On Orbit

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Spaceflight's Curt Blake on the Future of Multi-Orbit Ridesharing Aug 18, 2022

Show notes

Spaceflight has shipped its brand new fully integrated Sherpa-LTC orbital transfer vehicle to Cape Canaveral for launch on SpaceX's Falcon 9 and signed a deal with Arianespace to launch on Vega missions as soon as next year.

Spaceflight CEO Curt Blake joined us on the podcast to talk about what these latest versions of Sherpa can do and the challenges of delivering satellites beyond LEO to trans-lunar, low-lunar, and GEO orbits.

We also talked about the benefits of green propulsion technology, the company's relationship with SpaceX as it progresses toward a Starlink mission launch later this month, new launch costs for small satellite customers, and the impact of launch services adding satellite manufacturing and mission management capabilities on broadening access to space.

Editor's note: This podcast was released online on August 8. We apologize for the delay in getting the episode to your podcast feed.

Cloud to Street Transforms Climate Change-Era Flood Insurance with Satellite Data Jul 12, 2022

Show notes

News coverage of extreme weather events and flooding has brought climate change to the forefront of public consciousness. As this flooding displaces and endangers life on Earth and causes trillions of dollars worth of damage to the larger economy, the flood insurance industry finds itself on the forefront of a serious problem that requires it to evolve the way it utilizes data quickly to save both itself and the well-being of its customers.

In comes Cloud to Street — a company that is utilizing satellite imagery and data and integrating it with data on the ground to more accurately calculate flooding risks so that insurers, industries, and governments can take a proactive approach to insurance. Co-founded by friends with extensive backgrounds in hydrology and communication psychology research, Cloud to Street is enabling the parametric insurance model commonly used for hurricane insurance to the flood insurance world.

Cloud to Street co-founder and CEO Bessie Schwarz joins us on this episode of On Orbit to explain how parametric insurance data works and how satellite data plays a key role in its collection. We also talk about the psychology involved in one of the most common challenges faced by space data solutions providers — how do you translate space data in a way that snaps clients into action? What does 'actionable' data look like?

Can Europe's Newest Spaceports Turn the Continent into a Global Launch Hub? Jun 21, 2022

Show notes

In order to have meaningful access to space to meet the demand for launch services, the world needs more spaceports and launch centers. British and European launch services could also use new spaceports. Flying payloads to launch facilities across the ocean in French Guiana or the United States can get expensive. Because of the war in Ukraine, Russia is no longer a viable option.

In this episode of Via Satellite's On Orbit Podcast, we are joined by Satellite Applications Catapult COO Lucy Edge, who is working with partners to build the new spaceport in Cornwall, U.K. We are also joined by Andoya Space Orbital Admin Director Ingrid Hanssen, who is part of a team that is renovating and upgrading Norway's Andoya Island space center so that it can launch more commercial and civil spacecraft. Lucy and Ingrid talk to On Orbit host Jeffrey Hill about the benefits of untapped launch sites, and the impact that an expanded spaceport network would have on costs, availability, and time to target orbit.

This episode is a preview of our Digital Forum webcast series that we produce exclusively for our Via Satellite and Satellite Group premium members. Learn more about our Satellite Group memberships and future Digital Forum events at https://www.satellitetoday.com/2022-digital-forums-for-satellite-group-members/

John Deere's Kiel Ronning Sees Data-Driven Solutions for Food Shortages Jun 07, 2022

Show notes

In this episode of Via Satellite's On Orbit Podcast, John Deere's Industry 4.0 lead Kiel Ronning joins us to talk about how his company is working to solve the global food shortage crisis through technology and education. John Deere is a trusted brand among farmers, who rely on the company to provide insights on crop yield efficiency and productivity. To fully utilize the tools that John Deere provides in their newest tractors and vehicles, farmers need access to high-speed bandwidth, sensing data, and imagery. Ronning and I discuss how the company is working with partners to facilitate that access.

We also discuss Ronning's work in revolutionizing John Deere's own production facilities. Through advancements in industrial IoT, John Deere has developed some of the most cutting edge private enterprise networks. Ronning explains how it has both led by example and followed other industries in rolling out these networks.

