The Final Frontier Podcast

Chris Faranetta is the current Co-Founder & Vice President of NearStar Fusion. He has been involved in the space industry since the 80s and has a wealth of experience in nuclear fusion.  Prior to starting NearStar Fusion, Chris worked with Dr. Gerard O’Neill at Princeton’s Space Studies Institute on research for large scale habitation & the utilization of non-terrestrial resources for the Moon. After his studies at Princeton, Chris spent time working for the Rocket Space Corporation and gained his experience in fusion while working on ARPA-E projects.  During our discussion we cover how nuclear is currently used in space today and the breakthroughs he and his company have made in fusion.What you'll learn from this episode:Why nuclear energy isn’t more widely used in space todayWhat are the benefits of utilizing fusion vs fissionWhat are the current challenges of sustaining a fusion reactionHow NearStar Fusion is bringing fusion to terrestrial and space applicationsWhat fusion can unlock for space explorationConnect with ChrisLinkedinConnect with the host, Daniel PenarandaLinkedin

Dennis Gatens is currently the CEO and President of LEOcloud, Inc. He has a wealth of experience in space and terrestrial cloud services and brings a very unique perspective to the conversation.Prior to starting LEOcloud, Dennis served as the Chief Commercial Officer at Cloud Constellation Corporation, Senior Vice President at OneAccess, Director of Strategy at ADTRAN, and Senior Vice President at Carrier Access. After his long career and experience in cloud solutions, he is paving the way in bringing the cloud to space.What you'll learn from this episode:- What the cloud actually is- How a cloud network could help the space industry- What are some edge computing applications in space- How a cloud network from space would work- How a cloud network could help Lunar Development- The effects of a cloud network on bandwidth usage and latency- What it takes to be a great leader in this industryConnect with Dennis https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennisrgatens/ Connect with the host, Daniel Penarandahttps://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-penaranda-space/ 

Marc Donato is the current Vice President of Engineering for the Canadian Space Mining Corporation. He has a wealth of experience in engineering complex systems that ranges from satellites to rovers and is the perfect guest to cover the current challenges in mining the moon.  Prior to working for the Canadian Space Mining Corporation, Marc served as the Chief Scientist at SPAR Aerospace, Vice President at MDA, and the Board of Directors for multiple companies. After his long and highly accomplished career, he is in the trenches of solving the complex engineering challenges of mining the moon.What you'll learn from this episode:What enabling technologies need to be developed to facilitate mining the moonWhy we should mine the moon for resourcesHow mining the moon isn’t has far away as most people believeIf the government is driving lunar development or if the commercial sector isWhat environmental effects would mining the moon have on it What the biggest engineering challenges of mining the moon areConnect with Marc LinkedinConnect with the host, Daniel PenarandaLinkedin

Emeline is the current Co-Founder & CEO of SpaceBase Limited. She has spent the entirety of her career in the space industry and has lived in over 16 countries throughout her life.  Prior to starting SpaceBase, Emeline has worked as a Co-Founder & Consultant for International Space Consultants, Fellow for Edmund Hillary Fellowship, Chief Impact Officer of Singularity University, and Director of Program Development & Research for Space Adventures. She is in the frontline of Democratizing Space and shares from her past experience and current endeavors.What you'll learn from this episode:What the democratization of space meansWhat are the current barriers that are limiting access to space for smaller countriesHow current space leaders like the USA, ESA, India, and others support the democratization of spaceIf billionaires should be spending their wealth in spaceHer perspective in working in a predominantly male run industryAbout her book called Realizing Tomorrow: The Path to Private SpaceflightConnect with EmelineLinkedinConnect with the host, Daniel PenarandaLinkedin

Chris Stott is the current Founder & Executive Chairman of ManSat. He has been in the space industry for over 30 years working for incumbents and eventually paving his own path as a Founder of a space company.  Prior to starting ManSat, Chris has worked in International Business Development for Boeing’s Delta Launch Vehicle Program and served as the Director for International Commercialization for Lockheed Martin’s Space Operations. He brings a phenomenal perspective on the current space environment and what it takes to start your own space company. During our discussion we cover Satellite Spectrum, Financing of Space Companies, and Lunar Development.What you'll learn from this episode:What satellite spectrum is and the importance of regulating itHow the capital markets environment has changed over the years in terms of investing in space related companiesWhat are some of the first steps in raising capital for a fresh space startupIf the government is driving lunar development or is the commercial sectorThe importance of developing a sustainable presence on the MoonThe importance of giving back to the space communityConnect with ChrisLinkedinConnect with the host, Daniel PenarandaLinkedin

Bob Brumley is the current CEO of Laser Light Companies as well as Chairman and Co-Founder of Commstar. He is a veteran in the space telecommunications industry with over 5 satellite communication ventures under his belt. Bob served as the Executive Director of the Commercial Space Working Group for the National Security Council and the Economic Policy Council for the Reagan administration. He brings a great perspective to the conversation having experienced the privatization of the space industry and he shares a wealth of information throughout the show. During our discussion we cover what cislunar space is and its commercial potential.What you'll learn from this episode:What Cislunar is and its distinction from other regions in spaceWho are the current players in Cislunar spaceWhat kind of solutions does operating in CISLunar make possible that near Earth space can’tIf there's a real commercial opportunity in CISLunar spaceIf investors also shifting their interest to CISLunar spaceConnect with BobLinkedinConnect with the host, Daniel PenarandaLinkedinInstagram