Former Hacker Dan Roelker Launches Observable Space to Harness Light Technology

BLUEMONT, Va.—Dan Roelker, a 48-year-old entrepreneur with an unconventional career trajectory, is now focused on controlling and collecting light through advanced optics and telescopes. Speaking from an overlook in the Blue Ridge Mountains foothills overlooking the Shenandoah Valley, Roelker articulated his philosophy: "If you can control light, you can control space. So it's basically a race for who is collecting the most light."

Roelker's path to this venture is marked by dramatic shifts in focus and industry. He began as a hacker, transitioned into video game coding, served as head of software development at SpaceX, explored cryptocurrency and NFTs, and has now pivoted to building telescopes and advanced optics while developing the software to operate them. Despite coming from a working-class background in Pennsylvania—his parents did not attend college and his father died during his youth—Roelker attended a private university in Maryland where he studied mathematics and philosophy.

The technological landscape Roelker is addressing spans multiple applications of light-based systems. Historically, humans have observed distant stars and galaxies to understand the universe, later developing telescopes for deeper astronomical observations. As space exploration advanced, celestial light became crucial for navigation. In recent years, telescopes have been deployed to track the growing number of satellites in orbit to prevent collisions. Contemporary applications now include using laser light to increase data transmission from space, a capability increasingly important with the emergence of orbital data centers.

In 2025, Roelker cofounded Observable Space to pursue these technological opportunities. He frames the emerging competition as fundamentally different from previous space races. "The new space race is going to be on the ground," he stated, suggesting that future dominance will belong to those who can most effectively harness light in innovative ways. His vision positions ground-based optical technology as central to the next phase of space industry competition.