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.
--------
38:36
--------
38:36
We’re Not Vibing 1,000 Models
When you’re building spacecraft, the difference between a pass and a failure can come down to how you built your FEM. In this episode, Structures Engineer Holly walks us through how we simulate Vestri’s structure before it ever hits the shaker table. From modal margins to mass tradeoffs, modular models to the limits of simulation—this is how CAD gets us close, and where real life breaks away.
--------
56:15
--------
56:15
Just Screws
Spacecraft don’t fail because of one big thing; they fail because of 100 small ones. This one’s about the small stuff: fasteners, helicoils, backshells, and epoxy. The spacecraft parts no one talks about until they fail. This week, Ashton helps us break down how minor hardware choices impact everything from integration, to thermal control.
--------
52:13
--------
52:13
Bang-Bang To An Asteroid
This week on Roid Rage, we dive into the brutal, thankless math of orbital mechanics with James, one of AstroForge’s Flight Dynamics Engineers. James walks us through how we get our spacecraft from a rideshare drop-off orbit to a fast-moving metal rock millions of kilometers away— without crashing into the moon or missing the asteroid entirely.We talk low-thrust trajectory planning, why everything’s harder without a propulsion team, how to optimize when you can barely steer, and why half the job is just educated guessing and praying your simulations are right.
--------
46:34
--------
46:34
Signal Not Found
In this episode, Demyan (Senior Mission Ops Engineer) walks us through how AstroForge approaches ground communications, from pass scheduling and real-time visibility to handling missed links and operational drift. We break down what went wrong during Odin’s mission, how we're currently rebuilding our tools for Vestri, and why deep space comms is so much more than getting a signal: it’s all about timing, geometry, and operational realism.
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