Spacepower is a strategic podcast from the Space Force Association exploring the leaders, ideas, and operations shaping the space domain. Hosted by SFA Founder Bill “Hippie” Woolf, the show features conversations with senior military leaders, policymakers, and industry experts on deterrence, maneuver, technology, and the evolving role of space in national security. Episodes include in-depth interviews and solo analysis breaking down the trends defining the future of spacepower.
Maj. Gen. Keener: The Layer Between Capability and Combat
52 min
There is a version of ready where the hardware works. There is another version where the people, the doctrine, the joint playbooks, and the partner relationships all hold under the pressure of an actual conflict. Building the second one is a full-time job, and almost none of it is visible from the outside. The Space Force organizes, trains, and equips. U.S. Space Command employs. The layer in between, the exercises, the wargames, the training architecture, and the doctrine that tells the joint forceMaj. Gen. "Bull" Keener: Inside Space Command's Exercise and Wargaming Architecturehow to operate together in a contested domain, belongs to the J7. As adversary counterspace capability moves from projection to fielded reality, that layer is where readiness is either proven or exposed. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Maj. Gen. Samuel "Bull" Keener, Director of Exercises, Training, Wargames, and Experimentation (J7) at U.S. Space Command, to walk through how a combatant command builds itself into a warfighting organization. Why U.S. Space Command's area of responsibility begins at 100 kilometers and has no upper limit, and what that means for who actually provides the forces that operate there The difference between the Space Force and U.S. Space Command in the plainest terms you will hear it, from someone who gets asked constantly Why a combatant command needs a Tier 1 exercise at all, and why standing one up was the first thing Gen. Keener was told to go build Why you cannot replicate a thinking adversary on a white card, and how red cells, red teams, and space aggressors are used to close that gap The modeling and simulation problem nobody has solved: why no single tool can accurately represent the space fight, and why artificial intelligence and machine learning are now part of the answer How the Space Force's Future Operating Environment 2040 and Objective Force 2040 nest with Space Command's Space Warfighting Environment 2040. One defines the environment, one defines the force, and one defines how the joint force fights and wins within it Why satellites in geosynchronous orbit are, in the commander's framing, static targets, and what maneuver has to do with self-defense The 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers analogy, and why an exercise that reorganized the U.S. Army's armored divisions before World War II is the model for what happens on orbit What coalition training requires in a domain where you cannot put allies in a formation and fly a mission together, and why communications and classification remain the hardest problems Why lessons learned measured in weeks or months is no longer fast enough, and the push to find a problem and implement the fix in days Capability delivered is not capability employed. The distance between the two is measured in exercises, in wargames, and in the honesty of the models you train against. That distance is the J7's work, and it is where the Space Force's investment either becomes joint warfighting readiness or does not. Editor's note: this conversation was recorded several months before U.S. Space Command published the Space Warfighting Environment 2040 on July 28, 2026. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday
How the Space Force is Delivering Launch at the Speed of Need - SYD80
25 min
Earlier this year, a finished GPS satellite was sitting in Florida ready to fly. The rocket assigned to it needed more time. The warfighters waiting on that satellite could not. So System Delta 80 moved it. Different rocket. Full recertification. On orbit in about six weeks. What normally takes two years happened in a month and a half, and it was the fourth time the team had pulled off something like it. Nothing in national security space gets off the ground without System Delta 80. Every satellite this series has covered, the SATCOM links, the GPS constellation, the systems certified by OTTI, all of it begins at the launch pad. This episode is the capstone: how the Space Force gets its most critical capabilities to orbit, what it takes to keep multiple launch providers viable, and what becomes possible when satellites are no longer constrained by the fuel they launched with. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. Ryan Hiserote, Commander of System Delta 80 at Space Systems Command, to discuss the National Security Space Launch program, the GPS rocket swap that made headlines, and the on-orbit servicing mission that could fundamentally change how the Space Force operates in space. In this conversation, Col. Hiserote discusses: - Why System Delta 80's claim — that nothing in national security space gets off the ground without it — is literal, not rhetorical - How the dual-lane NSSL structure works: Lane 1 for competition and capacity, Lane 2 for no-fail missions with complex requirements - What it actually takes to certify a new rocket for national security missions — and why that process takes years - How the GPS 3-8 rocket swap worked, why it happened, and what it signals about the Space Force's willingness to move at the speed of need - Why Rocket Lab and Stoke Space were added as Lane 1 providers in early 2025 — and what the service is looking for as it evaluates more - The on-orbit servicing mission: what Starfish Space's Otter vehicle and Astroscale's refueling demo are designed to prove - Why Gen. Whiting at U.S. Space Command has been calling for a maneuver warfare strategy in space — and how on-orbit refueling enables it - What it means for a satellite to be "no longer constrained by its gas tank" — and how that changes tactics - Why Col. Hiserote describes launch as a team sport — and who all the players are - Why he calls this the most exciting time to be in the launch business since the Apollo days The Space Force can build the most advanced satellites in the world. They mean nothing until they reach orbit. This is the mission that starts everything else — and it's about to get a lot more capable. Hosted by Bill Woolf Guest: Col. Ryan Hiserote, Commander, System Delta 80, Space Systems Command Col. Hiserote commands System Delta 80, the Space Systems Command unit responsible for space access — launch, range operations, and on-orbit servicing. He also serves as dual-hatted program manager for the National Security Space Launch program, the largest dollar-value program in the Space Force. A certified mission director, Col. Hiserote personally served as mission director for the two most recent GPS launches. Learn more about Space Systems Command: https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
