Lessons from the Silicon Valley of Space

The Mojave Air and Space Port has often been called the Silicon Valley of space. The publicly-run facility in California’s High Desert is where entrepreneurial companies funded by billionaires like Paul Allen and Richard Branson have sought to push back the frontiers of space. Some companies like Masten Space Systems have survived and even prospered with shoe string funding. Others have failed.

Mojave has seen triumph -- and tragedy. The spaceport and the experiences of the companies that have operated there provide many insights into entrepreneurial space activities, financing and technology development. The talk will cover these key points.