Space Ambition 1st Anniversary: We Got a Bit Closer to the Stars

Issue No. 52: Celebrating 8,002 subscribers. Crafted in collaboration with our valued readers.

We can hardly believe that today marks one year since we launched the Space Ambition Blog. This year signifies the completion of 50+ research projects, a community of 8,000+ intelligent and passionate readers from 98 countries and 46 states of the US, a team comprising 20+ researchers and guest authors, and collaborations with top-notch companies like Rocket Lab, UK Space Agency, Techstars Space, Seraphim, Starburst, Primo among many others. 

We recently conducted a survey amongst our most devoted readers. A big thank you to everyone who took the time to share their feedback. We truly cherish your kind words! We were delighted to discover that more than 25% of respondents have utilized insights from our posts to enhance decision-making in their primary roles, potentially securing a competitive edge. Moreover, some readers were so inspired that they either pivoted their careers or founded space tech startups. Today, we wish to reflect on some of the core values that drive us and share insights gathered from our reader community. 

Core Values: Uplifting Humanity

The core team at Space Ambition boasts diverse backgrounds: from spacetech engineering to banking, from PhDs in physics to venture capital expertise, and from rocket science to political science. However, our unifying belief is that the advancement of the spacetech industry is the pivotal direction for the evolution of our civilization. Naturally, indulging in a fair share of sci-fi movies has also kindled our collective imagination. We believe that Hollywood has already made humanity move halfway to the stars in their minds. It is our purpose to help the dreamers move the other half by actions, founding startups, launching corporate projects, investing in SpaceTech, and supporting researchers in the field.

One day, fueled by our shared inspiration and drive, we began brainstorming ways to channel our energy. This led to the launch of the Space Ambition blog on Substack in September 2022. Since then, we have yet to look back. Aside from publishing 50+ articles, we did due diligence on more than 30 startups, sponsored and supported the NASA Space Apps Challenge Hackathon in one of the emerging countries, held several SpaceTech meetups, and participated in several conferences. It's been immensely rewarding to see the impact we've had, changing numerous ventures and careers for the better. We're continually inspired by the diverse narratives of our readers. From astronomy club students in New York who are reading our articles during their club meetings, to an individual from Uzbekistan who decided to change his life and pursue a master's in aerospace engineering in Germany, and even a lawyer from Israel who started an Earth observation startup. We eagerly anticipate more of these compelling stories - please keep sharing them with us! Additionally, we're excited to share the vision of the Space Ambition co-founders and hope it resonates and inspires you just as much.

Nick Veliev, a spacetech and investment professional, the co-founder of Space Ambition:

“Our mission is clear: to democratize space. We believe that space technology is not fully utilized in other industries, and there are many artificial barriers hindering the understanding of potential opportunities. By demystifying and educating, Space Ambition seeks to make space familiar, comprehensible, and ultimately, an integrated part of our daily lives. The blog is merely a facet of our larger vision. Our overarching goal is to continually challenge traditional space narratives and drive transformative change in the industry.”

Alexandra Vidyuk, a space tech venture investor and co-founder of Space Ambition:

“We truly believe that solutions to many of Earth's pressing challenges can be found in space. It's easy to lose sight of that. We firmly believe that the more energy, funding, and resources we channel into the space industry, the better life will become on our planet. We are committed to making that vision a reality.”

Denis Kalyshkin, a deep tech venture investor and co-founder of Space Ambition:

“We are deeply convinced that the true potential of space technologies extends beyond exploring outer space to their tangible applications right here on Earth. From infant milk formula and pharmaceuticals to microelectronics and sports, space technologies have a vast spectrum of uses. To us, Space Ambition is a conduit for integrating space tech with terrestrial sectors, propelling the growth and sustainability of the aerospace industry.”

Insights from Our Readers

Space Ambition is not only the team, it’s also the army of our readers. We always enjoy talking to you and getting valuable insights. We believe that embracing the ideas of numerous people with diverse expertise is the key to moving the sector forward. We’d like to share a few quotes from our readers.

Clemens Weisgram, Co-founder of GATE Space, a company that is paving the way for the next generation of in-space mobility, is one of such readers. He shared his thoughts on Space Ambition, stating, 

"As a space professional and entrepreneur, I diligently follow almost every newsletter in the industry. What stands out about Space Ambition is its concise, impactful content that's efficient to read. I'm a staunch believer in the space industry. To me, it mirrors the internet in the 90s. Back then, people weren’t predominantly focused on internet products but were laying down internet cables across oceans. Similarly, today we're building the infrastructure for the future in space."

Agne Sanders, AI Governance Technologist at DataMind Ventures, and one of our devoted readers, graciously shared the following story with us:

"One serene Saturday morning, I strolled along the banks of the River Thames in the heart of London with my faithful canine companion. It was during this leisurely walk that I stumbled upon an article from Space Ambition, delving into the fascinating application of space technology in agriculture. As I immersed myself in the article and gazed upon the tranquil Thames, a disconcerting sight marred the moment: there were spots of trash littering the riverbed, exposed by the receding tide. At that moment, I had a thought: could we harness the same space technology, currently deployed for the betterment of agriculture, to support the pressing issue of urban waste management? It remains but a nascent notion for now, yet perhaps, with time and collective effort, could it evolve into a substantial solution for the future?"

Jonathan Hung, Chairman of Singapore Space and Technology Limited, celebrates: 

"Happy first anniversary, Space Ambition! I deeply appreciate the clarity and simplicity your team brings to elucidating complex space concepts. Our industry needs more of this. Eagerly looking forward to our collaboration with Alex and the team."

Assaf Wise, CTO of Earth and Beyond VC:

“Happy 1st anniversary to Space Ambition! Your compelling articles not only offer insight but have ignited a passion in those who were merely curious about space. It's uplifting to engage with others who resonate with our vision and drive. Eagerly anticipating our forthcoming collaborations.”

Looking Ahead

Despite Space Ambition being young and still brainstorming ideas for the future directions of the project development - one thing is certain - we can succeed in moving the sector forward only by joining forces with other players and making bold projects. We are sure that we have many readers that share our vision. We actively collaborate with corporations, startups, investors, and nonprofits. If you’d like to collaborate with Space Ambition or contribute to the development sector in some other way, please, reach out to us via hello@spaceambition.org. We’d be happy to brainstorm together! 

P.S.: We’d like to ask you for a favor as a birthday gift. Could you pick any of our articles that you liked most and share it with your subscribers on social media? We hope it will drive a new wave of like-minded people to join our tribe. Live long and prosper!

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