Building New Zealand's Satellite Capability while Addressing the Space Debris Problem: An Interview with Ben Taylor

An interview with Dr. Ben Taylor, a seasoned scientist, engineer, and project manager with over 15 years of experience delivering full-lifecycle space missions across the UK, Europe, and now Aotearoa New Zealand.Ben is currently a Senior Research Fellow at Te Pūnaha Ātea – Space Institute at the University of Auckland, and Co-Founder of Frond Space Systems, a startup offering compact and reliable end-of-life and deployable satellite systems.Previously, Ben held leadership roles at the Surrey Space Centre and University College London, where he helped design, build, test, and operate CubeSats like ALSat-Nano, InflateSail, and RemoveDebris — missions that pushed the boundaries of small satellite technology and active debris removal. He’s also contributed to radiation detection research and calibration for the Galileo program, and has delivered presentations at major international space conferences.Ben holds a PhD in Space Science from the University of Surrey, is a certified project management professional, and has been interviewed by major media outlets on cutting-edge space topics.Hosts:  SpaceBase Founder Emeline Paat-DahlstromResourcesAuckland Programme for Space Systems - University of AucklandUniversity Nanosat Program - US Air ForceSupport the show