SEDScast

Will Coogan is the Chief Engineer of Space Systems at Firefly Aerospace. Will is responsible for the technical development of the Genesis lunar lander and the Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV). Prior to joining Firefly, Will obtained a PhD from Princeton focusing on electric propulsion systems.

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Tess Hatch is a Vice President at Bessemer Venture Partners. BVP is a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm which manages over $5 billion in its fund. Tess invests primarily in frontier technologies, including commercial space. BVP has investments in Rocket Lab and Spire Global, which Tess helps oversee. Our discussion with Tess is largely based on the role of traditional VCs and how they can enable space companies to achieve their visions.

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Amanda Stiles is the Director of Mission Management and Integration at Rocket Lab. Amanda is also the Rocket Lab Moon Program Director, which will see its first lunar launch in early 2021 as part of the CAPSTONE mission. Prior to joining Rocket Lab, Amanda worked at SpaceX and XPrize. She holds a bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Washington and a master’s in Space Management from the International Space University.

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Adam Wuerl is the Director of Advanced Concepts and Strategy at Blue Origin. Adam’s team is responsible for developing concepts relevant to Blue Origin’s mission as defined by owner Jeff Bezos. Prior to joining Blue Origin, Adam worked on a number of projects at Spaceflight Industries and Lockheed Martin. He holds a master’s degree in Aerospace from Stanford and a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from the University of Washington.

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Sian Proctor is an analog astronaut and STEM educator who is passionate about the future of space. She has participated in a variety of research missions on Earth that examine how humans will live and work in space. In addition to being an analog astronaut and professor, Sian is a prolific public speaker. She talks to people of all ages and backgrounds to get them excited about space! Sian holds a master's degree in Geology and PhD in Science Education, both from ASU.

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Jeff Foust is a distinguished space journalist and Senior Writer at SpaceNews. He has been covering the space industry as a journalist since the 1990s and has built an impressive portfolio of work over his career. Jeff holds an undergraduate degree in Geophysics from Caltech and a PhD in Planetary Sciences from MIT. Jeff also serves as a Board Advisor for SEDS USA!

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John Kraus is an award-winning rocket launch photographer based in Cape Canaveral, Florida. John began photographing rocket launches in high school and has quickly become one of the most prominent figures in the field. Although he is only 20 years old, John has already gained public recognition and won several awards including the 2018 AviationWeek “Best of the Best” photography contest. You can see more of John’s work on Twitter and Instagram (@johnkrausphotos) or by visiting his website (johnkrausphotos.com).

Greg Johnson is a former NASA astronaut and USAF test pilot. Greg was the Space Shuttle Pilot for the STS-123 and STS-134 missions to the International Space Station. His test pilot career was focused primarily on variants of the T-38 and F-15 aircraft. Greg also served as the Executive Director of CASIS from 2013-2018. There he was in charge of leading half of the science conducted by NASA in the ISS National Lab. Today Greg sits on a variety of boards for companies and nonprofits focused on space.

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Grant Bonin is the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Spaceflight Industries. SFI acts as an intermediary between launch providers and customers wishing to launch satellites. In this episode, Grant walks us through his time at Deep Space Industries, Rocket Lab, and SFI. We also talked through the recent acquisition of SFI by Mitsui, and how the company is continuing to improve space accessibility.

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Tanya Harrison is a planetary scientist and the Manager of Science Programs at Planet Labs. She leads the effort to use Planet Labs earth imagery data for science missions. Tanya is also a longtime Mars enthusiast, earning her the title of “Professional Martian.” She has worked on a variety of Martian missions and is heavily involved with Mars outreach projects. Tanya holds a PhD in geology with an emphasis in planetary sciences.

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