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Space Solar Power (SSP), the idea of using solar panels in space to collect power from the Sun to serve the energy needs of the people on Earth, holds great promise. The contributing effect of fossil fuels on climate change is a critical concern to people around the world. Although renewable energy is increasingly serving some needs, physical limitations greatly inhibit the use of these carbon-neutral approaches for primary baseload power. Meanwhile, solar energy systems for spacecraft have become smaller, lighter, more efficient, and less expensive. Large SSP constellations will likely require a large workforce in space to properly assemble, maintain, and manage them. Such activity could be one economic underpinning for the establishment of communities in space. Recent SSP R&D programs, along with advances in computing technology, robotics, materials, space infrastructure, and low-cost launch have opened the launch window for SSP to move off the drawing board and into space. Join us as we explore recent advances, how they might play out in practice, how the nations of the world are approaching SSP, and whether we’ve finally reached an inflection point where we can actually harness the Sun.

PROGRAM

Panel Discussion

John Mankins, President of Artemis Innovation Management Solutions LLC Martin Soltau, Chair at Space Energy Initiative, United Kingdom Jim Keravala, Co-Founder & CEO, OffWorld, Inc. Tony DeTora, Beyond Earth VP of Policy Coherence & Co-Founder – Moderator

FEATURED SPEAKERS with BIOS

  John C. Mankins is an entrepreneur and internationally-recognized leader in technology and systems innovation and management. He is the Founder and President of Mankins Space Technology, Inc., the President of Artemis Innovation Management Solutions LLC, a Director of Solar Space Technologies, Inc., a Professor at the Kepler Space Institute, and Vice President of the Moon Village Association. He was formerly Chief Technologist for Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. He was the lead for NASA’s Lunar Outpost team in 2003, providing the key concepts that led to the Vision for Space Exploration (VSE) in 2004. Mr. Mankins has been recognized as the leading expert in the field of space solar power (SSP), managing NASA’s programs in this area from 1995-2003. He co-chaired the recently completed International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) study of SSP (2008-2011) and was Principal Investigator of a NASA-supported investigation of a novel Solar Power Satellite (SPS) concept that he invented: SPS-ALPHA (SPS by means of Arbitrarily Large Phased Array). Since 2016 he has organized annually the only international SSP student competition sponsored by SPACE Canada, with diverse space advocacy organizations.   Martin Soltau leads the Space business for Frazer-Nash Consultancy in the UK. He directed the recent UK government study into the viability of Space Solar Power as a new energy technology which could help the UK deliver Net Zero. He established and co-chairs the Space Energy Initiative, a collaboration of UK space and energy organizations seeking to take forward the development of Space Solar Power. Martin gained a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Bristol University, and has enjoyed a career in the aerospace sector. He studied aerospace systems with Martin Marietta in Orlando on a technology transfer program, before joining W. Vinten to lead the development of fast jet tactical reconnaissance systems for a number of air forces around the world. Before joining Frazer-Nash he was head of programs for Smiths Aerospace, developing civil and military aircraft systems and equipment. He is a member of the IAF Space Power Committee.   Jim Keravala is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of OffWorld, Inc. He has undertaken leadership roles in innovation in multidisciplinary areas such as aerospace engineering, space systems, robotics and machine intelligence. OffWorld is the culmination of over a decade of architectural planning and development of autonomous robotic systems operating in extreme space environments for mining, construction, undersea, assembly and transportation services. Experience for seven years managing launch programs and space access with Russian and Ukrainian launch vehicles, subsequently joining Surrey Satellite Technology as Launch Manager for six years overseeing over a dozen successful orbital launches on Russian, European and US launch vehicles, and participated in satellite design, integration engineering and program management as part of this process. Jim co-founded Shackleton Energy and developed architectures for propellant depots and reusable transport systems utilizing lunar polar water for an assured continuous supply of fuel in space, and co-founded the OffWorld Consortium (OWC) building a space based solar power station fleet and seeded by Middle-East sovereign funding. Resulting from a collaboration with NASA Ames, Mr. Keravala co-founded a synthetic biology program to enable over-expression of enzymes in bioleaching scenarios for terrestrial and space mining. Jim studied aerospace engineering, spacecraft engineering and physics at University of London, Surrey University, Aachen Technical University and International Space University, was previously faculty at Singularity University and is on advisory boards and Board of Directors of a number of space institutes including Board Member of the National Space Society, The International Moonbase Alliance and the Moon Village Association. Jim is an Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics.   Tony DeTora is Beyond Earth Institute co-founder and Vice President of of Policy Coherence. He is also VP, Government Relations at Lynk Global, Inc., a satellite telecommunications company bringing mobile phone connectivity to unmodified mobile phones worldwide. Tony was Senior Professional Staff at the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the U.S. House of Representatives. Tony was Senior Policy Advisor to Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, leading activity on the Space Exploration, Development, and Settlement Act of 2015. Tony has served as an Analyst and Business Manager at PoliSpace and as Executive Director of the Space Frontier Foundation. Tony was Vice President for March Storm for ProSpace.

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