How I Invest · Nov 11, 2026 · 1h 1m · 52m saved
With Even Rogers, Co-Founder and CEO of True Anomaly
China tested its first space-to-ground kinetic weapon in 2024, a satellite that releases a munition able to strike the surface without a nuclear warhead. Even Rogers, co-founder and CEO of True Anomaly, told David Weisburd on the How I Invest podcast that the US stopped most of its own space-weapons work after the Cold War.
China has pursued the modern version of these weapons since about 2004. In the US, the last major known program was shut down in the early 1990s, and Even founded True Anomaly to build what he saw missing.
"It's not good. China, which is our principal adversary for space warfare, has been at this problem now for about 20 years." — Even Rogers
Even served as a satellite operations officer and later a weapons officer in the Air Force and Space Force, and started the company 12 days after leaving uniform.
The full interview is covered here so you can skip it. 61 minutes of audio, 9 minutes of reading.
Here are the 10 lessons that matter.
Key Takeaways
China tested an orbital strike weapon in 2024 that needs no nuclear warhead
The US "effectively mothballed" its offensive and defensive space programs after the USSR fell
The best time to stop a space weapon is before it releases its munition
True Anomaly has put over $600 million into R&D on one program and is adding another billion
Space is repeating aviation's 1930s, when combat needs produced aircraft with no civilian version
The Department of War is still uncomfortable with contractors earning real profit
True Anomaly beat Rocket Lab's faster spacecraft by deciding better, "nine times out of 10"
1. China's "Rods From God"
China's 2024 test put a weapon in orbit that can be dropped on targets on the ground. The concept dates to Soviet research in the 1960s and 1970s, which became a public fear after Sputnik.
Even Rogers describes China's satellite that drops a guided munition from orbit
"This is a satellite that is in orbit that deploys a munition. That munition re-enters the atmosphere and guides itself to the surface of the earth ... these are colloquially called rods from god." — Even Rogers
The munition needs no explosive charge to do great damage. Its speed on impact does the work.
Even Rogers says these weapons can match a nuclear strike's force without a warhead
"The impact velocities will hit the ground with the force of a nuclear weapon, but they don't have to actually have a nuclear warhead." — Even Rogers
