Valley of Depth
Valley of Depth explores the technologies that matter and the people building them. Produced by Arkaea Media, the team behind Payload, Ignition, and Tectonic, it looks beyond headlines and hype. The show features founders, investors, government officials, and military leaders shaping national security and deep tech. It covers breakthrough science, strategic policy, and the high-stakes decisions behind the world’s hardest technologies.
Episodes
NYSE | Varda’s $251M Raise, Firestorm’s Battlefield Factories, and Bedrock’s Ocean Robots
How do you test hypersonics from orbit, build drones at the front lines, and map the seafloor with robots?The Space & Defense Update is LIVE from the New York Stock Exchange with Mo Islam and Jack Kuhr, exploring in-space manufacturing, battlefield factories, and the autonomous tech mapping the ocean.Want to learn more about the business of space? Sign up for Payload's free newsletter: https:/
The Stoke Space Factory Tour with CEO Andy Lapsa
Stoke Space’s approach to full reuse is easiest to understand when you can actually see the hardware. During an exclusive post-Series E tour of the company’s 168,000-square-foot headquarters outside Seattle, CEO Andy Lapsa walks us through the evolution of Nova—from the Hopper demonstrator that first proved Stoke’s second-stage architecture to the flight hardware now being prepared for orbital tes
Launch is Not Solved Yet, with Andy Lapsa (CEO, Stoke Space)
Stoke Space was founded around a simple but radical belief: launch is not solved until rockets are fully and rapidly reusable. That thesis is now getting much bigger. Stoke has raised another $1 billion, bringing total capital raised to $2.3 billion, and is unveiling a new 15-ton-class version of Nova designed to be fully reusable. In his first sit-down interview following the announcement, A
The Flying Supply Chain, with Isaac Roberts (CSO of Skyways)
Skyways has spent nearly a decade working on a problem most of the drone industry largely ignored: logistics. While billions poured into drones built to see targets or strike them, Skyways focused on something less flashy but arguably just as important: moving critical supplies without putting people in harm’s way.
That bet is starting to look increasingly prescient. The company has worked with th
LIVE: Space & Defense Update at the NYSE | July 24, 2026
This month, Mo and Jack host a live Space & Defense Update from the NYSE, featuring leading investors and executives:
• Erik Kriessmann, Partner at Altimeter Capital
• Zach Shore, CEO of Hermeus
• Dan Wright, CEO of Armada
We discuss the latest developments across space, defense technology, AI infrastructure, hypersonic aviation, edge computing, private-market investment, and the emerging compan
The Reactor Renaissance, with Jordan Bramble (CEO of Antares)
Antares just closed a massive $470M Series C, was welcomed to the Oval Office by President Trump to celebrate becoming the first startup to achieve reactor criticality under the Department of Energy's reactor pilot program, and is now racing toward delivering the first commercial microreactors to the U.S. military. Just three years after being founded, the company expects to surpass $1B in defense
The Spacecraft Factory, with Ian Cinnamon (CEO of Apex)
Ian Cinnamon didn’t set out to build a satellite company. After selling his first startup to Palantir, he became convinced the real bottleneck in space wasn’t launch or payloads, but the spacecraft itself. While rockets were getting cheaper and payloads more capable, satellite buses were still being built like bespoke engineering projects. Apex’s answer was simple in theory and incredibly difficul
Solving America’s Drone Problem, with Soren Monroe-Anderson (CEO of Neros)
Soren Monroe-Anderson grew up racing FPV drones before turning that obsession into Neros, a defense startup building low-cost, high-volume drone systems for the United States and its allies. What began with prototypes in a basement has become a 200-person company producing roughly 1,000 drones a week, with plans to build a factory capable of making one million annually.
The timing is difficult to
Fighter Jets in Space, with Eric Romo (President & COO of Impulse)
Eric Romo spent his early career as employee #13 at SpaceX, left for nearly two decades, and came back to one of the hardest unsolved problems in the space economy: what happens after launch. Getting things to orbit is largely figured out. Moving them once they're there is not.
