long hours. She works closely with the National Space Council, the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the Federal Aviation Administration. She has found some of the hardest things in society are not technical but are policy-based and must be examined wholistically with a long-term view.Governments and individuals or businesses are the space industry customers. However, not many individuals and businesses cannot afford services, so Lal believes the government should kickstart certain programs and then private customers will emerge. “Let’s not have this mad dash to discovering a private market that may not already exist. Let’s work to build it,” she said.In terms of diversity, Lal emphasized the importance of the fields individuals come from. “There’s a myriad of examples of how disruptive thinking comes from the outside,” she stated. “Our innovations will come from diverse thoughts, not trying to repeat what we’ve done before."

On the Space to Grow podcast, Astroscale’s Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden bring their compelling experience and expertise to map out the technology, international policy, and scalability that will define the next generation of space exploration.In this episode, Kevin O’Connell discussed his career in government that led to his present business of informing and defining space commerce as a consultant for companies throughout the globe. As founder and CEO of Space Economy Rising, LLC, O’Connell speaks to the past and future of space commerce. With decades of experience working within government institutions, including the White House as well as speaking before US Congress committees on a variety of issues, O’Connell is uniquely positioned to provide insight into an industry that is both elusive and relevant.When asked about his transition to the private sector, O’Connell spoke to his decision as follows:“We've had a lot of folks talk to us over the last few years to say hey Kevin you just have to slow this all down. You have to slow all of this work down, especially in lower earth orbit. And, our view was that we looked very hard for data driven approaches to regulation we were going to regulate. What would be the analytic basis upon which we would do it.We worked with the FCC when they issued their orbital debris mitigation guidelines to say okay what pieces of this rule are supported by what kinds of evidence. And, in a lot of cases there was a lot of wishful thinking but there wasn't a lot of data rigorously collected to support that. And I would say that regulation that is uninformed and just based on wishful thinking can really do tremendous damage to an industry. So, you have to think about it that way. I think you do.”This intriguing podcast goes on to explore O’Connell’s transition out of government and to what he is doing now in the private sector as well as what lessons he is bringing forward into his present business.Of the many hats O’Connell wears, the most significant of his present contributions is in the field of space economy. This includes advising companies onSpace IndustryTechnologySpace finance communityBasics that must be done as an early-stage company in this fieldCompetitorsOrbital debris mitigation strategiesCyber security strategiesInvestment Risk ManagementAnd much more.

On the Space to Grow podcast, Astroscale’s Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden bring their compelling experience and expertise to map out the technology, international policy, and scalability that will define the next generation of space exploration.In this episode, Kevin O’Connell discussed his career in government that led to his present business of informing and defining space commerce as a consultant for companies throughout the globe. As founder and CEO of Space Economy Rising, LLC, O’Connell speaks to the past and future of space commerce. With decades of experience working within government institutions, including the White House as well as speaking before US Congress committees on a variety of issues, O’Connell is uniquely positioned to provide insight into an industry that is both elusive and relevant.When asked about his transition to the private sector, O’Connell spoke to his decision as follows:“We've had a lot of folks talk to us over the last few years to say hey Kevin you just have to slow this all down. You have to slow all of this work down, especially in lower earth orbit. And, our view was that we looked very hard for data driven approaches to regulation we were going to regulate. What would be the analytic basis upon which we would do it.We worked with the FCC when they issued their orbital debris mitigation guidelines to say okay what pieces of this rule are supported by what kinds of evidence. And, in a lot of cases there was a lot of wishful thinking but there wasn't a lot of data rigorously collected to support that. And I would say that regulation that is uninformed and just based on wishful thinking can really do tremendous damage to an industry. So, you have to think about it that way. I think you do.”This intriguing podcast goes on to explore O’Connell’s transition out of government and to what he is doing now in the private sector as well as what lessons he is bringing forward into his present business.Of the many hats O’Connell wears, the most significant of his present contributions is in the field of space economy. This includes advising companies onSpace IndustryTechnologySpace finance communityBasics that must be done as an early-stage company in this fieldCompetitorsOrbital debris mitigation strategiesCyber security strategiesInvestment Risk ManagementAnd much more.Tune in to learn from this renowned expert as the discussion covers everything from how he got to where he is to what he envisions for the future of space economy.More in This SeriesThis Season’s Mission Will Be Making Space Relatable

