Apollo Fusion and The Future of Satellite Propulsion
The satellite business is growing rapidly as space technology and technology here on Earth advances. With the need for global internet access, navigation, and Earth observation, there has been an astonishing increase in the number of satellites of all sizes launched into the great beyond. While getting to space is difficult on its own, staying in space is an entirely different challenge.
My guest today is Dr. Dean Massey, Director of Research at Apollo Fusion, Inc. This California-based company is developing exciting new forms of propulsion for space satellites. In this rapidly growing industry, Apollo stands out because of its unique focus on the smaller satellite market. Their journey into space began in 2016 with fusion, and soon after transformed into propulsion as the market began to develop and show promise.
In this episode, you will hear about the early days of this space-age startup and more about the overall history of space satellites. We’ll talk about how once on-orbit, the propulsion system functions as a space Swiss Army knife, and some of the challenges of recreating a space-like environment. You will also learn about the obstacles they’ve faced as a startup in the space industry, and how they’ve surpassed them as they gear up for their first launch.
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Listen to this episode of Startups: The Future of Satellite Propulsion to learn more about the smaller satellite market, Dean’s advice for startups, and the role that Siemens played in helping Apollo eliminate deficiencies from their design.
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Get updates from the journey of Apollo Fusion: https://apollofusion.com/
Guest: Dr. Dean Massey – Director of Research at Apollo Fusion
Dean’s doctoral research focused on Hall thrusters and novel propellants. The knowledge he gained allowed him to spend more than a decade leading research teams in the areas of plasma chemistry, materials science, fusion, and oil and gas. He brings a unique perspective to electric propulsion and state of the art facilities design and construction.
Host: Paul Musto – Portfolio Development Executive at Siemens Digital Industries Software
Paul Musto is a Portfolio Development Executive for Siemens Digital Industries Software focused on delivering design and simulation software solutions to small and medium sized businesses (SMB), including companies in the early startup stage. Prior to this his current role at Siemens, Paul was Director of Marketing for the Electronic Board Systems segment at Mentor Graphics (now part of Siemens), responsible for driving product strategy, go-to-market solutions, and market development. Paul has over 30 years of electronics and software design experience. Prior to joining Mentor, Paul led a software development organization at Cadence Design Systems, responsible for Cadence’s electronic engineering implementation tools. Throughout his career, Paul has extensive experience serving in various technical, product marketing, and business development roles. Paul holds a B.S.E.E. from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA
Pioneers: Startups from Dreams to Reality
Ideas alone can’t change the world. It takes grit, and serious funding. In Pioneers, host Kevin Blevins sits down with startup founders to discuss the startup lifestyle- from concept to execution- and the big ideas that fuel these pioneers. From the future of farming to autonomous flight, there’s no frontier too far.
