Episodes
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Martin Eichenhofer is the CEO & co-founder of 9T Labs, a company that was spun out of ETH Zürich in Switzerland. The company specialises in providing software solutions and manufacturing equipment for producing high-quality and high-performance composite materials using 3D printing.
By marrying the worlds of composite materials and 3D printing, 9T Labs is taking advantage of the superior material properties of composite materials and combining these with the geometric fidelity facilitated by 3D printing. As a result, components that were previously unfeasible to be manufactured using composite materials, either from a technical or cost perspective, are now within the realm of the possible.
What is unique about 9T Labs is that the company combines their hardware for 3D printing composite parts with a bespoke optimisation software in order to maximise a component's performance, both in terms of structural design and manufacturing quality. Furthermore, it has been historically difficult to print continuous fibre composites at high quality with a low void content. 9T Labs, however, has patented a process that allows printing at a void content of below 1%, which competes with conventionally manufactured composites.
In this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast, Martin and I discuss:
his background as an engineer and how his PhD research led to 9T Labs
the challenges and benefits of 3D printing composite materials
9T Labs’ unique approach to 3D printing composite materials
some of the applications the company is currently working on
and much, much more.
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
9T Labs webpage, LinkedIn
9T Labs profile | Composites World
Video: 3D printing for electric cars
Helicopter door hinge case study
ETH Zürich research lab -
Chris Voorhees is the founder and president of First Mode, a Seattle-based company that is designing and building technology for extreme environments off and on planet Earth.
Chris has decades of experience in the implementation of robotic systems for the exploration of deep space. His notable experience includes his work as a mobility systems engineer for NASA's Spirit and Opportunity rovers and lead mechanical engineer for NASA's Curiosity rover. For his efforts, Chris received NASA's Exceptional Achievement and Exceptional Engineering Achievement medals.
Today, Chris oversees the design, development, and deployment of engineered solutions for missions around the globe and throughout the solar system. First Mode is also focusing on significant problems on Earth including the challenging issues of sustainability for the natural resources sector.
In this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast, Chris and I talk about:
his background in engineering, including his time at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
his past work on Mars rovers
why we should go back to the Moon
the space projects First Mode is currently involved with
and First Mode’s growing engagement in the hydrogen sector
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
First Mode webpage, Twitter, LinkedIn
First Mode blog
Curiosity rover, Spirit & Opportunity rovers
NASA Mars Perseverance rover
NASA Psyche mission
NASA Artemis Moon program
Back to the Moon
Chris' NPR interview
Hydrogen-powered mining trucks -
Episodes manquant?
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Carl Copeland is the founder of Möbius Aero, an electric air race team, and MμZ Motion, a developer of custom, high-performance electric motors. Carl has built various engineering teams and led innovation in the fields of IT, mechanical, magnetic, and electrical design. He has founded four companies and holds over 25 patents, and his most recent innovation, the Field Modulation Motion System, is a novel electric motor design that is significantly lighter and smaller than established electric motors of similar power and torque ratings.
The Field Modulation Motion System achieves its high performance by using 18-phase field modulation rather than the three-phase modulation used in standard motors, essentially emulating six separate three-phase motors attached to a single shaft. Carl is putting his new engine design to the test in a new air racing series for electric aircraft known as Air Race E.
In contrast to typical air racing series, in Air Race E aircraft race against each other on a course rather than flying isolated time trials. In the past, air races have been an invaluable means of developing aerospace technology in a competitive setting and Air Race E is re-awakening the spirit of competition by launching the first fully electric airplane race series. In this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast, Carl and I talk about:
his unique and auto-didactic background in engineering
his goal of finding practical solutions to humanity's problems
the Air Race E competition and the origin story of Carl’s racing team Möbius Aero
the technical details and benefits of his new electric motor
and the impact this has on airframe development
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
Möbius Aero and MμZ Motion webpage
Möbius YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn
Carl speaks to Airbus about Team Möbius
Air Race E webpage
Talk on Air Race E | Royal Aero Society
Electric vs combustion engines | Airbus -
Dr Evangelos Zympeloudis is the CEO and co-founder of iCOMAT, a company based in the UK that is developing automated manufacturing equipment for tow-steered composites. Fibre-reinforced plastics, such as carbon-fibre or glass-fibre composites, hold great promise for high-performance and lightweight design due to their excellent stiffness and strength properties at low material density. Traditional fibre-reinforced plastics are manufactured using straight uni-directional fibres or with straight fibres woven into a fabric.
