Valley of Depth

This week on Pathfinder, we explore the future of 3D metal printing and manufacturing with Erik Palitsch and TJ Ronacher, co-founders of Freeform, a pioneering startup aiming to redefine industrial-scale additive manufacturing. Both SpaceX alumni, Erik and TJ share their journeys from leading projects on the Merlin and Raptor engines to co-founding Freeform, where they’re using high-power lasers and real-time process control to create a new era of rapid, scalable 3D printing.We dive into how Freeform’s approach is addressing longstanding challenges in the additive industry, from quality control to production speed. Erik and TJ outline their vision for Freeform as a “manufacturing as a service” model, where clients can access high-quality printed parts without the steep learning curve and costs of traditional additive systems. We also discuss:The engineering challenges they tackled at SpaceX and how that shaped Freeform’s technology and business modelFreeform’s technology, including their real-time closed-loop process that enables unprecedented print speeds and precisionTheir vision for the “factory of the future,” where autonomous 3D printing facilities operate globallyThe role of 3D printing in off-planet manufacturing and its impact on space explorationAnd much more… • Chapters •00:00 - Intro00:35 - TJ's background02:15 - Erik's time at SpaceX before Freeform07:25 - How has materials in 3D printing changed in the past 10 years?12:27 - Manufacturing as a service and the tech at Freeform18:16 - 3D printing vs traditionally manufactured parts23:11 - What is the tech that Freeform is building?32:45 - True factory scale 3D printing37:10 - Traction beyond space38:06 - What Freeform is printing today38:41 - Revenue and customers41:53 - Manufacturing capability today and in the future43:51 - Advice for investors looking to invest in 3D printing49:18 - Future of 3D printing54:24 - What will off-planet 3D printing look like?57:08 - Favorite stories from SpaceX days60:47 - Milestones to look out for • Show notes •Freeform’s website — https://freeform.co/Freeform’s socials —https://x.com/freeform_futureMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspacePathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes • About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world.Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing five media properties across multiple platforms:1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com)3) Polaris, our weekly policy briefing, publishes weekly on Tuesdays4) Payload Research, our weekly research and analysis piece,  comes out on WednesdaysYou can sign up for all of our publications here: https://payloadspace.com/subscribe/

In this week’s pod, we dive into the world of space-based solar power with Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of Robinhood and now founder of Aetherflux, a new startup aiming to change how we think about energy from space. Baiju takes us on his personal journey from building a public company to tackling one of the most ambitious ideas in the space industry. Drawing on a lifelong passion for space—rooted in his father's work at NASA—Baiju reveals how Aetherflux plans to bring to life a 1970s sci-fi vision: harnessing solar power from space to solve Earth’s most pressing energy challenges.Baiju shares the challenges and excitement of launching Aetherflux, and how his team is taking a modern approach to an old concept by using advanced laser technology and modular satellite networks. We also discuss:How Aetherflux is developing the first practical demonstration of space-based solar powerThe major potential applications, from powering forward-deployed military bases to remote mining sitesHow his experience at Robinhood shaped his entrepreneurial philosophy for solving massive challenges like global energyAetherflux’s ambitious timeline for a demo mission in 2026And much more... • Chapters •00:00 - Intro00:44 - Robinhood to space03:51 - A father's influence06:54 - Why Aetherflux?11:15 - Natural resources in space12:18 - Why do we need solar power in space?13:53 - Market and applications for space solar19:53 - Lasers for power transmission23:02 - Efficiency gain / loss with space solar26:06 - Real time power delivery29:21 - Why not nuclear?31:37 - Space-based solar for space32:28 - Safety and regulation34:37 - Economics of space solar38:06 - Constellations at scale39:06 - Early revenue model40:09 - Competitors41:05 - Funding44:05 - An Apple moment48:19 - Aetherflux team, growth, and goals49:26 - Space startups that Baiju is excited about51:20 - Who would Baiju choose to play him in a movie? • Show notes •Aetherflux’s website — https://www.aetherflux.com/Aetherflux’s socials — https://twitter.com/AetherfluxUSABaiju’s socials — https://twitter.com/BaijuBhattMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspacePathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes • About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world.Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing five media properties across multiple platforms:1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com)3) Polaris, our weekly policy briefing, publishes weekly on Tuesdays4) Payload Research, our weekly research and analysis piece,  comes out on WednesdaysYou can sign up for all of our publications here: https://payloadspace.com/subscribe/

