Valley of Depth

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/)

This week’s Pathfinder podcast features  Dr. Ellen Stofan, the Under Secretary of Science and Research at the Smithsonian. She oversees its science research centers and the National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History and the National Zoo.Dr. Ellen Stofan is an American geologist and former NASA scientist who specialized in the geology of Venus, Mars, and Saturn's moon Titan. Ellen has held several key positions at NASA, including Chief Scientist from 2013 to 2016. During her tenure as Chief Scientist, she was instrumental in the development of a long-term plan to get humans to Mars and worked on strategies for NASA's science programs and science-related strategic goals and objectives.Ellen is now the Under Secretary for Science and Research at the Smithsonian. She oversees its science research centers and the National Air and Space Museum, National Museum of Natural History and the National Zoo.Today, Mo, Rachael and Ellen discuss:Ellen’s work at NASA and the SmithsonianNASA’s approach to collaboration with commercial spaceThe privatization of the ISSNASA’s strategy around Mars and StarshipGovernance structure for off-planet habitationAnd much more…• Chapters • 00:00 - Intro01:03 - Ellen as Chief Scientist of NASA06:11 - Were you destined to work at NASA?07:51 - Changes in the space industry since Ellen's tenure at NASA10:39 - Ellen's career post-NASA13:59 - Managing expectations of the public16:09 - Marrying the goals of NASA and the commercial space industry  26:56 - How has NASA's Mars strategy changed?29:39 - How do you gauge the public's interest in space projects?31:26 - What technical problems remain for a crewed Mars mission?33:21 - Impact of Starship on Mars?34:54 - Will Starship change mass and design decision for science missions?38:17 - Other noteworthy innovations from commercial space?39:45 - Most interesting place for humans to visit outside of Mars?41:33 - If we colonize Mars, what type of government should be instituted?43:22 - "For All Mankind" and Space Race 2.046:11 - Favorite piece/installation from the Smithsonian47:33 - Where  would you go in the Solar System and what ship  would you take?48:20 - Will we find evidence that there is life on Mars?• Show notes • Smithsonian's socials — https://twitter.com/smithsonianRachael's socials — https://twitter.com/RachaelZiskMo'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 does a space station, a lunar lander, a nuclear reactor, and a fleet of cislunar space vehicles have in common? They’re all part of serial space entrepreneur Kam Ghaffarian’s holding company IBX.IBX consists of:Axiom Space, which provides private flights to the ISS and is also developing a commercial space station.Intuitive Machines, which is developing autonomous lunar landing systems.X-Energy, an engineering company working on nuclear reactors and fuel design.Quantum Space, which provides payload transportation, critical data, and infrastructure services in geostationary orbit and cislunar space.This week’s Pathfinder podcast features IBX’s Chief Investment Officer, Anton Brevde. Anton was previously a general partner at famed deep tech venture fund, Prime Movers Lab, where he led  space investments. Payload went under the hood to understand how the four companies relate to one another and discuss the current state of the space economy, particularly:Anton’s role managing the business and capital needs of four highly complex businessesFundraising for space companies in today’s market environmentThe role of government as a provider of non-dilutive fundingThe most common do’s and don’ts for space foundersAnd 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 Epsilon3 Ad 01:12 - Experience at Prime Movers Lab (PML) 06:47 - PML's investment philosophy 08:58 - New role at IBX10:37 - Why the increased focus on the space industry? 12:36 - Responsibilities of a Chief Investment Officer 14:42 - Common thread between IBX companies19:26 - What is X-Energy?22:57 - What is Quantum Space26:06 - Epsilon Ad break 26:36 - Categorizing the space industry for an investor 32:36 - The current state of the space economy35:55 - Government intervention in space41:05 - The role of government in funding needs 49:49 - New innovations in the industry to be excited about51:56 - What do you look for in founders and what makes them successful?56:41 - Common founder mistakes 01:03:05 - Where to find Anton's blog• Show notes • IBX's website — https://i-b-x.com/Anton's blog — https://anton78704.medium.com/Anton's socials — https://twitter.com/anton_brevdeMo'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/)

