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 enable cost-effective and reusable space travel. He also shares his thoughts on the future of lunar and Martian colonization and how propellant production plays a pivotal role in making interplanetary travel economically viable.

We also discuss:

• The technical hurdles of producing propellant on the Moon and Mars
• The impact of propellant production on reducing the cost of space travel
• The potential customers and business models
• How Starpath’s approach complements the vision of companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin
• The long-term vision for a human presence on the Moon and Mars, and what it will take to get there

And much more…

• Chapters •

00:00 - Intro

01:25 - What is Startpath?

04:11 - How was Starpath founded?

07:28 - The team

08:55 - Starpath with and without SpaceX

13:20 - Mega scale propellant production

16:30 - What type of propellant is Starpath making?

20:15 - What is Starpath building?

24:56 - Why build this power system yourself and why not nuclear?

28:56 - Plant & Rover

35:35 - Plan for success

39:59 - Speculation on SpaceX's propellant production

43:49 - Who else is a potential customer?

45:49 - Revenue model

48:27 - Investors and common misconceptions

50:26 - Capital needs

51:43 - Competitors? China?

54:37 - First fuel production prediction

56:03 - 10-year vision

58:16 - Other businesses Saurav is excited about

1:00:17 - Which celebrity will play Saurav?
 

• Show notes •

Starpath’s website — https://starpath.space/

Starpath’s socials — https://twitter.com/StarpathSpace

Sarah’s socials — https://twitter.com/SauravShroff5

Mo'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

• 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 19,000+ 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.

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