Peter H. Diamandis

In-space R&D and Manufacturing - hot on the heels of the announcement of the Orbital Edge accelerator with our partners*, I plan on having a few episodes on this topic on the Space Business Podcast. This first episode is a high-level briefing trying to answer: - Why research and manufacture in space - How to do it in practice - Where we are right now and what is still missing to build a thriving sector See comments for where to find the episode. * ISS National Lab Cook Inlet Region, Inc. Stellar Ventures E2MC (Earth-to-Mars Capital) #space #podcast

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Cool that Planet has won this National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency partnership for its Luno B program on AI! We agree with NGA that space + AI is the future: It's enabling cool new applications. We also think Planet's uniquely positioned with its daily scan of the entire landmass and archive over 3,000 layers deep on which to train the models - with huge security implications for finding new acts around the planet. The Holy Grail in intelligence is finding unknown unknowns, not just looking in more detail at known knowns. Details here: https://lnkd.in/gbB3Qb5z

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Massive moment for naval innovation that is powered by partnership 🚀 🇺🇸 HavocAI, one of Scout’s standout portfolio companies, is officially collaborating with Lockheed Martin to scale autonomous Medium Unmanned Surface Vessels (MUSVs) for maritime defense. This is about more than just platforms—it’s about reshaping how the US Navy operates in contested environments. From the seed round to delivering over 30 vessels, Havoc is proving that nimble startups can deliver real capability at speed. Pairing that momentum with Lockheed’s reach is a powerful signal for what’s possible in projecting peace through strength to deter future conflict. The surface fleet is getting smarter, faster, and more autonomous, and Scout Ventures is proud to be backing that transformation. 🚢 🌊 Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gR_XWAsw CC: Paul Lwin | Chris Moran | Bradley C. Harrison | Cody H. | Nate George | Michael Keane | Kellie Pais | Scott Stanford | Matt Lake #NavalInnovation #DefenseTech #DualUse #Autonomy #MUSV #ScoutVentures #HavocAI #LockheedMartin #NoFailMissions

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Mission 15 Cohort Announced by Seraphim Space Accelerator & Generation Space Accelerator (USA) 🚀 🛰️ Seraphim Space, operating as Generation Space in the U.S., announces the ten pioneering startups selected for Mission 15 of its world-leading SpaceTech Accelerator. 🌟 Launched in 2018, the Seraphim programme has now supported more than 120 companies across 30+ countries, playing a vital role in building the infrastructure of the modern space economy. 💰 Collectively, alumni have raised $695.3 million in private funding, underscoring the sector’s momentum and growing investor appetite for space-enabled innovation. The 10 startups span five countries, aiming to support services ranging from defence communications to artificial intelligence-powered surveillance. 🚀 Mission 15 Cohort: Aerlin  – (US) Developing a smart antenna that brings satellite data connectivity to consumer cars, transforming mobility with space-enabled data access. Ecosmic – (Italy) Tackling space sustainability by removing operational and traffic risks in satellite constellations. Ethereal Exploration Guild – (India)  With the vision of catalyzing civilizational progress, the Guild is building Razor Crest Mk-1, the world’s first fully reusable medium-lift launch vehicle, enabling economic and multi-polarization of access to space launch, with launch costs as low as $350–$2000/kg. LambdaVision, Inc. – (US) Leveraging space to restore meaningful vision for patients with degenerative eye diseases by pioneering protein-based artificial retinas using microgravity-enabled manufacturing. LYRASENSE – (Germany)(UK)  (Germany)(UK) Simplifying geospatial intelligence by equipping users with AI agents to build and scale earth observation applications. ONDO Space – (US)(Mongolia) Providing affordable emergency communication solutions for remote populations and animal tracking through an SOS satellite ecosystem. Pan Galactic – (UK) Building secure operating systems and quantum-safe blockchain infrastructure to underpin a resilient, trusted digital layer for the space economy. Planetary Utilities – (US) Creating a modular marketplace and infrastructure platform to make space more accessible as a service-based industry. Ravee Optics – (US) Enabling ultra-compact laser communication between satellites for high-bandwidth data transmission in small satellite platforms. Vortx.ai Private Limited – (India) Leveraging synthetic Earth memory—real-time, multimodal satellite datao address AI hallucinations, bias, and Earth Identifiable Information risks in satellite-enabled AI systems. Read the full release here: https://lnkd.in/es7ncshM