Space to Grow is back for a second season with hosts Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden from Astroscale. It’s where economics, technology and sustainability in space intersect. In the opening episode, Blackerby and Weeden take a look back and forward regarding the space economy.“We’re going to focus a lot on partnerships as a dedicated theme of conversations, as they are driving the space economy,” Blackerby said.Since space exploration and sustainability are such complex initiatives, partnerships are critical.Blackerby and Weeden shared some big moments in space from the last year. “Even with COVID, it was an incredible year for space,” Blackerby noted.Weeden’s top moment was humanity in space. “Private citizens went into space. That’s a first, and everyone can relate to that.”While that was a pivotal moment, others demonstrated risks and challenges, spawning from geopolitical impacts on Earth. One of those is the Russian ASAT (anti-satellite weapon) tests.Turning back to good news that demonstrates cooperation and collaboration, the James Webb Space Telescope launched through a partnership between the U.S. and Europe. Weeden relayed that the investment in the space economy isn’t slowing in other good news. It’s actually growing.The hosts then provided a preview of what’s to come this season. They’ll welcome a diverse group of guests from around the world. Topics will range from business to policy to technology.Weeden also announced a new segment Space to Grow After Hours. “We’ll be debating topics with the pros and cons in this extra content,” she described.

Space to Grow is back for a second season with hosts Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden from Astroscale. It’s where economics, technology and sustainability in space intersect. In the opening episode, Blackerby and Weeden take a look back and forward regarding the space economy.“We’re going to focus a lot on partnerships as a dedicated theme of conversations, as they are driving the space economy,” Blackerby said.Since space exploration and sustainability are such complex initiatives, partnerships are critical.Blackerby and Weeden shared some big moments in space from the last year. “Even with COVID, it was an incredible year for space,” Blackerby noted.Weeden’s top moment was humanity in space. “Private citizens went into space. That’s a first, and everyone can relate to that.”While that was a pivotal moment, others demonstrated risks and challenges, spawning from geopolitical impacts on Earth. One of those is the Russian ASAT (anti-satellite weapon) tests.Turning back to good news that demonstrates cooperation and collaboration, the James Webb Space Telescope launched through a partnership between the U.S. and Europe. Weeden relayed that the investment in the space economy isn’t slowing in other good news. It’s actually growing.The hosts then provided a preview of what’s to come this season. They’ll welcome a diverse group of guests from around the world. Topics will range from business to policy to technology.Weeden also announced a new segment Space to Grow After Hours. “We’ll be debating topics with the pros and cons in this extra content,” she described.

Space to Grow closed out its first season with a wrap-up episode with hosts Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden from Astroscale. They looked back on past conversations regarding space sustainability, policy, technology, and more. Then shared what they hope to bring to the show in its second season.“The best part has been the guests we’ve had and the diversity of those voices,” Weeden said. Blackerby echoed this sentiment, highlighting the nine space experts who were on the show.“The space community recognizes the importance, but most people outside of it don’t know how space affects them because it’s hard to grasp. Our speakers explained how orbital environments and space impact society.” - Chris BlackerbyWeeden noted a central theme in their messages on achieving sustainability. “It’s time to change our culture and how we view space to make it more sustainable.”Blackerby also remarked about how their conversations have created awareness of the impact on society. “The space community recognizes the importance, but most people outside of it don’t know how space affects them because it’s hard to grasp. Our speakers explained how orbital environments and space impact society.”While they covered many topics, Weeden said, “We could’ve been more technology focused and explaining how the technology works. Space sustainability is a multi-disciplinary issue.”Blackerby agreed they should prioritize technical topics. He also wants to dig in more on the fundraising, customer development, investments, and business side of space. “There are more stories about the growth of companies, big and small, and how they form and grow to tell.”Ultimately, the resounding emphasis of the show is promoting the responsible use of space and moving to a “leave no trace” culture.

