Space Business Podcast #133 - Mike Grace, Longshot Space: Building Space Cannons

My guest this week: Mike Grace, Founder and CEO of Longshot Space. Longshot is developing a kinetic launch system, using a multi-injection gas-powered cannon to send payloads to orbit at significantly reduced costs. Mike explains the engineering behind the technology, its economic advantages, and the challenges of creating a system capable of high-velocity launches.  🕰️ Timestamps:  00:00 - Countdown & podcast intro 02:04 - Elevator Pitch 03:37 - Mike’s Bold Pitching Style 05:58 - German heritage 08:46 - Gerald Bull and Project Harp 10:35 - More historical references 15:12 - Longshot Space's kinetic launch system 16:15 - Technical details 19:26 - Challenges and innovations of the technology 27:16 - Single-stage to orbit feasibility 34:24 - Limitations of Rockets 35:47 - Kinetic launch and target orbits 36:59 - Kinetic launch from the Moon 39:21 - Gas handling and launch frequency 48:00 - Longshot's Vision for the Future 01:05:05 - Sci-Fi Favorites   📍 About the Guest: Mike Grace, Founder and CEO of LongShot Space. After serving in the Army Mike studied economics and found himself, inexplicably, doing an astrobiology internship at NASA Ames. That ended up turning into a job, a wife, a master’s degree in genetics, and several stints at aerospace and biotech startups. Mike enjoys board games and wearing inflatable t-rex costumes to events where they are not really appropriate.   🔗 Connect with Mike: 🤝 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-grace-03452614/   🔗 Follow us: X: https://www.x.com/podcast_space 🤝🏻LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/company/space-business-podcast/ 🌐 Other Socials: https://linktr.ee/spacebusinesspodcast     🔗 Follow Raphael: 🔷LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphaelrottgen/ 🌐Instagram - https://.instagram.com/raphael_space/  ◇  Twitter/X - https://x.com/RaphaelE2MC   To Learn more about Space & the Space Economy: "To Infinity" – Raphael’s Revised Introduction to the Space Economy This book provides an insightful look into the space economy, its current trends, and future opportunities. 📚 https://a.co/d/6jIQ2LO  edX/EPFL's Space Economy MOOC This course offers a detailed understanding of the New Space Economy, covering key concepts and market developments. 🎓 https://www.edx.org/course/new-space- Space Business Newsletter 📬 https://spacebusiness.substack.com/