Aerospace Engineering Podcast

Norris Tie is the CEO of Exosonic, a California-based startup that is developing a low sonic boom supersonic passenger aircraft. Norris holds an engineering degree from UCLA, an MBA from Stanford, and before starting Exosonic worked on supersonic aircraft at Northrup Grumman, Virgin Galactic and Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. What differentiates Exosonic from other upstarts in the reviving supersonic aircraft space is that the company is specifically focusing on reducing the intensity of sonic booms. Current regulation forbids supersonic flights across America to minimise noise pollution; a restriction which significantly limited the routes that the first supersonic airliner, the Concorde, could fly. To soften sonic booms, Exosonic is using a concept and technology originally pioneered by NASA known as shaped sonic booms. As a first step, Exosonic has partnered with the US Air Force to develop a supersonic executive transport aircraft that will provide US leaders and diplomats rapid transportation around the world. In this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast, Norris and I talk about his life-long inspiration for speeding-up air travel the theory behind shaped sonic booms what is different about designing supersonic aircraft and the economics of supersonic flight This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support! Selected Links from the Episode Exosonic webpage, Twitter & LinkedIn Exosonic's supersonic Air Force One concept: Flight Global Air Mag Exosonic is hiring Shaped Sonic Booms NASA Book: Quieting the Boom

Alexander Wicks is the Chief Development Officer at the California-based startup Momentus Space. Momentus is developing the in-space equivalent of the connecting flight we all know from airline operations. To affordably launch small satellites into orbit, operators and manufacturers of small satellites are generally forced to share a ride on one big rocket. This approach is economical, but has one major downside: not every satellite on the ride share can be launched into its ideal orbit. Momentus is developing the transfer vehicle that then allows a satellite to reach its customisable orbit 10 times cheaper than booking a dedicated launch on the first vehicle. This capability essentially allows the next generation of satellites to reach previously unreachable locations more efficiently and more inexpensively than before. The transfer vehicle that Momentus is developing is powered by water plasma propulsion, and the same propulsion technology also opens the door to the next phase of space exploration. For example, missions into deep space, water prospecting and delivery throughout the solar system, in-space manufacturing, and space tourism. In this episode of the podcast you will learn about: how Momentus got started the need and benefits of Momentus' transfer vehicle the principles of water plasma propulsion and the types of missions the technology enables This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support! Selected Links from the Episode Momentus Space webpage The technology Momentus helps launch 4K streaming service Profiles in: TechCrunch Wall Street Journal Forbes

Euan Wielewski is the co-founder and CEO at Anomalous Technologies, a start-up based in Edinburgh, Scotland using the latest machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to enable better quality control of manufactured components. As aerospace engineers we know that quality control and inspection of flight-critical hardware is essential to guarantee safe operation of aircraft. Human visual inspection is a subjective and analogue process, which means that flight hardware is typically double and triple-checked to high levels of accuracy. This is where the AI tools developed by Anomalous Technologies are invaluable. By making inspection digital, operational traceability is immediately enhanced. Furthermore, digitisation allows the human inspection process to be accompanied by statistical tools that reduce the error rate of missed defects and improve inspection efficiency. Anomalous are already working with global aerospace companies such as Rolls Royce and Boeing, and the company is currently a member of the first cohort of the ATI Boeing Accelerator. In this episode of the podcast, Euan and I talk about: his broad background in aerospace engineering the challenges of human inspection in the aerospace industry how data-centric methods such as AI tools can help improve inspection accuracy and efficiency and how Anomalous is using their analytic tools to help out in the current Coronavirus pandemic. This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support! Selected Links from the Episode Anomalous webpage Anomalous wins recognition in Tokyo Anomalous profile in ADVANCE ATI Boeing Accelerator portfolio Boeing press release on ATI Accelerator cohort

