Today’s Pathfinder episode features Will Coffield, cofounder and General Partner of Riot Ventures. Riot has a proclivity for investing in early-stage companies with transformative tech ideologies dedicated to revolutionizing traditional industries. Today’s conversation also features the space and space-adjacent companies that Riot has invested in including True Anomaly, Integrate, and Azimuth.In addition to Riot’s origin story, Mo and Will discuss:Mapping real customer demandLiquidity within deep techCategorizing space investingDual-use technology…is it a cover for defense investing?And much more…This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/• Chapters • 00:00 - Intro & SpiderOak Ad02:31 - Will’s background13:20 - Riot's investment strategy17:06 - Seed investments19:54 - Mapping real customer demand22:07 - Liquidity in deep tech industries25:52 - SpiderOak Ad26:40 - How do you categorizing space investments?34:21 - Is dual-use technology a cover up for defense investing?38:09 - Integrate and Azimuth42:58 - Crowding in the market47:02 - Starship’s impact on the ecosystem48:48 - Technologies Riot is excited about49:54 - Outside of LA, where's the biggest space ecosystem?• Show notes • Riot's website — https://www.riot.vc/Will's socials — https://twitter.com/WillC_5Mo'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 Pathfinder 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 15,000+ 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 three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)

Today’s Pathfinder episode brings in Bill Weber, CEO of Firefly Aerospace, hot on the heels of the U.S. Space Force’s VICTUS NOX mission success. Bill shares insights on the prep work that propelled the mission, with a nod to his past life helming a public company. The discussion offers a glimpse into the meticulous planning and execution required in modern space missions. In addition, Mo and Bill chat: Firefly's next-generation launch vehicleWorking with Northrop GrummanSupply/demand dynamics of the launch marketHow hard it is to reach orbitAnd much more… This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/ • Chapters • 00:00 - Introduction01:47 - Bill's background and how he got into the industry08:12 - What is Firefly?10:05 - Why is Firefly focusing on end-to-end transportation?14:53 - Metrics of the Alpha launch vehicle17:38 - Customer traction20:19 - How hard is it to reach orbit?22:30 - Being consistent on the easy stuff26:12 - SpiderOak Ad26:59 - The Victus Nox Mission33:25 - Working with Northrop Grumman36:50 - Reusability in the MLV38:54 - Raising a Series C in today's market41:44 - A PE-backed company45:08 - Will Firefly go public?47:52 - Is the launch market crowded?47:59 - What is happening to public aerospace stocks?48:27 - When do you think space companies will be ready for IPOs?49:22 - Areas of the market that are overhyped and underhyped50:22 - Breakthrough technology to pay attention to51:05 - Company outside of Firefly that you're rooting for • Show notes • Firefly's website — https://fireflyspace.com/ Firefly's socials — https://twitter.com/Firefly_Space 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/@payloadspace Pathfinder 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 15,000+ 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 three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)

Today’s Pathfinder episode features Chris Celtruda, CEO of Valence Surface Technologies and Operating Executive at ATL Partners. With over 30 years of leadership experience, Chris offers a masterclass on scaling aerospace & defense businesses and implementing successful management styles.In addition, Mo and Chris chat: Chris' experience building multiple A&D businessesATL Partners’ new focus on spaceThe current investment landscapeRaising capital in today's marketAnd much more…This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/ • Chapters • 00:00 - Intro & SpiderOak Ad02:10 - How did you get into the space industry?04:48 - Has the industry changed in El Segundo, CA?06:30 - What is ATL?10:10 - What made ATL focus on space?11:42 - How is ATL different?13:42 - Chris's management style17:14 - Selling your vision to an investor20:32 - Advice for new founders25:18 - Investing strategies34:13 - Launch market37:08 - Is satellite broadband a viable business model?41:14 - Public space stocks45:46 - M&A outlook47:46 - IPO outlook48:58 - What technology excites you and how would you invest your capital today?• Show notes • ATL's website — https://www.atlpartners.com/Valence's socials — https://twitter.com/ValenceSTMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder 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 15,000+ 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 three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)