Impulse is now over $1B raised, embedded in the Golden Dome architecture, and with a GEO rideshare program booked out bef
The Global Ground Layer, with Bridgit Mendler (CEO of Northwood)
Bridgit Mendler took an unconventional path to founding a space infrastructure company, but it led her to one of the industry’s most overlooked bottlenecks: the ground systems connecting satellites to Earth. Now, she’s building Northwood to modernize that critical layer of the space economy, the part that doesn’t get the headlines but matters as much as anything happening above it.
Northwood rece
SpaceX's $1.75T IPO (LIVE from NYSE)
This month, Mo and Jack host a live show on the SpaceX IPO, featuring investors and analysts breaking down the company’s valuation, business lines, and long-term growth story:
Howard Morgan (B Capital)
Shaun Maguire (Sequoia Capital)
Liz Stein (USIT)
Dan Ives (Wedbush Securities)
We discuss SpaceX’s IPO valuation, Starship’s progress, Starlink and Direct-to-Cell, orbital data centers, AI inf
The OG Defense Check, with Ross Fubini (Managing Partner of XYZ VC)
On this week's episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with Ross Fubini, Managing Partner at XYZ Venture Capital, for a conversation about what it actually means to be early in a market nobody believed in.
Ross wrote the first check into Anduril in 2016, alongside Founders Fund, before defense tech was a category, before the term sheet wars, and before the word "primes" became a punchline on X. He
A Firefly Future, with Jason Kim (CEO of Firefly Aerospace)
On this week's episode of Valley of Depth, our first recorded in person, we sit down with Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace, in the company's historic Blue Ghost mission control room in Cedar Park, Texas — the same room where 60 engineers watched their lander touch down at one meter per second last year.
From there, the conversation opens into how Jason actually thinks: about the Moon, about
Space & Defense Market Update - May 2026 (LIVE from NYSE)
This month, Mo and Jack host a live show on the future of Commercial LEO Destinations, featuring leaders building the next generation of space stations:
Marshall Smith (Voyager Technologies / Starlab)
Jonathan Cirtain (Axiom Space)
We discuss station development progress, business models, NASA's role, private astronaut missions, station economics, the transition from the ISS, and what it wil
The Speed Advantage, with Zach Shore (CEO of Hermeus)
The United States hasn't flown a Mach 3-plus reusable aircraft since the SR-71 was retired in 1990. Hermeus wants to change that and they want to do it faster, cheaper, and with a fraction of the capital. This week we sit down with Zach Shore, newly appointed CEO, at the moment the company's bet is starting to pay off.
Zach walks us through his evolution from VP of Growth to CEO, the company's rec
The New Ground Truth, with Dan Smoot (CEO of Vantor)
Commercial geospatial intelligence has moved from nice-to-have imagery to core national security infrastructure. And Vantor is trying to reposition itself for that new era.
On this week’s episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with Dan Smoot, CEO of Vantor, to unpack the company’s transformation from a legacy satellite imagery provider into a space-based intelligence platform serving defense, int
Space & Defense Market Update - April 2026 (LIVE from NYSE)
This month, Mo and Jack host a two-hour live show featuring six leaders from the space industry:
Ian Cinnamon (Apex) 05:18
• Philip Johnston (Starcloud) 20:18
• Eric Romo (Impulse) 35:11
• Karan Kunjur (K2 Space) 50:26
• Shahin Farshchi (Lux Capital) 1:05:28
• Delian Asparouhov (Varda / Founders Fund) 1:22:00
• Molly O'Shea (Sourcery) 1:41:25
We discuss satellite manufacturing, orbital
The Flight Automation Era, with Mark Groden (CEO of Skyryse)
The U.S. military doesn’t have enough pilots—and automation may be the only way to scale airpower. At the same time, Skyryse is formally launching its new defense unit, bringing its software-defined flight system, SkyOS, into military applications.
On this week’s episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with Mark Groden, CEO of Skyryse, to unpack how the company is building a universal operating sy
ARKAEA x NYSE Space & Defense March Update
Yesterday we launched our first-ever live show from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) called “The Space & Defense Market Update.” We brought together investors and analysts operating at every stage of the capital stack to stress-test what's real and what’s priced in.
Capital markets are moving faster than anyone has clean answers for. Data centers in space are attracting serious money and serious
Autonomy at the Edge, with Scott Sanders (CGO of Forterra)
Scott Sanders has seen the defense tech industry from just about every angle. As a Marine officer, he watched promising capability stall somewhere between a program office and the field. As an early employee at Anduril, he helped build one of the companies that bet it could do better.
