EP 22 —  Benchmark Space Systems’ Ryan McDevitt on the Future of Satellite Mobility

On this week's episode of the DIB Innovators podcast, David speaks with Ryan McDevitt, CEO and Co-Founder of Benchmark Space Systems, about the future of space mobility. Ryan shares his journey from academic research to co-founding a cutting-edge space technology company. 

Ryan emphasizes the importance of satellite mobility for collision avoidance and mission success, as well as the innovative propulsion solutions Benchmark provides to navigate increasingly congested orbits. Ryan also highlights the challenges of balancing commercial and government timelines in the space industry. 

Topics discussed:

• Why satellite maneuverability is crucial for avoiding collisions and ensuring mission success in increasingly crowded orbits.
• Insights into the hurdles faced by tech startups, including the importance of having the right execution plan, team, and capital.
• The complexities of managing different timelines and expectations when working with both commercial and government sectors.
• How Benchmark aims to make customers' lives easier by providing comprehensive support, from ground fueling to in-space mobility.
• Educating the industry through conferences, papers, and outreach activities to promote safe and effective propulsion technologies.
• The broader implications for managing space congestion and the evolving strategies required to maintain order in orbit.
• Tips and lessons learned from Ryan's journey, including the value of persistence and thorough preparation when entering the space industry.
  
  

  Guest Quotes: 

  “You know, and it's funny because it always, on the resume, kind of looks like what's going on here? But I will tell you, so much of being able to get into this and get started, the things that you learn along the way, you know, great tech without an execution plan, without the right team, without capital, is just going to sit on a shelf somewhere. So my journey is definitely not traditional, but I think it was very helpful in getting us to where we are.”

  “So it's a non-traditional, non-prime that's looking for a long term partner as they are expanding their feature set. With that said, we are, as we continue to develop or build flight heritage, develop new products, and especially as we are more aggressively moving into the defense market, we're seeing a lot of traction with those prime contractors because they're recognizing the value of what we do.”

  “So I gave you three different reasons you might want to move it around. Tasking, collision avoidance, or deorbit. All of them can be done with the same propulsion system, same characteristics.”

  “We've had the fort good fortune of working with Daniel Faber, Orbitfab. We helped them with their first mission, demonstrating their RAFTI product, which is an on-orbit refueling servicing port. So we've been thinking about and working with them on what does the future of this look like? And we're big fans. We're super excited about what that looks like.”The importance of building strong relationships and networks within the industry to drive innovation and growth. 
  
  

  Get in touch with Ryan McDevitt:  

  LinkedIn 

  Website 

  
  

  Get in touch with your host, David Graff: 

  LinkedIn 

  
  

  Listen to more episodes: 

  Apple 

  Spotify