Bridgit Mendler and Griffin Cleverly talk about building scalable ground stations for satellite networks; cyberattacks on automakers, lead in protein powder; look back at the 1986 Challenger disaster

In this episode of Go/No-Go, Jon Bruner visits Northwood Space in Los Angeles to talk with Bridgit Mendler and Griffin Cleverly about how they’re rethinking satellite connectivity. Northwood is designing and manufacturing phased-array ground stations that make communicating with satellites faster, cheaper, and easier to scale.

Jon and Alex also break down the week’s manufacturing and product quality news — from cyberattacks on automakers to lead contamination in protein powder — and close with a Reconstruction of the 1986 Challenger disaster, unpacking the engineering and decision-making that led to tragedy.

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Other links from the discussion:

Northwood Space: https://www.northwoodspace.io/

Jaguar Land Rover Cyberattack: https://www.ft.com/content/49a49961-0dc9-4d19-bb26-7020e07e465c

Lithium Battery Fire Aboard Air China Flight Forces an Emergency Landing: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/world/asia/air-china-flight-lithium-battery-fire.html

Wyoming nuclear waste storage: https://wyofile.com/radiant-scraps-wyoming-nuclear-microreactor-manufacturing-facility/

Lead in protein powder: https://www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein-powders-and-shakes-contain-high-levels-of-lead-a4206364640/

Pork price fixing: https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/tyson-price-fixing-pork-lawsuit-settlement-85m/802256/

Challenger O-Ring explainer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O_DMyHdq_M

The Challenger Launch Decision by Diane Vaughan: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/C/bo22781921.html

Upcoming Lumafield events: https://www.lumafield.com/events