The Space Force's Invisible Battlefield: Why Test and Training Infrastructure Changes Everything
49 min
Fighter pilots don't go to war on day one. First comes Red Flag, the punishing mock combat over the Nevada desert designed to be harder than anything a pilot will ever face in actual conflict, so that when the real moment comes, it isn't the first time. For most of the space mission's history, that rehearsal didn't exist. Guardians operated systems that had only ever been tested in benign environments. The capabilities were real. The training wasn't. System Delta 81 is the unit changing that. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. Corey Klopstein, Commander of System Delta 81 at Space Systems Command, to discuss the Operational Test and Training Infrastructure, OTTI, the Space Force's answer to Red Flag, and why building it is one of the most consequential things SSC is doing right now. In this conversation, Col. Klopstein discusses: - Why the Space Force went this long without a Red Flag equivalent, and what changed in the threat environment to make OTTI urgent - The three layers of space test and training infrastructure: digital simulation, physical on-orbit assets, and the data architecture connecting them - Why a simulation is only as honest as the live data feeding it, and what it takes to build a physical lane that validates the digital one - What a range-as-a-service contract looks like in practice, and how a commercial satellite's on-orbit maneuver became a live Guardian training event - Why SYD 81 pairs with multiple commands simultaneously, Space Training and Readiness Command and Combat Forces Command, rather than a single Mission Delta - How the Joint Simulation Environment, already used by F-35 pilots, is being extended for space - What Gen. Saltzman told Col. Klopstein about delivering an F-22 without a training infrastructure, and why that analogy captures exactly what OTTI solves - Why "when I say football and you say football, we need to mean the same thing", and what that has to do with building a shared operational language across commands and allies - What ruthless prioritization looks like for a mission area with more requirements than people and more requirements than money You can build the most advanced satellite in the world. If the Guardian operating it has never trained against a thinking adversary, you haven't delivered combat power. This episode is about the infrastructure that closes that gap, before the conflict starts. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Col. Corey Klopstein, Commander, System Delta 81, Space Systems Command Col. Klopstein commands System Delta 81, the Space Systems Command unit responsible for developing and delivering the Operational Test and Training Infrastructure for the Space Force. On his 13th year at Los Angeles Air Force Base, he serves as both the SYD 81 commander and the Portfolio Acquisition Executive and Program Acquisition Executive for infrastructure. SYD 81 works across Space Training and Readiness Command and Combat Forces Command to ensure delivered capabilities are tested against real threats and Guardians are trained to operate them before the first flag event. Learn more about Space Systems Command: https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
The Signal the World Runs On: GPS with SYD 831
35 min
Your phone knows where you are right now. Your bank recorded the exact millisecond of your last transaction. The plane you flew on landed safely in low visibility. The farmer who grew your food planted rows one to two centimeters apart. Every one of those things runs on a signal broadcast from twelve thousand miles overhead, a signal the United States Space Force has guaranteed to the entire world, by law, since way before its inception, 1978. GPS is the closest thing the planet has to a shared utility. It is also something the Space Force has to defend, every single day, against adversaries who cannot out-engineer it and are actively trying to deny it. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. Neil Barnas, Commander of System Delta 831 at Space Systems Command, to discuss what makes American GPS the global gold standard, what it takes to keep a 31-satellite constellation running against active threats, and what the next generation of GPS will be able to do that the current one cannot. In this conversation, Col. Barnas discusses: - The three pillars that make American GPS the global gold standard, accuracy, transparency, and a legally guaranteed service level - Why GPS is certified for human flight operations, and what that standard means in practice - How the signal has been continuously broadcast since 1978, and why the satellites being launched today are designed to serve for 15 years or more - What GPS Space Vehicle 10, the final GPS III satellite, means for the constellation and the warfighters waiting on it - The GPS III-F upgrade: a 1,200-kilometer spot beam capable of up to 63 times the baseline M-code signal power, focused on exactly the area of the Earth where it's needed most - How 63 international partners integrate GPS user equipment into their own aircraft, ground vehicles, and munitions - Why agriculture is one of the most GPS-dependent industries on Earth, and what differential GPS does at the centimeter level - How AI tools are now processing eleven hundred pages of technical documentation to accelerate acquisition decisions - What the System Delta construct means for a mission area as globally consequential as position, navigation, and timing GPS is often called a gold standard. This episode explains what that standard actually requires to maintain, and what happens to the joint force if it degrades. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Col. Neil Barnas, Commander, System Delta 831, Space Systems Command Col. Barnas commands System Delta 831, the Space Systems Command unit responsible for developing, fielding, and modernizing the GPS constellation and the ground and user equipment systems that deliver positioning, navigation, and timing to the joint force and to civilian users worldwide. SYD 831 is paired with Mission Delta 31, which operates the GPS constellation daily. Learn more about Space Systems Command: https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
On Our Worst Day, These Links Have to Hold: Inside Military SATCOM with SYD 88
38 min
