a16z Podcast

The Data Highway Above with Privateer’s Steve Wozniak, Alex Fielding, and Dr. Moriba Jah

Nov 9, 2022

Join tech visionary Steve Wozniak, space sustainability advocate Alex Fielding, and orbital mechanics expert Dr. Moriba Jah as they tackle the critical issue of space debris in low Earth Orbit. They discuss the urgent need for infrastructure to track and manage satellites amidst the growing clutter. The trio emphasizes collaboration among space operators and critiques profit-driven models in favor of community stewardship. With innovative tools like Wayfinder, they aim to raise awareness and promote responsible practices to safeguard our space environment.

01:24:37

Creator website

Episode guests

Alex Fielding

Moriba Jah

Steve Wozniak

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The Importance of Creativity in Technology

04:14

Intro

3min

Innovating for a Sustainable Space Future

23min

Navigating the Space Debris Crisis

15min

The Evolution and Fragility of Navigation Satellite Systems

4min

Towards Sustainable Space: Tackling Debris and Promoting Collaboration

7min

Navigating Intent and Responsibility in Space

19min

Exploring Stewardship and Responsibility in Space Management

3min

Navigating Space Sustainability

8min

Imagining Solutions for Space Debris Management

2min

Many people consider space to be the next frontier and equally an infinite horizon to explore. But the reality is that not all “space” is the same and there are strategic zones that don’t only matter up there – but down here on Earth. Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) is one of those regions – a zone filled with satellites that support life on Earth, from agriculture to climate to navigation to defense. Unfortunately, these live satellites are not alone in our space highways. LEO is getting increasingly clogged with space debris; we’re polluting our skies just like we’re polluting our land.

In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with all three cofounders of Privateer – Steve Wozniak, Alex Fielding, and Dr. Moriba Jah, as they explore just how much junk is up there, how this challenge is expected to progress with time due to lower launch costs, and ultimately, what infrastructure is missing in this fragile ecosystem – from tracking to global treaties to a sharing economy of satellites.

By the end of the episode, listeners should be more equipped to understand how our infrastructure in space vastly impacts life on Earth, how the preservation of this ecosystem is crucial, and how Privateer is providing the map to better understand and fix the issue.

Timestamps:

With Steve Wozniak

00:00 - Intro

3:24 - Why space and why now?

8:55 - The changing perception around space

13:29 - Exponential technologies and thinking different

16:32 - Inventors vs engineers vs visionaries

18:46 - Early days at Apple and moving towards the future

20:53 - Steve’s personal fascinations

23:58 - How vocabulary drives awareness

1:21:55 - Woz returns!

With Alex Fielding and Dr. Moriba Jah

24:43 - Is space really an infinite void?

25:55 - The growing pollution in space

29:14 - The impact of space down on Earth

30:34 - The challenge of space policy and governance

38:27 - Orbital highways and carrying capacities

41:05 - Dependence on space infrastructure and its fragility

45:14 - Privateer’s role in the evolving ecosystem

46:52 - Democratizing space through data sharing

49:45 - Can we undo the damage that’s been done?

52:01 - Determining intent in space

58:17 - Talent needed in the space industry

1:01:04 - Privateer’s biggest challenges

1:09:22 - Space stewardship and Hawaii’s kuleana

1:15:19 - Who inspires Alex?

Resources:

Privateer’s website: https://mission.privateer.com/

Privateer’s Wayfinder tool: https://mission.privateer.com/

Privateer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PrivateerSpace

Steve Wozniak on Twitter: https://twitter.com/stevewoz

Alex Fielding on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alex__Fielding

Dr. Moriba Jah on Twitter: https://twitter.com/moribajah

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