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What do you do when you have a conflict at your company? How do you handle that difficult conversation? Or should I ask, do you handle it? Our guest today is Daniel Tocchini, and he is a leadership and culture expert, and he shares with us some best practices for having those difficult conversations. TODAY'S WIN-WIN:Have difficult conversations as soon as you are able.LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:You can visit our guest's website at: https://takenewground.com/#challengesAttend our Franchise Sales Training Workshop: https://bigskyfranchiseteam.com/franchisesalestraining/If you are ready to franchise your business or take it to the next level: CLICK HERE.Connect with our guest on social:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dan_tocchiniLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantocchini/ABOUT OUR GUEST:Dan Tocchini has been helping leaders bring some more magic onto their teams for over 35 years. He has worked with executive teams from Interstate Batteries and ESPN, to Smarty Pants Vitamins and Impulse Space, as well as with non-profits like Homeboy Industries and Defy Ventures. Dan gives a no-fluff approach by helping transform leadership teams without any pixie dust - just courageous leadership, creative conflict resolution, and relevant restructuring. No conversation is too difficult, no situation too conflicted because a leader with a vision cannot be held hostage by circumstance or history. ABOUT BIG SKY FRANCHISE TEAM:This episode is powered by Big Sky Franchise Team. If you are ready to talk about franchising your business you can schedule your free, no-obligation, franchise consultation online at: https://bigskyfranchiseteam.com/.The information provided in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial, legal, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional before making any business decisions. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Big Sky Franchise Team, or our affiliates. Additionally, this podcast may feature sponsors or advertisers, but any mention of products or services does not constitute an endorsement. Please do your own research before making any purchasing or business decisions.
On The Space Show for Wednesday, 22 January 2025: Australia and Transporter 12 The Australian involvement in the Transporter 12 mission, including statements from Fleet Space, HEO Robotics, Impulse Space, Varda Space Industries and Dawn Aerospace.
Anduril Industries is a fast-growing defense tech startup best know for attack drones, robot submarines and unmanned fighter jets. The company is now forging forward into the next domain: space. Earlier in November, Anduril won a $100 million contract with the U.S Space Force to upgrade its military satellite sensor network. The company is also developing its own spacecraft, partnering with other venture-backed space startups like Apex and Impulse Space. On this episode, Senior Vice President of Engineering Gokul Subramanian joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the next frontier.
Anduril Industries is a fast-growing defense tech startup best know for attack drones, robot submarines and unmanned fighter jets. The company is now forging forward into the next domain: space. Earlier in November, Anduril won a $100 million contract with the U.S Space Force to upgrade its military satellite sensor network. The company is also developing its own spacecraft, partnering with other venture-backed space startups like Apex and Impulse Space. On this episode, Senior Vice President of Engineering Gokul Subramanian joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the next frontier.
AST SpaceMobile reports financial results for Q3 and announces a multi-launch campaign from Florida. MDA Space reports revenues of $282.4 million, up 38% year-over-year. Sidus Space closes its previously announced underwritten public offering of 5,600,000 shares of its Class A common stock. Impulse Space signed a contract with SpaceX for three Falcon 9 rocket launches that will support the ongoing development and deployment of Impulse's vehicles Helios and Mira, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our weekly intelligence roundup, Signals and Space, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Elysia Segal from NASASpaceflight.com brings us the Space Traffic Report. Selected Reading AST SpaceMobile Provides Business Update and Third Quarter 2024 Results MDA Space Reports Third Quarter 2024 Results Sidus Space Reports Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results and Provides Business Update Impulse Space Secures Three SpaceX Falcon 9 Missions- Business Wire Dan Piemont on X: "ANNOUNCEMENT Today we're announcing major changes to our mission at ABL. We are stepping away from the commercial launch market and focusing our efforts on missile defense. Commercial Launch Over the past six years, we developed an orbital rocket with unique traits. It can be" / X Sierra Space and DoE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory Revolutionizing Thermal Protection for a New Generation of Commercial Space Transportation Vehicles- Business Wire NASA Awards Contract for NOAA's Space Weather Program ispace-U.S. and Volta Space Technologies Agree to Collaborate on Future Development of Survive the Night Capability Planet Expands Contract with French Digital Farming Company Abelio- Business Wire NASA Johnson Invites Proposals to Lease Vibration Test Facility Forsway secures 2.3 MEUR funding from the European Space Agency Aging and Fragility Biomarkers are Altered by Spaceflight - NASA T-Minus Crew Survey We want to hear from you! Please complete our 4 question survey. It'll help us get better and deliver you the most mission-critical space intel every day. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The National Reconnaissance Office's (NRO) Office of Space Launch (OSL) has awarded three Broad Agency Announcements (BAA) for Agile Launch Innovation and Strategic Technology Advancement contracts (BALISTA), to Cognitive Space, Impulse Space, and Starfish Space. Matter Intelligence has secured $12 million in seed funding. Skyrora, Viasat, and CGI complete ground testing for the European Space Agency's InRange, a space-based launch vehicle telemetry relay system, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our weekly intelligence roundup, Signals and Space, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Pierre Bertrand, Co-Founder and CEO of Skynopy. You can find out more about AWS for Aerospace and Satellite by visiting space.n2k.com/AWS. Selected Reading NRO Awards BAA for Agile Launch Innovation and Strategic Technology Advancement (BALISTA) Contracts Matter Intelligence Emerges from Stealth with $12 Million Seed Funding to Revolutionize Remote Sensing and Global Perception- Business Wire Skyrora, Viasat, and CGI partner to develop a commercial space-based launch vehicle telemetry solution Alén Space to Participate in ESA's CyberCUBE Mission, Led by GMV Sceye Partners with NASA and USGS to Address Climate Change from the Stratosphere USA Raft Awarded Space Rapid Capabilities Office Contract Voyager 1 Ghosts NASA, Forcing Use of Backup Radio Dormant Since 1981 Highest-altitude U.S. voters to cast their ballots from space Voyager Space Appoints Matt Magaña as Executive Vice President, National Security Halloween on the International Space Station - NASA T-Minus Crew Survey We want to hear from you! Please complete our 4 question survey. It'll help us get better and deliver you the most mission-critical space intel every day. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Did OpenAI really ask its investors to avoid backing rivals like Anthropic and xAI? That's what hosts Devin Coldewey, Margaux MacColl and special guest Anthony Ha wanted to know on today's episode of TechCrunch's Equity podcast. The team kicked off the show with a look at OpenAI's $6.6 billion round, which is being called the ‘largest VC round of all time'. Devin broke down what the funding could mean for the company's path to profitability, and debunked some of the rumors floating around post-announcement - especially given how unusual those investor restrictions would be in later-stage funding. OpenAI is not all that was on the Equity crew's minds this week. Margaux wanted to discuss Dave Clark's new venture, Auger, which just raised $100 million to make supply chains more efficient with AI. Taking Clark's Amazon and Flexport history into consideration, Augur could be on the path to success amid current global supply chain issues and the recent longshoreman strikes. To round out our deals of the week, Anthony set his sights on Impulse Space, which recently secured $150 million to develop and launch its orbital transfer vehicles. What about the AI that people don't want? Margaux took us deeper into her coverage of Shield AI, AI weapons and ethics. On the subject of tech getting out of hand, Devin and Anthony closed out the show with an update on the ongoing antitrust case against Google, and what a potential breakup could mean for the tech giant and startups looking to disrupt search. Hit play to join the conversation, and Equity will be back next week!Equity is TechCrunch's flagship podcast, produced by Theresa Loconsolo, and posts every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify and all the casts. Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.
