T-Minus Space Daily

On this Deep Space episode, we share a conversation host ⁠Maria Varmazis⁠ had with ⁠Dr. Gabrielle Caswell at SpaceCom in January about Spaceport Australia, the spaceport that she owns, but if you can believe it, owning and running a spaceport is still barely scratching the surface of what she's working on. You can learn more on Gabrielle's 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. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠media kit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Deep Space episode, host Maria Varmazis speaks with Jeff Carr, who is President of the Griffin Communications Group. They discuss Jeff's and his family's storied space careers. Jeff shares his thoughts on the parallels between the US and the space program in 1968 with Apollo 8, and with the upcoming Artemis 2 mission 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. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our ⁠⁠⁠⁠media kit⁠⁠⁠⁠. Contact us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to ⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠ and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Deep Space episode, host Maria Varmazis catches up with friend Tim Gagnon aka KSCartist and Susie Morris, Tim's long-time creative collaborator at A-B Emblem while at SpaceCom. Everyone loves a patch in aerospace, stick em on board or on your flight jacket, hand them out at meetups or conferences, buy em at your favorite space store, who doesn't love a space patch. And Tim and Susie talked to me about what goes into this unique and very beloved art form. 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. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our ⁠⁠⁠media kit⁠⁠⁠. Contact us at ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to ⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠ and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special Reporter’s Notebook, Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠⁠, host here at N2K CyberWire, takes listeners behind the scenes of our three-part series on Cyber Coalition 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia. After exploring real-time incident response, cross-border coordination, and the broader stakes of collective cyber defense, this episode offers a more personal, behind-the-scenes look at how the reporting came together. Hosted by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence, the exercise brought together allied military, government, and industry teams inside NATO’s secure cyber range. Here, Maria reflects on moments that didn’t make the final cut — the atmosphere inside the facilities, the pace of covering a live exercise, and the small, human details that added texture to the larger story. If you haven’t yet, be sure to listen to all three episodes of the series to hear the full story from the ground at Cyber Coalition 2025. Episode one can be found ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Episode two can be found ⁠here⁠. Episode three can be found ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy International Women's Day! On this episode, Maria Varmazis caught up with ⁠Khalia Padilla, CEO at Imagine Engine, to discuss investing in optical space technologies and going global during Commercial Space Week 2026. She discusses two projects backed by Imagine Engine: one developing an optical transceiver that bridges radio-frequency and optical signals, supported by a NASA grant, and another building a modular, maneuverable satellite in collaboration with students from Lehigh University using similar RF-to-optical modulation techniques. 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. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our ⁠⁠media kit⁠⁠. Contact us at ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠ and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the final installment of our three-part series on ⁠Cyber Coalition 2025⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠, host here at N2K CyberWire, and ⁠⁠⁠Liz Stokes, CyberWire Producer, step back from the cyber range to reflect on what their time in Tallinn really meant. This episode moves beyond the mechanics of the exercise and into the broader stakes of collective cyber defense in an increasingly uncertain geopolitical moment. Recorded two months after their visit, the conversation blends field tape and personal reflections — from standing outside the Russian Embassy in Old Town to recalling the weight inside NATO’s secure facilities. Estonia’s history, including the 2007 cyberattacks, and its visible solidarity with Ukraine underscore just how real and proximate the risks remain. Be sure to check out the first two episodes of this three part series, you can find them below. Episode one can be found ⁠here⁠. Episode two can be found here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, Maria Varmazis caught up with Troy Morris, co-founder and CEO of KMI, during Commercial Space Week 2026. Troy recaps KMI's busy 2025 highlighted by an ISS demonstration that returned after over 200 days of testing, during which astronaut Suni Williams and crew helped evaluate a larger arm system designed to capture unprepared objects as a “tow truck for space.” 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. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our ⁠media kit⁠. Contact us at ⁠[email protected]⁠ to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to ⁠[email protected]⁠ and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this second installment of our three-part series on ⁠⁠Cyber Coalition 2025⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Maria Varmazis⁠⁠⁠, host of ⁠⁠⁠T-Minus⁠⁠⁠ Space Daily and CyberWire Producer ⁠⁠⁠Liz Stokes,⁠⁠ take listeners inside a single day at NATO’s cyber headquarters in Tallinn, Estonia — focusing on the human side of cyber defense. Hosted by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence and led by NATO Allied Command Transformation, Cyber Coalition is a defensive-only exercise built around collaboration, coordination, and information sharing across allied nations. This episode highlights how that plays out in practice, from legal teams working through cross-border policy questions to military defenders coordinating with civilian infrastructure partners inside NATO’s secure cyber range. In case you missed the first episode of this three part series, check it out ⁠here⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the space industry becomes increasingly commercialized, competitive, and mission-driven, one truth remains universal: having the right people on the team is mission-critical. This issue was explored during Commercial Space Week and part of the panel, Mary Baldino, Director. of Sales/Marketing at Vaya Space, and Tahara Dawkins, Director of Policy at Astroscale US, joined us to continue the conversation. 