The Business of Space: Part Two

What would it take for a UK space company to become a billion-dollar business?

In this episode of In-Orbit, host Dallas Campbell brings together John Abbott, CEO of Satellite Applications Catapult, and Thomas Clayson, co-founder and CTO of Magdrive, to examine the commercial conditions behind UK space growth. John argues that companies need a clear customer, a market with room to grow, a route to that market and a product built around a real problem. Thomas explains why satellites need propulsion, how Magdrive's electric engine works and how solid metal propellant could support refuelling with resources found in space.

They also discuss SpaceX as proof of a commercial market, investor confidence, government procurement and more joined-up support. Their debate on UK launch weighs assured access against price and geography, before turning to the work that happens after launch.

• 00:00 - Welcome to In-Orbit
• 02:06 - Why Satellites Need Propulsion
• 03:20 - Building Billion-Dollar Space Businesses
• 06:41 - The UK's Space Strengths
• 09:16 - The Space Market and National Resilience
• 11:22 - Magdrive's Solid Metal Propellant
• 14:05 - SpaceX, Investment and IPOs
• 18:16 - Joining Up Support for Space Companies
• 22:25 - UK Ambition and the Launch Debate
• 31:41 - Space Defence and Dual-Use Technology
• 36:53 - In-Space Servicing, Assembly and Manufacturing
• 39:11 - The Harwell Space Cluster

John Abbott: John Abbott is CEO of Satellite Applications Catapult. He previously held digital and leadership roles at Saudi Arabia's Real Estate Registry, HM Land Registry and Ordnance Survey. At Ordnance Survey, he worked on digital products, the Innovations Lab and Geovation, which supported more than 150 early-stage businesses that have raised £130m. He brings experience in digital services and business support to the discussion of UK space growth.

Thomas Clayson: Thomas Clayson is co-founder and CTO of Magdrive, which is developing electric propulsion systems for spacecraft. A plasma physicist and pulsed-power engineer, he earned a PhD in plasma laboratory astrophysics at Imperial College London. His work has included using high-powered lasers and pulsed-power equipment to study plasma. On the episode, he explains Magdrive's solid metal propellant and how spacecraft mobility could enable new activity in orbit.

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Produced by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.