Manifest Space with Morgan Brennan

As the number of spacecraft has skyrocketed, so has the risk of collision. Morpheus Space, a space mobility startup, is looking to change the model around maneuvering satellites. CEO Daniel Bock joins Morgan Brennan to break down the one-stop satellite services shop—and building a subscription model to do so. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Terran Orbital, a small satellite maker which went public in a SPAC deal in early 2022, received an unsolicited takeover offer from supplier and investor Lockheed Martin last Friday. The defense prime already owns 28% of the company and now wants to buy the company in a deal valued just under $600 million—significantly below the market valuation when the company first went public at $1.8 billion. Terran Orbital quickly adopted a poison pill – or shareholder rights plan- as the company hopes to solicit other offers and strategize accordingly. CEO Marc Bell joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the company’s future as consolidation continues in a shifting satellite market. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lunar services company Intuitive Machines made history as the first company to successfully land a private spacecraft on the moon. After a wild ride involving a nailbiter of a slightly titled, but soft landing—the spacecraft Odysseus went to sleep as lunar night sets in and is bound to freeze key components. Co-founder & CEO Steve Altemus joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the technical challenges, the sponsorship opportunities which have arisen post-landing, and whether or not Odie can reawaken and “phone home.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As commercial space makes its mark on the moon, spacecrafts’ power sources are coming under scrutiny. Solar powered spacecraft freeze upon sunset—but the problem may become obsolete in several years as more nuclear-powered alternatives come to market. Zeno Power co-founder & CEO Tyler Bernstein joins CNBC’s Morgan Brennan to discuss repurposing nuclear waste for fuel, the role of nuclear power in space and growing its client base from government agencies to the commercial sphere. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As launch costs have dropped and orbital activity rises, the government is taking on more responsibility to keep pace. The NOAA, the Commerce Department’s arm to oversee commercial remote sensing, has expanded dramatically since taking over non-military space tracking from the Department of Defense. NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce Director Richard DalBello joins Morgan Brennan to discuss regulatory action, monitoring the private sector and the office’s growing impact as legislation seeks to reimagine the agency’s role. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This Valentine’s Day, Intuitive Machines will become the latest to attempt to launch and land the first commercial lander on the moon. The company is contracted for the mission by NASA as part of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, following private held startup Astrobotic’s failed attempt under the same program last month. The SpaceX Falcon 9 will launch the Nova-C lunar lander into space the same day as the company’s one-year anniversary of its public debut. CEO Steve Altemus joins Morgan Brenna ahead of the mission to discuss what’s at stake with the IM-1 mission and outlook for the lunar economy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For the first time ever, Hawaiian Airlines is rolling out WiFi services to passengers. Partnering with SpaceX, the airline will equip its first Airbus A-321 with free Starlink Internet service for passengers to use. In a rare interview, Starlink VP of Business Operations Chad Gibbs joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the rollout of Hawaiian Airline’s offering, a milestone for Elon Musk’s space startup and the broader market opportunity for the fast-growing satellite service. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For the first time ever, Hawaiian Airlines is rolling out WiFi services to passengers. Partnering with SpaceX, the airline will equip its first Airbus A-321 with free Starlink Internet service for passengers to use. On this episode, Hawaiian Airlines CEO Peter Ingram joins Morgan Brennan to discusses the rollout, the decision to partner with SpaceX in April 2022, and how Hawaiian’s pending acquisition of Alaska Airlines will affect the company’s broadband ambitions. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Patriotism is cool again in the tech world, but venture capitalists are on the hunt for the next promising space & defense name to develop tech for the U.S. government. Andreessen Horowitz’s new thesis is American Dynamism, or investing in companies advancing U.S. interests including national security and space. General Partner David Ulevitch joins Morgan Brennan to discuss where he's seeing opportunity in the space economy...and where he's not. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Space has transformed from a peacetime domain to a military one, spurring space startups to target warfighting demand. The niche of defense tech and national security space startups is gaining investor interest, with True Anomaly a recent benefactor. CEO Even Rogers joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the $100M Series B funding round it closed in December and his outlook for the first of its satellite launches later this year. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

NASA, in addition to its space exploration, has been instrumental in the innovation and development of air travel. Announcing a new partnership with Archer Aviation, the space agency & aircraft-maker will develop high-performance battery cells for electric aircraft -and potentially spacecraft. Archer Aviation CEO Adam Goldstein joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the partnership. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

