On this episode of Roid Rage, Principal Flight Science Engineer Loic joins the pod to break down how we use Monte Carlo simulations to navigate deep space - starting with how we avoid hitting the Moon. Loic walks us through how probabilistic modeling, error bounding, and trajectory optimization keep DeepSpace‑2 on target. This episode covers everything from solar pressure to thrust vector error, and why simulating failure is core to mission design.
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53:05
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53:05
You Want It to Burn This Way
What does it take to point a spacecraft with only one thruster? In this episode, we dive into the engineering behind DeepSpace‑2’s gimbal system: a mechanical interface that enables directional control for our electric propulsion. GNC Engineer Emerson and Flight Software Engineer Kieran walk us through how they built the software, math, and lookup tables needed to command the gimbal, and why the complexity goes far deeper than just “move this motor.”
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45:21
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45:21
Can We Sue Them First?
We brought on Krystle, Chief Business Officer (and space lawyer), to break down what the law actually says. From the 2015 U.S. Space Act to the Outer Space Treaty, Chap (Chief of Mining), Matt (CEO), and Krystle unpack the legal foundation of our business model, how enforcement really works in deep space, and what it means to be a first mover in an uncharted regulatory landscape.
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35:54
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35:54
One Board, Two Brains
In this episode, Matt sits down with Nathan (Flight Software) and Ethan (Avionics) to walk through the architecture, tradeoffs, and bring-up of the DeepSpace-2 flight computer. From why we split responsibilities across two processors to how we’re automating interface validation and handling memory redundancy in deep space, this week's episode is a deep dive into the logic behind the bus.
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42:12
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42:12
Reconnoiter And Respond (ft. Brent Barbee, Lead Planetary Defense Applications Scientist + Adrienne Rudolph, Graduate Researcher at UMD)
Two planetary defense researchers join Robyn, President of AstroForge, to talk asteroid disruption, mission planning, and why Apophis 2029 is a close call - but not a crisis. Brent Barbee and Adrienne Rudolph walk us through how impact risk is assessed, what it takes to launch a mitigation mission, and why not all asteroids can be “Armageddoned.”
A podcast by AstroForge on all things related to deep space mining - specifically, asteroid mining. We discuss, explore, and banter about the intricacies of space science and exploration. Hosted by Matt (CEO), Robyn (COO), and Chap (CoS). Buckle in, you're in for a ride.
France