Space Business Podcast
Space is rapidly growing into an exciting ecosystem for business. In this podcast we hear from entrepreneurs, executives, investors and others about the many opportunities that exist. This podcast is produced by the Space Business Institute in partnership with the International Space University.
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Episodes
Friday Sep 15, 2023
Friday Sep 15, 2023
Our guest this week is building a lunar rover. Jaret Matthews is the CEO & Founder of Astrolab, based in Hawthorne, CA. He was previously at SpaceX and also at JPL, where he worked on Mars rovers. Come join us to hear all about planetary rovers! https://astrolab.space/
SPACE ECONOMY BOOK: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
Upcoming newsletter - sign up: https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
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:
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro2:21 Elevator Pitch3:11 "Last Mile" on the Moon5:27 Flex rover in the context of other rovers9:10 Payloads11:30 Scaling challenges13:46 Autonomy15:33 "Off-road" capability19:23 Vehicle specs22:23 Vehicle lifetime and surviving on the Moon29:34 Spare parts33:06 Infrastructure34:22 Main use cases38:27 Vision for mobility landscape on the Moon41:37 The motivation behind Astrolab46:46 What else is interesting in the space sector48:15 What could be the "first killer app" for the Moon?50:07 Sci-Fi
Thursday Aug 17, 2023
Thursday Aug 17, 2023
Space Traffic Management continues to be a hot topic as we keep on hearing about companies like SpaceX having to execute large numbers of collision avoidance maneuvers. Portugal-based Neuraspace is focused on this and has raised a significant amount of money already to build their AI-based platform. COO Chiara Manfletti is our guest this week. Enjoy!
JUST OUT: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
Upcoming newsletter - sign up: https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
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:
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro2:09 Elevator pitch3:00 Defining SSA, SDA, STM, etc.5:43 How much we actually know10:06 Data availability and gaps12:28 Customers and market adoption15:36 How concerned should satellite operators be?17:22 Why aren't we seeing collisions all the time?21:56 Active debris removal and the "tragedy of commons" in space24:53 Business model27:00 Right of way32:49 Regulation34:45 Incentives and insurance39:55 Customers40:17 Vision for Neuraspace41:08 Use of funds42:42 The Portuguese space ecosystem44:46 How Chiara got involved with Neuraspace47:47 What else is interesting in space?49:18 Sci Fi
Monday Aug 07, 2023
Monday Aug 07, 2023
Alcohol in Space 🍸 – that is actually the title of an existing book, written by Chris Carberry, who is also the CEO of Explore Mars. Chris is our guest this week and we’re talking about everything alcohol in space – from the history of liquor consumption in space, over its effects in microgravity, all the way to what kind of drinks we may produce in space in the future. Cheers & enjoy!
JUST OUT: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
Upcoming newsletter - sign up: https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
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:
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast
Alcohol in Space - the book: https://www.amazon.com/Alcohol-Space-Past-Present-Future/dp/147667924X
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
2:22 Chris background
3:49 The history of alcohol in Space
8:47 Taste in space
11:57 Alcohol on private missions like Ax-3
13:09 Current rules
14:04 Religious use
14:53 Reasons for current prohibition
17:04 Physiological impact of alcohol in space
18:25 Fully private missions
20:17 Upcoming space stations
22:20 Examples of liquor companies interested in space
25:30 Space Cargo Unlimited and its wine on the ISS
28:12 Producing alcohol in space
32:32 Potential future for alcohol in space
36:15 Sub-Orbital spaceflights
38:09 Other alcohol-related space business opportunities
40:38 Chris's favorite drink
41:03 Drinks that are connected to places in space
42:27 Sci-Fi and alcohol in space
Friday Jul 28, 2023
Friday Jul 28, 2023
Do you want to send your DNA to space - to orbit, or to the Moon? You can already do that: LifeShip is a California-based startup offering that service. They have already sold thousands of their kits. Hear about their story from founder Ben Haldeman, who was also an early employee at Planet, the well-known Eartly observation company. Enjoy!
