Guest:  Jim Muncy; Topics: Human spaceflight, space policy for 2020, space settlement goas and directions, space vision and settlement importance, and more.

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We welcomed Jim Muncy back to the show for an important policy and what became a key space settlement program and discussion for a two segment two hour discussion. Note that once again I read sponsor messages during the break between the first and second segment.

We started the discussion with my asking Jim if he thought this time around we would make it to a return to the Moon.  This opened a rather detailed analysis offered by our guest regarding Artemis, the lunar effort, the Gateway, rockets including SLS and big private rockets, commercial lunar landers and the 2024 time line plus the later timeline in 2028.  Jim had much to say about the politics of the 2024 timeline plus the importance of setting a timeline line goal for without such a goal we would not go anyplace.  This discussion covered a good portion of the first segment so don't miss any of it.

Following the introductory discussion mentioned above, I asked our guest about the newly created space force and what it might look like in 2020.  Once again, Jim offered us a good analysis of the space force and how it might evolved.  Don't miss the options he gave us for a possible direction for the space force this year and then beyond.  As part of this discussion I asked Jim about the possible Chinese influence on our national space policy plus the Chinese space vision as compared to our vision. Once again Jim had lots to say so don't miss this part of the discussion.  The Chinese element came up several times during our discussion and toward the end of the program, Jim shared his thoughts with us on the space vision evidenced by all the leading state players in space development.  Part of this discussion focused on the new small Chinese commercial launch companies and the commercial opportunity being exploited by China plus how we might respond it.  Don't miss this discussion.

Todd sent in an email about space settlement and the need for it being a national issue or not.  Jim outlined the legal issues around NASA and the government about advocate and/or enabling space settlement.  Be sure to listen carefully to Jim's explanation because it might very well be different from what you think it is or have heard what it is from others.  Jim spent much of the rest of the program on space settlement from top to bottom .He provided us with detailed and sometimes very long monologs on the value and importance and way to go about space settlement as a national priority.  Included in his message was what he considered to be the proper role for NASA and congress.  I believe this lengthy space settlement discussion for most of the rest of our program today was one of the most important settlement discussions had on recent Space Show programs.  We did have callers plus several emails,  all of which assisted Jim in making sure his comments, analysis and recommendations were to the point, succinct and inspiring.  Don't miss the call by Michael Listner, the Article 9 discussion, and the later call by Fremont John on additional relevant issues.

During this lengthy monolog and discussion, Jim cited examples to support what he was saying. His examples were in the way of his telling stories from his past experience.  If you are not familiar with Jim  Muncy stories, you will certainly be left wanting more after you hear his multiple story examples on This Space Show program.

In the second segment, Jim continued discussing space settlement and the role of the US congress.  Later in the segment, I asked him what was on the 2020 docket for commercial space, space policy and HSF.  He mentioned that the year would be significant with the two suborbital companies and the two orbital venture.  He was referencing Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin for suborbital and Boeing and SpaceX for orbital.  He summarized the past 16 years of waiting for this point in time to take place.

Marshall called to talk about engineering space food and agriculture plus growing food in space.  Marshall and Jim had a give and take discussion about this plus Jim provided a glimpse of a possible future with development and outputs along the lines Marshall was talking about.  Jim then provided us with another of his examples by way of a story, this time about John Pike, the ISS and the O'Neill vision.  He mentioned Tom Braden and getting it about a blue collar future in space.  Don't miss Jim explaining this to us.

As we were approaching the end of the program, an email arrived from Martha asking Jim for a progress report on how we were doing regarding developing space settlement.  Jim said we were making progress but be sure to listen to all of what our guest said in reply to Martha. Our guest then told us yet another story regarding the Augustine Commission and human spaceflight. 

Additional second segment topics included the Chinese vision, how they see the role of China through history and the similarities with space and their artificial island development in the South China Sea.  Jim went on to talk about the space vision for ESA, Japan, Russia, and India plus of course the U.S.

Before ending, our guest got a question about the potential presidential race this year and how it might impact space.  Jim then offered concluding comments and said that 2020 was going to  be a very exciting year for space. 

Please post your comments/questions on TSS blog for this show. You can reach Jim Muncy through me or his many web contacts for his company, PoliSpace.