Looking at space sustainability through an environmental and ecological lens changes the perspective. It makes it more tangible and inclusive. That’s the message of Moriba Ja. Ja, currently a professor of aerospace engineering and other space-related safety and security topics, joined Space to Grow hosts Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden. Ja has an impressive background, with tenures at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and the Air Force Research Laboratory.Jah’s fascination with space began early, during days of looking at the sky while in military school. He then enlisted in the Air Force and noticed some strange lights in the Montana sky. It wasn’t aliens but space debris. That drove him to want to study engineering and learn about litter in the sky and orbital regimes.“Most of humanity isn’t part of the space sustainability or exploration. It’s an insular community, but we need to connect people outside of space." - Moriba Jah“I began to see the orbital environment as another resource that needs protection,” Jar said. That idea kept building in his mind, becoming even clearer when he lived in Maui and saw the ecological impact to paradise.“I was connecting what was going on in space and what was going on in Maui. Space needs to be recognized as an ecosystem and finite research. Then there will be environmental protection, and we can apply sustainability metrics for land, air, and ocean to space,” Ja shared.Jah realized that to bring the message of space environmentalism to a broader audience. “Most of humanity isn’t part of the space sustainability or exploration. It’s an insular community, but we need to connect people outside of space,” he shared.Jah opined that space debris is the result of people not complying with what science says, and the key to removal is sustainability. “Regimes are already at capacity, and 96% of it is trash. Whoever owns it should be responsible for removing it. If they don’t, then we need a body that can give that capacity back.”

Space sustainability includes many facets. There’s the science, and there’s the policy. However, both have to be part of the conversation to achieve objectives. Space to Grow hosts Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden spoke with esteemed physicist and space policy leader Dr. David Kendall. Dr. Kendall was the Chair of the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), the Director-General of the Canadian Space Agency, and a faculty member at the International Space University.The hosts asked Dr. Kendall if it was harder to be a scientist or diplomat. “They are both challenging in different ways. Science is a singular activity that requires full immersion. Diplomacy puts you out there talking to people.”Dr. Kendall had no formal plans to transition, but a conversation with his wife made him apply to become the Director-General of the Canadian Space Agency. “Then I saw the other side of the coin and how decisions are made. The space business really is a team effort, globally.”“The legal and scientific committees don’t talk to each other but must. We also need to find a way for the commercial sector voices to be heard. And we need to move a lot faster.” -Dr. David KendallOne of Dr. Kendall’s most significant contributions to space policy was his work on the 21 Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities guidelines. He was part of the working group and then the chair. It required all nation-state approval and was finally approved in 2019, with all 90 members saying yes.“Creating 21 new ways of working together was an accomplishment. But there’s more to do on many issues like active debris removal and space traffic management,” Dr. Kendall said.After serving as chair, Dr. Kendall highlighted the next challenges that the organization needed to consider. “The legal and scientific committees don’t talk to each other but must. We also need to find a way for the commercial sector voices to be heard. And we need to move a lot faster.”

On this episode of Space To Grow, an Astroscale and Marketscale podcast, Astroscale’s Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden dig into the role space plays in our lives, space exploration, and utilization. Many things impact space, including society, low-earth orbit, and lunar exploration.Blackerby and Weeden talked to Dr. Timiebi Aganaba-Jeanty, a world-renown space lawyer and the founder of the Space Governance Lab at the School for the Future of Innovation in Society. She is also an assistant professor at the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University and Sandra Day O Connor College of Law at Arizona State University.Aganaba-Jeanty has played a role in many things in space when it comes to governance and space. At ASU, where she holds dual roles, she founded the Space Governance Lab. She has a vision for herself and the future of space, which drives the meaning in her work. On the website at the Future of Innovation in Society, it says, “The Future is for Everyone,” and she believes that all humans play a role in the future of space exploration.“Everyone should be able to see themselves in the future and how they can impact the future,” Aganab-Jeanty said. “All of us have a role in the future we want, and believe it’s in our control, and we have the ability to control the future.”The trio dug into what students learn at the Future Innovation center. Aganaba-Jeanty talked about what students can learn and the careers they can go into. Further, they spoke about the role space has in all of our lives, whether we realize it or not.

