Part 10/16:
Garrett discusses the thrust toward commercialization and the shift from government-only space efforts. NASA’s partnerships with private companies like SpaceX and Boeing are reshaping the landscape. The increased decision speed, innovation, and reduced bureaucracy at companies like SpaceX allow for rapid advancements, such as the development of the reusable Starship, capable of launching to Mars and beyond.
He elaborates on concepts like nuclear thermal propulsion, which could drastically reduce travel time to distant planets, and in-situ resource utilization—producing fuel from Martian atmosphere and ice. These technological breakthroughs could make prolonged missions and colonization a reality within decades.