Description: In this episode of the Newcomer Podcast, Eric Newcomer and Madeline Renbarger discuss two major funding rounds, the ongoing downturn in VC funding, and the growing imbalance between public relations professionals and reporters. Eric and Madeline highlight Poolside's $500M round and Impulse Space's $150M raise, while pointing out that even the AI mega rounds cant hide the downturn in VC funding.Produced by Christopher GatesAudio Chapters: 00:00:18 — Poolside's $500M round 00:02:24 — Impulse Space's $150M raise00:05:17 — Downturn in VC00:11:03 — The imbalance between PR and journalism Get full access to Newcomer at www.newcomer.co/subscribe
Description: In this episode of the Newcomer Podcast, Eric Newcomer and Madeline Renbarger discuss two major funding rounds, the ongoing downturn in VC funding, and the growing imbalance between public relations professionals and reporters. Eric and Madeline highlight Poolside's $500M round and Impulse Space's $150M raise, while pointing out that even the AI mega rounds cant hide the downturn in VC funding.Produced by Christopher GatesAudio Chapters: 00:00:18 — Poolside's $500M round 00:02:24 — Impulse Space's $150M raise00:05:17 — Downturn in VC00:11:03 — The imbalance between PR and journalism Get full access to Newcomer at www.newcomer.co/subscribe
United Launch Alliance's (ULA) Vulcan Centaur successfully lifts off for its second certification launch for the US Space Force. NASA is establishing an entirely new mission class for astrophysics, filling a gap in the Explorers Program between major flagship operations and small-scale missions. Impulse Space has secured $150 million in Series B funding, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our weekly intelligence roundup, Signals and Space, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest NASASpaceflight.com brings us the Space Traffic Report. Selected Reading Vulcan Cert-2 NASA Establishes New Class of Astrophysics Missions, Selects Studies Gateway Stands Tall for Stress Test Aalyria and Intuitive Machines Receive NASA Space Communication Awards Argo Space's plan to power orbital tugs with moon water pulls in $7.9M Oman's maiden space launch likely in December Ax-4 Training Underway, Assigned Crew Gears Up for Historic Mission Boeing, Virgin Galactic settle lawsuit over work on Virgin 'mothership' MIRA II receives operation license for aerospike rocket flights – and first flight of “Mini MIRA II” Impulse Space Secures $150M In Series B Funding To Support Ongoing Company Momentum Canopy Awarded $2.8M Contract from USAF to Accelerate Commercialization of Next-Gen Thermal Protection Systems Technologies for Hypersonics and Re-entry Systems Japan's government emerges as incubator for space industry Biggest solar flare since 2017 erupts from sun and Earth is in the firing line (video) T-Minus Crew Survey We want to hear from you! Please complete our 4 question survey. It'll help us get better and deliver you the most mission-critical space intel every day. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
OpenAI raised $6.6 billion in its latest funding round, increasing its valuation to approximately $157 billion. Thrive Capital led the investment, with participation from Fidelity and SoftBank. OpenAI transitions to a for-profit benefit corporation, which allows co-founder Sam Altman to gain equity. The funding includes convertible notes, enabling investors to withdraw if structural changes are not met within a set timeframe. In the AI sector, Poolside announced a $500 million Series B round, resulting in a $3 billion valuation. Kailera Therapeutics secured $400 million in Series A financing to develop treatments for chronic weight management. Aktis Oncology raised $175 million in Series B funding for research on alpha radiopharmaceuticals for cancer treatment. Impulse Space obtained $150 million for developing orbital transfer vehicles. Nusano and Triveni Bio each raised $115 million for healthcare innovations, reflecting strong investment trends in biotech and medical technologies.Learn more on this news visit us at: https://greyjournal.net/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The U.S. Space Force was stood up in 2019 as the first new military service in over seventy years. Now, nearly five years since its establishment, the orbital battleground has shifted—towards what General Raymond calls the first commercial space war. Since retiring from active duty in 2022, General Raymond now serves as a senior managing director at Cerberus, and sits on the board of several space startups including Axiom Space and Impulse Space. He joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the risk of nuclear war in space, public-private partnerships and the state of the U.S. Space Force.
The U.S. Space Force was stood up in 2019 as the first new military service in over seventy years. Now, nearly five years since its establishment, the orbital battleground has shifted—towards what General Raymond calls the first commercial space war. Since retiring from active duty in 2022, General Raymond now serves as a senior managing director at Cerberus, and sits on the board of several space startups including Axiom Space and Impulse Space. He joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the risk of nuclear war in space, public-private partnerships and the state of the U.S. Space Force.
About Dan Tocchini:Dan Tocchini has been helping leaders bring some magic to their teams for over 35 years. He has worked with executive teams from Interstate Batteries and ESPN, to Smarty Pants Vitamins and Impulse Space, as well as with non-profits like Homeboy Industries and Defy Ventures. Dan gives a no-fluff approach by helping transform leadership teams without any pixie dust - just courageous leadership, creative conflict resolution, and relevant restructuring. No conversation is too difficult, and no situation too conflicted because a leader with a vision cannot be held hostage by circumstance or history. In this episode, Dean Newlund and Dan Tocchini discuss:The impact of language, perception, and intuition on business cultures and crisesThe distinctions between wisdom and intuitionThe training of the mind for better leadershipThe transformative journey from victimization to empowermentThe responsibility of leaders to inspire and support their teams through challenges and the necessary paradigm shifts for meaningful change Key Takeaways:Language and perception significantly shape decision-making, highlighting the transformative influence a well-crafted vision has on leadership effectiveness.Valuing intuitive thinking alongside analytical reasoning becomes increasingly important, particularly in crisis situations where conventional logic might fall short.Understanding the nuances between wisdom and intuition is imperative for leaders, as this insight guides executive decisions and strategic direction.Intuition enhancement within an organization's leadership can be achieved through specialized training that focuses on conflict monitoring, emotional processing, and bodily awareness, leading to more adept and conscious decision-making.Personal accountability and facing one's challenges are vital steps in leadership development, with a focus on embracing subconscious reactions and harnessing the power of language to transform present behavior and inspire team motivation. "A leader with a vision cannot be held hostage by circumstance or history.” — Dan Tocchini Connect with Dan Tocchini: Website URL: https://takenewground.com/https://wearerevenant.com/ Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-naked-leadership-podcast/id1495058489Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/73ZuLDaxdfhCNYXlmIQy01?si=9a5b25f227f64ae1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dan_tocchini/?hl=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantocchini See Dean's TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I Connect with Dean:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkwWebsite: https://www.mfileadership.com/The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlundFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.comPhone: 1-800-926-7370 Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel AlvarezAudio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.