Generally speaking, a fibre-reinforced composite derives its strength by aligning the fibres with the direction of the dominant load path. The novelty of tow-steered composites is that strips of composite material, so-called fibre tows, are steered along curvilinear paths such that the fibre direction is not straight, but varies continuously from point to point. This characteristic has benefits in structural design as the reinforcing fibres can now be used to smoothly tailor stiffness and strength throughout the structure. For example, tow-steered composites can be used to curve the reinforcing fibres around windows in an aircraft fuselage in order to improve strength and facilitate net-shape manufacturing.
In this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast, Evangelos and I talk about:
his background as an engineer and entrepreneur
the manufacturing challenge of making defect-free tow-steered composites
the capabilities of iCOMAT’s rapid tow-shearing process
the benefits of tow-steering for manufacturing cost and design
and some of the projects iCOMAT is currently working on
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Disclosure: I currently work with iCOMAT on a number of projects and am a consultant to the company.
Selected Links from the Episode
iCOMAT webpage, LinkedIn
iCOMAT's technology
Video of the Rapid Tow-Shearing process
Tow-steered composites overview:
Current state-of-the-art
Future possibilities -
Stefan Brieschenk is the Chief Operating Officer of Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), a company in the south of Germany that is developing a low-cost launch vehicle. RFA’s vision is to drastically reduce the cost of access to space through large-scale industrialisation of their operations and manufacturing.
Key to RFA's design approach is a holistic performance and cost optimisation tool that has been developed in collaboration with space industry veterans MT Aerospace and OHB. This approach has led to interesting design choices. For example, the second stage tank is based on inexpensive stainless steel construction, and in places where composite materials are being used, RFA is relying on automotive grade materials that have already been used in high-volume production. In their propulsive system, however, RFA is chasing the highest performance—a closed-cycle staged combustion engine, enabled by modern manufacturing capabilities in 3D printing and which is due to be hot-fired early next year.
In this episode of the Aerospace Engineering podcast, Stefan and I talk about:
Stefan’s passion for rocketry and hypersonic flight
his background at Rocket Lab and MT Aerospace
the gap between the European and US space sectors
RFA’s launch vehicle and design approach
and Stefan’s vision for the European space sector
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
RFA webpage, LinkedIn, Twitter
Launch vehicle
Partners: MT Aerospace & OHB
Ten questions for RFA
Staged combustion engine
In the news:
Launch site in Andøya
ESA support for RFA -
Marc Ausman is the co-founder and CEO of Airflow, a California-based startup that is building an electric short-haul cargo aircraft. Marc holds a commercial pilot license, and among other endeavours, was previously the Chief Strategist for Airbus’ all-electric, tilt-wing vehicle demonstrator known as Vahana. Alongside four other former Vahana team members, Marc and the team at Airflow are building an aerial logistics network to move short-haul cargo quickly and cost effectively by using unused airspace around cities.
Key to Airflow’s vision is electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL). Airflow's eSTOL aircraft require only a few hundred feet for takeoff and landing—about the length of a football field—which means that runways can be built almost anywhere, even under existing regulations. What is more, even larger rooftops that can fit more than three conventional helipads could feasibly be used as a runway. Given the aerodynamic efficiency advantages of fixed-wing aircraft over rotary vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, Airflow have come-up with an interesting alternative concept to many other companies in the growing urban mobility sector.
So in this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast, Marc and I talk about:
Airflow’s vision of building the urban logistics network of the future
some of the misconceptions of eSTOL and eVTOL
the advantages of electric powertrains beyond reducing emissions
the technology Airflow is developing and challenges that need to be overcome
and striking a balance between financial and engineering incentives
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
Airflow webpage, Twitter, LinkedIn
eSTOL as an enabler for urban logistics
Subscale modelling
Enabling technologies for eSTOL -
Dr John Williams is an engineer at Lumentum where he works on the extreme challenges of sub-millimetre scale photonic circuits. For the purpose of this conversation, however, we will be discussing John’s former role as a design engineer at Reaction Engines, a UK company that is developing the Synergetic Air-Breathing Rocket Engine, also known as SABRE.