There’s a growing demand for streamlined communication and collaboration tools in the space industry. Integrate Space, based in Seattle, is tackling this challenge head-on. Co-founded by John Conafay, a veteran with ties to the USAF, ABL, Spaceflight, and Astranis, the startup aims to modernize program management, offering digital solutions to track development schedules, coordinate missions, and improve vendor collaboration. John believes that a platform like Integrate needs to be part of every industry building complex hardware. With newly acquired funding and two new contracts with the USSF and Firefly Aerospace, the company is expanding its team and moving into a new office in Seattle. Though space was where Integrate started, the company with the help of its new investors intends to expand into the biotech and cybersecurity industries. A sneak peek… In today’s episode, Mo and John chat: – The landscape of digital tools in the industry – Integrate’s business model and core value proposition – Raising capital in the current market – Digital solution platforms at scale And much more… This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/ • Chapters • 00:00 - Intro 00:28 - SpiderOak Ad 01:05 - Integrate introduction 03:32 - How would you describe what Integrate does to your 5-year-old cousin? 05:34 - John's history with the new space industry 13:51 - Is Integrate's solution a nice to have or integral to solving huge inefficiencies? 16:14 - Integrate's core offering 17:31 - Initial target/customer base 18:36 - Integrate's business model 19:28 - How large is Integrate's team today? 20:23 - Integrate's branding origin 22:41 - SpiderOak Ad 23:28 - Recent contract wins 27:07 - Integrate's use case for the government 29:08 - How does Integrate fit in the competitive landscape? 31:15 - Does Integrate compete against internal builds from larger companies? 32:59 - Digital tools at scale 34:04 - Round construction 37:13 - Growth areas for Integrate 39:45 - Integrate beyond space 40:59 - Advice for founders looking to raise pre-seed funding 43:07 - Tech that John is a big fan of 47:28 - Favorite space book/show 49:03 - How to get invited to an Integrate party/get connected as a customer • Show notes • Integrate's website — https://integrate.space/ Integrate's socials — https://twitter.com/Integrate_hrdwr John's socials — https://twitter.com/JConafay Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspacePathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder 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 15,000+ 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 three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)

Space's unique environment holds vast potential for biotech advancements, Mark Kugel, co-CEO and cofounder of German space biotech company Yuri, told Payload. Why space? In this week’s Pathfinder podcast, Mark says that space changes biological systems in commercially valuable ways:– Complex Cell Development: Enhanced growth results in superior organoids, optimizing drug testing and tissue engineering.– Crystal Quality and Size: Space improves the formation of protein crystals, bolstering drug discovery and delivery processes.– Human Aging Effects: Studying space's impact on aging could illuminate early-stage drug solutions for age-driven diseases, such as cancer.– Microbial Evolution: Space prompts unique microbial adaptations, potentially producing advanced strains and enzymes beneficial for the pharma, food, and agritech sectors. Yuri’s core innovations:– Space-ready Bioreactors: Yuri's modular bioreactor system offers a novel approach for cultivating biological materials in space. Compact and transport-friendly, it's tailored for expeditions, including the ISS.– Ground-Based Space Simulation: Prior to committing to space-bound projects, researchers can utilize Yuri's simulator to anticipate the effects of microgravity on their experiments. Yuri's partners range from pharmaceutical giants and government agencies to academic institutions. The company has worked with the likes of NASA, ESA, and GSK, the British multinational pharma and biotech company. A sneak peek…Before Yuri, Mark Kugel supported the digital transformation of Rolls-Royce Power Systems and built an "Airbnb for consumer products" called Usely. In today’s episode, we chat:– Yuri’s origin story– A history of biotech in space– The initial focus on synbio and drug discovery– Why space biotech is ready for commercialization This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/And much more… • Chapters •00:00 - Intro & SpiderOak Ad01:42 - What does Yuri do?02:35 - How did Mark get into bio tech and start working at Yuri?06:06 - Is this industry starting to inflect?09:31 - What does microgravity enable in biotech?15:51 - Bacteria in space18:37 - Space biotech industry now vs. the future24:23 - Yuri's business model32:00 - Yuri's team35:05 - Synbio from the context of space38:59 - From R&D in space to Earth at scale41:20 - Milestones at Yuri42:44 - Yuri's competitors44:07 - Why is Germany the right place to build?46:03 - Government use case47:10 - Yuri in 10-20 years48:33 - Space tech that Mark is excited about49:26 - When is Yuri's next project launching? • Show notes •Yuri's website — https://yurigravity.com/Yuri' socials — https://twitter.com/yurigravityMo'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 Pathfinder 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 15,000+ 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 three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)