This episode was originally released October 25, 2023.Tom Mueller is an aerospace engineer and rocket engine designer. He was also one of the first employees of SpaceX, and the founder and CEO of Impulse Space. He is considered one of the world's leading spacecraft propulsion experts and holds several U.S. patents for propulsion technology.In this episode, Mueller talks about the early days of working with Elon Musk and SpaceX. He also discusses why he started his own space transportation company, and shares his thoughts on the future of space exploration and colonization.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Dive into the next frontier of space innovation in this episode of the Tech Optimist, where Drew Wandzilak welcomes Tom Mueller, founder and CEO of Impulse Space and the first employee at SpaceX. In this insightful discussion, Thomas shares the journey from his early days at SpaceX to spearheading Impulse Space, a company dedicated to revolutionizing in-space transportation. They delve into how his pioneering work on propulsion technologies at SpaceX has fueled his vision for Impulse, which aims to enhance how payloads are maneuvered in orbit. Tune in for an insider's look at the challenges and technological breakthroughs shaping the future of the space economy.To Learn More:Alumni Ventures (AV)AV LinkedInTech OptimistAV US Strategic Tech FundImpulse SpaceSpeakers:Drew Wandzilak - Guest Tom Mueller - GuestChapters:(00:00) - Intro (01:34) - Interview (31:56) - Closing Legal Disclosure:https://av-funds.com/tech-optimist-disclosures
A few weeks ago, we talked about Redwire's SabreSat spacecraft, and today we're talking about their Europe-based Phantom spacecraft. We talk about the spacecraft platform itself, how the different parts of Redwire work together, VLEO and its use cases, and how to fly satellites through little bits of atmosphere.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 33 executive producers—Joel, The Astrogators at SEE, Warren, Russell, Joonas, Stealth Julian, Pat from KC, Will and Lars from Agile Space, Benjamin, Tyler, Harrison, Lee, Steve, Theo and Violet, Jan, Matt, David, Bob, Ryan, Donald, Pat, Kris, Josh from Impulse Space, Better Every Day Studios, Fred, Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut!), Frank, SmallSpark Space Systems, and four anonymous—and 818 other supporters.TopicsPhantom -Redwire SpaceRedwire Announces Development of New European-Built Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) Spacecraft Platform called Phantom | Redwire SpaceEyes in the sky: The increasing importance of very low Earth orbit (VLEO) for national security - SpaceNewsESA funds Skimsat demonstrator study for VLEO - SpaceNewsThe ShowLike the show? Support the show!Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.comFollow @WeHaveMECOFollow @meco@spacey.space on MastodonListen to MECO HeadlinesListen to Off-NominalJoin the Off-Nominal DiscordSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhereSubscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off NewsletterArtwork photo by SpaceXWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works
Special Guest: Dan Tocchini: Change Agent, Catalyst, Consultant, Coach Dan Tocchini has been helping leaders bring some more magic onto their teams for over 35 years. He has worked with executive teams from Interstate Batteries and ESPN, to Smarty Pants Vitamins and Impulse Space, as well as with non-profits like Homeboy Industries and Defy Ventures. Dan gives a no-fluff approach by helping transform leadership teams without any pixie dust – just courageous leadership, creative conflict resolution, and relevant restructuring. No conversation is too difficult, no situation too conflicted because a leader with a vision cannot be held hostage by circumstance or history. Join us as we discuss the number one reason why cultures don't change. Host: TBC
Special Guest: Dan Tocchini: Change Agent, Catalyst, Consultant, Coach Dan Tocchini has been helping leaders bring some more magic onto their teams for over 35 years. He has worked with executive teams from Interstate Batteries and ESPN, to Smarty Pants Vitamins and Impulse Space, as well as with non-profits like Homeboy Industries and Defy Ventures. Dan gives a no-fluff approach by helping transform leadership teams without any pixie dust – just courageous leadership, creative conflict resolution, and relevant restructuring. No conversation is too difficult, no situation too conflicted because a leader with a vision cannot be held hostage by circumstance or history. Join us as we discuss the number one reason why cultures don't change. Listen Live (Archive Available) Host: TBC
Firefly added launch sites in Virginia and Sweden for its Alpha vehicle. NASA has selected SpaceX to build the ISS US Deorbit Vehicle, closed out their task orders to Collins for ISS spacesuits, and decided to keep Starliner at the ISS for a few more weeks.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 33 executive producers—Joel, The Astrogators at SEE, Warren, Russell, Joonas, Stealth Julian, Pat from KC, Will and Lars from Agile Space, Benjamin, Tyler, Harrison, Lee, Steve, Theo and Violet, Jan, Matt, David, Bob, Ryan, Donald, Pat, Kris, Josh from Impulse Space, Better Every Day Studios, Fred, Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut!), Frank, SmallSpark Space Systems, and four anonymous—and 818 other supporters.TopicsFirefly Aerospace Adds Alpha Launch Capability on Wallops Island, VirginiaSSC and Firefly Aerospace to Launch Satellites from Esrange in SwedenNASA Selects International Space Station US Deorbit Vehicle - NASAEric Berger on X: “Bill Spetch, operations integration manager for NASA's International Space Station Program, confirms that the US Deorbit Vehicle will be based on "Dragon heritage" hardware. It will involve modifications of the trunk.”NASA's International Space Station Deorbit Analysis Summary White PaperNASA's commercial spacesuit program just hit a major snag | Ars TechnicaNASA Collins xEVAS Update – Space StationStarliner to remain on ISS for more thruster tests - SpaceNewsThe ShowLike the show? Support the show!Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.comFollow @WeHaveMECOFollow @meco@spacey.space on MastodonListen to MECO HeadlinesListen to Off-NominalJoin the Off-Nominal DiscordSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhereSubscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off NewsletterArtwork photo by SpaceXWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works
Redwire announced today that it has been awarded a contract from DARPA to serve as the prime mission integrator for its Otter program. For the program, and for the industry beyond that, they'll be developing SabreSat, an air-breathing spacecraft flying in VLEO. Spence Wise, Senior Vice President of Missions and Platforms at Redwire, joins me to discuss the program, VLEO generally, and to dive into the technical and operational details of SabreSat.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 33 executive producers—Josh from Impulse Space, Benjamin, Pat, Steve, Lee, Ryan, Pat from KC, Donald, Warren, Theo and Violet, Harrison, SmallSpark Space Systems, Matt, Bob, Joonas, Joel, Frank, Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut!), Stealth Julian, David, The Astrogators at SEE, Will and Lars from Agile Space, Fred, Russell, Kris, Better Every Day Studios, Tyler, Jan, and four anonymous—and 813 other supporters.TopicsSabreSat Orbital Drone - Redwire SpaceRedwire Awarded DARPA Prime Contract for SabreSat Spacecraft Very Low-Earth Orbit Demonstration | Redwire SpaceRedwire wins contract for VLEO demonstration - SpaceNewsThe ShowLike the show? Support the show!Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.comFollow @WeHaveMECOFollow @meco@spacey.space on MastodonListen to MECO HeadlinesListen to Off-NominalJoin the Off-Nominal DiscordSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhereSubscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off NewsletterArtwork photo by NASAWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works
NASA selected the organizations who will be carrying out mission design studies for the Mars Sample Return rethink, and the US Space Force selected the first 3 bidders for the National Security Space Launch Program Phase 3 Lane 1.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 33 executive producers—Lee, Kris, Joel, Ryan, Russell, Steve, Theo and Violet, Better Every Day Studios, Joonas, Harrison, Pat from KC, Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut!), Frank, Josh from Impulse Space, Stealth Julian, SmallSpark Space Systems, Will and Lars from Agile Space, Tyler, Bob, Fred, Donald, Warren, The Astrogators at SEE, Jan, David, Matt, Benjamin, Pat, and four anonymous—and 817 other supporters.TopicsNASA Exploring Alternative Mars Sample Return Methods - NASANASA selects seven companies for MSR studies - SpaceNewsT+273: Mars Sample Return - Main Engine Cut OffBlue Origin, SpaceX, ULA win $5.6 billion in Pentagon launch contracts - SpaceNewsT+254: Mars Sample Return, Vulcan, NSSL Phase 3 (with Eric Berger) - Main Engine Cut OffT+255: NSSL Phase 3 Addendum - Main Engine Cut OffThe ShowLike the show? Support the show!Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.comFollow @WeHaveMECOFollow @meco@spacey.space on MastodonListen to MECO HeadlinesListen to Off-NominalJoin the Off-Nominal DiscordSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhereSubscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off NewsletterArtwork photo by SpaceXWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works
Starliner flew its first crew, Starship flew its fourth flight, Chang'e-6 collected its first samples, and Agnikul Cosmos flew its first mission.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 33 executive producers—Warren, Bob, Stealth Julian, Will and Lars from Agile Space, Harrison, Jan, Josh from Impulse Space, Russell, Lee, Donald, Ryan, Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut!), Pat from KC, Theo and Violet, Joonas, Better Every Day Studios, Pat, David, Fred, The Astrogators at SEE, Matt, Tyler, Kris, Joel, Benjamin, Steve, Frank, SmallSpark Space Systems, and four anonymous—and 817 other supporters.TopicsAfter a drama-filled day, Boeing's Starliner finally finds its way | Ars TechnicaStarliner docks with International Space Station on crewed test flight - SpaceNewsStarship survives reentry during fourth test flight - SpaceNewsStarship's Fourth Flight Test - SpaceX - LaunchesSpaceX on X: “Starship made a controlled reentry, successfully making it through the phases of peak heating and max aerodynamic pressure and demonstrating the ability to control the vehicle using its flaps while descending through the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds”Chang'e-6 spacecraft dock in lunar orbit ahead of journey back to Earth - SpaceNewsCNSA Watcher on X: “Concise version Chang'e 6 sampling video on the far side of the moon.”India launches nation's 1st 3D-printed rocket engine | SpaceThe ShowLike the show? Support the show!Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.comFollow @WeHaveMECOFollow @meco@spacey.space on MastodonListen to MECO HeadlinesListen to Off-NominalJoin the Off-Nominal DiscordSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhereSubscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off NewsletterArtwork photo by ULAWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works
