#152 | Space Robots | Ethan Barajas & Jamie Palmer, Icarus Robotics

SPACE ROBOTS! We are are talking about this exciting topic again in this episode. Icarus Robotics is a NY-based space robotics start up that just raised its $6M seed financing round. Co-founders Ethan Barajas and Jamie Palmer are our guests.  🕰️ Timestamps:  00:00 Podcast introduction 01:33 Elevator Pitch 02:56 Role of Robots in Space Stations 05:42 Challenges and Innovations in Space Robotics 12:22 Future of Space Robotics and Competition 24:16 Training for Space Missions 24:42 Robots in Space Exploration 25:38 Business Opportunities in Space 26:43 Low Earth Orbit Innovations 32:10 Prototyping and Testing Robots 36:05 Future of Robotic Labor in Space 38:41 Founders' Backgrounds and Inspirations 42:56 Favorite Robots in Science Fiction   🔗 Icarus Robotics 🏠Website :  https://www.icarusrobotics.com/   🔗 Follow us: 🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/ 🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast     🔗 Follow Raphael: ◇  Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC 🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen 🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/   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/  

Atomic-6 is an advanced composites solutions manufacturer providing products such as satellite solar arrays and Space Armor(TM), based in Atlanta. Founder & CEO Trevor Smith is our guest this week. 🕰️ Timestamps:  00:00 Podcast Intro 02:02 Elevator Pitch on Atomic-6 02:43 The Advantages of Composites in Space 04:00 From Real Estate to Advanced Composites: Trevor's Journey 04:14 The Birth of Atomic-6: From Tequila to Technology 08:40 Finding the Right Market: Space and Defense 13:49 Innovative Products: Space Armor and Solar Arrays 21:24 Customer Requirements for Solar Arrays 22:52 Challenges of Scaling Production 25:25 Space Armor 31:42 Future Milestones 35:30 Atlanta Space Ecosystem 36:55 What else is interesting in Commercial Space 39:58 Science Fiction   🔗 Atomic-6 🏠Website :  https://www.atomic-6.com/ 🎤 Trevor's podcast on Atomic-6 YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@atomic6_composites/podcasts   🔗 Follow us: 🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/ 🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast     🔗 Follow Raphael: ◇  Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC 🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen 🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/   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/  

Monitoring greenhouse gases, including from Space. That’s our topic this week. We therefore have another earth observation startup on the show as our guests: Airmo from Germany. They’re developing an innovative instrument including LiDAR to track greenhouse gases. Founder-CEO Daria Stepanova joins me to explain their technology and market in more detail. Enjoy! 🕰️ Timestamps:  00:00 Introduction 01:20 Elevator Pitch and Daria's Background 04:20 Airmo's Technology 07:12 Comparison with Existing Solutions 09:38 Customer Benefits 11:51 From Drones to Satellites 14:44 Potential Additional Applications 20:17 Evolution of Remote Sensing Technologies 20:32 LIDAR as a New Commercial Remote Sensing Instrument 22:06 Regulations as a Demand Driver 25:53 Use Cases and Target Customers 29:44 Business Model and Vision 35:13 Vision for the Future of Remote Sensing 40:20 Science Fiction   🔗 Airmo 🏠Website :  https://www.airmo.io   🔗 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/raphaelroettgen 🌐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/

Mini-brains in space. Did you know that we can study something called brain organoids, effectively mini-brains, in the special conditions in space, on the International Space Station, and that such studies may help us with diseases like Alzheimers, Autism or Parkinsons? My guest this week is Prof. Alysson Muotri from the University of California San Diego. He and his team have flown such brain organoids to the ISS many times already. Don’t miss this episode on what I consider one of the most exciting intersections of space and biology, and ultimately a potential source of massive positive impact right here on Earth! 🕰️ Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:29 Alysson Muotri 02:12 Understanding Brain Organoids 03:49 Stem Cells and Brain Organoids 10:31 Accelerated Aging in Space 14:18 Challenges and Discoveries in Space Research 17:33 Applications and Future Research 26:43 Neurodegenerative Diseases 27:27 Brain Organoids in Computing 29:25 Ethical Considerations of Brain Organoids 31:32 Regenerative Medicine and Brain Organoids 34:39 Brain Evolution and Neanderthal Genes 39:21 Space Research and Future Prospects 43:58 Challenges and Opportunities in Space Biology 47:22 Science-Fiction   🔗 UCSD Sanford Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research Center (ISSCOR) 🏠Website :  https://stemcells.ucsd.edu/centers/sanford-integrated-space-stem-cell-orbital-research-center/index.html   🔗 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/raphaelroettgen 🌐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/

