#157 – Natalya Bailey: Rocket Engines and Electric Spacecraft Propulsion

Feb 1, 2021

Natalya Bailey, a rocket propulsion engineer and CTO of Accion Systems, dives into the cutting-edge world of space technology. She discusses innovations in efficient propulsion engines and the future of electric spacecraft. The conversation shifts to the search for extraterrestrial life and the ethical complexities of colonizing Mars. Bailey elaborates on the science behind rocket propulsion and the need for new paradigms in space travel, all while underscoring the fascinating interplay between engineering, physics, and the quest for knowledge beyond our planet.

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INSIGHT

Likelihood of Life

The likelihood of self-replicating organisms existing in the universe is high, given its vastness and time.
Natalya Bailey expresses hope but discouragement at the lack of contact with intelligent alien life.

INSIGHT

Life on Mars/Europa

Finding life on Mars or Europa would indicate life starting easily on habitable planets.
This implies trillions of planets with basic life.

INSIGHT

Rocket Engine Basics

Rocket engines utilize conservation of momentum: expelling mass backward propels the spacecraft forward.
Chemical propulsion uses combustion, while electric propulsion uses charged particles accelerated by fields.

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Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling

The Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling, follows the journey of Harry Potter, an orphan boy who discovers he is a wizard. The series spans seven novels, each corresponding to one year of Harry's life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry, along with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, navigates the magical world, confronts various challenges, and ultimately faces off against the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who murdered Harry's parents and seeks to dominate the wizarding world. The series explores themes of friendship, love, and the struggle between good and evil.

Tender is the Night

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Tender Is the Night is a novel that delves into the intense and complicated relationship between Dick and Nicole Diver, an American couple living in the South of France, and Rosemary Hoyt, a young actress. The story explores themes of social class, codependent love, and mental illness, reflecting the excesses and disillusionments of the Jazz Age. Dick, a brilliant psychiatrist, marries Nicole, a wealthy and mentally unstable patient, and their relationship is complicated by Dick's infatuation with Rosemary. The novel critiques the superficiality and moral decay of the wealthy elite and is heavily influenced by Fitzgerald's own life, particularly his relationship with his wife Zelda, who struggled with mental illness.

The Beginning of Infinity

Explanations That Transform the World

David Deutsch

In this groundbreaking book, David Deutsch argues that explanations have a fundamental place in the universe and that improving them is the basic regulating principle of all successful human endeavor. The book takes readers on a journey through various fields of science, history of civilization, art, moral values, and the theory of political institutions. Deutsch explains how we form new explanations and drop bad ones, and discusses the conditions under which progress, which he argues is potentially boundless, can and cannot happen. He emphasizes the importance of good explanations, which he defines as those that are 'hard to vary' and have 'reach', and argues that these explanations are central to the Enlightenment way of thinking and to all scientific and philosophical progress.

Natalya Bailey is a rocket propulsion engineer from MIT and now CTO of Accion Systems. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
– Munk Pack: https://munkpack.com and use code LEX to get 20% off
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– Sun Basket: https://sunbasket.com/lex and use code LEX to get $35 off

EPISODE LINKS:
Natalya’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/natalya926
Accion Systems: https://accion-systems.com/

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OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(06:51) – Intelligent life in the universe
(10:52) – Life in our solar system
(12:57) – Humans on Mars
(16:31) – Robots vs human in space exploration
(17:25) – AI in space
(21:30) – How rocket engines work
(26:47) – How ion engines work
(31:10) – How colloid engines work
(40:07) – Material science
(42:57) – Nuclear powered rocket engines
(47:56) – Electric propulsion out in space
(51:23) – Satellites
(56:17) – Photo of Earth from the Moon
(57:55) – Humans on Mars
(1:00:17) – Propulsion without fuel
(1:08:12) – How to build a rocket company
(1:15:10) – SpaceX and commercial spaceflight
(1:19:42) – Advice to startup founders
(1:26:18) – Book recommendations
(1:34:36) – Meaning of life