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Artwork for Valley of Depth
Spacex
National Security
NASA
Nuclear Energy
Venture Capital
Climate Change
Department Of Defense
Space Industry
Golden Dome
China
Lunar Architecture
Space Exploration
Electra
Lockheed Martin
Missile Defense
Hybrid Electric Aircraft
Public-Private Partnerships
Mars
Artificial Intelligence
Space Economy

Valley of Depth is a podcast about the technologies that matter — and the people building them. Brought to you by Arkaea Media, the team behind Payload (space), Ignition (nuclear energy), and Tectonic (defense tech), this show goes beyond headlines and hype. We talk to founders, investors, government officials, and military leaders shaping the future of national security and deep tech. From breakt... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes171Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
InvestingBusiness

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Artwork for Valley of Depth

Latest Episodes

On this week's episode of Valley of Depth, our first recorded in person, we sit down with Jason Kim, CEO of Firefly Aerospace, in the company's historic Blue Ghost mission control room in Cedar Park, Texas — the same room where 60 engineers watched t... more

This month, Mo and Jack host a live show on the future of Commercial LEO Destinations, featuring leaders building the next generation of space stations:

• Marshall Smith (Voyager Technologies / Starlab)

• Jonathan Cirtain (Axiom Space)

We discus... more

The United States hasn't flown a Mach 3-plus reusable aircraft since the SR-71 was retired in 1990. Hermeus wants to change that and they want to do it faster, cheaper, and with a fraction of the capital. This week we sit down with Zach Shore, newly ... more

YouTube

Commercial geospatial intelligence has moved from nice-to-have imagery to core national security infrastructure. And Vantor is trying to reposition itself for that new era.

On this week’s episode of Valley of Depth, we sit down with Dan Smoot, CEO o... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Jason Kim
CEO of Firefly Aerospace
Firefly Aerospace
Episode: A Firefly Future, with Jason Kim (CEO of Firefly Aerospace)
Jonathan Cirtain
CEO, Axiom Space
Axiom Space
Episode: Space & Defense Market Update - May 2026 (LIVE from NYSE)
Marshall Smith
CEO, Starlab
Starlab/Voyager
Episode: Space & Defense Market Update - May 2026 (LIVE from NYSE)
Zach Shore
CEO of Hermes (Hermeus)
Hermes (Hermeus)
Episode: The Speed Advantage, with Zach Shore (CEO of Hermeus)
Eric Romo
Executive at Sourcery/Media partner
Sourcery
Episode: Space & Defense Market Update - April 2026 (LIVE from NYSE)
Shahin (Lux Capital)
Lux Capital Partner
Lux Capital
Episode: Space & Defense Market Update - April 2026 (LIVE from NYSE)
Molly O'Shea
Special guest, media/space commentator
Sourcery
Episode: Space & Defense Market Update - April 2026 (LIVE from NYSE)
Mark Groden
Founder and CEO of Skyryse
Skyryse
Episode: The Flight Automation Era, with Mark Groden (CEO of Skyryse)
Mike Annunziata
Founder and Managing Partner, Also Capital
Also Capital
Episode: ARKAEA x NYSE Space & Defense March Update

Host

Mo Islam
Host of several technology-focused programs, frequently discusses space, defense, and national security topics.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 152 ratings
  • The go-to podcast for space founders and VCs

    I discovered this podcast two weeks before I was preparing to moderate a panel on New Space for a deep tech conference and it was exactly what I needed to get up to speed on the opportunities and challenges of space commercialization. Mo finds just the right balance in unpacking both technology and business implications, and it’s a master class in the key metrics, terminology and “bleeding head” problems in the various sectors.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    renitakalhorn
    United Statesa year ago
  • Engaging Conversation

    Just finished listening to Mo’s latest podcast with Jane Poynter and Tabor MacCallum from Space Perspective. It gave me goosebumps with the prospect of any one of us going to space, including me, and what that would do for modern civilization.