Now, as Chief Growth Officer at Forterra, he's making that same bet on autonomous ground systems, a market that'
The Early Innings, with Mark Boggett (CEO of Seraphim)
In this episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with Mark Boggett, CEO of Seraphim Space, to break down one of the biggest questions in the industry right now: are we still early in the space economy, or has the easy money already been made?
Mark has built one of the first dedicated space-focused venture firms, before the category became institutional. We discuss how the market has evolved from un
Networks in Motion, with Brian Barritt (CTO of Aalyria)
In this episode of Valley of Depth, we dive into Aalyria’s newly announced $100 million raise at a $1.3 billion valuation with cofounder and CTO Brian Barritt and unpack why investors are betting big on the future of networks that don’t sit still.
Aalyria is building two core technologies born inside Google: Spacetime, a software orchestration layer designed to manage networks in motion, and Tight
Thermal Breakthrough, with David Tearse (CEO of Karman Industries)
In this episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with David Tearse, co-founder and CEO of Karman Industries, to explore a piece of the AI boom that rarely gets attention: thermal infrastructure.As hyperscale data centers grow into multi-gigawatt “AI factories,” the limiting factor is no longer just chips or capital — it’s how efficiently we can move and reject heat. David explains how Karman’s Heat
SpaceX Road to IPO, with Jack Kuhr (Research Director of Payload Pro)
In this episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with Jack Kuhr, Payload Pro’s Research Director, to unpack what SpaceX has become on the eve of what could be the largest IPO in history. What began as a launch company has evolved into a vertically integrated platform spanning launch, satellites, global connectivity, and potentially AI and compute in space.This is the first in a series of conversati
Future of Signal Intelligence (LIVE @ NYSE), with John Serafini (CEO of Hawkeye 360)
We’re excited to launch a very special edition of Valley of Depth, recorded live from the historic vault deep beneath the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Going forward, we’ll be returning to the NYSE each month to host a series of conversations from the heart of global capital markets with the leaders building the next generation of critical infrastructure.In this installment, we sit down with Joh
Data Center Debate, with Philip Johnston (CEO of Starcloud)
As constraints on energy, water, and permitting collide with exploding demand for AI and compute, a once-fringe idea is moving rapidly toward the center of the conversation: putting data centers in space. Starcloud believes orbital infrastructure isn’t science fiction—it’s a necessary extension of the global compute stack if scaling is going to continue at anything close to its current pace.Founde
Sovereignty in Orbit, with Hamdullah Mohib (CEO of Orbitworks)
As more nations realize that space is no longer just a scientific domain but a foundation of economic power and national security, a new question is emerging: who will actually build the infrastructure that underpins it? Orbitworks believes the answer lies in sovereign capability: designed locally, manufactured locally, and operated with speed and control.Founded by Hamdullah Mohib, a former natio
Grid From Above, with Marc Berte (CEO of Overview Energy)
We're back to kick off 2026!While the world debates how to power the next era of compute, data centers, and industrial growth, Overview Energy is betting the answer is above us. The company is building infrastructure to beam power from space directly to Earth's grid.Founded by Marc Berte, a nuclear and aerospace engineer who spent his career at the intersection of lasers, spacecraft, and high-ener
The Maneuver Gap, with Kerry Wisnosky (CEO of Quantum Space)
Kerry Wisnosky believes the future of space power will be decided by maneuverability. As satellites remain largely static, Quantum Space is building the infrastructure to move, persist, and operate across orbits, from LEO to cislunar space.The company is developing Ranger, a six-metric-ton, high-delta-V spacecraft designed to operate for up to 15 years, host and deploy payloads, maneuver freely be
Building Golden Dome, with Lt Gen (Ret) Nahom & Mike Dickey (Elara Nova)