On the worst day imaginable, the day a nuclear decision has to be made, the President of the United States needs to talk to commanders and allies anywhere on Earth. That conversation runs through space. And the people responsible for delivering it just did so two full years ahead of schedule. But this episode isn't just about a single acquisition win. It's about a fundamental shift in how the Space Force thinks about buying capabilities. For decades, a cultural wall separated the people who acquired systems from the people who fought with them. Requirements passed over a fence. Timelines drifted. By the time a capability arrived, the threat had sometimes already moved. System Delta 88 exists to make that model obsolete. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. A.J. Ashby, Commander of System Delta 88 at Space Systems Command, to discuss how the Space Force is rewiring military satellite communications acquisition and what it looks like when acquisition becomes a warfighting function. In this conversation, Col. Ashby discusses: Why the Space Force created System Deltas in 2025 and how they differ from traditional program offices What "acquisition is a warfighting function" actually means in practice, not just on a slide How SYD 88 won the 2025 David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award, the Department of War's highest acquisition team honor, for delivering a critical NC3 capability two full years early The cultural wall between acquirers and operators, and the specific steps SYD 88 is taking to tear it down Why new SYD 88 personnel earn a SATCOM patch the same way an operator earns a rating What "zero daylight" between SYD 88 and Mission Delta 8 looks like in a weekly ops meeting The commercial-first philosophy: where industry solutions win outright and where the hard military-specific problems begin Why vendor lock is one of the biggest risks in the SATCOM portfolio and how open architecture changes that What it means to deliver capability at the speed of threat relevance, not just the speed of the program schedule How junior acquirers who have never read a requirements document are being trained to think like warfighters Military satellite communications is invisible on a good day. It has to be invisible, reliable, and unjammable on the worst one. This episode is about the team building it and the reform changing how the Space Force buys for war. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Col. A.J. Ashby, Commander, System Delta 88, Space Systems Command Col. Ashby commands System Delta 88, the Space Systems Command unit responsible for developing and delivering military satellite communications capabilities to the joint force. Under his command, SYD 88 received the 2025 David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award for delivering a critical nuclear command, control, and communications capability two years ahead of schedule. It was the largest source selection in Space Force history across a $24 billion portfolio. Learn more about Space Systems Command: https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
Small Force, Big Mission: Jennifer Saltzman on the People Behind the Space Force
27 min
Ten thousand Guardians. That's it. The entire United States Space Force fits inside a mid-sized college campus. And yet the domain they protect underpins every GPS route, every weather forecast, every financial transaction, every call you made today. Jennifer Saltzman has been part of that community since before the Space Force existed, since before most people had heard the word "Guardian," since the uniforms were still being designed and the swag hadn't been invented yet. As the spouse of Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, she has traveled to bases and installations across the country and around the world, meeting families in places where a handful of Guardians are embedded in a much larger military community, sometimes feeling invisible, always doing critical work. Thank you to CXAL (Connected Alliances) for sponsoring this episode of Spacepower Podcast. To learn more about CXAL, visit https://cx-al.com In this conversation with SFA Founder Bill Woolf, a decades-long friend, Jennifer talks candidly about what military family life actually looks like inside the Space Force, why "deployed in place" is harder to explain than it sounds, and what it means to build a community from scratch inside the newest branch of the U.S. military. In this episode: Why the Space Force's small size makes community-building both harder and more urgent What Jennifer means when she says "connection" is her favorite Space Force value The Buckley Spouses Alliance: how a group of spouses built a food pantry from the ground up, logging over 5,500 volunteer hours and distributing 38,000 pounds of food in two years The Peak Food Pantry at Peterson Space Force Base: up and running since September 2025 and already distributing nearly 23,000 pounds of food Why "deployed in place" is a uniquely difficult experience for Guardian families and why it deserves more attention The Space Force uniform journey, from borrowing Air Force gear to service dress on the mannequin at clothing sales Why Jennifer has been handing out space-themed chocolate for years, and why a Guardian told her he still has a piece she gave him two years ago What it felt like to watch the first Basic Military Training class graduate in full Guardian service dress Why talking about space with your neighbors, your kids, and your coworkers is one of the most meaningful things civilians can do right now This episode doesn't talk about orbital mechanics or acquisition strategy. It talks about the people holding the community together while Guardians do work most Americans will never see. That story matters too. Hosted by Bill Woolf / Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Jennifer Saltzman is the spouse of Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force. She is an advocate for Guardian families, military spouse programs, and public awareness of the Space Force mission. Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://linktr.ee/ussfa
What the School That Trains Space Warfighters Has Built, and What Comes Next
55 min
