Today, we will be covering the endlessly fascinating market of Space. While we typically focus on an individual company for Business Breakdowns, we thought an industry primer was the best approach for this expanding market. With Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos directing so much energy to the promise of space, it is impossible not to dream about what lies ahead. To cover this endless topic, I’ll be joined by a previous guest, Tren Griffin. While Tren’s full-time job is a director at Microsoft, his experience with satellites and endless curiosity make him ideal for this conversation. We cover how our ground economy is enabled by space today, what excites him most about the space to space opportunities in the future, and how space compares to other network foundations. I hope you enjoy this great space primer with Tren Griffin.

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to the best content to learn more, check out the episode page here.

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Show Notes

[00:02:19] - [First question] - The current size and scope of the space economy

[00:04:42] - Important historic milestones that helped us get to where we are today

[00:12:33] - The varying levels of orbit and what they unlock for technology

[00:19:22] - How expensive launches were and what they are now with SpaceX and Starship

[00:22:08] - Overview of the Starlink project and using it to recoup infrastructural setup costs

[00:27:32] - Whether or not launch will ever become more than just a commodity 

[00:31:01] - Different types of satellites and earth-orbiting technology

[00:34:23] - Thoughts on in-space manufacturing as an emerging industry

[00:35:33] - Future colonization of the moon, Mars, and humanity leaving the Earth

[00:38:19] - The importance of dreaming big to inspire those around you

[00:42:36] - Potential reasons why space may not become a new frontier

[00:44:41] - Politics and the militarization side of open space

[00:47:19] - Legalities and the need for a space treaty 

[00:49:41] - Whether or not humans will be living on the moon by 2035

[00:51:03] - What the benefits will be of a colony on Mars if we can establish one on the moon