Stanford Seminar - Silicon Valley & The U.S. Government: Hermeus' AJ Piplica

The podcast explores the origin story and evolution of Hermeus, a company aiming to develop hypersonic aircraft for both military and commercial applications. AJ Piplica, founder of Hermeus, details his journey from aerospace engineering at Georgia Tech to founding a company focused on reusable hypersonic systems. He discusses the strategic decision to prioritize defense applications before commercial ventures, citing the need for a sustainable business model and the ability to iterate on hardware development. Piplica also emphasizes the importance of company culture, particularly the concept of the "responsible engineer," in driving innovation and achieving ambitious goals. The conversation touches on the technical architecture of Hermeus's aircraft, focusing on air-breathing engines and the potential for Mach 5 flight to revolutionize both military operations and commercial travel.