United Launch Alliance's Vulcan debut went smoothly, but sluggish hardware integration raises doubts about meeting commitments, while Orion faces heat shield issues, potentially shaking up the Artemis manifest.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 33 executive producers—Lee Ryan, SmallSpark Space Systems, Benjamin, Pat, Lee, Fred, Warren, Josh from Impulse Space, Bob, Jan, Kris, Russell, The Astrogators at SEE, Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut!), David, Harrison, Steve, Matt, Will and Lars from Agile Space, Joonas, Theo and Violet, Stealth Julian, Tyler, Frank, Pat from KC, Better Every Day Studios, Donald, Joel, and four anonymous—and 817 other supporters.TopicsPentagon worried by slow pace of ULA's Vulcan rocket development - The Washington PostULA could fly dummy payload on next Vulcan launch if Dream Chaser is delayed - SpaceNewsFirst Dream Chaser spaceplane needs more work when it gets to launch site | Ars TechnicaAmazon's new satellite technician certification and Kuiper facilityNASA says Artemis II report by its inspector general is unhelpful and redundant | Ars TechnicaNASA may alter Artemis III to have Starship and Orion dock in low-Earth orbit | Ars TechnicaThe ShowLike the show? Support the show!Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.comFollow @WeHaveMECOFollow @meco@spacey.space on MastodonListen to MECO HeadlinesListen to Off-NominalJoin the Off-Nominal DiscordSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhereSubscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off NewsletterArtwork photo by SpaceXWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works
NASA is heading back to the drawing board for a Mars Sample Return architecture, and is accepting proposals for mission studies by May. I talk about a few takeaways from the communication of that plan, and ponder whether or not SpaceX is going to do the damn thing.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 33 executive producers—Lee, Benjamin, Ryan, Stealth Julian, Russell, Warren, Will and Lars from Agile Space, The Astrogators at SEE, Matt, Bob, Kris, Harrison, David, Frank, Tyler, Jan, Steve, Joel, Theo and Violet, Pat, SmallSpark Space Systems, Joonas, Better Every Day Studios, Donald, Josh from Impulse Space, Fred, Pat from KC, Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut!), and four anonymous—and 818 other supporters.TopicsNASA Sets Path to Return Mars Samples, Seeks Innovative Designs - NASARapid Mission Design Studies for Mars Sample ReturnElon Musk on X: “@NASA Starship has the potential to return serious tonnage from Mars within ~5 years”NASA's Dragonfly Rotorcraft Mission to Saturn's Moon Titan ConfirmedThe ShowLike the show? Support the show!Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.comFollow @WeHaveMECOFollow @meco@spacey.space on MastodonListen to MECO HeadlinesListen to Off-NominalJoin the Off-Nominal DiscordSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhereSubscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off NewsletterArtwork photo by SpaceXWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works
NASA selected 3 teams to work on unpressurized rovers for Artemis, while Japan signed on officially to provide a pressurized rover in exchange for seats on Artemis landers. Elsewhere, Mitsubishi took a stake in Starlab, and I still needed to catch up on Starship's 3rd flight and the ensuing update from SpaceX.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 33 executive producers—Kris, Better Every Day Studios, Tyler, Joel, Fred, Harrison, Benjamin, Donald, Lee, Russell, Warren, Pat from KC, Matt, Bob, Ryan, Josh from Impulse Space, Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut!), Pat, The Astrogators at SEE, SmallSpark Space Systems, Stealth Julian, Jan, Steve, Will and Lars from Agile Space, Theo and Violet, David, Joonas, Frank, and four anonymous—and 817 other supporters.TopicsNASA selects three companies to advance Artemis lunar rover designs - SpaceNewsJapanese astronauts to land on moon as part of new NASA partnership - SpaceNewsMitsubishi takes stake in Starlab Space - SpaceNewsStarship Flight 3 Excels through most Major Milestones - NASASpaceFlight.comSpaceX planning rapid turnaround for next Starship flight - SpaceNewsElon Musk just gave another Mars speech—this time the vision seems tangible | Ars TechnicaThe ShowLike the show? Support the show!Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.comFollow @WeHaveMECOFollow @meco@spacey.space on MastodonListen to MECO HeadlinesListen to Off-NominalJoin the Off-Nominal DiscordSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhereSubscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off NewsletterArtwork photo by SpaceXWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works
We have a special On Orbit episode from SATELLITE 2024 this week, a fireside chat with Impulse Space CEO Tom Mueller. Mueller is considered one of the world's leading spacecraft propulsion experts. As one of SpaceX‘s founding members, he led the development of propulsion systems for the Falcon 1, Falcon 9, and Falcon Heavy, as well as the Dragon line of spacecraft. His work was crucial in the development of reusable rocket technology. Mueller spoke with Via Satellite editor-in-chief Mark Holmes during SATELLITE about his new company Impulse Space, an in-space transportation company working to deliver payloads to LEO, GEO, the Moon, Mars and beyond. Mueller describes his vision for Impulse Space to provide the transportation for the space economy of the future with Mira and the recently announced Helios kick stage. Our next episode will also be from SATELLITE. We'll share the kickoff for the 2024 Future Space Economy series, Building Deep Space Satellite Connectivity Networks. This discussion features experts from QinetiQ, Space Tango, and Kepler Communications. Expect that in your feeds on April 16.
Andrew Jones returns to the show to catch up on the Chinese space industry—Tiangong, reusable launchers, constellations, and the Moon.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 35 executive producers—Tyler, Jan, Will and Lars from Agile Space, Benjamin, Warren, Pat, Russell, Craig from SpaceHappyHour.com, Theo and Violet, SmallSpark Space Systems, Steve, Fred, Stealth Julian, Better Every Day Studios, Kris, The Astrogators at SEE, David, Joonas, Pat from KC, Brandon, Donald, Josh from Impulse Space, Joel, Ryan, Matt, Harrison, Bob, Tim Dodd, the Everyday Astronaut, Lee Hopkins, Frank, and four anonymous—and 823 other supporters.TopicsAndrew Jones (@AJ_FI) / XOrienspace breaks Chinese commercial launch records with Gravity-1 solid rocket - SpaceNewsShanghai firm behind G60 megaconstellation raises $943 million - SpaceNewsChina to debut large reusable rockets in 2025 and 2026 - SpaceNewsIndia targets uncrewed Gaganyaan orbital test mission in July, crewed flight in 2025 - SpaceNewsChina rolls out rocket for Queqiao-2 lunar satellite launch - SpaceNewsChina's 2024 space plans include 100 launches and moon sample return mission - SpaceNewsThe ShowLike the show? Support the show!Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.comFollow @WeHaveMECOFollow @meco@spacey.space on MastodonListen to MECO HeadlinesListen to Off-NominalJoin the Off-Nominal DiscordSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhereSubscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off NewsletterArtwork photo by Intuitive MachinesWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works
Neel Kunjur, Co-Founder and CTO of K2 Space, joins me to talk about their vision for the future of satellites and the wider space industry, what they've been up to lately, and what their roadmap to the launch pad looks like from here.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 35 executive producers—David, Pat from KC, Joonas, Josh from Impulse Space, Will and Lars from Agile Space, The Astrogators at SEE, Bob, Benjamin, Russell, SmallSpark Space Systems, Theo and Violet, Matt, Ryan, Warren, Brandon, Steve, Tim Dodd, the Everyday Astronaut, Fred, Tyler, Joel, Jan, Stealth Julian, Harrison, Frank, Kris, Donald, Lee Hopkins, Better Every Day Studios, Pat, Craig from SpaceHappyHour.com, and four anonymous—and 823 other supporters.TopicsK2 Space | Developing large satellites for a post-Starship futureEpisode 120 - Big Dumb Satellites - Off-NominalStartup K2 Space raises $50 million to build monster satellitesThe ShowLike the show? Support the show!Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.comFollow @WeHaveMECOFollow @meco@spacey.space on MastodonListen to MECO HeadlinesListen to Off-NominalJoin the Off-Nominal DiscordSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhereSubscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off NewsletterArtwork photo by Intuitive MachinesWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works
Tim Crain, Co-Founder and CTO of Intuitive Machines, joins me to talk about their recent IM-1 mission to land Odysseus on the Moon as part of NASA's CLPS program.This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 36 executive producers—Russell, Chris, Josh from Impulse Space, Will and Lars from Agile Space, Warren, Ryan, Matt, Harrison, Lee Hopkins, Bob, Brandon, Stealth Julian, Frank, Tim Dodd, the Everyday Astronaut, Benjamin, Steve, The Astrogators at SEE, Craig from SpaceHappyHour.com, Donald, Theo and Violet, Pat, SmallSpark Space Systems, Jan, Kris, Pat from KC, Fred, David, Tyler, Joel, Joonas, Better Every Day Studios, and four anonymous—and 823 other supporters.TopicsTim (@CrainTim) / XIntuitive MachinesIM-1 | Intuitive MachinesThe ShowLike the show? Support the show!Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.comFollow @WeHaveMECOFollow @meco@spacey.space on MastodonListen to MECO HeadlinesListen to Off-NominalJoin the Off-Nominal DiscordSubscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhereSubscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off NewsletterArtwork photo by Intuitive MachinesWork with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works
“Argue like you're right. Listen like you could be wrong.”
