Space Business Podcast

#141 | In-Orbit Servicing | Adel Haddoud, Infinite Orbits

My guest this week is Adel Haddoud, Founder & CEO of Infinite Orbits, a French in-orbit servicing company. We discuss their technology, business model, and vision, as well as the broader market for satellite servicing and space sustainability. Enjoy!
🕰️ Timestamps: 
00:00 - Introduction
01:04 - Elevator Pitch 
03:30 - Origin Story
04:51 - Technological Innovations
07:35 - Core of the Company
09:15 - Computing Hardware in Space
12:47 - Market Segments and Competition
18:38 - Life Extension in Space
23:49 - Unit Economics 
26:13 - Life Extension and Docking
30:22 - OrbitGuard and Defense 
31:06 - European vs. U.S. Space Market Dynamics
33:10 - Technological Advances and Future Prospects
42:06 - The Future of Space Servicing
45:00 - Interesting Developments in the Industry
45:55 - Sci-Fi Favorites
 
📍 About the Guest:
Adel Haddoud is the Founder & CEO of Infinite Orbits, a Toulouse-based space company pioneering in-orbit services like satellite inspection and life extension. In 2024, the company raised €12 million from private and public investors, following the successful 2023 test of its OrbitGuard1 nanosatellite—the world’s first geostationary nanosatellite. Founded in 2017, Infinite Orbits has developed an innovative space rendezvous solution using in-orbit image recognition. Adel previously had a career as an entrepreneur and manager, including a stint in Silicon Valley.
🔗 Connect with Adel:
🤝 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adelhaddoud/
 
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast  
 
🔗 Follow Raphael:
🔷LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
 ◇  Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
 
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space EconomyThis book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
 edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOCThis course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
 

#140 | Mining Asteroids | Daynan Crull, Karman+

Asteroid mining is making a comeback. It may sound futuristic, but some startups are betting on a viable and economic path to making it a reality and investors are taking notice. One of those companies is Karman+, and this week, I’m joined by its Co-Founder, Daynan Crull. Enjoy!
 
🕰️ Timestamps: 
00:00 - Introduction
01:13 - Elevator Pitch
04:18 - Vision and Challenges of Asteroid Mining
06:07 - Recruitment and Team Building
07:44 - Origin Story and Motivation
12:35 - Market Timing and Investor Sentiment
19:49 - Technological and Logistical Challenges
26:12 - Geopolitical and Legal Considerations
32:11 - Mission Timeline and Milestones
36:53 - Economic Viability of Asteroid Mining
41:16 - Future Missions and Scaling Operations
45:19 - Interesting Developments in the Industry
46:15 - Sci-Fi Favorites
 
📍 About the Guest:
Daynan Crull is the Co-Founder and Mission Architect at Karman+, leading efforts to mine Near-Earth Asteroids for sustainable energy and resources. Previously, he was a Senior Data Scientist at New Light Technologies and the World Bank. From 2018 to 2020, he held data science roles at GeoPhy. Before transitioning to tech, he served in strategy and policy roles at the NYC Mayor’s Office and the Department of Information Technology & Telecommunications. Earlier, he worked at Blue State Digital and the NYC Council. Crull holds an M.S. in Urban Informatics from NYU Tandon and a B.A. from DePauw University.
🔗 Connect with Daynan:
🤝 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynan/
 
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast  
 
🔗 Follow Raphael:
🔷LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
 ◇  Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
 
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space EconomyThis book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
 edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOCThis course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
 

#139 | Space to Grow | Matthew Weinzierl & Brendan Rosseau

Space to Grow is a new book on the space economy. Its authors, Matt Weinzierl, a professor at Harvard Business School, and Brendan Rosseau, also formerly of Harvard and now in strategy at Blue Origin, are my guests this week. Enjoy!
 
Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier (Harvard Business Publishing, 2025)
https://www.amazon.com/Space-Grow-Unlocking-Economic-Frontier/dp/1647827167#:~:text=Book%20overview&text=An%20exploration%20of%20the%20dynamic,a%20commercial%20revolution%20right%20now.
 
