Podcast Summary
Ursa Major's 3D Printed Rocket Engines Aim to Solve Supply Problems: Ursa Major's use of 3D printing technology allows for a faster and more efficient way to build rocket engines, reducing the dependence on foreign suppliers and benefiting both government and private space companies.
Ursa Major, founded by Joe Laurienti, is utilizing 3D printing to build rocket engines in the United States and to build them much faster than traditional manufacturing. The company aims to aid both government and private space companies in addressing their rocket engine supply problems. Private space companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, owned by Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos respectively, have been offering an alternative by designing and building rockets and engines in the United States. However, building one of these rockets can take years, and they're often plagued with delays. With Ursa Major's approach, rocket engines can be built much faster and help reduce the dependence of the United States on Russia for rocket engines.
From Biomedical Engineering to Space: The Journey of Rocket Engineer Joe Laurienti: It's okay to be unsure about your career path. Follow your passion and be willing to take risks. Perseverance is key in achieving career goals.
Joe Laurienti's journey from a double major in biomedical engineering and pre-med to rocket engineering is a reminder that it's okay to be unsure about your career path at a young age. He followed his passion for space and tinkering, changing his major and joining a student group called the Rocket Propulsion Lab. The group ultimately achieved their vision of being the first student group in space. After graduating from USC, he worked for SpaceX during a time when the company was not yet successful. His journey is a testimony to the power of passion and perseverance in achieving career goals.
Joe Laurienti's Insider Experience Working at SpaceX and Blue Origin: The space industry is rapidly evolving with new players disrupting the market. SpaceX and Blue Origin are prominent companies with ambitious projects, each with their own unique focus and contributions to space exploration.
SpaceX and Blue Origin are two prominent companies in the space industry, which are known for their ambitious projects. Joe Laurienti had the opportunity to work at both companies and experienced their transformational years. SpaceX had just launched the Falcon nine rocket and the first private spacecraft to dock onto the space station during his tenure while Blue Origin had a more human-centric focus and a different architecture engine. Prior to SpaceX, the rocket industry was dominated by Boeing and Lockheed Martin, and most of the rocket engines came from Russia. Joe's experience highlights the evolving space industry and the emergence of new players trying to disrupt the market.
The Rise of Domestic Rocket Engines in the US Space Industry: The ban on Russian rocket engines led to the development of new domestic engines, allowing companies like Boeing and SpaceX to provide launch services for human exploration, marking a turning point in the US space industry.
The US space industry has had to rely on Russian engines due to their reliable history and cheaper cost. However, the ban on buying Russian rockets due to the Ukraine invasion in 2014 sparked funding towards developing new domestic rocket engines. This led to companies like Boeing and SpaceX providing launch services for human exploration. This pivot towards domestic human flight was a turning point in the US space industry. The consolidation of the industry from 15 companies to one was due to the different architectures of the US and Russian engines, with the former being exquisite but expensive and reusable, and the latter being reliable and cheaper. However, the ban on importing Russian engines has given rise to new opportunities for businesses.
From Propulsion Engineer to Entrepreneur: Joe Laurienti's Journey to Launching Ursa Major: Joe Laurienti left his successful career at SpaceX to start Ursa Major, a company focused on developing rocket engines for the next generation of space exploration. His leap of faith and dedication to complex engineering has resulted in a thriving business.
Joe Laurienti founded Ursa Major to provide rocket engines for the next generation of space exploration, focusing on the most critical and high-risk component of rockets. His background as a propulsion engineer for SpaceX and Blue Origin gave him the ability to take on this daunting task, which required significant cash, resources, and complex engineering. By selling his SpaceX stock and committing all his efforts to starting a company, Joe was able to take the leap and turn his career shift into a thriving business. Ursa Major aims to service companies like SpaceX and hopes to become the microprocessor provider of the rocket industry.
Overcoming Rejection and Innovation in Rocket Manufacturing: Founders need to have thick skin and be prepared for constant rejection and criticism. 3D printing can be crucial in designing strong and lightweight rocket components, but it needs to be used in the right way and in the right places.
Joe Laurienti, the founder of Launcher, faced numerous rejections and criticisms from investors and potential customers due to his untested and young age and his innovative idea of making rockets using 3D printing of metals. However, he stresses that to be a successful founder, one needs to have thick skin and be ready for constant rejection and criticism. Launcher's key innovation was the use of 3D printing of metals, which was crucial in designing lightweight and strong components for rockets. Joe believes that using 3D printing in the right way and in the right places is essential for success.
Innovations in 3D Printing and Rocket Engineering: 3D printing can reduce costs and streamline the manufacturing process of rocket engines, while also utilizing dormant missile test sites for testing. Relativity Space offers a unique approach that has attracted top talent from rival companies.
