

Space Business Podcast
spacebusiness
Space is rapidly growing into an exciting ecosystem for business. In this podcast we hear from entrepreneurs, executives, investors and others about the many opportunities that exist. This podcast is produced by the Space Business Institute in partnership with the International Space University.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Nov 18, 2025 • 39min
#155 | Real-time Geospatial Intelligence | Michael Bartholomeusz, Novi Space
How can you get real-time intelligence from space rapidly and cheaply? Novi Space is a startup from Virginia that uses its own hardware and on-orbit edge processing to do just that. Their CEO Michael Bartholomeusz is our guest this week.
🕰️ Timestamps:
0:00 Podcast Intro
01:33 Elevator Pitch
02:50 Real-Time Intelligence and Use Cases
06:02 Technical Details
12:02 Commercial and Defense Applications
18:33 Low Latency
19:09 Cost Reduction and Democratization of Geospatial Intelligence
20:00 Innovative Use Cases and Market Disruption
23:33 Space Data Centers
25:47 Novi's Satellite Constellation
31:37 Developing a Space-Based App Ecosystem
36:35 Future Vision & Closing Thoughts
🔗 Novi Space
🏠Website : https://www.novispace.ai
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
Nov 10, 2025 • 52min
#154 | Optical Communications | JF Morizur, Cailabs
JF Morizur, Founder and CEO of Cailabs, explores the revolutionary potential of optical communications for space-to-Earth links. He discusses how these laser-based connections outperform traditional radio links in security and bandwidth. Morizur elaborates on the challenges of atmospheric interference and the innovative solutions Cailabs is developing to harness tight beams effectively. He also highlights the growing demand for optical tech in defense and Earth observation, and envisions a future where hybrid architectures will dominate the landscape.
Nov 3, 2025 • 47min
#153 | Earth Intelligence| Prateep Basu, SatSure
SatSure is an Earth intelligence company from India, processing satellite imagery to generate insights for various industry verticals. Co-founder and CEO Prateep Basu is our guest. Enjoy!
🕰️ Timestamps:
00:00 Podcast Introduction
01:10 Elevator Pitch
02:51 Non-Defense Markets
05:22 Market Education
08:27 Market Verticals
16:47 SatSure's Product
19:46 Satellite Data
23:43 Future Proprietary Data
24:15 Investments and Gaps in Earth Observation Capabilities
25:11 Sensor Diversity and Data Harmonization
26:50 Government Influence and Market Dynamics
28:49 Hyperspectral Data and Market Challenges
30:54 Space Data Explosion and Onboard Computing
32:28 Downlinking Challenges
33:35 Business Model and Market Strategy
37:09 Future of Earth Observation
41:54 SatSure's Vision and Indian Space Ecosystem
44:35 Closing: Other Opportunities in Space & Science Fiction
🔗 SatSure
🏠Website : https://www.satsure.co/
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
Oct 27, 2025 • 47min
#152 | Space Robots | Ethan Barajas & Jamie Palmer, Icarus Robotics
SPACE ROBOTS! We are are talking about this exciting topic again in this episode. Icarus Robotics is a NY-based space robotics start up that just raised its $6M seed financing round. Co-founders Ethan Barajas and Jamie Palmer are our guests.
🕰️ Timestamps:
00:00 Podcast introduction
01:33 Elevator Pitch
02:56 Role of Robots in Space Stations
05:42 Challenges and Innovations in Space Robotics
12:22 Future of Space Robotics and Competition
24:16 Training for Space Missions
24:42 Robots in Space Exploration
25:38 Business Opportunities in Space
26:43 Low Earth Orbit Innovations
32:10 Prototyping and Testing Robots
36:05 Future of Robotic Labor in Space
38:41 Founders' Backgrounds and Inspirations
42:56 Favorite Robots in Science Fiction
🔗 Icarus Robotics
🏠Website : https://www.icarusrobotics.com/
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
Oct 20, 2025 • 41min
#151 | Advanced Composites | Trevor Smith, Atomic-6
Atomic-6 is an advanced composites solutions manufacturer providing products such as satellite solar arrays and Space Armor(TM), based in Atlanta. Founder & CEO Trevor Smith is our guest this week.
🕰️ Timestamps:
00:00 Podcast Intro
02:02 Elevator Pitch on Atomic-6
02:43 The Advantages of Composites in Space
04:00 From Real Estate to Advanced Composites: Trevor's Journey
04:14 The Birth of Atomic-6: From Tequila to Technology
08:40 Finding the Right Market: Space and Defense
13:49 Innovative Products: Space Armor and Solar Arrays
21:24 Customer Requirements for Solar Arrays
22:52 Challenges of Scaling Production
25:25 Space Armor
31:42 Future Milestones
35:30 Atlanta Space Ecosystem
36:55 What else is interesting in Commercial Space
39:58 Science Fiction
🔗 Atomic-6
🏠Website : https://www.atomic-6.com/
🎤 Trevor's podcast on Atomic-6 YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@atomic6_composites/podcasts
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
15 snips
Aug 27, 2025 • 41min
#150 | Methane Monitoring | Daria Stepanova, Airmo
Daria Stepanova, Founder and CEO of Airmo, is pioneering methane monitoring through cutting-edge LiDAR technology. She discusses the urgent need for transparency in greenhouse gas emissions and how Airmo's instruments can detect minute leaks. The conversation shifts to the shift from aerial to satellite monitoring and the implications of regulations on energy sector reporting. Daria also shares insights into the future of remote sensing, exploring commercial applications and exciting possibilities while emphasizing collaborations in the evolving space sector.
Jul 28, 2025 • 50min
#149 | Mini-Brains in Space | Prof. Alysson Muotri, UC San Diego
Mini-brains in space. Did you know that we can study something called brain organoids, effectively mini-brains, in the special conditions in space, on the International Space Station, and that such studies may help us with diseases like Alzheimers, Autism or Parkinsons? My guest this week is Prof. Alysson Muotri from the University of California San Diego. He and his team have flown such brain organoids to the ISS many times already. Don’t miss this episode on what I consider one of the most exciting intersections of space and biology, and ultimately a potential source of massive positive impact right here on Earth!
🕰️ Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:29 Alysson Muotri
02:12 Understanding Brain Organoids
03:49 Stem Cells and Brain Organoids
10:31 Accelerated Aging in Space
14:18 Challenges and Discoveries in Space Research
17:33 Applications and Future Research
26:43 Neurodegenerative Diseases
27:27 Brain Organoids in Computing
29:25 Ethical Considerations of Brain Organoids
31:32 Regenerative Medicine and Brain Organoids
34:39 Brain Evolution and Neanderthal Genes
39:21 Space Research and Future Prospects
43:58 Challenges and Opportunities in Space Biology
47:22 Science-Fiction
🔗 UCSD Sanford Integrated Space Stem Cell Orbital Research Center (ISSCOR)
🏠Website : https://stemcells.ucsd.edu/centers/sanford-integrated-space-stem-cell-orbital-research-center/index.html
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
Jul 21, 2025 • 47min
#148 | Making Space Safe & Sustainable | Tim Solms, Slingshot Aerospace
How can we make operating in space safe & sustainable for everyone? Given the risks we face up there, like space debris and adversarial actors. This is where a company like Slingshot Aerospace comes in with its sensors, data, and insights derived from that data. My guest this week is their CEO, Tim Solms. Enjoy!
🕰️ Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:44 Elevator Pitch
01:53 Founders and Mission of Slingshot Aerospace
03:28 Challenges in Space Operations
04:18 Situational Awareness in Space
05:41 Slingshot's Sensor Network and Data Collection
14:21 Data Sharing and International Collaboration
19:50 Autonomous Operations and Future Prospects
24:23 Avoiding Contact in Space
25:26 Understanding Space Traffic Management
25:46 Global Space Traffic Management
26:41 The Role of the Office of Space Commerce
30:28 Challenges of Space Debris
31:33 In-Orbit Refueling and Space Operations
35:40 Slingshot's Future
40:02 Tim's Background
42:48 Future of Commercial Space
44:22 Science Fiction
🔗 Slingshot Aerospace
🏠Website : https://www.slingshot.space/
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/