In this week’s Pathfinder pod, we bring in Karthik Gollapudi, CEO, and Austin Spiegel, CTO, of Sift, as they dive into the company's mission to build software tools for complex machines, with a focus on telemetry solutions. Sift’s platform enables end-to-end data ingestion, real-time analysis, and visualization, helping companies streamline the testing and operation of intricate hardware systems, such as spacecraft and rockets.Karthik and Austin share the story behind Sift’s founding and highlight the key role telemetry plays in improving safety and efficiency for hardware engineers. We also cover:How SIFT automates data review and reduces testing timeThe challenges of managing large data volumes in aerospace and beyondHow the company helps engineers identify anomalies and prevent failuresThe importance of real-time insights for complex hardware systemsTheir recent funding round led by Google VenturesAnd much more... • Chapters •00:00 - Intro00:31 - What is Sift building?04:18 - Origins07:30 - Austin at Riot Games10:52 - Product walkthrough13:19 - Why is data ingestion so difficult?19:30 - What is a company doing if they're not using Sift?22:05 - How do you make sure that there's no data loss?24:50 - What does a user experience look like?27:44 - What does the demand look like for real-time telemetry?28:57 - Competition29:43 - Revenue model31:56 - How Sift's tools help their customers36:46 - What's next for Sift?39:04 - What keeps you up at night?44:56 - Long-term view45:54 - Companies to be excited for • Show notes •Sift’s website — siftstack.com/Sift’s socials — https://x.com/SiftStackMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspacePathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes • About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world.Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing five media properties across multiple platforms:1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com)3) Polaris, our weekly policy briefing, publishes weekly on Tuesdays4) Payload Research, our weekly research and analysis piece,  comes out on WednesdaysYou can sign up for all of our publications here: https://payloadspace.com/subscribe/

In this week’s Pathfinder pod, Chiara Manfletti, CEO of Neuraspace and former President of the Portuguese National Space Agency, discusses the growing importance of space situational awareness (SSA) and space traffic management. Neuraspace is a Portuguese startup that is developing a software platform that provides satellite operators with risk assessments, maneuvering advice, and insights on space debris.Chiara explains Neuraspace’s mission to tackle the challenges of space debris and why it's essential to develop better tools for managing space traffic. She also shares the story behind Neurospace’s founding, the company’s growth, and their innovative approach to automating satellite operations.We also discuss:The threat of space debris and its long-term implicationsHow Neuraspace integrates multiple data sourcesThe role of space situational awareness in the future of autonomous spacecraftDifferences in commercial and government customer needsThe long-term vision for making space a safer, more sustainable place for satellites and other assetsAnd much more... • Chapters •00:00 - Intro00:58 - What is Neuraspace?02:14 - The founding vision04:07 - Is space debris an issue?08:18 - Unnecessary maneuvers09:40 - Neuraspace's ecosystem11:17 - Neuraspace's ground-based hardware12:36 - Challenges acquiring the right data amidst competition14:17 - Value chain of space situational awareness15:26 - Benefits of having a company focused on intelligence17:40 - How Neuraspace predicts collision events20:22 - Challenges integrating different sources of data22:00 - Automation and level of control satellite operators24:37 - Scaling26:39 - Catalysts for satellite threat detection28:24 - Primary customers28:53 - Expectations of governments vs. commercial clients30:05 - State of orbital debris globally and how Chiara thinks it'll change31:12 - Competitors today32:25 - Revenue model33:36 - Work Neuraspace does with regulatory bodies34:20 - Funding36:07 - Long-term vision for Neuraspace • Show notes •Neuraspace’s website — https://www.neuraspace.com/Neuraspace’s socials — https://x.com/neuraspaceChiara’s socials — https://x.com/chiaramanflettiMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspacePathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes• About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world. Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing five media properties across multiple platforms:1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com)3) Polaris, our weekly policy briefing, publishes weekly on Tuesdays4) Payload Research, our weekly research and analysis piece,  comes out on WednesdaysYou can sign up for all of our publications here: https://payloadspace.com/subscribe/