3D printing can be used to develop metals in-house, removing expensive and time-consuming manufacturing processes. Building rocket engines with 3D printing allows for a cost and performance advantage, as multiple steps in traditional manufacturing can be eliminated. Finding a test facility for rocket engines is difficult and expensive, but a dormant missile test site in Birthed, Colorado, provided the perfect location for Relativity Space. The initial team comprised of members from Blue Origin and SpaceX, who were convinced to join by the company's message, which emphasized the unique benefits of Relativity's approach to rocket engine manufacturing.
Astra: Optimizing Rocket Engines for Affordable Space Travel: Astra is a startup that uses 3D printing technology and their own alloys to construct rocket engines for affordable access to space. They invest in state-of-the-art technology and have named their engines after characters from Ray Bradbury novels.
Relatively new aerospace company, Astra, aims to optimize rocket engines to provide efficient and affordable access to space. The founders realized that not every company building rockets could build engines and saw the opportunity to fill that gap. As a startup with limited funds, they were able to take risks to achieve major milestones, such as firing their first engine. 3D printing technology was utilized to construct engines with off-the-shelf materials but the company developed their own alloys to optimize performance. Astra recognizes the importance of staying up-to-date with the state-of-the-art technology and investing in it accordingly. Their engines are named after characters from Ray Bradbury novels - Hadley is currently in production.
The Complexities of Starting a Space Technology Business: Starting a space technology business can be challenging, costly, and highly regulated, with a long period called the 'Valley of Death' that businesses have to pass through before achieving long-term sustainability. It's crucial to communicate progress, comply with regulations, and have patience, perseverance, and the right strategy.
Starting a space technology business is complex, cash-intensive, and highly regulated. It can take years to reach sustainability, and one has to pass through the 'Valley of Death,' which is the period between initial funding and long-term viability. Even successful companies like SpaceX have faced this period where they've had to threaten bankruptcy or risk going under. While attracting investors, it's essential to communicate progress and explain why one should continue to invest in the business. Also, regulatory compliance is a crucial factor in this industry. Despite the cash inflow from customers, meeting costs is challenging during the research and development phase. However, with patience, perseverance, and the right strategy, one can traverse this tough journey to reach success.
ERSA Major's Role in Developing Hypersonic Weapons for the US Military: Despite facing strict regulations and lagging behind other countries, ERSA Major is focused on testing materials and communications for hypersonic weapons. Rapid design, building, and testing are crucial in rocket engines and missile defense.
In the business of rocket engines and missile defense, ERSA Major faces regulatory hurdles and strict requirements to meet the needs of Air Force, Space Force, NASA, missile Defense Agency, and other customers. Despite lagging behind China and Russia in hypersonic technology, ERSA Major is excited to play a role in the development of hypersonic weapons. While the US is investing in developing an arsenal of hypersonic weapons, ERSA Major is primarily focused on testing high-temperature materials and electronic communications for hypersonics. Overall, rapid design, building, and testing are crucial to success in the field of rocket engines and missile defense.
Opportunities and Challenges in Hypersonic Missiles and Space Exploration: Hypersonic missiles are a new field of development that pose a challenge for detection and countermeasures. Space exploration offers new opportunities for data transformation and access to modern satellites for novel applications like groundwater monitoring for farmers.
Hypersonic missiles are an exciting new field of development, but detecting and countering them is a challenge. A fast-moving startup can bring new defense products to market as there is a lack of industrial base and production capability. Space exploration offers a window of opportunity for data transformation that was not accessible 10 years ago. The cost to access space has reduced significantly, allowing for new capabilities like SpaceX's starlink constellation intended to bring internet globally. Collecting new data types like groundwater for farmers and trading on that data is now possible with modern satellites. Manned missions are also possible with successful rocket technology.
Advancements in Propulsion Technology: Enabling More Feasible Human Interplanetary Travel: With the focus on developing more efficient means of travel, the prospect of long vacations to Mars and exploration beyond nearby planets is becoming increasingly feasible. The future of space travel is exciting and accessible with continued innovation.
As space companies like SpaceX continue to focus on exploration and advancements in propulsion technology, the possibility of human interplanetary travel becomes more tangible. Beyond resource potential on the moon and other celestial bodies, the development of more efficient means of travel presents exciting opportunities for the future of space travel. While the six-month trip to Mars remains challenging due to logistical concerns, the aim is to eventually move beyond just short-term settlement on nearby planets and explore the asteroid belt and beyond for abundant resources. The prospect of long vacations to Mars becomes increasingly feasible with continued innovation, making space more accessible and exciting for generations to come.
