The Space Madness Podcast

36:47

Space Madness Podcast Episode 53: Science, Space...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/05/11

In our second interview recorded shortly after the Artemis II landing, Les Johnson, NASA's former Chief Technologist, shares insights into space hardware innovation, the role of technology push versus mission pull, and the future of human space exploration including Artemis II. We talk about the dynamics between NASA headquarters and center leadership, working with congress, and discuss how NASA navigates political, technological, and strategic challenges to push the boundaries of space

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49:23

Space Madness Podcast Episode 52: David Oh and the...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/05/04

In this episode, join me in exploring the Psyche mission to a metallic asteroid, its scientific significance, engineering challenges, and the inspiring journey of lead engineer David Oh. Discover how space exploration advances technology and our understanding of planetary formation. We talk about David's education, early exposure to Hall thrusters and other enabling technologies of the current age of space exploration, and he how has built a fascinating career ranging from Mars rovers to exploring

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39:39

Space Madness Podcast Episode 51: Jim Muncy and the...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/04/27

In this episode, Jim Muncy shares his extensive experience in space policy, the evolution of NASA's programs, and the future of space exploration, including lunar bases and Mars missions. We discusses historical lessons, current challenges, and innovative ideas for advancing space development especially what went wrong with the advocacy for the Mars Sample Return mission. We talk about the origins of the Space Frontier Foundation and its relationship with the space related politics of the

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36:48

Space Madness Podcast Episode 50: South African Space...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/04/20

In this episode of the Space Madness Podcast, host Jeff Nosanov and economist Dr. Carla Mitchell discusses Africa to Moon, a pioneering project aiming to place radio antennas on the Moon, and explores Africa's broader space ambitions, collaboration challenges, and the role of China in African space efforts. Of particular note is the active engagement by China's space agency and the relative radio silence from the West.

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40:06

Space Madness Podcast Episode 49: Space Exploration,...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/04/13

Today host Jeff Nosanov speaks with Les Johnson, a man of many hats in the space exploration world. During his career he led research on various advanced space propulsion technologies at the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. During his career at NASA, he served as the center's Chief Technology Officer, the Manager for the Space Science Programs and Projects Office, the In-Space Propulsion Technology Program, and the Interstellar Propulsion Research Project. He is also a

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41:00

Space Madness Podcast Episode 48: Merritt Opdycke's...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/04/06

In today's episode, host Jeff Nosanov explores a very interesting offering by Meritable Solutions: a space product accelerator. With an interesting background crossing aerospace engineering and product management, Merritt and his team guide companies through the process of payload and other space product design, development, test, up to the launch pad. Accelerators are common across the software, biotechnology and even robotic product categories, but novel in the space sector. Merritt has designed a

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36:23

Space Madness Podcast Episode 47: The Critical...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/03/30

In today's episode of the Space Madness Podcast, host Jeff Nosanov talks with Matt Petit, a former United States Diplomat with a focus on Africa, Iran, and Space. We discuss the recent trajectory of Chinese infrastructure development across Africa and implications on hard and soft power and global leadereship. Particular attention is paid to the benefits and costs to the African host nations and how the United States could compete. We also talk about resource value chains and how soft power could

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51:31

Space Madness Podcast Episode 46: X-Prize, Virgin...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/03/23

Join host Jeff Nosanov and Will Pomerantz as they explore the interesting twists and turns of Will's career, which has given him an inside look at leading aerospace organizations such as the X-Prize Foundation, Virgin Galactic, and AeroVironment (which was instrumental in enabling the Mars Helicopter.) Discover how unconventional thinking, rapid prototyping, Will's own fellowship programs, and inspiring programs like X-Prize are transforming space exploration and making it more capable and

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36:52

Space Madness Podcast Episode 45: Landing a Real...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/03/16

In this episode of the Space Madness Podcast, Ben Haldeman shares his inspiring journey from studying astronomy and engineering, to being an early employee at Planet Labs, to founding LifeShip, a community-driven space movement. Discover how his projects like the pyramid on the moon and DNA backups aim to preserve Earth's biodiversity and inspire humanity's expansion into space. We also discuss the influence of becoming a parent on our views about space exploration.You can read more about LifeShip

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33:19

Space Madness Podcast Episode 44: Navigating Space...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/03/09

In this episode of the Space Madness podcast, host Jeff Nosanov interviews aerospace engineer Tim Deaver, who shares his extensive experience in the Air Force and the commercial aerospace sector. The conversation covers Tim's journey from military operations to business development, the intricacies of space policy, and the evolution of commercial Earth observation. They discuss the challenges of supply chain management in aerospace, the importance of STEM education, and the future of optical

