The Space Industry

satsearch

The Space Industry by satsearch - sharing stories about the businesses taking us into orbit. We delve into the opinions and expertise of the people behind the commercial space companies of today, who could become the household names of tomorrow. Find out more about the companies and technologies discussed on this show at satsearch.com.

  1. The readiness of AI for management of complex space missions - with Epsilon3

    JAN 13

    The readiness of AI for management of complex space missions - with Epsilon3

    Episode 84 of The Space Industry podcast by satsearch is a conversation with Laura Crabtree, CEO of Epsilon3, on how the company is approaching the adoption of AI to support process & resource management for complex space missions. Epsilon3's software platform manages complex operational procedures, saving operators time and reducing errors. The platform supports a majority of a project's life cycle, from integration and testing through live operations. In the episode, Laura speaks with satsearch COO Narayan Prasad Nagendra about a range of topics including: AI readiness and timing: the readiness of AI to handle process and resource management of complex space missions and whether this is the right time for AI adoption, despite the space industry's traditionally complex and conservative nature.Safety and anomaly detection: making AI-driven anomaly detection for mission-critical systems simultaneously sensitive enough to catch real problems and robust enough to avoid excessive false alarms.Procedure correctness and vetting: ensuring that AI-generated or imported procedures meet the extremely high requirements for correctness, detail, and adherence to regulatory standards for spaceflight operations.Data security and customer trust: the specific architectural and security measures Epsilon3 is implementing to guarantee that sensitive, often classified, customer data is never exposed to external AI services, thus building trust with cautious space engineers.Immediate practical applications: the possibility of immediate and practical applications like dynamic AI scheduling or a recommender system, that could significantly reduce manual workload or human error for operations engineers in the next 12-18 months.You can find out more about Epsilon3 here on their satsearch supplier hub. And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global space supply chain, please take a look at our blog. [Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/when-we-get-there License code: Y4KZEAESHXDHNYRA

    22 min
  2. Designing space systems with integrated Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) strategies - with Texas Instruments

    12/15/2025

    Designing space systems with integrated Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) strategies - with Texas Instruments

    Episode 83 of The Space Industry podcast by satsearch is a conversation with Adrian Helwig, Analog Field Application Engineer, and Michael Seidl, Systems Engineer from Texas Instruments (TI), about designing space systems with integrated Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) strategies. TI is a global electronics manufacturer with a wide portfolio of space-grade components to support space missions across the spectrum. In the episode, Adrian, Michael and satsearch COO Narayan Prasad Nagendra discuss: FDIR as a complex, critical sequence in space system design: Since equipment in space cannot be manually repaired, systems must quickly and reliably detect faults, isolate the damaged unit (e.g., by switching it off), and recover mission operations, often by engaging a redundant unit.Trade-off between reliability, performance, and cost: Engineers face this trade-off particularly when selecting components that must withstand extreme environments (radiation, temperature cycles) and long missions (LEO vs. GEO/Deep Space). Using non-space-grade parts introduces significant risk and defeats the purpose of FDIR.Effective fault containment based on integrated, smart strategies: Strategies that avoid complexity, using methods like galvanic isolation, fast load switches, and highly-integrated space-grade components that incorporate diagnostics and can execute complex decision-making based on multiple sensor inputs (voltage, current, temperature) prevent fault propagation.You can find out more about TI on their satsearch supplier hub. And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global space supply chain, please take a look at our blog. [Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/when-we-get-there License code: Y4KZEAESHXDHNYRA]

    35 min
  3. Coatings: the hidden surface behind space missions - with Acktar

    12/10/2025

    Coatings: the hidden surface behind space missions - with Acktar

    Episode 82 of The Space Industry podcast by satsearch is a conversation with Dr. Tamas Rev, Materials and Mechanical Lead at Acktar, about the world of coatings for space missions, canvassing state-of-the-art stray light mitigation and thermal management. Acktar is a specialist provider of optical coatings and protective solutions, including space-rated ultra-black coatings and foils that improve the efficiency and performance of mission equipment. In this episode, Tamas and satsearch COO Narayan Prasad Nagendra discuss: Deep space stray light mitigation: Acktar's Fractal Black™ coating is critical for stray light mitigation in high-profile, deep space observatories, such as the James Webb Space Telescope and Europa Clipper, which ensures optimal performance by minimizing unwanted light for clear data acquisition.Extreme environment thermal and stray light management: The BepiColombo mission uses a complementary pair of coatings: Acktar White™ for thermal management and Magic Black™ for stray light control, demonstrating a tailored approach to handle the combined challenges of intense heat and light in harsh environments.Lunar thermal regulation: The Chandrayaan-2 mission utilized the Nano Black™ coating to provide essential temperature regulation on the lunar surface, addressing a key thermal management concern for the mission's success.Small satellite optical contamination control: Spectral Black™ coatings are applied to smaller satellite platforms, like the CanX series and other LEO satellites, to reduce optical contamination and light pollution, which is increasingly important as the number of LEO satellites grows.You can find out more about Acktar here on their satsearch supplier hub. And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch, please take a look at our blog. [Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/when-we-get-there License code: Y4KZEAESHXDHNYRA]