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) David “Abu” Nahom spent decades defending the American homeland, from commanding Alaska Command and the 11th Air Force to shaping Air Force budgets and strategy as the A8. Mike Dickey started his career in the original Strategic Defense Initiative, helped build the USSF and now advises companies and government leaders on the future of national security. Together, they unpack the re
Railroad to Mars, with Halen Mattison (CEO of General Galactic)
Halen Mattison left SpaceX because Elon told him his vision was too long-term. He wanted to build the propellant infrastructure that would unlock Mars and everything between here and there, but the timeline didn't fit SpaceX's roadmap. So he started General Galactic to do it himself.His team is developing Genesis, a water electrolysis propulsion system that delivers hydrazine-level thrust and xeno
Power, Meet Shield, with Trevor Smith (CEO of Atomic-6)
Space has a power problem. Satellites need more electricity and better protection, yet solar arrays are slow to build and failure-prone, and shielding adds mass and complexity. Atomic-6 is tackling both sides at once.Our guest this week is Trevor Smith, founder and CEO of Atomic-6. His team is building Light Wing, a redeployable, mass-manufacturable solar array aimed at higher watts per kilogram a
Rendezvous Economics, with Austin Link (Co-Founder of Starfish Space)
Satellites are expensive and once launched, mostly untouchable.. That’s the problem Starfish Space is solving. The company is building Otter, a small, autonomous servicing vehicle capable of rendezvousing with, docking to, and moving other satellites in orbit.On this episode of Valley of Depth, I’m joined by Austin Link, co-founder of Starfish Space. Austin shares how a team of former Blue Origin
The Missing Sensor, with Nicolaas Verheem (CEO of TRL11)
Spacecraft carry all kinds of sensors, but rarely the one humans rely on most: video. Despite offering the richest insight per watt, gram, and dollar, cameras have been largely absent from orbit.That’s what TRL11 is out to change. The company is building radiation-tolerant optics, edge computers that process and compress video in real time, and ground software that turns footage into operational a
Engineering Mass Abundance, with Neel Kunjur (CTO of K2 Space)
Smallsats have defined the last decade of space, but their limitations are clear: low power, limited throughput, and fragile unit economics. K2 Space is betting on the opposite. The company is building mega class and giga class satellites, platforms measured in tons rather than kilograms, that deliver unprecedented power, capacity, and resilience. By vertically integrating 80 percent of their syst
Proven Propulsion, with Kristin Houston (President of Space Power & Propulsion Systems of L3Harris)
This episode is presented by L3Harris Technologies.On this special edition of Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Kristin Houston, President of Space Propulsion and Power Systems at L3Harris. Kristin leads the team responsible for propulsion and space power systems across Artemis and beyond, from the RS-25 main engines to the Gateway’s high-power electric propulsion system to Fission Surface Power (F
From Seabed to Space, with Tyler Bernstein (CEO of Zeno Power)
Some environments are simply too harsh for traditional power sources. Solar panels fail in darkness, batteries die quickly, and diesel can’t reach. That’s where Zeno Power comes in. The company is pioneering nuclear batteries, compact systems that recycle radioactive waste into safe, reliable power for years at a time.On this episode of Valley of Depth, I’m joined by Tyler Bernstein, co-founder an
The Case for Continuity, with Pam Melroy (Former Deputy Administrator of NASA)
Continuous human presence in orbit has been a cornerstone of U.S. leadership in space for 25 years. But recent changes to NASA’s Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) strategy have Pam Melroy—former NASA Deputy Administrator and shuttle commander—sounding the alarm. She warns that shifting to short-duration missions risks ceding leadership in LEO and undermining U.S. readiness for Mars, opening the do
Logistics Wins Wars, with David Tuttle (CEO of Rune)
Logistics rarely makes headlines, but it wins or loses wars. Rune Technologies is betting that the future of contested sustainment won’t be built on warehouses and spreadsheets, but on software. The company recently raised a $24M Series A to accelerate that vision.On this episode of Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Rune co-founder and CEO David Tuttle to talk about how the company is reimagining m
Funding Deterrence, with Tommy Hendrix (Managing Partner at Decisive Point)
