#134: On-Orbit Services | Chris Blackerby, Astroscale

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

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 Countdown 00:10 Episode intro 00:42 Podcast intro 01:27 Introducing Will Crow and HEO's Mission 02:48 HEO's Origin Story and Initial Focus on Asteroids 04:20 Commercial and National Security Use Cases 07:11 Recent Events and National Security Concerns 10:42 Challenges and Countermeasures in Space Monitoring 15:54 Customer Journey and Tasking Process 17:51 Leveraging Existing Satellites and Partnerships 23:58 Future Prospects and Monetizing Observation Time 25:02 Understanding Spatial Resolution in Space Observation 25:44 The Importance of High-Resolution Imaging 27:42 Video vs. Still Images in Space Observation 28:39 Data Handling and Analysis in Space Observation 31:36 Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities 37:20 Future Prospects and Technological Innovations 42:22 Long-Term Vision and Sci-Fi 46:16 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 Intro 2:30 Relativity Space summary 5:13 Mo's career incl. switching to the space sector 7:00 Acting as a "translator" 13:00 Discussing difficulties with clients 17:38 Hiring 22:00 Steps on the way to Mars 28:32 Production and flight cadence 31:18 Pricing 34:00 Relativity in the broader launch market 38:31 Rideshare 40:50 Ancillary products 43:30 Vision 45:48 Interesting things in commercial space 49:00 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 network please 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 Intro 2:19 Ankit's background and the Indian space ecosystem 13:34 Space Sector in India - Government & commercial 17:34 Kicksky's structure and program 26:22 Mentoring 31:16 Demo-day and practical examples 37:12 Experience of being an incubator 40:01 Future plans 43:08 Apply to Kicksky 43:37 Sci-fi