T-Minus Space Daily – Episode Summary

Episode Title: US Space Force strategy in Vector form
Date: November 18, 2025
Host: Maria Varmazes (N2K Networks)
Guest: Michael Anderson, Co-founder and CEO, Seagate Space

Episode Overview

This episode explores the surge of innovation and strategic direction in the space sector, focusing on the US Space Force’s recently released Vector 2025 force design guidance and key industry news. It also spotlights Seagate Space’s bold approach to maritime-based launch platforms. Guest Michael Anderson shares why the time is right for sea-based launches, the technical differentiators of Seagate’s approach, and his vision for the next evolution in launch infrastructure.

Key Discussion Points

1. Industry Headlines & Analysis

Covered by Maria Varmazes

[01:30 – 11:01]

• York Space Systems IPO:

  • York Space Systems has filed to go public in the US.
  • Revenue up 59% year-over-year (first nine months of 2025: $280.9M).
  • Net loss narrowed versus last year ($56M vs $73.6M).
  • Plans to expand production capacity with new capital.

• Ursa Major Funding:

  • Propulsion startup Ursa Major reaches $600M valuation after $100M Series E round.
  • Funds will accelerate development of engines, scale production, and respond to growing demand for US-made propulsion.

• US Space Force's Vector 2025:

  • Newly published force-wide guidance outlining modernization under four functions: force design, force development, force generation, and force employment.
  • Framework unifies operational concepts and readiness, focusing on contested space operations, partnerships, training, and data integration.
  • High-level, 12-page document—framework, not detailed strategy. (Read it here)

• LeanSpace Series A:

  • Strasbourg-based LeanSpace raises €10M to expand its cloud-native satellite mission operations platform.
  • Demand is growing for modular, integrated ground segment software.

• End of ‘space crime’ saga:

  • The first ever alleged crime in space officially didn’t occur—Summer Worden pleads guilty to lying about NASA astronaut Anne McClain’s supposed unauthorized bank access while on the ISS.
  • "The first crime ever committed in space wasn't, and that's official as of today." – Maria Varmazes [06:40]

• Additional resources:

  • Dave Bittner highlights new op-eds and accolades in the sector, including analysis of Europe’s defense space intelligence and Dawn Aerospace’s prize win.

2. Interview: Michael Anderson, Seagate Space CEO

[12:04 – 23:11]

Building Maritime Launch Platforms for Space

Seagate Space’s vision and origin

• Their mission: “To be the maritime partner for the space industry” by developing floating platforms for sea-based rocket launches.
• Founders left a major US commercial maritime firm to pursue this opportunity.
• Bringing deep maritime expertise to bridge the gap between maritime engineering and space launch requirements.

"We started up in January. My co-founder and I left one of the largest US flag commercial maritime companies at that time, and we've been at it ever since..."
— Michael Anderson [12:16]

Why Sea Launch, Why Now?

• The timing is right due to industry changes—smaller, lighter launch vehicles, new tech readiness.
• Previous large-scale sea launch efforts (e.g., Sea Launch) failed due to scale and complexity, but conditions have shifted in favor of more nimble, modular solutions.

"I think timing is everything. ...a lot of the things that were explored 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago...are coming back around...as other factors have, have moved into a point where, you know, there's the ability to do something that maybe wasn't possible back then."
— Michael Anderson [13:38]

Seagate’s Technical Differentiator

• Shrinking the legacy semi-submersible sea launch platform for today’s small launch vehicles.
• Focus is not on massive cargo but on stability and motion control for lighter payloads at sea.
• Cost-effective, practical design for current market needs.

"We've taken the Sea Launch asset and the Sea Launch approach with a semi submersible twin hold structure and we just shrunk it down, made it more of a micro version...you don't need to think about moving thousands of tons."
— Michael Anderson [15:24]

Risk, Customer Needs, and Go-to-Market

• Acknowledges the industry’s reputation for risk aversion rooted in a desire for reliability and flight heritage.
• Most launch companies show interest in sea launch but lack expertise or suitable partners.
• Seagate occupies the gap, offering specialized platforms as an external partner.

