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Elon Musk (Space X) Has Gone Nuts SPACE EDUCATION & STRATEGIC APPLICATIONS VOLUME 2 • NUMBER 1 • FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 VOLUME 2 • NUMBER 1 FALL 2020/WINTER 2021 Melissa Layne, Ed.D. Editor-in-Chief THE INAUGURAL CONFERENCE ISSUE PART 1 SPACE EDUCATION & STRATEGIC SE:SA APPLICATIONS SPACE EDUCATION AND STRATEGIC APPLICATIONS JOURNAL VOL. 2, NO. 1 FALL 2020 / WINTER 2021 © 2021 Policy Studies Organization EDITORIAL ........................................................................................................... 1 Melissa Layne INTERVIEW SESA Keynote Speaker and 25th Secretary of the United States Air Force, Barbara Barrett ....................................................... 7 Melissa Layne COMMENTARY & CRITICAL ANALYSIS Elon Musk (Space X) Has Gone Nuts ........................................................... 15 Bruce Gagnon APUS: Nurturing Our Leaders and Future Leaders ................................... 21 Carl W. Starr Nukes in Space ............................................................................................... 25 Karl Grossman Exploring Space in the Spirit of Kinship ..................................................... 33 Michelle Hanlon RESEARCH ARTICLES Evaluating Space as the Next Critical Infrastructure Sector ...................... 53 Mark Peters A Planetary Perspective of Earth Systems Sustainability: Reframing Climate Change Implications from Agricultural Adaptations in Maya Milpa Farming Communities in Belize ............................................. 79 Kristin Drexler National Space Policy: International Comparison of Policy and the ‘Gray’ Area ............................................................................................... 95 Larissa Beavers EDITORS Melissa Layne, American Public University System HONORARY ADVISORY BOARD Wally Boston, American Public University System President Emeritus Arnauld Nicogossian, George Mason University Vernon Smith, Provost, American Public University System J.D. Polk, American Public University System Board of Trustees Member, Senior Medical Officer, NASA Chandra Wickramasinghe, Director of the Buckingham Centre for Astrobiology, University of Buckingham, and Honorary Professor ADVISORY BOARD Ahmed Naumaan, Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, American Public University System [science and engineering] [Chair] Ed Albin, Director of Space Studies, American Public University System [Co-Chair] Gale Allen, President of the The American Society for Gravitational and Space Research [Space Sciences, gravitational biology and astrobiology] Carol Lane, President of the American Astronautical Society, [commercial space and systems engineering] J.D. Polk, DO NASA Chief Health and Medical Officer and APUS Board of Directors [space medicine and human factors] Roger Launius, Author and Chief Historian for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Retired EDITORIAL BOARD Ahmed Abaza, American Public University System [STEM] Wendy Achilles, American Public University System [Business] Jon Adams, American Public University System [STEM] Yvette Aguiar, American Public University System [Security and Global Studies] Jason Anderson, American Public University System, [Security and Global Studies] Ivan Gulmesoff, American Public University System, [Security and Global Studies] Kevin Pohl, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Jonathan Black, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Bert Chapman, Purdue University Sean Mulligan, Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority Hank Voss, NearSpace Launch, Inc. Joyce Winterton, NASA GSFC Wallops Flight Facility Dale Nash, Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority Brian Crane, Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority Matt Orvis, NearSpace Launch, Inc. Joseph Zeman, Missouri State University Mark Peters II, Technica Corporation USAF, Retired Ivan Gulmesoff, American Public University System, [Security and Global Studies] Jonathan Pitt, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Edward Colbert, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Jared Clements, Applied Technology Associates (ATA) Aerospace Tyler Murphy, Applied Technology Associates (ATA) Aerospace Lee Jasper, Space Dynamics Laboratory Charlene Jacka, Air Force Research Laboratory/ RVEN Brenda Dingwall, NASA GSFC Wallops Flights Facility Robert Twiggs, Twiggs Space Lab, LLC Matt Craft, Twiggs Space Lab, LLC Tim Chrisman, Foundation for the Future Catherine Taylor, American Public University System AIAA Scott Van Hoy, American Public University System AIAA Kristin Drexler, American Public University System Kristin Miller, American Public University System Larissa Beavers, American Military University Kandis Y. Boyd Wyatt, American Public