Picture a world where you can complete your 6-month engineering project in just 6 weeks by removing typical bottlenecks in your workflows. That’s what cofounder and CEO of Prewitt Ridge Steve Massey believes his company can help both government and commercial stakeholders of the space industry achieve.Enter Prewitt Ridge: Prewitt Ridge is a software company that helps engineers manage engineering requirements in complex projects. The company's software, Verve, captures and manages engineering requirements inside the tools where they originate and across complex datasets.Said differently…Prewitt Ridge's software helps engineers to be more organized and efficient, which can lead to faster, cheaper and more reliable product development. A sneak peek…Steve held roles at Slingshot Aerospace and SpaceX before teaming up with fellow cofounder and CTO Zeke Brechtel to start Prewitt Ridge. Today, Mo and Steve discuss:Prewitt Ridge’s value-add to the space industryNASA’s expertise in systems engineeringThe future of automation in aerospaceWorking on Hyperloop technologyAnd 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 Epsilon3 Ad 03:03 - What is Prewitt Ridge?04:46 - Keeping all stakeholders coordinated 06:21 - What inspired you to build the company?10:51 - Common mistakes for space founders 12:45 - Automatic vs manual systems 15:40 - Is systems engineering just an exercise in paperwork? 19:29 - Quantifying losses from not having proper processes21:47 - NASA's approach to systems engineering 26:44 - What products are you building today? 28:58 - Epsilon Ad break 29:27 - Current customer traction31:05 - The ideal commercial customer33:03 - Team size today33:27 - Prewitt's competitors 36:14 - What is a digital thread? 37:34 - The Techstars Space Accelerator40:25 - What is Hyperloop and how did you start working on it? 45:27 - Where do you see automation spreading in the space industry? 52:13 - Where does the name Prewitt come from? 52:57 - What do you do in your free time?• Show notes • Prewitt Ridge's website — https://www.prewittridge.com/Prewitt Ridge's socials — https://twitter.com/prewittridgeSteve's socials — https://twitter.com/thesteveMo'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/)

Today’s Pathfinder episode features AstroForge cofounder and CEO Matt Gialich. The CA-based startup is developing technology to mine asteroids for platinum group metals. The company plans to use an uncrewed spacecraft to extract and refine the metals directly on the asteroid before returning to Earth with a sellable metal.Why platinum? The platinum group metals have unique physical and chemical properties that make them critical to everything from catalytic converters to electronics. According to Gialich, the US has a dwindling supply of platinum group ore reserves, and Russia and China control a significant supply of global stocks. But there’s hope in the heavens: a single one-kilometer-diameter M-type (primarily composed of metallic iron and nickel) asteroid could contain more platinum than has been mined in the history of humanity, Gialich said.So far…AstroForge launched a refinery demo this spring and plans to launch a prospecting mission in October where they will physically go to an asteroid to map and monitor the surface. Future missions will include excavation and finally mining.A sneak peek…Mo and Matt discuss:The history of landing on asteroidsThe basics of asteroid miningThe economics of mining off-planetLegal and regulatory considerationsAnd 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 and SpiderOak ad02:07 - The early days of AstroForge02:51 - Why asteroid mining today?06:58 - Cofounder backgrounds08:14 - Asteroid mining 10111:48 - Platinum group metals13:10 - Historical asteroid missions 17:23 - Refining materials on an asteroid 20:51 - Upcoming mission 22:33 - How unique is AstroForge's technology?24:48 - Mission risks27:32 - SpiderOak ad break 28:19 - Economics of asteroid mining 33:59 - AstroForge's first mission 34:31 - Outlook for the next few missions 34:55 - Scaling plans after a successful first mission 37:22 - Capital intensity of the venture 39:42 - Team construction 41:12 - Competition42:13 - Legal & regulatory considerations of mining46:30 - 10-year vision49:28 - Future technologies for easier asteroid mining51:27 - Favorite space companies• Show notes • AstroForge's website — https://www.astroforge.io/AstroForge's socials — https://twitter.com/astroforgeMatt's socials — https://twitter.com/MattGialichMo'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/)