How can we make operating in space safe & sustainable for everyone? Given the risks we face up there, like space debris and adversarial actors. This is where a company like Slingshot Aerospace comes in with its sensors, data, and insights derived from that data. My guest this week is their CEO, Tim Solms. Enjoy! 🕰️ Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 01:44 Elevator Pitch 01:53 Founders and Mission of Slingshot Aerospace 03:28 Challenges in Space Operations 04:18 Situational Awareness in Space 05:41 Slingshot's Sensor Network and Data Collection 14:21 Data Sharing and International Collaboration 19:50 Autonomous Operations and Future Prospects 24:23 Avoiding Contact in Space 25:26 Understanding Space Traffic Management 25:46 Global Space Traffic Management 26:41 The Role of the Office of Space Commerce 30:28 Challenges of Space Debris 31:33 In-Orbit Refueling and Space Operations 35:40 Slingshot's Future 40:02 Tim's Background 42:48 Future of Commercial Space 44:22 Science Fiction   🔗 Slingshot Aerospace 🏠Website :  https://www.slingshot.space/   🔗 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/raphaelroettgen 🌐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 & Biology – we have another episode on this exciting intersection of deep tech themes. My guest this week is Paul Kamoun from SpacePharma. He also organizes an entire conference on space bio, called “Health from Space” every year. We talk about what use cases he finds most exciting, and the opportunities and challenges on the road to scaling space biology into the next big thing. Enjoy! 🕰️ Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:17 Background on Paul Kamoun & SpacePharma 01:18 The Exciting World of Space Biology 04:37 Understanding the Role of Gravity in Biology 08:38 Applications and Use Cases in Space Biology 13:50 Challenges and Opportunities in Space Manufacturing 18:34 The Future of Space Life Sciences 37:15 Regulatory and Policy Considerations 40:51 Closing Thoughts and Science Fiction   🔗 Health from conference: 🏠Website : https://www.healthfromspace.com/en/   🔗 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/raphaelroettgen 🌐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/  

