Episode 48: Remote Operations in Commercial Space

Some time ago, in an office quite far away, Tim Crain, vice president of R&D at Intuitive Machines, joined Jon Baston-Pitt for an episode of Planet Beyond, alongside Fugro’s Dawn McIntosh and Sam Forbes. In that episode, first aired in November 2022, our guests discussed Intuitive Machine’s plans for the first commercial soft landing on the moon. The mission, which took place in February 2024 didn’t quite go to plan, but did successfully achieve a soft landing with all equipment functional. The work at Fugro’s Space Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Control Complex, or SpAARC continues. This January, 2025, Sam Forbes joined the Engineering Matters podcast, alongside guests from around the world, to trace the development of the Remote Operations Centres. Like the SpAARC, these purpose built facilities allow for control of equipment, without the risks and costs associated with working offshore, or in space. Commercial space activity remains at the top of many nations’ agendas. At the UK Space Conference this month, July 2025, the UK government highlighted the role that space will play in the economy, highlighting areas that will be part of the core focus of a new 10 year industrial strategy. Earlier this year, the European Space Agency reported that it had grown its ESA Investor Network to include 80 members, investing around €1bn in space-related activities. The commercial space sector doubled in size in the decade before this episode first aired. In this episode we are joined by one of the most promising commercial space contractors, and a new control centre based in Australia that will support this and future endeavours to the Moon and beyond. Host Jon Baston-Pitt Guests Tim Crain, Vice President, Intuitive Machines Dawn McIntosh, Space Systems Director, Fugro Sam Forbes, Director, SpAARC, Fugro Introduced by Alex Conacher