September 16, 2006: Space Solar Energy & Launch Systems - John C. Mankins
Podcast: The Art Bell ArchivePublished On: Mon Jan 19 2026
Description: Art Bell speaks with John C. Mankins, a 25-year NASA veteran who spent a decade at JPL and 15 years at headquarters overseeing advanced technology programs. Mankins explains how breakthroughs in lightweight thin-film reflectors now make solar power viable even in the outer solar system, challenging NASA's long reliance on plutonium-powered systems for deep space missions. The conversation expands to space solar power, the concept of collecting energy in orbit where sunlight is constant, then… Full show notes & guests: https://artbellarchive.org/episode/september-16-2006-space-solar-energy-and-launch-systems-john-c-mankins/
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