The vision of SABRE is to build a new hypersonic engine that can operate both as an air-breathing jet engine and as a traditional rocket. This versatility means SABRE can be used as a propulsive platform for future hypersonic aircraft or to propel space planes into orbit. Furthermore, SABRE combines the unique fuel efficiency of a jet engine with the power and high-speed ability of a rocket. Having started at Reaction Engines early on when there were only two people in the design office, and later founding his own design and manufacturing company, John has many years of high-tech experience in the aerospace sector.
In this episode of the Aerospace Engineering podcast, John and I talk about:
his background as an aerospace engineer
the benefits of an air-breathing rocket engine
the particular design challenges in realising this type of engine
and his lessons learned from high-tech development
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
Reaction Engines webpage
The SABRE engine: REL, WIRED, Wikipedia
Precooler test at Mach 5
The Three Rocketeers BBC documentary
Lecture by Alan Bond, co-founder of Reaction Engines
Carbon nanotube composites -
Dr Sanjiv Singh is a research professor at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University and the CEO of Near Earth Autonomy. Sanjiv has more than 30 years of research experience in the field of autonomous vehicles and has spun-out multiple companies from his university research.
His current venture, Near Earth Autonomy, develops technology that allows aircraft to autonomously take-off, fly, and land safely, with or without GPS. Near Earth's goal is to develop complete autonomous solutions that improve efficiency, performance, and safety for aircraft ranging from small drones up to full-size helicopters. The team at Near Earth was awarded the 2018 Howard Hughes Award, which recognises outstanding improvements in fundamental helicopter technology, and was also a 2017 finalist for the Collier Trophy, one of the most important aviation awards worldwide. In this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast, Sanjiv and I talk about:
his background as a researcher in the field of robotics and autonomy
the fundamental concepts of autonomy
the hardware and software that make it work
the successful helicopter technology demonstrator Near Earth Autonomy has developed
and the future of autonomous vehicles
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
Near Earth Autonomy webpage, Twitter & YouTube
Dr Sanjiv Singh's TEDx talk
Near Earth collaborates with Kaman | Vertical
Public perception of autonmous flying | WIRED
Lidar vs cameras vs radar | WIRED -
In this episode I am speaking to Aaron Daniel and Peter Shpik of Alpine Advanced Materials. Alpine Advanced Materials specialises in the design and manufacture of custom-engineered parts and products for demanding aerospace and energy applications. The company is currently commercialising a high-performance material known as HX5™, which is a thermoplastic nanocomposite originally developed by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® over a decade of testing and validation.
HX5™ was originally developed to replace aluminum at half the weight but with the same strength and stiffness. On top of that HX5™ has excellent durability in harsh environments such as in outer space, in radioactive settings or around aggressive chemicals. As a result, this new nanocomposite material is already being used on jet fighters, high-speed helicopters, UAVs, rockets, and satellites. In this episode of the aerospace engineering podcast Aaron, Peter and I talk about:
the importance of lightweighting in the aerospace industry
the development history of HX5™
what exactly HX5™ is and its unique properties
where and how HX5™ is currently being used
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
Alpine Advanced Materials webpage, Twitter & LinkedIn
HX5™ white paper
HX5™ case studies
What is a nanocomposite? -
In this episode I am speaking to Damian Jamroz and Grzegorz Marzec of the Polish NewSpace company SatRevolution. The company was founded in 2016 and specialises in real-time earth observation for civilian and military applications.
SatRevolution has launched three satellites to date, with the last launch occurring at the beginning of September 2020 on an Arianespace Vega rocket, while the next one is planned for December 2020 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. These satellites are all milestones towards building an Earth-observation constellation that will be operational from 2023.
Recently, SatRevolution has focused on developing the STORK platform, which is scheduled to be launched in June 2021. The goal of STORK is to develop a shared-services capability so that multiple satellites can be launched within one platform and benefit from SatRevolution's Earth-observation capabilities. Hence, SatRevolution will focus on designing, manufacturing and integrating the platform satellite, while their customers and external partners can focus on work related to development of their own technologies and experiments. In this wide-ranging episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast we talk about:
the history of SatRevolution
why Earth-observation satellites are such a hot topic at the moment
the details of SatRevolution's previous satellites and the upcoming STORK mission
how SatRevolution is using AI for earth observation
and what the future holds for the company.