US, UK, and Argentine Government End Users Outline What They Need from Commercial Partners May 24, 2022

Show notes

On this special episode of On Orbit, government satellite technology program directors from the United States, United Kingdom, and Argentina join us to explain how they are working directly with commercial providers to get connectivity directly in the hands of enterprise, civil service, and military end users.

During this conversation, we interview Dr. Daniel Massey, Operation 5G to NextG lead for the U.S. Department of Defense, Arfan Chaudhry, head of International Strategy for the U.K. government's BEIS Space Directorate, and Pablo Recalt, head of the Steering Committee for Argentina's Chamber of Internet, CABASE. Daniel, Arfan, and Pablo describe the needs of their end users in detail and share how they are leveraging unique partnerships with the space and satellite industries to meet their objectives. It was a fascinating discussion that we're very excited to share with you today.

This episode is a preview of the new Digital Forum Events that we're producing exclusively for SATELLITE Group Members. This is a subscription service that we offer in two levels – basic and premium. Basic level subscribers get access to Via Satellite content, webcasts, and these exclusive forums. Premium-level subscribers also receive a 100% discount on an Executive All-Access pass to attend SATELLITE 2023, and access to our new Satellite & Space Industry Financial Report Database. This podcast contains a promo code that will provide a 20% discount on any subscription purchase. Learn more and become a member today at www.viasatellite.com/membership

Boosting Smallsats to Geostationary Orbit With GeoJump's Isa Fritz May 03, 2022

Show notes

You may not realize it, but the distance between Low-Earth Orbit, where most small satellites reside, and Geostationary Orbit, where nearly all of the much larger satellites live, is pretty significant. At more than 21,000 miles above LEO, GEO is a challenging orbit for smallsats to reach and maintain effective operations.

Believing that there is a viable and profitable future for smallsats in GEO orbit, Isa Fritz co-founded GeoJump and took on the role of its chief technology officer. The company's mission is to open the door to GEO for budget-conscious smallsat operators. By utilizing a Sherpa-ES orbital transfer vehicle developed by Spaceflight and employing a lunar fly-by trajectory, GeoJump says it can get customers to GEO safely in just two weeks… a huge improvement over the standard trip, which can take as long as six months.

Fritz was the runner-up in SATELLITE 2022's Startup Space entrepreneur pitch contest in March by only a few points. Just after competing, she joined us for a chat about GeoJump's origins and mission, her background as an engineer working on an impressive variety of spacecraft, lessons she's learned while leading a startup, and why she sees massive opportunities for small satellites in GEO.

Startup Space Winner Dr. Luisa Buinhas of Vyoma Balances Building Tech and Building Her Business Apr 19, 2022

Show notes

On this episode of On Orbit, we welcome the grand prize winner of the 2022 Startup Space entrepreneur pitch contest, Dr. Luisa Buinhas. She is the co-founder of Vyoma Space, a space debris mitigation technology company based in Germany. With a background in aerospace engineering specialized in space mission design and maneuver optimization, Buinhas leads the development of Vyoma's space program in its ambition to become a trusted partner in protecting satellite operators and space-faring nations from dangerous debris.

To accomplish this, Vyoma is building a constellation of space debris tracking satellites equipped with sensor systems and on-board optical cameras that can observe debris up close and personal in space. The satellites also have an on-board global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver that allows companies to determine the orbit of observed space debris.

During this interview, Dr. Buinhas and I discuss the origin of Vyoma and how its intelligent algorithms and software solutions work. She explains how she prepared to go up against a very competitive field of entrepreneurs at Startup Space and how she is preparing for the potentially life-changing 30-minute pitch call with investors that she won as a grand prize. Buinhas also shares some valuable advice on establishing short- and long-term goals, hiring, and finding the right investors for new startups.

Why Argentina is Investing in a Future-Focused, Government-Supported Space Economy Apr 06, 2022

Show notes

After a short break following the SATELLITE 2022 conference, Via Satellite's On Orbit podcast returns with a very special interview with two of Argentina's top science and technology government officials. Argentina's Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Daniel Filmus and his colleague Matías Kulfas, Argentina's Minister of Productive Development, join On Orbit host Jeffrey Hill to explain why their nation is investing in building the largest space economy in South America.

