The Space Industry

Episode 38 of the Space Industry podcast is a discussion with the Oxford Space Systems (OSS) team on the development of deployable antenna systems.

Oxford Space Systems is a UK-based specialist in the manufacture of deployable antennas and structures across a variety of CubeSat and smallsat mission profiles. We covered:

• How a project is initiated and how customer partnerships are developed
• How RF analysis on new antennas is performed
• The mechanical aspects of testing and development that need to be considered in a new project
• The mix of skills that different team members bring to each project, including the use of innovative materials and origami engineering
• How Oxford Space Systems organizes teams, development, and project work

You can find out more about Oxford Space Systems here on their satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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Episode 37 of the Space Industry podcast is a discussion with Antonio Pedivellano, Lead Deployables Engineer, and Thomas Sinn, CEO of Deployables Cubed (DcubeD).

DcubeD is a Munich-based NewSpace company specializing in the development of deployable components and sub-systems for small satellites. In the podcast we cover: 

• The technology limitations that make a case for high power deployable solar array solutions
• The areas of innovation that DcubeD has brought together to bring their system to market
• Thermal management of the high power generated
• How deployable arrays can be scaled for use in larger satellites
• What industry developments are capturing DcubeD's interest in the coming years

 You can find out more about DcubeD here on their satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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Episode 36 of the Space Industry podcast is a discussion with Ignacio Chechile, Chief Technology Officer of ReOrbit - a Finland-based manufacturer of reusable space systems - about innovation in NewSpace. We cover:

• What the NewSpace sector is and how it is characterized
• What makes spacecraft architectures different in today's missions
• The importance of software at all levels of a mission
• The concept of a software-defined satellite and what opportunities this is bringing to the industry

You can find out more about ReOrbit here on their satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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Episode 34 of the Space Industry podcast is a discussion with Kshitij Khandelwal, founder and CTO of Pixxel, about procurement in today's space industry. We cover:

• What upstream manufacturers look for in new potential suppliers
• How to work with prospective clients to ensure your proposals are effectively assessed
• Lead times and logistics considerations in the modern industry
• What's on the horizon for Pixxel's constellation and business

You can find out more about Pixxel here on their website.

And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode I speak with Maciej Ziaja, Machine Learning Software Engineer at satsearch member company KP Labs https://satsearch.com/suppliers/kplabs.

KP Labs is a Poland-based company offering AI computers and software to bring autonomy to demanding space missions. In the podcast we discuss:

• The factors driving the increase in adoption of on-board data processing (OBDP) and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities on satellites
• Examples of how algorithms and processing tools can support different missions
• Advice on how to integrate hardware and software for AI use
• Predictions on where such advances could take NewSpace in years to come

You can find out more about KP Labs here on their satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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Episode 33 of the Space Industry podcast is a discussion with Laura Crabtree, CEO of Epsilon3 - a US-based provider of mission and engineering operations software.

In the podcast we discuss:

• Commercial drivers in the human spaceflight (HSF) sector
• The economic impacts of commercial providers on NASA's future missions
• How the various proposed private space stations are contributing to HSF demand
• Predictions on the evolution of the market in years to come

You can find out more about Epsilon3 here on their satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode I speak to Alexander Telle, CEO of satsearch member ACM Coatings GmbH of Acktar Ltd. ACM Coatings specializes in ultra-black coatings and foils that improve the efficiency and performance of optical equipment.

In this episode we discuss how coatings can be used to suppress stray light, and reduce noise and reflections, as well as how to integrate them into space equipment for missions. We cover:

• How black coatings are leveraged in space missions
• Qualification and testing requirements for NewSpace missions
• What satellite camera manufacturers need to consider in order to enhance optical performance
• Recommendations for designers of star trackers and other optical sensors for satellites

You can find out more about ACM and Acktar here on their satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode I speak to Michele Pergola, product manager at satsearch member Dimac Red.

Dimac Red is a global professional sales organization with a focus on providing high-reliability electronic components for the space sector.

