

Space Business Podcast
spacebusiness
Space is rapidly growing into an exciting ecosystem for business. In this podcast we hear from entrepreneurs, executives, investors and others about the many opportunities that exist. This podcast is produced by the Space Business Institute in partnership with the International Space University.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 27, 2026 • 46min
#165 | Launch Services | Robert Sproles, Exolaunch
Exolaunch is a company that is an integral part of the space ecoystem. They sit in the middle between people wanting to launch satellites and the launch/rocket companies. They have already helped get many hundreds of satellites to space. CEO Robert Sproles is our guest this week. Enjoy!
🕰️ Timestamps:
0:00 Podcast Intro
01:06 Episode start
01:28 Exolaunch Elevator Pitch
03:14 Why Robert Joined Exolaunch
05:12 Hardware and Transporter Missions
07:36 End to End Mission Support for Customers
11:01 Compliance incl. ITAR
12:33 Multi Launcher Strategy
13:50 Choosing the Right Rocket
15:42 Tracking New Launchers
16:58 What Customers Value Most
17:52 Exolaunch's Value to Launch Providers
19:35 Shaping Mission Design
21:43 Launch Capacity Outlook
23:23 Sovereignty Considerations
24:38 Preparing for Starship
26:16 Launcher Agnostic Hardware
28:14 Responsive Launch
29:49 Reliability and Smooth Deployment
33:04 Satellite Design Trends
36:00 AI and Space Data Centers
37:05 Biology Payloads and Return Cargo
39:13 Shared Launch Matchmaking
40:44 Beyond LEO Missions
42:09 Ten Year Vision
43:43 Sci-Fi
🔗 Exolaunch
🏠Website : https://www.exolaunch.com/
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Founder Newsletter
A new newsletter with opportunities for space startup founders. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/JCUq92vERtxsuYnF8
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
Feb 14, 2026 • 42min
#164 | Earth Return | Ryohei Kobayashi, Elevation Space
Elevation Space is a Japanese startup working on downmass – bringing things back from space to Earth – leveraging Japan’s strong heritage in reentry and recovery technologies. CEO and co-founder Ryohei Kobayashi in our guest. Enjoy!
🕰️ Timestamps:
0:00 Podcast Intro
01:35 Elevator Pitch
03:49 Origin Story
09:11 Product & Missions
17:22 Payload Strategy
18:53 Customers & Use Cases
25:05 Post-ISS Future
28:45 Milestones
32:42 Long-Term Vision
37:24 Closing: Japan Space Ecosystem + Sci‑Fi Favorites
🔗 Elevation Space
🏠Website : https://elevation-space.com/en
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Founder Newsletter
A new newsletter with opportunities for space startup founders. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/JCUq92vERtxsuYnF8
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
11 snips
Feb 4, 2026 • 43min
#163 | Spaceports | Ketil Olsen, Andøya Space
Ketil Olsen, CEO of Andøya Space and former Vice Admiral, leads Norway’s long-standing northern launch site. He talks about Andøya’s 1962 roots, the move from sounding rockets to orbital launches, upgrades for bigger rockets, customer deals like Isar Aerospace, regulatory and insurance hurdles, technology safeguards with the U.S., and plans to expand pads and build a local space ecosystem.
12 snips
Jan 15, 2026 • 46min
#162 | A New LEO Broadband Constellation | Rafel Jordá Siquier, Open Cosmos
Rafel Jordá Siquier, co-founder and CEO of Open Cosmos, a European space scale-up that builds and operates satellites. He reveals securing priority Ka‑band spectrum to pursue a new LEO broadband constellation. Short takes cover Open Cosmos’s turnkey manufacturing and operations, the Open Constellation model, onboard AI and EO–communications synergy, and plans for B2G/B2B secure broadband and rapid disaster response.
Jan 12, 2026 • 43min
#161 | The Dell of Satellites | Ian Cinnamon, Apex Space
Apex Space is a Los Angeles based satellite bus manufacturer. They want to productize satellite buses and build them at scale for government and commercial customers. Our guest is co-founder and CEO Ian Cinnamon. Enjoy!
🕰️ Timestamps:
0:00 Podcast Intro
01:00 Welcome & Elevator Pitch
03:06 Origin Story
10:33 Challenges in Satellite Manufacturing
14:18 Vertical Integration and Supply Chain
19:23 Global Competition
22:03 Apex Space's Product Line
23:06 Introduction to Robust Satellite Platforms
27:53 Business Model
30:38 Markets
34:15 More on Manufacturing
36:25 Current Status & Future Plans
40:39 Favorite Sci-Fi
🔗 Apex Space
🏠Website : https://www.apexspace.com/
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Founder Newsletter
A new newsletter with opportunities for space startup founders. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/JCUq92vERtxsuYnF8
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/

