Season 4, Episode 9: “The Case for American Indians in Space: Dan Hawk (Oneida), Principal Scientist at United First Nations Planetary Defense”

Season 4 4 mai 2023 Affichages : 1163

“What might the first World Indigenous Skyworld Space Stations look like? We think in circles with no beginning or end. We go into space as a human right and right of self-determination. We go into space for development, exploration, and cultural preservation.”

These are the words and the vision of my guest, Dan Hawk of the Oneida Nation, and Principal Scientist at United First Nations Planetary Defense who answers the question for me, “Why should Native Americans go into space?” The answer goes well beyond going to the moon and to Mars and beyond. This is about helping national security and all Indigenous populations. A program for Native Americans in space is the way into space for other communities as well. And Dan is pioneering the way for such a program for our Indigenous people.

Today, you’ll hear from Dan about:

Who owns space
The Oneida people
Stories of Dan’s ancestors
What is “space sovereignty”
United First Nations Planetary Defense
Growing up on the Oneida Reservation in Wisconsin
A view of the dust bowl you may not have heard about
The story about what inspired Dan to go into his profession
Dan’s work with NASA, his support of the Montana Space Grant, and more
The story of the Golden Eagle Rocket that’s now in the Smithsonian institute
How an American Indian space program can help Missing & Murdered Indigenous People