On today’s episode, we’ll be discussing futures thinking, foresight planning as it relates to the space industry, and the importance of proactive and anticipatory policymaking in order to create more positive future outcomes for humanity both on and off Earth.

On today’s show we are joined by Kara Cunzeman, the Lead Futurist for Strategic Foresight for the Center for Space Policy and Strategy at The Aerospace Corporation. In her role, Kara is focused on cultivating formalized methodologies in futures thinking, helping the enterprise adequately prepare and proactively shape the future through innovative approaches across strategy, acquisition, S&T portfolio management, policy, and operations. Prior to working at Aerospace, Kara held roles in space systems engineering, vehicle operations, and space sensor development at Raytheon and General Atomics. She was also a key contributor to winning Phase II funding from a NASA small business in innovation (SBIR) award for extracting oxygen from lunar soil while at Packer Engineering. She received her B.S. in Multidisciplinary Engineering and M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics Engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. She is also a certified foresight practitioner and guest instructor at the Institute for the Future, the Center for Intelligence Studies, International Space University, and George Washington University.

We also want to extend a big thank you to our sponsors this year for supporting our show!

Learn more about our Gold Sponsor Multiverse Media, an integrated media company focusing on space exploration, science, and technology, and check out the Cislunar Market Opportunities report produced by NewSpace Global, a Multiverse Media property, for a snapshot and user guide to the players and opportunities ahead for the cislunar economy. To get your own copy please go to cislunar.report and use coupon code citizen10 for 10% off a single user license.

Learn more about our Silver Sponsor the Colorado School of Mines Space Resources Program, a first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary program that offers Certificate, Master of Science, and Ph.D. degrees for professionals around the world interested in the emerging field of extraterrestrial resources here.