Laser Focused Episode 12 – Building the Factories of the Future

September 23, 2022

Welcome to this season’s final episode of Laser Focused. For episode 12, Building the Factories of the Future, my guest is William Bruey co-founder and CEO of Varda Space Industries.

Varda Space Industries is a California-based space research company with aspirations to be the first to build fully functional space stations for industrial use. At the core of the company is a vision to build an in-space economy to improve life on Earth and beyond.

Varda believes decades of public research have validated the benefits to manufacturing specific goods in space, which—along with more affordable means to reach orbit—have paved the way to establish manufacturing facilities off planet.

During the interview I ask Will to elaborate on the benefits, and he explains that it’s space’s lack of gravity that is the fundamental driver to innovation. He explains that the microgravity environment and absence of dust particles allow for the manufacturing of fine technical products such as computer chips, pharmaceuticals, and fiber optics.

Listen to a snippet:

 

In addition to the benefits, I also ask Will how the factories in Orbit would work. The company’s initial spacecraft will consist of three main components: satellite bus, payload factor module, and reentry capsule.

Will clarifies that the manufacturing operations in orbit will be a distributed set of robotic satellites rather than one large space station, where the autonomous facilities would produce a single product, which would then be shuttled back to earth at hypersonic speeds (Mach 25 or 19,000 mph) via an unmanned reentry vehicle.

During the episode, I also get a chance to ask Will about his professional journey, particularly his time at SpaceX and how that impacted his career, as well as the leadership lessons he’s learned starting and co-founding his own company.

So, join me once again for another fascinating episode of Laser Focused, where I take you on a journey of discovery with leaders who are changing the world with new designs and revolutionizing how we think of innovation.

If you enjoyed the podcast, don’t forget to rate, review, and share with a friend or colleague. And if you haven’t subscribed yet, do so now so you never miss an episode of the Laser Focused podcast!

Laser Focused can be found on all the major streaming apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Learn more about Laser Focused by visiting velo3d.com/resources/#podcast.

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About the Author

Dan.Sorenson

Sr. Director of PR and Social Media

Dan Sorensen is the Sr. Director of Public Relations and Social Media at Velo3D, where he oversees the company’s public image and communications efforts. Dan works closely with customers to better understand their needs and to execute joint announcements. Prior to joining Velo3D, Dan worked for various companies in enterprise tech, including those in software, hardware, and venture capital.