Episode 10 — Space Cannons: Can We Really Shoot Satellites Into Orbit? with Harrison Lambert

Rockets have been our primary route into space for decades — but what if part of the journey could begin inside an enormous cannon?

In this episode of The Space Curious Podcast, Harrison Lambert joins Arn Terry to explore Longshot Space's work on kinetic launch systems, the engineering challenge of accelerating payloads to extreme speeds, and whether space cannons could make access to orbit cheaper, faster and more frequent.

We dive deep into the physics, the engineering challenges, and the economics of kinetic launch — from surviving 2,000 Gs and Mach 20 atmospheric flight, to why a 10-kilometre-long distributed gas cannon could slash the cost per kilogram to orbit and open up an entirely new era of space access.

We also explore Harrison's journey through spacecraft engineering and GNC, what it means to be a space systems generalist, and why he co-founded Space Times to make the technical and commercial forces shaping the space industry easier to understand. From asteroid mining to making Earth a "garden planet," this is a conversation about will, creativity, and building something that's never been built before.

What we discussed:

• Harrison's background & journey — spacecraft engineering, GNC, and becoming a space systems generalist
• What is a space cannon? — the idea behind Longshot Space's kinetic launch system
• What's changed in engineering — why this is now buildable when it wasn't before
• Engineering challenges — surviving 2,000 Gs and Mach 20 flight through the atmosphere
• Advantages of kinetic launch — why a 10-kilometre distributed gas cannon could cut cost per kilogram to orbit
• The people behind the technology — building a team around an idea that doesn't exist yet
• Space, time & communicating ideas — why Harrison co-founded the Space Times podcast
• Myth busting — what space cannons can and can't do
• Looking ahead — asteroid mining, making Earth a "garden planet," and what comes next
• Quick-fire round — and a final question

Whether you're a launch engineer, a founder betting on in-space infrastructure, or simply curious whether a cannon can put a satellite in orbit — this is a conversation about will, creativity and building something that's never been built before.

Guest: Harrison Lambert — GNC Specialist, Longshot Space
Longshot Space: https://www.longshotspace.com/
Space Times Podcast: https://spacetimespod.com/
Connect with Harrison: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrison-lambert/
Connect with Arn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arnterry/
Host: Arn Terry — The Space Curious Podcast
Space and aerospace recruitment: https://danielernest.com/de-orbit