What if you could throw things into space instead of launching them on rockets? Mike Grace, CEO and co-founder of Longshot Space, is building giant gas guns to do exactly that.
In this episode of ODDS, we go inside Longshot’s test facility and watch a projectile fire through its six inch accelerator. Mike tells us how he went from building PVC potato guns in his backyard to winning Air Force funding, why he pitched investors 60 times before it clicked, and why he’d call a multi-billion dollar defense exit a failure.
If you’re into space startups, hypersonic tech, or how deep tech founders raise money against the odds, this one is for you.
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00:00 Throwing Things Into Space
01:27 Welcome to Longshot
02:54 Why Space Needs a Cargo Ship
03:49 Have “Everyone Else is Wrong” Mindset
05:36 Why We Really Use Rockets
07:10 Prepping Today’s Test Fire
08:48 Inside the 6-Inch Accelerator
09:49 From Backyard Potato Gun to Air Force Funding
10:36 Why You Should Build a Bad Prototype First
11:33 The First 60 Pitches
12:46 Almost Bankrupt, Three Times
14:22 Why Everyone Knows Everyone’s Salary
15:49 150+ Shots, and Every Way to Fail
18:34 Can a Vehicle Survive Max-Q?
21:13 The Test Fire
23:55 Think Like an Economist, Not an Engineer
25:36 Launching a Tesla, and What Success Means
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ODDS is a startup documentary series for founders who defy the odds. We go inside a startup to see how a crazy idea becomes a real company.
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