Episode Summary
This week on Pathfinder, sponsored by Astroscale U.S., we explore how ISAM technologies—like refueling, repair, and debris removal—are transforming space operations and advancing U.S. leadership. Joining us are retired Colonel Dennis Wille of Astroscale and John “Patsy” Klein of Falcon Research to discuss the DoD’s push for commercial integration, operational resilience, and the future of military space innovation.
Episode Notes
This week on Pathfinder, we’re excited to bring you a special one-off episode, made possible by Astroscale U.S., the Denver-based subsidiary of Astroscale, a global provider of on-orbit servicing solutions. This episode dives into the DoD’s push to integrate commercial in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) capabilities to enhance flexibility, resilience, and sustainability in military space operations.
Joining the discussion are retired Colonel Dennis Wille, Senior Director of Business Development for National Security at Astroscale US, and John “Patsy” Klein, Senior Fellow in Strategy at Falcon Research and a leading expert in space policy and strategy. Together, we unpack how ISAM technologies are transforming space operations and advancing U.S. leadership in the domain.
This episode covers:
- The DoD’s commercial space integration strategy and ISAM’s role in enhancing operational resilience
- The challenges and opportunities of managing space debris and enabling active debris removal
- How ISAM capabilities like refueling, repair, and inspection are reshaping spacecraft lifecycles
- The critical role of commercial partnerships in supporting national security objectives
- The future of space operations and the technologies poised to drive innovation
And much, much more…
• Chapters •
00:00 – Intro
04:12 – What is ISAM and why is it so important to the DoD’s space strategy?
06:08 – Patsy’s role in commercial integration of ISAM
08:49 – What is the DoD’s commercial space strategy?
10:57 – Astroscale’s priorities
14:53 – Why does the government care about debris removal?
16:18 – Why does space junk removal help the US to maintain leadership in space?
19:30 – PLEO and commercial opportunity
22:49 – Tech capabilities being developed at Astroscale
26:50 – Mature ISAM capabilities that we have today
29:23 – Astroscale and DoD partnership
31:07 – Government vs commercial customer makeup prediction
32:19 – Policy/regulatory hurdles for ISAM
34:17 – What will it take for commercial to become a bigger part of Astroscale’s business?
37:09 – Does ISAM have an education issue?
39:18 – Technical gaps in ISAM
40:50 – What technological advancements should we anticipate?
42:24 – What defense strategies will ISAM create?
45:06 – How Astroscale positions themselves against competitors
47:59 – Advice for investors interested in ISAM
49:28 – How can the US maintain their leadership role in space?
51:53 – Book recommendations
• Show notes •
Astroscale’s website — hhttps://astroscale-us.com/
Mo’s socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam
Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace
Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace
Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes
• About us •
Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world.
Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing five media properties across multiple platforms:
1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern
2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com)
3) Polaris, our weekly policy briefing, publishes weekly on Tuesdays
4) Payload Research, our weekly research and analysis piece, comes out on Wednesdays
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