28: The Materials That Changed How We Communicate With The World (feat. Jordan Dobson)

Telecommunications are arguably the most important factor in the advancement of modern technology, and our lives are deeply impacted by the internet, cable, radar, etc. From warfare to healthcare, satellite technologies enable connections to the most remote places on the planet, but there are a lot of material considerations to be made when dealing with components that must work underwater, on land, and in space.

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Today’s guest is Jordan Dobson, the lead materials science engineer at Viasat Inc. In this episode, he explains the role of materials in developing telecommunications devices such as satellites and antennas. 

In this conversation, we discuss the following topics:

• Materials’ role in communication technology
• Regulations across countries, air, and space
• How do we get wi-fi on airplanes?
• Providing internet to any place on Earth
• Materials in satellites and their lifecycle

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Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed by either guests or hosts in this show are their own, and do not represent the opinions of the companies or organizations for which they are affiliated.