"We have no money, so we have to think."
Miles O'Brien interviews Rocket Lab founder Sir Peter Beck about how financial constraints forced the company to prioritize engineering discipline over deep pockets to compete in the commercial space race.
It’s a famous line from physicist Ernest Rutherford, but in the modern era of commercial spaceflight, it has become the survival mantra for Sir Peter Beck.
In the latest post on Miles Ahead, veteran science journalist Miles O'Brien sits down with the Rocket Lab founder for a refreshing departure from the usual "billionaire space race" narrative. Unlike his deep-pocketed competitors who can afford to burn cash on spectacle, Beck has built a multigenerational space company on a foundation of discipline, grit, and engineering ingenuity.
This interview is a must-read (or listen) for anyone interested in the real future of space exploration. O'Brien and Beck dive deep into:
- The Scrappy Advantage: How lacking a bottomless budget forced Rocket Lab to out-think rather than out-spend the competition.
- Substance Over Spectacle: Why Beck isn’t focused on planting flags on Mars, but on how space can tangibly serve humanity right now.
- The Neutron Rocket: A look at Rocket Lab's next major leap and the economic realities of reusable rockets.
If you want to look beyond the hype and understand the serious business of staying alive in the vacuum of space, this conversation is for you.
Check out the full interview here: We have no money so we have to think