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
SatRevolution webpage, Twitter & LinkedIn
The STORK platform:
Capabilities
Press Release
Earth-observation satellites
SatRevolution's previous missions
SatRevolution partners with Momentus (previously on this podcast) -
Norris Tie is the CEO of Exosonic, a California-based startup that is developing a low sonic boom supersonic passenger aircraft. Norris holds an engineering degree from UCLA, an MBA from Stanford, and before starting Exosonic worked on supersonic aircraft at Northrup Grumman, Virgin Galactic and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works.What differentiates Exosonic from other upstarts in the reviving supersonic aircraft space is that the company is specifically focusing on reducing the intensity of sonic booms. Current regulation forbids supersonic flights across America to minimise noise pollution; a restriction which significantly limited the routes that the first supersonic airliner, the Concorde, could fly. To soften sonic booms, Exosonic is using a concept and technology originally pioneered by NASA known as shaped sonic booms. As a first step, Exosonic has partnered with the US Air Force to develop a supersonic executive transport aircraft that will provide US leaders and diplomats rapid transportation around the world. In this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast, Norris and I talk about his life-long inspiration for speeding-up air travel the theory behind shaped sonic booms what is different about designing supersonic aircraft and the economics of supersonic flightThis episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!Selected Links from the Episode Exosonic webpage, Twitter & LinkedIn Exosonic's supersonic Air Force One concept: Flight Global Air Mag Exosonic is hiring Shaped Sonic Booms NASA Book: Quieting the Boom
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Alexander Wicks is the Chief Development Officer at the California-based startup Momentus Space. Momentus is developing the in-space equivalent of the connecting flight we all know from airline operations.
To affordably launch small satellites into orbit, operators and manufacturers of small satellites are generally forced to share a ride on one big rocket. This approach is economical, but has one major downside: not every satellite on the ride share can be launched into its ideal orbit. Momentus is developing the transfer vehicle that then allows a satellite to reach its customisable orbit 10 times cheaper than booking a dedicated launch on the first vehicle. This capability essentially allows the next generation of satellites to reach previously unreachable locations more efficiently and more inexpensively than before.
The transfer vehicle that Momentus is developing is powered by water plasma propulsion, and the same propulsion technology also opens the door to the next phase of space exploration. For example, missions into deep space, water prospecting and delivery throughout the solar system, in-space manufacturing, and space tourism. In this episode of the podcast you will learn about:
how Momentus got started
the need and benefits of Momentus' transfer vehicle
the principles of water plasma propulsion
and the types of missions the technology enables
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
Momentus Space webpage
The technology
Momentus helps launch 4K streaming service
Profiles in:
TechCrunch
Wall Street Journal
Forbes -
Euan Wielewski is the co-founder and CEO at Anomalous Technologies, a start-up based in Edinburgh, Scotland using the latest machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to enable better quality control of manufactured components.
As aerospace engineers we know that quality control and inspection of flight-critical hardware is essential to guarantee safe operation of aircraft. Human visual inspection is a subjective and analogue process, which means that flight hardware is typically double and triple-checked to high levels of accuracy. This is where the AI tools developed by Anomalous Technologies are invaluable. By making inspection digital, operational traceability is immediately enhanced. Furthermore, digitisation allows the human inspection process to be accompanied by statistical tools that reduce the error rate of missed defects and improve inspection efficiency.
Anomalous are already working with global aerospace companies such as Rolls Royce and Boeing, and the company is currently a member of the first cohort of the ATI Boeing Accelerator. In this episode of the podcast, Euan and I talk about:
his broad background in aerospace engineering
the challenges of human inspection in the aerospace industry
how data-centric methods such as AI tools can help improve inspection accuracy and efficiency
and how Anomalous is using their analytic tools to help out in the current Coronavirus pandemic.
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
Anomalous webpage
Anomalous wins recognition in Tokyo
Anomalous profile in ADVANCE
ATI Boeing Accelerator portfolio
Boeing press release on ATI Accelerator cohort -
Sergey Kiselev is the Head of Europe of the sustainable aviation company ZeroAvia. ZeroAvia is working on the first practical zero-emission aviation powertrain fuelled by hydrogen. Even though CO2 emissions of the aviation industry currently only account for 2-3% of the global output, passenger numbers are expected to grow continuously for the next 30 years, such that solutions transitioning to emission-free powertrains need to be formulated, tested and certified now.