In this episode we discuss the procurement of such components and what factors engineers need to weigh up during selection. We cover:

• Balancing performance and risk, as well as costs, in mission design
• Upscreening and qualifying electronic components for use in space
• How the value chain (from wafer fab to assembly site) impacts the final design
• The future of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) usage in space missions

You can find out more about Dimac Red here on their satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode Hywel speaks with Michael Seidl, Systems Engineer for space applications at Texas Instruments.

Texas Instruments is a global manufacturer of semiconductors, integrated circuits, and other electronic components, with headquarters in Dallas, Texas, in the US.

The company has a suite of products for the defense, aerospace, and space sectors, and in this show we talk about how NewSpace engineers can balance risk, quality, and price during component procurement. We discuss:

• How engineers can get the highest cost-to-performance for electronic components
• Approaches to qualifying parts and components to improve mission integration
• The effects of the value chain, from wafer fab to final assembly, on risk and quality
• The potential for adapting and utilizing commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO)

You can find out more about Texas Instruments here on their satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode we speak with Zdravko Dimitrov, CEO of Sfera Technologies.

Sfera is a Bulgarian NewSpace company that develops technologies to integrate satellite data systems. In the podcast we discuss:

• Uses of blockchain in the space industry, particularly in the ground segment
• The existing bottlenecks in ground station services
• The changes to practices, hardware, and software that blockchain technology would require
• How operators may be encouraged to introduce blockchain into existing systems

You can find out more about Sfera Technologies here on their satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode we speak to Laura Crabtree Epsilon3 is a California, USA, based space software developer that creates tools to better communicate and manage operational procedures.

The team includes engineering and design professionals from Northrop, Google, and SpaceX, with experience that includes first-hand operational management of sending American astronauts to the ISS.

In the podcast we discuss how improved team communication and project lifecycle management can result in better engineering outcomes and help avoid mission failure. We cover:

• The gaps that can exist between designers and operators
• The impacts of a lack of procedure tracking on space missions
• How to improve team communication, and why this is important
• Examples of missions and services that benefit from enhanced operations management

You can find out more about Epsilon3 here on their satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode we speak to Marco Pavan, CEO and co-founder of satsearch member SteamJet Space Systems.

SteamJet Space Systems is a small satellite propulsion system manufacturer based in the UK specializing in electrothermal water-based propulsion for CubeSats.

In the podcast we discuss:

• The current maturity level of electrothermal water-based propulsion technologies
• Missions and maneuvers suited to flying water-based thrusters
• How water compares with other green propellants
• Future applications for this technology, such as in-orbit servicing and satellite de-orbiting

You can find out more about SteamJet Space Systems here on their satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode we speak with Lucille Baudet from satsearch member Oxford Space Systems (OSS).

Oxford Space Systems is a UK-based manufacturer of deployable antennas for the space industry. In this conversation we discuss the challenges of creating deployable antennas and systems for CubeSat missions, covering:

• The use of origami processes to stow and deploy antennas
• How deployable systems perform against fixed alternatives
• Testing and qualification mechanisms
• The use of advanced materials in deployable systems and other future innovations

To find out more about Oxford Space Systems please see the company's satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode we speak with Thomas Sinn, CEO and founder of Deployables CubeD (DcubeD).

DcubeD is a Germany-based manufacturer of actuators and deployable structures for nanosats and smallsats, and the wider commercial space industry.

In this conversation, we discuss testing and qualification for deployables and other technologies. We cover:

• How testing and qualification of deployables is currently performed.
• Examples of different mission scenarios in which deployables are a key requirement.
• The use of agency standards such as ECSS, GEVS, etc.
• Ensuring successful final Assembly, Integration and Testing (AIT) of deployable sub-systems.

To find out more about DcubeD please view the company's satsearch supplier hub here.

And if you would like to learn about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode we speak to Viktor Danchev, Chief Technology Officer at satsearch member EnduroSat.

EnduroSat is a nanosatellite manufacturer and operator with headquarters in Bulgaria.

EnduroSat has quickly built a strong brand in the space sector since being founded in 2015 and has worked with customers all across the globe. In the show we discuss:

• The pros and cons of the standardization of satellite sub-system interfaces
• How teams can work better with satellite platform providers remotely
• The ways that equipment tests (such as hardware and software in the loop) can be run between collaborating teams
• How proprietary technologies and data can be protected in shared missions

To find out more about EnduroSat please click here to view their satsearch supplier hub.