The clock is ticking on Voyager’s aspirations in LEO.In 2021, the Denver-based space exploration company announced its goal to launch a commercial space station by 2028, three years ahead of the ISS retirement. Clay Mowry, the chief revenue officer of Voyager Space and one of the driving forces behind that vision, joins Pathfinder this week to dive into the company’s plans to build infrastructure in Earth orbit. The LEO significance: With the ISS bowing out, LEO-based ventures like Voyager’s Starlab are poised to fill a gap in LEO, though they aren’t the only ones chasing that goal. Other companies like Axiom, Sierra Space, and Northrop are working in partnership with NASA to capture the billions of dollars spent on the ISS every year. The focus of Starlab, which is partially funded by a $160M space act agreement with NASA, will be on research applications, rather than tourism. The station is designed to fit on a single launch, outfitted on the ground with all the research equipment needed for its customers. It’s expected to be able to hold four people and will be used to conduct scientific research.The company recently announced a collaboration with Airbus Defense and Space. The international joint venture will be based out of the US, but features a European arm focused on serving the European Space Agency (ESA) and its member space agencies.A sneak peak…Before taking up the role of CRO in January 2022, Mowry made instrumental contributions at Blue Origin and oversaw operations at Arianespace, Inc. Beyond Voyager, Mowry's influence extends to the International Astronautical Federation, an international non-governmental organization (NGO) that was founded in 1951 to promote the peaceful use of space. In addition to Voyager’s future, we chat:Clay’s time at Arianespace and Blue OriginWhy Starlab is critical to our future in spaceThe partnership with AirbusCultural changes in the space industryThe IAF and its missionAnd much more…This episode is brought to you by SpiderOak, a US-based software company that builds space cybersecurity products and solutions for civilian, military, and commercial space operations. Learn more at https://spideroak.com/ • Chapters • 00:00 - Intro & SpiderOak Ad02:19 - Clay's background and interest in space07:20 - From Arianespace to Blue Origin11:27 - The first New Shepard Auction14:08 - Role as CRO at Voyager16:08 - Is Voyager a holding company?16:48 - Brief background on Dylan Taylor18:45 - Who convinced Clay to join Voyager?20:08 - What is Starlab?28:20 - Partnership with Airbus31:21 - SpiderOak Ad32:09 - The case for private space stations40:19 - How heavy launch will change mass and design constraints for the industry43:06 - Competitive landscape46:06 - What is the IAF?49:33 - Biggest cultural changes in space51:17 - When do you think New Glenn will fly?• Show notes • Voyager's website — https://voyagerspace.com/Clay's socials — https://twitter.com/claymowryMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder 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 15,000+ 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 three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)

