On Orbit
Episodes
Hawkeye 360's Serafini: 'You Can't Be a Part-Time Government Data Provider'
26 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hawkeye 360 sees itself as unique among space-based data services. Instead of collecting data through imagery, or Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Hawk...
Month in Review: Blue Origin Blues, Data for Everything, and Chasing SpaceX
15 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of On Orbit, Via Satellite Managing Editor Rachel Jewett joins us to unpack what has been a whirlwind month for the space industry. Bl...
How Startup Space's Youngest-Ever Winner Found Gold in NASA's Idea Storage Closet
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Adisesh Yeragudi just graduated from Rutgers University... and also became Startup Space's youngest-ever competition winner at SATELLITE 2021. His com...
Supercomputing in Software-Defined Space
31 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Computer software has been an integral part of our lives and the global economy for at least the last 35 years. Interestingly, the space environment, ...
A Battle Against Physics: Building the Perfect Low-Cost Satellite Antenna
17 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
If you've purchased a new car in the last decade, you probably also own a mobile satellite antenna – albeit for satellite radio. These antennas beca...
Astronaut & Author Ron Garan Explains How Space Travel Changes Perspective
03 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With all the recent talk about space tourism and whether or not the "Overview Effect" — the personal change one experiences when seeing the Earth fr...
Seeking New Ground for New Space
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Recognizing the amount of change that the New Space movement delivered to the aerospace industry, ST Engineering iDirect wants to cultivate that same ...
Via Satellite's 10 Hottest Space Companies of 2021
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, On Orbit host Jeffrey Hill joins Via Satellite Editor-in-Chief Mark Holmes and Managing Editor Rachel Jewett to reveal and explain th...
Astronaut Sandra Magnus Takes on Optical Satellites, Human Spaceflight, and Sustainability
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Very few people understand the realities of space like former NASA Astronaut Dr. Sandra Magnus. After all, she spent more than 150 days — nearly hal...
Emily Calandrelli Demystifies Space for Netflix and Tik Tok
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to science influencers, Emily Calandrelli is a household name for a new generation of space enthusiasts. If you have kids, you may know ...
The Future Legacy of Alabama's 'Rocket City'
25 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Before it became known as "Rocket City," Huntsville, Alabama was more of a one stop-sign town. Things changed after World War II, when the U.S. Army r...
Quebec's Space Economy Jumps to Lightspeed
11 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
By investing in cities, the commercial space industry can work wonders for local economies by creating new jobs, attracting new talent, and establishi...
(Space) Graphic Design is My Passion
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Our latest episode of the On Orbit podcast is all about design. Not spacecraft design, or satellite engineering, but graphic design in the space indus...
Eric Berger, Elon Musk, and the Stars of SpaceX's Origin Story
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Eric Berger, a soft-spoken Ars Technica journalist, meteorologist, and lover of all things space-related, has spent a lot of time with Elon Musk durin...
Farmer Charlie's Space-Powered Smart Agritech Platform
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Betty Bonnardel and I share a unique connection to the Alps. In 2015, I traveled to Northern Italy's Dolomites to research my family history. Before c...
Pack Your Bags! We're Going on a Space Vacation!
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Space vacations are a real thing! If you want to see the Earth from a brand new perspective, and experience weightlessness like a real astronaut, and ...
Mourning a Lost Satellite: How In-Space's Doug Liddle Bounced Back from a Tragic Launch Failure
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Satellite builders form a unique bond with their spacecraft. In-Space CEO Doug Liddle described his start-up's first satellite, Faraday-1, as a 'preci...
The Creative Process of Virgin Orbit's Storyteller, Kendall Russell
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne spacecraft is like a Russian matryoshka doll. A plane takes off carrying a rocket, which is carrying a satellite payload. O...
Khristian Jones Chats Patti Grace Smith Fellowship
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Khristian Jones is a senior aerospace engineering student at Wichita State University, and one of the co-founders of the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship....
2020 in Review and the Decade Ahead With Euroconsult's Maxime Puteaux
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Maxime Puteaux, principal advisor at Euroconsult, gives us the rundown of satellite trends in 2020, as well as what he sees happenin...
Fueling Up in Space With Orbit Fab's Dan Faber
22 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Space startup Orbit Fab is working to establish gas stations in space. The company announced plans to launch its first operational fuel depot into orb...
SIA's Therese Jones Chats Zed Factor Fellowship
08 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Therese Jones is the senior director of policy at the Satellite Industry Association (SIA). She works on issues such as universal access to broadband,...
How Astroscale's Carolyn Belle Sees the Future of the Space Economy
10 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Carolyn Belle has held a variety of jobs in the space industry, but her vision remains the same: a future that focuses on building space-based infrast...
