What does it take to build a revolutionary Earth observation company, weather the failure of a flagship satellite, and emerge stronger than ever? Anthony Baker, CEO and co-founder of SatVu, joins us for an inspiring and deeply insightful episode of the New Space Vision podcast to share his journey.

Anthony’s career spans over 35 years in the space industry, including pivotal roles in regulatory bodies, NATO, and various startups across the globe. In this episode, we explore the genesis of SatVu, which is poised to redefine thermal satellite imaging. With applications ranging from industrial monitoring and national defense to combating climate change, SatVu’s high-resolution thermal satellites offer unparalleled insights into activity patterns across the globe.

But the road hasn’t been easy. Anthony recounts the emotional highs of launching their first satellite and the crushing reality of its unexpected failure. In an admirable testament to resilience, SatVu rebounded with innovative product development, enhanced customer engagement, and a bold vision for scaling their constellation.

Along the way, Anthony shares hard-earned advice for aspiring space entrepreneurs, the challenges of creating new markets, and the importance of solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology.

In this episode, Sven and Daniel interview Aakash from Pixxel, a company that is launching a constellation of the world’s highest resolution hyperspectral satellites. Aakash shares his journey into the space industry and explains the importance of hyperspectral data in monitoring and analyzing various vital indicators on Earth. He discusses the challenges of selling a product that is still in development and the need for customer education. Aakash also highlights the unique culture and collaborative nature of the space industry. The conversation covers topics such as the differentiation of hyperspectral data from multispectral data and the future impact of hyperspectral data on Earth.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Purpose of the Podcast

05:34 Selling a Product in the Space Industry

10:01 The Culture and Collaboration in the Space Industry

16:05 Advancements in Hyperspectral Technology

24:43 Specialization and Differentiation in the Earth Observation Industry

32:23 Market Development in India

36:20 Data Downlink and Distribution Challenges

39:47 The Future Impact of Hyperspectral Data on Earth

Aakash is the Chief Commercial Officer at Pixxel, a space data company building the world's first and highest resolution commercial hyperspectral constellation. He heads the growth and revenue functions, including global sales, marketing and customer success. Aakash has set up programs to provide government and commercial customers with access to Pixxel’s hyperspectral datasets as well as Aurora - Pixxel's Earth observation studio. 

Aakash has spent the past decade in frontier technology sales and is passionate about bringing breakthrough innovations to new markets. Before joining Pixxel, Aakash led business development in international markets for various startups in the AgTech and PropTech domains. Aakash has completed several courses in data science and remote sensing to supplement his business background.

Follow Aakash and Pixxel:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aakashparekh

https://www.pixxel.space/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/pixxelspace/

Follow NewSpaceVision:

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast is sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Bulent Altan, founder of Alpine Space Ventures and former VP at SpaceX, shares his journey in the space industry and provides insights into the evolving space ecosystem. He emphasizes the importance of quick decision-making and the need for companies to focus on commercialization of services and products. Altan discusses the growth of the European VC market in space and highlights the potential for European companies to become global leaders. He also discusses the challenges and opportunities in the Earth observation industry, including cost reduction and the role of large satellites. Altan shares his contrarian view on the space industry, advocating for investment in satellite and component builders. In this conversation, Bülent Altan discusses the use of carbon composite materials in various industries, including aerospace and automotive. He explains the advantages and challenges of manufacturing carbon composites and highlights their applications in lightweight and high-performance structures. Altan also shares his insights on the future of carbon composite technology and suggests a future guest for the podcast.

Takeaways:

- Quick decision-making is crucial in the space industry, where complete information is often unavailable.

- The European VC market in space has grown significantly, with more investors recognizing the potential of the industry.

- The commercialization of services and products, particularly in connectivity and data, is a key focus for short-term and medium-term success in the space ecosystem.

- The Earth observation industry faces challenges in capturing various customer segments and reducing the cost of data.

- Europe has the potential to become a global leader in the space industry, leveraging its talent, universities, and industries.

