80: Studying Commercial Space with Dr. Andy Aldrin

Dr. Andrew Aldrin is Director of the Aldrin Space Institute at Florida Institute of Technology. ASI is a multidisciplinary institute created to advance commercial space development.

On the podcast, Andy tells Beth and the Casual Space listeners about the Graduate Certificate in Commercial Space Studies. It's a partnership between the International Space University and Florida Tech. Beth and Andy also discuss seeing the Falcon Heavy Launch in person last summer, why communicating what's happening in the space industry effectively is so important, and Andy tells Beth where he would like to go in space, and what he would pay a significant amount of money to do in space!

About the Graduate Certificate in Commercial Space Studies: This space-focused, multidisciplinary program is only graduate-level certificate of its kind in the U.S., and provides rigorous, practical training in the nuances of space finance, policy, management, technology and entrepreneurship. Master's students and young professionals from around the world will gain valuable academic and real-world insight to spark economic innovation in the fast-emerging commercial space industry.

ISU (International Space University) Center for Space Entrepreneurship: https://www.fit.edu/isucse/

About International Space University: https://www.isunet.edu/

About Andy Aldrin:

Prior to FIT, Dr. Aldrin was President of Moon Express, responsible for day to day operations for the company. Dr. Aldrin also held executive positions in more traditional aerospace industry, serving as Director of Business Development and Advanced Programs at United Launch Alliance where he oversaw development of corporate strategies, business capture, senior customer relations and advanced program development for civil space markets.

Before ULA, Dr. Aldrin headed Business Development and Advanced Programs for Boeing's NASA Systems, and Launch Services business units. He has also served on the professional research staff of the RAND Corporation and the Institute for Defense Analyses.