Ariel Ekblaw is an MIT aero-astro engineer who founded the MIT Media Lab Space Exploration Initiative, and developed a new technique to build large-scale space structures. She now runs the Aurelia Institute, a non-for-profit dedicated to building humanity’s future in space and the Aurelia Foundry, a space-focused VC fund. We talk about all of these things in this episode. Enjoy!

🕰️ Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

01:47 - Ariel’s Background

06:07 - Self-Assembling Space Structures

10:44 - Applications of Space Real Estate

22:45 - Balancing Form and Function

25:13 - Vision for Aurelia Foundry

26:54 - Promising Sectors for Investment

33:12 - Unexplored Space Manufacturing Use-cases

35:40 - Future of Space Urbanism

38:34 - Challenges and Concerns in Space

41:29 - Recurrent Thoughts on Space

43:29 - Sci-Fi Favorites

🔗 Follow us:

🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/

🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast

🔗 Follow Raphael:

🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelrottgen/

🌐Instagram - https://.instagram.com/raphael_space/

◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC

To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:

1. "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
2. 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-
3. Space Business Newsletter 📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/

Space Piracy is a new book about the prospect of organized crime in the space sector, anything ranging from hacking for ransom payments all the way to, some time in the future, actual piracy. The book’s co-authors, Marc Feldman and Hugh Taylor are my guests Enjoy!

🕰️ Timestamps:

📍 About the Guests:

Marc Feldman and Hugh Taylor are co-authors of the forthcoming book "Space Piracy - Preparing for a Criminal Crisis in Orbit", available e.g. on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Space-Piracy-Preparing-Criminal-Crisis/dp/1394240201/

🔗 Connect with them on LinkedIn:

🤝 Marc Feldman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-feldman-599382243/

🤝 Hugh Taylor: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughbtaylor/

🔗 Follow us:

🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/

🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast

🔗 Follow Raphael:

🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelrottgen/

🌐Instagram - https://instagram.com/raphael_space/

◇Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC

To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:

1. "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
2. 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-
3. Space Business Newsletter 📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/

This is my preview of what the coming year 2025 may hold for the Space sector - including in launch, satcom, earth observation, lunar exploration, in-space manufacturing, science, government, finance, events, etc.

For the second half of the episode, fellow space investors Alexandra Vidyuk and Faraz Khan join me to provide their perspectives, in a roundtable format.

🕰️ Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

01:11 - 2025 Space Preview: Format and Caveats

03:31 - Launch Sector

08:56 - Space Hardware and Satellite Communications

11:35 - Lunar Missions and Human Spaceflight

14:37 - Space Manufacturing

17:30 - Science Missions and Government

22:02 - Finance, Investments, and Space Events

26:47 - Special Guests Intro

28:00 - What is exciting in Space in 2025?

30:16 - Potential Concerns

34:07 - Beyond the U.S.

40:43 - Non-obvious Potential Events

47:03 - Wishes for the Space Sector in 2025

📍 About the Guests:

Alexandra Vidyuk is a General Partner at Beyond Earth Technologies investment firm in early-stage space tech, robotics, energy, future computing, and advanced materials; a Venture Partner at Aloniq, a deep tech investment firm; Editor of the Space Ambition blog on Substack.

Faraz Khan is a venture capitalist and technology expert currently serving as Founder and General Partner at Giant Step Capital, a VC firm with a number of space investments including e.g. Varda, Albedo, K2.

🔗 Follow us:

🏠Website : https://www.e2mc.space/

🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast

🔗 Follow Raphael:

🔷LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelrottgen/

🌐Instagram - https://.instagram.com/raphael_space/

◇ Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC

To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy:

1. "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
2. 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-
3. Space Business Newsletter 📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/