- Investment in satellite and component builders is an overlooked area with significant potential for growth and success.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:39 Early Days and Entry into SpaceX

08:57 Lessons from SpaceX and Quick Decision-Making

11:50 Motivation and Excitement for Space

24:24 Evolution of the VC Landscape in Europe

29:34 Investment Thesis and Focus on Connectivity and Data

35:46 Cost Reduction and Price Reduction in Earth Observation Data

39:20 European Role in the New Space Ecosystem

41:09 Contrarian View: Focus on Satellite and Component Builders

45:58 Future of Space Exploration in 100 Years

10:00 The Importance of Carbon Composite Materials

20:00 Challenges in Carbon Composite Manufacturing

30:00 Applications of Carbon Composite Materials

40:00 The Future of Carbon Composite Technology

48:00 Conclusion and Future Guests

Follow Bulent and Alpine Space:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bulentaltan

https://www.instagram.com/bulentaltan

https://alpinespace.vc/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/alpine-space-ventures

Follow NewSpaceVision: 

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast was sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact: 

[email protected] 

[email protected] 

[email protected]

This week, we’re proud to feature a unique story. Our guest interned at both Blue Origin and SpaceX in the early 2000s, later becoming Skybox’s (now Planet Labs' Terra Bella) 3rd employee, after his professor encouraged the would-be founders to start the company following a university competition.

It’s not surprising he’s been at the forefront of space innovation, considering he's been passionate about space since the age of six, citing an obsession with rockets. “I probably scared my mom to death many times, blowing stuff up in the garage, trying to mix rocket fuels and launch things.”

If you guessed Jonny Dyer, you were right. Consistently at the forefront of space innovation, Jonny is now the CEO of Muon Space, which is building satellites tailored for monitoring the climate on Earth. With their first launch in 2023 on SpaceX’s Transporter-8, and two more scheduled this year, Muon is poised to break barriers in satellite imaging as a whole.

Our conversation spanned the length of Jonny’s career but focused on Muon Space’s strategy and value proposition, and Jonny’s pragmatic and profound reflections on the Earth observation ecosystem. Don’t miss it!

Jonny:

https://twitter.com/jonnydyer?lang=en

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonny-dyer-1870085/

Muon:

https://www.muonspace.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/muon-space/

https://twitter.com/MuonSpace

Follow NewSpaceVision: 

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast was sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact: 

[email protected] 

[email protected] 

[email protected]

You don't really have to know Walter to pick up on the fact that he's a leader. When he arrived at our office for this episode, we hadn't given him the floor number. So, before our producer had time to offer him a welcome downstairs, Walter had already taken the elevator to the top and was methodically eliminating options as he descended.

"I figured I'd eventually find the the right one this way."

This decision-maker mindset was more than evident throughout our conversation with him - one of the most engaging we've had in a while.

In a generous show of authenticity, Walter opened up about his life: the makings of his present self and the decisions that guided him, the genesis of his current company and its clichéd yet entirely reasonable inspiration, and his personal greivances with the disingenuous politics of the space sector.

In this memorable episode, you'll learn about what it takes to run a space company, and what it feels like to "outstretch" one - and everything in between.

Follow Walter:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/walterballheimer

Follow Reflex:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/reflex-aerospace/

https://www.instagram.com/reflexaerospace/

https://twitter.com/reflexaerospace

Follow NewSpaceVision: 

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast was sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact: 

[email protected] 

[email protected] 

[email protected]

An investor's guide to earth observation:

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/daniel-seidel-979524137_i-wrote-an-investors-guide-to-earth-observation-activity-7117028884901949441-Wo61?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Yuk’s succes was not simple - not unlike his journey. Yuk used to be an officer in the Singapore army, as the head of maintenence and recovery operations of its armored and track vehicles.

“… It was a great honor and privilege… where else on Earth are you going to find a 21 year old reponsible for a 100 million dollar technology portfolio?”

He then went on to go to law school & specialized in space, later joining a company that would use an electrodyanmic tether as a propulsion unit to station-keep in low earth orbit. But when that company went under, he used the reason for its failure to inspire a new venture: Charter.

Charter is building Ubiks, a logisitics platform tailored to the process of building space systems.

“It takes over the moment you’ve arrived at your initial stable design, and now you need to put the meat to the metal and actually build the thing.”

Discover how Yuk got into space law following his position in the army, the challenges he faced in his first company, and how that led him to secure Techstars funding for Charter with its co-founder.

Follow Yuk:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chanyukchi/?originalSubdomain=uk

https://www.chanyukchi.space/

Charter:

https://www.charter.space/

Follow NewSpaceVision: 

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast was sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact: 

[email protected] 

[email protected] 

[email protected]

Vice President of Engineering at Planet Labs, Kiruthika shares her transition from the precision-intensive environment of a radio astronomer to the dynamic realm of a startup, where she leads teams through the design of satellites' power, avionics, and communications sytems. She gives us a look into the unique world of satellite constellation management, and the Planet value of performance over density, as Planet CEO Will Marshall says.