Tommy Hendrix is Managing Partner at Decisive Point, a venture firm backing early-stage companies developing critical national security technologies. In this episode of Valley of Depth, we unpack what it really means to fund the future of national defense and how venture capital is becoming a tool of statecraft.A former Green Beret turned investor, Tommy brings rare insight into the geopolitical s
Float. Foil. Fly., with Billy Thalheimer (CEO of Regent Craft)
In this episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with Regent cofounder and CEO Billy Thalheimer to explore a radical reimagining of coastal mobility, not with eVTOLs or hyperloops, but with high-speed electric seagliders that skim just above the water.Part hydrofoil, part aircraft, and fully electric, Regent’s vehicles operate in the sweet spot between aviation and maritime. They’re fast enough to
Pulses Towards Power, with Conner Galloway & Alexander Valys (Co-Founders of Xcimer Energy)
In this episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with Xcimer Energy’s cofounders, Conner Galloway and Alexander Valys, to unpack one of the boldest bets in fusion: resurrecting a Cold War-era laser technology to build the fastest, most scalable path to commercial fusion power.Xcimer has raised over $100 million to bring its inertial confinement fusion system to life, starting with LPK, a high-power
Stratospheric Platforms, with Mikkel Vestergaard (CEO of SCEYE)
Mikkel Vestergaard isn’t a typical aerospace founder. Before building solar-powered stratospheric airships, he spent two decades in humanitarian innovation, distributing a billion malaria nets, co-creating the LifeStraw, and helping eradicate Guinea worm disease. Now, as CEO of Sceye, he’s applying that same ethos to aerospace.In this conversation, Mikkel dives deep into the origins, design, and f
The Energy Grail, with Julien Barber (Investor at Emerson Collective)
Julien Barber is an investor at Emerson Collective, a venture and policy firm founded by Laurene Powell Jobs, where he backs bold bets on decarbonization, infrastructure, and long-horizon climate technologies. Before becoming an investor, Julien researched fusion energy at MIT and co-founded a carbon-tech startup. In today’s episode, we go deep into Julien’s investing philosophy, Emerson’s unique
Built for Complexity, with John Conafay (CEO of Integrate)
Welcome to a special Tuesday-edition of Valley of Depth, powered by Integrate.John Conafay spent years inside the space and defense worlds, from Spire to Astranis to the U.S. Air Force, and saw the same problem everywhere: complex programs were managed with spreadsheets, slide decks, and…crossed fingers. So in 2022, he founded Integrate to fix it. What started as a scrappy startup with five engine
Back from the Dead, with Chris Kemp (CEO of Astra)
Chris Kemp took Astra public in 2021 with a bold vision: low-cost rockets launching daily, bringing sovereign space access to every country on Earth. At its peak, the company was worth over $2 billion. Within two years, that valuation collapsed by 99%. In this episode of Valley of Depth, we go inside one of the most dramatic flameouts and attempted comebacks in the commercial space era. We discuss
Rapid Maneuverability, with Jeff Thornburg (CEO of Portal Space Systems)
Jeff Thornburg helped build Raptor at SpaceX. Now he’s building something new: a spacecraft designed for rapid maneuverability across orbits powered by solar thermal propulsion.In this episode of Valley of Depth, we get into the technical, strategic, and commercial implications of in-space mobility and why it matters now. Topics include:The hardest parts of building a rocket engine (and why most s
Strategic Nuclear Energy, with Jordan Bramble (CEO of Antares)
In the wake of new executive orders elevating nuclear energy as a national security priority, there’s growing momentum—and urgency—behind advanced fission technologies. Few are better positioned to talk about this shift than Jordan Bramble, co-founder and CEO of Antares Nuclear, a startup building microreactors for defense and space.In this episode of Valley of Depth, we explore the strategic, tec
The Future of Supersonic, with Blake Scholl (CEO of Boom Supersonic)
In a major shift, the U.S. government is moving to overturn a 50-year ban on civilian supersonic flight over land—a regulation that’s defined the boundaries of commercial aviation since 1973. It’s a pivotal moment for aerospace, and a timely one for this conversation with Blake Scholl, founder and CEO of Boom Supersonic.In this episode of Valley of Depth, we dive into the political, technical, and
Space Superiority, with Even Rogers (CEO of True Anomaly)
