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Manifest Space with Morgan Brennan

Manifest Space with Morgan Brennan
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“Manifest Space” hosted by CNBC’s Morgan Brennan focuses on the billionaires and brains behind the ever-expanding opportunities beyond our atmosphere. Brennan features conversations with the mega moguls, industry leaders, and startups in today’s satellite, space, and defense industries looking to invest in the next frontier and guides listeners on how to get in. Sit back, relax, and prepare for liftoff in “Manifest Space.”
189 Episodes
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At the UP.Summit in Bentonville, AR, Morgan Brennan speaks with CesiumAstro CEO Shey Sabripour and Trousdale Ventures founder Philip Sarofim about driving next-generation industrialization, advanced connectivity, dual-use innovation, and how hard tech is reshaping both defense and commercial markets—on Earth and in space. Plus, CesiumAstro just secured eight SpaceX rideshare missions starting in 2026, a major leap that will fast-track validation of its next-gen space communications technology and what it all means for the new space race. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Maxar splits into two companies: Vantor and Lanteris. Both will remain Advent portfolio companies. Morgan sits down with Vantor CEO Dan Smoot to discuss the company’s rebrand, growth in key software revenue metrics and and how AI-powered satellite data is reshaping defense, navigation, and global security. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The global space economy has hit a record $613 billion, growing nearly 8% year over year. Morgan Brennan speaks with Space Foundation CEO Heather Pringle about what’s fueling the boom—like human spaceflight and national security initiatives such as Golden Dome. They also discuss investor enthusiasm, the role of AI, and why Pringle expects the sector to hit $1 trillion by 2032. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Helium-3 is a critical resource for quantum computing and other futuristic technologies. But it is extremely rare on Earth. Luckily, the Moon contains tons of it. Morgan Brennan sits down with Interlune co-founders Rob Meyerson and James Antifaev along with Bluefors’ Chief Business Officer Dr. David Gunnarsson to discuss their partnership aiming to bring Helium-3 to Earth from the Moon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
SPACs, or Special Purpose Acquisition Companies, are back – with aerospace & defense tech startups embracing the moment. Merlin, a startup focused on deploying AI into cockpits, is the latest to do so. The company announced a reverse merge with a SPAC led by Inflection Point Asset Management, valuing the company at $800 million pre-money and raise hundred of millions of dollars in proceeds. CEO Matt George joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the prospects of going public. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Armada is a startup focused on movable data center systems in AI computing in remote locations. It all started with a close collaboration with SpaceX, using the Starlink broadband network for connectivity. Co-founder & CEO Dan Wright joins Morgan Brennan to discuss edge computing, partnerships with energy producers and the AI arms race. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Impulse Space is expanding further into space. The in-space services startup has two space tugs in low earth orbit, but an upgraded spacecraft capable of going to geosynchronous orbit will launch this fall. Founder & CEO Tom Mueller was a founding member of SpaceX where his work on propulsion led the way for reusable rocket engines. He joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the new frontier, the startup’s $300M Series C funding round, and the potential for an IPO. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The IPO market heads to space today as Firefly Aerospace, a small & medium launch rocket maker, debuts on the Nasdaq. In what’s expected to be 2025’s biggest American space tech listing, the company is looking to list between $41 and $43 apiece for a $6.3 billion valuation. CEO Jason Kim joins Morgan Brennan ahead of trading to discuss the IPO, the company’s pathway to profitability, and how lunar missions play a role. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Apple's had its biggest revenue growth since December 2021—but it also has a space play in its back pocket. Apple owns a 20% stake in Globalstar, the satellite company that gives iPhones their space-based emergency service communications. Globalstar CEO Paul Jacobs joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the promise of satellite communications, physical AI and the fight for spectrum. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
