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The DownLink Podcast

The DownLink
Space Force
China
Spacex
Space Economy
NASA
Golden Dome
Tariffs
Artemis Program
Donald Trump
Artificial Intelligence
Space Warfare
Missile Defense
Department Of Defense
United States
United States Space Force
War Fighting
Government Spending
U.S. Space Force
Iron Dome
Space Development Agency

From the Defense & Aerospace Report... This is The DownLink Podcast, hosted by Laura Winter. From the intersection of space, business, and defense... Not just what's over the horizon, but what's happening above it. The DownLink Podcast is 2023, 2024, and 2025 Defense Media Award-winner.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes228Founded5 years ago
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Latest Episodes

With a NATO Summit two weeks away and Washington pressing allies to take on more, Air Marshal Paul Godfrey explains how a year of executing the U.S. Space Force's International Partnership Strategy is turning allied integration from plan into practic... more

YouTube

The SpaceX IPO didn't create the appetite for space investment — it revealed it. Laura Winter speaks with Kevin O'Connell, Founder and CEO, Space Economy Rising; former Director, Office of Space Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce.

YouTube

SpaceX went public on June 12, 2026, in the largest IPO in history, valuing the rocket, satellite broadband communications, and AI company at $1.77 trillion. Laura Winter speaks with Chris Quilty, Founder and CEO of Quilty Space, George Pullen, Chief... more

YouTube

"Without rockets, nothing is going to happen." In the five years since Taiwan's Space Development Act, that island has started to build-out satellite constellations, a launch site, and has just received its first-ever invitation from NASA to contribu... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Clay Mowry
CEO of AIAA; former president of the International Astronautical Federation
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
Episode: Space Competition: AIAA's Clay Mowry On What The Commercial Sector Wants
Martin Soltau
Co-founder and CEO of Space Solar
Space Solar
Episode: Space Tech: Can Space-Based Solar Power Close the Business Case?
Richard Winslade
Chief Financial Officer at Space Solar
Space Solar
Episode: Space Tech: Can Space-Based Solar Power Close the Business Case?
Peter Krauss
President and Chief Executive Officer, Terran Orbital
Terran Orbital (Lockheed Martin subsidiary)
Episode: Space Money: Terran Orbital and the Race to Scale
Pacôme Révillon
CEO of Novaspace, described as a non-U.S. perspective on space business and national strategy
Novaspace
Episode: Space Competition: Sovereign Systems May Have Entangled Outcomes
Aaron Oesterle
Policy Director for the Space Frontier Foundation
Space Frontier Foundation
Episode: Space Competition: “March Storm” On Capitol Hill Seeks Equal Tax Treatment For Space Investors
Joel Mozer
Co-founder of Mindset; former chief scientist of the U.S. Space Force
Mindset; U.S. Space Force
Episode: Space Power: Space Force West Scholars Axed. What’s The Future for Senior Professional Military Education?
Lamont Colucci
Professor at Concordia University; director of the National Security and Space Center
Concordia University
Episode: Space Power: Space Force West Scholars Axed. What’s The Future for Senior Professional Military Education?
Lou Whiteman
The Motley Fool's stock analyst for Aerospace and Defense
The Motley Fool
Episode: Space Money: A Traders Take on Epic Fury, Valuations, and the SpaceX IPO

Host

Laura Winter
Host of The Down Link, focusing on space, business, and defense.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 43 ratings
  • Good but short

    The shows are interesting and the guests and topics are great but every episode Laura says they’re running out of time. There’s a constant need to wrap up the episode and a lot more color around the discussion of topics is leftbout.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Jk,:
    United States3 months ago
  • Best in Class Space Activities Analysis

    This is an excellent resource for accurate information and analytics concerning space issues. The moderator is excellent. Laura is great

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LarryLeibrock
    United States10 months ago
  • A Must Listen

    I followed the show now for a couple of years, and find the conversations invigorating, enlightening, and always energetic! Don’t miss the opportunity to listen as often as you can to the new content, or as I have done, go back and listen to the previous episodes. This podcast is perfect for my PhD track in Aerospace science.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    T Space Engineer
    United States2 years ago
  • Still one of my favorite podcasts

    Thank you for researching the topic and preparing well for the discussion on this podcast. The advanced work prior to the show is evident. I also, enjoy how the host keeps the conversation on topic and follows up on vague answers from guests.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    briancreighton
    United States2 years ago
  • Thank you

    Thank you for making a professional and well run podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    briancreighton
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners praise the host's preparation and on-topic focus.
Some feedback notes episodes feel tight on time but content is strong.
Guests are described as credible and informative by reviewers.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Space Competition: AIAA's Clay Mowry On What The Commercial Sector Wants
Q: What should listeners do to support the IAC bid?
Write letters of support, engage the IAF, and participate in building a regional ecosystem—emphasizing scholarships, collaboration, and regional participation, especially in the Americas.
Space Competition: AIAA's Clay Mowry On What The Commercial Sector Wants
Q: What's your view on the current state of US government–industry relationships?
There's a clear push toward faster procurement, private‑public partnerships, and a need for stable demand signals, while balancing risk with the capabilities of new entrants versus legacy primes.
Space Competition: AIAA's Clay Mowry On What The Commercial Sector Wants
Q: Clay, where are you taking AIAA?
The focus is on reinventing the organization to be digital-first, relevant across the career arc, and to mentor the next generation of aerospace professionals.
Space Money: Terran Orbital and the Race to Scale
Q: What's the rationale behind your Star Tracker initiative and how does it fit into your broader strategy?
Star Trackers provide a low-cost entry point to proven flight heritage, helping other companies accelerate their own development while Terran Orbital leverages scalable modules within its own bus architecture.
Space Money: Terran Orbital and the Race to Scale
Q: How does Terran Orbital maintain independence while being a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin?
We remain an independent, wholly owned subsidiary with commercial and civil capabilities preserved, allowing us to operate with some risk tolerance and a focus on scalable manufacturing.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The DownLink Podcast

What is The DownLink Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show surveys space, defense, and business intersections with a steady emphasis on policy, economics, and emerging technologies. Episode topics frequently include the space economy, government spending and procurement, national-security implications of space power, and the role of AI, quantum tech, and advanced sensors in military and civil space systems. Guests range from economists and policy scholars to startup founders, defense leaders, and space industry leaders, providing a mix of market analysis, strategic insights, and practical implications for contractors, policymakers, and technology providers. A standout pattern is the combination of rigorous analysis with timely geopolitical context, making it a go-to for listeners who want ... more

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How many listeners does The DownLink Podcast get?

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To see how many followers or subscribers The DownLink Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The DownLink Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The DownLink Podcast:

1. Defense & Aerospace Report
2. Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast
3. War on the Rocks
4. Net Assessment
5. Modern War Institute

How many episodes of The DownLink Podcast are there?

The DownLink Podcast launched 5 years ago and published 228 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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Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on The DownLink Podcast?

Recent guests on The DownLink Podcast include:

1. Clay Mowry
2. Martin Soltau
3. Richard Winslade
4. Peter Krauss
5. Pacôme Révillon
6. Aaron Oesterle
7. Joel Mozer
8. Lamont Colucci

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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