The Data Highway Above with Privateer’s Steve Wozniak, Alex Fielding, and Dr. Moriba Jah
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Many people consider space to be the next frontier and equally an infinite horizon to explore. But the reality is that not all “space” is the same and there are strategic zones that don’t only matter up there – but down here on Earth. Lower Earth Orbit (LEO) is one of those regions – a zone filled with satellites that support life on Earth, from agriculture to climate to navigation to defense. Unfortunately, these live satellites are not alone in our space highways. LEO is getting increasingly clogged with space debris; we’re polluting our skies just like we’re polluting our land.
In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with all three cofounders of Privateer – Steve Wozniak, Alex Fielding, and Dr. Moriba Jah, as they explore just how much junk is up there, how this challenge is expected to progress with time due to lower launch costs, and ultimately, what infrastructure is missing in this fragile ecosystem – from tracking to global treaties to a sharing economy of satellites.
By the end of the episode, listeners should be more equipped to understand how our infrastructure in space vastly impacts life on Earth, how the preservation of this ecosystem is crucial, and how Privateer is providing the map to better understand and fix the issue.
Show Notes
With Steve Wozniak
00:00 – Intro
3:24 – Why space and why now?
8:55 – The changing perception around space
13:29 – Exponential technologies and thinking different
16:32 – Inventors vs engineers vs visionaries
18:46 – Early days at Apple and moving towards the future
20:53 – Steve’s personal fascinations
23:58 – How vocabulary drives awareness
1:21:55 – Woz returns!
With Alex Fielding and Dr. Moriba Jah
24:43 – Is space really an infinite void?
25:55 – The growing pollution in space
29:14 – The impact of space down on Earth
30:34 – The challenge of space policy and governance
38:27 – Orbital highways and carrying capacities
41:05 – Dependence on space infrastructure and its fragility
45:14 – Privateer’s role in the evolving ecosystem
46:52 – Democratizing space through data sharing
49:45 – Can we undo the damage that’s been done?
52:01 – Determining intent in space
58:17 – Talent needed in the space industry
1:01:04 – Privateer’s biggest challenges
1:09:22 – Space stewardship and Hawaii’s kuleana
1:15:19 – Who inspires Alex?
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Steve Wozniak
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Alex Fielding
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Moriba Jah
More About This Podcast
The a16z Podcast discusses the most important ideas within technology with the people building it. Each episode aims to put listeners ahead of the curve, covering topics like AI, energy, genomics, space, and more.