This week’s Pathfinder podcast features Chris Kemp, the founder and CEO of Astra, the publicly-traded launch company based out of Alameda, CA that went public via SPAC in the summer 2021. Since then, Astra's valuation has seen a dramatic decline, plummeting from a peak of approximately $4B to a mere $67M today. Chris paints a vivid picture of two contrasting narratives. On one hand, there's a satellite propulsion business, acquired through the purchase of startup Apollo Fusion, with a 278-engine backlog valued between $70M and $83M (based on an average selling price of $250-300K). This business has a distant, yet potential opportunity to secure contracts that could significantly change its trajectory. In contrast, the launch business is in jeopardy as capital evaporates. Astra's Rocket 4 must not only launch successfully but also prove its consistency to secure significant commercial deals. Many of our listeners are well-acquainted with Astra's struggles, given the numerous reports on the company's launch failures and recent wave of departures. Today, our conversation with Chris primarily focused on the future of Astra and how to think about what upside case may remain for the business. We chat: Rocket 3 vs Rocket 4: why Rocket 3 failed and the lessons applied to Rocket 4The status of commercial and government contracts The state of financing for launch companies Valuing Astra’s satellite propulsion business Key lessons learned as CEO What does the future hold for Astra? And much more… • Chapters •00:00 - Introduction 00:56 - Current state of Astra 03:04 - Origins of the business model 07:26 - Key challenges today 11:49 - Rocket 4's specs 16:13 - Contracts with NASA/Space Force 17:09 - Improving reliability from Rocket 3 to 4 21:30 - Rocket 4 engines 24:24 - Importance of strategic partnerships 29:07 - Astra's manufacturing facility 30:03 - What would you have done differently? 33:25 - Bull-case for the prop business 39:15 - Current financial health 41:27 - Team construction and retention 44:10 - What is the investment case for Astra today? 47:03 - Lessons learned as CEO 49:57 - Conclusion• Show notes •Astra website — https://astra.com/Chris’s socials — https://twitter.com/kempJohn Walker's "A Rocket a Day Keeps the High Costs Away" — http://www.astronautix.com/a/arocketadayhighcostsaway.htmlMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder 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 15,000+ 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 three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)

This week’s Pathfinder podcast features the CEO of the XPRIZE Foundation, Anousheh Ansari – our first guest who’s actually been to space (it’s shocking to us too that it’s taken this long). After immigrating to the United States from Iran as a teenager, she co-founded Telecom Technologies, a telecommunication company that integrated voice and data. In 2006, she became the first first-privately funded female and Iranian-American to travel to space and the International Space Station.Catch up: The $10 million purse, sponsored by the Ansari family, set forth a competition to stimulate innovation in private spaceflight. It challenged private entities to design a reusable crewed spacecraft capable of two flights within a two-week period. In 2004, the Mojave Aerospace Ventures team's SpaceShipOne clinched the prize, catalyzing a paradigm shift in the realm of commercial spaceflight. Virgin Galactic eventually licensed the technology for its SpaceShipTwo vehicle.In addition to Anousheh’s background, we discuss:The origins of the XPRIZE FoundationHow to focus on the right global challengeThe future of commercial spaceflightStructuring the incentives to promote innovationXPRIZE WildfireAnd much more…• Chapters •00:00 - Intro01:02 - Moving from Iran to the US07:45 - Going to space10:09 - Becoming the first Iranian-American astronaut13:47 - The Overview Effect17:18 - Introduction to XPRIZE27:28 - The XPRIZE Brain Trust33:00 - Equity ownership at XPRIZE?38:21 - Wildfire detection & suppression39:45 - XPRIZE & Crowdsourcing41:58 - How has the experience of space flight changed?46:41 - Regulations in the commercial space flight industry51:37 - Game changing technology for humanity55:12 - What does Anousheh do for fun?56:15 - Favorite sci-fi movies?56:42 - How to get involved with the X Prize Foundation• Show notes •XPRIZE website — https://www.xprize.org/Anousheh’s socials — https://twitter.com/anoushehansariMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder 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 15,000+ 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 three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)