Jan 6, 2026 • 21min
#160 | 2026 in Space Preview | Raphael Roettgen, E2MC
Get ready for a thrilling ride through the future of space in 2026! Discover what launches and rockets are on the horizon, including innovative new entrants. Lunar missions are heating up with Artemis II and commercial landers. Human spaceflight activities are expected to flourish as new commercial stations emerge. Dive into the booming satellite communication sector with Starlink and Amazon Kuiper. Plus, learn about groundbreaking space science missions and significant U.S. government priorities. The future of space looks bright and full of potential!
Dec 22, 2025 • 1h 7min
#159 | SpaceX IPO | Aaron Burnett, Mach33
There has been a lot of recent talk about a potential SpaceX IPO. I sit down with Aaron Burnett, co-founder and CEO of Mach33, to discuss. Mach33 and Ark Invest collaborate on an open-sourced SpaceX financial model. Enjoy!
🕰️ Timestamps:
0:00 Podcast Intro
01:25 Episode Overview: SpaceX IPO and Business Model
03:07 Aaron Burnett
04:54 Understanding SpaceX's Businesses
09:31 Launch Business
17:51 Starlink
36:30 Margins, Cashflows and Valuation
43:54 Potential Future Business Lines
51:42 Mars and Long-Term Value
56:25 Potential Tail Risks
1:01:30 When to Sell?
🔗 SpaceX model by Ark Invest & Mach33: https://github.com/ARKInvest/ARK-Invest-Mach-33-SpaceX-Valuation-Model
🔗 Mach33 website: https://www.33fg.com/
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Founder Newsletter
A new newsletter with opportunities for space startup founders. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/JCUq92vERtxsuYnF8
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/

Dec 16, 2025 • 48min
#158 | Optical Comms As-a-Service | Jordan Vannitsen, Odysseus Space
Space lasers again! Odysseus Space from Luxembourg focuses on providing optical communications solutions between Space and Earth as a service. If you seem to notice that is not the first episode on optical communications, you’re right – I think this will be a potentially very big theme going forward. Our guest this week is Odysseus’ CEO & Co-Founder Jordan Vannitsen. Enjoy!
🕰️ Timestamps:
0:00 Podcast Intro
01:14 Elevator Pitch
02:44 Optical Communications
07:02 Business Model
13:09 Interoperability and Integration
15:17 Space-to-Ground Communication Architectures
18:41 Security and Geopolitical Considerations
22:18 Future of Optical and RF Coexistence
24:10 Challenges in Optical and Radio Communication
26:44 Satellite Requirements
32:05 Marketing and Business Development
34:05 Commercial Operations and Ground Stations
38:57 Future Plans
40:20 Luxembourg's Space Ecosystem
42:35 Origin Story
44:59 Closing: What else in Space? & Favorite Science-Fiction
🔗 Odysseus Space
🏠Website : https://www.odysseus.space/home
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Founder Newsletter
A new newsletter with opportunities for space startup founders. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/JCUq92vERtxsuYnF8
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
Dec 8, 2025 • 42min
#157 | Keeping Satellites Stable | Alessandro Stabile, Magma Space
Magma Space is a U.S. startup with advanced technology to help keep satellites stable / jitter-free, which is more important to satellite communications and remote sensing than you may realize. We have Magma's CEO & Co-Founder Alessandro Stabile as our guest to help explain.
🕰️ Timestamps:
0:00 Podcast Intro
02:02 Elevator Pitch
04:31 Markets & Customers
10:11 Origin Story
15:50 Technology
21:46 Superconducting Materials in Space
22:35 Magnetic Levitation and Shielding
23:55 Testing and TRL Levels
24:35 Future Applications and Challenges
27:27 Scaling Production
28:22 Magnets
30:08 Vision for the Future of Space Technology
35:39 Orbital Edge Accelerator experience
37:42 DC Space Ecosystem
39:31 Science Fiction
🔗 Magma Space
🏠Website : https://www.magma-space.com/
🔗 Follow us:
🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/
🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/
🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast
🔗 Follow Raphael:
◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC
🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelroettgen
🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/
To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:
"To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy
This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities.
📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO
edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC
This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments.
🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space-
Space Founder Newsletter
A new newsletter with opportunities for space startup founders. Sign up here: https://forms.gle/JCUq92vERtxsuYnF8
Space Business Newsletter
📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/
10 snips
Nov 28, 2025 • 54min
#156 | Hyperspectral Earth Intelligence | Awais Ahmed, Pixxel
In this chat, Awais Ahmed, Co-founder and CEO of Pixxel, a pioneering planetary intelligence company, dives into the world of hyperspectral imaging. He discusses how this technology can revolutionize sectors like agriculture and mining by detecting soil nutrients and early disease signs. Awais contrasts hyperspectral with multispectral imaging and shares insights on Pixxel's innovative satellite designs. He also reflects on the ambitious growth of India’s private space sector. Plus, he reveals his favorite sci-fi books that inspire his journey!


