In semi-retirement, Ladwig is the chief of To Orbit Productions, an independent company that provides consulting services and lectures on space issues, as well the creation of folk art based on space themes. He also serves on the Board of Directors of STAR HARBOR, a R&D, spaceflight training, and education startup company. 

In 2019 Ladwig published See You in Orbit? Our Dream of Spaceflight, a comprehensive history and glimpse of the future of space tourism. The book covers what has been promised for the past 80 years about the general public’s ability to fly in space.

He served three terms at NASA Headquarters. As a political appointee of the Obama Administration, he was the head of Public Outreach. During the Clinton Administration Ladwig was associate administrator of the Office of Policy and Plans. As a civil servant from 1981 to 1989, he held positions in the Office of Education, the Office of Space Flight, and the Office of Exploration. He managed the Shuttle Student Involvement Program and the Spaceflight Participant Program, which included the Teacher in Space and Journalist in Space competitions.  

He was chief operating officer during the startup phase of the Zero Gravity Corporation. As vice president of Washington Operations, he established and managed Space.com’s Washington Bureau where he authored stories for its website and an opinion column, “Are We There Yet?” for Space Illustrated magazine.  

In this episode, Ben and Alan discuss predictions on Space tourism, the overview effect community and the importance of storytelling beyond the "Space choir"!

OUTLINE:

Here’s approximate timestamps for the episode.

00:00 Intro to episode - Alan Ladwig

00:54 Alan’s career

06:05 See You in Orbit ( https://www.amazon.com/s?k=See+You+in+Orbit+Our+Dream+of+Spaceflight&ref=nb_sb_noss_2 )

10:25 Space Tourism predictions (SpaceX, Blue Origin, Axiom, Virgin Galactic)

17:20 The Overview Effect community

24:01 Dear Moon

25:50 Future predictions of Space tourism 

31:00 Advice to young people - See you in orbit!

33:00 Wrap up and socials

Follow Alan Ludwig:

X: https://twitter.com/SpaceArtAl

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpaceArtAl/

Buy Alan's Book: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=See+You+in+Orbit+Our+Dream+of+Spaceflight&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

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