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Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and Office of Science and Technology Policy Director Michael Kratsios released a memo last week which outlines the White House’s fiscal year 2027 priorities for federal R&D funding. Among other priorities, the memo calls for investment to accelerate the development of commercial launch and novel space infrastructure, advanced communications networks, new AI paradigms and computing architectures, and applied AI for advanced space analytics. At Phantom Space, we are working to build some of the key foundations for a new American century with a full stack of space operations and orbital infrastructure which align with many of these frontier technology priorities. https://lnkd.in/grPUVV6e

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I talk to a lot of government customers, seriously, a lot. Since Integrate moved into CLASS environments (huge thanks to Second Front), some of those conversations have shifted in big ways. But many haven’t. Sometimes, it feels like I’m taking crazy pills. Government teams say: "We need program management software that gives full visibility into every part of our contractors' programs and was built AI-native so we can leverage massive workflow improvements from an LLM." I look left. I look right. Is anyone else actually doing this at scale? If I’m not mistaken, Integrate is the only PM solution built in the past 30 years with this perfect mix of capabilities. And yet, most of these conversations end the same way: us trying to convince stakeholders to aim for where the target is going instead of where it is right now. If we don’t check every box on your list today, we’re closer than anyone else. And by the time others catch up, we’ll be miles ahead. Maybe I’m just kvetching, but if we want to move fast, we need to focus less on what’s right in front of us and more on where we need to go next.

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💰 Varda Space Industries is the first space company set up to 𝑷𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑻 money. Not because of “space,” but because of their unique business model. Here's why they are different (and 𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞): 🧪 Biotech royalties > satellite SaaS. Varda isn’t selling data or just launch / re-entry services; they sell drug formulations made possible by microgravity and take royalties on the eventual sale. One win can return 9-figure revenue without fielding a giant constellation. 📈 Dual-revenue flywheel. Defense hypersonic reentry testbed missions monetize the same capsule today, funding cadence, dropping costs, and derisking. 🛰️ Regulatory + ops moat. First-of-its-kind commercial land reentry under Part 450. They've done the hard work to figure out the regulatory logistics for commercial spacecraft to land back on Earth. 👍🏽 Here's my call: If even a handful of partnered drugs hit, Varda’s royalty stack will dwarf traditional space services revenue 💰 #space #spaceeconomy

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TejPaul Bhatia, CEO of Axiom Space, doubled down on his prediction of a multi-trillion-dollar space economy during the kickoff of 2025 ASCEND, powered by AIAA. “I think this is the biggest technical revolution, societal revolution, diplomatic revolution in human history. This feels like 1995 and the Internet. Imagine if in 1995 you knew what was coming with [online] advertising [and] e-commerce...what happened with cloud (computing], what happened with mobile [communications], what's happening with AI.” Axiom Space, the first private human spaceflight company to operate aboard the International Space Station, anticipates the exponential growth of human activity in low-Earth orbit, Bhatia shared, citing key growth markets in pharmaceutical and biomedical research, space-based data and communications, and advanced manufacturing. “I can unequivocally tell you there's far more demand than there is supply.” #AIAA #ascendspace

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Big news for fans of aviation podcasts. First, The UAV Digest podcast is emerging from dormancy and will soon be relaunched as UAV News Talk. David Vanderhoof returns to the mic and is joined by new co-host Max Trescott. (We're swapping Max's.) Besides co-hosting the Airplane Geeks podcast, MaxT is known for his work on the Aviation News Talk podcast and has fixed-wing and helicopter flying expertise. Next, the new NTSB News Talk podcast. This show offers in-depth discussions of aircraft accidents, investigations, and the lessons pilots can’t afford to ignore. Hosted by award-winning aviation journalist Rob Mark and Max Trescott, a flight instructor who has trained as an accident investigator, this show breaks down recent NTSB reports, analyzes accident causes, and explores what every pilot, instructor, and aviation enthusiast can learn from these events. Look for both podcasts in your favorite podcast player.

