T-Minus Space Daily

Space has long been considered bi-partisan domain in the US, but is it becoming more political? Our guest is Kevin Kelly. Kevin is a former Senate appropriations staffer who oversaw funding for NASA, the NSF, and 25 other agencies. Now a partner at Actum, he advises some of the most influential players in science and defense. His career has spanned everything from nuclear tech and climate systems to the tools we use to monitor near-Earth threats, and he shares his thesis on why space is becoming more political. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in...

Satellite IoT refers to the integration of satellite networks with Internet of Things (IoT) devices to enable connectivity and data exchange in remote and challenging environments. This allows IoT devices, like sensors and trackers, to communicate directly with satellites, bypassing terrestrial infrastructure. We spoke to Ian Itz, Executive Director of Global IoT Line of Business at Iridium about the service they offer. You can connect with Ian on LinkedIn, and learn more about Iridium on their website. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure...

The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF) was created in 1984 by six Mercury 7 astronauts. Since then astronauts from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs have pursued the mission to encourage university students pursuing scientific excellence. The prestigious Astronaut Scholarship is known nationwide for being among the largest merit-based monetary scholarships awarded to undergraduate STEM juniors and seniors. ASF has a life-long relationship with each Astronaut Scholar and provides them with mentors, professional and personal development and networking with astronauts. Former NASA Astronaut Christopher Ferguson joins us to talk about the power of mentorship along with his mentee Vikas...

When spacecraft are sent to space, they currently have to carry the fuel to power them for their entire mission. Once the energy runs out, the mission ends. Star Catcher is developing orbital infrastructure that they say will transform how satellites are powered. Learn more with  President and CEO Andrew Rush. You can connect with Andrew on LinkedIn, and learn more about Star Catcher on their website. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. </p...

The Ax-4 mission will “realize the return” to human spaceflight for India, Poland, and Hungary, with each nation’s first government-sponsored flight in more than 40 years. While Ax-4 marks these countries' second human spaceflight mission in history, it will be the first time all three nations will execute a mission on board the International Space Station (ISS).  We speak to Axiom’s Chief Scientist Dr. Lucie Low to find out more about the science experiments that will be joining the crew on the mission. You can connect with Lucie on LinkedIn, and find out more about Ax-4 on Axiom’...

Lunar Outpost was founded on the belief that resources from the moon can be used for the betterment of humankind. The space mobility company has recently unveiled its new Eagle Space Truck and has plans for new vehicles to traverse the lunar surface. Find out more from  Lunar Outpost Cofounder and Chief Strategy Officer, Forrest Meyen. You can connect with Forrest on LinkedIn, and learn more about Lunar Outpost on their website. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn a...

Lunar Helium-3 Mining (LH3M) is at the forefront of the green energy revolution and the quantum computing era, tapping into the Moon’s rarest and most strategic resource, Helium-3. Beyond enabling nuclear fusion, the cleanest and most efficient energy source, helium-3 is critical for cooling quantum computers, which will revolutionize information processing and may provide unmatched strategic informational supremacy. We found out more from LH3M CEO and Chief Engineer Chris Salvino. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and In...

Find out the thoughts of host Maria Varmazis and producers Alice Carruth, Jennifer Eiben, and Elizabeth Stokes on what the highlights in space were in 2025, and what they’re looking forward to in 2026. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. Share your feedback. What do you think about T-Minus Space Daily? Please take a few minutes to share your thoughts with us by completing our brief listener survey. Thank you for helping us...

US-based national security company CACI International has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire ARKA Group. FAA documents detail aviation risks from SpaceX Starship explosion. A spate of recent global launches show uneven outcomes. And, more.  Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Greg Gillinger, SVP for Strategy & Development, Integrity ISR. Selected Reading CACI Enters Into Definitive Agreement to Acquire ARKA G...

