SPACE IN 60

Podcast: SPACE IN 60 Episode: GRANT BEGLEY & JACK BLOOD Join us for this episode of SPACE IN 60, a podcast where we explore new journeys into space with various guests and talk about the evolution of the industry. This is the place where NewSpace speaks. In this episode, Clint and Andrew are back to record their first 2022 podcast! Joining us for this exciting episode are CEO and VP of Vaya Space, Grant Begley and Jack Blood. As the conversation starts off, Grant shares about his background, beginning in his early teen years the 1960’s. Alongside his fascination with the emergence of the U.S. space program, Grant was gifted a chemistry set for Christmas. He started making his own full-blown rockets and launching them in his backyard. Needless to say, space and rocket science have been a passion of Grant’s for a long time, and he shares his delight and excitement in where the industry is currently headed. With a desire to fly Navy Jets, he attended the Naval Academy and graduated first in his class. In his last job in active duty for the service, he was the National Director for Stealth and Counter-Stealth Technology Policy and Advanced Programs. Vaya Space has had over 90 static tests of rocket engines to date. Their test facility is located in an industrial park in Florida next to SpaceX. Part of the appeal of hybrid rocket technology is that ambient pressure and temperatures have no TNT equivalency, is non-toxic, non-explosive and non-hazardous. It only acts like a high-energy rocket under controlled conditions, which is a real game changer at Vaya Space. Listen as Grant details hybrid rockets and how they operate. Vaya Space’s Chairman, Sidney Gutierrez, is a former astronaut involved with NASA’s shuttle investigations that went awry. While other companies were unable to crack the code of hybrid models, Vaya Space took a different approach: proving the technology first, then working to scale. They were introduced to the concept that, if you can 3D print the thermal plastic in a very specific way and blend the oxidizer in another very specific way, the engines could burn homogeneously and clean. It is also 25% cheaper to build using this method. Then, Grant and Clint highlight a few of the many benefits of operating in the state of Florida rather than a tech hub such as Austin or San Francisco. Lining up spaceports, it is revealed, will be their biggest concern moving forward. The ability to continue improving performance as a company is immense. As 3D printers become better and cheaper, Vaya Space reaps the benefits in many different ways. It is clarified that the entire rocket isn’t 3D printed, but rather a few components of the rocket and the fuel. Jack is a former military aviator and has spent the last 20 years in commercial aerospace and defense. When he found out about the technology of hybrid rockets, he knew it was a huge game-changer. Now, his focus is on market strategy, and positioning Vaya Space so they hit the ground running with their 2023 orbit launch. The company’s “garage moment'' happened out west, with the idea to test the 3D printed thermal plastic engine to see if it was even a possibility, enabled by the Florida Institute of Technology. Eventually, they got a contract for a 5,000-pound engine, which generated even more investor interest. Grant believes Vaya Space is the smallest largest company you’ve never heard of, and he predicts their big breakout will occur in 2022. They are now entering the walk stage of the crawl, walk, run pipeline. Aside from their own company, Grant and Jack share what they are most excited about in the space industry today as the episode draws to a close. Though there are other companies conducting business in Florida, VayaSpace is the only rocket company in their city of Cocoa. Stay tuned for future episodes and feel free to send in any questions or comments. Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe! Timestamps: Welcome to 2022 on SPACE IN 60 1:57 - Andrew introduces today’s guests Grant Begley and Jack Blood 2:49 - Grant’s initial interest in space industries. 5:51 - Grant’s time at Top Gun and his duties within the Navy. 7:32 - A look into VayaSpace’s test facility 10:00 - Discussing hybrid rockets 13:20 - How they were able to execute the idea of hybrid rockets 18:33 - The benefits of operating in Florida. 24:30 - The advantages of D printers becoming better and more accessible. 30:15 - How Jack got into VayaSpace and the company's origins. 41:23 - Other exciting things happening in the space industry. Links: Learn more about VayaSpace Connect with Grant Begley Connect with Jack Blood Follow Clint Graumann on LinkedIn Follow Andrew Pylypchuk on Twitter. Like and subscribe on Amazon music, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, and Stitcher Follow SPACE IN 60 on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook