Journey of an Aerospace Engineer into Venture Capital

In this episode of Those Space People, we sit down with Priyanka Rajkakati, Head of Special Projects at Vortex IO in Toulouse, France. With a background in aerospace engineering and systems engineering, and a passion for art, Priyanka leads groundbreaking projects like Europe's first flood forecasting system (WHYLD project). She discusses her multidisciplinary approach, combining satellite data with in-situ sensors, the challenges in flood prediction, and the vital role of art in scientific endeavors. Join us for an insightful conversation that bridges the gap between technology and society, and explore how artistic perspectives can enhance technological solutions.Chapters (00:00) - Introduction to Priyanka Rajkakati (00:48) - Vortex IO and Water Intelligence (01:55) - The WHYLD Project: Europe's First Flood Forecasting System (05:02) - Priyanka's Journey from Art to Science (07:49) - Challenges in Flood Prediction (14:37) - The Role of Art in Scientific Projects (25:56) - Flood Impact and Personal Motivation (29:41) - Challenges in Space and Flooding (30:58) - Forming the Reveins Initiative (32:03) - The Role of Art in Science and Technology (34:58) - Exploring Space Sci-Fi (43:37) - Art and Space Collaborations (49:51) - Final Thoughts and Future Projects

In today's episode, we are "Bridging the Gap" with Vera Pinto - Policy Coordinator at the European Commission (Directorate General for Defense Industry and Space). The discussion covers Vera's diverse background in international relations, political science, and space policy, and her current role focusing on equality, diversity, inclusion, and the sustainability of the space sector. Vera shares insights into the skills and backgrounds needed in the aerospace industry, the importance of greening space activities, and the development of sustainable methodologies for the space sector in collaboration with industry stakeholders. The episode also explores the potential of AI in enhancing environmental sustainability and processing vast quantities of Earth observation data, and discusses the various career paths and opportunities within the European Commission for those interested in the space sector.This episode is part of the "Bridging the Gap" series brought to you by Women in Aerospace Europe (WIA-Europe) and Those Space People, and ties into the theme of the WIA-Europe Symposium 2024.  "Bridging the Gap" is a special series that spotlights inspirational figures from the aerospace industry talk about the current skills gap, and provides guidance on developing skills to future proof your career. So if you're looking to enter the aerospace industry or advancing into leadership roles, then this series is tailor made for you.Chapters(00:00) - Introduction to Bridging the Gap Series (00:38) - Spotlight on Vera Pinto: A Diverse Career in Space Policy (01:06) - The Multifaceted Role of a Policy and Equality Coordinator (02:12) - Skills and Backgrounds Needed in the European Commission (03:31) - Sustainability in the Space Sector: Challenges and Methodologies (09:41) - The Future of Green Roles in the Space Industry (14:41) - AI's Role in Enhancing Space Sustainability (20:55) - Diverse Career Paths at the European Commission (27:41) - Advice for Aspiring Space Industry Professionals (32:21) - Closing Thoughts and Personal Anecdotes

In this podcast episode, Nithish Kumar, an aerospace engineer working with the VC firm Speciale Invest, shares his diverse experiences ranging from space education and outreach to entrepreneurship. Nithish recounts his proud yet failed passion project, ALINEA, which aimed to be a startup pitching platform inspired by Shark Tank, and how it marked a transformative period in his life during the COVID-19 pandemic. He delves into his transition from being deeply fascinated with space to exploring the business side of technology, leading to his current role at Speciale Invest. Nithish discusses the value of resilience, the transition from engineering to business, and how his early passion for space and podcasting played a pivotal role in defining his career trajectory.Chapters(00:00) - Welcome to Those Space People: Meet Nithish Kumar (00:37) - The Story of ALINEA: A Failed Passion Project (04:21) - From ALINEA's Lessons to Space Tech Investment (05:12) - An Aerospace Engineer in the VC World (08:53) - The Power of Networking in Venture Capital (11:27) - A Journey Through Space Education and Outreach (19:31) - The Unbounded Podcast: A Gateway to Space Tech Insights (25:16) - The Resilience Required in Venture Capital