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49:09

Space Madness Podcast Episode 43: GIANT SPACE LAUNCH GUN

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/03/02

In this episode of the Space Madness podcast, host Jeff Nosanov speaks with Mike Grace, CEO of Longshot, about the innovative concept of kinetic launch systems for sending payloads into space using a giant gun. They discuss the engineering challenges, economic implications, and future applications of this technology, as well as Mike's personal journey from economics to aerospace engineering. The conversation also touches on the competitive landscape of space launch, the importance of hardware in

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43:08

Space Madness Podcast Episode 42: Hypersonic...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/02/23

In this episode of the Space Madness podcast, host Jeff Nosanov speaks with Oscar Garcia, principal of Interflight Global, about the evolving landscape of aviation and aerospace. They discuss the merging of airspace and space travel, the importance of capital in the industry, and the exciting new technologies in propulsion that could revolutionize air travel. Garcia shares his personal journey in aviation, the regulatory challenges ahead, and the potential for new economic centers as hypersonic

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36:47

Space Madness Podcast Episode 41: Personal...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/02/16

In this episode of the Space Madness podcast, host Jeff Nosanov interviews José Andrade, co-founder of Deleon, a startup focused on personal metabolomics. They discuss the journey from aerospace engineering to health technology, the rapid development of startups in the current environment, and the potential of personal metabolomics to revolutionize health and wellness. Andrade explains how their technology allows for real-time measurement of biochemical data, the importance of user feedback in

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40:09

Space Madness Podcast Episode 40: A Million Satellites?

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/02/09

In this episode of the Space Madness Podcast, Jeff Nosanov and Telecom lawyer Will Lewis delve into SpaceX's recent application for spectrum for "a million satellites". They discuss the implications of this ambitious submission, whether it rises to the level of an actual plan, the regulatory processes involved with the FCC especially the extent to which the FCC is required to take things seriously, and the technical aspects of satellite communication, including spectrum requests and optical links

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40:11

Space Madness Podcast Episode 39: A Major General's...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/02/02

In this episode of the Space Madness podcast, host Jeff Nosanov engages in a captivating conversation with retired Air Force Major General Jim Armor. The discussion begins with Jim sharing insights into his role as a Major General, particularly his responsibilities at the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Security Space Office. He explains how his work involved overseeing various military and intelligence operations, ensuring they had the necessary resources and support to succeed

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42:09

Space Madness Podcast Episode 38: Geology - Beyond Rocks

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/01/26

In this episode of the Space Madness podcast, host Jeff Nosanov interviews Craig Peterson, a retired systems engineer from JPL and current employee at TransAstra. They discuss Craig's journey into the space field, his experiences at JPL, and the exciting work being done in asteroid mining. Craig shares insights on the evolution of software in space engineering, the importance of systems engineering, and the lessons learned throughout his career. The conversation also touches on early planetary

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49:10

Space Madness Podcast Episode 37: Systems Engineering...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/01/19

In this episode of the Space Madness podcast, host Jeff Nosanov interviews Craig Peterson, a retired systems engineer from JPL and current employee at TransAstra. They discuss Craig's journey into the space field, his experiences at JPL, and the exciting work being done in asteroid mining. Craig shares insights on the evolution of software in space engineering, the importance of systems engineering, and the lessons learned throughout his career. The conversation also touches on early planetary

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45:13

Space Madness Podcast Episode 36: Space Architecture

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/01/12

In this episode of the Space Madness podcast, host Jeff Nosanov interviews Brent Sherwood, a retired space architect, who shares his journey into the field of space architecture. They discuss the role of architects in designing human environments for space, the evolution of space exploration, and the challenges faced in the industry. Brent emphasizes the importance of architectural design as more civilians venture into space and outlines his vision for the future of space exploration, including the

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39:52

Space Madness Episode 35: Rich DalBello, Former...

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2026/01/05

In this episode of the Space Madness Podcast, host Jeff Nosanov interviews Rich DalBello, a prominent figure in the aerospace industry. They discuss Rich's unexpected journey into aerospace, the evolution of the commercial space industry, and the regulatory landscape surrounding it. Rich shares insights from his time in government, including his role at the Office of Space Commerce and the challenges of integrating commercial capabilities into government procurement processes. The conversation also

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36:38

Space Madness Episode 34: Africa's Space Potential

The Space Madness Podcast ·

2025/12/29

In this episode of the Space Madness podcast, Jeff and Joshua Faleti discuss the evolving landscape of space activities in Africa, focusing on the African Space Agency, Nigeria's role in the space industry, and the cultural perspectives surrounding space exploration. Joshua shares his journey into space law and journalism, highlighting the potential for socio-economic development through space initiatives. The conversation also touches on international collaborations, particularly with China and the

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