How the World Agreed to Go Farther - Episode 79

NASA’s Meredith McKay discusses how diplomacy, trust, and international cooperation are helping turn ambitious space missions into reality.

In this episode, Host Rick Crandall talks with Meredith McKay, Deputy Associate Administrator in NASA’s Office of International and Interagency Relations, about the partnerships behind humanity’s next steps into space. From the hard-earned lessons of the International Space Station to Artemis and the growing community of nations signing the Artemis Accords, McKay explains how cooperation on Earth becomes exploration in space. This one is going to be cool!

What you'll hear:

• NASA diplomacy behind the scenes: How a team of fewer than 50 people helps scientists, engineers, governments, and space agencies build successful partnerships
• Reworking the International Space Station: McKay recalls helping negotiate a new assembly plan after the loss of Columbia reduced the remaining shuttle flights from 28 to 18
• What makes international cooperation last: Why shared goals, clearly defined responsibilities, and benefits for every participating nation give partnerships staying power
• Lessons from 25 years aboard the ISS: How trust and open communication have sustained one of the most complex international projects ever attempted
• The transition beyond the space station: How NASA is helping prepare commercial destinations and a new economy in low Earth orbit
• What makes Artemis different from Apollo: The international crews, spacecraft, rovers, payloads, and surface systems supporting a long-term return to the Moon
• What the Artemis Accords actually do: How their principles put the Outer Space Treaty into practice through peaceful exploration, scientific cooperation, astronaut assistance, and coordination on the lunar surface
• Building the future together: Why listening, remaining open to unexpected opportunities, and “rowing in the same direction” may be as important as any spacecraft or technology

Learn More:

• Read the full show notes on the Wings Over the Rockies website
• Donate to Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum
• Subscribe and leave a review to support the show

This episode is supported in part by United Airlines.