John Deere is partnering with SpaceX to use Starlink, its space-based internet service to elevate its digital solutions. The heavy-equipment heavyweight has invested billions of dollars to develop digital products & services for farmers. Starlink will connect agriculture machines to internet in remote, low-connectivity areas. CTO Jahmy Hindman joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the terms of the deal, working with SpaceX and the industry-first deal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What if you could get access to space to run applications or collect data without building your own hardware or launching a spacecraft to orbit? Loft Orbital is setting out to provide space infrastructure as a service, running some of its satellites currently in orbit and aiming to conduct “virtual missions.” Loft Orbital Co-Founder & COO Alex Greenberg joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the company’s business model, computing services from space, and its plug-and-play approach to space. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In its maiden flight, United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur lifted off from Cape Canaveral in its first-ever flight and launched the U.S.’s first lunar landing attempt since the Apollo era. For ULA, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, this was a pivotal mission—and the beginning of a new era for the company in a rapidly shifting launch environment. ULA CEO Tory Bruno joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the maiden mission, the company’s plan for Vulcan, and reports of ULA being on the sale block. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The upcoming liftoff of ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket is historic for a number of reasons: the first flight of the megarocket will also carry a payload aiming for the first-ever private moon landing. The Peregrine lunar lander was manufactured by Astrobotic, a Pittsburgh-based robotics company founded in 2007 by Carnegie Mellon scientists. Aiming to be the “Moon company and more,” Astrobotic’s first mission will carry 20 payloads, including 5 from NASA’S Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. On this episode, Morgan Brennan sits down with Astrobotic Technology CEO John Thornton ahead of the historic launch. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As commercial space has taken off in the 21st century, so too has popular interest in. As demand for talent rises, advocacy organizations like the Aerospace Industries Association are focused on converting that interest into a bigger talent pipeline. CEO Eric Fanning joins Morgan Brennan from the Reagan National Defense Forum to discuss space policy, national security concerns, and education. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Stratolaunch’s giant airplane conducted its first-ever captive-carry flight with a fueled hypersonic test vehicle. The 12th flight for the company’s Roc launch platform, the mission brings the startup closer to the first powered flight of the Talon-A. CEO Zach Krevor joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the recent milestone, hypersonic flight’s total addressable market and the acquisition of the now-defunct Virgin Orbit’s Boeing 747 aircraft. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Venture capital is creeping back into the space sector, with Ursa Major raising $138 million in Series D and D-1 rounds. Capital from the likes of RTX Ventures, BlackRock, Explorer 1 Fund & more will help the rocket propulsion startup to produce engines for rocket launches, hypersonic vehicles – and enable expansion into a new defense-focused market. Founder & CEO Joe Laurienti joins Morgan Brennan to discuss defense tech, the case for 3-D printed rocket engines, and more from the Reagan National Defense Forum. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With geopolitical tensions strained, Morgan Brennan sits down with Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall from the Reagan National Defense Forum to discuss AI on the battlefield, the race to secure space & more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mike Massimino, serving as a NASA astronaut until 2014, has a slew of accomplishments: the first human to tweet from space, the last astronaut to work inside the Hubble Telescope and the speculated inspiration for George Clooney’s role in “Gravity.” He’s now out with a book, titled Moonshot, with the greatest lessons learned from his experiences. Massimino joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the book and the what experiences in space can bring to daily living on earth. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While space is awe-inspiring and technologically groundbreaking, is it investable? Venture capitalist Tess Hatch, who has invested in space startups like Rocket Lab and Spire Global, is pausing her commercial space investments and setting sights on a related industry: defense tech. She joins Morgan Brennan to make the case for the strategic pivot and venture outlook. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Commercial space regulation law is on the House of Representatives’ docket — but what needs to be regulated? The White House and House Science, Space and Technology Committee have both unveiled their proposals for simplifying government oversight of the commercial space sector; with two different takes on how to approach the space. Morgan Brennan sits down with Caryn Schenewerk, former SpaceX & Relativity Space counsel, to discuss the playbook for regulation as it stands. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After a complex mission failure involving its Electron rocket in mid-September, Rocket Lab now expects to resume launches as soon as the end of November. An launch by year-end is pivotal for the company as it looks ahead to 22 Electron missions on the manifest in 2024. Morgan Brennan sits down with co-founder & CEO Peter Beck to discuss the upcoming mission cadence, the latest on Neutron, space systems & launching hypersonic drones for the Pentagon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After striking a partnership with satellite communications company Iridium, Qualcomm has backed out of the deal. Scrapping its SnapDragon satellite plans, Qualcomm noted in a statement that smartphone makers have “indicated a preference towards standards-based solutions” for satellite-to-phone connectivity. Iridium CEO Matt Desch joins Morgan Brennan to share his insights, the next steps for Iridium & the case for the satellite-connected smartphone market. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Iridium Communications is celebrating 25 years since its first entrance into commercial service. Since emerging from a Motorola research lab in the 1980s, going through bankruptcy in 1999 & expanding service into satellite, what’s next for the company? CEO Matt Desch, chief executive at the company for nearly 18 years, joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the evolution of the satellite communications industry, competition with SpaceX’s Starlink & its partnership with Qualcomm. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Virgin Galactic set off its six human spaceflight this year and tenth to date—and the first of many planned by one prominent space commentator. Flying to suborbital space, the publicly-traded commercial space company launched its Galactic 05 mission carrying three passengers along with Virgin Galactic crew aboard its VSS Unity space plane. Kellie Gerardi, the mission’s payload specialist, is what some would call a space influencer: a mission operations lead at Palantir Technologies, a former board member at The Exploration Club, and published author with a social media following of over 700,000. Kellie joins Morgan Brennan just hours after the launch to discuss the mission, the microgravity research conducted, and her fulfillment. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Just two years old, The Exploration Company has raised the biggest Series A round by a space tech company in Europe, been selected as an AWS Space Accelerator, and recently inked a deal with Axiom Space to deliver cargo services for the private station builder. Co-founder & CEO Helene Huby joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the company’s rapid growth, lunar missions and incorporating sustainability into commercial space. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A new rocket is about to enter the space race. In an exclusive interview from CNBC’s Technology Executive Council summit, CEO Tory Bruno joins Morgan to announce Vulcan’s upcoming flight, its recent launch for Project Kuiper and the Israel-Hamas war’s implications for national security space. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With geopolitical tensions rising as the Israel-Hamas conflict escalates, what is the state of space & international relations? Morgan sits down with H.E. Sarah Al-Amiri Chairwoman of the UAE Space Agency and the Minister for Public Education and Advanced Technology in the United Arab Emirates, to discuss the agency’s rapid growth since its inception in 2014, navigating geopolitical tensions, and deep space ambitions. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While Q3 closed out with some green shoots in the IPO market, the days of SPACs may be over. Morgan discusses valuations, commercial space trends & more with Summit Ridge Group founder Armand Musey. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Planet Labs, boasting the largest constellation of earth imaging satellites in orbit, generates thousands of images for governments and companies documenting changes over time. Can that data, powered by AI, be used to predict future events? Co-founder & CEO Will Marshall joins Morgan Brennan to discuss predictive analytics, satellites under development & the outlook for the earth imaging market. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The I.S.S. is expected to be retired in 2030, closing a multidecade chapter for humans in space funded by the government. With the next chapter of human space exploration spotlighting the private sector, a slew of companies are developing what they hope will be the I.S.S’s commercial successor. Voyager Space, a holding company concentrated on space infrastructure, is the startup behind Starlab, one of 3 projected pre-selected by NASA to potentially rise to the challenge. Morgan Brennan sits down with founder & CEO Dylan Taylor about space stations, his own spaceflight with Blue Origin and the commercial space sector. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Walter Isaacson’s new biography on Elon Musk sparked controversy with the revelation that the SpaceX founder withheld Starlink internet services to Ukraine in a military operation on Russia last year. While the company was not under military contract at the time—and has since received funding from the Pentagon— the disclosure fueled the debate that U.S. government and allies are too reliant on SpaceX. U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall joins Morgan Brennan from the floor of the Air Force Association’s annual Air, Space, Cyber conference to discuss national security contracts, China, AI and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The fastest growing defense prime is also home to the largest space business in the world. Northrop Grumman's space systems surged 17% in both Q1 and Q1 -- the combination of 20 companies brought together over time. While 85% of the company's space business is concentrated in national security, the company also does work for civil and commercial space. In a rare interview, Morgan Brennan speaks with CEO Kathy Warden from inside of Northrop Grumman’s mission operations center. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

AeroVironemnt blew Wall Street away with quarterly results this week as demand for drones and autonomous systems skyrockets. But above and beyond the battlefield, the company is well-positioned in its space portfolio, including designing and developing NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter as the first aircraft to make a controlled flight on the red planet in 2021. CEO Wahid Nawabi joins Morgan to discuss the quarter, autonomous space exploration, pseudo satellites, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As Medicare looks to drive down medical costs, pharma manufacturing is going beyond global. For years, drug companies have used the ISS to research and develop new discoveries. But until Varda successfully completed a 27-hour experiment in orbit growing a drug used to help treat HIV. Waiting on a reentry license for its first spacecraft, Morgan sits down with co-founders Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov to discuss in-space manufacturing, hypersonic missile testing, and (unofficially) replicating LK-99—speculated to be a potential superconductor. