32 Engines, Zero Emissions: What Startup Innovators Can Learn from Cosmic Aerospace’s Skylark

How can aviation achieve zero-emission flight without compromising performance and range? What does it take to build the next generation of electric aircraft from the ground up?
Aviation is at a crossroads, with sustainability emerging as a critical goal for the industry. But what does the future hold for electric aviation, and how can it achieve zero-emission flight while meeting commercial demands?
In this episode of Pioneers, the Siemens Startup Podcast, host Kevin Blevins speaks with Christopher Chahine, the co-founder and CEO of Cosmic Aerospace. Christopher shares his journey from researching fluid dynamics at the von Karman Institute and the University of Oxford to founding Cosmic Aerospace, a company dedicated to creating ultra-efficient, all-electric passenger aircraft with long flight ranges.
Together, they discuss the challenges and opportunities in building sustainable aviation technology, from overcoming range limitations to navigating FAA certification.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
- The dangers associated with aviation CO2 emissions ( 06:00 )
- Characteristics and capabilities of the new Skylark electric aircraft ( 10:30 )
- The significance of a clean-sheet design for electric aircraft efficiency (11:00)
- Key milestones in Cosmic Aerospace’s journey ( 16:00 )
- The design philosophy with regards to battery technology ( 25:30 )
- The outcome of test flights and subscale aircrafts ( 30:00 )
- Plans and strategy around production and ensuring affordability and maintainability ( 33:50)
- Why did Aerospace choose to use Siemens products? ( 35:30 )
- Christopher’s advice for budding entrepreneurs in the aerospace industry ( 36:50 )

Guest: Christopher Chahine
Christopher is the co-founder and CEO of Cosmic Aerospace. Raised in Germany, he holds a master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Hannover and a PhD in Engineering Science from the University of Oxford, where he focused on the design of fan blades for the next generation of large turbofan engines. Prior to starting Cosmic, he worked as a researcher, pioneering advanced multidisciplinary design methods for high-performance aircraft engines and turbomachinery components. His contributions to the field have earned him numerous awards and accolades.

Host: Kevin Blevins
As of the publication of this blog, Kevin Blevins has retired! He was the Portfolio Development Executive for SMB and Startup Companies, and he also managed the Siemens Digital Industries Software Startup Program. He worked with the Siemens sales organizations as well as Siemens Partners to engage and evangelize the Siemens Startup Program across the Americas. Kevin has spent more than 35 years in the Engineering and Manufacturing software industry. Prior to this he spent seven years in the automotive design industry. Kevin was with Siemens for 34 years. During this time, he held positions in Technical Support, Technical Sales Support Leadership, Sales Director for the Automotive Region, Partner Sales Executive, and his current position. Kevin has a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology from Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, MI—and he is now busy enjoying his retirement and tackling some of America’s more interesting wilderness hikes.

Cosmic Aerospace
Cosmic Aerospace is a US-European startup developing the first all-electric passenger aircraft designed for long-distance flights using current battery technologies. With a focus on capital efficiency and rapid technology development, Cosmic aims to revolutionize aviation with zero-emission aircraft that promise significant reductions in per-seat-mile operating costs. Learn more here: All-electric aircraft | Cosmic Aerospace

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.