What Does the 2020 Election Mean for Space Policy?
26 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What would a second Trump administration or new Biden administration mean for space policy? In this episode, we talk to Via Satellite Managing Edito...
Chatting With Grace Graham: ULA Internship and Twitter Q&A
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We bring back previous co-host and guest Grace Graham, student at Utah State University. She catches us up on her summer internship with ULA, her firs...
Internship 101 With Former Matthew Isakowitz Fellow Josh Ingersoll
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
So you're interested in the space industry, but how do you land an internship? As someone who's interned at NASA, GE Aviation, and OneWeb, Josh Ing...
From Amazon Software to Space-Based Blockchain with Aravind Ravichandran
17 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Aravind Ravichandran is a Senior Strategy Consultant at PwC's space practice, and a self-proclaimed Earth Observation data aficionado with a passion ...
To Mars and Beyond With Chris Bellant of the Mars Initiative
15 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Bellant is an operations planner for the International Space Station (by day, but by night, he's the executive director for the Mars Initiativ...
The Potential of the African Space Industry With MzansiSat's Victor Stephanopoli
01 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Victor Stephanopoli is the COO of MzansiSat, South Africa's first private prospective satellite operator focusing on telecom. The company focuses on t...
A PocketQube Startup Story with Alba Orbital's Tom Walkinshaw
18 Aug 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we talk to Alba Orbital CEO and Founder Tom Walkinshaw about building a pocketqube startup, applications for tiny 5 cm satellites, mak...
Propulsion in Space While Moving Forward on Earth With Naia Butler-Craig
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Naia Butler-Craig is a NASA space technology graduate research fellow and a PhD student at the Georgia Institute of Technology, focusing on electric p...
Keeping Space Green and Clean With Luc Riesbeck
07 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Luc Riesbeck is a space policy research analyst at Astroscale U.S., and wants to make our orbits a safer place. Riesbeck started their career with...
Cubesat Experiments With Julie Sage, Gen Z Aspiring Astrophysicist
23 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Julie Sage is an aspiring astrophysicist, science communicator, and the host of SuperNova Style Science News. At just 16-years-old, she's been doing s...
Exploring Space Medicine With Dominic Tanzillo
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What is space medicine? Although the answer can vary, it focuses on ways to keep humans in homeostasis while they endure extreme environments. There's...
Making Space in the Space Industry With SEDS Director of Projects Nicole Chase
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What does "space is for everyone" really mean? Nicole Chase tackles this question in her work. In order to make the space industry accessible for ever...
Launching Both CubeSats and Events With SEDS Rice President Ryan Udell
11 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
With the world around us constantly changing, next-generation space leadership is more important than ever. But, what does it mean? What does it look ...
The Automated Fiber-Planting Tractor that Won Startup Space
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There have been only a handful of places fit for fiber installation — underwater, underground, or strung up on utility poles — until a new tech s...
On Orbit Live at SATELLITE — What Does "New Space" Really Mean?
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The topic of this episode — our first live podcast — is more or less a question. What exactly do we, people in the space and satellite industry, m...
The Songs (and Sounds) of Space with Steven Drozd & The Flaming Lips
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
And now for something completely different! Steven Drozd, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter with the world-famous Oklahoma City-based rock band, Th...
The Future of Connectivity
17 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
For our sixth and final episode of our special podcast series, "Connecting the Unconnected," we're joined by Hughes Vice President of Corporate Market...
The Regulatory Landscape with Jennifer Manner
03 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Satellite is an important part of bringing connectivity to users wherever they are. The regulatory choices that are made by governments can assist in ...
Rapid-Fire Inspiration — an SGx Preview with Karina Perez Molina
25 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Just a few years ago, recent college graduate Karina Perez Molina met her first true mentor — former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver, who insp...
In the Air, On the Ocean, On the Move
18 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's nearly impossible to recall a time before technology advances, broadband enhancements and widespread use of connected devices hurtled us into hyp...
Harvest Hub: Food Security from Space
10 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dr. Hannah Kerner develops machine learning solutions for NASA Harvest, a program led by the University of Maryland, in which a group of international...
When Disaster Strikes
04 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In the wake of natural disasters, functioning communications services and infrastructure can mean the difference between life and death. Flooding, sei...
Kerbal Space Program's Aerospace of Play
28 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Kerbal Space Program (or KSP as it's more commonly known by fans) is a tremendously successful space flight simulator. It has been hailed by game indu...
Changing Lives with Affordable Internet Access
21 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Identifying affordable options to connect to the internet remains a challenge for billions across the globe. In urban areas, internet connectivity is ...
WTF is WRC (and Why Should I Care?)