And if you would like to learn about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global marketplace for space, please join our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode we speak with Giovanni Pandolfi of Leaf Space, a Ground Segment as a Service (GSaaS) provider headquartered in Italy and with facilities around the world.

Leaf Space has a major focus on the Ground station as a Service (GSaaS) business model and has served a range of clients across the industry running both single and multiple missions.

In the episode we discuss some of the lessons and insights from this experience, including:

• The common bottlenecks satellite operators face with ground station access
• The use of standard framework agreements to provide ground segment services to multiple satellites
• Meeting regulatory requirements and conditions across multiple missions
• How Ground station as a Service (GSaaS) framework agreements can streamline procurement and bring satellite operators and ground station managers closer in alignment
• Predictions on the evolution of the ground segment in years to come

To find out more about Leaf Space please click here to view their satsearch supplier hub, and to stay up to date with all of our work, please join the satsearch mailing list to receive our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode we're joined by Helena Milevych and Jakub Nalepa from satsearch member KP Labs.

KP Labs is a Polish NewSpace business founded in 2016 that develops autonomous spacecraft and robotic technology.

In the episode we discuss creating a hardware and software ecosystem to bring AI-powered algorithms for autonomy in space missions. We cover:

• The current maturity of AI systems for autonomous operations
• The types of missions and requirements that could require such functionality
• KP Labs' Smart Mission Ecosystem and the benefits it can bring to missions
• Predictions on the growth of the market for AI-powered autonomy in space missions

To find out more about KP Labs please click here to view their satsearch supplier hub, and to stay up to date with all of our work, please join the satsearch mailing list to receive our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode we're joined by Søren Pedersen, SpaceCloud Sales Manager at Unibap AB (publ) and Thys Cronje, CEO of Simera Sense.

Unibap is a Swedish firm that creates artificial intelligence (AI) and automation technologies to improve industrial processes and Simera Sense is an optical payload manufacturer based in South Africa.

The two companies are currently working together to improve Earth Observation (EO) capabilities through advanced on-board processing, using AI techniques, which is the main topic of the episode. In the podcast we discuss:

• The current state-of-the-art in EO payload processing
• The challenge of building architectures that involve high-end processing devices
• What application areas and spectral bands can benefit from intelligent on-board data processing
• The trade-offs, testing, and other considerations that go into building such missions

To find out more about Unibap and Simera Sense, please use these links to view the companies' satsearch supplier hubs, and to stay up to date with all of our work, please join the satsearch mailing list to receive our weekly newsletter.

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In this episode we speak with James Barrington-Brown, CEO of NewSpace Systems - a space industry manufacturer with facilities in South Africa and the UK.

NewSpace Systems has developed a strong heritage in the modern commercial space sector with hardware and services provided to more than 60 clients, including several national agencies. But this progress is a built on a foundation of expertise in so-called ‘Old Space’ industry – by applying lessons from working on missions and services in decades past.

And that’s what we talk about in the episode, including:

• What James thinks the terms of New and Old Space really mean
• The importance of effective, widely used standards in the industry, and the benefits these can bring to businesses
• The factors that need to be considered when determining the true total lifetime cost of a mission
• How manufacturers can meet high volume requirements without sacrificing quality

To find out more about NewSpace Systems please view the company's supplier hub on the satsearch platform, and to stay up to date with all of our work, please join the satsearch mailing list to receive our weekly newsletter.

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Episode 19 of the Space Industry podcast is a discussion with Chad Meskimen of Redwire Space on modeling and simulation design in space missions.

Redwire is a space infrastructure company headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and works with companies around the world on missions at a variety of scales. In the episode we discuss:

• The value of open architecture and common standards in space mission simulation
• How and when engineers should think about the modeling stage of a mission
• Redwire's Advanced Configurable Open-system Research Network (ACORN) system
• The future for reconfigurable system design and open architecture modeling in space

To find out more about Redwire please view the company's supplier hub on the satsearch platform, and to stay up to date with all of our work, please join the satsearch mailing list to receive our weekly newsletter.

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