Episode Overview

Podcast: T-Minus Space Daily
Episode: Snowstorms to Spaceports
Date: January 26, 2026
Host: Maria Varmazes/N2K Networks

This episode offers a fast-paced briefing of key events and issues impacting the space sector, from weather-related budget delays in the US to major strategic investments in hypersonics, new European launch opportunities, and especially a deep-dive discussion on space domain awareness—who watches space, how, and why it matters more than ever. The episode features a substantive conversation with Dave Bittner and cybersecurity executive Brandon Karpf, focusing on the challenge of tracking space assets and debris, the evolving policy and technology landscape, and the urgent need for better automation and interagency coordination.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Vandenberg Space Force Base Strategic Plan (02:05)

• Context:
  Vandenberg is one of two strategic US space launch bases, handling high national security and operational demand.

• Details:

  • The new 2026+ strategy has 3 pillars: Mission, People, Future.
  • Focus areas:
    • Streamlining spaceport operations
    • Expanding launch/test support
    • Upgrading aging infrastructure
    • Pursuing automation
  • Base must adapt hardware and processes designed for a different era.

2. US Winter Storm’s Impact on Space-Related Budgets (03:30)

• Context:
  Major storm delayed Congress’ return, squeezing time for fiscal 2026 budget votes.

• Implications:

  • Raises risks of government shutdown, which could affect space launch ranges (though not NASA's direct funding).
  • Key appropriations tied up in House/Senate negotiations.
  • Listeners are urged to "fingers crossed" for resolution.

3. Industry/Contract News (04:40–06:30)

• Paladyne AI & Portal Space Systems:

  • New contract expands Paladyne’s AI into spacecraft guidance, modeling, avionics.

• Stratolaunch:

  • Significant undisclosed capital raise to grow hypersonic vehicle production.
  • Selected, with Varda Space, for government hypersonic flight test contracts (AMCHTB 2.0 program).

• European Space Agency (ESA):

  • Signs second "Flight Ticket Initiative" contract to fly and demo new tech in orbit.
  • Missions launching from SaxaVord Spaceport, Scotland.

4. Community and Conference Announcements (08:30)

• Commercial Space Week in Florida:

  • T-Minus team onsite to cover Global Spaceport Alliance summit and more.

• Selected readouts:

  • Updates on Orbex, SLS safety concerns, and cyberspace’s next LizzieSat mission.

Featured Segment: Space Domain Awareness Deep-Dive (12:02–26:59)

Panel

• Maria Varmazes – Host, T-Minus
• Dave Bittner – Host, The CyberWire
• Brandon Karpf – Cybersecurity executive, international public/private partnerships leader

a. The Patchwork of Who Tracks What's in Space (12:20–13:50)

“Our view of what’s going on in space is not as complete as I think most people would think it is... There’s no one entity that’s in charge of tracking all this.”
—Maria Varmazes [13:00]

• Geostationary satellites: well tracked, but most of lower orbits is “patchwork.”
• Responsibility split between: Defense, Commerce Dept., private companies
• No single ‘traffic control’; data is approximate, not complete

b. The "TRAX" System and Its Shortcomings (13:51–15:16)

• TRAX is a beta system from the US Dept. of Commerce aiming to be a central repository.
• Funding scare in 2025 nearly killed it; saved after industry push.
• Still: workflow is “not great,” fragmented, not fully integrated.

"There really isn’t a great clear picture... there’s a bazillion small companies trying to add to this and are they all talking to each other? No, it’s not great."
—Maria Varmazes [14:50]

c. Why Space Awareness Is Now a Strategic Issue (15:23–22:39)

• Scaling Problem:
  • 10 years ago, 1,000 tracked satellites & “1 conjunction per day.”
  • Now: ~14,000 satellites, up to 100,000 planned, 600,000+ conjunction warnings daily!
  • No central authority for issuing conjunction alerts.
• Policy Shift:
  • December 2025 executive order (“Ensuring American Space Superiority”)
  • US to make space traffic management data free and public—though details fuzzy.

"There’s no central authority to... ensure American space supremacy, especially when it comes to traffic management."
—Brandon Karpf [17:55]

• Military/Strategic Angle:
  • Openly available data: good for safety but “democratizes” previously state-exclusive intelligence.
  • Similar to how advanced Earth observation data shifted from nation-states to private market.

d. Data Access, Commercial Roles, and Uncertainties (22:40–23:40)

• Where will commercial data fit in? Who pays? What gets shared?
• Data on small debris might be held tightly by companies “at a very premium price.”

