On Orbit

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Hawkeye 360's Serafini: 'You Can't Be a Part-Time Government Data Provider' Oct 26, 2021

Show notes

Hawkeye 360 sees itself as unique among space-based data services. Instead of collecting data through imagery, or Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Hawkeye 360 maps Radio Frequency emissions to produce what they call space-based RF analytics. Unique solutions solve unique problems, and so, Hawkeye 360 has been able to carve out its own distinct business in a crowded field, while also partnering with a large number of its peers.

Another fascinating aspect of the company's distinctiveness is its business model, and this is exactly why we invited Hawkeye 360 CEO John Serafini on the podcast. If you've listened to our recent discussions about space data providers, you've noticed that we've honed in on the massive scope and scale of their services. How do companies that can produce such a wide range of data insights for a wide range of customers find focus? Which vertical markets do you start with? How do you learn about those markets and where do you go from there?

Hawkeye's Serafini doesn't ask those questions, because he's already answered them. In this episode, he tells us how he found the focus of his data business in government and national intelligence and why he believes you can't serve major markets like his on a part-time basis. We also talk about Hawkeye 360's rapidly expanding constellation and its ambitious upcoming 18-month launch schedule.

Finally, for those of you attending Euroconsult's World Satellite Business Week event in Paris this December, listen to the episode to receive a special registration discount code to save up to 25 percent on the cost of admission.

Month in Review: Blue Origin Blues, Data for Everything, and Chasing SpaceX Oct 15, 2021

Show notes

On this episode of On Orbit, Via Satellite Managing Editor Rachel Jewett joins us to unpack what has been a whirlwind month for the space industry.

Blue Origin just sent actor William Shatner, Blue Origin Vice President Audrey Powers, former NASA engineer Chris Boshuizen, and Medidata CEO Glen de Vries 347,539 feet above ground level into space and safely returned the crew to Earth. This was the Jeff Bezos-founded launch company's 19th consecutive successful crew capsule landing. The mission carries symbolic weight, as Shatner, known worldwide as Star Trek's Captain Kirk, is responsible for bringing a significant amount of people into the space industry.

While being planned for some time, Shatner's journey comes just weeks after Blue Origin was racked by serious allegations penned in a letter by current and former company employees regarding safety and workplace culture. During this conversation, Rachel and I will break down the story from the perspective of the satellite industry and what Blue Origin customers may want to know about the story – as well as it's short- and long-term impact could be on the larger space community.

We also talk about the massive challenges facing space data analytics, imagery and sensing service providers in reaching their long list of target vertical markets, including the finance sector – all of which provides lots of opportunities for these companies to solve significant challenges. Finally, we take a look at Michael Sheetz's report from CNBC about SpaceX reaching a $100 billion valuation with a "leaked" stakeholder stock offering and what that might mean in terms of boosting commercial space to a trillion-dollar-plus market.

How Startup Space's Youngest-Ever Winner Found Gold in NASA's Idea Storage Closet Sep 30, 2021

Show notes

Adisesh Yeragudi just graduated from Rutgers University... and also became Startup Space's youngest-ever competition winner at SATELLITE 2021. His company, AV SpaceTech, is building a modular ion space propulsion engine — the Xe-1 — a disc composed of engine layers that can be added or removed to increase or decrease power. The concept image is stunning, but what's even more stunning is how and where Adisesh first stumbled across the idea…

In this episode of On Orbit, host Jeffrey Hill talks to Adi about how he was inspired by his father (who is also an entrepreneur) to start this business, which is his second. We also talked about his experience at SATELLITE and Startup Space and how it felt to have a line of people waiting to talk to him about investing in his new company. He also shares tips for young entrepreneurs who may not be comfortable with public speaking. And, of course, Adi explains how he found the idea for the ion engine through NASA's Technology Transfer Portal — where many other potentially valuable commercial technology concepts could exist.

Our second Startup Space 2021 winner was Ethan Lin of TMY Technologies, a phased array antenna technology developer in Taiwan. Ethan will appear on a future episode of On Orbit. Stay tuned!

Supercomputing in Software-Defined Space Aug 31, 2021

Show notes

Computer software has been an integral part of our lives and the global economy for at least the last 35 years. Interestingly, the space environment, by comparison, has only recently become "software-defined" — with programmable satellites, robotics, AI, and machine learning becoming more commonplace in orbit. The demand for significant processing power, storage and better intelligence has simultaneously created a huge new market for space tech companies.

In this episode, Ramon.Space CEO Avi Shabtai joins us to explain the software-defined space revolution. Shabtai, whose startup aims to bring supercomputing and a variety of new in-space applications to satellites, outlines the unique challenges that the harsh space environment presents to software developers.

Shabtai and I also discuss the benefits of reprogrammable space technology, the evolution of the satellite control center, new space-based applications, troubleshooting space software, and the job market for space software engineering talent.

A Battle Against Physics: Building the Perfect Low-Cost Satellite Antenna Aug 17, 2021

Show notes

If you've purchased a new car in the last decade, you probably also own a mobile satellite antenna – albeit for satellite radio. These antennas became standard issue for new automobiles because they are small enough and cheap enough to mass produce. Delivering radio services one-way is a lot less complicated than delivering satellite internet, and yet, the goal for satellite broadband antenna developers is the same – make an antenna system small and cheap enough to mass produce so that more industries and more consumers can afford to adopt them.

Our guest for today's episode is the moderator of one of the most popular sessions at the SATELLITE show – How can the industry overcome design constraints and build the perfect low-cost antenna? Whitney Lohmeyer, assistant professor of engineering at Olin College and a research affiliate at MIT in aeronautics and astronautics, is an expert on ground systems development. Since becoming the very first engineer hired at OneWeb, she has worked closely with industry to advise on end-to-end system design, antenna systems, Radio Frequency (RF) power amplification, radiation tolerance, and spectrum strategy.