Today’s Pathfinder episode features Phantom Space cofounder and CEO Jim Cantrell. The Tucson-based space transportation company is focused on the mass production of rockets. Jim began his career at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and the French Space Agency (CNES), working on Mars exploration technologies and a joint French-Soviet Mars program​​. He was a founding member of SpaceX, serving as its first VP of business development. He later co-founded Moon Express, a company focused on commercial lunar robotic transportation​ and Vector Space, a micro-launch vehicle company​.Phantom primer: Phantom's strategy focuses around a central idea: mass production of rockets. Instead of going all-in on vertical integration, Cantrell's choosing to leverage the expertise of outside specialists for key technology—for example, propulsion company Ursa Major is fueling Phantom's rocket engines. By providing some but not all the R&D, the company can operate with a substantially leaner core staff. The thought is that this mass-produced, “Henry Ford”-like development and production approach will substantially lower costs and increase efficiency. Cantrell says that Phantom’s price tag to get to space will be roughly $100M, substantially lower than competitors. The company’s product roadmap includes:The Daytona, which is a two-stage rocket designed to deliver payloads up to 450 kgs to LEO, is​ expected to first launch in late 2024/early 2025.Its larger sibling, Laguna, has a planned lift capacity of 1,200 kgs to LEO with the first launch expected in 2027. The Laguna will have both an expendable and reusable configuration for its first stage similar to SpaceX's Falcon 9.In addition to Phantom’s early days, Mo and Jim discuss: The infamous Elon and Russian ICBM storyLearnings from VectorThe evolution of venture capitalists and spacePros/cons of vertical integrationTeam constructionAnd 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 and SpiderOak Ad 01:30 - Jim, Elon, and Russia 07:05 - Why did Elon reach out to you at the time? 09:48 - What is Phantom Space?15:32 - Relying on an external supply chain17:38 - To vertically integrate, or not to vertically integrate?21:17 - Development timelines 26:07 - Other products outside of launch 28:08 - Team construction 34:52 - SpiderOak Ad break 35:40 - Vector: What went well and what were the key challengers? 42:16 - Space VCs: then vs now 49:55 - What company are you most excited about?51:29 - Alternative methods to reach orbit53:43 - Is it harder to build a new launch vehicle or a winning Formula 1 car?• Show notes • Phantom's website — https://www.phantomspace.com/Phantom's socials — https://twitter.com/PhantomSpaceCJim's socials — https://twitter.com/jamesncantrellMo'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/)

