The Spacepower Podcast
Discussions on national security, military space capabilities, and spacepower strategy.
The Space Force Might Get Its Biggest Budget Ever. Now What?
The episode examines the FY 2027 presidential budget request for the U.S. Space Force, a $71.24 billion proposal that more than doubles the prior year’s funding and includes major investments in classified R&D, missile‑defense architecture, and manpower growth. Guests Sean Barnes, a former Pentagon space‑acquisition liaison and current senior advisor, and Brig. Gen. Damon Feltman, former Space Force budget chief and now SFA CEO, discuss how the request reflects a strategic shift, the political dynamics on Capitol Hill, and the challenges of navigating a mixed appropriations‑reconciliation structure. They highlight concerns about Congress’s appetite for “empire‑building,” the need for sustained manpower to protect a burgeoning space economy, and the risk that key programs could be delayed or trimmed during the appropriations process.
Inside Space Systems Command: Col. Menschner | Spacepower Podcast
In this episode, Colonel Andrew Menchner, Deputy Commander of Space Systems Command (SSC), explains how SSC acquires, builds, and fields critical space capabilities—such as GPS, missile warning, and satellite communications—for the joint force, allies, and partners. He highlights the command’s...
Ep 38: Interview with Lt. General (Ret.) David Buck, President, BRPH Mission Solutions
In this episode, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) David J. Buck discusses how his three‑decade Air Force career—spanning strategic missile, space launch, satellite command, and cyber operations—shapes his work leading BRBR Mission Solutions, a firm that designs and builds mission‑critical infrastructure for...
EP37: Interview with Christopher Fedele, Business Development Director, L3 Harris
In this episode, Bill Woolf talks with Christopher Fedele, Business Development Director at L3 Harris, about the rapid evolution of propulsion technologies needed for contested space operations. Fedele explains how electric, high‑performance, and nuclear propulsion enable agile, survivable satellites that can...
EP34: Col (Ret) Keith Balts, PhD, Speaks About Leadership
In this episode, retired Air Force Colonel and Clemson professor Keith Balts discusses his journey from ROTC commissioning to leading space operations, highlighting the evolution of space missions from a support role to a strategic warfighter capability. He shares vivid...
