Bessemer Venture Partners VP on the Future of the Aerospace Industry

Tess Hatch discusses her transition from aerospace engineering to venture capital, focusing on investments in the space industry. She highlights the challenges and opportunities in space investments, comparing them to software investments. The discussion covers the risks involved in space ventures, the role of nanosatellites, and the impact of SpaceX in popularizing space exploration. Tess envisions a future where space travel is as common as air travel today.

What was Tess Hatch's primary motivation for moving from aerospace engineering to venture capital?

• To avoid working with financial animals

• To work exclusively with software companies

• To invest in the ecosystem and catalyze the aerospace industry

• To become a technical engineer at a single company

How does the financial analysis of space investments differ from software investments?

• Space investments involve designing, building, testing, and launching assets

• Space investments have quicker feedback loops

• Space investments are less risky

• Space investments require less capital

What is a significant advantage of nanosatellites over traditional satellites?

• They are the size of a school bus

• They are more expensive to launch

• They require decades to design and build

• They lower the barrier of entry to space

What role does Moore's Law play in the development of nanosatellites?

• It has no impact on nanosatellites

• It increases the size of nanosatellites

• It decreases the cost and increases the power of electronics

• It limits the number of nanosatellites that can be launched

How has SpaceX contributed to public awareness of space?

• By focusing solely on cargo missions

• By launching American astronauts from foreign soil

• By conducting high-profile missions like Dragon crew launches

• By reducing the number of space missions

What future does Tess Hatch envision for space travel?

• Traveling to space will remain rare and expensive

• Space travel will be as frequent as air travel

• Only government agencies will conduct space travel

• Space travel will be limited to the moon

What is the significance of SpaceX's recent achievements?

• They have limited the number of space startups

• They have decreased the cost of space travel

• They have democratized knowledge and interest in space

• They have focused solely on satellite launches