EPISODE SUMMARY
Join us this week on Pathfinder as we sit down with Tony Frazier, the new CEO of LeoLabs, to delve into how the company is essential in developing a real-time, interactive map of orbital activity vital for space operations.
EPISODE NOTES
This week’s Pathfinder pod features Tony Frazier, LeoLab’s newly appointed CEO, to discuss the critical role the company plays in building a living map of orbital activity for space operations. With over $120M of private capital raised, LeoLabs has continued to expand its global network of ground-based radars, currently cataloging over 22,000 objects in LEO. Tony shares his journey from a 13-year career at Maxar to joining LeoLabs, driven by his belief in the company’s mission to enhance space safety and security.
We explore Tony’s background, including his experience managing billion-dollar P&L operations at Maxar and his involvement with Iridium, which shaped his understanding of the risks posed by debris. We also discuss:
- The founding story of LeoLabs
- The unique advantages of ground-based radar network compared to other tracking methods
- The exponential growth in orbital objects
- Scaling a radar system to meet the demands of a rapidly proliferating LEO environment
- The future of space traffic management and the impact of regulation
And much, much more…
• Chapters •
00:00 – Intro
00:33 – What is LeoLabs?
01:34 – Where is LeoLabs based and how long have they been around?
02:42 – How did Tony end up at Leo Labs?
04:26 – The mission
08:04 – Why LeoLabs hired Tony?
09:55 – How important is debris and traffic management?
13:52 – The Kessler Syndrome
15:48 – LeoLabs’ architecture
23:08 – Competitor differentiation
25:29 – Advantages of a space-based architecture
28:14 – Scaling
30:09 – 3rd-party data integration
32:12 – Current demand for situational awareness and future predictions
35:06 – Market catalysts
39:38 – How LeoLabs makes money
41:41 – Data tracking for the lowest tier subscription
44:26 – Government vs commercial bookings
44:59 – What makes LeoLabs attractive to investors?
48:16 – Is the goal to become a public company?
49:26 – Killer asteroids
50:07 – Favorite space-related media
• Show notes •
LeoLab’s website — https://leolabs.space/
LeoLab’s socials — https://twitter.com/LeoLabs_Space
Mo’s socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam
Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace
Pathfinder archive — Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@payloadspace
Pathfinder archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/episodes
• About us •
Pathfinder is brought to you by Payload, a modern space media brand built from the ground up for a new age of space exploration and commercialization. We deliver need-to-know news and insights daily to 19,000+ commercial, civil, and military space leaders. Payload is read by decision-makers at every leading new space company, along with c-suite leaders at all of the aerospace & defense primes. We’re also read on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon, and at space agencies around the world.
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