In this episode we speak with Erik Daehler, Senior Vice President of Sierra Space’s Defense organisation, focused on delivering national security satellite capabilities including missile warning and tracking.

Erik shares how a hands-on childhood, from rebuilding cars to fixing pinball machines, shaped his engineering mindset, and how early work in remote sensing at NASA took on new urgency after 9/11. He explains his shift into defence missions, the lessons learned from programme cancellations, and why adaptability matters as much as technical depth.

The conversation covers Sierra Space’s approach to responsible operations in orbit, including solutions for de-orbiting and servicing satellites, plus the shift from bespoke spacecraft to faster, more industrialised space manufacturing. Erik also outlines the skill sets Sierra Space needs most, from manufacturing and supply chain to systems thinking, creativity, and AI-ready engineering.

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