Episode 72 - The BIFROST satellite - from concept to countdown
From IDA Space Talks by Ingeniørforeningen, IDA
June 8, 2026 · 44 min
About this episode
This episode discusses the challenges and processes involved in building the BIFROST satellite from concept to launch.
Every decision matters when you build a satellite. Once it reaches space, there are no technicians, no repair shops, and absolutely no way to replace a broken part. Yet that's exactly where Denmark's BIFROST satellite is operating right now. That's why satellites spend years being tested on Earth—and why mistakes at Space Inventor are apparently paid for in cake. The story actually began when Space Inventor's CEO walked into the office one afternoon and announced that he had bought a rocket launch. There was just one small problem: The satellite wasn't finished yet. In fact, it barely existed. Suddenly, the entire company had a deadline that couldn't move. The rocket wouldn't wait. In this episode, we'll talk about what it takes to build a satellite from scratch, how engineers solve problems that can never be fixed once they're in orbit, and what it's like to spend years working toward a launch date that cannot slip. My guests today are Rama Murali G K, Head of Assembly, Integration and Verification, and Mathias Ernst Halvorsen, Head of Mechanical Engineering at Space Inventor. Together with their colleagues, they helped turn BIFROST from an ambitious idea into a spacecraft in…
People in this episode
Host: Tino Tønnesen
Guests: Rama Murali G K, Mathias Ernst Halvorsen
Topics covered
- satellite construction
- engineering challenges
- space exploration
- project management
- BIFROST satellite
Keywords
- satellite
- BIFROST
- Space Inventor
- engineering
- launch
- spacecraft
- project deadline
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Space Inventor, BIFROST
Places: Denmark
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