🕰️ Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
05:16 - Building a Thriving Space Economy
09:15 - Government's Role in the Space Economy
11:07 - Regulatory and Economic Environment 
14:33 - Economies beyond Regulation
19:02 - Government Dependency in Space Markets
25:32 - Historical Parallels and Lessons for Space
30:12 - Defining a Thriving Space Economy
33:02 - Challenges and Opportunities in Space Manufacturing
35:29 - Role of Government and Private Sector in Space
41:18 - Financing the Space Economy
45:55 - Factors limiting large-scale funding in Space
53:19 - What’s next in Space?
54:45 - Sci-Fi Favorites
 
📍 About the Guests:
Matthew C. Weinzierl 
Matthew C. Weinzierl is the author of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier (Harvard Business Publishing, 2025) an American academic. He is a Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School. He has published research on taxation. He worked at McKinsey & Company after he attended Harvard University.Weinzierl earned a PhD in economics from Harvard University in 2008.
Brendan Rosseau 
Brendan Rosseau is the co-author of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier (Harvard Business Publishing, 2025), Strategy Manager at Blue Origin, and former Teaching Fellow at Harvard Business School. With experience in space consulting, policy, aerospace startups, and astrophysical research, they have a background in astronomy and economics. Former Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton supporting U.S. Space Force.
 
🔗 Connect with them on LinkedIn:
🤝Matthew Weinzierl  - https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-weinzierl-67312846/
🤝Brendan Rosseau - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendan-rosseau/
 
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast  
 
🔗 Follow Raphael:
🔷LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelrottgen/
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
 ◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
 
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space EconomyThis book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
 edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOCThis course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/

#138 | European Micro-Launch | Stanislas Maximin, Latitude

My guest this week is Stan Maximin, Founder & Executive Chairman of Latitude, a French micro-launch company. We discuss Latitude's rocket, target customers, and vision, as well as the wider launch market in Europe and globally. Enjoy!
 
🕰️ Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:28 - Elevator Pitch
02:57 - Starting a Launch Company
11:20 - The Product
16:44 - Competitive Edge
25:30 - Design Decisions & Market Strategy
35:09 - Current Status & Future Milestones
40:30 - Challenges of First Orbital Launch
43:37 - French and European Competition
52:32 - Global Space Market
55:16 - Quick Fire Questions 
57:30 - Vision for Latitude
58:27 - What’s next for Rocket Innovation?
01:00:24 - Sci-Fi Favorites
 
🔗 Connect with Stan on LinkedIn:
🤝Stanislas Maximin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanislas-maximin/
 
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast  
 
🔗 Follow Raphael:
🔷LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelrottgen/
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
 ◇  Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
 
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space EconomyThis book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
 edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOCThis course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/

#137 | Self-Assembling Space Habitats | Ariel Ekblaw, Aurelia Institute & Foundry

Ariel Ekblaw is an MIT aero-astro engineer who founded the MIT Media Lab Space Exploration Initiative, and developed a new technique to build large-scale space structures. She now runs the Aurelia Institute, a non-for-profit dedicated to building humanity’s future in space and the Aurelia Foundry, a space-focused VC fund. We talk about all of these things in this episode. Enjoy!
 
🕰️ Timestamps: 
00:00 - Introduction
01:47 - Ariel’s Background
06:07 - Self-Assembling Space Structures
10:44 - Applications of Space Real Estate
22:45 - Balancing Form and Function 
25:13 - Vision for Aurelia Foundry
26:54 - Promising Sectors for Investment
33:12 - Unexplored Space Manufacturing Use-cases
35:40 - Future of Space Urbanism
38:34 - Challenges and Concerns in Space 
41:29 - Recurrent Thoughts on Space
43:29 - Sci-Fi Favorites
 
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast  
 
🔗 Follow Raphael:
🔷LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelrottgen/
🌐Instagram - https://.instagram.com/raphael_space/
 ◇  Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
 
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space EconomyThis book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
 edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOCThis course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
 

#136: Space Piracy | Hugh Taylor & Marc Feldman

Space Piracy is a new book about the prospect of organized crime in the space sector, anything ranging from hacking for ransom payments all the way to, some time in the future, actual piracy. The book’s co-authors, Marc Feldman and Hugh Taylor are my guests Enjoy!
🕰️ Timestamps: 
00:00 Introduction
01:28 Meet the Authors: Mark Feldman and Hugh Taylor
04:10 The Genesis of the Book
05:55 Speculative Non-Fiction: Predicting Space Crime
14:53 Historical Parallels: Lessons from Terrestrial Piracy
22:53 Modern Piracy and Organized Crime
24:09 Future Threats and Governance Challenges
35:18 Actors in Space Crime: Governments, Criminals, and Companies
39:39 Preparing for Space Crime: Recommendations and Conclusions
42:17 Final Thoughts and Science Fiction
 
📍 About the Guests:
Marc Feldman and Hugh Taylor are co-authors of the forthcoming book "Space Piracy - Preparing for a Criminal Crisis in Orbit", available e.g. on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Space-Piracy-Preparing-Criminal-Crisis/dp/1394240201/
 
🔗 Connect with them on LinkedIn:
🤝 Marc Feldman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-feldman-599382243/
🤝 Hugh Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughbtaylor/
 
