Sovereignty in Orbit, with Hamdullah Mohib (CEO of Orbitworks)

As more nations realize that space is no longer just a scientific domain but a foundation of economic power and national security, a new question is emerging: who will actually build the infrastructure that underpins it? Orbitworks believes the answer lies in sovereign capability: designed locally, manufactured locally, and operated with speed and control. Founded by Hamdullah Mohib, a former national security advisor and diplomat who spent years operating at the highest levels of geopolitics, Orbitworks sits at an unusual intersection of statecraft and space manufacturing. Based in Abu Dhabi, the company is building one of the region’s first commercial satellite manufacturing facilities and developing Altair, a native constellation designed to move beyond raw imagery and toward information-driven services for both sovereign and commercial customers. We discuss: How Orbitworks is building a commercial satellite industry from scratch in the UAE The strategic logic behind flexible architectures over fixed hardware How the Middle East is positioning itself as a serious node in the global space economy What it takes to build talent, supply chains, and culture in a brand-new space ecosystem • Chapters • 00:00 - Intro 00:59 - Hamdullah's journey from government and geopolitics to space 05:11 - What is Orbitworks? 06:25 - Partnerships with Orbitworks 08:43 - A joint venture 09:40 - Partnering with Loft Orbital 17:09 - Differences that founders experience in the Middle East 21:26 - Altair constellation 23:29 - Dual use commercial and government 26:34 - Building a facility in KEZAD 33:02 - Cultivating and nurturing talent 34:30 - How the Middle East is thinking about space 40:21 - Priorities of sovereign wealth funds 42:33 - Lessons in leadership 47:08 - Fundraising plans/goals 48:47 - Hamdullah's vision for space in the Middle East 50:46 - What excites Hamdullah the most about the space industry? • Show notes • Orbitwork’s website —https://www.orbitworks.space/ Mo's socials — https://twitter.com/itsmoislam Payload’s socials — https://twitter.com/payloadspace / https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace Ignition’s socials — https://twitter.com/ignitionnuclear / https://www.linkedin.com/company/ignition-nuclear/ Tectonic’s socials — https://twitter.com/tectonicdefense / https://www.linkedin.com/company/tectonicdefense/ Valley of Depth archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/ • About us • Valley of Depth is a podcast about the technologies that matter — and the people building them. Brought to you by Arkaea Media, the team behind Payload (space), Ignition (nuclear energy), and Tectonic (defense tech), this show goes beyond headlines and hype. We talk to founders, investors, government officials, and military leaders shaping the future of national security and deep tech. From breakthrough science to strategic policy, we dive into the high-stakes decisions behind the world’s hardest technologies. Payload: www.payloadspace.com Ignition: www.ignition-news.com Tectonic: www.tectonicdefense.com