Justin Mealer Justin Mealer is IT Manager at Impulse Space, a startup focused on space logistics and transportation. His journey began hacking his school’s network at age 12, before becoming one of the youngest IT managers in his region. Justin’s passion for learning has fueled his rapid rise, along with his knack for crafting compelling...
Dan Tocchini has been helping leaders bring some more magic onto their teams for over 35 years. He has worked with executive teams from Interstate Batteries and ESPN, to Smarty Pants Vitamins and Impulse Space, as well as with non-profits like Homeboy Industries and Defy Ventures. Dan gives a no-fluff approach by helping transform leadership teams without any pixie dust - just courageous leadership, creative conflict resolution, and relevant restructuring. No conversation is too difficult, no situation too conflicted because a leader with a vision cannot be held hostage by circumstance or history. CONNECT WITH Dan Tocchini Website: https://takenewground.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dan_tocchini/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantocchini/ CONNECT WITH Cedric Francis Website: https://www.lead2greatness.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cedricbfrancis Twitter: https://twitter.com/cedricbfrancis Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leadtogreatness/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cedric-b-francis-a0544037/ DONATE TODAY to provide resources to low income and poverty stricken communities! Website: https://www.mtsoutreach.org
Conflict within organizations can arise from a variety of reasons, such as differences in opinions, goals, or personalities. While conflict may initially seem like a negative aspect of organizational dynamics, it can actually be beneficial if managed properly. Conflict can lead to the generation of new ideas and perspectives, as individuals are forced to think critically and consider alternative viewpoints. It also promotes open communication and encourages team members to voice their concerns and opinions. By addressing and resolving conflicts in a constructive manner, organizations can foster a culture of collaboration and innovation. This can ultimately lead to improved decision-making, increased creativity, and stronger relationships among team members. So, while conflict may be seen as disruptive, it is important to recognize its potential benefits and embrace it as an opportunity for growth within organizations. I'll be talking with Daniel Tocchini about why Conflict is the "Yellow Brick Road" to Success. Dan Tocchini has been helping leaders bring some more magic onto their teams for over 35 years. He has worked with executive teams from Interstate Batteries and ESPN, to Smarty Pants Vitamins and Impulse Space, and with non-profits like Homeboy Industries and Defy Ventures. Dan gives a no-fluff approach by helping transform leadership teams without any pixie dust - just courageous leadership, creative conflict resolution, and relevant restructuring. No conversation is too difficult, and no situation is too conflicted because a leader with a vision cannot be held hostage by circumstance or history. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dantocchini/ Every Tuesday evening on Leadership LIVE @ 8:05! - Talking Small Business, your host Andrew Frazier is joined by experienced entrepreneurs and business owners who share their secrets to success via Livestream. You will learn about developing your business leadership skills from our roster of high-performing guest experts. Leadership LIVE is one of the many valuable resources provided through the Small Business Pro University empowering business owners to learn, profit, and grow. www.SBProU.com
Mit meinem Link und dem Code SENKRECHTSTARTER bekommt ihr 10% auf eure erste Juit-Bestellung: https://www.juit.com/en/?referral_cod... * Raumfahrtnews der Woche: Marshelikopter eventuell abgestürzt. Japan gelingt als fünfter Nation eine weiche Mondlandung. Aktuell aber Probleme mit der Energieversorgung. Signifikante Updates zu Starship und anderen SpaceX-Programmen durch Elon Musk. Details zum nächsten Starship-Testflug. John Deere schließt autonome Landmaschinen an Starlink an. Historischer Raumflug - international und privat - startet mit Axiom 3 zur ISS. Japan gelingt als fünfter Nation eine weiche Mondlandung. Und innovativer Spielzeug-Rover wird sofort zum community hit. Enormer Druck auf NASA Artemis-Programm. Strategische Entwicklungen und Pläne der US-Verteidigung im Weltraum, insbesondere im Hinblick auf den Mond. Ankündigung einer innovativen Hochenergie-Kickstufe von Impulse Space, die die Kapazitäten bestehender Raketen wie Falcon 9 erweitert. Und natürlich ein Ausblick auf die bevorstehenden Raketenstarts und Missionen. Das und noch mehr schauen wir uns heute an. Herzlich Willkommen zu SENKRECHTSTARTER, dem Raumfahrt-Kanal im deutschen Sprachraum!
The cost of launching a payload into low-earth orbit has shrunk dramatically over the past two decades as SpaceX has aggressively expanded its capability to repeatedly launch payloads into orbit at cheap cost. But accessing orbits farther away from Earth, such as Medium Earth orbit (MEO) and Geostationary orbit (GEO), remain expensive endeavors. Lux's portfolio company Impulse Space, which is building the next generation of rocket propulsion for space, unveiled the design specs of its new high performance kick stage vehicle Helios today. The vehicle will allow operators to move objects like satellites from Low Earth orbit to orbits farther away at just a fraction of today's costs, and it's coming soon in 2026. I talked with Impulse Space's CEO and founder Tom Mueller about Helios, as well as the growing concerns over space junk, a recent satellite emergency over Christmas, the television show The Expanse, space traffic control and what it means to move things in space and bring them back home.