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast  
 
🔗 Follow Raphael:
🔷LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelrottgen/
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
◇Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
 
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space EconomyThis book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
 edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOCThis course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/

#135 | 2025 in Space Preview | Raphael & Friends

This is my preview of what the coming year 2025 may hold for the Space sector - including in launch, satcom, earth observation, lunar exploration, in-space manufacturing, science, government, finance, events, etc.
For the second half of the episode, fellow space investors Alexandra Vidyuk and Faraz Khan join me to provide their perspectives, in a roundtable format.
🕰️ Timestamps: 
00:00 - Introduction
01:11 - 2025 Space Preview: Format and Caveats
03:31 - Launch Sector
08:56 - Space Hardware and Satellite Communications
11:35 - Lunar Missions and Human Spaceflight
14:37 - Space Manufacturing 
17:30 -  Science Missions and Government
22:02 - Finance, Investments, and Space Events
26:47 - Special Guests Intro
28:00 - What is exciting in Space in 2025?
30:16 - Potential Concerns
34:07 - Beyond the U.S.
40:43 - Non-obvious Potential Events
47:03 - Wishes for the Space Sector in 2025
 
📍 About the Guests:
Alexandra Vidyuk is a General Partner at Beyond Earth Technologies investment firm in early-stage space tech, robotics, energy, future computing, and advanced materials; a Venture Partner at Aloniq, a deep tech investment firm; Editor of the Space Ambition blog on Substack.
Faraz Khan is a venture capitalist and technology expert currently serving as Founder and General Partner at Giant Step Capital, a VC firm with a number of space investments including e.g. Varda, Albedo, K2.
 
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast  
 
🔗 Follow Raphael:
🔷LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelrottgen/
🌐Instagram - https://.instagram.com/raphael_space/
 ◇  Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
 
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space EconomyThis book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
 edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOCThis course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/

#134: On-Orbit Services | Chris Blackerby, Astroscale

Astroscale is a prominent space company from Japan, focused on a variety of on-orbit services incl. active space debris removal. My guest is their Group Chief Operating Officer, Chris Blackerby.
 
🕰️ Timestamps: 
00:00 - Introduction
01:41 - Elevator Pitch
03:22 - On-Orbit Servicing Categories
06:53 - Core Competency of Astroscale: RPOD
09:00 - Tech Stack of current Mission
12:41 - Automated Space Operations and Safety
17:53 - Space Situational Awareness
20:46 - Space Debris
29:22 - Regulations
32:25 - What if we had a catastrophic event in orbit?
35:53 - Astroscale's Vision for a Circular Space Economy
38:19 - Astroscale's  Future Plans
41:10 - Astroscale's IPO
43:35 - Chris's journey from NASA to Astroscale
46:23 - U.S. vs. Japanese Space Sector 
50:34 - Other Commercial Space Opportunities
52:06 - Chris’ Sci-Fi Favorites
 
📍 About the Guest:
Chris Blackerby, Group COO of Astroscale. Astroscale is a pioneering company focused on space debris removal, ensuring the sustainability of Earth’s orbits. Based in Tokyo, Chris manages strategic planning, global operations, and the company’s activities across Japan, the UK, and the U.S. He also draws on his extensive experience as NASA’s Attache for Asia, where he forged international partnerships and advised on space policy. 
 
🔗 Connect with Chris:
🤝 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-blackerby-0111695/
 
🔗 Follow the Space Business Podcast:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast  
 
🔗 Follow Raphael:
🔷LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelrottgen/
🌐Instagram - https://.instagram.com/raphael_space/
 ◇  Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
 
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space EconomyThis book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
 edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOCThis course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/

Space Business Podcast #133 - Mike Grace, Longshot Space: Building Space Cannons

My guest this week: Mike Grace, Founder and CEO of Longshot Space. Longshot is developing a kinetic launch system, using a multi-injection gas-powered cannon to send payloads to orbit at significantly reduced costs. Mike explains the engineering behind the technology, its economic advantages, and the challenges of creating a system capable of high-velocity launches. 
🕰️ Timestamps: 
00:00 - Countdown & podcast intro
02:04 - Elevator Pitch
03:37 - Mike’s Bold Pitching Style
05:58 - German heritage
08:46 - Gerald Bull and Project Harp
10:35 - More historical references
15:12 - Longshot Space's kinetic launch system
16:15 - Technical details
19:26 - Challenges and innovations of the technology
27:16 - Single-stage to orbit feasibility
34:24 - Limitations of Rockets
35:47 - Kinetic launch and target orbits
36:59 - Kinetic launch from the Moon
39:21 - Gas handling and launch frequency
48:00 - Longshot's Vision for the Future
01:05:05 - Sci-Fi Favorites
 
📍 About the Guest:
Mike Grace, Founder and CEO of LongShot Space. After serving in the Army Mike studied economics and found himself, inexplicably, doing an astrobiology internship at NASA Ames. That ended up turning into a job, a wife, a master’s degree in genetics, and several stints at aerospace and biotech startups.
Mike enjoys board games and wearing inflatable t-rex costumes to events where they are not really appropriate.
 
