The Rapid Rise of Drones

In the last of our series of special bonus editions, Helen Sharman is joined by Swedish physicist and ESA astronaut, Christer Fuglesang, who spent 26 days on board the ISS, and in that time conducted 31 hours of extravehicular activities (that’s space walks).

Welcome to another special bonus edition of the Zero Pressure Podcast, presented by Imperial College London and Saab. For our recent episode on the future of space stations, we were lucky to be joined by 3 astronauts. To kick off 2025 we are releasing each of those conversations in full, bringing you even more leading insight into our future in space.This time we are hearing Helen Sharman's full conversation with Soyeon Yi, biotechnologist, and South Korea’s first astronaut, who spent 10 days on board the ISS.  

Welcome to a special bonus edition of the Zero Pressure Podcast, presented by Imperial College London and Saab. For our recent episode on the future of space stations, we were lucky to be joined by 3 astronauts. To kick off 2025 we are releasing each of those conversations in full, bringing you even more leading insight into our future in space. To start with, here’s Helen Sharman's full conversation with German physicist and astronaut, Reinhold Ewald. Reinhold is President of the Association of Space Explorers and spent 18 days on the Mir space station. 

This is a very special edition of the Zero Pressure Podcast series as Helen Sharman is joined by 3 fellow astronauts to discuss the future of space stations. Since the 1970s, humans have been using orbiting space stations as places to live and work in microgravity. More than engineering and life support marvels, they are platforms for ground-breaking experimental research, expanding our knowledge of science and our ability to explore further. Helen is joined by Reinhold Ewald, German physicist and astronaut, now President of the Association of Space Explorers, who spent 20 days in space, 18 days on the Mir space station.  Soyeon Yi, biotechnologist, and South Korea’s first astronaut, who spent 11 days in space, 9 on the ISS. Soyeon is now a lecturer and businessperson, currently with a particular interest in medical devices.  And Christer Fuglesang, physicist and the first Swedish astronaut, who spent 26 days over 2 missions in space, 17 days on board the ISS, with five EVAs, or spacewalks.

What does a technical roadmap to sustainable aviation look like, and what role will innovative technologies, sustainable aviation fuels, and new propulsion methods play in this transformation? We explore the costs, timelines, and infrastructure changes needed, and consider how these shifts could reshape not just the industry, but our global approach to climate resilience. Britain's first astronaut, Helen Sharman, is joined by Professor Christer Fureby. Christer is a professor at Lund University in Sweden, specialising in computational fluid dynamics, with a focus on sustainable energy solutions. With extensive expertise in advanced propulsion systems and sustainable aviation, his research aims to improve the efficiency of energy use and to reduce the climate impact of aviation.

This time we delve into the world of asymmetric warfare, a term used to describe imbalances in conflict. From geopolitics to cutting-edge technology and even the growing divide between humans and machines, asymmetry is reshaping the battlefield of today and tomorrow. We are delighted to be joined on Zero Pressure by Paul Scharre. Paul is an author, scholar, and expert on defence technology, artificial intelligence, and future warfare. He currently serves as the Vice President and Director of Studies at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Paul is the author of the books - Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial Intellligence, and Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War. In 2023 TIME Magazine named him as one of the 100 most influential people in AI.  

This time we are exploring how the interplay between the commercial and military sectors - as well as the financial system, can foster innovation. In recent decades there has been a seismic shift in how aerospace, defence and security technologies are funded, with a drastic move from public to private investment. This surge in private funding not only accelerates the production of advanced technologies but also unlocks previously restricted public projects, paving the way for dual-use applications, market efficiency, open-source advancements, and a wealth of commercial opportunities. Helen Sharman is joined by Clayton Williams, Managing Director of IQT International UK Ltd. IQT is a not-for-profit strategic investor that accelerates the development and delivery of cutting-edge technologies to intelligence and national security agencies of the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia.

Professor Yang Gao joins Helen Sharman in the studio for a deep dive into robotics. Professor Yang heads the Centre for Robotics Research at King's College London. We'll also be hearing excerpts from our recent Zero Pressure live event at the Great Exhibition Road Festival, where a panel discussed the technologies on Earth that may help humanity thrive on other planets.

This time we are focussing on the world of sensor technology that allows us to collect information at an atomic level. Improvements in quantum sensors are changing how we can detect all sorts of tiny changes in the world around us, revolutionising medical diagnostics, resource extraction and even letting us see around corners… Britain's first astronaut, Helen Sharman, is joined by Professor Sir Peter Knight. Sir Peter is an internationally renowned academic in the field of quantum optics and has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Royal Medal from the Royal Society.

In today's discussion, we're delving into the transformative world of drones. From their pioneering potential in healthcare, other delivery services, disaster relief and agriculture, to disrupting defence and security, the ways drones are used are revolutionizing several sectors at an incredible rate. Much of the drone technology is not in itself revolutionary. Rather, it's the way this technology is harnessed that's helping to change the world around us. Helen Sharman is joined by Professor Sir Iain Gray. Sir Iain is the director of aerospace at Cranfield University and chairs the Drone Industry Action Group for the UK's Drone Industry Trade Association.