    26 min
  4. Scalability and expandability of ground stations with SDR technology - with Terma

    11/28/2025

    Scalability and expandability of ground stations with SDR technology - with Terma

    Episode 81 of The Space Industry podcast by satsearch is a conversation with Hans Martin Steiner, VP Institutional Space Business at Terma, about scalability and expandability of cutting-edge ground stations with SDR technology. Terma's space business provides mission-critical electronics, software, and services for space applications. In the episode, Hans and satsearch COO Prasad Nagendra discuss: 1. 💸 Scaling Shift - "Software Over Boxes": Traditional ground stations scale by adding costly physical modem hardware, a CapEx-heavy approach. Software-Defined Radio (SDR) technology flips this model, allowing operators to scale capacity instantly by adding compute power instead of new boxes, dramatically improving economic efficiency. 2. 🔄 Dynamic Adaptation and Flexibility: SDR technology empowers operators to dynamically change critical communication parameters, like frequencies or modulation schemes, post-launch via software updates. This capability is vital for optimizing spectrum use, mitigating unexpected interference, and extending a satellite's mission lifetime. 3. 🌐 Enabling Ground Station-as-a-Service (GSaaS): SDR is the key driver enabling ground stations to operate as a shared, virtualized service. This shift minimizes hardware investment and allows operators to move toward efficient, multi-mission models instead of maintaining dedicated, underutilized infrastructure. 4. 📈 Efficient Throughput Management: SDR's scaling flexibility efficiently addresses two extremes: small, specialized missions and high-throughput commercial operations. It allows a single station to support vastly different mission profiles instantly, ensuring maximum asset utilization across the board. 5. 🛡️ Securing the Virtualized Network: The shift to a software-defined network introduces unique cybersecurity challenges compared to traditional hardware setups. Implementing robust best practices, like Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), is essential to securing virtual data flows and protecting critical mission operations. 6. 💡 Future Paradigms and AI Integration: Looking ahead, SDR is positioned to enable the next generation of space communication, including AI-driven adaptive networks and seamless integration with optical links. These trends will fundamentally redefine the performance and economics of global satellite communication networks within the next decade. You can find out more about Terma on their satsearch supplier hub. And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch, please take a look at our blog. [Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/when-we-get-there License code: Y4KZEAESHXDHNYRA]

    34 min
  5. The benefits of standardized architectures for space missions - with Texas Instruments

    09/01/2025

    The benefits of standardized architectures for space missions - with Texas Instruments

    Episode 79 of the Space Industry podcast by satsearch is a conversation with Adrian Helwig, Analog Field Application Engineer, and Michael Seidl, Systems Engineer from Texas Instruments (TI), about the strengths of adopting standardized architectures for space missions. TI is a global electronics manufacturer with a wide portfolio of space-grade components to support space missions across the spectrum. In the episode, Adrian, Michael and satsearch COO Narayan Prasad Nagendra discuss: Standardized architectures in space missions that enable modular, interoperable system designs across suppliers, helping to reduce R&D costs, support component re-use, and foster a diverse supplier ecosystem.Harsher environmental and longevity challenges faced by space missions compared to automotive applications, which share principles like system modularity and cost-efficient R&D; however space applications require dedicated components, long-term support, and reliability over decades.Space-grade products offered by TI in two qualification levels — SEP and SP — to meet varied mission requirements, with benefits like pin-compatible options, broad portfolio coverage, and flight heritage from previously proven components.You can find out more about TI on their satsearch supplier hub. And if you would like to learn more about the space industry and our work at satsearch building the global space supply chain, please take a look at our blog. [Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/when-we-get-there License code: Y4KZEAESHXDHNYRA]

    33 min

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Space Industry by satsearch - sharing stories about the businesses taking us into orbit. We delve into the opinions and expertise of the people behind the commercial space companies of today, who could become the household names of tomorrow. Find out more about the companies and technologies discussed on this show at satsearch.com.

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