Seven, six, five, four stage engine start.

Three, two, one, and lift off.

We've grown with good night, good luck, and God bless all of you on the good earth.

Welcome to Next Giant Leap, a podcast from GZero's Blue Circle Studio,

and produced in partnership with MDA Space.

I'm Mike Massimino, Columbia Engineering Professor and former NASA astronaut.

And I'm Mike Greenlee, CEO of MDA Space,

a global leader in communication satellites, Earth and Space Observation, and Space Exploration and Infrastructure.

Look up! You might not see them, but there are thousands of satellites in orbit above Earth.

They play a role in countless aspects of modern life, from your GPS to how we grow the food we eat.

They have made our world more connected and convenient than ever before.

But that convenience comes with a new kind of vulnerability, because every one of those satellites

can be jammed, hacked, blinded, or even destroyed.

In a world that is increasingly reliant on space-based technology, space defense has become

a significant military priority.

Many countries are investing in new research and innovations aimed at protecting the safety

of their citizens. Today on Next Giant Leap, we're exploring the role of space citizens. Today, on Next Giant Leap,

we're exploring the role of space and military operations all over the world.

From communications and navigation to surveillance, intelligence, and precision targeting,

we'll discuss the specific tools and practices that militaries have adopted in space

and what we can expect for the future

of defense.

...