From Sputnik’s shock to Silicon Valley’s surge, the space race has been reborn, this time driven not just by governments, but by agile startups and bold private capital. In this episode, host Puran Choudhary talks to Eric Stallmer, Executive Vice President at Voyager Space and a decorated US combat veteran who unpacks how Starlab aims to succeed the ISS, why smaller firms are winning billion-dollar defense contracts, and how AI could redefine orbital research. As the U.S. pours $25 billion into missile defense and India nurtures 300+ space startups, a new transnational corridor is emerging. Space is no longer symbolic prestige; it is infrastructure, security, commerce and collaboration, shaping the next frontier of global power and innovation.

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