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Episode 9: Justin worked at SpaceX and Anduril before starting Base Power, which is aiming to build a modern power company — and an energy trading business on top of it.

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(00:00) - Intro

(00:41) - What Base Power is Building

(03:26) - How Texas' Energy Grid and Market Works

(08:42) - Sponsor Break

(09:28) - Why Batteries are Needed to Support the Grid

(14:09) - Base Power's Unique Battery Deployment Model

(19:35) - Optimizing the Battery System Design

(24:14) - Streamlining the Deployment Process

(29:03) - Build vs Buy Decisions Across the Value Chain

(32:18) - Software Strategy Across Device, Cloud, and Customer

(36:00) - Balancing Customer Needs with Grid Services

(39:06) - Potential for DC Power Distribution in Homes

(40:31) - The Vision for Long-Duration Storage

(43:51) - Scaling Base Power and Driving Costs Down

(48:18) - Defining the Interfaces and Controlling the Value Chain

(52:04) - Advice for Startup Founders and Closing Thoughts

(56:11) - Conclusion

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Links:

• Christian Keil – https://twitter.com/pronounced_kyle
• Justin Lopas – https://twitter.com/JLopas
• Base Power - https://www.basepowercompany.com/

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Production and marketing by The Deep View (https://thedeepview.co). For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email team@firstprinciples.fm

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Checkout the video version here → http://tinyurl.com/4fh497n9

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Episode 8: Ben Nowack built a fusion reactor in high school. Now he’s building huge mirrors in space that reflect sunlight onto solar farms at night.

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(00:00) - Intro
(00:39) - What Reflect Orbital is Building
(02:30) - How the Satellite Mirrors Work
(06:16) - Deploying the Mirrors in Space
(10:14) - Mirror Size Considerations
(13:51) - Dealing with Space Debris and Micrometeorites
(17:07) - Early Demonstrations with High Altitude Balloons
(23:11) - Advantages over Other Space Solar Concepts
(28:56) - Target Customers and Business Model
(35:57) - Constellation Size and Orbit Design
(40:42) - Using Solar Sailing for Propulsion
(49:38) - Benefits of Solar Sailing for Space Exploration
(54:06) - Tiny Force of Solar Sailing and Payload Limitations
(55:58) - Maintaining Altitude vs Pointing at Solar Farms
(59:14) - Attitude Control with Control Moment Gyros
(01:02:44) - Desaturating Control Moment Gyros
(01:05:21) - Monte Carlo Simulations for Constellation Design
(01:11:00) - Monte Carlo Simulation 101
(01:13:38) - Exciting Developments in Solar and Energy
(01:22:17) - Sunlight as a Service Business Model
(01:24:04) - Wrap Up and How to Learn More

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Links:

• Christian Keil: https://twitter.com/pronounced_kyle
• Ben Nowack: https://twitter.com/bennbuilds
• Reflect Orbital: https://www.reflectorbital.com/

First Principles:

• Reflectance: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflectance
• Solar power: https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/135642main_balance_trifold21.pdf
• Radiation pressure for solar sailing: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiation_pressure#:~:text=The%20assertion%20that%20light%2C%20as,and%20Gordon%20Ferrie%20Hull%20in
• CMG “control moment gyroscope“: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control_moment_gyroscope
• Monte Carlo simulation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Carlo_method

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Production and marketing by The Deep View (https://thedeepview.co). For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email team@firstprinciples.fm

======

Checkout the video version here —> http://tinyurl.com/4fh497n9

🛎️ Follow to stay updated with new uploads

Nato decided against building a laser-powered rocket in favor of Longshot Space: a gun powered by pressurized air that can shoot payloads into orbit.

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(00:00) - Intro

(00:42) - Nato's Early Idea for a Laser Rocket at Astranis

(02:30) - Nato Initially Being Skeptical of Longshot's Gun Idea

(04:02) - Writing a Simulation that Showed a 4km Gun Could Reach Orbit

(05:43) - Deciding to Join Longshot Full-Time after an SBIR Grant

(07:22) - What Longshot is Building - A Massive Gun to Launch Payloads to Orbit

(09:40) - Comparing Longshot to Hyperloop and SpinLaunch

(10:52) - The Projectile's Trajectory after Exiting the Gun

(13:35) - Reasons for Choosing a Gas Gun over Railgun or Traditional Gun

(16:11) - The Critical First Moments after the Projectile Exits the Gun

(18:02) - Longshot's Plan to Start with Hypersonic Testing

(20:24) - Target Launch Costs of $10-$500 per kg, Orders of Magnitude Cheaper

(23:28) - Using Space Tugs to Enable Different Orbits from an Equatorial Gun

(26:08) - Drastically Lower Costs Enabling Things like Tractors on the Moon

(28:30) - The Path from Garage Prototype to Orbital Launch System

(31:44) - Traditional Rockets vs Gun Launch Physics and Engineering

(35:35) - Iterating on Burst Disk Design to Get Microsecond Timing

(44:04) - Going from Failed Mach 2 Shots to Mach 4 by Improving Projectiles

(46:54) - Doing Hypersonic Testing in a Converted Auto Shop

(49:14) - Iterating on Ways to Safely Catch Hypersonic Projectiles

(51:53) - Using High Speed Cameras to Analyze Projectile Behavior

(54:04) - Light Gates to Trigger Precise Timing of Barrel Accelerators

(56:40) - Parts of the System with High vs Low Confidence

(59:54) - Nato's Philosophy as a Generalist Engineer

(01:03:15) - The Elegance of Passive Analog Guidance like the Sunbeam Toaster

(01:07:17) - Being Okay with Initially Being Bad at Things to Become a Generalist

(01:09:30) - Preference for Working on Civilization-Changing Mega Projects

(01:10:26) - Conclusion

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Links:

• Christian Keil – https://twitter.com/pronounced_kyle
• Nato Saichek – https://twitter.com/natosaichek
• Longshot Space – https://www.longshotspace.com/

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Production and marketing by The Deep View (https://thedeepview.co). For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email team@firstprinciples.fm

======

Checkout the video version here → http://tinyurl.com/4fh497n9

🔔 Follow to stay updated with new uploads