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🚀 European space investment is accelerating and the data backs it up. According to the Seraphim Space Index, Europe saw 168 deals between Q2 2024 and Q1 2025, putting it within reach of the US and Asia in activity. 2024 also marked a record €1.5B in funding, up 56% year-on-year. Notably, 40% of all capital went to companies with defense-aligned business models a clear sign that dual-use and sovereign tech are becoming central themes. ICEYE, one of our portfolio companies, raise €146M in a landmark Series E, showcasing how Europe is beginning to unlock the growth capital needed to scale globally significant space businesses. Excellent coverage from Payload capturing the scale and significance of this moment for Europe’s space ecosystem. 🛰️ Read the full piece: https://lnkd.in/e5AkJSfA #SeraphimSpace #SeraphimSpaceIndex #SpaceTech #DualUse #VentureCapital

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The future belongs to those who can maneuver—quickly, precisely, and persistently. At Quantum Space, we’re building infrastructure to secure the new high ground: orbital space. #QuantumSpace's President, Kerry Wisnosky, lays out how we’re positioning Quantum Space for the next strategic frontier. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eCax7Dhf

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Some big news recently regarding Archer and Anduril teaming up to develop a hybrid electric version of an eVTOL for military use. This announcement will reverberate far and wide as we digest the implications of a potential pivot to hybrid from the battery-electric architecture that paved the way for the introduction of powered-lift aircraft like the Midnight shown here. The eVTOL in general suffers from anemic range, payload and endurance compared to the conventional helicopter. This is mostly due to the comparatively poor energy density of today's batteries which must be integrated in bulk to power a vertical lift aircraft with a very restricted mission profile at best. Batteries used by most eVTOL frontrunners have a range of around 100 miles or less when reserves are factored in. They are also inherently heavy and take up a lot of space (large mass), cutting into the payload that can be carried. These limitations have caused the USAF Agility Prime Program to conclude the pure battery-electric eVTOL has no future next to a hybrid that leverages the latest turbo generator technology favoring combustion, and in the best case will run on SAF to appease the environmentalists. The paragraph on "Range and Payload" included in the illustration below was sourced from a recent post by a recognized enthusiast in AAM. It reflects initial thinking that may overstate the potential benefits and largely ignores the tradeoffs associated with a retrofit of the Archer Midnight with a hybrid power plant. As you might expect, pursuit of this may also dilute the original value proposition of the eVTOL. Although hybrid can significantly improve the range of a battery-electric platform the suggestion it can service a mission of more than 500 miles is just a guess and ignores several sources of drag on the Midnight that may preclude meeting this goal. This includes the six stopped lifters that serve no purpose in forward flight, six large booms needed for strategic distribution of the propulsors, and the fixed tricycle landing gear. I also wonder how the payload can be increased by a whopping 1,000 lbs given a gross weight of 6,500 lbs. on the Midnight. This calls for an offsetting reduction in battery mass which may be possible but ignores the additional weight of the turbo generator, a sophisticated power management system, more safety features and other components introduced by hybrid. Bottom line, I will be surprised if there is a much of an increase in payload at all after the fuel tanks are topped off. A hybrid will also be noisier, more complex and dirtier (unless fueled by SAF) than a pure battery-electric platform. This runs counter to the quiet, simple and green proposition that has propelled the eVTOL to the forefront of the investment community in aerospace. Trying to retrofit a complex product for better performance often comes at a steep price, so it will be interesting to see how things shake out. Expect it to get ugly ;) #eVTOL #hybrid #AAM

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