JUST OUT: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
Upcoming newsletter - sign up: https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
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:
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
2:12 Elevator Pitch
3:33 Origin story
5:51 From inspiration to product
7:24 The product
8:50 First Space missions
10:18 Customer motivation
14:00 Go to market
15:42 Customer demographics
17:25 What the customer gets
18:42 Future missions
21:49 What if Aliens find it?
23:23 Bureaucracy and restrictions
24:46 How to protect DNA in space
26:08 Vision
29:31 Potential future products
31:59 Funding
33:21 B2B element
35:50 What else is interesting in space?
37:58 Sci-Fi
Friday Jul 21, 2023
Friday Jul 21, 2023
Big satellites, REALLY big satellites – for the age of Starship. That is what our guest company this week is working on – K2 Space from Long Beach, CA - and they just raised an $8.5MM seed round. I talk to their co-founder Karan Kunjur about their satellite platform, its potential use cases, and much more. Enjoy!
JUST OUT: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
Upcoming newsletter - sign up: https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
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:
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
2:08 Elevator pitch
2:48 K2's satellite platforms
5:05 Testing large satellites
6:14 Tech challenges
8:35 Operational orbit
10:10 Space debris
12:00 Origin story of K2
14:56 Use cases
18:19 Fitting in with emerging trends
22:41 Proving your use cases and building the market
24:49 Vertical integration
27:03 Propulsion
29:26 Business model
30:51 Timeline
32:32 Hosting
34:00 Vision
37:05 Future of the satellite industry
39:25 Advice for joining the space sector
41:25 What else is interesting in the space sector?
43:04 Sci-Fi
Monday Jul 17, 2023
Monday Jul 17, 2023
Sex in Space – I feel like I don’t need to say anything else about this episode. But jokes aside – besides sexual health being an important issue on long duration space missions in general, one important topic is the question of reproduction in space. We touch upon these topics and more in my conversation with Simon Dubé, a post-doctoral researcher at the Kinsey Institute at Indiana University on the topic of space sexology. Enjoy!Relevant article:
"Sexual Health in Space: a 5-year Scoping Review" -https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11930-023-00368-9"Technology-Based Sexualities"-
JUST OUT: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
Upcoming newsletter - sign up: https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
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:
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
2:23 Simon's background
3:36 Erotic interactions in space
6:28 Articles about space sexology
7:46 Sex in space?
11:26 Artificial suppression in astronauts
13:14 Specific lines of research
19:25 Research methodology
25:06 Similar situations on Earth
31:58 Dream research project
36:03 Intimacy briefing for space explorers
39:11 The "mechanics"
44:03 Reproduction in space
51:22 Work to be done
52:00 Sci-Fi
Friday Jul 07, 2023
Friday Jul 07, 2023
We finally have a space startup from Asia (excl. Middle East) on the podcast. Many of you probably did not know that there is a late-stage space startup in Thailand. Mu Space is a Series C stage company manufacturing smallsats and their components. I caught up with their founder & CEO James Yenbamroong in person at the Mu Space headquarter office when I passed through Bangkok this week. Enjoy!
JUST OUT: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
Upcoming newsletter - sign up: https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
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:
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro2:44 Elevator pitch3:09 Origin story5:54 Thai space ecosystem8:15 Supply chain and doing things from scratch9:39 Vertical integration11:42 Mu Space's satellite platforms13:04 Use cases14:40 Smallsats vs. cubesats17:00 Power18:45 More use cases21:18 On-board computing24:06 First missions27:10 Launch companies in Asia31:00 Regulatory restrictions33:34 Funding34:55 Satellite production and volume manufacturing39:08 Time from order to shipping42:00 Customers44:23 The Thai Food Space Mission 48:46 Mu Space's battery tech50:16 Trends in satellite manufacturing and lay of the land56:27 On-board propulsion systems58:58 Space-as-a-service01:01:05 Vision for Mu Space01:04:33 If James wasn't doing Mu Space, what would he do in space?01:06:25 Sci-Fi
Sunday Jun 18, 2023
Sunday Jun 18, 2023
Impulse Space is a new startup focused on space logistics, including last-mile payload delivery. The company has a first mission scheduled for fall this year, and also announced a private Mission to Mars jointly with Relativity last year. We touch upon all of this and a lot more in my conversation with their COO Barry Matsumori. Enjoy!