Space has been a contested domain for years. The doctrine, the training, and the culture needed to fight and win in it have been built, mostly quietly, at a squadron at Nellis Air Force Base. Most people who care about the Space Force have never heard of it. Most of the people shaping how space warfare is conducted today came through it. This year, the 328th Weapons Squadron turns 30. Three decades after the Space Division was stood up at the Air Force Weapons School in 1996, the institution that started by teaching fighter pilots how to integrate space support into their missions now graduates the tactical and operational leaders who will contest the domain against peer adversaries. The transformation is real. And according to the officer commanding the 328th right now, it's far from finished. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Lt. Col. Brian "Knuckles" Peterson, Commander of the 328th Weapons Squadron, to talk about what the space weapons officer community has built, where it's going, and what the next 30 years demand. In this conversation, Lt. Col. Peterson discusses: Why the 328th is a domain WIC, not a platform WIC, and why that distinction changes everything about how space warfighters are trained What it means to graduate 450 weapons officers over 30 years in a service that still needs to double in size How the course evolved from space support integration to full orbital warfare and EW combined arms, and why that shift wasn't just curriculum, it was culture The debrief culture that distinguishes weapons officers: why failure is designed into the course, and what that teaches about decision-making under real-world pressure The feedback loop between operators, testers, and acquirers, and why building the widget before figuring out how to fight it is one of the Space Force's cardinal sins What it looks like when a Guardian truly understands the joint force, and why that connection is the foundation of everything the 328th produces Why the school is expanding: a new building, an intelligence course, a cyber course, and what that signals about where the Space Force is heading What the 30th anniversary Reblu is actually for, and why reconnecting 450 graduates matters as much as the classified combat updates on day one What the 328th needs to keep producing to ensure the Space Force wins the fights that are coming The Space Force of 2045 is being built right now at Nellis. The 328th turns 30 this month and the celebration isn't just about what's been accomplished. It's about what the weapons officer community owes the joint force in the next three decades. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Lt. Col. Brian "Knuckles" Peterson, Commander, 328th Weapons Squadron, Space Delta 1, Space Training and Readiness Command Lt. Col. Peterson commands the Space Force's weapons school at Nellis Air Force Base — the institution responsible for producing the Space Force's tactical and operational warfighting experts. He brings a background in missile warning, three combat deployments, and time in the Space Force's futures division to the role. Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
The Space Force Trains Guardians. Delta 13 Teaches Them Why They Fight.
17 min
Most people who know the Space Force exists assume it trains operators. People who know how to run satellites, track threats, and execute missions. What fewer people understand is that operating a system and understanding why that system matters are two entirely different things. One is a skill. The other is the foundation of a warfighter. Space is no longer a peaceful backstop for GPS and weather. It's a contested domain, one that underpins every instrument of American power, from diplomacy to the economy to combat operations. The Space Force didn't just need people who could do the job. It needed people who could explain why the job exists in the first place, and then teach that to the entire joint force, allied partners, and eventually the American public. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. Alison Gonzalez, Commander of Space Delta 13, the Space Force's dedicated education command under Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM), to explore why building a force of strategic thinkers is just as important as building a force of trained operators. Why the Space Force separated education from training — and what's lost when you collapse the two What Delta 13 actually does: the three pillars of professional military education, continuing education, and partnership education How Delta 13 educates beyond Guardians — including the joint force, international allies, industry, and academia Why Col. Gonzalez believes seamless integration across all those partners is the long-term vision — and what stands in the way The role universities like Texas A&M, Arizona State, and Purdue play in developing Guardian leaders How industry partnerships give Guardians real operational problem sets to solve — and bring solutions back to the force The story behind Col. Gonzalez becoming one of the first Guardians to wear and publicly demonstrate the Space Force service dress uniform How she went from satellite operator to commanding one of STARCOM's deltas — and what she'd tell any Guardian trying to rise through the ranks Why less than 10% of Americans know the Space Force exists — and what SFA and Delta 13 can do together to change that Education is the why behind everything the Space Force does. Without it, you have operators. With it, you have Guardians who understand what they're protecting and why it's worth fighting for. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday AV by Redwire Production Support by Emily Honhart and Omar Mahmoud Col. Alison R. Gonzalez Commander, Space Delta 13, Space Training and Readiness Command (STARCOM) Col. Gonzalez assumed command of Delta 13 in July 2025, taking charge of the Space Force's education enterprise headquartered at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Her career spans satellite operations, the National Reconnaissance Office, the National Space Defense Center, and Headquarters U.S. Space Force, where she served as Director of Staff for the Office of the Chief of Human Capital prior to taking command. Learn more about Space Delta 13: https://www.starcom.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/Units/Space-Delta-13-Education/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
CMSSF Bentivegna: The Space Force Needs to Double, and Here's Exactly How It Happens
50 min
The Space Force needs to double in size. That's not a talking point, it's a legislative ask, a budgetary argument, and a warfighting requirement all at once. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force, CMSSF John Bentivegna, to break down exactly what it would take to grow the Space Force from roughly 11,000 to 25,000 Guardians by 2031, and why the threat environment leaves no room for delay. Most people hear the headline and assume it is a budget conversation. It's much more specific than that. Congress controls how many people each military service can have. That ceiling is set in the National Defense Authorization Act every year. Raising it requires requirements, justification, infrastructure, and a pipeline, and the Space Force is building all of it simultaneously. In this conversation, CMSSF Bentivegna discusses: Why end strength growth starts with requirements, not headcount, and what China's on-orbit capabilities have to do with that math How the Space Force's enlisted-led operator model works, and why it's the right design for a warfighting domain What a Guardian on console actually does, and how officers, NCOs, and civilians each fit into an operations floor The World-Class Master Sergeant initiative and why developing elite E-7s is the key to scaling quality without diluting it Where the next 10,000 Guardians actually come from, recruits, cross-service transfers, ROTC, OTS, and the Personnel Management Act What SPAFORGEN is, why you can't train for high-intensity conflict while running daily operations, and how that tension drives force sizing Guardian Arena, what it is, what it tests, and why it's becoming the cultural centerpiece of the service The Space Force was built for this moment. The question is whether it will be built big enough, fast enough, to meet it. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force, CMSSF John Bentivegna The senior enlisted leader of the United States Space Force, responsible for the health, welfare, development, and utilization of all enlisted Guardians. Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
The Lab Behind the Force: How Military Research Becomes Space Warfighting Capability
31 min
Most people have never heard of the Air Force Research Laboratory. The Space Force couldn't exist without it. Dr. Andy Williams has been at AFRL since 2003, long enough to watch the space domain go from what he calls a "relatively benign environment" to a fully contested warfighting domain. He now serves as AFRL's Deputy Technology Executive Officer for Space: the single point of contact between the lab and the U.S. Space Force, responsible for making sure the science that starts on a whiteboard at Kirtland actually ends up in a Guardian's hands. He's the conductor. And in this conversation, recorded live on the Redwire Stage at the 41st Space Symposium, he and SFA Founder Bill Woolf trace the full pipeline, from basic research to operational capability, and don't flinch on where it breaks. In this episode: Why Dr. Williams says space is now more important to the joint fight than air — and what that demands from a research lab What the "conductor" role actually looks like day to day, coordinating across AFRL's directorates at the seams, and where the baton gets dropped most often How a service still defining itself translates operational gaps into concrete research priorities — and why the only model that works treats S&T, acquisition, and operators as one team What always gets cut first in a resource-constrained environment, and why that's a problem that compounds like debt The ROSA story: three attempts, a decade of basic research, new materials no one planned to develop — and what it teaches about what it actually takes to get a technology across the finish line for the Space Force Why science and technology is exactly like a retirement account — and what decades of cuts have cost the service that's supposed to be the most technologically advanced in the world Dynamic space operations: the capability Dr. Williams believes could be decisive in future conflict, why the U.S. isn't leading it, and what he means when he says the Space Force needs velocity — not just speed Recorded at the Redwire Stage at the 41st Space Symposium. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday AV by Redwire Production Support by Omar Mahmoud & Emily Honhart Dr. Andrew "Andy" Williams is the Deputy Technology Executive Officer for Space at the Air Force Research Laboratory. He serves as AFRL's primary point of contact for the U.S. Space Force, integrating and executing the lab's space science and technology investment strategy and leading engagement across DoD, the Intelligence Community, NASA, industry, and academia. He has been at AFRL since 2003. Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Learn more about AFRL: https://www.afrl.af.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
The China Space Problem: What Congress Knows, What Americans Don't, and What Happens If We Lose
57 min
What happens to the American economy, not just the American military, if China wins the space race? In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Randy Schriver, Chair of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, and Mike Kuiken, its Vice Chair, joined by co-host Dillon "Brick" Cox, Chair of SFA's National Spacepower Center Committee. Together they work through one of the most important questions in national security that most Americans aren't asking: what does contested space actually cost us? The Commission's 2025 Annual Report to Congress was approved unanimously by all twelve commissioners, six Republicans, six Democrats. In a Washington where almost nothing gets bipartisan agreement, that consensus is the story. Randy Schriver served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs. He describes returning to government, getting his clearances back, and walking into his first briefing: "My mind exploded." General Saltzman called China's space advancement "mind-boggling." That's not a phrase you hear from a four-star general. Mike Kuiken spent nearly 23 years in the U.S. Senate, over a decade on the Armed Services Committee and then as Senate Majority Leader Schumer's National Security Advisor. He led the legislative strategy to pass the CHIPS Act. In this conversation, Randy, Mike, and Brick discuss: Why China's space advancement exceeded even experienced Pentagon officials' expectations The carrier battle group problem: how China went from intermittent tracking to persistent targeting of U.S. forces transiting the Pacific What breaks first for ordinary Americans: GPS, telecommunications, financial timing, the power grid Why China's military-civil fusion means there is no such thing as a Chinese civilian space program The CHIPS Act parallel: are we making the same mistake in space that we made in semiconductors? Why the Space Force has a visibility problem no other service faces, and why that makes building legislative support nearly impossible What it would take to make a Fortune 500 CEO truly understand 48 hours without GPS The one thing Randy and Mike would tell a lawmaker who wants to do the right thing but doesn't know where to start Hosted by Bill Woolf Co-hosted by Dillon "Brick" Cox Produced by Ty Holliday Randy Schriver, Chair, U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Previously served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs. Mike Kuiken, Vice Chair, U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. Nearly 23 years in the U.S. Senate, including over a decade on the Armed Services Committee and as Senate Majority Leader Schumer's National Security Advisor. Led the legislative strategy to pass the CHIPS and Science Act. Read the 2025 Annual Report to Congress: https://www.uscc.gov/annual-report/2025-annual-report-congress Learn more about SFA's National Spacepower Center: https://ussfa.org/national-space-center/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
Can America Build Fast Enough to Win in Space?