Rocket Lab awarded an $816 million prime contract by the U.S. Space Force. The Space Development Agency made multiple awards to build 72 Tracking Layer satellites for Tranche 3. NATO’s suspicions about a new ASAT weapon from Russia. And, more.  Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Dave Bittner, host of The CyberWire, and cybersecurity executive Brandon Karpf, join us for the monthly space and cyber segment about As Space Becomes Warfare Domain, Cyb...

From radiation-hardened hardware to edge computing in deep space, AI is moving off the ground and into one of the harshest environments imaginable. Ralph Grundler is the Director of Space Business Development and Space R&D at Aitech Systems. He shares his decades of experience from  building computers that don’t just survive space—they think there. We’ll explore how AI-rated systems are flying today, what they enable for Earth and deep-space missions, and why space may be the ultimate proving ground for autonomous computing You can connect with Ralph on LinkedIn, and learn more about Aitech...

US President Donald Trump has signed an Executive Order (EO) titled Ensuring American Space Superiority. Rheinmetall is partnering with ICEYE to fulfil a 1.7-billion-euro or $2 billion order from the German Armed Forces. HawkEye 360 has completed the acquisition of Innovative Signal Analysis supported by equity and debt financings totaling $150 million, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Sawyer Rosenstein brings us the NASASpaceflight Space Traffic Report. <...

Jared Isaacman has been confirmed as the new NASA Administrator. Rocket Lab launched the STP-S30 mission for the US Space Force’s (USSF’s) Space Systems Command. Redwire Corporation has been contracted by The Exploration Company to provide two docking systems for Nyx, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Ryan Brown, Executive Director of SpaceCom. You can connect with Ryan on Link...

An Ariane 6 rocket launched two Galileo satellites from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. A European Space Agency (ESA) contract awarded to ArianeGroup in 2021 for the development of an Ariane 6 kick stage will reportedly be adapted to cover its evolution into an orbital transfer vehicle (OTV). India’s Digantara Industries has raised $50 million in a funding round to develop sovereign space surveillance capabilities, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. Selected Reading <...

The US and France held a joint orbital exercise as part of the Multinational Force Operation Olympic Defender. EraDrive has raised $5.3M in a seed round to scale the production of their space traffic management system. The US Department of State is seeking qualified individuals to participate as private sector advisors for a discussion group on space situational awareness (SSA), and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our...

Starfish Space has successfully completed an autonomous rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO) mission in low Earth orbit with Impulse Space. Rocket Lab has marked a milestone with the successful deployment of its first dedicated launch for JAXA. Mission Space has announced its intention to launch its second on-orbit payload with Rogue Space Systems, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Patrick O'Neill, Public Affairs...

Canadian Space Mining Corporation (CSMC) is focused on lunar nuclear power and next-generation quantum sensing. We spoke to Daniel Sax, founder and CEO of CSMC, about how CSMC evolved from lunar exploration into developing micro-reactors for the Moon and the Arctic, as well as quantum gravity sensors that could transform subsurface mapping for both Earth and planetary science.  You can connect with Daniel on LinkedIn, and learn more about CSMC on their website.  Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on Li...

Lawmakers in the US have reintroduced a bipartisan bill to help commercial satellite owners and operators defend against growing cybersecurity threats to satellites. Satellite manufacturer K2 Space has raised  $250 million in Series C funding at a $3 billion valuation. Fortastra has emerged from stealth and has raised over $8 million in seed financing, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Elysia Segal brings us the Space Traffic Report from NASASpaceflight.c...

Starcloud has successfully trained and run the first large AI model in space. DARPA has awarded BAE a Phase 2 contract to advance autonomous space-based surveillance. Firefly Aerospace will host Volta Space Technologies’ wireless power receiver on Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 2 lander on the far side of the Moon, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Jerome Hittle, CEO & Founder at AmplifiedSpace. You can connect with Jerome on LinkedIn, and learn more...

MDA Space has signed a partnership agreement with the Government of Canada and Telesat Corporation to develop and deliver military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) capabilities. SpaceX launched the NROL-77 mission on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida yesterday. China set a new record, launching three rockets in less than 19 hours, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. Selected Reading MDA Space Signs Strategic Partnership With The...