If the next great war is fought in space, Even Rogers wants the U.S. to be ready. On this episode of Valley of Depth, the True Anomaly CEO and former Air Force weapons officer joins us to break down how he’s building autonomous systems for space superiority and why space is the next warfighting domain. A graduate of the Air Force Weapons School, Even brings rare tactical and strategic insight into
Asymmetric Naval Power, with Paul Lwin (CEO of HavocAI)
This week on Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Paul Lwin, co-founder and CEO of Havoc AI—a builder of integrated hardware, software, and logistics that enables collaborative, autonomous maritime operations. A former Navy test pilot and electronic warfare officer, Paul saw firsthand the strategic challenge posed by China’s industrial scale in the Pacific and set out to build an asymmetric answer.In
Redefining Air Mobility, with Marc Allen (CEO of Electra)
This week on Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Marc Allen, CEO of Electra and former Chief Strategy Officer at Boeing. After nearly two decades at one of aerospace’s most iconic companies, Marc stepped away—and then doubled down—on aviation with a bold bet: a hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off in 150 feet, carries 1,000 pounds, and can land almost anywhere. In this episode, Marc breaks down wh
The Next Supercycle, with Erik Kriessmann (Partner at Altimeter)
This week on Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Erik Kriessmann, Partner at Altimeter – the $10B crossover firm known for backing generational companies across tech, defense, and space. From sourcing early-stage deals to helping build world-class teams, Erik’s path into venture started with a deep focus on talent, giving him a rare edge in identifying high-potential founders and building lasting par
Engineered for Impact, with Christian Garcia (Partner at Breakthrough Energy Ventures)
This week on Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Christian Garcia, Partner at Breakthrough Energy Ventures — the Bill Gates-backed climate fund investing in bold technologies to accelerate the energy transition across every sector of the economy. With portfolio companies tackling everything from geologic hydrogen to reusable rockets, BEV is redefining what it means to scale climate impact through har
Breakthrough Orbital Platforms, with Tejpaul Bhatia (CEO of Axiom Space)
This week on Valley of Depth, we’re joined by Tejpaul Bhatia, the newly appointed CEO of Axiom Space — a company building one of the first commercial space stations and leading private human spaceflight missions to low Earth orbit. The company is gearing up for Ax-4, Axiom’s fourth mission to the ISS, which will fly astronauts from Poland, Hungary, and India under the command of Axiom astronaut Pe
Hypersonic Power Play, with Bryon Hargis (CEO of Castelion)
We’re excited to launch Valley of Depth, our new podcast taking the place of our beloved (formerly known as) Pathfinder (RIP) podcast. Valley of Depth is about the technologies that matter—and the people building them. We talk to founders, investors, government officials, and military leaders shaping the future of national security and deep tech. From breakthrough science to strategic policy, we d
Beyond the Brief, with Ed Fyfe (Founder of Ed Fyfe Design)
This week on Pathfinder, we’re joined by Ed Fyfe, founder of Ed Fyfe Design, a creative studio focused on branding and visual identity for space and hardware companies. With a background in agency work and a passion for the space industry, Ed has built a reputation for helping companies craft compelling brand identities that stand out in a crowded market.In this episode, we explore the role of bra
Inside SpaceX's Revenue, with Jack Kuhr (Research Director at Payload)
This week on Pathfinder, we’re joined by Jack Kuhr, Research Director at Payload, for a deep dive into one of the most closely watched companies in the space industry—SpaceX. We break down Payload’s latest analysis of SpaceX’s revenue, exploring how the company’s launch business and Starlink network are shaping its financial trajectory.With our estimate of SpaceX’s 2024 revenue at $13.1 billion, t
Space to Grow, with Matt Weinzierl and Brendan Rosseau
This week on Pathfinder, we’re joined by Matt Weinzierl, Chair of the MBA Program and Professor at Harvard Business School, and Brendan Rosseau, a member of the strategy team for launch at Blue Origin. Together, they’ve co-authored Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier, a new book exploring the history, key players, and economic forces driving the momentum behind the space industry.
