Aerospace & Defense Technology

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Brian Ippolitto, Vice President of Space Systems, discusses how spacecraft component engineering is evolving to meet the accelerating demands of commercial space growth. Drawing on more than a decade of experience across engineering, operations, and business development, he outlines the transition from low-volume development programs to high-rate manufacturing — now delivering tens of thousands of precision components annually for satellites, launch vehicles, and deep-space missions.
The conversation explores how propulsion systems and critical subsystems are being scaled to production, how quality and reliability are maintained at volume, and what it takes to support the next phase of commercial space expansion.

Sponsored by:

Omnetics and New England Wire

Star Catcher Industries is developing an in-space powergrid that captures sunlight in orbit and delivers it wirelessly to satellites on demand. The Florida-based startup's approach uses optical power beaming to deliver concentrated solar energy to satellites and spacecraft in orbit.
On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Star Catcher CEO Andrew Rush explains how theirin-space power grid could help reduce one of the biggest constraints on satellite performance: limited onboard power. The discussion explores how beamed energy could work with existing solar arrays and potentially support higher-power payloads, longer mission operations, and more capable satellitearchitectures.
The conversation also looks at the company’s recenttechnology milestones, including end-to-end architecture validation and progress toward orbital demonstrations. As demand grows for communications, Earth observation, defense sensing, and space-based computing, the Star Catcher CEO explains how shared power infrastructure could become a key enabler for the next generation of space systems.

Digital engineering is reshaping how today’s aerospacesystems are conceived and delivered.
During the 2026 Siemens Realize Live conference and exhibition in Detroit, Michigan, the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast interviewed Dr. Tom Stoumbos,simulation and test leader at Northrop Grumman, about the company’s use of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital simulation and testing tools to design, manufacture, and produce new satellites and space technologies.
Siemens announced several new solutions at the event thisyear, including its Intelligence Center X platform, among others.
On this episode, we examine how AI-enabled simulation,digital twins, and integrated engineering environments help teams reduce analysis time while improving design accuracy. By connecting data and models across the lifecycle, engineers can accelerate design iteration, enable parallel development, and bridge simulation with real-world testing.
The result is a more agile, data-driven approach to developing next-generation spacecraft capable of meeting increasingly complex mission demands.
Sponsored by
Omnetics and New England Wire

On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, we speak with the CEO of Vorago Technologies about how radiation-tolerant and radiation-hardened semiconductor technologies are enabling the next generation of satellite constellations, autonomous defense systems, and resilient space infrastructure.
The conversation explores how growing demand for AI-enabled edge computing, secure communications, and scalable space architectures is reshaping semiconductor requirements foraerospace and defense applications.
Season 15, "Beyond Launch: Engineering Space andSatellite Technology Breakthroughs," of the podcast will featurefour episodes with a range of space engineering and manufacturing experts. If you have a suggested guest, email the podcast host, woodrow.bellamy@saemediagroup.com.
Sponsored by
Omnetics and New England Wire

Modern defense platforms are evolving rapidly, with modularcomputing emerging as a key enabler of that transformation.
On this episode of the Aerospace & Defense Technology podcast, Shaun Fischer, Director ofDevelopment and Open Systems Solutions at Leonardo DRS, discusses the company’s newly launched THOR —Tactical, High‑Performance Embedded Computing, OpenArchitecture, Rugged — embedded computing chassis and the new military applications it is designed to enable. THORsupports a broad range of compute payloads, including Intel®, Arm®, and NVIDIA®‑based single‑board computers; high‑performance GPUs for AI and machine‑learninginference; and RF and digital signal‑processing modules for electronic warfare and secure communications.
Fischer also explains how the chassis aligns with the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), the open‑architecture initiative shaping the acquisition of next‑generation defense technologies.
Sponsored by Smithers.