25 min
The best technology doesn't matter if you can't build enough of it. That's the industrial base challenge facing national security space right now, and it's the central argument Matt Magaña made during a conversation at the 41st Space Symposium in Colorado Springs. Magaña is the President of Defense and National Security at Voyager Technologies and a board member of the Space Force Association. He's spent his career on both sides of the defense acquisition equation: managing billion-dollar portfolios at Raytheon, leading high-rate small satellite production at Blue Canyon Technologies, and now building the infrastructure to scale mission-ready systems at volume. In this episode, he and SFA Founder Bill Woolf discuss: - Why manufacturing capacity, not technology, is now the defining variable in space superiority - The two supply chain choke points keeping defense leaders up at night: electronics and propulsion - What Golden Dome demands from the industrial base, and why no single company can deliver it alone - How acquisition reform is shifting the government-industry relationship from vendor to partner - What the "minimum viable product" concept actually means for how industry responds to requirements - Why transparency from the government side is the single most important thing for small companies right now - What Space Force Guardians should understand about their relationship with commercial industry - How to build a company capable of inserting technology at the speed relevance demands Recorded at the Redwire Stage at the 41st Space Symposium. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday AV By Redwire Production Support by Emily Honhart and Omar Mahmoud Matt Magaña is President of Defense and National Security at Voyager Technologies. He previously served as President and CEO of Blue Canyon Technologies and held executive roles at Raytheon overseeing billion-dollar portfolios in electronic warfare, space control, and missile defense. Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
Beyond the Artemis Accords: The Case for a Space Treaty Organization
39 min
The Artemis Accords brought dozens of nations together around shared principles, but principles without structure aren't policy. In a domain where commerce, exploration, and national security increasingly overlap, non-binding norms aren't enough. And the window to act is narrowing. In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Dr. Eric Sundby, CEO of TerraSpace, SFA Board Member, and now the first maritime space officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, to make the case for something more formal: a Space Treaty Organization. Drawing on his PhD dissertation, published op-eds, and direct experience working across the civil, commercial, and national security space sectors, Sundby argues that the United States needs to move from bilateral handshakes to binding multilateral frameworks, before China and Russia fill the vacuum. This conversation covers: Why the Artemis Accords are a critical first step, and why they aren't enough What a Space Treaty Organization would actually do (and what it would not look like) The Wolf Amendment, ILRSCO, and the legal contradictions already undermining U.S. space cooperation Why SEATO failed and NATO succeeded, and what that means for space governance How China's strategy on Earth (artificial islands, territorial claims, debt diplomacy) maps directly onto its posture in space The commercial angle: how TerraSpace's critical minerals work depends on clearer property rights and reduced regulatory friction Why inaction at this point in history equals ceding ground Real-life Starfleet, and why the values we carry into space matter as much as the capabilities From the South China Sea to the lunar surface, the patterns are already clear. The question is whether the United States and its allies will build the framework that keeps the space domain free, or wait until the other side has already poured the sand. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: Dr. Eric Sundby, CEO, TerraSpace | SFA Board Member | U.S. Navy Reserve (Maritime Space Officer) Dr. Sundby holds a PhD focused on space governance and international cooperation frameworks and is the author of the op-ed "America Needs a Space Alliance." Read Dr. Sundby's Op Ed: https://spacenews.com/america-needs-a-space-alliance/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
Our Space Future Depends on What We Teach Kids Today
34 min
What does it take to turn today's elementary school students into tomorrow's space workforce? In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. Eric Zarybniski, Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Space Access at Space Systems Command, and Dr. Emily Zarybniski, a 2026 Space Foundation International Teacher Liaison, to explore one of the most critical, and often overlooked challenges in maintaining space superiority: education. Every Guardian, every engineer, every mission planner who will defend and expand America's presence in space started somewhere. A teacher who made it click. A concept that sparked curiosity. A moment when space stopped being abstract and became possible. The pipeline from K-12 classrooms to national security capability is longer than most people realize, and more fragile. Today's students touch space 50 times a day through GPS, streaming video, weather apps, and communication networks. But most have no idea how deeply connected they are to the domain, or that careers in space exist beyond astronauts. In this conversation, Col. and Dr. Zarybniski discuss: Why K-12 space education is a matter of national security, not just workforce development What gets students genuinely excited about space careers (hint: it starts with Diet Coke and Mentos) The critical difference between STEM and STEAM—and why artists, designers, and creative thinkers belong in the space enterprise How to reach students before they've decided "space isn't for me" or "I'm not good at math" What it's like to explain quantum physics on neighborhood walks and thermodynamics at the dinner table Why the Space Foundation's International Teacher Liaison Program matters for building the next generation How military families balance launching rockets to orbit and teaching kids who will one day design them The reality of being a Guardian in 2026, and why more people still ask "Is the Space Force real?" What parents and educators can do right now to inspire the space-native generation From classroom experiments to mission director decisions at Cape Canaveral, this episode connects the dots between inspiring young minds and delivering combat-ready space capabilities. Because the Space Force of 2040 is sitting in fourth grade classrooms right now. Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guests: Col. Eric Zarybniski, Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Space Access, Space Systems Command He leads the acquisition, development, and operation of the $13.5 billion National Security Space Launch programs, delivering critical payloads to orbit from Cape Canaveral and Vandenberg. Dr. Emily Zarybniski, 2026 Space Foundation International Teacher Liaison She is one of 38 elite educators selected globally to inspire the next generation of space professionals through hands-on STEAM education in elementary and middle school classrooms. Learn more about Space Systems Command: https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/ Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