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bandwidth is by no means an unlimited resource. Your family's smartphones, your in-home WiFi, and the dozens of Bluetooth devices in your automobile a...
Connecting Rural and Hard-to-Reach Places
07 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
According to the ITU's The State of Broadband 2019 report released in late September, the world achieved greater than 50% global broadband Internet p...
The Top 12 Space and Satellite News Stories of 2019
23 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As a holiday gift, we're bringing our last On Orbit episode of the year a day early! Via Satellite Editor-in-Chief Mark Holmes and Managing Editor Ann...
Microsoft Azure, Dell Energy CTOs on the Digital Innovation Frontier
10 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Microsoft Azure wants to craft its own space business vertical. But instead of building their own satellites, they've opted to build the business thro...
Satellite Cybersecurity Horror Stories with Ken Munro
26 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you think your maritime satellite terminal is safe from hackers, give Ken Munro a call to make sure. He's probably already found a backdoor to your...
Building Smallsats Like Cars: NanoAvionics Comes to the USA
12 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
NanoAvionics CEO Vytenis Buzas defines his small satellite-building business as an homage to the smart industrial practices of the American automobile...
Commercial Satellite in the 1980s: An Industry History Lesson w/ Scott Chase
29 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With the unveiling of the SATELLITE 2020 Conference Program this week, we have a very well-timed episode of On Orbit featuring an interview with Scott...
FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr on Satellite-Powered Precision Farming
15 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How important are precision agriculture and global food and water supply monitoring applications to our future? Via Satellite's On Orbit podcast takes...
Cosmic Girl: Launching Satellites from Jumbo Jets w/ Sirisha Bandla of Virgin Orbit
01 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne is a rather unique launch vehicle. It's a rocket that deploys, or drops, from a customized Boeing 747 -- a "Flying Launchpa...
Seeing is Believing: Space-Based SAR to Save our Environment w/ Capella Space CEO Payam Banazadeh
17 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It's frustrating for environmental scientists to watch politicians mangle and regurgitate climate change data into stump campaign speeches. When Capel...
Community Wi-Fi: Education, Healthcare, and Economic Equality w/ Dave Rehbehn and Peter Gulla
03 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Connecting the world's disconnected is a mission we take to heart at On Orbit. After all, our debut episode focused on bridging the digital divide. W...
Carpooling Satellites: Historic and Unique Rideshare Launch Missions w/ Spaceflight and TriSept
20 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of On Orbit, we're joined by Melissa Wuerl, Vice President Business Development for Spaceflight Industries, and Jason Armstrong, Direc...
It's Cleanup Time! Dangerous Space Debris w/ Astroscale COO Chris Blackerby
06 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As global space activity expands and accelerates, our space environment, naturally, becomes more congested. There have been nearly 9,000 satellites la...
The All-in-One Aerospace Engineer, Economist, and Entrepreneur w/ Grace Graham, 2019 Brooke Owens Fellow From Utah State University
23 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Mechanical Aerospace Engineer Grace Graham does it all! In addition to being a 2019 Brook Owens Fellow and full-time student Utah State University, sh...
Software-Defined Space(s): The Evolving Cloud w/ Greg Quiggle of Kratos & Alain Guigui of Hewlett Packard
09 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean when people say that the satellite industry is becoming more "software-defined?" Does it mean that physical infrastructure is being ...
5G's Conceptual Link to Satellite w/ Karl Horne of SES Networks & Ashish Sharma of Inseego
24 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The telecommunications sector is at an inflection point between the peak of the 4G LTE market and the on-ramp for next-gen 5G wireless services. Does ...
Space Politics of a Space Force w/ Vivienne Machi of Defense Daily
11 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Most people are aware of the Trump administration's plans for a "Space Force," but few are clear on how it will fit within DoD structure, how it opera...
3D Printed Rockets w/ Tim Ellis, CEO of Relativity (Live at SATELLITE 2019)
28 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
At SATELLITE 2019, Jeff hosted a fireside chat on 3D Printed rockets with Tim Ellis, CEO and Founder of Relativity, a unique launch service company th...
Launching Thousands of Smallsats w/ Jenny Barna (Live at SATELLITE 2019)
14 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jeff asks Spire's launch manager Jenny Barna why the satellite industry can't just sent satellites into orbit whenever they want. This episode address...
Space's Private Industry Ambassador w/ Jeff Matthews (Live at SATELLITE 2019)
13 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Deloitte's Specialist Leader in Space Jeff Matthews sits with On Orbit host Jeff Hill to explain why all of these new industries are interested in inv...
Building Bridges Across the Digital Divide: Hybrid Satellite Networks
13 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Our inaugural episode of On Orbit, titled "Building Bridges Across the Digital Divide: Hybrid Satellite Networks," focuses on the growing economic ...