Today the Late Crew discusses the first Chinese Air Taxi (09:25), the U.S. Space Force awards $13.7 billion to Blue Origin, SpaceX and ULA (13:15), Amazon’s Project Kuiper set to challenge SpaceX’s Starlink (22:19), a Hero rat sets Guinness World Record for detecting landmines (33:45), and Gen Robert E. Lee surrenders at Appomattox on 9 April 1865 (46:25).

My guest today is Air Force Chief Master Sergeant (Retired) Michelle “Taz” Zayatz. Michelle grew up in Pittsfield, MA and graduated from Taconic High School. In 1982 she joined the Air Force with an Air Force Specialty Code of 276 Aerospace Control and Warning System. Her first assignment was to the 667th Air Control and Warning Squadron at Hofn Air Station, Iceland in 1982. After completing that remote tour she was assigned to the 2nd Communications Squadron at Buckley Air National Guard base in Colorado. During this assignment, she met and married her husband, Allen. In 1986, Michelle separated from Active Duty and accompanied her husband as he finished his Active Duty career in the Air Force. Throughout their subsequent PCS moves, she continued her career by joining the Air National Guard in MS, NY and CO. In 1998, she transferred from the COANG to the Air Force Reserves and became a founding member of the 8th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley AFB. In 2006, Michelle moved to the 310th Space Group at Schriever AFB. In 2007, she requested to be reassigned to stand up the new 310th Mission Support Group in Denver. Chief Zayatz retired in 2011.

Today the Late Crew discusses how Boeing's Starliner may fly again (04:47), Booz Allen unveils ‘Brilliant Swarms’ satellite concept for missile defense (12:05), those ‘Hegseth bodyguards’ are actually there for the ‘Doomsday’ plane (22:52), how Ranger School is scrapping traditional pushups and situps for functional fitness test (29:05), a proposal to tie soldiers’ promotions more to job proficiency (38:44), and the creation of the Air Force Academy on 1 April 1954 (50:59).