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. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at [email protected] to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to [email protected] and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NASA has released findings from a report by the Program Investigation Team examining the Boeing CST-100 Starliner Crewed Flight Test. NASA completed a successful wet dress rehearsal for the SLS rocket that’ll be used for the Artemis II mission. MDA Space has launched a wholly-owned subsidiary exclusively focused on delivering mission-critical capabilities for Canada's national defense priorities outside the space domain, 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 ⁠Maria Varmazis⁠ and ⁠Alice Carruth⁠ wrap up the last daily T-Minus show. Selected Reading ⁠NASA Releases Report on Starliner Crewed Flight Test Investigation⁠ ⁠NASA Begins Artemis II Launch Pad Ops After Successful Fuel Test⁠ ⁠MDA Space Launches 49North, a Canadian defence business delivering multi-domain and mission-critical capabilities⁠ ⁠Axelspace Secures Japan Ministry of Defense Satellite Constellation Project⁠ ⁠SpaceX launches second Falcon 9 rocket to return to a landing in The Bahamas – Spaceflight Now⁠ 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 continue to improve our show. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our ⁠media kit⁠. Contact us at ⁠[email protected]⁠ to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to ⁠[email protected]⁠ and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stratolaunch has been awarded a $90.8 million contract by the Department of War (DoW) for the MACH-TB 2.0 program. Agile Space Industries has raised $17M in a Series A financing round. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is soliciting commercial advancements to create affordable and scalable GEO reconnaissance 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. Selected Reading Stratolaunch Announces $90.8M Contract Award under MACH-TB 2.0 Task 3 for Air-Launched Capability Test Vehicles Agile Space Industries Closes $17M Series A DIU-Open Solicitations GMV and the Spanish Air and Space Force Sign Agreement to Strengthen National Space Surveillance Capabilities Starlab Space Announces Partnership with Helogen to Advance Life Sciences Research in Microgravity Cape Canaveral seeking rocket-launch damage grants with SpaceX Starships coming Florida’s space industry is confronting very earthly worries - POLITICO 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 continue to improve our show. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at [email protected] to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to [email protected] and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China’s iSpace has raised $730 million to advance its reusable rocket ambitions. China’s Space Epoch has secured new funding and is targeting a 2026 launch and sea-recovery attempt. Voyager Technologies is working with ATMOS Space Cargo to expand in-space logistics and reentry 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. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Michelle Lucas, CEO and Founder of Higher Orbits. You can connect with Michelle on LinkedIn, and learn more about Higher Orbits on their website. Selected Reading China’s iSpace raises $730m to give wings to Falcon 9 challenger China’s Space Epoch raises new funding, targets 2026 launch and recovery attempt - SpaceNews Voyager and ATMOS Accelerate Access to Space Kepler selects NanoAvionics as preferred European partner for optically-connected missions Loft Orbital and SmartSat CRC Partner to Demonstrate Wildfire Detection Application Onboard AI-enabled Satellite Mars 2020: Perseverance Rover - NASA Science 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 continue to improve our show. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at [email protected] to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to [email protected] and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SatVu has closed a £30m funding round. Sateliot has signed a commercial contract with PLD Space for a dedicated rocket launch in 2027. Orbex released new photographs of its microlauncher, Prime, as the company looks to secure a future, 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 Courtney Stadd talking about the Beyond Earth Symposium. You can connect with Courtney on LinkedIn, and read more about the Beyond Earth Symposium on their website. Selected Reading NATO Innovation Fund backs Thermal Intelligence with multi-million SatVu investment Sateliot and PLD Space Sign First Commercial Contract for a Dedicated Launch with MIURA 5 of Two Tritó Satellites Orbex Releases Unseen Images of Prime Assembly as Administration Nears Australasian Space Innovation Institute unveils National Digital Twin for Australian Agriculture as its first major project Sophia Space and Outpost Technologies to Explore On-Orbit AI Compute and Manufacturing Use Cases Dragon Hatches Open, Crew-12 Enters Station and Joins Expedition 74 - NASA NASA Eyes Next Wet Dress Rehearsal for Artemis II 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 continue to improve our show. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here’s our media kit. Contact us at [email protected] to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to [email protected] and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices