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The Techne Connect

Philip Hover-Smoot, CEO at Atlas Cup

In this episode we speak with Philip Hover-Smoot, CEO at Atlas Cup, about creating a new category of professional sport in space.

Philip shares his path from aviation, law, and aerospace defence into the commercial space sector, and explains how Atlas Cup plans to bring satellite racing to low Earth orbit using existing spacecraft, propulsion, and mission operations technology.


He breaks down the concept behind head-to-head satellite races, how teams can compete using their own platforms, and why racing creates a simple way to compare performance across propulsion systems and spacecraft design.


The conversation also explores entrepreneurship in the space sector, the realities of building a startup, and why Philip believes space represents the next major frontier for commercial growth and technological experimentation.

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