#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 Economy This 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 MOOC This 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 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 Economy This 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 MOOC This 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/

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 Economy This 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 MOOC This 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 Economy This 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 MOOC This 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 Economy This 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 MOOC This 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 Pitch 02:31 What Telemetry is - for Non-Technical Audiences 03:37 Telemetry Data in Space Missions 06:54 Historical Context and Modern Challenges 13:11 SIFT's Role in Anomaly Detection 18:02 Product Details and Customer Use Cases 20:43 Exploring Diverse Aerospace Ventures 21:32 Market Approach 22:12 Company Journey and Product Evolution 23:24 Origin Story 24:22 Addressing Complex Engineering Challenges 27:16 Customer Feedback and Product Development 29:08 Future Milestones and Vision 32:45 SpaceX Alumni Ecosystem 33:42 El Segundo: A Hub for Space Startups 36:51 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 intro 01:20 Elevator Pitch 01:47 Problem with Current Way of Doing Things 03:35 Origin Story of Integrate 04:18 Challenges in Space Hardware Collaboration 06:31 Expanding Beyond Space: Other Industries 11:34 The Future of Integrate 17:05 Product Details and Customer Experience 24:20 Roadmap and Vision 30:18 Customer Support & Success 39:34 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 Countdown 00:10 Episode intro 00:33 Podcast intro 01:45 Elevator Pitch 02:32 Challenges in Space Missions 03:40 Data Cosmos: Simplifying Space Data 03:53 Evolution of the Space Industry 12:33 Open Constellation Concept 13:39 Customer Collaboration and Data Utilization 20:41 Marketplace of Applications 24:14 Economic Advantages of Asset Optimization 29:40 Customer Use Cases and Exciting Projects 30:15 Innovations in Satellite Payloads 32:18 Challenges and Opportunities in Space Data 35:11 Future Steps for Open Cosmos 36:45 Real-Time Data Delivery and Industry Trends 44:23 The Impact of Starship on the Space Sector 47:27 Trustworthy Data 49:20 Favorite Sci-Fi