Subsurface Vision, with Jeremiah Pate (CEO of Lunasonde)
This week on Pathfinder, we’re joined by Jeremiah Pate, founder and CEO of Lunasonde, a company pioneering subsurface imaging from space. Lunasonde is developing technology to map the Earth’s underground, leveraging low-frequency synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to identify critical minerals and resources.With two satellites launched and the first full-tech satellite in their constellation set to la
Spectral Revolution, with Awais Ahmed (CEO of Pixxel)
This week on Pathfinder, we’re joined by Awais Ahmed, founder and CEO of Pixxel, a company focused on developing hyperspectral imaging technology from space. Pixxel is developing the world’s first commercial hyperspectral satellite constellation, aiming to provide detailed insights into critical industries like agriculture, energy, and defense.With the recent launch of three Firefly satellites—the
First Check, with Adam Draper (Founder of Boost VC)
This week on Pathfinder, we welcome Adam Draper, founder and managing director of Boost VC, an early-stage venture capital firm based in San Mateo, CA, specializing in pre-seed deals in deep tech, including space.Boost VC’s track record includes early investments in space companies such as Varda, Starfish Space, and K2 Space. This episode explores the philosophy and strategy behind the firm’s appr
Mach 1, Dawn Rises, with Stefan Powell (CEO of Dawn Aerospace)
This week on Pathfinder, we’re ready to kick off 2025 with our first episode back from a brief holiday hiatus. Joining us is Stefan Powell, co-founder and CEO of Dawn Aerospace—a company focused on building scalable, sustainable space transportation solutions. After cutting their teeth with an in-space propulsion business, Dawn is now pushing the boundaries with Aurora, a rocket-powered plane that
Nuclear Power and Propulsion for a Lunar Architecture, with Joe Miller (BWXT) & Kerry Timmons (LMT)
Quick PSA: This is our final Pathfinder episode of 2024! We’re so grateful for your support and can’t wait to bring you more content and a new format next year. Stay tuned!In our third and final episode of our special three-part Pathfinder series on lunar architecture—brought to you by our partners at Lockheed Martin—we’re focusing on how nuclear-enabled technologies will power and propel a sustai
Commodities & Tech of a Lunar Architecture, with Tim Cichan & Christie Iacomini (Lockheed Martin)
In the second episode of our special three-part Pathfinder series on lunar architecture—brought to you by our partners at Lockheed Martin—we’re zooming in on the technologies and design principles that will help establish a sustainable, long-term presence on the Moon and pave the way for future missions to Mars. Joining us are Christie Iacomini, who manages Lockheed Martin’s lunar infrastructure t
ISAM in Defense Strategy, with Patsy Klein (Falcon Research) and Dennis Wille (Astroscale U.S.)
This week on Pathfinder, we’re excited to bring you a special one-off episode, made possible by Astroscale U.S., the Denver-based subsidiary of Astroscale, a global provider of on-orbit servicing solutions. This episode dives into the DoD’s push to integrate commercial in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM) capabilities to enhance flexibility, resilience, and sustainability in mili
A Future Lunar Architecture, with Alex MacDonald (NASA) & Rob Chambers (Lockheed Martin)
This week on Pathfinder, we’re kicking off a special three-part series on lunar architecture, brought to you by our friends at Lockheed Martin. To kick off the series, we’re exploring the future of lunar architecture more broadly with Rob Chambers, Director of Strategy for Human Space Exploration at Lockheed Martin, and Alex MacDonald, Chief Economist at NASA. In this episode, Alex and Rob share t
From F-18s to Term Sheets, with Chris Morales (Partner at Point72 Ventures)
This week on Pathfinder, we are joined by Chris Morales, Partner at Point72 Ventures, for a discussion on venture capital’s role in shaping the space and defense technology landscape. In this episode, Chris provides a detailed overview of Point72 Ventures’ strategic approach to investing, drawing on his background as a former naval officer and his experience in venture capital. The conversation co
End-to-End Space, with Peter Beck (CEO of Rocket Lab)
This week on Pathfinder, we’re excited to welcome the one and only Peter Beck, founder and CEO of Rocket Lab. Rocket Lab continues to solidify its position as a leading end-to-end space company, offering launch services, spacecraft platforms, and in-house satellite manufacturing.In light of Rocket Lab’s Q3 earnings report, which saw a 55% year-over-year revenue increase and a growing backlog of ov
Direct to Deployment, with Robert Sproles (CEO of Exolaunch)
