063: THE SHIFT TO SPACE: The Rise Of Orbital Computing TechBurst Talks podcast

063: THE SHIFT TO SPACE: The Rise of Orbital Computing

1M ago 39:30

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In this episode of Tech Burst Talks, Charles sits down with Rob DeMillo — ex-JPL, serial entrepreneur, SparkLabs Venture Partner, and now CEO of Sophia Space — to unpack one of the most disruptive tech ideas out there: putting compute in orbit.

Rob walks us through his wild career path from space science to cloud animation, to architecting data centers in the sky. And learn how he was about to produce 7 EXITS from 9 STARTUPS! They dive deep into Sophia Space’s modular “tile” technology, built from first principles for space — not retrofitted earth tech — and explore the near-term use cases that matter: defence, air traffic control, disaster response, and real-time edge processing in orbit.

This isn’t a pitch about sci-fi fantasy — it’s a raw look at how real, scalable, space-based computing is already taking shape. Rob also shares what it really takes to build seven successful startups, why “dumb luck” matters, and the mindset needed to thrive on the edge of what’s possible.

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Show Notes

00:00 Introduction and Guest Background

00:37 Career Journey and Achievements

01:51 Entrepreneurial Ventures and Exits

04:46 Joining Mandala Space Ventures

08:51 Sophia Space and Orbital Data Centers

09:39 Innovative Tile Technology

12:46 Market and Future Plans

16:29 Challenges and Opportunities in Space

18:08 Why Orbital Data Centers?

19:57 The Heat Problem of Data Centers

20:29 Advantages of Space-Based Data Centers

21:23 Use Cases for Space-Based Computing

22:15 Real-Time Applications and Sensor Fusion

24:23 Technological Advances Enabling Space Computing

25:27 Scaling and Deployment of Orbital Data Centers

27:58 Commercial Applications and Future Prospects

33:22 Advice for Entrepreneurs

34:41 Motivation and Future Plans

38:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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65 episodes