Is the International Space Station (ISS) the last thing standing between the U.S. and China in the new space race? Investigative journalist Matt Ford sounds the alarm in this urgent episode of The Good Trouble Show. With China rapidly expanding its space program and the Tiangong space station gaining ground, experts warn that abandoning the ISS could hand over global space dominance to Beijing.
Matt Ford is joined by Dr. Donna Roberts, MD, Deputy Chief Scientist at the ISS National Laboratory, and Anna Brady Estevez of American DeepTech to discuss why continued U.S. investment in the ISS is critical to science, technology, and national security. From cutting-edge space science and international space policy to rising tensions in low Earth orbit, the future of American space leadership is on the line.
The conversation also dives into political tensions here on Earth. Is the feud between Donald Trump and Elon Musk putting U.S. space leadership at risk? As Congress debates the controversial “Big Beautiful Bill,” funding for space technology, the ISS, and national science priorities hangs in the balance.
With Elon Musk threatening to pull SpaceX support and China accelerating its space strategy, Matt Ford asks the tough questions: Are we sleepwalking into a new space Cold War? Can America afford to cede the final frontier?
Dr. Donna Roberts is the Deputy Chief Scientist at the ISS National Lab (CASIS), where she advances microgravity research across U.S. agencies. A practicing neuroradiologist, she previously served as a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina and led NASA-funded studies on how spaceflight affects the human brain. Her career spans roles with Lockheed supporting NASA HQ, clinical trials leadership, and service on the FDA’s Medical Imaging Drugs Advisory Committee. She’s an award-winning researcher, TEDx speaker, and holds degrees in medicine, electrical engineering, and computer engineering from MUSC, the University of Colorado, and Clemson University.
You can find her podcast at: https://www.shoshinworks.com/podcast-episodes/more-shots-on-goal-scaling-up-space-manufacturing-for-earths-future
Dr. Anna Brady-Estevez is a distinguished leader in deep technology and infrastructure investments, and US national innovation policy. She is the Founding Partner of American DeepTech, a deep technology investment firm dedicated to advancing transformative technologies across sectors such as space, energy, biotechnology, AI and secure digital systems. Anna is a Kauffman Fellow investor, ranked as the woman globally, in the Kauffman Fellows Fund Returners Index (a ranking similar to Forbes Midas list).
Anna previously co-chaired the U.S. National Research Agenda in Digital Assets with the White House Office of Science and Technology, and led the US Space Economy interagency working groups on space economy and commercialization alongside NASA. She also served as Sr. Investment Advisor and Partner at the SBA’s Office of Innovation and Investment.
In her previous role as a Program Director at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), Dr. Brady-Estevez directed $250 million in grants to early-stage startups, leading national portfolios in Energy, Space tech, Clean tech, Digital Assets & Blockchain and Chemical Technologies. Her early-stage portfolio has achieved more than $8.5 billion in follow-on financing and over $17 billion in total company valuations. In the private sector she previously directed strategy at the AES Corporation and Cummins Inc, and was a management consultant at the Boston Consultant Group. She holds engineering degrees from Yale University and the Johns Hopkins University.
You can find her company at: https://deeptech1.com
00:00 - Why the ISS Matters 00:37 - Legacy of the International Space Station 01:57 - The Strategic Value of Low Earth Orbit 03:23 - Scientific Discoveries from the ISS 04:52 - Commercial Opportunities in LEO 06:20 - National Security and LEO Access 09:10 - The Risk of Losing LEO Infrastructure 10:31 - What Happens if the ISS Ends 12:00 - Building the Next Generation Space Stations 13:26 - U.S. Leadership in Orbital Presence 16:20 - Space as the Next Economic Frontier 17:50 - International Competition in LEO 19:08 - Private Sector Innovation in Orbit 21:49 - Preserving ISS Capabilities 24:29 - Conclusion: Why We Can't Afford to Step Back
Segment Producer: Ali Travis
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