Roid Rage

In this episode, Jack, Matt, and Chap break down the supply chain reality of platinum group metals (PGMs); why mining asteroids isn’t just cool, but increasingly necessary. They talk about why it’s hard to mine PGMs on Earth, why South Africa’s supply is risky, and how AstroForge’s approach enables cost-efficient access to these critical metals. Also: we get closer to defining “vaporizing aliens”...

In Episode 42, we officially introduce Jack Beyer, AstroForge’s new Head of Marketing and the new host of Roid Rage . Jack sits down with Matt to talk about why he left his dream job in space media to join the company, and what AstroForge is really building. The conversation ranges from Jared Isaacman’s potential NASA appointment, to Chinese space launch risk tolerance, to the real work behind Dee...

Ground Software Engineer Bobby joins us to walk through how AstroForge’s ground software stack actually works. From commanding spacecraft via custom-built UIs to stitching together downlinked files over painfully slow RF, we cover the real-world challenges of building a reliable, flexible system that can interface with global ground stations and support operations in deep space. Bobby also reflect...

This week, we sit down with Payload Scientist Andy to explore how spacecraft instruments determine what an asteroid is really made of. From early reconnaissance canisters to modern spectrometers, we discuss payload heritage, sensing techniques, and how DeepSpace-2 will characterize a metallic target using modern, lightweight hardware.

This episode dives into how AstroForge designs electronics to survive deep space conditions: from solar flares and cosmic radiation to electrostatic discharge and internal arcing. Chris, our Head of Avionics, walks through shielding strategies, component selection, failure modes, and what differentiates spacecraft design from terrestrial electronics.

On this episode of Roid Rage, Principal Flight Science Engineer Loic joins the pod to break down how we use Monte Carlo simulations to navigate deep space - starting with how we avoid hitting the Moon. Loic walks us through how probabilistic modeling, error bounding, and trajectory optimization keep DeepSpace‑2 on target. This episode covers everything from solar pressure to thrust vector error, a...

What does it take to point a spacecraft with only one thruster? In this episode, we dive into the engineering behind DeepSpace‑2’s gimbal system: a mechanical interface that enables directional control for our electric propulsion. GNC Engineer Emerson and Flight Software Engineer Kieran walk us through how they built the software, math, and lookup tables needed to command the gimbal, and why the c...

We brought on Krystle, Chief Business Officer (and space lawyer), to break down what the law actually says. From the 2015 U.S. Space Act to the Outer Space Treaty, Chap (Chief of Mining), Matt (CEO), and Krystle unpack the legal foundation of our business model, how enforcement really works in deep space, and what it means to be a first mover in an uncharted regulatory landscape.

In this episode, Matt sits down with Nathan (Flight Software) and Ethan (Avionics) to walk through the architecture, tradeoffs, and bring-up of the DeepSpace-2 flight computer. From why we split responsibilities across two processors to how we’re automating interface validation and handling memory redundancy in deep space, this week's episode is a deep dive into the logic behind the bus.

Two planetary defense researchers join Robyn, President of AstroForge, to talk asteroid disruption, mission planning, and why Apophis 2029 is a close call - but not a crisis. Brent Barbee and Adrienne Rudolph walk us through how impact risk is assessed, what it takes to launch a mitigation mission, and why not all asteroids can be “Armageddoned.”

How does a spacecraft know where it’s pointed in deep space with no GPS, no magnetic field, and no visual landmarks? In this episode, we break down how DeepSpace‑2 uses commercial star trackers to determine its attitude and stay mission-capable. From orbital camera calibration and angular rate limits to frame-matching and flight software integration, Jeff (Perception Engineer) and Armand (Head of...

In this episode, AstroForge RF Engineer Max and Software Engineer Christopher break down the brutal reality of deep space comms: high-gain antennas with beam widths under half a degree, 250 dB of path loss, FCC restrictions on uplink bands, and seconds-long delays that make real-time feedback impossible. They unpack what went wrong with Odin’s comms chain, what’s different on DeepSpace-2, and how...