What does it take to turn a collection of space systems into a unified warfighting capability?In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with Col. Strizzi, Director of Enterprise Integration at the Space Systems Integration Office, to unpack one of the most critical—and often overlooked—challenges in modern space operations: integration.Space is a system of systems. Satellites, sensors, networks, and ground infrastructure all feed decisions across the joint force. But as the Space Force grows, adds partners, and fields new capabilities, those systems don’t automatically work together. And in a contested domain, adversaries are actively trying to break those connections.Integration is no longer a background function. It’s a warfighting imperative.In this conversation, Col. Strizzi discusses:What the Space Systems Integration Office actually does—and why it was createdWhy integration is foundational to delivering real operational effectsThe challenge of connecting legacy systems with rapidly emerging technologiesHow the Space Force is breaking down silos across organizations and mission areasWhat it means to build a truly “enterprise-level” space architectureThe role of partnerships across the joint force, industry, and alliesWhy integration must be continuous, not a one-time effortHow success is measured when the mission is making everything else work togetherFrom stitching together complex architectures to enabling faster, more informed decision-making, this episode explores how the Space Force is moving beyond individual capabilities to deliver integrated combat power in orbit.Hosted by Bill WoolfProduced by Ty HollidayGuest: Col. Strizzi, Director of Enterprise Integration, Space Systems Integration OfficeHe leads efforts to ensure that the Space Force’s diverse systems, technologies, and mission partners operate as a cohesive, effective enterprise capable of delivering mission-critical outcomes.Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/Learn about Space Systems Command Integration Office: https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/SSC-Command-Offices/Space-Systems-Integration-OfficeJoin SFA: https://ussfa.org/Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
In this exclusive episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, for his first and only interview on two landmark documents released today: the Future Operating Environment and the Objective Force. These aren't talking points. They're the blueprint, the Space Force's clearest public statement yet on where the service is headed, what it's building, and why it matters. And General Saltzman chose to break it down here first. From force design to future budgets, from allied partnerships to Guardian readiness, this episode goes further than any public statement has gone before, straight from the CSO himself. Thank you to CXAL (Connected Alliances) for sponsoring this episode of Spacepower Podcast. To learn more about CXAL, visit https://cx-al.com Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest: General B. Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force As CSO, General Saltzman sets the direction for the entire service, its doctrine, its forces, and its future. The Future Operating Environment and Objective Force represent his vision for what the Space Force must become to meet the demands of the most contested and crucial domain. Read the Future Operating Environment: https://www.spaceforce.mil/Portals/2/Documents/SAF_2026/Future_Operating_Environment_2040.pdf Read the Objective Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/Portals/2/Documents/SAF_2026/OFD_2040_Baseline_Final.pdf Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ See the accompanying blog post: https://ussfa.org/exclusive-cso-objective-force/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ For inquiries: publicaffairs@ussfa.org Follow for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
The FY27 President's Budget request for the U.S. Space Force comes in at $71.24 billion, more than double the prior year, and the largest budget request in the service's history. But what does a number like that actually mean, and will Congress fund it? Read Shawn Barnes Full Op-Ed: https://ussfa.org/shawn-barnes-pbr-response/ In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf sits down with two guests who've lived this process from the inside: Shawn Barnes, who spent years walking space budgets to Capitol Hill as the Department of the Air Force's primary liaison to the Appropriations Committee, and SFA CEO Brig. Gen. (ret.) Damon Feltman, who helped build the Space Force budget structure from inside the Pentagon as Deputy Director of the S-5. Together, they break down what this request really says about the administration's commitment to space, and what stands between this budget and becoming law.In this conversation, they discuss: Why both guests had an immediate "wow — and about time" reaction to the top line What Congress will actually focus on: execution risk, empire-building concerns, and line-by-line scrutiny Why the $71B is Space Force dollars — separate from Golden Dome funding — and what that signals strategically The manpower surge: from ~10,600 Guardians to a proposed 13,200, and what that ramp could mean long-term How the reconciliation/appropriations split structure complicates the path to passage Space Domain Awareness funding more than doubling — and whether it's enough against China and Russia The classified R&D budget jumping from $6.5B to $17.3B, and how you defend a number you can't explain publicly P-LEO SATCOM investment and what it signals to the commercial sector Launch services tripling — and the industrial base bottlenecks that money alone won't solve The AMTI/GMTI mission transfer to space and whether the Space Force is organizationally ready A 250% increase in education and training — and why it's probably still a down payment SFA's Capitol Hill briefing series and how the association is helping educate members and staff on what this budget is really asking for Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guests:Shawn Barnes, Former Department of the Air Force Primary Liaison to the Appropriations Committee and Former Chief of Space Policy, Joint Staff. One of the most experienced voices in navigating the intersection of space investment and congressional politics. Brig. Gen. (ret.) Damon Feltman, CEO, Space Force Association. Former Deputy Director of the Space Force S-5 (budget) and former Numbered Air Force Vice Commander. Feltman helped build the Space Force's budget architecture from inside the Pentagon before retiring from civil service. Learn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/ Read Shawn Barnes Full Op-Ed: https://ussfa.org/shawn-barnes-pbr-response/ Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/ Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain. Views and opinions expressed are those of the individual speakers and do not represent the views of the U.S. Government, Department of War, or their respective organizations.
