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Main Engine Cut Off

Anthony Colangelo
NASA
Spacex
Starship
Artemis Program
Blue Origin
International Space Station
Artemis II
Commercial Space Stations
Elon Musk
Jared Isaacman
FAA
Intuitive Machines
European Space Agency
Falcon 9
Commercial Lunar Payload Services
Starliner
Mars Sample Return
Firefly Aerospace
Economics Of Space
Starlink

MECO is opinion and analysis of spaceflight, exploration, policy, and strategy, by Anthony Colangelo.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes334Founded10 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
TechnologyScienceNatural Sciences

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Artwork for Main Engine Cut Off

Latest Episodes

Blue Origin’s New Glenn blew up on LC-36 last night during a static fire test, Starship flew its 12th flight, and NASA had a series of updates on its Moon Base program, including LTV awards, launch and landing contracts, and a somewhat unexplained br... more

Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has joined Quantum Space as CEO. We talk about what the company is working on, the Ranger spacecraft, how they fit into the industry, where he sees their market going, and what it’s like to be a former NASA A... more

Neel Kunjur, Co-Founder and CTO of K2 Space, joins me to talk about their hardware in space today, how their vision and plans have evolved over the past few years, and how industry changes like the push for orbital data centers have impacted their fu... more

The show turned 10 last Monday, so I thought it would be fun to have our good friend Jake Robins on to look back at where we were then, what’s happened since, and what that teaches us about the future.

This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought ... more

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Jim Bridenstine
Former NASA Administrator, CEO of Quantum Space
Quantum Space
Episode: T+332: Quantum Space (with Jim Bridenstine, CEO)
Neel Kunjur
Co-Founder and CTO of K2 Space
K2 Space
Episode: T+331: Checking in on K2 (with Neel Kunjur, Co-Founder and CTO)
Ghonhee Lee
Founder and CEO at Katalyst Space
Katalyst Space
Episode: T+329: Katalyst Space and the Mission to Boost Swift (with Ghonhee Lee, Founder and CEO)
Pam Melroy
Former NASA Deputy Administrator; Shuttle Commander
NASA
Episode: T+328: Pam Melroy, Former NASA Deputy Administrator and Space Shuttle Commander
Paul Fjeld
NASA artist during the Apollo program; involved in mission patches and historical context
NASA (Apollo era) / Smithsonian
Episode: T+327: Artemis II, the Lunar Flyby Edition (with Paul Fjeld)
Tom Mueller
Founder and CEO of Impulse Space
Impulse Space
Episode: T+324: Impulse Space (with Tom Mueller, Founder and CEO)
Loren Grush
Space industry reporter at Bloomberg
Bloomberg
Episode: T+322: SpaceX Acquires xAI as it Prepares for IPO, Blue Origin Cancels New Shepard, and Artemis II Delayed (with Loren Grush)
Casey Dreier
The Planetary Society
The Planetary Society
Episode: T+320: NASA’s FY2026 Budget, the Isaacman Era, and the Eve of Artemis II (with Casey Dreier)
General Chance Saltzman
Chief of Space Operations, US Space Force
United States Space Force
Episode: T+318: General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force

Host

Anthony Colangelo
Host focusing on analysis, policy, and industry dynamics in spaceflight.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 769 ratings
  • Best space podcast bar none

    MECO is the only podcast that I am genuinely excited every time a new episode drops. Thanks for the great coverage! I appreciate both the space nerd and space fandom aspects of the podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    HypersonicCow
    United Statesa month ago
  • Excellent source of space news, good and challenging interviews with people in the industry, and Anthony has a great sense of where the industry is and where it is headed. His predictions consistently hit the mark.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    CallMeKenneth
    6 months ago
  • Make time for this

    Anthony is a warm, funny and thoughtful host. Esp for those w/o a strong technical background, this is the way to stay informed on whats happening in space. There’s a “human first” approach here, which means you’ll always be enjoying the ride.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    venkabanks
    United States2 years ago
  • Wonderful space podcast

    One of the best space podcasts, maybe the best. Anthony has insightful in depth coverage of the launch industry and broader space sector.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BrianOak
    United States2 years ago
  • Go MECO!

