A group of SpaceX alums is shifting focus from Mars to Earth, repurposing space technology for climate solutions that address pressing environmental needs
Luke Neise and Halen Mattison are suitable candidates. Neise was employed at Vanderbilt Aerospace Design Laboratory and Varda Space Industries, while Mattison was employed at SpaceX. Initially, the duo intended to sell SpaceX reactors that could convert carbon dioxide into methane for use on Mars. Currently, they are being constructed to supplant the natural gas extracted from the ground.
General Galactic, which emerged from secrecy in April, has constructed a pilot system capable of producing 2,000 liters of methane daily. Neise, General Galactic’s Chief Technology Officer, informed TechCrunch that he anticipates that figure will increase as the company transitions from off-the-shelf components to variants that are developed in-house.
Mattison, the CEO of the venture, stated, “We believe that this is a significant gap in the current energy landscape.” “Unlocking the true elegance of the engineering solution is the ability to fully control all parameters, challenge the requirements between components, and own our supply chains.”
The company’s reactors will be assembled using mass production procedures at the commercial scale. It is in stark contrast to the current construction practices of the majority of petrochemical and energy facilities.
Methane production is the primary objective of General Galactic. Nevertheless, Mattison stated that the organization is not necessarily seeking to eliminate the fuel from the heating and energy sectors. “Those are generally moving toward electrification,” he said. Instead, it plans to sell its methane to companies that utilize it as an ingredient or to fuel a process, such as in producing plastics or chemicals.
Additionally, transportation is not wholly excluded by the organization. Mattison suggested that General Galactic is developing alternative hydrocarbons that could be employed as transportation fuels, such as jet fuel. He advised, “Do not lose interest.”
General Galactic is the subject of investor speculation.
In 2025, the venture intends to implement its initial modules. To achieve that milestone, it recently secured a $8 million venture round co-led by Harpoon Ventures and Refactor Capital, with participation from BoxGroup, Climate Capital, Impact First, Pathbreaker, Plug and Play, and Seraphim.
General Galactic anticipates that its modules will be able to connect to existing infrastructure, thereby expediting their adoption compared to other fuels such as hydrogen.
Oxylus Energy, Aerleum, and SpiralWave are among the businesses currently engaged in green methanol production, and it is unlikely that General Galactic will face significant competition from hydrogen. Methanol is a liquid at room temperature and a critical component of numerous petrochemicals and fuels.
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, with a liquefaction temperature of -258 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 80 times greater than carbon dioxide. The leaky natural gas infrastructure is believed to influence climate change significantly. General Galactic’s carbon neutrality claims may be compromised if it cannot virtually eliminate leakage at the point of production and downstream.
However, the carbon footprint of methane produced using renewable electricity would be lower than that of fossil fuels. From a climate perspective, a liquid fuel that is specifically designed for industries such as aviation and maritime shipping would be a more desirable objective. Additionally, it could be a profitable business venture, as these sectors are expensive to decarbonize using batteries or hydrogen. General Galactic’s genuine opportunity may be found in the subsequent pivot.