Filmus and Kulfas share details about their plan to build a launch facility outside of Buenos Aires, the importance of their working relationship with Argentina's civil space agency CONAE and other regional governments, as well as the socioeconomic and environmental benefits of satellite technology.

We apologize in advance for the sound quality of the interview, as it took place in the middle of Argentina's very busy SATELLITE 2022 exhibit hall pavilion. We would also like to thank Filmus and Kulfas' staff and translator for their assistance in setting up this fascinating interview.

Music in this episode is from Argentine producer Lagartijeando, courtesy of Wonderwheel Recordings.

Space Gets Caught in the Crossfire of Russia's War on Ukraine Mar 16, 2022

Show notes

On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia demolished the foundation of the world's geopolitical and financial structure by commencing a military invasion of Ukraine. The West quickly responded in unison with a new form of strategic financial warfare and implemented a

wall of economic sanctions designed to isolate Russia from the global economy.

The war caught everyone off guard, including the commercial space industry, which found itself in the crosshairs of Russia's first counterattack to the sanctions. In a bizarre Twitter rant, Dmitry Rogozin, head of Russia's Roscosmos, announced he was essentially holding U.K. constellation operator OneWeb hostage on the Baikonur launch pad until the U.K. government divested from the company and made guarantees that the satellites would not be used for military purposes. The stunt couldn't have come at a worse time for OneWeb, as it needs to complete its constellation and compete with SpaceX, which also has a dominating position in the launch market.

On this episode of On Orbit, NSR Consultant Claude Rousseau, a trusted veteran analyst of the global satellite and space industries, joins host Jeffrey Hill to talk about the immediate and long-term consequences of Russia's war on the space industry. Rousseau explains how each of the space-faring superpowers will fare in this new environment and identify who stands to lose and who stands to gain most in a global commercial space market without Russia. We also break down how the war impacts the already fragile global tech supply chain, which continues to struggle in its recovery from the pandemic, as well as the increased risk of kinetic and cyber warfare in space.

Rousseau also gives listeners a preview of the SATELLITE 2022 Finance Forum program that NSR is producing in partnership with the event on March 21, 2022.

This episode of On Orbit is brought to you by a.i. solutions®, developers of FreeFlyer, a software application used for space mission design, analysis, operations, and support for the full lifecycle of your mission. With heritage on over 225 missions, FreeFlyer provides solutions for both civil and defense space agencies, as well as the commercial space industry. Learn more about a.i. solutions® and their new release FreeFlyer 7.7 application here.

Asia's Satellite Bandwidth Market Prepares for a Post-COVID Rebound Mar 09, 2022

Show notes

The overall global demand for satellite-connected applications has been steadily increasing during the past decade, and market researchers expect this trend to continue. But this growth hasn't been evenly distributed, especially the Asia Pacific region, which includes nations like China with vast and complex fiber networks and others like Indonesia, with some of the most robust backhaul markets in the world.

In this interview, On Orbit host Jeffrey Hill speaks with APT Satellite Co. Executive Vice President Huang Bauzhong about the state of the Asia Pacific and Chinese Ku-band markets, regulatory challenges in the East, and the operator's plans to explore potential LEO and MEO offerings.

APT Satellite Co. operates the APSTAR satellite constellation and is headquartered in Hong Kong. The company currently has five in-orbit satellites — the APSTAR-7, APSTAR-9, APSTAR-5C, APSTAR-6C and APSTAR-6D. The fleet provides broadcasting, broadband, and backhaul to regions in Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific Islands, serving approximately 75% of the world's population.

This interview is part of a three-part series of exclusive interviews with three of the Asia-Pacific region's leading commercial space companies in China, Japan, and Hong Kong. These interviews were produced in partnership with the Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council (APSCC).

The other two interviews conducted with Fu Ziheng, president of China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) and Iwao Igarashi, vice president and general manager of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, are available to SATELLITE 2022 all-access pass holders and Via Satellite premium subscribers.

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