The cost to build a mass scale propellant production system on the Moon? Much less than $100M according to Starpath cofounder and CEO Saurav Shroff. The LA-based startup is developing the infrastructure for lunar resource extraction—including a power plant, a fleet of rovers, and a processing plant.In this episode, Saurav breaks down Starpath's approach to off-planet fuel production and how it can enable cost-effective and reusable space travel. He also shares his thoughts on the future of lunar and Martian colonization and how propellant production plays a pivotal role in making interplanetary travel economically viable.We also discuss:The technical hurdles of producing propellant on the Moon and MarsThe impact of propellant production on reducing the cost of space travelThe potential customers and business modelsHow Starpath’s approach complements the vision of companies like SpaceX and Blue OriginThe long-term vision for a human presence on the Moon and Mars, and what it will take to get thereAnd much more… • Chapters •00:00 - Intro01:25 - What is Startpath?04:11 - How was Starpath founded?07:28 - The team08:55 - Starpath with and without SpaceX13:20 - Mega scale propellant production16:30 - What type of propellant is Starpath making?20:15 - What is Starpath building?24:56 - Why build this power system yourself and why not nuclear?28:56 - Plant & Rover35:35 - Plan for success39:59 - Speculation on SpaceX's propellant production43:49 - Who else is a potential customer?45:49 - Revenue model48:27 - Investors and common misconceptions50:26 - Capital needs51:43 - Competitors? China?54:37 - First fuel production prediction56:03 - 10-year vision58:16 - Other businesses Saurav is excited about1:00:17 - Which celebrity will play Saurav? • Show notes •Starpath’s website — https://starpath.space/Starpath’s socials — https://twitter.com/StarpathSpaceSarah’s socials — https://twitter.com/SauravShroff5Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace • About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world.Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing five media properties across multiple platforms:1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com)3) Polaris, our weekly policy briefing, publishes weekly on Tuesdays4) Payload Research, our weekly research and analysis piece,  comes out on WednesdaysYou can sign up for all of our publications here: https://payloadspace.com/subscribe/

This week on Pathfinder, we sit down with Lindsay Kaldon, NASA’s Fission Surface Power Project Manager, to explore NASA's plans for deploying small nuclear reactors on the Moon and Mars as part of the Artemis missions. Before her current role at NASA, Lindsay spent over a decade in the DoD, where she worked as an Air Force officer specializing in electronic warfare, keeping pilots safe at extreme altitudes. With a background in both electrical and nuclear engineering, Lindsay’s experience spans high-altitude spy planes, drones, and EMP defenses for Navy ships, giving her a unique perspective on technology in extreme environments.In this episode, Lindsay walks us through NASA's efforts to deploy small nuclear reactors on the Moon as part of the Artemis missions and beyond. She also explains how her defense background prepared her for managing the technical and regulatory complexities of space nuclear power.In addition, we cover:The history of nuclear systems in space, from SNAP-10 to today's advancementsNASA's collaboration with industry partnersThe role of nuclear power in supporting long-term lunar and Martian missionsThe technical challenges of fission in spaceThe potential future of nuclear propulsion and energy solutions for space explorationAnd much more… • Chapters •00:00 - Intro00:28 - Lindsey's role at NASA01:07 - Power reactors in space and when the project started08:05 - Highly enriched uranium10:21 - Importance of NASA's long-term nuclear goals13:53 - RPS vs FSP16:44 - Lindsey's background24:14 - Why not work in a nuclear sub?29:54 - How does the team evolve in the next 5 years?35:26 - Why should a company bid for phase 1 of NASA's plan to return to the Moon?38:01 - Overall architecture of NASA's FSP needs40:43 - Supply chain problems44:12 - Technical challenges of nuclear in space50:16 - Who regulates space nuclear?52:11 - DOD & NASA57:33 - Milestones to look out for01:00:21 - The state of nuclear on Earth • Show notes •NASA FSP website — https://www.nasa.gov/tdm/fission-surface-power/Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspacePathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes • About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world.Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing five media properties across multiple platforms:1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com)3) Polaris, our weekly policy briefing, publishes weekly on Tuesdays4) Payload Research, our weekly research and analysis piece,  comes out on WednesdaysYou can sign up for all of our publications here: https://payloadspace.com/subscribe/

In this episode, Matt Gialich, co-founder and CEO of AstroForge, dives into the exciting world of asteroid mining, focusing on extracting platinum group metals. He discusses the challenges and innovations in refining metals in space and the company's recent $40 million Series A funding for upcoming missions. Gialich highlights the complexities of selecting asteroids, balancing risk with innovation, and the evolving regulatory landscape. Plus, he shares insights into the $60 billion market for precious metals and his journey from the scooter industry to deep space exploration.