While warfare used to mean dropping bombs and shooting bullets, modern conflict is increasingly seeing actors targeting an adversaries’ critical infrastructure with cyberattacks. The number of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure perpetrated or sponsored by nation-states doubled from 20% to 40% between July 2021 and June 2022, according to Microsoft. The US is particularly vulnerable since the vast majority of critical infrastructure is under private ownership. This makes the implementation of safety standards challenging and complicates the government's task of monitoring and guarding against threats. Enter: Galvanick.Catch-up quick: The LA-based startup, which just announced a $10M seed round, is building cybersecurity solutions to protect industrial infrastructure. Galvanick's first product is an industrial-based XDR platform. Think of it as a system that collects data from different industrial machines and locations to keep an eye out for any potential threats. This allows the operations and computer security teams to understand what’s normal behavior—and what isn’t—and to quickly see if something is out of whack. First customer? The company’s initial target market is the aerospace and defense industry, where cyber threats are particularly acute due to national security interests.A sneak peek…We interview Josh Steinman, cofounder and CEO of Galvanick. Josh founded the company in 2021 after witnessing the extent of the issue as a former senior director for cyber at the National Security Council. We discuss:Galvanick’s origin story and visionThe importance of the National Security CouncilAsymmetric attacks and the extent of the cyber problemWhat separates successful defense startupsThe top three threats to AmericaAnd 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 and SpiderOak Ad01:10 - Good morning, we are going to win03:35 - Galvanick overview05:56 - Josh's background and the Galvanick origin story09:35 - Influencing the creation of the Defense Innovation Unit11:28 - National Security Council Primer14:25 - How did you land a role on the NSC?16:29 - What is an asymmetric attack and how does cyber fit into that description?22:47 - What are the critical  vulnerabilities that we face today?27:20 - Galvanick's technology29:53 - How are you thinking about scaling in the market and growing the business?32:44 - Customer pushback on the product36:55 - How is generative AI going to change cyberattacks?39:01 - SpiderOak Ad break39:49 - What separates successful defense startups from the rest?42:33 - How would you digitize our infrastructure?47:17 - Top threats to America today50:28 - Is China ahead in critical technology developments?52:50 - Perspective on US decline vs China rise57:12 - The future of cybersecurity01:00 - How to get in touch with Josh and Galvanick• Show notes • Galvanick's website — https://www.galvanick.com/Galvanick's socials — https://twitter.com/GalvanickCoJosh's socials — https://twitter.com/JoshuaSteinmanMo'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/)

VLEO is a term that you don’t hear everyday in the space industry. It refers to “Very Low Earth Orbit,” a region of space that’s roughly twice as close to Earth’s surface as the commonly-used LEO, or “Low Earth Orbit,” where most companies are building their satellite constellations. But not Albedo. The Austin, TX- and Denver, CO-based startup is changing the architecture of Earth Observation (EO) by operating satellites at an orbital regime in which no other commercial provider is successfully operating.Today’s Pathfinder episode features Albedo cofounder and CEO Topher Haddad. Haddad spent the initial years of his career at Lockheed Martin, where he developed passive and active remote sensing systems before jumping into the famed startup accelerator Y Combinator to start Albedo.Why VLEO? Albedo is pushing the boundaries of EO by offering aerial-quality imagery (optical and thermal to start) from space. In Dec. 2021, the company obtained the first commercial NOAA license to sell 10-cm satellite imagery—much higher-res than the 30-cm imagery that was allowed previously. Operating in VLEO enables 10-cm resolution at substantially lower cost than existing government satellites as long as you can solve the propulsion and positioning problem (more on that in the pod!).Albedo is targeting early 2025 for its first satellite launch with a second launch later that year and several more in 2026. The initial constellation of six satellites is expected to achieve daily revisit, and the full constellation of 24 is intended to eventually reach five revisits per day.A sneak peek…Mo and Topher chat about the early days of Albedo, learnings from Lockheed, and building across Austin and Denver. In addition: VLEO: why, what, how?A satellite resolution primerAlbedo product roadmapArtificial intelligence in EOMarket for high-resolution imageryAnd 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 and SpiderOak Ad 01:38 - What is Albedo?03:45 - How did Topher got into EO? 06:32 - The infamous classified tweet09:19 - Satellite resolution primer 12:11 - Operating in VLEO14:16 - Technological innovations for VLEO 18:22 - Current product roadmap20:49 - Why start with optical and thermal? 22:55 - Higher resolution offerings and NOAA license 26:32 - How you approach the government vs commercial customer?29:59 - SpiderOak Ad break 30:47 - From space to server in under an hour 34:42 - Competitor landscape 36:43 - AI within the EO market 39:42 - Resolution vs revisits?41:44 - Building the Albedo team44:43 - Austin vs Denver offices 46:17 - Distributed teams, centralized culture 48:56 - Life at YC51:39 - Lessons learned at Lockheed 53:09 - What will a VLEO platform enable you to do in the long run? 56:28 - What other companies are you excited about? 57:35 - Albedo's investors: Breakthrough Energy & Shield Capital• Show notes • Albedo's website — https://albedo.com/Albedo's socials — https://twitter.com/AlbedoMo'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/)