Sergey Kiselev is the Head of Europe of the sustainable aviation company ZeroAvia. ZeroAvia is working on the first practical zero-emission aviation powertrain fuelled by hydrogen. Even though CO2 emissions of the aviation industry currently only account for 2-3% of the global output, passenger numbers are expected to grow continuously for the next 30 years, such that solutions transitioning to emission-free powertrains need to be formulated, tested and certified now. ZeroAvia has developed a new powertrain that couples hydrogen gas with a fuel cell to drive an electric motor that spins a propeller. This zero emission powertrain currently promises to deliver a 300 mile zero-emission range in a ten-seater fixed-wing aircraft. One of the great things about ZeroAvia is that the company is taking advantage of the economics of renewable energy sources. Due to the intermittency of solar and wind energy, there are times when the electric output from renewable sources far outstrips demand and is therefore cheaply available. It is in these times of high supply that ZeroAvia can split water into its constituents, oxygen and hydrogen. In this episode of the aerospace engineering podcast, Sergey and I talk about: how ZeroAvia got started and what the company is trying to achieve ZeroAvia’s vision of emission-free regional travel the ZeroAvia powertrain and much, much more. This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support! Selected Links from the Episode ZeroAvia Webpage News articles on: Forbes Royal Aeronautical Society ZeroAvia announces major government grant Flight video

Alexandra Gravereaux is a Ground Systems Engineer for the space startup Astroscale. Astroscale is a global company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan with offices in the UK, Singapore and the USA, and is developing technological and regulatory solutions for space debris removal. The mission of Astroscale is to guarantee the long-term safety of spaceflight and orbital sustainability by developing end-of-life services for satellites and active debris removal. This relates to removing space junk that has accumulated due to defunct satellites and jettisoned rocket interstages; guaranteeing that regulations are in place to prevent the build-up of further space junk; and technological solutions to de-orbit defunct satellites. The company is currently designing and manufacturing its End-of-Life Service by Astroscale programme (ELSA), a spacecraft retrieval service for satellite operators. The first demonstration mission, known as ELSA-d, is scheduled to launch in 2020, and will demonstrate Astroscale’s technology for debris docking and removal in orbit. In this episode, Alex and I talk about: her background in the space sector the problem of accumulating space debris and how to deal with it the details of Astroscale’s ELSA-d demonstration mission in 2020 and Alex’s expertise as a ground systems engineer. This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support! Selected Links from the Episode Astroscale webpage (Twitter, LinkedIn) ELSA-d mission Astroscale gets funding for commercial debris removal Tackling space junk (BBC) The problem of space junk (National Geographic) Kessler Syndrome

Wil Benton is the Venture & Ecosystem Director for the ATI Boeing Accelerator in London, UK. The Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) is a UK organisation that creates the technology strategy for the UK aerospace sector and funds world-class research and development. The ATI recently launched a startup accelerator to accelerate the growth of new companies in industry 4.0 and sustainable development, with the aim of bolstering the growth and competitiveness of the UK aerospace industry. The programme is designed to help startups establish commercial relationships with global aerospace companies, like Boeing and GKN Aerospace, and to raise follow-on funding and engage with the wider UK aerospace sector. The first cohort of companies was recently announced and and you can check out a video of the selection day below. Wil’s background is originally in the tech industry as a founder of Chew, a live streaming platform for DJ’s, as well as an angel investor and startup advisor for the startup accelerator Ignite. In this episode, Wil and I speak about: his career background and route into the aerospace industry the goal and operational principle of the ATI Boeing Accelerator some of the aerospace startups in the first cohort of the accelerator and Wil’s passion for entrepreneurship and STEM engagement This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support! Selected Links from the Episode ATI Boeing Accelerator webpage Wil's Twitter and LinkedIn First cohort of startups Introducing the Accelerator Aerospace Technology Institute

Paul Williams is the Executive Director of the British startup Black Arrow Space Technologies. Black Arrow is developing a sea-borne launch capability based on their current expertise in developing composite propellant tanks for satellites. The launching of rockets from ships has a previous history in America, and as an island nation, the concept is clearly suited for a UK launch provider. Paul and I talk about the heritage of the Black Arrow name, the advantages of a sea-borne launch approach, and the importance of audacious technical challenges in galvanising and inspiring the next generation of engineering talent. In fact, Black Arrow is currently supporting and working with a number of ambassadors from the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) campaign. One of these ambassadors is Liv Scott-Golding, a 3rd year Physics undergraduate student at the University of Bristol, who is also joining us on this episode. Liv has been involved with Black Arrow from the start, and with contagious enthusiasm, tells us about her passion for the space industry and her interactions with Black Arrow as a WISE ambassador. This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support! Selected Links from the Episode Black Arrow's webpage latest newsletter sign-up to the newsletter Twitter and YouTube Sister company Astrotanks Ltd History of Black Arrow rocket History of Sea Launch WISE Campaign Additional podcast with the Interplanetary Podcast