ZeroAvia has developed a new powertrain that couples hydrogen gas with a fuel cell to drive an electric motor that spins a propeller. This zero emission powertrain currently promises to deliver a 300 mile zero-emission range in a ten-seater fixed-wing aircraft. One of the great things about ZeroAvia is that the company is taking advantage of the economics of renewable energy sources. Due to the intermittency of solar and wind energy, there are times when the electric output from renewable sources far outstrips demand and is therefore cheaply available. It is in these times of high supply that ZeroAvia can split water into its constituents, oxygen and hydrogen. In this episode of the aerospace engineering podcast, Sergey and I talk about:
how ZeroAvia got started and what the company is trying to achieve
ZeroAvia’s vision of emission-free regional travel
the ZeroAvia powertrain
and much, much more.
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
ZeroAvia Webpage
News articles on:
Forbes
Royal Aeronautical Society
ZeroAvia announces major government grant
Flight video -
Alexandra Gravereaux is a Ground Systems Engineer for the space startup Astroscale. Astroscale is a global company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan with offices in the UK, Singapore and the USA, and is developing technological and regulatory solutions for space debris removal. The mission of Astroscale is to guarantee the long-term safety of spaceflight and orbital sustainability by developing end-of-life services for satellites and active debris removal. This relates to removing space junk that has accumulated due to defunct satellites and jettisoned rocket interstages; guaranteeing that regulations are in place to prevent the build-up of further space junk; and technological solutions to de-orbit defunct satellites.
The company is currently designing and manufacturing its End-of-Life Service by Astroscale programme (ELSA), a spacecraft retrieval service for satellite operators. The first demonstration mission, known as ELSA-d, is scheduled to launch in 2020, and will demonstrate Astroscale’s technology for debris docking and removal in orbit. In this episode, Alex and I talk about:
her background in the space sector
the problem of accumulating space debris and how to deal with it
the details of Astroscale’s ELSA-d demonstration mission in 2020
and Alex’s expertise as a ground systems engineer.
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
Astroscale webpage (Twitter, LinkedIn)
ELSA-d mission
Astroscale gets funding for commercial debris removal
Tackling space junk (BBC)
The problem of space junk (National Geographic)
Kessler Syndrome -
Wil Benton is the Venture & Ecosystem Director for the ATI Boeing Accelerator in London, UK. The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) is a UK organisation that creates the technology strategy for the UK aerospace sector and funds world-class research and development. The ATI recently launched a startup accelerator to accelerate the growth of new companies in industry 4.0 and sustainable development, with the aim of bolstering the growth and competitiveness of the UK aerospace industry. The programme is designed to help startups establish commercial relationships with global aerospace companies, like Boeing and GKN Aerospace, and to raise follow-on funding and engage with the wider UK aerospace sector. The first cohort of companies was recently announced and and you can check out a video of the selection day below.
Wil’s background is originally in the tech industry as a founder of Chew, a live streaming platform for DJ’s, as well as an angel investor and startup advisor for the startup accelerator Ignite. In this episode, Wil and I speak about:
his career background and route into the aerospace industry
the goal and operational principle of the ATI Boeing Accelerator
some of the aerospace startups in the first cohort of the accelerator
and Wil’s passion for entrepreneurship and STEM engagement
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
ATI Boeing Accelerator webpage
Wil's Twitter and LinkedIn
First cohort of startups
Introducing the Accelerator
Aerospace Technology Institute -
Paul Williams is the Executive Director of the British startup Black Arrow Space Technologies. Black Arrow is developing a sea-borne launch capability based on their current expertise in developing composite propellant tanks for satellites. The launching of rockets from ships has a previous history in America, and as an island nation, the concept is clearly suited for a UK launch provider. Paul and I talk about the heritage of the Black Arrow name, the advantages of a sea-borne launch approach, and the importance of audacious technical challenges in galvanising and inspiring the next generation of engineering talent.
In fact, Black Arrow is currently supporting and working with a number of ambassadors from the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) campaign. One of these ambassadors is Liv Scott-Golding, a 3rd year Physics undergraduate student at the University of Bristol, who is also joining us on this episode. Liv has been involved with Black Arrow from the start, and with contagious enthusiasm, tells us about her passion for the space industry and her interactions with Black Arrow as a WISE ambassador.
