What’s in this episode
I apologize that this is not a longer note, but this week is rammed with important events, such as this morning’s testimony before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense by the U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations; Space Symposium; and the Navy League’s Global Maritime Exposition, Sea-Air-Space.
Sticking with the importance of appropriations, a.k.a. money, welcome to the start of the space economy’s second financial quarter, or “Crazyville”. The the president’s proposed budget for FY’24 prescribes cuts for both NASA and the Space Force, both of which have programs that are at critical junctures in development. We are, after all, supposed to be going back to the moon this decade, to stay!
If those cuts stand, two of this week’s guests predict that there could be long-ranging ramifications for the U.S. commercial space sector, especially for those small- and medium-sized companies that are developing new capabilities the Department of Defense has repeatedly claimed it needs. While I do not have clear eyesight on the possible effects on those companies working with NASA and on the lunar Artemis Program, my gut tells me this is not good.
To further highlight the DoD’s stated desire to use commercially developed capabilities, it released a new “Commercial Space Integration Strategy”. At the top of this episode we explore just what this tin’s label really says. I wonder, how will this strategy be administered in a time when it looks like the Biden Administration is “pumping the brakes”, according to George Pullen, Chief Economist, MilkyWay Economy.
Who’s in this episode
Chris Quilty - Founder, Quilty Space
George Pullen - Chief Economist at MilkyWay Economy
Robin Dickey - Policy Analyst, The Aerospace Corporation’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy
Stay tuned to this discussion about money and policy. Coming up we will have Namrata Goswami, an independent scholar on space policy and great power politics and co-author of the book “Scramble for the Skies”, and Charles Galbreath, Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies at the Mitchell Institute's Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence, who will discuss what the policies and the budgets are really communicating to friends and foes alike.
Ad Astra!
Laura