What makes Planet Labs stand out in the space industry? The answer lies in the company's "agile aerospace" philosophy and their strategic projects. Discover how Kiruthika and her team navigate the complexities of satellite systems, the impact of Planet's acquisitions, and the development of their constellations. We also explore current and future trends that are poised to redefine the satellite industry.

Follow Kiruthika & Planet:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiruthikadevaraj/

https://www.planet.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/planet-labs/

https://twitter.com/planet

https://www.instagram.com/planetlabs/

Follow NewSpaceVision: 

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast was sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact: 

[email protected] 

[email protected] 

[email protected]

https://www.live-eo.com/

In this episode, we sat down with Philippe Raisin, co-founder and CTO of VIDA, which is changing the renewable energy sector with earth observation. Philippe shared his unique journey from a personal interest in renewable energy to the inception of VIDA, which was born out of a non-traditional background in EO. He gave an inside look into how VIDA is leveraging geospatial data to address global energy challenges, and the transformative role the technology plays in their mission.

We delve into the intricacies of VIDA's work, discussing everything from the adoption and validation of satellite imagery to the hurdles of licensing, as well as the type of projects VIDA works on. Philippe offered valuable insights into the intersection of technology, renewable energy, and sustainable investment.

Follow Philippe & VIDA:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/praisin/

https://twitter.com/prraisin

https://www.linkedin.com/company/vida-place/

https://www.vida.place/

Follow NewSpaceVision: 

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast was sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact: 

[email protected] 

[email protected] 

[email protected]

In this episode, our hosts sit down with a pioneering figure in the space legal sector who transitioned from telecom law to finding his place among the stars. Discover how a canceled internship and a rapid pivot led Dr. Baumann to Eutelsat, one of the leading players in satellite broadcasting, before journeying into the heart of the Cologne Institute of Air and Space Law.

Following his academic foray, our Dr. Baumann found himself serving as a crucial part of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), first as an internal lawyer managing small projects before transitioning to the big leagues - working on major endeavors like Galileo and Copernicus. Listen as he recounts his decision to strike out on his own, developing a law firm with an out-of-this-world business plan that garnered an award and sprouted from the roots of his work at the DLR.

Dr. Baumann delves into the intricacies of space law, dissecting the core treaties, national laws, and evolving technologies that present new legal challenges. He touches on historical moments that influenced space law, such as the Sputnik launch and the space race, while dissecting major treaties that have set the stage for current day regulations. Finally, we discuss the surprising and not-so-surprising developments in the NewSpace ecosystem, from the rise of SpaceX to the ease of startup funding, and reflect on the immense progress and potential the future holds for the commercial space industry.

Follow Dr. Baumann & BHO Legal:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingo-baumann-7a8183/

https://house-of-space.com/

https://www.bho-legal.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/bho-legal/

Follow NewSpaceVision: 

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast was sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact: 

[email protected] 

[email protected] 

[email protected]

The sheer amount of data available from satellites enables us to solve some of the world’s most complex problems.

Renaud Allioux was inspired by Planet to do just that when he left Airbus to co-found Preligens, an AI and intelligence company in the earth observation space, which he is now Chief Innovation Officer of.

We spoke about Renaud’s journey, from working on exciting missions in physics and engineering at Airbus, to solving crucial problems in the defense industry.

He also explained how the intelligence sector and its troves of data make it hard to keep up, and why building software can be more challenging than building a spaceship due to requiring a different mindset and business plan.

Renaud gave us deep insights into what Preligens is doing, shared incredible stories from his career so far, and talked about the macro and micro perspective on EO. He shed light on why it’s so hard to break into the industry, the future of AI versus human analysis in defence, and how the private sector, contrary to popular belief, can be more advanced than government institutions.

Follow Renaud & Preligens:

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/renaud-allioux-2101704a/?originalSubdomain=fr

https://www.linkedin.com/company/preligens/

https://twitter.com/preligens?lang=en

Follow NewSpaceVision: 

https://de.linkedin.com/company/newspacevision

https://twitter.com/newspacevision

https://www.instagram.com/newspacevision/

https://www.facebook.com/newspacevision/

https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/newspace/

This podcast was sponsored by LiveEO. For more information on how Earth observation can help your company, contact: 

[email protected] 

[email protected] 

[email protected]