ULA is preparing for its next Vulcan launch in what will be the first official national security mission for the new rocket. A joint venture between Boeing & Lockheed Martin, ULA will conduct several launches for the government and then turn back to its commercial customer Amazon in the fall. ULA CEO joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the latest launch forecast for the company, Amazon Kuiper, and the need for national security in space. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Planets Labs CEO Will Marshall joins Manifest Space to discuss the company’s rapid growth, fueled by deals across the globe as the changing geopolitical landscape means countries are looking for real-time data from satellites to respond to natural disasters, security threats and more. Planet Labs stock is up more than 100% in the last three months and Marshall talks about the demand for his company’s product. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Hadrian, a defense manufacturing startup focused on machine parts, has closed a $260 million Series C funding round. Led by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and Lux Capital, the capital will go towards building a 270,000 square foot factory in Arizona and expanding its California footprint. CEO Chris Power joins to discuss the raise, reviving American manufacturing and where defense tech goes from here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Varda Space, an in-space manufacturing startup, has just raised $187 million in a Series C round led by Natural Capital and Shrug Capital. Since its inception four years ago, Varda has completed three successful missions, with a fourth in orbit and fifth expected by the end of 2025. Co-founder & CEO Will Bruey joins Morgan Brennan to discuss drug manufacturing in microgravity, hypersonic testing and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Axiom Space recently launched its fourth private crew mission to the International Space Station. AX-4-- sponsored by India, Poland and Hungary-- lifted off from Florida in a SpaceX capsule last week and is currently completing a two-week tour on the ISS. It was the first mission under CEO Tejpaul Bhatia, a serial entrepreneur with experience from Google, who took the helm at Axiom Space earlier this year. He joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the mission, alongside the company's development of its own commercial space station and lunar space suits for Prada. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Morgan sits down with Pete Cannito, CEO of Redwire, and Kirk Konert, Managing Partner at, AE Industrial -- one of the few aerospace private equity firms out there--to discuss Redwire’s game-changing acquisition of Edge Autonomy and how it transforms the company. The conversation explores how drones, AI, and autonomous systems are reshaping modern warfare, the growing investment in defense tech, and the role of space in global deterrence strategies. Cannito and Konert share insights on navigating this dynamic landscape and seizing a trillion-dollar market opportunity. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Voyager Technologies, a commercial space and defense technology startup, has gone public. Skyrocketing more than 80% in its first day trading at the New York Stock Exchange, it reflects a milestone for the broader space. Co-founder & CEO Dylan Taylor joins Morgan Brennan from the stock exchange to talk about the new frontier for the company and space economy: Wall Street. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
CNBC’s Morgan Brennan sits down with Applied Intuition Co-founder and CEO Qasar Younis to discuss the company’s work to bring AI to more civilian and military vehicles, and the important of American innovation in the space as global competition heats up. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Zeno Power, a nuclear battery startup, has just raised $50 million in a Series B funding round to bring its nuclear battery to market. The startup has secured more than $60 million in contracts from the Pentagon and NASA to develop these batteries for maritime and space applications. Co-founder & CEO Tyler Bernstein joins Morgan Brennan to discuss delivering nuclear energy to remote locations Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Trimble is one of the biggest software companies in the S&P 500 you’ve never heard of. Getting its start 50 years ago with what would become GPS, the company is now implementing AI to manage over a trillion dollars’ worth of construction, freight & more contract work. Following the Nasdaq’s Space Capital Conference, Trimble CEO Rob Painter joins Morgan Brennan to discuss how his company is harnessing technology from space to drive innovation and productivity on earth. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Once the stuff of science fiction, moon mining is getting government backing. Seattle-based startup Interlune—a previous guest of the podcast— came out of stealth last year. Its mission: to harvest resources from the moon. Now, they’re ready to announce their first customers. The Department of Energy has purchased three liters of lunar-extracted helium-3 for a delivery by 2029. A nuclear energy byproduct, Helium-3 is useful for cryogenics, medical equipment and fusion power—but its scarcity comes with a hefty price tag at $20 million per kilogram. Interlune CEO Rob Meyerosn joins Morgan Brennan to discuss the massive opportunity in moon mining. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.