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Main Engine Cut Off

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

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

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes343Founded11 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Natural SciencesScienceTechnology

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Artwork for Main Engine Cut Off

Latest Episodes

NASA laid out its plans for Artemis III and IV, including dramatically different paths to the Moon for Blue Moon and Starship. I dig into the complexity and sustainability of both architectures, the ever-changing role of SLS, and then into the big fe... more

Caleb Henry, Director of Research at Quilty Space, joins me (in studio!) to talk about the growing launch shortage, which new rockets are best positioned to fill the gap, and how SpaceX is separating itself from the launch market as the rest of the i... more

NASA and Boeing laid out Starliner’s return-to-flight plan as SpaceX prepares to leave Dragon behind. I talk through the weak demand signal for crewed flight in LEO, how NASA’s commitment to the ISS and commercial stations boxed themselves into this ... more

SpaceX officially announced Starbase Louisiana, and I break down why the site fits Starship’s launch, landing, and orbital architecture so perfectly. I also look at the transition from Falcon to Starship, and the new launch vehicles on the verge of d... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Caleb Henry
Director of Research at Quilty Space
Quilty Space
Episode: T+341: The Launch Shortage, SpaceX Going Alone (with Caleb Henry)
Andrew Jones
Correspondent at SpaceNews, writer at Space.com
SpaceNews / Space.com
Episode: T+338: Zhuque-3, Long March 10B, Chang’e-7 (with Andrew Jones)
Justin Fiaschetti
Co-Founder & CEO of Inversion Space
Inversion Space
Episode: T+337: Inversion Space (with Justin Fiaschetti, Co-Founder and CEO)
Winnie Lai
Founder and CEO of Auriga Space
Auriga Space
Episode: T+335: Auriga Space (with Winnie Lai, Founder and CEO)
Matt Gjertsen
Founder/CEO of BILT (formerly Better Every Day Studios)
BILT
Episode: T+334: SpaceX the Outlier, and Organization Leadership (with Matt Gjertsen)
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

Host

Anthony Colangelo
Spaceflight, exploration, policy, and strategy commentator; design and development agency owner

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 784 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 States6 months 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
    a year 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
    Spain3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Coverage makes technical, political, and business developments understandable without oversimplifying them.
Anthony is described as warm, funny, thoughtful, and an effective interviewer and storyteller.
Listeners appreciate timely commentary that addresses setbacks and failures alongside progress.
Listeners value the detailed, informed analysis of spaceflight, the launch industry, NASA policy, and commercial space.
The mix of informed opinion, industry context, and strong guests is a recurring draw.

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+341: The Launch Shortage, SpaceX Going Alone (with Caleb Henry)
Q: What are your expectations for Starship in the future?
Henry is watching whether Starship can reach its advertised payload capacity and whether SpaceX will make it available to outside customers, while noting that the company may keep focusing on its own constellation and retain Falcon rockets for military missions.
T+341: The Launch Shortage, SpaceX Going Alone (with Caleb Henry)
Q: So where do we stand? What do we do about it?
Henry says the industry needs several launch providers rather than a single backup, and that new providers must achieve repeatable operations and meaningful launch cadence to ease the shortage.
T+337: Inversion Space (with Justin Fiaschetti, Co-Founder and CEO)
Q: So what were the things, you know, as you worked through those early days and the early days of the company, what were the things that you found were the biggest issue to solve to unlock the opportunity?
The biggest early challenge was figuring out how to deploy from space in a way that provides broad ground coverage with a single vehicle while achieving precise landing, which guides the core product direction for Arc.
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.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
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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?

Spaceflight analysis connects launch vehicles, exploration programs, commercial markets, and government policy, with particular attention to how technical choices and funding decisions shape the industry. Episodes alternate between Anthony Colangelo's detailed solo commentary on major developments and interviews with founders, executives, journalists, former government leaders, and technical experts. Conversations examine both the engineering and the business or strategic stakes, from launch capacity and lunar missions to satellite servicing and emerging space companies. The coverage is informed and specific without being limited to technical specialists: complex policy and industry questions are explained in accessible terms, while setback... 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. Planetary Radio: Space Exploration, Astronomy and Science
3. This Week in Space (Audio)
4. Houston We Have a Podcast
5. Are We There Yet?

How many episodes of Main Engine Cut Off are there?

Main Engine Cut Off launched 11 years ago and published 343 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. Caleb Henry
2. Andrew Jones
3. Justin Fiaschetti
4. Winnie Lai
5. Matt Gjertsen
6. Jim Bridenstine
7. Neel Kunjur
8. Ghonhee Lee

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