Jul 15, 2025 • 43min
#147 | Space & Biology | Paul Kamoun, SpacePharma
Space & Biology – we have another episode on this exciting intersection of deep tech themes. My guest this week is Paul Kamoun from SpacePharma. He also organizes an entire conference on space bio, called “Health from Space” every year. We talk about what use cases he finds most exciting, and the opportunities and challenges on the road to scaling space biology into the next big thing. Enjoy!
🕰️ Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:17 Background on Paul Kamoun & SpacePharma
01:18 The Exciting World of Space Biology
04:37 Understanding the Role of Gravity in Biology
08:38 Applications and Use Cases in Space Biology
13:50 Challenges and Opportunities in Space Manufacturing
18:34 The Future of Space Life Sciences
37:15 Regulatory and Policy Considerations
40:51 Closing Thoughts and Science Fiction
🔗 Health from conference:
🏠Website : https://www.healthfromspace.com/en/
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/

Jun 17, 2025 • 49min
#146 | Space Financing | Justin Stevens, Overlap Holdings
Justin Stevens, founder and CEO of Overlap Holdings and a seasoned investor from Apollo Global Management, dives deep into the intricacies of space financing. He discusses why traditional investment methods may not support the space sector effectively. The conversation highlights the importance of balancing debt and equity in startup funding, the challenges of accessing government contracts, and emerging investment trends. Justin shares insights into the future of space ventures and the economic potential beyond Earth, blending finance with fascinating frontier technology.