What do a baseball enthusiast, a craft beer podcast host, and a space journalist have in common? A role at Payload! Today's Pathfinder podcast features a very special guest: Payload’s very own Managing Editor, Jacqueline Feldscher. Fresh out of college, Jacqueline aspired to become a sports reporter, but D.C. soon drew her into the worlds of policy, national security, and, fortuitously for us, space. After stints at renowned media organizations such as Politico and Defense One, she felt the irresistible pull of the startup world. Answering that call, she took the leap and joined Payload as a Senior Reporter to only quickly be promoted to Managing Editor. A sneak peek… Jacqueline joins Mo today to discuss a variety of key policy trends that will shape the space industry over the next few years including: The Upcoming Presidential Election Space Debris RegulationCommercial Spaceflight RegulationsThe Artemis AccordsThe Future of Space Command HQ Be sure to check out more of Jacqueline’s work by signing up for her weekly newsletter, Polaris.• Chapters • 00:00 - Introduction 00:34 - Who is Jacqueline and what do you do at Payload? 02:20 - What drove your interest in journalism? 03:38 - From sports to government & national security 06:14 - Your background prior to Payload 08:57 - Why go from established media to a fledgling startup? 10:24 - Insight into your craft 12:50 - Role of media in the space industry 14:22 - What is Polaris? 16:14 - Trends shaping space policy 18:36 - Debris removal regulation roadblocks 22:57 - Artemis Accords, more bark than bite? 26:00 - What happens if SpaceX lands on Mars? 28:15 - Commercial spaceflight moratorium 31:48 - 2024 Presidential Elections 37:08 - Do you think the battle for Huntsville is over? 38:22 - Aliens?! 39:27 - Investigative journalism in the industry 41:20 - Challenges transitioning from a senior writer to an editor of a publication? 43:14 - Favorite space topic to cover? 44:23 - Views on the Kessler Syndrome 45:35 - What do you enjoy most about Payload? 46:24 - Who's the bigger baby? 46:56 - Jacqueline's beer podcast 48:34 - Advice for aspiring space journalists • Show notes • Sign up for Polaris! — https://polaris.payloadspace.com/ Jacqueline's socials — https://twitter.com/zeno_power Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder 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 15,000+ 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 three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)

Nuclear technology is having its moment, according to Zeno Power cofounder and CEO Tyler Bernstein.NASA has used radioisotope tech since the 1960s, but the systems have historically been too expensive and heavy to be widely used. Zeno Power, which develops radioisotope power systems (RPS) that are lighter, more efficient, and more cost-effective than legacy systems, is trying to change that.How it works? Zeno Power's RPS works by converting the heat from decaying radioisotopes into electricity. Its initial system uses Strontium-90 (Sr-90), an abundant and affordable fuel that has been used in thousands of legacy RPSs. The core innovation is in the fuel design and shielding technology, a key issue given Sr-90’s radioactive properties.The company has had a recent string of commercial successes, including a number of unannounced contracts, but some of the public wins are:A $30M STRATFI contract awarded in May to build a radioisotope-powered satellite for the U.S. Air Force by 2025.A $15M NASA Tipping Point award to develop an Americium-241 (Am-241) radioisotope Stirling generator (RSG) for long-duration lunar missions.This week’s Pathfinder episode features Tyler Bernstein, Zeno Power’s CEO. The company was founded in 2018 by Tyler and two other Vanderbilt undergrads after working on a project to design a nuclear reactor for a Boeing 777. Today, Mo and Tyler discuss:Zeno Power’s origin storyA brief history of nuclear power in spaceThe benefits of using radioisotope power systemsThe future of fission and fusionAnd much more…This episode is brought to you by Epsilon3, software for complex engineering, testing, and operational procedures. Learn more at https://www.epsilon3.io/• Chapters • 00:00 - Intro and Ad Break 01:46 - Who is Tyler Bernstein and what is Zeno Power? 02:53 - Nuclear powered 77705:42 - How are nuclear reactors used today? 11:42 - A history of nuclear in space 14:04 - Nuclear regulations 17:48 - Zeno's core product and customer 21:33 - Disposal and containment during development 22:44 - Cost effectiveness vs traditional power systems24:43 - Epsilon3 Ad Break25:12 - Future of nuclear in space 28:37 - Customer targets outside of space 29:41 - Zeno's competitors 31:56 - Building a team around nuclear 38:05 - Zeno's products in 10 years 39:55 - State of nuclear energy today and its regulations 43:57 - Fusion vs Fission 46:19 - Other exciting space companies?• Show notes • Zeno Power's website — https://www.zenopower.com/Zeno Power's socials — https://twitter.com/zeno_powerMo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace Pathfinder 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 15,000+ 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 three media properties across multiple platforms: 1) Payload, our flagship daily newsletter, sends M-F @ 9am Eastern (https://newsletter.payloadspace.com/) 2) Pathfinder publishes weekly on Tuesday mornings (pod.payloadspace.com) 3) Polaris, our weekly policy publication, hits inboxes Tuesday (https://polaris.payloadspace.com/) 4) Parallax, our weekly space science briefing, hits inboxes Thursday (https://parallax.payloadspace.com/)