In this episode, Asitang Mishra, a senior data scientist from JPL NASA, and Nitish Kumar, an AI team lead from ISRO, discuss the current and future applications of Artificial Intelligence in space exploration. They delve into how AI is transforming space missions, from satellite imagery analysis and space debris modeling to the automation of spacecraft systems. The conversation also covers the challenges and opportunities AI presents, the integration of AI into space agency workflows, and potential AI-driven advancements in space technology. Furthermore, the discussion touches on the necessity of AI literacy among space professionals, the impact of AI on job roles within the space industry, and the impact of AI advancements on regulations like ITAR. The guests also explore the broader implications of AI on the future of work, emphasizing the growing importance of AI in making space exploration safer, more efficient, and more innovative.Chapters(00:00) - Welcome to Those Space People: NASA and ISRO Experts Share Insights (01:18) - AI's Role and Challenges in ISRO's Space Missions (03:30) - How NASA is Leveraging AI: From ChatGPT to Spacecraft Autonomy (05:05) - Exploring the Use of AI in Historical and Current Space Missions (07:33) - The Impact of ChatGPT and AI on Space Agencies (10:25) - The Future of AI in Space: Predictions and Possibilities (18:17) - Leveraging AI for Knowledge Management and Innovation (27:34) - Preparing for an AI-Driven Future in the Space Industry (32:31) - Exploring AI's Role in Hardware: Limitations and Potential in the Physical World (41:53) - Exploring the Capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) (47:53) - AI's Impact on Space Debris Management and Traffic (52:36) - The Future of Employment in the AI-Enhanced Space Industry (56:11) - Navigating ITAR and Open Source in Space Tech (01:01:10) - AI Teams and Projects Across ISRO Centers (01:03:29) - Concluding Thoughts on AI's Expansive Potential

This episode of 'Those Space People' features Alice Carruth, a podcast producer at T-Minus Space Daily Podcast for a deep dive into the world of space podcasting. Alice discusses her role as a podcast producer, the similarities and differences in podcast production within the space industry, and her career journey from broadcast journalism to becoming a key voice in space news dissemination. She emphasizes the importance of making complex space technology understandable for the general audience, the evolution of space industry marketing, and the critical role of human narrative in podcasting. Alice also delves into the use of AI in content creation, the globalization of the space industry, and the significance of cultural diversity in shaping the future of space exploration. This episode offers an insightful look into the interplay between media, technology, and human stories in building a more accessible and globally representative space sector.Chapters(00:00) - Welcome to Those Space People: Introducing Alice Carruth (00:40) - The Role of a Podcast Producer in the Space Industry (02:42) - Alice's Journey into Space and Media (04:02) - Demystifying Space for the Public (06:45) - The Impact of AI on Podcast Production (08:23) - Exploring the Future of AI in Content Creation (14:41) - The Global Landscape of Space Podcasting (18:05) - Making a Career in Space Podcasting (22:27) - The Importance of Diverse Perspectives in Space (31:58) - Cultural Differences in the Space Industry (35:38) - Closing Thoughts: Space as a Global Commons

This episode of “Thermal Lens” features Mary Langsdale, an Environmental Scientist at King’s College London. Mary has a background in mathematics and a Phd in remote sensing.In this episode, Mary delves into her recent multi-national ESA and NASA co-funded air-borne and ground campaign that aimed to quantify the effect of directionality on land surface temperature (LST) data. She elaborates on the significance of directionality in LST measurements, exploring techniques and data requirements for its accurate assessment. Issues surrounding data availability, correction methods, and the implications for downstream applications are also discussed. Mary emphasizes the need for better validation strategies and the potential of AI to process large-scale remote sensing data. Lastly, she offers insights into the essential skills and mindset required to excel in the field of remote sensing.This episode is hosted by Jennifer Susan Adams, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Zurich and Rachana Mamidi, Space Engineer & Podcaster based in Berlin.Links to resources mentioned in the episode:ESA & NASA airborne and ground campaign in Italy - https://www.nceo.ac.uk/article/airborne-and-ground-campaign-in-italy-during-summer/Blogpost on the campaign - https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/enhanced-sensor-design-developed-by-kings-accuracy-of-monitoring-for-heatwaves-wildfiresReview paper on directionality - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0034425719303232Chapters(00:00) - Intro (01:07) - Episode Summary (01:52) - What is directionality and what drives it (ESA & NASA airborne and ground campaign) (09:35) - Quantifying, correcting and accounting for directionality (16:53) - Implications for sensors, products and applications (25:39) - Deep dive into the ESA & NASA airborne and ground campaign (32:04) - What to look for as a non-expert (35:29) - Other challenges in LST and changing landscape of thermal remote sensing (41:04) - What should you study if you want to get into TIR remote sensing? (43:03) - The role of AI in remote sensing (45:55) - Publications and resources on the ESA & NASA campaign