Every quarter, Lux Capital, a leading venture capital firm known for investing in hard science and deep tech startups, publishes their investor letter offering a unique opportunity to gain insight into the firm's investment thesis and strategy. The firm has been an early supporter of the space industry with early bets in companies like Relativity Space, Epsilon3, Impulse Space, Astranis, Kymeta, Varda, Planet, and Hadrian.This week's Pathfinder features a deep dive on the firm's latest Q3 letter with General Partner Shahin Farshchi. In addition to Shahin's own background, the conversation covers:Lux's fundraise success having recently closed Lux 8, a $1.15B venture fundThe firm's investment thesis emphasizing the importance of non-consensus hypothesesGeopolitical shifts and how they're impacting long-term investingThe role of media and the importance of informative and nuanced reportingAnd much more…Lux's Q3 Investor Letter: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s5xiwjG9psi6xRQPsAcI-I7-g6k5Pe--/viewThis 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 - Guest Intro & SpiderOak Ad01:18 - The Lux 8 fundraise02:33 - Shahin's background06:38 - How was Lux started10:10 - The firm's structure11:48 - A&D over the next decade15:30 - Investment highlights17:35 - Geopolitical shifts19:57 - A look at American Dynamism23:41 - Do you need to be a scientist to be a deep tech investor?27:03 - A thesis-driven strategy33:05 - Advice for emerging managers39:11 - The role of media42:33 - Starship launch predictions43:17 - The second most valuable space company • Show notes •Lux's website — https://www.luxcapital.com/Lux's socials — https://twitter.com/Lux_CapitalShahin's socials — https://twitter.com/FarshchiMo'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/)
Jake and Anthony are joined by Tom Mueller, founder, CEO, and CTO of Impulse Space and former Propulsion CTO at SpaceX. We'll talk about what Impulse Space is up to, including their literally-just-launched first mission to space.TopicsOff-Nominal - YouTubeEpisode 132 - Boneless Skineater (with Tom Mueller) - YouTubeAccess Any Orbit | Impulse SpaceImpulse Space (@GoToImpulse) / XImpulse Space on X: “Any company's first launch of their product is always an incredible feat. But for Impulse, ours is a little more special because of the journey it took to get here. We moved into a new 55,000 sq ft facility in Redondo Beach in March of 2023…”SpaceX Transporter 9 rideshare features new OTV from Tom Mueller's Impulse Space - NASASpaceFlight.comIMPULSE SPACE ANNOUNCES LEO EXPRESS-2 and LEO EXPRESS-3 MISSIONS | Impulse SpaceSpaceX founding employee successfully moves from rockets to in-space propulsion | Ars TechnicaProject HARP - WikipediaFollow TomTom Mueller (@lrocket) / XFollow Off-NominalSubscribe to the show! - Off-NominalSupport the show, join the DiscordOff-Nominal (@offnom) / TwitterOff-Nominal (@offnom@spacey.space) - Spacey SpaceFollow JakeWeMartians Podcast - Follow Humanity's Journey to MarsWeMartians Podcast (@We_Martians) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit) | TwitterJake Robins (@JakeOnOrbit@spacey.space) - Spacey SpaceFollow AnthonyMain Engine Cut OffMain Engine Cut Off (@WeHaveMECO) | TwitterMain Engine Cut Off (@meco@spacey.space) - Spacey SpaceAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo) | TwitterAnthony Colangelo (@acolangelo@jawns.club) - jawns.club
Tom Mueller is an aerospace engineer and rocket engine designer. He was also one of the first employees of SpaceX, and the founder and CEO of Impulse Space. He is considered one of the world's leading spacecraft propulsion experts and holds several U.S. patents for propulsion technology.In this episode, Mueller talks about the early days of working with Elon Musk and SpaceX. He also discusses why he started his own space transportation company, and shares his thoughts on the future of space exploration and colonization.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The world is currently witnessing the rapid commercialization of space. According to Google, there are over 100 launch companies, some of which are already in regular operation. But what happens when these rockets deliver their payloads to space? How do satellites, which are the payloads, move from their drop-off points to the specific orbits assigned by the International Telecommunications Union? I'm your host, Kevin Blevins, and today, I'm joined by Dan Olson, the Vice President of Engineering at Impulse Space, a startup dedicated to in-space transportation and infrastructure for the commercialization of space. In this episode, we will explore various aspects of Impulse Space's work and the aerospace industry. In this episode, you will gain insights into the exciting developments in the commercialization of space and Impulse Space's pivotal role in this rapidly evolving industry. Additionally, you'll discover more about Dan's remarkable journey, from designing race cars to spacecraft, highlighting the surprising commonalities in design and innovation across different sectors. What You'll Learn in This Episode: Dan's journey from designing race cars to spacecraft (02:12) Impulse Base and its innovative products (07:05) SpaceX launch and payload capabilities (12:15) Space transportation and missions with Impulse Space (17:08) impulse base and its Siemens software integration. (23:41) Connect with Dan Olson: LinkedIn Website Connect with Kevin Blevins: LinkedIn
Impulse Space has announced that they've raised an oversubscribed $45 million Series A round. The NASA Tipping Points program awards Astrobotics $34.6 million and Blue Origin $34.7 million for Lunar missions. The European Space Agency has awarded Spire Global a $17.6 million phased contract for the EURIALO project, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our weekly intelligence roundup, Signals and Space, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow T-Minus on Twitter and LinkedIn. T-Minus Guest Tan Zu, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University Taiwan. You can connect with Tan Zu on LinkedIn and learn more about National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University on their website. Selected Reading Impulse Space Secures $45m In Series A Funding Round- Impulse Space Astrobotic Wins $34.6M for Power Demo Mission on the Moon- Press Release Blue Origin Awarded NASA Partnership to Turn Lunar Regolith into Solar-Power Systems on the Moon- Blue Origin Advanced aircraft tracking will come live from space- ESA Spacetech startup Space DOTS connects with $1.5 million in pre-seed funding round- Tech.EU Maxar Completes Critical Design Review For First Maxar 300™ Platform Developed For The Space Development Agency- Maxar ATOMOS ANNOUNCES FIRST ORBITAL MISSION DEMONSTRATING RENDEZVOUS, DOCKING, REFUELING AND ORBITAL TRANSFER- PR Newswire First STARCOM ‘orbital warfare' exercise delayed towards end of year- Breaking Defense Space Biology, Human Health Research and Robotics Work to Kick off Week- NASA Elon Musk's SpaceX may have ‘punched hole' in edge of space with rocket launch- The Independent Pentagon Leaders Emphasize ‘Responsible' Options for Countering Space Weapons- Air and Space Forces Russia's Space Program Reels After Putin's Ukraine Invasion- Bloomberg Space Force plans to ‘guarantee' future launch missions with 3 providers faces near term challenge- Breaking Defense Queen guitarist Brian May to release a book of 3D images of asteroid Bennu- Space.com T-Minus Crew Survey We want to hear from you! Please complete our 4 question survey. It'll help us get better and deliver you the most mission-critical space intel every day. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © 2023 N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The story of SpaceX hinges on a number of key early figures, including famed propulsion engineer Tom Mueller. Retiring from SpaceX in 2020 to start his own company focused on developing a space tug, Mueller joins Morgan to discuss his new venture, rocket science, his time at SpaceX and the economic potential of deep space.
The story of SpaceX hinges on a number of key early figures, including famed propulsion engineer Tom Mueller. Retiring from SpaceX in 2020 to start his own company focused on developing a space tug, Mueller joins Morgan to discuss his new venture, rocket science, his time at SpaceX and the economic potential of deep space.
Impulse Space is a new startup focused on space logistics, including last-mile payload delivery. The company has a first mission scheduled for fall this year, and also announced a private Mission to Mars jointly with Relativity last year. We touch upon all of this and a lot more in my conversation with their COO Barry Matsumori. Enjoy! JUST OUT: Raphael's fully revised introductory book on the Space economy, "To Infinity" - https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO Follow us: Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/podcast_space LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen/ Instagram - www.instagram.com/raphael_space/ Learn more about space & the space economy: Check out the edX/EPFL Space Economy MOOC: https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-economy There is now a certificate for those wanting to enter the space sector: https://www.spacecertificate.com The Space Business Podcast is sponsored by NanoAvionics. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spacebusinesspodcast 0:00 Intro 2:05 Elevator Pitch 2:34 Mission architecture 3:45 The first mission 5:01 Vehicle architecture/strategy 8:05 Vision for In-space services 13:37 Economic viability of small&medium launchers 16:18 View of the land on OTV companies 17:52 Primary users and use cases 20:07 Revenue model 20:53 The Mars mission 23:02 Financing and pricing 26:14 Tech needed to go to Mars 28:51 Propulsion system and vehicle details 33:40 Timeframe and production capacity 36:03 Starship 38:27 Vast space station deal 40:54 Vision for the space sector 42:30 Other areas that Barry is excited about 43:52 Impulse Space in 10 years 44:47 SpaceX Heritage 47:19 Medium-term futuristic possibilities 48:27 Sci-Fi