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
Black Arrow's webpage
latest newsletter
sign-up to the newsletter
Twitter and YouTube
Sister company Astrotanks Ltd
History of Black Arrow rocket
History of Sea Launch
WISE Campaign
Additional podcast with the Interplanetary Podcast -
Dr Steve Bullock is an engineering researcher in air-to-air refuelling and cooperative control of UAVs, as well as the Programme Director of the Aerospace Engineering programme at the University of Bristol. As the programme director of a leading European aerospace engineering programme, Steve has a unique vantage point on how the higher education landscape is changing, and specifically, how technology trends such as aviation sustainability and digitisation are changing the requirements for an engineering university education in the 21st century.
As a TeachFirst ambassador and presenter of the Cosmic Shed podcast, Steve has a clear passion for education in general and is actively exploring different ways of disseminating technical information to a broad audience. In this episode of the podcast Steve and I talk about,
his path into aerospace engineering and how he found his passion for teaching
his PhD work on air-to-air refuelling and cooperative control
what he considers to be some of the key challenges in engineering university education
how the Aerospace Engineering department in Bristol is planning for the future
and much, much more.
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
Steve's personal webpage and University of Bristol profile
Steve's Twitter and LinkedIn
The Cosmic Shed
Live: TRON in the Planetarium (Eventbrite)
Aerospace Engineering in Bristol
Can flying go green?
The Science behind 2001: A Space Odyssey
Flipping lectures for increased teaching effectiveness
TeachFirst -
Tom Szirtes is the founder and director of Mbryonic, a London-based digital design studio. Mbryonic specialises in creating virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) experiences that help organisations communicate, educate and entertain more effectively. Apart from the traditional applications in gaming and education, VR is now increasingly important for industrial design and engineering in general. For example, Mbryonic recently partnered with All Nippon Airways to provide customers an immersive virtual tour of All Nippon's new business class in the Boeing 777 cabin. Mbryonic has also partnered with Acumen to create ‘The Adient Ascent VR’; a modular aircraft seating system that allows airlines to configure their cabins through a touch screen interface and then experience what it’s actually like to be in the cabin through a VR headset. Apart from discussing these two projects, Tom and I talk about:
the fundamentals of and differences between virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality
some of the advantages of VR that will transform the aerospace business landscape
and how engineers can benefit from using the technology
This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support!
Selected Links from the Episode
Mbryonic on the web
Webpage
Twitter
Vimeo
Adient Ascent VR
ANA Business Class VR
Further applications of VR/AR in aerospace
Digital Twinning in aerospace -
Today I am talking to Gareth Hetheridge (Interim Head of IT at Rolls Royce) and Luca Leone (Team Defence Information Task Force Consultant) about the UK defence industry. Team Defence Information (TD-Info) is a collaborative association that informs defence information policy and pilots new ways of working to transform the defence ecosystem in the UK. TD-Info pools the collective insights, knowledge and innovations of its members, such as Rolls Royce, BAE Systems, and others, to help the Ministry of Defence deliver its objectives for equipment and information. In this episode we discuss:
the importance of TD-Info for the UK defence sector
Rolls Royce’s vision regarding the increasing digitisation of the aerospace sector
and hot topics such as Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality.
We also discuss a key industry event that TD-Info and Rolls Royce are co-organising, the 1st Annual Information Vanguard conference, an event for Young Industry Professionals that will be held on the 18th October 2019 at Rolls Royce in Filton, UK. The conference is open to all, but has been especially designed with newer-entry professionals in the defence industry in mind. There are some exciting speakers confirmed including Team Tempest and Reaction Engines, and live exhibitions from the likes of Rolls Royce and Airbus. You can sign-up to attend here.
If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by supporting it directly on Patreon, where patrons of the podcast receive exclusive behind-the-scenes content and special episodes. Thanks a lot for listening!
Selected Links from the Episode
Team Defence Information
1st Annual Information Vanguard (InVan) Conference
Digitisation at Rolls Royce
Rolls Royce uses Virtual Reality to train engineers
AI to maximise jet engine availability
Team Tempest
Airbus Bird of Prey - Montre plus
