Episode Summary
This week’s Pathfinder pod features Saurav Shroff, cofounder and CEO of Starpath, an LA-based startup developing the infrastructure for lunar resource extraction.
Episode Notes
The cost to build a mass scale propellant production system on the Moon? Much less than $100M according to Starpath cofounder and CEO Saurav Shroff. The LA-based startup is developing the infrastructure for lunar resource extraction—including a power plant, a fleet of rovers, and a processing plant.
In this episode, Saurav breaks down Starpath’s approach to off-planet fuel production and how it can enable cost-effective and reusable space travel. He also shares his thoughts on the future of lunar and Martian colonization and how propellant production plays a pivotal role in making interplanetary travel economically viable.
We also discuss:
- The technical hurdles of producing propellant on the Moon and Mars
- The impact of propellant production on reducing the cost of space travel
- The potential customers and business models
- How Starpath’s approach complements the vision of companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin
- The long-term vision for a human presence on the Moon and Mars, and what it will take to get there
And much more…
• Chapters •
00:00 – Intro
01:25 – What is Startpath?
04:11 – How was Starpath founded?
07:28 – The team
08:55 – Starpath with and without SpaceX
13:20 – Mega scale propellant production
16:30 – What type of propellant is Starpath making?
20:15 – What is Starpath building?
24:56 – Why build this power system yourself and why not nuclear?
28:56 – Plant & Rover
35:35 – Plan for success
39:59 – Speculation on SpaceX’s propellant production
43:49 – Who else is a potential customer?
45:49 – Revenue model
48:27 – Investors and common misconceptions
50:26 – Capital needs
51:43 – Competitors? China?
54:37 – First fuel production prediction
56:03 – 10-year vision
58:16 – Other businesses Saurav is excited about
1:00:17 – Which celebrity will play Saurav?
• Show notes •
Starpath’s website — https://starpath.space/
Starpath’s socials — https://twitter.com/StarpathSpace
Sarah’s socials — https://twitter.com/SauravShroff5
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
• 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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