    Huge fan of this one, always meaningful and with interesting insights. I like the fact that it does not have a defined frequency, but Anthony will comment most of the time within a week of any significant development. So when an episode is out, you know it is going to be worth it. And I never let an episode without listening for more than a few days. Keep up the good work Anthony!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    glionzion
    Spain2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Accessible without sacrificing technical sophistication.
Goes beyond surface news to explain implications for industry and budgets.
Insightful and engaging, with a human-first approach.
Consistently high-quality guests and informed analysis.
Excellent depth on complex space policy and industry topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

T+332: Quantum Space (with Jim Bridenstine, CEO)
Q: What motivated Jim Bridenstine to join Quantum Space and how does he view the company's direction?
Bridenstine describes joining Quantum Space as a continuation of his focus on high-energy, maneuverable space architectures and national-security applications, emphasizing the need for spacecraft that can operate with 'maneuver without regret' and be sensor-agnostic while integrating with a broader national security framework.
T+329: Katalyst Space and the Mission to Boost Swift (with Ghonhee Lee, Founder and CEO)
Q: What makes this mission a proof of concept for a broader future, and how do you envision scaling this beyond Swift?
Lee emphasizes that this mission is a statement about possibility, not a one-off cash grab. By owning the full system and modular payload strategy, Katalyst can service multiple customers with a single platform, enabling life extension and future missions from LEO to GEO and beyond. The focus is on economics and use cases, showing that robotic servicing can be repeatable, scalable, and integrated with both commercial and national-security missions, potentially extending satellites like Hubble in the future.
T+329: Katalyst Space and the Mission to Boost Swift (with Ghonhee Lee, Founder and CEO)
Q: What originally drew you to pursuing robotic servicing and how did Katalyst come to work with NASA on this Swift mission?
The founders saw a clear pathway from industrial robotics to space, recognizing a big industry gap for practical servicing missions. Lee explains that Katalyst aimed to create pragmatic, repeatable servicing capabilities rather than chasing a grand, high-cost mission; acquiring another company helped unify hardware, software, and contracts into a single, capable team. The team demonstrated the ability to move from a napkin sketch to a flight-ready system within a tight nine-month window, earning NASA's trust for the Swift mission.
T+318: General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force
Q: How do you think the US Space Force can adapt to the increasing threats posed by China's space program?
General Saltzman emphasizes the importance of agility and speed in adapting to new technologies and threats.
T+318: General Chance Saltzman, Chief of Space Operations, United States Space Force
Q: What is your opinion on the need for acquisition reform?
General Saltzman believes that the effort to reform acquisition processes is crucial for adapting to fast-changing military needs.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
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Frequently Asked Questions About Main Engine Cut Off

What is Main Engine Cut Off about and what kind of topics does it cover?

MECO delivers thoughtful analysis and informed commentary on spaceflight, policy, and industry dynamics, anchored by host Anthony Colangelo. Episodes frequently feature high-profile guests from NASA, industry startups, space policy groups, and military space leadership, offering insider perspectives on Artemis, commercial space, and in-space capabilities. Listeners can expect a balance of technical context, strategic implications, and candid assessments of budgets, partnerships, and governance shaping the near- and mid-term space landscape. A notable strength is the blend of policy lore, historical context, and frontline industry updates, often with a clear stance and accessible explanations that appeal to professionals and space enthusiast... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Main Engine Cut Off?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Main Engine Cut Off:

1. Off-Nominal
2. Are We There Yet?
3. Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science
4. This Week in Space (Audio)
5. Universe Today Podcast

How many episodes of Main Engine Cut Off are there?

Main Engine Cut Off launched 10 years ago and published 334 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Main Engine Cut Off?

Recent guests on Main Engine Cut Off include:

1. Jim Bridenstine
2. Neel Kunjur
3. Ghonhee Lee
4. Pam Melroy
5. Paul Fjeld
6. Tom Mueller
7. Loren Grush
8. Casey Dreier

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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