How does a spacecraft know where it’s pointed in deep space with no GPS, no magnetic field, and no visual landmarks?In this episode, we break down how DeepSpace‑2 uses commercial star trackers to determine its attitude and stay mission-capable. From orbital camera calibration and angular rate limits to frame-matching and flight software integration, Jeff (Perception Engineer) and Armand (Head of GNC and Flight Software) walk us through how we keep a spacecraft stable, power-positive, and on course when everything depends on knowing exactly where you’re pointed.
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40:50
Point It Or Lose It
In this episode, AstroForge RF Engineer Max and Software Engineer Christopher break down the brutal reality of deep space comms: high-gain antennas with beam widths under half a degree, 250 dB of path loss, FCC restrictions on uplink bands, and seconds-long delays that make real-time feedback impossible. They unpack what went wrong with Odin’s comms chain, what’s different on DeepSpace-2, and how we’re making our system more fault-tolerant without bloating mass or cost. From island-hopping to set up a dish to writing custom encoding schemes that survive trillion-fold attenuation, this is what reliable communication looks like; when failure isn’t theoretical, it’s orbital.Tune in to Roid Rage (new ep. Thursdays) ☄Apple → https://apple.co/40550YWSpotify → https://spoti.fi/404eHqxYouTube → https://bit.ly/44g4mdy
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It Was In The JPEG
What does it take to turn CAD into physical flight hardware? In this episode, we talk with Kyle, Structures Technician at AstroForge, about machining, bonding, and building the real spacecraft parts that actually fly. From epoxy failures to last-minute fixes, this is what happens between the model and the mission.
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Stressed And Unpressed
In this episode of Roid Rage, we’re joined again by Structures Engineer Wesley to break down the solar array system on DeepSpace-2. We cover what went wrong with Odin’s panels, how that failure shaped the new design, and the tradeoffs between rollout arrays, rigid panels, and sandwich panel structures. Wesley walks us through how the arrays are built, what makes them hard to deploy, and why materials like carbon fiber, Kapton, and magnets all create hidden structural risks. From peel strength and arc risks to hold-down design and flight-like test setups, this one will show what it really takes to power a deep space spacecraft.
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Don't Look Up
We're doing something a little different for this week's Roid Rage episode. Matt (CEO) and Chap (Chief of Mining) tackle some comments and questions across our socials.
A podcast by AstroForge on all things related to deep space mining - specifically, asteroid mining. We discuss, explore, and banter about the intricacies of space science and exploration. Hosted by Matt (CEO), Robyn (COO), and Chap (CoS). Buckle in, you're in for a ride.
New Zealand