    These two interviewees are remarkable humans - check out their past with Biosphere 2, Paragon Space Development, and StratEx. And hats off to the interviewer, Mo, for bringing all this to our attention in a fascinating interview.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Houston, we have an answer
    United States3 years ago
  • Love pathfinder

    Love the host and all the interesting guests…

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    AGB FOR REAL
    United States3 years ago
  • Current trends and valuable space insights

    I love hearing all the tips and latest trends from the guests who are active in the space industry. This is a great way to stay current on all the exciting space activities!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Sponz
    United States3 years ago
  • Educational - awesome - on point

    This is one of the most educational podcast I listen to on a monthly basis. Ari and the team at payload ensure we are an educated space community though thoughtful engagement and digestible podcasts! Thank you all! 🙏🏻😎🛰️

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    fvargas22012
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The host pushes thoughtful questions that uncover real-world challenges and opportunities.
Guests are credible and well-prepared, offering valuable market and tech insights.
Content is consistently focused on space, defense, and hard tech investments, appealing to engineers and investors.
Listeners praise practical, depth-filled conversations with industry leaders.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#102
Italy/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts
#195
Ukraine/Business/Investing
Apple Podcasts
#227
Austria/Business/Investing

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

A Firefly Future, with Jason Kim (CEO of Firefly Aerospace)
Q: How do you view SpaceX and the broader launch landscape in terms of collaboration and competition?
The future will be interoperable with multiple providers; SpaceX remains an important partner, and Firefly aims to complement them with diverse capabilities, enabling a robust, resilient supply chain for national security and exploration missions.
A Firefly Future, with Jason Kim (CEO of Firefly Aerospace)
Q: Why did you decide to go public, and how has it affected scaling and execution?
Going public provided the capital to scale the business rapidly, invest in production and safety upgrades, and accelerate the rollout of Alpha, Blue Ghost, and electric spacecraft, while maintaining focus on mission delivery and customer value.
A Firefly Future, with Jason Kim (CEO of Firefly Aerospace)
Q: What was the bar for the mission and how did you measure success?
The bar included not only landing the lunar lander but also stabilizing the spacecraft, turning on all payloads, and completing 14 days of surface operations, pushing beyond a simple touchdown to prove a sustained, end-to-end mission capability.
The Speed Advantage, with Zach Shore (CEO of Hermeus)
Q: You've had a huge year with the DIU contract and a large equity round—how do you see the propulsion and acceleration timeline feeding into that operational plan?
The DIU award validates the overmatch thesis and high-velocity capability, and the equity round funds maturation of the current airframes and engine integration. The plan is to prove rapid iteration with Mark II and the turbine-based combined cycle, then extend to additional airframes and mission profiles while maintaining a clear line of sight to Mach 3 in the near term and Mach 5 as a longer-term objective.
The New Ground Truth, with Dan Smoot (CEO of Vantor)
Q: What is the value proposition of the Anduril partnership and the Army One World Terrain integration?
The collaboration combines Anduril's VR tech with 3D data and mission planning to deliver validated, tactile warfighter training and simulations, demonstrating how data sets translate into practical defense applications.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
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Frequently Asked Questions About Valley of Depth

What is Valley of Depth about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Valley of Depth delivers in-depth conversations with founders, investors, policymakers, and military leaders who are shaping national security and deep-tech ecosystems. Episodes repeatedly surface themes around space-tech infrastructure, defense innovation, AI-enabled geospatial capabilities, and the regulatory or geopolitical dynamics impacting high-stakes technologies. The show often features candid discussions about funding, scale, and the practical realities of bringing ambitious technology from concept to deployment. A standout aspect is its mix of operator- and investor-perspective guests, which helps listeners understand both the technical potential and the market/building blocks behind next-generation defense and space applications.... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Valley of Depth?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Valley of Depth:

1. Main Engine Cut Off
2. Core Memory
3. Sourcery
4. Relentless
5. Joe Lonsdale: American Optimist

How many episodes of Valley of Depth are there?

Valley of Depth launched 4 years ago and published 171 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Valley of Depth?

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What guests have appeared on Valley of Depth?

Recent guests on Valley of Depth include:

1. Jason Kim
2. Jonathan Cirtain
3. Marshall Smith
4. Zach Shore
5. Eric Romo
6. Shahin (Lux Capital)
7. Molly O'Shea
8. Mark Groden

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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