Dr Steve Bullock is an engineering researcher in air-to-air refuelling and cooperative control of UAVs, as well as the Programme Director of the Aerospace Engineering programme at the University of Bristol. As the programme director of a leading European aerospace engineering programme, Steve has a unique vantage point on how the higher education landscape is changing, and specifically, how technology trends such as aviation sustainability and digitisation are changing the requirements for an engineering university education in the 21st century. As a TeachFirst ambassador and presenter of the Cosmic Shed podcast, Steve has a clear passion for education in general and is actively exploring different ways of disseminating technical information to a broad audience. In this episode of the podcast Steve and I talk about, his path into aerospace engineering and how he found his passion for teaching his PhD work on air-to-air refuelling and cooperative control what he considers to be some of the key challenges in engineering university education how the Aerospace Engineering department in Bristol is planning for the future and much, much more. This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support! Selected Links from the Episode Steve's personal webpage and University of Bristol profile Steve's Twitter and LinkedIn The Cosmic Shed Live: TRON in the Planetarium (Eventbrite) Aerospace Engineering in Bristol Can flying go green? The Science behind 2001: A Space Odyssey Flipping lectures for increased teaching effectiveness TeachFirst

Tom Szirtes is the founder and director of Mbryonic, a London-based digital design studio. Mbryonic specialises in creating virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) experiences that help organisations communicate, educate and entertain more effectively. Apart from the traditional applications in gaming and education, VR is now increasingly important for industrial design and engineering in general. For example, Mbryonic recently partnered with All Nippon Airways to provide customers an immersive virtual tour of All Nippon's new business class in the Boeing 777 cabin. Mbryonic has also partnered with Acumen to create ‘The Adient Ascent VR’; a modular aircraft seating system that allows airlines to configure their cabins through a touch screen interface and then experience what it’s actually like to be in the cabin through a VR headset. Apart from discussing these two projects, Tom and I talk about: the fundamentals of and differences between virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality some of the advantages of VR that will transform the aerospace business landscape and how engineers can benefit from using the technology This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is brought to you by my patrons on Patreon. Patreon is a way for me to receive regular donations from listeners whenever I release a new episode, and with the help of these generous donors I have been able to pay for much of the expenses, hosting and travels costs that accrue in the production of this podcast. If you would like to support the podcast as a patron, then head over to my Patreon page. There are multiple levels of support, but anything from $1 an episode is highly appreciated. Thank you for your support! Selected Links from the Episode Mbryonic on the web Webpage Twitter Vimeo Adient Ascent VR ANA Business Class VR Further applications of VR/AR in aerospace Digital Twinning in aerospace

Today I am talking to Gareth Hetheridge (Interim Head of IT at Rolls Royce) and Luca Leone (Team Defence Information Task Force Consultant) about the UK defence industry. Team Defence Information (TD-Info) is a collaborative association that informs defence information policy and pilots new ways of working to transform the defence ecosystem in the UK. TD-Info pools the collective insights, knowledge and innovations of its members, such as Rolls Royce, BAE Systems, and others, to help the Ministry of Defence deliver its objectives for equipment and information. In this episode we discuss: the importance of TD-Info for the UK defence sector Rolls Royce’s vision regarding the increasing digitisation of the aerospace sector and hot topics such as Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality. We also discuss a key industry event that TD-Info and Rolls Royce are co-organising, the 1st Annual Information Vanguard conference, an event for Young Industry Professionals that will be held on the 18th October 2019 at Rolls Royce in Filton, UK. The conference is open to all, but has been especially designed with newer-entry professionals in the defence industry in mind. There are some exciting speakers confirmed including Team Tempest and Reaction Engines, and live exhibitions from the likes of Rolls Royce and Airbus. You can sign-up to attend here. If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by supporting it directly on Patreon, where patrons of the podcast receive exclusive behind-the-scenes content and special episodes. Thanks a lot for listening! Selected Links from the Episode Team Defence Information 1st Annual Information Vanguard (InVan) Conference Digitisation at Rolls Royce Rolls Royce uses Virtual Reality to train engineers AI to maximise jet engine availability Team Tempest Airbus Bird of Prey