Space to Grow has an exciting episode featuring Astroscale CEO and Founder Nobu Okada. In this interview, Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden talk to their boss and the man behind bringing awareness and industry to the space sustainability market.Okada’s career didn’t begin in space, although space was certainly mesmerizing to him early. He traveled to the U.S. to attend Space Camp as a teen, something Weeden did, as well. The love story with space wouldn’t be a major part of his life for years. His career included work in Japan’s Ministry of Finance, as a consultant with McKinsey, and leading IT startups.Okada said starting Astroscale was a journey to do something different. He was looking for hot topics in space and found sustainability. He attended a global conference in April of 2013.“No one had solutions or were taking any actions to clean up space.” So, he decided to hold that torch, founding Astroscale a week later. Since then, he’s raised over $191 million.Raising money for any business is challenging, for space-related startups, maybe even more so because it’s not a quick return. Okada said, “Investors are simple and focused on ROI. The rules are making them feel secure, confident, and happy. We also carefully designed the terms and conditions for each series.”Okada admits the very first series was a leap of faith for investors. “We had big passion, people, and no technology. At that point, people are investing in you.”Since then, the company has proved the market is there. Still, it’s a slow process to transform space into a sector where commercialization is a bigger part of the picture. Now, the biggest customer for space-related solutions is government. Okada believes a turning point is coming. “We have to create the future, not wait for it. The commercial role of space sustainability is coming, with awareness raised in the past few years,” he noted.

There are three distinct areas of space exploration—civil, commercial, and defense. It’s rare to find a leader that has contributed to all three. Space to Grow welcomed such a pioneer, Pamela Melroy. Melroy spoke with hosts Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden about her career and the importance of all three aspects cooperating.Melroy has an impressive career. She was an astronaut, flying three times, and was commander of one of those missions. She held other positions at NASA, the FAA, DARPA, and Lockheed Martin. Now she’s the Director of Space Technology and Policy for Nova Systems, an engineering and technology solutions partner.Melroy described her career path. “I wanted to be an astronaut and didn’t outgrow it. I had a singular focus on it.Then it was time to stop flying, and I wanted to keep working on important things and another mountain to climb.” It became mountains as she traversed through all aspects of the space world, learning and adapting along the way.Her experience taught her that the three areas of space were in deep silos. Each has different agendas, motivations, and priorities. Those don’t always align, even for many fundamental areas. She noted the example of servicing satellites. “NASA knows all about it, and I did it in space. However, there’s a fundamentally different approach to the problem.”Additionally, there is the complex problem of space debris removal, requiring international collaboration, but it’s not happening. Melroy said, “It’s easy to point the finger at the policy issue as holding us back. Sustainability is a national problem, and cooperation essential. The International Space Station represents this. It requires trust to go forward.”

Space to Grow is back with another episode on the new space economy and sustainability. Hosts Chris Blackery and Charity Weeden of Astroscale invited space policy expert Regina Peldszus to discuss the topic. Peldszus is an accomplished space expert that spent several years in research and now focuses on policy. She’s the Senior Policy Officer at the German Aerospace Center (DLR).Peldszus first answered the question, what is space policy? “It’s the constant dialogue and engagement of actors to negotiate and consider different interests. Space policy involves a shared understanding of assumptions and goals for space.”The group also discussed who impacts policy, and the answer is there are many different contributors. That’s both positive and challenging because space isn’t governed by one entity.“Finding the right division of labor in this giant ecosystem means bringing different actors to the table, and they each bring different things to it,” Peldszus added.Peldszus has concerns about space situational awareness, which is tracking objects in orbit and predicting where they will be. Sustaining the orbital environment for safety and longevity matters. “Anything that creates debris translates to risk. We also don’t have the complete picture of space, which impacts verification and attribution. With different data sources, who has the true picture?”As for the future of SSA and space policy, Peldszus believes there will be progress toward engagement, transparency, and data sharing.

