The Space Show Presents George Tyson & Orbital Construction Pioneers

The Space Show Presents George Tyson, Tuesday, 7-28-26.

The Space Show featured George Tyson, CEO of Orbital Construction Pioneers, discussing his company’s concept for building large orbital structures using additive manufacturing with bio-based materials, primarily plant-based epoxies and fillers like hemp. He detailed the “First Step” project, which aims to create a rotating disk-shaped space station called Station 520, with initial construction relying on materials grown and processed in orbit. Tyson explained the current research phase, focusing on material testing and 3D printing technology, and mentioned partnerships such as with Exo Scientific for life support systems. The conversation covered technical aspects like structural design, launch costs, regulatory considerations, and the long-term goal of establishing an Earth-independent space economy. Tyson also introduced the Interplanetary Regen Network (IRN), a proposed consortium to collaborate on space development. The discussion included questions from co-host John Jossy and other participants about feasibility, timelines, and potential applications of the technology.

George discussed his experience from 2005 when he participated in a space tourism assessment, finding that while there was public interest, it wasn’t sufficient to support expensive space tourism flights. He advised companies like XCOR to focus on flying scientific experiments multiple times before sending them to the ISS, which XCOR had planned to implement before other issues arose. The discussion also covered current space tourism status, with John noting that Virgin is not doing well and Blue Origin has shifted focus, while SpaceX is doing some tourism but not much, and George expressing interest in stratosphere balloon rides as a more viable luxury tourism option.

The group discussed their experiences with early television technology, particularly watching the Apollo landings on black and white TVs. They shared personal anecdotes about watching the moon landings in various locations, from hotel rooms to living rooms, and compared these experiences to modern large-screen TVs and electronic devices. The conversation also touched on advancements in electronics, including high-speed oscilloscopes, with Marshall sharing a story about purchasing a $250,000 oscilloscope for work at TI.

George Tyson, CEO of Orbital Construction Pioneers, was our main guest. His large program focused on his flagship “First Step” project, which involves