NASA selects seven commercial space companies to partner with through its second Collaborations for Commercial Space Capabilities program. VAST selects Impulse to provide the Haven-1 Space Station propulsion system. Virgin Galactic announces a flight window for its first commercial spaceflight, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our weekly intelligence roundup, Signals and Space, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow T-Minus on Twitter and LinkedIn. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Dr. George Nield, former Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation at the Federal Aviation Administration, Blue Origin Astronaut and Head of the Global Spaceport Alliance. You can connect with George on LinkedIn and find out more about the Global Spaceport Alliance on their website. Selected Reading Seven US Companies Collaborate with NASA to Advance Space Capabilities- NASA VAST selects Impulse Space for Haven-1 Space Station Propulsion- Vast Space VIRGIN GALACTIC ANNOUNCES START OF COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT SERVICE- Virgin Galactic Luxembourg greenlights new military SATCOM network using SES satellites- Breaking Defense Eutelsat reversing course with European retail broadband business sale- SpaceNews Astronaut Chris Hadfield working with King Charles on 'Astra Carta'- CTV News NASA recognizes James Webb Flight Operations Subsystem team at Raytheon- Military Embedded Space Command's leader is building out his Colorado HQ even as Congress tries to force the HQ to move to Alabama- NBC How a Shady Chinese Firm's Encryption Chips Got Inside the US Navy, NATO, and NASA- Wired Astrobiology Space Missions Need To Be More Aggressive And Less Risk Averse- Forbes Audience Survey We want to hear from you! Please complete our 4 question survey. It'll help us get better and deliver you the most mission-critical space intel every day. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © 2023 N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tom Mueller is best known for his instrumental role at SpaceX as propulsion CTO, but he's now turned his sights to his new venture, Impulse Space. Founded in 2021, Impulse aims to provide reliable and economical in-space transportation services. The company services include GEO/GTO/LEO logistics, in-orbit servicing, spacecraft life extension, active debris removal, and situational awareness.The company plans to operate within Earth's orbit and beyond, including lunar and Mars missions, which Mueller believes will open the gateway to space resource transportation, asteroid mining, in-space manufacturing, and propellant depots.Last summer, the company announced a partnership with Relativity to launch the first private mission to Mars and just last week Orbit Fab announced that it would use a vehicle developed by Impulse Space for an in-orbit refueling demonstration.In addition to Impulse's origin story, Mo and Tom discuss:Building propulsion systemsInitial target marketsEngineering thrusters vs enginesMira's first mission this OctoberLessons learned (and memorable stories) from SpaceXAnd 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 Ad spot 01:41 - Why rockets and why propulsion? 03:25 -Early work at TRW07:43 - Introducing Impulse 10:54 - The size of Impulse's market12:59 - First product: Mira 15:19 - Second product: Helios17:00 - Small thruster performance 20:31 - Competition in orbital transfer vehicles 22:16 - Chemical propulsion vs electrical? 23:10 - What are some of the elements/process of innovation that you're applying from SpaceX? 26:38 - Relativity mission 28:56 - Efficiency in getting propellant from the Moon vs the Earth 31:03 - Building and recruiting a team 33:22 - Spider Oak Ad break 34:29 - Why is launch so hard? 37:55 - How do you bounce back from failure? 38:52 - Future of rocket propulsion 40:42 - Starship and the future of engineering constraints42:26 - What other companies excite you? 43:32 - What's harder, designing a championship-winning F1 car or a new launch vehicle from scratch? 46:46 - Do you spend more time racing or tinkering? 48:19 - The future of racing electric vehicles? 49:41 - If you could race a lap in your favorite car, who would you take with you? 52:57 - Most memorable moment from your time at SpaceX 54:29 - When do you think we'll be back on the Moon? Mars?• Show notes • Impulse Space's website — https://www.impulsespace.com/Tom's socials — https://twitter.com/lrocketMo'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/)
The UK's Royal Navy has successfully tested a quantum navigation system. Space Force awards Northrop Grumman a weather satellite launch contract. Orbit Fab selects Impulse Space's vehicle to host a fuel depot for an in-orbit refueling demonstration for the US Space Force. NASA completes its TROPICs constellation, and more. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our weekly intelligence roundup, Signals and Space, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow T-Minus on Twitter and LinkedIn. T-Minus Guest Our guest for today's episode is former NASA Astronaut Colonel Eileen Collins talking about current human spaceflight launches and future missions to Mars. Col. Collins has released a new book “Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars: The Story of the First American Woman to Command a Space Mission” and you can connect with her on LinkedIn. Selected Reading Royal Navy's experimental ship carries out first trial of quantum navigation system- Sky £37bn added to UK economy by aerospace and defence- Aerospace Manufacturing Northrop Grumman wins $45 million Space Force contract to launch small weather satellite- Space News Orbit Fab selects Impulse Space's orbital vehicle for in-space refueling demo- Space News The Space Force's new fitness regime has landed- Air Force Times Rocket Lab launches 2 tiny NASA hurricane-watching probes to orbit- Space.com SpaceX investment in Starship approaches $5 billion- Space News Planet and UAE Space Agency Forge Climate Change Partnership- Via Satellite Intuitive Machines Lunar Landing Site Moves to South Pole- NASA Space Hero and Partners Launch Innovative Space Village, Boosting Space Tourism- Space Daily Weather Network Needed For Precision Human Landings On Mars, Says ESA- Forbes Audience Survey We want to hear from you! Please complete our 4 question survey. It'll help us get better and deliver you the most mission-critical space intel every day. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © 2023 N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Before we spend a few weeks looking at the past, we wanted to take another look at the future, so today we speak to Barry Matsumori, COO of Impulse Space who are teaming up with Relativity Space to attempt the first private landing on Mars in 2026.Barry Matsumori:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-matsumori-35676/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AZBammer Impulse Space:https://www.impulsespace.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gotoimpulse/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoToImpulse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/impulse-space/ Full show notes: https://spaceandthingspodcast.com/Show notes include links to all articles mentioned and full details of our guests and links to what caught our eye this week.Image Credits: Impulse Space Inc.Space and Things:Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/spaceandthings1Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spaceandthingspodcastFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/spaceandthingspodcast/Merch and Info: https://www.spaceandthingspodcast.comPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/SpaceandthingsBusiness Enquiries: info@andthingsproductions.comSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/spaceandthings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
With the announcement last month of the Impulse Space LEO Express-1 orbital mission, we thought it would be a good time to find out more about the company. On this edition of The Ex Terra Podcast, Tom Patton talks with Bary Matsumori, the Chief Operating Officer of Impulse Space. We hear a lot these days about rideshare missions. The recent SpaceX Transporter 6 mission carried 114 payloads into orbit. But each of those payloads needed a way to reach its assigned orbit. Impulse Space Propulsion is a Space 2.0 company providing those last-mile space payload delivery capabilities. For LEO Express-1, Impulse has procured a launch slot for this mission on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of SpaceX's Transporter-9 mission and is committed to meeting the current launch timeline of Q4 2023. Impulse will be among the first companies to demonstrate rapid in-space transportation services through high-thrust chemical propulsion. Space Remains Available on LEO Express-1 While the primary payload of LEO Express-1 is currently undisclosed, there is additional payload space available for secondary customers to join the mission. A Mars mission is also in the planning stages. Barry Matsumori was named COO of Impulse Space in March, 2022. He has an extensive background in the mobile wireless and Space 2.0 sectors spanning numerous leadership roles, among them serving as senior vice president of business development and advanced concepts at Virgin Galactic, senior vice president of sales and business development at SpaceX and nearly two decades at Qualcomm, where he was vice president of wireless connectivity. He has also worked with several early-stage technology companies in development and management capacities. How does what happens in space affect your everyday life? The Ex Terra podcast is dedicated to introducing you to many of the interesting people involved in the commercial space industry, and taking you behind the scenes with many of the companies making significant contributions to the new space economy. The podcast is available on Anchor, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Overcast, Pocketcasts and Radio Public.
Spaceflight News— LunaH-Map struggles to enter lunar orbit (spacewatch.global) (PDF: static1.squarespace.com VIA busek.com) (PDF: digitalcommons.usu.edu)— Korean Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) enters lunar orbit (space.com)— Hakuto-R M1 successfully completes second maneuver (spaceref.com) (ispace-inc.com VIA hobbyspace.com)— Chandrayaan-3 fully integrated (indiatoday.in) (indiatimes.com)Short & Sweet— China to expand Wenchang spaceport (spacenews.com)— Impulse Space has a mission (spacenews.com)Questions, Comments, Corrections— Dennis is reading Dragonfly by Bryan Burrough (bryanburrough.com)This Week in Spaceflight History— 14 Jan, 2009: Russian thruster firing shakes the ISS (spacenews.com) (space.com) (en.wikipedia.org) (nbcnews.com) (youtube.com)— Next week (1/17 - 1/23) in 1968: Fire in the hole
Impulse Space is partnering with Relativity Space to perform the first ever commercial landing on the red planet! Places in space, like Mars, are being viewed as potential destinations that can support the expansion of human presence in the inner solar system. Impulse Space and Relativity Space's mission to Mars is a step forward for the entire community interested in the benefits that space can bring to humans on Earth. Today, Impulse Space's COO and industry leader Barry Matsumori explains how Impulse is working to make this history-making mission possible, and deliver the first commercial payload to the surface of another planet by 2024! About Barry Matsumori: Barry Matsumori is an industry veteran that has been an executive leader at SpaceX, Virgin Orbit, and most recently as CEO at BridgeComm. Currently, Mr. Matsumori serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Impulse Space. In his own words, Mr. Matsumori shares, “I started my career in space at General Dynamics Space Systems in 1985 and worked on early satellites in the late 1980s. In 1993, I started at Qualcomm and worked on the ground side of Globalstar for a few years before moving into cellular communications.I have developed and implemented business and technology strategies as well as overseen operations at these companies. At BridgeComm, I led the refocus of the company strategy as well as being named in a number of optical communication technology patents.” At Impulse Space, Mr. Matsumori serves as the Chief Operating Officer, and is responsible for all the operating functions including business development, people, finance and mission management. More about Impulse Space and the designed mission to partner with Relativity Space: https://www.impulsespace.com/ The integrated Cruise Vehicle, Entry Capsule, and Mars Lander developed by Impulse Space will launch in 2024 on the Relativity Terran R launch vehicle. After traveling through interplanetary space for over half a year, the Cruise Vehicle will inject the Entry Capsule into the correct landing trajectory and detach. The Entry Capsule will use the proven combination of heatshield and parachute to slow down enough to safely deploy the Mars Lander into freefall. The lander will then perform a propulsive landing using purpose-built engines developed in-house at Impulse Space, completing the first commercial payload delivery to the surface of another planet.