"There are certain sizes of space debris that are so tiny but still extremely dangerous... is that information going to make it into TRAX? If it is, I imagine it’s going to come at a very premium price."
—Maria Varmazes [23:28]

e. The Looming Challenge of ‘Alert Fatigue’ and Automation (23:57–26:20)

• Exponential alert growth; not tractable by humans, just like cybersecurity now.
• Automation, orchestration, and advanced response (SOAR) as necessary tools—space sector will need to learn from cyber.

"No staff, no human staff can review all those alerts... you have to implement a layer of automation and automatic analysis."
—Brandon Karpf [25:24]

• Space/cyber analogies: Terms like “alert fatigue,” “cutting through the noise,” and SOC “ops floor” are moving into space ops.

"Talk about an opportunity for the folks in the cybersecurity industry, potentially diversifying... SOAR can now mean space operations."
—Brandon Karpf [26:08]

f. Uncertainty Remains—but Stakes Are Rising (26:41)

• Industry is “playing catch up”; policy, technology, and operations need to adapt quickly.

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• “Our view of what’s going on in space is not as complete as I think most people would think it is.” —Maria Varmazes [13:00]
• “He goes, eh, we get one like one a day maybe. ...Today we have 14,000 satellites up there...conjunction messages have increased...to over 600,000 every single day.” —Brandon Karpf [16:44–17:46]
• “It’s a little unclear where this data is coming from, how people get access to it, whether TRAX is going to be the system of record… But I think it’s a, to me right now… it’s a little unclear…” —Brandon Karpf [19:30]
• “There are certain sizes of space debris that are so tiny but still extremely dangerous that a lot of people in the private sector are trying to...detect... Is that information going to make it into TRAX? …at a very premium price.” —Maria Varmazes [23:28]
• “You have to implement a layer of automation and automatic analysis on top of that to elevate the most critical alerts or to respond automatically…” —Brandon Karpf [25:24]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:34 | Episode theme and US/EU/industry news rundown begins | | 02:05 | Vandenberg Space Force Base strategy | | 03:30 | US winter storm/budget update | | 04:40 | Paladyne/Portal contract, Stratolaunch fundraising | | 05:20 | Stratolaunch/Varda contract for hypersonic testing | | 06:30 | ESA Launch Service Contract and ‘Flight Ticket Initiative’ | | 08:30 | Major events: Commercial Space Week, conference coverage plans | | 12:02 | Space Domain Awareness Deep-Dive with Dave Bittner & Brandon Karpf | | 13:00 | How are things tracked in space? Fragmented knowledge/parallels with air traffic | | 14:00 | TRAX system—status, limitations, funding scare | | 16:05 | Karpf recounts early NRO experience; alert scaling through today’s surge | | 17:40 | 600,000+ conjunction alerts per day—implications and lacking authority | | 19:10 | Policy shift: free/public data, but access and governance unclear | | 20:33 | Strategic implications of data availability | | 23:57 | Growing challenge, alert fatigue—automation lessons from cyber | | 26:41 | “Playing catch up”—space operations must mature quickly |

Additional Updates and Community Segment (28:11)

• Artemis 2 preflight quarantine: Astronauts—including backups—start 14-day countdown to mission.
• Host reflects on snowstorms and their impact on daily life and travel to upcoming space event.

Tone and Language

The show maintains an accessible but authoritative, slightly urgent tone, mixing newsy clarity with a sense of space sector camaraderie. Maria Varmazes often injects warmth and humor while communicating the real stakes and complexity. The discussion on space awareness is frank, technical where needed, but always conversational.

Summary

This episode provides a detailed look at the infrastructural, political, and technical challenges facing the rapidly growing space sector, particularly zeroing in on the looming crisis of space traffic management. The featured discussion makes clear that exponential growth in satellites and debris—and fragmentation in how/who tracks them—demands immediate innovation, automation, and smarter policy. Meanwhile, it captures the industry’s sense of urgency, uncertainty, and opportunity for cross-pollination with sectors like cybersecurity.

This summary offers listeners a comprehensive account of current events, expert insights, and the structural issues shaping the future of space operations, even if they missed the episode itself.