European dynamism through sovereign compute in space
Inflection and Lunar ventures co-leading the $2.5M pre-seed round into Lodestar: autonomous operations in space
We recently passed 10,000 satellites in orbit, most of which belong to one company, and most of which are in LEO, serving the earth economy. In the next decades, we see this diversifying, and the economics of space systems changing massively. The total capacity is estimated to be 12.6 million satellites in LEO. This will be one of the biggest shifts in exploration in human history.
With this future in mind, Neil Buchanan joined Entrepreneur First, thinking he’d be surrounded by talented people tackling the most important and difficult problems of all. Instead he found mostly talented founders, mostly interested in B2B SaaS. Luckily one other person stood out - the industrial design and roboticist Thomas Santini. Neil’s experience building Hyperloop and Thomas’s product design and engineering skills made them a great match.
They first joined forces to explore first 3D printing in space, but realized quickly that the terrestrial hardware wasn’t suited for space, and the economics didn’t yet make sense. So they looked at what would be required for assembling something constructed in space, and identified the robotic arm as a first step, and they formed Lodestar Space.
Lodestar isn't just about reaching for (and grabbing) the stars—it's about protecting our space infrastructure and scaling operations to allow new businesses to be built in space. In their own words, they’re creating autonomous dexterity tools for the space domain. This requires them to innovate across the full stack of sovereign compute, cutting edge robotics systems, perception tools and some truly novel thinking around autonomous systems.
Just out of stealth yesterday, we can finally announce their $2.5M pre-seed round led by Inflection and Lunar ventures. Lodestar has achieved significant commercial traction, with tens of millions of dollars in LOIs, an ESA as well as UK Space Agency contracts secured. Also, a few months ago they tested their arm in a parabolic flight simulating microgravity (and we have the flight patch to prove it).
But lets dig into the thesis for autonomous space operations, and why robotic arms are important.
Operating in space
“We’re bringing the ability to inspect, protect, and repair high value assets in space in a way that’s truly scalable for the first time” says Thomas Santini, co-founder and CTO. “As the industry moves towards proliferated capability, building a physical layer for autonomous interaction is going to be a bedrock technology that others will be enabled by.”
Automating space operations
Space is, without a doubt, one of the most hostile environments we've ever encountered as a species. Rapid temperature fluctuations spanning hundreds of degrees Celsius, the absence of atmospheric pressure, and extreme lighting conditions make it a challenge for mechanical engineers. Add to this the lack of gravity, and you have an environment that's decidedly unfriendly to human habitation. A big question of traveling to other planets is how to avoid humans going blind… There is some research working on genetically engineering humans to optimize for space environments, and at least one startup working on space medicine. But the fundamental issues remain.
Because of these very human considerations, every hour of astronaut labor has an estimated cost of $130,000 aboard the ISS. Astronauts need a very specific temperature range, correct gas mixture of the air, food, exercise, entertainment and more. Every requirement adds cost. From the guiding principle of the three “D’s” of automation: “Dull, Dirty or Dangerous”, space operations fulfill them all (and comes at high cost).
Automation in space isn’t per se new, the first Canadarm’s was delivered in 1981 to NASA and the program cost about $600M. However, there are a few inflection points that lead us to believe that robots designed cheaply, from the ground up for space will thrive today:
Better compute per watt available for space applications, leads to:
Less issues with thermal management in vacuum
Improved intelligence on the edge
Lower launch weight required
Higher frequency of launches and lower cost per kg to orbit, leads to:
Faster rate of iteration for testing in space
Fewer restrictions on SWaP for the arm
More power availability through larger solar power arrays
Improved machine intelligence, through:
Better independent reasoning and task planning capabilities
Advanced computer vision and image recognition
Improvements in general control systems
All of these factors combined are part of the technological “Why now”, but in fact the commercial reasons are contributing at least as much. The fact that the customer base is growing by 11.5% CAGR and the space economy is already at $514B helps of course.
Securing space infrastructure
The challenges or operating in space don't stop at environmental factors. As we expand our presence in space, we face potential threats from other actors. Space forces worldwide are gearing up to secure the vital infrastructure we rely on—from navigation and communication systems to satellite observation platforms and strategic assets like ICBMs. The risk of disruption, whether from space-based or Earth-based attacks, is a pressing concern that demands our attention. Large parts of Ukraine and much of Eastern Europe continues to be GPS-denied or spoofed, causing disruptions to commercial flights and transports. China is planning anti-satellite weapons, and Shijan 17 and 21 are suspected as satellites to be used against adversaries.
From a strategic perspective, securing our physical presence in space requires a three-pronged approach:
1. Mobility as a defense mechanism: The ability to maneuver with high delta-v capabilities.
2. Dynamic security: Implementing mobile security systems around space vehicles.
3. Vigilant inspection: Developing the capacity to thoroughly examine other space assets to determine their nature and intentions.
In addition to this, there are of course cyber warfare and software-led disruptions to protect against. Hence, being able to operate freely in space is a strategic imperative. Just check out the dedicated Space-section at Breaking Defense.
Making of the space economy
Looking a bit more optimistically towards the future, how can we not just protect ourselves, but how do space capabilities move humanity as a whole, forwards? To truly enable the coming space age, we need to shift our paradigm from human-driven operations to intelligence-driven systems. This transition is not just a matter of preference; it's necessary due to the unique challenges of space exploration and utilization.
While numerous companies are making strides in getting assets into space, we are still in the early stages of this frontier. It's reminiscent of the early days of the computer age—we've invented the transistors, but we're still working on building the operating systems and software that will truly harness their potential.
Launch costs have been the primary focus for the last 20 years with SpaceX pioneering re-usable designs and how to do hardware engineering. After that, the next frontier in making space accessible is reducing operating costs and generating new value from space. This can be achieved through:
1. Minimizing human involvement: This not only reduces the need for complex life support systems but also limits the costs associated with training and transporting human operators
2. Extending the lifespan of space assets: Through refueling, servicing, and repair capabilities we keep existing satellites alive for longer. See Northrop Grumman’s life-extension mission of the IntelSat901 in 2020, costing $13M per year for an extension of 5 years
3. In-space manufacturing: From assembling large-scale structures like solar power plants to operating space laboratories for unique research opportunities and at a later stage full-scale production facilities
The space in between
The potential applications are vast and exciting. We're looking at a future where we could be growing crystalline structures more effectively in zero-gravity environments for drugs, mining asteroids for rare minerals, constructing habitats on the Moon, and preparing for extended operations on Mars. And all of them need autonomous, secure, physical operations, which is what Lodestar provides.
But until sci-fi becomes reality, Lodestar has a pretty wide selection of “hair-on-fire” level problems they can solve for customers. Just adding an arm with a manipulator adds tremendous value today already.
We couldn’t be happier to collaborate with Neil, Thomas, Jakub and the rest of the team. They’ve already built a high-performing culture of ownership and are insanely mission-driven. The new offices have a big 🇬🇧 hanging on the wall.
If you liked what you read here, check out their open positions. Especially the Senior Space Systems engineer is a high prio hire right now.
To a sovereign compute future in space!