Space Business Podcast

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/

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/

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/

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
 

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
 

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

A City on Mars: Can we settle space, should we settle space, and have we really thought this through? – That is the title of a book published in late 2023 which then became an instant NY Times bestseller and went on to win a 2024 Hugo Award. My guest this week is Kelly Weinersmith, one of its two authors, together with her husband. The book is a critical, and humorously written, examination of the question of whether humanity should settle space. It touches on everything ranging from legal aspects all the way to having babies in Space. For me as a die-hard proponent of humanity settling in space, this was a fun and insightful conversation to have. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, too!
https://www.acityonmars.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:
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/
00:00 Episode Introduction
01:41 Podcast Introduction
02:16 Summary and Insights on 'A City on Mars' book
03:15 Challenges of Space Settlement
03:35 Becoming a Space Settlement Enthusiast
05:08 Concerns About Human Reproduction in Space
09:09 Environmental Control and Life Support Systems
13:18 International Law and Space Resources
22:28 The Race with China and Future Prospects
28:30 Military Funding for Space Infrastructure
29:37 Geopolitics and Strategy in Space
30:49 Technological Gaps and Innovations
32:57 Reproduction in Space: Fun and Challenges
41:41 Mental Health and Well-being in Space
45:44 Arts, Religion, and Community in Space
48:15 Future Updates and Books
54:23 Sci-fi

Open Cosmos is a prominent European new space startup providing and operating satellites. They recently won a EUR60MM contract to build a remote sensing constellation for the Greek government, beating out strong and established competitors. Their co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Jordi Barrera Ars is my guest. 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 Countdown00:10 Episode intro00:33 Podcast intro01:45 Elevator Pitch02:32 Challenges in Space Missions03:40 Data Cosmos: Simplifying Space Data03:53 Evolution of the Space Industry12:33 Open Constellation Concept13:39 Customer Collaboration and Data Utilization20:41 Marketplace of Applications24:14 Economic Advantages of Asset Optimization29:40 Customer Use Cases and Exciting Projects30:15 Innovations in Satellite Payloads32:18 Challenges and Opportunities in Space Data35:11 Future Steps for Open Cosmos36:45 Real-Time Data Delivery and Industry Trends44:23 The Impact of Starship on the Space Sector47:27 Trustworthy Data49:20 Favorite Sci-Fi

HEO, a space startup from Australia, uses sensors on-orbit to identify, characterize and monitor space objects at scale. Objects such as debris, but also active satellites. You can imagine there are a number of civil and defense use cases here. So-called Space Situational Awareness is a big topic these days. HEO’s founder & CEO Will Crowe is one of the best people to talk about it. 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 Countdown00:10 Episode intro00:42 Podcast intro01:27 Introducing Will Crow and HEO's Mission02:48 HEO's Origin Story and Initial Focus on Asteroids04:20 Commercial and National Security Use Cases07:11 Recent Events and National Security Concerns10:42 Challenges and Countermeasures in Space Monitoring15:54 Customer Journey and Tasking Process17:51 Leveraging Existing Satellites and Partnerships23:58 Future Prospects and Monetizing Observation Time25:02 Understanding Spatial Resolution in Space Observation25:44 The Importance of High-Resolution Imaging27:42 Video vs. Still Images in Space Observation28:39 Data Handling and Analysis in Space Observation31:36 Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities37:20 Future Prospects and Technological Innovations42:22 Long-Term Vision and Sci-Fi46:16 Closing Remarks and Wrap-Up
 

Relativity Space, from Long Beach, California, is probably one the best-known launch startups in the world. They had a partially successful launch of their Terran One rocket last year, are now working towards the launch of the much larger Terran R, have 1200 employees and raised over $1bn in funding. My guest is their President & CFO Mo Shahzad and we talk about all things Relativity but also a little about the launch market in general. 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" - 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/
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro2:30 Relativity Space summary5:13 Mo's career incl. switching to the space sector7:00 Acting as a "translator"13:00 Discussing difficulties with clients17:38 Hiring22:00 Steps on the way to Mars28:32 Production and flight cadence31:18 Pricing34:00 Relativity in the broader launch market38:31 Rideshare40:50 Ancillary products43:30 Vision45:48 Interesting things in commercial space49:00 Sci-Fi

This week we are talking about KickSky, the first incubator for Indian space startups, which is having the demo day of its first cohort on 8-May. I am talking to Ankit Anand, Partner of Riceberg Ventures and a co-founder of KickSky. We talk about why the timing is right for an Indian space incubator, what the incubation program looks like, and many other things. For full disclosure, E2MC, the space venture fund where I am partner, is also part of KickSky. If you have any interest in Indian space, don’t miss this episode! 
If you are:
- an Indian startup interested in applying to KickSky- interested in becoming a mentor at KickSky- interested in joining KickSky's investor networkplease go to https://www.kicksky.space
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" - 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/
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro2:19 Ankit's background and the Indian space ecosystem13:34 Space Sector in India - Government & commercial17:34 Kicksky's structure and program26:22 Mentoring31:16 Demo-day and practical examples37:12 Experience of being an incubator40:01 Future plans43:08 Apply to Kicksky43:37 Sci-fi

Johannes Torpe is a well-known Danish designer who, among many other things, was the Creative Director at Bang & Olufsen, and once owned a space-themed night club called NASA. He is passionate about what he calls “domesticating space” – bringing space closer to people at large, beyond the existing space community. We met at Spacecom in Orlando earlier this year and finally had a chance to schedule a podcast episode to talk about all this. Enjoy!
https://www.johannestorpe.com/
Golden space suit event: https://www.designindaba.com/videos/conference-talks/danish-designer-johannes-torpe-power-design-create-universes
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" - 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/
The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics.
Timestamps
0:00 Intro2:36 Johannes's background6:05 Golden space suit entry11:15 Connecting people to the Space Renaissance18:42 Domesticating Space21:50 The Space Mountain Case and Space "Retroism"27:22 Potential ways of inspiring people31:06 Hotels & Resorts34:15 "Edutainment"37:07 NASA Nightclub42:36 Space & the arts47:57 Current space-related projects53:49 Sci-fi