Voyager Technologies founder, CEO and chairman Dylan Taylor joins John "Slick" Baum for the first episode of The Voyager Podcast: a conversation about leadership, exploration, purpose and the future of human spaceflight. Dylan reflects on growing up in Moscow, Idaho, the influence of his father’s engineering career, and the early experiences that shaped his curiosity about the world. He traces his path from engineering studies and a Swiss electronics company to the University of Chicago, global business leadership, public-company operations and ultimately a deeper question: What difference am I making? That question led him back to a lifelong fascination with space. Dylan shares how he became involved in the commercial space industry, how he met Matthew Kuta, and how Voyager evolved from an early investment platform into an operating company built for the next era of space and defense technology. The conversation also explores Voyager’s role in commercial space infrastructure, including Bishop Airlock, Starlab, low Earth orbit, lunar commerce and the company’s three-L strategy: LEO, lunar and Lagrange. Dylan and Slick also discuss Vista, Voyager’s research-flywheel concept connecting universities, industry, microgravity research and future missions across LEO, the Moon and deep space. Topics Covered Dylan Taylor’s childhood in Idaho Growing up around engineering, international students and outdoor adventure The problem-solving value of an engineering education Early career lessons from a Swiss electronics company Business school at the University of Chicago Public-company leadership, capital access and growth strategy The Aconcagua climb and the leadership value of turning back Purpose, ambition and the search for meaningful work How Dylan entered the commercial space industry The formation and operating vision behind Voyager Technologies Bishop Airlock and commercial infrastructure on the International Space Station Starlab and the future of commercial space stations Voyager’s three-L strategy: low Earth orbit, lunar and Lagrange Lunar commerce, moon regolith, dust mitigation, power, mobility and habitation Vista and the future of university-led space research Inspiring the next generation of explorers, researchers and astronauts Timestamps 00:00 Welcome to the first episode of The Voyager Podcast 00:41 Dylan Taylor’s origin story: Idaho, family and early influences 04:20 Engineering, critical thinking and becoming a technologist 05:47 Early career at a Swiss electronics company 07:54 University of Chicago, business school and a major career pivot 10:35 Public-company leadership, IPOs and capital strategy 12:30 Adventure, endurance and Aconcagua 15:07 Risk, ambition and the decision to turn around 17:57 Mindset: remembering the good shots 19:00 From corporate success to purpose and space 20:45 The Last Lecture and rediscovering a childhood passion 21:30 Early-stage space investing and pattern recognition 22:30 Meeting Matthew Kuta and forming Voyager 23:28 Voyager’s evolution from “holding company” perception to operating-company vision 24:00 Defense, national security and commercial space innovation 25:06 ISS mission management, Bishop Airlock and commercial space infrastructure 26:13 Starlab and Voyager’s three-L strategy 27:50 Lunar commerce: power, mobility, habitation and moon regolith 30:14 Vista and the global research flywheel 32:00 Research, international collaboration and inspiring the next generation 32:54 “Space is the place”
