Podcast Summary: T-Minus Space Daily - "Space Power Grid"
Episode Information
- Title: Space Power Grid
- Host: Maria Varmazes
- Guest: Andrew Rush, President, CEO, and Co-Founder of Starcatcher
- Release Date: March 22, 2025
Introduction
In this engaging episode of T-Minus Space Daily, hosted by Maria Varmazes, N2K Networks delves into the innovative concept of establishing a power grid in space. The spotlight is on Starcatcher, a pioneering company poised to revolutionize how satellites are powered, thus addressing a critical limitation in current space missions.
Andrew Rush's Background
Andrew Rush shares his impressive journey into the space sector, blending a robust technical background with legal expertise.
“My background is a marriage of law and physics, which has given me a fascinating insight into the overlaps between these fields in the space industry.” – Andrew Rush [06:19]
Raised in a scientifically inclined family, Rush's passion for space was fueled by a childhood steeped in science fiction and influenced by his parents' careers in physics and chemical engineering. After a stint as a patent lawyer, he transitioned to the space industry, co-founding Made in Space in 2010, the first company to undertake manufacturing off Earth. His tenure at Redwire further solidified his expertise, preparing him to lead Starcatcher in its mission to build a space-based power infrastructure.
The Challenge of Power in Space Missions
Current space missions are constrained by the limited onboard power sourced from carried fuel, which dictates the mission's lifespan. Once the energy depletes, so does the mission.
“If you don't have enough power, which spoiler alert, on basically every space mission I've ever been involved with, we're power limited, you're kind of out of luck.” – Andrew Rush [05:35]
Rush explains that as launch costs decrease and more reusable rockets enter the market, the limitation remains in power generation aboard satellites. This constraint hampers the ability to perform more complex tasks, such as high-power computing and advanced communication, essential for modern and future missions.
Starcatcher's Solution: Space Power Grid
Starcatcher aims to bridge the power generation gap by constructing the world's first power grid in space. This involves deploying a constellation of satellites designed to collect, concentrate, and redirect solar energy to client satellites, enhancing their power output without requiring significant retrofitting.
“At Starcatcher, we are building the world's first power grid in and for space... giving them more power, higher concentrations of power.” – Andrew Rush [07:42]
Technical Details of the Power Grid
The company's technology leverages existing solar arrays on spacecraft. By increasing the photon flux—essentially the number of photons hitting the solar cells—Starcatcher's satellites can amplify the power generated by these arrays without necessitating custom receivers.
“If I give it five suns of what it's seeing in LEO, it'll generate five times that amount of wattage.” – Andrew Rush [07:42]
This method ensures compatibility with current satellite designs, allowing for a significant boost in power generation while maintaining operational efficiency.
Benefits and Impact on the Space Industry
Starcatcher's power grid offers multiple advantages:
- Extended Mission Lifespans: By supplementing onboard power, missions can continue beyond their initial energy estimates.
- Enhanced Capabilities: Additional power enables advanced functionalities like edge computing and enhanced communication systems.
- Cost Efficiency: Utilizing Starcatcher's infrastructure allows satellite operators to avoid the expensive process of enlarging solar arrays or redesigning satellite buses for higher power needs.
“There's a big cost savings in using a small platform satellite to send power to it versus just building a satellite with bigger solar arrays.” – Andrew Rush [14:09]
Company Developments and Future Plans
Since its inception in July of the previous year, Starcatcher has made significant strides. The company successfully raised $12.53 million in its seed round and has expanded its team from three to over thirty engineers and technicians. Moving forward, Starcatcher plans to conduct increasingly complex ground demonstrations, culminating in a first space demonstration in 2026.
“For 2025, we have a series of ground demonstrations... and then a first space demonstration in 2026.” – Andrew Rush [17:14]
Recognition and Partnerships
Starcatcher recently received the AFWorks Sibber Phase One Award, highlighting its potential to provide additional resiliency and protection for defense missions. This accolade underscores the company's role in enabling transformational capabilities for both commercial and national security applications.
“We're really excited and proud to be partnering with AFWorks... how this can be enabling transformational for current and future missions.” – Andrew Rush [18:57]
The Day-to-Day of a CEO
Rush provides insight into the emotional and strategic challenges of leading a startup in the high-stakes space industry. He describes the role as an emotional rollercoaster, balancing setbacks with achievements while guiding his team toward realizing the company's ambitious vision.
“This is a very emotionally up and down role... enabling the team to be set up for success.” – Andrew Rush [19:48]
Despite the challenges, the most rewarding aspect for Rush is witnessing his team's progress from conceptual ideas to tangible technological advancements.
“Seeing them go from hey, we have this idea to look, there's this little mock satellite that's on a track that we're beaming energy to completely autonomously... that's really awesome.” – Andrew Rush [19:48]
Conclusion
Starcatcher's initiative to establish a power grid in space represents a significant leap forward in space technology, addressing a fundamental limitation of current missions. By enhancing power generation capabilities for satellites, Starcatcher not only extends mission lifespans but also unlocks new possibilities for advanced space operations. With substantial funding, a growing team, and notable industry recognition, Starcatcher is well-positioned to transform the landscape of space power infrastructure.
Notable Quotes:
- “If you don't have enough power... you're kind of out of luck.” – Andrew Rush [05:35]
- “At Starcatcher, we are building the world's first power grid in and for space...” – Andrew Rush [07:42]
- “There's a big cost savings in using a small platform satellite to send power to it...” – Andrew Rush [14:09]
- “We're really excited and proud to be partnering with AFWorks...” – Andrew Rush [18:57]
- “This is a very emotionally up and down role...” – Andrew Rush [19:48]
About the Podcast T-Minus Space Daily by N2K Networks delivers daily space intelligence and analysis, featuring interviews with global space industry leaders and experts. For more information, visit https://space.n2k.com/.