Guest: Esther Dyson. Topics: Space investments, commercial space, NewSpace, business opportunities in space. Please note that you are invited to comment, ask questions, and discuss the Space Show program/guest(s) on the Space Show blog, http://thespaceshow.wordpress.com. Comments, questions, and any discussion must be relevant and applicable to Space Show programming. Visits Esther Dyson's website, www.edventure.com. Also visit the NASA Advisory Council website at www.nasa.gov/offices/nac/home/index.html. Our topics for this program included commercial space, business, engineering, STEM education, NewSpace, and investing. Early on we talked about the confrontational situation within congress and how it impacts NASA and our space program. Space entrepreneurism was mentioned, federal money to NewSpace companies was talked about, and we discussed space angel investors. Esther talked about liquidity issues in space investments, public and private companies, and then several questions about Bigelow Aerospace came in. Toward the end of the first segment, Esther was asked about the proposed new ATK-Astrium Liberty Launch Vehicle and synthetic biology. We started our second segment with a more involved synthetic biology discussion which you do not want to miss. Here, Ms. Dyson talked about terreforming as well as altering molecules to help evolve activities on the Moon or Mars. She also mentioned that here on Earth we are working in this direction with biofuels and she said we will need biology in space, not just manufacturing and the bending of metal. Later in this segment, our guest was asked about space business plans and the long term nature of space investments. Several listeners asked Ms. Dyson for her thoughts on investing, different companies or markets, but we were not on the air to give out investment advice which we did not do. Esther did mention some of the companies she has invested in and earlier in our discussing, she mentioned that she was about a third into space but also into other areas including Russian activities and the health care field. Tax incentives for space development were mentioned and then Esther was asked about her Cosmonaut Training in Russia. For sure listen to what she had to say about this training, space sickness, the centrifuge and pulling 8 G's, her place in the Soyuz, and much more. In our last segment, Esther talked about the NASA Advisory Council and the Technology and Innovation Committee of which she is a member. Toward the end of the show, our guest was asked about SSP and alternative launch capabilities. This prompted her to discuss the Dyson Sphere regarding space energy, a concept originally described by her father. If you have a question or comment for Esther Dyson, please post it on the blog URL above. You can also email Ms. Dyson at edyson@boxbe.com.
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