The Satellite &NewSpace Matters Podcast

Join us as we explore how Michael Bartholomeusz, CEO of NOVI, is revolutionising the earth observation industry by making satellite data affordable and accessible to organisations and individuals worldwide. Throughout the episode, Michael shares his fascinating journey from working on the US Space Shuttle programme to leading a pioneering earth observation company. Key topics covered include: * How NOVI's space edge computing reduces costs by two orders of magnitude - from £150,000 to just £1,500 for equivalent services * The innovative VISTA platform creating an open-access marketplace for earth observation applications * Why moving compute power to space is transforming the industry economics * Building NOVI's constellation of 40 smart satellites for daily global coverage * The potential for an "app store" model in satellite data services * Ethical considerations around democratised satellite surveillance capabilities Listen along for valuable insights on building multidisciplinary teams in NewSpace, leadership lessons from diverse tech industries, and how NOVI's approach could unlock entirely new use cases for earth observation data across agriculture, logistics, maritime monitoring, and beyond. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast 00:33 Meet Michael Bar, CEO of Novi 01:50 Michael's Journey into the Space Industry 03:47 Career Highlights and Leadership Lessons 10:15 Novi's Mission and Innovations 21:17 Challenges and Ethical Considerations 26:14 Talent and Culture at Novi 33:47 Quickfire Round and Conclusion About our guest: Michael Bartholomeusz brings extensive experience as a global CEO and technology leader across multiple industries including advanced materials, electronics, renewables, and space. Having worked on the US Space Shuttle programme early in his career, he now leads NOVI in their mission to make earth observation data accessible through innovative space edge computing solutions. Website: https://www.novispace.ai/ The Satellite & NewSpace Matters Podcast is brought to you by neuco, a global recruitment agency that specialises in sourcing brilliant people for groundbreaking companies.

Join us as we explore how Bryan Dean, CEO and Co-Founder of Dragonfly Aerospace, is revolutionising earth observation through high-performance imaging satellites and payloads. Throughout the episode, Bryan shares his journey from working on European Space Agency projects to co-founding Dragonfly Aerospace in South Africa, explains how their optical imaging technology enables more efficient resource management, and discusses the technical challenges of capturing detailed imagery from orbit. He also offers valuable insights on the growth of the South African space industry and the company's approach to talent acquisition in an evolving market. Listen along for fascinating perspectives on how satellite imagery is supporting agriculture, forestry, and sustainability efforts, the future of multi-resolution observation systems, and advice for newcomers looking to enter the space industry. Chapters: 00:01:15 - Bryan's path into the space industry 00:04:12 - Dragonfly Aerospace's imaging technology focus 00:08:04 - Applications and use cases in Africa and globally 00:15:14 - Technical capabilities and resolution advancements 00:22:26 - Satellite imagery partnerships and tiered observation systems 00:28:51 - Current and future Dragonfly products 00:31:10 - The South African space industry talent landscape 00:41:14 - Company culture and international expansion 00:52:59 - Advice for industry newcomers About our guest: Bryan Dean is an experienced electrical systems architect who participated in creating the ExoMars rover, Solar Orbital, and ELISA projects for the European Space Agency. In 2019, he co-founded Dragonfly Aerospace and raised funding to grow the company to over 100 employees who developed and launched a class-leading optical imaging satellite in just three years. Website: www.dragonflyaerospace.com The Satellite & NewSpace Matters Podcast is brought to you by neuco, a global recruitment agency that specialises in sourcing brilliant people for groundbreaking companies.