🔗 Connect with Mike:
🤝 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-grace-03452614/
 
🔗 Follow us:
X: https://www.x.com/podcast_space
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐 Other Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast  
 
🔗 Follow Raphael:
🔷LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelrottgen/
🌐Instagram - https://.instagram.com/raphael_space/
 ◇  Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
 
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space EconomyThis book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
 edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOCThis course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/

Space Business Podcast #132 - Karthik Gollapudi, Sift: Complex Hardware Telemetry

My guest this week, Karthik Gollapudi, led the software team for SpaceX’s Dragon capsule. In this role, he realized the importance of monitoring complex hardware systems in order to detect faults or ideally prevent them before they even happen. That led him to become co-founder and CEO of Sift, a venture-funded startup dedicated to monitoring and analyzing hardware telemetry, and Sift is the topic of this week’s podcast. Enjoy!
Follow us:
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/podcast_space
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen/
Instagram -  www.instagram.com/raphael_space/
Learn more about space & the space economy:
SPACE ECONOMY BOOK: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" is available in e-book, paperback and audiobook formats - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
Upcoming newsletter - sign up: https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 Episode intro
01:46 Elevator Pitch02:31 What Telemetry is - for Non-Technical Audiences03:37 Telemetry Data in Space Missions06:54 Historical Context and Modern Challenges13:11 SIFT's Role in Anomaly Detection18:02 Product Details and Customer Use Cases20:43 Exploring Diverse Aerospace Ventures21:32 Market Approach22:12 Company Journey and Product Evolution23:24 Origin Story24:22 Addressing Complex Engineering Challenges27:16 Customer Feedback and Product Development29:08 Future Milestones and Vision32:45 SpaceX Alumni Ecosystem33:42 El Segundo: A Hub for Space Startups36:51 What else is interesting in Space & Sci-Fi Favorites
 

Space Business Podcast #131: John Conafay, Integrate: Complex Hardware Team Collaboration

Integrate is a venture-backed startup from Seattle who are building a platform to facilitate teams collaborating on developing complex hardware, such as space hardware. Integrate’s co-founder & CEO John Conafay is here to talk about how this was done before Integrate, how Integrate aims to improve it, and many other things about the business. Enjoy!
Follow us:
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/podcast_space
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen/
Instagram -  www.instagram.com/raphael_space/
Learn more about space & the space economy:
SPACE ECONOMY BOOK: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" is available in e-book, paperback and audiobook formats - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
Upcoming newsletter - sign up: https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 Episode intro01:20 Elevator Pitch01:47 Problem with Current Way of Doing Things03:35 Origin Story of Integrate04:18 Challenges in Space Hardware Collaboration06:31 Expanding Beyond Space: Other Industries11:34 The Future of Integrate17:05 Product Details and Customer Experience24:20 Roadmap and Vision30:18 Customer Support & Success39:34 Final Thoughts & Sci-Fi
 

Space Business Podcast #130 - Stephen Matier, Maritime Launch: Spaceports

Spaceports should become a bigger business going forward if all goes well in the space sector and we will have ever more rockets launching from ever more locations. This is why some private companies are now getting into this market. One of them is Maritime Launch from Canada, who are developing a spaceport in Novia Scotia. My guest this week, Founder & CEO Stephen Matier, will tell us all about what it takes to build a spaceport, operate it, and much more. Enjoy!
Follow us:
Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/podcast_space
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen/
Instagram -  www.instagram.com/raphael_space/
Learn more about space & the space economy:
SPACE ECONOMY BOOK: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" is available in e-book, paperback and audiobook formats - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
Upcoming newsletter - sign up: https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
Timestamps:
00:00 Episode intro
02:00 Elevator pitch
03:31 Choosing Nova Scotia for a Spaceport
04:52 Challenges and Opportunities in Spaceport Development
10:02 Environmental and Safety Considerations
14:39 Infrastructure and Logistics
17:35 Business Model
27:49 Insurance and Liability in Space Launches
29:12 Canadian Space Law and Regulations
32:29 Sea Launch
34:41 Business Development and Customer Acquisition
40:11 Financing the Spaceport
40:51 Future of Global Spaceports
45:36 Community Support and Social License
47:26 Exciting Developments in Space Exploration
49:12 Sci-Fi