University System Michael Laine, Liftport Space Education and Strategic Applications Journal • Vol. 2, No. 1 • Fall 2020 / Winter 2021 Editorial Melissa Layne American Public University System Dear SESA Readers, he inaugural 2020 Space Education & Strategic Applications conference in October was certainly a testament to perseverance and commitment. Orig- inally scheduled six months earlier in April as an in-person event, organiz- Ters were forced to postpone the conference to October using a virtual platform. Despite this rapid and dynamic pivot to hold a virtual conference, our sponsors, American Public University System (APUS) and Policy Studies Organization (PSO), were well-equipped to rise to the occasion. However, we were careful not to be too sure of ourselves lest something terribly wrong were to occur! As the conference date was nearing, we continued to experience an increas- ing influx of presentations; so, what was supposed to be a one-day event, now be- came two full days for the space community to gather in “our virtual space.” Dr. Vernon Smith, Provost at APUS, served as our Master of Ceremonies by opening the conference with a lively and motivational introduction, and ended by expressing sincere gratitude to presenters, attendees, and organizers. Our pre- senters shared their extensive knowledge around a variety of space-related topics via sessions, roundtables, panels, fireside chats, and keynotes. As a newcomer to the space conference scene, SESA’s plenary addresses were quite impressive, and included NASA’s Julielynn Wong, Stacy Kubicek from Lockheed Martin, Natalie Panek of Mission Systems MDA, and Emily Calandrelli, host of the Emily’s Won- der Lab. The most anticipated session was that of the Honorable Barbara Barrett, Secretary of the U.S. Air Force. For session video recordings go to https://whova. com/embedded/event/seasa_202010/?utc_source=ems This issue highlights the truly outstanding work from some of our present- ers—many of whom have expressed their excitement for the next SESA conference taking place on September 23rd and 24th, 2021. Mark your calendars! The following pages provide a glimpse of some of our conference data in addition to attendee / presenter responses to our end-of-conference survey. Melissa Layne, Ed.D. Editor-in-Chief, SESA 1 doi: 10.18278/sesa.2.1.1 Space Education and Strategic Applications Journal SESA Conference Fast Facts • Over 500 registrants • Over ten countries represented • Five plenary speakers • Session Attendance: Sessions averaged between 70-80 viewers • Reporters / Editors in attendance: Popular Mechanics, Sky and Telescope, and Aviation Week Presenter and Attendee Responses “Best two days on space imaginable. The APU professors were impressive and so was everyone. What a great, great event." “I couldn't agree more. Way superior to other online conferences I have seen.” “Congratulations again on a very successful conference! I’m enjoying the presentations I’ve attended.” “Thank you very much for the honor and privilege of attending this year's space conference. I enjoyed it immensely. It was very informative and the speakers were excellent! I very much look forward to attending next year and possibly presenting.” “It was a pleasure speaking for your conference recently, and thank you so much for your lovely speaking gifts! I really enjoyed the most excellent SWAG from APUS.” “You have done a great job.” “Thanks again for a great conference; I really enjoyed the meetings - lots of great talks and information! Thank you for the opportunity to present there as well. I like what you folks are up to, and I'm a little interested in AMU's programs.” “I would recommend this conference to others.” “Please invite me back directly next year—if you have a mailing list for SE:SA 2021 specifically, I would appreciate being included…Thank you for including me this year and hope you find value in my feedback.” 2 Editorial “We recommend the conference to all of the students at my children’s elementary school. It would be great to develop a program that just speaks to students- they are the future of any space program.” “The topics covered were important and relevant.” “Keep doing what you are doing. You are building the next decade of thinkers.” “I enjoyed the presentation from Susan IP, the Plenary session by Secretary Barrett, Kristen Miller's presentation, and many others. It was a fantastic variety of speakers!” “The organizers for this conference did a fantastic job—especially since it was their first SESA conference!” “I thoroughly enjoyed being a panelist on the "Partnership" Roundtable. It was a great conference for it being the first.” “I hope you will use the conference to continue to make the public aware of certificate and degree programs in space studies.” “Presentations were captivating and interesting.”
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