Roid Rage Spacecraft or Bust
4 snips
Dec 24, 2025 The team reflects on the ambitious Odin launch and the lessons learned from its communication failures. They discuss the exciting plans for Deep Space 2, aiming to land on an asteroid and explore mining opportunities. Hear about the challenges of tight timelines and budgets in spacecraft design. The hosts also share quirky listener questions, including some amusing Russian prison trivia. With aspirations for future missions and insights into team dynamics, this discussion blends engineering with humor.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Courage To Launch Trumps Perfection
- Odin's main objective was proving AstroForge could build and courageously launch a deep-space spacecraft.
- Launching despite odds signaled real operational capability and commitment to iteration, not just fundraising.
Bus Delivery Forced A Restart
- Matt recounts receiving a delivered spacecraft bus that was a "complete disaster" and not flyable.
- That failure forced a full restart and set the accelerated timeline that led to Odin's interim success.
Treat Lead Time As The Primary Risk
- Attack lead-time risk proactively by owning manufacturing and aligning vendor incentives.
- Increase in-house capability so delays don't cascade into reduced integration and testing time.