This week on Pathfinder, we explore the world of satellite deployment and launch services with Robert Sproles, CEO of Exolaunch. Exolaunch is a leader in satellite integration, offering launch services and deployment solutions for commercial and government clients.We explore how Exolaunch has built a cashflow-positive business with a remarkable track record of reliability, all without external fun
The Future of Manufacturing, with Erik Palitsch & TJ Ronacher (Co-Founders of Freeform)
This week on Pathfinder, we explore the future of 3D metal printing and manufacturing with Erik Palitsch and TJ Ronacher, co-founders of Freeform, a pioneering startup aiming to redefine industrial-scale additive manufacturing. Both SpaceX alumni, Erik and TJ share their journeys from leading projects on the Merlin and Raptor engines to co-founding Freeform, where they’re using high-power lasers a
Harnessing the Sun, with Baiju Bhatt (CEO of Aetherflux)
In this week’s pod, we dive into the world of space-based solar power with Baiju Bhatt, co-founder of Robinhood and now founder of Aetherflux, a new startup aiming to change how we think about energy from space. Baiju takes us on his personal journey from building a public company to tackling one of the most ambitious ideas in the space industry. Drawing on a lifelong passion for space—rooted in h
Telemetry Unleashed, with Karthik & Austin (CEO & CTO of Sift)
In this week’s Pathfinder pod, we bring in Karthik Gollapudi, CEO, and Austin Spiegel, CTO, of Sift, as they dive into the company's mission to build software tools for complex machines, with a focus on telemetry solutions. Sift’s platform enables end-to-end data ingestion, real-time analysis, and visualization, helping companies streamline the testing and operation of intricate hardware systems,
Algorithmic Debris Management, with Chiara Manfletti (CEO of Neuraspace)
In this week’s Pathfinder pod, Chiara Manfletti, CEO of Neuraspace and former President of the Portuguese National Space Agency, discusses the growing importance of space situational awareness (SSA) and space traffic management. Neuraspace is a Portuguese startup that is developing a software platform that provides satellite operators with risk assessments, maneuvering advice, and insights on spac
Mega Scale Prop Production, with Saurav Shroff (CEO of Starpath)
The cost to build a mass scale propellant production system on the Moon? Much less than $100M according to Starpath cofounder and CEO Saurav Shroff. The LA-based startup is developing the infrastructure for lunar resource extraction—including a power plant, a fleet of rovers, and a processing plant.In this episode, Saurav breaks down Starpath's approach to off-planet fuel production and how it can
Fission Surface Future, with Lindsay Kaldon (NASA)
This week on Pathfinder, we sit down with Lindsay Kaldon, NASA’s Fission Surface Power Project Manager, to explore NASA's plans for deploying small nuclear reactors on the Moon and Mars as part of the Artemis missions. Before her current role at NASA, Lindsay spent over a decade in the DoD, where she worked as an Air Force officer specializing in electronic warfare, keeping pilots safe at extreme
Platinum or Bust, with Matt Gialich (CEO of AstroForge)
This week on Pathfinder, we welcome back Matt Gialich, cofounder and CEO of AstroForge, to discuss the company’s plans to mine platinum group metals from near-Earth asteroids and its recent Series A funding. In this episode, Matt provides updates on AstroForge’s upcoming missions, the challenges of developing a cost-effective method for extracting and refining space resources, and how the company
Space Marketing Playbook, with Brian D'Erario (Payload)
This week’s Pathfinder pod features Brian D’Erario, the man who keeps the lights on at Payload as the Director of Client Partnerships. Brian’s role is to bring in all the revenue that makes everything at Payload possible (no pressure, Brian!). With experience working with over 97 partners, Brian has been instrumental in shaping Payload's approach to brand awareness and lead generation.Brian share
Dodging Debris, with Tony Frazier (CEO of LeoLabs)
This week’s Pathfinder pod features Tony Frazier, LeoLab’s newly appointed CEO, to discuss the critical role the company plays in building a living map of orbital activity for space operations. With over $120M of private capital raised, LeoLabs has continued to expand its global network of ground-based radars, currently cataloging over 22,000 objects in LEO. Tony shares his journey from a 13-year
100% Reusability, with Andy Lapsa (CEO of Stoke Space)
This week on Pathfinder, we welcome back Andy Lapsa, cofounder and CEO of Stoke Space. Stoke has made remarkable strides since Andy's last appearance on the show two years ago. They've grown to over 140 employees and developed innovative full-flow staged combustion cycle engines and reusable upper-stage prototypes. Andy shares his insights on the challenges and progress in creating fully reusable
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