"Most of them, when we first started the company...already were...looking at Sea Launch. ...But building a maritime asset is not within their core competency by any means..."
— Michael Anderson [17:17]

• Rapid deployment is a value-add; new land-based sites take too long to build, while Seagate can quickly field operational maritime solutions.

Five-to-Ten-Year Vision

• Goal: Offshore operations (launch, recovery, perhaps manufacturing) become as mainstream in space as they are in oil and gas, energy, or deep-sea mining.
• Begin with smaller rockets; scale up to larger vehicles and multi-launch platforms.
• Envisions closed-loop operational cycles where rockets need not return to shore.
• Wants to enable and normalize extensive offshore activity for the launch industry.

"Our goal is to drive that same dynamic for space—enable the amount of, whether it be launch, recovery, other operations...that occurs coastal, we want to match that..."
— Michael Anderson [19:55]

"Can we actually move not just the launch, but the recovery, maybe some of the retrofit of those rockets to go again, like make it so that the rocket never has to come back to shore..."
— Michael Anderson [20:56]

Message to the Industry

• Open to collaboration; seeks to be a supportive partner for launch companies looking for new options or facing constraints with traditional spaceports.
• Encourages companies with novel needs or payloads to reach out.

"We really are all about partnership and collaboration. Our goal is to be the maritime entity that enables space companies to be successful..."
— Michael Anderson [22:14]

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On space crime myth:

  • "The first crime ever committed in space wasn't, and that's official as of today."
    — Maria Varmazes [06:40]

• On the company's approach:

  • "We've designed an asset that sacrifices the need to lift a bunch of weight and we've instead created an asset that can actually meet the stability and motion control requirements for a launch at sea in a cost effective way."
    — Michael Anderson [15:24]

• On sea launch interest:

  • "Most of them said we're looking at Sea Launch... What they are then telling us is we're not capable of doing it ourselves. We realize that and the existing industry is not really helping us out."
    — Michael Anderson [17:17]

• On future vision:

  • "Our goal is to drive that same dynamic for space as offshore has for oil and gas, wind, and now deep sea mining... We're starting focused because we know that we need to prove this out conceptually and then in reality before we can get there."
    — Michael Anderson [19:55, 21:34]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:30] — Industry headlines: York Space Systems IPO, Ursa Major funding, US Space Force Vector 2025, LeanSpace raise, space ‘crime’ case ends.
• [09:07] — Dave Bittner’s news round-up and reader resources.
• [12:04] — Interview: Michael Anderson, Seagate Space CEO.
• [13:38] — Why the timing is right for sea-based launch.
• [15:24] — Technical differentiator of Seagate’s platforms.
• [17:17] — Why providers are interested in sea launch, but need maritime expertise.
• [19:55] — Five-to-ten-year vision for maritime launch infrastructure.
• [22:14] — Anderson’s closing thoughts and invitation for collaboration.

Episode Tone & Takeaways

• The episode is informative, optimistic, and rooted in industry realism.
• The host provides succinct, well-sourced briefings and invites curiosity.
• The guest’s tone is pragmatic and collaborative, marked by a blend of maritime and aerospace perspectives, affirming that cross-industry expertise can unlock new paradigms in launch operations.

Final Summary

This episode of T-Minus Space Daily captures a pivotal moment as the space industry accelerates modernization—not just with the US Space Force’s new doctrine but also through the private sector’s push to diversify launch infrastructure. Seagate Space’s CEO Michael Anderson brings fresh insight into how maritime engineering is uniquely positioned to address launch bottlenecks, challenge infrastructure inertia, and support the industry's rapid expansion. For launch providers eyeing the horizon, sea-based launch could soon graduate from novelty to a standard operating model, much as it has for energy and shipping. The invitation is open for collaboration as Seagate charts its course offshore.