What do space and archaeology have in common? One is the future, while the other is the study of the past. However, space has a past, too. Hosts Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden spoke with space archaeologist Alice Gorman on this exciting new field.“It is surprising to have space and archaeology in the same sentence. It came together for me one looking at the night sky noticing the stars but also the space junk put into orbit by humans,” Gorman explained.Before that night, she was a traditional archaeologist, but she’d also had a fascination with space since childhood. Now her two passions were one.This revelation came 20 years ago, and she wondered if there were others with the same questions. Soon, she met two others, John Campbell and Beth Laura O’Leary. At first, the subject was thought to be irrelevant but grew to be a field with impact.“There’s so much activity in space now, and we’re talking more about sustainability and human interaction with the environment,” Gorman said.With the growth of the sector came the term orbital heritage. Gorman explained its meaning. “There is space debris in orbit from rocket bodies. Some are useless and come with the risk of fragmentation or collision. Some should be removed, but others may have historical value.”Keeping some pieces in orbit is akin to the archaeological motto “leave something behind for future studies.” Gorman noted that choosing less risky pieces helps future generations learn how humans first made it to space. “It could track the evolution of change of human technology. Retrieving certain rocket pieces also provides the capacity to look at the space environment on materials.”

Hosts Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden of Astroscale welcomed MIT Engineer and Emmy-nominated science TV host Emily Calandrelli to the podcast. Calandrelli is a prominent member of the science communications ecosystem and shared her own story and insights on storytelling in science.Becoming an engineer wasn’t a lifelong dream for Calandrelli —her drive was purely practical until discovering the technology and policy program in grad school at MIT. “It was looking at science and technology through a policy lens and asking about if it’s ethical, the role of government, and keeping the public safe. I thought these were fascinating questions,” she said.That experience shifted her career to be more policy and communications driven. She intended to work in DC but got a call from a production company asking her if she wanted to host a TV show about space.Years later, she’s a strong voice for the scientific community and advocates for people with all different talents to get involved in the space industry. “There are other ways to get involved in space outside of STEM,” she added.Those types of roles are now trying to spread scientific literary and combat misinformation. Calandrelli focuses her approach on the human side of the story. She explained, “Going to the real human emotions attached to the story matters. You can frame an argument based on what the audience cares about and find simple, creative ways to explain science.”Science is complex and uncertain, especially the coronavirus. In communicating a difficult and uncertain event, Calandrelli sees that science communication is challenging. “Everyone’s learning how to communicate this uncertainty, but there’s a lot of false information out there. It’s important to learn from the right sources,” she said.

To dive into diversity in space, hosts Chris Blackerby and Charity Weeden of Astroscale welcomed former NASA administrator, retired Marine Corps Major General, and astronaut Charlie Bolden to the show.In speaking about role diversity in industry, Bolden said, “NASA has a need for every profession imaginable.”With a mix of people that have different opinions and viewpoints, diversity of ideas can blossom. “It behooves you to hear as many disparate voices as you can. They may see something you don’t see, leading to a better idea. It’s much better than working only with those that think, act, and look like you,” Bolden shared.He believes that NASA has become good at accepting diversity of thought, something learned through international relationships. Listening to their partners and making room for their concepts translates to improvements and achievements.However, Bolden does believe that NASA and all organizations can do better in race and gender diversity. He’s reminded of this pursuit toward inclusion by words from the constitution’s preamble, “in order to become  a more perfect union.” “It admits we aren’t perfect. To work toward that, we need to establish equity practices to afford equal opportunities to everyone,” he added.Another unique area of space diversity is bringing the private sector into the conversation. “Letting industry take a leading role in planning and design and giving them a seat at the table is important. We told the private sector what we needed. They came back to us with a plan and paid them to do it,” Bolden noted.With so many different versions of diversity, there’s no doubt the future of space sustainability will need it.Listen to Previous Episodes Here!