This week’s On Orbit podcast is a topical look at space policy in the U.S. election. Host Rachel Jewett is joined by fellow editor Jeff Hill for a conversation with Svetla Ben-Itzhak, assistant professor of Space and International Relations and deputy director with the West Space Scholars Program at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. 

Ben-Itzhak recently wrote a piece for The Conversation about the implications of Musk’s endorsement of Donald Trump for U.S. space exploration and defense. This is an increasingly pertinent issue as reports from national news outlets like the Associated Press show that Elon Musk donated $75 million to his political action committee America PAC that is working to elect Trump. Musk has also been floated to lead a government efficiency commission in a Trump White House. 

Ben-Itzhak gives her main takeaways of space policy during President Biden’s presidency and what space policy could look like in a Kamala Harris administration or a second Trump term. The podcast also digs into the idea of Musk working or advising in a second Trump administration and the conflict of interest issues that would bring up.

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