Is the space sector actually financed in the right way? That’s probably the main question I’m discussing with my guest Justin Stevens, founder and CEO of the investment firm Overlap Holdings. He spent 18 years at Apollo Global Management, a very prominent private equity firm. So he’s a Wall Street guy like me and, I think, qualified to voice an opinion on this questions which we may not ask enough. Enjoy!   🕰️ Timestamps:  00:00 - Introduction  01:08 - Guest Intro  02:31 - Overlap Holdings Name Origin and Activities 03:43 - Capital Solutions and Government Solutions 06:24 - The Role of Debt in Frontier Tech 12:08 - Types of Debt and Their Applications 21:21 - Government Contracts and Lending 23:30 - Navigating Government Lending Challenges 24:00 - Leveraging a Detailed Lender Database 27:05 - The Importance of Government Financing 30:12 - The Evolution of Space Investing 33:57 - Investor Perspectives on Space 36:09 - Founding Overlap and Investing in Frontier Technology 39:17 - Future of Space and Investment Strategies 43:29 - Hypothetical Space Startup Ideas 46:09 - Science Fiction   📍 About the Guest: Justin is a seasoned investor and operator with over 18 years as a Senior Partner at Apollo Global Management, where he developed deep expertise in financial structuring and investment management. He has invested in, built, advised, and overseen organizations ranging from early-stage frontier tech startups to large, publicly traded companies. With a strong network across finance, industry, and government, Justin brings a multidisciplinary approach to navigating complex markets and driving long-term value across sectors. 🔗 Connect with Justin: 🤝 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinstevensny/   🔗 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/raphaelroettgen 🌐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 is Pierre Lionnet, Director of Research at Eurospace, who has followed the global space sector for over 30 years. We discuss a range of topics including e.g. SpaceX, the launch sector in general, and national space policies. Pierre is one of my favorite people to follow on space as he usually provides very frank and thought out opinions. I think this comes through in this episode - enjoy!   🕰️ Timestamps:  00:00 - Introduction  00:55 - Guest Introduction 01:34 - Day-to-Day Activities at Eurospace 03:15 - Challenges in the Space Sector 06:22 - SpaceX's Impact on the Space Industry 07:35 - Economic Contributions and Cost Structures 11:02 - Production and Market Segmentation in Space 21:44 - Institutional Programs vs. Commercial Ventures 27:40 - Starlink's Business Model and Future Prospects 35:12 - SpaceX's Dominance in Commercial Launch 35:56 - The Cost and Pricing of Space Launches 38:40 - Starship's Potential and Market Impact 40:51 - Challenges for New Market Entrants 43:25 - National Space Policies and Industrial Strategies 46:27 - Global Space Economy and Future Projections 55:16 - Advice for Emerging Space Nations 01:00:19 - The Future Structure of the Space Economy 01:05:13 - Science Fiction and Space 01:06:07 - Conclusion    📍 About the Guest: Pierre Lionnet is the Research and Managing Director at Eurospace, the trade organization of the European space industry). He labels himself a space economist, being an economist by training and being professionally involved in the analysis of space markets, space industry supply chains and space technology and innovation trends for the past 30 years   🔗 Connect with Pierre: 🤝 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eurospacepierrelionnet/   🔗 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/raphaelroettgen 🌐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 is Sebastian Klaus, Co-Founder & CEO of Atmos Space Cargo, who discusses his company’s mission to unlock downmass logistics with an innovative and reusable space capsule, paving the way for in-space manufacturing, defense applications, and other applications. 🕰️ Timestamps:  00:00 - Introduction 00:59 - Elevator Pitch 02:07 - Importance of Returning Cargo from Space 04:24 - Challenges and Technologies in Space Re-entry 06:16 - Innovations in Heat Shield Technology 11:16 - Economic Impact and Reusability 13:12 - Mission Operations and Logistics 20:15 - Regulatory Considerations 22:33 - ATMOS Phoenix Capsule 23:36 - Impact of Starship on Space Logistics 25:13 - Space Stations and Free Flyers 27:22 - Market Segments in Space Logistics 30:35 - Defense Applications and Future Prospects 37:16 - Recent Test Flight and Future Plans 42:07 - Science-Fiction   📍 About the Guest: Sebastian Klaus holds a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering with a focus on atmospheric re-entry and reusable rocket engines. He has more than a decade of leadership experience as a military officer, supplemented by business knowledge from an MBA program at ESB Business School Reutlingen. Sebastian has developed and submitted several patented technologies for entry and descent. With a commercial pilot license and unique knowledge about parachute systems, as well as passion for nature and spaceflight, he is determined to overcome existing and future challenges in life sciences research in space in order to benefit all of humanity. 🔗 https://atmos-space-cargo.com/   🔗 Follow us: 🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast     🔗 Follow Raphael: 🔷LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen 🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/  ◇  Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC 🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/   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 is Glen Martin, Co-Founder & CEO of Extraterrestrial Mining Company (XMC), discusses his company’s bold mission to mine Helium-3 on the Moon and its potential to revolutionize energy and tech on Earth.   🕰️ Timestamps:  00:00 - Introduction  01:36 - Elevator Pitch 03:42 - Understanding Helium-3 and Its Applications 11:59 - Tech Aspects of Lunar Mining 20:39 - Future Prospects and Initial Missions 23:31 - Energy Solutions for Lunar Operations 29:23 - Helium-3 Concentrations and Mining Challenges 32:09 - Lunar Data and Exploration Techniques 35:32 - Geopolitical Implications 40:33 - Transportation and Return Logistics 48:08 - Project Financing for Space Mining 51:28 - Personal Background and Career Path 56:14 Science Fiction   📍 About the Guest: Glen Martin, CEO of XMC, has over 30 years of experience in renewable energy and space infrastructure. Before founding XMC in 2023, he led companies like Hyox Inc., Infrastructure Energy, and Pod Generating Group, and co-founded ProtoStar Limited. He’s worked on projects spanning green hydrogen, solar PV, intelligent grids, and satellite systems. Early in his career, he contributed to the International Space Station at McDonnell Douglas. Glen holds a BTech in Aerospace Engineering from TMU and an MBA from USC.   🔗 Connect with Glen: 🤝 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glen-martin-space-heavy-industrialist/   🔗 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/raphaelroettgen 🌐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/