JUST OUT: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
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:
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast
0:00 Intro2:05 Elevator Pitch2:34 Mission architecture3:45 The first mission5:01 Vehicle architecture/strategy8:05 Vision for In-space services13:37 Economic viability of small&medium launchers16:18 View of the land on OTV companies17:52 Primary users and use cases20:07 Revenue model20:53 The Mars mission23:02 Financing and pricing26:14 Tech needed to go to Mars28:51 Propulsion system and vehicle details33:40 Timeframe and production capacity36:03 Starship38:27 Vast space station deal40:54 Vision for the space sector42:30 Other areas that Barry is excited about43:52 Impulse Space in 10 years44:47 SpaceX Heritage47:19 Medium-term futuristic possibilities48:27 Sci-Fi
Friday Jun 09, 2023
Friday Jun 09, 2023
Greg Autry has worn many leadership hats in the space sector. He is currently the Clinical Professor & Director of the Space Leadership, Policy and Business Program at the Thunderbird School of Global Management. He was a presidential nominee (as CFO) at NASA and continues to hold roles at the agency. He was also chair of the FAA’s COMSTAC Safety Working Group. Our conversation ranges from space entrepreneurship over space safety to geopolitics in space. I think you’ll really enjoy this one. I did!
JUST OUT: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
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:
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
2:22 Greg's bio
6:09 Is the Space Sector an appropriate place for entrepreneurs
8:34 Space Master program at Thunderbird
11:02 What does a NASA CFO do?
13:15 More on Thunderbird
22:09 NASA InSPA
26:50 In-space manufacturing
31:35 FAA COMSTAC
35:10 Commercial space flight participant regulation
39:18 Space traffic management
44:38 "Death by China"
48:29 Astropolitics
50:27 Quickfire questions on the space sector
59:23 A message for young people
1:01:49 Sci-Fi
Friday Jun 02, 2023
Friday Jun 02, 2023
Establishing a human presence in the Venusian atmosphere and setting up a venture studio to help get us there? You bet. Founder and Chairman of Humans2Venus, Guillermo Söhnlein, is our guest this week.
JUST OUT: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
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:
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
3:38 Elevator Pitch
4:43 Why Venus?
11:35 Staying in the Venusian atmosphere
15:45 "Grand Vision" argument
19:04 Technology stack
27:47 Establishing a sustainable human presence
32:43 Business opportunities and business model
37:33 What is a venture studio?
42:55 Does is work for the space sector?
46:58 Overall status of the project
49:00 Sci-Fi
Friday May 26, 2023
Friday May 26, 2023
Episode 100 will give you a review & preview of the Space Business Podcast, incl. favorite sci-fi of our guests!
JUST OUT: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
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:
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast
0:00 Intro
3:55 Stats
11:17 Quotes
14:03 Sci-Fi
16:18 The future of this podcast
18:35 Calls to action
Friday Apr 28, 2023
Friday Apr 28, 2023
Nuclear fusion propulsion. Do I have your attention? Probably ... after all, we need to get to places like Mars, and beyond, faster than on the current chemical rockets. There are now actually some startups working on nuclear fusion propulsion and one of them, Princeton Satellite Systems, are our guests this week. Enjoy!JUST OUT: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
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:
Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy
There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com
Do you want to specifically learn about investing in Space? Join the pre-release of Raphael's new live-taught course on Maven: https://maven.com/space-business-institute/investing-course
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
2:07 Elevator pitch
3:34 Future of space propulsion
5:13 Current state of fusion
10:16 Magnetic fusion
13:24 The FRC
16:47 Power budget
18:46 Terrestrial power generation use case
22:23 The Moon
25:03 What is left to do on the tech side
29:47 Timeline
31:01 Safety
33:15 In-space propulsion
36:44 NASA's past nuclear projects
37:54 Timing for prototype in space
42:43 Biggest obstacles
45:56 Beyond the current fusion engine proposal