This week’s Pathfinder pod features Brian D’Erario, the man who keeps the lights on at Payload as the Director of Client Partnerships. Brian’s role is to bring in all the revenue that makes everything at Payload possible (no pressure, Brian!).  With experience working with over 97 partners, Brian has been instrumental in shaping Payload's approach to brand awareness and lead generation.Brian shares his journey from selling B2B hardware and software to government contractors, to his time at Morning Brew, and finally joining Payload to drive partnerships in the space sector. We explore Brian's background, including his work with various industries and his insights into the unique challenges of marketing within the space industry. We also discuss:The marketing strategies that space companies often overlookThe importance of brand awareness even during the R&D phaseHow startups can compete with the primesThe role of content in engaging B2B audiencesEffective conference strategies for maximizing impactAnd much more… • Chapters •00:00 - Intro01:04 - What does Brian do at Payload?01:51 - Brian's background04:33 - Morning Brew08:09 - Initial assessment of space marketing strategies10:39 - Do space companies market themselves well?12:27 - Marketing your product before you start selling19:46 - Brand awareness vs lead generation27:40 - When does it make sense for a startup to spend money on marketing?31:44 - How can a startup develop a marketing plan for a product that competes against a prime competitor?34:46 - Creating engaging B2B content41:31 - Agency vs in-house43:39 - Conference strategies47:44 - The Marketing Playbook52:53 - Brian’s publication55:11 - Partnerships consultant57:15 - From hockey to pickleball • Show notes •Brian’s Marketing Newsletter — https://payloadspace.com/marketing-deep-tech-newsletter/Brian’s socials — https://twitter.com/derariobMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspacePathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes • About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world.Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing five media properties across multiple platforms:1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com)3) Polaris, our weekly policy briefing, publishes weekly on Tuesdays4) Payload Research, our weekly research and analysis piece,  comes out on WednesdaysYou can sign up for all of our publications here: https://payloadspace.com/subscribe/

This week’s Pathfinder pod features Tony Frazier, LeoLab’s newly appointed CEO, to discuss the critical role the company plays in building a living map of orbital activity for space operations. With over $120M of private capital raised, LeoLabs has continued to expand its global network of ground-based radars, currently cataloging over 22,000 objects in LEO. Tony shares his journey from a 13-year career at Maxar to joining LeoLabs, driven by his belief in the company's mission to enhance space safety and security.We explore Tony's background, including his experience managing billion-dollar P&L operations at Maxar and his involvement with Iridium, which shaped his understanding of the risks posed by debris. We also discuss:The founding story of LeoLabsThe unique advantages of ground-based radar network compared to other tracking methodsThe exponential growth in orbital objectsScaling a radar system to meet the demands of a rapidly proliferating LEO environmentThe future of space traffic management and the impact of regulationAnd much, much more… • Chapters •00:00 - Intro00:33 - What is LeoLabs?01:34 - Where is LeoLabs based and how long have they been around?02:42 - How did Tony end up at Leo Labs?04:26 - The mission08:04 - Why LeoLabs hired Tony?09:55 - How important is debris and traffic management?13:52 - The Kessler Syndrome15:48 - LeoLabs' architecture23:08 - Competitor differentiation25:29 - Advantages of a space-based architecture28:14 - Scaling30:09 - 3rd-party data integration32:12 - Current demand for situational awareness and future predictions35:06 - Market catalysts39:38 - How LeoLabs makes money41:41 - Data tracking for the lowest tier subscription44:26 - Government vs commercial bookings44:59 - What makes LeoLabs attractive to investors?48:16 - Is the goal to become a public company?49:26 - Killer asteroids50:07 - Favorite space-related media • Show notes •LeoLab’s website — https://leolabs.space/LeoLab’s socials — https://twitter.com/LeoLabs_SpaceMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislamPayload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspacePathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes • About us •Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world.Payload began as a weekly email sent to a few friends and coworkers. Today, we’re a team distributed across four time zones and two continents, publishing five media properties across multiple platforms:1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com)3) Polaris, our weekly policy briefing, publishes weekly on Tuesdays4) Payload Research, our weekly research and analysis piece,  comes out on WednesdaysYou can sign up for all of our publications here: https://payloadspace.com/subscribe/

In this discussion, Andy Lapsa, co-founder and CEO of Stoke Space, shares insights from his extensive aerospace career, including a decade at Blue Origin. He dives into Stoke's innovative approach to creating fully reusable launch vehicles, focusing on second-stage reusability that sets them apart from competitors. Andy highlights the importance of operational efficiency and the role of their proprietary software, Fusion, in optimizing processes. He also discusses the evolving launch market and the necessity for diverse providers to ensure industry growth.