What does it take to build combat power when the domain itself is still being defined?In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf speaks with Lt. Gen. Greg Gagnon, Commander of Combat Forces Command, about how the Space Force is preparing Guardians to operate in the most contested environment humanity has ever tried to control.Space is no longer a benign domain. As adversaries develop capabilities designed to contest U.S. operations on orbit, the mission is shifting from support to warfighting. And that shift demands operators who can do more than execute technical tasks. It demands resilience, judgment, and the ability to adapt under pressure.In this conversation, Lt. Gen. Gagnon discusses:What "training like we fight" actually means in space operationsHow realistic, integrated exercises prepare Guardians for degraded environmentsWhy integration with the joint force isn't optional—it's the missionHow Combat Forces Command builds readiness through immersive, scenario-based trainingThe cultural shift needed to move from compliance to initiativeWhy leadership expects operators to think critically, not just follow checklistsHow after-action reviews focus on learning, not blameWhat it takes to sustain combat readiness in a domain defined by speed and competitionFrom training operators to integrating with combatant commanders, from building culture to delivering effects under pressure, this episode explores how the Space Force is turning technology into combat power through the people who operate it.Hosted by Bill WoolfProduced by Ty HollidayGuest: Lt. Gen. Greg Gagnon, Commander, Combat Forces Command, U.S. Space ForceHe leads the training, readiness, and force presentation for space operations, ensuring Guardians are prepared to deliver effects in contested environments across the joint force.Learn more about Combat Forces Command: https://www.ussf-cfc.spaceforce.mil/About-Us/About-Combat-Forces-CommandLearn more about the U.S. Space Force: https://www.spaceforce.mil/Join SFA: https://ussfa.org/Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
What does it take to achieve space superiority when the fight is already underway?In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf speaks with Lt. Gen David N. Miller Jr., Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Requirements, about how the Space Force is building a warfighting force in real time to meet a rapidly evolving threat.As adversaries expand their capabilities on orbit and develop systems designed to deny U.S. access to space, the domain is no longer benign. From supporting ongoing operations to preparing for future conflict, the Space Force must ensure freedom of action in, from, and to space, while denying that same advantage to its competitors.In this conversation, Lt. Gen. Miller discusses:• What “space superiority” actually means in a warfighting context• How adversary capabilities, particularly from China, are reshaping the domain• Why the Space Force is not yet sized for the fight it must prepare for• The shift from a support function to a contested warfighting domain• How the “objective force” is guiding future design, investment, and growth• Why acquisition, requirements, testing, and fielding are all being fundamentally reworked• How training and readiness are evolving to prepare Guardians for real-world conflictFrom missile warning to targeting, from resilience to orbital defense, this episode explores how spacepower is being transformed from an enabling capability into a decisive element of modern warfare.Hosted by Bill WoolfProduced by Ty HollidayGuest:Lt. Gen. David N. Miller Jr., Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Strategy, Plans, Programs, and Requirements, U.S. Space ForceHe leads the development of the Space Force’s long-term strategy, force design, and capability requirements, translating emerging threats into the systems and structures needed to ensure space superiority for the joint force.Learn more about the U.S. Space Force:https://www.spaceforce.mil/Join SFA:https://ussfa.org/Subscribe for more conversations on spacepower, national security, and the future of the space domain.
Episode Recorded March 5th, 2026 How is spacepower actually shaping operations across the Western Hemisphere? In this episode of the Spacepower Podcast, SFA Founder and host Bill Woolf speaks with Col. Brandon Alford, Commander of U.S. Space Forces Southern, about how space-enabled capabilities are integrated into day-to-day operations across Central and South America. From satellite communications and GPS to space-based sensing, these capabilities quietly enable coordination, precision, and awareness across a region defined by complex humanitarian challenges, maritime operations, and multinational partnerships. As space becomes more contested, U.S. Space Forces Southern plays a critical role in ensuring these capabilities remain available while strengthening collaboration with allies and partners across the region.In this conversation, Col. Alford discusses: • How U.S. Space Forces Southern integrates space capabilities into regional operations • The role of space domain awareness in addressing emerging threats • Why partnerships across the Western Hemisphere are essential to security • How commercial technologies are augmenting military space capabilities • Real-world examples of how spacepower supports operations on the ground Hosted by Bill Woolf Produced by Ty Holliday Guest:Col. Brandon Alford, Commander, U.S. Space Forces Southern He leads efforts to integrate space capabilities across U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility, enhancing regional security through partnerships, operational support, and space domain awareness. His work focuses on ensuring freedom of action in space while enabling joint and coalition forces across Central and South America. Learn more about U.S. Space Forces Southern: https://www.spaceforcesouth.spaceforce.mil Join SFA:https://ussfa.org/
