EPISODE SUMMARY
2024’s first Pathfinder episode features Daniel Faber, CEO of Orbit Fab, a US-based company that is pioneering in-space refueling infrastructure, akin to orbital gas stations. The company provides in-space fuel delivery services either directly through their shuttles or via third-party satellite servicing companies.
EPISODE NOTES
In this episode, Daniel Faber, CEO of Orbit Fab, a US-based company that is pioneering in-space refueling infrastructure, shares his journey from Tasmania to becoming a leader in the space economy’s refueling efforts. Additionally, we delve into:
- Orbit Fab’s mission and services
- The need for refueling capabilities
- The economics of fuel depots
- Viability of asteroid mining
And much more…
• Chapters •
00:00 – Intro
00:35 – Gas stations in space
01:44 – Daniel’s background
05:49 – Origins of Orbit Fab
10:46 – Initial customer base
11:48 – The demo mission
13:05 – How does Orbit Fab make money today?
14:26 – Working with launch providers
15:25 – Structuring contracts
20:25 – Do small satellites need refueling?
23:02 – Contracting with the DoD
24:11 – Partnership with Astroscale
26:27 – Findings from the demo mission
27:54 – RAFTI standardization
29:10 – The inflection point for refueling
34:30 – The competition
35:57 – Fundraising environment
39:07 – Milestones investors should watch for
39:58 – Viability of asteroid mining
44:53 – What Daniel would be building if he wasn’t building Orbit Fab
46:06 – Companies that excite Daniel