TerraWatch Space Podcast

#17 - Space Around the World: Space in China. Guest: Blaine Curcio, Founder of Orbital Gateway Consulting and a Senior Affiliate Consultant at Euroconsult. Blaine discusses the Chinese space industry, including launch capabilities, earth observation, and space exploration. He also talks about China's partners, its unique selling points, and misconceptions about its space ecosystem. The future of the industry in China and its potential in the B2C market are also explored.

Narayan Prasad, COO of satsearch, discusses space in India. Topics include Indian space ecosystem, military space, launch ecosystem, Earth observation potential, satellite internet, investor insights, exciting things about Indian space industry, misconceptions about space in India, and satsearch's role.

Joe Morrison, previous guest on this podcast, discusses the increase in SPAC activity in the Earth observation industry. They explore companies like Planet Labs and other new space companies, discuss various companies in the Earth Observation industry, and the commoditization of data. They also highlight the importance of effective communication and express excitement for the industry of SPACs in Earth Observation.

John Holst, an independent analyst in the space industry, discusses the commercialization of space, the dependency of the launch industry on defense, the future of the defense industry as an anchor customer for Earth observation companies, the commercial use of space technologies, and the role of defense in space exploration. He also shares insights on various companies in the launcher industry and the challenges and potential of space travel and colonization.

Shelli Brunswick, COO of the Space Foundation, discusses diversity in the space industry, including gender, nationality, ethnicity, and educational background. They explore ways to improve gender diversity, make space more global, and make the industry more accessible for all. They also discuss the current state and future trends of space while highlighting the importance of mentors and the work of the Space Foundation.

Simon Drake, entrepreneur and investor in the space industry, discusses the commercial case for lunar exploration and mining on the Moon. Topics include the lunar exploration market, involving the mining industry in resource extraction, the feasibility of asteroid mining, and the arguments for investing in the lunar economy.

Raphael Roettgen, investor and venture capitalist in space businesses, discusses investing in the space industry, differences from other deep tech domains, prospects for the space economy, and making space tech accessible. They also touch on SPACs, investing exercise for launcher startup, Earth observation data analytics startup, and in-orbit manufacturing exercise. The importance of educating and supporting the space industry, responsible deployment of capital, investment landscape in space tech, and the need for non-space investors to enter the industry are also discussed.

Today, I am speaking with Guillermo Söhnlein. Guillermo has over 20 years of experience in technology innovation, "NewSpace" ventures, and early-stage investments. From co-founding technology companies in Silicon Valley to launching the Space Angels Network, from organising ocean exploration expeditions to advising emerging space ventures, he has had quite a fascinating career. Currently, Guillermo is part of the advisory team at New Vista Acquisition Corporation, a SPAC focused on the aerospace and defence sector.In this episode, Guillermo and I discuss a number of subjects including the evolution of investing in space companies in the last 15 years, the similarities with the internet era, and of course, SPACs. Guillermo also gives his perspectives on exploring the oceans as well as why we should also be looking at Venus for human settlement.-----01:54: Guillermo's story03:30: Guillermo's experience across industries and how it relates to working in space tech05:58: Does the space industry have anything in common with other industries?08:58: What has changed in the space industry in the last 20 years?10:58: What is the next big thing in the space industry?14:45: The similarities between the growth of the internet and the commercialisation of space17:02: The Space Angels Network and investing in SpaceTech25:05: Guillermo's perspectives on SPACs and working with New Vista29:59: Guillermo's thoughts on exploration and what it means34:10: Are we doing enough to explore the oceans? How is it related to space exploration?40:27: Exploring the solar system and making a case for Venus46:10: What could go wrong in the next decade?49:22: What Guillermo is excited about in the space industry51:01: Guillermo's 1-line for the space industry-----

Today, I am speaking with Luigi Scatteia, who is a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers or PwC, within its Space Practice. Luigi and I discuss how space policy is set up in Europe with institutions like the European Space Agency and the European Commission. We then move on to discussing the Earth Observation market, the Copernicus Programme and its applications for the European Green Deal. We also talk about how to improve the uptake of Earth Observation data and the role of professional services firms such as PwC in bringing satellite data to different sectors.----01:21: Luigi's story and how he ended up working in the space industry05:42: What does PwC have to do with space, and what are they involved in?09:52 How is space organised in Europe within ESA and the European Commission?16:02 Is there a market for Earth observation today?22:17: What are some sectors that are using Earth observation today based on PwC's experience?28:16: The potential for Earth observation in the European Green Deal31:05: The role of PwC in enhancing the uptake of Earth Observation data34:14: What Luigi is looking forward to in the space industry---

Today, I am speaking with Doug Mohney. Doug has been working in and writing about IT & satellite industries for over 20 years. His real-world experience including stints at two start-ups, a commercial internet service provider that went public in 1997 for $150 million and a satellite internet broadband company that didn't. We discuss all things satellite communication, particularly satellite broadband, the promise of connecting with the world by SpaceX, Amazon and a couple of other companies and whether they will. I also get Doug's perspectives on the similarities between the start of the internet era in the late 90s and the NewSpace era today.Follow Doug on Twitter at @DougonIPComm.----------01:09: Doug's story and how he ended up in the space industry04:51: What are the similarities/differences between the IT era of the late 90s and today's NewSpace era08:19: Where is the demand coming from, for all the rockets being developed20:40: Chances of a Big 5 in Space similar to the Big 5 in Tech26:32: Can space companies become telecom companies?33:08: Have we solved the connectivity problem for the world with satellites?35:35: The satellite-based IoT market39:50 Space tugs and their impact on the launch market41:10 The importance of antennas in the satellite communication market----------