This episode of “Thermal Lens” features Charlie Siggs, Commercial Agronomist at constellr. constellr is a German satellite company providing thermal intelligence for better resource accountability in agriculture. They build satellites for imaging in thermal wavelengths, which allow analysing water stress in plants.Charlie has a background in agriculture and has been solving problems in the agriculture industry for over 15 years.In this episode, we discuss how agronomists work with satellite companies to monitor plant health using thermal imagery. We explain how thermal imagery reveals plant water stress and the importance of accuracy and resolution in this process. We also explore the use of different wavelengths and data fusion techniques. Commercially, we consider the value of company data for various applications and collaboration opportunities. Lastly, we touch on the skillset needed for agronomists to work in satellite applications. Join us as we explore the link between agriculture and satellite technology.This episode is hosted by Agnieszka Soszyńska & Rachana MamidiChapters(00:00) - Intro (01:06) - Episode overview (01:41) - What is an agronomist doing in a satellite company? (03:42) - How can we see plant stress in thermal imagery (06:59) - Spatial resolution and other requirements to observe plant stress in agriculture (14:22) - Using thermal bands and visible bands together (17:07) - Data fusion with aerial and in-situ sensors (19:14) - Predicting diseases in crops (20:42) - The optimal space-borne observation for plant stress analysis (24:14) - Data products for plant stress analysis (25:49) - Commercial companies and large agency missions (29:25) - Who needs thermal intelligence? (33:44) - Applications across different geographies (35:27) - constellr business model: what are the products, who are the clients? (42:18) - Applications beyond agriculture (44:40) - Looking for collaborations? (46:47) - Required skills for a career as an agronomist specializing in space applications

Roxana Dumitru is the COO & co-founder at ParaLoon. ParaLoon is a new space start-up aspiring to harness space based solar power for both space and on Earth using inflatable parabolic balloon structures. With a background in architecture, civil engineering, and physics, Roxana shares her journey from these fields to space entrepreneurship. She discusses the innovative technology of space-based solar power, its challenges, and strategies for overcoming them. Roxana envisions sustainable space exploration and encourages professionals from diverse backgrounds to shape the future of space technology and beyond.

In today’s episode, we’re “Bridging the Gap” with Shelli Brunswick - the COO of Space Foundation. Space Foundation is a non-profit organization leading  space awareness activities, educational programs and major industry events and is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA. All through her distinguished career as a program management leader and congressional liaison for the U.S. Air Force, to her current role at the Space Foundation, Shelli has always been passionate to contribute to the development of the next-generation workforce.During the episode, Shelli elaborates on the different inroads into the space industry. She talks about the most sought after skill sets and shares insights into the prevalent gaps within the talent pool. Emphasizing the need for customized space outreach, Shelli underscores the importance of aligning outreach strategies with the unique values and aspirations of individuals within a country.Shelli concludes by underscoring the role of networking in uncovering new opportunities within the space sector.Here are the networking organizations mentioned by Shelli: Women in Aerospace (Europe/USA/Canada/Africa) https://www.womeninaerospace.org/ Women Tech Network - https://www.womentech.net/ SGAC https://spacegeneration.org/ 

“Calibration is the poor step-child of remote sensing designs” - Ellis FreedmanWelcome back to the second part of our conversation with Ellis Freedman, the founder of Serious Science. In the previous episode, Ellis talked about the differences between big space missions and smaller newspace ones. Today, we're diving into thermal mission design.We'll cover essential topics like challenges in satellite bus design for thermal payloads, calibrating IR sensors, and understanding the hardware behind IR imaging systems. Ellis emphasizes the significance of fundamental radiometry knowledge for users of thermal data, elaborating on several key concepts, and delves into the skills required to work with thermal data. And lastly, he discusses the impact of AI and ML on thermal data processing and shares his predictions for the future of thermal remote sensing.(00:00) - Intro (01:28) - Challenges in mission design for thermal satellites (10:42) - Calibration of IR sensors (14:18) - Hardware components of IR imaging systems (18:29) - Radiometry knowledge required for thermal data users (22:02) - Skills needed to work with thermal data (25:24) - Radiometric processing in TIR vs Visible (26:45) - Impact of AI and ML on thermal data processing (30:40) - Future evolution of thermal remote sensing (34:57) - The End