Podcast Summary

T-Minus Space Daily: DiskSat for Edge Computing in Space

Host: Maria Varmazes, N2K Networks
Date: February 4, 2026

Main Theme

This episode provides a comprehensive daily intelligence briefing for the space industry, featuring news on recent technological advancements, collaborations, and launches. The centerpiece is an in-depth interview with William Cook, Senior VP of Space Operations at Psionic Navigation, recorded at Commercial Space Week in Orlando. Cook discusses the company’s cutting-edge precision navigation technology for lunar and Martian exploration, particularly focusing on coherent LiDAR systems for autonomous landing and situational awareness in challenging environments.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Space Industry News Highlights (01:52–08:58)

• Satellite and DiskSAT Tech:

  • Satellite (SATLYT) enters a commercial license with Aerospace Corporation to use DiskSAT—an innovative, compact, disk-shaped satellite designed for higher launch efficiency and distributed computing.
  • Four DiskSATs are already in orbit, demonstrating their promise in autonomous operations, onboard data processing, and satellite coordination.
  • First commercial validation and continued tech development for 2026.

• International Collaborations:

  • Japan’s SkyPerfect JSAT partners with Europe’s Constellar to bring high-res thermal infrared satellite data to Japanese markets, enhancing Earth observation capabilities (optical, SAR, now adding thermal).
  • Airbus is set to deploy the Superbird 9 broadcast/broadband satellite for SkyPerfect JSAT in 2027 after previous delays.

• European Expansion & Lunar Milestones:

  • Isar Aerospace expands rocket engine testing in Sweden to increase capacity.
  • Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 lunar lander arrives at Johnson Space Center for vacuum chamber testing in support of NASA’s Artemis 5 mission.

Featured Interview: William Cook, SVP Space Operations, Psionic Navigation (10:22–21:10)

Company Origins & Licensing (10:35–11:29)

• Origins:
  • Psionic Navigation built on work initiated by Steve Sanford (former NASA Director of Engineering) to fill a gap in space navigation technology.
  • Over $40M invested while Sanford was at NASA; company now holds commercial rights to “Coherent LiDAR” technology.

What is Coherent LiDAR? (11:30–12:57)

• Coherent LiDAR Defined:

  • "It’s very complex, but it’s very precise and accurate." – William Cook [11:57]
  • Uses Doppler-based principles to send and receive exact frequencies, unlike traditional time-of-flight or flash LiDAR.
  • Immunity to jamming and spoofing; functions without GPS; resilient to direct sunlight interference.
  • Key for lunar/Mars landings, rendezvous proximity operations (RPO), and situational awareness.

• Notable Quote:

  "So a coherent LiDAR sends an exact frequency out and that frequency it will see only the frequency that it sends out. So it can’t be jammed, it can’t be spoofed. The system can look directly into the sun and will not get confused by the solar radiance..." – William Cook [12:21]

Technology Gap & Performance Data (13:29–14:44)

• Technology Gap:

  • Addresses shortcomings of prior LiDAR tech (time-of-flight systems).
  • Provides unmatched accuracy and data fidelity, with velocity measurements below 2 cm/s² and early data collection past 20 km range.
  • Demonstrated on F-18s, terrestrial landers, and in orbit; soon to be used on the Astrobotic Griffin lunar mission.

• Notable Quote:

  "Our velocity we can measure below 2 cm per second squared. Wow. And our ranges, we start getting, collecting data at well past 20 km." – William Cook [14:02]

Applications & Customer Missions (14:45–16:51)

• Lunar and Mars Applications:
  • Ideal for difficult environments with varying light/dust (e.g., Shackleton’s Crater at the lunar south pole).
  • Already contracted for Astrobotic’s Griffin lunar lander; also preparing for Mars sample return with JPL.

Technology Roadmap & Integration (16:59–19:09)

• Miniaturization:

  • Working on photonic integrated chips to reduce size, weight, and power requirements (SWaP) from 4.5kg further down.
  • Integrated navigation packages (with IMUs and onboard processing) to provide turnkey systems for customers.

• Notable Quote:

  "So we're building the machine to build a machine…we expect within the next six to seven months with our photonic integrated chips that we're going to be going through a qual program. We're actually working with JPL...on the Mars sample return missions." – William Cook [17:04]

Industry Reflections & Future Outlook (19:12–21:10)

• Excitement for the Future:

  • Cook expresses excitement about participating in the new era of exploration, mentoring the next generation, and integrating multiple systems for Mars and lunar missions.
  • Emphasizes the lunar surface as a resource and port for future space mobility.

• Notable Quote:

  "The moon is going to be a port…You're going to need to get and travel around…that's the beauty of space right now—integrating multiple different systems into one." – William Cook [20:13]

Supplemental Segment: ESA’s Satellite Reentry Research (22:30–26:34)

• ESA’s Focus on Responsible Spacecraft Reentry:
  • Upcoming experiments to observe the demise of two Cluster satellites and gather atmospheric reentry data.
  • Pushing forward with “design for demise” for safer and cleaner satellite disposal, including the upcoming Draco mission.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Headlines/Space Intel Briefing: 01:52–08:58
• Interview with William Cook (Psionic Navigation): 10:22–21:10
  • Company origins: 10:35
  • Explanation of Coherent LiDAR: 11:30–12:57
  • Tech gap and use cases: 13:29–14:44
  • Astrobotic Griffin mission & lunar challenges: 14:45–16:51
  • Photonic chip roadmap & full-stack navigation: 16:59–19:09
  • Personal reflections, industry outlook: 19:12–21:10
• ESA Satellite Reentry Segment: 22:30–26:34

Notable Quotes

• “So a coherent LIDAR sends an exact frequency out and that frequency it will see only the frequency that it sends out. So it can’t be jammed, it can’t be spoofed. The system can look directly into the sun and will not get confused by the solar radiance…”
  — William Cook [12:21]

• “Our velocity we can measure below 2 cm per second squared. Wow. And our ranges, we start getting, collecting data at well past 20 km.”
  — William Cook [14:02]

• “The moon is going to be a port…You're going to need to get and travel around…that's the beauty of space right now—integrating multiple different systems into one.”
  — William Cook [20:13]

Episode Tone & Style

The conversation is engaging, technical yet accessible, and forward-looking. Maria Varmazes maintains a curious, encouraging interviewer’s tone, while William Cook is candid and enthusiastic about both the technology and the collaborative spirit of space exploration.

Summary

This episode of T-Minus Space Daily brings listeners up to speed on important advancements shaping the future of space networks, with a special focus on breakthrough navigation technologies enabling autonomous operations on the Moon and Mars. William Cook’s interview spotlights how precise, jamming-resistant navigation is key to humanity’s next steps off-Earth, while the news segments underscore the global, interconnected efforts to power the expanding space economy.