What does it take to turn CAD into physical flight hardware? In this episode, we talk with Kyle, Structures Technician at AstroForge, about machining, bonding, and building the real spacecraft parts that actually fly. From epoxy failures to last-minute fixes, this is what happens between the model and the mission.

In this episode of Roid Rage, we’re joined again by Structures Engineer Wesley to break down the solar array system on DeepSpace-2. We cover what went wrong with Odin’s panels, how that failure shaped the new design, and the tradeoffs between rollout arrays, rigid panels, and sandwich panel structures. Wesley walks us through how the arrays are built, what makes them hard to deploy, and why materi...

We're doing something a little different for this week's Roid Rage episode. Matt (CEO) and Chap (Chief of Mining) tackle some comments and questions across our socials.

When you’re building spacecraft, the difference between a pass and a failure can come down to how you built your FEM. In this episode, Structures Engineer Holly walks us through how we simulate Vestri’s structure before it ever hits the shaker table. From modal margins to mass tradeoffs, modular models to the limits of simulation—this is how CAD gets us close, and where real life breaks away.

Spacecraft don’t fail because of one big thing; they fail because of 100 small ones. This one’s about the small stuff: fasteners, helicoils, backshells, and epoxy. The spacecraft parts no one talks about until they fail. This week, Ashton helps us break down how minor hardware choices impact everything from integration, to thermal control.

This week on Roid Rage, we dive into the brutal, thankless math of orbital mechanics with James, one of AstroForge’s Flight Dynamics Engineers. James walks us through how we get our spacecraft from a rideshare drop-off orbit to a fast-moving metal rock millions of kilometers away— without crashing into the moon or missing the asteroid entirely. We talk low-thrust trajectory planning, why everythin...

In this episode, Demyan (Senior Mission Ops Engineer) walks us through how AstroForge approaches ground communications, from pass scheduling and real-time visibility to handling missed links and operational drift. We break down what went wrong during Odin’s mission, how we're currently rebuilding our tools for Vestri, and why deep space comms is so much more than getting a signal: it’s all ab...

Spacecraft comms aren’t guaranteed—and we design with that in mind. In this episode, Ashton, our Head of Space Systems, breaks down how we handle communications in deep space, what Vestri learned from Odin, and how we’re building spacecraft that stay operational even when the link goes dark. From RF architecture to pass planning to system-level autonomy, this is how we close the gap between signal...

In this episode, we sit down with Ashton, Head of Space Systems, and Chris, Head of Avionics at AstroForge, to break down how we handle power under constraint. Specifically, the differences in our approach for Vestri vs. Odin. It’s not just about generation—it’s about enforcing priorities, managing faults, and surviving without human input. We cover how power is routed, how systems are shut down i...

In this week's episode, we get into what vibration testing actually does for a spacecraft, and what happens when it reveals problems you didn’t plan for. Structures Engineer Wesley joins us to break down how Odin performed on the shaker, what failed, and how those lessons shaped our approach for our upcoming mission, Vestri. From fixture design to broken fasteners, this episode is a candid as...

In this episode, we break down what mass budgets actually mean in the context of building flight hardware. Mechanical Engineer Eric joins us to talk about baseplate iterations, machining mistakes, margin shrinkage, and why even with careful design—everything ends up overweight. This one’s for anyone who thinks spreadsheets survive contact with the shop floor.

In this episode, we dig into what the space economy actually looks like today—versus how it’s been pitched. AstroForge Chief Business Officer Krystle Caponio joins Chap, Matt, and Robyn to talk about outdated incentive structures, what makes a sustainable space business, and why asteroid mining is built around Earth customers—not off-world speculation. From government contracts to failed pivots, t...

This episode breaks down how spacecraft autonomy is structured through mission modes: predefined system states that control how a vehicle behaves, recovers from faults, and configures its subsystems. Chap (CoS), Robyn (COO), and Matt (CEO) cover how and when transitions happen, what “Oh Shit Mode” actually is, and how AstroForge designs and tests mode architecture to prioritize survivability over...