In this episode, On Orbit host Jeffrey Hill asks Whitney some of the most common questions Via Satellite receives about satellite ground systems. Whitney gives us her thoughts on how today's modern antenna systems compare and perform, as well as a sneak peak at what she intends to cover at her session at SATELLITE.

Astronaut & Author Ron Garan Explains How Space Travel Changes Perspective Aug 03, 2021

Show notes

With all the recent talk about space tourism and whether or not the "Overview Effect" — the personal change one experiences when seeing the Earth from space — is worth the money and risk of a ride to space, there is no better person to talk to than former NASA Astronaut and Air Force jet pilot Col. Ron Garan. He's written multiple books on the subject.

For more than a quarter of a century, Garan flew on nearly every modern air and spacecraft under nearly every circumstance imaginable. He was one of the last astronauts to travel to the International Space Station (ISS) on the Space Shuttle, and one of even fewer to ride on both the Shuttle and Russia's Soyuz rocket (a profound experience for a fighter pilot trained during the Cold War).

His acclaimed debut book, "The Orbital Perspective: Lessons in Seeing the Big Picture from a Journey of 71 Million Miles," detailed the personal transformation he experienced while living on the ISS. His soon-to-be-published follow-up, "Floating in Darkness: A Journey of Evolution," uses space exploration as a backdrop to conversations that transcend political, cultural, national, ethnic and religious divides, and focus on our shared responsibilities as a society. He's also writing a children's book, "Railroad to the Moon" about a young girl who helps create a community in space.

In this episode of On Orbit, Garan shares his experiences as a pilot, his thoughts on commercial space travel, and a powerful recollection of how he first experienced the overview effect. He also talks about the FAA's recent change to its Astronaut criteria and attempts to answer the question — Why travel to space when we have so many problems to solve on Earth?

Seeking New Ground for New Space Jul 20, 2021

Show notes

Recognizing the amount of change that the New Space movement delivered to the aerospace industry, ST Engineering iDirect wants to cultivate that same level of disruption in the complex world of ground systems. The company, which exists as the result of several merged legacy ground technology brands, is throwing its support behind a "New Ground" movement, which it hopes will catch on at the SATELLITE 2021 show in September.

ST Engineering iDirect CTO Frederik Simoens has seen ground-based space technologies evolve from gigantic physical structures to virtual programs in the cloud. The ground systems he oversees must work with satellites in multiple orbits, operating in multiple bandwidths. His customers expect these technologies to constantly evolve and become smaller, lighter, cheaper, and easier to operate. Achieving these things all at once, in today's 24/7 connected environment, has never been more difficult.

And that's perhaps why Simoens feels that the timing is perfect for a New Ground movement. In this episode of Via Satellite's On Orbit podcast, Simoens explains why and how ST Engineering iDirect wants to change the way our industry approaches ground systems technology, and what it hopes to achieve by building the foundation for a New Ground movement. This episode is sponsored by Blue Sky Network - a supplier of satellite tracking and communication solutions for the aviation, land mobile and maritime industries.

Via Satellite's 10 Hottest Space Companies of 2021 Jul 06, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, On Orbit host Jeffrey Hill joins Via Satellite Editor-in-Chief Mark Holmes and Managing Editor Rachel Jewett to reveal and explain the team's picks for the magazine's ultra-popular 10 Hottest Satellite Companies for 2021. This list includes what we feel are 10 of the most buzzworthy companies with a lot to prove, and a lot riding on what happens over the next 12 months. Executives of these companies will be featured as guests on future episodes. To access Via Satellite's full list of the 10 Hottest Companies of 2021, visit http://interactive.satellitetoday.com/via/july-2021/the-10-hottest-satellite-companies-in-2021.

Astronaut Sandra Magnus Takes on Optical Satellites, Human Spaceflight, and Sustainability Jun 22, 2021

Show notes

Very few people understand the realities of space like former NASA Astronaut Dr. Sandra Magnus. After all, she spent more than 150 days — nearly half a year of her life — living in space. Her perspective on what is and isn't possible with space and satellite technology is uniquely grounded in experience.

Dr. Magnus is optimistic about the future of human spaceflight and satellite communications, but that excitement comes with some concern about the challenges we face in our rapid development of commercial space. She believes that we have the talent and capability in the private sector to solve these challenges, but that we need government leadership and guidance to ensure that space truly benefits all.

In this episode, Dr. Magnus talks to On Orbit host Jeffrey Hill about her new role on BridgeComm's advisory board and her interest in the company's optical wireless satellite technology and its mission to form the backbone of interconnected networks. She also talks about her work as an advisor to Virgin Galactic, her views on space tourism, and her memories of the Space Shuttle and how it compares to modern launch vehicles. She also expresses her opinion about how global and collaborative Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and space debris removal capabilities are both necessary and possible.

Emily Calandrelli Demystifies Space for Netflix and Tik Tok Jun 08, 2021

Show notes

When it comes to science influencers, Emily Calandrelli is a household name for a new generation of space enthusiasts. If you have kids, you may know her from "Emily's Wonder Lab" on Netflix, which brought DIY science experiments into viewers' homes during the pandemic lockdown. She's also the long-running host of "Xploration Outer Space," and a speaker and the author of the Ada Lace children's book series.

While Emily's communication style is fun and accessible, she has a rigorous science and engineering background underpinning her work, with two master's degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In this episode of On Orbit, guest host Via Satellite managing editor Rachel Jewett interviews Emily about how she went from interning at NASA to hosting a Netflix TV show, and how she strives to make science accessible to all. This episode also digs into the wild world of Tik Tok, where Emily has debunked science myths about falling rocket stages, and shared her own high-altitude experiment.

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