Space Race: How a Laser Scientist Built a Midwest Rocket Factory—who wins by 2030—China or SpaceX?
David Carroll, president & co-founder of CU Aerospace (UIUC B.S./M.S./Ph.D.), walked away from a top university post in 1998 to build a rocket company in the Illinois cornfields. A laser scientist by training, he didn’t stay in theory—he shipped: electric CubeSat engines, plasma systems, high-energy lasers, and even a genetic-algorithm tool that jumped from lab code to a cancer operating room.This conversation is a builder’s tour of how space actually gets made—and what’s at stake now. We trace the arc from lasers to flight hardware, from test-to-failure scrappiness to NASA-level safety, and from a small Midwestern shop to engines headed for orbit. Along the way: why smallsats matter more than slogans, the case for high-power electric propulsion (magnetoplasmadynamic, or MPD, thrusters), and how China’s Moon timeline and SpaceX/Starlink’s launch cadence are quietly setting the rules of the game.If you’re choosing what to study, where to live, or which problems to bet your twenties on, this is a field guide: build outside the coasts, turn bullets into cannonballs, ship before you polish, and keep going when the first three proposals get rejected. Cornfields to orbit isn’t a metaphor. It’s a map.This is The UIUC Talkshow, and this is our conversation with David Carroll.EPISODE LINKS:CU Aerospace WebsiteKim Stanley Robinson's AuroraGood to Great by Jim CollinsAbout CU AerospaceFounded in 1998, CU Aerospace (CUA) operates a 10,000-sq-ft mixed office/lab facility in Champaign, Illinois, with cleanrooms, a rapid-prototyping shop, and dedicated propulsion and plasma labs. CUA's hardware has been supported by NASA, DoD customers, and commercial partners.OUTLINE:0:00 - Introduction0:16 - The Space Race3:33 - SpaceX8:40 - The Next Big Aerospace Company11:10 - What Would David Carroll Study in College today?13:40 - What Does It Take to Become an Astronaut?18:28 - Near-Death Experience as a Pilot20:27 - The Interplay of Politics in Science25:44 - David's Research with Missiles and Lasers32:01 - Why Venture Capitalists don't like Aerospace Companies34:29 - Importance of Social Recognition/Do Awards mean anything?35:07 - Genetic Algorithms41:38 - What Drives You?43:47 - Coming to Champaign, IL47:13 - The Story Behind "CU Aerospace"49:12 - Lessons from working at McDonald's53:26 - David's Daughters55:45 - Parenting59:37 - David's Musical Talents1:00:46 - Future of Space Propulsion1:02:57 - Interstellar Travel/Physics of the Future1:08:19 - CU Aerospace's Projects1:17:08 - Hardest Part of Running a Business1:18:26 - Building a Mountain in Champaign1:21:27 - Advice for Young People🚥Overrated or Underrated Section 🚥1:24:44 - Good to Great 📕1:26:20 - eVTOLs ✈️1:29:49 - Kelly Johnson (Designer of Black Bird) 🦨1:30:32 - Solar Sail ☀️1:33:53 - Life in the Universe 🌌1:36:55 - Closing WordsJoin The UIUC Talkshow Community!Become part of our community and unlock exclusive access to the latest episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and special updates. Be the first to know about upcoming guests and new episodes!Join here: https://uiuctalkshow.substack.com/What is the UIUC Talkshow?Our goal with this show is to introduce you to the most interesting people with the most interesting ideas.Consider Supporting UsIf you enjoy our talk show and videos, your support means the world to us! Your contributions help us keep the show running and focus on creating interesting conversations with interesting people. Every dollar goes towards our basic needs, allowing us to dedicate more time and energy to this project. Support us here: https://www.patreon.com/uiuctalkshowLearn more about Juan David & Aaryaman:AaryamanWebsiteLinkedIn Twitter Juan DavidWebsite TwitterLinkedInInstagram
