Matt Gialich is the Co-Founder and CEO of AstroForge, an asteroid mining company founded in 2022 that aims to extract platinum group metals from near-Earth asteroids to redefine sustainable mining practices. With over a decade of experience leading high-performing engineering teams, Gialich holds a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
His career began at Toyon Research Corporation as an analyst developing novel navigation algorithms, followed by key roles at Virgin Orbit, where he led the flight software and GNC teams and oversaw avionics development. He later served as Director of Vehicle Software at Bird, where he met co-founder Jose Acain, sparking the idea for AstroForge amid their shared passion for space.
Previously, Gialich was co-founder and CEO of Ex Scientia Technologies. A Y Combinator alumnus, he has guided AstroForge to successful missions, including Mission 1’s launch, and advocates for commercial space innovation to address resource scarcity on Earth.
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AstroForge – https://www.astroforge.io
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00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:53 Meet Matt Gialich, CEO of AstroForge
01:39 Challenges of Space Startups
03:35 Why Mine Asteroids?
05:08 Cost and Feasibility of Missions
08:57 Asteroid Composition and Targeting
13:40 Communication Across the Cosmos
19:28 Extraterrestrial Life and Alien Theories
25:48 Helium-3, Lunar Mining, and Future Energy
32:23 Platinum Group Metals and Market Impact
41:01 AstroForge’s Missions: Vestri and Odin
46:32 Deep Space Communication and National Security
58:23 Mining Techniques and Economic Viability
01:14:54 Regulation, Capitalism, and Human Advancement
01:20:54 Planetary Defense and Space Exploration
01:26:11 Future of Space Tech and Exploration
01:33:27 Scientific Discoveries and Theories
01:49:10 Advice for Future Innovators
