T-Minus Space Daily: "Crew 9 Heads Home" Published on March 18, 2025 | Host: N2K Networks

Introduction

In the March 18, 2025 episode of T-Minus Space Daily, host Maria Varmazis delivers an insightful update on recent advancements and key events in the global space industry. The episode features a comprehensive news briefing followed by an in-depth interview with Brad King, CEO and co-founder of Orbion Space Technology, focusing on space propulsion and vertical integration.

Intel Briefing Highlights

At the outset, Maria Varmazis provides a succinct overview of significant space missions and industry developments:

• Rocket Lab's Successful Deployment: Rocket Lab achieved a milestone by successfully launching five satellites for Kinais, completing their Internet of Things (IoT) constellation.

• Pixel's Firefly Satellites: Four Firefly satellites captured the world's highest resolution hyperspectral images from Low Earth Orbit (LEO), offering unprecedented detail that can aid agricultural operations, climate monitoring, mining, and disaster response.

• China's Galactic Energy Launch: China's Galactic Energy successfully launched the Ceres 1 rocket, placing multiple satellites into a sun-synchronous orbit, including the Yunyao 15560 and Ersat 06 and 07 satellites.

• Pangea Aerospace Funding: European startup Pangea Aerospace secured €23 million in a Series A funding round to advance its development of efficient and reusable propulsion systems using sustainable propellants.

• Crew 9 Mission: The SpaceX Dragon capsule, carrying Crew 9—Commander Nick Hague, Cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, Butch Wilmore, and Suni Williams—undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) for their 17-hour journey back to Earth after a 286-day mission.

Notable Quote:

"And we hope, we really hope the splashdown marks the end of the abandoned and stranded headlines that we keep reading with clenched teeth when referring to Suni and Butch. Regardless, welcome home to all the astronauts."
— Maria Varmazis [01:57]

Interview with Brad King: Space Propulsion and Vertical Integration

Background and Introduction

Maria Varmazis introduces Brad King, highlighting his expertise in space propulsion technology. Brad recounts his journey, starting from his academic pursuits at the University of Michigan, where he earned a PhD in aerospace engineering. His early work involved the development of Hall Effect Thrusters—a spacecraft propulsion device—courtesy of technology inherited from post-Soviet Union collaborations.

Notable Quote:

"I knew from a little kid what I wanted to do, so that guided every decision and made it pretty easy."
— Brad King [09:31]

Understanding Hall Effect Thrusters

Brad King provides a clear explanation of Hall Effect Thrusters, emphasizing their role in space missions:

• Functionality: Hall Effect Thrusters are a type of electric propulsion system used for maneuvering satellites in orbit rather than launching them. They are renowned for their fuel efficiency, allowing satellites to perform more maneuvers with less propellant.

• Advantages: They offer a balance between thrust and efficiency, making them ideal for raising or lowering orbits, collision avoidance, and deorbiting satellites at the end of their missions.

Notable Quote:

"Hall Effect Thrusters are a fuel-efficient rocket engine, and they have nothing to do with launching the spacecraft. The satellite's got to get into orbit on a Falcon 9 or something like that."
— Brad King [10:59]

Orbion Space Technology: Scaling and Market Integration

Orbion Space Technology was founded in response to the burgeoning satellite market driven by companies like OneWeb and SpaceX's Starlink. Recognizing the impending demand for Hall Effect Thrusters, Orbion focused on developing small satellite propulsion systems.

Challenges in Scaling:

• Manufacturing Complexity: Transitioning from laboratory prototypes to mass production posed significant challenges. Ensuring consistency and reliability in manufacturing hundreds of identical thrusters was a demanding task.

Notable Quote:

"It's not that hard to build one in the lab. What's really, really hard is to build one that can fly in orbit and then build hundreds of them that are exactly the same."
— Brad King [14:07]

Vertical Integration and Supply Chain Management

Brad discusses Orbion's strategic approach to vertical integration as a necessity rather than a preference. The scarcity of reliable suppliers in the nascent space propulsion market compelled Orbion to bring critical components in-house to maintain quality and control.

Key Points:

• Necessity-Driven Integration: Challenges with external suppliers, such as the difficulty in sourcing specialized valves, forced Orbion to develop these components internally.

• Future Supply Chain Dynamics: Given the limited number of suppliers for specialized space components, vertical integration is likely to remain a crucial strategy for companies operating within the space industry.

Notable Quote:

"Nobody wants to go vertical. If you can buy something on the market and it can show up on time and it has a good price, that's what you want to do. That's much easier."
— Brad King [16:13]

Workforce and Expertise

Orbion has successfully navigated the challenge of assembling a skilled workforce to support its vertically integrated operations. By fostering in-house expertise, Orbion ensures that its propulsion systems meet the stringent demands of space missions.

Notable Quote:

"The expertise is out there all the time, but there's an inertia factor to spooling up."
— Brad King [18:42]

Long-Term Vision

Brad King shares Orbion's ambitious vision for the future, aiming to become a pivotal player in space exploration and technology.

Vision Statement:

"Our ambitions are pretty simple. We simply plan to take over the solar system, starting with this planet."
— Brad King [19:53]

Closing Remarks

Maria Varmazis concludes the episode by highlighting a pertinent article from Space Review titled "Atlac and the Early Emergence of Lunar Governance" by Dennis O'Brien. The article delves into the legal frameworks governing lunar activities, emphasizing the work of the Action Team on Lunar Activities Consultation (ATLAC) under the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS).

Notable Quote:

"There is a lot of work, overdue work, needing to be done here, but the Action Team is a step in the right direction..."
— Maria Varmazis [21:17]

Maria also provides updates on ongoing space missions, such as Rocket Lab's Transporter 13 mission, and encourages listeners to engage with the T-Minus Space Daily community.

Conclusion

This episode of T-Minus Space Daily offers a thorough overview of current space missions, significant advancements in satellite technology, and an insightful discussion with Brad King on the future of space propulsion. The episode underscores the dynamic nature of the space industry, highlighting both the technological innovations and the strategic business decisions driving its growth.

For more detailed insights and updates, visit N2K Networks.