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While some spacecraft collect information visible to the naked eye, some are searching through radio waves to acquire and analyze valuable data for government agencies. Morgan catches up with Hawkeye 360 CEO John Serafini about his company’s efforts in the radio frequency space. They discuss the company’s successful $58M capital raise, government contract work and the narrowing competitive space. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jared Isaacman made space history in 2021 with the first all-civilian mission to orbital space. Now, he’s looking to do it 3 more times through the Polaris Program. Isaacman joins Morgan from CNBC Out East to discuss preparations for the maiden mission, his company Shift4’s partnership with SpaceX, and much more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As constant connectivity through satellite constellations becomes more acute, a new wave of consolidation is afoot. Dish Network and Echostar are merging in a move to combine the companies to gain an edge in the 5G competition. But with demand driven higher, startups like CesiumAstro stand to benefit. CEO Shey Sabripour joins Morgan to discuss 6G internet, spotty WiFi and putting the company’s technology to the test. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The House Oversight Committee on National Security was the latest to explore the mystifying claims of unidentified objects found in the air, formerly known as UFOs. Hearing testimony from three former U.S. military officials who advocate for more concrete policy in addressing these unexplained events. One witness, Ryan Graves, former Navy pilot & executive director of Americans for Safe Aerospace, joins Morgan to discuss his experience on the Hill, the potential safety implications of UAPs and declassifying a topic that has spurred decades of conspiracy theories. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Honeywell reported mixed second quarter results after seeing sales decline year over year for its safety and productivity solutions division. In this exclusive interview, Morgan Brennan spoke with CEO Vimal Kapur in his first broadcast interview since becoming CEO. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As Amazon amps up its Project Kuiper satellite development, key partner United Launch Alliance readies to launch the debut flight of heavy-lift rocket Vulcan Centaur. CEO Tory Bruno discusses the plan to launch the rocket later this year, a recent mishap involving the explosion of a Blue Origin engine, and the space race between the U.S. & China. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Accenture, a Fortune 500 IT service and consulting company's new thesis is that every business will be a space business. Morgan speaks with Paul Thomas Space Innovation & Technology and Aerospace & Defense Senior Managing Director John Schmidt to discuss the monitoring methane emissions for utilities, quantum computing from the cosmos, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Since launching their first-ever successful orbital launch in October 2022, rocket maker and in-space services company Firefly Aerospace has kept busy. Firefly has doubled its manufacturing facilities, inked deals with NASA, the US Space Force, and Lockheed Martin—and now is on the cusp of raising more cash. CEO Bill Weber returns to the podcast with Morgan to discuss the startup’s diversification strategy, recent acquisitions and plans to go public. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Specializing in Earth-observation satellite, Satellogic possesses the world’s largest constellation of sub-meter resolution satellites. With roughly forty satellites in orbit, the company’s goal is eventually to remap the surface of the planet everyday and create a live catalog of data. Seeing use cases span across insurance, infrastructure, energy, agriculture & more, the company’s revenue has grown 42% since last year—but the company’s stock has plunged 80% since going public. Satellogic CEO Emiliano Kargieman joins Morgan to discuss the constellation, tech capabilities, and Satellogic’s business case. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After a series of development spaceflights, all eyes are on Virgin Galactic's first flight of paying customers. The company will send three Italian crew members on a suborbital ride to the edge of space. In an exclusive interview, CEO Michael Colglazier discusses the milestone with Morgan from New Mexico. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The story of SpaceX hinges on a number of key early figures, including famed propulsion engineer Tom Mueller. Retiring from SpaceX in 2020 to start his own company focused on developing a space tug, Mueller joins Morgan to discuss his new venture, rocket science, his time at SpaceX and the economic potential of deep space. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fresh off her fourth flight to orbit and having spent 675 days in space, record-breaking astronaut Peggy Whitson joins Morgan to discuss her latest mission and re-entry to the International Space Station. Previously serving as the first woman to command the ISS, she returned as the Mission Commander for Axiom Space second-ever human spaceflight. Whitson dives into her return to space, the commercialization of earth orbit, and the 10 years it took to become an astronaut. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

With Amazon reportedly pursuing the wireless service business, big tech is turning to broadening broadband services. As giants like Amazon and Apple invest in big satellite constellations, smaller players such as AST SpaceMobile stand to benefit. The AT&T-backed satellite company recently conducted the first-ever phone call from space to everyday mobile devices using its prototype satellite. Chairman and CEO Abel Avellan joins Morgan to discuss the recent milestone and what it means for the broader satellite industry. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Call it a Momentus occasion. Space services startup Momentus has logged a number of milestones since going public—but in that time, the stock has fallen below $1 and faces delisting risk. Morgan sits down with Momentus CEO John Rood to discuss the possibility of a cash crunch, tech and plans to reboost the Hubble telescope. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.