Join us as we speak with Julian Fernandez, CEO and Co-founder of FOSSA Systems, about his remarkable journey from launching a satellite project on Reddit at age 15 to leading one of Europe's most prolific satellite operators. Throughout the episode, Julian shares how FOSSA Systems is revolutionising the satellite IoT industry through vertical integration and affordable connectivity solutions. He explains how the company has successfully launched 20 satellites to date, discusses their innovative use of LoRa technology to dramatically reduce costs, and outlines their vision for an 80-satellite network enabling global IoT connectivity. Julian also offers insights on building a diverse team, the challenges of scaling from an R&D startup to a commercial business, and the importance of creating technology that addresses genuine market needs while maintaining a passion-driven approach. Listen along for fascinating perspectives on democratising access to space, the future of satellite IoT connectivity, and how a teenager's Reddit post evolved into a groundbreaking NewSpace company. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Hosts 00:32 Meet Julian Fernandez: CEO and Co-Founder of Fossa Systems 01:28 - Julian's Journey into the Space Industry 03:59 - Launching the First Satellite: A Dream Realized 05:37 - Balancing Youth and Ambition 08:30 - The Birth and Growth of Fossa Systems 12:19 - Challenges and Innovations in Satellite IoT 23:13 - The Importance of Verticalization 25:33 - Talent Acquisition and Company Culture 31:59 - Quick Fire Questions and Final Advice 34:26 - Conclusion and Farewell About our guest: Julian Fernandez is the CEO and Co-founder of FOSSA Systems, a Spanish and Portuguese scale-up that connects low-power IoT devices directly from space using LoRa technology. At just 17 years old, Julian founded FOSSA Systems after successfully launching the first Spanish PICO satellite (FOSSA SAT-1) at age 16, which began as a community project organised through Reddit. Under his leadership, FOSSA has launched 20 satellites since 2022 and positioned itself as the largest satellite operator in Spain. With experience in remote asset management, LoRa communications, IoT deployments and space infrastructure, Julian was recognised in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2022 for his groundbreaking work in democratising access to space and telecommunications. The ⁠Satellite & NewSpace Matters Podcast⁠ [https://www.neuco-group.com/podcasts/cyber-security-matters-podcast/] is brought to you by neuco, a global recruitment agency that specialises in sourcing brilliant people for groundbreaking companies.

Join us as we discover how Audrey Schaffer, Vice President of Strategy and Policy at Slingshot Aerospace, is tackling the growing challenges of space sustainability through innovative AI solutions. Throughout the episode, Audrey shares her fascinating journey from childhood space enthusiast to aerospace engineering student to playing a key role in establishing the US Space Force. She explains how Slingshot's groundbreaking Agatha AI system helps detect anomalous behaviour in satellite constellations and discusses the urgent challenges of orbital debris and space traffic management. Listen along for valuable perspectives on transitioning between government and private sector roles, the diverse career paths available in the space industry, and practical advice for those looking to enter this exciting field. Audrey offers unique insights on international cooperation for space sustainability and the future of space domain awareness. Chapters: 00:01:57 -- Audrey's childhood interest in space 00:04:22 -- Diverse career paths in the space industry 00:05:41 -- Transition from government to Slingshot Aerospace 00:09:39 -- Establishing the US Space Force 00:12:20 -- Evolution of space sustainability challenges 00:18:04 -- The Agatha AI system for space monitoring 00:21:56 -- Shaping space policy from the private sector 00:23:33 -- Space domain awareness catalogues 00:26:24 -- International space traffic management 00:38:27 -- Career advice for the space industry About our guest: Audrey Schaffer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/audreyschaffer/] is the Vice President of Strategy and Policy at Slingshot Aerospace [https://www.slingshot.space/], a leading business in space situational awareness dedicated to making space safer and more sustainable. Before joining the private sector, Audrey served in the US government for over 15 years, including as Director for Space Policy on the National Security Council staff, where she led efforts to establish the US Space Force and represented the US in negotiating the first-ever United Nations guidelines for space sustainability. The Satellite & NewSpace Matters Podcast [https://www.neuco-group.com/podcasts/cyber-security-matters-podcast/] is brought to you by neuco, a global recruitment agency that specialises in sourcing brilliant people for groundbreaking companies.

Join us as we discover how Gaia Roncalli, Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Ecosmic, is tackling the growing issue of space debris through innovative software solutions. Throughout the episode, Gaia shares her journey from space engineering to entrepreneurship, explains how Ecosmic's SAFE system helps satellite operators navigate collision risks, and discusses the urgent challenges of space sustainability. She also offers valuable insights on building diverse teams in the space industry and the importance of representation in leadership positions. Listen along for fascinating perspectives on preventing the Kessler syndrome, reducing false collision alerts, and bringing innovation from other industries into the space sector. Chapters: 00:01:34 - Gaia's path into the space industry 00:05:37 - The founding of Ecosmic 00:08:31 - SAFE: System to Avoid Fatal Events 00:17:17 - Differentiators in the market 00:21:07 - Space sustainability challenges 00:34:44 - Creating a diverse workforce 00:42:44 - Advice for industry newcomers About our guest: Gaia Roncalli is an award-winning space engineer with experience at Thales Alenia Space and ESA, specializing in space situational awareness. Recognized with the International Award for Women in Aerospace and Inspiring 50 Italy, she co-founded Ecosmic to develop cutting-edge technology for enhancing collision avoidance processes in space. Website: www.ecosmic.space [http://www.ecosmic.space] The Satellite & NewSpace Matters Podcast is brought to you by neuco, a global recruitment agency that specialises in sourcing brilliant people for groundbreaking companies.