The Pathfinder guarantee is to bring you conversations you won't find anywhere else. Today's episode delivers on that guarantee in spades, taking us from the cost-per-kilogram of covered wagons to in-space delivery logistics to Mars highways...and much more. Our guest is Barry Matsumori, a space industry veteran who's held exec roles at SpaceX, Virgin Orbit, and most recently, was CEO of BridgeComm. Barry's now the COO of Impulse Space, which was started by SpaceX founding team member Tom Mueller. Impulse is just a year old and it has only ~40 employees, making it all the more surprising when Impulse and Relativity said they'd partner to launch the first commercial Mars mission in the next available window (late 2024). We grill Barry on the specifics of the mission, and though it feels highly ambitious, it's safe to say that you don't want to bet against these teams. Today's episode is brought to you by SpiderOak Mission Systems, an industry leader in space cybersecurity. Check them out at https://spideroak-ms.com/ and download the new NSR/SpiderOak sponsored whitepaper, titled “Space Cybersecurity – Current State and Future Needs,” at www.spacecyber.com TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Introduction 2:43 -Explaining what it was like to work for Qualcomm, a semiconductor company specializing in silicon chips used in mobile phones 5:20 - Barry's unorthodox approach to higher education, starting with an undergraduate business degree and then pursuing a postgrad degree in engineering 9:05 - Defining new space 11:20 - The bread and butter of Impulse Space… finding ways to build infrastructure that allows space to become an enterprise 13:37 - Impulse Space aims to be a “last-mile” space transportation player. What does that mean and what does it look like? 17:56 - Discussion of Imulse's development cycles and vertical integration 19:35 - Where does the startup recruit from? What does its headcount look like? 20:35 - Relativity and Space are working together to do what?! 25:10 - What still needs to happen or fall into place to make the Mars window in 2024? 31:16 - Orbital infrastructure is a prerequisite for more space commercialization (materials processing, pharma development, semiconductor manufacturing, etc.) 36:20 - How using LEO as a parking could usher in a more sustainable phase of space exploration (and return trips to Earth) 40:28 - Pulling in fresh talent from other industries versus recruiting from space competitors 44:07 - Pools of talent density around the US… From LA to Boston, and far beyond 47:26 - If all goes to plan, what will Impulse look like in 2024? What other missions will it be working on? 48:41 - Close of show … Star Wars or Star Trek? Are we alone? Will Barry go to space? SHOW LINKS: Video referenced in episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuL7iYUNg6o&feature=emb_title Impulse's website: https://www.impulsespace.com/ Barry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barry-matsumori-35676/ Mars mission details: https://www.impulsespace.com/mars Q+A with partner Relativity: https://payloadspace.com/qa-with-tim-ellis-on-relativitys-mars-mission/ Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand. While we have designs on becoming the biggest space content company in the galaxy, for now, we send newsletters and publish podcasts. Subscribe to our flagship industry-leading daily newsletter at payloadspace.com
We welcomed Barry Matsumori to the program to discuss the Mars plans with his company Impulse Space and with Relativity Space. We talked about the Mars mission, commercial nature of the mission and the Impulse plans for space transportation, orbital services and more. Please read the full summary of the program at www.thespaceshow.com for this date, Friday, August 26, 2022.
On today's episode of Pathfinder, we're joined by Tim Ellis, the CEO and cofounder of Relativity Space. Tim was in his twenties when he started Relativity Space with cofounder Jordan Noone six and a half years ago. Fast forward to today. Relativity's 3D-printed Terran 1 rocket is at the pad in Cape Canaveral and an orbital launch is “weeks away,” Tim tells us. Relativity also recently announced that it's secured more than $1.2B+ worth of launch agreements for the forthcoming, fully reusable Terran R rocket. There are more customer contract announcements to come, Tim says. In fact, just since we recorded 12 days ago, Relativity announced a highly ambitious commercial Mars mission with Impulse Space. Pathfinder is brought to you by SpiderOak Mission Systems, an industry leader in space cybersecurity. What we cover in Pathfinder #0009…a sneak peek Tim's non-linear path into aerospace at USC, where he was part of the first student group to launch a rocket to space and interned back-to-back-to-back at Blue Origin Then, Tim and Jordan would go on to get accepted into Y Combinator, cold-email Mark Cuban, and successfully pitch their pre-revenue, pre-product startup to other big investors. Relativity is scaling headcount quickly. Relativity had 100 employees before Covid; it now has 850 and expects to hit 1,000 soon. The company is also ramping up production, having expanded into a 1M square foot facility in Long Beach, CA. “Our momentum towards Terran R is significant,” Tim says. We walk through the unique parts of Relativity's rocket-making stack, from propulsion to reusability to additive manufacturing. 3D printing is “the holy grail of automation technologies for aerospace,” Tim opines, and Relativity's 3D printing efforts span a few hundred employees. Eventually, the company's 3D printers may be useful in other industries. We ask Tim how he's navigating market turbulence and whether Relativity A) has taken a valuation haircut, B) will need to raise again soon, or C) if it ever considered going public via SPAC. Tim shares his thoughts on the economics of launch and where the market is saturated vs. undersupplied. …and much more. Over the course of an hour, our conversation took us from writing novels and Fight Club to interplanetary travel and chilling on Mars with a Corona. We hope you'll learn as much as we did.
Elon Musk and SpaceX have made it abundantly clear that they're going to Mars. The company is at work on Starship, which it says will be the world's most powerful launch vehicle, capable of taking a full crew and lots of cargo to the red planet. But they may not get there first.Relativity Space and Impulse Space have teamed up for a trip to Mars and, if everything goes as planned, they might be heading there very soon. The companies said that in 2024, Impulse's Mars cruise vehicle and Mars lander will hitch a ride on Relativity's fully reusable and entirely 3D-printed rocket. The companies said it will mark the first commercial mission to Mars.However, Relativity hasn't done much actual space travel yet, the type of experience that would make such an optimistic timeline for making it to Mars seem a little more realistic. The New York Times said Relativity still hasn't launched its Terran 1 rocket, though it may finally get the chance soon from Cape Canaveral. But it will be the larger Terran R rocket flying to Mars, and that spacecraft won't be ready to go for a few years.But Relativity's partner Impulse could help inspire confidence in this audacious mission given that its founder, Thomas Mueller, worked at SpaceX since the beginning and helped build the rockets that power the Falcon 9.Relativity and Impulse will have their work cut out for them. Once the Terran R takes Impulse's lander and vehicle into space, they'll detach and travel for nine months to Mars. Once they get there, they'll need to make sure they don't melt while going 12,000 miles per hour through the atmosphere before sticking the landing.If Relativity and Impulse can make it to Mars, they'll open up a lucrative business sending cargo to the red planet for willing customers. The company already has five customers for Terran R for a total booking of $1.2 billion, including a multi-launch agreement with OneWeb, a satellite communications company.Only 111 million miles stand between them and their goal.